My Spanish Mustang gelding, Rio, is pretty stoic; it takes a lot for him to complain. When I realized the saddle he’d been wearing for years no longer fit him properly, it was because he finally let me know....
The elderly gray Appaloosa craned her neck to watch me as I gently ran my hand over the hard swelling on her hind leg. I didn’t like the fact that the large mass was right on the outside of...
You’ve probably felt that moment of panic. Your horse comes in from the field with a squinty, red, tearing, swollen eye. Immediately, your mind races to the worst-case scenario as you dial your vet. Will your horse end up...
Besides not being able to talk, horses are flight animals and have an instinctual ability to hide pain. So, how do horses communicate pain?Obvious signs such as biting, bucking suddenly, not wanting to be saddled, reluctance to go forward...
In addition to finding the right personality and ability when searching for your next equine partner, oftentimes it feels like you need a Ph.D. to decipher horse-health records, old injuries, and how they might impact a horse’s future athletic...
Dr. Diehl describes in her Vet Adventures column what happens next in life to a gray horse with a serious lameness diagnosis. Does he have hope for a good home?After several hours of diagnostics on Olaf, a 13-year-old gray...
The hooves of horses are a remarkable thing. Strong and tough, yet also delicate, their health affects your entire horse’s wellbeing. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on your horse’s feet. Craig Lesser, DVM,...
Ann Wallin, a certified neuromovement practitioner trained in the Anat Baniel Method, lives to improve riders and horses using Feldenkrais movements. Feldenkrais is a practice involving very tiny movements of the skeletal areas of the body, most importantly the...
Soft tissue injury in horses is eventually encountered by most equestrians, and there’s often a dilemma for the owner if the cause can’t be easily diagnosed. Treatment typically involves rest, phenylbutazone (bute), and possibly nerve blocks and injections for...
There are many reasons for a horse to have some time off, such as resting up after a strenuous competition season or the realities of life getting in the way. Injuries can also sideline a horse for months at...
