Is Thrush Causing Heel Pain in your Horse?

In the past, I never worried too much about thrush.  I knew what it was, and it only happened in horses kept in wet pens or dirty stalls.  I knew it always presented with a black mush in and around the frog and a foul odor.  Well, it turns out I was wrong.  I've since learned that thrush can happen in nearly any horse--no matter what their environment, and it doesn't always look like thrush!  It's caused by a bacteria or fungus, and if left untreated, it can cause permanent lameness.

So how do you know if your horse does have thrush?  It can be a little difficult to recognize when the foot doesn't present the classic symptoms.  If your horse appears to have heel pain--long, stretched toes (symptom of toe-first landing), has contracted heels, or high bars, he may have thrush.  Also, a spongy frog or a deep groove in the central sulcus (groove in middle of frog) can be a tell-tale sign.  If your horse is barefoot, put him on cement and see how he stands.  A horse will tend to lean forward if he has heel pain.

Many people automatically think 'navicular' if their horse has heel pain.  That may not be the case though--it could very well be thrush, which is much easier to treat!  If in doubt, I would treat for thrush.  Pete Ramey, an expert in natural trimming,  recommends soaking an infected hoof in lysol (follow dilution directions on bottle) for 30 minutes 4-5 days in a row.  Or for a topical treatment, mix 50/50 triple antibiotic cream and athlete's foot cream ('Pete's goo') and apply in the central sulcus.  If you'd rather buy a product, White Lightning is a good one.  To read more about thrush causes, symptoms, and treatments see Linda Cowles website.

Ta-ta!

Prebiotics and Probiotics for Horses

Whether we like it or not, there are bacteria living inside us all--including our horses.  But bacteria gets a bad rap, usually.  Along with the harmful bacteria that can cause illness, there are also beneficial bacteria that help the gastro-intestinal system work properly.  Since horses ingest forage on a continual basis, these 'good' bacteria help with the process of fermentation of the forage in the gut.  They keep things in balance.  And horses are prone to many digestive problems when things get out of balance.  If a horse is exposed to a wide variety of plants which he can graze on, he will naturally consume these good bacteria.  Many horses are kept on overgrazed pastures, in dry lots, or in stalls, though.  These horses, along with very young or old horses may need a little help--a prebiotic or probiotic may be called for.

What exactly are probiotics and prebiotics?  Most people don't really know the difference.  Well, a probiotic a product containing live microorganisms that benefit the digestive tract. That's right--it IS the good bacteria!  Probiotics are good to feed during stressful situations such as long transport, changes in feed (which should always be made slowly), or after an illness, surgery, or round of antibiotics.  According to Dr. Kellon, VMD (my equine nutrition instructor), two good probiotics are Equine Generator and DFM-EQ.  You usually don't need to feed them long term though.

Prebiotics, on the other hand, are actually 'food' for the good bacteria.  They stimulate the growth and activity of the good bacteria.  Many feeds or feed ingredients such as beet pulp, flax, yeast, or psyllium are prebiotics.  You can feed them daily to promote a healthy gut.  Two great manufactured prebiotics are Ration Plus and Forco.  I personally feed Ration Plus and have seen its benefits.

So how do you know if you're horse could benefit from a pre or probiotic?  As I mentioned before, probiotics are good during times of stress and usually aren't fed long term.  Prebiotics are good for any horse, but if you're horse is having trouble holding weight, suffers from chronic diarrhea, is prone to colic or ulcers, has a poor appetite, or has poor coat/ hooves, he could very well benefit from a good prebiotic.  Of course, you should always check with your vet first (especially for chronic diarrhea cases).

Hopefully, I've explained the differences between pre and probiotics well enough.  It's important to know what you're feeding before you feed it!

Ta-ta!

To Stall or Not to Stall--That is the Question

Many performance horses are kept stalled  for the majority of time, but is this the best practice for keeping horses?  In my opinion, as well as others who have done research on the issue, the answer is no.  If in doubt, I always go back to the wild horse.  I try to keep things as natural as possible, and lots of turnout is natural.

That's not to say I never stall my horses--I do.  But here are the reasons why I do it:

• to limit spring grass (especially in my overweight horses)
• to allow for some 'gravel time' to keep their bare hooves in shape
• or in extreme weather (for me extreme is a foot of snow or several inches of ice on the ground)

I usually only stall for up to six-eight hours at a time, too (except maybe in cases of extreme weather).  I much prefer my horses to be outside when they can, though.  I'm sure many horse owners have their reasons for stalling as well.  If you don't have some good ones, you may want to reconsider your horse's living situation though.  I wrote an article (based on a scientific study) for The Horse called Are Stabled Horses at Increased Risk for Colic?  You might want to check it out.  There are also articles out there that explain the detriments of stalling on the hoof.  Movement is crucial for proper hoof development and healthy maintenance.  

If you do stall for any length of time, making sure your horse has hay to munch on for the majority of the time is very important.  Even an obese horse being stalled to help with weight loss will not lose weight nearly as quickly if he is starved.  A horse's gastro-intestinal system is designed to constantly digest forage.  That's probably why the full-time stabled horses in the study I wrote on were found to be at increased risk for colic--not enough forage. 

So what is the answer when stalling is sometimes necessary or beneficial?  For me, it's about balance. I have a lot of grass and several overweight horses.  They are at risk for laminitis in the spring especially.  I try to keep them off of the grass or muzzled during most of the daylight hours during the spring (and fall).  They are always turned out at night.  If you don't have a lot of grass, or if your horses aren't overweight, there may be no reason to stall them whatsoever.  There are some good reasons to keep a horse stalled--just keep in mind the downfalls of stalling before you decide to do it.

Ta-ta!