Solutions for a gelding who has exhibited signs of lameness for several years.

Question:

My new Quarter Horse has been lame for probably close to two years. He has had corrective shoeing, and the massage therapist has been out to see him once and will be out again. We have X-rays of his feet from December 2008. He is very overweight, which started after he went lame. I take full ownership of him next week, and I want to know what I should do. The shoes helped some, but the massage seemed to help more; however he is still lame. I plan on getting weight off of him by changing his diet, but I feel that I cannot exercise him since he is lame.

Answer:

A member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners offers some advice:

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The AAEP provides more information to a horse owner whose horse has been diagnosed with recurrent airway obstruction.

Question:

My horse was recently diagnosed with heaves. Can you tell me more about this disease and how to treat it?

Answer:

Recurrent airway obstruction, also known as heaves, broken wind and chronic airway reactivity, is a common respiratory disease of horses characterized by airway Read the rest of this entry »

Pro Horseman Julie Goodnight helps a reader teach her horse to side pass and pivot.

Question:

I need to teach my horse to side-pass and pivot. Which should I do first, and should I start on the ground next to her or in saddle? Thanks!

– Ellen Russell

Answer:

Whenever possible, it is a good idea to start your training from the ground.

As you do ground training with your horse and in your routine handling, Read the rest of this entry »

How to make the best artificial insemination choices to make sure your older mare gets pregnant.

Question:

I have a breeding for an older mare (18 years old), who has previously taken successfully with frozen and fresh semen. With this breeding, we can choose fresh, cooled or frozen. Do you think her age will matter and, if so, which should we choose?

Answer:

The American Association of Equine Practitioners provides a practical answer:

It has been proven many, many times that older mares ovulate far inferior oocytes and develop much less viable embryos than they did when they were younger.

So, if you are starting with an 18-year-old mare, she is remarkable in that she is past what one would consider her Read the rest of this entry »

The Certified Horsemanship Association helps sort out a disagreement about the two-point position.

Question:

When in the two-point position, your hip and heel are meant to be in line and your shoulder and knee are meant to be in line. I was wondering if your toe is also meant to be in line with your shoulder and knee?

My mother and I have been talking about it, and she believes that it’s not meant to be in line, but I think it is! Can you please help us sort out this creative disagreement? It would be amazingly helpful.

– Caitlin

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A concerned horse owner gets help from an AAEP vet about his horse’s swollen legs.

Question:

My horse ran on Saturday and had a little bit of swelling above his ankle and lower tendon on Sunday. I sweated it with a DMSO/Furazone sweat and gave him phenylbutazone. The next day, the swelling was up past the knee.

I thought it might be a pulled suspensory, but the amount of swelling seems more like a fracture. He is not lame, but I am still concerned. Could you give me your thoughts?

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An AQHA Professional Horsewoman explains how to teach the pivot.

Question:

My horse yields very well in both directions with her hips and shoulders. However, when I ask for the pivot, her back feet keep taking baby steps. Essentially, she’s “half pivoting.” Instead of planting one foot, she’s making a very tiny circle using both back feet (almost a shuffle). How can I get her to plant one foot?

Kelly

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The American Association of Equine Practitioners helps a mare owner keep his horse comfortable.

Question:

Five days ago, I went to exercise my pregnant mare and noticed some swelling in her back legs. I had not been able to exercise her for several days due to snow and icy conditions. The stable owner where she is boarded said she was just stocked up from standing in her pen and needing exercise. I have been out to exercise her every day since, and the swelling has not subsided. There is no heat in the legs and the mare does not show any lameness.

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When is the best age to begin training your young horse?

Question:

I have a coming-on 2-year-old colt. When is the best time to start training a young colt? I have handled him since he was born.

Thanks,  Rick

Answer:

Twenty years ago, we routinely started 2 year olds under saddle, but thankfully, this routine has changed over time. If I had a very compelling reason, like early competition, sales or because the colt was very rambunctious, I might start a horse in the fall of his 2-year-old year. Otherwise, I’d prefer to wait until the Read the rest of this entry »

AQHA Professional Horseman Al Dunning offers advice on working a cow.

Question:

What is the best way to keep your horse from wanting to advance on the cow and press toward it? How can I help my horse stay back and work the cow from a distance?

– Brooke Hayward

Answer:

Hi Brooke,

All horses that are “cowy” want to go toward the cow. While training, we make sure our horses fully stop before they turn. That keeps the horse’s axis centered so they don’t roll toward a cow when they turn. I do a lot of what we call “driving off,” where I drive my horse toward the cow and break off to a parallel line with the cow when the cow moves. This keeps the horse on a line and reinforces the proper axis of the turn.

We always want our cutting horses to have what we call “draw.” That means when the cow stops, the horse Read the rest of this entry »

Learn how your horse’s nasolacrimal duct works and how problems can be solved.

Question:

My gelding has a blocked tear duct that the eye specialist has been unable to reopen and suggests surgery — sewing a new tube into his face. Are there any alternative treatments?

Tanya Ritchie

Answer:

Tanya,

The nasolacrimal duct (tear duct) runs from the medial canthus of the eye to just inside a horse’s nostril. That’s why, when you cry, your nose runs.

Occasionally, the duct is blocked with dirt or mucous, which causes the horse’s eye to water and run down his face. Back flushing the duct usually removes the obstruction. However, in some cases the duct is permanently Read the rest of this entry »

Depending on where you live, your horse has certain water requirements.

Question:

My  horse doesn’t drink much water when we’re on the road for trail rides. I don’t think he likes the unfamiliar taste. How do I know if he is getting enough water?

Answer:

Daily turned to a recent article provided by the American Association of Equine Practitioners

Most people involved with horses have heard the phrase, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” Unfortunately, while it may seem like a simple subject, getting a horse to consume the appropriate amount of water can be difficult. Age, body condition, fitness level and workload, reproductive Read the rest of this entry »