Creative Commons photo.
As someone who has owned horses for over a decade, you might be surprised to learn that my first encounter with a case of choke happened only last year. It was really quite frightening to see my young horse Rufus start displaying symptoms, which at the time, I had no idea what they meant.
After that single occurrence of choke, I made it my mission to learn as much as I possibly could about the condition … because if it could happen once, it could happen again. While I’m glad to report that Roo has never experienced another episode of choke other then that one isolated incident, at least now I know what the condition looks like.
Researchers from Southern Illinois University have recently published findings in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior that indicate that grazing muzzles may assist horses prone to choke to eat pelleted feed. During their study, the researchers found that grazing muzzles have been shown to decrease the rate of intake for pelleted feed. You can check out the full article over at Horsetalk.
And then check out some of the other headlines from This Week in Horse Health News, Presented by Absorbine.
Help for a Girthy Horse: Does your horse react every time that his or her girth is tightened? In many cases, ‘girthy’ behavior starts when a horse is surprised when the girth is tightened quickly, or they feel discomfort from the tack. Their negative reaction then can become a learned behavior. [The Horse]
Become a Noseband ‘Know it All’: How familiar are you with the function of your horse’s noseband? While there is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to choosing the right noseband for your horse, you should first familiarize yourself it’s function. Learn more about the function of a noseband, and familiarize yourself with different types. [Practical Horseman]
10 Most Poisonous Plants for Horses: While there are many plants that are considered toxic to horses in North America, a much smaller number are considered to be able to cause serious harm. Are you familiar with these highly toxic plants, and do you know how to spot them? [Equus Magazine]
Bone Chips in Horses …Why, Where and What to Do: Why do horses’ bones chip, where do the chips lie, and what does a chip mean for your horse’s present and future? Educate yourself on equine bone chips on the answers to these questions and more. [The Horse]
Fillies are More Likely from Aged or Maiden Mares: A study conducted in Europe on Warmblood mares has concluded that foals from aged or maiden mares have a higher probability of being female. [Horsetalk]
