To support my own horse's legs, I tend to boot for the occasion - Photo by Lorraine Peachey
A practice that I started several years ago was to start to wear protective boots on my horses. When I think of 1,000lb+ of body weight that is being transported around on four legs…well, I think of the stress that the four legs must feel. Stress caused by impact against the ground or by striking a pole or jump. So to support my own horse’s legs, I tend to boot for the occasion of my ride.
A recent post on TheHorse.com talks about a study conducted by a group of researchers from Austria that is related to wearing protective boots on your horse. The researchers have come to the conclusion that using protective boots or wraps on your horse will have a definite effect on both skin and tendon temperatures. Results from a study indicate that a horse’s skin temperature underneath boots or wraps will increase as much as 30% during exercise. And research has not yet determined whether or not the increase in leg temperature is a good thing or not. The study itself, called “Effect of a bandage or tendon boot on skin temperature of the metacarpus at rest and after exercise in horses”, was originally published by the American Journal of Veterinary Research. Check out the article on TheHorse.com here.
And check out some of the other Horse Health Headlines of this week:
Nearly 400 Horses Hit in Vesicular Stomatitis Outbreak – An outbreak of vesicular stomatitis that started out in Texas and Colorado in May has affected almost 400 horses in total. According to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS – a division of the US Department of Agriculture), over the past week alone there have been 38 new premises within the affected areas that have tested positive for the condition. [HorseTalk]
Understanding Senior Horse Feeds – Our horses are living longer, healthier lives then they might have in the past, thanks to advances in care and nutrition. But as horses age, food consumption may become difficult as dental health starts to decline. A variety of senior complete feeds are available for senior horses who have difficulty chewing–but what is the nutritional differences of a complete feed? [TheHorse]
Web-based British Study Targets Laminitis Risk Factors – A web-based research project that will examine equine management practices that have the potential to result in laminitis is being started up. The study will be conducted by the Animal Health Trust (done in partnership with the Royal Veterinary College. Over 3,000 British horses and ponies are needed to help with the study, and owners are being asked to sign up in order to provide their input here. [HorseTalk]
Vets Disagree on Equine Neurologic Assessments – A recent study has suggested that that it is not only difficult for horse owners to identify ataxia (incoordination), which could be a symptom of a neurologic disorder. Researchers have found that a team of equine health professionals also can find it challenging to come to an agreement as to whether or not a horse is ataxic, and how severe the symptoms actually were. [TheHorse]
And lastly, check out this article over at EquiMed, that shares that UltraShield Green not only offers a natural repellant to flies, gnats and mosquitos, but it also repel ticks. Absobine Research & Development has announced that UltraShield Green has been proven to repel ticks, and it’s effectiveness has been determined during the course of an independent study conducted in 2014 by i2L Research USA Inc. Check out the article here!
