Ailments & Diseases
Coughing and equine asthma
Winter is a time when we often hear our horses coughing more. Whilst in many situations this is not a major issue, in others, especially middle aged to older horses, this could be due to a disorder ...
Splints
'Splints' refer to a hard, bony swelling that appears on the inside (or occasionally outside) of the horse's lower leg. They are caused by damage to the splint bones or the ligament between the splint and cannon bone. Although they can occur at any age, they are common in younger horses in trainin...
Hoof Abscesses
What is a hoof abscess? A hoof abscess describes a painful build-up of purulent material (pus) within the hoof capsule. It will often be extremely uncomfortable for the horse, causing an obvious lameness at walk. Foot abscesses are caused by bacteria entering the hoof capsule and setting up an in...
Mud fever
Traditionally, mud fever has been associated with the wet muddy conditions we see in the winter. However, it can occur throughout other times of the year. What is mud fever? Mud fever, also known as pastern dermatitis or 'cracked heels' is a skin condition generally caused by a bacteria called D...
Choke
‘Choke’ can be a very scary experience for owner and horse alike. The name is misleading, as it refers to an obstruction (usually food) in the oesophagus (food pipe) rather than the trachea (wind pipe). The most common sign of choke is sudden coughing, wretching and discomfort immediately aft...
Atypical Myopathy
Atypical Myopathy (Sycamore Poisoning) Atypical myopathy (also known as ‘sycamore poisoning’) is a severe and potentially fatal muscle disorder of horses caused by eating sycamore ‘helicopter’ seeds and, to a lesser extent sycamore leaves, that fall onto pasture in the autumn & winter...