Veterinary & Health
Veterinary & health care for your horse
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 ...
Vaccinations
Horses, ponies and donkeys are susceptible to a number of diseases, some of which we can vaccinate against. What are vaccinations? A vaccination is a way of producing an immune response against a specific disease. It primes the immune system so that an appropriate immune response can be stimulat...
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...
First aid for wounds
Skin wounds are extremely common in horses, particularly on the limbs or face. Many wounds only require simple first aid in order to treat them, though more serious ones will require veterinary attent...