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Q: What is the difference between therapeutic and diagnostic ultrasound? Asked by Caitlin White A: Diagnostic ultrasound involves the use of ultrasound waves to produce…

The post AskHQ: Ultrasound appeared first on HQ Magazine.

19th Dec 2019

Q: Is it worthwhile to pay for insurance in case my horse needs a colic op in future? A; Ultimately, colic surgery is not cheap.…

The post AskHQ: Insurance issues appeared first on HQ Magazine.

20th Dec 2019

All over the world and more and more in South Africa, equestrians are seeing the benefits of solarium therapy for their horses. Many professional yards…

The post Solarium therapy appeared first on HQ Magazine.

15th Nov 2019

By Dr Luke Poore A locking stifle is caused by upward fixation of the patella in the stifle joint of the horse. The patella The…

The post The locking stifle appeared first on HQ Magazine.

19th Nov 2019

Q: Do Miniature Horses wear shoes? A: Miniature Horses have no need for shoes. They have very hardy hooves and with correct trimming they do…

The post AskHQ: Do Miniature Horses wear shoes? appeared first on HQ Magazine.

18th Nov 2019
Mud fever, taxonomically known as pastern dermatitis, encompasses a whole range of diseases that cause irritations and dermatitis to the lower limbs of horses. It is frequently caused by a bacterium known as Dermatophilus congolensis, which thrives in wet and muddy conditions. This infection is known to occasionally stay dormant […]
7th Oct 2019
Recent research now suggests that particularly trotting horses on tar roads leads to more incidences of lameness than was originally thought. The benefits of riding on roads are that they are flat, generally even surfaces and many people have previously suggested that roadwork is good for joint, tendon and bone […]
6th Oct 2019
Q: Is aloe juice good for horses? A: Aloe has been used by horse owners in many countries for a long time, to improve the overall health and well-being of their horses. Aloe is known, first and foremost, for its beneficial effect on the digestive system and particularly its reported […]
26th Sep 2019
Q: My friend’s horse has been diagnosed with a fractured pelvis, yet the horse is not having surgery. Is this normal?  A: Pelvic fractures are challenging to handle in horses, not just because of the horse’s size but because of the heavy muscling and tissue that surround the pelvic area. […]
17th Sep 2019
Q: My horse’s fetlocks click when I pick up his feet. What could it be?  A: Clicking joints and fetlocks are fairly common in horses, and are generally speaking nothing to worry about. Clicking joints in horses are very similar to clicking joints like knuckles and knees in humans, where […]
13th Sep 2019
What they are: These are big, commonly dark-coloured masses that occur around the tail, genitals, mouth and throat-latch of mature grey horses. These tumours are usually benign and grow slowly, although in a small number of animals they will continue to be a problem and may even prove fatal. Owners […]
7th Sep 2019
What they are: Sarcoids are unfortunately very common, being the most common skin tumour affecting horses. Sarcoids can have a varied appearance and will appear as anything ranging from a hairless area of skin to a big multi-lobed ulcerated mass. It is often difficult to identify sarcoids as they have […]
5th Sep 2019
What they are: Warts are a type of tumour and are the most common growths found in horses. They are raised grey or pinkish cauliflower-like growths that are usually fairly small (usually not much bigger than the size of a pea). They can appear alone or in groups, and the […]
4th Sep 2019
What they are: Abscesses are an accumulation of pus under the skin or in the deeper tissues. Abscesses can occur anywhere on a horse’s body and are caused when a foreign body or infection stimulates white blood cells to congregate in one place. The white blood cells form pus and […]
3rd Sep 2019
What they are: Nodules are referred to as simply nodules or as pressure bumps or sweat bumps. In medical terms they are referred to as eosinophilic granulomas with collagen degeneration, nodular collagenolytic granulomas or nodular necrobiosis. They are distinct, firm nodules about the size of a R2 coin, usually found […]
2nd Sep 2019
Lumps and bumps are all too common in our equine friends. Some just need a ‘watch and wait’ approach and others need urgent veterinary attention. The difficulty comes in differentiating between the two variants. Over the next few days we will be running through several of the common causes of […]
31st Aug 2019
Q: My mare has osteoarthritis in her hocks, which can make some schooling difficult for her. I want to maintain her fitness, without stressing her joints or making her arthritis flare. Do you have any advice for how best to achieve this? A: Osteoarthitis is a condition that commonly affects […]
30th Aug 2019
Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal  29 August 2019  Horses are very much like people. They are not only acutely sensitive to emotions but also social animals that often mirror our own behaviour and relationships through their actions. As a result, horses can play an important role in healing the human psyche. Gert van […]
29th Aug 2019
Sweet itch is caused by an allergic reaction to the saliva of the Cullicoides midge (the same midge involved in the transmission of the dreaded African Horse Sickness). The midges bite the horse, and in horses with allergic sensitivity they develop itching of the mane and tail and, in some […]
28th Aug 2019
Horses are trickle feeders, designed to eat fibre all day long, rather than consuming large meals less frequently. Fibre digestion takes place in the hindgut where a population of micro-organisms break down the fibre, in a process called fermentation, to provide a source of slow-release energy. Fermentation requires a healthy […]
27th Aug 2019
Q: Why is a concave sole desirable? A: Concavity of the sole is a far better sign than a ‘flat foot’. Part of the foot’s shock-absorbing mechanism is the ability of the sole to drop when weight is put on the foot, allowing the hoof wall to flex, and in […]
22nd Aug 2019
The white line is the area on the ground surface of the foot that appears as a narrow ring at the outside of the sole but inside the rim of the hoof.
21st Aug 2019
Q: What exactly is thrush? A: Thrush is a bacterial infection that commonly affects the frog. It is often associated with wet and dirty bedding, poor hoof management, inadequate trimming, or shoeing with pads that have trapped dirt and moisture. Thrush is commonly noticed due to the unpleasant odour it […]
21st Aug 2019
Q: If vaccines work, why do vaccinated horses still contract flu? A: Vaccines don’t stop infection entirely, but they increase your horse’s immunity to the infection. This means that the vaccine helps to reduce the severity of the disease and the clinical signs your horse will show. They also minimise […]
20th Aug 2019
Poor quality horn in the feet can be suggestive of nutritional deficiencies, and rings can be signs of previous episodes of laminitis.
16th Aug 2019
Droppings should be in firm, well-formed balls.
15th Aug 2019
Every owner should know their horse’s legs. Every day before and after you ride you should palpate the legs from top to toe, to find any changes from previous examinations. Old injuries are unlikely to cause any issues, but if you know they are there, it can save you investigating […]
15th Aug 2019
Looking at your horse’s condition can tell you a lot about his health.
14th Aug 2019
Your horse’s temperature should fall between 37.2 and 38.3 degrees Celsius. To check the temperature stand to the side of your horse’s hindquarter and insert the thermometer into his rectum.
12th Aug 2019
Your horse’s respiratory rate (number of breaths he takes per minute) should be between 10-24 breaths per minute.
13th Aug 2019
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