“Like you have seen, in some examples, the horse appears very relaxed, so you wonder if it could be a mental state that results in an unusual autonomic nervous system (which regulates body functions such as heart and respiratory rate, digestion, sexual arousal, etc.) balance associated with penile relaxation or erection.”

One month after the surgery, Shine was fitted with an artificial hoof from OrthoPets, a company in Westminster, Colo., that specializes in animal prostheses. Shine will be the fourth miniature horse to receive an OrthoPets hoof, which looks like a narrow ski boot with a foam liner and bike-tire treads.

If your aim is to make a living and a profit with horses, you need to make room for horses that pay their way as part of your business program. Make a list of the horses you own and start tracking the revenue they provide. Evaluate the income stream, deduct the carrying costs, and determine the contribution to your profit. Keep the performers and the retirees you treasure and help the rest find a new home.

Such wounds are challenging to treat because of the weight of the abdominal contents bearing down on the surgical repair. The damaged muscle layers may not be strong enough to withstand the tension on the sutures used to repair the defect. It is often necessary to implant some mesh to strengthen the damaged muscle layers and repair the defect.