While unloading your horse, he quickly steps back, lifting his head high to catch on the bare metal of your horse trailer. The gash is deep. What are your next steps?

According to a recent study*, stallions can alter the composition of their semen to optimize “ejaculate economics.” The theory of ejaculate economics suggests that sperm production is a cost-benefit process. As such, situations involving competition for fertile females stimulate stallions to produce high-volume ejaculates when compared to situations in which no male competition exists or when mares are unlikely to conceive.

Young grasses are low fiber, very high protein and higher in rapidly fermentable carbohydrate fractions than more mature growths. This can lead to a variety of hind gut digestive upsets including bloating, varying degrees of manure softening/diarrhea, and in some cases colic. This can be avoided by careful introduction to the new grass.

The most common root cause of laminitis in horse populations worldwide is some form of underlying endocrine dysfunction, with high blood insulin being the common feature that appears to directly lead to laminitis lesions in horses with Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, or Equine Cushings disease) or Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

“We’ve done a lot of good work over the last 10 years, since Barbaro,” says van Eps. “We know now that there are different mechanisms that can lead to the disease, and we’re working out ways to prevent or ameliorate the different forms.”

Researchers believe pro-inflammatory proteins help stimulate a foal’s immune system to function appropriately, helping to activate immune system memory, rather than directly fighting infection.

Horses that stay home or rarely compete are not immune to stomach ulcers. Cheramie cites these situations as examples of what can cause them including: Light training, Short-term travel, Trailering, Change in routine, Change in feed schedule, Limited turnout or grazing, or Lay-up due to sickness or injury, Radio in the barn, or Social regrouping.

Unfortunately, the nurse mare didn’t take to the new filly either. So in order to provide the foal with the necessary nutrition, an Igloo cooler was retrofitted with a sheep nipple to allow for nursing. Finally, a bit of success! The filly took to nursing from the cooler quickly, allowing for one big hurdle to be overcome.

It’s a common misconception that senior horses, having received vaccinations for years, are already protected and haven’t the need for annual vaccinations.