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Horse Ailments Some Easy Solutions

for Common Horse Injuries

Here we cover some easy solutions for common horse ailments.

Contents

Prevention

Many of the common occurring horse ailments greatly reduce when you keep horses as naturally as possible.

They will end up having far fewer health problems for you to deal with.

Delboy And Andy

By naturally we mean:-

However, even with the above care, health problems can occur and need to be treated. Below is a list of horse ailments with recommended treatments and suggestions which are:-

  • easy to do
  • and very effective.

Bruised Soles


Signs and Symptoms

If there is any bruising you can usually see it on the soles/hooves. It looks reddish/brownish in colour and can be seen in various areas of the hoof e.g. on the sole of the hoof, especially the toe callus, around the white line or even on the hoof wall and around the coronet band.

The horse maybe 'footy' and sore and not forward going.

Bruised soles can occur in the early transition phase after the removal of horse shoes. As the whole hoof structure becomes stronger and the circulation improves, so any bruising reduces and goes.

Treatment

Keeping horses turned out and moving. Depending on how sore they are, will depend if they can be ridden or not.

Walking and movement, whether ridden, or in hand, stimulates their circulation and will encourage healing. Think of this type of movement as gentle physiotherapy for the horse.

Feel what they are able to offer, if they can walk, walk them, if they offer trot, trot them. If you feel resistance then back off and go slower until the soreness and bruising has subsided.

Monitor their hooves. Are they wearing evenly or are they putting more pressure on one part of the hoof more than another?

By observing their movement in walk and trot, you may well be able to detect any soreness.

The more you look and observe their hooves the more your eye will pick up and notice small differences in their shape and where they maybe protecting parts of their hooves.

In addition do some of the following:

Any of the above will help speed up the healing time.

If your horse is continually getting sore, bruised feet you will need to re-assess their trimming, their diet and their living conditions.

You may need to boot your horse if he is sore and continue using the boots until his feet toughen up or work him in a school on a soft surface..


Horse Thrush and Abscesses

Both of these are common horse ailments. They occur in and around the horses hooves. For information on these conditions go to Horse Thrush for help and advice.


Cracked Heels


This horse ailment is also called greasy heel.

Treatment

The treatment for cracked heels is the same as for Mud Fever. Use Apple Cider Vinegar to keep the area clean and then the same creams and remedies that are recommended for Mud Fever, i.e:-

Just by removing the shoes and giving them a good barefoot trim the heel bulbs will begin to expand and open out and this condition will resolve.

In many instances you may not need to apply anything at all.


Laminitis


Laminitis is when you get inflammation of the laminae in the horses hoof.

It can be extremely painful for the horse and can result in the horse not being able to move or weight bear on its feet and can eventually be life threatening and result in a horse being put down. The front hooves are most commonly affected.

It requires dedication and careful horse management.

There is a tremendous amount of information on laminitis on the web. Here I will give you some simple, basic, guidelines as well as recommend further reading.


Signs and Minor Symptoms

  • Tenderness when Ridden on Gravel and small stony tracks
  • Shortness of Stride
  • Generally not as willing
  • Refusal to jump

Treatment

  • You need to address the horses feed and care very quickly.

  • If your horse is shod the shoes need to be removed.

  • Find a good barefoot trimmer who can do some proper corrective trimming.

  • Grass and rich pasture is to be avoided at all times.

  • Feed them Magnesium as this can help any horses showing early signs and symptoms of being affected by grass.

  • They need to be able to move around - so a dry lot area with only hay, water and natural mineral blocks is essential. See Horse Nutrition.

  • All hard feeds to be avoided.

  • To help you really understand this condition Jaime Jackson's book Founder: Prevention and Cure - The Natural Wayis essential reading. Follow this book and stick with all he recommends and you will be well on your way to sorting out your horse/pony founder.

Prevention

To monitor and prevent this there is a simple test that you can do.

  • Feel the digital pulses in the front lower limbs of the horse and see if they are pulsating.
  • If you are unsure compare the pulse with another horse's digital pulses. By doing this a few times you begin to get a feel as to whether they are stronger or not.
  • If it is, you can then act quickly, before symptoms show. You can also feel for any heat in the hooves. Again compare one side with the other and also compare fronts to backs. The fronts being the most commonly affected. If still unsure compare the temperature of the hooves with another horses hooves if possible.
  • When comparing, if the horse is unshod their feet will always feel warmer than a shod horse hooves. Also, if it is a warm summer's day - check that you are not feeling the heat from the sun on their hooves. This sometimes can cause confusion.

Jaime Jackson's book on Founder simple to read and covers all you will need to know.

That along with what is recommended above and the other horsecare suggestions outlined here on this site, should be enough to resolve a vast majority of laminitc problems.

Of course there well may be some cases which are more difficult to sort.

However the basics foundations to good health and laminitc free horses is all here in this sites material.



Cuts & Small Injuries

Cuts and small injuries are common horse ailments and occur due to a number of reasons. Often from just some 'in house' fighting. A small injury may often need no treatment at all and will heal itself.

If you are concerned then clean it with Apple Cider Vinegar or Neways Eliminator.

You could then further apply Traumeel Gel or Weleda Arnica Dusting Powder WCS, both of which will speed up healing in the area.


More Serious Wounds & Puncture Wounds

An invaluable product for these types of injuries and horse ailments is Manuka Honey.This is because it is:-

Manuka Honey
  • Antifungal
  • Antibacterial agent

You need to use a very good organic Manuka Honey and the higher the "Unique Manuka Factor" the better.

Get the best you can, medium to thick is easier to apply than a runny one. If you buy a cheap honey don't expect the excellent horse ailments results that are outlined here.


Where to Buy Manuka Honey

In the UK you can buy Manuka Honey from Holland & Barrett.

Alternatively you can buy Manuka Honey from New Zealand where they export worldwide.


How to Use Manuka Honey for Horse Injuries:-

  • Clean the wound with warm water, Eliminator or Apple Cider Vinegar.
  • Do not worry if you cannot get it perfectly clean, as you will be applying the honey, which acts as a natural disinfectant.
  • Get some clean cotton gamgee dressing and put several teaspoons of honey on this.

You can in addition add any or all of the following to the honey:-

Mix all this up and put the honey mixture on the cotton gamgee dressing and then apply this directly onto the wound.

Then put on the bandage/vet wrap so securing the cotton gamgee honey dressing to the wound.

The balance with the bandaging is not to get it too loose or too tight. If you are concerned either way, check it a few hours later and you will be able to see:-

  • If it is coming off - too loose.
  • Or if it is impeding the circulation - too tight.

Depending how big the cut is will depend on how much honey you will need.

The aim regardless of the size of cut is for the dressing to:-

  • Cover the wound completely
  • For the wound to remain moist with the honey.

This is very important, so that the underlying tissues, as they begin to repair and knit together do not get stuck to the gamgee when you change the dressing. (This is usually about two days later.

The best type of cotton dressing to use is one that has a clear plastic covering(e.g.gamgee). This with adequate honey will not stick to the new skin that is being laid down, when the dressing has to be changed.

NB

This honey has a long shelf life so we try to always have two jars in hand. Many times I have been caught out and not had any, very boring asit can take a few days to come in the post and if you go to a local health food shop it can be out of stock or they don't have any.

NB It is delicious.


Severe Injury - A Case History

One of the horses here had a very serious wound. He was sound but the skin on his leg had been severly torn. It was flapping and loose. The injury was about 6 - 7" long.

Treatment

With this problem we did the above treatment. We left the dressing on for several days so the thin layers of tissue that were regenerating were not being disturbed. The Manuka Honey had been thickly put on so there was no worry of the dressing drying up and the underlying tissues being disturbed.

When we changed the dressing the wound was completely clean, however, interestingly, where the dead skin was lying there were a number of maggots eating it away.

Once I had got over the initial shock of finding this, I was able to appreciate how they had eaten up the dead skin. They were outside, just on the edges where the dressing lay, as a result it was all clean along the edges, where normally you would have had old dry skin. Nature had done its job.

The wound healed up perfectly with minimal scaring, better than if it had been stitched.

When a local vet saw this horse a few months later he could not believe how good the scar was, it was like a very fine line hardly visible.


Where to Buy Manuka Honey

In the UK buy Manuka Honey from here at Holland & Barrett.

Alternatively you can buy Manuka Honey. from New Zealand and they export worldwide.


Common Colds

Symptoms
With these horse ailments the symptoms appear as discharge of white or yellow mucus from the horses nostrils. By living outside you will find that their respiratory tracks will be much stronger and more resilient than if they are regularly stabled.

Treatment
If there is any sign of colds give them Garlic Flakes or one or two garlic cloves once or twice a day. With the cloves you can put pieces into bits of apple to make it easier.

There are also many herbal immune mixtures on the market, for example echinacea powder. Use these first on these types of horse ailments before giving any antibiotics, as with anti-biotics, you are reducing the horses own immune system from working long term.

Prevention
If you are concerned you can give garlic throughout the winter as a preventative. Turned out and moving they clear their airways very quickly.

With these types of horse ailments, colds, congested airways, mucus discharge etc you may notice a difference with horses which are normally turned out and are then stabled for just a night.

The difference being that their respiratory tracks can become quite congested. Not necessarily a worry, as as they start exercising their airways clear, but worth noticing.

It just reconfirms the importance of not keeping horses stabled on a regular basis.

Going to competitions where there are lots of horses and infectious horse ailments you may take some preventative measures beforehand by using garlic and or echinacea and so building up their immune system so they are less susceptible to general infections and these types of horse ailments.


Coughs


Coughs

Coughs associated with the common cold can be treated as the above. Check that you are not feeding them any highly molassed or processed sugar feeds as these can weaken their immune systems. See Horse Nutrition.


Allergic Coughs

Allergic coughs to dust and bedding hay etc. With these types of horse ailments go back to the basics e.g.. living conditions and what you are feeding them as these are important factors which contribute and maintain a strong healthy immune system.

When you have a strong immune system the likelihood of getting allergic reactions is greatly reduced, if not alleviated.

Treatment

Turn them out as much as possible, see Barefoot Grazing. Give them some or all of the following:-

  • A good mineral block, e.g. Himalayan Salt Block,
  • Garlic Flakes or garlic cloves daily,
  • echinacea,
  • Seaweed Supplement,
  • no regular intake of drugs,
  • natural feeds - not high in processed sugars.

If you are still with struggling consider homeopathic remedies.

Homeopathic companies that manufacture single and combined remedies for horse ailments e.g. Crossgates Farm. Crossgates do single and combined remedies for horses, e.g. Bryonia, Dulcamara, Ferr, Ant Tart.


Sweetitch

This horse ailment is an inflammation of the skin as a result of an allergic reaction. It is caused by a biting midge and the itching is caused by an allergic reaction to the saliva of the female midge.

The horse in most cases becomes itchy along the back, especially around the mane and tail and neck area. It is a difficult ailment to deal with.

I suggest you work with an alternative practitioner who has got experience with treating this. There are rugs which can relieve symptoms and work extremely well.

Creams and lotions are palliative i.e. they do not get to the root of the problem with this ailment.

Sort out the basics. By this I mean read the natural feeds page and follow the guidelines there, as well as the guidelines on the horse supplements page.

High doses of garlic or Garlic Flakes can be effective.


Summary

With all of the above common horse ailments which we have had, we found that as we transitioned our horses and at the same time gradually bought in more natural horse care ideas so these common everyday horse ailments disappeared which obviously became a real joy.


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