Preparation for Birth- Who gives the signal
Eleven months, eleven days have passed quickly. It didn’t seem long ago that the stud master had phoned to say that your mare had been served. Nor did it seem that long since you paid the vet’s bill for the 42 day pregnancy scan. The time had passed quickly alright; you had followed the check-list […]
Improving Bone Density
Dr Peter Gillespie. BVSc MACVS. Fifty five million years of evolution has seen the horse develop from a small, dog sized creature with four toes on each leg into the tall, elegant, fleet-footed animal we know today. The requirement for speed as a means of eluding predators has lead to unique skeletal adaptations. Compared to […]
Skin Diseases
Annabel Ensor BVSc. Ringworm Ringworm is a common contagious skin disease of horses. It is caused by a fungal infection. Trichophyton equinum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum, and Microsporum canis are the most frequently isolated organisms. It is important to note that humans can become infected by handling infected horses and contaminated tack. Infection is transmitted […]
Equine Tendon Injuries
Structure Think of a tendon like a telephone cable consisting of parallel bundles of collagen fibres, arranged longitudinally (Fig 1). Cells called fibroblasts are interspersed between the collagen fibres; their job is to produce new collagen. Collagen has high tensile strength, but limited elasticity. An elastic layer of connective tissue called the paratendon surrounds the […]
The Rig – Cryptorchid Horse
Dr Peter Gillespie. BVSc MACVS. A cryptorchid horse, or rig, as it is commonly known, has one or both of its testicles retained in its inguinal canal or abdominal cavity (Fig 1). Often the condition goes unnoticed until the time comes for the horse to be castrated. During early foetal development, the testicles are located […]
Pre-purchase – The Vet Examination
Dr Peter Gillespie. BVSc MACVS. The horse industry, be it racing, eventing, showjumping or dressage, both for business and pleasure, relies on the buying and selling of horses for its existence. Every year in New Zealand, thousands of horses change ownership, some for as little as $500, others for prices as high as $500,000. One […]
The Equine Hock Joint
Dr Peter Gillespie. BVSc MACVS. Situated midway between the stifle joint and the foot in the hind limb, is the hock, one of the hardest working joints in the equine body. It is also one of the most complex – comprising six bones making up four individual joints, all held in place by numerous ligaments […]
The Equine Suspensory Ligament
Dr Peter Gillespie. BVSc MACVS. Injuries to the suspensory ligament are a common occurrence in athletic horses. They can occur in both the fore and hind legs and have the potential to bring a horse’s competitive career to an end. Where is the suspensory ligament and what does it do? To describe it in simple […]
Tye-Up Muscle Myopathy
Dr Peter Gillespie. BVSc MACVS. Tye-up or Exertional Myopathies are the terms given to a group of muscular conditions that commonly affect performance horses.. The common assumption that all cases of tye-up are feed related has led to confusion with regard to treatment. There are in fact a number of muscular conditions that have a […]
30 Facts You Should Know About Your Horses Feet
Dr Peter Gillespie BVSc MACVS The term foot and hoof are often used synonymously. By definition the hoof is the integument of the foot and the foot is the part of the distal limb encased by the hoof. The size of the foot is relative to the size of the horse. The foot continues to […]
