Horses and People

Bighead, or not?

Bighead is an insidious disease that can be hard to diagnose. First described in 400AD, ‘bighead’, ‘bran disease’ and ‘Millers disease’ were the terms used in the early 1900’s to describe the enlarged head seen on cart horses in London. The word ‘bighead’ however, does not even closely describe the generalised skeletal osteoporosis that occurs when horses are not getting sufficient dietary calcium, it just describes the end stage of

Does symmetry exist? 2013 Assessment and Asymmetry conference UK

How does symmetry - or the lack of it - impact horse and rider, their performance, comfort, and welfare? Are performances compromised by the patterns that develop as horses and riders compensate for being ‘crooked’? Is the lack of symmetry in fact a symptom to a much deeper cause?

Skin Deep

Skin diseases of horses in southern Australia. As with all species, skin disease in horses is common. Whereas sometimes symptomatic treatment of the clinical signs results in a successful outcome, many cases are more complex and so good treatment outcomes rely on an accurate diagnosis and a multifactorial treatment and or management approach. In this article Dental Vet Dr Chris Heislers outlines the most common skin diseases affecting horses in Southern Australia.

Hendra Vaccine Your Questions Answered

Despite the widespread media coverage of Hendra virus outbreaks and the release of the Hendra vaccine last November, many horse owners are still uncertain about different aspects surrounding the vaccine and do not know if they should vaccinate their horses. In this article, Dr Nathan Anthony a member of the AVA HeV Task Force who is involved with the Qld Government interagency review of HeV Infection Prevention Advice answers some of the most frequently asked questions from horse owners.

Equine Cushing's Disease

Equine Cushing’s Disease (ECD) or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) is a condition that develops due to an abnormality of the pituitary gland found in the brain. Just like Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS), PPID is also linked with laminitis, and although some horses can suffer from a combination of both, these conditions should not be confused. Specialised treatment and management of PPID can help prevent laminitis and improve your horse or pony’s quality of life.

Equitation Science Training Principles - Part 1 17/03/2013 by Alison Averis "The question is not whether we need learning theory: when thousands of horses worldwide go to the slaughterhouse every week because of behavioural problems the question is can we do without it?"	Hoof Wall Cracks - Part 1 01/03/2013 by Andrew Bowe, B.App.Sc., Master Farrier All cracks in the hoof wall have the potential to progress to catastrophic breakdown of the entire capsule, which is why they should be dealt with as soon as they appear.
Habituation - six methods to harness this natural learning process 26/09/2012 by Dr Andrew McLean PhD A thorough understanding of the behavioural science that explains the learning mechanisms which result in habituation has enabled Dr Andrew McLean to adapt this natural process into six reliable training methods that work with all horses, and make habituation faster, safer, and much more reliable	Minimising Travel Fatigue 22/01/2013 by Virbac Animal Health Long distance transport is stressful to some horses, particularly horses that suffer from ‘nerves’ during travelling or in anticipation of competing. Nervy horses shake and tremble, working themselves into a lather, and drip sweat, which can all cause pre-competition fatigue, and obviously dehydration, particularly during hot weather.
Clicker Training makes perfect sense 30/12/2012 by Elsa Willans-Davis, Australian Equine Behaviour Centre www.aebc.com.au Clicker training is extensively used very successfully to train all sorts of animals but is still not widely accepted for training horses, mostly due to a lack of understanding about how horses learn, and the whole concept of negative and positive reinforcement.	Breeding for a Good Reason 03/12/2012 by Jane Myers and Jeanette Gower Breeders should be the first to assume the long term responsibility for every foal produced. Self-regulation is the key, and in the following article, Jane Myers and Jeanette Gower highlight some of the considerations to make in advance if we are to give those future foals the best possible chance.
Exercising horses in summer - sweating and electrolyte loss 14/10/2012 by Mariette van den Berg B.(hons) MSc(Equine Nutrition) During exercise, heat is produced as a by-product of skeletal muscle contractions. To prevent overheating and maintain core body temperature, horses have to lose this generated heat.	Training the opportunist and the comfort-seeker 14/10/2012 by Professor Paul McGreevy, University of Sydney Of all animals, humans are the ultimate calculating opportunists. While pressing the world around us into our service we have bred and trained a few of the other animals to suit our purposes. Among these domestic species, we are, I think, most indebted to dogs and horses. The nature of this debt is complicated by deep bonds, some of which appear to be more or less reciprocal.
The Mare Cycle 26/09/2012 by Dr Miesja Reynolds To help first time and experienced owners alike, Equine Dental Vet member Dr Miesja Reynolds has put together a comprehensive article explaining the mare cycle Transition into breeding. This healthcare information is provided to you by the partnership between Horses and People and Equine Dental Vets, an organisation committed to advancing horse health.	Is your property home to drug resistant worms? 26/09/2012 by Dr Anne Beasley, BAgSc (hons), PhD The emergence of resistance in many parasite populations, and the lack of any new worming compounds on the horizon is driving researchers to find better ways to control worms in domestic horse populations. We need to move away from an interval treatment regime towards an evidence-based, strategic, and targeted program that will help extend the life of our current arsenal of worming products.

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