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Initial assessment of the ear before the first of two surgeries. Images: Cullen et al. https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.13450
The successful repair of a large hole in the external ear of a horse has been described by veterinary surgeons.
The 15mm wide hole in the ear of the 5-year-old gelding, who was used for showing, arose as a delayed complication after laser removal of a sarcoid.
There were concerns that the horse was at risk of catching the hole on objects and causing further damage, so a repair was undertaken.
Matthew Cullen and his colleagues at the Leverhulme Equine Hospital in Cheshire, England, noted that reconstructive surgery on the ears of horses was rare.
Horsetalk.co.nz Hot under the collar: Risks of horse halters highlighted in British study
The authors noted that there is no recognised safety standard for headcollars. Image by congerdesign
Horse injuries related to the wearing of headcollars were reported by nearly a third of horse owners surveyed as part of a British study.
David Marlin and his colleagues, writing in the journal
Equine Veterinary Education, noted that headcollars, also known as halters, are among the most commonly used pieces of equestrian equipment.
“Despite this, there appears to be minimal information on their use, or more importantly, risk factors for injury of horses/handlers,” they said.
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Thoroughbreds and gastric ulcers go together like a picnic and ants. Medications like omeprazole can effectively help treat or prevent gastric ulceration and has important welfare benefits, making these drugs extremely popular in the racing industry. However, the benefits of omeprazole may be overshadowed by some potential drawbacks that may dampen its use in some cases.
Between 80 and 100% of Thoroughbreds have ulcers in the squamous or upper region of the stomach (equine gastric squamous disease, EGSD). An additional 10-60% or more of Thoroughbreds also suffering from gastric ulcers in the glandular (lower) region of the stomach (equine gastric glandular disease, EGGD).
Horsetalk.co.nz Abnormal behaviour during tacking‐up and mounting is common, study finds
Riders may look forward to an outing in the saddle, but their horses may not always feel the same way.
An investigation in Britain into horse behaviour during tacking-up and mounting delivered what the researchers described as disturbing results.
The study, reported in the journal
Equine Veterinary Education, centred on 193 sports and leisure horses recruited from 11 locations, with both amateur and professional riders.
The researchers designed a protocol for documenting behaviour during tacking-up and mounting. It comprised 64 abnormal behaviours for tacking-up, and 30 for mounting.
The protocol was tested in a small pilot study and underwent subsequent minor modifications.