Ask The Horse Live connects leading veterinarians and industry experts with horse owners to answer your equine health questions. Learn about cutting-edge research and hear practical advice for taking care of your horses. This podcast is a rebroadcast of Ask The Horse Live, which is recorded in front of a live audience.
As horses age, their health care needs and associated costs often increase, making proactive management especially important. Having your veterinarian perform regular examinations, dental evaluations, and monitoring for common senior conditions can help you catch problems early and potentially reduce long-term expenses. Senior horses might also require specialized feeds, medications, or additional…
Equine skin problems can stem from a wide range of causes, including parasites, bacterial or fungal infections, allergies, and prolonged exposure to moisture or irritants. Successfully managing horses with skin problems relies on working with your veterinarian to identify the underlying issue and appropriately treat it. Because many dermatologic conditions can look similar in the early stages,…
Gastric ulcers are common in both performance and pleasure horses, but the clinical signs can be easily overlooked. Affected horses might show poor performance, changes in attitude, decreased appetite, or unexplained weight loss. Because the horse’s stomach continuously produces acid and is designed for foraging, management factors such as intermittent feeding, high-starch diets, and stress from…
Equine colic refers to abdominal pain rather than a single disease and can arise from many causes, ranging from gas buildup to intestinal impaction. Horses with colic might show subtle signs such as reduced appetite or lethargy, or more obvious behaviors like pawing, flank-watching, rolling, or repeatedly getting up and down. Because some types of colic can become life-threatening quickly,…
As horses age, managing their soundness using a multimodal approach becomes increasingly important. Experts emphasize proactive joint care, appropriate exercise, and routine veterinary evaluations. Regular, low-impact work helps maintain joint mobility and muscle support, while avoiding long periods of confinement, which can worsen stiffness. Strategic hoof balance, body condition management, and…
Managing a horse diagnosed with metabolic problems means understanding how conditions such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and insulin dysregulation increase the risk of serious complications, including laminitis. Horses with metabolic problems often benefit from controlled diets low in sugars and starches, tailored to prevent spikes in blood insulin and support healthy body condition. Regular…
Horse owners often feed supplements to address gaps in their horses' diet that forage and concentrates might not meet, such as supporting joint comfort, hoof quality, or muscle recovery. Researchers suggest that supplements can be beneficial when a horse has a documented deficiency, such as low vitamin or mineral levels, or a clearly identified need, such as poor hoof quality. Owners should always…
Lameness is the most common cause of poor performance in equine athletes, and researchers have shown that many behavioral issues under saddle are caused by physical pain. Proactive treatment strategies can help extend your horse’s competitive career and improve his overall well-being. During this Ask TheHorse Live Q&A, two experts will answer questions about equine performance problems and how…
Caring for a horse with a long-term illness or injury requires both financial commitment and practical planning. Veterinary bills, medications, specialized feed, and management adjustments can add up quickly, so creating a clear financial plan helps owners prepare for ongoing expenses. Practical management—such as adjusting your horse’s workload, providing appropriate turnout, and maintaining a…
Mare reproductive challenges can range from endometritis to ovarian irregularities such as hemorrhagic anovulatory follicles, ovarian hematomas, and persistent corpora lutea, all of which can disrupt normal cycles and fertility. Older mares often face anatomical complications that increase contamination and impair conception. Hormonal tumors such as granulosa-theca cell tumors might spur erratic…