Penny writes: “My question is regarding maintaining my horse’s athletic condition through winter. With winter approaching I know that working my horse will become lighter. Do you feel that an hour dressage lesson every two weeks, with maybe 3 good schools in-between will be too demanding? It seems that now, while my horse is in peak condition, that some of these movements are very demanding for him. While daily riding over the winter will consist of mostly walking, maybe some jogging if the footing on the dirt road is good enough, I will probably only be able to truck to an indoor twice per week. Do you feel that this is enough to keep him fit and supple? Do horses tend to stiffen up like people when they do less? This is a horse that is turned out during the day, weather permitting. Also, if you would like to comment on pulling the shoes for 2 or 3 months during winter?”

Thank you for your timely question, Penny. Yes, horses can and do become stiffer as the weather gets colder. This is especially true for horses that have intra-articular (joint) arthritis. The problem is compounded as horses’ mobility is often limited during cold and inclement weather. Horses choose to move around less in cold and inclement weather; horse owners may reduce turnout time during the winter. The point here is that joint health is improved by consistent, low impact exercise. It is important that horses get this exercise and that we don’t take actions running counter to this basic fact.

In my opinion, if you had your horse in a consistent muscle building program during the spring, summer and early fall, and he responded developing a strong foundation of muscle, then he should be able to maintain that muscle with the winter program described.

Take an example from human strength training: weightlifters do not “max out” their workouts every time they go to the gym. To exercise in such a manner would be folly and self-defeating. There are phases to a well-structured strength training program and an important one is rest. In fact, the rest period can actually result in better and faster gains once a weightlifter goes back to hard training. Additionally, once a weightlifter has established a foundation of muscle, they are able to maintain that muscle with lighter and less frequent workouts. To a large extent, all the same things can be said about maintaining and building muscle on horses.

There are some areas of slight concern with the program described: flexibility and aerobic condition. In terms of flexibility, be sure to adequately warm up your horse with walking and light jogging prior to more demanding exercises and maneuvers. A horse’s muscles are colder and tighter during the winter and the warm-up is even more important during this time of the year. In addition, it would be beneficial to add specific flexibility exercises for your horse during the colder months. So instead of just walking and jogging down the road every time, mix it up with some flexibility training! Your horse’s aerobic condition may simply be hard to maintain during this time of year. But with the exercise program described, his “wind” should return relatively quickly in the spring when warmer weather allows more extensive training.

Listen to your horse. If the movements seem too challenging for him during the winter months, avoid the trap of schooling and schooling and schooling him. I see too much marathon schooling where the horse ends up injured. I wish more people would understand that a horse can be exercised and trained very well in 20 minutes (after the warm-up). Just as much can be accomplished in that timeframe and you lessen the risk of injury/lameness related to over-training. Very often it is not the horse that needs the extra schooling but the rider. Unfortunately, the horse can pay a high price for what the rider requires.

As far as pulling a horse’s shoes for the winter months, for the average, good-footed horse this is an excellent idea. A shoe by its nature restricts the flexibility of the hoof capsule. If the horse can tolerate harder ground without shoes, the winter is an excellent time for his foot to expand and grow even healthier. Letting a horse go barefoot during the winter can also be safer and simpler, as you don’t have to worry about snow pads, borium, snow balls sticking in the shoe or any number of other issues with winter and shoes. So if your horse will be ensured good footing where you ride indoors, good footing outside, and he has the appropriate sole depth to tolerate concussion without a shoe, then I say go for it!

Penny, again, thank you for your question. If you do as you wrote in your post you will be far ahead of the gang come competition season! If readers have other questions, be sure to “Ask a Question” by clicking here.

Dr. Aimee Eggleston

I received an emergency page from a client last night who, crying, reported that she had just found her 30+ year old beloved horse/family member dead in the field. The mare had obviously gone very quickly. Only an hour earlier, she had been grazing normally; no signs of anything amiss. When my client found the horse, it appeared that she had fallen down and through a fence. The exact cause of death is unknown, possibly (in lay terms) a heart attack or brain aneurysm.

Imagine, if you can, discovering your long-time friend and companion motionless and not breathing, fallen through your paddock fencing. I know that even the THOUGHT of the passing of my dog Tulsa, my two cats Moose and Corona or my horse JoJo, is enough to water my eyes.

I’m sure many of you have read the book by Josh Grogan: Me and Marley: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog. With my two cats beside me, and Tulsa at my feet (JoJo in the cold barn), I would find myself sobbing as I read. Through thick and thin, the big and the little stuff, Marley was always there. My animals, my husband and my family are always there too. What’s amazing is that being “always there” is simultaneously of the greatest importance and also a most forgettable characteristic. We don’t always realize our love for the everyday people and animals in our lives–until events happen and we wish we had remembered sooner and more often. Me and Marley crystallized how much I love my animals, my husband and my family. The book was therapy as it helped me remember–crying on the couch. The passing of this client’s horse made me remember as well.

This time of year is always hard for equine veterinarians. Seemingly every fall & winter, I am faced with the mortality of my clients’ horses, especially the older crowd. Through improved nutrition, improved dental care and improved health care overall, we are prolonging the life of our horses. I am thankful for this fact. But the passing of a horse, any horse, in my practice weighs on me. That I see it happen too often, makes it more of a cross not less.

I hate to imagine finding my own horse sick, hurt, or god-forbid dead. The sting is so strong when it is our own. Only a few months back I was reduced to tears and hysterics when my own JoJo suffered a fetlock joint puncture and infection! If there is any solace to take from this client’s heartbreak, it IS that she didn’t know in advance–when or how. She didn’t see her horse dieing of colic, infection or trauma or slowly of a progressive disease. If such tragedies could be scripted we might script it like this: The mare was grazing with pasture mates on a crisp fall day until she passed quickly and painlessly.

This script is of little solace and my thoughts are with my client as she deals with her loss.

Dr. Aimee Eggleston

Question: I am considering a 12-year-old gelding for purchase that has been diagnosed with navicular disease. My dressage instructor told me that the horse is sound with proper shoeing and I have in fact watched the horse at several shows and he does not appear to have any impediments. Is it lunacy to consider a horse with such a condition or is it possible for a horse with navicular to proceed with his career unhindered?

I applaud you for trying to find out more information about this subject before automatically excluding a horse for consideration because of the dreaded “navicular” word! That being said, navicular syndrome is nothing to take lightly.

I would recommend starting with a very thorough history of this horse. What is his present use and is it similar to what you would be asking of him? How long has the current owner had him? Has he “bounced around” from owner to owner? Why are they selling? What is his current level of competition? If he competes, how well does he do? Is he insured and for what specifically? Or has insurance ever been denied? Why? How EXACTLY was he diagnosed with “navicular?” Were radiographs taken? If so, are they willing to release all lameness evaluations and radiographs on record? Can your veterinarian speak with any and all vets on record. When was he diagnosed? What medications (Adequan, Legend, joint injections, oral supplements, Bute, Banamine, Surpass, etc.) has he been given? When and how often? What does he need for shoeing and showing?

An authoritative response to the question would depend a lot on the answers to these questions as well as to the results of a pre-purchase examination and radiographic series. But, some additional insight for what it is worth:

First, if the current owner/trainer cannot answer these basic questions to your and your veterinarian’s satisfaction, they drag their feet, “lost” records or x-rays, or give vague answers then I typically become wary. Unfortunately, I have to be slightly cynical in this area of the job.

Second, if this horse has been evaluated by your vet as part of a pre-purchase exam and by your trainer for suitability, and is found in every other way to be an excellent candidate for your situation, AND he has a proven, successful performance record with minimal to no medications, proceeding with the purchase MAY be worth the gamble.

However, you should realize that this horse might only take you so far; you may advance further and faster than he is able. Again, this is where history, current performance, and intended use coupled with exam findings are so important.

All else aside, navicular syndrome is a progressive degenerative disease that will get worse over time. If you are a one-horse woman, who will not part with this horse once bought (or cannot because of his issues!), and you cannot afford two horses if he becomes consistently lame, it may be too much of a gamble. Tough situation.

Dr. Aimee Eggleston

It may be preaching to the choir, and it may seem obvious given the audience reading this blog, but it bears repeating: It is important to establish a relationship between yourself, your veterinarian and your horses PRIOR to emergencies.

I will be sitting peacfully watching the Sunday evening football game, or eating dinner, or enjoying time with family and friends when the pager goes off. I am torn away to go answer the emergency page. On the other end of the line is a person detailing an emergency event for their horse and requesting my veterinary attention. At some point I realize that this person is unknown to me and not an established client–and I ask them who their established primary care vet is. These are typical responses: “I will pay you whatever it takes to come out,” or “I haven’t had time to find a vet yet,” or “I am inbetween vets.”

It is a critical and nervous time when your horse is colicking, or bleeding, or painful or whatever and you don’t want to be quizzed on who you are, who your horses are, etc. You want the vet out as quickly as possible to help your horse. You don’t want to hear about Dr.-Client relationships. You want your horse seen and you may even consider it “wrong” or “shirking responsibility” that a vet refuses to see your horse citing the lack of such a relationship.

The point is not whether or not a veterinarian chooses to go out on a particular emergency. The point is that horse owners cannot expect that any veterinarian when asked to come out will–unless there is a pre-existing, established Dr.-Client relationship. This is even more true in the case of emergencies. 24 hour, 365 day hospitals exist nowadays that have decided to take on the burden of seeing anything and anyone, anytime. A primary care veterinarian does not exist for this purpose.

An emergency visit is not the time to establish a new Dr.-Client relationship. Emercencies are very often expensive, time consuming, and can be dangerous for horse and vet alike. Veterinarians like myself provide 24 hour emergency service only for clients because providing emergency service represents a large and encompassing responsiblity. I and most veterinarians provide emergency service happily when there is an established relationship with a client; it is part of providing the best service possible.

In response to some of those comments I hear over the phone, contrary to what some may believe, veterinarians do not practice “for the money.” As you would say about your own personal and family time, no amount of money is worth the sacrifice of lost time with family and friends. A Thanksgiving dinner, your god daughter’s dance recital cannot be recovered. But again, emergency care is part of offering a quality service to clients and our patients; it is important to practices like Eggleston Equine. But when I am taking care of my niece and nephew for the weekend, my emergency service is not simply for hire.

Again, I may be preaching to the choir, and you probably already have an established relationship with Eggleston Equine or another veterinary practice. But pass it along to your friends and remember it if you move to a new location, establishing a relationship with a veterinarian is not something to wait on. Also remember that there are often criteria that qualify you as a client–not just the fact that you have seen the veterinarian once on an emergency or routine visit some time in the past. Call your vet! Set up your horses’ spring vaccinations early; schedule a baseline physical exam or bloodwork for your horse; schedule a preventative, yearly dental check-up or treatment; remind your vet that you consider her your primary care doctor and get your vet’s assurance that emergency service will be provided.

Dr. Aimee Eggleston

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