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Non-Uniform Saddle Sweat Patterns May Indicate An Issue

The way a horse sweats under his saddle can indicate if he's wearing well-fitting or ill-fitting tack. If the horse has his saddle and pad removed after exercising and his coat has odd-shaped sweat patterns, something may be amiss.

A horse wearing a saddle that has too-tight tree points will often have less sweat or dry spots over his withers where the saddle is pinching him. Sweat glands are unable to function normally if too much pressure is placed on then.

A horse wearing a saddle that has a too-narrow gullet may experience significant saddle shifting, causing it to wobble from side to side. When the saddle wiggles or slips, the gullet can sit too close to the back and spine, increasing the pressure on a horse's back. This pressure can cause edema or transient, fibrous nodules around thoracic vertebrae 13 and 14.

To determine if a saddle fits, it can be helpful to watch a tacked horse move both with and without a rider. A saddle may slip because of the way a horse's back is shaped or because the saddle has uneven flocking. Another common reason for saddle slipping is hind-end lameness that affects how the horse's axial skeleton moves, reports Dr. Sue Dyson.

Dyson estimates that 87 percent of horses with hind-end lameness also experience saddle slippage, often to the side of the lame leg. Once the lameness is addressed, saddle slippage significantly decreases.

It's easier to see if a saddle is slipping if the horse is working on a circle, rather than a straight line. Saddle slipping is not always caused by a crooked rider, but a rider often becomes crooked when riding an uneven horse.

More Than Ulcers? Girthiness May Be Coming From More Than One Cause

Even the most pleasant horse may act cranky when his girth is tightened, and it's not because you're telling him he's chubby. Some horses will gnash their teeth, snake their heads, swish their tails and try to move away when their girth is being tightened, telling their owners and riders that something is amiss.

Veterinarians often become involved in the issue when a normally stoic horse becomes opposed to being girthed. Drs. Esther Millares-Ramirez and Sarah Le Jeune completed a retrospective study of 37 horses who had been referred to the University of California-Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital for girth aversion.

The horses in the study were of various breeds and ridden in a range of disciplines. Upon referral, each horse had a physical exam that included recording of vital signs and a musculoskeletal exam that included palpation and flexion tests. The horses worked in straight lines and circled on hard and soft ground and were also lunged. Thirteen horses had a gastroscopy, seven had their saddles examined, and three had abdominal radiographs performed.

Of the 13 horses that were scoped, 12 had gastric ulcers. The horses were prescribed omeprazole and the owners said the girthiness resolved with the ulcer treatment. Ten of the horses had orthopedic issues. All 10 horses became less girthy when their musculoskeletal issues were addressed. Three horses had poorly-fitted saddles; once this was addressed and the horses received chiropractic and acupuncture treatments, the angst at being girthed resolved.

The other study horses with aversions to being girthed had a variety of issues, including ovarian tumor, urinary tract infection, girth mass, sand impaction and more.

The team determined that the primary reasons horses exhibit an unwillingness to be girthed include gastric ulcers, orthopedic issues and poor saddle fit.

FDA Approves First Generic Ketoprofen For Use In Horses

The FDA has approved KetoMed, the first generic ketoprofen for the alleviation of inflammation and pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders in horses.

Musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent in aging horses and can cause pain, weakness, stiffness and decreased range of motion in the animals' joints. Osteoarthritis and chronic laminitis are among the most common musculoskeletal disorders in horses and can greatly impact a horse's performance and quality of life.

KetoMed contains the same active ingredient (ketoprofen) in the same concentration and dosage form as the approved brand name drug product, Ketofen, which was first approved on September 26, 1990. In addition, the FDA determined that KetoMed contains no inactive ingredients that may significantly affect the bioavailability of the active ingredient.

The data submitted in support of the Abbreviated New Animal Drug Application demonstrate that KetoMed, when used according to its label, is safe and effective.

KetoMed is a prescription product because a veterinarian's expertise is required to diagnose musculoskeletal disorders and to determine whether ketoprofen is an appropriate treatment.

KetoMed is supplied in 50 mL and 100 mL multidose bottles. The recommended dosage is 1 mg/lb (1 mL/100 lbs) of body weight once daily. Treatment is administered by intravenous injection and may be repeated for up to five days.

KetoMed is sponsored by Bimeda Animal Health Ltd. based in Dublin, Ireland.

Elevate Heels To Alleviate Laminitic Pain

Very few equine conditions can be as debilitating as laminitis, which can be triggered by a variety of events or occur on its own. Laminitis occurs when the laminae, a set of finger-like structures which support the coffin bone and hold it in place in the hoof capsule, become inflamed. This inflammation is incredibly painful.

The breakover phase of a horse's stride is the most painful for laminitis horses. This is when all of his weight rests on his toe as he steps forward, putting intense pressure on already-sensitive structures. A study has found that elevating a horse's heels with a wedge can shorten the breakover period, protecting damaged tissues and helping to alleviate some of the horse's pain.

The study used eight acutely laminitic horses to compare the breakover of hooves and those with a heel wedge. The horses were walked on a poured concrete surface both barefoot and with the wedge applied. The scientists found that the heel wedge shortened breakover and reduced the load on the horse's toe. Elevating the heel placed 81 percent of the load on the bottom half of the hoof, near the heel, relieving pain and mitigating lamellar damage.

The researchers recommend using heel wedges for no more than two to three weeks at a time to avoid collapsing the horse's heels and contracting his hooves.