A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and contains a 15-digit numerical code unique to that horse which can never be altered. The ID numbers are very much like an automobile’s VIN number and provide a reliable way to verify a horse’s identity. In horses, the microchip is implanted into the nuchal ligament in the neck, using a syringe-like device.

“A year later, the ripple effects are still being felt throughout this community, opening doors to new markets and reproductive technologies previously underutilized or even unknown by most rare breed owners. The effect of the grant money was more than any of us could have imagined, giving all involved a solid sense of direction and the tools to accomplish meaningful breed conservation across the country and beyond.”

The liver is responsible for removing toxins from the blood, and it aids in storage of trace elements and glycogen, bile production and excretion. In conjunction with the liver, the kidney is another critical filter organ and is a major regulator of fluids and electrolyte balance. In combination, these organs are responsible for vitally important functions including producing hormones that affect the absorption of nutrition in the gut, blood pressure regulation, along with Vitamin D and red cell production.  All of these processes are critically important to the performance, health and well being of the horse.

The fall is typically when seasonal rise can effect a PPID status, possibly driving new or increased hyperinsulinemia and laminitis. The spring is a time when caregivers look to check their equine’s PPID and EMS diagnosis status, to determine if the treatment plan they have in place is effective.

When lameness strikes and there are no ‘clues’ – no swelling, no heat, no localized area of obvious pain – where do you turn? Two of New Bolton Center’s Sports Medicine ‘sleuths’ will unravel the mystery as they discuss the common pitfalls to thelameness exam and why the naked eye is not always a reliable tool for an accurate diagnosis. Attendees can join in on cracking the case with their smartphones during this interactive presentation. 

The research focused on the chemosignals that people give off through sweat, while they’re experiencing a certain emotion. The study determined that horses can smell both fear and happiness!

When hearing that horses were being evacuated to the Butte County Fairgrounds, just four miles from her residence, Dr. Specht visited the fairgrounds to examine them. When the fairgrounds quickly became a full-scale evacuation center, Dr. Specht suspended her growing solo practice to focus on triage and care for hundreds of injured and evacuated horses, chickens, goats and sheep, as well llamas, alpacas, pigs and water fowl.

A chemical reaction occurs when materials of differing pH touch each other. This means that when a product with a pH that is not near the pH of leather is applied to your saddle, your saddle leather reacts just like an elementary school science project volcano.

Digestion efficiency is not what it once was. This can lead to diarrhea, electrolyte imbalances, and weight loss. It starts in the small intestine where your horse produces fewer digestive enzymes, potentially leading to nutrient deficiencies simply because his tissues can’t receive the nutrients from his meal. Plus, undigested food is free to enter the hindgut where it is either fermented (which can lead to colic or laminitis) or ends up in the manure. Finally, after years of exposure to harmful elements in the feed and environment, the horse may develop a leaky gut, leading to immune issues, metabolic irregularities, and oxidative stress throughout the body.