Preventative Care

Your horse’s long-term health is our primary concern.

Good nutrition is the cornerstone of your horse’s healthcare program. His needs will be different depending on age, use and type. We can help you sort through the different feeds, concentrates and supplements that will help your horse maintain his heath throughout a long life.

Horses are designed to be active, and a conditioning program based on age, use and medical history will help your horse to better maintain his health.

Clinical trials indicate that acupuncture therapy can be effective as a supplemental treatment in the following conditions in horses:

• musculoskeletal problems: muscle soreness, back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, obscure lameness, laminitis
• gastrointestinal disorders: diarrhea, impaction, chronic colic, gastric ulceration
• neurological disorders: seizure, laryngeal hemiplegia, facial and radial nerve paresis

Examinations to find the source of your horse’s pain can be straightforward, or require multiple diagnostic techniques.  A thorough history, physical exam, and detailed observation start the process.  Regional nerve blocks can help pinpoint the specific location of the problem  We are equipped with portable digital ultrasound and radiographic imaging to aid in diagnosis.

Our Digital machine is portable and provides excellent images in just seconds. They can be viewed on site, magnified, measured, transmitted, burned onto a CD, etc. The mobility, quality and accessibility have dramatically changed the process of diagnosis and treatment.

Whether your horse has a chronic issue or an accident in the field, digital radiography is an invaluable tool to help in determining the best course of treatment. Regional nerve blocks can help pinpoint the specific location of the problem  We are equipped with portable digital ultrasound and radiographic imaging to aid in diagnosis.

Before you buy your horse, a thorough, detailed physical exam and observation of gaits is highly recommended.  Depending on the results of this exam, additional tests such as digital radiographs, blood work, or endoscopy can provide important information in the discovery process. History that can be obtained from the seller regarding previous use, illness or injury, vaccinations and de-worming is valuable.

The management of your horse’s feet is one of the most important factors in the soundness and function of your equine athlete and partner.  Horses are born with symmetrical feet: equal heel lengths, even coronary band, frog in the center of the foot, central sulcus bisecting the foot into mirror images. These important norms are shaped by the load the foot experiences, like a tree’s shape responds to the winds of the seasons. Sheared heels, quarter cracks, white line abnormalities, and coronary band distortions are often the results of the uneven load the hoof suffers. For more than 25 years, we have been objectively measuring, documenting, adjusting, and treating these resulting abnormalities.  We are available for evaluation, consultation, farrier communication, and in-clinic therapy.

As your horse ages, his needs concerning dental care and nutritional requirements will change.  Many of our horses’ athletic careers have produced wear and tear problems.  Due to these factors, we recommend routine examinations and maintenance for your older horse’s comfort.

• Dental exam and treatment
• Nutritional plan to meet individual needs
• Evaluating metabolic abnormalities (Cushing’s, etc.)
• Beneficial and appropriate use and exercise

Though primarily a mobile practice, we do offer in-clinic services.  You may bring your horse to us at the clinic by appointment for exams and treatment.  Horses requiring surgical intervention or intensive care are referred to nearby hospitals.

Our goal is to maintain your horse’s mouth throughout his life to optimize comfort, function and longevity.  Examinations each year, and treatment as necessary, are done to prevent abnormal wear patterns.  We are fully equipped with power floats, hand floats, etc. to care for your horse’s needs..

Successfully breeding your mare starts long before the actual insemination event takes place.

• Selecting breeding/insemination alternatives
• Success rates, cost comparison
• Pre-breeding nutrition, conditioning, examination and assessment
• Heat/ovulation detection
• Pregnancy management/nutrition

We are here to help you through the process.  Please contact us for an examination and/or consultation.Whether you are breeding your mare for a foal for yourself or you are a commercial breeding operation, we offer the experience and up-to-date services to help get your mare in foal. 

• Selecting breeding/insemination alternatives
• Success rates, cost comparison
• Pre-breeding nutrition, conditioning, examination and assessment
• Heat/ovulation detection
• Pregnancy management/nutrition  assessment

Flexible fiberoptics allow us to visualize hard-to-see places. Endoscopy is most often used to examine the upper respiratory tract for diagnosis of illness and for pre-sale assessment. We provide both in-clinic and field examinations.