Espinar Equine Veterinary Services

Espinar Equine Veterinary Services Friendly independent equine veterinary consultant in Berkshire. Dr Emiliano Espinar DVM, CertEP CertISELP MRCVS. RCVS Advanced Practitioner.

Soundness • Performance • Rehabilitation Professional, friendly & independent ambulatory equine vets covering Berkshire and the surrounding areas. Special interest in lameness and performance issues.

05/07/2026

When people hear the word performance, they often think about soundness, fitness, and whether a horse is ready to compete. But performance medicine is much broader than that. It is about taking a systematic approach to any horse or pony whose health, function, or athletic ability has changed. And yes, that includes elderly or retired ponies who are no longer ridden or competing.

Their “performance” may simply be their ability to maintain body condition, move comfortably, and enjoy a full day turned out in the paddock. When something changes - such as progressive weight loss - it deserves the same methodical approach that we would apply to an elite competition horse. So if you’re wondering what type of cases we offer consultations for, the variety may surprise you! Performance medicine is certainly not defined by whether a horse competes!

In this case for example, a faecal worm egg count had already identified a significant worm burden, providing one potential explanation for the weight loss. Chronic parasitism can result in reduced nutrient absorption, protein loss, chronic intestinal inflammation and altered gastrointestinal function. Together, these effects can leave horses in a negative energy balance, impair immune function, and reduce their ability to regain body condition, even after an appropriate anthelmintic programme has been implemented.

However, a heavy worm burden should not automatically be assumed to be the sole diagnosis. An ageing horse with an underlying systemic disease may have reduced immune competence, making it less able to regulate parasite burdens than a healthy individual. In these cases, the worm egg count becomes part of the clinical picture rather than the entire diagnosis.

This is why every finding needs to be interpreted within the context of the whole patient. A high faecal worm egg count should usually prompt treatment, but it should also prompt further clinical reasoning:

• Is the degree of weight loss proportional to the parasite burden?

• Are there abnormalities on clinical examination that suggest concurrent disease?

• Is there evidence of chronic inflammation, anaemia, protein loss or organ dysfunction?

• Could dental disease, endocrine disease, hepatic or renal pathology, gastrointestinal disease or neoplasia also be contributing?

With this horse, the examination extended beyond the worm count. Blood samples were also collected for haematology and biochemistry to investigate for evidence of systemic inflammation, organ dysfunction, metabolic disease, or other conditions that may have contributed to the weight loss. After all, finding one abnormality should never stop us asking whether there is another disease process occurring at the same time, particularly in geriatric horses.

01/07/2026

When a horse shows signs of discomfort, stiffness, or reduced performance, it’s tempting to assume that medicating a joint is the quickest route back to soundness. However, treating joints without first establishing an accurate diagnosis can sometimes lead to disappointing results, unnecessary expense, and missed opportunities to address the real problem.

Lameness and poor performance can originate from many different structures, including joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles, feet, the back, or even multiple areas at once. While joint medication can be an excellent treatment when used appropriately, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

A thorough veterinary investigation may involve:
🔹 A detailed clinical examination
🔹 Gait analysis in-hand, on the lunge or under saddle
🔹 Diagnostic nerve or joint blocks
🔹 Imaging such as radiography, ultrasound, MRI, or CT where appropriate

These steps help identify exactly where the pain is coming from and why it is occurring. Once a diagnosis is established, a targeted treatment plan can be developed that addresses the underlying issue (or issues!)

In many cases, owners are surprised to find that investing in a proper diagnosis is actually more cost-effective in the long run. Rather than spending money on treatments that may not be necessary or beneficial, resources can be directed towards the interventions most likely to improve the horse’s comfort, performance, and long-term soundness.

The goal isn’t to avoid joint medication - it’s to use it when and where it is truly indicated and as part of a well-informed treatment strategy. Through comprehensive investigations, diagnostic analgesia, and advanced imaging, we focus on identifying the root cause of a horse’s discomfort before recommending the most appropriate treatment.

This philosophy is at the heart of our lameness and performance consultation service!

29/06/2026

The video shows a follow-up Alpha-2 injection into the coffin joint, using product that was harvested, processed and cryopreserved at an earlier visit.

The coffin (distal interphalangeal) joint is a common source of chronic foot pain, but it’s often only one component of a complex pathology. Conditions such as osteoarthritis, collateral ligament desmopathy, synovitis, capsulitis and other soft tissue injuries within the hoof capsule can all contribute to reduced performance and subtle lameness.

In this case, diagnostic analgesia and imaging localised pathology to the foot, with collateral ligament injury associated with the coffin joint. Following the initial Alpha-2 harvest, the biologic was aliquoted into sterile syringes and frozen, allowing repeat intra-articular treatment without the need for another blood collection.

So why medicate the coffin joint?

The aim isn’t simply to “inject the joint” - it’s to improve the intra-articular environment. By reducing synovial inflammation, we decrease pain, improve joint homeostasis and create more favourable conditions for surrounding soft tissue healing. In horses with collateral ligament injury, reducing inflammation within the coffin joint may also help minimise ongoing irritation of structures that communicate closely with the joint.

Of course, biologic therapy is rarely a standalone treatment. Successful management of most lameness issues also depends on:
• Accurate localisation of pain.
• Appropriate imaging to define the pathology.
• Corrective farriery/trimming to optimise biomechanics.
• A structured rehabilitation programme.
• Objective reassessment throughout recovery.

This joint medication procedure itself is relatively quick, but the decision on when to medicate should always be based on a diagnosis and assessment of the horse’s progress.

This horse is continuing to show progressive improvement on follow-up examinations, also due to excellent work by both the owner and their physiotherapist team. This highlights the value of combining biologic therapy with appropriate rehabilitation and biomechanical management, rather than relying on injections alone.

23/06/2026

Ever had a case of "thrush" that simply wouldn't resolve? It’s time to talk about Equine Canker (Proliferative Pododermatitis) - a condition often mistaken for thrush in its early stages but requiring a vastly different clinical approach.

🧬 Pathophysiology: Degeneration vs. Proliferation
The fundamental difference lies in the tissue's response to insult:
* Thrush: A degenerative necrotising pododermatitis. It’s characterized by keratolysis, leading to the classic black, malodorous "sludge" in the central and collateral sulci.
* Canker: A proliferative inflammatory reaction. Instead of losing tissue, the hoof exhibits massive dyskeratosis and parakeratosis, resulting in exuberant, "cauliflower-like" horn of inferior quality.

🔍 Clinical Differentiation
While both may smell foul, the physical exam reveals differences:
* Appearance: Canker tissue is typically white to greyish, greasy, and friable; often described as having a rubber-like consistency.
* Friability: Unlike the necrotic debris of thrush, canker lesions consist of hypertrophic granulation-like tissue that bleeds profusely upon the slightest manipulation.
* Location: Thrush is usually confined to the sulci; canker can start in the frog but aggressively undermines the sole, heel bulbs, and even the hoof wall.

🐴 Why the Lameness?
We often see mild thrush as an incidental finding, but canker is a different story. Lameness in canker is common and often significant because:
1. Sensory Nerve Involvement: The proliferative tissue is highly sensitive to pressure.
2. Loss of Structural Integrity: The "greasy" horn is structurally incompetent, often leading to secondary infection of deeper sensitive structures.
3. Chronic Inflammation: The dysregulation of keratinocyte differentiation is associated with chronic inflammatory mediators and potential neuropathic pain pathways.

🛠️ Management
If you suspect canker, caustic agents can actually be counterproductive in these cases.
* Debridement is key: Successful resolution requires aggressive surgical debridement down to healthy tissue under a tourniquet.
* Topical Strategy: Metronidazole is widely considered the "gold standard" topical agent for canker due to the involvement of anaerobic bacteria like Fusobacterium necrophorum and Bacteroides spp..

Evidence regarding the etiology of equine hoof canker has shifted in recent years from a purely environmental/hygienic focus to the investigation of specific infectious agents. While some molecular studies suggest an association similar to that seen in equine sarcoids, recent cohort studies have failed to detect Bove Papilloma Virus DNA in canker biopsies, instead finding a stronger and more consistent association with anaerobic spirochetes of the genus Treponema.

This more recent research suggests that Treponema species, often associated with Bovine Digital Dermatitis (BDD), may be more relevant than BPV in the development of canker. In a study of equine hoof biopsies, Treponema pedis was the most frequently detected agent in 8 out of 13 samples. The clinical presentation of canker closely mimics Bovine Digital Dermatitis, which is strongly linked to these spirochetes. Because Treponema species have been found in horses both with and without clinical canker, their presence alone is not definitive for a diagnosis. Failure to distinguish canker from severe thrush or fungal infections can lead to inappropriate treatment with caustic agents, which are contraindicated and may worsen the condition.

Traditional practice viewed canker almost exclusively as a "filth disease" caused by poor hygiene and moisture . Modern practice recognizes it as an infectious/inflammatory syndrome where environment is a predisposing factor rather than the sole cause.

22/06/2026

With the Office issuing a red weather warning for the upcoming heatwave, many organisers are cancelling events. To help your horses stay cool, provide constant access to plenty of clean water and shade, or consider fans to help with airflow in stables. You can also give sloppier feeds and soak hay to increase fluid intake. If you need to exercise, try and do this early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun is not at its highest. If you have any concerns about your horse, or they start showing signs of excessive sweating, rapid breathing or high temperature (usually anything above 38.5°C / 101 °F although individuals can vary slightly) please contact your vet for advice.

18/06/2026

One of the most frequent emails we send - to a horse's farrier or trimmer. For us, it’s a really valuable part of the process when investigating and treating lameness or performance issues.

Foot balance radiographs give us an objective view of what’s happening inside the hoof capsule. They help us move beyond assumptions and provide a common reference point for everyone involved in the horse’s care. Whether we’re evaluating hoof-pastern alignment, sole depth, breakover, or mediolateral balance, radiographs allow us to discuss options based on facts rather than guesswork. Sharing these radiographs and discussing findings can be so valuable and in our opinion its vital that everyone involved in the horse's care is aware of what's going on.

Especially in cases involving conformational abnormalities, chronic lameness, tendon or ligament injury, or other underlying pathology, hoof care is a big part of any rehabilitation plan. The question isn’t just “What does the foot look like today?” It’s “Where do we need this foot to be in three or six months to support the horse’s long-term prognosis?” To give the best outcomes, it’s important that everyone is kept up to date, as we should all be working towards the same goal.

As you can see from these x-rays, our x-ray system also has the added benefit of AI-assisted foot balance analysis to help assess radiographs and provide objective measurements. This gives us additional data that can help guide discussions around balance, breakover, sole depth, hoof-pastern alignment, and monitoring how the foot may need to change over time. That information becomes invaluable when discussing hoof care strategies with farriers and trimmers. Everyone is working from the same information, with a shared goal of improving comfort, function, and long-term soundness.

The most successful cases come from good communication, and a willingness to combine expertise for the benefit of the horse. Collaboration in these cases is crucial!

Well, here's some very exciting news… We’re absolutely thrilled to share that we have been named a Finalist in the Eques...
12/06/2026

Well, here's some very exciting news… We’re absolutely thrilled to share that we have been named a Finalist in the Equestrian Business Awards 2026! ✨🥳

To say we were surprised when the email landed in our inbox would be an understatement! For our small independent practice to be shortlisted from over 16,000 nominations across the UK is an incredible honour! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so so much everyone who nominated us ❤️🤗 We are so genuinely proud to have our little corner of the equine veterinary world recognised in this way, thanks to all you wonderful people. As many of you know, we're not a 'typical' ambulatory vet practice - most of our days are spent travelling from yard to yard investigating and consulting on lameness, performance and rehab issues; we don’t have a large practice behind us, a marketing team, a fancy clinic or a huge social media presence. We simply love what we do; sharing knowledge and doing our best for the horses and people who place their trust in us. That’s why this recognition means so much! 🥹

We are just so incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us, referred cases to us, recommended us, and entrusted us with their horses, and a huge thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey so far. We are looking forwards to sharing more of what we do with you all! Congratulations to the other finalists and thank you all once again! 😇

Address

Newbury

Telephone

+441488647366

Website

, , ,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Espinar Equine Veterinary Services posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Espinar Equine Veterinary Services:

Shortcuts

Share

Category