Red Rock Equine Veterinary Inc PS/Dr. Rothschild

09/28/2025

09/27/2025

Newborn foals are born with what horse lovers call “fairy fingers” or “golden slippers.” The scientific name for these soft, rubbery coverings is eponychium. They form around the foal’s tiny hooves before birth, giving each foot a padded, cushion-like appearance.

These golden slippers have an important job. While the foal is still in the womb, they protect the mother’s uterus from sharp kicks. During birth, they also keep the birth canal safe from the edges of the foal’s hooves. Without them, both the mare and foal would face serious risks.

Right after birth, the eponychium begins to dry and peel away. Within hours of the foal’s first steps, the soft coverings disappear, revealing the hard hooves underneath. Walking on them doesn’t cause pain—the structures are made to wear off naturally as the foal starts life outside the womb.

09/27/2025

Did you know PPID/Cushing’s is associated with certain lameness’s such as suspensory desmitis? And more…

Performance horses with PPID, EMS, or ID are at risk of developing a variety of concurrent conditions.

09/26/2025

PIGEON FEVER: Although reported to be rare in WA every year we seem to see more cases. What to know about this non-pigeon horse disease…

https://equineinfoexchange.com/tack-farm/five-tips-about-pigeon-fever?fbclid=IwdGRjcANCwrhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHlHNAraTJK7atwePuguTD6vWCfpDlXSag64xaSVS5AE4cPo8rdIbMzK1AMQY_aem_MTD1FCm6ZAHIl-VImmh_vg

Five Tips About Pigeon Fever - The disease is named for the abscesses that commonly form in the pectoral region of a sick horse, resembling a pigeon’s breast.

09/26/2025

When introducing an orphan foal to a new nurse mare, there is a whole process mixing experience and sometimes medications to help the new mom accept baby and the perfect bond to be born… 💗 I love babies!

09/26/2025

How to touch a horse so they enjoy it… this is a great read😊

DO HORSES REALLY ENJOY BEING TOUCHED, OR JUST TOLERATE IT?

Touch is part of almost every interaction we have with horses – grooming, routine handling, tacking-up, vet visits, even a pat after a ride. Touch is also a routine feature of equine-assisted services, yet surprisingly little is known about how horses themselves experience it. Do they actually enjoy it, or does their experience depend on having the choice to engage – the freedom to say yes, or no?

A recent study compared two situations using therapy horses who were regularly involved in equine-assisted services. In the ‘forced touch’ condition, horses were tied up and touched continuously on different body areas (neck/shoulder, body, hindquarters) using patting, stroking, or scratching. In the ‘free-choice’ condition, horses were loose in a round pen and could only be touched if they chose to come close enough.

The results showed clear differences. Horses showed more stress-linked behaviours – oral movements, restlessness, and tail swishing – when touched without the option to move away. When free to choose, they often carried their heads lower (a sign of relaxation) and spent over half of the session out of arm’s reach. Stroking was more often linked with relaxed, low head carriage than scratching or patting, and touches on the hindquarters produced fewer stress responses than touches on the neck or body.

The researchers also looked at how the horses responded to different kinds of people. Around experienced handlers, horses were more likely to hold their heads high and showed lower heart-rate variability – signs of vigilance or anticipation, perhaps expecting work. In contrast, their responses with less experienced people were generally more relaxed.

Touches on the hindquarters were linked with fewer stress behaviours, while touches on the neck and body produced more tail swishing and less relaxed postures. Horses were also more likely to lower their heads – a calmer signal – when touched on the body or hindquarters than on the neck.

Why does this matter? Horses in all kinds of contexts – riding schools, competition yards, therapy programmes, or leisure homes – are routinely touched and handled. These findings show that the manner of touch, the part of the body involved, and above all the horse’s ability to choose whether to participate all shape how she/he/they experience the interaction.

The welfare implications are clear: allowing horses more agency in how and when we touch them may reduce stress, strengthen trust, and make interactions safer and more positive for everyone.

For me, the sad part of these findings is that horses are rarely given a choice about when or how they are touched. And many people don’t recognise when touch is causing the horse stress.

Study: Sarrafchi, A., Lassallette, E., & Merkies, K. (2025). The effect of choice on horse behaviour, heart rate and heart rate variability during human–horse touch interactions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science

09/25/2025

Fall time is so beautiful… but also a time we see a lot of laminitis (I think more than even Spring)… Please be attentive especially with the Cushing’s/PPID horses💗

09/24/2025

https://equimanagement.com/research-medical/metabolic/how-endocrine-disorders-impact-equine-athletes/?fbclid=IwdGRjcANAOXNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHig5vYKnMgL5vIWn4yfcgwQXEclYxGrg3UIH-fhXcbqsNK4elsFclgqy3pdp_aem_m0Our8VirrrfiiF9T61XXQ

Endocrine disorders affect a large number of equids, with PPID affecting 20% of horses older than 20 and EMS/ID affecting roughly 16% of ponies, with likely a similar percentage in horses.

While traditionally the main concern with these conditions in our equine athletes has been the development of laminitis, concurrent disorders are becoming more clinically apparent.

Read more: https://equimanagement.com/research-medical/metabolic/how-endocrine-disorders-impact-equine-athletes/

Insulin Dysregulation Awareness Week is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products.

09/23/2025

Happy Fall to all our dear clients and patients!🍁

The first sign of falling temperatures and leaves changing colors has me thinking of “Grit”, a favorite piece of mine from a couple years ago. 💛🧡❤️

This painting has been sold to a private collector. New cowgirl works are being released to my email subscribers on October 18th!

05/26/2025

Hope everyone is enjoying their memorial day!

05/12/2025

Happy Mother’s Day! 💗❤️💗

04/01/2025

Red Rock would like to say farewell to our dear assistant Kelsey Padilla who moved to Vancouver WA to be closer to her family. 😔 We will greatly miss Kelsey and thank her for all her dedication over the years. 🥰 At the same time we would like to welcome Marissa O’Leary who has stepped in as our new Veterinary Assistant! Marissa has a mustang gelding which Red Rock has cared for during the past few years and is veryry excited with her new position. Please say hi to her if you get a chance! 💗