Great Basin Equine

06/02/2026

Did you know snakes reach their highest numbers in August and September, when their babies are born?

Snakes commonly found in the United States, like copperheads and rattlers, can cause serious injury to a horse. Equines are at the top of the list of sensitivity to snakebites, and are followed in order by sheep, cows, goats, dogs, pigs, and cats. Horses almost always get bitten on the muzzle, and the spread of the venom containing enzymes, peptides and neurotoxins can be fatal. The resultant swelling can be so extreme that the nostrils almost close and breathing can become difficult or impossible. Shock is the most common problem following snakebites and prompt treatment is necessary.

If you know or suspect that your horse has been bitten by a snake, call your veterinarian immediately. Better to have a false alarm than to play catch-up later in a crisis situation.

Talk to your horse doctor about the likelihood of snake attacks in your area and seek guidance regarding the best preventative and treatment options.

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Related resources:



"Snakebit!," written by Dr. Kenneth L. Marcella: https://aaep.org/issue/snakebit



Snakebite vaccine guidelines: https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines/risk-based-vaccination-guidelines/snake-bite

05/25/2026

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day!

05/04/2026

Dr.Lau never disappoints on this day!

04/21/2026

How and why does a rocker shoe work?

Putting together the lectures of Dr Uno Yxklinten and Dr Ramon Batalla from the IFRS symposium 2022, we can understand the physics involved in how rocker shoes or SAPAS work.

Due to the weight of the horse and the pull of the deep digital flexor (DDFT) the pressure acting through the hoof capsule enters at the point of balance (PoB) which is a point in between the centre of rotation (CoR) of the distal interphalangeal joint and the extensor process of P3. So to create equilibrium of the hoof capsule, by way of an evenly distributed GRF, where it would neither rotate forward or backward, you would need to balance around PoB.

A correctly fitted rocker shoe has its belly under the CoR which is caudal of the PoB. Because of this a flexing moment is created around CoR which creates an air wedge.

so I guess another question you could ask is, does a rocker shoe really allow for self adjustment, or does it create a forward rotation according to the laws of physics?

Either way, rocker shoes, or shoes with high level mechanics that utilise an "air wedge" in this way, are brilliant tools for building hoof mass and creating favourable phalangeal alignment.
In feet with low heels and a compromised digital cushion, especially when presenting with grade 2 or above NPA, suffer from reduced blood perfusion to the caudal hoof and entire solar corium.
This can also be partly explained by the opposite (from above) moment created by imbalance around the PoB from an increased lever arm at the toe, creating increased pressure on the heel area with the increased GRF distribution caudal of the PoB.

So rocker shoes flip these physics with huge benefit to the foot.

Join Dr Ramon for his outstanding presentation on utilising the rocker shoe for low heels.
https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/how-to-manage-the-low-foot-with-a-rocker-shoe

And Dr Uno's part 1 and 2, to better understand the physics at play in hoof balance..

https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/how-to-balance-a-hoof

https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/How-do-different-shoes-affect-the-force-distribution-on-the-solar-surface-of-the-hoof

04/08/2026

Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a potentially fatal blood-borne infectious viral disease that produces a persistent infection among equids nearly worldwide.