Deer Creek Equine Clinic

18/08/2025

While the number of confirmed equine rabies cases every year is low, talking about this disease remains important because of the potential for human exposure—which does NOT have to involve a bite from an infected horse, as contact of skin or mucosa with the horse’s saliva could be enough to transmit the disease.

Rabies has many faces, but they are all deadly—once a horse shows clinical signs, the animal invariably dies within a few days as there is no treatment.

The good news is that modern vaccines are highly effective and current AAEP recommendations list rabies as one of the “core vaccines” that should be given to all horses annually to maintain immunity (read the full AAEP vaccination guidelines here: https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines).

Equine rabies is a real risk for all horses, and a public health concern as well. Be sure to set up a regular vaccination schedule with your veterinarian if you haven’t already done so. Remember that strange behavior on behalf of your equine friend is always a valid reason to check in with your horse doctor!

15/08/2025

It's MYTHBUSTER time!

The core vaccinations for every horse, regardless of their travel status, include Rabies, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), West Nile Virus (WNV), and Tetanus.

Unfortunately, mosquitoes, bacteria, and rabid animals do not discriminate when it comes to infecting horses. Whether a horse is in a freshly bedded stall, wide open pasture, or on show grounds, mosquitoes can potentially infect your horse with life threatening diseases such as EEE, WEE, and/or WNV.

Tetanus is a common clostridial bacteria present in the dirt and can infect a horse who has never left its home just the same as a horse who shows every weekend if it doesn't have proper vaccine status.

Rabies is a 100% fatal disease once clinical signs are present and is easily transmissible to humans and other animals both at home and on the trails.

It's also important to note that different regions in the U.S. may have additional "core" recommendations so be sure to ask your veterinarian what is best for your horse!

Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information!

13/08/2025

What is the real risk to horse teeth and overall horse health from wearing a grazing muzzle? How does it compare to an at-risk (laminitic, obese, or metabolic) horse not wearing a grazing muzzle at all?

Most grazing muzzles don't have any negative effects on your horse's teeth. However, metal muzzles or slow feeders may cause damage in addition to excessive wear, chips, or fractures. There are also a few brands of grazing muzzles on the market made from a thick, hard plastic that can cause abnormal wear to the incisors. Many of the hard plastic grazing muzzles now offer softer inserts to minimize this type of damage.

The attrition that we appreciate to the incisors does have the potential to result in an exposed pulp, which could then result in pulpits or a tooth root infection. However, this is rarely the case. Generally, the teeth are able to repair themselves, by sealing off any exposed pulp, at a rate equal to or more rapid than the wearing process. This ultimately means that most of the cases that we see of abnormal wear to incisors from grazing muzzles is primarily cosmetic.

The risk of laminitis, on the other hand, is very real and the results can be catastrophic. Not wearing a grazing muzzle for even a few hours for a horse with EMS (equine metabolic syndrome) or PPID (Cushing's) can be problematic. Always follow your veterinarian's recommendations when managing your horse's metabolic issues, as these can and sometimes do have deadly complications.

If you have questions or concerns on if your equine should be wearing a grazing muzzle, contact your veterinarian.

Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.

11/08/2025

06/08/2025

"I think it's in the shoulder doc!"

Picture this: You notice your horse has a lameness in the front end.
Two scenarios - it has come on over time or it has shown up overnight. In either case, it is often in the foot!

The most common cause of lameness in horses is in the foot, despite the way your horse may present the pain to you. For example, foot abscesses are capable of causing acute pain and three-legged lameness in a very short period of time. Other common instances of lameness in the front end that may be less acute are a result of changes to the navicular bone or surrounding soft tissue, changes to the coffin bone or joint, thin soles, etc.

As the old adage goes, "no foot, no horse!" and now you know why!

Additional resource: https://open.lib.umn.edu/largeanimalsurgery/chapter/lameness-diagnosis/

Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.

01/08/2025

An interesting read!

New research shows cranking the noseband hurts your horse's gait.

There are always many opinions about nosebands. Too loose, and a trainer might call it sloppy. Too tight, and it becomes a welfare concern. There are studded and crank and chain and traditional, and all kinds of gadgets and gizmos designed to keep our horse’s mouth shut, but what is best for the horse? Is cranking that extra hole doing more harm than good?

A 2025 study published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science examined the impact of noseband tightness on pressure and performance. The results are eye-opening if you believe that a tighter noseband means better performance in the ring.

Most riders are familiar with the standard: leave two fingers’ space beneath the noseband. It’s even outlined in guidelines from the FEI. And according to the study, 85% of riders say they know this recommendation. But when researchers actually measured the fit using a standardized taper gauge, only 15% had their nosebands adjusted to the proper tension.

The vast majority were too tight. Sometimes dramatically too tight.

The Hidden Pressure on a Horse’s Face
In the study, eight horses were fitted with a simple cavesson noseband and tested at three settings: a standard two-finger fit, a snug one-finger fit, and a cranked-tight zero-finger fit. Under each setting, researchers measured facial pressure and evaluated gait.

- The one-finger setting increased pressure on the nasal bone by 54% over the two-finger baseline.
- The zero-finger setting? A staggering 338% increase in pressure.

Imagine trying to do your day job with a belt cinched tight around your nose and jaw. Now add that your success relies on body movement, and you have no way to say, “This hurts.” That’s similar to what the horse might feel like being asked to perform in a fully tightened noseband that more than triples the force exerted on its face.

Unfortunately, changes to tack and equipment don’t typically come solely from the perspective of the horse’s comfort. So let’s look at performance as well.

In addition to pressure data, the researchers measured each horse’s trot stride. As the noseband got tighter, the stride got shorter—by a lot. On average:

- Horses at the one-finger tightness lost 6.2% of their stride length.
- With a fully tightened noseband, stride loss jumped to 11.1%.

In real-world terms, that’s about 24 centimeters, roughly the length of a hoof, disappearing from every stride. While that may not sound dramatic at first, consider how it compounds across a full course. Shorter strides can mean rushed distances, flat movement, and a horse that never quite gets to “flow.” In the hunter ring, 24 centimeters could be the difference between pinning in a highly competitive under saddle class.

And this wasn’t just about stiffness or resistance. The study found a statistically significant negative correlation between noseband pressure and stride length. In short, the tighter the fit, the shorter the step.

Sure, a longer stride is helpful in the show ring. But this research highlights deeper concerns about what that level of pressure does to the horse’s face and nerves. The noseband sits directly over sensitive structures, including branches of the trigeminal nerve, which help regulate posture and proprioception. Excessive pressure here doesn’t just hurt. It may also interfere with the horse’s balance and coordination.

Previous studies have shown that pressures as low as 32 kPa can damage tissue. In this study, the tightest noseband setting reached an average of 115.8 kPa. That’s far above what’s been associated with pain or injury in other species. That number isn’t just theoretical. It’s happening under tack, often unnoticed, every day. And unlike overt lameness, this kind of pressure flies under the radar, making it easy to miss, but just as impactful.

🔗 Read the full article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/07/30/new-research-shows-cranking-your-noseband-hurts-your-horses-gait/

🔗 Read the full study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0737080625003120?via%3Dihub

07/07/2025

Our equine nutritionist and physiology expert offers advice on managing horses that have stopped sweating.

02/07/2025

The Deer Creek office will be closed on Friday, July 4th. A vet will still be on call in case of any emergencies!

23/06/2025

Learn how your horse’s internal thermostat works in extreme heat and ways to keep him cool

23/06/2025

Stay cool everyone!

🔥 How the Humidex Affects Horses

The humidex (or heat index) can significantly affect horse health and performance, especially in hot and humid weather. Horses are more sensitive to heat stress than humans, and humidity can severely limit their ability to cool themselves through sweating.

🚨Risk Levels Using Temperature + Humidity
(Often referred to as the “Heat Stress Index”)

A common guideline for horses:
Temperature (°C) + Humidity (%) = Risk Level → Recommendation
< 130 = Low risk → Normal work possible
130–150 = Moderate risk → Use caution; reduce intensity
> 150 = High risk → Limit work; monitor for heat stress signs
> 180 = Severe/Dangerous → Avoid work; serious risk of heat stroke

Example:
30°C + 60% humidity = 30 + 60 = 90 → Safe
30°C + 90% humidity = 30 + 90 = 120 → Moderate to high risk depending on activity
(Note: This index is similar to but not exactly the same as the human humidex.)

Signs of Heat Stress in Horses:
⚠️Heavy sweating or no sweating at all
⚠️Rapid breathing or panting
⚠️Elevated heart rate
⚠️Weakness or stumbling
⚠️Lethargy or depression
⚠️High re**al temperature (> 39.5°C)

How to Help Horses in High Humidex Conditions:
✅Work in early morning or late evening
✅Provide ample shade and water
✅Hose down with cool water and scrape off excess
✅Offer electrolytes as needed
✅Avoid hauling during peak heat
✅Monitor closely during and after work

Stay cool and stay safe! ☀️💧