Horses with congenital disorders are born with physical or physiological abnormalities. These may be readily apparent, or may be diagnosed as the foal matures. Unfortunately, the list of possible congenital deformities is long. These anomalies may affect the heart, ears, eyes or skin. The autoimmune,

Degenerative disorders are conditions that worsen over time. Some can be improved, or at least slowed, if caught early on. Here are a few common degenerative conditions that horses may face. Myelopathy Myelopathy is also called wobbler syndrome because of the affected horse’s unstable gait. This

Fractures, or breaks, can potentially occur in any bone in a horse’s body. Some types of fractures, however, are more common, especially among very athletic horses, such as racehorses. Causes of Fractures Fractures fall into several categories: An incomplete fracture (also known a “green stick,”

A horse’s digestive system begins with the mouth, ends with the anus and incorporates all the organs in between that are involved in consuming and processing food. Its purpose is fourfold: to digest food, absorb nutrients, move food through the digestive tract and eliminate waste products in the form

Cryptorchidism is a condition in which one or both testicles fail to descend into the scrotum. This is the most common problem affecting the sexual development of male horses. If both of the testicles remain in the abdomen, the horse will be sterile. Horses with an undescended testicle are sometimes

Like any animal, horses are susceptible to a wide range of parasites. Of the approximately 150 species of internal equine parasites, some can cause serious harm while others are more of an annoyance. Usually parasite eggs or larvae arrive on the ground from the manure of infected horses. Another horse

The skin is the largest organ in the body and serves many important functions. In spite of its usefulness, a horse’s skin can also develop redness, itchiness or hives in response to various substances in the environment. These kinds of allergic reactions can be caused by things eaten, inhaled or touched

This relatively new disease was first diagnosed in 1990 in the state of New York. It’s still a rare condition and mostly confined to the United States. Symptoms Horse owners might first notice that their horse is eating plenty, but still managing to lose a lot of weight. He might have a short gait,

Head shaking shows up in horses as uncontrollable shaking, jerking or flicking of the head, with no obvious physical irritation causing the condition. While some cases may be mild, head shaking can be severe enough to make a horse dangerous or unsuitable for riding. Other symptoms that may occur alongside

Several disorders can affect the hindlimbs, forelimbs or hooves of horses. Some of these can lead to lameness or changes in gait. Hindlimb Conditions in Horses Stringhalt is a condition that causes the horse to jerk or hop, with the hind legs pulled up high before taking the next step. This results

Horse hooves are complex structures that tell you a lot about your horse’s health and wellbeing. They’re also susceptible to many problems. Here are a few hoof basics as well as some of the major hoof issues your horse faces. Anatomy If you look at the bottom of a horse’s hoof, you’ll see

Hernias A hernia is a tear in the body wall of a horse that allows the internal organs to push through to a place where they don’t belong. There are several types of hernias. They can affect horses of any age or breed. Horses may have a defect at birth (congenital) that increases the risk of a hernia,

Several conditions can affect how horses move. This includes ones that affect the spinal cord and nerves that run to the muscles as well as to the hooves. Stringhalt Stringhalt shows up in horses as a jump, jerk or hop in the one or both hindlimbs, with the legs tucked up high. Symptoms often start

Immunodeficiency disorders in horses are rare conditions that prevent the immune system from protecting the horse against viral, bacterial or other types of infections. These disorders can affect different parts of the horse’s immune system. They may be present at birth or develop later on in the horse’s

Horse lovers have observed this frightening disease for centuries. It’s been called azoturia, tying-up, cording up, holiday disease and Monday morning disease; the last two names reflect that symptoms are sometimes observed after hard work followed by a period of rest. In the last couple of decades,

Metabolism in horses — and in other animals — refers to all the body’s complicated processes that break down food, drink and drugs to provide nutrients and energy for living. Anabolic reactions generally happen soon after eating, to build structural parts of the body, such as muscles. Catabolic