Whilst we all look forward to Spring, with the end of the dreaded mud, more daylight hours and sunnier warmer weather, the new season brings with it some commonly encountered veterinary conditions.
The tips may prevent some of them!
- Introduce fresh grass gradually to help prevent colic and laminitis.
- Watch carefully for sign of lameness or stiffness and monitor temperature of the hooves, especially in horses and ponies who have suffered laminitis before.
- Consider using a grazing muzzle and/or restricting grazing areas to prevent unnecessary weight gain - weight taping or using a weight bridge.
- Using fly rugs and sprays early in the season to help prevent sweet-itch and other fly irritations - electric fencing may help the horse or pony from rubbing their mane and tail out on fences and walls.
- Check carefully for wounds - whilst these can obviously occur at any time of year we do see more in the Spring - possibly because the warmer weather makes horses and ponies more energetic and cheekier then normal!
- Exercise according to fitness of both horse and rider. It may be tempting to go for a gallop in the sunshine, but injures such as pulled muscles tendons, joints and ligaments are more likely to occur if the horse is unfit.
Also horses may suffer from exertional rhabdomyolysis (tie-up) if they suddenly encounter fast exercise.
Thanks to Scarsdale vets!