The ‘punch’ kicks pack
Q:
What is your opinion on turning out horses wearing hind shoes in groups? A debate is raging at our boarding barn about whether this practice is safe. So far we haven’t had any serious injuries but we’re worried. If a horse with hind shoes kicks another horse, will he do more damage than if he was unshod?
Name withheld by request
A: While we would like to live in a world where horses live in harmony, the reality is that some horses (like some people) don’t always get along. Kicking is part of normal equine behavior and communication, but can be a very dangerous way to get a point across. In addition, excitement or exuberance may cause horses to kick out and sometimes unlucky herdmates get caught in the crossfire.
So how dangerous are kick injuries in horses? In one study of equine injuries, 256 horses sustained a kick injury and in 120 of those a bone was fractured. Among horses with fractures, 34 required euthanasia. In that study, most of the kick injuries occurred when the horses were on pasture.
As your boarding barn debate suggests, shoes are a factor in the severity of equine kick injuries. In a study that investigated the effects of simulated kicks on equine bones, researchers found a significant difference in the amount of damage caused by metal shoes versus polyurethane shoes.
At a medium velocity, impact by hooves with steel and aluminum shoes resulted in fractures 75 percent of the time or more, while impact by hooves wearing polyurethane shoes or that were unshod did not damage the bones. At a higher velocity, impact by unshod hooves resulted in fractures only 12.5 percent of the time.
So a kick from a horse wearing shoes definitely causes more injury than one from an unshod horse or one wearing polyurethane shoes. And, of course, a stable pasture grouping with a firmly established dominance hierarchy is the safest situation for horses in pasture turnout in general.
Olivia Schroeder, VMD
Northwest Equine
Veterinary Associates
Black Diamond, Washington
adjuvant--- a substance that enhances the immune response to an antigen; added to vaccines to increase efficacy. antibody--- disease-fighting substance produced by the body in response to the presence of an antigen.
Coggins test--- laboratory blood test for the presence of antibodies against the equine infectious anemia (EIA) virus. eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE, encephalomyelitis)---brain and spinal-cord inflammation in horses, caused by a specific viral strain transmitted by mosquitos. EEE is characterized by fever and/or stupor and is almost always fatal. endoscope--- small, flexible tube equipped with light and a viewing device; used to examine or operate on body passages or internal organs. equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)---endocrine disorder characterized by increased fat deposits in specific locations of the body or overall obesity; insulin resistance, which leads to abnormally high levels of the hormone circulating in the bloodstream; and a predisposition toward laminitis in the absence of other recognized causes. equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM)--inflammation of the brain and spinal cord caused by protozoal infection. fecal egg count--- laboratory procedure for determining the number of internal-parasite eggs in a fecal sample; used primarily to estimate a horse’s level of infection with ascarids and/or strongyles. flunixin meglumine--- generic name for a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever commonly given for colic, eye pain or generalized body discomfort. hindgut--- the portion of the digestive system that includes the cecum, large colon, small colon and rectum. laminitis--- inflammation of the sensitive plates of soft tissue (laminae) within the horse’s foot caused by physical or physiologic injury. Severe cases of laminitis may result in founder, an internal deformity of the foot. Acute laminitis sets in rapidly and usually responds to appropriate, intensive treatment, while chronic laminitis is a persistent, long-term condition that may be unresponsive to treatment. pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, Cushing’s disease)---disease caused when the cortex of the adrenal gland produces excessive amounts of hormones, including cortisol; signs include persistent long hair, thin skin, fragile bones, stupor, weakness and sweating. rhinopneumonitis--- highly contagious disease caused by herpesviruses (EHV-1, EHV-4); characterized by fever, mild respiratory infection and, in mares, abortion. In rare cases, some strains of these herpesviruses also cause potentially fatal neurological complications. stereotypy--- repetitive, compulsive behavior that serves no function. Examples of stereotypies in horses include cribbing, weaving and stall walking. strongyles (red worms, Strongylus edentatus, S. equinus, S. vulgaris)---- class of roundworm parasites that infect the horse’s large intestines; they are the most destructive of all internal parasites of horses. Their larvae (immature forms) can permanently damage the intestinal blood vessels. synovial fluid (synovia)---sticky, transparent lubricating fluid in joint cavities and tendon sheaths; secreted by the synovial membrane. tetanus--- rigid paralytic disease caused by Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic bacterium that lives in soil and feces. titer--- measurement of the concentration of an antibody in blood serum or other solution. “High titer” refers to blood serum containing high antibody levels. ultrasound--- high-frequency sound waves, above the range of human hearing. Ultrasound is used diagnostically, to image body structures, and therapeutically, to break down unwanted tissue and promote healing by stimulating circulation. urine--- fluid excreted by the kidneys, passed through the ureters, stored in the bladder and discharged through the urethra. Healthy equine urine is yellow to amber in color and often cloudy or opaque due to precipitated solids. uveitis--- inflammation of the pigmented structures within the eyeball. western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE)
--- brain and spinal-cord inflammation in horses, caused by a specific viral strain transmitted by mosquitos. Signs include fever, depression, ataxia and head pressing.