Madalyn Ward, DVM
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Article
Good Hay For Horses - A Grassroots Effort
Winter is approaching and I am getting ready to put my hay up for the winter. Unfortunately I, like other horse owners, am finding that while hay prices have skyrocketed in many cases quality has declined. In the past when hay was two to three dollars per bale, few horse owners felt it was a big deal to supplement poor quality hay with additional nutrients, but today, with hay at eight or ten dollars per bale we ought to get a product that meets most if not all of our horses'
October 5, 2008
Article
Equine Symptoms Of Ulcers And How To Treat Them
When your normally well-behaved performance horse starts acting strangely, what do you do? Do you immediately think he is developing an attitude or do you look for other causes? If your horse demonstrates any or all of the behaviors below you may want to think twice before assuming he has an attitude problem. Your horse may be displaying equine symptoms of ulcers.nn- Refusing jumpsnn- Acting up in the alley waynn- Kicking in the trailernn- Pinning his ears when you put your l
October 3, 2008
Article
How To Prevent Hoof Flares In The Barefoot Horse
In my practice I see many horses suffering from the ill effects of hoof flares, especially the barefoot horse. In fact, with the barefoot movement becoming so popular, I see more horses than ever who have improperly trimmed hooves, sometimes with serious side effects. I've seen many performance horses with health and soundness issues directly relating to hoof flares. That's why this article focuses on both the causes of hoof flares and the ways to prevent them.nnHoof flares a
September 30, 2008
Article
Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cells and stem cell therapy have received a lot of news coverage lately, some of it controversial, so this month I've decided to discuss stem cells in general, along with several approaches to stem cell therapy. The stem cell therapies I advocate are both legal and simple, especially with the advent of a new nutritional product called Stemplex, which I'll discuss a little later. But first, a little about the stem cell itself...nEmbryonic Versus Adult Stem CellsnA stem ce
May 27, 2008
Article
Using Natural Supplements For Your Performance Horses
I once took my 4 year old mule, Jake, to a training clinic. When we joined the other 13 riders in the ring the first morning, Jake was a bit overwhelmed. He was pretty wound up with all the activity and just a step away from an out-of-mule-body experience. It occurred to me that I had not given him any Rescue Remedy or taken any myself. I usually give us both Rescue Remedy when we face something new and challenging. I took Jake back to the trailer and we both took a dose. The
May 27, 2008
Article
How to afford your horse and still have time to ride
I have recently embarked on a huge project of purchasing raw land and moving myself and the horses into the country so I can ride and advance my horsemanship. I thought I had my income managed to make this move but shifts have happened in the economy that have caused me to step back and regroup. As I have looked into my future I has also looked back to the past 28 years—at the financial decisions I have made along the way that have affected me and my horses. nnIn 1998 I
May 27, 2008
Article
Insulin Resistance in Performance Horses
Here's a quick test. Ready?nn * Does your horse sometimes seem sluggish, gain or lose weight easily, or lose muscle over his top line but maintain a cresty neck?n * Does he stock up easily or sometimes seem prone to hoof soreness or abscesses?nnIf your horse displays any of these symptoms he could be insulin resistant (IR), a condition that has recently come to the attention of many professionals and owners in the horse industry.nnInsulin is produced by your horse's pancreas
April 22, 2008