Boston Equine

07/05/2023

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06/19/2023

BUTTERCUPS
Many horse owners ask about blisters, sores and scabs that they see on their horse's lips, gums, noses and lower legs at this time of year.

If you have buttercups in your grazing fields, then these might be the reason for those sores (but not exclusively*).

Symptoms include the horse developing blistering in and around the mouth and/or what looks like sunburn on their nose or mud-fever scabs on their lower legs (this is seen a lot in horses with white hair and pink skin, however it is not exclusive to these types).

Buttercups contain a glycoside (a chemical compound found in plants) called 'Ranunculin' which, when the plant is broken down through eating or being disturbed (e.g. when crushed/bruised when trodden on), this compound breaks down to form a toxin called 'Protoanemonin'. It is this toxin which, when coming in to contact with mucous membranes (tongue, gums), lips and skin causes the blisters and sores.

Buttercups are actually very bitter to the taste and given the choice, horses will avoid eating the plant itself, however if ingested it can sometimes cause diarrhoea, excess salivation and colic.

Buttercups are prolific growers and are seen on pastures which have been over-grazed, are horse-sick or the grass is sparse (i.e. areas of bare mud where grass is struggling to grow due to previous damage such as poaching) and can thrive because horses prefer not to eat them so they are avoided and left to grow.

The presence of buttercups often indicates the need for improvements to soil structure and drainage, and harrowing the field during April to October can help to improve grass growth, aerate the soil and break-up the growth of the buttercups. They are very hard to eradicate completely and pasture health and management is key - they seed when they are in flower, so they need to be treated before the flowers appear.

An interesting fact is that Buttercups are 'heliotropic' which means that they follow the sun across the sky throughout the day (like Sunflowers do).

If your horse, pony or donkey shows any of these symptoms mentioned, always contact your vet.

*Note: A sunburnt-looking nose can also be caused by ingestion of St. John's Wort or a sign of liver disease in horses, which can cause photosensitisation (when the animal becomes abnormally reactive to ultraviolet light) which can be caused by ingesting toxic plants, amongst other causes.

You can call us on: 0131 664 5606 or email us at: [email protected].

06/18/2023

BUTTERCUPS 🌼

Whilst buttercups are very pretty and yellow fields look lovely as you drive through the countryside, they are a horse owner's major annoyance!!

Buttercups are a w**d, and thrive in over-grazed pastures. The leaves and stems contain something called proteoanemonin, a toxic oil. Fortunately, horses generally have no interest in eating them as they are very bitter, and are very clever at eating around them. However, once the paddock becomes overgrazed, buttercups thrive and spread, and before you know it, the entire paddock is buttercups. Horses will only tend to eat them if the paddock is overgrazed and there is nothing else to eat.

Clinical signs associated with eating them include:
Blisters on lips (common)
Face swelling
Drooling/excessive salivation
Mild colic (very rare)
Diarrhoea (very rare)

What should you do if your paddock is overrun with buttercups?

Overgrazing is the main problem so move your horse to new paddocks before this happens. Seed your paddocks, particularly the bare spots, with varieties of grass that thrive well in your area. Buttercup seeds germinate in the Autumn so maintaining your paddocks well during the summer and preventing overgrazing will help prevent the problem the following season - although with hot weather and no rain, this can be difficult. Spraying fields in early Spring before buttercups bloom can be helpful, but ensure horses are not on the paddock during and after treatment. Contact your local farmer to maintain your paddocks and minimise buttercups overwhelming the paddocks. Proper pasture management involves rotational grazing, fertilisation and reseeding to keep your paddocks healthy and your horse healthy!

In the meantime, move your horse to fresh pasture or provide supplementary hay in the field, to ensure they do not need to eat it, for lack of anything else to eat.

06/18/2023

I have them and cat fish in mine.

06/15/2023

Many residents own and ride horses along our more serene roadways. Please be courteous and cautious when you encounter them, and follow the law.

p.s. There is no pooper-scooper law for horses or draft animals.
Drive with care.

06/09/2023

05/30/2023

Recent studies conducted by the Institute of Heart-Math provide a clue to explain the two-way ′′healing′′ that occurs when we're close to horses.
According to researchers, the heart has an electromagnetic field larger than the brain: a magnetometer can measure the energy field of the heart that radiates from 2.4 meters to 3 meters around the human body.
While this is certainly significant, perhaps more impressive than the electromagnetic field projected by the heart of a horse is five times larger than that of a human being (imagine an electromagnetic sphere around the horse) and it can influence straight into our own heart rate.
Horses are also likely to have what science has identified as a "coherent′′ heart rate (heart rate pattern) that explains why we can feel better when we're close to them. Studies have found a coherent heart pattern or HRV to be a solid measure of well-being and consistent with emotional states of calm and joy-that is, we exhibit such patterns when we feel positive emotions.
A coherent heart pattern is indicative of a system that can recover and adapt to stressful situations very efficiently. Many times, we just need to be in the presence of horses to feel a sense of well-being and peace.
In fact, research shows that people experience many physiological benefits by interacting with horses, including lower blood pressure and heart rate, higher beta-endorphins (neurotransmitters acting as pain suppressors), decreased stress levels, decreased feelings of anger, hostility, tension and anxiety, better social working; and greater feelings of empowerment, confidence, patience and self-efficacy.

By: Alejandro Pascual Puig
CEO en E&C CONSULTING CEO en E&C CONSULTING
The artist is Valerie Eric. The copyright holder is Sarah Barnes, HeartMath certified practitioner. The image was inspired following a riding lesson on heart connection.

05/30/2023

DID YOU KNOW...?
Your saddle size is measured by the length of your thigh, not on what size you wear or what weight you are.

Saddle fit is important for riders too: if you aren't balanced in the saddle the equine athlete cannot perform to their potential because your seat simply is not as effective.

05/23/2023

At this time of year we are out working in the garden, tending plants and mowing the lawn, but did you know that lawn grass cuttings should never be fed to horses. Please remember never put cuttings into any area where horses are grazing.

Unfortunately, grass cuttings are potentially very dangerous for horses to eat and sadly many have died as a result of people putting lawn mowings over the fence into horse pastures.

5 Good Reasons not to feed cutting to horses:

COLIC: A horse may gorge itself on piles of clippings. The large amount of grass can cause excessive fermentation in the hind gut. This can lead to colic or laminitis.
CHOKE: Horses tend to gobble down grass clippings quickly. Unlike grazing on grass out of the pasture and slowly chewing it, clippings require little effort or chewing to swallow. There is a potential risk that the clippings can get lodged in the esophagus.
MOLD: Piled up grass clippings can quickly grow mold, especially in hot and humid environments. Mold can also lead to colic.
BOTULISM: Dense piles of grass do not allow for air to circulate through grass clippings. This is an invitation for the deadly botulism toxin to develop.
POISONOUS PLANTS: Horses unknowingly eat toxic w**ds and plants they normally would avoid when they get mixed in with the mower clippings.