Rein’em In Equine

03/07/2026

Vitamin E in Horses: Why It Matters and How to Get It Right
Hunter Greer, DVM

Vitamin E is a critically important antioxidant that protects cells and tissues from damage, and thus, plays an important role in supporting the normal function of various body systems. Vitamin E is considered an essential nutrient, and it cannot be produced by the body to meet necessary requirements; instead, requirements must be met via dietary intake or supplementation. Fresh, green grass is a great source of natural vitamin E, but levels become insufficient once harvested as hay.

Access to green pasture is limited here in Central Oregon, especially during certain times of the year. Because of this, our horses are at risk of a deficiency that can be accompanied by severe potential health repercussions. There are several vitamin E-deficient diseases, most notably impacting the nervous system and muscles. Signs may include muscle wasting, weakness, low energy, prolonged recovery from exercise, performance issues, lack of coordination, abnormal stance, and behavioral changes. In many cases, an effective treatment or cure is lacking. Hence, prevention is the key.

Although individual animal factors and genetics play a role in the development of such diseases, vitamin E supplementation is necessary for many horses. Supplementation is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. Vitamin E requirements vary for each horse based on life stage, use, diet, and the environment. In addition, we now know that over-supplementation can have deleterious consequences at high levels. Measuring the vitamin E concentration in your horse’s blood is the most reliable way to determine their vitamin E status and will allow your veterinarian to tailor recommendations to your horse’s individual needs. Blood concentrations should be measured prior to starting supplementation and routinely monitored thereafter. For many horses, we make an annual blood test for vitamin E and selenium part of their annual wellness program.

Several supplements are available for over-the-counter use, but not all products are created equal. Alpha-tocopherol, the active form of Vitamin E, is the main ingredient in available supplements. However, it exists in synthetic (dl-alpha-tocopherol), natural (d-alpha-tocopherol), and natural water-soluble forms. While the synthetic form is cheaper than natural forms, it is absorbed from the gut less readily and, as a result, does not adequately increase blood and tissue concentrations of vitamin E. Therefore, it is less effective at addressing Vitamin E deficiencies. Conversely, natural water-soluble formulations have been shown to be most effective at rapidly increasing blood and tissue levels of vitamin E. As a horse owner, you should look for products containing the natural forms of Vitamin E, d-alpha-tocopherol or d-alpha tocopherol acetate, when considering the use of a supplement. Avoid use of d-l-alpha-tocopherol, which is the synthetic and poorly absorbed form.

Dosing recommendations largely depend on your horse’s individual needs, blood concentrations, presence or absence of clinical signs associated with a vitamin E deficiency, and the type of Vitamin E supplement (synthetic vs. natural vs. water dispersible; liquid vs. pelleted/powered). Ongoing modifications to the supplemental program are made based on repeat testing and individual responses. The National Research Council recommends 1-2 IU/kg body weight of daily vitamin E for horses; however, the form of vitamin E (synthetic vs. natural) is not accounted for in these recommendations which is an important thing to consider regarding appropriate dosing.

Consult with your veterinarian for recommendations on how to meet your horse’s Vitamin E requirements and for guidance on the dose and formulation used.

02/18/2026

What’s your definition of Halter Broke?

02/17/2026

Ginger!

02/09/2026

Had to try out the AI trend, I guess Teddy took some steroids, but my cats are accurate at least 🙃

01/10/2026

Great lessons in foal management!

12/22/2025

Some may not agree with me, but one of the most common misconceptions with horses is that you HAVE to walk a colicking horse, and that’s simply not true.

Movement helps stimulate the gut, but many believe the purpose of walking a colicking horse is to “fix” the colic. The main purpose is to keep them busy enough not to roll. That’s it. Walking is a management tool, not a cure, and it is not mandatory in every situation.

I’ve met plenty of horses who would rather lie down quietly and will absolutely fight you if you try to make them stand and walk. In those cases, forcing them up can do more harm than good. Sometimes letting them stay down calmly and quietly is the safest option.

Every time a horse violently throws themselves down, they risk injuring themselves, and you. I’ve had horses that refused to walk but would lie still, and I’ve had others that couldn’t decide what they wanted and were dangerous either way. I’ve even had to sit with horses just to help keep them from thrashing.

The key isn’t “walk at all costs.” The key is preventing violent rolling, minimizing stress, and keeping everyone safe until the vet arrives.

Know the horse in front of you, stay calm and use common sense. Colic isn’t one-size-fits-all.

11/18/2025

⚠️ IMPORTANT EHV NOTICE FOR OUR CLIENTS AND ALL HORSE OWNERS⚠️

There is an active Equine Herpesvirus (EHV) outbreak in Texas, traced to a recent event in Waco. This strain is believed to be highly aggressive and has been fatal, and we are taking it extremely seriously to protect your horses and our community.

⛑️ HERE IS HOW WE CAN HELP

To help keep everyone safe, we are implementing the following:

🐴 1. Temperature Monitoring at Home
• Please take your horse’s temperature twice daily (morning and evening), especially if:
• Your horse was at Waco, or
• Has been to any show or large event in the last 14 days.
• A re**al temperature ≥101.5°F is a concern. Call us if you see fever, nasal discharge, coughing, or any stumbling/neurologic signs.

🚚 2. “Stay on the Trailer” Policy for Suspect Cases
If you are worried about EHV exposure or your horse has a fever:
• Do NOT unload your horse when you arrive at the clinic.
• Park in our isolation lot and call the front desk from your vehicle upon arrival.
• We will send a team out to your trailer to:
• Check your horse’s temperature
• Perform an exam
• Collect nasal swabs or run stall-side EHV tests as needed

This is to minimize any risk of spreading the virus on our property.

📍 3. Waco Exposure Screening
When you call to schedule, our staff will ask:
• “Was your horse at Waco?”
• “Has your horse been to any large show in the last 14 days?”
• “What is your horse’s current temperature?”

Please be patient with these questions, they are in place to protect your horses and everyone else’s.

💊 4. Testing & Antiviral Support
We are working to ensure we have:
• Adequate stall-side testing for EHV
• Adequate antiviral medications for high-risk or confirmed cases

If warranted, we will discuss testing and treatment options with you on a case-by-case basis.

🧼 5. Biosecurity & Quarantine Measures
We are preparing an alternate isolation facility with designated staff, should it become necessary to quarantine EHV-positive horses in a separate barn under strict lockdown. This will help us continue to care for all patients safely.

If you suspect EHV exposure, please call us before hauling in, and remember:
✅ Take temperatures twice daily
✅ Do NOT unload if you’re concerned, we will come to your trailer

Thank you for working with us to protect your horses and the wider equine community.

👉🏻 How Horses Get EHV-1 👇🏼

Horses pick up EHV-1 when they’re exposed to the virus from another infected horse or from a contaminated environment. The virus spreads in a few main ways:

1. Nose-to-nose contact

This is the most common route.
An infected horse sheds the virus in nasal secretions, and another horse can inhale or come into contact with those droplets.

2. Aerosolized particles

When an infected horse coughs or sneezes, tiny droplets carrying the virus can travel through the air and be inhaled by nearby horses.

3. Shared equipment

Anything that touches an infected horse’s nose or mouth can carry the virus:
• Water buckets
• Feed tubs
• Halters/lead ropes
• Grooming tools
• Tack
• Thermometers
This is called fomite transmission.

4. People spreading it

Humans can carry the virus on:
• Hands
• Clothing
• Jackets
• Boots
• Equipment
and transfer it to another horse without realizing it.

5. From infected mares to foals

Pregnant mares infected with certain forms of EHV-1 can pass the virus to their unborn foal, leading to abortion or weak newborns.

👀 The tricky part

Horses can carry latent EHV-1, meaning the virus goes “silent” in their body. Stress (hauling, showing, illness, weather changes) can reactivate it, and the horse may start shedding virus again—even if they don’t look sick.

📸 Provided by: The Horse

11/12/2025

I hope you are never afraid to be seen trying.

Credit: Balanced Betty Designs

11/03/2025

🧴 It is Medicine Monday! And it is all yellow. That is right we are talking about Furacin or Fura-zone Ointment (Nitrofurazone). Not all wound products are created equally and may be a detriment to wound healing.

💛 Nitrofurazone is a topical water-soluble ointment with antibacterial properties for superficial wounds. And it is commonly used in combination with DMSO gel as a “sweat” for horses with cellulitis. Nitrofurazone should never be used on open wounds. Research has shown that nitrofurazone inhibits wound healing by as much as 24%.

☣️Nitrofurazone is associated with carcinogenicity, defined as the potential of a biomaterial to promote tumor formation. This has led to many horse owners throwing out their supply due to this risk.

🩺 We always recommend seeking veterinary advise and an exam when it comes to wounds. Wounds may involve important structures including bone, tendon sheaths and/or joints. It is important that wounds be thoroughly examined by your veterinarian so they can recommend appropriate diagnostics, treatment options and possible referral to an equine hospital.

❌ Now, Fura-Zone is no longer available; other nitrofurazone products are still available.

11/01/2025