Horse Health

Mud Fever Recommendation

I have been asked about methods of dealing with Mud Fever. What I have verified from the veterinarians that I checked with back in Texas and in the UK , as well as other trainers with MF experience is as follows :Wash the area with a good antibacterial shampoo like hexocil, pevidine or hibiscrub etc. – then dry the wound and skin area completely before applying a good anti-bacterial mud fever ointment to the affected area. Mud Fever ointments can be purchased from your veterinary surgeon or saddlery shop. The horse must be kept out of any mud or wet conditions during the treatment and until the skin is healed completely. A good method of drying the wounds is to apply rubbing alcohol (I have learned that it is called surgical spirits in the UK and two chemists have told me that Ethanol is also effective and somewhat less of an irritant and has effective antibacterial properties and will dry out the wound and outer skin surface as needed). The main point, in addition to cleaning properly, is not to cover the wounds with ointments, etc. until the water is forced out as otherwise the bacteria could be provided with a good place to thrive beneath the ointments.If a horse develops scabs they should not be picked off but gently washed off. If the problem is persistent or the horse gets a high temperature or increased swelling then a Veterinarian must be consulted. The horse might even require antibiotics or hospitalization in extreme cases."

Alfalfa

Exercise caution from over-feeding with Alfalfa. It should be noted that Alfalfa varies in content, due to different harvesting times. Alfalfa is high in protein, is a source of calcium and has high amounts of magnesium. These are all helpful in many ways, so long as not overdone. Horses bodies and glands do not do well when overloaded with minerals. If overfed with Alfalfa it can affect the parathyroid gland. This gland controls the amount of calcium in the blood and it shuts down if an excessive amount of calcium is present. Then when the horse exercises, it can get into trouble if there is a sudden drop in calcium and the gland isn’t working “failing to detect the need for more calcium”. This can cause muscle cramping, soreness and syndrome called “thumps”. Thumps occur when nerves fire erratically and can show up as “hiccups” (or what appears to be hiccups). Kidney stones are another problem caused by excess calcium input. The magnesium content is high it contributes to the forming of “enteroliths” which can cause colic as they can grow to large sizes.

Aloe Vera in the Care of Horses

It has long been known that Forever Living Aloe Vera products are excellent for the holistic treatment of animals as well as humans. "Aloe Vera: Nature's Gift", by David Urch (Advisor to the FLP UK Board on veterinary topics) describes in great detail the way that Aloe works in healing and controlling various wounds, sores, and medical conditions in a great variety of animals, large and small, with a detailed section on horses. The main recommended products and their uses are summarised below.

For Horses, Humans and Pets
Specific info - Horses and Pets
Aloe Vera Constituents & Properties

Aloe Vera Gel & Aloe Berry Nectar

These Aloe Vera drinks are readily absorbed into normal feed and provide a number of beneficial effects. As a tonic, they revitalise energy levels and help to maintain the suppleness and "tightness" of joints: thus increasing exercise tolerance and the general appetite for work of your horses and working dogs. Aloe also has a soothing effect on nerves, thus reducing the horse's sensitivity to external irritants, noise etc. Since Aloe is a totally natural product, there are no known side-effects, it leaves no known contaminants in the blood, and it is suitable for all horses, whether for general riding, eventing, racing, or show jumping.

Forever Freedom – for Joints

This Aloe Vera-based drink has added Chondroitin, Glucosamine, MSM and Vitamin-C. These additional supplements in liquid form act very fast on horses (or humans!) with joint problems. Chondroitin and Glucosamine are known to help protect hard-working joints from over-use injuries; the MSM with Vitamin-C is powerfully anti-inflammatory, so can help with joint injuries and more severe pain and inflammation.

Aloe MSM Gel

This is a thick Gelly, containing a high proportion of Aloe Vera Gel, with MSM added for its superb anti-inflammatory properties. This quickly-absorbed Gelly works very well as a topical application at the same time as the horde is drinking the Forever Freedom: it will help to quickly and significantly reduce swelling and pain in a particular joint.

Aloe Activator for Cleansing and Healing

The combination of refined Aloe Vera Gel and Allantoin creates a superb organic cell-growth and renewal agent, ideal for gently cleansing and soothing wounds, and promoting healing. The pH of 4.5 ensures that the Aloe Activator can be used in the most sensitive areas, either neat or, specifically for treating eye problems, diluted 50:50 with water.

Aloe Vera Gelly

This is a thick Gelly, almost one hundred percent Aloe Vera Gel, with well-documented anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. After thorough cleansing with Activator, the Gelly is quickly absorbed at a wound site, or any area of soreness, where it lubricates, soothes and promotes healing in the affected area.

Aloe Veterinary Formula

This large Spray-bottle of stabilised Aloe Vera Gel (with some essential natural additives) is invaluable for the treatment and care of horses and other domestic pets and farm animals, large or small. The spray is especially good for treating larger areas, and as a leg-wash it helps soothe and protect after heavy exercise.

Aloe Suntan Lotion

The ear-tips and noses of horses can be extremely vulnerable to sun and wind - especially those pink, sensitive areas you often see, particularly in greys. This oil-in-water emulsion soothes, cools and moisturises as it protects and shields from the harmful effects of hot or windy weather.Aloe MPD Cleaning Concentrate This is an economical, biodegradable, environmentally-friendly, multi-purpose liquid concentrate for use as a superb cleanser and disinfectant for grooming equipment, washing blankets and numnahs, tack, and feed-bins. The Aloe Vera content makes it mild and safe to use. It is even excellent for tail-whitening!

City of Houston police horses go barefoot.......click here to view the PDF