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Mid-Rivers Equine Centre

19 hours ago

Oral Ulcers in Horses: What You Can’t See Can Still Hurt

Oral ulcers are painful sores inside a horse’s mouth—often caused by sharp or uneven teeth rubbing against the cheeks, gums, or tongue. Because horses are stoic, these sores can go unnoticed while causing discomfort with every bite of feed or contact with the bit.

Left untreated, ulcers can become infected, allowing bacteria to enter damaged tissue. Infection increases pain, delays healing, and can lead to behavioral changes, resistance under saddle, dropping feed, weight loss, or quidding.

What looks like a training issue is often a horse trying to avoid pain.
The good news? Most oral ulcers are preventable. Regular dental exams and routine floating smooth, sharp points before sores form, and help keep your horse comfortable, eating well, and working willingly.

Dental care isn’t just about teeth—it’s about preventing daily pain your horse can’t explain.

#EquineDentalCare #HorseHealth #OralUlcers #EquineWellness #HorseCareEducation #PreventPain #HealthyHorse #EquineVeterinary ... See MoreSee Less

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Mid-Rivers Equine Centre

2 days ago

Carrot Stretches with Dr. Devereux 🥕🐴
A simple carrot can tell you a lot about how your horse is feeling and, with consistency improve flexibility.

In this video, Dr. Devereux demonstrates carrot stretches with a patient, and you can clearly see the difference between the left and right stretches. The horse’s range of motion is significantly less to the left. That kind of resistance is valuable information.

These stretches aren’t just about evaluating movement; done regularly, they gently improve flexibility over time while helping owners notice when something isn’t moving quite right.

Another detail to watch for? The twist at the poll. When a horse bends their head but rotates at the poll instead of staying straight, it can be a sign of poll or neck discomfort.

Why carrot stretches matter:
Encourage safe, gentle flexibility
Reveal side-to-side stiffness
Help spot early neck or poll issues
Support overall comfort and movement

Pro tip: Always use a carrot instead of a sugary treat. It keeps fingers safely out of the way (no accidental nips 🙃), and carrots are lower in sugar, win-win.

Key takeaway:
👉 Carrot stretches are both a tool and a test. Performed regularly, they help maintain flexibility. Changes in how your horse bends, resists, or twists can be early clues that something needs attention.

#CarrotStretches #EquineChiropractic #HorseWellness #EquineCare #HorseHealth #EquineEducation #SoundHorse #HorseOwners #EquineVet #PreventativeCare ... See MoreSee Less

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Mid-Rivers Equine Centre

3 days ago

❓Wednesday Answer:

What’s your diagnosis? A Sequestrum.

What is a sequestrum in Horses?
A sequestrum is a piece of dead bone that has separated from healthy bone. It most often forms after trauma, deep wounds, or bone infections—especially in the lower limbs, where there is very little soft tissue to protect the bone.

👉 How Does a Sequestrum Form?
When a horse experiences a serious wound or infection near the bone, blood flow to part of that bone can be disrupted. Without a blood supply, the bone tissue dies. The horse’s body recognizes this dead bone as foreign and tries to push it out, which can lead to:

▪ A wound that won’t heal
▪ Persistent drainage
▪ Swelling or lameness
▪ Ongoing infection despite antibiotics

Because dead bone has no blood supply, antibiotics alone cannot fully resolve the problem.

👉 When Is Surgical Removal Necessary? Surgery is recommended when:

▪ The wound fails to heal after appropriate medical treatment.
▪ Imaging (X-ray or CT) confirms the presence of a sequestrum.
▪ There is continued infection or drainage.
▪ Lameness persists

Removing the sequestrum allows healthy tissue to heal properly and significantly improves the chances of full recovery.

👉 Why Early Evaluation Matters
Prompt diagnosis and treatment can shorten healing time, reduce complications, and get your horse back to comfort and soundness sooner.

If your horse has a wound that isn’t healing or shows ongoing drainage or lameness, it’s important to have it evaluated by your veterinarian.

#EquineHealth #VeterinaryMedicine #HorseCare #EquineSurgery #BoneInfection #EquineEducation #MidRiversEquineCentre ... See MoreSee Less

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Mid-Rivers Equine Centre

4 days ago

👉 Mid-Rivers Equine Centre is hiring an Equine Hospital Facilities & Grounds Technician, a role for someone who enjoys fixing, maintaining, mowing, cleaning, and generally keeping our barns, grounds, and hospital looking like they have their life together.

This position is perfect for someone who:

▪️Likes working outdoors and in barns, in all seasons

▪️Can handle mowing, fencing, repairs, and general upkeep with competence and calm authority

▪️Notices small problems before they become big, expensive, “how did this happen?” problems.

▪️Understands that great facilities quietly support great patient care

✨ Our clinic thrives on excellence. We take the work seriously, even if we routinely laugh while doing it.

If you enjoy honest work, visible results, and being part of a place that genuinely aims to be the finest, we should probably talk. 🐎 ��

👉 Apply Online at Midriversequine.com: www.midriversequine.com/contact/job-applications/ ... See MoreSee Less

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