The Horse - One of God's gentle giants.

Majestic - Strong as an ox and fragile as a kitten.....

Properly cared for, these animals and all that fall in the Equine category will bring you years of pleasure whether you are a breeder or simply enjoy trail riding. Even these fascinating creatures need good veterinary care however - from proper nutrition to dental care to hoof care - it's all part of owning a member of the equine family.

As tough as they are, they are extremely susceptable to injury and disease. Prevention of disease is simple and inexpensive and will save a trip to the vet's office (or the Farm trips Dr. Anthony is famous for) over and over again. But even so, a horse will need treatment at some point in it's life whether it's to obtain a pre-purchase exam, health certificate for travel or show, Coggins test for EIA, Colic, or stitches.

Dr. Anthony grew up with horses and apprenticed on a horse farm and has many years as an equine practitioner. We offer reproductive services from pre-breeding exams to aritificial insemination.

The following are recommendations for equine owners:

Yearly Vaccinations:

• Encephalitis (Eastern, Western, & Venezuelan)
• Influenza
• Rhinoneumonitis
• Tetanus
• Rabies
• Strangles
• West Nile Virus

Vaccines are given annually with the exception of first time vaccines. A booster shot needs to be given 3-4 weeks after the first time for full protection.

For those who participate in trail riding, riding classes, rodeos, shows, or any other events where your horse or mule will be exposed to others, we recommend you give a booster vaccine for Rhino and Influenza every 6 months.

For pregnant mares, we STRONGLY recommend vaccinating with Pneumabort in their 5th, 7th, 9th, and sometimes the 11th month of their gestation to prevent abortion and early delivery.

**Don't forget to Deworm, deworm, deworm!!! All the best food and care in the world won't help much if your horse or mule is infested with these parasites. See our article on Equine Parasites to learn more about them. We recommend deworming every 60 days with paste or use one of the daily food additives available on the market today. We recommend using Quest at least twice a year - once in the Spring and once in the Fall - as it kills more worms during these seasons. BUT, be sure to rotate to another type of medication for the other months you have scheduled.

Learn about Equine Toxic Trees & Plants and maintain proper pasture maintenance for a healthier horse!

FEEDING:

We recommend feeding a good quality feed formulated for horses only (no cattle feed). Above all else hay is critical. Always provide your horse or mule with good quality hay daily - no less than 2 flakes per day. It is more important for the animal to have the hay than the feed!

Once those new foals hit the ground, learn about Feeding Foals.

And don't forget a very important part of caring for horses on our Dental Health page.

Call our office if you have any questions or if we can assist in setting up your equine program!

Donnie Wilcox, Leigh Ann and Anthony with C.J. - donkey waking up from castration

Charles Yarbrough and Buckshot

Some paint babies and the quarter horse stallion at Jeanie Stewart's Sierra Oaks Ranch and
some of the quarter mares below. Dr. Anthony keeps them all in tip top shape!!