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Mares (mostly) and Hormones

Mares (mostly) and Hormones

Sep 5, 2022 | Hormones

Tuesdays with Tony

There’s a thing here at the clinic called Regumate. It gets talked about a lot. Some talk of it in hushed tones as if its very mention can bring forth chestnut mare syndrome. My Docs tend to talk about it as a tool, usually during breeding season. This week, let’s explore the weird and wacky world of hormones, and the crazy things they do to mares and stallions.

One Hormone to Rule Them

It all starts in the brain for both males and females. I realize many of you may question if anything for males, particularly young males of any species, starts in the brain, but trust this cat. It does. In the brain there’s a hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone. We’re gonna go with GnRH because that’s a lot to type with only two paws. GnRH sends signals to the rest of the body to tell it to make more hormones like testosterone and estrogen. (If you are a hormone researcher, I ask you to give a cat a break. Yes, I know I’m simplifying things, it’s what I do. Back to the blog.) 

GnRH levels are strongly affected by daylight length. This is why mares are generally more mare-y and stallions are more stallion-y during the longer days of late spring, summer, and early fall. It’s a brilliantly designed system to ensure most reproduction happens during a season which will produce babies when there’s food. The same system is tweaked based on gestation length for other species. For example, goats and sheep experience these effects in the fall so they have babies in the spring. That Mother Nature is a smart cookie!

Moving Down the Body

So GnRH got released in the brain and did some stuff. What exactly is that stuff? GnRH hits the ovaries in mares, and the testes in stallions to cause them to crank up the pathways that turn cholesterol (yes, cholesterol) into estrogen and testosterone. But wait! This happens in a few other places as well. The skin and adrenal glands can also make estrogen and testosterone. This is important to understand when it comes to removing the ovaries and testicles. The moral of this story is that, sure, ovaries and testes do the heavy lifting of hormone production, but they aren’t the only ones to do it.

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Estrogen and testosterone get blamed for a lot of things in the world. Some of it’s valid, but these hormones do a lot of other things besides rev up the libido. In males and females, estrogens help manage the metabolism, prevent bone loss, and protect blood vessels from damage. Testosterone is important for muscle metabolism, and red blood cell formation. Testosterone is also an important source of estrogen, particularly in males. This seems backward at first read. However, the body takes testosterone, turns it into estrogen, that estrogen then signals things like bone to get stronger. Most of this happens on the spot, which keeps those estrogens from sending bodywide signals. It only affects the things that need affecting. 

Hormones and Behavior

Estrogen and testosterone also drive some behaviors to occur, and here’s where we get back to where it all started, Regumate. These hormones drive mating behavior, which isn’t always conducive to good horse riding behavior. Being smart humans, you’ve found that by increasing the progesterone in the system, you can make these behaviors calm down a bit. Progesterone is a hormone most often associated with pregnancy. It does have high levels there, but it’s also around most of the time in males and females doing various progesterone things. One of the big things it does is reduce estrogen receptors. And Regumate is a synthetic progesterone, which means Regumate reduces estrogen receptors. Surely if there’s less estrogen receptors, your mare will be more focused on your riding goals than finding the closest eligible bachelor, right? Meh, maybe. 

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Does anything about this look straightforward and simple? This diagram is the simplified version of how all these hormones get created. This means something like Regumate might help you get through some tough days with your mare. However, it also means there’s a lot of things to factor in, and there’s almost certainly a behavior component involved. If nothing else, having hormones run around the system sets up certain behaviors, and once a brain learns something, it can be very hard to unlearn that thing!

Not a Magic Wand

Regumate, and similar hormone therapies, are often a go-to for mares when they are behaving badly. It’s even used occasionally for stallions or geldings being less-than-wonderful horses. The problem is, it’s not that simple. For stallions, it’s really not that simple. There’s no work to show if use of progesterones, like Regumate, can affect longterm fertility. For geldings, the best you might, and it’s a very tiny might, get is some slight calming effects that progesterones have. For mares, you will blunt the effects of being in heat which may help your mare focus, but you won’t suddenly be riding a quiet, laid-back gelding. 

For most instances, my Docs recommend giving something like Regumate a try, while also working on behavior modifications. It may be that Regumate helps you manage that horse show that falls exactly when your mare is in heat, but that it’s not necessary when she’s not in heat. Think of it as a tool rather than a magic wand. 

When to Look Further

There are some cases where my Docs get asked about Regumate for a mare who has suddenly changed behaviors pretty drastically. In these scenarios, the mare should be checked for a specific type of tumor called a granulosa cell tumor. These tumors secrete huge amounts of just about every hormone on the chart above. It leaves mares wondering if they’re in love, or ready to fight the world. A quick scan of the ovaries and uterus with an ultrasound, along with a blood test, can help determine if this is the problem. In these cases, removing the offending ovary puts all back to right with the hormones. 

Hormones are hard! If you think your horse might need some Regumate, I suggest a chat with one of my Docs to determine the best plan to move forward. There may be more going on than a dab of progesterone can fix. 

Until next week,

~Tony

P.S. The humans did a podcast on hormones that really gets in the weeds. If you want to check that out, you can find it over on my Podcast Page, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Not sure what a podcast is? It’s an audio recording, just like a radio show in the old days. You can listen to it right from your phone or computer, and it’s free!

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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Pre-Purchase Exams (and why you need one)

Pre-Purchase Exams (and why you need one)

Aug 29, 2022 | Pre-Purchase Exam

Tuesdays with Tony

Horse shopping is at once thrilling and terrifying. You may have spent months searching and trying out horses. Now finally you think you’ve found the right one, Woohoo! You love his personality and the way he rides! He’s even the right color! He’ll be purrfect for what you want to do with him! What are you waiting for?!

Whoa there, human. Take a moment and listen to my cat wisdom. Buying a horse is a big step. There might be a hefty price tag involved, and you’ll want to make sure you’re spending that money wisely. But even if the price isn’t high, a new horse is a time investment and often an emotional commitment, and it’s super important to find one that’s going to fit your plans well.

Why should I want a Pre-purchase Exam?

The point of the exam is to give you enough information to make an informed decision about whether the horse’s health, conformation, and soundness will fit your needs. You’ll want to know if there are pre-existing issues that would prevent him from being able to do the job you intend. It can be heartbreaking to invest all that time, money, and emotion into a horse just to find out he’ll never be suitable.

But don’t think about a PPE as just a reason to say no to a sale. Another important purpose is to learn about your new horse’s health. It’s very rare to find a horse with no problems at all (unlike cats, who are above such things, of course), and if you decide the exam findings are something you can handle, you’ll have a leg up on how to best care for his needs.

What happens in the Exam?

There are three basic parts to a pre-purchase exam. The first is a detailed physical exam. My docs take out their fine-toothed combs for this kind of evaluation. They’ll assess general condition, evaluate the heart and lungs, and examine the eyes, ears, and teeth. They’ll do a thorough palpation of the joints, tendons, and ligaments of the horse’s legs, looking for evidence of past or current injury. They’ll examine the hooves closely, since the old saying “no hoof, no horse” still rings true. They’ll also look at the horse’s conformation for red flags that could mean problems later. Lumps, bumps, growths, and scars will be assessed. A basic neurological exam will be performed, and his back and muscles will be checked out. If any abnormalities are found, my docs will talk with you about whether she thinks they’ll be problematic, or just cosmetic blemishes that won’t bother the horse.

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The next phase is the movement evaluation, where my docs will look for signs of lameness. She’ll watch the horse move in-hand at the walk and the trot on a straight line. A firm, level surface is best. Then she’ll watch him circling in both directions, usually on a longe line or in a round pen. She’ll perform flexion tests to simulate stress on a particular joint, to see if underlying lameness shows up.

The last phase of the pre-purchase exam is additional diagnostic testing. Not every PPE will include this. If the buyer is satisfied with the results of the first two phases, the exam may end there. On the other hand, if the horse appears lame or there are problems with the physical, they may have enough reason to walk away from the sale already.

X-rays are the most common type of additional testing. In many cases, buyers want screening images of areas where lameness problems frequently occur (like the front feet) or areas that will undergo strain in the horse’s intended career (like hocks and stifles for a dressage horse or a reiner), even if there are no signs of a current problem. A horse might be sound on the day of the exam, but if a significant problem shows up on the x-rays, my docs may be able to make predictions about future lameness problems. If abnormalities such as heat, tenderness, or swelling were found on the physical exam, or if the horse appeared lame, those may be enough of a concern to require further investigation.

How many x-rays are taken will depend on how the buyer wants to balance the expense of the x-rays against the value of the horse. The breed, age, and intended use of the horse also play a factor. Some buyers will feel comfortable without x-rays, and some will want to image every area possible. My docs can work with you to customize the exam for your risk-tolerance, budget, and plans for the horse. It’s never wrong to have a baseline set of x-rays on your new horse, so you can know what you’re starting with in case any future problems occur. Some issues are immediate deal-breakers, and you can save yourself heartache later. On the other hand, some x-ray imperfections don’t prevent the horse from being able to perform. Perfection is hard to find outside of cats, and most buyers will have to balance how well the horse fits their purpose, their budget, and the exam findings. My docs will help you determine if they are really a problem, since after all, you ride the horse, not the x-ray.

Other types of diagnostic imaging, such as ultrasound, are usually recommended only if my doc finds something that worries her, like a thickened tendon.

There are a few kinds of blood test commonly requested. A coggins test is required if the horse will be crossing state lines. A “wellness profile” including a CBC and blood chemistry panel can be used to screen for overall health and organ function. Drug testing can be used to check for pain medications or sedatives in the horse’s system.

What a PPE is and what it is not

A pre-purchase examination is an opinion of the horse on the day of the exam. Your vet will let you know if she finds indications of problems. No one cannot predict the future of any horse and its’s impossible to be certain that no sub-clinical problem exists. The exam isn’t a guarantee of long-term health or soundness, but a snapshot of a moment in time.

It’s also not a “pass or fail” test. A completely clean pre-purchase is a rare thing. Some findings are manageable but will require care to keep the horse performing well. There can be wide variation between what’s acceptable for a grand prix jumper versus a kid’s trail horse. The same finding may be a deal breaker for one but never cause an issue for the other. Arthritis in the joint of a 3-year-old you plan on jumping for decades to come is different than in the schoolmaster who has been competing successfully and probably has wear and tear from years of work. My docs can’t tell you whether you should buy the horse or not, but they can give you the information to make an informed decision for yourself.

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Do’s and Don’ts

It’s important to choose carefully who will perform the exam. Do choose a vet who is experienced with equine medicine and lameness. To avoid conflicts of interest, don’t choose a vet who has previously cared for the horse or worked for the seller. The vet performing the pre-purchase exam is paid by and reports to the buyer, so an unbiased opinion will best protect your interests. Talk to the vet about basic exam costs and what diagnostic tests you want.

Do request the horse’s health records, including vaccines, deworming, and dentistry from the seller. If they will release previous x-rays and other medical records, even better.

Do have a clear idea about what you want to use the horse for, how long you hope to own him, and how much management you’re willing to put into keeping him sound. Do think about what issues would be deal-breakers for you.

Do be there for the exam, if possible. Unless you’re buying a horse from across the country (or plantet), it’s best to be present during the exam to discuss findings as they come up. If that can’t happen, talk with the vet ahead of time about your intentions for the horse, and be available by phone to make decisions during the exam.

Here’s the hardest one… don’t get so attached to the horse that no matter what my docs tell you, you’re going to buy him anyway. That’s called a “post-purchase exam” and it’s kind of not the point!

Happy horse hunting!

Until next week,

~ Tony

P.S. If you really want to dig into PPE concepts, my docs have a brand new podcast episode releasing September 1st that will teach you a ton of useful things regarding the purchase of horses. This old cat even learned a few things, and I already knew everything. Well, pretty much everything. Anyway, you can find it over on the Podcast Page or wherever you get your podcasts.

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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Sheep and Goat Parasite Management

Sheep and Goat Parasite Management

Aug 22, 2022 | Deworming, Goats and Sheep

Tuesdays with Tony

I’ve waxed poetic more than once on parasite control in horses and donkeys, which I’ve summed up succinctly as: “deworm less.” Well, today I’m here to talk about that same thing in goats and sheep (spoiler alert, the sum-up will be similar). Dr. Speziok has only been here for a few months, but I’ve already listened to her spiel on small ruminant parasites more times than I can count. So, let’s talk about the major parasites of our cloven-hooved friends and, more importantly, how to manage them.

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Let’s Meet the Contestants

There are four different worms that love to cause problems in ruminant guts, and just like the boy bands of yesteryear, they have an acronym: HOTC.

HOTC stands for: Haemonchus, Ostertagia, Trichostrongylus, and Cooperia. These “big four” cause all kinds of issues for sheep and goats and can make them very, very sick. We talk about them as a group because when we do our fecal egg counts (similar, but a bit more complicated to the fecals we do on horses once a year), they all look the same under the microscope, so we count them together.

In most sheep and goats, the species called Haemonchus contortus is the main player. Otherwise known as the Barberpole worm, it lives in the abomasum (the last chamber of the 4-chamber stomach) and small intestine and sucks blood for a living.

What Do They Do?

These tiny-but-mighty blood feeders lead to anemia, edema, emaciation, and GI distress. Sheep and goats can lose weight, have pale mucous membranes, high FAMACHA scores, and bottle jaw.

These pesky pests can even hide in their hosts by going into a dormant state called hypobiosis when they sense the weather would be unfavorable for eggs on the pasture. In the south, this is basically only the hottest part of summer, but even then they never really go away. In this hypobiotic state, the larvae are significantly more resistant to dewormers and only a few products even stand a chance against them.

Why do sheep and goats seem so sensitive to their little intestinal passengers? Well, they mostly evolved to live on mountain tops away from warm, moist environments that harbor parasites. So when we bring them to the southeastern US, their little guts have no idea what to do with all these worms!

Drug Resistance

Unfortunately, just like with horses, you humans used to think that deworming very often and with rotating products was the way to go. It was very much not, as we know now, and it has only worsened the major parasite resistance issues we’re dealing with.

Doctor’s orders here: avoid deworming on any type of routine or schedule. Deworming needs to be targeted and adjusted based on individual animals as directed by the veterinarian you have a great relationship with. Parasite resistance is a very large, very real problem that we can only fight by being strategic. What works for one farm will not work for another, and the history of an individual animal is vital to making these protocol decisions. No more blanket approach!

FAMACHA Score

One of the most important skills and duties of a sheep or goat owner is to perform regular FAMACHA score checks. No, that’s not another boy band. It’s an anemia scoring system developed in South Africa to help small ruminant owners monitor the health of their animals. I’ve watched Dr. Speziok demonstrate this system to just about every goat owner that’s come to Springhill, so make sure your veterinarian shows you how to do it! FAMACHA scores are judged by the mucous membranes on the inside of the lower eyelids.

To expose the mucous membranes, have the animal in an area with good light and use an assistant to help restrain them if necessary. Use the thumb of your upper hand to COVER the eye, then to PUSH the eye slightly into the socket. Use the thumb of your lower hand to PULL the lower eyelid down, and watch the mucous membranes POP into view. This does not hurt the animal, and if it’s done weekly or monthly on a regular basis, it will become routine for them.

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The basic premise of FAMACHA is the darker the pink color of those mucous membranes, the better the goat is doing. The details of the scoring system and how it is used is one of those things that are best learned in person, so have your veterinarian show you how to use this scoring system next time you see them.

Deworming Protocols

Protocols will vary based on an individual herd or flock, but the main point is that all deworming of small ruminants should be based on the individual animals’ FAMACHA score and their fecal egg count. Checking those mucous membrane colors can become part of your farm routine, and when they are pale, collect a fecal sample for your veterinarian to analyze. Those two things together determine when a dewormer should be used. If there are resistance issues on your farm, your veterinarian may need you to give two different dewormers at the same time. This attacks those annoying worms from multiple attack angles, giving us a better chance of killing them.

I know you humans love to focus on the medications we animals need, but management strategies are often the most important things you can do. Feeding sheep and goats above the ground and keeping their pens clean will help prevent them from reinfecting themselves and each other with the parasites they shed. If you are breeding your small ruminants, do not breed those that constantly require deworming. Try to have dams lamb or kid in a clean, dry pen with minimal other adult animals.

Work with your veterinarian to manage the overall health of your animals, which will help them better fight off parasites. Dr. Speziok is now offering a herd/flock evaluation where you can learn some awesome tips and tricks for making your small ruminants as happy and healthy as they can be!

Until next week,

~ Tony

P.S. Have you subscribed to my blog, or are you just hoping that you’ll see it on Facebook? Be a good human and scroll down to that big purple box and subscribe, and not only will you get my blog in your email, you’ll get it a day before everyone else! That’s a purr-fect reason if you ask me.

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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Donkey Care

Donkey Care

Aug 15, 2022 | Donkeys

Tuesdays with Tony

While my Springhill docs are out and about taking care of horses, they also see plenty of their long-eared cousins, the donkeys!  Quite a few of our clients have donkeys. Sometimes they’re kept as pets, or companions to a horse, and sometimes they are used as guardians to keep other animals safe against predators. Whatever their role, donkeys need good care just like the rest of the herd. But their requirements are often misunderstood, even by well-intentioned owners.

Despite their similarities, donkeys are definitely not just small, long-eared horses. There are differences in their behavior, nutritional needs, and physiology that require owners to treat them differently from the horses they may be more familiar with. So, here’s some invaluable feline wisdom about the care that donkeys need, as well as some specific requirements that even experienced horse owners might not be aware of!

Routine Veterinary Care

My docs see many donkeys that aren’t vaccinated or dewormed. Sometimes their owners have no idea that their donkey needs it, even if they know their horses do. So let me tell you right now: yes, your donkey needs vaccines! Even if he never leaves the farm. Even if he has always seemed healthy. Mosquitoes and wildlife travel to your farm, and donkeys are susceptible to the same diseases as horses, so he’ll need a rabies vaccine once a year and a combo vaccine including Eastern and Western encephalitis, West Nile Virus, and tetanus twice a year.

Like horses, donkeys are susceptible to internal parasites, and if not dewormed, can build up large parasite loads. This can cause diarrhea, weight loss, poor hair coat, colic, or severe anemia. A fecal egg count will tell us what parasites are present, so we can recommend a deworming schedule for your donkey. Remember, we don’t do the old-fashioned method of rotating dewormers every 6 weeks anymore. For why not, see my extensive blogs on deworming.

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Donkeys need yearly dental care, too. Dental disease is the second most common health problem in donkeys, after foot problems. Since donkeys are stoic and don’t like to show pain, don’t wait for them to show you signs of a problem, since by then there might be a BIG problem. Donkeys, like horses, have teeth that wear down constantly throughout their lives due to their continual grazing. They can develop sharp edges and uneven or overgrown teeth, that can cause pain and prevent them from being able to eat normally. So put your donkey on the same once-a-year dental schedule as your horse.

Hoof Care

Donkeys evolved in the semi-arid parts of the world, where the ground is dry and stony. When they are kept on grassy, moist pasture (ahem, Florida) a donkey’s feet absorb much more water than what they are adapted for. As a result, their feet can soften and become prone to diseases such as thrush, hoof abscesses, or white line disease. These are very common issues for donkeys in our climate, and proper care is needed to avoid foot problems. Keep your donkey’s paddock clean and remove manure regularly. You may need to give him a break from wet or muddy pasture during wetter times of the year. Providing a clean, dry, bedded stall where he can stand for part of the day can help to dry out his feet. Pick out his hooves frequently to remove dirt and manure and keep an eye out for changes in his hoof structure.

Yes, donkeys need their hooves trimmed on a regular schedule, too! My docs have met owners that don’t know this is necessary. Donkey hooves grow continually and don’t wear down on the type of ground we house them on. However, donkey hooves are quite different from horse hooves, so you’ll want to find a farrier who is familiar with the differences. A donkey’s hoof is approximately 5-10 degrees more upright than a horse’s hoof, and the shape of the hoof and sole is different.

For routine farrier care, a 6-8 week schedule is sufficient. If your donkey has foot problems, more frequent visits might be necessary until the feet are back in good condition. It’s very, very important to train your donkey to have his feet handled and trimmed. If your donkey only has his feet touched during farrier visits, he may be scared and stressed by the process. Donkeys can kick hard and accurately, and a good farrier is hard to find, so make sure you work with your donkey beforehand so that it’s a positive experience for everyone.

Feeding

Obesity is one of the most common problems my docs see in donkeys (and me, if I’m being honest). Donkeys evolved to live in dry landscapes with sparse vegetation. They are very efficient at digesting fibrous, poor quality plant material that horses couldn’t survive on. In their natural habitat, donkeys often walk considerable distances throughout the day to find small amounts of forage. This is a very different lifestyle than the rich grassy pastures of many Florida farms, where barely any walking is needed to find the next bite. It’s the donkey equivalent of sitting on the couch and eating Bon-Bons all day.

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It can be a challenge to control a donkey’s weight in our area. Many people want to turn their donkeys out on the same lush pastures as their horses, which is an immediate recipe for donkey obesity and health problems. Over-feeding of hay and grain is also common. Horse owners may be used to feeding the products their horses thrive on and want to treat their donkey just as well. We’re glad you love your donkey! But no, he doesn’t need the alfalfa hay and pelleted feed that your horse eats, no matter what he tells you! It’s a lot easier and safer to prevent obesity in donkeys than to put him on a diet if he’s already in an unhealthy state, so be really careful with this.

A well-balanced, high fiber diet is best for your donkey. Give him limited grass to graze and a fibrous hay such as coastal or Teff. Donkeys can also be fed barley straw. Legume hays such as alfalfa or peanut are too rich. Your donkey definitely doesn’t need lots of grain. A small amount of ration balancer to provide vitamins and minerals will suffice. Provide a salt lick and free choice clean water. Only sick, underweight, or old donkeys need any additional feeding, so talk to my doc if you think that’s the case.

The tricky part is feeding an appropriate amount of calories while also satisfying his need to graze continuously for most of the day and move around. If your donkey can’t find some forage to chew, he may resort to chewing your fences or barn, or develop stomach ulcers. You may need to use slow feeders or hay nets with small holes to keep him entertained without increasing food intake. This may take some creativity!

Training

Spend time with your donkey to get him used to being handled. Train him to wear a halter and be led. Make sure you can catch him when you need to. Pick up his feet and get him used to having them handled for hoof trims. When handled regularly and kindly, donkeys can be easy to work with and fun companions. But if they are never touched, they will be wary of humans, and farrier and vet visits will be difficult. Do your homework ahead of time and it will be much easier!

More Differences Between Donkey and Horse Care

In the wild, donkeys evolved the behavior of wanting to appear strong and healthy to reduce the chance of attracting a predator’s attention. They use this stoic behavior as a defense mechanism, but this doesn’t mean they don’t experience pain or get sick like a horse would. They just don’t show it, which means if your donkey isn’t acting right, he’s probably sicker than he looks. If your donkey is unusually quiet or not eating well, he requires immediate veterinary care. A donkey’s cough reflex is also more insensitive that a horse’s, so respiratory disease may be severe before it is noticed. Donkeys are at particular risk of a problem called hepatic lipidosis, which can occur due to other illnesses, stress, or decreased food intake. Hepatic lipidosis is very dangerous and can be fatal, so if your donkey isn’t eating for any reason, he should be checked for it. Yes, this includes during weight-loss programs, so remember it’s easier to prevent obesity than to treat it!

Our Springhill Wellness Plans include all the routine care your donkey needs, and as always, my docs are happy to give you personalized advice for your herd. Tell ‘em I sent you.

Until next week,

~ Tony

P.S. Have you subscribed to my blog, or are you just hoping that you’ll see it on Facebook? Be a good human and scroll down to that big purple box and subscribe, and not only will you get my blog in your email, you’ll get it a day before everyone else! That’s a purr-fect reason if you ask me.

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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Equine Insurance

Equine Insurance

Aug 8, 2022 | Insurance

Tuesdays with Tony

This is one of those recurring themes for me. It seems every time I talk insurance, I hit a relevant point for a human, so here we are again. Let’s start with the obvious: horses are expensive. They’re expensive to buy and maintain, and to fix when they break. Having a plan for that makes it way easier to handle when it’s 2:00 am and my Docs are asking what you want to do. 

Mortality Insurance

This is like your life insurance. Basically you set a value for your horse, and if they pass away, you get money. I know none of my readers went there, but others may see this as a get-rich-quick scheme. Go buy a horse for $500, insure it for a high dollar value, watch some crime television to determine the best way to off the horse, and pocket all that cash. 

If you’re a crime TV watcher, I suggest you Google Helen Brach. I’m sure you will find an excellent series surrounding her death that involves just such a plan. The insurance companies are not so dense as to repeatedly fall for such schemes. 

The value of the horse is calculated several ways. The first is purchase price. If you bought a horse for $5,000 then you can easily obtain mortality insurance for that amount. The next way to calculate value is through performance record. The company will look at type of competition, number of competitors, prize money, and a host of other factors and determine that, yep, your horse is now worth a whole lot more due to your hard work, or give you an idea of what they would need to see to justify the dollar amount you’d like. 

Foals and breeding stock are a bit different. I’d recommend checking with a horse insurance specialist about that rather than a veterinary clinic cat. I mean, I’m smart, but I have limits on how much research I’m willing to do between naps. Anyway, mortality insurance is designed to help you replace your horse if something happens and they pass away. It is also, generally, the biggest factor in the amount of your yearly premium. Five thousand dollars in value is going to be a lot cheaper than $500,000.

Medical and Surgical Coverage

Once you’ve got mortality coverage, you can add other things like medical and surgical coverage. For this cat, this is the meat and potatoes of the matter. Medical and surgical coverage does just what it says: it covers them getting sick, injured, or needing surgery. I’m going to talk about things like ColiCare from SmartPak in a second, so hold that thought I know you’re probably having. 

Medical and surgical coverage covers way more than colic, and trust me, horses have way more things they can do than just colic. An insurance plan will help with a bad eye problem (we see at least 5 of these every year), a laceration into a joint (I can’t count how many of these we see), a surgical colic (less of a problem than you think), colics that need a lot of care but don’t need surgery (more of a problem than you think), lameness that require advanced diagnostics like MRI or CT, and a host of other things that horses do to themselves that cost a lot of money. 

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Having insurance to help you cover that long list of things is really helpful. The most important way insurance helps, at least from my fine feline perspective, is at the moment the decision has to be made. My Docs have evaluated your horse and come up with a plan for surgery or medical care, and now you have to figure out all the ways to pay for that plan. Having insurance makes the decision so, so much easier. Especially at 2:00 am on Saturday morning when you’re on vacation somewhere.

Colic Coverage Only

There are some options that give you coverage for colic surgery. SmartPak and Platinum Performance have really great options! My Docs have experience with both plans and have found them to be fantastic to use. The companies are great to work with, and the coverage is available for a wide variety of horses. If you have an older horse who isn’t doing much these are some great options to look at! 

However, everything great comes with at least some downside (Except me. I have zero downsides). These programs do a great job covering the majority of even a pretty significant colic surgery. What they don’t cover is a medical colic. If your horse doesn’t need surgery, they don’t kick in, which means no dollars for that $2,500 invoice (IV fluids are expensive!). Again, these programs are great, and they definitely have a place, just be sure you have a plan for a medical problem as well.

Special Add-ons

There are a million customization options for horse insurance plans. Finding a good agent who will talk you through what all these options are and how they might, or might not, apply to your life is key. For example, most horses probably don’t need flight insurance. This isn’t the “oh my flight was delayed and I missed my connection” insurance. This is “something bad happened on a flight” insurance. Not many horses fly on a plane at all, but if yours is one of them, you may consider this. 

More common options are things like Loss of Use, newborn foal coverage, and stallion fertility coverage. Insurance companies have also combined some of the liability-type coverages and will have add-ons for injuries caused by your horse to others. It’s almost like they know horses go out of their way to find these opportunities. Speaking of liability…..the other thing many horse insurance companies do is cover your farm for those oh-so-fun horse-specific liabilities like kicking someone who knows nothing about horses, or breaking a fence and frolicking around the neighborhood. You know, horse things.

Horse insurance is a definite conversation to have with yourself at the very least. All my Docs have at least some experience with horse insurance, and can help you consider what questions to ask, and point you in the direction of a few local brokers. Nothing beats knowing your own risk tolerance, and doing some research on available products. Having watched the process many, many times from my perch on the desk, nothing makes it easier to make hard decisions than knowing you have a way to pay for it all.

Until next week,

~Tony

P.S. If you want to hear it straight from the equine insurance agent’s mouth, you can watch our Seminar video on this very topic, delivered by an equine insurance agent. And make sure you subscribe to my YouTube Channel while you’re there!

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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