Straight from the Horse Doctor's Mouth

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss various aspects of breeding horses, starting with how to know if you should breed your mare. Included topics are pre-breeding preparation, finances, the breeding process, check-ups, and unwanted horses.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss some of the more common symptoms and causes of neurologic behavior in horses.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss upper and lower airway issues in horses, how to identify them, and what can be done about them. Included topics are "bleeders", roarers, asthmatic horses, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss a variety of things that happen infrequently to individual horses, but regularly across the horse world, and how to be prepared for them. Topics include transportation, high-cost procedures, back-up plans in case you are incapacitated, natural disasters, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and show host Justin Long interview Dr. Samantha Brooks, an associate professor and equine geneticist at the University of Florida, about genetic testing in horses. Topics include 5 panel testing, color genetics, and disease genetics in horses.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long discus blanketing horses. Learn how to tell if your horse is too hot or too cold, and get some general guidelines for your blanketing plan.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher interviews special guest Dr. Joe Lyman, a veterinarian with NeoGen about botulism. Learn where it comes from, where it thrives, and how to protect your horses from this deadly disease.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss legs stocking up, what the causes are, how to know when it's a bad thing, and what to do about it. Spoiler alert: most of the time it's not a big deal, but combined with certain other symptoms, it can be a major warning sign!

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and Justin Long discuss the lawnmowers, lawn ornaments, and pasture pets; the horses without a job. Key points include diet, vaccines, dental care, and hoof maintenance, among several others. If you've got a horse that doesn't do much, you won't want to miss this episode!!

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss laminitis. Learn what it is, what causes it, what we can do about it (and what we can't), and how to prevent it.

In this episode, Dr. Carissa Wickens from the University of Florida joins Dr. Erica Lacher and show host Justin Long in the studio to talk about horse behavior. As an equine behavior expert, Dr. Wickens offers some fascinating insights into why horses do what they do, and what we can do to shape their behavior while improving our relationship with them.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and Justin Long discuss going into fall, and transitioning safely from grass to hay. When the temperature drops and the grass dies off, the diet change can be difficult for horses, and their hydration can fall off. This puts them at an increased risk of colic. Dr. Lacher gives some strategies for reducing that risk while continuing to meet the nutritional needs of your horse.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and show host Justin Long take a popular online supplement quiz, and discuss what supplements can and can't do for your horse. Spoiler alert! Your money is better spent on quality feed and hay, and by the end of this episode, you'll understand why.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and show host Justin Long discus the impacts of heat on horses, and how minimize the harmful effects.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and host Justin Long discus how to assess and perform first aid for a variety of common wounds such as lacerations, and what constitutes an emergency.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and show host Justin Long talk to Dr. Rob Franklin, a boarded internist, veterinarian, and co-founder of Full Bucket about probiotics. Dr. Franklin explains the ins and outs of probiotics, and clears the air about what's helping your horse and what isn't.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long interview Jim McNall and Erik Fox, two local farriers in Florida. They cover a lot of ground, from 'things farriers wish their clients knew' to the importance of x-rays in trims and shoeing. This is a fantastic interview for all horse owners!

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss how to recognize the signs that your horse is in pain. They break down the different categories of pain (acute and chronic), and talk about the tools available for managing them.

In this episode, Justin Long and Dr. Erica Lacher discuss various natural disasters and how to prepare for them. No matter where you live, you are probably susceptible to some sort of weather-related hazard, such as tornado, wildfire, hurricane, blizzard, typhoon, and so on. This episode is loaded with tips on how to cover the bases whether you are planning to hunker down and ride it out, or evacuate to a safe place.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and Justin Long discus various aspects of hauling horses. Topics include documentation (Coggins, Health Certificate, etc), regional vaccines, truck and trailer, long distance hauling, leg wraps, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and Justin Long discuss pre-purchase exams. Learn what the vet is looking for, why it's so important to have a pre-purchase exam regardless of the price of the horse, and how three hundred dollars spent up front can save you thousands in medical bills down the road.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and Justin Long discuss the behind-the-scenes factors that impact your veterinarian, and by extension, your relationship with them. Dr. Lacher explains the looming shortage of equine veterinarians, and what that means for horse owners, and discusses how to best position yourself to make sure your horses have the best care available.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long talk about equine influenza and equine rhinopneumonitis. They dig into how outbreaks develop, how vaccines work differently between the two and why they're so important, bio-security, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long take a deep dive into the horse mouth. Learn what makes horse teeth different from other animals, why early dental care can impact how long your horse lives, and why Dr. Lacher considers it one of the 3 most important aspects of caring for your horse.

Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long interview special guest Dr. Tiffany Hall of Equine Medical Center of Ocala on foal care, and what she deals with at the referral hospital level. As a boarded internist and criticalist, Dr. Hall deals with neonatal foals and offers insights on what can go wrong with foals, why it happens, and how to recognize it in your babies.

Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss the inner workings of horse feet. They go over the mechanics, and how trims and shoes impact performance and health. They also discuss navicular disease, laminitis, white line disease, and other hoof ailments. This link will take you to the blog referenced in the podcast: https://springhillequine.com/part-1-everything-you-ever-want-to-know-about-your-horses-feet/

Dr. Lacher and Justin Long discuss joint infections, and why they are deadlier than most other injuries a horse can have. They also discuss Teddy Bear Highway, a horse that fell off a trailer on the interstate recently, and how his knee joint was treated, and what the complications and risks were with his injuries.

Dr. Lacher and Justin Long discuss how de-worming has changed in recent years due to increasing drug resistance among parasites. Learn what works and what doesn't, and how you can take the best care of your horse without contributing to the problem of drug resistance.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and Justin Long discuss donkeys, and how they differ from horses. From diet and exercise to farrier care and deworming, there are a lot of things you need to know to provide the care your donkey needs, and it's not always the same care your horse needs!

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and Justin Long discuss joint injections, including steroids, hyaluronic acid, IRAP, PRP, Stem Cells, and Pro-Stride. They talk about the appropriate uses of each one, what they do, and what the risks are.

Dr. Lacher takes a deep dive into hay and feed analysis, and discusses how to provide your horse with the best forage and grain combo to get them through the cold weather. This is a great nutrition breakdown for all horse owners, so that you know what supplements your horse really needs, or doesn't need!

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss support boots, protective boots, shipping boots, and leg wraps. Learn what works, what doesn't, and why!

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and show host Justin Long discuss stomach ulcers in horses. Learn about the different kinds of ulcers, signs your horse might have them, how to treat them, and how to prevent them.

On this episode, Dr. Devon Vurgason joins the conversation and discusses the many challenges of getting mares pregnant. She explains why age and body condition are such a big deal, and goes over some of the more common problems that occur in breeding. If you are hoping to breed your mare at any point in her life, don't miss out on this fact-filled podcast.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher and Justin Long discuss senior horses, and the common ailments that you should plan to defend against. Included topics are dental care, PPID/Cushings, and lameness. Preventative care is the overall theme. This is a great episode for people with horses of all ages, not just seniors, because the care that you provide for your two-year-old will impact their quality of life as a 20 year old.

Dr. Lacher discusses things that make horses itch, why it happens, and what horse owners can do about it. Gnats are the number one offender, but she explains how allergy testing can help us pinpoint other allergies that we can control, which makes the gnat allergic horse more comfortable. She also discusses new options that are on the horizon for horse owners, and how they will change the game.

EPM hysteria is sweeping the nation! Before you start spending a thousand dollars a month treating your horse for it, take a half hour to learn the facts about EPM, and why your horse most likely doesn't have it.

In this episode, Dr. Lacher breaks down the complicated world of equine lameness. She goes over various treatment options, and the ups and downs that come with them, to try to help horse owners understand the seriousness of both lameness and treatments, and why it's important to manage it properly.

Dr. Lacher talks to Dr. Machtinger, an entomologist from Penn State, about managing flies in and around the barn. They discuss prevention, traps, sprays, and more! You can find Dr. Machtinger at https://www.machtingerlab.com/

This week Dr. Lacher and Justin Long interview Kathy Pennenga about the group of 15 horses that she rescued. They discuss the vast amount of work and money involved in getting these horses adopted to good homes.

In Episode 5, Dr. Lacher and Justin Long take a close look at horse eyes. Dr. Lacher explains the difference between infections, such as bacteria and fungus, and chronic problems, like Uveitis and IMMK. They go over treatment options, prevention techniques, and some handy how-to advice. Every horse owner needs to be able to recognize eye problems, and this podcast is a great resource for helping them react appropriately and timely, which could save their horse's eye.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and host Justin Long discuss the perils of keeping too much weight on horses. From insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome to laminitis and Cushings/PPID, a young fat horse can turn into an extremely unhealthy senior horse with a shortened lifespan.

On this episode, Dr. Lacher and Justin Long take an in-depth look at equine vaccines. Learn why they have to be given so frequently, why they're so fragile, and why it's so necessary to protect your horses.

In this episode, Dr. Erica Lacher and Justin Long take a close-up look at colic. Dr. Lacher explains the various types of colic, the symptoms to watch out for, and how they're treated. They'll also discuss various myths regarding the treatment of colics, and explain what's true and what's not. This episode is a must for every horse owner. To find the blogs referenced by Dr. Lacher in this episode, click here and type "colic" into the search bar beside the magnifying glass.

In the pilot episode, Dr. Erica Lacher talks with host Justin Long about things a new horse owner needs to know before and after getting a horse. She shares tips and information that even seasoned horse owners may not know, and covers everything from pre-purchase exams and nutrition to vaccines and dental care. For more information, check out SpringhillEquine.com