Lawrence, L. A. 2009. Nutrition of the mare influences growth and development of the foal. Washington Thoroughbred. 63,1:34-35.

Horses are superior athletes. Physical adaptations through evolution have given horses speed and endurance.

Few animals are as precocious as the horse. Within 20 minutes of birth a foal may stand and within hours can be ready to run at speeds no human athlete will ever achieve.

Foals have a long gestational period (about 320 days) and are precocious at birth, standing and nursing within 20 minutes to 1 hour after birth.

Pagan, J. D., L. A. Lawrence, D. Nash and P. J. Huntington. 2008. The relationship between shin soreness, blood parameters and cannon bone measurements in Thoroughbreds being prepared for two year olds in training sales. In: Proc. Aus. Eq. Symp. Vol. 2 Gold Coast, OLD. 4 – 6 June. pp. 40.

Hindgut acidosis is a common problem in horses consuming large quantities of either grain or fructan-rich forages. This dietary regimen may lead to shifts in hindgut acidity when a portion of the grain starch is not digested in the small intestine. Passing into the cecum and colon, the starch is rapidly fermented, changing the environment […]

Feeding protected sodium bicarbonate attenuates hindgut acidosis in horses fed a high grain ration Pagan JD , Lawrence TJ , Lawrence LA , Huntington PJ Australian Equine Veterinarian 27(3), 53, 2008. Proceedings report of this research available here.

A 1996 Kentucky Equine Research (KER) study monitored the incidence of developmental orthopedic disease (Pagan and Jackson, 1996).

As yearlings leave a breeding farm environment and enter training major changes occur in their skeletons.

Bucked shins is a term used to describe a condition of the third metacarpal bone which is related to bone fatigue and/ or stress fractures. This is a common problem in racehorses in the first year of training. Thirty Thoroughbreds were studied as they were prepared for two-year-olds in training sales that took place in […]