Equine Joint Health

Equine Joint Health

Author: The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care October 18, 2022 Duration: 59:59

Prioritizing joint health is imperative to your horse’s comfort, both under saddle and in the field. Join our host, Shoshana Rudski, as she interviews Dr. Erica Secor, of Cornell University, and Dr. Julie Settlage, of Boehringer Ingelheim. You'll learn about early signs of joint discomfort, equine osteoarthritis, joint injections, nutritional management of joint disease, and much more!

This podcast is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Equine Health.

About the Experts:
Erica Secor, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS-LA
, grew up riding and training horses in Vermont. She completed her undergraduate degree and veterinary school at Cornell University and completed her residency at the University of Illinois. After residency, she worked as a staff surgeon in private practice before returning to Cornell in 2021 for her PhD. She currently studies the immune system’s role in osteoarthritis and is working toward improving diagnostic capabilities and understanding how arthritis varies among individuals, with the goal of identifying how to better tailor osteoarthritis treatment to individual cases. Outside of research, Secor enjoys trail running (there is a lot of time to come up with research ideas during 60-mile trail runs), riding her 24-year-old Morgan horse, Mocha, and hiking with her favorite dog, Annie, and favorite husband, Andrew.

Julie Settlage, DVM, MSc Vet Ed, Dipl. ACVS-LA, is a board-certified large animal surgeon with a keen interest in sustainable equine practice. She joined the Boehringer Ingelheim Equine Professional Services team in 2020. Previously, she was the chief of the equine internal medicine and surgery service at Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, in Blacksburg. Settlage is a member of ACVS, AVMA, VVMA, AAEP, and VAEP and past president of the SWVVMA. Her clinical interests include general surgery and sport horse medicine.


Ever find yourself puzzling over a subtle change in your horse's behavior or wishing you had a clearer understanding of that latest veterinary study? Ask The Horse brings those conversations directly to you, transforming complex equine health topics into accessible, actionable knowledge. Each episode features recorded live sessions where seasoned horse owners pose their real-world questions to a rotating panel of top veterinarians and specialists. You'll hear discussions that range from everyday hoof care and nutrition management to explanations of emerging therapies and diagnostic techniques. The format captures the spontaneous, insightful dialogue that happens when curious minds meet expert experience, all without the filter of a script. This podcast, presented by The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care, serves as a trusted resource for anyone invested in the wellbeing of their horse, whether you're a weekend trail rider or a competitive professional. It’s like having a front-row seat to a continuous learning community, where the shared goal is simply better care. Tune in to gain a deeper confidence in your decisions and to hear the nuanced, practical advice that can make a tangible difference in your daily routine with horses.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Ask The Horse
Podcast Episodes
Managing Asthma in Horses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:45
Managing horses with asthma starts with controlling the horse’s exposure to airborne irritants, particularly dust and mold from hay and bedding. Modifying turnout schedules, improving barn ventilation, and adjusting feed…
The Horse Quick Takes - Signs of Hindgut Problems in Horses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:27
This is a special Ask TheHorse Live bonus episode, revisiting our conversation with Dr. Frank Andrews on the topic of equine hindgut health.Horses commonly experience digestive problems, which can present in a variety of…
Managing Senior Horse Expenses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:27
As horses age, their health care needs and associated costs often increase, making proactive management especially important. Having your veterinarian perform regular examinations, dental evaluations, and monitoring for…
Solving Common Equine Skin Problems [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:31
Equine skin problems can stem from a wide range of causes, including parasites, bacterial or fungal infections, allergies, and prolonged exposure to moisture or irritants. Successfully managing horses with skin problems…
What You Need to Know About Gastric Ulcers in Horses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:45
Gastric ulcers are common in both performance and pleasure horses, but the clinical signs can be easily overlooked. Affected horses might show poor performance, changes in attitude, decreased appetite, or unexplained wei…
Equine Colic 101 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:10
Equine colic refers to abdominal pain rather than a single disease and can arise from many causes, ranging from gas buildup to intestinal impaction. Horses with colic might show subtle signs such as reduced appetite or l…
Keeping Horses Sound as They Age [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:15
As horses age, managing their soundness using a multimodal approach becomes increasingly important. Experts emphasize proactive joint care, appropriate exercise, and routine veterinary evaluations. Regular, low-impact wo…
Managing Horses With Metabolic Problems [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:13
Managing a horse diagnosed with metabolic problems means understanding how conditions such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and insulin dysregulation increase the risk of serious complications, including laminitis. Hor…
Choosing the Right Supplement for Your Horse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:13
Horse owners often feed supplements to address gaps in their horses' diet that forage and concentrates might not meet, such as supporting joint comfort, hoof quality, or muscle recovery. Researchers suggest that suppleme…
Performance Horse Lameness Problems [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:46
Lameness is the most common cause of poor performance in equine athletes, and researchers have shown that many behavioral issues under saddle are caused by physical pain. Proactive treatment strategies can help extend yo…