Draft horse illness

Four Common Health Issues in Draft Horses

Draft horses are famous as they look magnificent. More people are getting this type of horse breed. However, they are less aware that draft crossbreds are susceptible to specific health problems entirely different from purebred horses. Those diseases are Azoturia, Shivers, Grease Heel, and Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa. These health issues can result in severe pains in a different area of the horse. However, it’s crucial to reduct horse pain by knowing how to prevent diseases and treat your horses if these diseases occur. Here are four common health issues in draft horses, along with their remedies.

Draft Horse

Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa

The fatal disease causes foals to die at birth in a single week. The skin’s length cannot yet be one by one, and the hairs and skin spots begin to rub off into larger and larger spots. The moment you know you have JEB, a foal should be put to sleep because it is a debilitating disease.


Draft horseIt usually happens after the horse has had the time and then back to work. The horse shows severe pains and muscle aches. If the horse is designed to continue working, the symptoms get worse, and the horse falls. The horse may die from kidney failure because the kidneys cannot filter out enzymes that are released into the bloodstream in the nerves.

In the past, many drugs such as steroids, muscle relaxants and supplements have been used to treat the horse once it had a function. The EPSM diet has been shown to be useful in preventing further episodes when starting in the early stages of the disease. Exercise can also be important in the recovery of horses with canker sores.


Shiver is a neuromuscular condition found in draft horses. Shivers are easy to diagnose due to symptoms. The horse cannot bend backward because the hind legs are bent upwards. It is speculated about age, whether the chill is hereditary, whether neurological lesions cause it due to infectious diseases such as flu or nausea, or whether it is caused by trauma. The treatment is limited to massage, acupuncture, and exercise. Unfortunately, the thrill is usually a chronic disease that gets progressively worse as the horse remains functional.

Grease Heel

Grease heel is a kind of dermatitis located on the back of the pastern of your horses. This is sometimes a less acute condition than the other types mentioned but can be consistent with breeds of draught horses that have wonderful plumage. It is most commonly found on the legs of the trunk. It is believed that very long hair on the back of the crosier, together with constant humidity and poor hygiene, may be the cause. It has been there for some time before being noticed.

The remedy includes cutting away all the long hair and washing the area with warm water soap. An excellent home remedy for medium cases would be to cover the affected area with an ointment consisting of a slice of Neosporin, a cortisone cream, and two elements of zinc oxide (baby diaper ointment). Injections of antibiotics If left untreated, these will spread around the coronary ring under the forefoot.