Something to “neigh” about

In horses, certain serious conditions, such as lameness and gait abnormalities, are only evident when the animals are performing. This is one of the reasons behind the UF College of Veterinary Medicine’s new equine sports performance complex, which opened in June. Located behind the main Large Animal Hospital building, adjacent to existing barns, the new complex is large enough for most performance disciplines, such as show jumping, dressage, western sports and driving. Horses are often more comfortable, better behaved and therefore safer in a familiar environment, such as a riding arena, with a contained fence line and sure footing, said Alison Morton, D.V.M., director of the hospital’s lameness and imaging service and an associate professor of large animal surgery at UF Health. “We will now have a better environment for equine athletes and their riders,” she said. — Sarah Carey