This article first appeared in the July 2021 digital edition of Equestrian Life. To see what’s in the current issue, click here.

The mystery of Equine Shivers

By Dr Maxine Brain

Whilst wintertime might make humans and horses shiver with cold, the condition known as equine shivers has nothing to do with the weather.

The name “equine shivers” (ES) comes from the classic presentation of a horse seen to be shaking and trembling when asked to back or hold up a hind limb. ES is a chronic neuromuscular disease that has been present in the horse population for centuries, with little known about its aetiology (what causes it) until relatively recently.

ES is a slowly progressive disease seen predominantly in the heavy breeds such as Belgian Draught Horses, Warmbloods, and other Draught breeds. Thoroughbreds can also be affected, as can some lighter breeds like harness horses, Quarter Horses and hunters. Most cases are in horses over 16.3 hands, with male horses five times more likely to get the disease than females.

It is a disease that can slowly progress to a stage where the quality of life is significantly affected, and euthanasia is required. In some cases, it can remain relatively static for the duration of the horse’s life, causing minimal disruption to the horse’s performance; but it rarely improves and no cure is available…

Read the full article in the July 2021 issue of Equestrian Life magazine here.

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