Horses

The Esther Honey Foundation is the only veterinary service in the Cook Islands and although our mission is limited to treating dogs and cats, we extend our care to all of the island animals in need of care, including the local horse population. As part of this we recently visited the ponies of the horse riding business for a routine health check.

In general the horses of the island are sound and healthy; however a lack of hard horse feed on the island means maintaining horses in a good body condition requires extra attention- particularly for the ageing horses with worn teeth. The isolation of the island population means that infectious diseases are rare and vaccinations generally not required. Regular worming and good husbandry are our main recommendations.


Our health check of the riding ponies identified only one animal requiring attention. A little mare had developed saddle sores over her spine and also had slightly swollen joints. We cleaned the sores with antiseptic solution and spoke to the owner about resting her until they are healed, and also ensuring she is tethered in good pasture to help her gain some weight. A recheck is scheduled in a couple of weeks so we can make sure she is getting better.

In the pictures are Michelle and Eilidh, two vets from Australia and Scotland.