Stringhalt management of Australian stringhalt. Two weeks after treatment with phenytoin, significant improvement was observed in the gait abnormality of horses affected with Australian stringhalt at the trot and canter, but no significant improvement was observed at the walk or while turning. The most common plant species that have been found and identified in pastures where affected horses were located include: flatweed ("Hypochaeris radicata"), sheep's sorrel ("Rumex acetosella") and couch grass ("Elymus repens"). The type of nerve damage sustained in horses with Australian stringhalt suggests a mould toxin (mycotoxin) or a fungal 'poison' found in the soils may be a cause
Motor disorder Motor disorder Motor disorders are disorders of the nervous system that cause abnormal and involuntary movements. They can result from damage to the motor system. Motor disorders are defined in the fifth edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5) – published in 2013 to replace the fourth text revision (DSM-IV-TR) – as a new sub-category of neurodevelopmental disorders. The DSM-5 motor disorders include developmental coordination disorder, stereotypic movement disorder, and the tic disorders including Tourette syndrome. Motor disorders are malfunctions of the nervous system that cause involuntary or uncontrollable movements or actions of the body. These