Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Researchers Study Plant-Based Treatment for Equine Melanoma

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA
Aug 16, 2016

A new, plant-based anti-cancer treatment is showing promising signs in horses with melanoma, German researchers have learned.

Betulinic acid, already used for treating human melanomas, could become an effective and safer alternative for treating equine melanoma compared to traditional chemotherapies, said Reinhard Paschke, PhD, Prof. Dr. habil., of Martin Luther University, in Halle, Germany.

Betulinic acid comes from the bark of white birch and similar trees. It attacks cancer cells by breaking down the membranes of the mitochondria—the cell’s “energy factory.” If a cancer cell’s mitochondria malfunctions, it lacks energy and, therefore, will die...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/38005/researchers-study-plant-based-treatment-for-equine-melanoma?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=health-news&utm_campaign=08-16-2016

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Equine Fitness: How to Build Muscle

KER.Equinews.com - Full Article

By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · November 14, 2016

Twiggy, John Candy, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. What do these three people have in common? Infamy perhaps, but definitely not muscling! And neither do most horses and ponies. Nonetheless, maintaining appropriate muscling among individual horses is vital to overall health and athleticism.

“Athletic horses need appropriate muscle mass to support their rider’s weight, perform the task at hand, and protect their joints and support soft tissues, such as tendons and ligaments,” explained Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a Kentucky Equine Research (KER) nutritionist.

Amino acids, which make up proteins, are the basic building blocks of muscle. Horses must consume at least nine essential amino acids in their diets, and the remainder they can make on their own.

Feeding to build muscle, however, does not mean that we feed excessive protein to horses, attempting to flood their systems with the essentials to maximize muscle building...

Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/equine-fitness-how-build-muscle?utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=8eb318de55-ker-horse-nutri-kentucky-equine-11_23_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-8eb318de55-11166

Friday, November 25, 2016

Equine Navicular Syndrome and Heel Pain; New Perspectives

Nouvelleresearch.com - Full Article

Navicular syndrome is a very common problem in the equine industry, likely impacting 30% or more of horses, dependent on the breed and discipline. We see this condition commonly in the western disciplines but also to varying degrees in other sports, including jumping, dressage and even racing. There are many factors that contribute to the problem, which can make it difficult at times to manage. All too often, though, we tend to wait until the condition has progressed, with irreversible damage, before we properly intervene. With a better understanding, hopefully we can recognize the condition sooner, see contributing factors and produce better results for the patient in the long term.

When we mention the words "navicular disease", we really have to define what we are referring to in the patient. The condition is quite complex, having various stages of development, some more readily recognized than others. Given this, we often use the term 'navicular syndrome' as this can be more accurate, encompassing the many stages of progression. In some horses, we use the term 'caudal heel pain', which is not far removed from 'navicular syndrome', as it is likely just a general categorization for the patient.

Overall, the situation in which we have heel pain and lameness is quite common in equine practice, involving many structures within the caudle hoof including the navicular bone, associated ligaments, joint capsule, navicular bursa, deep flexor tendon and even collateral cartilages of the coffin bone. Due to progression or stage of the condition, localization of the exact source of pain can be difficult as many other areas are impacted due to compensation. This is often seen more in chronic cases, evident not only by heel pain, but also stiffness higher up in the limb, including the shoulder and even neck region. In some cases, we will see toe sensitivity, due to improper loading and landing of the foot. In others, especially with progression, we may see compensatory lameness even in a rear limb or lower back...

Read more here:
https://nouvelleresearch.com/index.php/articles/424-equine-navicular-syndrome-and-heel-pain-new-perspectives

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Back to Barefoot

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Natalie DeFee Mendik, MA
Jun 1, 2016

Going barefoot can benefit hoof health, but consider management realities and athletic circumstances before pulling those shoes.

With today's hectic lifestyle, it's no wonder many people pursue a return to a more natural state--from the food they eat to the products they purchase. This desire for simplicity helps account for the back-to-barefoot trend many horse owners embrace, yet a one-size-fits-all approach rarely applies to hoof care. So what are the pros and cons of barefoot? How should owners best manage their barefoot charges? Let's take a look at the ins and outs of going sans shoes.

To Shoe or Not to Shoe?

To answer this question, we'll start by looking at how structures within the hoof are impacted. When the hoof contacts nonsandy ground, the footing that packs into the hoof (known as the dirt plug) stimulates the frog and sole and helps dissipate energy produced by the hoof's impact with the ground, says Robert Bowker, VMD, PhD, a professor in Michigan State University's Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation.

"When barefoot and on a conformable surface, the dirt plug loads the solar part of the hoof," he explains, noting that biomechanics transfer the load directly to the frog, digital cushion (the soft tissue mass at the back of the foot responsible for shock absorption), and bone. In the shod hoof, on the other hand, the majority of the horse's weight often (but not always) loads the perimeter hoof walls...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/31022/back-to-barefoot?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=in-depth&utm_campaign=08-12-2016

Thursday, November 17, 2016

The Forest Service Is Using Wild Mustangs Trained by Inmates

Outsideonline.com - Full Article

By: Joe Whittle

Oregon’s Hells Canyon and Eagle Cap Wilderness areas are some of the most rugged, wild land in the Lower 48. Home to the continent’s deepest gorge, the nearly 600,000-acres of federally designated wilderness is managed under the Wilderness Act of 1964, which means no cars, trucks, or motorized tools. To comply with that mandate, the Forest Service’s Eagle Cap Ranger District has always used horses and mules to pack in the heavy equipment necessary to build and maintain trails within the wilderness. But the herd is aging rapidly, and the budget for replacing the animals is small.

Enter the wild mustangs...

Read and see more here:
http://www.outsideonline.com/2136016/forest-service-using-wild-mustangs-trained-inmates#slide-1

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

6 Ways to Feed Performance Horses for Greater Achievement

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Edited Press Release
Aug 7, 2016

Much like human athletes, performance horses have special nutritional needs. And with all athletes, it’s important for diets to match activity and athletic level, to reach the highest level of achievement.

“These six tips may help you to supply your horse with adequate energy to support optimal performance,” says Katie Young, PhD, an equine nutritionist for Purina Animal Nutrition.

1. Know if your horse is performing anaerobic or aerobic exercise.

Physical activity is broken into two general categories—aerobic and anaerobic—and it can be helpful to understand the science...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/37947/6-ways-to-feed-performance-horses-for-greater-achievement?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=nutrition&utm_campaign=08-08-2016

Monday, November 14, 2016

Is it Okay to Ride My Ulcer-Prone Horse After Feeding?

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Clair Thunes, PhD
Jul 25, 2016

Q. I’ve always been taught to not ride a horse right after it’s been fed. However, I have a mare who has gastric ulcers, and my veterinarian recommended that I feed her prior to riding (specifically, alfalfa). So which is it—feed or don’t feed before riding?

A. While it’s true that it is typically best to avoid feeding horses concentrates (especially those high in starch) within a couple of hours of riding due to the effect this can have on available metabolites during exercise, allowing access to forage has a number of benefits. Remember horses are designed to eat fibrous plant material almost constantly, while at the same time traveling considerable distances...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/37893/is-it-okay-to-ride-my-ulcer-prone-horse-after-feeding?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=reader-favorites&utm_campaign=07-29-2016

I'm Selling My Horse. What Should I Disclose?

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Erica Larson, News Editor
Jul 16, 2016

You’ve listed your horse for sale, and you’ve already gotten an inquiry! You read the questions the potential buyer has asked, but slowly your excitement turns to trepidation.

Does the horse have any vices?

His cribbing and stall walking don’t count, do they?

Would he be suitable for a novice child rider?

Sure... if the child is on a lead line.

Does he have any existing health issues?

Not aside from the presumptive Cushing’s diagnosis he got last year...

Ugh, I’m never going to sell this horse!

You don’t really have to answer all those “self-incriminating” questions, do you? Actually, you should. Misrepresenting a horse could land you in some serious legal trouble...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/37850/im-selling-my-horse-what-should-i-disclose?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=bluegrass-equine-digest&utm_campaign=07-31-2016

Friday, November 11, 2016

Prebiotics and Probiotics for Horses: Beneficial or Benign?

KER.Equinews.com - Full Article

By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · July 5, 2016

Manufacturers of prebiotics and probiotics suggest that these supplements benefit horses by maintaining or restoring the health of the bacteria, parasites, fungi, and yeast that make up the equine intestinal microbiome. But does science support the use of prebiotics and probiotics in horses? According to recent reviews on the subject, the answer is, unfortunately, not exactly. *,**

“The intestinal microbiome serves several important functions in horses, including producing short-chain fatty acids that serve as a horse’s primary energy source,” explained Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a Kentucky Equine Research nutritionist...

Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/prebiotics-and-probiotics-horses-beneficial-or-benign?utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=1cb4e9e2c3-ker-horse-nutri-kentucky-equine-07_27_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-1cb4e9e2c3-11166

Tuesday, November 08, 2016

Heroic Marine War Horse Sgt. Reckless Honored at Camp Pendleton with Monument Unveiling

Cowboysindians.com - Full Article

by Elizabeth Kaye McCall • November 1, 2016

The one-time racehorse-turned-Marine whose heroism in battle earned her the Purple Heart with Gold Star and a spot in Life magazine continues to receive well-deserved accolades.

Sixty-four years to the day after a little Mongolian mare was bought to carry munitions for the antitank division of the 5th Marines Recoilless Rifle (“Reckless”) Platoon in the Korean War, some 600 people gathered on October 26, 2016, at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California, to witness the unveiling of a monument of Staff Sgt. Reckless, the one-time racehorse-turned-Marine whose heroism in battle earned the Purple Heart with Gold Star and landed her on Life magazine’s “Celebrating Our Heroes” list alongside George Washington and Martin Luther King.

“When this cover is taken off [the statue], you will see a rendition of Reckless climbing a steep hill about 30 miles north of Seoul. ... She’s under heavy enemy fire, carrying ammunition,” said Col. Richard Rothwell, USMC (Ret.) and president of Camp Pendleton Historical Society, in his opening remarks at the monument dedication ceremony at the base’s Pacific Views Event Center, where the 12-foot statue stands. “What you won’t see is her coming down that same hill — still under fire — carrying wounded Marines,” he added. “She symbolizes the thousands ... who fought in what has been called ‘America’s Forgotten War.’ My hope is it will be forgotten no more...”

Read more here:
http://www.cowboysindians.com

Monday, November 07, 2016

Managing a Horse's Underrun Heels

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Sarah Evers Conrad
Jun 15, 2016

The long-toed, low-heeled hoof is a common and difficult-to-manage hoof abnormality

It can be a struggle to maintain our horse’s hooves so that they look the way we want, while also keeping them as healthy and sound as possible. We’re usually fighting against a genetic predisposition for problems, the local climate, the footing a horse has been raised on, poor hoof care at an early age, feet that have been previously shod inappropriately, excessive softening of the foot due to moisture, type of work, or problematic foot and limb conformation. And once hoof problems start, sometimes they can be challenging or impossible to fix. Such is the case with what is known as underrun heels, sometimes described as the long-toed, low-heeled hoof.

Stephen O’Grady, DVM, MRCVS, owner of Virginia Therapeutic Farriery, in Keswick, says underrun heels are one of the most important and common foot abnormalities the horse industry faces today. He was a professional farrier for 10 years before earning a degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Pretoria, in South Africa, in 1981, and he now focuses solely on podiatry with his practice. He says any of the items listed above can cause underrun heels...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/37705/managing-a-horses-underrun-heels?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=reader-favorites&utm_campaign=07-22-2016

Sunday, November 06, 2016

Dietary Fat's Role in Equine Athletic Performance

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Karen Briggs
Aug 14, 2014

Grains, the “traditional” feed for high-level physical activity, supply carbohydrates and starches—versatile energy substrates that fuel the horse’s muscles for athletic endeavors of all kinds. Fat is also an energy substrate which, while not as flexible as carbohydrates in terms of the types of activities it can fuel, might in many ways help the horse’s body use itself with more efficiency and less fatigue.

Two main energy pathways fuel a horse’s muscle cells to do work. (A third pathway, called “anaerobic alactic” metabolism, is a “startup” system that only comes into play for extremely short bursts.) The predominant energy pathway is aerobic metabolism, which the muscles use whenever they can, for all low-intensity and endurance activities, especially those requiring a continuous effort of longer than two minutes (and possibly lasting many hours)...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34373/dietary-fats-role-in-equine-athletic-performance?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=in-depth&utm_campaign=07-15-2016

Dietary Fat's Role in Equine Athletic Performance

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Karen Briggs
Aug 14, 2014

Grains, the “traditional” feed for high-level physical activity, supply carbohydrates and starches—versatile energy substrates that fuel the horse’s muscles for athletic endeavors of all kinds. Fat is also an energy substrate which, while not as flexible as carbohydrates in terms of the types of activities it can fuel, might in many ways help the horse’s body use itself with more efficiency and less fatigue.

Two main energy pathways fuel a horse’s muscle cells to do work. (A third pathway, called “anaerobic alactic” metabolism, is a “startup” system that only comes into play for extremely short bursts.) The predominant energy pathway is aerobic metabolism, which the muscles use whenever they can, for all low-intensity and endurance activities, especially those requiring a continuous effort of longer than two minutes (and possibly lasting many hours)...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34373/dietary-fats-role-in-equine-athletic-performance?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=in-depth&utm_campaign=07-15-2016

Forage-Only Diet for Performance Horses Evaluated

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Casie Bazay, NBCAAM
Aug 1, 2012

With countless types of grains and concentrated feed available for performance horses, some horse owners might wish for a simpler approach to feeding their equine athlete. Well here’s some good news for these owners: According to recent study results, a diet devoid of concentrates and entirely based on forage could be suitable for some high-performance equine athletes.

"There is an urgent need for diets that support the natural digestive function and behavior of horses," said Anna Jansson, professor at both the Swedish University of Agricultural and Sciences and Holar University College on Iceland.

"We thought that a high-fiber diet (forage-only) would improve the aerobic energy metabolism and thereby improve VLa4 (velocity when plasma lactate concentration is 4 mmol/l)," reported Jansson...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/29514/forage-only-diet-for-performance-horses-evaluated?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=in-depth&utm_campaign=07-15-2016