Monday, December 31, 2018

Gastric Ulcers in Horses: 30 Years of Research

Thehorse.com - Full Article

In the past 30 years, researchers have made great strides in understanding gastric ulcers. Those findings and ones yet to be made can help improve horse health and welfare now and into the future.

Posted by Erica Larson, News Editor | Nov 30, 2018

Today, we know horses are prone to developing gastric (or stomach) ulcers. We know an estimated 50-90% of horses suffer from gastric ulcers and that performance and racehorses are some of the most susceptible. We even know what treatment and management options can help ulcers heal and reduce their changes of returning.

But concern about gastric ulcers weren’t always common. In fact, not long ago, relatively speaking, veterinarians published some of the first research on these stomach lesions. Al Merritt, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, a professor emeritus at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, in Gainesville, described what researchers have learned about equine gastric ulcers in the past three decades at the 2018 Kentucky Equine Research Conference, held Oct. 29-30 in Lexington, Kentucky...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/163371/gastric-ulcers-in-horses-30-years-of-research/

6 Tips for Riding in Wild Horse Country

SagebrushRider.com - Full Article

July 1 2018
Story and Photos by Samantha Szesciorka

Whenever I give talks in other states about long distance horseback travel in Nevada, someone always asks about dangerous encounters with wildlife. Were you ever attacked by bears or wolves?, they ask with a look on their face that’s a mixture of hope and horror. I enjoy watching their expression become quizzical once I respond. In my opinion, the most likely, and potentially dangerous, wild animal encounter you can have riding in Nevada… is wild horses.

In the course of riding thousands of miles around this wonderful state, my horse and I have had run-ins with countless wild horses. They are not always pleasant encounters. I don’t think anyone has been charged by wild horses more than us! We’ve dealt with wild horses on the trail, in camp, and even in the middle of the night.

Nevada is home to more wild horses than any other state – more than 40,000 according to the Bureau of Land Management’s last count in March of this year – so chances are good that you’ll run into some if you’re out riding on public land. Wild horses are territorial and they can be aggressive, so it’s important to be prepared to keep yourself and your horse safe. Here are six tips for riding among wild horses:...

Read more here:
https://sagebrushrider.com/good-horsekeeping/6-tips-for-riding-in-wild-horse-country/

Saturday, December 22, 2018

Legendary Kabardian Horses Galloping To Comeback

Rferl.org - Full Article

DECEMBER 22, 2018 11:25 GMT
By Pete Baumgartner

The Kabardian horse's strength and endurance were legendary as it carried Circassian warriors battling Imperial Russian forces in the high mountains of the Caucasus in the 1800s.

But the animal was in a dire situation as the U.S.S.R. collapsed in 1991, nearly vanishing into obscurity.

Now, breeders and animal registries suggest the Kabardian has been resurrected in its home region and is even flourishing in stables farther West. "At the fall of the Soviet Union, the breed was close to extinction," Pawel Krawczyk, who has bred, trained, and raced Kabardian horses, tells RFE/RL.

Hundreds of animals from a dwindling population were being transported at the time to countries like Italy for meat, he says, "essentially to make sausage" -- as the Soviet and then Russian breeding programs broke down amid the chaos.

Russian stud farms were soon left with "thousands of horses, no money to feed them, and expenses such as the salaries of the workers," he says.

"It was a very difficult situation..."

Read more here:
https://www.rferl.org/a/legendary-kabardian-horses-galloping-to-comeback/29670854.html

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Endurance Riding: Start Slow to Finish Strong

TheHorse.com - Full Article

Riding at fast speeds at the start of endurance rides often leads to elimination during veterinary checks, researchers have learned. And while that might seem like common sense, many riders continue to ride too fast in rides’ early stages, one scientists said.

Posted by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA | Dec 18, 2018

The age-old adage says “slow and steady wins the race,” and researchers have found that it rings true for endurance riding—at least at the beginning of the ride.

While that might seem obvious or “common sense,” the fact is many riders continue to ride fast in the early stages of endurance events, said Euan David Bennet, PhD, a research associate at the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine’s Weipers Centre for Equine Welfare, in Scotland. And as his new study shows, a too-quick start frequently leads to failure to qualify (FTQ) to continue the ride during veterinary checks.

“This should certainly help develop a speed strategy to help avoid FTQ outcomes,” Bennet said. “That’s not quite the same as developing a strategy for a win, but for riders that want to win, safely finishing the ride would be a good start...”

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/164299/endurance-riding-start-slow-to-finish-strong/

Monday, December 17, 2018

Risk Factors for Endurance Riding Eliminations

Thehorse.com - Full Article

Knowing elimination risk factors can help veterinarians, riders, and trainers make informed decisions to safeguard endurance horses’ welfare, researchers say.

Posted by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA | Dec 17, 2018

If your endurance horse is a stallion, older than 9, and competing in a ride against more than 60 other horses, he’s at increased risk of being eliminated from the race due to lameness at an obligatory veterinary check. And if you, the rider, are male, the risk is even higher.

That’s one of the main findings from a recent study in which researchers in the U.K. investigated risk factors for vet check failures in endurance horses. Their recent study focused on data from all Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) endurance events held worldwide from 2010 and 2015—nearly 83,000 starts.

Meanwhile, a race distance of more than 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) is associated with an increased risk of vet check failure due to metabolic issues such as cardiac problems, high temperatures, or respiratory distress. Having a male rider increases the risk of a metabolic issue during a race by 82% compared to female riders, said Euan David Bennet, PhD, research associate in the Weipers Centre for Equine Welfare in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Glasgow, in Scotland...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/164245/risk-factors-for-endurance-riding-eliminations/

Feeding Fats to Horses: Not Just a Diet Fad

Thehorse.com - Full Article

Fats serve many important functions for horses, from increasing calorie consumption to reducing gastric ulcer severity.

Posted by Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS | Dec 10, 2018

Fats serve many important functions for your horse, from increasing calorie consumption to reducing gastric ulcer severity
Society has seen its share of diet crazes, even in the past decade. From low-carb and high-protein to low-fat and high-fiber, trends have come and gone and come again, making food selection challenging. Luckily, horse owners don’t have as many options when they’re picking their charges’ feed. As herbivores, our horses’ diets must be high-fiber complemented by a commercial product fit to meet their life stage (performance, breeding, growing, etc.). The high-fat diet era began as a way to effectively increase calories without drastically increasing feed volume and, as researchers learn more about the benefit of fats for our four-legged friends, it appears that high-fat diets are here to stay...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/18459/feeding-fats-to-horses-not-just-a-diet-fad/

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Q&A: Kids and Dogs in the Barn—Who is Liable?

HorseNetwork.com - Full Article

December 10 2018
by ARMAND LEONE

Q: I own and operate a boarding stable at which I’ve always allowed boarders to happily bring their children along, however, I’ve never allowed them to bring their dogs. But I’m now getting an increasing number of requests to change that rule! I just worry about scenarios such as a dog spooking a horse and the rider getting hurt. Should I keep my no dog rule as is, or, if I change the rule how do I protect myself against those situations?
A: Great question. In my opinion, there is no reason that you can’t allow dogs if it is something that your boarders have requested, and if you take the necessary precautions.

First, put up signs stating your rules regarding dogs on the property. Common sense comes into play a lot here. Signage that states that dogs must be on a leash puts people on notice that dogs cannot run loose. That’s the first step in protecting yourself from liability from an injury.

The second step is actually enforcing those rules. If you hang up signs stating that dogs must be on a leash but then allow dogs to roam the property at will, you are opening the door to issues...

Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2018/12/qa-kids-dogs-barn-liable/?utm_source=MASTER&utm_campaign=3a868a5504-HNS_2018_12_11_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5694ca6b0c-3a868a5504-84641243&mc_cid=3a868a5504&mc_eid=b3c9897994

Sunday, December 09, 2018

Learned Helplessness

GreyHorseLLC Blog - Full Article

November 9 2018

Quite a few years ago, I was idling away some time reading the then-current issue of The Chronicle of the Horse magazine (a weekly sport-horse publication). While skimming a pretty dry article about the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) annual convention, I ran across a mention of a guy named Andrew McLean who had been invited to speak to the attendees about the possibility that a thing called “learned helplessness” might be causing “dullness in dressage horses.” I didn’t think another thing of it, skimmed the rest of the magazine and threw it out.

A year later, I found myself in much the same position, at the same time of year, skimming articles in The Chronicle. There was another article about that year’s USDF convention, and another mention of Andrew McLean. But this time, reading between the lines, it sounded like they’d invited him back to take back what he’d said the year before about learned helplessness in dressage horses. NOW they had my attention!

I spent that weekend madly Googling learned helplessness (LH) and Andrew McLean (he’s from Australia). Once I’d gotten a handle on that, I continued to read about LH and think about how it might or might not relate to hundreds of horses I’d seen over the years. I did more research, and more reading.

Now, according to an equine behaviorist I consulted, it is not necessarily scientifically sound to assume that LH occurs in horses. This has not been scientifically proven by scientists, in studies. The seminal studies on LH were done with dogs, and scientists agree it occurs in humans, so scientists would agree that it can occur in dogs and humans. But studies on horses have NOT been done. So strictly speaking, we are going out on a bit of a limb assuming that horses can experience LH. Even so, I think it’s a useful exercise.

So before we can go any further, it’s best if you go read the Wikipedia entry on Learned Helplessness, which is still about the most efficient and succinct definition that I have found so far. If you skip this step, none of the rest of this article will make any sense, so please now read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learned_helplessness

Okay, you’re back! So basically, when a being is in a state of LH, they feel like there is nothing they can do to improve their situation in the moment or “make it stop”. So they give up. Like the dogs in the study, they figuratively and literally lay down and take it. They don’t fight, they don’t try to escape, they surrender, which can look like “agreement” or “submission” or “obedience” to some folks...

Read more here:
https://greyhorsellc.wordpress.com/2018/11/09/learned-helplessness/

Rings and Ridges: What Horse Hooves Reveal

KER.com - Full Article

May 25, 2017
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff

Just as coat condition serves as an indication of health status in horses—sheen and dapples suggest vitality, whereas dull, rough, or half-shed coats imply unthriftiness or disease—changes in hooves may provide clues to a horse’s historical well-being.

The hoof wall is subject to any number of imperfections, and it is commonplace for horses to be beset with shallow or deep cracks, chipped toes, or flares, especially if they are not under the scheduled care of a professional farrier. These flaws are obvious. More subtle changes in the hoof wall, including horizontal rings and ridges, tell more about a horse’s health than the regularity of hoof care.

Hoof rings and ridges sound synonymous, but they are not. In fact, one is a normal feature of even the best-managed hooves; the other, though, is a sign of pathology and potential toxicity...

Read more here:
https://ker.com/equinews/rings-ridges-horse-hooves-reveal/?utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=53b730c445-Focus_December18_HoofHealth&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-53b730c445-11166&mc_cid=53b730c445&mc_eid=6283eb0e4a

Saturday, December 08, 2018

10 Plants and Chemicals That are Toxic to Horses

TheHorse.com - Full Article

Learn about 10 common plants and chemicals your horse should never eat.

Posted by Lindsay Day, REMT | Oct 20, 2018

Review these substances your horse should never eat
There are many things horses should never eat. Certainly, toxic plants rank high on the list of things to avoid, but other substances, organisms, and chemicals can pose risks as well. While poisoning in horses is relatively rare compared to other causes of ill health, when it does occur the consequences can be dire.

“People often assume that horses know what to eat and what not to eat, but that’s just not true in a lot of cases,” says Cynthia Gaskill, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ABVP, associate professor and veterinary clinical toxicologist at the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. From a curious nibble of a tree branch to accidental consumption of a contaminated grain meal, there are a number of ways horses can ingest toxic substances that put their health—and lives—at risk. Here are our top 10:

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/148667/10-plants-and-chemicals-that-are-toxic-to-horses/

Friday, December 07, 2018

8 Ways to Be a Good Trail-Riding Buddy

Thehorse.com - Full Article

We all want to be the kind of person other trail riders enjoy being around. Use these eight simple techniques to be a fun and safe riding buddy on the trail.


Posted by Kim McCarrel | Nov 29, 2018

You’re out on a pleasant trail ride with several other riders. Without a word, one of the riders suddenly urges her horse forward and gallops off down the trail. The left-behind horses frantically try to follow. The riders struggle to control their mounts. Pandemonium ensues.

This kind of thoughtless behavior on the trail is no fun to deal with and could cause someone to get seriously hurt. Clearly, leaving your fellow riders in the dust isn’t what you’d expect of a good riding buddy. “Never again!” you say to yourself. “I’ll never ride with her again!”

We all want to be the kind of person other trail riders enjoy being around. By using the eight simple techniques below, you can be a good riding buddy who is fun and safe to ride with on the trail...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/163124/8-ways-to-be-a-good-trail-riding-buddy/

Wednesday, December 05, 2018

Feeding Before Exercise

Fiber-fresh.com - Full Article

By Dr Nerida Richards B. Rur Sc PhD (RAnNutr)

The question of whether you should feed a horse before exercise is one that is commonly asked. Most of us were told over and over again by our parents not to swim for 30 minutes after eating or we would get a muscle cramp, so we generally tend to think that eating before exercise is not a wise thing to do. But is this the case for horses? The answer is yes and no…

Empty stomach or full stomach before exercise

The horse is a monogastric and a continuous grazer, so logic says that a horse’s stomach should never be empty. Having a full stomach is important for the horse as it stops gastric acids from the lower part of the stomach splashing around and irritating the upper sections of the gastrointestinal tract. This acid splash that occurs in horses exercised on an empty stomach is thought to contribute to the development of gastric ulcers.

Therefore, if a horse is stabled without constant access to forage, or if it has been more than 2 hours since the horse last grazed or fed, you should feed your horse before exercise. A small feed will protect a horse from gastric ulcers in 2 ways. Chewing the feed will stimulate saliva production and saliva acts as a buffer in the stomach. And the feed will fill up the stomach and prevent gastric acids from splashing around (for more information on Gastric Ulcers you should read FeedXL Newsletter #8 Preventing Gastric Ulcers).

What should you feed before exercise?

What you feed before exercise is very important...

Read more here:
http://www.fiber-fresh.com/equine/feeding-before-exercise/

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

Looking back at one of the UAE's earliest film shoots with Revel Guest

TheNational.ae - Full Article

Chris Newbould
December 2, 2018

Nowadays, it’s a regular occurrence to see international film and TV production crews on the streets, dunes and rooftops of the UAE. The past few years have seen major shoots from Hollywood, Bollywood, Korea, France, China, Finland and beyond land on these shores, with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Tiger Zinda Hai and two instalments of the Mission Impossible franchise among the biggest names to set up shop here.

Twenty years ago, that was not the case, and veteran filmmaker Revel Guest was among the first international crews to touch down on these shores in 1998, when she made two documentaries – one an episode of the popular American Travel Channel show Trailblazers, and the other an episode of the 26-part documentary Horse Tales which looked at the stables of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, and especially the work of horse whisperer Ali Al Ameri, as they prepared for the 1998 Endurance World Cup in Dubai...

Read more here:
https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/looking-back-at-one-of-the-uae-s-earliest-film-shoots-with-revel-guest-1.798304

Monday, December 03, 2018

Impact of Abrupt Diet Changes in Horses

KER.com - Full Article

February 1, 2018 By Kentucky Equine Research Staff

Due to the risk of laminitis, horses should not be subjected to abrupt feed changes. The rapid ingestion of unfamiliar concentrates or other feeds high in starch can induce the painful, life-threatening disease, which is characterized by the separation of the hoof wall from the coffin bone.

“Aside from the potential for laminitis, the sudden addition of feeds rich in dietary starch may cause an alteration in the intestinal microbiome,” explained Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research.

The microbiome includes bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that help digest fiber and maintain the health of the intestinal tract. That population of microbes forms early in a horse’s life and fluctuates based on diet, transport, stress, exercise, weight loss, and disease state, among other factors.

“In the case of sudden diet changes, that microbiome will also change and not always in a positive way,” Crandell said. “Alterations can adversely affect digestive health and lead to diarrhea, colic, and other forms of intestinal upset...”

Read more here:
https://ker.com/equinews/impact-abrupt-diet-changes-horses/?utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=3f30f42216-KER_Equinews_2_21_18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-3f30f42216-11166&mc_cid=3f30f42216&mc_eid=6283eb0e4a