Thehorse.com - Full Article
Bowker: Long toes and underrun heels set horses up for failure. Here are recommendations for an improved trim to help correct this condition.
Posted by Stephanie L. Church, Editor-in-Chief | Dec 18, 2019
“When I see the 15-centimeter clear and pliable rulers in the university bookstore, I have to buy them, usually 15 to 20 at a time” says Robert Bowker, VMD, PhD. “They are very important to demonstrate to the horse owner and hoof care professional exactly what the problem is with a horse’s foot and what we hope to accomplish with our treatment. The ruler always makes us look a little more objectively at the foot as opposed to just with our eyes and brain. The latter two can be easily tricked!”
The veteran practitioner and professor never leaves home without one of these rulers—at least when he’s working on horses’ feet and helping owners, veterinarians, and farriers see and understand what’s going on inside them and recognizing whether they’re balanced and, if not, how to get there.
Bowker, longtime podiatry researcher and former professor and head of the Equine Foot Laboratory at Michigan State University’s (MSU) College of Veterinary Medicine, in East Lansing, described his perspectives and trimming approaches during a presentation at the 11th annual Northeast Association of Equine Practitioners (NEAEP) symposium, held Sept. 25-28 in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Reaching for the Right Ratio
Bowker measures every foot, and even photos and drawings of feet shown in seminar presentations or books, to illustrate balance—evidence of his passion for equine hoof health...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/182606/hoof-trimming-to-improve-structure-and-function/?utm_medium=Old+horse+enews&utm_source=Newsletter
Monday, December 30, 2019
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Separation Strategies for the Herd-Bound Horse
Horse-canada.com - Full Article
When you remove your horse from his herd or take away his buddy, he may start having separation anxiety and become agitated and whinny, find out more.
By: Antonia J.Z. Henderson | June 30, 2017
Dealing with a “buddy sour” or “herd-bound” horse can be a frustrating experience, but this “herdiness” is an entirely natural behaviour. Horses have social needs similar to humans, and most of our equine management practices thwart this innate desire for connection. When you remove your horse from his herd or take away his buddy, he may start having separation anxiety and become agitated and whinny, for example, because everything in his evolutionary development has hard-wired him to feel unsafe without his herdmates.
If the situation is threatening, or even moderately stressful, such as a trailer ride, new environment, or the demands of a horse show, then it pays for him to be extra vigilant about keeping his pals in sight.
Since horses’ precarious survival on the range hinged on sticking together, this behaviour was evolutionarily selected for. Horses that wandered off were much more likely to get eaten by a predator and thus not have the opportunity to pass on that behavioural trait to future generations. Horses that stuck together survived and so too did the trait of maintaining close bonds. Remembering this will go a long way toward helping you work patiently with your horse to build his separation tolerance. Following are some tips for dealing with the natural, albeit annoying and, at times, even dangerous, equine trait of separation anxiety...
Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/magazine/behaviour/separation-strategies-for-the-herd-bound-horse/
When you remove your horse from his herd or take away his buddy, he may start having separation anxiety and become agitated and whinny, find out more.
By: Antonia J.Z. Henderson | June 30, 2017
Dealing with a “buddy sour” or “herd-bound” horse can be a frustrating experience, but this “herdiness” is an entirely natural behaviour. Horses have social needs similar to humans, and most of our equine management practices thwart this innate desire for connection. When you remove your horse from his herd or take away his buddy, he may start having separation anxiety and become agitated and whinny, for example, because everything in his evolutionary development has hard-wired him to feel unsafe without his herdmates.
If the situation is threatening, or even moderately stressful, such as a trailer ride, new environment, or the demands of a horse show, then it pays for him to be extra vigilant about keeping his pals in sight.
Since horses’ precarious survival on the range hinged on sticking together, this behaviour was evolutionarily selected for. Horses that wandered off were much more likely to get eaten by a predator and thus not have the opportunity to pass on that behavioural trait to future generations. Horses that stuck together survived and so too did the trait of maintaining close bonds. Remembering this will go a long way toward helping you work patiently with your horse to build his separation tolerance. Following are some tips for dealing with the natural, albeit annoying and, at times, even dangerous, equine trait of separation anxiety...
Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/magazine/behaviour/separation-strategies-for-the-herd-bound-horse/
Saturday, December 21, 2019
12 Life Lessons I Learned as a Rocky Mountain Horse Guide
HorseNetwork.com - Full Article
What I learned from keeping guests happy, laughing, and (more or less) on their horses
Caelan Beard
December 18 2019
Many of us, at some point in our horse careers, end up as trail guides.
Whether it’s taking out guests occasionally at your regular riding stable, or a summer job at a destination ranch, that first time you lead a ride can be a bit scary.
It can also teach you some surprising lessons about life, horses, and yourself
Here’s what I picked up on the trail while keeping people entertained, on their horses, and (pretty much) all in one piece.
1. Learn to ride backwards
Because you’re going to spend 90% of your time twisted around, trying to watch everyone at once and make sure that none of your first-time, unbalanced riders are about to topple off their mounts.
Life lesson: The path forward goes more smoothly when you keep potential problems in your peripheral vision...
Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2019/12/12-life-lessons-i-learned-as-a-rocky-mountain-horse-guide/?utm_source=MASTER&utm_campaign=d8725eb00c-HN_2019_12_20_2019&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5694ca6b0c-d8725eb00c-84641243&goal=0_5694ca6b0c-d8725eb00c-84641243&mc_cid=d8725eb00c&mc_eid=b3c9897994
What I learned from keeping guests happy, laughing, and (more or less) on their horses
Caelan Beard
December 18 2019
Many of us, at some point in our horse careers, end up as trail guides.
Whether it’s taking out guests occasionally at your regular riding stable, or a summer job at a destination ranch, that first time you lead a ride can be a bit scary.
It can also teach you some surprising lessons about life, horses, and yourself
Here’s what I picked up on the trail while keeping people entertained, on their horses, and (pretty much) all in one piece.
1. Learn to ride backwards
Because you’re going to spend 90% of your time twisted around, trying to watch everyone at once and make sure that none of your first-time, unbalanced riders are about to topple off their mounts.
Life lesson: The path forward goes more smoothly when you keep potential problems in your peripheral vision...
Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2019/12/12-life-lessons-i-learned-as-a-rocky-mountain-horse-guide/?utm_source=MASTER&utm_campaign=d8725eb00c-HN_2019_12_20_2019&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5694ca6b0c-d8725eb00c-84641243&goal=0_5694ca6b0c-d8725eb00c-84641243&mc_cid=d8725eb00c&mc_eid=b3c9897994
Monday, December 16, 2019
Riding Horses Across Ireland Ep 3 : The Mizen Head Peninsula Long Distance Horse Riding Travel
UCStrike.com - Watch the video
Watch Episode 3: Horses Across Ireland Ep 3 : The Mizen Head Peninsula Long Distance Horse Riding Travel
Microchipping Your Horse
TheHorse.com - Full Article
Register and track your horse with this important identification tool.
Posted by Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor | Aug 15, 2019
Each spring the veterinarian comes out to the barn where I board my off-track Thoroughbred and, stall by stall, conducts exams for health certificates, pulls blood for Coggins tests and administers vaccinations. This April, she came armed with another tool. After each injection and blood draw, she used a scanner to check the horse’s neck for evidence of a microchip. If it didn’t beep in recognition, she inserted a chip into the horse’s crest, noted the identification number and continued to the next horse.
Increasingly, major equine registries and organizations are mandating horses be microchipped with 15-digit International Organization of Standardization (ISO) chips for identification purposes. The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has required it since 2013. All Thoroughbred foals born in 2017 and later must be microchipped to register with The Jockey Club. And, starting in 2019, all horses competing at United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) events, as well as the Thoroughbred Makeover, must have one. Western disciplines don’t yet mandate microchipping, but organizations such as the American Quarter Horse Association are encouraging it through educational and pilot programs...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/177516/microchipping-your-horse/
Register and track your horse with this important identification tool.
Posted by Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor | Aug 15, 2019
Each spring the veterinarian comes out to the barn where I board my off-track Thoroughbred and, stall by stall, conducts exams for health certificates, pulls blood for Coggins tests and administers vaccinations. This April, she came armed with another tool. After each injection and blood draw, she used a scanner to check the horse’s neck for evidence of a microchip. If it didn’t beep in recognition, she inserted a chip into the horse’s crest, noted the identification number and continued to the next horse.
Increasingly, major equine registries and organizations are mandating horses be microchipped with 15-digit International Organization of Standardization (ISO) chips for identification purposes. The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has required it since 2013. All Thoroughbred foals born in 2017 and later must be microchipped to register with The Jockey Club. And, starting in 2019, all horses competing at United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) events, as well as the Thoroughbred Makeover, must have one. Western disciplines don’t yet mandate microchipping, but organizations such as the American Quarter Horse Association are encouraging it through educational and pilot programs...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/177516/microchipping-your-horse/
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Four Tips to Help Prevent Gastric Ulcers
USEF.org - Full Articleby Glenye Oakford | Dec 10, 2019
Has your horse’s behavior changed? Are his eating habits different? Does he seem mildly colicky after meals? Gastric ulcers could be the culprit. As many as 80% of active sport horses might have gastric ulcers at one time or another, says Dr. Nathan Slovis, a board-certified internal medicine veterinarian and the director of the McGee Medical Center at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky. He has a strong interest in gastrointestinal disorders in the horse and is currently doing research on alternative natural therapies to promote a healthy digestive system, including this recent practical study.
“That doesn’t mean they’re all going to be bothered by it,” he said, “but there are some in which it can be significant. Even broodmares out in a pasture can have them, though at a lower rate.”
How serious are ulcers? Their effects can range from mild discomfort to serious intestinal impaction. Severe ulcers also can also result in bleeding and on rare occasions gastric perforations, as they can in humans.
Gastric ulcer symptoms can vary, says Slovis. Symptoms can include:...
Read more here:
https://www.usef.org/tune-in/equestrian-weekly/four-tips-to-help-prevent-gastric-ulcers
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Managing Horse Wounds: To Bandage or Not to Bandage?
Thehorse.com - Full Article
Ah, the age-old question: When managing horse wounds, should you wrap them or let them “air out”? Researchers are working to determine whether bandaging or not bandaging is a better option and in what circumstances.
Posted by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA | Jun 10, 2019
Ah, the age-old question: When managing horse wounds, especially superficial ones, should you wrap them or let them “air out”?
While, in the past, the course of action you took might have come down to personal preference (maybe you’ve had good luck leaving it be or keeping it wrapped), wound location (not all are easy to bandage), or other extenuating circumstances (raise your hand if you’ve ever run out of Vetrap), researchers are working to determine whether one option is better for managing horse wounds.
“There’s still a long way to go before we can make recommendations about what’s better, but at this stage we’ve been able to complete a descriptive study, showing what’s going on in these wounds during healing,” said Marcio Costa, DVM, PhD, an assistant professor in the University of Montreal Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, in Canada.
He and colleagues recently evaluated the wound-healing process in four study horses, with and without bandaging, as well as the types of bacteria colonizing those wounds...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/174101/managing-horse-wounds-to-bandage-or-not-to-bandage/
Ah, the age-old question: When managing horse wounds, should you wrap them or let them “air out”? Researchers are working to determine whether bandaging or not bandaging is a better option and in what circumstances.
Posted by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA | Jun 10, 2019
Ah, the age-old question: When managing horse wounds, especially superficial ones, should you wrap them or let them “air out”?
While, in the past, the course of action you took might have come down to personal preference (maybe you’ve had good luck leaving it be or keeping it wrapped), wound location (not all are easy to bandage), or other extenuating circumstances (raise your hand if you’ve ever run out of Vetrap), researchers are working to determine whether one option is better for managing horse wounds.
“There’s still a long way to go before we can make recommendations about what’s better, but at this stage we’ve been able to complete a descriptive study, showing what’s going on in these wounds during healing,” said Marcio Costa, DVM, PhD, an assistant professor in the University of Montreal Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, in Canada.
He and colleagues recently evaluated the wound-healing process in four study horses, with and without bandaging, as well as the types of bacteria colonizing those wounds...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/174101/managing-horse-wounds-to-bandage-or-not-to-bandage/
The Long Haul: Traveling Long-Distances With Horses
Thehorse.com - Full Article
A U.S. Equestrian Team veterinarian who has overseen the shipping of horses to six Olympic Games shares what steps to take before, during, and after a long-distance trailer ride.
Posted by Alayne Blickle | Jun 12, 2019
Steps to take before, during, and after a long-distance trailer ride
Sarah Burris bought a lovely young cowhorse from Idaho in an online sale. There was only one problem: She lives in North Carolina and needed to ship the filly across the country to get her home. The filly was sensitive and not a good eater to begin with, says Burris. As a result, she arrived underweight, depressed, slightly dehydrated, and sporting a snotty nose.
Many owners ship horses all over the country these days, whether to attend competitions or relocate. Some haul their horses themselves, while others hire carriers to do the job.
Regardless of who’s behind the steering wheel, long trailer rides are associated with many stresses, including temperature extremes and humidity, flies and other insects, air quality issues, and potential exhaustion, dehydration, and disease exposure. So what should you do if you are preparing a horse for a long haul?
Rick Mitchell, DVM, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVSMR, Certified ISELP, of Fairfield Equine Associates, in Connecticut, will help us answer this question. As a U.S. Equestrian team veterinarian for 25 years, he’s overseen the shipping of horses to six Olympic Games and still regularly manages horses traveling from New England to Florida and back...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/158895/the-long-haul-traveling-long-distances-with-horses/
A U.S. Equestrian Team veterinarian who has overseen the shipping of horses to six Olympic Games shares what steps to take before, during, and after a long-distance trailer ride.
Posted by Alayne Blickle | Jun 12, 2019
Steps to take before, during, and after a long-distance trailer ride
Sarah Burris bought a lovely young cowhorse from Idaho in an online sale. There was only one problem: She lives in North Carolina and needed to ship the filly across the country to get her home. The filly was sensitive and not a good eater to begin with, says Burris. As a result, she arrived underweight, depressed, slightly dehydrated, and sporting a snotty nose.
Many owners ship horses all over the country these days, whether to attend competitions or relocate. Some haul their horses themselves, while others hire carriers to do the job.
Regardless of who’s behind the steering wheel, long trailer rides are associated with many stresses, including temperature extremes and humidity, flies and other insects, air quality issues, and potential exhaustion, dehydration, and disease exposure. So what should you do if you are preparing a horse for a long haul?
Rick Mitchell, DVM, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVSMR, Certified ISELP, of Fairfield Equine Associates, in Connecticut, will help us answer this question. As a U.S. Equestrian team veterinarian for 25 years, he’s overseen the shipping of horses to six Olympic Games and still regularly manages horses traveling from New England to Florida and back...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/158895/the-long-haul-traveling-long-distances-with-horses/
Bute vs. Firocoxib: Which NSAID Results in More Severe Gastric Ulcers?
Thehorse.com - Full Article
Both NSAIDs induced GI tract inflammation, but phenylbutazone might result in more severe inflammation in the lower GI tract.
Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | Aug 12, 2019
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the second-most frequently used drug class in horses after dewormers. Veterinarians prescribe them for a wide range of issues ranging from post-surgical recovery to orthopedic issues. While they’re invaluable for managing horses’ pain, one of their side effects is gastric ulcers.
A group of researchers from Texas A&M University recently compared two types of NSAIDs’ effects on gastric ulceration in horses. Lauren M. Richardson, DVM, a resident in large animal surgery at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, presented their findings at the 2017 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Nov. 17-21 in San Antonio, Texas.
But first, let’s review how NSAIDs work...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/155604/bute-vs-firocoxib-nsaid-results-severe-gastric-ulcers/
Both NSAIDs induced GI tract inflammation, but phenylbutazone might result in more severe inflammation in the lower GI tract.
Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | Aug 12, 2019
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the second-most frequently used drug class in horses after dewormers. Veterinarians prescribe them for a wide range of issues ranging from post-surgical recovery to orthopedic issues. While they’re invaluable for managing horses’ pain, one of their side effects is gastric ulcers.
A group of researchers from Texas A&M University recently compared two types of NSAIDs’ effects on gastric ulceration in horses. Lauren M. Richardson, DVM, a resident in large animal surgery at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, presented their findings at the 2017 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Nov. 17-21 in San Antonio, Texas.
But first, let’s review how NSAIDs work...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/155604/bute-vs-firocoxib-nsaid-results-severe-gastric-ulcers/
Friday, December 06, 2019
The Black Stallion: A Heartwarming Epic For The Ages
CowboysIndians.com - Full ArticleBY Elizabeth Kaye McCall
November 25, 2019
Still fantastic at 40, one of the best-loved horse movies of all time almost didn’t get made.
It was 3 a.m. when Carroll Ballard’s phone rang with a call from Francis Ford Coppola, who was then in Sicily filming The Godfather: Part II. The two had gone to film school together at UCLA and the middle-of-the-night call was Coppola telling him he thought they should do a film together. Months and ideas later, Coppola sent Ballard a copy of a novel that producer pal Fred Roos had heard about from his then girlfriend. It was her favorite childhood book: The Black Stallion.
“I didn’t like the book when it was first presented to me,” says Ballard, 83, in a rare interview at his hilltop home in St. Helena, California. “I thought, What is this? Leave It to Beaver? I wanted to make War and Peace!” But he finally “wised up” about the opportunity at hand, and in a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction convergence of events — including a typhoon in the Philippines that destroyed the set on Coppola’s Apocalypse Now — the modern classic, turning 40 this October, came to life.
Ballard munches on a quesadilla in a sunroom looking out on the pond flanked by his vineyard, as recollections of years spent on his visual masterpiece return. “I wondered for a long time, How is it that this book became such a big hit. Because I was dwelling on the old trainer and the kid talking,” he says. “Stuff I thought was totally predictable. But, there is this thing. I really didn’t see it for a long time. There is a mythic element in the book. It’s every child’s desire to have a powerful friend who can do things and who will make him powerful too. That’s what’s in this film. It’s mythic and in the form of a black horse...”
Read more here:
https://www.cowboysindians.com/2019/11/the-black-stallion-a-heartwarming-epic-for-the-ages/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Cowboys%20Indians%20Newsletter%201204&utm_content=Cowboys%20Indians%20Newsletter%201204+CID_f323465c51c07556b65287051fa1ae61&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=Read%20More
Tuesday, December 03, 2019
Water Temperature and Horse Drinking Behavior
Thehorse.com - Full Article
Why might our horses drink from an ice cold creek or tank rather than from the heated water buckets? Equine behaviorist Dr. Sue McDonnell explains.
Posted by Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB | Nov 18, 2019
Q: A few years ago I read an article describing research done at New Bolton Center on drinking behavior. It said that the research showed that in winter, horses prefer to drink warm water rather than ice cold water, and as a result veterinarians recommend giving horses warm water during the winter to be sure that they drink enough.
So, that winter we hung buckets of water along the fence every morning and evening at feeding time. It seemed our horses drank very little warm water from the buckets. Instead, they kept going to the stream even when it was partially frozen over. On days that the stream was completely frozen, they would drink from the buckets. We thought they might not like something about the hanging buckets, which were quite a distance from their hay racks.
So, the next year we put a heated plastic stock tank in the pasture near the hay racks. We put in a large heating element so the water stayed warm to the touch. Again, once we started heating the water in the tank, our horses seemed to drink mostly from the stream, as if they really preferred the ice cold stream water to the warmed water in the tank.
This year, the day before Thanksgiving, we had a sudden cold snap. I filled up the stock tank, but forgot to plug in the heating element. In the morning, there was a thin layer of ice on the tank. We were surprised to see that the horses had been drinking from the cold tank, breaking through the icy crust. Anyway, I turned the heater on so it wouldn’t freeze. After two weeks of paying close attention, I’m pretty sure they don’t seem to drink much at all from the tank when the heater is on. They are going back to the icy stream.
My veterinarian and I were talking about this, and she thought you might have been involved with drinking behavior research cited in the magazine article, or that she might have heard you talk about it somewhere. Was that you, or do you know about it? Do you have an explanation why in these circumstances our horses drink the ice cold water from the creek or tank rather than the warm water in the buckets or the water that is warmed in the tank? It would seem they actually prefer cold water over warm water.
—Robert, New York
A: Thank you so much for bringing up this question...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/13960/water-temperature-and-drinking-behavior/?utm_medium=Behavior+enews&utm_source=Newsletter
Why might our horses drink from an ice cold creek or tank rather than from the heated water buckets? Equine behaviorist Dr. Sue McDonnell explains.
Posted by Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB | Nov 18, 2019
Q: A few years ago I read an article describing research done at New Bolton Center on drinking behavior. It said that the research showed that in winter, horses prefer to drink warm water rather than ice cold water, and as a result veterinarians recommend giving horses warm water during the winter to be sure that they drink enough.
So, that winter we hung buckets of water along the fence every morning and evening at feeding time. It seemed our horses drank very little warm water from the buckets. Instead, they kept going to the stream even when it was partially frozen over. On days that the stream was completely frozen, they would drink from the buckets. We thought they might not like something about the hanging buckets, which were quite a distance from their hay racks.
So, the next year we put a heated plastic stock tank in the pasture near the hay racks. We put in a large heating element so the water stayed warm to the touch. Again, once we started heating the water in the tank, our horses seemed to drink mostly from the stream, as if they really preferred the ice cold stream water to the warmed water in the tank.
This year, the day before Thanksgiving, we had a sudden cold snap. I filled up the stock tank, but forgot to plug in the heating element. In the morning, there was a thin layer of ice on the tank. We were surprised to see that the horses had been drinking from the cold tank, breaking through the icy crust. Anyway, I turned the heater on so it wouldn’t freeze. After two weeks of paying close attention, I’m pretty sure they don’t seem to drink much at all from the tank when the heater is on. They are going back to the icy stream.
My veterinarian and I were talking about this, and she thought you might have been involved with drinking behavior research cited in the magazine article, or that she might have heard you talk about it somewhere. Was that you, or do you know about it? Do you have an explanation why in these circumstances our horses drink the ice cold water from the creek or tank rather than the warm water in the buckets or the water that is warmed in the tank? It would seem they actually prefer cold water over warm water.
—Robert, New York
A: Thank you so much for bringing up this question...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/13960/water-temperature-and-drinking-behavior/?utm_medium=Behavior+enews&utm_source=Newsletter
Sunday, December 01, 2019
Bomb-Proofing Tips from Mounted Police Officers
HorseIllustrated.com - Full Article
All riders can benefit from the techniques police departments use to train their horses to stay calm in challenging situations.
By Patrice D. Bucciarelli -
September 12, 2016
Along with their human partners, police horses are conspicuous everywhere from riots to county fairs. But even more than holding the line between crowds and bystanders, horses ridden by mounted police officers seem totally impervious to placards, banners and noise. So how exactly do mounted police units train their horses for street duty? The process takes time and dedication, but any horse and rider team can benefit from what this kind of training provides.
“I don’t like the term ‘bomb-proofing’ because people are like horses and none of us is bomb-proof,” says Capt. Lisa Rakes of the Kentucky Horse Park Mounted Police. “Even with the training, the horses are going to be startled, but the trick is to teach them that while it’s okay to jump in their tracks, it’s not okay to run away...”
Read more here:
https://www.horseillustrated.com/horse-training-bomb-proofing-tips-from-mounted-police-officers
All riders can benefit from the techniques police departments use to train their horses to stay calm in challenging situations.
By Patrice D. Bucciarelli -
September 12, 2016
Along with their human partners, police horses are conspicuous everywhere from riots to county fairs. But even more than holding the line between crowds and bystanders, horses ridden by mounted police officers seem totally impervious to placards, banners and noise. So how exactly do mounted police units train their horses for street duty? The process takes time and dedication, but any horse and rider team can benefit from what this kind of training provides.
“I don’t like the term ‘bomb-proofing’ because people are like horses and none of us is bomb-proof,” says Capt. Lisa Rakes of the Kentucky Horse Park Mounted Police. “Even with the training, the horses are going to be startled, but the trick is to teach them that while it’s okay to jump in their tracks, it’s not okay to run away...”
Read more here:
https://www.horseillustrated.com/horse-training-bomb-proofing-tips-from-mounted-police-officers
Friday, November 29, 2019
Gastric Ulcers in Horses: Consensus Statement Statistics
KER.com - Full Article
September 14, 2019
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff
Ulcers or erosions in the lining of the equine stomach are reportedly a common condition in performance animals. In racehorses, for example, ulcers are believed to occur in an estimated 50-90% of horses. Similarly, weanling foals have equally high rates of ulcers. Stress caused by changes in routine is thought to be an important contributor to the development of gastric ulcers.
“While some gastric ulcers can go undetected and seem not to bother certain horses, other horses show a variety of clinical signs, including colic, diarrhea, poor appetite, dull coat, decreased performance, and even behavior changes,” said Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., an equine nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research (KER)...
Read more here:
https://ker.com/equinews/gastric-ulcers-horses-update/?partner=ker&utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=4322755467-KER_Equinews_112719&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-4322755467-11166
September 14, 2019
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff
Ulcers or erosions in the lining of the equine stomach are reportedly a common condition in performance animals. In racehorses, for example, ulcers are believed to occur in an estimated 50-90% of horses. Similarly, weanling foals have equally high rates of ulcers. Stress caused by changes in routine is thought to be an important contributor to the development of gastric ulcers.
“While some gastric ulcers can go undetected and seem not to bother certain horses, other horses show a variety of clinical signs, including colic, diarrhea, poor appetite, dull coat, decreased performance, and even behavior changes,” said Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., an equine nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research (KER)...
Read more here:
https://ker.com/equinews/gastric-ulcers-horses-update/?partner=ker&utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=4322755467-KER_Equinews_112719&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-4322755467-11166
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Alfalfa or Grass Hay: Which Is Better for Winter Warmth?
TheHorse.com - Full Article
Our equine nutritionist weighs in on which type of hay best helps horses stay warm during cold nights.
Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | Nov 18, 2019 |
Q.I’ve heard that alfalfa is a good hay choice at night for horses because it helps generate heat and keep them warm. Where I board my horse, the barn managers feed grass hay at night and told me that it keeps horses full longer. So, which is better for winter night feedings: grass or alfalfa hay?
—Julie, via e-mail
A.As we head toward the colder winter months, you’re not alone in wanting to make sure your horse stays warm overnight. When temperatures drop, feed requirements increase for your horse to consume enough calories to maintain condition. Staying warm requires calories beyond those needed for regular maintenance. Horses have different ways to regulate their body temperature depending on the ambient temperature, wind chill, and other climatic challenges they face...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/181582/alfalfa-or-grass-hay-which-is-better-for-winter-warmth/?utm_medium=Nutrition+enews&utm_source=Newsletter
Our equine nutritionist weighs in on which type of hay best helps horses stay warm during cold nights.
Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | Nov 18, 2019 |
Q.I’ve heard that alfalfa is a good hay choice at night for horses because it helps generate heat and keep them warm. Where I board my horse, the barn managers feed grass hay at night and told me that it keeps horses full longer. So, which is better for winter night feedings: grass or alfalfa hay?
—Julie, via e-mail
A.As we head toward the colder winter months, you’re not alone in wanting to make sure your horse stays warm overnight. When temperatures drop, feed requirements increase for your horse to consume enough calories to maintain condition. Staying warm requires calories beyond those needed for regular maintenance. Horses have different ways to regulate their body temperature depending on the ambient temperature, wind chill, and other climatic challenges they face...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/181582/alfalfa-or-grass-hay-which-is-better-for-winter-warmth/?utm_medium=Nutrition+enews&utm_source=Newsletter
Yellowjackets on the Trail
AmericanTrails.org - Full Article
This first hand account from American Trails contributor Lora Goerlich is a great reminder about why you need to be prepared for yellowjackets on the trail.
by Lora Goerlich
Yellowjackets – the aggressive wasps that emerge from ground or cavity nests ready to do battle at the slightest provocation. From August until the first frost, these battle-minded buggers are to be feared. Not only do they sting multiple times, but as they sting, they release a pheromone trail for their associates, leading straight to the target. Their more docile, relatives include honey and bumble bees, paper and mud dauber wasps, hornets and caricature mascots. Honey and bumble bees sport fuzzy bodies; they don’t typically attack unless they are heavily provoked. Hornets, mud dauber and paper wasps commonly build visible nests among tree branches or on building structures, they are easy to avoid. Clear identification is vital to the survival of the more passive pollinators whose population numbers are dwindling.
On the trail, lead riders unknowingly stir up trouble as their horse’s hooves hit the ground near buried hives creating a wake of mayhem for the riders in the rear...
Read more here:
https://www.americantrails.org/resources/yellowjackets
This first hand account from American Trails contributor Lora Goerlich is a great reminder about why you need to be prepared for yellowjackets on the trail.
by Lora Goerlich
Yellowjackets – the aggressive wasps that emerge from ground or cavity nests ready to do battle at the slightest provocation. From August until the first frost, these battle-minded buggers are to be feared. Not only do they sting multiple times, but as they sting, they release a pheromone trail for their associates, leading straight to the target. Their more docile, relatives include honey and bumble bees, paper and mud dauber wasps, hornets and caricature mascots. Honey and bumble bees sport fuzzy bodies; they don’t typically attack unless they are heavily provoked. Hornets, mud dauber and paper wasps commonly build visible nests among tree branches or on building structures, they are easy to avoid. Clear identification is vital to the survival of the more passive pollinators whose population numbers are dwindling.
On the trail, lead riders unknowingly stir up trouble as their horse’s hooves hit the ground near buried hives creating a wake of mayhem for the riders in the rear...
Read more here:
https://www.americantrails.org/resources/yellowjackets
Friday, November 22, 2019
Breaking Down the $5b to Solve the US Wild Horse Problem
Horse-canada.com - Full Article
The acting head of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has said it will take $5 billion and 15 years to control the wild horse population in the western US.
October 28, 2019
The acting head of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, William Perry Pendley, has said it will take five billion dollars and 15 years control the overpopulation of wild horses on federal lands in the western United States. The current population of 88,000 mustangs and burros, the majority of which reside in Nevada, needs to be reduced to 27,000 ‒ a number the over-grazed ranges can reasonably sustain.
To kickstart the initiative, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $35 million in September to support the implementation of a comprehensive package of humane and non-lethal management strategies for wild horses and burros on federal range lands. The effort is supported by a new coalition of animal welfare advocates and ranchers including the Humane Society of the United States, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation...
Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/breaking-5b-solve-us-wild-horse-problem/
The acting head of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has said it will take $5 billion and 15 years to control the wild horse population in the western US.
October 28, 2019
The acting head of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, William Perry Pendley, has said it will take five billion dollars and 15 years control the overpopulation of wild horses on federal lands in the western United States. The current population of 88,000 mustangs and burros, the majority of which reside in Nevada, needs to be reduced to 27,000 ‒ a number the over-grazed ranges can reasonably sustain.
To kickstart the initiative, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $35 million in September to support the implementation of a comprehensive package of humane and non-lethal management strategies for wild horses and burros on federal range lands. The effort is supported by a new coalition of animal welfare advocates and ranchers including the Humane Society of the United States, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation...
Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/breaking-5b-solve-us-wild-horse-problem/
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Appaloosa horses gave Nez Percé advantage over US cavalry
Two Nez Percé men with an Appaloosa c. 1895PostRegister.com - Full Article
By JUSTIN SMITH For Farm & Ranch
November 20 2019
One of the reasons the Nez Percé warriors were so effective against the US cavalry during the legendary Nez Percé war lead by Chief Joseph was their distinctive horse, the Appaloosa. Named after the Palouse River, it was selectively bred by the Nez Percé for speed and endurance. Their beauty was a happy side effect of the breeding program.
While the US Army horses were primarily drawn from stock in the East and were ill-fit for the environment, the horses used by Native Americans in the West largely came from the Spanish horses brought into Mexico with partial lineages going back to Arabia. In the mid-17th century large Spanish herds were used around Santa Fe and Taos. The Spaniards attempted to keep the horses from the Native Americans, but escaped Indian slaves and stolen horses resulted in Apache and Navajo acquiring horses rapidly and putting their new equestrian skills to masterful use...
Read more here:
https://www.postregister.com/farmandranch/livestock/horses/appaloosa-horses-gave-nez-perc-advantage-over-us-cavalry/article_219fd99f-ad17-57b0-9bda-5b69d112e8c9.html
Home Off the Range: What the $35 Million Population Control Plan Means for America’s Wild Horses
HorseNetwork.com - Full Article
November 2 2019
MARINA CALLAHAN
Wild horses are an iconic feature of the American West, but now on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, their future as a symbol of freedom on the frontier is threatened.
On September 23rd, the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations passed a Fiscal Year 2020 spending bill that includes a budget increase of $35 million for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program.
It’s a contentious population control plan, involving large scale helicopter roundups and fertility management, that has animal welfare groups in fierce division. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) told the Associated Press it was a historic win for horses while critics such as Animal Wellness Action call it a “poorly disguised path to slaughter...”
Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2019/10/home-off-the-range-what-the-35-million-population-control-plan-means-for-americas-wild-horses/?utm_source=MASTER&utm_campaign=cba886c6ff-HNS_2019_11_2_19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5694ca6b0c-cba886c6ff-84641243&goal=0_5694ca6b0c-cba886c6ff-84641243&mc_cid=cba886c6ff&mc_eid=b3c9897994
November 2 2019
MARINA CALLAHAN
Wild horses are an iconic feature of the American West, but now on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, their future as a symbol of freedom on the frontier is threatened.
On September 23rd, the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations passed a Fiscal Year 2020 spending bill that includes a budget increase of $35 million for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Wild Horse and Burro Program.
It’s a contentious population control plan, involving large scale helicopter roundups and fertility management, that has animal welfare groups in fierce division. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) told the Associated Press it was a historic win for horses while critics such as Animal Wellness Action call it a “poorly disguised path to slaughter...”
Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2019/10/home-off-the-range-what-the-35-million-population-control-plan-means-for-americas-wild-horses/?utm_source=MASTER&utm_campaign=cba886c6ff-HNS_2019_11_2_19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5694ca6b0c-cba886c6ff-84641243&goal=0_5694ca6b0c-cba886c6ff-84641243&mc_cid=cba886c6ff&mc_eid=b3c9897994
Monday, November 18, 2019
I Bought a Lame Horse: What Are My Legal Options?
EquineLegalSoutions.com - Full ArticleAt Equine Legal Solutions, unhappy horse buyers contact us for legal advice, telling us, “I bought a horse – it seemed sound when I tried it out, but now that I have it at home IT IS LAME!! Can you help me??” Has this happened to YOU? If so, here is what we need to know to help determine what your legal options are.
Did You Have a Pre-Purchase Exam?
If the buyer had a pre-purchase examination (PPE), the veterinarian who performed the exam assessed the horse’s overall physical condition, which provides valuable data about its condition on the day of the exam. The buyer should have received a written report from the veterinarian, as well as copies of any diagnostic imaging and/or laboratory tests (such as drug screening) that were included in the exam. If the buyer did not receive these records, they should call the clinic and ask for copies. Because the buyer paid for the exam, the buyer owns the exam records, and in most states, the seller cannot obtain copies without the buyer’s permission. PPE reports vary greatly in formatting and content, but the most informative reports are very detailed and explain exactly what the veterinarian examined and what her findings were. Some PPE reports even include photos and/or video of any notable findings.
What the pre-purchase examination report says is critical...
Read more here:
https://www.equinelegalsolutions.com/I-bought-a-lame-horse.html
Sunday, November 17, 2019
BLM’s Attempts to Solve the U.S. Wild Horse Problem
HorseSport.com - Full Article
What’s the US Bureau of Land Management’s plan to reduce the population of wild mustangs and burros to a number the over-grazed ranges can sustain?
By: Horse Media Group | 3 weeks ago
UPDATE:
After repeated requests, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was unable to justify the originally quoted $5 billion cost to manage the wild mustangs and burros. As per publicly available information, BLM is currently spending $80 million on housing and caring for the horses and burros. A further $35 million has been requested, which could bring the total funding to $115 million per year, and $1.7 billion over 15 years.
The acting head of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, William Perry Pendley, has said it will take $5 billion dollars and 15 years to control the overpopulation of wild horses on federal lands in the western United States. The current population of 88,000 mustangs and burros, the majority of which reside in Nevada, needs to be reduced to 27,000 ‒ a number the over-grazed ranges can reasonably sustain.
To kickstart the initiative, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $35 million in September to support the implementation of a comprehensive package of humane and non-lethal management strategies for wild horses and burros on federal range lands. The effort is supported by a new coalition of animal welfare advocates and ranchers including the Humane Society of the United States, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The funds are part of a $35.8 billion Interior Department appropriation bill which provides funding to address National Park maintenance backlogs and environmental and conservation programs, although it is not known when the full Senate will vote on the measure. The monies would be used to pay for additional staff to carry out roundups in densely-populated, for fertility control measures, and to move horses currently in short-term holding pens to larger, more humane pastures...
Read more at:
https://horsesport.com/horse-news/breaking-5b-solve-us-wild-horse-problem/
What’s the US Bureau of Land Management’s plan to reduce the population of wild mustangs and burros to a number the over-grazed ranges can sustain?
By: Horse Media Group | 3 weeks ago
UPDATE:
After repeated requests, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was unable to justify the originally quoted $5 billion cost to manage the wild mustangs and burros. As per publicly available information, BLM is currently spending $80 million on housing and caring for the horses and burros. A further $35 million has been requested, which could bring the total funding to $115 million per year, and $1.7 billion over 15 years.
The acting head of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, William Perry Pendley, has said it will take $5 billion dollars and 15 years to control the overpopulation of wild horses on federal lands in the western United States. The current population of 88,000 mustangs and burros, the majority of which reside in Nevada, needs to be reduced to 27,000 ‒ a number the over-grazed ranges can reasonably sustain.
To kickstart the initiative, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $35 million in September to support the implementation of a comprehensive package of humane and non-lethal management strategies for wild horses and burros on federal range lands. The effort is supported by a new coalition of animal welfare advocates and ranchers including the Humane Society of the United States, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The funds are part of a $35.8 billion Interior Department appropriation bill which provides funding to address National Park maintenance backlogs and environmental and conservation programs, although it is not known when the full Senate will vote on the measure. The monies would be used to pay for additional staff to carry out roundups in densely-populated, for fertility control measures, and to move horses currently in short-term holding pens to larger, more humane pastures...
Read more at:
https://horsesport.com/horse-news/breaking-5b-solve-us-wild-horse-problem/
Horse Poop Powers Helsinki International Horse Show
HorseSport.com - Full Article
For the fifth year in-a-row, all the electricity used at the Helsinki International Horse Show was generated entirely from horse manure.
By: Horse Sport Ireland | 3 weeks ago
All the electricity used at the Helsinki International Horse Show, which hosted yesterday’s Longines FEI World Cup™ Show Jumping qualifier, was generated with horse manure. Over 150 megawatt hours of energy was created from the 100 tons of manure collected from competing horses during the four-day event in the Finnish capital.
Ireland was represented at the event by Tipperary’s Denis Lynch, Clare’s Eoin McMahon and Derry’s David Simpson with all of their competing horses contributing towards the unique ‘Horse Powered’ energy output.
The manure-to-energy system developed by Fortum, an international company specialising in electricity generation, heat production and waste recycling, met all the equestrian event’s electricity needs, including lighting, scoreboards and cell phone charging stations. The surplus energy that was generated went back into the national grid to heat homes in the Helsinki area.
What started off as a desk project in 2014 is now a resounding endorsement of the power of horse manure as a reliable source of renewable energy, not just at equestrian competitions but also for local communities...
Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/horse-news/horse-poop-powers-helsinki-international-horse-show/
For the fifth year in-a-row, all the electricity used at the Helsinki International Horse Show was generated entirely from horse manure.
By: Horse Sport Ireland | 3 weeks ago
All the electricity used at the Helsinki International Horse Show, which hosted yesterday’s Longines FEI World Cup™ Show Jumping qualifier, was generated with horse manure. Over 150 megawatt hours of energy was created from the 100 tons of manure collected from competing horses during the four-day event in the Finnish capital.
Ireland was represented at the event by Tipperary’s Denis Lynch, Clare’s Eoin McMahon and Derry’s David Simpson with all of their competing horses contributing towards the unique ‘Horse Powered’ energy output.
The manure-to-energy system developed by Fortum, an international company specialising in electricity generation, heat production and waste recycling, met all the equestrian event’s electricity needs, including lighting, scoreboards and cell phone charging stations. The surplus energy that was generated went back into the national grid to heat homes in the Helsinki area.
What started off as a desk project in 2014 is now a resounding endorsement of the power of horse manure as a reliable source of renewable energy, not just at equestrian competitions but also for local communities...
Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/horse-news/horse-poop-powers-helsinki-international-horse-show/
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Qatar: Inside the 'Hollywood' of horses, Al Shaqab is the essence of equine luxury
CNN.com - Full Article
By Matt Majendie, for CNN
Updated 5:27 AM ET, Mon November 11, 2019
(CNN)It has been described as the "Hollywood" of horses, and it's certainly a winner in the glamor stakes. But Qatar's Al Shaqab is more of a seven-star equine resort than a make-believe movie set.
The multi-million-dollar center on the outskirts of the capital Doha is Qatar's luxury launchpad into equine excellence, from elite show jumpers to Arabian show horses and endurance racers. It is also helping to spawn the highly successful thoroughbred horse racing operation now predominantly based in France under the same name.
The stunning complex has been built in the shape of a horseshoe around an old Ottoman stable and fort. It serves to promote both Qatar's rich heritage with Arabian horses, and set the "highest standards in horse welfare, breeding, equine education and research," according to its website.
The facilities include a breeding center and stabling for more than 400 horses, a state-of-the-art equine hospital, indoor and outdoor performance arenas as well as an air-conditioned hydrotherapy and exercise unit complete with walking carousel, a circular swimming pool akin to a lazy river and a therapeutic spray bath like an equine Jacuzzi. Huge heat lamps dry the horses after their dips...
Read more here:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/11/sport/al-shaqab-hollywood-horses/?utm_medium=40digest.7days3.20191112.home&utm_source=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=campaign
By Matt Majendie, for CNN
Updated 5:27 AM ET, Mon November 11, 2019
(CNN)It has been described as the "Hollywood" of horses, and it's certainly a winner in the glamor stakes. But Qatar's Al Shaqab is more of a seven-star equine resort than a make-believe movie set.
The multi-million-dollar center on the outskirts of the capital Doha is Qatar's luxury launchpad into equine excellence, from elite show jumpers to Arabian show horses and endurance racers. It is also helping to spawn the highly successful thoroughbred horse racing operation now predominantly based in France under the same name.
The stunning complex has been built in the shape of a horseshoe around an old Ottoman stable and fort. It serves to promote both Qatar's rich heritage with Arabian horses, and set the "highest standards in horse welfare, breeding, equine education and research," according to its website.
The facilities include a breeding center and stabling for more than 400 horses, a state-of-the-art equine hospital, indoor and outdoor performance arenas as well as an air-conditioned hydrotherapy and exercise unit complete with walking carousel, a circular swimming pool akin to a lazy river and a therapeutic spray bath like an equine Jacuzzi. Huge heat lamps dry the horses after their dips...
Read more here:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/11/sport/al-shaqab-hollywood-horses/?utm_medium=40digest.7days3.20191112.home&utm_source=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=campaign
5 Steps to Prevent Trailer Theft
Horseandrider.com - Full Article
Don't leave your rig at a trailhead without taking these proven trailer-theft-prevention steps from our panel of experts and on-the-go trail riders.
AUDREY PAVIAUPDATED:OCT 17, 2019
It's a familiar scenario. You and your horse have been out on the trail for hours, riding up hills, wading in streams, and trotting through gulleys. When the day is nearly over and the two of you are getting tired, you start back to the trailhead. You get to your trailer, untack your horse, load him up, and head home.
Now imagine that same scenario—but when you get back to the trailhead, your trailer is gone! Your truck is still there, but your trailer is nowhere to be found.
If this seems like a horrifying development, it is. Not only are you and your tired and hungry horse stranded, but your valuable trailer and everything in it are in the hands of a thief.
Every year, horse trailers are stolen right off towing vehicles, some from trailheads. In fact, trailheads are a good place for thieves to look for trailers, since they're often in remote areas with no one around to witness the theft...
Read more here:
https://horseandrider.com/western-horse-training-tips/prevent-horse-trailer-theft?utm_source=Horse&RiderNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9cddYWEShMh8E9fdyg0BIQRh895AwXn3-y5eRRNqnJlZHy7_p-ZyXdzgLgi33Ew4ifh670vzRJ_C4wk_gA4cM7kpvsiQ&_hsmi=79264203
Don't leave your rig at a trailhead without taking these proven trailer-theft-prevention steps from our panel of experts and on-the-go trail riders.
AUDREY PAVIAUPDATED:OCT 17, 2019
It's a familiar scenario. You and your horse have been out on the trail for hours, riding up hills, wading in streams, and trotting through gulleys. When the day is nearly over and the two of you are getting tired, you start back to the trailhead. You get to your trailer, untack your horse, load him up, and head home.
Now imagine that same scenario—but when you get back to the trailhead, your trailer is gone! Your truck is still there, but your trailer is nowhere to be found.
If this seems like a horrifying development, it is. Not only are you and your tired and hungry horse stranded, but your valuable trailer and everything in it are in the hands of a thief.
Every year, horse trailers are stolen right off towing vehicles, some from trailheads. In fact, trailheads are a good place for thieves to look for trailers, since they're often in remote areas with no one around to witness the theft...
Read more here:
https://horseandrider.com/western-horse-training-tips/prevent-horse-trailer-theft?utm_source=Horse&RiderNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9cddYWEShMh8E9fdyg0BIQRh895AwXn3-y5eRRNqnJlZHy7_p-ZyXdzgLgi33Ew4ifh670vzRJ_C4wk_gA4cM7kpvsiQ&_hsmi=79264203
Monday, November 11, 2019
How to Get a Horse’s Coat to Dapple
Thehorse.com - Full Article
A dappled coat has long been a sign of optimum equine health and good nutrition, but the reality behind dappling is more complicated. Our equine nutritionist offers advice on bringing out the bloom in your horse’s coat.
Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | Nov 4, 2019
Q.Earlier this year I purchased a mare who had a dull coat and needed to gain weight. After several months she now looks amazing and has developed beautiful dapples. I’ve always heard dapples are related to diet, specifically fat. However, I don’t feed her that differently than my other horses, and they don’t have dapples. Why do some horses get dapples and some don’t?
A.Dapples on nongray horses are interesting. These irregular spots where the coat appears as a slightly different shade are seen on some horses but not others. Horses might only get them at certain times of the year. In the winter some horses have them, but when you clip them the dapples disappear. And as you have observed, dapples often appear to be condition-dependent. Traditionally, they are thought to be a sign of good health, so that would somewhat explain the condition connection...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/180950/how-to-get-a-horses-coat-to-dapple/?utm_medium=Reader+Favorites+enews&utm_source=Newsletter
A dappled coat has long been a sign of optimum equine health and good nutrition, but the reality behind dappling is more complicated. Our equine nutritionist offers advice on bringing out the bloom in your horse’s coat.
Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | Nov 4, 2019
Q.Earlier this year I purchased a mare who had a dull coat and needed to gain weight. After several months she now looks amazing and has developed beautiful dapples. I’ve always heard dapples are related to diet, specifically fat. However, I don’t feed her that differently than my other horses, and they don’t have dapples. Why do some horses get dapples and some don’t?
A.Dapples on nongray horses are interesting. These irregular spots where the coat appears as a slightly different shade are seen on some horses but not others. Horses might only get them at certain times of the year. In the winter some horses have them, but when you clip them the dapples disappear. And as you have observed, dapples often appear to be condition-dependent. Traditionally, they are thought to be a sign of good health, so that would somewhat explain the condition connection...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/180950/how-to-get-a-horses-coat-to-dapple/?utm_medium=Reader+Favorites+enews&utm_source=Newsletter
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Arthur B. King, DVM Breaks Down the Endurance Vet Check
Equestrian.ca - Full Article
6 November 2019
An endurance race can last from sunup to sundown, with horses traveling up to 160km in a single day. Amongst the throng of horses, athletes, grooms and crew members constantly milling about race headquarters, there’s one figure who’s always easy to find in the crowd: the veterinarian.
In addition to a pre- and post-inspection, FEI endurance races include at least one compulsory hold of 40 minutes with an additional vet check. Arthur B. King, DVM of Fort Erie, ON, is an FEI 3* Endurance Official Veterinarian and 3* Endurance Veterinary Treatment Official, and he took us through what goes on behind the scenes to keep horses healthy throughout the day of competition.
Read on to get the inside scoop from Arthur!
Equestrian Canada: What are the components of an endurance vet check?
Arthur King: It’s very simple, really. The main thing is to make sure the horse is reasonably sound. It’s just like marathon runners: If you watch them, a lot of them have odd ways of going and part of it is the way they’re put together – confirmation as opposed to an unsoundness that’s painful. But if the horse has a consistent gate aberration, something abnormal that they didn’t start with, then it gets eliminated.
The other important thing is to make sure that the horse is metabolically stable, so if it’s eating alright and that its heart rate is coming down. Obviously, horses have a high heart rate when they’re on the trail, but when they come into the vet check they should recover down to 64bpm in a matter of minutes and probably 48bpm or less by the time they’re going out on the trail again...
Read more here:
https://www.equestrian.ca/news/Bdc9aJdp5nkNwHLA8/arthur-b-king-dvm-breaks-down-the
6 November 2019
An endurance race can last from sunup to sundown, with horses traveling up to 160km in a single day. Amongst the throng of horses, athletes, grooms and crew members constantly milling about race headquarters, there’s one figure who’s always easy to find in the crowd: the veterinarian.
In addition to a pre- and post-inspection, FEI endurance races include at least one compulsory hold of 40 minutes with an additional vet check. Arthur B. King, DVM of Fort Erie, ON, is an FEI 3* Endurance Official Veterinarian and 3* Endurance Veterinary Treatment Official, and he took us through what goes on behind the scenes to keep horses healthy throughout the day of competition.
Read on to get the inside scoop from Arthur!
Equestrian Canada: What are the components of an endurance vet check?
Arthur King: It’s very simple, really. The main thing is to make sure the horse is reasonably sound. It’s just like marathon runners: If you watch them, a lot of them have odd ways of going and part of it is the way they’re put together – confirmation as opposed to an unsoundness that’s painful. But if the horse has a consistent gate aberration, something abnormal that they didn’t start with, then it gets eliminated.
The other important thing is to make sure that the horse is metabolically stable, so if it’s eating alright and that its heart rate is coming down. Obviously, horses have a high heart rate when they’re on the trail, but when they come into the vet check they should recover down to 64bpm in a matter of minutes and probably 48bpm or less by the time they’re going out on the trail again...
Read more here:
https://www.equestrian.ca/news/Bdc9aJdp5nkNwHLA8/arthur-b-king-dvm-breaks-down-the
Friday, November 01, 2019
Animal Therapy in an Israeli-Arab Town: No Horsing Around
JPost.com - Full Article
Riding at the first therapeutic school in an Arab town
BY DIANA BLETTER
November 1 2019
n a recent afternoon, a herd of cattle ambled across a field while inside a riding area, several children – including those with various physical and mental challenges – rode horses at the first therapeutic riding school in an Israeli-Arab town.
The Hurodj Horse Farm in Jadeidi-Makr, a few kilometers east of Acre in the Western Galilee, is a family-run business, owned and operated by Muhammad Hudroj and his wife, Gihan. The family opened the horse farm in 1999 and introduced the therapeutic riding program 10 years later. The program, which is covered by the National Health Insurance system, draws both Jewish and Arab children from the surrounding areas – some who come for therapeutic riding, and others who train for competitions and horse shows.
Hudroj, 44, has been fascinated by horses since he was a young boy growing up in Acre. His father refused to buy him a horse, but a cousin granted Hudroj’s wish and gifted him his first horse.
Hudroj loved riding his horse so much that he sometimes skipped school to go to horse races and shows. He eventually become a top champion of riding Arabian horses in Israel.
In a recent interview at his horse farm, Hudroj said there was never a time that he was not with a horse. He still rides and trains with one of his sons, 13-year-old Tarik, for endurance riding – a trek in which riders travel 80 kilometers on horseback. Hudroj hopes that they will soon go to Europe to do a 160-km. endurance ride...
Read more here:
https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/No-horsing-around-606453
Riding at the first therapeutic school in an Arab town
BY DIANA BLETTER
November 1 2019
n a recent afternoon, a herd of cattle ambled across a field while inside a riding area, several children – including those with various physical and mental challenges – rode horses at the first therapeutic riding school in an Israeli-Arab town.
The Hurodj Horse Farm in Jadeidi-Makr, a few kilometers east of Acre in the Western Galilee, is a family-run business, owned and operated by Muhammad Hudroj and his wife, Gihan. The family opened the horse farm in 1999 and introduced the therapeutic riding program 10 years later. The program, which is covered by the National Health Insurance system, draws both Jewish and Arab children from the surrounding areas – some who come for therapeutic riding, and others who train for competitions and horse shows.
Hudroj, 44, has been fascinated by horses since he was a young boy growing up in Acre. His father refused to buy him a horse, but a cousin granted Hudroj’s wish and gifted him his first horse.
Hudroj loved riding his horse so much that he sometimes skipped school to go to horse races and shows. He eventually become a top champion of riding Arabian horses in Israel.
In a recent interview at his horse farm, Hudroj said there was never a time that he was not with a horse. He still rides and trains with one of his sons, 13-year-old Tarik, for endurance riding – a trek in which riders travel 80 kilometers on horseback. Hudroj hopes that they will soon go to Europe to do a 160-km. endurance ride...
Read more here:
https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/No-horsing-around-606453
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Preparing a Truck for Towing
Trailmeister.com - Full Article
September 29, 2019
PREPARING A TRUCK FOR TOWING – Setting up a new truck for safe trailer towing
I got a new to me truck! She’s a 2019 Ford F450, diesel, 4×4 crew cab, long bed, and I’m finding out that much of the equipment from my old truck (2008 Ford F350, diesel, short bed) doesn’t swap over to the new vehicle. Even with all the factory installed towing options I’ve learned that there’s a lot more to preparing a truck for towing than pulling out of the dealership and hitching up. My animals are depending upon me getting this right for the many trips we have planned!
My initial Challenges:
New truck came with a factory gooseneck package. The ball may be removable (via a nasty greasy latch on top of the ball) but neither it nor the factory safety chain loops inspired confidence.
• With the trailer attached I cannot open the tailgate. It hits the trailer jack’s hydraulic pump housing. This was not a problem before but the new tailgate is a fraction taller than the old. I’d like to be able to drop the tailgate to load and unload hay and water when still connected to the trailer.
• The new truck’s rear bumper pull hitch receiver is much larger than that on the old truck. (3 inch square vs 2 inch).
What I thought were 3 easy questions soon turned into a rabbit hole of new queries and concerns, and the thought of messing it up was keeping me up at night. I’m not a truck guy, and have never been mechanically inclined, so I started searching for answers from experts. Real experts in the field, not the keyboard warriors you find across the internet. My investigations led me to Beth Barlow of B&W Trailer Hitches in Kansas. Beth was able to help me sort through the most important considerations for my situation...
Read more here:
https://www.trailmeister.com/preparing-a-truck-for-towing/?utm_source=MailingList&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=October+2019+general
September 29, 2019
PREPARING A TRUCK FOR TOWING – Setting up a new truck for safe trailer towing
I got a new to me truck! She’s a 2019 Ford F450, diesel, 4×4 crew cab, long bed, and I’m finding out that much of the equipment from my old truck (2008 Ford F350, diesel, short bed) doesn’t swap over to the new vehicle. Even with all the factory installed towing options I’ve learned that there’s a lot more to preparing a truck for towing than pulling out of the dealership and hitching up. My animals are depending upon me getting this right for the many trips we have planned!
My initial Challenges:
New truck came with a factory gooseneck package. The ball may be removable (via a nasty greasy latch on top of the ball) but neither it nor the factory safety chain loops inspired confidence.
• With the trailer attached I cannot open the tailgate. It hits the trailer jack’s hydraulic pump housing. This was not a problem before but the new tailgate is a fraction taller than the old. I’d like to be able to drop the tailgate to load and unload hay and water when still connected to the trailer.
• The new truck’s rear bumper pull hitch receiver is much larger than that on the old truck. (3 inch square vs 2 inch).
What I thought were 3 easy questions soon turned into a rabbit hole of new queries and concerns, and the thought of messing it up was keeping me up at night. I’m not a truck guy, and have never been mechanically inclined, so I started searching for answers from experts. Real experts in the field, not the keyboard warriors you find across the internet. My investigations led me to Beth Barlow of B&W Trailer Hitches in Kansas. Beth was able to help me sort through the most important considerations for my situation...
Read more here:
https://www.trailmeister.com/preparing-a-truck-for-towing/?utm_source=MailingList&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=October+2019+general
Friday, October 18, 2019
Horse Manure on the Trails: Should we do something?
ELCR.org - Full Article
Horses have been a critical part of human progress from the early days of our history. They have carried men and supplies in times of war and peace, pulled the plows of farmers’ fields and were the main source of transportation during the settlement of the American west. Horses were the backbone of farms, the transportation to town for supplies and social activities, and a family necessity. Historically, many trails were created by horses ridden by people who needed to get from point A to point B. Today those trails are a critical part of recreation in open spaces and parks. Over the decades, the role of horses in daily life greatly diminished in both importance and numbers. As a result, horses are little understood by modern community members, especially trail users.
The modern horse is generally confined to a barn or small (5 acres or less) pasture area. They are mostly used for pleasure riding, showing, racing and the like. A few modern horses are working horses, and most of those are used in ranching and the production and management of other livestock. Many horses retire from ‘work careers’ to become pleasure and trail horses.
The Rise of Trail User Conflicts
A decrease in the number of boarding stables in or near urban areas, and community planning and zoning ordinances that place farms further away from urban areas place the typical trail user, or for that matter, equine enthusiast, far from any horse facility. Thislack of accessto horses creates a situation where many trail users have no experience with them. The number of horses on the trails has rapidly diminished in the last 100 years while the number of hikers and bike riders has increased exponentially. This has created the potential for conflict between the user groups. For example, hikers and equestrians don’t like fast bikes, mountain bikers want the challenge of single-track trails, and everyone wants to be out in open space enjoying the day. And no one wants to be told that they can’t be there, or they aren’t welcome...
Read more here:
https://elcr.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Horse-Manure-on-the-Trails-by-Lyndall-Erb2-2019-002.pdf
Horses have been a critical part of human progress from the early days of our history. They have carried men and supplies in times of war and peace, pulled the plows of farmers’ fields and were the main source of transportation during the settlement of the American west. Horses were the backbone of farms, the transportation to town for supplies and social activities, and a family necessity. Historically, many trails were created by horses ridden by people who needed to get from point A to point B. Today those trails are a critical part of recreation in open spaces and parks. Over the decades, the role of horses in daily life greatly diminished in both importance and numbers. As a result, horses are little understood by modern community members, especially trail users.
The modern horse is generally confined to a barn or small (5 acres or less) pasture area. They are mostly used for pleasure riding, showing, racing and the like. A few modern horses are working horses, and most of those are used in ranching and the production and management of other livestock. Many horses retire from ‘work careers’ to become pleasure and trail horses.
The Rise of Trail User Conflicts
A decrease in the number of boarding stables in or near urban areas, and community planning and zoning ordinances that place farms further away from urban areas place the typical trail user, or for that matter, equine enthusiast, far from any horse facility. Thislack of accessto horses creates a situation where many trail users have no experience with them. The number of horses on the trails has rapidly diminished in the last 100 years while the number of hikers and bike riders has increased exponentially. This has created the potential for conflict between the user groups. For example, hikers and equestrians don’t like fast bikes, mountain bikers want the challenge of single-track trails, and everyone wants to be out in open space enjoying the day. And no one wants to be told that they can’t be there, or they aren’t welcome...
Read more here:
https://elcr.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Horse-Manure-on-the-Trails-by-Lyndall-Erb2-2019-002.pdf
Heart Horses - Ashley Wingert
GoPony.me - Full Story
September 27, 2019 / Ashley Wingert
I think anyone who has been around horses for any length of time has heard the term “heart horse.” That special horse with whom you share a special bond, an almost indescribable feeling you get when you’re around them.
I found the above video yesterday, courtesy of my Facebook feed, and I couldn’t help but tear up as I watched it. I love some of the descriptions they use…how they are “…the horse that brings out the best in you…not only teaches you to be a better rider, but a better person.”
I’d never quite heard it put into words that way, but I think that describes it really well. I can say I’ve learned something from every horse I’ve ridden, and there are very few times I’ve ever regretted climbing into the saddle…but those heart horses…they’re something special.
I got very, very lucky: my first horse is one of my heart horses. Not too many people are that fortunate right off the bat to end up with a lifetime heart horse that they keep for a couple decades and counting. Granted, I spent several years of riding lesson horses before I ever got Mimi, but some of those lesson horses did their best to try to dissuade a small, horse-crazy child from further pursuing her passion...
Read more here:
https://gopony.me/2019/09/27/heart-horses/
September 27, 2019 / Ashley Wingert
I think anyone who has been around horses for any length of time has heard the term “heart horse.” That special horse with whom you share a special bond, an almost indescribable feeling you get when you’re around them.
I found the above video yesterday, courtesy of my Facebook feed, and I couldn’t help but tear up as I watched it. I love some of the descriptions they use…how they are “…the horse that brings out the best in you…not only teaches you to be a better rider, but a better person.”
I’d never quite heard it put into words that way, but I think that describes it really well. I can say I’ve learned something from every horse I’ve ridden, and there are very few times I’ve ever regretted climbing into the saddle…but those heart horses…they’re something special.
I got very, very lucky: my first horse is one of my heart horses. Not too many people are that fortunate right off the bat to end up with a lifetime heart horse that they keep for a couple decades and counting. Granted, I spent several years of riding lesson horses before I ever got Mimi, but some of those lesson horses did their best to try to dissuade a small, horse-crazy child from further pursuing her passion...
Read more here:
https://gopony.me/2019/09/27/heart-horses/
Thursday, October 17, 2019
‘Havoc’ From Wild Horses Is Top Issue for Trump Lands Chief
News.bloombergenvironment.com - Full Article
October 11 2019
by Emily C. Dooley
• More than 88,000 wild horses, burros represent ‘existential threat’ to land
• William Perry Pendley also overseeing BLM move to Colorado from Washington, D.C.
The biggest challenge facing public lands is the more than 88,000 free-roaming wild horses and burros on nearly 27 million acres of Bureau of Land Management property, a top Trump administration official said Oct. 11.
Acting BLM Director William Perry Pendley said the destruction and devastation created by the descendants of animals used by Spanish explorers, the U.S. cavalry, and others costs the federal government millions of dollars each year.
He called the horses and burros “an existential threat to these lands.”
Pendley spoke as part of a panel on public lands during the Society of Environmental Journalists annual meeting in Fort Collins, Colo. He replaced Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who had a scheduling conflict, during a morning session.
Other panelists said climate change was the biggest threat, but Pendley said he was most concerned by roaming animals, which the agency routinely auctions off. More than 11,000 horses and burros were removed in 2018...
Read more here:
https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/environment-and-energy/drilling-ban-on-federal-lands-insane-trump-land-head-says
October 11 2019
by Emily C. Dooley
• More than 88,000 wild horses, burros represent ‘existential threat’ to land
• William Perry Pendley also overseeing BLM move to Colorado from Washington, D.C.
The biggest challenge facing public lands is the more than 88,000 free-roaming wild horses and burros on nearly 27 million acres of Bureau of Land Management property, a top Trump administration official said Oct. 11.
Acting BLM Director William Perry Pendley said the destruction and devastation created by the descendants of animals used by Spanish explorers, the U.S. cavalry, and others costs the federal government millions of dollars each year.
He called the horses and burros “an existential threat to these lands.”
Pendley spoke as part of a panel on public lands during the Society of Environmental Journalists annual meeting in Fort Collins, Colo. He replaced Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who had a scheduling conflict, during a morning session.
Other panelists said climate change was the biggest threat, but Pendley said he was most concerned by roaming animals, which the agency routinely auctions off. More than 11,000 horses and burros were removed in 2018...
Read more here:
https://news.bloombergenvironment.com/environment-and-energy/drilling-ban-on-federal-lands-insane-trump-land-head-says
Monday, October 14, 2019
Bicyclist Rides Entire Pony Express Trail Alone
Fox40.com - Full Article
POSTED 11:09 AM, OCTOBER 13, 2019, BY ASSOCIATED PRESS,
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Jan Bennett endured food poisoning, hail and near misses with tornado weather on her solo bicycle ride across the entire 2,220-mile (3,572-kilometer) Pony Express Trail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California.
The former cycling road racer from Dallas, who made the trip as part of her effort to map out a bike-packing route along the historic trail knew it wouldn’t be easy.
But she wasn’t fully prepared for her toughest challenge yet in a remote piece of terrain in northern Nevada, where the climb was too steep and rough to ride and water was scarce.
More than 1,700 miles (2,735 kilometers) into the ride out of Missouri last year, she realized just how alone she was in a canyon north of Eureka.
“It was a little bit of a gut check,” Bennett told the Reno Gazette Journal in a recent interview.
“It is in the middle of a really remote section of route,” she said. “I had the moment of, ‘If something happens out here, I am kind of screwed’.”
As she slowly pushed her bike up the steep incline, she remembered an old piece of advice about endurance riding.
“If you have to cry, cry while you are moving,” Bennett said. “If you cry on the side of the road you still have to get up and cover that area...”
Read more here:
https://fox40.com/2019/10/13/bicyclist-rides-entire-pony-express-trail-alone/
POSTED 11:09 AM, OCTOBER 13, 2019, BY ASSOCIATED PRESS,
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Jan Bennett endured food poisoning, hail and near misses with tornado weather on her solo bicycle ride across the entire 2,220-mile (3,572-kilometer) Pony Express Trail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California.
The former cycling road racer from Dallas, who made the trip as part of her effort to map out a bike-packing route along the historic trail knew it wouldn’t be easy.
But she wasn’t fully prepared for her toughest challenge yet in a remote piece of terrain in northern Nevada, where the climb was too steep and rough to ride and water was scarce.
More than 1,700 miles (2,735 kilometers) into the ride out of Missouri last year, she realized just how alone she was in a canyon north of Eureka.
“It was a little bit of a gut check,” Bennett told the Reno Gazette Journal in a recent interview.
“It is in the middle of a really remote section of route,” she said. “I had the moment of, ‘If something happens out here, I am kind of screwed’.”
As she slowly pushed her bike up the steep incline, she remembered an old piece of advice about endurance riding.
“If you have to cry, cry while you are moving,” Bennett said. “If you cry on the side of the road you still have to get up and cover that area...”
Read more here:
https://fox40.com/2019/10/13/bicyclist-rides-entire-pony-express-trail-alone/
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Nick Bondarev Introduces Us to the Eagle Hunters of Mongolia
ThePhoblographer.com - Story and photos09. Oct. 2019
One of the most fascinating topics to explore in documentary photography is how people have retained their traditional culture and way of life. Tribes and ethnic groups are perfect for these, as we’ve previously seen in projects that covered the Toda Tribe of the Nilgiris, the Brokpa Tribe of the Himalayas, the Ladakh locals of India, and the Tengger group of Java, Indonesia. This time, we take a peek into the life of the Kazakh eagle hunters of Mongolia, who keep this fascinating, age-old practice alive to this day.
According to a BBC travel story, the art of berkutchi has been around for 6,000 years, among the best-known practitioners being Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan who both kept thousands of hunting birds. The ethnic Kazakhs of today continue to hunt with the aid of eagles as part of their way of life, which is very different and detached from the modern world. They continue to tame and train eagles for hunting on horseback and live off the grid in portable round tents called gers..
More photos and story here:
https://www.thephoblographer.com/2019/10/09/nick-bondarev-introduces-us-to-the-eagle-hunters-of-mongolia/
Wednesday, October 09, 2019
New Equestrian Podcast Released
September 28 2019
The Equestrian Pulse Podcast is a new show from equestrian bloggers discussing current topics in the horse world. This podcast was founded by three international bloggers Heather Wallace of The Timid Rider (USA), Andrea Parker of The Sand Arena Ballerina (AUS) and Louise Dando of In Due Horse (UK/FRA) to discuss a wide variety of topics including confidence, horsemanship, health, and trending events important to horse lovers across all disciplines.
Heather Wallace of The Timid Rider is a returning adult equestrian, equine sports massage therapist, and author writing about confidence in and out of the saddle. Andrea Parker of The Sand Arena Ballerina is a dressage rider and dietician based in Queensland, Australia. Louise Dando writes In Due Horse, a horse girl’s lifestyle blog. She is a Brit now based in France talking about all things horsey.
Upcoming episodes include an interview with Raquel Lynn of Horses & Heels and Stable Style, Challenging Yourself in and Out of the Saddle, Beginning Clicker Training, Tips on Moving to a New Barn, and much more.
Are you interested in being interviewed? Please complete the form and you may be contacted to appear on the podcast. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well as product reviews and sponsored blog posts. Please inquire for details to equestrianpulse@gmail.com.
About the Equestrian Pulse Podcast
The Equestrian Pulse Podcast takes the pulse of the global equestrian community. A podcast by international bloggers Heather Wallace (The Timid Rider), Andrea Parker (The Sand Arena Ballerina), and Louise Dando (In Due Horse) to discuss and interview brands and equestrians regarding nutrition and fitness, trends, horsemanship, and confidence amongst all disciplines. Listen on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio. Follow us on Instagram @equestrianpulse and Facebook @equestrianpulsepodcast.
The Equestrian Pulse Podcast is a new show from equestrian bloggers discussing current topics in the horse world. This podcast was founded by three international bloggers Heather Wallace of The Timid Rider (USA), Andrea Parker of The Sand Arena Ballerina (AUS) and Louise Dando of In Due Horse (UK/FRA) to discuss a wide variety of topics including confidence, horsemanship, health, and trending events important to horse lovers across all disciplines.
Heather Wallace of The Timid Rider is a returning adult equestrian, equine sports massage therapist, and author writing about confidence in and out of the saddle. Andrea Parker of The Sand Arena Ballerina is a dressage rider and dietician based in Queensland, Australia. Louise Dando writes In Due Horse, a horse girl’s lifestyle blog. She is a Brit now based in France talking about all things horsey.
Upcoming episodes include an interview with Raquel Lynn of Horses & Heels and Stable Style, Challenging Yourself in and Out of the Saddle, Beginning Clicker Training, Tips on Moving to a New Barn, and much more.
Are you interested in being interviewed? Please complete the form and you may be contacted to appear on the podcast. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well as product reviews and sponsored blog posts. Please inquire for details to equestrianpulse@gmail.com.
About the Equestrian Pulse Podcast
The Equestrian Pulse Podcast takes the pulse of the global equestrian community. A podcast by international bloggers Heather Wallace (The Timid Rider), Andrea Parker (The Sand Arena Ballerina), and Louise Dando (In Due Horse) to discuss and interview brands and equestrians regarding nutrition and fitness, trends, horsemanship, and confidence amongst all disciplines. Listen on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio. Follow us on Instagram @equestrianpulse and Facebook @equestrianpulsepodcast.
The battle over wild horses
washingtonpost.com - Full Article
Ranchers and animal advocates finally made peace. But critics call it a betrayal.
By Karin Brulliard
September 18, 2019
ELKO COUNTY, Nev. — Wild horses may be symbols of the wide-open American West, but J.J. Goicoechea watched them warily. Under a bright desert sky, about 20 mustangs munched on the crested wheatgrass meant for the Angus cattle he grazes here on public land.
“You’ve got to look up to them. They’re tough,” the fourth-generation rancher said, leaning against his dusty red truck. “But if we turn a blind eye, in five years there will be 100 horses here, and it won’t look as good.”
Goicoechea has long been on one side of the battle over wild horses and burros, an issue so contentious that Congress, animal advocates, conservationists, ranchers and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have long been in a stalemate. Everyone agrees the situation is untenable: The government says three times more equines roam public land than the fragile terrain can handle. To address this, the BLM, which is charged with managing most of the animals, periodically rounds up horses and now has nearly 50,000 in holding. The agency says caring for the warehoused animals devours most of its wild horse budget, leaving little for other approaches.
Horse advocates call the roundups cruel, contend that millions of cattle do vastly more damage to public lands than thousands of horses, and insist mustangs must never be killed. Ranchers and some environmentalists view the horses as feral pests that damage ecosystems, compete for resources with cattle and wildlife and should be culled or sold...
Read more here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/09/18/wild-horses-have-long-kicked-up-controversy-now-foes-say-they-have-solution/?arc404=true&utm_campaign=26d6e1c183-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_09_19_03_28&utm_medium=email&utm_source=1500%20CWP%20List%20Daily%20Clips%20and%20Updates
Ranchers and animal advocates finally made peace. But critics call it a betrayal.
By Karin Brulliard
September 18, 2019
ELKO COUNTY, Nev. — Wild horses may be symbols of the wide-open American West, but J.J. Goicoechea watched them warily. Under a bright desert sky, about 20 mustangs munched on the crested wheatgrass meant for the Angus cattle he grazes here on public land.
“You’ve got to look up to them. They’re tough,” the fourth-generation rancher said, leaning against his dusty red truck. “But if we turn a blind eye, in five years there will be 100 horses here, and it won’t look as good.”
Goicoechea has long been on one side of the battle over wild horses and burros, an issue so contentious that Congress, animal advocates, conservationists, ranchers and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have long been in a stalemate. Everyone agrees the situation is untenable: The government says three times more equines roam public land than the fragile terrain can handle. To address this, the BLM, which is charged with managing most of the animals, periodically rounds up horses and now has nearly 50,000 in holding. The agency says caring for the warehoused animals devours most of its wild horse budget, leaving little for other approaches.
Horse advocates call the roundups cruel, contend that millions of cattle do vastly more damage to public lands than thousands of horses, and insist mustangs must never be killed. Ranchers and some environmentalists view the horses as feral pests that damage ecosystems, compete for resources with cattle and wildlife and should be culled or sold...
Read more here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/09/18/wild-horses-have-long-kicked-up-controversy-now-foes-say-they-have-solution/?arc404=true&utm_campaign=26d6e1c183-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_09_19_03_28&utm_medium=email&utm_source=1500%20CWP%20List%20Daily%20Clips%20and%20Updates
Friday, October 04, 2019
Bert the Bear Horse
HorseNetwork.com - Full StoryCAELAN BEARD
September 30 2019
One of the questions I get asked most often is if I have any bear spray in my saddlebags.
The answer is no: in part because it’d be hard to spray a bear from horseback without it getting in my horse’s face and eyes, and in part because I don’t need it. My horse, Bert, scares away the bears for me.
For the past three summers that I’ve been a horseback trail guide in Jasper, Alberta, I’ve been riding Bert, my guide horse, every single day. We typically ride about three to five hours a day, six days a week; all together, I spend more time with him over the course of the summer than any other single being. You could say we know each other pretty well by now. A sure-footed chestnut Quarter Horse, standing at 15.3 hands high, he’s the most solid partner I could have ever asked for...
Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2019/09/bert-the-bear-horse/?utm_source=MASTER&utm_campaign=236b1055a1-HNS_2019_10_3_19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5694ca6b0c-236b1055a1-84641243&goal=0_5694ca6b0c-236b1055a1-84641243&mc_cid=236b1055a1&mc_eid=b3c9897994
Wednesday, October 02, 2019
Just Bad Luck or Bad Decisions? A 2019 Tevis Cup Wrap-Up with Personal Perspective and Analysis
Easycare Blog - Full StoryBy Christoph Schork - September 26, 2019
Like a yearly ritual, I have completed my Tevis Checklist:
• Horse is optimally conditioned and prepared for the most difficult 100 Miler in the world.
• Horse has completed other 100 milers, or back-to-back 50 milers, and is sound and fit.
• EasyCare Hoof Boots applied with diligence.
• Saddle fit and all tack adjusted and checked.
• All supplement and electrolyte containers filled.
• Assortment of different hay types and various different grain feeds prepared.
• Crews organized and briefed.
• Ride plan rehearsed.
Did I overlook anything? It all seems good. Will the Tevis gremlins stay put this year?
We arrived at Robie Equestrian Park in Truckee, California, the Wednesday before the 2019 Tevis Cup 100-Miles-One-Day Trail Ride. Global Endurance Training Center started three horses at this yearʼs Tevis. All of them passed their veterinary pre-check. They were all well hydrated, properly fed, and eager to start...
Read more here:
https://blog.easycareinc.com/just-bad-luck-or-bad-decisions-a-2019-tevis-cup-wrap-up-with-personal-perspective-and-analysis/
Saturday, September 28, 2019
U.S. Senate Committee Maintains Ban on Horse Slaughter in the U.S.
September 29 2019
Legislation Would Keep Horse Slaughter Plants Closed in the U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee included a provision in the FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations bill to maintain the ban on slaughtering horses in the U.S, thanks to Senators Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Susan Collins (R-ME), all longtime leaders on the issue. The language bars the use of taxpayer dollars for horse slaughter inspections, which effectively prevents the plants from operating. Similar language was included in the House FY20 Agriculture Appropriations bill in June and is expected to be included in any final spending bill passed by Congress.
“Horses are our dutiful companions and partners in work and sport – not a meal. They have loyally stood by us as we built this country together, and they deserve better than to be brutally slaughtered,” said Holly Gann, director of federal affairs at Animal Wellness Action. “Horse slaughter is animal cruelty, and taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill for it.”
Horse slaughter plants previously operated in the U.S. until 2007 and shipped the meat overseas to foreign countries for human consumption. It is a cruel and torturous process for the horses who become victims of this predatory industry; many are severely injured during transport to horse slaughter plants and some horses are even slaughtered while conscious.
Because the horsemeat is utilized for human consumption, horse slaughter plants cannot operate in the U.S. if inspections are defunded. The language to defund horse slaughter has been maintained in most yearly spending bills to keep plants shuttered, thanks to the tireless work of advocates to elevate this issue in Congress; however, it is not a permanent solution – Congress must reconsider the issue yearly.
Animal Wellness Action (Action) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization with a mission of helping animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty. We champion causes that alleviate the suffering of companion animals, farm animals, and wildlife. We advocate for policies to stop dogfighting and cockfighting and other forms of malicious cruelty and to confront factory farming and other systemic forms of animal exploitation. To prevent cruelty, we promote enacting good public policies and we work to enforce those policies. To enact good laws, we must elect good lawmakers, and that’s why we remind voters which candidates care about our issues and which ones don’t. We believe helping animals helps us all.
Legislation Would Keep Horse Slaughter Plants Closed in the U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee included a provision in the FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations bill to maintain the ban on slaughtering horses in the U.S, thanks to Senators Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Susan Collins (R-ME), all longtime leaders on the issue. The language bars the use of taxpayer dollars for horse slaughter inspections, which effectively prevents the plants from operating. Similar language was included in the House FY20 Agriculture Appropriations bill in June and is expected to be included in any final spending bill passed by Congress.
“Horses are our dutiful companions and partners in work and sport – not a meal. They have loyally stood by us as we built this country together, and they deserve better than to be brutally slaughtered,” said Holly Gann, director of federal affairs at Animal Wellness Action. “Horse slaughter is animal cruelty, and taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill for it.”
Horse slaughter plants previously operated in the U.S. until 2007 and shipped the meat overseas to foreign countries for human consumption. It is a cruel and torturous process for the horses who become victims of this predatory industry; many are severely injured during transport to horse slaughter plants and some horses are even slaughtered while conscious.
Because the horsemeat is utilized for human consumption, horse slaughter plants cannot operate in the U.S. if inspections are defunded. The language to defund horse slaughter has been maintained in most yearly spending bills to keep plants shuttered, thanks to the tireless work of advocates to elevate this issue in Congress; however, it is not a permanent solution – Congress must reconsider the issue yearly.
Animal Wellness Action (Action) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization with a mission of helping animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty. We champion causes that alleviate the suffering of companion animals, farm animals, and wildlife. We advocate for policies to stop dogfighting and cockfighting and other forms of malicious cruelty and to confront factory farming and other systemic forms of animal exploitation. To prevent cruelty, we promote enacting good public policies and we work to enforce those policies. To enact good laws, we must elect good lawmakers, and that’s why we remind voters which candidates care about our issues and which ones don’t. We believe helping animals helps us all.
Friday, September 27, 2019
15 is the New 10: Keeping the Middle-Aged Horse Healthy
TheHorse.com - Full Article
Find out how to keep your middle-aged horse’s teeth, feet, joints, and more healthy.
Posted by Nancy S. Loving, DVM | Sep 15, 2019
Tornado Alley was Emily Brogna’s first horse. The near-black American Saddlebred mare took her young owner from beginner rider to show ring champion and secured a forever spot in Emily’s heart and family. At 13, her saddleseat park pleasure days are now behind her, but she continues to live an active lifestyle as Emily’s trail horse.
Like many middle-aged horses, Tornado Alley falls neither in the young nor the senior horse health care category. She’s no spring chicken, but she also doesn’t deserve to be labeled old quite yet. That would seem downright insulting!
What so many teenage horses like her need are management and health care strategies that will help them remain active and healthy well into their golden years.
Jay Altman, DVM, of Equine Medical Service, in Ft. Collins, Colorado, believes dental care, nutrition, and parasite control are the areas where owners and veterinarians can have the biggest impact on middle-aged horses. In this article we’ll take a closer look at these horse health aspects and more...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/18182/15-is-the-new-10-keeping-the-middle-aged-horse-healthy/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Lameness+enews
Find out how to keep your middle-aged horse’s teeth, feet, joints, and more healthy.
Posted by Nancy S. Loving, DVM | Sep 15, 2019
Tornado Alley was Emily Brogna’s first horse. The near-black American Saddlebred mare took her young owner from beginner rider to show ring champion and secured a forever spot in Emily’s heart and family. At 13, her saddleseat park pleasure days are now behind her, but she continues to live an active lifestyle as Emily’s trail horse.
Like many middle-aged horses, Tornado Alley falls neither in the young nor the senior horse health care category. She’s no spring chicken, but she also doesn’t deserve to be labeled old quite yet. That would seem downright insulting!
What so many teenage horses like her need are management and health care strategies that will help them remain active and healthy well into their golden years.
Jay Altman, DVM, of Equine Medical Service, in Ft. Collins, Colorado, believes dental care, nutrition, and parasite control are the areas where owners and veterinarians can have the biggest impact on middle-aged horses. In this article we’ll take a closer look at these horse health aspects and more...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/18182/15-is-the-new-10-keeping-the-middle-aged-horse-healthy/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Lameness+enews
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Convention Hall once hosted dog and Pony Express races — A look back at Atlantic County history
Pressofatlanticcity.com - Full ArticleBy JERRY GORDON For The Current
September 26 2019
(Look Back is an occasional series with content and images from the Atlantic County Historical Society.)
Until recently, if you wanted to watch and gamble on the greyhound races, it meant being in Florida where you had your choice of the horse races, jai-alai, or the magnificent greyhounds. But back in the 1930s and '40s, all you had to do was go to Convention Hall and pay a general admission fee of 40¢ or go big time in the clubhouse for the grand rate of $1.50 and you could enjoy yourself while watching the greyhounds chase a rabbit around the track.
The Atlantic Kennel Club signed a three month lease with Convention Hall for $165,000 rental with $50,000 paid in advance. It was announced that 600 dogs would be arriving from Florida for the local meets whose season began on June 28 and lasted until Sept. 9.
The ads for the races touted the "Peer of amusements in Atlantic City is at the auditorium where you can see the World's Fastest Greyhounds on a regulation course." Some of the weekly specials included Monkey Races, Hurdle Races, and the Margate Cup Races. Ten races were scheduled each evening with an 8:15 p.m. post time.
In addition to the dog races, more than 100 horses were brought here for the American Pony Express endurance races held each year...
Read more here:
https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/currents_gazettes/brigantine/convention-hall-once-hosted-dog-and-pony-express-races-a/article_fc0c0a0c-9272-594c-bf89-7af34dc72960.html
The dangerous mosquito-borne virus EEE that has killed 5 people is present in Wisconsin, officials say
JSOnline.com - Full Article
Joe Taschler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Published 10:54 a.m. CT Sept. 18, 2019
A dangerous and often deadly version of mosquito-borne encephalitis that has flared across a number of states including Michigan this summer is already present in Wisconsin, according to state officials.
Known as Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, the virus has infected people in Michigan, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. At least five people have died after contracting the infection.
In an average year, there are only seven human cases of EEE in the entire country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But this year, Michigan and Massachusetts each have at least that many cases under investigation.
Three Michigan residents have died from the rare virus and four others have been sickened by the disease, state health officials there said Tuesday, amid that state's biggest outbreak of EEE in more than a decade. The three people who died were all adults...
Read more here:
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2019/09/18/eee-dangerous-form-mosquito-borne-encephalitis-found-wisconsin/2362247001/
Joe Taschler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Published 10:54 a.m. CT Sept. 18, 2019
A dangerous and often deadly version of mosquito-borne encephalitis that has flared across a number of states including Michigan this summer is already present in Wisconsin, according to state officials.
Known as Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, the virus has infected people in Michigan, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. At least five people have died after contracting the infection.
In an average year, there are only seven human cases of EEE in the entire country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But this year, Michigan and Massachusetts each have at least that many cases under investigation.
Three Michigan residents have died from the rare virus and four others have been sickened by the disease, state health officials there said Tuesday, amid that state's biggest outbreak of EEE in more than a decade. The three people who died were all adults...
Read more here:
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2019/09/18/eee-dangerous-form-mosquito-borne-encephalitis-found-wisconsin/2362247001/
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
How to Back a Trailer - Dr Mel Newton
MelNewton.com - Full ArticleMarch 28, 2017 Posted by Melinda Newton
Backing a trailer is an essential skill as I was reminded over and over and OVER this year. Whether you have to put your trailer into a back-in only angled parking spot at the barn, make a “U” turn at a T intersection, navigate a tight ride camp, or turn around in your best friends driveway – knowing how to back a trailer is something you can’t afford to put off any longer.
There is 1 simple trick and 2 skills you need to master NOW.
I’m not going to lie. Certain truck/trailer combinations are easier to back and maneuver than others. My standard-cab long bed pick up + trailer was an absolute dream and I could wiggle my three-horse ANYWHERE. The Dodge MEGA cab 4 door turns-like-a-cruise-liner truck paired with any size trailer is an exercise in patience and near misses as I constantly mis-judge the semi-truck like room it needs to maneuver. BUT, the concepts are exactly the same...
Read here for the trick:
https://melnewton.com/2017/how-to-back-a-trailer/
Monday, September 16, 2019
Fortified Concentrate Feed Found to Improve Horses’ Toplines
Thehorse.com - Full Article
Owners who struggle to provide their horses with consistently good-quality forage might be able to improve feed digestibility and topline development by offering these horses a fortified feed, researchers find.
Posted by Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor | Sep 7, 2019
Owners who struggle to provide their horses with consistently good-quality forage might be able to improve feed digestibility and topline development by offering these horses a fortified feed.
Texas A&M University graduate student Mattea Much recently tested this theory and presented her findings at the 2019 Equine Science Society Symposium, held June 3-6 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Much fed 23 stock-type mares either a control diet, consisting of a custom pelleted concentrate (13 mares), or a treatment diet (10 mares), consisting of a pelleted feed fortified with amino acids and trace minerals (SafeChoice senior). The mares received two concentrate meals per day and free-choice Bermuda grass hay...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/178414/fortified-concentrate-feed-found-to-improve-horses-toplines/
Owners who struggle to provide their horses with consistently good-quality forage might be able to improve feed digestibility and topline development by offering these horses a fortified feed, researchers find.
Posted by Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor | Sep 7, 2019
Owners who struggle to provide their horses with consistently good-quality forage might be able to improve feed digestibility and topline development by offering these horses a fortified feed.
Texas A&M University graduate student Mattea Much recently tested this theory and presented her findings at the 2019 Equine Science Society Symposium, held June 3-6 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Much fed 23 stock-type mares either a control diet, consisting of a custom pelleted concentrate (13 mares), or a treatment diet (10 mares), consisting of a pelleted feed fortified with amino acids and trace minerals (SafeChoice senior). The mares received two concentrate meals per day and free-choice Bermuda grass hay...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/178414/fortified-concentrate-feed-found-to-improve-horses-toplines/
Friday, September 13, 2019
Make-up of one gene points to racing success of Arabian horses, say reseachers
Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article
September 13, 2019 Horsetalk.co.nz
Variations within a particular gene in Arabian horses show potential as an indicator of race performance, according to researchers.
Arabian horses are among the oldest and most popular horse breeds in the world, recognised for their athleticism and stamina.
The breed is commonly used in the discipline of Endurance. However, in some countries, 2 to 5-year-olds are introduced to flat race training and often compete in at least one racing season before achieving maturity and undergoing endurance training.
During intensive training, the rates of lactate production and use are critical to avoid muscle fatigue, resulting in a decrease in exercise performance...
Read more at:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2019/09/13/one-gene-racing-success-arabian-horses/
September 13, 2019 Horsetalk.co.nz
Variations within a particular gene in Arabian horses show potential as an indicator of race performance, according to researchers.
Arabian horses are among the oldest and most popular horse breeds in the world, recognised for their athleticism and stamina.
The breed is commonly used in the discipline of Endurance. However, in some countries, 2 to 5-year-olds are introduced to flat race training and often compete in at least one racing season before achieving maturity and undergoing endurance training.
During intensive training, the rates of lactate production and use are critical to avoid muscle fatigue, resulting in a decrease in exercise performance...
Read more at:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2019/09/13/one-gene-racing-success-arabian-horses/
Horses Sans Shoes: The Facts on Bare Feet
TheHorse.com - Full Article
The science of the equine foot is like the hoof itself–expanding and contracting, getting shaped and trimmed. Find out what researchers are learning about the biomechanics of the barefoot hoof.
Posted by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA | Sep 11, 2019
What researchers know about the biomechanics of the barefoot hoof
It looks like an ultra-resistant all-weather block, with a shiny, marblelike surface that can trick us into thinking it’s indestructible. Its sharply defined edges give us the impression that it’s as solid as stone—especially when they land with full force on one of our own feet. And its “clip clop” sound striking against hard surfaces betray it as a dense support structure that works like a steel foundation under massive forces.
In reality, though, the equine foot isn’t like this at all.
The foot—or, essentially, the one long toe—is a complex structure filled with bones, tendons, ligaments, arteries, veins, nerves, cartilage, joint fluid, and more. Far from being inert, it’s alive and very active, communicating sensory information, pumping blood, and articulating, contracting, and flexing over ground. And if it’s unshod, it’s constantly changing shape as the horse uses it, instantaneously as well as over time...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/160548/horses-sans-shoes-the-facts-on-bare-feet/
The science of the equine foot is like the hoof itself–expanding and contracting, getting shaped and trimmed. Find out what researchers are learning about the biomechanics of the barefoot hoof.
Posted by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA | Sep 11, 2019
What researchers know about the biomechanics of the barefoot hoof
It looks like an ultra-resistant all-weather block, with a shiny, marblelike surface that can trick us into thinking it’s indestructible. Its sharply defined edges give us the impression that it’s as solid as stone—especially when they land with full force on one of our own feet. And its “clip clop” sound striking against hard surfaces betray it as a dense support structure that works like a steel foundation under massive forces.
In reality, though, the equine foot isn’t like this at all.
The foot—or, essentially, the one long toe—is a complex structure filled with bones, tendons, ligaments, arteries, veins, nerves, cartilage, joint fluid, and more. Far from being inert, it’s alive and very active, communicating sensory information, pumping blood, and articulating, contracting, and flexing over ground. And if it’s unshod, it’s constantly changing shape as the horse uses it, instantaneously as well as over time...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/160548/horses-sans-shoes-the-facts-on-bare-feet/
Mil's Life - a Real Life Urban Cowboy
FEI.org - Full Article14 September 2019
Words by Hannah Spreckley
An award-winning documentary tells the true story of how horses changed a young man's life in inner-city Philadelphia...
With the backdrop of the grimy streets of North Philadelphia, a man on a horse strides into focus – setting the scene for a superb short documentary about the close relationship formed between a man and his horse
‘Mil's Life’ is the story of 26-year-old urban cowboy and native Philadelphian, Jamil ‘Mil’ Pratis, and how these animals, specifically his one-eyed horse Dusty, have had a major effect on changing the course of his life.
The 25-minute documentary focuses on Mil's passion for horses in an unusual setting. If you thought that equestrian sport was only ever for the wealthy and privileged, this will change your view! Set amongst the poverty and urban decay of North Philly, where gangs and drugs are rife, Mil’s Life is an almost unbelievable story of how one young man’s life was altered by the Fletcher Street Riding Club...
Read more here:
https://www.fei.org/stories/mils-life-real-life-urban-cowboy
Horse Boarding: Legal Rights and Responsibilities
EquineLegalSolutions.com - Full ArticleAt Equine Legal Solutions, we receive a lot of calls from horse owners and boarding stables that are unhappy with a situation and want to know what their legal rights are. In the four states where we practice, California, New York, Oregon and Washington, there are no laws governing horse boarding, other than animal cruelty statutes and local zoning regulations governing use of the property. Landlord/tenant law generally does not apply to horse boarding relationships unless the boarder lives on the stable property. Therefore, in general, the terms of horse boarding relationships are governed solely by contract (written or verbal).
What are the minimum accommodations a boarding stable is legally required to provide?
Unless the boarding contract says otherwise, a boarding stable is only required to provide the absolute minimum level of care – i.e., not violate state animal cruelty laws. State law generally requires providing access to potable water. Beyond that, requirements vary, but are usually quite minimal. For example, depending on the state and local laws, a boarding stable may not be legally required to provide shelter, and there may be no restriction on the number of horses that a boarding facility can keep on a particular piece of property. So, having a written horse boarding contract that spells out all of the important terms and conditions is essential for both boarding stable and boarder! ELS offers a downloadable horse boarding contract and forms package.
How much notice is a boarder required to give a boarding stable before moving out?
Boarding contracts usually say how much notice a boarder is required to give before leaving, and often, it is 30 days. However, if there is no boarding contract, or the boarding contract does not say what notice is required, the boarder can give as little as same-day notice.
Does a boarder have to give a boarding stable written notice before moving out?...
Read more here:
https://www.equinelegalsolutions.com/boarding-rights-and-responsibilities.html
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
How to Ride Your Horse Down a Steep Trail Safely
Horse-canada.com - Full ArticleTrainer Jason Irwin offers tips for teaching your horse how to travel carefully down a steep trail, slow and steady to keep you both safe.
By: Jason Irwin | July 4, 2019
The safest way to ride down a steep trail is slow and steady. The faster your horse goes down a steep trail, the more his weight is on his front end. The problem with that is if he trips and his weight is already on his front, he’s pretty likely to stumble or possibly fall. If he goes slower, his weight is probably going to be on his back end, which means he’ll be less likely to stumble, and if he does there’s a much better chance that he’ll easily recover from it.
To get your horse going downhill slow, start with trails that aren’t very steep. Ride down small hills and stop him several times before you get to the bottom. This will cause him to think of going down hills as a time to go slow. If you feel him start to rush, stop immediately and back him up a few steps. Backing up a hill is a lot of work for a horse, so this is a mild reprimand for rushing and it also really causes him to use his hind end...
Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/magazine_articles/ride-horse-steep-trail-safely
Sunday, September 08, 2019
Omeprazole and Calcium Digestibility: What Horse Owners Should Know
KER.com - Full ArticleJuly 15, 2019
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff
Omeprazole, the only FDA-approved drug for healing gastric ulcers in horses, may cause reduced calcium digestibility, according to a recent study conducted at Kentucky Equine Research. What does this finding mean to horse owners who rely on the medication to keep their horses healthy?
Gastric Ulcers in Horses and Omeprazole
Researchers estimate 40-90% of horses have gastric ulcers, with those engaged in certain athletic disciplines, such as racing, at higher risk. Excessive gastric acid production ranks as a primary trigger for the development of ulcers. Omeprazole prevents gastric acid secretion in horses, thus rendering it an effective treatment for ulcers.
Omeprazole and other drugs known as proton pump inhibitors are used to treat acid-related conditions in humans. When given to humans, reduced gastric acid production is associated with a decline in the digestibility of several nutrients, including protein, fat, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12.
In horses, however, the effect of omeprazole on nutrient digestibility was unknown.
A study was therefore designed to determine the effect of short-term administration of omeprazole on the digestibility of several nutrients.
Researchers found that omeprazole did not affect the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, fat, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, starch, or water-soluble carbohydrates. Omeprazole did not change the digestibility of any mineral except calcium. Calcium digestibility decreased by as much as 20% in horses given omeprazole...
Read more here:
https://ker.com/equinews/omeprazole-and-calcium-digestibility-what-horse-owners-should-know/?utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7cb74ca8f2-Focus_on_Ulcers&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-7cb74ca8f2-11166
Saturday, September 07, 2019
Ten Reasons to Love Sticky Ichthammol Ointment
It may be smelly, sticky and sort of gross, but the drawing salve ichthammol can't be beat in terms of versatility and affordability.
THE EDITORS OF EQUUS MAGAZINE
UPDATED:MAR 10, 2017
ORIGINAL:MAR 5, 2012
Messy, smelly and downright gross, the drawing salve called ichthammol may not be your first choice for treating your horse, but you can't beat its versatility and affordability. The sticky ointment, a derivative of coal tar, reduces inflammation, draws out infection, kills germs and soothes pain.
Here are 10 uses for ichthammol:
1. Pack it around and over draining hoof punctures to draw out pus...
Read more here:
No comments:
Friday, August 30, 2019
Better welfare outcomes seen in domestic-level endurance
Original article, horsetalk.co.nz. photos, study credits
Endurance rides ridden at slower speeds over technically challenging terrain have fewer eliminations and better horse welfare outcomes, the authors of a New Zealand study have found.
Massey University researcher Kylie Legg and her colleagues, writing in the open-access journal Animals, noted that international media recently raised awareness around horse welfare during endurance competitions.
However, much of this attention has been focused on international-level FEI competitions.
Little, they said, is known about domestic-level competitions and their risk factors for elimination.
The researchers set out to learn more about the characteristics of endurance rides in New Zealand and the risk factors for horse eliminations due to lameness and metabolic reasons.
To do so, they looked at the records of all competitors during six competition seasons, from 2010/11 to 2015/16.
They found that endurance ride entries were dominated by lower distances (40–80 km), with the number of eliminations increasing with ride distance.
The competition season was structured with the longer, more competitive rides at the end of the season, allowing the shorter, earlier rides to be used as conditioning rides.
----
There were 6885 starts, involving 775 horses and 665 riders. The horses had a median age of 9 years and had a median of three starts per season.
Accumulated ride distance per season per horse decreased from a median of 240km per horse in 2010/11 to 180km per horse in 2015/16.
Ride entries were dominated by the 40km category, comprising 41% of entries, and 80km, comprising 37% of entries.
Eliminations increased with ride distance, from 7% in 40km rides to 53% in the 160km rides.
Lameness accounted for the majority of eliminations, at 64%.
The odds of elimination due to lameness were significantly associated with ride distance, location (North or South Island) and time of year.
“The 11% of starters eliminated for metabolic reasons of the horse had increased odds of elimination associated with horse age, ride distance, location and time of year,” they reported.
Discussing their findings, the researchers noted that horses competing in the South Island had a higher risk of elimination due to lameness than those in the North Island, which had a higher risk of elimination due to metabolic reasons.
“This may be attributable to a number of factors including terrain (South Island has rougher terrain), climate (warmer in the North Island) or training methods between the two islands, all of which are avenues for further investigation.”
Time of year had a significant effect on the risk of elimination due to both lameness and metabolic reasons with the beginning of the season (August–October) having the lowest risk for both reasons.
Risk of elimination due to lameness increased as the season progressed until April/May.
“This,” they said, “was likely an effect of the progressive loading of training and competitions throughout the season in addition to the higher number of horses starting in longer distance competitions later in the season.”
Furthermore, the summer months (November to March) coincide with warmer, drier weather, resulting in hard ground, likely to increase the concussive forces on the horse.
There was an increased risk of elimination due to metabolic reasons in November and March–May. This was likely due to the longer distance rides offered at these times of year, but could also reflect the advent of summer in November, and the beginning of cooler weather from March to May.
“The changing temperatures and increase of dust/pollen in the environment at these times of year may adversely affect the horses’ respiratory systems.”
Additionally, the championship events (North Island, South Island and National Championships) include the majority of longer distance rides and are held between January and Easter.
“Riders are likely to ride more competitively and thus faster, at these events, and the higher elimination rates from these longer distance rides are more in line with those found in the international literature.”
Longer distance rides also include a proportion of the event ridden in the dark, most commonly in the earlier stages of the ride, making it more difficult to judge the terrain and thereby increasing the risk of a horse becoming lame.
Risk of elimination due to metabolic reasons increased with increasing horse age, similar to previous studies.
This, they suggested, may be related to the minimum age limits set for competitions in New Zealand (minimum 6 years old for rides of 100km or more and 7 years for rides of 140km or more).
These restrictions are likely to encourage more conservative racing strategies in younger horses and thus a lower risk of elimination for these horses, they said.
In conclusion, the study team said endurance competitions in New Zealand are attended by a diverse population of horses and riders, the majority of which participate in shorter distance rides, with slow speeds and few starts during the season.
“This reflects the amateur profile of New Zealand competitors and their use of shorter distance rides as conditioning rides for the more competitive, longer distance rides later in the season.
“The number of open level (and longer distance) competitors decreased over the study period, whilst the number of lower level competitors increased, reflecting the changing profile of the sport in New Zealand.”
Both speed and elimination rate increased with ride distance. Ride distance, location and month of year significantly affected the risk of elimination due to lameness or metabolic reasons, whilst horse age was a significant factor for risk of elimination due to metabolic reasons only.
“This profile provides a basis for the adaptation of international regulations specific to endurance rides in New Zealand and confirms that endurance rides ridden at slower speeds over technically challenging terrain have fewer eliminations and better horse welfare.”
The full Massey study team comprised Legg, Jenny Weston, Erica Gee, Charlotte Bolwell, Janis Bridges and Chris Rogers.
Endurance rides ridden at slower speeds over technically challenging terrain have fewer eliminations and better horse welfare outcomes, the authors of a New Zealand study have found.
Massey University researcher Kylie Legg and her colleagues, writing in the open-access journal Animals, noted that international media recently raised awareness around horse welfare during endurance competitions.
However, much of this attention has been focused on international-level FEI competitions.
Little, they said, is known about domestic-level competitions and their risk factors for elimination.
The researchers set out to learn more about the characteristics of endurance rides in New Zealand and the risk factors for horse eliminations due to lameness and metabolic reasons.
To do so, they looked at the records of all competitors during six competition seasons, from 2010/11 to 2015/16.
They found that endurance ride entries were dominated by lower distances (40–80 km), with the number of eliminations increasing with ride distance.
The competition season was structured with the longer, more competitive rides at the end of the season, allowing the shorter, earlier rides to be used as conditioning rides.
----
There were 6885 starts, involving 775 horses and 665 riders. The horses had a median age of 9 years and had a median of three starts per season.
Accumulated ride distance per season per horse decreased from a median of 240km per horse in 2010/11 to 180km per horse in 2015/16.
Ride entries were dominated by the 40km category, comprising 41% of entries, and 80km, comprising 37% of entries.
Eliminations increased with ride distance, from 7% in 40km rides to 53% in the 160km rides.
Lameness accounted for the majority of eliminations, at 64%.
The odds of elimination due to lameness were significantly associated with ride distance, location (North or South Island) and time of year.
“The 11% of starters eliminated for metabolic reasons of the horse had increased odds of elimination associated with horse age, ride distance, location and time of year,” they reported.
Discussing their findings, the researchers noted that horses competing in the South Island had a higher risk of elimination due to lameness than those in the North Island, which had a higher risk of elimination due to metabolic reasons.
“This may be attributable to a number of factors including terrain (South Island has rougher terrain), climate (warmer in the North Island) or training methods between the two islands, all of which are avenues for further investigation.”
Time of year had a significant effect on the risk of elimination due to both lameness and metabolic reasons with the beginning of the season (August–October) having the lowest risk for both reasons.
Risk of elimination due to lameness increased as the season progressed until April/May.
“This,” they said, “was likely an effect of the progressive loading of training and competitions throughout the season in addition to the higher number of horses starting in longer distance competitions later in the season.”
Furthermore, the summer months (November to March) coincide with warmer, drier weather, resulting in hard ground, likely to increase the concussive forces on the horse.
There was an increased risk of elimination due to metabolic reasons in November and March–May. This was likely due to the longer distance rides offered at these times of year, but could also reflect the advent of summer in November, and the beginning of cooler weather from March to May.
“The changing temperatures and increase of dust/pollen in the environment at these times of year may adversely affect the horses’ respiratory systems.”
Additionally, the championship events (North Island, South Island and National Championships) include the majority of longer distance rides and are held between January and Easter.
“Riders are likely to ride more competitively and thus faster, at these events, and the higher elimination rates from these longer distance rides are more in line with those found in the international literature.”
Longer distance rides also include a proportion of the event ridden in the dark, most commonly in the earlier stages of the ride, making it more difficult to judge the terrain and thereby increasing the risk of a horse becoming lame.
Risk of elimination due to metabolic reasons increased with increasing horse age, similar to previous studies.
This, they suggested, may be related to the minimum age limits set for competitions in New Zealand (minimum 6 years old for rides of 100km or more and 7 years for rides of 140km or more).
These restrictions are likely to encourage more conservative racing strategies in younger horses and thus a lower risk of elimination for these horses, they said.
In conclusion, the study team said endurance competitions in New Zealand are attended by a diverse population of horses and riders, the majority of which participate in shorter distance rides, with slow speeds and few starts during the season.
“This reflects the amateur profile of New Zealand competitors and their use of shorter distance rides as conditioning rides for the more competitive, longer distance rides later in the season.
“The number of open level (and longer distance) competitors decreased over the study period, whilst the number of lower level competitors increased, reflecting the changing profile of the sport in New Zealand.”
Both speed and elimination rate increased with ride distance. Ride distance, location and month of year significantly affected the risk of elimination due to lameness or metabolic reasons, whilst horse age was a significant factor for risk of elimination due to metabolic reasons only.
“This profile provides a basis for the adaptation of international regulations specific to endurance rides in New Zealand and confirms that endurance rides ridden at slower speeds over technically challenging terrain have fewer eliminations and better horse welfare.”
The full Massey study team comprised Legg, Jenny Weston, Erica Gee, Charlotte Bolwell, Janis Bridges and Chris Rogers.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Worried About Riding in the Dark? Don't Be
August 13 2019
by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
If you've got a 100-mile endurance ride on your bucket list, but it's worry about riding in the dark that's holding you back, don't be troubled. There are a number of things you can do to make you feel more comfortable while riding in the dark, though sometimes we tend to overthink, and make things more difficult than they really are.
The best thing you can do to make riding in the dark easier is: become a better horseman. (You should always be working on this.) As you learn better communication with your horse, as you learn more balanced and centered riding, you become a better rider and a better partner, and with that comes trust, and with that, you can tackle anything with more confidence.
According to an Equus Magazine article, "Horses have excellent night vision, and on a night lit by a partial moon or by bright stars alone, normally sighted horses can see as well as you do in full daylight.
"The extreme darkness of dense woods and those rare pitch-black nights isn't entirely suitable for riding, but in familiar territory your horse can navigate well enough when you allow him to choose his own path."
I talked to several experienced endurance riders who have riding in the dark down to a science whose advice can help put your mind at ease.
Heather and Jeremy Reynolds are long-time national and international endurance riders. Heather has over 22,000 AERC miles, 50 AERC 100-mile completions, and 3 Tevis Cup wins. Jeremy has over 14,000 AERC miles, 31 AERC 100-mile completions, and 3 Tevis Cup wins.
They both always ride with a headlamp in 100-mile rides. Competing at night with winning or a Top Ten goal in mind means trotting and cantering in the dark; they ride with a headlamp on. They normally don't bother with glowsticks taped to breast collars, because those won't help much in a situation where you're moving along at a fast clip. Heather says, "Unless you’re going 6 miles an hour or less, you’re going to ride faster than the light is projecting. Same with a red headlamp.
"If there’s a full moon and it’s casting a shadow, that’s awesome. Then don’t ride with a light. You can canter along with a bright moon. But if the trail's going to be technical and it’s going to be really dark, we just ride with a headlamp. It’s just safer.
"Also then you’ll know, is the horse slowing down because it just doesn’t want to continue at this pace, or because there’s a hazard in the trail."
If you do choose to ride with a headlamp, the Reynolds recommend turning it on before it gets dark all the way, as sometimes a horse will freak out when you suddenly turn it on in the darkness - not from the light itself but from the shadows thrown by the horse's head.
A horse having pre-ridden a trail will remember it. Heather recounted riding French Open, the 2018 Tevis Cup winner, over the last few miles to the Auburn finish line in the pure dark. "I turned my headlight off, and I was going at a very fast pace, but no one could see where I was. But that was towards the end of the ride. The horse knew exactly where he was; he knew every foot of that trail because that’s where he trained.
"So you can move out in the dark; it’s just easier, as far as your expectations, if you’re aware of and can see what you’re asking the horse to do."
You should be careful and respectful of others if you do ride with a headlamp. "It does bother some people," Heather said. Riding up from behind someone who's not using a headlamp can cast weird shadows, and while turning a light on and off doesn't bother a horse, the shadows can bother some. Simply be polite and courteous, and turn your headlamp off when you get close to another horse, and turn it back on when you pass them. You'll appreciate it when someone does that for you.
Some have said that horses need 20 minutes to adjust to the changes in light, but the Reynolds have not found this to be true (they have put this to the test in training.) "You can turn on your light, then turn it off the next minute, and the horse just keeps right on marching, doesn’t bobble or trip or anything."
Heather's best advice? "Just practice riding in the dark. Try it at home when you’re fresh, and not tired. That magnifies everything when you’re tired at mile 90 and you’re dehydrated and loopy already!"
Meg Sleeper, top USA and international endurance rider with over 15,000 AERC miles and 74 100-mile completions, just rode in Australia for the first time in July, completing the iconic Tom Quilty. Like most 100-mile rides in Australia and New Zealand, this one started at midnight. Why? "Because it's so much fun starting in the dark on a fresh horse," Aussie endurance rider Linda Tanian joked. But seriously. "It is about utilising cooler weather conditions, tradition, [and] getting finished in daylight if possible," she said, "as it can be mentally tougher going into the dark when both rider and horse are getting tired."
Many riders wore headlamps that were brighter than any Meg had ever seen. "At the start," she said, "it felt like you were going on a street with headlights. It was crazy how bright it was. Of course if they turned to look at you, it was blinding." Despite unfamiliarity with both the trail and the horse she was riding, and despite the fact she'd be doing more than half the mileage in the dark, Meg stuck to what she usually does: she wore a headlamp on her helmet though she left it turned off, and she carried a flashlight in her pocket. "I have a flashlight in my pocket in case I really need to carefully look at markings, like if I think i missed a turn. And I have a headlamp that is bright enough that I have an idea of what the footing is, but it’s not actually very bright.
"I don’t like having a super bright light on, because then I have to remember to turn it off if I look at somebody.
"As long as I have an idea of what the footing is, I feel pretty comfortable with that. And I think so much that the horses are fine. They stay out of their way as much as anything else."
Meg did mention an old Vermont township law that one needs to have lights in front and lights behind if you are riding in the dark. In this case. a glowstick on a breast collar and a glowstick in a horse's tail or on the back of the saddle suffices.
Riding in the dark all comes down to common sense. Don't overthink it. Get to where you trust your horse - be it through riding lessons, auditing or attending training clinics, taking your horse through bomb proofing clinics, or just many more wet saddle pads. Learn to ride very balanced and centered in your saddle for those twisty-turny-uppy-downy trails your horse flies along in the dark. Use glowsticks on your horse's breast collar - though if you're going faster than a fast walk, they are likely more comforting to you than of use to your horse. If you wear a headlamp for when you're moving out, or unsure of the terrain, turn it off when you're approaching other riders. Practice in the dark at home.
And - relax. Your horse will probably know what he's doing and he'll probably see fine to negotiate the trail.
And lastly, simple advice from one more experienced endurance rider, Regina Rose with over 14,000 AERC miles, and 18 100-mile completions, including the Tevis Cup once, and the Big Horn 100 nine times.
"Just ride."
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