Sunday, June 30, 2019

A Horse Race Without A Horse: How Modern Trail Ultramarathoning Was Invented

WBUR.org - Full Article or Listen

June 28, 2019
Karen Given

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the modern-day sport of trail ultramarathoning began 45 years ago when a man showed up to a 100-mile horse race — without a horse.

An ultramarathon is defined as anything longer than 26.2 miles. And it’s true — tens of thousands of people every year run 50, 100 and even 1,000 miles over rough terrain because of that man and his nonexistent horse.

But the story of ultramarathoning actually begins with another man — named Wendell Robie — and another horse.

The Western States 100

"Wendell's a little guy," says Gordon Ainsleigh, who most people call Gordy. "He's strong, he's wiry and he wears cowboy boots. Well, he doesn't anymore. He died in ’84."

Gordy was a friend of Wendell’s back in the day.

In 1954, Wendell was camping with the Sacramento Horsemen’s Association at Robinson Flat, 30 miles west of Lake Tahoe. Gordy recalls sitting around the campfire on the last night of the trip...

Read more or listen here:
https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019/06/28/ultramarathon-gordon-ainsleigh-western-states

Friday, June 28, 2019

Everything You Need to Know About the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run

RunnersWorld.com - Full Article

A snowy winter will not detour the 2019 race. Here’s what to expect—and how you can follow along.


By PAIGE TRIOLA
JUN 27, 2019

The 2019 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, which is known for being one of the hardest races in the country, will begin on June 29.

Past winners Jim Walmsley and Courtney Dauwalter will be back to challenge for victory again this year.

You can follow along with the race with live updates on ultralive.net, through Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, or by checking the live finish feed on the race’s Facebook page.

Known for being one of the most difficult organized running events in the country—and the oldest 100-mile trail race in the world—the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run is a worthy challenge for any runner ambitious enough to take it on. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2019 race, its entry process, and what to expect from the course.

How to Watch the Western States Endurance Run

The 2019 Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run will be held on Saturday, June 29, and runners will have until Sunday, June 30 to finish.

There are a few ways to follow along with the race, race director Craig Thornley told Runner’s World...

Read more at:
https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a28208082/how-to-watch-western-states-100-mile-endurance-run/

Help Gastric Ulcers with Frequent Feedings

KER.com - Full Article

June 6, 2019
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff

Many performance horses have ulcerations of the stomach that can hinder performance and well-being. Did you know that broodmares and lightly ridden horses are also at risk? According to veterinarians and researchers, one contributing factor to equine gastric ulcer syndrome, or EGUS, involves feeding management strategies, including lack of free feeding.

“Free feeding of performance horses or those maintained primarily in individual stalls is not a realistic option, compared to horses on pasture that will graze for 10-15 hours a day,” shared Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research.

For most performance horses, simply offering more hay will not provide sufficient energy, necessitating the addition of a concentrate to the diet. Typically, these grain meals are offered twice daily.

One viable alternative to this feeding dilemma, according to a recently published study*, involves using an automated feeder programmed to deliver 20 small grain meals spread over a 24-hour period...

Read more at:
https://ker.com/equinews/help-gastric-ulcers-with-frequent-feedings/?partner=ker&utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=be6fee2903-KER_Equinews_062619&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-be6fee2903-11166

Monday, June 24, 2019

Heather Wallace Releases New Book, Girl Forward, about Her Travels to Mongolia

June 19 2019

Girl Forward is the tale of one woman’s adventures traveling to work for an equestrian event in Mongolia. Heather Wallace is an unlikely adventurer and a timid rider. A mother of three and a small business owner, she has little time to explore the world the way she did in her younger years. When the opportunity arose to work for The Gobi Desert Cup, an endurance horse race in Mongolia, she took a risk learning about herself and changing her life forever.


“You did what? Where?”

When I tell people I traveled to Mongolia to photograph a horse race, there is often confusion. Even my friends and family struggled to understand.

I was a mother of three struggling to build a business for myself. However, when I had the opportunity to travel across the world for several weeks away from everything and everyone I loved, I jumped at the chance and left it all behind for a while.

The Gobi Desert Cup, an endurance horse race over 480 kilometers in six days, on Mongolian horses sought a writer and photographer to attend their event, and that was going to be me.

I don’t camp, I don’t typically take risks, and I don’t speak Mongolian. I never doubted for a second that I needed to be part of this experience. I knew from the very start this would be a journey of self-discovery.

I didn’t know it would change my life.”

Already a winner of the Reader’s Favorite 5-Star award, the critics note, “Heather Wallace’s love of animals, especially horses, is clearly shown throughout Girl Forward: A Tale of One Woman’s Unlikely Adventure in Mongolia, with her enthusiasm for the Mongolian breed being contagious. The hazards of the adventure and the difficulties (including the security screening problems at Beijing Airport) encountered in reaching and returning from the destination (Ulaanbaatar) should sound familiar to many a seasoned traveler.”


Girl Forward: A Tale of One Woman’s Unlikely Adventure in Mongolia

By Heather Wallace

Published by Water Horse Press

Copyright 2019, All rights reserved.

$7.99 US Kindle Ebook; $16.99 US Paperback

Publication date: June 19, 2019. Available for purchase at:

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Forward-Unlikely-Adventure-Mongolia-ebook/dp/B07RSXZ1NK/



About the Author

Heather Wallace is a certified equine and canine sports massage therapist working with animals by day and writing about them by night. She is known for her blog about confidence at The Timid Rider.

Her first book, Equestrian Handbook of Excuses, was a 2017 Literary Selection for the Equus Film Festival and is a humorous look at the excuses we tell ourselves why we can’t ride that day. Her second book, Confessions of a Timid Rider, details her insights about being an anxiety-ridden but passionate equestrian and writer. It was both an Amazon #1 Hot New Release and won the Equus Film Festival Winnie Award for Non-Fiction.

Heather wears many hats and is exceptionally proud to be an example to her three daughters of a woman who follows her passion and takes risks. Heather is every woman who decided to leave her fears behind and do what she loves.

In her spare time, of which she has little, she spends her time with her husband, three children, two dogs, and pony.

Follow her on social media @timidrider or at timidrider.com. Please contact Heather if you would like a review copy, or you are interested in an interview.


About The Gobi Desert Cup

Co-founded in 2016 by FEI 3* Endurance Rider, Camille Champagne, the Gobi Desert Cup is a 480-kilometer equestrian adventure through the Gobi Desert, riding Mongolian horses every day for six days over 50 miles. This challenge is the only one of its kind to combine endurance while positively supporting Mongolian nomadic culture and their horses before, during, and after the event.

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Officials: Increased Risk for WNV in California Horses Near Wildfire Zones

TheHorse.com - Full Article

Butte County public health officials say they’re concerned about an increased number of mosquitoes capable of transmitting WNV due to late-season rainstorms and more breeding sites in the 2018 Camp Fire burn zone.

Posted by Edited Press Release | May 31, 2019

California public health officials are encouraging owners to vaccinated horses against West Nile virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne illness transmitted to animals and people via a bite from an infected mosquito. In 2018, there were 11 confirmed cases of WNV in California horses. Six of the affected horses (54.5%) died or were euthanized.

Butte County Public Health and the Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District announced May 29 that they’re concerned about an increase in the number of mosquitoes capable of transmitting WNV in Butte County due to late-season rainstorms and more mosquito breeding sites in the Camp Fire burn zone.

In Butte County, WNV season runs June through October, the groups said...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/173543/officials-increased-risk-for-wnv-in-california-horses-near-wildfire-zones/

Equine Electrolyte Supplements: Three Tips

KER.com - Full Article

July 18, 2018 By Kentucky Equine Research Staff

The sweat that froths and drips from your horse is laced with electrolytes. Profound electrolyte losses occur in exercising horses, often necessitating an electrolyte supplement for optimal athletic performance. Which supplement should you choose, and how much should you offer to ensure electrolytes are being adequately replaced?

“Electrolyte supplements help replace ions lost in sweat during exercise, predominantly sodium, chloride, potassium, and magnesium. Those ions play important roles in an extensive array of metabolic processes, including those involved in nerve and muscle function, and the flow of nutrients into and waste products out of cells,” explained Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a Kentucky Equine Research nutritionist...

Read more here:
https://ker.com/equinews/equine-electrolyte-supplements-three-tips/?utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=c889f961f5-Focus_on_Electrolytes&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-c889f961f5-11166

Saturday, June 22, 2019

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?...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/158895/the-long-haul-traveling-long-distances-with-horses/

Not Your Average Equine Ulcer

Thehorse.com - Full Article

Gastric disease develops most commonly in the squamous region, when stomach acid splashes onto that vulnerable area of tissue. Why it develops in the glandular region—and how to prevent and treat it—is less clear. In the June 2019 issue of The Horse, five researchers discuss what we do know about equine glandular gastric disease. Read an excerpt now.

Posted by Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor | Jun 4, 2019

What scientists are learning about the recently defined equine glandular gastric disease

Gastric ulcers are nearly ubiquitous in our domestic equine population. We know they plague anywhere from 50% to 90% of horses, particularly performance horses. But not all ulcers are created equal. In the past few years researchers officially split gastric disease into two categories: squamous, affecting the upper portion of the horse’s stomach, and glandular, a nonulcerative condition affecting the lower. Gastric disease develops most commonly in the squamous region, when stomach acid splashes onto that vulnerable area of tissue. Why it develops in the glandular region—and how to prevent and treat it—is less clear.

At the 2018 British Equine Veterinary Association Congress, five researchers discussed what we do know about equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD). Here are their key takeaways...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/173644/not-your-average-equine-ulcer/

Friday, June 21, 2019

Levels of a protein in Endurance horses could point to overtraining – study

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

June 21, 2019 Horsetalk.co.nz

The measurement of serum amyloid A in the blood of Endurance horses might be a useful indicator of overtraining, the findings of a study suggest.

Serum amyloid A is an acute-phase protein made mostly in the liver. It has several roles, including the recruitment of immune cells to areas of inflammation.

Olga Witkowska-PiƂaszewicz and her colleagues, writing in the journal Animals, said sport training in horses led to adaptations linked to physical effort that are reflected by the changes in blood parameters.

Blood testing is accepted as a support tool in the training of endurance horses, the study team from Poland said...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2019/06/21/levels-protein-endurance-horses-overtraining-study/

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Electrolytes Vital for Performance Horses

KER.com - Full Article

June 2, 2017
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff

More than one horse owner has asked herself this simple question, “Why don’t feed manufacturers put electrolytes in feed specifically designed for performance horses?” According to Joe Pagan, Ph.D., founder and owner of Kentucky Equine Research (KER), this is a reasonable question but one that is easily answered.

“A horse’s energy requirement stays the same during consistent work,” explained Pagan, “but sweat losses change with weather, work intensity, and other factors. Horse owners need to be able to easily adjust the amount of electrolyte given based on sweat production.”

The two most common questions Pagan addresses about electrolyte supplements include what type of product is best and how much electrolyte should be fed.

In selecting a product, Pagan advocates simplicity. “Pick an electrolyte that is salty. A lot of electrolytes are full of sugar. The horse may love it, but it doesn’t have a lot of electrolyte in it,” he said. “Look at the label, find one that has sodium, chloride, and potassium as the primary ingredients...”

Read more here:
https://ker.com/equinews/electrolytes-vital-performance-horses/?utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=c889f961f5-Focus_on_Electrolytes&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-c889f961f5-11166

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Got Healthy Hooves? Here’s How to Keep Them That Way

TheHorse.com - Full Article

Posted by Heather Smith Thomas | May 22, 2019

Consider the big picture, from farrier care and diet to environment and genetics, when working to keep horse hooves healthy
My horse is barefoot. And sound. And his feet look pretty great, if you ask me. What can I do to keep them this way? Are there special products I should be using or certain ways I should be managing them? What if someday he needs shoes?

These are just a few of the many questions horse owners ask about their horses’ feet. They’ve heard about or have managed less-ideal feet, so it’s only natural to want to keep things going the way they are and stave off problems. We gathered advice from two farriers on how to have the healthiest of hooves, with or without shoes.

Paul Goodness, CJF, a farrier at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine’s (VMCVM) Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, in Leesburg, Virginia, says horses’ feet are fairly resilient and can adapt to many conditions, but sometimes they need a little help. Travis Burns, CJF, TE, EE, FWCF, assistant professor of practice and chief of farrier services at the VMCVM, agrees, and says horse owners can do many things to help their horses maintain healthy hoof capsules...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/19088/got-healthy-hooves-heres-how-to-keep-them-that-way/

Pony Express riders arrive at Fort Churchill, Carson City, Genoa and Tahoe this Wednesday

CarsonNow.org - Full Article

Submitted by Jeff Munson on Sun, 06/16/2019

Imagine you live in the year 1860 with vast wilderness, wide-open plains and high desert between Missouri and California. You're one of the chosen riders on top of a horse with a mochila strapped on your saddle, navigating along the trail where unknown dangers may be ahead.

You're not on a leisure trip, you're one of a team of boys and young men traveling 1,966 miles in 10 days on horseback, delivering mail to and from the West.

Even though the Pony Express lasted just 18 months (having been replaced by the transcontinental telegraph line that started just 10 weeks after the Pony Express began), the lore and legend live on. In its short history, the Pony Express has become synonymous with the Old West. In the era before easy mass communication, the Pony Express was the thread that tied East to West...

Read more here:
https://www.carsonnow.org/story/06/16/2019/pony-express-riders-arrive-fort-churchill-carson-city-genoa-and-tahoe-wednesday?fbclid=IwAR2qJoMGSbTM_1PRcvHGsLm5kkZe5-vi72xsJAfJNhekrsAjRbcIpbqYn48

Saturday, June 15, 2019

USEF and ADS Unable to Reach Agreement After Initial Affiliate Agreement Concludes

USEF.org

by US Equestrian Communications Department | Jun 11, 2019, 10:30 AM EST

Lexington, Ky. - In January of 2017, the USEF terminated its relationship with the American Driving Society (ADS) because that organization was unwilling to reach an agreement regarding its responsibilities as the Recognized Affiliate for the Driving discipline. In May of 2017, the ADS and USEF were able to reach agreement on key issues including competition licensing, licensed officials, anti-doping efforts and a continued commitment to work together to grow the driving discipline. These efforts resulted in the reinstatement of ADS as the Recognized Affiliate until the end of November 2018, at which point the two organizations would meet again to determine the path forward and renew the Affiliate Agreement.

Unfortunately, after the initial Affiliate Agreement expired, and despite continued negotiating through repeated extensions of the Agreement, the two organizations could not come to an agreement and have agreed it is in the best interest of both organizations to part ways. As the current Agreement is expired, this decision is effective immediately.

“Recognized Affiliate Association status offers significant benefits, but also comes with great responsibility,” stated USEF Chief Executive Officer Bill Moroney. “Relationships between the USEF and its Recognized Affiliates must be mutually beneficial in order to best serve the needs of the horses, athletes and the sport of equestrian. In today’s environment, there are higher requirements to ensure fairness and safety, added scrutiny, and increased exposure associated with operating as an amateur sports organization and this can create challenges. USEF is uniquely positioned to assist our Affiliates in meeting those challenges so we can all enjoy a safe environment.”

Moroney continued: “We recently met with ADS leadership and developed several proposals regarding competition licensing, licensed officials, alignment of rules and anti-doping for presentation to the ADS Board of Directors. We are very disappointed that the ADS Board of Directors was unwilling to accept these proposals required to keep our environment safe and fair, despite USEF’s best efforts to be flexible regarding their Affiliate concerns. Ultimately, however, USEF cannot compromise on protecting our athletes, ensuring the welfare of our horses and maintaining the integrity of our sport.”

USEF continues to work with organizers and competitors to make certain athletes at every level have access to the competitive opportunities and resources needed to hone their talents. USEF is committed to the continued development of the sport of driving and will immediately begin a process to replace the ADS with a new Recognized Affiliate for driving.

Friday, June 14, 2019

Scientists unravel the mysteries of endurance horse metabolism

Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article

June 13, 2019
Horsetalk.co.nz

Horses studied in a 160km endurance race made an effective metabolic switch from carbohydrate consumption to lipid consumption, but in doing so managed to maintain higher blood glucose levels than horses competing over shorter distances.

Lipid metabolism is known to take place during endurance exercise as a way of maintaining the energy supply as the glucose level falls. But, interestingly, researchers found that blood glucose levels did not fall as much in horses competing over the longer distances.

Scientists, in a paper published in the journal Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, have taken what they describe as the first step toward unraveling the energy metabolism in endurance horses...

Read more here:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2019/06/13/scientists-mysteries-endurance-horse-metabolism/

Janet Rose Recognized by US Forest Service for Safely Placing Mules, Horses After Retirement

June 12 2019

Stories From USFS Nine Mile the “Face of Adoption”

Frenchtown, Montana (June 12, 2019) In a special awards ceremony earlier this spring, the United States Forest Service recognized Janet Rose for her dedication and success in safely placing mules and horses retired from USFS Ranger Station duty into safe and permanent adoptive homes.

Rose works with Horse Haven Montana, which since its inception in 2007 has assisted federal and county agencies including US Forest Service and Border Patrol in ensuring the present and future welfare of its pack and riding animals that have fulfilled their service. Rose founded the Equus International Film Festival© in 2011as a benefit event for Horse Haven Montana.

EIFF19 included ‘The History of the Historic Nine Mile Ranger Station Equine Program,’ a special presentation with Nine Mile Ranger Station Livestock Manager Casey Burns, and Nine Mile Ranger Station Resources Assistant Laura Johnson, who shared stories of the working horses and mules of Nine Mile, one of the oldest federal equine programs still operating in the United States.

“When horses and mules are retired from the USFS, Horse Haven Montana, the parent organization of EIFF, places its senior geldings and mules in permanent adoptive homes,” says Rose.

Those retiree success stories include USFS horse Rocko, and mules Cooper (aka Farmer) and Duchess, once a lead mule on the famous Nine Mile pack string, who found her retirement home with a family and became the first love of its little boy. Another Horse Haven happy ending is Jezzy, who came from a private owner who could no longer afford to keep her, and was adopted into a family full of small children with big hearts.

“This is the face of adoption,” Rose says. “The Forest Service folks were telling me at the awards ceremony that in the past, they were usually required to take the animals to auction. Sometimes they ended up with an outfitter, but that meant more work for horses and mules well beyond their working years. They were being retired because they had done their service! And if they didn’t go to an outfitter, then too often they might go on to an unimaginable fate.”

“I have never thought of my work with them or with adoption as being that big a deal but now it is a real alternative to slaughter or working senior animals beyond their years. And I know that animals such as Cooper have gone on to incredible homes, and are incredible animals for the people who receive them. Often these are families: A child learning to ride, or a teenager needing a friend, or a beginner rider who needs his or her first, reliable horse.

“The Forest Service has been so incredibly appreciative that we can take these animals, that they have loved and cared for and worked with for years, and find them the great retirement homes they deserve.”

Janet Rose is available for interviews and to share her stories of the mules and horses writing the next chapters in the history of the American West. Contact her at jrt@montana.com and learn more at www.horsehavenmt.org.

Saturday, June 01, 2019

Trailer Breakaway System

Trailmeister.com - Full Article

May 31 2019
by Robert Eversole

The Trailer Breakaway System –The breakaway system is your first line of defense is the event of a very bad situation.

This is vitally important safety device works with your trailer brakes to protect you and the people around you in the event that your trailer becomes separated from your vehicle. A separation event is unpredictable and highly dangerous. The breakaway system is designed to minimize damage and injury.

The system is made up of a battery on your trailer and a switch connected to a cable. One end of the cable attaches to your trailer, while the other end attaches to your vehicle. If the primary connection (receiver/hitch/coupler) between your vehicle and trailer fails, the trailer will pull the cable as it breaks free. The switch will actuate the battery and firmly apply the trailer brakes to slow the trailer. – [NOTE: safety chains are NOT part of the primary connection between truck and trailer. They are a last resort.]

Always securely connect the breakaway cable to your vehicle. You can test the breakaway system by pulling the cable. Your trailer brakes should immediately activate and lock up the tires. To disengage, simply replace the key in the switch...

Read more at:
https://www.trailmeister.com/trailer-breakaway-system/?fbclid=IwAR1AaCWizMXqIo1mXcr7-OE6eX8TT1A4CcnVziNQT4CgHkKSo4biQfHTl3c