Emergency Shoe Removal for Horses

Thehorse.com - Full Article

A nearly lost shoe should stop a rider cold because it can expose horses to foot injuries ranging from nail punctures to sole bruising. Having the right tools and knowing how to use them can help you remove a shoe safely when a farrier isn’t available.

Posted by Pat Raia | Jul 29, 2020

Having the right tools and knowing how to use them can help you remove a shoe safely when a farrier isn’t available.
Donald Brockman, DVM, can’t count the number of times he’s been flagged down by fellow trail riders whose horses’ shoes have been partially separated from their hooves. A nearly lost shoe should stop a rider cold because it can expose horses to foot injuries ranging from nail punctures to sole bruising. Therefore, it is critical to remove a nearly lost shoe completely as soon as possible.

“It’s one thing if you know there’s a farrier on the trail somewhere, but that’s not always the case,” says Brockman, who made his living as a farrier before earning his veterinary degree. “People should know how to pull a shoe in an emergency situation...”

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/150649/emergency-shoe-removal-for-horses/?utm_medium=Lameness+enews&utm_source=Newsletter

Travel Papers: Nuisance or Necessity?

Horseandrider.com - Full Article

Learn how equine-travel documents protect your horse and get answers to commonly asked questions for equine-travel requirements.

BARB CRABBE, DVMUPDATED:JUL 21, 2020ORIGINAL:JUL 16, 2020

I was digging through a box of papers the other day and came across a report I’d written in sixth grade: “EIA: Is Test and Slaughter the Answer?” I still remember writing the report, pondering the dilemma, and looking for solutions. I somehow grasped the importance of controlling the spread of a terrible, fatal disease in horses. That was 1972.

Fast-forward to today. I’ve been a practicing veterinarian for 30 years. And in that 30 years, I’ve never seen a positive Coggins test, the blood test that detects a horse’s antibodies to equine infectious anemia (EIA).

How can that be? Because, in fact, testing and “lifetime quarantine” did prove to be the answer. Does that mean EIA has been eradicated completely? No. But that does mean it’s been pretty well controlled—largely because of mandatory testing required for horses transported across state lines...

Read more here:
https://horseandrider.com/horseback-trail-riding/travel-papers-nuisance-or-necessity?RiderNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter&_hsmi=92125740&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--tyFhYYh740DpZDSnY4QoFYcApXmxURIOTPM3lFeLFfS0jXLir4T-JZIqqtn0vWu6-7wXsaWnHRnn3Q-jPZlkuQd8KBw&utm_source=Horse

Ride Like A Girl: An Inspiring True Story of Determination

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

Horse lovers and racing fans alike are in for a treat when this exciting new film gallops into (home) theatres this August.

By: Kim Izzo | July 29, 2020

It’s been a long first half of 2020, and we’ve all been stuck at home watching way more Netflix and other television than we would normally. While thankfully many of us are now out riding our horses and picking up our lives as best we can, there is one more television movie worth checking out.

In August, the Australian film Ride Like A Girl is set to make its small-screen debut. Directed by Aussie actress and first-time director Rachel Griffiths (Muriel’s Wedding, Six Feet Under), it’s the true story of Michelle Payne, a young woman who fulfills her dream of becoming a jockey and riding in the legendary Melbourne Cup. Payne suffered a horrific fall early in her career, fracturing her skull, which meant a lengthy recovery period. But after making a comeback and winning other races, she first rode in the historic, gruelling two-mile race in 2009, where she finished 16th in a field of 23.

In 2015, Michelle Payne became the first woman to win the race in its 155-year history, riding Prince of Penzance, a six-year-old gelding that she had developed a relationship with...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/horse-news/ride-like-girl-inspiring-true-story-determination/

Looking for room to roam? Try a ‘pack trip’

NationalGeographic.com - Full Article

Horseback journeys in the Wyoming wilderness offer a deep connection to nature.

Story and Photographs by Matt Stirn

I snapped awake in my sleeping bag as the day’s first light set fire to the granite peaks above our campsite. Deep in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, the air was frosty as I unzipped my tent and crawled outside. Across a meadow vibrant with wildflowers, I saw our horses look up from their morning graze.

“Breakfast is ready!” my dad called. Heath, our guide and a true Wyoming cowboy, handed me a tin cup of coffee and a plate of eggs and grilled trout that we had caught the day before. On this third morning of our weeklong wilderness pack trip, we had no pressing plans, and our only task was to watch the sun rising over the mountains. We would need the energy—later in the day we would hike to see a glacier along the Continental Divide.

The history of pack trips in the United States can be traced to the early 19th century, when explorers and trappers ventured west into the uncharted territory of the Rocky Mountains. Small strings of mules and horses were employed to help lessen the burden of carrying heavy equipment and supplies across great distances...

Read more here:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/united-states/wyoming/looking-for-room-to-roam-try-a-pack-trip/?sf236124333=1

Keeping a PPID Horse Cool During the Summer

Thehorse.com - Listen

Horses with Cushing’s have a harder time regulating their body temperature and often sport longer coats. Dr. Jeanette Mero has recommendations for keeping those horses comfortable.

Posted by Jeanette "Jay" Mero, DVM | Jul 24, 2020

Listen:
https://thehorse.com/190818/keeping-a-ppid-horse-cool-during-the-summer/

Third Generation Suffragist Rides for Women's Equality

HorseNetwork.com - Full Article

Lisa DeMasi
July 23, 2020

A long rider, according to the Long Rider’s Guild, is someone who has ridden more than 1,000 continuous miles on a single equestrian journey.
Bernice Ende has ridden over 30,000 miles on horseback since 2005, by herself, across the U.S. and Canada. Her longest ride—traveling coast-to-coast and back, dating from 2014–2016—covered an epic 8,000 miles.

I first encountered the “Lady Long Rider” on the page.

As a book lover with a proclivity to read about women who have endeavored and achieved the impossible, I was drawn to her book, Lady Long Rider: Alone Across America on Horseback. I quickly learned at the root of her long rides pursuit is the sentiment that her freedom to ride was won by the courageous suffragists, who over a hundred years ago, never gave up their fight for equality...

Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2020/07/third-generation-suffragist-rides-for-womens-equality/

Trail First-Aid for Horses

HorseIllustrated.com - Full Article

Know what to do if your horse gets injured on the trail.

By Nancy S. Loving, DVM
March 1 2012

Some of the most memorable rides are those enjoyed on a quiet, remote trail. Nothing could be finer. Without a worry in sight, your mind roams free as you absorb the beauty of the day and connect with your horse. And then, disaster strikes.

Emergency Plan

When you are faced with a crisis out on the trail, your prime objective is to execute a quick fix until you can get in touch with a vet. Before you head off on any ride, make sure someone knows what trail you’ll be on, and don’t deviate from this plan. Have a charged cell phone in hand, a GPS unit if possible, clothing for all kinds of weather and a well-stocked first-aid kit. Here are some common scenarios you might encounter on the trail.

Bleeding Laceration

Trails are full of obstacles that threaten to inflict cuts and scrapes as your horse fails to clear sharp branches or rocks while negotiating tough terrain or crossing creeks. If this happens, dismount and assess the damages when it is safe to do so...

Read more here:
https://www.horseillustrated.com/horse-health-trail-riding-first-aid?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hi_rnl_18July2020

A Honey of a Wound Treatment

HorseNetwork.com - Full Article

Dr. David Ramey
July 13, 2020

There’s something really sweet that you might want to consider putting on your horse’s wound. Literally: sweet. You may have some in your kitchen—honey.

Honey is being investigated for its medicinal uses. It’s been used for a long time. There are reports of honey being used as medicine in ancient China. The Egyptians used it. Africans folk healers from Mali to Ghana used it (and still do). In fact, honey has drawn so much curiosity for its medicinal properties that there’s an entire honey research unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

I’m usually not very impressed by the, “This has been around for thousands of years,” line of reasoning when it comes to therapies. (I’m particularly unimpressed when it’s stated when it’s not true, such as with modern acupuncture, but that’s another story).

But here’s something really cool. When archaeologists were digging up ancient tombs in Egypt, you’ll never guess what they found (besides dust and statues and such). Honey. In sealed pots.Honey that was thousands of years old. Incredibly, the honey was completely preserved and unspoiled, even after all that time...

Read more here:
https://horsenetwork.com/2020/07/a-honey-of-a-wound-treatment/?utm_source=Horse+Network+Email+List&utm_campaign=a662d20035-HN_2020_7_13_2020&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5694ca6b0c-a662d20035-84641243&goal=0_5694ca6b0c-a662d20035-84641243&mc_cid=a662d20035&mc_eid=b3c9897994

Chief Joseph 100 Mile Challenge

RunSignup.com

Mon July 20 - Thu December 31, 2020
Anywhere, US

PLACE

virtual
Anywhere
Anywhere, ID US 83660

DESCRIPTION

The 2020 Chief Joseph Trail Ride was canceled thanks to COVID. We would have returned to Musselshell Meadow in August, where we ended in 2019, and ridden on to Lolo Pass, Lolo Trail and Motorway, Clearwater National Forest, Packers Meadows to Wendover Camp. Since we can't ride it physically, we CAN ride it virtually. And we have the Appaloosa Horse Club's blessing as we keep this ride alive in 2020. We can ride with friends in 2020 any place on any trails that we want, have some fun and raise some funds for the Chief Joseph Foundation. So saddle your horse or mule and ride, hook up your cart and drive, or put on your walking shoes and lead 100 miles. Since the idea is to get out and have fun you can walk, run or ride a bike too! Ride as many miles in a day as you like, anywhere, anytime. For this virtual event you can ride any horse or mule. Submit your mileage online. At the end of 100 miles you'll receive a cool printed bandana created especially for this event to celebrate your journey with your horse. We are trusting you to track your miles and all miles are on your honor. If you say you went 5 miles we believe you. It's easy to add miles online and track your progress, and you'll receive email links for this. You can register anytime, just allow yourself enough time to complete the challenge. 100 miles is so doable, ride a mile day, ride 3 days a week and add your miles, ride 20 times 5 miles each = FINISHED! Or however you would like to do it at your own pace of course! We'll begin collecting miles on July 20, this would have been our 2020 start date. It was going to be a 100 day challenge but that has been changed to allow more time as school will begin in August for many, cutting into riding time for a lot of people. The challenge will end Dec 31, 2020.

In addition, $5 of every entry will be donated to the Chief Joseph Foundation. Normally at the ride they have a raffle and other fundraisers. Last year Kirk Knowlton and Kristen Reiter raffled a saddle for the Foundation as a fundraiser. Let's help the kids of the Chief Joe Foundation and hope we all return to Musselshell next year to really ride!!

This event is a test run for a VIRTUAL 1300 Mile Challenge on Chief Joseph trail in the future. We have a LOT of details to work out so it can benefit future Chief Joseph Rides.

For more info, see
https://runsignup.com/Race/ID/Anywhere/ChiefJoseph100MileChallenge

Tying Up and Hydration: How to Get a Horse to Drink

Thehorse.com - Full Article

A reader’s horse who doesn’t like to drink when traveling recently tied up while running cross-country at an event. Our nutritionist offers advice to get the horse to hydrate in the future.

Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | Jul 13, 2020

Q.​Recently my horse tied-up while running cross-country. This has happened before but not for well over a year. He’s not a good drinker while traveling and barely drank 15 gallons over three days, which actually is more than normal when away from home. My vet thinks the tying-up is most likely related to hydration. What can I do to get him drinking more?

A.Having a horse that won’t drink while traveling and staying away from home is both frustrating and concerning. It can be near impossible to make a horse drink, but the good news is there are some things you can try...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/181199/tying-up-and-hydration-how-to-get-a-horse-to-drink/?utm_medium=Nutrition+enews&utm_source=Newsletter

What We Learn When Humans Race Against Horses

OutsideOnline.com - Full Article

The hotter it is, the closer we come to the ever elusive goal of besting the horse—which supports the evolutionary "born to run" hypothesis

Alex Hutchinson
Jul 12, 2020
Back in the summer of 1980, the barkeep of the Neuadd Arms Hotel in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells overheard two men arguing about one of those hypothetical questions that inevitably come up after a few pints of cwrw. Who would cover a long distance over mountainous terrain more quickly, they wondered: a human or a horse? The bartender, a man named Gordon Green, was intrigued—and the event he set up, a 22-mile challenge known as the Man Versus Horse Marathon, has been running annually ever since.

The answer, it turns out, is that horses are pretty clearly faster, at least under the conditions that Green created. Only twice in the race’s history has a human triumphed. The first time was in 2004, when Huw Lobb—a former college teammate of mine, as it happens—finished in 2:05:19 to edge out a horse named Kay Bee Jay by just over two minutes. Lobb was no slouch: he was a cross-country ace who ran a 2:14 marathon the following year. He collected a cool 25,000 British pounds (about $45,000 at the time), because the pot had been growing by 1,000 pounds a year since the race’s inception, waiting for the first human winner.

(Aside: that year’s edition of the race also featured the unveiling of a memorial to Screaming Lord Sutch, the founder of Britain’s Monster Raving Loony Party, who was the event’s official starter until his death in 1999. Now you know.)

Lobb’s victory came on a hot day, as did Florian Holzinger’s subsequent victory in 2007—a significant detail, according to a new study in the journal Experimental Physiology from Lewis Halsey of the University of Roehampton in Britain and Caleb Bryce of the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust. Halsey and Bryce gathered historical data from three endurance races that pit humans against horses, including the Man Versus Horse Marathon, to test the idea that humans are uniquely adapted to run for long distances in hot weather...

Read more here:
https://www.outsideonline.com/2415390/humans-vs-horses-racing-heat-study

THE STYLE EDIT Interviews International Endurance Horse Rider Amy McAuley

TheStyleEdit.com - Full Article

THE STYLE EDIT Editor Jenny Taggart talks childhood, training, travel and winning medals with International Endurance horse rider Amy McAuley from County Meath, Ireland

May 2020
JENNY TAGGART

THE STYLE EDIT: Would you say that a career in Equestrianism was always written in the stars for you?

I always hoped horses would be a major aspect of my life, as they are of strong significance on both sides of my family, but truthfully a career in Equestrianism was something I didn’t expect. For as long as I can remember, I have attended the RDS Dublin Horse Show every summer with my family and from a young age the sight of the top, world class horse-rider combinations competing on such technical courses was a major catalyst of inspiration for me. However, my parents were firm believers in prioritising academics and often reminded me it would be best to maintain horse riding as a hobby, which is what I did for many years, until Endurance provided me with the opportunity to balance both with ease.

TSE: Would you be so kind as to explain exactly what Endurance Racing is and how it differs from other forms of horse-racing?

Endurance Racing is a long-distance horse race, ranging from distances of 80km to 160km in any given day, across differing terrains depending on the country of context. For example, we race across the desert in the United Arab Emirates.
The races are comprised of a number of loops depending on its length. For example, a typical 120km race would be split into four loops, descending in distance, usually 40km, 36km, 28km and 16km. Between each loop there are compulsory vet checks for the horses, where they are analysed on attributes such as heart rate, soundness in gait and hydration before they are permitted to proceed to the next loop. The most technical aspect of the sport, is the overall time taken between finishing the loop to presenting the horse at the vet check, this is deemed the recovery time and determines the position you will depart on the next loop, usually influencing your overall fate in a race...

Read more here:
https://www.thestyleedit.com/the-style-edit-interviews-international-endurance-horse-rider-amy-mcauley/

Electrolyte Problems in Endurance Horses

July 12 2020

Electrolyte problems in the heat are directly proportional to sweat loss, so it makes perfect sense that horses working long periods are at greatest risk.  This puts the spotlight on endurance horses.

Equine sweat is a concentrated electrolyte solution. Chloride is the most abundant electrolyte in sweat, followed by sodium, then potassium, with much smaller amounts of calcium and magnesium. The daily requirement for sodium can double with just one hour of low level sweating.

 

Even at low rates of sweating the horse will lose over a gallon of fluid per hour - and up to 4 gallons per hour with heavy sweating. That's a lot of fluid!  The first consequence of this is dehydration. Since sodium lost in the sweat is needed to hold water in the body tissues, drinking water alone is not enough to correct the dehydration. Even mild dehydration has a major impact on the ability to perform.

 

Electrolyte losses triggered by exercise and sweating can produce a variety of temporary signs which respond to hydration and electrolyte replacement.  Normal levels are required for regular heart rhythm, intestinal motility, coordinated movements of involuntary muscles like the diaphragm, skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation and the regulation of nerve firing.

 

Endurance horses show some typical changes in their blood electrolyte profiles. Low chloride is common. As above, chloride is very high in sweat. They do not have good stores of chloride in the tissues to replace what is lost in sweat. Low potassium is more common than low sodium. This is because horses can pull sodium from the tissues surrounding the body's cells to keep blood levels up.  The kidney also conserves sodium by reducing sodium in the urine and replacing it with potassium.

 

Low potassium interferes with normal contraction of intestinal muscles, skeletal muscles and the heart. The loss of chloride also worsens these changes. In the body, negatively charged chloride and bicarbonate normally balance out positive charges. When chloride becomes too low, more bicarbonate is produced. The bicarbonate then binds up "free"/charged calcium and magnesium ions which in turn disrupts muscle and nerve activity.

 

The bottom line of course is that successful endurance activity requires careful attention to electrolyte intake. Hay/grass is an excellent source of potassium but chloride levels vary and sodium is extremely low. Plain salt (sodium chloride) is the first consideration, feeding 2 oz/day along with generous forage.

 

If the horse is on a ride or working more than 1 to 2 hours/day, add a balanced electrolyte replacement with roughly a 4:2:1 ratio of chloride:sodium:potassium. In other words, twice as much sodium as potassium and four times as much chloride as potassium. Once you find a balanced product, calculate a dose that provides 10 to 12 grams of sodium. You need one such dose for every hour worked over the 1 to 2 hour mark.

 

The above program is designed to prevent significant electrolyte losses. If the horse has already been working heavily without electrolyte support, a different formula could be beneficial in targeting the existing situation first.  Look for salt (sodium chloride) to be about double the level of potassium with magnesium about 1.5% and calcium 3%.

 

Correctly supplementing to provide optimal electrolyte support takes a little effort, but is well worth it.

 

Uckele Health & Nutrition, maker of CocoSoya®, offers formulas that provide Electrolyte support.  

 

Pro Lyte pellets provide highly concentrated, low sugar electrolyte for everyday use.  Add to feed or water for fast results to maintain the balance and flow of vital body fluids and the healthy function of the muscles and circulatory system. Palatable apple-flavored source of Sodium, Chloride, Potassium, and Magnesium for use pre- and post-event.

 

Lyte Now is a convenient, full spectrum electrolyte paste designed to help replenish major electrolytes and trace minerals lost in sweat for horses under stress from summer heat, hard work, training, and physical activity. Supports proper mineral balance to maintain the circulation of vital body fluids and the transmission of nerve impulses pre- or post-event to promote an optimal competitive edge.

 

About Dr. Kellon

Dr. Eleanor Kellon, staff veterinary specialist for Uckele Health & Nutrition, is an established authority in the field of equine nutrition for over 30 years, and a founding member and leader of the Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance (ECIR) group, whose mission is to improve the welfare of horses with metabolic disorders via integration of research and real-life clinical experience.  Prevention of laminitis is the ultimate goal.  www.ecirhorse.org
 
Uckele Health & Nutrition, maker of CocoSoya, is an innovation-driven health company committed to making people and their animals healthier.  On the leading edge of nutritional science and technology for over 50 years, Uckele formulates and manufactures a full spectrum of quality nutritional supplements incorporating the latest nutritional advances.  www.uckele.com.

Endurance riding is not for the fainthearted

ABC.net.au - Listen

On Breakfast with Sally Bryant

Forty five years ago, Allan Caslick saw a young woman working a horse and asked her what she was in training for; she replied she was an endurance rider and he was intrigued.

This weekend, his committee will host riders of all ages at The Rock, near Wagga in the Riverina.

Allan says there is something for everyone in the sport. The challenge of training a horse, the ability to pace yourself according to your fitness and ability, and the satisfaction of developing a true understanding and bond with your horse.

"It's all about finishing the event," he says.

"It's about finishing in your own time, with your horse fit and sound. That's where the satisfaction lies."

Duration: 11min 28sec
Broadcast: Wed 8 Jul 2020, 6:35am

Listen:

In Case of Crash & Burn: Emergency First Aid For Riders

Horse-canada.com - Full Article

We all assume risk when we ride and work around our horses. But would you know what to do if the worst happens and someone, including yourself, falls off?

By: Kim Izzo | June 16, 2020
According to statistics, fractures account for 25-28% of all horse-related injuries in the US (we don’t have any recent Canadian stats, unfortunately), and concussions account for 9.5% of all show jumping injuries. Perhaps more surprising was that less experience meant a greater chance for falls and injuries, but the most experienced riders – and professionals – had the highest incidences of severe injury. Sadly, there was also a correlation between experience and lack of wearing a helmet; those who were professional horse trainers were least likely to wear a helmet when mounted.

Even if you’re a pleasure rider who just loves to go out on the trail for an hour or more, you should know what to do in an emergency. To help, we’ve created a list of rider survival tips that hopefully you’ll never need...

Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/magazine/rider-health/crash-burn-emergency-first-aid-riders/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Carrot+Stretches+%7C+Riding+Camps+in+Limbo+%7C+First+Aid+for+Riders+%7C+No+Chicken+For+You&utm_campaign=HC_Enewsletter2019-Wednesday+June+17%2C+2020