Endurance.Net: Consider this...: 07/2021

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Good golly Mollie: why I rode 1,000 miles around Ireland on a Connemara pony

Hilary Bradt
Mon 12 Jul 2021 01.30 EDT

The guidebook publisher’s dream of a solo horseback trip came true, but proved a greater challenge – and more exhilarating – than she’d thought possible

When did I first make the transition from enjoying horse riding as an accomplishment to realising that seeing spectacular scenery from the back of a horse is an end in itself – slow travel at its very best? I think it was in the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, about as spectacular a place as you can get, but also as tiring as any mountain hike if you’re on foot, with thin air, steep paths and treacherous drops.

On my horse Everest (of course I sent a photo home of Hilary on Everest), I could just gaze unimpeded at the snow-patched mountains, the gurgling streams and the big sky, and soak up the feeling of emptiness. My friend and I stayed on a dude ranch, slept in tents at night and rode an 80-mile circuit on those comfy western saddles. That holiday, in the 1960s, confirmed the rightness of my childhood dream of buying a horse and riding a long, long way...

Relief in sight for global horse industry battling gastric disease

MirageNews.com - Full Article

12 July 2021

Millions of horse owners the world over are set to benefit from a more effective method to treat equine gastric disease, a common condition affecting horses, especially in thoroughbred racing and the endurance riding sector.

An eight-year joint project between the University of South Australia and animal health industry partner Luoda Pharma has produced a long-acting, weekly injectable medicine, which heals horses a lot faster than current treatments.

Lead researcher, UniSA pharmaceutical scientist Professor Sanjay Garg, says the current standard treatment for gastric disease – an oral paste – has to be administered daily into the horse’s mouth and sometimes is only 30 per cent effective.

“It is not only time consuming but not all horses accept this treatment willingly. For maximum effect, horses also can’t be fed prior to the paste being administered,” Prof Garg says.

The new injectable formulation of omeprazole developed by UniSA and Luoda Pharma is now used widely in horses in Europe, with outstanding results, and has become the treatment of choice for many veterinarians...

Read more here:
https://www.miragenews.com/relief-in-sight-for-global-horse-industry-593852/

Dealing With Equine Colic: Here are 33 Do's and Don’ts

Thehorse.com - Full Article

Do you know what to do–and just as importantly, what not to do–if your horse displays vague, mild, or serious signs of what might be colic? Your answer could save your horse’s life.

By Marcia King

The changes indicating colic were subtle but nevertheless concerning. Rufus, a Thoroughbred/Warmblood jumper, wasn’t himself, recalls owner Sydney Durieux of New York City. “Rufus was always attentive, playful almost, wrapping his neck around you and giving you a kind of hug, straining his neck to reach you,” she describes. But that evening Rufus ignored Durieux and just stared, looking distracted and vaguely uncomfortable. “He wasn’t swaying, pawing, or looking at his stomach, but when the trainer listened to Rufus’ belly, she couldn’t detect any sounds,” she says.

After a half-hour, Durieux trailered him to a veterinary hospital an hour away. “Both the trainer and I thought we might be overreacting, but our hunch was right: The veterinarian said Rufus had colic and needed immediate surgery,” she says. “I was shocked, because every other horse I’d seen with colic had been very distressed.”

Sometimes it’s pretty obvious something is painfully wrong and the veterinarian should be summoned. Other times mild clinical signs might accurately reflect a mild colic that easily and quickly responds to minimal management without a vet even seeing the horse. Then there are those times when mild clinical signs don’t indicate the severity of a problem that could result in death if treatment is delayed.

Do you know what to do–and just as importantly, what not to do–if your horse displays vague, mild, or serious signs of what might be colic? How do you handle the situation? Actions to take/avoid with your horse’s recovery plan? How to minimize the risk for colic in the first place?

The following are 33 tips to use as guidelines...

Thursday, July 08, 2021

Goals

GoPony.me - Full Article

JUNE 30, 2021 / ASHLEY WINGERT

At the last Arizona Endurance Riders Club learning event, the topic of discussion was on goal-setting within endurance. One of the beautiful things about this sport is how varied and encompassing those goals can be. Whether it’s starting out and having a goal of getting to and finishing your first ride, or setting your sights on Top Tenning at Tevis and showing for the Haggin Cup, and everything in between those two points…endurance seems to be able to accommodate a wide range.

It’s no secret that I have always dreamed big when it comes to this sport. I set my sights high, am willing to take risks and chances, and don’t always wait for the stars to be in 100% alignment before trying something…but that also means I’ve frequently fallen short of hitting those goals. And at least as of yet, it still hasn’t stopped me from dreaming and setting more goals.

If nothing else, this sport will teach resilience, and make you dig deep to hold on to your inner grit and determination. It teaches you how to re-frame disappointment and perceived failure...

Read more here:
https://gopony.me/2021/06/30/goals/

Thursday, July 01, 2021

Algae in Horse Water Troughs: Is It Safe?

TheHorse.com - Full Article

Our nutrition expert offers tips for keeping algal blooms to a minimum in your horse’s water trough this summer.

Posted by Clair Thunes, PhD | Jun 5, 2017

Q: For most of the year my horses live out full time on pasture. In the summer their water trough grows a lot of algae. Is it okay for them to drink from the trough when it has algae, and what can I do to stop it growing? A:Algae in troughs is a common problem once temperatures start to rise. To grow, algae need water, sunlight, and a nutrient source. Nutrients can come from organic material that has blown into the trough, manure, or even your horse’s saliva.

While most algae don’t pose a direct health concern, certain types of blue-green algae release toxins that can lead to colic and diarrhea. Additionally, a lot of algae might make the water less desirable to your horse and lead to reduced water intake. Keeping algal blooms to a minimum in your troughs is therefore a smart idea. Here are some solutions...