TheHorse.com
by: Les Sellnow
Few occurrences are more disturbing to a horse owner than lameness. A lame horse is one that is idle in a stall or paddock instead of being enjoyed in the show ring or on the trail. Sometimes lameness can be brought on by a complex and serious cascade of events such as with laminitis, but at other times the lameness is the result of something that seems minor--like a stone bruise.
This rather innocuous injury can have its own complexity and, if left untreated, can result in a horse's demise.
The bruise referred to here affects the sole of the horse's foot. A bruise can result from a variety of factors--ranging from a step on a stone causing an external bruise to landing with such concussive force when going over a jump or racing across a hard surface that the bones of the inner foot bruise the inside of the sole.
Some bruises come and go with little notice. Fitting into that category, says Doug Butler, PhD, Certified Journeyman Farrier, Fellow of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, of LaPorte, Colo., are bruises that can occur from the buildup of snow in the bottom of the foot during the winter months. Butler is widely known as a lecturer on hoof care and shoe making and fitting, as well as the author of the classic book on farrier science Principles of Horseshoeing I and II.
The first detection of a mild bruise from balled up snow, says Butler, often comes when the horse's feet are trimmed in the spring and the farrier notices a reddish spot or area where the bruise occurred. In such cases, the bruise would have caused tiny blood vessels to rupture, but would not have created pain to the point that the horse was lame.
On the other side of the spectrum are bruises so severe that they not only produce lameness, but also result in an abscess that can compromise the health of the entire foot if left untreated.
[...full article]
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Tendons Show Improved Healing with Glycosaminoglycan Polysulfate
TheHorse.com
by: Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
August 29 2009, Article # 14811
Injecting glycosaminoglycan polysulfate directly into lesions of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) significantly improves reorganization of the tendon's collagen bundles during the healing process, report Brazilian veterinary researchers.
Tendon injuries are an important source of lameness and decreased performance in horses. Despite aggressive management, there is a high rate of recurrence associated with these injuries.
In the absence of universally effective therapies for tendon injuries, researchers from Barão de Mauá University Center in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, examined the effect of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (trade name Adequan) injections on the organization of collagen fibers in the superficial digital flexor tendons of horses.
They experimentally-induced tendonitis in the front left SDFT of 10 horses. After one week, the affected tendons were subsequently injected with either 1.0 mL of Adequan or saline, administered four days apart for a total of five doses. Horses in both groups were confined to stalls for 60 days then moved to restricted paddocks until 150 days after initiation of the tendonitis.
On day 150, the tendons were collected and examined microscopically to evaluate the organization of the collagen bundles in the tendons.
According to the authors, 77% of collagen bundles were "organized" in the tendons from the treated group, which was significantly higher than the 66% of "organized" bundles measured in the untreated group's tendons. This increase in organization indicates "remodeling of the scar," the authors noted.
[...full article]
by: Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
August 29 2009, Article # 14811
Injecting glycosaminoglycan polysulfate directly into lesions of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) significantly improves reorganization of the tendon's collagen bundles during the healing process, report Brazilian veterinary researchers.
Tendon injuries are an important source of lameness and decreased performance in horses. Despite aggressive management, there is a high rate of recurrence associated with these injuries.
In the absence of universally effective therapies for tendon injuries, researchers from Barão de Mauá University Center in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, examined the effect of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (trade name Adequan) injections on the organization of collagen fibers in the superficial digital flexor tendons of horses.
They experimentally-induced tendonitis in the front left SDFT of 10 horses. After one week, the affected tendons were subsequently injected with either 1.0 mL of Adequan or saline, administered four days apart for a total of five doses. Horses in both groups were confined to stalls for 60 days then moved to restricted paddocks until 150 days after initiation of the tendonitis.
On day 150, the tendons were collected and examined microscopically to evaluate the organization of the collagen bundles in the tendons.
According to the authors, 77% of collagen bundles were "organized" in the tendons from the treated group, which was significantly higher than the 66% of "organized" bundles measured in the untreated group's tendons. This increase in organization indicates "remodeling of the scar," the authors noted.
[...full article]
Feeding the Endurance Horse
Fox-cub.com
Feeding the endurance horse is critical to its success, health and longevity in
the sport. It can make all the difference. Read on to learn how to feed
an endurance horse.
Step 1
It is critical to the success of your endurance horse that you feed him properly. Endurance horses
are the equivalent of long-distance runners in humans, but their
metabolism works very differently. In order to make sure your endurance
horse is fed appropriately for his work, you need to know what and how
to feed. The basic platform for feeding an endurance horse is forage,
electrolytes and grain concentrates.
Step 2
Do not feed too much grain or feed concentrates. Too many carbohydrates
and starches will adversely effect your horse by causing him to go into
full blown low blood sugar once he has burned up the quick calories. If
you feel you must feed your horse concentrates/grain, feed a low
protein, high fat feed. Make sure the fat content is at least eight to
10 percent, and the top dress it with one cup of corn oil once a day.
Step 3
Too much protein demands more water intake, which can be devastating for an
endurance horse. Make sure that you stay away from alfalfa and other
hi-protein roughages and concentrates. Stick to quality forage that has
a lower protein content but is full of quality vitamins and minerals.
Step 4
Forage, forage and forage. It has been proven, beyond the shadow of a doubt,
that good quality forage is the best possible feed for endurance
horses. Make sure your horse has all he can eat, all the time. This
will cut down or negate any need for grain or concentrates. Also know
that there are “super-fibers”–beet pulp, soybean hulls, almond hulls
or oat hulls–that are excellent calorie sources with little to no
blood sugar boosters. Just be sure to follow instructions on how they
are fed.
Step 5
Make sure your horse’s electrolytes are primed and ready for the race. Put
electrolytes in his water, and give him an electrolyte boost before,
during, and after your competition. Feeding the endurance horse can be
tricky, but the results are a healthier horse and a fitter one.
[...full posting]
Feeding the endurance horse is critical to its success, health and longevity in
the sport. It can make all the difference. Read on to learn how to feed
an endurance horse.
Step 1
It is critical to the success of your endurance horse that you feed him properly. Endurance horses
are the equivalent of long-distance runners in humans, but their
metabolism works very differently. In order to make sure your endurance
horse is fed appropriately for his work, you need to know what and how
to feed. The basic platform for feeding an endurance horse is forage,
electrolytes and grain concentrates.
Step 2
Do not feed too much grain or feed concentrates. Too many carbohydrates
and starches will adversely effect your horse by causing him to go into
full blown low blood sugar once he has burned up the quick calories. If
you feel you must feed your horse concentrates/grain, feed a low
protein, high fat feed. Make sure the fat content is at least eight to
10 percent, and the top dress it with one cup of corn oil once a day.
Step 3
Too much protein demands more water intake, which can be devastating for an
endurance horse. Make sure that you stay away from alfalfa and other
hi-protein roughages and concentrates. Stick to quality forage that has
a lower protein content but is full of quality vitamins and minerals.
Step 4
Forage, forage and forage. It has been proven, beyond the shadow of a doubt,
that good quality forage is the best possible feed for endurance
horses. Make sure your horse has all he can eat, all the time. This
will cut down or negate any need for grain or concentrates. Also know
that there are “super-fibers”–beet pulp, soybean hulls, almond hulls
or oat hulls–that are excellent calorie sources with little to no
blood sugar boosters. Just be sure to follow instructions on how they
are fed.
Step 5
Make sure your horse’s electrolytes are primed and ready for the race. Put
electrolytes in his water, and give him an electrolyte boost before,
during, and after your competition. Feeding the endurance horse can be
tricky, but the results are a healthier horse and a fitter one.
[...full posting]
Thursday, August 27, 2009
USRider Provides Tips for Safe Horse Transport during Hot Weather
Lexington, KY (Aug 26, 2009) - Hot weather can pose serious health problems for animals both two-legged and four-legged, including dehydration, heat stroke and exhaustion. USRider, the national provider of roadside emergency assistance for equestrians, encourages horse owners to take steps to prevent these ailments when traveling with horses.
"In addition to providing a reliable and valuable roadside assistance program," said Mark Cole, managing member for USRider, "it is also our mission is to continually educate horse owners about trailering safety."
During these days of summer, it is important that horse owners take precautions to safeguard their horses against heat-related ailments. USRider - in cooperation with Dr. Tomas Gimenez, noted expert in large-animal emergency rescue - provides these hot-weather safety tips:
· Avoid trailering during the warmest hours of the day.
· Make sure that all trailer vents are open and unobstructed to create good airflow in the trailer. However, do not allow horses to stick their heads out windows - this could lead to serious eye injuries from bugs and debris.
· Always carry a bucket and 2-3 gallons of drinking water per horse. The horses may not drink, but offer them water when stopping for fuel or at a rest area. The capillary refill time is a good indicator of the state of hydration of a horse. This can be checked easily through a trailer window.
· When parking, try to find shaded areas and/or areas with some air movement.
· If stuck in traffic on the interstate, provide as much ventilation in the trailer as possible without unloading the horses.
· Make certain that your vehicle is in top running order. A properly tuned engine runs cooler. To avoid blowouts, check air pressure in all tires - including spares - while tires are cool, before you travel. Be sure to have a good spare that is properly inflated. With a good spare, if you do have a breakdown, you can get back on the road quickly. Having seen a high incidence of two flat tires on horse trailers, USRider recommends carrying two spares for your horse trailer.
Dr. Gimenez also advises horse owners to "expect the unexpected. A traffic accident could cause you to spend many hours trapped on the interstate." To help avoid getting stuck in traffic, he suggests listening to a CB. This could alert you of possible accidents on the road ahead and allow you to take an alternate route around the accident.
USRider provides roadside assistance and towing services along with other travel-related benefits to its members through the Equestrian Motor Plan. It includes standard features such as flat-tire repair, battery assistance and lockout services, plus towing up to 100 miles and roadside repairs for tow vehicles and trailers with horses, emergency stabling, veterinary referrals and more. For more information about the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, visit www.usrider.org online or call (800) 844-1409.
For additional safety tips, visit the Equine Travel Safety Area on the USRider website at www.usrider.org.
"In addition to providing a reliable and valuable roadside assistance program," said Mark Cole, managing member for USRider, "it is also our mission is to continually educate horse owners about trailering safety."
During these days of summer, it is important that horse owners take precautions to safeguard their horses against heat-related ailments. USRider - in cooperation with Dr. Tomas Gimenez, noted expert in large-animal emergency rescue - provides these hot-weather safety tips:
· Avoid trailering during the warmest hours of the day.
· Make sure that all trailer vents are open and unobstructed to create good airflow in the trailer. However, do not allow horses to stick their heads out windows - this could lead to serious eye injuries from bugs and debris.
· Always carry a bucket and 2-3 gallons of drinking water per horse. The horses may not drink, but offer them water when stopping for fuel or at a rest area. The capillary refill time is a good indicator of the state of hydration of a horse. This can be checked easily through a trailer window.
· When parking, try to find shaded areas and/or areas with some air movement.
· If stuck in traffic on the interstate, provide as much ventilation in the trailer as possible without unloading the horses.
· Make certain that your vehicle is in top running order. A properly tuned engine runs cooler. To avoid blowouts, check air pressure in all tires - including spares - while tires are cool, before you travel. Be sure to have a good spare that is properly inflated. With a good spare, if you do have a breakdown, you can get back on the road quickly. Having seen a high incidence of two flat tires on horse trailers, USRider recommends carrying two spares for your horse trailer.
Dr. Gimenez also advises horse owners to "expect the unexpected. A traffic accident could cause you to spend many hours trapped on the interstate." To help avoid getting stuck in traffic, he suggests listening to a CB. This could alert you of possible accidents on the road ahead and allow you to take an alternate route around the accident.
USRider provides roadside assistance and towing services along with other travel-related benefits to its members through the Equestrian Motor Plan. It includes standard features such as flat-tire repair, battery assistance and lockout services, plus towing up to 100 miles and roadside repairs for tow vehicles and trailers with horses, emergency stabling, veterinary referrals and more. For more information about the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, visit www.usrider.org online or call (800) 844-1409.
For additional safety tips, visit the Equine Travel Safety Area on the USRider website at www.usrider.org.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The Perfect Engine
thehorse.com
by: Les Sellnow
Much has already been stated in this series about the special concerns involving front limb soundness in the horse since 60-65% of the animal's weight is carried in the front end. This does not mean that there are no concerns involving the back legs. Far from it. We can think of equine rear end function in terms of cars and trucks with rear wheel drive. The engine, comprised of muscles fueled by heart and lungs, provides the power, and the back legs are akin to piston-driven rear wheels.
The pressure and torque placed on the "rear wheels" varies with the discipline involved. When walking or jogging across the countryside during a trail ride, the stresses are light and easily handled by a horse with normal back leg conformation. However, if the discipline happens to be cutting or reining with the Western horse or dressage or five-gaited action with the show horse, it is an entirely different matter. Although different in nature, these four disciplines all put high demands on the horse's rear end.
It should also be remembered that, in addition to being the prime source of propulsion, the back legs also serve as the horse's brakes. Again, the stress put on those brakes varies with the discipline. It is vastly different, for example, in a reining horse than it is for one competing in dressage.
We'll take a look at how Nature has designed the rear portion of the horse's anatomy, especially the leg, in an effort to understand why the animal can do what it does. We also will take a look at some of the problems that can develop in improperly conformed legs as a result of these stresses.
Once again, information comes from multiple sources. An excellent source on equine anatomy as it pertains to feet and legs is the fourth edition of Adams' Lameness in Horses, edited by Ted Stashak, DVM, MS, and featuring seven experts in the field as contributors.
Start at the Top
We will begin our visual dissection of the posterior portion of the horse's anatomy at the top, or spine, and work our way downward. Connecting to the spine is the ilium, the largest of three bones in the animal's pelvis. The ilium angles down and rearward, and it attaches to the femur or thigh bone. The angular shape of the pelvis determines what type of croup the horse has--flat or sloped.
The femur angles slightly forward and connects with the stifle, forming one of the more important joints in the rear leg apparatus. Connecting at the stifle joint, as we continue our journey downward or distally, is the tibia, which connects with the hock. Emerging from the distal portion of the hock is the metatarsus or rear cannon bone. This bone continues downward until it connects with the long pastern bone, which connects with the short pastern bone, which connects with the coffin bone. As with the foreleg discussion (see www.TheHorse.com.aspx?id=6623), there are several small bones in the lower hind limb that are important to the function of the leg. Where the cannon bone joins the long pastern bone, two small bones--the proximal sesamoids--lie on the back side of the cannon bone and act as pulleys for the flexor tendons. And where the short pastern and coffin bone join, a distal sesamoid bone, or navicular bone, acts in the same manner.
Where Does it Hurt?
[...more]
by: Les Sellnow
Much has already been stated in this series about the special concerns involving front limb soundness in the horse since 60-65% of the animal's weight is carried in the front end. This does not mean that there are no concerns involving the back legs. Far from it. We can think of equine rear end function in terms of cars and trucks with rear wheel drive. The engine, comprised of muscles fueled by heart and lungs, provides the power, and the back legs are akin to piston-driven rear wheels.
The pressure and torque placed on the "rear wheels" varies with the discipline involved. When walking or jogging across the countryside during a trail ride, the stresses are light and easily handled by a horse with normal back leg conformation. However, if the discipline happens to be cutting or reining with the Western horse or dressage or five-gaited action with the show horse, it is an entirely different matter. Although different in nature, these four disciplines all put high demands on the horse's rear end.
It should also be remembered that, in addition to being the prime source of propulsion, the back legs also serve as the horse's brakes. Again, the stress put on those brakes varies with the discipline. It is vastly different, for example, in a reining horse than it is for one competing in dressage.
We'll take a look at how Nature has designed the rear portion of the horse's anatomy, especially the leg, in an effort to understand why the animal can do what it does. We also will take a look at some of the problems that can develop in improperly conformed legs as a result of these stresses.
Once again, information comes from multiple sources. An excellent source on equine anatomy as it pertains to feet and legs is the fourth edition of Adams' Lameness in Horses, edited by Ted Stashak, DVM, MS, and featuring seven experts in the field as contributors.
Start at the Top
We will begin our visual dissection of the posterior portion of the horse's anatomy at the top, or spine, and work our way downward. Connecting to the spine is the ilium, the largest of three bones in the animal's pelvis. The ilium angles down and rearward, and it attaches to the femur or thigh bone. The angular shape of the pelvis determines what type of croup the horse has--flat or sloped.
The femur angles slightly forward and connects with the stifle, forming one of the more important joints in the rear leg apparatus. Connecting at the stifle joint, as we continue our journey downward or distally, is the tibia, which connects with the hock. Emerging from the distal portion of the hock is the metatarsus or rear cannon bone. This bone continues downward until it connects with the long pastern bone, which connects with the short pastern bone, which connects with the coffin bone. As with the foreleg discussion (see www.TheHorse.com.aspx?id=6623), there are several small bones in the lower hind limb that are important to the function of the leg. Where the cannon bone joins the long pastern bone, two small bones--the proximal sesamoids--lie on the back side of the cannon bone and act as pulleys for the flexor tendons. And where the short pastern and coffin bone join, a distal sesamoid bone, or navicular bone, acts in the same manner.
Where Does it Hurt?
[...more]
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Very Large and Difficult Trail Project Handled by U.S. Forest Service and Emerald Empire BCHO Chapter
BCHA
August 24 2009
By Phil Hufstader
History
In October, 2007, the main equestrian access trail, and shortest route on the West side into the Three Sisters Wilderness, was devastated by a freak wind storm. A large winter storm came out of the north carrying several feet of snow to the wilderness area, with strong frontal winds that devastated large blocks of timbered ridges on the west slopes of the Middle Sister. From the air it looked like a bomb was dropped knocking timber down over four miles of the primary Foley Ridge trail. One section, measuring over 1.5 miles, was covered with several hundred trees measuring six foot in diameter. A person could walk from tree to tree and never touch the ground. With record amounts of snow dropped that winter, and a late spring, it wasn't until the later part of August, 2008, that the entire trail could be surveyed. The McKenzie River District posted the trail closed, and rumors started flying within the equine community that the trail would never be opened again, due to USFS trail funding shortage.
Emerald Empire Chapter
At an Emerald Empire Back Country Horsemen of Oregon meeting, a heated discussion was brought forth on the rumor of the permanent closing of Foley Ridge trail system. Many of the chapter members hunt deer and elk within the wilderness boundaries and felt desperate to get it opened as soon as possible. Several chapter members decided to make a scouting trip into the area and bring back the actual facts about the devastation to the next chapter meeting. Chapter members Phil and Casey Hufstader, along with Matt Hope, led a scouting party into the wilderness in the late summer of 2008. They rode as far as possible and walked the entire damaged area, taking pictures and measurements so a plan could be formulated at the next chapter meeting. The chapter decided to take on the trail project, and Becky Hope was put in charge of making the contact with the local McKenzie Ranger District.
McKenzie Ranger District
Becky Hope of Emerald Empire Chapter of BCHO, met with Steve Otopaulik from the McKenzie Ranger District, who was in the process of applying for grant funding through the Forest Service for this project. That winter, and the spring of 2009, brewed its own perfect storm of meetings and a combined effort from the equestrian groups formulated a two prong strategy plan for opening parts of the trail, what was still missing was the funding. As luck would have it, BCHO's Public Lands Chair, Marlene Orchard was attending a Region-6 grant meeting in Portland when discussion came up on prioritizing expected Title II funds being distributed to the Region. Marlene was able to strongly suggest the Foley Ridge trail project be put at the top of the list. With her help, the entire project was funded for two years. The money came from the Title II program, specifically for counties under the PL-110-343 Secured Rural School and Community Self Determination Act of 2000.
Wayne Chevalier of the McKenzie Ranger District was put in charge of the project. He saw it as an opportunity to educate volunteers, and Forest Service personnel, with the respect to cross cutting large technical trees with multiple binds in rough terrain. He involved local BCHO chapters, and any equestrian person that wanted to help. Becky Hope was the overall contact for all volunteers, and she coordinated the entire scheduling and record keeping for the project. The plan was to rotate volunteers and USFS trail crews through the summer until the main trail could be logged out, with the plan of coming back in the summer of 2010 to accomplish the tread work.
The Emerald Empire chapter of BCHO would provide all the pack stock and several trips were required to get all the camp supplies and trail maintenance tools in to the wilderness. Three camps were established along the trail at different locations to facilitate a continuous support for the trail work parties. The first two trips required experienced packers to haul loads over ten foot drifts of snow to camp sites that would be used later in the summer. The overall length of the project covered over twelve miles of trail, but cross country riding over snow packed areas, and navigating steep terrain, was required to even get close to the project. Several side trails leading into, or several ridges away from the project, had to be opened up or navigated.
Trail Project
Spring of 2009 came late to the Three Sisters Wilderness forcing some delays in actually getting the trail cutting project going. Deep snow still covered most of the down trees across the trail until the middle of June, even at the lower elevations. The Hope's and Hufstader's, several chapter members, and other riders, packed in the base camps, food, tools and stock feed, and other required equipment over major snow drifts in preparation for the project.
As the snow drifts started to melt, USFS trail crews moved up the trail, cutting out or re-routing the trail as they went, several volunteers bumped half way up the trail system and began cutting out the trail in both directions. The USFS rotated crews every week and several more trips were required by the Emerald Empire chapter to pull out existing camps and bumping up supplies until the middle of July when the trail was totally cut out. The plan had been two years to get the entire trail open, but with all the volunteers and the combined effort with the USFS, it was accomplished in just over sixty days. The next step of the plan, major tread work to be done in the summer of 2010, was then rushed into place by bringing in the Northwest Youth Corp. A packer was hired by the Ranger district to support their progress, leaving chapter members to branch out and open side trails leading into favorite hunting or fishing areas.
Summary
As National Director for BCHO, and a member of the Emerald Empire Chapter, I would like to give thanks to all that participated in accomplishing this major project. Without the combined effort of everyone that helped, this would not have been accomplished. It's a positive example on how working with an agency can be done right, with the goal of keeping the back country open for all users. From this project, several more are planned in that same area using the remaining funds to open up storm damaged areas that have been close for more than ten years.
About Back Country Horsemen of America
BCHA is a non-profit corporation made up of state organizations, affiliates, and at large members. Their efforts have brought about positive changes in regards to the use of horses and stock in the wilderness and public lands.
If you want to know more about Back Country Horsemen of America or become a member, visit their website: www.backcountryhorse.com, call 888-893-5161, or write PO Box 1367, Graham, WA 98338-1367. The future of horse use on public lands is in our hands!
Contact: Peg Greiwe
Back Country Horsemen of America
1-888-893-5161
www.backcountryhorse.com
August 24 2009
By Phil Hufstader
History
In October, 2007, the main equestrian access trail, and shortest route on the West side into the Three Sisters Wilderness, was devastated by a freak wind storm. A large winter storm came out of the north carrying several feet of snow to the wilderness area, with strong frontal winds that devastated large blocks of timbered ridges on the west slopes of the Middle Sister. From the air it looked like a bomb was dropped knocking timber down over four miles of the primary Foley Ridge trail. One section, measuring over 1.5 miles, was covered with several hundred trees measuring six foot in diameter. A person could walk from tree to tree and never touch the ground. With record amounts of snow dropped that winter, and a late spring, it wasn't until the later part of August, 2008, that the entire trail could be surveyed. The McKenzie River District posted the trail closed, and rumors started flying within the equine community that the trail would never be opened again, due to USFS trail funding shortage.
Emerald Empire Chapter
At an Emerald Empire Back Country Horsemen of Oregon meeting, a heated discussion was brought forth on the rumor of the permanent closing of Foley Ridge trail system. Many of the chapter members hunt deer and elk within the wilderness boundaries and felt desperate to get it opened as soon as possible. Several chapter members decided to make a scouting trip into the area and bring back the actual facts about the devastation to the next chapter meeting. Chapter members Phil and Casey Hufstader, along with Matt Hope, led a scouting party into the wilderness in the late summer of 2008. They rode as far as possible and walked the entire damaged area, taking pictures and measurements so a plan could be formulated at the next chapter meeting. The chapter decided to take on the trail project, and Becky Hope was put in charge of making the contact with the local McKenzie Ranger District.
McKenzie Ranger District
Becky Hope of Emerald Empire Chapter of BCHO, met with Steve Otopaulik from the McKenzie Ranger District, who was in the process of applying for grant funding through the Forest Service for this project. That winter, and the spring of 2009, brewed its own perfect storm of meetings and a combined effort from the equestrian groups formulated a two prong strategy plan for opening parts of the trail, what was still missing was the funding. As luck would have it, BCHO's Public Lands Chair, Marlene Orchard was attending a Region-6 grant meeting in Portland when discussion came up on prioritizing expected Title II funds being distributed to the Region. Marlene was able to strongly suggest the Foley Ridge trail project be put at the top of the list. With her help, the entire project was funded for two years. The money came from the Title II program, specifically for counties under the PL-110-343 Secured Rural School and Community Self Determination Act of 2000.
Wayne Chevalier of the McKenzie Ranger District was put in charge of the project. He saw it as an opportunity to educate volunteers, and Forest Service personnel, with the respect to cross cutting large technical trees with multiple binds in rough terrain. He involved local BCHO chapters, and any equestrian person that wanted to help. Becky Hope was the overall contact for all volunteers, and she coordinated the entire scheduling and record keeping for the project. The plan was to rotate volunteers and USFS trail crews through the summer until the main trail could be logged out, with the plan of coming back in the summer of 2010 to accomplish the tread work.
The Emerald Empire chapter of BCHO would provide all the pack stock and several trips were required to get all the camp supplies and trail maintenance tools in to the wilderness. Three camps were established along the trail at different locations to facilitate a continuous support for the trail work parties. The first two trips required experienced packers to haul loads over ten foot drifts of snow to camp sites that would be used later in the summer. The overall length of the project covered over twelve miles of trail, but cross country riding over snow packed areas, and navigating steep terrain, was required to even get close to the project. Several side trails leading into, or several ridges away from the project, had to be opened up or navigated.
Trail Project
Spring of 2009 came late to the Three Sisters Wilderness forcing some delays in actually getting the trail cutting project going. Deep snow still covered most of the down trees across the trail until the middle of June, even at the lower elevations. The Hope's and Hufstader's, several chapter members, and other riders, packed in the base camps, food, tools and stock feed, and other required equipment over major snow drifts in preparation for the project.
As the snow drifts started to melt, USFS trail crews moved up the trail, cutting out or re-routing the trail as they went, several volunteers bumped half way up the trail system and began cutting out the trail in both directions. The USFS rotated crews every week and several more trips were required by the Emerald Empire chapter to pull out existing camps and bumping up supplies until the middle of July when the trail was totally cut out. The plan had been two years to get the entire trail open, but with all the volunteers and the combined effort with the USFS, it was accomplished in just over sixty days. The next step of the plan, major tread work to be done in the summer of 2010, was then rushed into place by bringing in the Northwest Youth Corp. A packer was hired by the Ranger district to support their progress, leaving chapter members to branch out and open side trails leading into favorite hunting or fishing areas.
Summary
As National Director for BCHO, and a member of the Emerald Empire Chapter, I would like to give thanks to all that participated in accomplishing this major project. Without the combined effort of everyone that helped, this would not have been accomplished. It's a positive example on how working with an agency can be done right, with the goal of keeping the back country open for all users. From this project, several more are planned in that same area using the remaining funds to open up storm damaged areas that have been close for more than ten years.
About Back Country Horsemen of America
BCHA is a non-profit corporation made up of state organizations, affiliates, and at large members. Their efforts have brought about positive changes in regards to the use of horses and stock in the wilderness and public lands.
If you want to know more about Back Country Horsemen of America or become a member, visit their website: www.backcountryhorse.com, call 888-893-5161, or write PO Box 1367, Graham, WA 98338-1367. The future of horse use on public lands is in our hands!
Contact: Peg Greiwe
Back Country Horsemen of America
1-888-893-5161
www.backcountryhorse.com
Monday, August 24, 2009
76 Arabian Horses Seized in Texas
thehorse.com - Photo and story
by: Pat Raia
August 17 2009
The operator of a Texas horse breeding farm was arrested after law enforcement authorities removed 76 allegedly neglected horses from his ranch on Friday.
Denton County Sheriff's Deputies discovered the horses at the Renazans Arabians ranch in Pilot Point, Texas, after a caller complained about their condition.
Tom Reedy, public information officer for the Denton County Sheriff's Department, said the horses were extremely emaciated with no apparent access to food or water, and were housed in filthy stalls.
"Some of the horses were standing in 6 to 8 inches of urine and feces," he said.
Ranch operator Gordon Dennis Key turned himself over to police on Saturday. He is free on bond.
More...
by: Pat Raia
August 17 2009
The operator of a Texas horse breeding farm was arrested after law enforcement authorities removed 76 allegedly neglected horses from his ranch on Friday.
Denton County Sheriff's Deputies discovered the horses at the Renazans Arabians ranch in Pilot Point, Texas, after a caller complained about their condition.
Tom Reedy, public information officer for the Denton County Sheriff's Department, said the horses were extremely emaciated with no apparent access to food or water, and were housed in filthy stalls.
"Some of the horses were standing in 6 to 8 inches of urine and feces," he said.
Ranch operator Gordon Dennis Key turned himself over to police on Saturday. He is free on bond.
More...
Fiber in Hay: What's the Magic Number?
thehorse.com
Horses evolved to eat a lot of fiber, spending up to 17 hours a day grazing various forage plants. But not all fiber is created equal, especially when it comes to hay.
Hay carries a few challenges compared to living forages. One, compared to fresh forage, dry hay lacks the moisture needed to move fiber along the digestive tract. Unlimited access to fresh clean water is essential when feeding a lot of hay, as impaction colic can result if the hay is too high in fiber, says Kathleen Crandell, PhD, an equine nutritionist with Virginia Tech's Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center. She also says if bulky hay is too high in fiber (as in very mature hays), horses will fill up on the hay, but in doing so might not consume enough calories to maintain body condition if they are hard keepers or hard-working horses.
So what's the right amount of fiber? There are two measures of fiber in forages that can give the owner an idea of fiber content and forage quality. Horses need a combination of fiber types to maintain digestive tract health.
[...more]
Horses evolved to eat a lot of fiber, spending up to 17 hours a day grazing various forage plants. But not all fiber is created equal, especially when it comes to hay.
Hay carries a few challenges compared to living forages. One, compared to fresh forage, dry hay lacks the moisture needed to move fiber along the digestive tract. Unlimited access to fresh clean water is essential when feeding a lot of hay, as impaction colic can result if the hay is too high in fiber, says Kathleen Crandell, PhD, an equine nutritionist with Virginia Tech's Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center. She also says if bulky hay is too high in fiber (as in very mature hays), horses will fill up on the hay, but in doing so might not consume enough calories to maintain body condition if they are hard keepers or hard-working horses.
So what's the right amount of fiber? There are two measures of fiber in forages that can give the owner an idea of fiber content and forage quality. Horses need a combination of fiber types to maintain digestive tract health.
[...more]
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Kevin Myers shares Natural Hoof Care Clinic Dr. Tomas G. Teskey, D.V.M.
I had the unusual privilege last weekend of attending a clinic by Dr. Tomas Teskey. As well as being a gifted and passionate speaker, Dr. Teskey is one of today’s leading authorities on the equine hoof and barefoot horses. I left the clinic with the impression that perpetuated shoeing of horse is not dissimilar to an addiction developed over time. We know it is not right, but we are afraid to break the habit. At Week 14 in my own transition experiment, and with a couple of significant accomplishments under my belt, I can assure you that a few boots in your tack room will allow you to make the switch.
Full article
Full article
APEX Clinic: Muscle Function
RideEndurance.blogspot.com
Monday, August 17, 2009
APEX Clinic: Muscle Function
The first lecture at the clinic was on muscle function, organized by Ann Stuart, DVM. Ann has been involved in endurance riding since the early 1990s as both rider and veterinarian, and has served on team veterinary staff for international endurance rides multiple times. Most of Ann's lecture was devoted to understanding muscle physiology and understanding its relation to the sport of endurance. A lot of it was review from high school and college anatomy and physiology courses, but who remembers all of it? A review is always helpful. The start of the lecture focused on the anatomy of muscle and understanding how a muscle functions. Some highlights:
* We all know aerobic work is more efficient than anaerobic work. I had never made the connection to its efficiency at the cellular level. Anaerobic respiration is the process of turning glucose into pyruvate, producing only 2 ATP (energy molecules) and lactic acid as a by product. Aerobic respiration is the Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle), which in turn produces 34 ATP molecules! That's 17 times the amount of energy!
* Even relaxation requires energy in the form of ATP. Thus, in order for muscles to relax after hard work, they still need energy. Cramping occurs when there isn't enough energy (ATP) available for the muscles to relax.
* Aerobic work by muscles is supported by saltatory conduction - a process which allows sodium ions to jump the myelin sheaths surround the nerve axon, thus speeding up the reaction.
[...more]
Monday, August 17, 2009
APEX Clinic: Muscle Function
The first lecture at the clinic was on muscle function, organized by Ann Stuart, DVM. Ann has been involved in endurance riding since the early 1990s as both rider and veterinarian, and has served on team veterinary staff for international endurance rides multiple times. Most of Ann's lecture was devoted to understanding muscle physiology and understanding its relation to the sport of endurance. A lot of it was review from high school and college anatomy and physiology courses, but who remembers all of it? A review is always helpful. The start of the lecture focused on the anatomy of muscle and understanding how a muscle functions. Some highlights:
* We all know aerobic work is more efficient than anaerobic work. I had never made the connection to its efficiency at the cellular level. Anaerobic respiration is the process of turning glucose into pyruvate, producing only 2 ATP (energy molecules) and lactic acid as a by product. Aerobic respiration is the Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle), which in turn produces 34 ATP molecules! That's 17 times the amount of energy!
* Even relaxation requires energy in the form of ATP. Thus, in order for muscles to relax after hard work, they still need energy. Cramping occurs when there isn't enough energy (ATP) available for the muscles to relax.
* Aerobic work by muscles is supported by saltatory conduction - a process which allows sodium ions to jump the myelin sheaths surround the nerve axon, thus speeding up the reaction.
[...more]
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Using Heat Therapy
TheHorse.com
by: Mimi Porter
Every athlete has faced injury at some time. Soft tissue disorders, such as bruises, tendonitis, bursitis, and fibrositis, can result from overuse, wear and tear, or from a sudden trauma. Sudden trauma results in an acute injury, defined as a situation of short duration. A chronic injury results when clinical signs are allowed to persist or the onset of the injury is drawn out over a period of time. Acute injuries are treated with ice and compression, while chronic injuries are often treated with some form of heat.
Arthritis, perhaps the most common chronic disease, begins as an inflammatory process in the joints and progresses as a degenerative process due to wear and tear and metabolic influences. There is a progressive loss of cartilage followed by a bony reaction. The soft tissue around the joint is weakened as pain inhibits forceful muscle contraction and support.
Tendinitis, bursitis, and arthritis can overlap and all exist at the same time, making diagnosis and treatment difficult. The usual approach in coping with these disorders is to try first one thing, then another to see what will help. Weeks pass and the problem remains.
The horse presents a special challenge to diagnosis and treatment due to his ability to adapt and to compensate. When faced with pain in one area, the horse shifts his weight away from that area. This results in more strain elsewhere and disuse atrophy in the painful area. Eventually the compensatory changes are exhausted and lameness results. The horseman is finally made aware of a discomfort that has been growing over an extended period of time. The injury process is now chronic and involves several structures.
Tendinitis is an inflammatory disorder of the structure that connects muscle to bone. The tendon is not generally as extensible as muscle and is susceptible to strain. The muscle-tendon junction also can be a site of strain. In some cases, tendon sheath inflammation is a more appropriate term for the condition, if the inflammation occurs in the tendon sheath, rather than the tendon itself. Should this condition be allowed to persist, fibrosis can occur in the sheath and extend to the tendon, restricting motion.
[...more]
by: Mimi Porter
Every athlete has faced injury at some time. Soft tissue disorders, such as bruises, tendonitis, bursitis, and fibrositis, can result from overuse, wear and tear, or from a sudden trauma. Sudden trauma results in an acute injury, defined as a situation of short duration. A chronic injury results when clinical signs are allowed to persist or the onset of the injury is drawn out over a period of time. Acute injuries are treated with ice and compression, while chronic injuries are often treated with some form of heat.
Arthritis, perhaps the most common chronic disease, begins as an inflammatory process in the joints and progresses as a degenerative process due to wear and tear and metabolic influences. There is a progressive loss of cartilage followed by a bony reaction. The soft tissue around the joint is weakened as pain inhibits forceful muscle contraction and support.
Tendinitis, bursitis, and arthritis can overlap and all exist at the same time, making diagnosis and treatment difficult. The usual approach in coping with these disorders is to try first one thing, then another to see what will help. Weeks pass and the problem remains.
The horse presents a special challenge to diagnosis and treatment due to his ability to adapt and to compensate. When faced with pain in one area, the horse shifts his weight away from that area. This results in more strain elsewhere and disuse atrophy in the painful area. Eventually the compensatory changes are exhausted and lameness results. The horseman is finally made aware of a discomfort that has been growing over an extended period of time. The injury process is now chronic and involves several structures.
Tendinitis is an inflammatory disorder of the structure that connects muscle to bone. The tendon is not generally as extensible as muscle and is susceptible to strain. The muscle-tendon junction also can be a site of strain. In some cases, tendon sheath inflammation is a more appropriate term for the condition, if the inflammation occurs in the tendon sheath, rather than the tendon itself. Should this condition be allowed to persist, fibrosis can occur in the sheath and extend to the tendon, restricting motion.
[...more]
Vesicular Stomatitis Quarantine Lifted in Starr County, Texas; Continue to Check with States of Destination Before Hauling Livestock!
News Release
Texas Animal Health Commission
Box l2966 * Austin, Texas 78711 * (800) 550-8242 * FAX (512) 719-0719
Bob Hillman, DVM * Executive Director
For info, contact Carla Everett, information officer, at 1-800-550-8242, ext. 710, or ceverett@tahc.state.tx.us
Texas animal health officials have lifted a quarantine on a ranch in Starr County, where horses have recovered from vesicular stomatitis (VS), a virus that occurs sporadically in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and other western states. Currently, there are no quarantines or active investigations for vesicular stomatitis in Texas. Livestock susceptible to VS include horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, deer and other cloven-hooved animals. Infected animals can develop blisters, lesions and sloughing of the skin on the muzzles, tongue, teats and above the hooves and usually recover in two to three weeks. To prevent the spread of this virus, which is not fully understood, quarantines remain in effect until at least 21 days after the animal’s lesions have healed.
“Although the quarantine in Texas is released, some states may continue to enforce enhanced entry requirements or restrictions on Texas livestock until the height of the VS ‘season’ ends in late fall, when temperatures drop. New Mexico also has had VS this year, and it is possible that another VS case could be detected in Texas, since the virus is active this year.” said Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas’ state veterinarian and head of the Texas Animal Health Commission, the state’s livestock and poultry health regulatory agency. He urged private veterinary practitioners and livestock owners to check with the states of destination prior to moving animals to ensure all entry requirements are met.
Dr. Hillman explained that the clinical signs of VS mimic the highly dangerous foot-and-mouth disease, and a veterinary exam and laboratory tests are needed to confirm a diagnosis. “Horses are not susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease, but they are often the first animals to get VS,” said Dr. Hillman. “We can assist with private veterinary practitioners with disease investigations at no charge, and we can receive disease reports 24 hours a day at 800-550-8242.”
Texas Animal Health Commission
Box l2966 * Austin, Texas 78711 * (800) 550-8242 * FAX (512) 719-0719
Bob Hillman, DVM * Executive Director
For info, contact Carla Everett, information officer, at 1-800-550-8242, ext. 710, or ceverett@tahc.state.tx.us
Texas animal health officials have lifted a quarantine on a ranch in Starr County, where horses have recovered from vesicular stomatitis (VS), a virus that occurs sporadically in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and other western states. Currently, there are no quarantines or active investigations for vesicular stomatitis in Texas. Livestock susceptible to VS include horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, deer and other cloven-hooved animals. Infected animals can develop blisters, lesions and sloughing of the skin on the muzzles, tongue, teats and above the hooves and usually recover in two to three weeks. To prevent the spread of this virus, which is not fully understood, quarantines remain in effect until at least 21 days after the animal’s lesions have healed.
“Although the quarantine in Texas is released, some states may continue to enforce enhanced entry requirements or restrictions on Texas livestock until the height of the VS ‘season’ ends in late fall, when temperatures drop. New Mexico also has had VS this year, and it is possible that another VS case could be detected in Texas, since the virus is active this year.” said Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas’ state veterinarian and head of the Texas Animal Health Commission, the state’s livestock and poultry health regulatory agency. He urged private veterinary practitioners and livestock owners to check with the states of destination prior to moving animals to ensure all entry requirements are met.
Dr. Hillman explained that the clinical signs of VS mimic the highly dangerous foot-and-mouth disease, and a veterinary exam and laboratory tests are needed to confirm a diagnosis. “Horses are not susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease, but they are often the first animals to get VS,” said Dr. Hillman. “We can assist with private veterinary practitioners with disease investigations at no charge, and we can receive disease reports 24 hours a day at 800-550-8242.”
Monday, August 03, 2009
Ride & Tie: Amazing Race
Bend Bulletin
By Lily Raff / The Bulletin
Published: August 03. 2009 4:00AM PST
advertisement:
If you go
What: Santiam Cascade 30-mile ride and tie race and 10- to 80-mile endurance races
When: Saturday beginning at 7:15 a.m.
Where: Sisters Rodeo Grounds, 3 miles east of Sisters on U.S. Highway 20
Cost: Free
Contact: www.rideandtie.org
What do you get when you combine one horse, two riders, two pairs of running shoes and a 30-mile trail? One hectic, grueling sport.
One of a handful of annual “ride and tie” races in the Northwest takes place Saturday near Sisters.
In a ride and tie race, each team consists of two humans and one horse. At the start, one person rides the horse; the other takes off running down the trail. At some point on the course, the rider dismounts and ties the horse to a tree. That person then takes off running.
When the teammate — who began the race on foot — reaches the horse, he or she unties the steed and mounts it. That person then rides the horse some distance past the now-running teammate before dismounting and tying it up. The team leapfrogs like this until both humans and the horse cross the finish line.
Ride and tie races can be 10 miles, 100 miles or almost any distance in between.
Full Article
By Lily Raff / The Bulletin
Published: August 03. 2009 4:00AM PST
advertisement:
If you go
What: Santiam Cascade 30-mile ride and tie race and 10- to 80-mile endurance races
When: Saturday beginning at 7:15 a.m.
Where: Sisters Rodeo Grounds, 3 miles east of Sisters on U.S. Highway 20
Cost: Free
Contact: www.rideandtie.org
What do you get when you combine one horse, two riders, two pairs of running shoes and a 30-mile trail? One hectic, grueling sport.
One of a handful of annual “ride and tie” races in the Northwest takes place Saturday near Sisters.
In a ride and tie race, each team consists of two humans and one horse. At the start, one person rides the horse; the other takes off running down the trail. At some point on the course, the rider dismounts and ties the horse to a tree. That person then takes off running.
When the teammate — who began the race on foot — reaches the horse, he or she unties the steed and mounts it. That person then rides the horse some distance past the now-running teammate before dismounting and tying it up. The team leapfrogs like this until both humans and the horse cross the finish line.
Ride and tie races can be 10 miles, 100 miles or almost any distance in between.
Full Article
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Poisoning in Horses: Common Toxic Substances
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Equine Disease Quarterly
October 01 2008, Article # 12815
Poisoning in horses is not a common occurrence, but when poisoning occurs, effects can be disastrous and far-reaching. Listing all toxic substances is impossible, as virtually everything on the planet can be toxic at sufficiently high dosages. What dose is safe and what dose is toxic varies with each toxin, each animal, and each situation. Factors that influence risk from a toxic substance include animal age, concurrent diseases, exposure to concurrent toxins or drugs, reproductive status, and route of exposure. This article will briefly summarize some of the more common toxic substances that can pose risks to horses in North America.
Herbal Supplements: The use of herbal supplements for horses has become common in recent years. Many people believe that if something is "natural," it must be safe and non-toxic. However, some of the most toxic substances on earth are completely natural (such as botulinum toxin, taxine in yew plants, and nicotine). Many herbal and natural supplements are inherently toxic, and many herbal products contain impurities and unknown amounts of "natural" ingredients. Herbal supplements are not well regulated, and studies investigating risks associated with use of these products in horses are lacking.
Plants, Feeds, and Feed Additives: Pastures can contain toxic plants and grasses that can pose risks at certain times during the year or under certain circumstances. Too many toxic plants exist to list here, and importance varies greatly with geographic location. However, all weeds should be viewed with suspicion and identified if possible. Additionally, grains can be contaminated with seeds from poisonous plants. Many shrubs, trees, and ornamental plants can be toxic to horses.
Hay and feed pellets can pose a toxic risk when unintended substances are incorporated into the feed. These substances include toxic weeds, toxic insects such as blister beetles, and dead animals that can serve as the origin of botulinum toxin production. Rotting, decomposing feeds or improperly stored haylage can also contain botulinum toxin. Pelleted or supplemental feeds can contain contaminants such as ionophores (such as momensin) or antibiotics due to mixing errors or contamination from transport vehicles. By-products from grain distillation can be present in supplemental feeds and can contain mycotoxins and antibiotic residues.
More...
by: Equine Disease Quarterly
October 01 2008, Article # 12815
Poisoning in horses is not a common occurrence, but when poisoning occurs, effects can be disastrous and far-reaching. Listing all toxic substances is impossible, as virtually everything on the planet can be toxic at sufficiently high dosages. What dose is safe and what dose is toxic varies with each toxin, each animal, and each situation. Factors that influence risk from a toxic substance include animal age, concurrent diseases, exposure to concurrent toxins or drugs, reproductive status, and route of exposure. This article will briefly summarize some of the more common toxic substances that can pose risks to horses in North America.
Herbal Supplements: The use of herbal supplements for horses has become common in recent years. Many people believe that if something is "natural," it must be safe and non-toxic. However, some of the most toxic substances on earth are completely natural (such as botulinum toxin, taxine in yew plants, and nicotine). Many herbal and natural supplements are inherently toxic, and many herbal products contain impurities and unknown amounts of "natural" ingredients. Herbal supplements are not well regulated, and studies investigating risks associated with use of these products in horses are lacking.
Plants, Feeds, and Feed Additives: Pastures can contain toxic plants and grasses that can pose risks at certain times during the year or under certain circumstances. Too many toxic plants exist to list here, and importance varies greatly with geographic location. However, all weeds should be viewed with suspicion and identified if possible. Additionally, grains can be contaminated with seeds from poisonous plants. Many shrubs, trees, and ornamental plants can be toxic to horses.
Hay and feed pellets can pose a toxic risk when unintended substances are incorporated into the feed. These substances include toxic weeds, toxic insects such as blister beetles, and dead animals that can serve as the origin of botulinum toxin production. Rotting, decomposing feeds or improperly stored haylage can also contain botulinum toxin. Pelleted or supplemental feeds can contain contaminants such as ionophores (such as momensin) or antibiotics due to mixing errors or contamination from transport vehicles. By-products from grain distillation can be present in supplemental feeds and can contain mycotoxins and antibiotic residues.
More...
Monday, July 27, 2009
The Science of Wound Ointments for Horses
Equisearch.com - Full Article
A topical wound preparation can have a big impact--positive or negative--on the healing process. Here are tips from a wound-care expert for selecting the right product for your horse's injury.
By Christine Barakat
Your horse comes in from the pasture with a small cut on his chest. Maybe he hit the fence while playing or perhaps it was a tree.
In any case, the wound is fresh, clean and small. No need to call the veterinarian--you can handle this yourself. You reach for a tube of the thick wound ointment you've always used and smear a good-sized glob across the cut. That'll take care of it. Or will it?
Perhaps, says researcher Georgie Hollis, BSc, MVWHA, but it depends on what's in the tube.
The right preparation applied at the right time can protect a wound, support natural healing processes and minimize the risk of complications. But, warns Hollis, use the wrong type at the wrong time and you could actually slow down or even halt healing.
For the past three years, Hollis has been working to help make choosing the right ointment for each situation easier. A former podiatrist, she first observed the challenges of wound healing when she treated foot lesions in diabetic patients. In late 2006, Hollis, motivated by her personal interest in animals and horses in particular, began studying veterinary wound care. She now works with leading equine researchers, such as the University of Liverpool's Derek Knottenbelt, DVMS, MRCVS, in investigating and sharing information about how various treatment techniques affect healing.
More...
A topical wound preparation can have a big impact--positive or negative--on the healing process. Here are tips from a wound-care expert for selecting the right product for your horse's injury.
By Christine Barakat
Your horse comes in from the pasture with a small cut on his chest. Maybe he hit the fence while playing or perhaps it was a tree.
In any case, the wound is fresh, clean and small. No need to call the veterinarian--you can handle this yourself. You reach for a tube of the thick wound ointment you've always used and smear a good-sized glob across the cut. That'll take care of it. Or will it?
Perhaps, says researcher Georgie Hollis, BSc, MVWHA, but it depends on what's in the tube.
The right preparation applied at the right time can protect a wound, support natural healing processes and minimize the risk of complications. But, warns Hollis, use the wrong type at the wrong time and you could actually slow down or even halt healing.
For the past three years, Hollis has been working to help make choosing the right ointment for each situation easier. A former podiatrist, she first observed the challenges of wound healing when she treated foot lesions in diabetic patients. In late 2006, Hollis, motivated by her personal interest in animals and horses in particular, began studying veterinary wound care. She now works with leading equine researchers, such as the University of Liverpool's Derek Knottenbelt, DVMS, MRCVS, in investigating and sharing information about how various treatment techniques affect healing.
More...
Friday, July 24, 2009
Water and Dehydration Study Clarification
TheHorse.com
by: Multiple Authors
A 2008 Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) publication examining dehydration in working horses was summarized and printed onTheHorse.com on April 24, 2008, prior to its actual publication in EVJ. It was reviewed and approved by the researcher. The complete publication (in which Dr. Joy Pritchard was first author) was titled "Validity of indicators of dehydration in working horses: a longitudinal study of changes in skin tent duration, mucous membranes, and drinking behavior."
Recently, Dr. Olin Balch, a member of Veterinary Committee of the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) contacted Pritchard and TheHorse.com with committee concerns that the summary could be misinterpreted, especially where endurance horses are concerned.
Balch and Pritchard coauthored the following clarification.
Pritchard said, "My research studied changes in physiological parameters in 50 working horses pulling carts or carrying loads at moderate speeds in Lahore, Pakistan, over a period of 5 hours. While these results could be generalized to similar horses in developing countries, the conclusions are not directly transferable to any other horses, endurance or otherwise.
"The results illustrate that--in the sample population studied--neither a set of standardized skin tent tests, nor gingival mucous membrane dryness, nor other clinical parameters including heart rate, respiratory rate, and coat dryness/wetness were associated with hydration status," she continued. "Only volume of water drunk and drinking behavior were significantly associated with hydration status in these animals.
"The EVJ paper states clearly in the discussion and conclusion that working horses may not drink for internal and external reasons. Lack of drinking is not a conclusive sign of normal hydration status in the animals studied."
Balch said, "As a member of the Veterinary and Research Committees of the AERC, I believe that Dr. Pritchard has written a very important paper emphasizing that classic indicators of dehydration in horses (such as skin tent duration and mucous membrane dryness) may be quite misleading. The AERC sanctions approximately 23,000 horse starts in well-organized, veterinarian-supervised endurance rides in the U.S. and Canada annually.
"It is our collective experience, as experienced endurance veterinarians, that it is extremely common for horses in endurance rides to become dehydrated and yet refuse to drink water," continued Balch. "This is especially common early in rides where an excited horse may travel 25 miles without taking a drink. Additionally, we are convinced that exercising horses who refuse to drink water and become extremely dehydrated run the very real risk of suffering metabolic disorders. That is why riders must be attuned to their horses' water intake and take care to assure their horses are drinking adequately during endurance rides. The consequences of severe ileus or other forms of colic following dehydration and electrolyte depletion, although extremely rare at endurance rides, may lead to death.
... full article
by: Multiple Authors
A 2008 Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) publication examining dehydration in working horses was summarized and printed onTheHorse.com on April 24, 2008, prior to its actual publication in EVJ. It was reviewed and approved by the researcher. The complete publication (in which Dr. Joy Pritchard was first author) was titled "Validity of indicators of dehydration in working horses: a longitudinal study of changes in skin tent duration, mucous membranes, and drinking behavior."
Recently, Dr. Olin Balch, a member of Veterinary Committee of the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) contacted Pritchard and TheHorse.com with committee concerns that the summary could be misinterpreted, especially where endurance horses are concerned.
Balch and Pritchard coauthored the following clarification.
Pritchard said, "My research studied changes in physiological parameters in 50 working horses pulling carts or carrying loads at moderate speeds in Lahore, Pakistan, over a period of 5 hours. While these results could be generalized to similar horses in developing countries, the conclusions are not directly transferable to any other horses, endurance or otherwise.
"The results illustrate that--in the sample population studied--neither a set of standardized skin tent tests, nor gingival mucous membrane dryness, nor other clinical parameters including heart rate, respiratory rate, and coat dryness/wetness were associated with hydration status," she continued. "Only volume of water drunk and drinking behavior were significantly associated with hydration status in these animals.
"The EVJ paper states clearly in the discussion and conclusion that working horses may not drink for internal and external reasons. Lack of drinking is not a conclusive sign of normal hydration status in the animals studied."
Balch said, "As a member of the Veterinary and Research Committees of the AERC, I believe that Dr. Pritchard has written a very important paper emphasizing that classic indicators of dehydration in horses (such as skin tent duration and mucous membrane dryness) may be quite misleading. The AERC sanctions approximately 23,000 horse starts in well-organized, veterinarian-supervised endurance rides in the U.S. and Canada annually.
"It is our collective experience, as experienced endurance veterinarians, that it is extremely common for horses in endurance rides to become dehydrated and yet refuse to drink water," continued Balch. "This is especially common early in rides where an excited horse may travel 25 miles without taking a drink. Additionally, we are convinced that exercising horses who refuse to drink water and become extremely dehydrated run the very real risk of suffering metabolic disorders. That is why riders must be attuned to their horses' water intake and take care to assure their horses are drinking adequately during endurance rides. The consequences of severe ileus or other forms of colic following dehydration and electrolyte depletion, although extremely rare at endurance rides, may lead to death.
... full article
AHC Seeks to Document Equestrian Access Issues on Public Land
The American Horse Council has launched a new effort to collect information on access issues equestrians are experiencing on federal lands. The center piece of this effort is an online form equestrians can use to report their personal experiences regarding trails and federal lands that have been closed to them or other access issues.
Americans who use horses and pack stock enjoy a unique experience when they ride on trails and public lands. It is an experience that ties them to the 'pioneer' era and provides not only a way to connect with America's vast and unique natural resources but a link with America's history and traditions. It is an experience that cannot be enjoyed without a trail system, trailhead access and areas for camping. It is an experience that Americans enjoyed even before there was a national park system and an experience they want to continue.
Unfortunately, equestrians are seeing an increasing loss of access through trail restrictions, trail closures, and use restrictions. Riders and stock users are being excluded from areas that they have historically traveled through and indeed first opened up. It is a loss of opportunities for riders, families, persons with disabilities, school groups and others. There seems to be a management environment less open to these traditional forms of use. Sometimes restrictions on equestrian use are done intentionally through management plans that reduce, restrict or eliminate horses, horse facilities, camping or grazing restrictions, cross-country travel restrictions or closures. Sometimes the restrictions are indirect though a lack of trail maintenance, or over regulation, or lack of services to the public like facilities that provide saddle and pack animals or parking for horse trailers.
In order to better combat this disturbing trend the AHC is asking equestrians to document examples of trails or entire areas that have been closed to equestrians on federal land (National Forest Service, National Parks Service, and Bureau of Land Management, etc). The AHC is seeking all relevant information concerning these closures such as the reason for the loss of access, details concerning any public process that was involved and the history of equestrian use on the closed trail or area.
The AHC is also interested in examples of attempts to bar equestrian access that have been defeated.
"The reduction of trails, trail heads and the closure of public lands to horses and pack animals is a continuing problem for equestrians. However, there is no centralized, comprehensive database that documents any loss of access and even fewer specific examples," said AHC President Jay Hickey. "We hope by giving equestrians a place to report their experiences we can get a better picture of the problem and use that information to fix it."
The AHC is asking all recreational riders to visit the AHC website and report any access issues they have had using this electronic form https://www.horsecouncil.org/survey.php. This will be a permanent feature of the AHC website.
"The AHC is committed to preserving equine access to public lands. It is very important for these efforts that we have evidence that demonstrates the extent of the problem and the need for action on the part of Congress or the federal land agencies," said Hickey.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact: Bridget Harrison
bharrison@horsecouncil.org
Americans who use horses and pack stock enjoy a unique experience when they ride on trails and public lands. It is an experience that ties them to the 'pioneer' era and provides not only a way to connect with America's vast and unique natural resources but a link with America's history and traditions. It is an experience that cannot be enjoyed without a trail system, trailhead access and areas for camping. It is an experience that Americans enjoyed even before there was a national park system and an experience they want to continue.
Unfortunately, equestrians are seeing an increasing loss of access through trail restrictions, trail closures, and use restrictions. Riders and stock users are being excluded from areas that they have historically traveled through and indeed first opened up. It is a loss of opportunities for riders, families, persons with disabilities, school groups and others. There seems to be a management environment less open to these traditional forms of use. Sometimes restrictions on equestrian use are done intentionally through management plans that reduce, restrict or eliminate horses, horse facilities, camping or grazing restrictions, cross-country travel restrictions or closures. Sometimes the restrictions are indirect though a lack of trail maintenance, or over regulation, or lack of services to the public like facilities that provide saddle and pack animals or parking for horse trailers.
In order to better combat this disturbing trend the AHC is asking equestrians to document examples of trails or entire areas that have been closed to equestrians on federal land (National Forest Service, National Parks Service, and Bureau of Land Management, etc). The AHC is seeking all relevant information concerning these closures such as the reason for the loss of access, details concerning any public process that was involved and the history of equestrian use on the closed trail or area.
The AHC is also interested in examples of attempts to bar equestrian access that have been defeated.
"The reduction of trails, trail heads and the closure of public lands to horses and pack animals is a continuing problem for equestrians. However, there is no centralized, comprehensive database that documents any loss of access and even fewer specific examples," said AHC President Jay Hickey. "We hope by giving equestrians a place to report their experiences we can get a better picture of the problem and use that information to fix it."
The AHC is asking all recreational riders to visit the AHC website and report any access issues they have had using this electronic form https://www.horsecouncil.org/survey.php. This will be a permanent feature of the AHC website.
"The AHC is committed to preserving equine access to public lands. It is very important for these efforts that we have evidence that demonstrates the extent of the problem and the need for action on the part of Congress or the federal land agencies," said Hickey.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact: Bridget Harrison
bharrison@horsecouncil.org
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Joint supplements - a vet's perspective
Question 1:"what are the best and least expensive joint supplements to use on my horse for healthy joints?"
Question 2: "what are the benefits of Adequan vs Legend?"
Answer by Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, MS:
Answer 1: Here’s my opinion about joint supplements, both oral and injectable.
There’s no data to support that providing any sort of supplement prior to actual clinical signs of degenerative joint disease actually delays its eventual onset. However---if we consider what we ask these horses to do, even the best conditioned, most intelligently managed horse is going to have *some* degree of inflammation in its joints after a ride, and even though that inflammation may be insufficient to appear on an x-ray or in a lameness exam, it makes sense to protect those joints as much as possible. As such, I give my horses joint supplements when they’re working hard; and the 17-year-old campaigner I’m currently riding is getting practically marinated in the stuff, even though he doesn’t have a whisper of lameness, just because he’s working hard and is seventeen years old.
Of the oral forms of supplements, the best data available is from NutraMax Labs, that developed and markets the original oral supplement, Cosequin. They do show a measurable benefit provided by regular dosing, BUT---even the most expensive, name brand stuff out there only has a bioavailability of about 3-4%---which means you have to feed boatloads of it to get a smidgen of it into the circulation where it can eventually be taken up by inflamed joint tissue. Pretty expensive stuff for most of it to end up in a poop pile (though I’m happy to report the flies on my property feeding on that poop have never looked so spry). The bioavailability goes down when you get into the generic versions---even though the ingredient label may still say “chondroitin sulfate”, the label doesn’t tell you the Daltons (size, more or less) of the molecule in question. The bigger (read “cheaper”) the molecule, the less likely it is to be absorbed in the GI tract and thus get used effectively. There’s a good bit of data that supports the notion that most of the generic joint supplements available at Costco don’t do a darn thing, just because the molecule is too big to be absorbed. And remember, the very BEST source out there is only 3-4% available when fed orally.
That being said, I hugely prefer going the injectable route, because then I’m bypassing the GI tract entirely and most of the injected dose is getting to inflamed tissue where it belongs. Yes, I know the injectables are more expensive per dose, but I’d rather pay more for a vial of liquid gold that’s almost entirely bioavailable, then paying a lot less for an oral supplement that’s mostly ending up in the manure dumpster. Even I can do that math. I’ve heard differing things about the oral hyaluronates, but still prefer going the direct injectable route with that as well, for basically the same reasons.
Because I own an animal hospital and mostly work on companion animals for a living, I use the injectables in a whole lot of different species and it helps a bunch, especially in creaky, arthritic old dogs. Sometimes it’s hard to see a tangible difference in horses that are still pretty much moving okay, but I know a dog is feeling better when he starts asking to go for walks again, jumping into the car without help, whatever. I always tell my owners not to expect a miraculous improvement overnight, because we’re not just masking symptoms with a painkiller, we’re approaching the source of the disease process directly, and that takes some time. I usually dispense enough for the initial loading period of six weeks or so and sometimes then I’ll ask the owners if they saw an improvement and would they like a refill. Sometimes they tell me they didn’t see much benefit, so nope, they’ll skip the refill. I can pretty much set my watch that a month later, they’ll be calling for that refill, because they didn’t realize how much better old Duffy was until they STOPPED giving him the Adequan. I’d guess I probably have about a hundred patients on it in my practice at any given time.
I couldn’t tell you the efficacy of the generic injectables. I know they’re out there, but I use the brand name Adequan and/or Legend in my practice, just because I’m positive those are effective, and I need to use that not only for my own animals, but also for my clients.
So, I know you’re looking for something inexpensive to feed, but I’m going to go out on a limb and also assume you want the most bang for your buck. My advice would be to skip all the oral supplements entirely, with the possible exception of some source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have a different mode of action but are still pretty good for assorted inflammatory conditions, including those affecting the joints. The most cost-effective source of the O-3s is maybe a cup or two of freshly ground whole flax seed---grind it up yourself in an electric coffee grinder, stick it in baggies into the freezer and give your horse a baggie once a day.
Take whatever your annual budget is that you were planning on spending on oral joint supplements and figure out how much Adequan, or Legend, or both, that you can afford. Do that. Resis the urge to feed something other than the aforementioned flax seed. You’ll get more benefit from an Adequan or Legend injection once a month, or twice a year, or whatever suits your budget, than you will by feeding the oral supplements on a daily basis---especially if the oral supplement is one of the cheap ones that oh-by-the-way, has such low bioavailability that 99% of it is going into the dumpster.
Hope this helps. BTW, all the above comments also apply to arthritic dogs, kitties, bunnies and darn near every other species out there. I won’t comment publicly on its applicability to humans, because I’m not licensed for that species and the DEA would be sending me nastygrams as soon as they finished tracking down whoever it was that sold propofol to Michael Jackson.
Susan Garlinghouse, DVM
Answer 2:
That’s a really good question, and I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume you’re interested more in a practical answer than debating the p-values and historical influence of the senate subcommittees on its use, so forgive me if I gloss over some of the finer biochemical details. Both Adequan and Legend tend to achieve the same end goal of by slightly different pathways. Both have the end effect of increasing the concentration of hyaluronic acid in joint capsules and tendon sheath (and a few other assorted locations). Hyaluronic acid is a nifty little ‘backbone’ molecule that binds water within the joint fluid---the best analogy I can think of is one of those coat hangers with all the clips on it for hanging pants and skirts and things. The more coat hangers you have, the more things you can grab onto. So, the more hyaluronic acid, the more water molecules you can grab. That’s handy, because water is about the only substance on earth that doesn’t compress under pressure and so is a really great shock absorber within the joints. That helps prevent rubbing and friction within the joint during high-concussion which is likely to result in inflammation and, over time, arthritis.
So Adequan acts by stimulating the cells that line the cartilage (that’s the layer inside the joint capsule that covers the ends of the bones) to naturally produce more hyaluronic acid. Legend is actual hyaluronate itself, which after injection, is preferentially taken up by inflamed tissues throughout the body, including within joints. Dunno how the body ‘knows’ but that applies to lots of different processes in the body we still haven’t figured out but are happy to take advantage of, anyway. Hyaluronate is also commonly one of the substances injected directly into a joint, usually along with a small amount of a long-acting steroid, but that will only directly affect one joint; whereas systemic administration will affect pretty much all the joints within the body, though to a lesser overall extent. If you’ve ever heard of a horse getting his hocks injected (or knee, or fetlock or coffin joint), that’s what they’re talking about. Not something you do lightly, though, because directly injecting a joint is definitely a veterinary procedure that has to be done exactly right.
If you absolutely had to choose between Adequan or Legend, then the general concensus in the online vet community (we have our own discussion groups where we chat about this kind of thing and no, they’re not open to non-vets) is that Adequan is preferred if you have soft tissue involvement (like tendons and ligaments), and Legend is a bit preferred for straight arthritic conditions. Adequan, of course, also benefits arthritic conditions as well, but seems a bit better for general wear-and-tear. If you want the absolute best of both worlds, then do both, and that’s what I do for my horses that are working hard or have some issues they’re dealing with.
If I had to choose between one or the other for preventative maintenance, then I would probably go with Adequan, because I think it benefits tendon and ligaments as well as strictly joints a little better, and I want to cover as many bases as possible. For an older horse with DJD, then I think you’ll get more benefit with Legend. As I said, though, the gold standard would be both but hey, we can’t all wake up with Oprah Winfrey’s budget every morning.
Someone else asked me if they could only afford a few injections a year if there would be any ‘spiking’ effects and no, there’s no downside to less frequent dosing except that you’re just not getting as much benefit as you would with frequent administration. If I had to time it around a riding season, I would probably use up my budget starting a month or so before the first ride, when presumably, you’re starting to ramp up workouts. If you can give the horse some additional during the season, better. If you can give them some more right at the end of the season when they’re about ready for a rest and probably have some active inflammation to one extent or another, that would be great.
The other question someone asked me was whether this was something an owner could do, versus having to call out the vet. Adequan is an intramuscular injection, so most owners can do that. Some drugs (like procaine penicillin) you have to be careful to keep out of veins and such, but Adequan isn’t a problem if you happen to hit a vein. Some of the racetrack people prefer Adequan IV, though I go IM myself. Legend might be bioavailable if you injected it IM, but is best IV---so if an owner were comfortable doing an IV injection themselves, fine. It’s legal for an owner to administer meds to their own horse by any route, but starts getting into gray areas doing it to anyone else’s horse, aside from potential liability problems if you do it wrong. So if your vet is willing to supply you with either Adequan and/or Legend, and/or you’re otherwise able to obtain it somewhere (I don’t know if you can buy it online without a prescription, you probably can), and you’re comfortable injecting your own horse, go for it.
Hope this helps.
Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, MS
Question 2: "what are the benefits of Adequan vs Legend?"
Answer by Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, MS:
Answer 1: Here’s my opinion about joint supplements, both oral and injectable.
There’s no data to support that providing any sort of supplement prior to actual clinical signs of degenerative joint disease actually delays its eventual onset. However---if we consider what we ask these horses to do, even the best conditioned, most intelligently managed horse is going to have *some* degree of inflammation in its joints after a ride, and even though that inflammation may be insufficient to appear on an x-ray or in a lameness exam, it makes sense to protect those joints as much as possible. As such, I give my horses joint supplements when they’re working hard; and the 17-year-old campaigner I’m currently riding is getting practically marinated in the stuff, even though he doesn’t have a whisper of lameness, just because he’s working hard and is seventeen years old.
Of the oral forms of supplements, the best data available is from NutraMax Labs, that developed and markets the original oral supplement, Cosequin. They do show a measurable benefit provided by regular dosing, BUT---even the most expensive, name brand stuff out there only has a bioavailability of about 3-4%---which means you have to feed boatloads of it to get a smidgen of it into the circulation where it can eventually be taken up by inflamed joint tissue. Pretty expensive stuff for most of it to end up in a poop pile (though I’m happy to report the flies on my property feeding on that poop have never looked so spry). The bioavailability goes down when you get into the generic versions---even though the ingredient label may still say “chondroitin sulfate”, the label doesn’t tell you the Daltons (size, more or less) of the molecule in question. The bigger (read “cheaper”) the molecule, the less likely it is to be absorbed in the GI tract and thus get used effectively. There’s a good bit of data that supports the notion that most of the generic joint supplements available at Costco don’t do a darn thing, just because the molecule is too big to be absorbed. And remember, the very BEST source out there is only 3-4% available when fed orally.
That being said, I hugely prefer going the injectable route, because then I’m bypassing the GI tract entirely and most of the injected dose is getting to inflamed tissue where it belongs. Yes, I know the injectables are more expensive per dose, but I’d rather pay more for a vial of liquid gold that’s almost entirely bioavailable, then paying a lot less for an oral supplement that’s mostly ending up in the manure dumpster. Even I can do that math. I’ve heard differing things about the oral hyaluronates, but still prefer going the direct injectable route with that as well, for basically the same reasons.
Because I own an animal hospital and mostly work on companion animals for a living, I use the injectables in a whole lot of different species and it helps a bunch, especially in creaky, arthritic old dogs. Sometimes it’s hard to see a tangible difference in horses that are still pretty much moving okay, but I know a dog is feeling better when he starts asking to go for walks again, jumping into the car without help, whatever. I always tell my owners not to expect a miraculous improvement overnight, because we’re not just masking symptoms with a painkiller, we’re approaching the source of the disease process directly, and that takes some time. I usually dispense enough for the initial loading period of six weeks or so and sometimes then I’ll ask the owners if they saw an improvement and would they like a refill. Sometimes they tell me they didn’t see much benefit, so nope, they’ll skip the refill. I can pretty much set my watch that a month later, they’ll be calling for that refill, because they didn’t realize how much better old Duffy was until they STOPPED giving him the Adequan. I’d guess I probably have about a hundred patients on it in my practice at any given time.
I couldn’t tell you the efficacy of the generic injectables. I know they’re out there, but I use the brand name Adequan and/or Legend in my practice, just because I’m positive those are effective, and I need to use that not only for my own animals, but also for my clients.
So, I know you’re looking for something inexpensive to feed, but I’m going to go out on a limb and also assume you want the most bang for your buck. My advice would be to skip all the oral supplements entirely, with the possible exception of some source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have a different mode of action but are still pretty good for assorted inflammatory conditions, including those affecting the joints. The most cost-effective source of the O-3s is maybe a cup or two of freshly ground whole flax seed---grind it up yourself in an electric coffee grinder, stick it in baggies into the freezer and give your horse a baggie once a day.
Take whatever your annual budget is that you were planning on spending on oral joint supplements and figure out how much Adequan, or Legend, or both, that you can afford. Do that. Resis the urge to feed something other than the aforementioned flax seed. You’ll get more benefit from an Adequan or Legend injection once a month, or twice a year, or whatever suits your budget, than you will by feeding the oral supplements on a daily basis---especially if the oral supplement is one of the cheap ones that oh-by-the-way, has such low bioavailability that 99% of it is going into the dumpster.
Hope this helps. BTW, all the above comments also apply to arthritic dogs, kitties, bunnies and darn near every other species out there. I won’t comment publicly on its applicability to humans, because I’m not licensed for that species and the DEA would be sending me nastygrams as soon as they finished tracking down whoever it was that sold propofol to Michael Jackson.
Susan Garlinghouse, DVM
Answer 2:
That’s a really good question, and I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume you’re interested more in a practical answer than debating the p-values and historical influence of the senate subcommittees on its use, so forgive me if I gloss over some of the finer biochemical details. Both Adequan and Legend tend to achieve the same end goal of by slightly different pathways. Both have the end effect of increasing the concentration of hyaluronic acid in joint capsules and tendon sheath (and a few other assorted locations). Hyaluronic acid is a nifty little ‘backbone’ molecule that binds water within the joint fluid---the best analogy I can think of is one of those coat hangers with all the clips on it for hanging pants and skirts and things. The more coat hangers you have, the more things you can grab onto. So, the more hyaluronic acid, the more water molecules you can grab. That’s handy, because water is about the only substance on earth that doesn’t compress under pressure and so is a really great shock absorber within the joints. That helps prevent rubbing and friction within the joint during high-concussion which is likely to result in inflammation and, over time, arthritis.
So Adequan acts by stimulating the cells that line the cartilage (that’s the layer inside the joint capsule that covers the ends of the bones) to naturally produce more hyaluronic acid. Legend is actual hyaluronate itself, which after injection, is preferentially taken up by inflamed tissues throughout the body, including within joints. Dunno how the body ‘knows’ but that applies to lots of different processes in the body we still haven’t figured out but are happy to take advantage of, anyway. Hyaluronate is also commonly one of the substances injected directly into a joint, usually along with a small amount of a long-acting steroid, but that will only directly affect one joint; whereas systemic administration will affect pretty much all the joints within the body, though to a lesser overall extent. If you’ve ever heard of a horse getting his hocks injected (or knee, or fetlock or coffin joint), that’s what they’re talking about. Not something you do lightly, though, because directly injecting a joint is definitely a veterinary procedure that has to be done exactly right.
If you absolutely had to choose between Adequan or Legend, then the general concensus in the online vet community (we have our own discussion groups where we chat about this kind of thing and no, they’re not open to non-vets) is that Adequan is preferred if you have soft tissue involvement (like tendons and ligaments), and Legend is a bit preferred for straight arthritic conditions. Adequan, of course, also benefits arthritic conditions as well, but seems a bit better for general wear-and-tear. If you want the absolute best of both worlds, then do both, and that’s what I do for my horses that are working hard or have some issues they’re dealing with.
If I had to choose between one or the other for preventative maintenance, then I would probably go with Adequan, because I think it benefits tendon and ligaments as well as strictly joints a little better, and I want to cover as many bases as possible. For an older horse with DJD, then I think you’ll get more benefit with Legend. As I said, though, the gold standard would be both but hey, we can’t all wake up with Oprah Winfrey’s budget every morning.
Someone else asked me if they could only afford a few injections a year if there would be any ‘spiking’ effects and no, there’s no downside to less frequent dosing except that you’re just not getting as much benefit as you would with frequent administration. If I had to time it around a riding season, I would probably use up my budget starting a month or so before the first ride, when presumably, you’re starting to ramp up workouts. If you can give the horse some additional during the season, better. If you can give them some more right at the end of the season when they’re about ready for a rest and probably have some active inflammation to one extent or another, that would be great.
The other question someone asked me was whether this was something an owner could do, versus having to call out the vet. Adequan is an intramuscular injection, so most owners can do that. Some drugs (like procaine penicillin) you have to be careful to keep out of veins and such, but Adequan isn’t a problem if you happen to hit a vein. Some of the racetrack people prefer Adequan IV, though I go IM myself. Legend might be bioavailable if you injected it IM, but is best IV---so if an owner were comfortable doing an IV injection themselves, fine. It’s legal for an owner to administer meds to their own horse by any route, but starts getting into gray areas doing it to anyone else’s horse, aside from potential liability problems if you do it wrong. So if your vet is willing to supply you with either Adequan and/or Legend, and/or you’re otherwise able to obtain it somewhere (I don’t know if you can buy it online without a prescription, you probably can), and you’re comfortable injecting your own horse, go for it.
Hope this helps.
Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, MS
Friday, July 17, 2009
Why Horses Stumble
TheHorse.com
Heather Smith Thomas
Some horses stumble or stub their front toes frequently, with the toe hitting the ground while the knee is still bent and the leg collapses instead of taking weight. The horse's head and neck drop down, but he usually catches himself by rapidly extending the other leg. Most of these horses are not lame, yet might occasionally fall to their knees or go down with a rider. The habitual stumbler might manage fine when running free, but tends to trip and stumble when being ridden or led. The stumbling horse is frustrating to ride, and he can be dangerous.
Stumbling can be caused by a number of things, including long toes, long feet, hoof imbalance, laziness or boredom, and in some instances devious behavior--a few horses learn they can get out of work if they stumble because a concerned rider thinks there is something wrong and ends the ride. Stumbling can also be due to inadequate conditioning (such as a young horse unaccustomed to carrying a rider, or a horse whose muscles are out of shape), poor conformation, incoordination, joint problems, chronic foot pain, damage to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), brain disorders such as narcolepsy (sudden attacks of sleep), or weakness due to fatigue or illness.
[...more]
Heather Smith Thomas
Some horses stumble or stub their front toes frequently, with the toe hitting the ground while the knee is still bent and the leg collapses instead of taking weight. The horse's head and neck drop down, but he usually catches himself by rapidly extending the other leg. Most of these horses are not lame, yet might occasionally fall to their knees or go down with a rider. The habitual stumbler might manage fine when running free, but tends to trip and stumble when being ridden or led. The stumbling horse is frustrating to ride, and he can be dangerous.
Stumbling can be caused by a number of things, including long toes, long feet, hoof imbalance, laziness or boredom, and in some instances devious behavior--a few horses learn they can get out of work if they stumble because a concerned rider thinks there is something wrong and ends the ride. Stumbling can also be due to inadequate conditioning (such as a young horse unaccustomed to carrying a rider, or a horse whose muscles are out of shape), poor conformation, incoordination, joint problems, chronic foot pain, damage to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), brain disorders such as narcolepsy (sudden attacks of sleep), or weakness due to fatigue or illness.
[...more]
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Suspensory treatment: Mending With Marrow
TheHorse.com
by: Heather Smith Thomas
Suspensory ligament injury is a common problem in athletic horses, and it is often slow to heal, with a high recurrence rate when a horse returns to work. Douglas Herthel, DVM, of Alamo Pintado Equine Clinic in Los Olivos, Calif., has been using bone marrow in a new technique for treating these injuries. He began his study in 1995, looking at bone marrow, which contains stem cells, monocytes, platelets, and fat.
"A recent unpublished survey that was done at UC Davis indicates this is the single most common cause of lameness in the show horse," says Herthel of suspensory ligament injury. "It can affect almost any horse that is in athletic performance.
"The experience we had in treating these during the past 25 years--prior to stem cell therapy--was fairly dismal," he continues. "Ours is a referral practice, and we usually got the cases after they'd been looked at and treated numerous times. We were averaging only 20% success in return to full work."
[...more]
by: Heather Smith Thomas
Suspensory ligament injury is a common problem in athletic horses, and it is often slow to heal, with a high recurrence rate when a horse returns to work. Douglas Herthel, DVM, of Alamo Pintado Equine Clinic in Los Olivos, Calif., has been using bone marrow in a new technique for treating these injuries. He began his study in 1995, looking at bone marrow, which contains stem cells, monocytes, platelets, and fat.
"A recent unpublished survey that was done at UC Davis indicates this is the single most common cause of lameness in the show horse," says Herthel of suspensory ligament injury. "It can affect almost any horse that is in athletic performance.
"The experience we had in treating these during the past 25 years--prior to stem cell therapy--was fairly dismal," he continues. "Ours is a referral practice, and we usually got the cases after they'd been looked at and treated numerous times. We were averaging only 20% success in return to full work."
[...more]
Monday, July 06, 2009
Study: Offering Water an Accurate Gauge of Dehydration
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Christa Lesté-Lasserre
April 24 2008
If you lead a horse to water, you might not be able to make him drink, but it's still a great way to gauge whether he needs that water or not, according to recent British research examining working horses and dehydration levels.
The researchers found that the commonly used "skin tent test" (pinching up a section of skin to note the time it takes to return to its normal position) varies greatly according to the horse's age, the humidity of the coat, and the site of the skin tested. Furthermore, it has no significant connection with the actual state of hydration in the horse, according to the study.
Because of this, the skin tent test is not a valid method for evaluating dehydration in horses, said Joy Pritchard, PhD, DVM, co-author of the study and a researcher at Bristol University. Pritchard is also head of animal welfare at Brooke Hospital for Animals, a U.K.-based charity that focuses on equids in developing countries.
More...
by: Christa Lesté-Lasserre
April 24 2008
If you lead a horse to water, you might not be able to make him drink, but it's still a great way to gauge whether he needs that water or not, according to recent British research examining working horses and dehydration levels.
The researchers found that the commonly used "skin tent test" (pinching up a section of skin to note the time it takes to return to its normal position) varies greatly according to the horse's age, the humidity of the coat, and the site of the skin tested. Furthermore, it has no significant connection with the actual state of hydration in the horse, according to the study.
Because of this, the skin tent test is not a valid method for evaluating dehydration in horses, said Joy Pritchard, PhD, DVM, co-author of the study and a researcher at Bristol University. Pritchard is also head of animal welfare at Brooke Hospital for Animals, a U.K.-based charity that focuses on equids in developing countries.
More...
Sunday, July 05, 2009
House Funding Bill Excludes Animal Identification System
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Pat Raia
June 16 2009
The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) will receive no new funding under a 2010 spending bill proposed by the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA appropriations subcommittee. Chairwoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Ct.) announced bill details on June 11.
The NAIS is a nationwide livestock database designed to help federal and state agencies locate and track the movement of animals in the event of disease outbreaks or natural disasters.
The program uses data provided by livestock producers and property owners to assign identification numbers to individual animals and to properties where animals are born or reside. Registry participation is voluntary. But the program has failed to attract substantial support among livestock producers.
"There is overwhelming concern about NAIS registration becoming mandatory. There is also opposition to the whole concept by some (who fear) that they will have to ID their animals to move them through commerce," said Nancy Robinson, vice president of government and industry affairs for the Livestock Marketing Association.
More...
by: Pat Raia
June 16 2009
The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) will receive no new funding under a 2010 spending bill proposed by the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA appropriations subcommittee. Chairwoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Ct.) announced bill details on June 11.
The NAIS is a nationwide livestock database designed to help federal and state agencies locate and track the movement of animals in the event of disease outbreaks or natural disasters.
The program uses data provided by livestock producers and property owners to assign identification numbers to individual animals and to properties where animals are born or reside. Registry participation is voluntary. But the program has failed to attract substantial support among livestock producers.
"There is overwhelming concern about NAIS registration becoming mandatory. There is also opposition to the whole concept by some (who fear) that they will have to ID their animals to move them through commerce," said Nancy Robinson, vice president of government and industry affairs for the Livestock Marketing Association.
More...
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Horses React to Human Heart Rates, Study Finds
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Nancy Zacks
July 01 2009
An increase in a human's heart rate affects the heart rate of the horse they are leading or riding, researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences recently reported.
Linda Keeling, PhD, and colleagues tested horses and riders to see if humans inadvertently communicate fear and anxiety to horses. Using heart rate as a fear indicator, the researchers asked 20 people with varying levels of horse experience to walk and ride 10 horses from Point A to Point B four times. The researchers told participants an umbrella would open as they rode or led the horse on the fourth pass. The umbrella never opened, but heart rates in both horses and humans increased during the fourth trip between the points, when the human expected the umbrella to open.
"The increase in the horses' heart rates probably means that they are more alert and prepared to react to any potential danger," Keeling said. "In the wild, horses are adapted to respond to other animals in their group. A startle reaction is more likely when the horse is very alert."
More...
by: Nancy Zacks
July 01 2009
An increase in a human's heart rate affects the heart rate of the horse they are leading or riding, researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences recently reported.
Linda Keeling, PhD, and colleagues tested horses and riders to see if humans inadvertently communicate fear and anxiety to horses. Using heart rate as a fear indicator, the researchers asked 20 people with varying levels of horse experience to walk and ride 10 horses from Point A to Point B four times. The researchers told participants an umbrella would open as they rode or led the horse on the fourth pass. The umbrella never opened, but heart rates in both horses and humans increased during the fourth trip between the points, when the human expected the umbrella to open.
"The increase in the horses' heart rates probably means that they are more alert and prepared to react to any potential danger," Keeling said. "In the wild, horses are adapted to respond to other animals in their group. A startle reaction is more likely when the horse is very alert."
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Wednesday, July 01, 2009
So what happens to the Mongolian horses after the event?
July 1 2009 - Karen Chaton Enduranceridestuff.com
I wrote and asked the Aventurists that question a couple of days ago, and still have not gotten a response. However, I did get a couple of answers from Long Rider’s who have ridden in Mongolia.
I was wondering what might happen to the horses after they do their 25 mile (40 km) section of the Mongol Derby. Somehow, they need to get back home! Obviously the (possibly up to 26 used on each leg) horses won’t be hauled back home in a trailer. The consensus is that most likely the animals will be turned loose to find their way back home. It sounds like these are pretty smart horses.
Yet, that effectively doubles the distance that they must go. Granted, without the rider on their return trip. I know the website states that this race is not a test of endurance for the horse. I would consider it a test of endurance for my own endurance horse to be ridden 25 miles one day and then be turned around and set loose to find their way home in the next few days. Hopefully these guys will let the horses stay a day or two and rest and rehydrate and eat well before sending them on their way.
I have a quote from Bonnie Harpp who has ridden in Mongolia: “No Mongolian is going to give up his best horse for such a race. Horses are a spiritual symbol to Mongolians. They will pull out a few old nags or, I believe, go out and pull some of the more acceptable looking horses off the steppe. There are no barns there or corals. It is entirely different. People here would never believe it.”
I did the math to figure out how many 25 mile legs each rider will have to do per day in order to finish the entire race within a week. Since this is an event challenging the endurance of the rider rather than the horse I would think that each rider would be riding at least 50, 75 or 100 miles per 24 hour period. You couldn’t finish in three weeks if you only rode 25 miles per day. If you rode 50 miles per day, which would take two Mongolian horses each going 25 miles every single day - and you didn’t take any days off you would be riding for 12 days.
Most very fit endurance riders I know would be knocked on their butt riding 24 different horses 25 miles each for 12 days straight. I think they would find it very difficult riding their own same horses that distance in that same time period. Especially given the more extreme and rough conditions that these participants are sure to encounter. Endurance riders in the US are pretty spoiled and used to lots of creature comforts. These guys aren’t going to finish every night to a nice meal (after having lunch possibly provided, or at least easily made themselves) with a shower and a nice already made bed waiting for them. They are going to have a rough time.
Read More...
I wrote and asked the Aventurists that question a couple of days ago, and still have not gotten a response. However, I did get a couple of answers from Long Rider’s who have ridden in Mongolia.
I was wondering what might happen to the horses after they do their 25 mile (40 km) section of the Mongol Derby. Somehow, they need to get back home! Obviously the (possibly up to 26 used on each leg) horses won’t be hauled back home in a trailer. The consensus is that most likely the animals will be turned loose to find their way back home. It sounds like these are pretty smart horses.
Yet, that effectively doubles the distance that they must go. Granted, without the rider on their return trip. I know the website states that this race is not a test of endurance for the horse. I would consider it a test of endurance for my own endurance horse to be ridden 25 miles one day and then be turned around and set loose to find their way home in the next few days. Hopefully these guys will let the horses stay a day or two and rest and rehydrate and eat well before sending them on their way.
I have a quote from Bonnie Harpp who has ridden in Mongolia: “No Mongolian is going to give up his best horse for such a race. Horses are a spiritual symbol to Mongolians. They will pull out a few old nags or, I believe, go out and pull some of the more acceptable looking horses off the steppe. There are no barns there or corals. It is entirely different. People here would never believe it.”
I did the math to figure out how many 25 mile legs each rider will have to do per day in order to finish the entire race within a week. Since this is an event challenging the endurance of the rider rather than the horse I would think that each rider would be riding at least 50, 75 or 100 miles per 24 hour period. You couldn’t finish in three weeks if you only rode 25 miles per day. If you rode 50 miles per day, which would take two Mongolian horses each going 25 miles every single day - and you didn’t take any days off you would be riding for 12 days.
Most very fit endurance riders I know would be knocked on their butt riding 24 different horses 25 miles each for 12 days straight. I think they would find it very difficult riding their own same horses that distance in that same time period. Especially given the more extreme and rough conditions that these participants are sure to encounter. Endurance riders in the US are pretty spoiled and used to lots of creature comforts. These guys aren’t going to finish every night to a nice meal (after having lunch possibly provided, or at least easily made themselves) with a shower and a nice already made bed waiting for them. They are going to have a rough time.
Read More...
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