Thursday, November 14, 2013

Selling a Horse on Trial: 10 Tips to Lower Your Risk

Thehorse.com Blog - Full Article

November 1 2013

In certain segments of the horse industry, it is fairly common for the buyer to take a horse home (or to a trainer’s) and try the horse out before making a final decision. Frequently, the buyer will also have a vet check performed during this trial period. Trial periods benefit the buyer by providing them with an opportunity to thoroughly evaluate a horse prior to purchase. Offering a trial period can often help the seller complete a sale.

However, trial periods can be fraught with problems...

Read more here:
http://cs.thehorse.com/blogs/horses-and-the-law/archive/2013/11/01/selling-a-horse-on-trial-10-tips-to-lower-your-risk.aspx?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=lameness&utm_campaign=11-06-2013

Using Hay Replacers for Horses

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Emily Lamprecht, PhD
Nov 10, 2013

When times of severe drought or other weather phenomenon result in poor quality or availability of pastures and hay, horse owners often turn to complete feeds (those that contain a full diet of roughage, protein, vitamins, minerals, and other needed nutrients) or hay stretchers/replacers (designed to replace the fiber component of the hay/pasture that is no longer available).

These products can be extremely useful to horse owners to help them through the tough hay times, but they do come with some usage guidelines to keep horses happy and healthy...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32844/using-hay-replacers-for-horses?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=health-news&utm_campaign=11-12-2013

Monday, November 11, 2013

Rescue Horses and Veterans: A Good Fit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Cindy Gendron: 757-932-0394; cindy@homesforhorses.org

Rescue Horses and Veterans: A Good Fit

Homes for Horses Coalition Members Provide Programs that Meet the Needs of Both Horses and Humans

On this Veterans’ Day, The Homes for Horses Coalition salutes both our veterans, and our members that are helping them to reclaim their lives, as they give new life to horses in need.  The entire mission of member organization Horses4Heroes is focused on serving military heroes and their families.  Through Operation Free Ride, thousands of military men, women and their children have registered for and/or received free horseback rides at host facilities from coast to coast.  In addition to recreational programs for military families, Horses4Heroes offers therapeutic programs to veterans such as Back in the Saddle, a four-week empowerment workshop, and Unfinished Business, a program for veterans with PTSD and others who need to say “good-bye,” get over a loss or difficult situation.  Wherever and whenever possible, Horses4Heroes uses rescue horses in these programs.

At Zuma’s Rescue Ranch, the ZEAL Program combines Animal Assisted Coaching and Experiential Learning to help veterans rebuild trust and confidence, as well as, refocus their attention to giving to the horses while healing their broken minds and bodies.  “The skill developed working through life’s challenges with equine therapy partners is one that cannot compare to traditional educational models, says Jodi Messenich, Executive Director of Zuma’s.  “The partnering with horses once destined for slaughter brings a level of compassion coupled with a desire to help another being. Those life lessons are creating compassionate hard working young men and women to lead our next generation.”

The Soldier Buddies program at Riding Star Ranch matches returning military soldiers and military veterans with at-risk youth between the ages of 12-22. The military veterans serve as positive role models and help instill morals, character, and essential life skills to their young "Buddies".  Together, the Soldier Buddies care for a program horse including learning how to ride, and even how to drive, in the structured equine-assisted environment.  The human benefits of the program include learning responsibility, compassion, self-esteem, trust and teamwork among other social and life skills.  The horses involved in the program benefit from the socialization and retraining while receiving loving, hands-on care from the Soldier Buddies.  These aspects are vital to the re-homing and adoption of the rescue horses.

Cindy Gendron, The Homes for Horses Coalition Coordinator, says “These are just a few of our members that have witnessed the symbiotic relationship that rescue horses can have with humans that need healing.  It’s an honor to observe how these and other members are helping veterans face unique challenges by allowing them to bond with horses facing their own.”

About The Homes for Horses Coalition
The Homes for Horses Coalition is supported by the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), the Animal Welfare Institute and The Humane Society of the United States’, Jeannie Dodson Equine Protection Fund.  It is dedicated to ending horse slaughter and other forms of equine abuse, while promoting growth, collaboration and professionalism in the equine rescue and protection community. Find us online at www.homesforhorses.org and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/HomesforHorses.

Anatomy Anyone?

Easycare Blog - Karen Bumgarner

Monday, October 28, 2013 by Guest HCP

As people who care for horse’s hooves, it behooves us to know as much as possible about this structure. Yes – pun intended. We as horsemen need to understand how the entire leg is made and how it all works together. I know we have seen many of the moving parts, either while we hold the hoof in our hands or while watching the horse move. But what do we really know about the hoof and the leg? We can read the books, practice on cadavers, do our homework but the learning process never ends.

While out riding I came across a scattered skeleton of a horse. Oh what an opportunity to study the bones. But amongst this was one intact front leg. Not only was the leg intact but the hoof capsule was still attached, complete with a shoe! Oh wow!...

Read more here:
http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/insights-from-the-inside/anatomy-anyone

Swollen or Filled Legs: What’s Wrong With Your Horse?

KER.Equinews.com - Full Article

By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · November 21, 2011

Horses can rapidly develop swelling or “filling” in one or more legs. Is it serious? What causes it?

A common reason for filling is inactivity in a horse that is accustomed to moving around. An example might be a horse that is usually turned out in the pasture but has been kept in a stall overnight, maybe at a show or in preparation for an early ride the next day. The owner notices that the horse’s rear legs are puffy and swollen as he’s led out of the stall. The legs are not uncommonly warm, and the horse may move somewhat stiffly but is not truly lame. Caused by inactivity and reduced lymph flow, this “stocking up” is usually not serious and will dissipate as the horse is exercised. It’s more common in older horses and can affect all four legs, though stocking up is often seen only in the hind legs...

Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/swollen-or-filled-legs-what%E2%80%99s-wrong-your-horse-0

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Heart Murmurs Often Don’t Affect Performance in Horses

KER.Equinews.com - Full Article

By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · October 9, 2013

Abnormal sounds, known as murmurs, can sometimes be heard as a veterinarian listens to a horse’s heart. Owners who hear the words “heart murmur” may worry that their horses can’t be ridden or are in danger of dying. And would anyone buy a horse at a sale, knowing it had a heart murmur? Thankfully, though a heart murmur is not an uncommon finding on examination, the majority of horses are not troubled by this condition, and their sale prices and performance potential are often completely unaffected. However, some types of heart murmur signify serious problems, and a veterinarian will be able to determine how significant the condition is for a particular horse...

Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/heart-murmurs-often-don%E2%80%99t-affect-performance-horses

Friday, November 08, 2013

How accurate is thermography of horses’ legs?

Equinescienceupdate.com - Full article

Infrared thermography is increasingly being applied to investigate the cause of lameness in horses. The equipment is easy to handle and the method is fast and safe, both for the animal and for the vet. But is it accurate?

Recent work by Simone Westermann at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna shows that the technique is surprisingly tolerant of variation in the position of the equipment, i.e. how far from the horse and at what angle to the animal the infrared camera is held. However, it is extremely important to ensure that the horse is not standing in a draught as even barely detectable wind speeds are sufficient to have a dramatic effect on the measurements.

Infrared thermography is increasingly being applied to investigate the cause of lameness in horses. The equipment is easy to handle and the method is fast and safe, both for the animal and for the vet. But is it accurate?

Read more here:
http://www.equinescienceupdate.com/articles/hathl.html?utm_source=Equine+Science+Update+enews+Oct+2013+%28FREE%29&utm_campaign=CCOct13FREE&utm_medium=email

Are Drugs OK after the Expiration Date (and What Do I Do With Them)?

Doctorramey.com - Full Article

Posted on November 1, 2013 by DrRamey

Here’s something about which I get calls all the time.

You come out to the barn and you find that your horse has a bit of swollen leg. You think, “I think that I’ll give him a couple of tablets of bute,” because you think it might help with the soreness and swelling. You check your tack box for the drug. If you’re like me, your tack box is probably more like a time-capsule than it is an organized cabinet. Anyway, you dig through your tack box and finally find a bottle of bute under one of the assorted colors of leg bandages that you keep. You’re happy, but then you find that the stamped expiration date on the bottle says that the drug expired 18 months ago. What do you do? If you give your horse a couple tablets, will it work? Could it maybe even hurt your horse? Let’s look at some important questions.

1. Are Expired Drugs Safe?

Almost undoubtedly. There don’t seem to be any published reports of toxicity in people from drugs used after their expiration date, whether those drugs are injected, ingested, or put on the skin (there was one report, back in 1963, of damage to a person’s kidneys from an outdated antibiotic product, but that product isn’t available anymore, and it wasn’t the antibiotic that caused the problem). That does make some sense, I mean, it’s not like your horse’s bute pills are going to morph into some poison – or explode – at any time after they expire. So the expiration date doesn’t really mean that the medication has become unsafe to use. Most medical authorities state expired drugs are safe to take, even those that expired years ago.

2. What Does the Expiration Date Mean?...

Read more here:

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Balancing the Microbes in the Horse's Digestive Tract

KER.equinews.com - Full Article

By Dr. Kathleen Crandell · January 3, 2012

The importance of maintaining a balanced microbial population in the equine digestive tract is often underscored in popular-press articles and primers on horse nutrition, but what does “balanced” mean? What types of microbes are living in the digestive tract? How many are there, and what is their purpose? What can be done to keep them balanced?

A delicate balance exists among the different types of microbes that reside in the gastrointestinal tract. Humans cannot live on forage because we lack these microbes that break down forage into usable bits. The products of forage digestion are volatile fatty acids, which horses use for energy. Humans have some microbes that should stay in balance as well, although they pale in number and function compared to those of herbivores. We are being inundated with products that address that function in humans, and nutritionists emphasize the importance of that balance in the human digestive tract in overall health and well-being. Like humans, horses cannot perform their best if digestive microbes are out of balance...

Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/balancing-microbes-horses-digestive-tract

Researchers Study Head, Neck Positions' Effects on Muscles

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor
Oct 11, 2013

The physiological effects of horses' head and neck positions (HNP) while being ridden is a topic of fierce debate. And until now, there hasn't been any data on head and neck position's effect on muscle activity, especially that of the muscles controlling these positions.

Kathrin Kienapfel, MA, a doctoral student at Ruhr-University Bochum, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, recently evaluated electromyography (EMG, a tool that allows researchers to read muscle activity through sensors attached to the skin) activity of three major head and neck muscles when horses performed three characteristic HNPs:...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32696/researchers-study-head-neck-positions-effects-on-muscles?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=lameness&utm_campaign=10-30-2013

Tickets for Arabian Nights Christmas Show are Now on Sale

Special Christmas show, “Amirah’s Wish,” runs Dec. 1 through Dec. 31 
 
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Nov. 4, 2013) – Step aside, Rudolph – Santa is headed for Arabian Nights in just a few weeks and when he arrives it will be by a team of Arabian horses instead of the usual reindeer.
 
Tickets are now on sale for the Arabian Nights Christmas show, “Amirah’s Wish.” This holiday tradition will run from Sunday, December, 1 through Tuesday, December 31.
 
Arabian Nights’ Christmas show began in 2004 and has quickly become a favorite for families in Orlando during the holidays, with many repeat visitors.
 
“Arabian Nights’ Christmas show is the perfect way to enjoy the holiday spirit with the entire family,” said Arden Tilghman, President of Arabian Nights. “Our show wraps the most unique styles of horsemanship, acrobatics and aerial performance from around the globe into a fun, season spectacle.”
 
Audiences at “Amirah’s Wish” will find a completely different story line from Arabian Nights’ new show, “The Royal Celebration,” which debuted in July.
 
Christmas show tickets cost $66.99 and up with a 25% discount for booking online at www.arabian-nights.com. Tickets are also available at all Florida Walgreens stores in Florida. Paper tickets can be purchased in advance from any cashier, and then reservations made by phone.          
 
Arabian Nights features world-class equestrian entertainment and some of the top Arabian horses in the world. The champion Arabians performing in the show come from Al-Marah Arabians, the historic horse farm owned by Mark Miller, who is also the owner of Arabian Nights. Miller’s family is only the third family to have had control of this herd in its 200-plus year history.
 
Arabian Nights is located at 3081 Arabian Nights Blvd. in Kissimmee. 
 
For more on Arabian Nights, please visit the all-new website, www.arabian-nights.com.

Sunday, November 03, 2013

Antibacterial action of honey

Equinescienceupdate.com - Full Article


Wounds to the lower limbs of horses can prove challenging to manage. Recently there has been a growing interest in the use of honey in such cases.

Not all honey is the same. Its antibacterial quality depends on the type of honey and the conditions under which it was harvested and processed. Most honey contains hydrogen peroxide, which has antibacterial properties. Some types of honey contain additional active components. For example, the antibacterial properties of manuka honey are believed to be due to high concentrations of methylglyoxal, a compound usually found in only low quantities in other types of honey.

Manuka honey, produced by bees foraging on manuka plants (Leptospermum scoparium), native to Australia and New Zealand, has been the subject of considerable research. Honey from other sources is often used in practice, but there has been little research into how effective it is...

Read more here:
http://www.equinescienceupdate.com/articles/aah.html?utm_source=Equine+Science+Update+enews+Oct+2013+%28FREE%29&utm_campaign=CCOct13FREE&utm_medium=email

Thursday, October 31, 2013

I Bought a Lame Horse: Now What?

CS.Thehorse.com - Full Article

Blog: Horses and the Law
21 October 2013

As an attorney, I frequently help unhappy horse buyers decide whether they have a viable legal case against the seller, and if they do, whether I'm the right attorney to represent them. Here is what I look for during an initial consultation.

Did the Buyer have a Prepurchase Exam?

If the buyer had a veterinary prepurchase examination, I always ask to see the written report. What the buyer remembers the vet said may be very different than what the written report says. If the prepurchase report says the horse was lame in the same limb now causing the problem, this is a red flag. The buyer, on notice that the horse was lame, would have had a duty to investigate why the horse was lame before buying, not after...

Read more here:
http://cs.thehorse.com/blogs/horses-and-the-law/archive/2013/10/21/i-bought-a-lame-horse-do-i-have-legal-recourse-against-the-seller.aspx#sthash.EN0msOj4.dpuf

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Australian Researchers Create Custom Titanium Horseshoes


Scanned and modeled on the racehorse's hooves, these new shoes are a first for 3-D titanium printing. Photo: Courtesy CSIRO
Thehorse.com

By Edited Press Release
Oct 17, 2013

Scientists at CSIRO (the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization—Australia's largest scientific research organization) have custom-made a set of titanium shoes for one Melbourne, Australia, racehorse, a first for the sport.

The horse, dubbed "Titanium Prints" by researchers, had its hooves scanned with a handheld 3-D scanner this week. Then, using 3-D modeling software, the scientists used the scan to design a "perfect-fitting," lightweight racing shoe. Four custom shoes were printed within only a few hours, they said.

Traditionally made from aluminum, each racing shoe can weigh up to a kilogram (about 2.2 pounds). But the horse's trainer, John Moloney, says that the ultimate race shoe should be as light weight as possible.

"Any extra weight in the horseshoe will slow the horse down," he explained. "These titanium shoes could take up to half of the weight off a traditional aluminum shoe."

CSIRO's titanium expert John Barnes, PhD, said that 3-D printing horseshoes for racehorses from titanium is a first for scientists and demonstrates the range of applications the technology can be used for.

"There are so many ways we can use 3-D titanium printing," he said. "At CSIRO we are helping companies create new applications like biomedical implants and even things like automotive and aerospace parts. The possibilities really are endless with this technology."

The precision scanning process takes just a few minutes and for a horse, shoes can be made to measure each hoof and printed the same day, scientists say.

More:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32724/australian-researchers-create-custom-titanium-horseshoes?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=lameness&utm_campaign=10-23-2013

Monday, October 28, 2013

Equine Glycogen Replacement After Exercise

KER.Equinews.com - Full Article

By Dr. Bryan Waldridge · January 24, 2010

Glycogen is a large, highly branched sugar molecule that is stored in muscle and the liver, and is used by the body as an energy source. Made of long chains and branches of glucose, glycogen is used for quick, high-intensity exercise. Depleted muscle glycogen and buildup of its end products, lactate and pyruvate, contribute to muscle fatigue.

Horses produce glycogen two to three times slower than humans and other animals. In contrast to humans, horses are not able to accelerate muscle-glycogen replacement by consuming large amounts of digestible carbohydrates or sugars. Horses that are worked frequently, therefore, can have decreased stores of muscle glycogen that cannot be replaced before the horse is asked to work or perform again...

Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/equine-glycogen-replacement-after-exercise

Friday, October 18, 2013

Hunting-Season Safety Guide

Equisearch.com - Full Article

By Dan Aadland

This fall, stay safe on the trail with these five practical hunting-season guidelines.

In the fall, when Rocky Mountain aspens turn brilliant yellow, there’s no place I’d rather be than in a snug hunting camp among stately spruce by a clear stream, my horses and mules picketed nearby, aromatic pine smoke curling from the pipe of the tent stove.

Contemplation of such a scene keeps me going during bitter winter and summer doldrums. Hunters in other parts of the country are similarly drawn, whether to crisp corn fields laden with pheasants, red maple groves holding deer, or deep southern woods, now finally free of summer’s oppressive heat and humidity.

These same fall conditions draw those of us who ride for pure pleasure. There’s nothing quite like a trail ride through autumn trees, the smell of fresh air and brilliant foliage, the enthusiasm of your good horse when there’s a trace of bite in the breeze. Riding during this time of year is too fine to be avoided simply because it coincides with hunting season.

Ready to saddle up and enjoy this spectacular season? Follow these five guidelines to help keep you and your horse safe...

Read more here:
http://www.equisearch.com/trailriding/hunting-season-safety-guide-2/?utm_source=TrailRiderNL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter

Omega Fatty Acids: What Do They Do for Horses?

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Emily Lamprecht, PhD
Sep 30, 2013

Adding supplementary fat in your horses’ diet is one way to provide concentrated calories as well as some other functional benefits to your horse; but what sources of fat are best?

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are a hot topic in human, pet, and equine nutrition alike, and for good reasons. With such a wide array of information and products out there, it can be confusing and difficult to make decisions, so let’s break down what the omega fatty acids are, and how they can play a role in a healthy balanced diet for our equine counterparts...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32628/omega-fatty-acids-what-do-they-do-for-horses?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=nutrition&utm_campaign=10-07-2013

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Horse Feeds or Horsepower: Evaluating the Best Use of Grain

KER.Equinews.com - Full Article

By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · October 7, 2013

With easily accessible fossil fuel supplies becoming harder to find, the energy industry has looked at alternate sources of power for the millions of cars and trucks on America’s highways. Technologies have been developed and refined for deriving vegetable-based fuels from corn, soybeans, and sugarcane, agricultural products that previously were used mostly for human and animal food. This situation has led to increased market competition for these crops, pushing prices up for a finite supply even as more efficient farming practices have boosted production.

The manufacture of crop-derived fuel is probably not yet at its maximum efficiency, but it will need to improve significantly to equal the energy return on investment (EROI) of conventional oil. In other words, it takes energy to make energy, and a low yield of power equates to an expensive and inefficient use of raw materials...

Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/horse-feeds-or-horsepower-evaluating-best-use-grain

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Study: Horses Able to Stay Fit When Kept at Pasture

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS
Oct 01, 2013

There are many theories on how to best manage performance horses during periods with no forced exercise (whether after sustaining an injury or just for a rest period), and owners are often left with a dilemma: stall rest or pasture turn-out? To find the answer, a team of researchers recently completed a study evaluating how well horses maintain a certain fitness level with either pasture turnout or stall confinement.

Patricia M. Graham-Thiers, PhD, and a team of Virginia Intermont College researchers assigned 16 horses in light to moderate work to one of three groups: pasture turnout (P), stalled and exercised (E), or stalled with no exercise (S). During the 14-week study, horses in the P group roamed on approximately 100 acres of pasture, while horses in the S and E groups stayed in stalls during the day and were allowed access to a one-acre paddock at night.

The researchers exercised horses in the E group five days per week for one to two hours per day at the walk, trot, and canter. The team also used GPS units attached to the horses' halters to estimate the distance each horse traveled in a 24-hour span at intervals throughout the study period...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32630/study-horses-able-to-stay-fit-when-kept-at-pasture?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=health-news&utm_campaign=10-15-2013

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

New Equine Influenza App Launched

Thehorse.com

By Edited Press Release
Oct 14, 2013

Zoetis has developed an app for mobile devices designed to help horse owners determine their economic risk for equine influenza virus, which causes one of the most common respiratory diseases in horses.

The Equine Influenza Calculator app prompts users for the approximate cost of vaccination, as well as the potential cost of treatment and the number of days off training in the case of an equine influenza infection. Using this information, the app calculates individual risk based on economic and environmental factors of each horse owner.

This contagious disease can cause fever, coughing and nasal discharge, and it can spread rapidly from horse to horse. Risk increases with very young or geriatric horses, as well as horses that are exposed to unfamiliar horses. Proper vaccination can help protect horses from infection and help horse owners avoid financial loss. The American Association of Equine Practitioners recommends that at-risk horses be vaccinated every six months.

The Equine Influenza Calculator app is available for free in the Apple App Store.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Kerrits receives 2013 Oregon Excellence Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

October 2013
Contact: Michele McAlpine 

Email: michele@kerrits.com

1.800.274.7946

www.kerrits.com
 
Bingen, WA— Kerrits has been selected for the 2013 Oregon Excellence Award amongst all its peers and competitors by the Small Business Institute for Excellence in Commerce (SBIEC).



Each year the SBIEC conducts business surveys and industry research to identify companies that have achieved demonstrable success in their local business environment and industry category. They are recognized as having enhanced the commitment and contribution of small businesses through service to their customers and community. Small businesses of this caliber enhance the consumer driven stature that Oregon is renowned for.



Kerrits has consistently demonstrated a high regard for upholding business ethics and company values. This recognition by SBIEC marks a significant achievement as an emerging leader within various competitors and is setting benchmarks that the industry should follow.



As part of the industry research and business surveys, various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the selected companies in each category. This research is part of an exhaustive process that encapsulates a year long immersion in the business climate of Oregon.



About SBIEC:

The SBIEC is a leading authority on researching, evaluating and recognizing companies across a wide spectrum of industries that meet its stringent standards of excellence. It has spearheaded the idea of independent enterprise and entrepreneurial growth allowing businesses of all sizes to be recognized locally and encouraged globally.



Particular emphasis is given to meeting and exceeding industry benchmarks for customer service, product quality and ethical practices. Industry leading standards and practices have been developed and implementation of the same has been pioneered by the dedicated efforts of the business community and commerce leadership.
 
Ride On! About Kerrits Performance Equestrian Apparel:

Home-grown performance that sprouted in 1986, Kerrits Performance Equestrian Apparel thrives on creating innovative, functional and stylish performance apparel, uniquely designed for women who love to ride – and their horses.

Sore No More - Topper's New EasyShoe

Easycare Blog - Full Story

Tuesday, October 1, 2013 by Amanda Washington

Last weekend at the 2013 AERC National Championships, I was lucky enough to be in the presence of several very knowledgeable, very talented hoof care practitioners. Between Christoph Schork, Rusty Toth and Susan Summers, I was in hoof care nirvana. Right there along with me was Topper, my seven year old Arabian gelding.

Topper has been barefoot his entire life. I got him as a gawky, gangly three year old, and chucked him out to barefoot horse heaven. Hundreds of acres of dry desert foothills. He spent his youth running up and down the hills, living in total bliss. Minus a stall, a blankie and a warm mash every night. Topper was never much for roughing it. I started lightly riding Top the end of his third year, trail riding at a walk a mile or two on gentle trails. His fourth year brought a little more riding, but nothing intense by any means. You see, when you're 15.2 hand four years old on spindly, long legs, it's all one can to do stay balanced. All of the riding that took place until Topper's fifth year was barefoot on lovely sandy trails. I boasted about his strong feet and anticipated no issues in that department. Unfortunately, barefoot perfection did not bless us as we ramped up the miles.

When Topper turned six, we started riding further, faster and frequently. I had him in Easyboot Gloves for all of his conditioning miles, which he seemed to come through with ease. However, the day after our longer, harder rides, I noticed Topper was tentative and footsore. I started putting Comfort Pads in his boots, which he definitely seemed to like, but did not help his day-after soreness. At this point we xrayed Topper's front feet, and thankfully found no pathology other than thin soles. Unfortunately this proved to be difficult to remedy and caused more problems than expected. All summer we battled a sound-sore cycle that I thought he would get through with proper padding and riding. He did a few endurance rides with Easyboot Glue-Ons and Sikaflex packing. While he felt excellent during the actual ride, the bruising that showed up weeks later indicated his feet could not handle the extra pressure.

See more here:
http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/chronicles-of-the-pink-helmet/sore-no-more-toppers-new-easyshoe

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

ACTHA's Newest Partner...The  Equine Land Conservation Resource!

10/9/2013

No one is more dependent upon having lands to ride on than us trail riders. The pool of public and private land has is dwindling dramatically...6,000 acres per day! ACTHA has proudly partnered with The Equine Land Conservation Resource, who is here to insure our  juniors  have  the  privileges  and  beautiful  trails we have enjoyed.

Working Together to Save Our Horse Lands

American history is imprinted with hoofprints. From the Native American ponies to the horses that pulled the Conestogas across the prairie to the pleasure and competition mounts of today horses have been an integral part of our economy and our identity.

Unfortunately, our equine heritage is now at risk. With over 6,000 acres of open land disappearing each day to poorly planned development and sprawl, we may lose the ability to support our equestrian population in as little as 15 years.

Good Neighbors

Privately owned land is the most at-risk component of our equestrian landscape.  Boarding barns, competition venues, trails, hunt fixtures and hayfields are being lost every day as a result of development, misunderstanding of liability issues by new owners of land, and rising demand for land around urbanizing areas.  ELCR offers talking points for explaining liability issues to landowners; liability management tools; guidelines for fostering positive relationships with landowners; model rules of usage and other protections for landowners who wish to open their land to horse usage; and information about the benefits of ensuring that horses stay in your community.

Bringing Horses to the Conversation

Planning and zoning decisions can affect how land is taxed, what it may be used for, and which standards and regulations are applied to it.  These regulations determine not only whether individuals may keep horses on their own property, but also whether horses have access to community parks and trails. ELCR offers users the tools they need to understand land use planning, zoning ordinances, and their implications for horses and horse-related activities.  In this section you will find a primer on terms and processes, sample letters, and tools to support involvement in planning and zoning in your community.  Our website also provides tools for community planners to help them understand how to include horses and horse-related activities in their planning efforts.

Amino Acid Requirements for Horses

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre
Sep 18, 2013

Amino acid. Sounds like something leaking from a Spanish battery, rather than a supplement you’d want to give to your horse.

But an acid isn’t always something that burns or is even “acidic.” In this case it describes a specific order of molecular composition. And amino comes from the word “amine,” which refers to a kind of organic compound.

So yes, they’re fine to give to your horse. No, let’s rephrase that: Amino acids are critical to your horse's health...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32559/amino-acid-requirements-for-horses?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=bluegrass-equine-digest&utm_campaign=09-29-2013

Monday, October 07, 2013

Researchers Evaluating Inflammatory Markers of Laminitis

Thehorse.com - Full Article

By Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS
Sep 26, 2013

Whether it’s a foal wobbling around a stall for the first time or researchers completing their first preliminary study, small steps are an important part of the horse world. British researchers recently took one such step in the realm of understanding laminitis: While much more work is needed to confirm the theory, researchers have obtained some preliminary evidence suggesting that evaluating blood levels of certain anti-inflammatory markers might indicate a horse is at increased risk of developing laminitis...

Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32611/researchers-evaluating-inflammatory-markers-of-laminitis?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=older-horse-care&utm_campaign=09-27-2013