Thehorse.com - Full Article
By Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc • Oct 27, 2012 • Article #29933
A horse, mosquito, and snake walked into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, "Is this some kind of joke?" Turns out, the bartender knows those three animals shouldn't be fraternizing because he read a recent article by Thomas Unnasch, PhD, proving snakes can harbor Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and could play an important role in transmitting this deadly virus.
Like the West Nile virus, mosquitoes become infected with EEEV after a blood meal from an infected bird. If that mosquito then feeds off a horse, the EEEV can be transmitted to the horse.
"Certain areas in the northeastern United States are 'hot spots' for EEEV," explained Unnasch, a researcher from the Global Health Infectious Disease Research Program, Department of Global Health at the University of South Florida, in Tampa. "Because there are no mosquitoes in those areas of the U.S. in the winter and few birds, it wasn't obvious how the virus over-wintered in those areas."
He added, "Previous research found that certain mosquito species feed off of reptiles as well as birds and horses, suggesting that hibernating snakes infected with the EEEV via mosquitoes could explain how the virus survives the winter..."
Read more here:
http://beta.thehorse.com/articles/29933/snakes-linked-to-spread-of-equine-encephalitis-virus
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Backcountry and Endurance Horse Characteristics
Startemright.com - Full Article
Back Country Horsemen of America - 10/2012
by Mike Kinsey, Lori Childress, Maria Bergeng
As Elin Gränsgärd recovered from wounds incurred during a vicious dog attack, she contacted us for assistance dealing with the trauma to her horses, and her riding associates. We were moved to help after reading Swedish national news articles detailing the attack. This attack by two large aggressive malamute dogs on the horses on a training ride, resulted in Elin being personally savaged by those dogs to the point of unconsciousness, and near death. After Elin recovered from the vicious wounds, we traveled to Sweden to work with Elin's horses that had been terrorized in addition to other riders and their horses.
Lori Childress, Belton, South Carolina, and Maria Bergeng, Nesna Norway, (Start 'em Right Senior Interns ) joined me north of Stockholm to conduct the diagnostics, evaluations and some training for a number of endurance horses.
For more info about psychological behavioral aspects, visit us at www.StartemRight.com
Reflecting on our recent trip to Sweden, we considered how endurance horse characteristics have parallels to the characteristics of a well rounded back country trail horse. We were in Sweden to conduct a nine day equine Behavioral Analysis clinic, and provide instruction for defensive riding.
The horse needs to be in good physical shape to be able to successfully complete miles of riding. Feeding and physically training the horse are important elements in a productive, reliable horse, but we can't forget to consider the horse's mind as well. A horse can be in perfect physical shape, but have behavioral ("attitude") problems which could cause the ride to fail, and put the rider in danger. Consideration for the psychology of a horse can help mitigate that danger...
Read more here:
http://www.startemright.com/articles/20121027120552.html
Back Country Horsemen of America - 10/2012
by Mike Kinsey, Lori Childress, Maria Bergeng
As Elin Gränsgärd recovered from wounds incurred during a vicious dog attack, she contacted us for assistance dealing with the trauma to her horses, and her riding associates. We were moved to help after reading Swedish national news articles detailing the attack. This attack by two large aggressive malamute dogs on the horses on a training ride, resulted in Elin being personally savaged by those dogs to the point of unconsciousness, and near death. After Elin recovered from the vicious wounds, we traveled to Sweden to work with Elin's horses that had been terrorized in addition to other riders and their horses.
Lori Childress, Belton, South Carolina, and Maria Bergeng, Nesna Norway, (Start 'em Right Senior Interns ) joined me north of Stockholm to conduct the diagnostics, evaluations and some training for a number of endurance horses.
For more info about psychological behavioral aspects, visit us at www.StartemRight.com
Reflecting on our recent trip to Sweden, we considered how endurance horse characteristics have parallels to the characteristics of a well rounded back country trail horse. We were in Sweden to conduct a nine day equine Behavioral Analysis clinic, and provide instruction for defensive riding.
The horse needs to be in good physical shape to be able to successfully complete miles of riding. Feeding and physically training the horse are important elements in a productive, reliable horse, but we can't forget to consider the horse's mind as well. A horse can be in perfect physical shape, but have behavioral ("attitude") problems which could cause the ride to fail, and put the rider in danger. Consideration for the psychology of a horse can help mitigate that danger...
Read more here:
http://www.startemright.com/articles/20121027120552.html
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Environmental Aspects of Horses on Trails
ELCR.org - Full Article
Due to the urbanization of America, the general population has lost its contact
with and innate understanding of most animals, including livestock. The horse, in
particular, is a unique animal. Because it is large and seldom encountered,
people assume that it is no different than other species of large animals. This
paper is meant to help people understand horses and their interactions with the
environment when they encounter equines on trails.
Every trail user potentially causes some impact to the environment by their use.
For lightweight low-impact users, the effects are usually minimal. Scientific
studies indicate that the horse may be more benign to wildlife than hikers, nature
studiers and photographers. There are no studies that significantly implicate trail
use by horses with spreading weeds. Natural erosive forces are likely to be the
major alteration factors in trail erosion. Horses on trails are not detrimental to
water quality according to the latest studies by NAHMS, University of Colorado
and UC Davis-Tulare.
Equestrian Use of Trails is “Passive” Recreation
Every trail user potentially causes some impact to the environment by his/her
use. Compared to motorized usage, hikers, bikers and horses have been
variously described as passive, light-weight, and/or low-impact trail users. The
effects of passive use on trails are usually minimal. In virtually every mixed use
trail reference within the State of California and the nation, the horse has been
defined as a passive, low impact or light weight user, even in the most sensitive
environments: Natural Preserves...
Read more here:
http://www.elcr.org/resources/EnvironAspectsofHorsesonTrails.pdf
Due to the urbanization of America, the general population has lost its contact
with and innate understanding of most animals, including livestock. The horse, in
particular, is a unique animal. Because it is large and seldom encountered,
people assume that it is no different than other species of large animals. This
paper is meant to help people understand horses and their interactions with the
environment when they encounter equines on trails.
Every trail user potentially causes some impact to the environment by their use.
For lightweight low-impact users, the effects are usually minimal. Scientific
studies indicate that the horse may be more benign to wildlife than hikers, nature
studiers and photographers. There are no studies that significantly implicate trail
use by horses with spreading weeds. Natural erosive forces are likely to be the
major alteration factors in trail erosion. Horses on trails are not detrimental to
water quality according to the latest studies by NAHMS, University of Colorado
and UC Davis-Tulare.
Equestrian Use of Trails is “Passive” Recreation
Every trail user potentially causes some impact to the environment by his/her
use. Compared to motorized usage, hikers, bikers and horses have been
variously described as passive, light-weight, and/or low-impact trail users. The
effects of passive use on trails are usually minimal. In virtually every mixed use
trail reference within the State of California and the nation, the horse has been
defined as a passive, low impact or light weight user, even in the most sensitive
environments: Natural Preserves...
Read more here:
http://www.elcr.org/resources/EnvironAspectsofHorsesonTrails.pdf
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
A Simple Method of Conditioning the Endurance Horse
Perseveranceendurancehorses - Full ArticleFrancois & Laura Seegers, Perseverance Arabian and Endurance Horses
17 OCTOBER 2012
We are frequently asked by people who are interested in taking up endurance, or who have bought a horse from us, how they should prepare their horses for an endurance ride. There are many different ways to condition horses. The good methods have this in common: a slow beginning, a steady build up of distances ridden, and later, gradual increase in training speed. Too fast, too soon, too often, leads inevitably to injury.
We used this simple program ourselves for many years before we began riding our horses without shoes. It’s a straightforward system that we learned more than 20 years back from another experienced endurance rider at a day seminar when we began doing endurance. The principles are much older than modern endurance sport, and don’t change with fashion as they are based on the physiology of the horse. We have taught this method to many riders with good results. It is a method of slowly preparing the novice horse for his first endurance ride, but also for giving the advanced endurance horse a good start after a period off work. There are many more sophisticated training techniques that we won’t discuss in this article. Once a horse has completed this initial program, other techniques can be applied. This simple foundation will only help the other training techniques give better results.
You don’t need to use this program. Endurance has plenty of experts and each one has their own method of getting horses fit. But if you don’t know where to start, you can use this program with confidence, it has been proven. It can prepare a healthy novice horse to complete 80km slowly. (Don’t have any illusions of winning, for that you need a whole lot more time and work, and besides you have a 16 km/h speed limit on novices). It builds a good foundation of fitness, that can be developed from there. Also by using it, albeit in shortened form, on the same horse at the beginning of each season, the horse will only get stronger and tougher.
WARNING: The method is easy to understand, but not easy to apply, especially Phase one. I am referring to impatience. Few people will find the Walking Phase easy, but it is a good lesson in self-control and therefore worth more than gold to the endurance rider. Remember, the method only works if it is correctly applied. Do not skip Phase one.
EXPLANATION OF TERMS
Conditioning: Working the horse to become strong enough to complete endurance rides without damage.
Hard work/ workout: This involves hard work where you ask the horse to put in a greater effort than he is accustomed to. Typically, 20 minutes after the workout the horse’s pulse will be higher than you are used to. That means you have stressed it.
Recovery day: On these days you allow the horse to recover from the stress. Exercises you can do are twenty minute lunge sessions (ring work) at a steady trot, schooling, a gentle hack or outride, etc.
Rest day: Typically a Sunday. No work at all.
Exercise: The level of work that does not stress the horse. It just maintains the fitness.
TIME SCALES
The beginning of a Long Slow Distance ride
The time it takes for various body tissues to adapt and condition, are as follows:
Heart and lungs 3 months
Muscles 3-6 months
Tendons and ligaments 6-12 months
Hooves 7 months
Bone 1-3 years
NB! A horse can be got fit enough to go fast in a relatively short period, but will not be conditioned to withstand injury. Only after 3 seasons of endurance (provided he had no serious tendon/ligament injuries) will he be thoroughly conditioned to be ridden hard and competitively.
Read more here:
http://perseveranceendurancehorses.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/endurance-training/
Feeding Fallacies
KER.equinews.com - Full Article
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · November 8, 2001
One hundred years ago most people would not have dreamed that horses would be drinking electrolyte-tinged water, devouring rations spiked with beet pulp, corn oil, and animal fat, or scarfing down sundry supplements. For most horses, even the ones that earned their keep by plowing the family fields, transporting the town physician from house to house, or carrying the leisure class from one societal function to the next, a steady diet of hay or pasture and perhaps some oats or corn kept them in adequate body condition. With the advent of the automobile and the transition of the horse from the ranks of necessity to the ranks of recreation, horses were asked to perform more athletic endeavors. The need to jump higher, gallop faster, and trot further became paramount to equestrians, and research in equine nutrition escalated as the level of competitiveness rose. As research refined nutrient requirements, scientists sought ways to efficiently deliver maximal nutrients. In recent years, researchers have turned to new feedstuffs in an effort to find magic fuels. Despite continued efforts, there is reliance upon the time-honored feeding methods of years ago.
Whether horsemen are feeding long-adored or newfangled feedstuffs, lore surrounds some of the offerings. Unraveling the mysteries and fallacies of common feed ingredients is not as difficult as one may believe.
Oats: Oats are a favorite feed among horses and horsemen alike. In preference tests, horses consistently choose oats over many other feeds, including cracked or whole corn, alfalfa hay, wheat, barley, rye, and soybean meal. Oats are used extensively in the creation of commercially prepared feeds, with some containing over 30% oats. Much of their popularity as a feed for horses may be due to habit as much as tradition. Ask any non-horseman what horses eat and invariably oats and hay, and maybe grass, will come up. Peace of mind may also induce owners to feed oats as they are the safest of all cereal grains for horses, being relatively high in fiber and low in digestible energy...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/feeding-fallacies
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · November 8, 2001
One hundred years ago most people would not have dreamed that horses would be drinking electrolyte-tinged water, devouring rations spiked with beet pulp, corn oil, and animal fat, or scarfing down sundry supplements. For most horses, even the ones that earned their keep by plowing the family fields, transporting the town physician from house to house, or carrying the leisure class from one societal function to the next, a steady diet of hay or pasture and perhaps some oats or corn kept them in adequate body condition. With the advent of the automobile and the transition of the horse from the ranks of necessity to the ranks of recreation, horses were asked to perform more athletic endeavors. The need to jump higher, gallop faster, and trot further became paramount to equestrians, and research in equine nutrition escalated as the level of competitiveness rose. As research refined nutrient requirements, scientists sought ways to efficiently deliver maximal nutrients. In recent years, researchers have turned to new feedstuffs in an effort to find magic fuels. Despite continued efforts, there is reliance upon the time-honored feeding methods of years ago.
Whether horsemen are feeding long-adored or newfangled feedstuffs, lore surrounds some of the offerings. Unraveling the mysteries and fallacies of common feed ingredients is not as difficult as one may believe.
Oats: Oats are a favorite feed among horses and horsemen alike. In preference tests, horses consistently choose oats over many other feeds, including cracked or whole corn, alfalfa hay, wheat, barley, rye, and soybean meal. Oats are used extensively in the creation of commercially prepared feeds, with some containing over 30% oats. Much of their popularity as a feed for horses may be due to habit as much as tradition. Ask any non-horseman what horses eat and invariably oats and hay, and maybe grass, will come up. Peace of mind may also induce owners to feed oats as they are the safest of all cereal grains for horses, being relatively high in fiber and low in digestible energy...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/feeding-fallacies
Forage Alternatives
KER.equinews.com - Full Article
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · October 27, 2007
Hay is hard to find in some areas. Because of a scarcity of hay in many regions, can you just skip feeding hay this winter and make up the deficit by doubling your horse's grain ration? The answer is an emphatic NO.
Hay, or some other source of fiber, is absolutely necessary to the health and function of the horse's digestive tract. Overconsumption of grain is characteristically followed by colic, gastric ulcers, or laminitis, so this is not an option to consider. Aim for an average of 1.5% of the horse's weigh in hay or equivalent forage each day (approximately 15 pounds of hay for a 1000-pound horse, or 7 kg for a 450-kg horse), adjusting up or down depending on the horse's age, use, and metabolism.
Why is fiber so important in the equine diet?
Consumption of grass, hay, and other forage fulfills both physical and psychological needs. Horses have a strong desire to chew, and also to have the full-gut feeling that comes from eating a lot of fiber. Deprived of adequate forage, horses tend to chew on trees, fences, stalls, and anything else that is available. A steady supply of forage helps to maintain the optimum types and numbers of microorganisms in the hindgut. These bacteria and other organisms transform fiber into energy the horse can use for growth or performance. The proper balance of beneficial bacteria prevents an overgrowth of harmful organisms that may upset digestion. As well as aiding the passage of food through the digestive tract, adequate fiber provides bulk and weight in the intestines. This helps to keep them from twisting and looping around each other, possibly leading to tissue damage and colic.
Is there a particular need for forage during cold weather?
A near-constant supply of forage is an important factor in keeping horses warm in the winter. The vast fermentation vat of the horse's hindgut steadily produces heat that can't be supplied by an all-grain diet...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/forage-alternatives
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · October 27, 2007
Hay is hard to find in some areas. Because of a scarcity of hay in many regions, can you just skip feeding hay this winter and make up the deficit by doubling your horse's grain ration? The answer is an emphatic NO.
Hay, or some other source of fiber, is absolutely necessary to the health and function of the horse's digestive tract. Overconsumption of grain is characteristically followed by colic, gastric ulcers, or laminitis, so this is not an option to consider. Aim for an average of 1.5% of the horse's weigh in hay or equivalent forage each day (approximately 15 pounds of hay for a 1000-pound horse, or 7 kg for a 450-kg horse), adjusting up or down depending on the horse's age, use, and metabolism.
Why is fiber so important in the equine diet?
Consumption of grass, hay, and other forage fulfills both physical and psychological needs. Horses have a strong desire to chew, and also to have the full-gut feeling that comes from eating a lot of fiber. Deprived of adequate forage, horses tend to chew on trees, fences, stalls, and anything else that is available. A steady supply of forage helps to maintain the optimum types and numbers of microorganisms in the hindgut. These bacteria and other organisms transform fiber into energy the horse can use for growth or performance. The proper balance of beneficial bacteria prevents an overgrowth of harmful organisms that may upset digestion. As well as aiding the passage of food through the digestive tract, adequate fiber provides bulk and weight in the intestines. This helps to keep them from twisting and looping around each other, possibly leading to tissue damage and colic.
Is there a particular need for forage during cold weather?
A near-constant supply of forage is an important factor in keeping horses warm in the winter. The vast fermentation vat of the horse's hindgut steadily produces heat that can't be supplied by an all-grain diet...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/forage-alternatives
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Only two States "opt out" of Recreational Trails Program Funding
Americantrails.org
By Stuart Macdonald, American Trails magazine and website editor
We would like to thank every one who helped in the national effort to ensure that State Governors do not opt out of the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). It appears that only Florida and Kansas have opted out. MAP-21, the new transportation funding bill, allows state governors to opt out of the Recreational Trails Program they notify the U.S. Secretary of Transportation of their decision no later than 30 days before the funds are apportioned (which was September 1, 2012).
Both are a surprise to trail advocates. Florida has had a large and highly successful State Trails Program for many years, and among the top in state-funded rail trails. Florida also has seven regional bike/ped coordinators involved with trails as well as roads, sidewalks, and safety programs. Kansas trail advocates expressed confidence that their state would continue the RTP funding, right up to the official announcement.
Several other states narrowly avoided losing RTP funds. New Mexico, a State with a large unspent balance of RTP funds, Alabama, a State with an increasingly effective trails program and widespread local interest in community trails, narrowly avoided the opt out which was supported by the State's department of transportation. New Mexico reversed its official stance at the last minute, and decided not to opt out. Nebraska and Iowa DOTs were reportedly seeking to opt out, but decided not to, apparently due to well-publicized public support for the trails funding.
As part of the Coalition for Recreational Trails, American Trails and other groups worked to raise the potential problem of States being allowed to opt out of RTP. As one result, there would be no funding for State trails program operation in addition to losing the grant funds. While funding for bicycle and pedestrian facilities is eligible under the new Transportation Alternatives category, nonprofits and volunteer groups would lose eligibility for funding.
During August 2012, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) took the lead in developing a joint letter for each of the 50 Governors. Almost 800 organizations have signed on to the letters that were sent. A campaign was also mounted following that effort to encourage organizations and grassroots supporters to make their voices heard by contacting their Governor directly.
It is important to note that the widespread, visible and continuous support that the RTP received prior to enactment of the legislation that reauthorized RTP last month was almost exclusively focused on the U.S. Congress. Now efforts have shifted to the States and local governments: See our recent Blog: Trail politics: it’s all local...
For more information on the campaign to ask State governors to support RTP funding: Catherine Ahern (202) 682-9530 - Fax (202) 682-9529 - cahern@funoutdoors.com
More:
http://www.americantrails.org/rtp/RTP-campaign-governors-2012.html
By Stuart Macdonald, American Trails magazine and website editor
We would like to thank every one who helped in the national effort to ensure that State Governors do not opt out of the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). It appears that only Florida and Kansas have opted out. MAP-21, the new transportation funding bill, allows state governors to opt out of the Recreational Trails Program they notify the U.S. Secretary of Transportation of their decision no later than 30 days before the funds are apportioned (which was September 1, 2012).
Both are a surprise to trail advocates. Florida has had a large and highly successful State Trails Program for many years, and among the top in state-funded rail trails. Florida also has seven regional bike/ped coordinators involved with trails as well as roads, sidewalks, and safety programs. Kansas trail advocates expressed confidence that their state would continue the RTP funding, right up to the official announcement.
Several other states narrowly avoided losing RTP funds. New Mexico, a State with a large unspent balance of RTP funds, Alabama, a State with an increasingly effective trails program and widespread local interest in community trails, narrowly avoided the opt out which was supported by the State's department of transportation. New Mexico reversed its official stance at the last minute, and decided not to opt out. Nebraska and Iowa DOTs were reportedly seeking to opt out, but decided not to, apparently due to well-publicized public support for the trails funding.
As part of the Coalition for Recreational Trails, American Trails and other groups worked to raise the potential problem of States being allowed to opt out of RTP. As one result, there would be no funding for State trails program operation in addition to losing the grant funds. While funding for bicycle and pedestrian facilities is eligible under the new Transportation Alternatives category, nonprofits and volunteer groups would lose eligibility for funding.
During August 2012, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) took the lead in developing a joint letter for each of the 50 Governors. Almost 800 organizations have signed on to the letters that were sent. A campaign was also mounted following that effort to encourage organizations and grassroots supporters to make their voices heard by contacting their Governor directly.
It is important to note that the widespread, visible and continuous support that the RTP received prior to enactment of the legislation that reauthorized RTP last month was almost exclusively focused on the U.S. Congress. Now efforts have shifted to the States and local governments: See our recent Blog: Trail politics: it’s all local...
For more information on the campaign to ask State governors to support RTP funding: Catherine Ahern (202) 682-9530 - Fax (202) 682-9529 - cahern@funoutdoors.com
More:
http://www.americantrails.org/rtp/RTP-campaign-governors-2012.html
Kenya: An Unlikely Farrier
Thehorse.com - Full Article
October 15 2012
Besides my penchant for big gray horses and veterinary science, I’ve developed a “thing” for other activities and causes along my life’s journey. One of them is for the people of Kenya, developed over aid- and missions-focused trips to Kenya in 2009 and 2011.
So imagine my excitement when I heard a story last week that combined equids and my bend toward humanitarian work in Kenya.
First, some background: Kenya’s equine industry is a far cry from that of the United States. Sure, when I’m visiting rural Kenya I see a lot of equids--maybe even as many as I see when I’m driving down the roads of Lexington, Ky. However, rather than manicured pastures studded with grazing million-dollar yearlings, in Kenya I see scores of working donkeys scattered by the road, tethered by pasterns (a common and accepted way of restraint there) and the occasional ratty-looking riding horse.
Due to donkeys’ utilitarian existence in many of the areas I have visited, I’ve never crossed paths with a horse-crazy person, an avid rider (though I saw some nice-looking show hunters in a wealthier part of Nairobi), or even an individual who’s focused on the welfare of these equids. The majority of Kenyans regard their donkeys as a crucial means to livelihood: transporting food (crops such as potatoes and corn), wood, and salable goods to market and, sometimes, even more importantly, life-sustaining water. Their attachment to their donkeys generally is not an emotional one.
Responsible care for donkeys is critical, otherwise many people aren’t able to provide basic needs for their family. Here’s where my passions collide: equids and helping Kenyans steeped in poverty. And here’s where Fiona Too Chelagat comes in. She is a spunky, ambitious 18-year-old who’s breaking barriers in her country—both in the equine welfare realm and in career expectations for women. This recent secondary-school graduate (Kenya’s equivalent to high school) is a farrier working in Kericho, which is in southwest Kenya, in the highlands above the Great Rift Valley...
Read more here:
http://cs.thehorse.com/blogs/horse-sense-and-sensibility/archive/2012/10/15/an-unlikely-farrier.aspx
October 15 2012
Besides my penchant for big gray horses and veterinary science, I’ve developed a “thing” for other activities and causes along my life’s journey. One of them is for the people of Kenya, developed over aid- and missions-focused trips to Kenya in 2009 and 2011.
So imagine my excitement when I heard a story last week that combined equids and my bend toward humanitarian work in Kenya.
First, some background: Kenya’s equine industry is a far cry from that of the United States. Sure, when I’m visiting rural Kenya I see a lot of equids--maybe even as many as I see when I’m driving down the roads of Lexington, Ky. However, rather than manicured pastures studded with grazing million-dollar yearlings, in Kenya I see scores of working donkeys scattered by the road, tethered by pasterns (a common and accepted way of restraint there) and the occasional ratty-looking riding horse.
Due to donkeys’ utilitarian existence in many of the areas I have visited, I’ve never crossed paths with a horse-crazy person, an avid rider (though I saw some nice-looking show hunters in a wealthier part of Nairobi), or even an individual who’s focused on the welfare of these equids. The majority of Kenyans regard their donkeys as a crucial means to livelihood: transporting food (crops such as potatoes and corn), wood, and salable goods to market and, sometimes, even more importantly, life-sustaining water. Their attachment to their donkeys generally is not an emotional one.
Responsible care for donkeys is critical, otherwise many people aren’t able to provide basic needs for their family. Here’s where my passions collide: equids and helping Kenyans steeped in poverty. And here’s where Fiona Too Chelagat comes in. She is a spunky, ambitious 18-year-old who’s breaking barriers in her country—both in the equine welfare realm and in career expectations for women. This recent secondary-school graduate (Kenya’s equivalent to high school) is a farrier working in Kericho, which is in southwest Kenya, in the highlands above the Great Rift Valley...
Read more here:
http://cs.thehorse.com/blogs/horse-sense-and-sensibility/archive/2012/10/15/an-unlikely-farrier.aspx
Thursday, October 11, 2012
The Conservative Approach for Healing Horses
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Maureen Blaney Flietner
August 01 2012, Article # 20408
Many veterinarians recommend R&R and controlled exercise to heal tendon and ligament injuries
Despite the numerous newfangled tricks and treatments available, time and R&R remain essential for helping a horse recover from tendon or ligament injury. That can be good or bad news, depending on owner expectations for the horse's performance.
Both tendons and ligaments are soft tissues. They sustain injury via similar forces, respond to damage in a similar fashion, and heal at almost the same rates. That typically amounts to eight months.
But why so long? The body's healing system is complex, explains Duncan F. Peters, DVM, MS, director of the Sport Horse Division at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, in Lexington, Ky. While newer treatments might provide functional improvement in the healing process, they do not speed up the process itself, he notes. "The time factor is still necessary, and R&R is part of the process."
Root Causes
Tendon and ligament injuries arise from a variety of sources, such as conformational faults, fatigue, and lameness, that can lead to overload. Exercise-related tendon and ligament injuries might occur:
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20408
by: Maureen Blaney Flietner
August 01 2012, Article # 20408
Many veterinarians recommend R&R and controlled exercise to heal tendon and ligament injuries
Despite the numerous newfangled tricks and treatments available, time and R&R remain essential for helping a horse recover from tendon or ligament injury. That can be good or bad news, depending on owner expectations for the horse's performance.
Both tendons and ligaments are soft tissues. They sustain injury via similar forces, respond to damage in a similar fashion, and heal at almost the same rates. That typically amounts to eight months.
But why so long? The body's healing system is complex, explains Duncan F. Peters, DVM, MS, director of the Sport Horse Division at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, in Lexington, Ky. While newer treatments might provide functional improvement in the healing process, they do not speed up the process itself, he notes. "The time factor is still necessary, and R&R is part of the process."
Root Causes
Tendon and ligament injuries arise from a variety of sources, such as conformational faults, fatigue, and lameness, that can lead to overload. Exercise-related tendon and ligament injuries might occur:
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20408
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Equine West Nile Virus: An International Perspective
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Erica Larson, News Editor
October 03 2012, Article # 20712
Most American owners are aware of the increased number of West Nile virus (WNV) cases confirmed in the U.S. horse population this year. What they might not know is how the virus affects horses in other countries.
Australia and New Zealand
According to C.J. (Kate) Savage, BVSc (Hons), MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, WEVA Oceanic delegate, a similar virus--Kunjin--is endemic in parts of Australia.
"(Kunjin) is antigenically and genetically similar to WNV and was reclassified as a subtype of WNV in 1999 (WNV/Kunjin)," she said.
Parts of Australia suffered a large equine WNV/Kunjin outbreak in 2011, she said, after which Frost et al. identified a new WNV strain as the cause.
"Results showed that most of the cases were caused by a new strain of WNV, which has been termed WNV(NSW2011)," Savage explained. "This is most closely related to WNV/Kunjin. However, the new strain appears to invade nervous tissue to a greater degree than the original Kunjin virus."
Neighbor New Zealand (NZ) remains WNV-free to date; however, risk of the disease spreading to the island nation is a concern...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20712
by: Erica Larson, News Editor
October 03 2012, Article # 20712
Most American owners are aware of the increased number of West Nile virus (WNV) cases confirmed in the U.S. horse population this year. What they might not know is how the virus affects horses in other countries.
Australia and New Zealand
According to C.J. (Kate) Savage, BVSc (Hons), MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, WEVA Oceanic delegate, a similar virus--Kunjin--is endemic in parts of Australia.
"(Kunjin) is antigenically and genetically similar to WNV and was reclassified as a subtype of WNV in 1999 (WNV/Kunjin)," she said.
Parts of Australia suffered a large equine WNV/Kunjin outbreak in 2011, she said, after which Frost et al. identified a new WNV strain as the cause.
"Results showed that most of the cases were caused by a new strain of WNV, which has been termed WNV(NSW2011)," Savage explained. "This is most closely related to WNV/Kunjin. However, the new strain appears to invade nervous tissue to a greater degree than the original Kunjin virus."
Neighbor New Zealand (NZ) remains WNV-free to date; however, risk of the disease spreading to the island nation is a concern...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20712
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Link between saddle slip and lameness found
Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article
By Horsetalk.co.nz on Oct 04, 2012 in Featured, Lameness, News
Research has shown a significant link between hind-limb lameness and saddle slip.
It has revealed consistent saddle slip in some horses with hind limb lameness, even when the lameness is fairly subtle and difficult to detect.
Saddle slip in sport horses is a well-recognised problem that can occur for several reasons, including asymmetry in the shape of the horse’s back, riders sitting crookedly, and ill-fitting saddles.
The head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Centre for Equine Studies at the Animal Health Trust in Britain, Sue Dyson, had also observed that saddle slip may occur because of hind limb lameness.
She set out in her study to find out more about the inter-relationships between the horse, saddle and rider and to document the frequency of occurrence of saddle slip in horses with hind-limb lameness compared with other horses...
Read more here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2012/10/04/link-between-saddle-slip-and-lameness-found/#.UHQqVfl27tE
By Horsetalk.co.nz on Oct 04, 2012 in Featured, Lameness, News
Research has shown a significant link between hind-limb lameness and saddle slip.
It has revealed consistent saddle slip in some horses with hind limb lameness, even when the lameness is fairly subtle and difficult to detect.
Saddle slip in sport horses is a well-recognised problem that can occur for several reasons, including asymmetry in the shape of the horse’s back, riders sitting crookedly, and ill-fitting saddles.
The head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Centre for Equine Studies at the Animal Health Trust in Britain, Sue Dyson, had also observed that saddle slip may occur because of hind limb lameness.
She set out in her study to find out more about the inter-relationships between the horse, saddle and rider and to document the frequency of occurrence of saddle slip in horses with hind-limb lameness compared with other horses...
Read more here:
http://horsetalk.co.nz/2012/10/04/link-between-saddle-slip-and-lameness-found/#.UHQqVfl27tE
A Guide to Complete Horse Feeds
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Juliet M. Getty, PhD
July 01 2012, Article # 20398
Choosing a ready-made feed can be daunting, but this rundown will get you started on the right path to proper nutrition
Feeding time! Open a bag of ready-made feed and you're set, right? But wait--there's a staggering variety of offerings on the feed store's shelves, and it's important that you choose the correct one for your particular horse.
Manufacturers fortify these feeds with vitamins and minerals in a "complete" blend designed to provide all the nutrients a horse needs (when fed the recommended amount) without additional supplementation. Hay and/or pasture grass should make up the bulk of your horse's diet (he requires 1.5 to 2.5% of his body weight in forage per day), so most complete feeds are meant to be fed in addition to adequate forage. While many horses (particularly overweight or sedentary animals) simply need hay/pasture, water, salt, and a vitamin/mineral supplement to meet their nutritional requirements, the working or underweight horse, for instance, will benefit from a commercially fortified feed.
The array of complete feeds includes some that are cereal grain-based and others that are low-starch. Some are sweet feeds and still others are pelleted. There are those designed for growth, broodmares, performance--even senior citizens.
When choosing a complete feed appropriate for your horse, look for these basics depending on the fitting category:...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20398
by: Juliet M. Getty, PhD
July 01 2012, Article # 20398
Choosing a ready-made feed can be daunting, but this rundown will get you started on the right path to proper nutrition
Feeding time! Open a bag of ready-made feed and you're set, right? But wait--there's a staggering variety of offerings on the feed store's shelves, and it's important that you choose the correct one for your particular horse.
Manufacturers fortify these feeds with vitamins and minerals in a "complete" blend designed to provide all the nutrients a horse needs (when fed the recommended amount) without additional supplementation. Hay and/or pasture grass should make up the bulk of your horse's diet (he requires 1.5 to 2.5% of his body weight in forage per day), so most complete feeds are meant to be fed in addition to adequate forage. While many horses (particularly overweight or sedentary animals) simply need hay/pasture, water, salt, and a vitamin/mineral supplement to meet their nutritional requirements, the working or underweight horse, for instance, will benefit from a commercially fortified feed.
The array of complete feeds includes some that are cereal grain-based and others that are low-starch. Some are sweet feeds and still others are pelleted. There are those designed for growth, broodmares, performance--even senior citizens.
When choosing a complete feed appropriate for your horse, look for these basics depending on the fitting category:...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20398
Saturday, October 06, 2012
Tackling Tendon and Ligament Injuries
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Karen Briggs
June 03 2011, Article # 18342
The latest therapies for injured tendons and ligaments focus on rebuilding the tissue to its original strength and elasticity.
When it comes to tendon and ligament injuries, there's bad news, good news, and more bad news. The initial bad news, of course, is the diagnosis itself. One thing that hasn't changed in millennia is that any injury to a horse's leg tendons or ligaments--which make possible the lifting, extending, flexing, and shock-absorbing that equine limbs do--is a serious threat to his short-term soundness and his future career prospects.
The good news is that where once the tincture of time was the only potential cure, today's veterinary medicine provides us with a dizzying array of treatment options for strained or shredded ligaments or tendons. Some can facilitate the healing process; others are tremendously promising in terms of minimizing scarring and encouraging the fibers to heal in an alignment indistinguishable from the original tissue--and that means everything in terms of restoring a horse to full soundness.
And the second round of bad news, if you can call it that, is there are so many treatment options now that it might be difficult to decide which path to choose.
Let's start by looking at some of the ways in which tendon or ligament injury can occur and then examine advances in diagnostics and some of those high-tech treatments...
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=18342
by: Karen Briggs
June 03 2011, Article # 18342
The latest therapies for injured tendons and ligaments focus on rebuilding the tissue to its original strength and elasticity.
When it comes to tendon and ligament injuries, there's bad news, good news, and more bad news. The initial bad news, of course, is the diagnosis itself. One thing that hasn't changed in millennia is that any injury to a horse's leg tendons or ligaments--which make possible the lifting, extending, flexing, and shock-absorbing that equine limbs do--is a serious threat to his short-term soundness and his future career prospects.
The good news is that where once the tincture of time was the only potential cure, today's veterinary medicine provides us with a dizzying array of treatment options for strained or shredded ligaments or tendons. Some can facilitate the healing process; others are tremendously promising in terms of minimizing scarring and encouraging the fibers to heal in an alignment indistinguishable from the original tissue--and that means everything in terms of restoring a horse to full soundness.
And the second round of bad news, if you can call it that, is there are so many treatment options now that it might be difficult to decide which path to choose.
Let's start by looking at some of the ways in which tendon or ligament injury can occur and then examine advances in diagnostics and some of those high-tech treatments...
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=18342
Effect of Adding Soybean Oil to a Horse’s Ration
KER.equinews.com - Full Article
By Dr. Joe Pagan · September 6, 2012
When fat is substituted for carbohydrate isocalorically (calorie for calorie) in a horse’s ration, blood glucose and insulin responses to feeding are reduced. It was unclear, however, whether this response was simply due to reduced glucose in the diet or if fat affects glycemic response in some other manner. An experiment carried out at Kentucky Equine Research (KER) was designed to evaluate whether adding fat to a grain meal would affect glucose and insulin response to feeding when the level of grain intake remained the same.
Nine Thoroughbred horses were used in this two-period switchback design experiment. Five of the horses were in training and were physically fit, and four were untrained...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/effect-adding-soybean-oil-horse%E2%80%99s-ration
By Dr. Joe Pagan · September 6, 2012
When fat is substituted for carbohydrate isocalorically (calorie for calorie) in a horse’s ration, blood glucose and insulin responses to feeding are reduced. It was unclear, however, whether this response was simply due to reduced glucose in the diet or if fat affects glycemic response in some other manner. An experiment carried out at Kentucky Equine Research (KER) was designed to evaluate whether adding fat to a grain meal would affect glucose and insulin response to feeding when the level of grain intake remained the same.
Nine Thoroughbred horses were used in this two-period switchback design experiment. Five of the horses were in training and were physically fit, and four were untrained...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/effect-adding-soybean-oil-horse%E2%80%99s-ration
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
I'm Going To Hell
Easycare Blog - Full ArticleWednesday, October 3, 2012 by Garrett Ford
After over 20 years in the horse business and making protective hoof wear for horses I've finally been told by a horse owner via e-mail that "You're going to hell".
My decline and direction toward the underworld started when I purchased an Arabian race horse named Clunk. I purchased Clunk with the goal of trying to make a urethane form of hoof protection that absorbed concussion, allowed the hoof to flex as nature intended and provide the traction needed to win flat track races. I was pretty naive going into the project and found out very quickly that the flat track industry wasn't going to allow just any Easyboot model and making a product to comply with the rules would not be easy.
I caught a break when Fran Jurga told me to contact Curtis Burns of No Anvil. No Anvil makes a flexible horse shoe called the Burns Polyflex Shoe that has been used with great success on the race tracks around the world. The Burns Polyflex Shoe was used by Shackleford during his 2011 Triple Crown bid. Shackleford placed 4th in the Kentucky Derby, Won the 2011 Preakness Stakes and finished 5th in the Belmont Stakes. The list of horses that have used the Polyflex successfully is impressive and includes greats like Curlin. Curlin is the highest North American money earner with over $10.5 Million earned and many of his most successful years performed in the Burns Polyflex Shoe. Because Curtis' urethane shoe absorbs concussion and allows the hoof to expand and contract it has proven it has a place in the equine world and will continue to used by the best flat track horses for years to come...
Read more here:
http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/hoof-boot-news/im-going-to-hell
Winterizing Your Hoof Care Program
Easycare Blog - Full ArticleWednesday, October 3, 2012 by Daisy Bicking
We’ve all heard that pulling our horse’s shoes for the winter can be a good idea. But we’ve also heard how many pitfalls there are when we pull them.
Here is a breakdown of how we at Daisy Haven Farm in the Northeastern USA, a fairly wet, humid environment, help our clients who want to pull shoes for the winter.
Some of the challenges to pulling shoes:
Chances are your foot may have minimal height once the shoe is pulled off. Some farriers advocate not trimming anything once the shoe is removed and instead prefer to allow the foot to grow. This has pros and cons.
Your horse may be more sensitive or even considered painful when walking without shoes.
You may have some foot infection to deal with around the white line or nail holes.
If you wait too long the ground may be frozen and make pulling shoes more difficult.
You may have to reduce the amount or kind of work your horse is doing until your feet are stronger barefoot again.
Fortunately we have many resources available to us to help minimize the challenges and set us up for success with this process.
First of all, work as a team with your farrier...
Read more here:
http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/hoof-love-not-war/winterizing-your-hoof-care-program
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Environmental Effect on Hoof Wall Hydration Studied
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Casie Bazay, BS, NBCAAM
September 08 2012, Article # 20607
A recent two-part Australian study investigated hoof moisture levels in horses exposed to wet versus dry environments, as well as the the impact of soaking a hoof on moisture absorption.
Brian Hampson, PhD, member of the Australian Brumby Research Unit at the University of Queensland and lead author of the study, relayed, "The moisture content (of the hoof) is controlled by the internal circulation, which is fairly constant in the healthy horse."
Hampson and colleagues collected hoof wall samples from routine feral horse-culling operations in New Zealand and Australia. They measured the hoof wall moisture content in hooves from wet, semi-arid, and arid environments. Moisture content was nearly identical in hooves from all three environments, averaging 29.5%. .
For the second part of the study, the team aimed to evaluate the common practice of soaking a horse's hoof. Using six domestic horses, they placed each horse's right forefoot in a dry rubber boot and left forefoot in a rubber boot filled with water for two hours. Directly after, they trimmed the hoof walls of both forefeet with nippers and removed a small section of hoof wall horn and sole horn with a hoof knife and evaluated the moisture content of both...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20607
by: Casie Bazay, BS, NBCAAM
September 08 2012, Article # 20607
A recent two-part Australian study investigated hoof moisture levels in horses exposed to wet versus dry environments, as well as the the impact of soaking a hoof on moisture absorption.
Brian Hampson, PhD, member of the Australian Brumby Research Unit at the University of Queensland and lead author of the study, relayed, "The moisture content (of the hoof) is controlled by the internal circulation, which is fairly constant in the healthy horse."
Hampson and colleagues collected hoof wall samples from routine feral horse-culling operations in New Zealand and Australia. They measured the hoof wall moisture content in hooves from wet, semi-arid, and arid environments. Moisture content was nearly identical in hooves from all three environments, averaging 29.5%. .
For the second part of the study, the team aimed to evaluate the common practice of soaking a horse's hoof. Using six domestic horses, they placed each horse's right forefoot in a dry rubber boot and left forefoot in a rubber boot filled with water for two hours. Directly after, they trimmed the hoof walls of both forefeet with nippers and removed a small section of hoof wall horn and sole horn with a hoof knife and evaluated the moisture content of both...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20607
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Starch Digestion in Horse Diets
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS
September 02 2012, Article # 20576
Starch is a highly digestible energy form and can provide energy needed for exercise, growth, metabolism, and other equine life functions. However, when fed improperly, this nonstructural carbohydrate can be detrimental to your horse's health.
Most of the energy contained in grains, such as corn and oats, and a percentage of the energy from forage is starch. During digestion, starch is broken down primarily in the horse's small intestine by an enzyme called amylase. This process efficiently produces glucose, a type of simple sugar essential for fueling some bodily functions.
The amount of starch consumed at one time also affects the amount of starch digested in the small intestine. If starch is not digested in the small intestine (which occurs when large amounts of starches are fed at once), it passes through the digestive tract and is fermented in the large intestine. This fermentation process, while less efficient than digestion in the small intestine, also produces energy to keep the horse's body functioning...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20576
by: Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS
September 02 2012, Article # 20576
Starch is a highly digestible energy form and can provide energy needed for exercise, growth, metabolism, and other equine life functions. However, when fed improperly, this nonstructural carbohydrate can be detrimental to your horse's health.
Most of the energy contained in grains, such as corn and oats, and a percentage of the energy from forage is starch. During digestion, starch is broken down primarily in the horse's small intestine by an enzyme called amylase. This process efficiently produces glucose, a type of simple sugar essential for fueling some bodily functions.
The amount of starch consumed at one time also affects the amount of starch digested in the small intestine. If starch is not digested in the small intestine (which occurs when large amounts of starches are fed at once), it passes through the digestive tract and is fermented in the large intestine. This fermentation process, while less efficient than digestion in the small intestine, also produces energy to keep the horse's body functioning...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20576
Creepy Crawlies, Part 1: Mighty Mosquitoes
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
June 01 2012, Article # 20322
They might be small, but these flying fiends can spread some deadly diseases
The original intent of this article was to relay how malicious and deadly some mosquitoes are, but according to Charles Calisher, PhD, professor of microbiology, immunology, and pathology at Colorado State University, mosquitoes are neither spiteful nor a menace to society. "Mosquitoes are not deadly," he explains. "It is the viruses and microbes they transmit that are deadly."
So although mosquitoes do not willfully harm horses (aside from getting a snack), it is still important for owners to minimize contact between mosquitoes' mouthparts and their horses.
"Mosquitoes transmit some of the deadliest and most debilitating diseases in the world, including malaria, dengue fever, and lymphatic filariasis," says Nicholas Ledesma, a DVM/PhD candidate in the field of Comparative Biomedical Sciences at Cornell University. "In addition to the human mortality and decreased quality of life they cause, mosquito-borne diseases (arboviruses) such as Eastern equine encephalitis afflict both domestic and wild animal populations."
In this article we will describe how mosquitoes transmit viral infections, identify the most important viral infections horses can acquire from these annoying arthropods, and describe methods for protecting horses from infection through vaccination and control ¬measures.
How Mosquitoes Spread Disease
Many consider mosquitoes to be one of the world’s most annoying creatures. They have six long, spindly legs, scaly wings and bodies, antennae, and the pièce de résistance: long, needlelike mouthparts able to pierce both human and animal skin...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20322
by: Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
June 01 2012, Article # 20322
They might be small, but these flying fiends can spread some deadly diseases
The original intent of this article was to relay how malicious and deadly some mosquitoes are, but according to Charles Calisher, PhD, professor of microbiology, immunology, and pathology at Colorado State University, mosquitoes are neither spiteful nor a menace to society. "Mosquitoes are not deadly," he explains. "It is the viruses and microbes they transmit that are deadly."
So although mosquitoes do not willfully harm horses (aside from getting a snack), it is still important for owners to minimize contact between mosquitoes' mouthparts and their horses.
"Mosquitoes transmit some of the deadliest and most debilitating diseases in the world, including malaria, dengue fever, and lymphatic filariasis," says Nicholas Ledesma, a DVM/PhD candidate in the field of Comparative Biomedical Sciences at Cornell University. "In addition to the human mortality and decreased quality of life they cause, mosquito-borne diseases (arboviruses) such as Eastern equine encephalitis afflict both domestic and wild animal populations."
In this article we will describe how mosquitoes transmit viral infections, identify the most important viral infections horses can acquire from these annoying arthropods, and describe methods for protecting horses from infection through vaccination and control ¬measures.
How Mosquitoes Spread Disease
Many consider mosquitoes to be one of the world’s most annoying creatures. They have six long, spindly legs, scaly wings and bodies, antennae, and the pièce de résistance: long, needlelike mouthparts able to pierce both human and animal skin...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=20322
Monday, September 10, 2012
West Nile virus: Still a threat
Learn how you can help prevent it
West Nile virus (WNV) remains a threat to horses. However, with the right vaccine and preventive measures, it’s not too late for horse owners to help protect their horses against this life-threatening disease.
West Nile encephalomyelitis is an inflammation of the central nervous system that is caused by an infection with WNV.It is transmitted by mosquitoes — which feed on infected birds or other animals — to horses, humans and other mammals. So far in 2012, 31 states have reported 157 cases of WNV in horses, with Louisiana and Texas having the most confirmed cases — 26 and 16, respectively.
The number of reported WNV cases fell from 1,069 in 2006 to 146 in 2010, and the decline is said by health experts to reflect both vaccination and naturally acquired immunity.
“It is a good sign that the number of cases has declined over the last decade, however there has been an increasing number of both human and equine cases, especially over the last couple months,” said Tom Lenz, DVM, MS, senior director, equine technical services, Pfizer Animal Health.
Vaccination remains the most effective way to help protect horses against West Nile and other encephalic or mosquito-borne diseases, such as Eastern equine encephalomyelitis and Western equine encephalomyelitis. A trusted vaccine is available to help offer demonstrated protection against WNV and, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis and tetanus — WEST NILE-INNOVATOR® + EWT — all in a single vaccine. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners guidelines, WNV is considered a core vaccination, along with Eastern equine encephalomyelitis, Western equine encephalomyelitis, tetanus and rabies.
In conjunction with vaccination, use good techniques for managing mosquitoes. This includes:
· Destroying any mosquito breeding habitats by removing all potential sources of stagnant water.
· Cleaning and emptying any water-holding container, such as water buckets, water troughs and plastic containers, on a weekly basis.
Remember that WNV does not always lead to signs of illness. Horses that do become clinically ill, the virus infects the central nervous system and may cause symptoms such as loss of appetite and depression. Other clinical signs may include fever, weakness or paralysis of hind limbs, impaired vision, ataxia, aimless wandering, walking in circles, hyper-excitability or coma.5 Horse owners should contact a veterinarian immediately if they notice signs or symptoms of WNV infection in their horses, especially if they are exhibiting neurological signs. The case fatality rate for horses exhibiting clinical signs of WNV infection is approximately 33%.
No matter the location, horses can be at risk. By providing proper vaccination and helping to manage mosquito populations, horse owners can do their part to help prevent WNV infections.
For more information on the WEST NILE-INNOVATOR line of vaccines contact your Pfizer Animal Health representative, visit https://animalhealth.pfizer.com/sites/pahweb/us/en/products/Pages/West_Nile_Innovator.aspx or call 855-4AH-PFIZER(855-424-7349).
About Pfizer Animal Health
Pfizer Animal Health, a business unit of Pfizer Inc., is a global leader in the discovery, development and manufacture of animal vaccines, medicines, diagnostic products and genetic tests. We work to assure a safe, sustainable global food supply from healthy beef and dairy cattle, swine, poultry, sheep and fish while helping dogs, cats and horses live healthier longer lives. We strive to be the animal health company that provides full healthcare solutions to veterinarians, livestock producers, and pet owners. To learn more, visit https://animalhealth.pfizer.com.
West Nile virus (WNV) remains a threat to horses. However, with the right vaccine and preventive measures, it’s not too late for horse owners to help protect their horses against this life-threatening disease.
West Nile encephalomyelitis is an inflammation of the central nervous system that is caused by an infection with WNV.It is transmitted by mosquitoes — which feed on infected birds or other animals — to horses, humans and other mammals. So far in 2012, 31 states have reported 157 cases of WNV in horses, with Louisiana and Texas having the most confirmed cases — 26 and 16, respectively.
The number of reported WNV cases fell from 1,069 in 2006 to 146 in 2010, and the decline is said by health experts to reflect both vaccination and naturally acquired immunity.
“It is a good sign that the number of cases has declined over the last decade, however there has been an increasing number of both human and equine cases, especially over the last couple months,” said Tom Lenz, DVM, MS, senior director, equine technical services, Pfizer Animal Health.
Vaccination remains the most effective way to help protect horses against West Nile and other encephalic or mosquito-borne diseases, such as Eastern equine encephalomyelitis and Western equine encephalomyelitis. A trusted vaccine is available to help offer demonstrated protection against WNV and, Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis and tetanus — WEST NILE-INNOVATOR® + EWT — all in a single vaccine. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners guidelines, WNV is considered a core vaccination, along with Eastern equine encephalomyelitis, Western equine encephalomyelitis, tetanus and rabies.
In conjunction with vaccination, use good techniques for managing mosquitoes. This includes:
· Destroying any mosquito breeding habitats by removing all potential sources of stagnant water.
· Cleaning and emptying any water-holding container, such as water buckets, water troughs and plastic containers, on a weekly basis.
Remember that WNV does not always lead to signs of illness. Horses that do become clinically ill, the virus infects the central nervous system and may cause symptoms such as loss of appetite and depression. Other clinical signs may include fever, weakness or paralysis of hind limbs, impaired vision, ataxia, aimless wandering, walking in circles, hyper-excitability or coma.5 Horse owners should contact a veterinarian immediately if they notice signs or symptoms of WNV infection in their horses, especially if they are exhibiting neurological signs. The case fatality rate for horses exhibiting clinical signs of WNV infection is approximately 33%.
No matter the location, horses can be at risk. By providing proper vaccination and helping to manage mosquito populations, horse owners can do their part to help prevent WNV infections.
For more information on the WEST NILE-INNOVATOR line of vaccines contact your Pfizer Animal Health representative, visit https://animalhealth.pfizer.com/sites/pahweb/us/en/products/Pages/West_Nile_Innovator.aspx or call 855-4AH-PFIZER(855-424-7349).
About Pfizer Animal Health
Pfizer Animal Health, a business unit of Pfizer Inc., is a global leader in the discovery, development and manufacture of animal vaccines, medicines, diagnostic products and genetic tests. We work to assure a safe, sustainable global food supply from healthy beef and dairy cattle, swine, poultry, sheep and fish while helping dogs, cats and horses live healthier longer lives. We strive to be the animal health company that provides full healthcare solutions to veterinarians, livestock producers, and pet owners. To learn more, visit https://animalhealth.pfizer.com.
Oats: A Popular Ingredient in Horse Feeds
KER.equinews.com - Full Article
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · July 10, 2012
Because the average oat grain is about 30% hull (fiber), and oats contain sufficient protein, calcium, and phosphorus to meet the requirements of mature horses, oats have traditionally been the predominant grain used by horsemen. Horses digest oats easily in comparison with heavier whole grains like wheat and corn.
Around the middle of the last century, more oats were grown in the U.S. than at present. The decline has been mainly due to poor yields. Genetic modification to improve yields has not been as successful in oats compared to gains in other crops. In spite of poor yields, the quality of oats cannot be denied.
Oat hulls are relatively low in energy and nutritive value. The majority of the protein is found in the groat...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/oats-popular-ingredient-horse-feeds
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · July 10, 2012
Because the average oat grain is about 30% hull (fiber), and oats contain sufficient protein, calcium, and phosphorus to meet the requirements of mature horses, oats have traditionally been the predominant grain used by horsemen. Horses digest oats easily in comparison with heavier whole grains like wheat and corn.
Around the middle of the last century, more oats were grown in the U.S. than at present. The decline has been mainly due to poor yields. Genetic modification to improve yields has not been as successful in oats compared to gains in other crops. In spite of poor yields, the quality of oats cannot be denied.
Oat hulls are relatively low in energy and nutritive value. The majority of the protein is found in the groat...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/oats-popular-ingredient-horse-feeds
Friday, September 07, 2012
Fighting White Line Disease
Thehorse.com - Full Article
by: Christy M. West
April 30 2007, Article # 9253
White line disease sneaks up on you without warning--one day your horse is fine, and the next day the farrier is digging a crater in your horse's foot, dumping what seems like handfuls of soft, crumbly hoof horn on the floor. You might ask, what the heck is white line disease? Why is it such a big deal? Your horse isn't even lame, although you fear he might be soon with that new crater in his foot.
This ugly mess called white line disease might not be a big deal initially, but left untreated it can undermine large amounts of your horse's foot (or feet), resulting in lameness and instability of the coffin bone within the horse's foot. Bill Baker, DVM, of Equine Associates in Hawkinsville, Ga., discussed the disease and its treatment at the recent Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium, held Jan. 25-28 in Louisville, Ky.
"White line disease doesn't seem to occur without some sort of mechanical stress (such as long toes or hoof damage from previous disease or injury)," he began. "The only known certainty (about its cause) is that a breach in the hoof wall has to occur for the disease to occur. (Opportunistic bacteria and/or fungi then invade the defect and begin destroying hoof wall from the inside, starting at the bottom and working their way up.) There is no breed, age, or sex predisposition to this disease. It occurs in anything from Minis to drafts, donkeys, and mules. It may invade one foot or all four feet...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=9253
by: Christy M. West
April 30 2007, Article # 9253
White line disease sneaks up on you without warning--one day your horse is fine, and the next day the farrier is digging a crater in your horse's foot, dumping what seems like handfuls of soft, crumbly hoof horn on the floor. You might ask, what the heck is white line disease? Why is it such a big deal? Your horse isn't even lame, although you fear he might be soon with that new crater in his foot.
This ugly mess called white line disease might not be a big deal initially, but left untreated it can undermine large amounts of your horse's foot (or feet), resulting in lameness and instability of the coffin bone within the horse's foot. Bill Baker, DVM, of Equine Associates in Hawkinsville, Ga., discussed the disease and its treatment at the recent Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium, held Jan. 25-28 in Louisville, Ky.
"White line disease doesn't seem to occur without some sort of mechanical stress (such as long toes or hoof damage from previous disease or injury)," he began. "The only known certainty (about its cause) is that a breach in the hoof wall has to occur for the disease to occur. (Opportunistic bacteria and/or fungi then invade the defect and begin destroying hoof wall from the inside, starting at the bottom and working their way up.) There is no breed, age, or sex predisposition to this disease. It occurs in anything from Minis to drafts, donkeys, and mules. It may invade one foot or all four feet...
Read more here:
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=9253
Sunday, September 02, 2012
Be Alert for Early Signs of Fatigue in Endurance Horses
Equinews.com - Full Article
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · August 29, 2012
A study of fatigue in long-distance endurance horses might offer some helpful insights for trail riders who ride for shorter distances.
In a study conducted by the University of California-Davis, researchers analyzed almost 3,500 records of horses competing in endurance rides. These rides were sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference and all horses were required to have veterinary checks every 10 to 20 miles throughout each race, which ranged in distance from 25 to 100 miles. Horses were eliminated from the competition if they were found to be lame or showed signs of significant fatigue.
For the horses whose records were examined, 19% were eliminated for some reason before completing the race. About 47% of eliminations were because of lameness. The next most common reason for elimination was a metabolic cause such as delayed capillary refill or slow cardiac recovery at a vet check...
Read more here:
http://www.equinews.com/article/be-alert-early-signs-fatigue-endurance-horses
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff · August 29, 2012
A study of fatigue in long-distance endurance horses might offer some helpful insights for trail riders who ride for shorter distances.
In a study conducted by the University of California-Davis, researchers analyzed almost 3,500 records of horses competing in endurance rides. These rides were sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference and all horses were required to have veterinary checks every 10 to 20 miles throughout each race, which ranged in distance from 25 to 100 miles. Horses were eliminated from the competition if they were found to be lame or showed signs of significant fatigue.
For the horses whose records were examined, 19% were eliminated for some reason before completing the race. About 47% of eliminations were because of lameness. The next most common reason for elimination was a metabolic cause such as delayed capillary refill or slow cardiac recovery at a vet check...
Read more here:
http://www.equinews.com/article/be-alert-early-signs-fatigue-endurance-horses
The Best Time to Feed Before Competition
By Joe Pagan, Ph.D.
One of the most common questions asked about feeding the performance horse is when to feed before a competition. Theoretically, feeding should be timed so that all of the nutrients from a meal have been digested, absorbed, and stored before starting exercise, but not so long before exercise that the horse begins to mobilize fuels just to maintain its resting body functions.
It is probably better to exercise horses eight hours after feeding rather than fasting them overnight, since an overnight fast may disrupt digestive function and may lead to gastric ulceration.
To test this hypothesis, Kentucky Equine Research (KER) conducted an exercise experiment. Six trained Thoroughbreds performed a standardized exercise test (SET) at three different times after eating a grain-based meal. The exercise was performed eight hours after eating, three hours after eating, or after an overnight fast. This SET, carried out on the high-speed treadmill, consisted of a two-minute warm-up walk, one-half-mile trot, one-half-mile slow gallop, one-mile fast gallop (25 miles per hour), and a warm-down trot and walk. Heart rate was monitored throughout exercise and blood samples were taken before feeding, hourly until the beginning of the SET, throughout exercise, and 15 and 30 minutes post exercise. Blood was analyzed for glucose, insulin, and lactate.
Heart rate was higher at the slow gallop and during the warm-down trot when the horses were exercised three hours after feeding. Insulin was significantly higher in the three-hour-fed horses at the beginning and throughout exercise. Blood glucose was also higher after the three-hour feeding at the beginning of exercise. During exercise, however, blood glucose dropped in the horses exercised three hours after eating while it increased in the horses fasted overnight or fed eight hours before work. Lactate increased with exercise, but was unaffected by time of feeding.
The large drop in blood glucose experienced by the horses worked three hours after feeding is not desirable. Basically, the horse has three sources of energy to fuel muscle contraction during exercise. It can use fat, either from the diet or from body stores; it can use muscle glycogen; or it can use blood glucose. Fat stores are plentiful and are good sources of energy during slow work. As exercise intensity increases, faster fuel is needed and glucose is oxidized. If this glucose originates from muscle glycogen, stores are fairly plentiful and depletion is unlikely at distances shorter than endurance rides.
Blood glucose is the most limited fuel available to the horse. Blood glucose is maintained primarily from mobilization of liver glycogen and these stores are small compared to the amount of glycogen stored in the muscle. If blood glucose is used extensively by the muscle, then blood glucose will fall and this may lead to central nervous system fatigue since glucose is the primary fuel used by the nervous system.
The horses exercised three hours after feeding experienced a large drop in blood glucose because insulin was elevated at the onset of exercise. This caused an increased uptake of glucose by the working muscle. The horses exercised after an overnight fast or eight hours post feeding began work with resting levels of both glucose and insulin. During exercise, blood glucose actually increased, indicating that the horses were mobilizing liver glycogen at a faster rate than the glucose was being cleared from the blood.
Time of feeding had no effect on lactic acid accumulation during exercise, suggesting that time of feeding only affected how fuels were used for aerobic exercise. Anaerobic energy generation was unaffected. This means that during extremely intense exercise of short duration such as a Thoroughbred race, time of feeding is not nearly as important as when the horse is performing strenuous exercise of longer duration such as the cross-country phase of a three-day event. All of the parameters measured responded nearly the same whether the horses were fed eight hours before work or fasted overnight. It is probably better to exercise horses eight hours after feeding rather than fasting them overnight, since an overnight fast may disrupt digestive function and there is evidence that fasting horses may lead to gastric ulcers.
Kentucky Equine Research is an international equine nutrition, research, and consultation company serving both the horse owner and the feed industry. For more information, visit ker.com or visit our online library of nutrition and health articles at Equinews.com.
One of the most common questions asked about feeding the performance horse is when to feed before a competition. Theoretically, feeding should be timed so that all of the nutrients from a meal have been digested, absorbed, and stored before starting exercise, but not so long before exercise that the horse begins to mobilize fuels just to maintain its resting body functions.
It is probably better to exercise horses eight hours after feeding rather than fasting them overnight, since an overnight fast may disrupt digestive function and may lead to gastric ulceration.
To test this hypothesis, Kentucky Equine Research (KER) conducted an exercise experiment. Six trained Thoroughbreds performed a standardized exercise test (SET) at three different times after eating a grain-based meal. The exercise was performed eight hours after eating, three hours after eating, or after an overnight fast. This SET, carried out on the high-speed treadmill, consisted of a two-minute warm-up walk, one-half-mile trot, one-half-mile slow gallop, one-mile fast gallop (25 miles per hour), and a warm-down trot and walk. Heart rate was monitored throughout exercise and blood samples were taken before feeding, hourly until the beginning of the SET, throughout exercise, and 15 and 30 minutes post exercise. Blood was analyzed for glucose, insulin, and lactate.
Heart rate was higher at the slow gallop and during the warm-down trot when the horses were exercised three hours after feeding. Insulin was significantly higher in the three-hour-fed horses at the beginning and throughout exercise. Blood glucose was also higher after the three-hour feeding at the beginning of exercise. During exercise, however, blood glucose dropped in the horses exercised three hours after eating while it increased in the horses fasted overnight or fed eight hours before work. Lactate increased with exercise, but was unaffected by time of feeding.
The large drop in blood glucose experienced by the horses worked three hours after feeding is not desirable. Basically, the horse has three sources of energy to fuel muscle contraction during exercise. It can use fat, either from the diet or from body stores; it can use muscle glycogen; or it can use blood glucose. Fat stores are plentiful and are good sources of energy during slow work. As exercise intensity increases, faster fuel is needed and glucose is oxidized. If this glucose originates from muscle glycogen, stores are fairly plentiful and depletion is unlikely at distances shorter than endurance rides.
Blood glucose is the most limited fuel available to the horse. Blood glucose is maintained primarily from mobilization of liver glycogen and these stores are small compared to the amount of glycogen stored in the muscle. If blood glucose is used extensively by the muscle, then blood glucose will fall and this may lead to central nervous system fatigue since glucose is the primary fuel used by the nervous system.
The horses exercised three hours after feeding experienced a large drop in blood glucose because insulin was elevated at the onset of exercise. This caused an increased uptake of glucose by the working muscle. The horses exercised after an overnight fast or eight hours post feeding began work with resting levels of both glucose and insulin. During exercise, blood glucose actually increased, indicating that the horses were mobilizing liver glycogen at a faster rate than the glucose was being cleared from the blood.
Time of feeding had no effect on lactic acid accumulation during exercise, suggesting that time of feeding only affected how fuels were used for aerobic exercise. Anaerobic energy generation was unaffected. This means that during extremely intense exercise of short duration such as a Thoroughbred race, time of feeding is not nearly as important as when the horse is performing strenuous exercise of longer duration such as the cross-country phase of a three-day event. All of the parameters measured responded nearly the same whether the horses were fed eight hours before work or fasted overnight. It is probably better to exercise horses eight hours after feeding rather than fasting them overnight, since an overnight fast may disrupt digestive function and there is evidence that fasting horses may lead to gastric ulcers.
Kentucky Equine Research is an international equine nutrition, research, and consultation company serving both the horse owner and the feed industry. For more information, visit ker.com or visit our online library of nutrition and health articles at Equinews.com.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Feeding to Avoid Problems at Endurance Ride Checkpoints
KER.equinews.com - Full Article
By Dr. Peter Huntington and Scott O'Brien · July 5, 2012
Poor scores at the vet gate during an endurance ride can be the first indication of trouble in some cases. Scoring poorly in any of the parameters should cause you to assess the problem and decide if there’s anything you can do to reverse it. This is especially true for multileg rides during which a rider has the opportunity to avoid elimination after the next leg, but it is also important to remember to address these issues even after completion of the ride.
There are a couple of problems that can be rectified nutritionally if noticed early enough. Generally these are the metabolic scores.
For dehydration, revisit your electrolyte supplement strategy. Consult with your veterinarian as to whether oral electrolytes would be of use (dependant on level of dehydration). Try to encourage the horse to eat a wet slurry-type feed or find some wet green forage and get as much in as possible. Feeding some dry hay can stimulate drinking. Try flavored waters. Slow down and allow more time at water stops for the horse to settle before drinking. Let the horse graze briefly near the water to stimulate thirst...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/feeding-avoid-problems-endurance-ride-checkpoints
By Dr. Peter Huntington and Scott O'Brien · July 5, 2012
Poor scores at the vet gate during an endurance ride can be the first indication of trouble in some cases. Scoring poorly in any of the parameters should cause you to assess the problem and decide if there’s anything you can do to reverse it. This is especially true for multileg rides during which a rider has the opportunity to avoid elimination after the next leg, but it is also important to remember to address these issues even after completion of the ride.
There are a couple of problems that can be rectified nutritionally if noticed early enough. Generally these are the metabolic scores.
For dehydration, revisit your electrolyte supplement strategy. Consult with your veterinarian as to whether oral electrolytes would be of use (dependant on level of dehydration). Try to encourage the horse to eat a wet slurry-type feed or find some wet green forage and get as much in as possible. Feeding some dry hay can stimulate drinking. Try flavored waters. Slow down and allow more time at water stops for the horse to settle before drinking. Let the horse graze briefly near the water to stimulate thirst...
Read more here:
http://ker.equinews.com/article/feeding-avoid-problems-endurance-ride-checkpoints
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