Tips

Monthly Tips

August 2011

HOT, HOT, HOT

We are not even through August yet. A pitch needs to be made for electrolytes during this heat. Put the powder in a horse's feed morning and night and provide lots of clean water for them to drink. One way to hydrate is to soak Beet Pulp in water in the morning, add the electrolytes and put some on top of the food. Soak Beet Pulp overnight or problems will occur. The Beet Pulp makes the electrolytes last longer. Pinch the skin to ensure the horse is hydrated and check the gums - press a finger on the gum and if it turns pink quickly, it is good. If it stays white, give paste electrolytes and hose the horse. Some horses stand in line for the pleasure! A cup of baking soda in a 10 gallon water trough keeps the mold down a bit.

DOES YOUR HORSE TRIP WHEN YOU ARE RIDING?
This happens occasionally, but when it is chronic there could be an underlying problem.

There are a number of things that could be causing the tripping- starting with the most serious, this could a neurological issue. Sometimes a horse is just not paying attention or it can have a problem that causes the brain to not properly send the signals for movement. This can be determined by a vet- and there may not be much you can do, other than some chiropractic or thereputic massage work.

Another issue could be the horse's feet- if the angles are off (too low, too high, uneven, etc) then the farrier should address this. Get a second opinion. A horse with low heels and long toes can trip often. Also have your farrier consider the type of shoe your mare wears- maybe it is too heavy for her, too big, or maybe she treks wrong with them on, or perhaps having only fronts can throw her off until she is used to it.

X-Ray the feet. It could be navicular. Conformation is also a contributer- a horse who is set up wrong (cow hocked, kneed in, etc.) will step wrong and can trip because of it.

Age is sometimes a factor- or going through a little growing stage, sometimes the horse can be a little clumsy. Also, if the horse is too busy looking around, sometimes it will trip.

Lastly, the horse may just need some training work to help get off the forehand- if you can get her to engage her haunches, and not hold all her weight on her forehand( front end), she will most likely pick her feet up and set them down more deliberately, and not trip as much. Ground pole work, small cavaletti, lateral work, and upward transition work (walk to trot, trot to canter) can help with that.
((modified from http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090413115058AAw9pqV))

HORSE AND DEER FLIES

Hot weather brings out these beasts!

Horse flies and deer flies are bloodsucking insects that can be serious pests of cattle, horses, and humans. Horse flies range in size from 3/4 to 1-1/4 inches long and usually have clear or solidly colored wings and brightly colored eyes. Deer flies, which commonly bite humans, are smaller with dark bands across the wings and colored eyes similar to those of horse flies. Attack by a few of these persistent flies can make outdoor work and recreation miserable. The numbers of flies and the intensity of their attack vary from year to year.

Painful bits interfere with grazing horses because animals under attack will bunch together. Animals may even injure themselves as they run to escape these flies. Blood loss can be significant. In a USDA Bulletin 1218, Webb and Wells estimated that horse flies would consume 1 cc of blood for their meal, and they calculated that 20 to 30 flies feeding for 6 hours would take 20 teaspoons. This would amount to one quart of blood in 10 days.

Female horse flies and deer flies are active during the day. These flies apparently are attracted to such things as movement, shiny surfaces, carbon dioxide, and warmth. Once on a host, they use their knife-like mouthparts to slice the skin and feed on the blood pool that is created. Bites can be very painful and there may be an allergic reaction to the salivary secretions released by the insects as they feed. The irritation and swelling from bites usually disappears in a day or so. However, secondary infections may occur when bites are scratched. General first aid-type skin creams may help to relieve the pain from bites. In rare instances, there may be allergic reactions involving hives and wheezing. Male flies feed on nectar and are of no consequence as animal pests.

Horse flies and deer flies are intermittent feeders. Their painful bites generally elicit a response from the victim so the fly is forced to move to another host. Consequently, they may be mechanical vectors of some animal and human diseases.

The larvae of horse fly and deer fly species develop in the mud along pond edges or stream banks, wetlands, or seepage areas. Some are aquatic and a few develop in relatively dry soil. Females lay batches of 25 to 1,000 eggs on vegetation that stand over water or wet sites. The larvae that hatch from these eggs fall to the ground and feed upon decaying organic matter or small organisms in the soil or water. The larvae, stage usually lasts from one to three years, depending on the species. Mature larvae crawl to drier areas to pupate and ultimately emerge as adults.

Horse flies and deer flies like sunny areas and usually will not enter barns or deep shade.Run in sheds are helpful. If animals have access to protection during the day, they can escape the constant attack of these annoying pests. They can graze at night when the flies are not active.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS FOR SAFE USE OF ANY PESTICIDE!

((Adapted from http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef511.asp))

Training Tip: Teach your horse to wait for you.

Whenever I get on my horses, I do nothing but lateral flexing for the first three to four minutes. I bend their heads from side to side before I ask them to move off. Not only does this get them really soft, but they start to anticipate it every ride. If you have a horse that constantly walks off when you mount, you’ll be amazed at the end of one week how quietly he’ll stand if you do lateral flexing every time you get on. Teach your horse that when you get on, he needs to stand there and wait. The last thing he expects you to do is to walk off straightaway.

From the Clinton Anderson site

May 2011

Hand Placement

Checkout the May issue of the VA Horse Journal; Page 32; Article by Wendy Murdoch on hand placement. Title of Article is "Roll Fists for Free Shoulders." Find your best palm position to follow the horse's mouth. This tip was reinforced in a dressage lesson with Danielle.

Worming Schedule

The bugs are out in the spring along with the worms! Print out the schedule and have a column with dates in the barn. Check off each application as it is given - as well as the date. Best way to keep track!

From: Jeffrey Rolo in Alpha Horse

..You must incorporate the various forms of horse wormers into an organized horse worming schedule that targets the various parasite groups during the times of year they are most a threat.

If your horses is seriously infested, start the worming process with a pellet wormer such as Strongid C2X. Since pellet-based wormers are mixed with a horse's feed daily, the potency is far lower than actual pastes. This lower potency allows for a slower and healthier parasite kill and removal rate. I advise putting a parasite-infested horse on a pellet-based wormer for at least one week before advancing to the standard paste regimen.

You must be careful to apply the recommended dose of horse wormer with each session, because parasites possess the ability to build a resistance towards agents designed to kill them when the agents are not applied in doses strong enough to kill the parasites outright. This is why it is also important to rotate the various types of horse wormers. Not only does it increase the spectrum of targeted parasites, it makes it difficult for parasites to build up any sort of resistance or immunity.

Following is a solid horse worming schedule that we recommend:

Horse Worming Schedule

Month One: A fenbendazole-based product such as Safe Guard.

Month Three: An ivermectin-based product such as Zimecterin Gold.

Month Five: A pyrantel pamoate-based product such as Strongid.

Month Seven: An oxibendazole-based product such as Anthelcide EQ.

Month Nine: A moxidectin-based product such as Quest.

*Repeat Rotation

Please note that Moxidectin is NOT recommended for foals or weak horses since an overdose can be very dangerous to them.

The above horse worming schedule will suit most standard horse needs very well, but if your horse is one that grazes frequently you may want to modify it a bit to include a five-day double-dose schedule of a Fenbendazole-based wormer in October and February. This purges your horse's system of encysted larvae that are picked up easily during regular grazing. Since encysted larvae are very difficult to nail without the use of Moxidectin, the five-day regimen is necessary; you won't be able to purge a horse's system of this parasite with just one or two doses.

Note: Under no circumstance should you provide a double dose of Moxidectin. Although effective against larvae and bots with just one dose, multiple doses can be a danger to your horse.

April 2011

Many seemingly unrelated causes can give rise to laminitis. To date, no one has pinpointed the precise mechanism by which specific health factors generate the conditions that cause separation and degeneration of the laminae.

Causal factors of laminitis include the following:

Excess of carbohydrates. (Too much grain, lush pasture.)
Excessive weight, particularly unilateral weight. Draft horses are particularly prone to laminitis.
GI problems and stress/shock, including:
- enteritis, intestinal occlusion
- colitis, peritonitis
- metritis, retained placenta
- pneumonia/pleuritis
Management factors:
- prolonged transportation
- excessive work on hard surfaces
- bedding containing black walnut shavings
- ingestion of cold water when the horse is overheated. The earlier treatment for laminitis is initiated, the better. If laminitis is suspected, or the horse has been exposed to a risk factor (e.g. carbohydrate overload, shock, black walnut shavings), treatment should begin immediately.

Treatments for laminitis vary according to the severity of the condition but include:

Encouraging the horse to lie down to relieve pressure on the hoof/hooves.
Imposing dietary restrictions to prevent overeating and obesity.
Treating with mineral oil via a nasogastric tube to purge the horse’s digestive tract. This will limit the absorption of bacterial toxins, especially if the horse has overeaten.
Administering fluids if the horse is ill or dehydrated.
Administering drugs and/or natural medicines, such as antibiotics to fight infection, anti-endotoxins to reduce bacterial toxicity, anticoagulants and vasodilators to improve blood flow to the feet. (Corticosteroids are contraindicated for laminitis as they can cause it to worsen.)

Administration of painkillers. Since moderate to intense pain often accompanies laminitis and founder, the veterinarian will likely prescribe painkillers and/or anti-inflammatories for the horse. These may include NSAIDs

February 2011

Stink Bugs:

A few days of warmer weather means these bugs are coming out in force. Shake out/brush these bugs out of all blankets, fly sheets, fly masks, saddle pads, brushes etc. Some people said they do bite if trapped between a shirt and skin. Research has not indicated that these bugs bite animals, they lay eggs on leaves and feed on fruit, but the squash residue may cause a rash on some horses with sensitive skin. For advice on getting rid of this pests - some solutions are as follows:

a cup full of water mixed with dish soap does the trick. The bugs literally drop, and sometimes even seem to be pulled, into the cup. It's the darnedest thing, seriously. Several people gave me this tip so finally I tried it out, and they're not kidding. I go around the outside of my apartment building with the soapy water cup and hold it underneath these bugs, and the ones that don't drop (or get pulled) in, I used a piece of cardboard to shoo them in. Be careful though not to spill the soapy water on yourself because it smells like stink bug "cilantro."

For acreage, NO information on the effect on horses or people, but some use Stink Bug Eliminators!(434) 882-0160 ($150 for acre or smaller). They spray outside only with a solution that approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. It eliminates the stink bugs that encounter the spray, continues to eliminate stink bugs that feed on the shrubbery and prevents eggs from hatching.

Others recommend putting them in a jar of rubbing alcohol (kills them), spraying with olive oil (they sufficate) or use Raid Ant and Roach killer.

From: http://www.readthehook.com/66544/bugged-out-albemarle-swarming-stink-bugs

Horse Fitness - Going UP?

Now that the weather is getting better and the horses have been off work (due to cold, winter weather, etc), how do you get your horses fit again? Bottom line - know your horse and pay attention to the horse's reactions.

When everyone is striving for fit athletic horses, and the pressure to keep riding at as high level as you're capable of, how do you keep your horse from over tiring himself? It's easy to accidently overtire your horse, sometimes you might not even realize that he is tired !. And there's not only physical fatigue to look out for, but mental fatigue too. Muscle fatigue is a very common type of fatigue. Horses who are physically tired will often not perform at their best, and this kind of fatigue can be slight that it's barely noticeable, or can be extremely severe. Signs of muscular fatigue include:

Horses stumbling often or drifting at the walk.

Profuse sweating, and the horse feels hot to touch.

Horses wanting to stop working and rest.

Elevated (usually high) respiration rate.

To improve your horse's fitness, he needs to work up a sweat, but after each session, your horse takes a long time (more than fifteen minutes) to recover, it's time to slow down on your fitness program.

After a workout, it's important not to stop dead, you need to walk your horse to cool him off. Not only does this allow the muscles to cool down slowly and stay supple, but it gives the body a chance to catch up on oxygen, and then your horse can get his breath back. If your horse is always tired after rides, cut his work down a bit, and try to build his fitness up more gradually.

From: http://www.horserides.org/horse-fitness.html

MORE TO COME SOON!

Jan Nelsen

December 2010

1. Fauquier County's Agricultural Department offers a service for horse owners: A list of hay providers including types of hay offered, where it is located, and contact information. Who knew? Often we are chasing around those who provide good horse hay and share info with our closest horse buddies. Here is the website:

http://www.fauquiercounty.gov/government/departments/agdev/index.cfm?action=farmlist&sub=hay

2. Sign up for e-alerts for local trail rides, work groups, and other local horse activities via Yahoo. Great resource for those who are looking for other venues and people to ride out. Sign up for a free Yahoo account and get the notifications to your regular email address. Very easy.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Vahorsetrails/

3. Has everyone gotten their horse's fall shots and had their teeth checked? This is a great time to do it. Some local vets offer a discount for dental work during the winter months. Necessary for the increased amount of hay a horse eats during the winter months.

That's it for now. I am seeking out new info for next month.

Jan Nelsen

July 2010

HOT RIDING TIPS:

Use electrolytes! If you need Gaterade after a ride, so does the horse! These are powder or pellet form electrolytes. Soak oats and beet pulp with powder electrolytes in cold water before the ride and it will be a real treat for the horse when you return.

Weight OK? If a horse has a hard timing maintaining a good weight during the hottest part of the summer, add up to a cup of alfalfa pellets to the feed.

Cold water is OK. Per the June 2010 issue of EQUUS, Research has shown that a hot sweaty horse who drinks cold water is NOT at a greater risk of colic, cramping or laminitis. Withholding water can lead to dangerous dehydration. Allow the horse to drink right after the workout. This is good - that's when the horse is most thirsty. Waiting until the horse is cooled out may result in the horse not drinking as much.

How much Water? Under moderate environmental condition, most horses consume about 6 gallons of water per day. From - June 2010 EQUUS magazine.

LOOKING FOR A INSTRUCTOR/TRAINER?

This topic recurs frequently - how do you find a trainer or instructor that is in tune with you, your goals, and your horse? When someone asks this question, it deserves some questions in return. Help riders help themselves.

First, what type of riding do they want (trail, jumping, dressage, x-country)?

Second, what talents/experience does the horse and rider have separately? Together?

Third, what are the goals? Goals and expectations need to be clearly stated for the horse and rider, as well as the trainer.

So, after doing the homework tell the people asking the primary question to visit feed stores, breeders and area lesson barn; talk to people in the area, seek out horse club members (great resource), attend clinics, look for bulletin boards at tack shops and talk to people who work in the tack shops. The web is not always the best place to find local horse resources because not all trainers have the funds to set up a web site. Word of mouth is very useful. It takes time but is very rewarding.

PRACTICE CALMING EXERCISES FOR YOU AND YOUR HORSE

Use some creative tools for getting your horse to stay calm for new situations in your own ring. Do this a little at a time (approach and retreat). Do silly things while standing still - lean forward to grab an ear, lean back and pat the horse's rump. The first time, the horse may move around or shake the head. Calmly try and hold on until the horse shows some sign of acceptance then release it and reward. Grab again and hold a bit longer - increasing the time. The release/retreat helps the horse accept one thing at a time and not be overwhelmed.

Practice mounting from the wrong side. Mount the wrong way - with your toe pushing into the horse's belly or bump the belly as the right foot comes over the saddle. Pull yourself up into the saddle slowly and clumsily while grunting. This allows the horse to accept a less experienced rider.

Do these things slowly and persistently until the horse is relaxed. Take the pressure off and reward the horse after each success. (From Clinton Anderson's Lessons from Real Life).

For additional Tips from past months, click on Archived Tips