Tabla de contenidos para December 2015 en Equus

Giving thanks I thoroughly enjoyed “In Gratitude” (Back Page, EQUUS 456). Whenever I spend time with my horse, Magic, whether it’s trail riding, lessons, groundwork or just hanging out together, I always pat him and say, “Thank you.” I’m almost 70 years old and we have been together 12½ years. He is my first and only horse, and he has been so patient with me as we learn together. Phyllis Murdock Hampton, Illinois Safety first I was very concerned to see the way the lead chain was used on the horse in your October cover (EQUUS 457). It was run through the halter ring and clipped back onto the lead so that the chain forms a loop. This loop, though small, can catch on any protruding object the horse might…

British researchers report that two common essential oils---tea tree and lavender---show promise in treating lice that are increasingly resistant to commercial pesticides. Found primarily on donkeys and horses, Bovicola ocellatus are known as “chewing lice” because they feed on dander rather than drawing blood meals. For their study, University of Bristol researchers identified 198 barn-kept donkeys infested with B. ocellatus. After initially quantifying the level of each animal’s parasite load, the researchers divided the donkeys into three treatment groups: One received two topical treatments with a 5 percent tea tree oil solution two weeks apart; the second received two topical lavender oil treatments at the same interval; the third group was treated with an inert substance to serve as controls. When each animal was again evaluated at the end of…

Maximizing turnout time is nearly always the best thing for a horse’s physical and mental health, and even in frigid temperatures, most cope remarkably well if they are wearing appropriate blankets and have access to shelter. However, winter weather can sometimes create hazardous footing, especially for older, arthritic horses. It might be wise to change your turnout routines or keep your horses in for the day if your pastures have any of these conditions: • Deep snow. A fit, healthy horse can navigate deep snow well enough, but it can be physically tiring. Over time, horses will trample paths between important locations---hay, water, shelter---and stick to them until the snow melts. You can make this process easier for them by turning them out while the snow is still falling, so…

One of my most useful barn tools is the head of an old manure fork that is missing its handle. The head acts as an extra “big hand” to help pick up spilled hay and load m y feeder bags. I use it every day.—Dee Whitt, Camp Verde, Arizona Send your suggestions for inexpensive horse-care substitutes as well as hints for saving effort and time to Hands On, EQUUS, 656 Quince Orchard Road, #600, Gaithersburg, MD 20878; Fax: 301-990-9015; e-mail: EQLetters@EquiNetwork.com. Senders of published items will receive selected EQUUS merchandise.…

“Oh! what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh.” ---James Lord Pierpont, “Jingle Bells” The Love Horse v-neck tee (suggested retail, $29.95), from One Horse Threads, shows off your love of horses with a hand-printed design on a soft, ringspun cotton/poly-blend fabric. The shirt is lightweight and breathable with a slim fit. Available in white or charcoal, in sizes S to XL. Visit www.onehorsethreads.com. For a bold splash of color, the Roma Brights Lead (suggested retail, $6.99), from Roma, comes in five vibrant options: bright aqua, bright lime, bright orange, bright hot pink or bright purple. The lead is six feet long with a satin-finished bolt snap, and it is made of a durable polypropylene yarn that feels soft and ties easily. Matching halters are available in…

anaphylactic shock (anaphylaxis)---acute, massive, often fatal allergic reaction triggered by the introduction of an antigen into a horse who already has become hypersensitized to that antigen. antigen---substance, often a protein, that the body’s immune system recognizes as foreign and reacts to by producing an antibody. antioxidant---substance that inhibits the chemical addition of oxygen to another substance. body condition score (BCS)---a designation, based on a nine-point numeric scale, indicating the amount of fat on a horse’s body. A BCS is assigned after a visual and hands-on appraisal. bronchi (bronchial tubes)---airway tubes extending from the trachea into both lungs; the “branches” of the respiratory “tree.” bronchioles---smallest divisions of the bronchi; the “twigs” of the respiratory “tree.” cervix---constricted part or “neck” of an organ; often refers to the outer end of the uterus.…

For all the advantages that a herd leader enjoys, there appears to be a potential downside: a higher risk of obesity. Researchers at the University of Bristol in England recorded social interactions between 203 horses in 42 different herds on continual turnout. A feeding trial was conducted to determine each herd’s social structure by setting out individual buckets of feed and observing which horses displaced others to take their food. Scores were assigned based on how many herdmates a particular horse displaced and how often horses were displaced by others. Using this data, the researchers calculated a food-contextspecific dominance rank for each horse. The researchers also assigned each horse a body0 condition score. They found that the more dominant horses generally had higher body condition scores and were more likely…

OUT OF TOUCH Q: Your horse was fine an hour ago, but now his skin is covered with dozens of flat-topped welts about the size of a quarter. What is the most likely culprit? a. insect bites b. something he ate c. something he touched d. the weather Answer c. something he touched. The welts are most likely hives, which are soft, raised, rounded wheals on the skin caused by an allergic reaction. Hives “pit” under the pressure of your thumb and generally are not painful, although they may be itchy. The most common cause of hives in horses is a contact allergy—an immune overreaction to something that touched his skin, such as an ingredient in a new grooming product. Insect bites may also be the culprit but they are…

A whole day has passed since your veterinarian was out to see your sick, feverish horse. You’ve been administering his medications on schedule, but he doesn’t seem to be improving. Is it time to call your veterinarian again? Maybe---but probably not. At the end of a farm call, your veterinarian will likely tell you when to expect to see signs of improvement. Sometimes a busy veterinarian might forget to mention this, however, so get into the habit of asking. And consider taking notes during veterinary visits so you can keep track of important details, which are easy to forget if you’re worried or emotionally stressed. Referring to your notes will help you decide if your horse’s recovery is taking too long. As your horse improves, take his temperature twice a…

In January l985, I read an article in EQUUS that changed my life. It was the first of a two-part excerpt from Sally Swift’s book, Centered Riding. Back then, Swift was traveling the country giving clinics to a growing following of riders eager to learn her techniques for developing improved selfawareness and body control. But her book---and its preview in EQUUS---was the first time Swift’s fundamental concepts of breathing, soft eyes, centering and balance were shared with a wider audience. I had ridden all of my life, but Centered Riding was different from all the other instruction I’d ever had. I was intrigued, so I tried the techniques out on Colonel, my Clydesdale/Thoroughbred field hunter with the trot from hell. Wonder of wonders, I could sit Colonel’s trot! And it…

Over, Under, Through: Obstacle Training for Horses 50 Effective, Step-by-Step Exercises for Every Rider While many training books have explained ways to progressively “desensitize” horses in the arena or round pen, this new book from horsewoman Vanessa Bee takes the concept of teaching horses to accept what they think is terrifying out into the world around us. To deal with challenges, Bee has provided Six Blueprint Exercises to lay the foundation of skills you need as a trainer and a horse to go over, under and through. #ZF920, 160 pp., $27.95 Cowboy Dressage Riding, Training and Competing with Kindness as the Goal and Guiding Principle In this new book, lifelong horsewoman Jessica Black traces the evolution of Cowboy Dressage back to its roots, sharing the story of Eitan and Debbie…

I just lost it. I slumped over in the saddle and bawled like a baby. All of the stress and sadness and helplessness that had filled the last 24 hours had pushed its way to the surface and couldn’t be contained anymore. My trainer stood next to me, her hand on my knee, waiting. Compass, my big chestnut horse, stood quietly, relaxing more with every moment, his head dropping toward the ground. Every muscle melted under me until we were both a pool of quiet and clarity. The lesson didn’t begin this way. We had started at “rough,” spiraled into “giant mess” and galloped rapidly toward “Danger! Get off now!” All in 15 minutes. Let me back up. One thing that draws me to my horse, aside from his sweet…

A new study of cleft palate in horses shows that while it leads to euthanasia in half of affected horses, the condition is, thankfully, extremely rare. Cleft palate is a congenital defect in the roof of the mouth, leading to a split down the center of the structures. The condition can involve the hard palate (the bony front portion of the roof of the mouth), the soft palate (the softer back portion of the roof of the mouth), or both. “The causes of cleft palate in horses are poorly understood and believed to be multifactorial,” says Sarah Shaw, DVM, of Texas A&M University. “Causes may include genetic factors, exposure to ionizing radiation or teratogens0, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and the administration of some drugs during pregnancy.” In a retrospective study,…

• When working with a horse who has leg-handling issues, I use a large arena that has good footing. This way if the horse needs to move, I can move him. Don’t attempt to do these training sessions in a barn aisle or tie stall. • Before each session, exercise your horse for at least 20 minutes to release any pent-up energy and emotion. He’ll probably be in the best frame of mind after a long ride. • Stay out of the kick zones as much as you can during the process of desensitization and trust building. Stand as close to the horse’s shoulder as possible, to avoid a cow-style kick from the horse. • If you have a handler on the horse’s head, make sure that person knows how…

During a flare-up of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), a combination of drugs may provide relief. “You need to get rid of the inflammation with the steroids, and then treat with a bronchodilator to open the air passages that are squeezed shut,” says Amy Johnson, DVM, DACVIM, of the University of Pennsylvania. “For an acute episode, we usually recommend systemic steroids administered either intravenously or in the muscle, or even orally, and bronchodilators.” Clenbuterol (Ventipulmin) and ipratropium are the two bronchodilators most commonly prescribed for horses, and they are usually administered along with the corticosteroids dexamethasone and prednisolone. This drug protocol has been in use for a long time and is generally considered safe. “If the horse has a very severe, acute problem, dexamethasone is the way to go,” says Laurent…

Gazing out into the green pasture dotted with horses, I can always immediately spot my Tucker, and my breath catches in sheer awe every time. Tucker is a 16-year-old, 18-hand Percheron I bought at auction more than four years ago. All I wanted to do was save his life, but he---quite literally---saved mine. About two years before I found Tucker, I had a massive heart attack at a very young age. My doctors told me they couldn’t believe I had survived the “widow maker.” Even the emergency room staff came up to my hospital room to congratulate me on surviving---I was the first many of them had seen. By the time I went home to recover, I’d had plenty of time to think about how lucky I had been and…