Sommaire pour May 2016 de Equus

Horses offer perfect “therapy” I feel compelled to thank Laura Walter for sharing her story about her and her mother’s horse, Amrieh (“How Amrieh Showed the Way,” True Tales, EQUUS 462). I particularly appreciated the author’s comments about how older riders relate to riding, especially when they had ridden well in their youths. I had grown up riding, and I rode like it was second nature---almost as if I was born in the saddle. But I quit in my late 20s, then I went back to it in my late 50s. I am now approaching 65. Ms. Walter is the only contributing writer I have come across who so perfectly expressed how a young person is able to ride with no fear but with heavenly joy and exhilaration---but that an…

▸ Definition: injury from an external force that disrupts the normal function of the brain ▸ Signs: In addition to evidence of external trauma, a horse with a milder TBI may show gait abnormalities, depression and more subtle neurological abnormalities. More severe signs may include altered personality, ataxia, head tilt, abnormal pupil size, recumbency, seizures, bleeding from the nose and/or paralysis of the facial nerves. ▸ Causes: blows to the head or jolts or hard shakes of the head. Common causes of TBI in horses include rearing and falling over backward; pulling back hard when tied or when the head is entrapped, such as in a fence; rearing in enclosed spaces; kicks from other horses; or other accidents. Penetrative TBI occurs when a foreign object physically penetrates the skull and…

Flipping a switch and having the lights come on is one of those modern conveniences we all take for granted. And yet it can be frustrating on those dark nights at the barn, when, say, you still need to juggle a flashlight to examine the blood on the back of a horse’s leg, or when you’re struggling to read the fine print on the medication labels. If these situations sound familiar, it might be time to think about upgrading your lighting systems. Barns and indoor arenas can be difficult to light well. Ideally, they require large overhead fixtures that broadcast light over large areas, combined with brighter, more direct lighting in grooming areas, wash stalls and other work spaces. Walkways and the main doors also need to be illuminated for…

Ulcer diagnosis can be fairly straightforward: In an endoscopic exam a small, flexible tube with a camera in the end is passed through a horse’s esophagus to his stomach and relays real-time images to a screen. But even if ulcers are found, it’s hard to determine whether they are the cause of health or performance problems. Instead, the results of the endoscopic exam are one piece of the larger puzzle, often serving as a baseline to chart the effectiveness of treatment. In many cases, treatment itself helps in confirming an ulcer diagnosis. A veterinarian may suggest starting a horse on ulcer medication to see if he improves. The gold standard for treating ulcers in horses is the drug omeprazole, sold as GastroGard. It works by decreasing the acid production in…

SOUNDNESS Exercise and arthritis Q: My horse is beginning to develop minor arthritis, but he is prone to laminitis so I know I need to keep him active. What are some good exercises for him that won’t stress him too much? He has been started on an MSM/glucosamine supplement. Name withheld by request A: Arthritis is the inflammation of a joint. People experience different types of arthritis, but in horses, we primarily see degenerative osteoarthritis (OA)---inflammation that, when unchecked, leads to degradation of the cartilage and the remodeling of the bone in and around a joint. Lameness and swelling in a joint are obvious signs of advancing OA, but earlier warnings can include reduced activity when the horse is at liberty, stiffness or mild lameness that disappears with exercise, and…

Research from France suggests that horses can develop something akin to depression in response to social or physical discomfort. For a study conducted at University of Rennes 1, researchers selected 12 horses who were considered “withdrawn” and 15 who behaved normally. “Withdrawn horses are rather easy to identify as they have long bouts of immobility with ears, neck and head fixed, wide open eyes with unusually long intervals in eye blinking, leading to an impression of total fixity,” explains Céline Rochais, PhD. To gauge how the horses responded to stimuli, the researchers subjected them to five unusual sounds: baboon, goose and whale calls; the call of a horse not known to the study horses; and piano music. Each day each horse heard one of the sounds---played for three seconds from…

We’ve all been taught that horses can readily pick up on our anxiety, anger and other emotions from our body language. Now, research from England suggests that they can read our facial expressions as well. In a study at the University of Sussex, researchers videotaped 28 riding school horses, ranging in age from 4 to 28, as they were shown four photographs of two male models, each with a positive (smiling) expression and a negative (angry) expression. Each horse’s heart rate was also monitored as he viewed the images. The trials were repeated two months later. In analyzing the filmed reactions, researchers looked specifically for the horses to turn their heads to view the images with their left eyes. Previous studies have established that this so-called “leftgaze bias” indicates unease…

Bringing a horse back into condition after some time off must be done carefully: He needs to work up a sweat to gain fitness, but too much exertion increases the risk of several serious complications, including tying up. Tying up, technically called exertional rhabdomyolysis, refers to severe cramping of the large muscles of the hindquarters, back and, sometimes, the shoulders during or after exercise. In some cases, damaged or dying muscle cells can release enough toxic debris into the bloodstream to stress the kidneys. Extreme cases may be fatal. Repeated tying up occurs in horses with two specific disorders characterized by cellular dysfunctions in the muscles: polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) and recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER). However, heat stress and/or electrolyte imbalances can cause virtually any horse who exerts himself to…

“A fly, Sir, may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but, one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still.”---Samuel Johnson/Life of Johnson, by James Boswell, Esq. The Sahara UV Fly Sheet (suggested retail, $84.95), from Pessoa, features two types of fabric: The top cover protects against ultraviolet rays, while the mesh sides allow for ventilation to keep the horse cool while blocking out flies. The sheet also has a wide belly band and a removable neck. Available in ocean or lavender, in sizes 69 to 84 inches in three-inch increments. Visit www.PessoaUSA.com. An EPA-registered repellent built into the fabric of the Supa-Fly Insect Shield Detach-a-Neck Fly Sheet (suggested retail, $149.99), from WeatherBeeta, is designed to protect against mosquitoes, flies, ticks and fleas for up…

As an astute horse owner, you are no doubt aware of the risk of equine gastric ulcer syndrome. Studies show that up to 90 percent of certain equine populations have gastric lesions caused when digestive acids damage the lining of the stomach. Ulcers can cause a horse to lose weight, colic intermittently and develop a grumpy or fussy attitude. However, some horses with ulcers soldier on, showing no significant signs of discomfort. Which gives rise to a more specific concern: Could your horse, the one you work hard to care for each day, have gastric ulcers? The only way to know for sure would be an endoscopic examination, which would be unnecessarily intrusive if the horse isn’t showing any outward signs of trouble. But you can also estimate his risk---the…

When you’re packing up to go to a horse show, clinic or daylong trail ride, it’s natural to focus mainly on your horse and his needs. But if you’ll be taking your dog along you’ll want to make sure he’ll be safe and comfortable, too. Here are eight tips to help both you and your dog enjoy your outings: 1. Check ahead to make sure dogs are welcome Not all equestrian facilities and venues allow visiting dogs, and many of those that do have strict rules you’ll need to follow. Many trails and open spaces prohibit dogs as well. Even if you’ve been to a particular location with your dog before, it pays to double-check; parks and facilities that normally permit dogs may have exceptions for special events or at…

The drive home from the show was supposed to be short---only 20 minutes with your trailer in tow. But an accident has shut down the highway. A line of cars stretches as far as the eye can see, ahead and behind you. You and your horse won’t be going anywhere soon. Situations like this are the reason it’s wise to “over-prepare” for any trailer trip, no matter how short or routine. A horse stuck in a trailer on a summer day can become severely dehydrated, so make it a habit to always carry water and a bucket in your trailer. Large water jugs---available from recreational vehicle suppliers---are perfect for this task, but you can also use an empty, lidded supplement tub, provided you’ve cleaned it thoroughly. With this extra water…

Teaching a horse to allow his hooves to be handled is often an afterthought, falling well below leading, standing tied and other basic ground manners on the list of training priorities. But it’s not something to overlook. Besides the obvious benefit of making routine hoof care easier, a horse’s cooperation can have a significant impact on treatment and recovery after an injury or ailment occurs. Good farriery manners are fairly straightforward. A horse needs to stand quietly and allow each of his hooves to be lifted off the ground to be picked out, trimmed or shod or to undergo treatment. It’s in the details that trouble can develop. For one thing, standing on three legs isn’t natural for horses and keeping a hoof elevated for more than a minute or…

From the beginning, I knew Montana was meant for something wondrous. The day I met her, a dear friend who is also a horse trainer asked if I was looking to buy a horse. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I wandered out to the meadow to see her. As I reached the tall grass line where the wildflowers grew, I stopped and stared straight into a pair of beautiful brown eyes. I wasn’t in a good place at the time. Stress, schoolwork and arguments between my parents had piled up. The gelding I used to ride had succumbed to old age. Depression overwhelmed me, and I felt burned-out and broken. Montana, however, touched something in me I thought was lost. I saw past her dirty dun coat, her matted…

As I tied my mare Sugar to the hitching rail, my mind was on a farrier appointment, arena footing and how much time I’d have to ride, so I was a little startled when a woman I’d never seen before said, “Excuse me? How do you do that?” It took me a minute to realize that she was talking about the quick-release knot I’d just made in Sugar’s lead rope. I started to explain---“You make a loop ... well, wait, it’s not exactly a loop”---and found that I couldn’t. Instead, I untied the knot and showed her how to make a new one. Horse care and handling techniques can become so ingrained that you forget that you had to learn them from someone in the first place. When I was…