Table of contents for October 2015 in Equus

Time to celebrate I’d like to see Deb Bennett, PhD, show us some research on Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. I am not a Thoroughbred owner, but I have read her Conformation Insights series and learned so much from her. I think others would be interested in her insight about this horse, his background, and what it is about him that enabled him to win. Heather West New Lebanon, Ohio Editor’s note: Look to our November issue for a Special Report on American Pharoah and his Triple Crown victory. Plans for this special section include an introduction by best-selling author Laura Hillenbrand, an analysis of American Pharoah’s conformation and pedigree by Deb Bennett, PhD, and essays by the Daily Racing Form executive columnist Jay Hovdey and racing journalist, author and historian…

A study from Poland suggests that a horse’s diet can affect how quickly he absorbs the medications he receives. Investigating reports of resistance to ivermectin among cyathostomes (small strongyles) in their region, researchers at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn tested the absorption rate of the drug in horses at different times of the year. For the first phase of the study, which was conducted in May, nine warmblood horses were given a standard dose of ivermectin and had their blood drawn at regular intervals for analysis of medication levels. Fecal samples were also collected before and periodically after the ivermectin treatment to determine its efficacy against parasites. The following November, the researchers repeated the same procedures with the same horses. The data showed that the speed of…

Argentinean researchers have identified the first equine cases of neurological disease caused by Bunyamwera virus (BUNV). An emerging cause of disease in humans and ruminants, BUNV is typically transmitted by mosquitoes. The BUNV family of viruses includes more than 300 different strains, all of which can exchange genetic material to produce new pathogens. Until now there had been no reports in the scientific literature of BUNV causing neurological disease in horses. But researchers at the National University of Cordoba and The National University of the Littoral found new isolates of the virus in the brains of three horses who died of encephalitis (swelling of the brain), in the Santa Fe region of Argentina. Although BUNV is relatively rare, the researchers note that this finding underscores the potential threat to equine…

“I want a ride that’s comfy and fast. And you just can’t beat the gas mileage or upholstery of a horse.”―Jarod Kintz, Seriously Delirious, But Not at All Serious The Platinum Collection 1,680D 300g Heavy Weight Turnout Blanket (suggested retail, $309.99), from Kensington Protective Products, has 300 grams of fiberfill insulation in a 1,680-denier, ballistic nylon outer shell that is Teflon-coated for 100 percent protection against wind and rain. For comfort, the blanket also features a CoolPlus lining system to draw body heat and wick moisture away from the skin. Other features include a detachable belly band, detachable crisscross belly straps and leg straps, and an adjustable front closure with snaps. Available in teal, raspberry, blue violet or onyx, in sizes 69 to 87 in three-inch increments. Call 909-469-1240 or…

In horse racing, a sport known for its embrace of tradition, icing horses’ legs has long been one of the more beneficial customs. “When I was training horses in the1960s and 1970s everyone had horses lined up, standing in ice tubs,” says Bill Casner, who has been involved with racing as a trainer, owner (2010 Derby Winner Super Saver was one of his) and executive his entire life. “One of the first things we did was get them accustomed to standing there with their feet in the tubs. It’s labor intensive to train them to the ice tubs. Those young horses would turn over the tubs, flood the stalls, etc., but once you get them trained to it they jump right in and stay there. It probably feels good,” he…

It’s natural to focus on rodent, raccoon and bee problems as winter approaches, but mosquitoes are also a concern. “Depending on where you are in the country, mosquitoes can still be active in the fall,” says Michael Waldvogel, extension associate professor with the North Carolina State University Department of Entomology. Because mosquitoes see stagnant water as breeding grounds, Waldvogel suggests walking your property after a rainstorm to find places where water pools. Then, he says, look for ways to mitigate the problem: “Is there anything you can do to improve drainage? Do you have objects lying around that collect water? It could be old cans, the bed of that pickup you plan to fix up some day, or a tarp covering a piece of equipment.” After you’ve identified areas where…

Practical and elegant, the Weatherbeeta Tweed Dog Coat (suggested retail, $39.99), from Weatherbeeta, is constructed of fleece-lined tweed. The coat has a fullwrap chest and belly closure for added coverage, and touch-tape fasteners that allow for an easy, adjustable fit. In addition, the coat’s large collar, which has a leash hole, can be flipped up for extra warmth over the neck. Available in sizes 12 to 32, in olive tweed. Visit www.weatherbeeta.com. Durable enough to stand up to tough field conditions, the Huntsman Dog Collar (suggested retail, $31.99), from Over Under Clothing, is constructed of heavyduty nylon with solid brass hardware and double-bar tack stitching. Available in sizes from M (13 inches to 17 inches) to XXL (19 inches to 23 inches), in forest green. Visit www.jrcriders.com. With eye-catching stripes,…

EQUUS welcomes freelance submissions for practically any section of the magazine. We prefer to receive manuscripts via email; send to EQletters@aimmedia.com. We will also consider typed hard-copy manuscripts, but please note: If you would like your materials returned, you must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your submission. We do not review or accept simultaneous submissions. Here are a few guidelines for prospective contributors: • Back Page (600 to 800 words)—Essay that illustrates an aspect of equestrian life. • Case Report (1,000 to 2,500 words)— Equine practitioners and horse owners share their accounts of unusual or baffling cases of equine illness or injury. • Features generally run from 1,600 to 3,000 words. • Hands On (100 to 400 words)—Short items offering practical advice and useful reminders on everyday horse care…

From pinned ears to a cocked hoof, the messages horses convey through body language are well known. Now work is underway in England to find out if they use their faces to communicate as well. Researchers at the University of Sussex have developed the Equine Facial Action Coding System (EquiFACS) to classify the facial expressions of horses. Formulated based on observations of 86 horses, of various ages and breeds, made using high-tech video, the EquiFACS is an adaptation of a system originally developed for humans and then modified for use in other animals including chimpanzees, dogs and cats. Through in-depth analysis of each horse’s facial musculature and characteristics during naturally occurring behaviors, the researchers documented 17 distinct and universal facial movements, such as a “mouth stretch” and “nostril lift,” that…

More than most horses, Sunny likes to toss his head while cavorting in his pasture. This habit makes the 13-year-old Arabian gelding easy to spot as he chases his herdmates or gallops off on his own. “He’s just a big goofball,” says Sue Apel, who purchased Sunny as a yearling. After a brief career in the show ring under his registered name, JD Rashik Sundown, Sunny eventually settled into life as a trail horse. He became known as a trustworthy, steady mount; his silly head-tossing habit was evident only when he was at liberty in the pasture. But on Memorial Day 2013, that quirk led to a serious injury that threatened his future. Apel had family over to her Evansville, Wyoming, property for a holiday barbecue, and her small herd---Sunny…

Last fall I fell into a fierce dispute over territory. It started innocently enough---a darting shadow along the floor of my barn aisle. A mouse? Maybe, but even though I caught only a glimpse of brown fur, it looked too big to be a mouse. I set about doing a little detective work---inspecting both the inside and the outside of my barn’s foundation for entry holes or rodent droppings. The more I looked, the more the evidence mounted. A colony of Norway rats, better known to horse owners as the “barn rat,” had set up camp beneath my barn’s dirt foundation. These rodents had not only established an elaborate series of cleverly hidden entry and exit holes, but they’d obviously been gnawing on one or two supporting barn timbers. I…

allele---one of the alternative forms of any gene on a chromosome. Each allele represents a different variation of a physical trait and each has one corresponding allele on the chromosome’s paired counterpart. For example, one blue-eye allele will have one corresponding allele that carries either a blue, green or brown-eye trait. anemia---shortage of red blood cells, commonly caused by excessive bleeding, infection, dietary deficiency or presence of toxins in the body. 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. chromosome---the self-replicating genetic structure of cells containing the cellular DNA that bears in its nucleotide sequence the linear array of genes. Each species has a constant number of chromosomes…

New research from Oklahoma State University helps explain why horses with the hormonal disorder pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, also known as Cushing’s disease) can be more susceptible to infection. In a two-phase study, the researchers analyzed blood samples from 23 horses with PPID and 39 who were healthy. They specifically investigated the processes that immune cells called neutrophils use to neutralize infectious or inflammatory agents and help the body heal. “Neutrophils migrate to areas of infection or inflammation in a process called chemotaxis. To exit the blood vessels, neutrophils first stick onto the vessel walls, a process known as adhesion. Without adhesion and chemotaxis the neutrophils can’t get to the site of infection or inflammation,” explains Dianne McFarlane, DVM, PhD. “Once they arrive [at an area of inflammation] neutrophils…

University of California– Davis researchers recently discovered the genetic mutation that causes a rare hoof disorder in Connemara ponies. In hoof wall separation disease (HWSD), the hoof wall splits along its weightbearing surface. HWSD is often confused with laminitis0 or white0 line disease, but it differs from those conditions in that the separation occurs within the hoof wall, rather than between the wall and coffin bone. Noting that horses with HWSD usually have two normal parents and begin showing signs by the time they are a year old, the California researchers suspected that the condition was autosomal recessive, which means it is expressed only in individuals who carry two copies of a mutated gene. In such disorders, unaffected “carrier” horses have only one copy of the faulty gene. If two…

That slight nip in the air isn’t the only sign that autumn is on its way---you may also be finding tiny yellow botfly eggs dotting your horse’s forelegs. “Bots” is the catchall term given to the eggs, larvae and adult stages of the Gasterophilus genus of parasitic flies. At this time of year, the more common botfly species deposit sticky yellow or grayish eggs on the hairs of a horse’s legs; some species also lay eggs on the mane and the underside of the jaw. A single female fly can lay as many as 1,000 eggs between the end of August and the first hard frost. Warmth and moisture, often provided when the horse licks the area, encourage the eggs to hatch, and the larvae then embed themselves in the…

The process of growing new tissue to close a wound occurs in two distinct stages: granulation, a mixture of tiny blood vessels, connective tissue cells (fibroblasts) and collagen that fills in the gap; and epithelialization, the growth of new skin cells across the surface of the wound to close it. If sutures are used to bring the edges of a wound together, the gap between the two sides is narrow, and both stages happen more or less simultaneously. This is called “first intention” healing of a wound. If a wound is wide, and too much tissue has been lost, it may be impossible to bring the edges together with sutures. In this case, the wound will be left open to heal. This is called “second intention” healing, and granulation and…

Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals was founded in 1992 by Gordon Chang, Ph.D., with the goal of providing customers with scientifically formulated natural health products manufactured using pharmaceutical standards. With degrees in Physiology, Pharmacology and Biomedical Engineering, Dr. Chang formulates efficacious herbal-based supplements for humans, pets and equine customers in addition to professional divisions under the Alpha Science Labs and the Alpha Vet Science brands. Customers can feel confident when they buy any Omega Alpha product that it will be safe, effective and consistent with every batch made. (800) 651-3172; www.OmegaAlphaEquine.com. Kent Nutrition Group Kent Nutrition Group, Inc. (KNG) is the maker of Kent® and Blue Seal® brands. Both brands offer an unparalleled lineup of products, including horse feed, treats and supplements, as well as dry dog food…

It is late evening and I am sitting on an upturned bucket in the barn. My mare is in cross ties, looming patiently over me as I clip her legs. I am not doing a respectable job. Hair, my own or my horse’s, remains one of life’s great mysteries to me. Even when I was clipping regularly, I could not produce a decent job. Now I am tired. I have just completed a fast-paced week in my job as a high school teacher, and I am preparing for my first horse show in five years. I still have to ride. I still have to clean tack. I am not ready and neither is my mare, but horse show world, here we come. Recently, I have started pushing the edges of…