PASTURE INJURIES =
212;
SOMETIMES THINGS JUST HAPPEN
As I work with ho=
rses on
a day-to-day basis, I am always astounded by the things they manage to scra=
pe,
cut, bruise, or injure themselves on.
Sometimes those injuries are devastating. Here is an example:
It was=
a
typical Monday morning; I was out feeding the pasture horses their morning
grain and doing a daily inspection, as the mares came up to get their food =
in
the last pasture I noticed the boss mare, Ruby, was standing quietly by
herself. Noting this as odd, =
I fed
the rest of the mares while planning to check Ruby after. As the rest were munching their gr=
ain, I
looked down and noticed for the first time the blood on the ground, large p=
ools
of blood. Suddenly much more
alarmed, I grabbed a halter and headed her way. Arriving at her side, I saw a large
puncture wound high on her left flank just in front of her hip. Instantly I called the vet and Kar=
en,
and then went about looking after Ruby.&nb=
sp;
After what seemed like an eternity (which it always does when a horse is
sick or injured!) the vet arrived and determined that not only had Ruby =
lost
large amounts of blood, she had also broken off the wing of the ilium (pelvis). However, there was no foreign body in=
the
wound to indicate how she managed to do this in what we thought was an
otherwise benign pasture. As =
well,
while the wound was large and deep, it did not penetrate fully into her gut;
had her intestines been exposed or damaged, we would have known to euthanize
her right away. Ruby was sewn=
back
up, started on pain management medication, antibiotics and had several lite=
rs
of fluids to help replace what she’d lost. Miner Institute had a horse donated
several years prior that had a healed broken or “dropped hip,” =
so
we knew this too wasn’t an instant reason to put her down. Once she appeared to be in relativ=
ely
stable condition and even starting to pick at some hay, Karen and I headed =
for
the pasture to try and determine the cause of this odd wound.
Walking the entirety of your horse pastures is something that should be
done on a regular basis year-round.
Be on the lookout for sharp, protruding objects such as metal sticki=
ng
out of the ground, fence or wire twisted out of shape, broken off tree bran=
ches,
etc. These are all things cur=
ious
horses can easily end up injuring themselves on. Also, be looking for holes that a =
horse
could step in and twist a limb.
Lastly, be aware of what plants are in your pasture or just outside =
the
fence line, and if there is anything that could be potentially poisonous.
Horses=
have
large amounts of time to get in trouble while in a pasture, particularly in=
the
winter. To help keep them fro=
m pure
boredom when there is no grass for grazing, feed average quality hay at lea=
st
twice a day so they spend less time scavenging for odd things to eat. The purpose of the hay being avera=
ge
quality is so that the horses may eat more of it without taking in too many
calories. Not only will this keep the horses occupied, it will also provide=
the
necessary roughage to help them maintain body heat through fermentation in =
the
hind-gut during the cold of winter.
As Karen and I walked the pasture, we became increasingly baffled as to
what could have caused Ruby’s injury. Walking through the last set of tr=
ees we
came upon our first, last, and only suspect- a completely branchless sectio=
n of
a cedar tree trunk that had fresh bark exposed and Ruby-colored hair caught=
in
what appeared to be a cut into the tree at just the right height for her
wound. Finding nothing else t=
hat
looked even remotely suspicious, we concluded the only semi-probable theory=
was
that Ruby was running through this tight set of trees (probably chasing the
other mares- she reminded them often that she was the boss!) and cut the co=
rner
a little too tight, slamming her hip into the tree. This blunt-force trauma=
was
strong enough to break her hip and create the resulting hole in her side.
Unfort=
unately
after two long days of fighting hard, Ruby’s strong will to live was =
overcome
by the severity of her injury and she was humanely euthanized on Wednesday
morning. Ultimately, horses a=
re
still large animals and capable of getting into all sorts of trouble despite
our best efforts. The most we=
can
do is keep a watchful eye out for potential threats and persevere to strike=
a
balance between such overprotection that we never let them out of a padded
stall and letting them just be horses.
—
Ostrowski@whminer=
.com
EquiDay 2010 at Miner In=
stitute
is a daylong symposium on horse topics and a mini-expo to launch the spring
season in the
Horse training is a huge topic that is always of great interest, but the
best place to start is with a discussion by Dr. Stephen Mackenzie, an equine
studies professor at SUNY Cobleskill, on How Horses Learn. The author of the
book Fundamentals of Free Lungeing: An Introduction to Tackless Training,
Dr. Mackenzie will take some of the mystery out of the horse’s
learning process to help us clarify our role as trainer.
Dr. Betsy Greene,
Spring brings to mind visions of leggy new foals running through the
pasture, so full of promise! But what does it take to get there? What quest=
ions
should you ask yourself before signing that stallion service contract or
bringing your mare to the stallion? Katie
Ballard, Miner Institute’s Director of Research, will talk about bree=
ding
considerations for mare owners.
The other end of the life spectrum is the senior horse. The life expectancy of a horse has
increased dramatically over the years and with that has come the need for
better understanding of how to care for our golden-aged friends.
Adiron=
dack
Tack of Plattsburgh, NY will put on a fashion show and describe the outfits=
for
various disciplines. A good time to find out the latest in what’s hot,
what’s NOT, or simply what’s comfortable!
No mat=
ter the
weather (EquiDay is famous for snowstorms), the=
show
will go on. EquiDay is held in the
LAMENESS &
PODIATRY ISSUES IN THE PERFORMANCE HORSE
Presented By:
Speaker: Dr. Tracy Turner,=
When: Saturday, March 13 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where:
Dr Turner is the world’s leading author and researcher on the sub=
ject
of navicular syndrome and heel pain in horses.<=
span
style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Those papers have explained how it=
is
different from or may be confused with more generalized pain and discomfort=
in
the heel area, and is instrumental in helping vets and farriers
together around the world try new procedures for chronically lame horses,
avoiding a lifetime sentence of unsoundness. He feels that lameness prob=
lems
continue to be the most common cause of performance issues in our equine
athletes. Dr Turner utilizes a
number of different diagnostic techniques and treatments to determine the b=
est
treatment plan to return the individual equine back to its desired
occupation. This includes inv=
olving
the horse’s vet, the farrier, and perhaps
referral vet care. Dr Turner =
is
currently in private practice at Anoka Equine Veterinary Services, a leading
equine referral center in the upper
The
UVM Morgan Horse Farm in
Anatomy and physiology of mares and stallions will open the discussions=
. Other topics for the mare will inc=
lude
manipulating the mare’s cycle, use of ultrasound and other diagnostic=
s,
artificial insemination, embryo transfer and managing the breeding program.=
For
the stallion, topics include semen collection, evaluation, and handling for
on-farm A.I., cooled-transport and frozen semen. The staff of the UVM Morgan Horse =
Farm,
Miner Institute and veterinarians will guide workshop participants through
hands-on participation and demonstrations of ultrasound, teasing procedures,
semen collection and processing, artificial insemination and frozen semen
handling. The important step =
of
training the inexperienced stallion to the breeding phantom is also
demonstrated.
The registration fee of $250 includes workshop materials
and meals. Spaces are limited=
to 25
participants.
For more information, call the UVM Morgan Horse Farm at (802) 388-2011, Mon=
day
through Friday.
19TH ANNUAL
When: April 10 & 11, 2010
Where: 4H
Admission:&=
nbsp;
$15/Person=
Per Day; $7.50 for 4H Members
Doors Open at 8:30 a.m.
Confirmed Speakers:
Sharon Camarillo, 4 Time National Rodeo Fina=
list
& Cowgirl Hall of Fame Inductee
Dr. Steven Sedrish,
Dr. Bill Barnes,
Dru Malavese, NYS H=
orse
Council – Helmet Fitting and Safety
Holly Mason, USDF Medalist, dressage trainer=
and
author
Volunteer Opportunities & Vend=
or
Spaces are available.
To pre-register, contact Sharon T. LaPier at
(518) 885-8995 or email
stl32@cornell.edu for more information.
HORSE BARN RENOVATION
The north end of =
the
horse barn has been a warm place for the maintenance crew to work during the
last few weeks while finishing renovations. The old barn wall siding was
removed to replace some studs that had been suffering from rot around the
windows. The new wall is a tongue and groove rough lumber that’s been
stained to match the work that was done a few years ago. The breeding area =
of
the barn has just about completed its facelift. Next project:
interlocking rubber mats to cover the whole barn floor… Stay tu=
ned!
ACQUIRED FLEXURAL
DEFORMITIES: ODIN REVISITED
Back
in the fall, I described our colt Odin’s journey with flexural
deformities. His heels were much closer to the ground as a reward for our
intensive management intervention of stall rest, slowing rapid growth throu=
gh
restricted nutrition and lots and LOTS of leg wrapping for support, but they
still didn’t touch. At =
press
time, he was just about to head off to surgery to have his check ligaments =
cut
to finish fixing the problem. Now, we continue Odin’s story…
What a champ our little guy was! He rode over to the clinic in
The clinic called in our farrier, Steve Haz=
en,
who happens to live only a few miles from the vet clinic to come in the
following morning for a multi-vet and farrier w=
orkup
on Odin. Declared by the staff to us as “sweetest baby ever,” O=
din
was very cooperative to get his feet trimmed and get looked at extra closel=
y by
lots of extra eyes. Verdict: No surgery!
So, Odin had himself a very productive, non-invasive field trip to
Maya did end up having her left front foot only showing a flexural
deformity. Her case was obviously a surgical one, so a few days after Odin =
left
VLAC, Maya checked in for check ligament surgery. The post-operative care w=
as
very important, but not difficult.
She was on anti-inflammatories plus ulcer
preventative medication as well as antibiotics for several days. The leg ne=
eded
to be wrapped well to support the limb as well as to keep the incisions, wh=
ich
were tiny, covered and clean. She then has been lock-step with Odin in term=
s of
hand walking and turnout. Thank goodness for our Pony Barn, our small indoor
arena has been a savior during this frozen winter of open ground! Both foals get trimmed every four =
weeks
to stay on top of their growth and hoof balance and we are planning a new
feeding plan for the mares and foals in 2010!
—
lassell@whminer.com
TRAINING MYTHUNDERSTANDINGS: HORSE-LOGICAL COMMUNICATION STARTS WITH
GROOMING
A lot of ama=
teur
trainers MythUnderstand what the training proce=
ss is
all about. They think that training involves dominating a horse, showing hi=
m who's
boss. They approach training as though it were a battle in which one party =
wins
and the other loses. =
Good training is not ab=
out
confrontation. It's about building a horse-logical communication system. As
trainer, you do your talking as a non-hunting predator just walking through=
the
herd or in the role of lead mare in your little herd of two. But you don't
ignore the horse's side of the conversation.
To understand the horse=
's side
of the conversation means learning horse-speak--how horses say things to one
another. Then you use that knowledge to say things back to the horse for yo=
ur
own purposes. You want to communicate to the horse that you like it, that
you're glad it's there, that you like to be around it. You're not going to =
just
grab the horse and beat it into submission. In terms of horse-speak, groomi=
ng
can be a powerful influence you can use to gain control and trust.
Wild horse survival req=
uires
strong herd instinct. Mutual grooming expresses camaraderie among horses and
helps wild ones bond into a herd. Horses love to be groomed. Use this to yo=
ur
advantage to make friends with a horse when you first start working with it=
and
to study how your horse communicates things to you.
F=
or
example, if the horse is totally relaxed and looking around and sometimes
looking back at you then you got some good quality time going on. Pay atten=
tion
as you groom the horse to see where it's sensiti=
ve
areas are and where it really enjoys a good scratching. Horses often signal
their pleasure by screwing up their upper lip or by arching or stretching t=
heir
neck when you hit an itchy spot. If the horse pins its ears, swishes its ta=
il,
or threatens a kick, it's saying "back off.=
"
There are horses with very thin skin who dislike
coarse brushes but if you groom them properly without sudden moves using so=
ft
brushes and a degree of pressure that agrees with them, there should be no
problem.
W=
hen you
are grooming, the horse will naturally want to return the favor because tha=
t's
what it would do if you were another horse. If the horse starts chewing on =
you,
do NOT slap it. If a horse tries to chew on you, you should have seen it co=
ming
if you were paying total attention to your horse. Grooming is not just movi=
ng a
brush with your hand while you daydream about tomorrow. You should be think=
ing
about now, about this horse. So if the horse wants to groom you in return,
interrupt it unobtrusively. If the head starts around, and you've been payi=
ng
attention and have a plan, you'll just put hand up near the neck to stop the
head turning without making a big sudden attack on the horse. You interrupt=
the
undesirable behavior without changing the horse's attitude, excitement leve=
l,
or interpretation of what's going on.
T=
he safe
place by any horse is beside the front legs. If you are standing beside the
front legs and have some way to control the head, you won't get kicked, bit=
, or
tromped on if everything turns into a can of worms. So you start grooming w=
here
it is safe--at the shoulders--and you just keep working both directions. Ta=
ke
your time and keep working slowly to the back and find all the places. Keep
making your safe bubble bigger and bigger. And by the time you and the horse
speak the same language, the entire horse will be available to you and thin=
gs
will rarely if ever fall apart.
I=
f, when
you turned it loose, you saw that this horse did lots of kicking, you would
never go to the back of the animal without taking the lead rope with you. T=
hat
way, you can swing the horse's hindquarters away from you by pulling the he=
ad
toward you if the horse tries to kick.
A=
ctions
and body language are the only things that make up horse-speak. Save your
vocalizing for later. If you use vocal commands at the horse, you will leave
out the horse-speak, and if you leave out the horse-speak you will be very
frustrated with why the horse won't listen to you. If you always apply a
methodical and directional pressure to create a shape that the horse feels =
and
understands, then put a word or signal along with that methodical pressure,=
the
horse may notice it or may not. However, over a period of time, the horse w=
ill
begin to notice it and pick it up as having a meaning that it feels at that
moment. But it is unenforceable.
I=
f you
want to talk to yourself, or hum, or sing to yourself while grooming, howev=
er,
it is fine. Anything that will keep your rhythm and relaxation will keep the
horse's rhythm and relaxation.
T=
here are
times when you go into someone's barn and all the horses in there will be i=
n a
depressed state because they don't like where they are and they don't like =
what
goes on and they don't like anybody. The horses won't make any fuss, they'll
just be mopey and down. Horses that have a happy
thing going on are going to communicate with you as soon as you go through.=
One
may stick its head out and tell you that you have no business going by with=
out
coming over to visit. One might try to get you into a game of duck and bite.
But they are all going to be active. They will be doing anything they want.=
If
you go into a barn and the horses get up immediately, you know that the hor=
ses
are definitely afraid of the people. When you watch people around horses you
will find out very quickly whether or not they understand horse-speak and h=
ave
the knack for "nice-ing" the horses i=
nto
submission. That is the skill that a lot of people don't understand.
Really good training is=
boring
to watch. When it starts getting exciting and looking like a rodeo then you
know that somebody is out of control or scared or angry. Good training shou=
ld
have about the same activity level as paint drying.
&=
nbsp;
— Ron Meredith, President, Meredith Manor
International Equestrian Centre
&co=
py; 2000
Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre. All rights reserved.
HORSE HOOF ANATOMY LAB AT MINER INSTITUTE: APRIL 16 & 17, 2010
Allie Hayes of Ho=
rse
Science in
lassell@whminer.com
Friday, April 16, 2010 will be a day-long seminar for farriers,
hoof trimmers, and veterinarians. Allie will offer a combination of lecture=
and
lab with hands-on time featuring models that she has prepared of actual equ=
ine
limbs that have been cut at various angles to get a true view of what’=
;s
going on in the foot. This wi=
ll
cover in-depth anatomy of the lower limb as well as some common pathologies, such as laminitis. The day will begin at 10 a.m. and =
end at
3 p.m., with lunch included. The registration fee is $50, but if you regist=
er
before April 10, the fee is discounted at $40.
Saturday, April 17 will be a morning lecture and lab for horse owners a=
nd
enthusiasts again with a combination of a slide show and hands-on with the
models. The main topic of discussion will be hoof balance from the outside =
as
well as the inside of the foot. The
event will start at 9 a.m. and finish at noon. Morning refreshments are included =
in the
registration fee of $10.
A stallion that stood for many years at Miner, Ted=
win
Titlist or “Rocky,” struggled for many years with one foot that=
was
on a slow downhill slide. When the decision was made to put him down last
spring, Rocky’s owners generously allowed=
us to
send his front legs to Allie to be turned into a great teaching tool. After
months in the freeze dryer, the limbs have been cut in such a way as to all=
ow a
very detailed look at exactly what was going on in the foot and give us a v=
iew
that even the best x-rays couldn’t show us.
FEATURED MINER MORGAN: HD
“Scout” is as cute as can be and
loaded with
character! By Stonehelm Talisman and out of UVM=
Valkyrie, this 5 year old gelding’s training is=
well
underway. He’s 14.2 hands, very solidly built and unmistakably
Morgan! Scout walks, trots, a=
nd
canters nicely under saddle and really enjoys the trails. While he’s
perfectly comfortable with the English saddle, we think he’ll shine a=
s a
western pleasure mount. $4000.