FEATURE ARTICLE - "Winter Care For Older Horses"
WHAT'S NEW - "County 4-H Service Project: KIDS HELPING KIDS"
HORSE SENSE - "Thrush"
BREED OF THE MONTH - "The Friesian"
TASTY TREATS - "Whynnie's Wonderful Yumyums"
QUESTION OF THE MONTH - "How To Measure Horse Blankets"
WINTER CARE FOR OLDER HORSES
Owners need to consider how they will meet their older horses' (or their younger, hard-keeping horses') nutrient requirements during the winter. Providing adequate energy is the prime concern, and how you will provide those extra calories depends on available feed and each horse's individual needs.
A good place to start is assessing your horse's body condition score (BCS). Horses with a BCS of greater than 5 will have some extra fat stores that can provide insulation and serve as a readily available source of energy when the daily ration falls short as the temperature drops.
In developing your feeding strategy, consider increasing your horse's hay intake to meet his energy needs. Hay is digested in the gastrointestinal tract by fermentation, which produces heat that the horse can use to maintain core body temperature. There is a limit as to how much hay he can consume daily. In most cases, he will consume 2.0-2.5% of his body weight per day. If he can't consume enough hay, then adding grain to the diet will also provide calories.
Temperatures well below freezing, or wet snow or freezing rain conditions, greatly increase a horse's energy requirements, especially if he's maintained outside. Rain and wind can cause the horse to lose the insulating capacity of his hair coat, and he'll use body reserves to maintain core body temperature, often resulting in weight loss. Owners must increase the daily feed to meet these increased demands, but they play catch up with the feed unless they can accurately predict the weather or can put horses in the barn when things turn nasty.
Assess BCS regularly to ensure you've provided enough feed to maintain weight; also check BCS of pastured horses after a particularly cold, wet spell, when they can lose weight rapidly. Be thorough: get your hands on each horse, because a winter hair coat can hide a lot. You don't want to find an overly thin or fat horse when he sheds his winter coat in the spring.
Conduct an inventory of how much hay you have on hand (in tons, not bales) and its nutrient content. Consult your county extension agent about hay sampling and testing. Analysis will give you an estimate of energy content, and it will help you determine how to supplement effectively.
Ensure older horses and hard keepers have some form of shelter to protect them from the winter precipitation and wind. For the older horse or the hard keeper, losing weight is not an option, as getting that condition back during the winter is difficult and often impossible.
Consider supplementing the older, harder-keeping horse's high-quality hay with a suitable concentrate, such as a senior horse feed that has been specifically formulated to meet the older horse's nutrient needs.
In addition, adequate water intake ensures adequate feed intake. Keep the water source warm to prevent freezing. Researchers have noted that water warmed to 39°F (4°C) resulted in greater water intake. If the horse drinks less, he might eat less, or, more importantly, he's at an increased risk of impaction colic.
For horses unable to consume enough long-stem hay, consider adding beet pulp to the diet. This is an easily digested fiber source that can help meet the horse's energy needs. For other hard keepers, you might need to supplement the diet with vegetable oil to increase calorie intake.
Consult your veterinarian or equine nutritionist with specific questions.
(Reprinted from www.thehorse.com and The Kentucky Horse Council.)
KIDS HELPING KIDSRockwall County 4-H 2011 Service Project
MISSION: To improve and enrich the quality of life for children of the Navajo Nation by partnering with local community groups to obtain donations of used and/or new children’s books.
HISTORY: The Navajo Nation is the largest Indian reservation in the United States, encompassing over 27,000 square miles or 16.2 million acres in northern Arizona, New Mexico and Southern Utah. Many of the 255,000 Diné, as the Navajo call themselves, live in high-desert communities so remote that they are accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles. Most of these communities offer few employment opportunities and many families struggle to survive in the face of extreme poverty, substandard housing, sporadic medical care, limited educational opportunities and isolation. More than 50% of Navajo children drop out of school and fewer than 7% of adult Navajos have college degrees.
SIGNIFICANCE: Reading is an important activity that no child should be deprived of during the early years of his/her life. When children read, their vocabulary expands. Reading stimulates children’s imagination, accelerates their emotional development, fosters natural curiosity and increases their knowledge. Reading improves a child’s attention span and can successfully replace TV as a source of entertainment while helping children utilize their time in a more constructive manner. Developing the habit of reading regularly from an early age helps children cope more effectively with the rigors of future academic education and enhances their chances of getting a better job later in life.
BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING: Youth who volunteer say the benefits received include: learning to respect others; learning to be helpful and kind; developing leadership skills, becoming more patient and a having a better understanding of citizenship. Youth who volunteer are more likely to do well in school, graduate, vote, and are 50% less likely to abuse alcohol, cigarettes, become pregnant, or engage in other destructive behavior.
TEXAS 4-H: For more than 103 years, the 4-H Program of Texas has been engaging youth in activities that develop leadership, initiative, self-reliance, compassion, respect for cultural diversity and sportsmanship while teaching valuable life skills. With projects ranging from communication to community service and from goal setting to leadership, the benefits obtained from participating in the 4-H Program are priceless.
THRUSH
Thrush is an anaerobic bacterial infection that slowly eats away at the horse's hoof tissue. "It's characterized by black, malodorous necrotic (dead) material or exudate in the central or collateral sulci of the frog (the grooves adjacent to and in the middle of the triangle-shaped frog)," says Steve Adair, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of equine surgery at the University of Tennessee.
Early stages of thrush only involve superficial tissues and don't cause lameness. But if ignored, the infection can advance into sensitive tissues and internal structures of the foot, such as the digital cushion, hoof wall, and heel bulb, warns Ashley G. Boyle, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, assistant professor of medicine in the section of field service at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center.
Causes
The primary factors favoring thrush are excessive hoof contact with moisture and a lack of regular foot care, either of which can occur when autumn rains and cold weather cause an owner to be less diligent about mucking the stall, picking out hooves, or turning out/exercising the horse (movement across dry ground produces a scouring action on hooves).
"Any area that stays wet, muddy, or is contaminated with urine and feces is a place that can harbor the bacteria that cause thrush," Adair says. "Swampy land, ponds, and streams provide an area that will stay wet and muddy. A common watering trough is another area. Structures that provide common shade areas or where horses can congregate will become wet and unsanitary."
Although less common, poor hoof conformation can predispose some horses to thrush, even when living in clean, dry conditions. States Boyle, "Certain breeds, such as Saddlebreds and other gaited breeds, have been found to be predisposed due to the conformation of their feet (deep grooves associated with the frog). Narrow heel conformation can result in a deep-central sulcus that extends into the heel bulbs as well." (Deeper sulci receive less air, creating a more thrush-friendly environment.)
Treatment
Diagnosis is based on clinical signs (discharge, location, loss of frog) and environmental conditions. In mild to moderate cases, diagnosis and treatment can be handled by the owner, Boyle says. "More severe cases in which the central sulcus and the crack between the heel bulbs are painful, and the horse may or may not be lame, often require additional attention from a veterinarian."
Steps to resolve thrush include:
1. "First and foremost, problem environments must be cleaned up," emphasizes Adair. "Clean the stalls and change bedding regularly. Fence off ponds and streams. Scrape and regularly clean common loafing areas (beneath trees, shade structures). Construct watering facilities so there is proper drainage."
If you can't immediately correct the horse's environment, move the horse to a clean, dry area during the treatment period, says Adair, or protect the feet with boots.
2. Clean feet daily. "Use gauze like floss to clean out the central sulcus," says Adair.
3. The owner or veterinarian should carefully trim away any dead or loose frog with a hoof knife. This prevents trapping of the bacteria and exposes the tissues to air (and therefore oxygen, limiting bacterial growth), explains Boyle.
4. Treat the affected frog and sulci of the frog with topical agents. Adair and Boyle recommend applying dilute bleach (one part bleach to 10 parts water) or dilute chlorhexidine (eight parts chlorhexidine to two parts water) or povidone iodine (one to two parts povidone iodine to eight to nine parts water). Do this daily, then decrease to once or twice a week until the condition is eliminated. Do not use dilute formaldehyde or tincture of iodine, as they can damage healthy tissue.
Also apply a drying agent such as copper naphthenate (Kopertox) or an isopropanel formalin, iodine complex, and gentian-violet combination (Thrush Buster). Depending on severity, these can be used daily, every few days, or weekly.
"Make sure these drying agents do not touch the more sensitive tissues of the coronet band and haired skin," cautions Boyle, "as they are caustic and drying."
5. If the horse is not lame, provide exercise to clean the foot naturally.
6. "For severe cases, pack the deep sulci with cotton soaked with honey or sugar and betadine solution on a daily basis," re-commends Boyle. "The high concentration of sugar acts as an antiseptic." Topical or systemic antibiotics administered under veterinary direction might be necessary for severe cases.
7. With appropriate treatment you should notice improvement in mild cases within a few days, and the thrush should be resolved in two or three weeks. "Horses with deep cracks between the heel bulbs may take a few months to resolve," Boyle states.
Take-Home Message
In most cases thrush is preventable by maintaining dry footing, clean hooves, and regular turnout or exercise. For horses whose underlying hoof conformation predisposes them to thrush, couple good management techniques with regular trimming of the foot and frog.
(Reprinted from www.thehorse.com)
THE FRIESIAN
The Friesian horse is very charismatic. His gentle and willing nature provides a strong base for versatile training and his intelligence leads to a rewarding partnership between horse and owner. He can be used in many different disciplines (dressage, saddle seat, pleasure riding, trail, pleasure driving, combined driving, etc.) as well as, exhibition and light draft work. His handsome appearance and animated action provide a noble “presence” in any show ring, parade, or simply in your own paddock.
The Friesian horse is unique, truly a breed to be proud of. It developed from a very old breed which was inherent to all of western Europe. It's the only horse native to Holland. Historically speaking, the Friesian horse has been influenced by eastern bloodlines and has often been threatened with extinction. Thanks to the single-mindedness and dauntless dedication of true horse lovers, one can still appreciate the many facets of the Friesian horse today.
Characteristics
Without a doubt, the black coat of the Friesian will impress you at first sight. Bays and grays occurred earlier in the breed, but now black is the only recognized color. A small white forehead star is also allowed. Other obvious characteristics are the long, heavy mane and tail and the Shire-like fetlock hair.
Use
The Friesian horse is enjoying a revival. He is a noteworthy sight in the show ring. His shiny black coat, flying mane and tail, and high action form an imposing image. The Friesian is, by nature, a talented show horse.
Harness shows
The aim of showing in harness is to bring out the best in one's horse. The horse should be balanced in a fast, high-action trot, roomy from the shoulder and powerful in the hindquarters. The total picture is one of lively harmony, with ears pricked attentively forward. Harness events in shows are usually driven with a high-wheeled gig, the "sjees", for singles, pairs, and tandems. Driving with four-wheeled show carts is also gaining popularity.
Recreational and Competition Driving
Driving one or more Friesian horses has become increasingly popular in the past few years. Tough international competitions are only for the few, but there are many who derive relaxation and pleasure from driving Friesians for recreation. He who wants to perfect his driving and test his skill against others, can do so at the many dressage driving events.
Riding
The Friesian horse has a talent for dressage. The foundation lies in his intelligence, willingness to learn, and readiness to perform. His pleasant character and his gentleness make the Friesian an attractive mount for competition as well as for recreational purposes. The riding club "De Oorsprong" (the source), from Huis ter Heide near St. Nicolaasga in Friesland, has been using only Friesian horses since 1937 in order to advertise their abilities as riding horses.
Tilting at the ring
This traditional sport is still enthusiastically practiced throughout Holland. One can see Friesians pulling a wide assortment of carriages at these events.
Quadrille
The Friesian quadrille is a well-appreciated show number. It is comprised of 8 sjees, drawn by Friesians, driven by gentlemen accompanied by a lady, both dressed in traditional costumes like those worn in the 1850's. Complex patterns are driven, showing the drivers' trust in the obedience of their horses.
(Reprinted from the Friesian Horse Association of North America, www.fhana.com)
WHYNNIE'S WONDERFUL YUMYUMS
By Shelby C. and WhynnyMay
What You Will Need:
1. 1 cup flour
2. 1/2 cup molasses
3. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
4. 1 cup sugar
5. Any extra treats such as apple/oats/carrots/peppermints crushed/grated
How To Fix It:
Preheat oven for 350 degrees F. First, mix sugar, flour, and crushed/grated goods. Then add liquid goods. Stir until well blended. The mix should be sticky, but not too runny. If it is too runny, add flour, if it is to thick, add a little more molasses and oil. Cook for 10-15 min. Apply more time if it's necessary. They should be crunchy when you are done, let cool in fridge.
Trevor wants to get a horse blanket for Daisy but doesn't know what size to get.
How to Properly Measure and Fit a Horse Blanket
You want your horse to be comfortable and safe in his stable blanket. It is easy to get the proper fit with a little attention to detail. An improper fitting blanket will cause wither and shoulder rubs; a blanket that is too large can pose danger from straps and excess material. So you want to get it right.The process is simple and straightforward.
Measure Your Horse
Find a level spot and have an assistant hold your horse. Use a flexible cloth measuring tape.
* Stand your horse squarely on all four legs and face him to the left.
* Hold the measuring tape at the center of your horse’s chest at the point where neck and chest meet, and
* Keeping your tape level, measure around the widest part of the shoulder and along the barrel and around the widest part of the hindquarter - to the side of the tail.
* Your tape should remain tight and level against all measuring points of the horse.
The blanket size for your horse is the resulting measurement from point A to Point B. If you measure 74 inches from A to B, then your horse wears a Size 74. If your measurement is an odd number, use the next highest even number.
Fit the Blanket on Your Horse
You have purchased a stable blanket in your horse’s correct size. It’s easy to dress him in this new blanket, have him look classy, and make him comfortable.
1. Fasten the blanket, in the case of an open front blanket, so that the chest straps allow some fabric overlap and the blanket back falls at the top of the tail. It should fit comfortably across the shoulders and be neither be too loose nor too tight.
2. Your horse blanket may have bias or straight surcingles or it might have just a single surcingle. In the case of bias surcingles, cross them under your horse’s belly. Each of the three surcingle styles (straight, bias, single) should be fastened and adjusted to permit a hand’s width between the straps and the horse’s belly.
3. To fasten the blanket’s leg straps, pass the right leg strap between the hind legs and secure at the left D-ring. Likewise, pass the left leg strap between the hind legs, cross through the right strap, and fasten to the right D-ring. Finally, adjust the leg straps to allow one hand width between your horse’s thighs and each leg strap. You may also parallel fasten your leg straps – left strap to left D-ring and right strap to right D-ring. Be certain, if you use this method, that the blanket fits securely and the hand’s width rule is met.
Common Problems of Incorrectly Fitted Blankets
A blanket that is too big or too small may cause a lot of rubbing. Because the horse is uncomfortable, he may actually rid himself of the blanket.
When the neck of a blanket is too large, it will hang lower on the horse’s back. This causes rubbing and consequent slippage. When the horse rolls or stands up after rolling, there is great danger that he will step on the blanket material.
The blanket is too large when it extends beyond the top of the tail. A blanket should reach just over the top of the tail. If it does not reach that far, it is too small.
It is important to allow a hand’s width between each leg strap and the horse’s thighs and it is equally important to allow the hand’s width between belly and surcingles. When straps and surcingles are too loose, the danger is that the horse may get his legs trapped in them. Leg straps secured too tightly will cause rubs.
Remember, if your horse is comfortable in his properly fitted blanket, he will be much happier to stay dressed.
(Reprinted from DressYourHorse.com)
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