Every horse needs an individualized diet. Learn how you can improve your horse’s nutrition with tips from SmartPak Equine.

Question:

Is it possible for horses to be on the recommended amount of hay and pellet feeds and still have nutritional deficiencies?

To answer this question, we sought out nutritional expert Dr. Lydia Gray from AQHA Corporate Partner SmartPak Equine.

Answer:

Yes, it is entirely possible to provide your horse with the book-recommended levels of nutrients, and they may still not be getting the nutrition they need.

Remember, the NRC Nutrient Requirements of Horses suggests the minimum levels of calories, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals in order to prevent outright disease, not to optimize health and performance.

Horses are individuals, and while the minimum level of a nutrient might be enough to allow one horse to say, grow healthy feet, this minimum level may not be enough for another horse.

Differences in metabolism, digestive efficiency — even management and stress — can all factor in to why some horses thrive on a basic diet and others need additional support.

– Dr. Lydia Gray, SmartPak Equine

Want more horse health advice? Subscribe to The American Quarter Horse Journal, AQHA’s award-winning official publication. Each month, you’ll enjoy articles and tips on all your favorite subjects, including health, showing, breeding, training, racing and much more.

To shoe or not to shoe? Find out at what age these AQHA Professional Horsemen prefer to shoe their halter horses.

Question:

At what age does a halter horse need to wear shoes?

For our answer, we referred to AQHA Professional Horsemen Doug Landon and Luke Castle. In the May American Quarter Horse Journal, Doug and Luke share their tips for preparing halter futurity foals.

Answer:

As a rule, I show my weanlings barefoot. I did put some small plates on one when we went to the All American Quarter Horse Congress, but we pulled them after we got done showing.

A lot of people want to put an angled shoe on a baby, and I think that just creates problems in a foal. With a baby that’s growing, if you start changing the angle of his foot, I think there will always be issues.

It’s a mistake to think you have to have a shoe on; I prefer to bring them barefoot.

– AQHA Professional Horseman Doug Landon of Clark, Missouri

People tend to want to show (foals) too early and leave shoes on too long.  A horse’s feet need to spread and naturally grow. You can’t take away from that process.

I’ll put shoes on a weanling the week before the AQHA World Championship Show, but they come off soon after.

AQHA Professional Horseman Luke Castle of Wayne, Oklahoma

To learn more from Doug and Luke about caring for preparing halter futurity foals, read “Futurity Prep” on Page 104 of the May 2012 issue of The American Quarter Horse Journal.

The American Quarter Horse Journal contains great horse health advice each month, along with event coverage, horse training tips, horse showing articles and much more. Subscribe today to keep great information coming to your mailbox every month. Your subscription to the Journal comes complete with access to the digital edition, so you can read each issue on the go.

Learn how to best care for your pregnant mare.

Question:

It’s time to give my pregnant mare her last shots and de-wormer. Is a basic Ivermectin OK, or should I use something ‘milder?’

We sought out experts from AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam for the answer.

Answer:

Keeping your pregnant mare healthy and up to date on her vaccinations and de-worming is important. IverCare (ivermectin) Paste 1.87%, a de-wormer sold through AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam may be used in horses of all ages, including mares at any stage of pregnancy. Stallions may also be treated with IverCare without adversely affecting their fertility.

Be sure to check out the discounts on Farnam products offered exclusively to AQHA members through Quarter Horse Outfitters.

To learn more helpful tips about breeding and caring for your mare, check out AQHA’s FREE Mare Care: Breeding Tips Report.

Be sure your horse is getting the best nutrition this summer with advice from AQHA Corporate Partner and nutrition expert Nutrena.

Question:

During summer months, I only feed my horses after a ride, as they get plenty of grass from being out in pasture. Are my horses getting enough nutrition? Should I be adding more to their diet?

– Dennis Creason, Marshall, Missouri

To answer this question, we sought out equine nutrition experts from AQHA Coporate Partner Nutrena for advice.

Answer:

If your horses are maintaining their body condition well, then they probably don’t need a lot of extra feed.  Feeding only after a ride really doesn’t offer them much in the way of nutrition, since it isn’t consistent.

Your best bet would be to start them on a ration balancer type product (such as Empower Balance, or a number of other brands on the market) that only requires about 1 lb per day for a 1000 lb horse – it provides the nutrition that the grass may not be providing (the vitamins, minerals, and some protein) without the calories that a traditional feed product would provide.

If any of them are on the thin side, then you would want to look in to a more traditional feed with a higher feeding rate, so as to provide more calories.

– AQHA Corporate Partner Nutrena

AQHA Membership is your gateway to a lifetime of enjoyment with your American Quarter Horse. Join AQHA today, and experience the countless member benefits plus the pride of being a member of the world’s largest equine breed association.

Find out the possible causes of your horse’s returning ulcer problem.

Question:

My stallion gets ulcers ever couple of years; what could be causing them?

For the answer, we sought out Dr. Lydia Gray from AQHA Corporate Partner, SmartPak Equine, to answer your questions regarding equine nutrition.

Answer:

To help you with your ulcer-prone horse, here are the recognized risk factors that can cause gastric ulcers in horses:

• Intermittent feed deprivation — not having food in the stomach is such a reliable risk factor for ulcers that researchers withhold food on purpose to induce the condition for studies!
• Intense exercise — there appears to be an association between the level of exercise intensity and the prevalence of ulcers
• Diet — concentrate (grain) feeding is believed to contribute to the formation and worsening of ulcers
• Stall confinement — could be due to intermittent feeding, lack of contact with other horses, stress, or other reasons
• Transportation — similar to stall confinement, could be a result of decreased food (and water), separation from other horses, or just the stress of being hauled to a new location
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—this class of drugs disturbs the balance of protective vs aggressive factors in the stomach
• Stress — either mental or physical stress could increase the level of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body, which has been shown to shut down protective factors in the stomach

Get more horse health tips each month in the award-winning American Quarter Horse Journal. Subscribe today for the latest industry news and tips for enjoying your horse.

Building a great foundation for your young horse begins with proper halter starting.

Question:

I am buying a yearling who was born last May. Any suggestions as to how to gentle him and halter break him, without him hurting himself or me? He hasn’t been touched, and he’s just been hanging out with other yearlings.

Answer:

Congratulations on your new horse. My best advice to you is to hire somebody who has a lot of experience in halter starting. Watch as that person works with your yearling.

This part of the horse’s education will shape everything else from this point forward. You may have heard the saying “so they’re started, so they go.” This part of the process is something I view to be almost sacred. It shapes the way he views himself, and the way he views having humans in his life. You are building the foundation upon which all his learning hinges. If the foundation is solid, everything seems to fall in place.

Halter starting a horse is not something that should be done by somebody who simply reads and article and goes through the steps. Things can happen very fast, and it’s so easy to hurt these little guys. Also, don’t underestimate how hard these little guys can kick, strike or bite.

Halter breaking a foal will be his first experience learning to respect you, to give to pressure and to handle new experiences – the AQHA Halter Breaking Your Foal free report will guide you through the process.

One of the courses I teach is a halter starting class. We use yearlings that have never been touched. I coach students through the halter starting process. We work on trailer loading, picking up the feet, saddle preparation, and many other things. It’s hard to believe how far along the horses, and people, come in that six-day course. However, doing the class one time does not make a person an expert at halter starting. The first time you catch and halter the horse is NOT easy (I do that part in class). And that first catch has a huge impact on the horse’s perception from that point forward.

– AQHA Professional Horseman Brent Graef of Canyon, Texas

Finding the right rope horse prospect starts with good conformation.

Question:

I have a very stout, big-boned American Quarter Horse. Whenever I take him anywhere, people ask me if I rope on him. I don’t – we just trail ride – but what is it about him that makes him look like a rope horse? What do ropers look for in a horse?

Answer:

Roping is a little bit different from other equine disciplines. It’s only natural that picking a rope horse prospect would be a little different, too.

Some horse disciplines start searching for prospects when they’re weanlings or yearlings. If you’re considering a roping prospect, you might be looking for a 6- or 7-year-old horse.

We like to say that rope horses earn their money in the second 10 years of their life. If you look at horses that are used by the top ropers at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, those horses are about 15 or 16 years old.

So there’s no need to rush getting a roping prospect ready. We can take our time and make the horse as good as he can be, and a horse is going to be 6 or 7 before he completely matures.

For me, the two most important qualities a rope horse needs are good conformation and good basics. I want a horse that’s broke, and I want a horse that’s built to do the job of roping.

When a client backs his horse out of a trailer, I can tell right away whether that horse is going to be a star or a weekend jackpot horse. It’s important for an amateur to be as well-mounted as possible. Open riders should be able to get by on less-talented horses, but amateurs need the best horse they can find. That starts with conformation.

– AQHA Professional Horseman Doug Clark of Wayne, Oklahoma

In the April 2012 issue of The American Quarter Horse Journal, AQHA Professional Horseman Doug Clark  shares what he looks for in a rope horse prospect. To learn what Doug means by looking for “the trapezoid” or the basics, check out “Looping a Prospect” in the April Journal.

What’s the best vaccine for a mare nearing her foaling date?

Question:

I was going to buy the third Pneumabort K vaccine for my mare and vaccinate her a month before her due date. I was told that I could just get her the regular shots (Fluvac 5) because the rhinopneumonitis vaccine in it would cover the same thing.

My only thought is that if I give this to her now I won’t be giving her the regular vaccines a month before her due date. Is that still OK, and will they still be covered in her colostrum?

For our answer, we turned to Dr. Thomas R. Lenz, veterinarian and senior director of equine technical services for AQHA Corporate Partner Pfizer Animal Health. Dr. Lenz is also an American Association of Equine Practitioners past president and regular columnist in The American Quarter Horse Journal.

Answer:

It is important to understand that Pneumabort K has a much higher antigen mass than Fluvac 5, and has been demonstrated in efficacy trials to aid in the prevention of abortion due to equine herpesvirus-1.  Fluvac 5 does not have a high antigen mass and is aimed at preventing the respiratory form of EHV, but not abortion due to EHV.  Studies have not been done to demonstrate that Fluvac 5  will prevent abortion, and I doubt very much if it will.

I would recommend that you give the third Pneumabort K dose.  Four to six weeks prior to foaling you should go ahead and give Fluvac 5.  This will protect the mare against eastern and western equine encephalitis, the respiratory form of EHV-1  and -4, equine influenza virus and tetanus, as well as booster her colostrum to provide protection to her foal against those diseases.  You might also want to consider giving her a West Nile Virus vaccine for the same reasons.

– Dr. Thomas R. Lenz
Senior Director of Equine Technical Services for Pfizer Animal Health

Properly wrap your horse’s injured hock with these tips from the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

For more horse health tips, visit AQHA Alliance Partner American Association of Equine Practitioners.

Question:

How do you keep a bandage on a hock-area laceration?

Answer:

A figure 8-type bandage is recommended for the hock area (it is similar to an ankle wrap on a person).

Proper care of the laceration is a must. Use either a nonstick pad or a pad with antibiotic over the wound area. Next, wrap the area with a 4-inch gauze roll to hold the pad in place. Again, the 4-inch roll gauze will need to be applied in a figure 8 fashion to hold the gauze over the wound.

Next, use a padded material – either roll cotton or a quilt – on top of the gauze pad, and roll this padded material around the hock. The padded material will allow you to make a snug fit when you next wrap the area with Vetrap.

Allow a small portion of the quilt or cotton roll to be showing under the Vetrap at the top of your wrap and at the bottom. Holes will need to be cut out over the point of the hock in the cotton roll or quilt so hock sores are avoided. Your Vetrap’s final wrap should either be the circumference above or below the hock joint itself. This allows the Vetrap to stick to itself more securely when the horse moves.

Cuts and wounds are inevitably going to happen to your horse. Are you prepared? Download AQHA’s FREE Horse Wound Care report so you will be able to properly treat your horse in the event of an injury.

Finally, less movement of the horse will keep the bandage on better, so you should consider stall confinement. The more a horse moves around, the looser the bandage becomes. A stacking bandage can be placed under the hock bandage to hold it in place, depending on the site and size of the laceration, but a hock bandage, if done properly, will stay in place over the hock; again, a snug fit is recommended.

Practice does make perfect when it comes to hock bandaging.

For further direction, watch the “How to Wrap a Horse’s Legs” video, available courtesy of AAEP media partner The Horse, which will illustrate the types of bandages explained above.

– Dr. Erin Denney-Jones
American Association of Equine Practitioners

Try your hand at halter with these tips from AQHA Professional Horseman Denny Hassett.

Question:

I want to start showing a horse in halter. Where do I start?

In the March 2012 issue of The American Quarter Horse Journal, halter legend AQHA Professional Horseman Denny Hassett of Auburn, Kansas, teaches you how to start your halter career.

Answer:

When I’m helping someone buy their first halter horse, I try to get to know the person and see how much experience they’ve had in the show pen. If all they’ve ever done is ride and trained a horse, then we just show them how it’s done.

Here are some tips that I find helpful in the show pen:

• Stand positioned facing three-quarters to the horse’s face to where you can always know where the judge is. In this position, you can see the judge, but you can always look off to the side and see if your horse’s foot moves.
• Watch your horse’s head all the time and make sure you keep the head and neck out straight. If he’s going to move or cock a leg, he’ll generally cock or move their head.
• Always know where your judge is at but don’t stare at him.
• Don’t confuse the ring steward with the judge.
• Keep an eye on the legs and know where they’re at when you get them set. It takes practice with someone else telling you how they look from the side.

– AQHA Professional Horseman Denny Hassett

For more tips from Denny on showing halter, look for “Fit the Horse to the Human” in the March 2012 issue of The  American Quarter Horse Journal.

When it comes to fixing soured barrel horses, think outside of the box.

Question:

My horse and I compete in barrel racing, but lately, he’s been refusing to go in the alley. What sort of training can I do to get him back to entering the alley calmly?

In the March issue of The American Quarter Horse Journal, AQHA Professional Horsewoman Traci Johnting of Butler, Kentucky, addresses training and rehabbing soured barrel horses.

Answer:

When a horse is sore or sour, going through the job of rehabbing that horse turns into a full-time endeavor.

I try to think out of the box with my soured barrel horses, and I stay off of barrels completely.

With one of my horses, I would ride him in the woods and make him bend and flex as we went down the trail and through the trees. This seemed to help with his turning when I did race him again. The main goal was to get him to relax at the gate and go in the arena and work.

– AQHA Professional Horsewoman Traci Johnting

How does a horse get sour? Find out some of the causes of soured barrel horses and how to fix them in the March issue of The American Quarter Horse Journal.

Learn how to safely haul your weanling.

Question:

I’ve been reading the “Futurity Foals” series in The American Quarter Horse Journal, and it has got me thinking that it might be fun to show a weanling. But I was wondering, how do you haul a weanling? Shouldn’t you worry about them slipping under dividers?

Answer:

Years ago, we used to haul our weanlings to shows with their heads tied, and when we arrived, the baby was stressed out and sick. When a weanling arrives at a show stressed, he’s not going to show as well, and he can become sick and die. Hauling tied is enough stress on grown horses. Babies don’t need it.

If your trailer doesn’t have specific compartments, see whether you can remove some dividers to give your weanling more room.

The next thing we do is attach a big piece of plywood across the rubber mat at the lower edge of the divider so that the weanling won’t slide through. If they lay down and get their legs under the rubber mat, they can end up in the next stall. We get the wood at the lumber yard, cut to the width of the trailer, and then we trim it at home if we need to.

–AQHA Professional Horseman Jack Brizendine

Learn more about safely hauling a weanling or foal in “Safe Travels With Baby” on Page 133  in the January 2012 issue of The American Quarter Horse Journal.