Age often equals wisdom, but if you have a golden oldie (say, 15 or older), it might take more effort to keep him going.

Find where your horse belongs athletically -- you’re in it for the long haul, so you should have appropriate expectations.

By Andrea Caudill in The American Quarter Horse Journal

Dr. Alan Ruggles, a partner and surgeon at the renowned Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, has several suggestions in mind when maintaining an older horse, or keeping a horse sound and healthy as he ages.

• Find where your horse belongs athletically and don’t try to do too much with him. Bear in mind that you’re in it for the long haul, so you should have appropriate expectations.
• Don’t be averse to giving him some time off now and again. Time off doesn’t have to be an absence of any activity, but try to avoid prolonged stall rest without any pasture or light exercise. Think about what the horse is like in nature and allow him to do that when he’s having his time off.
• For the horse’s general health and well-being, have at least yearly evaluations by your veterinarian to check for things that might not be obvious to you.
• Avoid over-feeding him. “Excessive weight is not good for them in general, and it’s not good for them athletically,” Dr. Ruggles says.

Gain an understanding of strangles, allergies, EPM and much more in AQHA’s Common Horse Health Issues report.

• There is no magic bullet in preventive care, and the results in each horse are going to be variable. “If you want to try a product you’re comfortable with, give it an honest try for at least 30 day,” he says. “If you think it’s helping an injury or lameness, then keep using it. If you don’t think it’s helping that horse, then stop.”
• “I truly don’t like the idea of having joint injections done on a schedule,” Dr. Ruggles says. “The horse tells you when he needs it. You may learn in any particular horse that every six months he needs it, but just because Horse A did it, I wouldn’t necessarily do it on Horse B. There are some risks to injections and there’s the expense, so wait until he tells you he needs it.”
• If your horse has some type of lameness issue or injury, take the time to figure out exactly what it is, then make the best choice with the long-term health and soundness of the horse in mind. People tend to get impatient with injuries, and you can’t rush the biology. They can only heal at a certain rate. “Spend the time and, unfortunately, sometimes the money, to find out exactly what’s going on with him,” Dr. Ruggles says. “I think that what happens sometimes is people make presumptions about where the horse is injured, and then because they don’t know specifically, maybe go down the wrong course, then end up with a long-term problem.”

Roll It!

Dr. Tom Lenz gives advice on to prevent and treat tendonitis. Watch it now!

• Older horses are more prone to soft-tissue injuries, such as significant damage to their flexor tendon or suspensory ligament. The soft tissue tends to become less elastic over time, Dr. Ruggles says, and can get damaged in the pasture or with regular activitiy. The injuries can become much more severe, and the lameness is usually more dramatic than you’d see in a younger horse. Degenerative arthritis, especially ringbone, also goes up as the horse ages. “We’ll see older, mid-teen and higher horses that have been able to deal with mild arthritis of the joints,” he says. “Arthritic changes might be more dramatic than we’d see in younger horses. Maybe it’s been pre-existing for awhile, and that’s where the preventive maintenance and careful exams come in. If all of a sudden he gets to the top point and he’s very lame, you might never be able to bring him back to athletic soundness. That’s why you need to be on top of it and be aware of it as he ages. And also be aware that you sometimes have arthritic changes that he’s able to live with, so just because you see it on an X-ray doesn’t mean it’s important for the horse – you have to put it together with a lameness exam.”

Can you spot the signs of acute laminitis? Learn how in AQHA’s Common Horse Health Issues report.

• Make sure he gets regular dental visits (at least once a year, or as recommended by the dentist) to avoid poorly chewed (and poorly digested) food, choke, weight loss or sinus problems.
• Avoid dramatic shoeing changes just for the sake of changing. It’s especially common if you switch trainers or blacksmiths – somebody can always do something better than the person before. It might be done for all the right reasons, but if a horse is used to going a certain way for a very long time and you start changing things, you tend to create problems that didn’t exist before.

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It’s always important to maintain the health of your horse’s mouth.

Proper dental care has its rewards. Your horse will be more comfortable and may even live longer.

From the American Association of Equine Practitioners

Routine dental care is essential to your horse’s health. Periodic examination, corrections and regular maintenance are especially necessary for a number of reasons:

• We have modified the horse’s diet and eating patterns through domestication and confinement.
• We demand more from our performance horses (beginning at a younger age) than ever before.
• We often select breeding animals without regard to dental considerations.

Proper dental care has its rewards. Your horse will be more comfortable, will utilize feed more efficiently, may perform better and may even live longer.

The Horse’s Mouth

Horses evolved as grazing animals, and their teeth are perfectly adapted for that purpose. The incisors, or front teeth, have a flat surface curved side to side for shearing off forage. The cheek teeth (including molars and premolars with their wide, flat, roughened surfaces) easily grind the feed to a mash before it’s swallowed.

Poor conformation can lead to lameness issues and limited performance ability. AQHA’s “Form to Function – The Importance of Horse Conformation” DVD explains how to spot an ideally conformed horse.

Common Dental Problems

Horses may suffer from any of several dental problems. The most common include:

• Sharp enamel points forming on cheek teeth, causing lacerations of cheeks and tongue
• Retained caps (deciduous teeth that are not shed)
• Discomfort caused by bit contact with the wolf teeth
• Hooks forming on the upper and lower cheek teeth
• Long and/or sharp canine (bridle) teeth interfering with the insertion or removal of the bit
• Lost and/or broken teeth
• Abnormal or uneven bite planes
• Excessively worn teeth
• Abnormally long teeth
• Infected teeth and/or gums
• Misalignment/poor apposition (bite) – can be due to congenital defects or injury
• Periodontal (gum) disease

Recognizing Dental Problems

Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs, such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all. This is due to the fact that some horses simply adapt to their discomfort. For this reason, periodic dental examinations are essential. Indicators of dental problems include:

• Loss of feed from the mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing or excessive salivation
• Loss of body condition
• Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure
• Head-tilting or head-tossing, bit-chewing, tongue-lolling, fighting the bit or resisting bridling
• Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop, even bucking
• Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth
• Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw or mouth tissues

Roll It!

Everyone enjoys a snack, including your horse. Find out what are good and nutritious treats and those to avoid.

Preventative Maintenance

An oral exam should be an essential part of an annual physical examination by a veterinarian. Every dental exam provides the opportunity to perform routine preventative dental maintenance. The end result is a healthier, more comfortable horse.

Routine maintenance of a horse’s teeth has been historically referred to as “floating.” Floating removes the sharp enamel points. Occlusal equilibration is the term now used to describe smoothing enamel points, correcting malocclusion, balancing the dental arcades and correcting other dental problems. A complete oral examination should precede any dental procedures.

When turned out on pasture, horses graze almost continuously, picking up dirt and grit in the process. This, along with silicate in grass, wears down the teeth. Stabled horses, however, may not give their teeth the same workout. Feedings are more apt to be scheduled, not continuous, and include processed grains and hays. Softer feeds require less chewing. This may allow the horse’s teeth to become excessively long or to wear unevenly. Adult teeth erupt throughout life and are worn down by chewing.

AQHA’s “Form to Function – The Importance of Horse Conformation” DVD is great for beginners and advanced horse entusiasts, and is ideal for people interested in buying or selling a horse.

Because the horse’s lower rows of cheek teeth are closer together than the upper rows of cheek teeth and the horse chews with a sideways motion, sharp points form along the edges of the cheek teeth. Points form on the outside (cheek side) of the upper teeth and the tongue side of the lower teeth. These points should be smoothed to prevent damage and ulceration of the cheeks and tongue.

Routine examination and correction is especially important in horses that are missing teeth or whose teeth are not wearing properly because of misalignment. For example, if the front or last cheek teeth are out of alignment, hooks can form.

Untreated, these hooks can become long or sharp enough to damage soft tissue. Short hooks or other malocclusions may be corrected with hand instruments. Tall malocclusions may be corrected with motorized instrumentation. Motorized instruments have replaced molar cutters and chisels because there is less change of tooth damage. Tall malocclusions may require several treatments spread over 12 to 18 months.

Get up close and personal with white line disease.

The mainstay of white line disease treatment is hoof-wall resection, where a skilled farrier cuts away all three layers of the hoof wall to remove the infected material.

By Holly Clanahan in America’s Horse

To understand the basics of white line disease, it’s helpful to know a bit about equine anatomy.

• The hoof wall – the outermost surface of the hoof – has three layers.
• The external layer consists of the smooth, shiny covering that most of us think of when we think “hoof.”
• It’s within the next two layers of hoof wall that white line disease usually occurs, making the name a misnomer. The white line lies just inside the hoof wall and is not affected by its eponymous disease.

White line disease, or WLD, is characterized by an invasion of bacteria and fungi that destroy hoof-wall tissue. But first, there has to be an opening for these organisms to get in, says Dr. Stephen E. O’Grady, who is both a veterinarian and a farrier. A crack or separation in the hoof wall – which can be caused by mechanical factors such as long toes or a club foot – has to open the way for an opportunistic infection.

Unfortunately, it’s not always that open-and-shut. Many horses have a separation in their hoof wall and do not develop WLD. So it’s hard to say what causes the disease to develop. Wet living conditions may play a role, although WLD can also occur in horses in arid conditions.

Signs of WLD

• Horses can develop WLD in one foot, or in all four.
• Your farrier will usually notice a powdery hoof wall where there should be a solid junction.
• The farrier might also notice a hollow sound when he taps the outside of the hoof wall with a hammer.

AQHA offers an in-depth look at horse hoof health and some of the common hoof problems many horses face in the Equine Hoof Health report.

What Does WLD Do?

In milder forms, WLD does not cause lameness or any outward signs. But the infection can progress upward, climbing from the bottom surface of the hoof toward the coronary band. As more of the hoof wall is damaged, the laminae that attach the coffin bone may also be compromised, allowing the bone to sink or rotate, causing a painful laminitis.

If a horse with WLD, or even hoof-wall separation, shows lameness, that’s when a veterinarian should be called in, Dr. O’Grady says. X-rays can divulge how serious the problem is and will help in formulating a treatment protocol.

Factors That Lead to WLD

• Some kind of hoof capsule distortion will usually be found with WLD, such as a long toe, under-run heels, a club foot or sheared heels.
• A swampy area with excess moisture could soften the foot, and mud and debris could pack into any separations that occur.
• A horse in a too-dry environment may experience hoof cracks because of the lack of moisture, and in that case, he’d need moisture added.

Roll It!

Find out what it takes to keep your stalled horse comfortable with these options for mats and bedding.

How to Treat It

• First off, abnormalities in the hoof need to be addressed.
• The mainstay of WLD treatment is hoof-wall resection, where a skilled farrier cuts away all three layers of the hoof wall to remove the infected material. A hoof knife or Dremel tool can clear out the powdery hoof wall.
• Once the farrier has gotten to healthy tissue, he or she can take a drum sander and smooth up the area under the resection. The hoof will grow out better if it’s a nice, clean, solid area.
• The resection might look dramatic to horse owners, but keep in mind that these are not sensitive tissues, and a resection doesn’t hurt the horse.
• The resected hoof may need to be supported with a special type of shoe, such as a glue-on or bar shoe. When you resect the hoof, the horse needs the continuity restored in the form of a shoe.
• Owners can use a wire brush daily to keep the area clean.
• The horse’s hooves should be kept as dry and clean as possible.
• Every two weeks a farrier – or horse owner, if he or she is confident with a hoof knife – should debride the area with a hoof knife. Clean up any area that isn’t looking good, clearing it down to solid tissue.
• During the debridement, a dye marker such as merthiolate is used to stain the tracts of infected material. That tells the farrier how far to keep carving.
• If you keep the hoof clean and debrided, it should grow back healthy, but don’t let your guard down, because the infection can recycle and even reappear in previously affected horses with strong hoof walls that have no sign of separation.

Could you spot thrush or an abscess? Equine Hoof Health answers this question and more. Get your downloadable copy today!

Growing a New Hoof

If more than one-third of the hoof wall (going from the hair line to ground) is removed in a resection, the horse should be taken out of work, Dr. O’Grady says. With one-third or less of the hoof wall removed, the horse can be worked normally.

How long does it take for a resected hoof to grow back? A horse’s hoof, in the toe area, will completely re-grow from hairline to the ground in 10 to 12 months, Dr. O’Grady says. The quarters (sides) of the hoof will grow out in six to eight months. And the heel will grow out in three or four months. So if, for example, a horse has half the length of his toe resected, it will take five to six months to re-grow.

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Veterinarians have made some surprising discoveries concerning older horses and colic surgery.

With the increase in equine lifetime longevity comes an increase in the opportunity for colic.

From the Equine Veterinary Journal

Just like their human counterparts, horses are living longer. Advances in equine health care and nutrition mean that horses are also able to have active, useful lives well into their advanced years. With the increase in longevity comes an increase in the opportunity for colic.

Veterinarians at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine New Bolton Center studied the responses of mature and aged patients presented at the hospital with symptoms of colic and treated surgically for the condition. The goal of the research study was to give owners more accurate information on the likelihood of survival and complications that they might encounter with older horses following colic surgery.

For the purposes of the project, survival rates and post-operative complications of colic patients were studied retrospectively. The sample included 300 geriatric horses, defined as 16-20 years of age, and 300 mature horses, 4-15 years old.

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“Gastrointestinal tract problems and signs of colic are among the most common reasons for admission of geriatric horses to referral hospitals,” says Louise Southwood, assistant professor of emergency medicine and critical care at New Bolton Center. Louise, who is board certified in surgery as well as emergency and critical care, led the study.

“Owners are often concerned that performing surgery on their geriatric horses might not be in the best interest of the horse. We wanted to be able to give them the information with which to make an informed decision.”

While the geriatric horses seemed no more critically ill than their mature counterparts, the odds that their colic was caused by a strangulating small intestinal lesion, a condition that requires surgery, were twice that of the mature horses.

What surprised the research team was that the difference in the survival rates between geriatric and mature horses that underwent such surgery was negligible, 86 and 83 percent, respectively. Similarly, the short-term survival rates for geriatric and mature horses with large intestinal strangulating lesions such as a twisted colon was 78  and 70 percent, respectively, and large intestinal simple obstruction, such as an impaction or displacement, was 80 and 97 percent, respectively.

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These figures reflect pre-discharge data only. The numbers didn’t change significantly if the horses classified as geriatric were 16 years or 20 years of age. Researchers did note, however, that the geriatric horses were more likely to have a short period of loss of appetite following surgery.

Disposing of a deceased horse is not easy or inexpensive.

Even at the difficult time of your horse's death, to be a responsible horse owner means to dispose of the body in an environmentally friendly manner.

By Becky Newell in America’s Horse magazine

When people talk about being responsible horse owners, the disposal of a deceased horse is the segment of “Horse 101” that we like to think will never happen. But what can you do with the 1,200-pound body of your deceased equine loved one?

• Cremation: Cremation is one of the most biosecure methods of carcass disposal. It can cost between $600 and $2,000, depending on the area of the country and the price of propane.
• Backyard Burial: Individual carcass burial regulations vary from state to state. In general, you’re required to cover the body in three to four feet of dirt. Many states mandate that the burial site be at least 100 yards from wells and streams. With horses, you’ll typically need a trench that’s seven feet wide and nine feet deep. This requires the services of a backhoe, which can range from $250 to $500.

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• Local Landfill: The local landfill is an alternative to burial on private land in some states. It can cost between $80 to $150. However, not all municipal landfills accept horse carcasses. Some do not accept horses that have been euthanized with an injectable drug. Euthanizing drugs are super concentrations of anesthetic agents. They render the horse unconscious, stopping its breathing and also its heart. The horse’s body tissues, especially the internal organs, then contain high concentrations of the drug and can cause death in any wild or domestic animal that feeds on the carcass.
• Pet Cemetery: There are about 600 operating pet cemeteries, according to the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories’ website. Many pet cemeteries also offer grief counseling. Cost of the burial service varies, depending on the state and the level of services provided.
• Helping Science: Another option is to donate the deceased horse to veterinary research so that more information can be learned from the horse’s condition.
• Composting: Composting is defined as controlled, sanitary decomposition of organic materials by bacteria. When mixed with the right amount of vegetative material and moisture, it can take nine to 10 months to compost an intact horse carcass – bones and all. When properly performed, composting is safe and produces an end product that is a fairly odorless, spongy and humus-like substance that can be used as a soil supplement.

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• Rendering: Rendering involves cooking the carcass to destroy pathogens. Renderers that accept horse carcasses will generally pick up the animals. They charge between $75 and $250 for their services. However, there are only rendering plants in roughly 50 percent of the United States, and their numbers are declining.
• Biodigester: Another cooking process uses a biodigester, a giant pressure-cooker-like machine, to turn a horse carcass into a pathogen-free, liquid solution of small peptides, amino acids, sugars, soaps and powdered bone. Many veterinary colleges and universities have biodigesters. Because the remains are sterile and pose no risk to the environment, they can be taken to the local landfill. Costs vary from a couple hundred dollars if you include the carcass with other animals being disposed of to $1,000 if you want your horse processed by itself so you can have the remains returned to you in an urn.

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Five problems you should always call the vet for.

While mild colic can just be sand in the gut, if it isn’t and is allowed to go on, the result can be lethal.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

Most horse owners don’t call a veterinarian for every little scrape on their horses. Most horse owners can handle cuts, bruises and bumps with supplies they have on hand.

Dr. Julie Dechant, an assistant professor in the clinical equine surgical emergency and critical care portion of the University of California-Davis, offers five examples of injuries that need immediate veterinary care. Don’t try to handle these on your own. Get help right away.

No. 1 – Nail In the Hoof

A nail in the hoof might be mild or it could hit something important – the coffin bone or the navicular bone; synovial fluid structures; the navicular bursa; coffin joint; or the digital tendon sheath. The danger in hitting any of these internal structures of the hoof is that infection can occur, which can lead to chronic lameness or even severe disability, which can lead to euthanasia.

Dr. Dechant advises owners not to pull the nail out, as instinct would tell them to, but to instead stabilize the foot in a way that would not allow the nail to go any deeper and call the vet. Ideally, the vet would take an X-ray to determine just what the nail has encountered, if anything. The vet would then remove the nail.

If the nail is in danger of being further pushed into the hoof and cannot be stabilized, Dr. Dechant recommends marking the hoof where the nail entered, marking the nail to show how deep it went in, and the direction of how the nail went into the hoof, before you remove it and then call the vet.

No. 2 – Eye Injury or Abnormality

Even though eye boogers might not look dangerous, Dr. Dechant says they can be a sign of something more serious. Any discharge is cause for concern and something you should call the vet about. Some things that could be indicated by eye discharge or injury are corneal ulcer and uveitis (moon blindness), both of which can lead to blindness. More rarely, glaucoma might be in the works, and the discharge is giving you a heads-up. All of these conditions can be mild, but it’s safer to never assume. For the cost of a veterinary visit, you can ensure that your horse will stay sighted.

Keep in mind, earlier treatments can control the inflammation and keep the horse from developing cataracts. Also, these eye conditions can also be very painful, so it’s best to get them taken care of as soon as possible.

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No. 3 – Colic: Severe or Mild

Horses in California have a serious tendency to develop endoliths (rock-like growths inside their abdomen that can block their intestines). Other parts of the country see this condition as well, but California seems to have an abundance of cases.

While mild colic can just be sand in the gut, if it isn’t and is allowed to go on, the result can be a ruptured intestine that would require an owner to put a horse down. Unfortunately for horse owners, you have no way of knowing if the problem is mild or on its way to severe.

Signs of mild colic can just be lying down often, Dr. Dechant says, or not eating as usual, not passing as much manure, being restless, repeatedly getting up and down and/or isolating themselves from the herd. The signs aren’t huge, flagship signs, so it’s best to know what is normal for your horse and what isn’t. Of course, the more severe signs of colic are a bit easier to spot.

No. 4 – Horses That Trip or Stumble

Uncoordinated horses aren’t funny if they’re yours. And they are even less funny if the condition turns out to be a neurological condition.

Dr. Dechant says that suddenly uncoordinated horses, whether from an injury or not, should be looked at right away. A horse that is having neurological problems needs to be seen as soon as possible. These horses can include wobblers or horses that trip or catch their feet funny repeatedly. These signs can indicate an infectious disease such as equine herpes virus, which is very contagious to other horses, or even a spinal injury.

Often the changes are very dramatic, Dr. Dechant says, and by the time a horse with those symptoms makes it to the veterinary hospital, there is little that the vet can do for him. If a trauma occurs, even if the horse seems all right, it’s important to get the horse looked at.

If a horse has flipped over, run his head into a solid object or had fractures, he needs to be evaluated.

“We can often do something at the actual time of trauma,” Dr. Dechant says. “But if a horse owner waits, thinking it will go away, often it just gets worse, and you are just more or less left with the horse you have at that point. There is not always a chance to fix something, but if there is a chance to fix it, earlier is better.”

No. 5 – Gums of a Different Color

The color of your horses’ gums can tell you quite a bit about his health. Dr. Dechant has seen gums that are white, pink, red, yellow and even blue.

Bright red gums usually indicate endotoxemia. Basically the horse with bright red gums is very, very sick and in shock. Really pale to white gums can indicate anemia or shock from being sick or even internal bleeding. Yellow gums are a classic sign of liver disease but can also indicate other conditions. And blue gums (cyanotic) indicate your horse is not getting enough oxygen in the blood, usually due to lung disease.

Ulcers on the gums can be a sign of a variety of diseases, such as bute toxicity, abrasive feeds, toxins (blister beetles), and/or viral diseases (vesicular stomatitis). Other small signs in the mouth to look for are little wounds, little hemorrhages, little paint brushes of red and bleeding under gums, which can indicate a clotting disorder.

Know What You’re Getting

When your horse’s health – and your dollar – are on the line, using products that carry the Food and Drug Administration stamp is a surefire way to ensure it has been tested for safety and effectiveness.

“Taking chances with products that aren’t FDA-approved means you may have to go back to the drawing board for a real solution. Or worse, you could even be putting your horse’s health at risk,” says Dr. Hoyt Cheramie, manager of AQHA Corporate Partner Merial Veterinary Services. “Some horse owners may even believe that they are receiving FDA-approved products when, in fact, they may be paying for an illegally compounded product.”

This includes products claiming to treat or prevent equine stomach ulcers, Dr. Cheramie says. Because there are FDA-approved products, compounding pharmacies that offer stomach ulcer treatment or prevention may be producing an illegal product.

The FDA has noted that the availability of FDA-approved products greatly reduces the need for compounding, which may be reserved for specific patients requiring a strength or dosage form not available.

In AQHA’s FREE Chubby Horses report you’ll learn about equine metabolic syndrome, conditions resulting from EMS, the connection between EMS and Cushing’s disease and how to manage EMS.

Compounded omeprazoles may lack the consistency and effectiveness of FDA-approved products, and, therefore, owners using compounded omeprazole may not be addressing their horse’s health concern, Dr. Cheramie says.

“Stomach ulcers can develop in a range of situations – from competition, to changes in routine – but the heart of the problem is acid production, and there are only two FDA-approved products proven to consistently and effectively suppress acid production at the acid pump for either prevention or treatment of stomach ulcers,” Dr. Cheramie says.

UlcerGard is the only FDA-approved product to prevent stomach ulcers, and GastroGard is the only FDA-approved product to heal stomach ulcers. The unique, patented formulation of the products helps ensure the omeprazole is stabilized to work effectively. While the products are dosed differently to either provide prevention or healing, both offer convenient once-daily administration that is well accepted by horses.

“Choosing products that are FDA-approved helps ensure that you’re not only providing the best medicine for your horses, but that you’re also making the most of every equine healthcare dollar,” Dr. Cheramie says. “Don’t take chances with horses’ health. Look for FDA-approved products that are proven safe and effective.”

Do you know how to keep your horse healthy when you’re traveling in extreme heat this summer?

“Over-hydration” is virtually never a problem, as horses tend to regulate their own intake, but you can go overboard on the electrolytes.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

This is the last of a two-part series. Need to review Part 1?

Horse Care

Regardless of how prepared you are, there is always the chance that the horses you are transporting will, for whatever reason, have difficulty during the trip. It is imperative that you know how to determine if your horse is uncomfortable.

• In most instances, a horse’s eyes are bright and his ears are forward. If that’s not the case, determine what the problem might be.
• A horse can show stress or worry with forehead wrinkles. In extreme instances, he will even shake as a result of stress.
• A more extreme method of reflecting his discomfort is manifested in fidgety behavior, such as kicking the sides of the trailer, weaving back and forth, or stamping a lot.
• Try to keep hay in front of the horse most of the time. The hay gives the horse something to do while he is riding and helps keep him content. A horse that is eating during the trip will be more apt to drink once you get to your destination.
• Bring your own hay. Types of hay vary from region to region. If you bring hay with you, you don’t have to worry that your horse won’t eat because of the change.
• “Over-hydration” is virtually never a problem, as horses tend to regulate their own intake, but you can go overboard on the electrolytes. It won’t hurt the horse, but you can waste your money that way.

Learn the steps for preparing your mare for breeding and get the facts on receiving shipped semen with AQHA’S FREE Mare Care report.

Hydration Tests

Here are two tests that you can use to check whether your horse is in danger of dehydration:

• Pinch your horse’s neck and pull the skin away. If the skin is slow to return to its position, offer water and electrolytes.
• Capillary refill time: Lift your horse’s upper lip and press on the gum. If the gum is slow to return to a pink color, your horse might be dehydrated.

Final Tips

• Spray the horses with fly spray before you load them. A hot-weather trip is difficult enough without the horses having to contend with the discomfort of flies and other insects.
• If you have a horse that gets stressed easily, give him a calming agent. Many of these agents have L-tryptophan in them, which is the same thing in turkey that makes us sleepy after we eat it.
• Make sure you are totally prepared. Map out your route and make arrangements for extended stopovers. The less you leave to chance, the more apt you are to have a successful trip.
• Make sure that your tow vehicle is up to the task. Check hoses and thermostats, as well as the tires. You should have a maintenance check on the trailer at least annually, and probably before you take a major trip of any duration.
• Practice good driving with the trailer while it is loaded. There is a vast difference in driving with an empty trailer and with one that has a horse or two in it.

AQHA’s FREE Mare Care report is a perfect resource for beginning breeders wanting to breed their first mare. Download your copy today!

Live in Region 5? There’s still time to enter AQHA’s Region 5 Championship July 22-25 in Lexington, Virginia. Go to www.regionfiveexperience.com or call Rick Shiffler at (717) 269-8611.

Do you know how to keep your horse healthy when you’re traveling in extreme heat?

When hauling your horse in the summer heat, make sure your trailer is clean and well-ventilated.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

There may be no more debilitating weather condition than extreme heat for man or beast. It drains energy, creates fatigue and can even cause certain organs of the body to malfunction or shut down.

With that thought in mind, it’s immensely important that every precaution be taken when transporting horses across the desert in the summer. In areas where air temperature can reach upward of 115 degrees, knowing what to do and how to do it is information that is crucial to desert hauling. Here are some suggestions for safe summer hauling.

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Night Travel

• If possible, try to do your hauling in the early morning or late at night, when temperatures are cooler.
• Be sure that you are not overly tired when you set out. After all, a mishap on the road would undoubtedly offset any advantage you might have had with night travel.

Fluids

• Make sure that your horse is properly hydrated.
• Take a good supply of water with you, ensuring that your horses won’t refuse to drink the water that you offer them in a strange area because they don’t like the taste. Also, extra water is helpful if you find yourself in an area with no water during a breakdown.
• Combat  “strange-tasting” water by adding a little flavoring to it, such as with apple juice or Gatorade.
• Use electrolytes when you are transporting during the heat. Start the horses on electrolytes a couple of days before the trip to allow the horse to get used to having them in the water.

Preparation is Key

• Make sure your trailer is clean and well-ventilated. Open all the vents and windows, and use screens, which will keep your horses from sticking their heads outside of the trailer. You can also put fly masks on to save your horses the aggravation of contending with insects the whole way.
• Have a trailer with good footing, such as rubber mats or rubber-coated lumber. The horses are always working as they ride, and this makes for good traction.
• Add wood chips to help with shock absorption. Avoid making your wood chips too deep, though. If you do, it will be hard to keep the trailer clean, and it is also hard for the horse to find balance if they’re too deep.
• Pack extra lead ropes, so if you have to unload the horses for any reason on the trip, you will have an adequate number in good working order.

Stay tuned for the last half of this story.

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Do you know what to do if you think your horse is colicking? Expand your equine health knowledge with AQHA’s Common Horse Health Issues report.

Fly season is already in full force. Keep the flies away with these helpful tips from AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam.

AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam suggests that horse owners read all labels on their fly control products before use and apply according to label directions.

From AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam

Why Fight Flies?

Fly control keeps your horse comfortable. But that’s not the reason to minimize flies.

Flies and other biting insect pose a major health threat to your horse and you. Flies carry a number of dangerous diseases that become more of a problem as fly populations increase.

Flies live, feed and breed filth, where germs, bacteria and communicable diseases thrive. Good hygiene is critical to keeping flies and other filthy problems under control.

Start With A Strategy

Effective fly control means eliminating flies on all fronts, at all life stages in the fly life cycle. Eliminating immature flies reduces the number of biting, breeding adult flies you have to deal with.

No single fly product will solve your fly control problem. You need an overall plan to get rid of flies where they live, feed and breed. For maximum effectiveness, attack flies on all fronts: on your horse, in the barn and around outdoor areas.

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.

On Your Horse

The final line of defense against flies is on your horse. Farnam provides a proven, effective lineup of sprays, spot-ons, lotions, roll-ons, ointments and masks to create a protective barrier between your horse and flying pests.

Fly Control Management Tips

Keep your horse area clean.

• Dispose of fly breeding material including manure and used bedding.
• If waste disposal is not possible, treat manure with an effective larvicide.
• Keep paddocks and corrals clean and dry.
• Scrub water buckets and troughs weekly.
• Remove standing water which may serve as a mosquito breeding ground.

Read the label before using any fly control product.

• Read all labels on your fly control products before use and heed warnings.
• Mix fly control concentrates with exact amount of water recommended.
• Apply fly control products according to label directions.
• Do not mix different fly repellents together.

In AQHA’s FREE Horse Wound Care report, educate yourself on when it is imperative that you contact the vet and when you can take care of the injury at home. Download it today!

Free Farnam Products!

AQHA’s July Facebook contest is all about fly control and some great prizes from AQHA Corporate Partner Farnam. Want to know more about contest details?

If you have any other fly control questions, you can check out Farnam’s Fly Control Management Guide or post your questions below and Tom Kennedy, veterinary parasitologist, will monitor the posts and answer questions.

Immunostimulants boost the immune system to fight disease.

Immunostimulant therapy begun before a young horse leaves home will help him fend off disease.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

This is the last of a two-part series. Need to review Part 1?

Sales and Training

Young horses are faced with formidable challenges to their immune systems when they leave the farm for the first time to travel to sales, training centers or racetracks, putting them at high risk for illness.

• Their naïve immune systems encounter pathogens to which they previously have not been exposed
• The first trip on a trailer usually is stressful emotionally and physically
• The pace at sales often is hectic and grueling for youngsters
• Training is stressful and physically demanding
• The large horse population and high traffic in and out of sales, training centers and racetracks facilitates the spread of disease.

Immunostimulant therapy begun before youngsters leave home will help them fend off disease and, if they do become ill, they could have less severe or shortened illness.

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According to Cornell University researcher Dr. Dorothy M. Ainsworth, racehorses often suffer from exercise-induced depression or abscesses when the horse breathes bacteria into the lungs and the immune system fails to launch a good antibody response against the invaders.

“Exercise-associated immunosuppression also enables viral infections to become established in the respiratory tract, which, in turn, predispose (the horse) to the development of secondary bacterial infections,” she says. “Theoretically, if this immune suppression could be reversed or attenuated, the prevalence of infectious pneumonia, bronchitis or lung abscessation should dramatically decrease in the equine athlete.”

Blood Work First

Dr. Elizabeth Davis warns that immunotimulants should not be used when a horse’s immune system already is operating at maximum levels, “smack-dab in the middle of a challenge,” she says. “So if we have a horse that has very severe pneumonia, peritonitis or any serious gastrointestinal disease, we’re probably not going to use an immunostimulant at the time.”

In certain situations, Dr. Davis says, it is prudent to perform blood work on the horse to determine the status of its immune response before administering an immunostimulant.

“If it is a horse that is getting ready to travel across the country and it is apparently healthy, it is probably very reasonable to go ahead and initiate the immunostimulant therapy without relying on blood work,” Dr. Davis says. “But if it is a horse that is sick, I would want to do some blood work beforehand.”

A high white-cell count shows the horse is mounting a good immune response; a normal-to-low white-cell count indicates the horse’s immune system has been compromised. Because immunostimulants should be used only under veterinary supervision, Dr. Davis suggests relying on the treating veterinarian’s recommendations on when to use immunostimulants, which product would be most effective and whether blood work should be performed before treatment.

Roll It!

Colic is a serious threat and the number one killer of horses. Learn to examine the risk factors and warning signs for your horse’s health.

She also says that some immunostimulants, such as certain types of interferon-a, should not be given repeatedly because the horse’s immune system will begin to create antibodies to destroy it because it is a foreign protein.

“But it is uncommon that we would have to give it time and time again if we had the diagnosis right,” she adds.

Other immunostimulants developed from bacteria that are harmless to horses are safe and effective for repeated use.

“EqStim is not going to be a problem; every time you give that, it is still going to be effective,” Dr. Davis says.

She adds that immunostimulants rarely cause adverse side effects, other than a mild fever.

“We’re seeing the immune system do what we want it to do, so that is why we might see a fever spike, which is usually mild, self-limiting and in the range of 102-102.5 degrees. One immunostimulant is labeled to be administered in three doses, and I sometimes see a fever after the second or third dose.”

In AQHA’s FREE Report, Laminitis Treatment, you’ll also get a detailed explanation, including diagrams, of exactly how laminitis affects a horse’s foot and leg.

As with any medication, a horse can be hypersensitive to an immunostimulant, which makes it doubly important that a veterinarian administer the immunostimulant and monitor the horse for signs of distress.

“Then if there is a problem, the veterinarian can treat it quickly and effectively,” Dr. Davis says. “Those reactions, fortunately, are very minimal.”

Immunostimulants boost the immune system to fight disease.

Sending a young horse to a training stable can be a stressful event. Immunostimulants can fortify a horse's immune system and help it avoid stress-induced illness.

From The American Quarter Horse Journal

For years, veterinarians have been concerned about the overuse of antibiotics. Immunostimulants might help turn the use of drugs in some situations toward more natural ways to fight disease. As preventives, immunostimulants can fortify the immune system to help horses avoid becoming ill.

Dr. Elizabeth Davis explored immunostimulants as part of her doctoral dissertation and in studies conducted at Kansas State University, where she is an assistant professor of clinical sciences. Dr. Davis says immunostimulants are ideal for use prior to any situation when a horse’s immune system could become depressed or when it could be challenged by exposure to disease.

New medical research and improvements in technology are giving hope to horses that suffer from bowed tendons, an injury that typically puts an end to a race horse’s career. Find out more in AQHA’s FREE Stem Cell Therapy report.

“These would be things like prior to long-distance transport, which typically is classified as greater than 500 miles,” Dr. Davis says. “In some settings, weaning would be considered a stressful event, or sending a young horse to a training stable.”

Dr. Davis also has used immunostimulants successfully in helping horses get over a bout of disease.

“Many times, it might be a bacterial or a viral disease,” she says “The horse is in the recovery phase, but it is just lingering. I like to go ahead and boost those horses.”

Other uses for immunostimulants are to shorten infections in mares and to aid in eradicating equine sarcoids, skin tumors spread by biting flies.

Roll It!

Dr. Kenton Morgan provides information for administering first aid and tips for assembling a first-aid kit.

West Nile Virus

Viruses present a unique challenge to doctors and veterinarians. Unlike bacterial infections that can be treated with antibiotics, most viruses simply must run their course. So healers can do little more than treat the symptoms and provide care to support the patient’s body while its immune system fights the virus.

During the past few years, Dr. Bonnie Rush, head of equine medicine and surgery at Kansas State University, has been using an immunostimulant to treat horses afflicted with West Nile virus. Because no antiviral drug has been found to be effective against the disease, which has a 40 percent mortality rate in horses that show clinical signs, Dr. Rush turned to interferon-a, a naturally occurring protein, to boost the ailing horses’ immune systems to mount a better fight against the virus. In low doses, interferon-a enhances the immune system’s ability to fight disease; in high doses, it acts as an antiviral. Interferon-a also has anti-inflammatory properties, which means the treating veterinarian might be able to reduce the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. For treatment of West Nile virus, the clinicians at Kansas State administer high doses of interferon-a.

Looking back, Dr. Rush says she is pleased with the results she achieved with the novel treatment.

“Interferon-a is still the treatment I would recommend,” she says.

In AQHA’s FREE Stem Cell Therapy report, see for yourself, with detailed pictures, how stem cell therapy compares to traditional methods, such as saline treatments, in the healing process. Download your copy today!

Immunostimulants have shown promising results in fortifying a mare’s immune system to naturally destroy Streptococcus, a bacteria that causes inflammation of the lining of the uterus. Called endometritis, the condition often affects a mare’s fertility by preventing her from conceiving or causing her to lose the fetus in early gestation if she does become pregnant. Persistent unchecked endometritis also can cause scarring and degenerative changes in the uterine lining.

Stay tuned for the last half of this story.

Enter Battle in the Saddle Now!

Entries are now being accepted online for Battle in the Saddle, July 5-10 in Oklahoma City. It’s the great American western-horse showdown — with more than $300,000 up for grabs. Competitions include reining, cutting, working cow horse, roping and ranch remuda. Battle in the Saddle also features the U.S. reining team selection trials for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, a chuckwagon cook-off and much more. You can purchase Battle in the Saddle tickets online.

A study shows high rate of potentially painful stomach ulcers.

Stress often triggers ulcers, which can develop very quickly. To prevent stomach ulcers, Dr. April Knudson recommends Ulcergard.

From AQHA Corporate Partner Merial

A nationwide series of more than 160 gastroscopy events showed 60 percent of horses had stomach ulcers.

“This is the second year that these scopings were able to show horse owners the type of potentially painful stomach ulcers that their horses have been dealing with,” says Dr. April Knudson, manager of Merial Veterinary Services. “Many times, horses are suffering in silence from stomach ulcers due to their natural tendencies as a prey animal to mask pain. In talking to many of these owners myself, they are frequently surprised to find out their horse had been suffering from stomach ulcers, but the evidence is clear.”

At these events, veterinarians evaluated the horses’ stomachs using gastroscopy, which is the only definitive way to determine if a horse has ulcers, Dr. Knudson says.

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Throughout the year, 1,532 horses across the country participated in events. Overall, 922 horses from 37 states had some ulceration as identified by gastroscopy. Horses of varying ages and disciplines were found to have all grades of stomach ulcers, including:

• Horses from 2 months to 30 years of age
• 610 horses, or 40 percent, were Grade 0 (healthy, non-ulcerated stomach)
• 471 horses, or 31 percent, were Grade 1 (mild ulcers, with small lesions or damaged tissue)
• 319, or 21 percent, were Grade 2 (moderate ulcers with large lesions)
• 132, or 9 percent, were Grade 3 (extensive lesions with deep ulceration and bleeding)
• 86 percent of racehorses had some grade of ulcers (226 total participating)
• 59 percent of eventing horses (113 total participating)
• 59 percent of hunter jumpers (168 total participating)
• 52 percent of barrel racing horses (122 total participating)
• 48 percent of dressage horses (107 total participating)

There are many triggers for stomach ulcer development, and stress is an important factor, Dr. Knudson says. Horses are especially sensitive and may experience stress when exposed to situations you would think of as normal, including competition, training, travel, lay-up due to sickness or injury, shows or events, limited turnout or grazing or trailering.

Ulcers can develop quickly, too. One study showed that horses can develop stomach ulcers in as little as five days.

“For competitive horse owners, it’s important to think about preventing stomach ulcers, because stomach ulcers can diminish the hard work, training and commitment both horse and rider worked hard to achieve,” Dr. Knudson notes. “Before a complete gastroscopy and treatment regimen is needed, it can pay to help prevent stomach ulcers before they start.”

Roll It!

Dr. Kenton Morgan provides information for administering first aid and tips for assembling a first aid kit.

Before using any products for stomach ulcers, Dr. Knudson recommends only trusting those that are FDA-approved to work safely and effectively.

For those horses diagnosed with ulcers, Dr. Knudson recommends a course of Gastrogard (omeprazole) to treat those ulcers. Gastrogard is the only FDA-approved product to treat and heal stomach ulcers. However, stomach ulcers can still return even after completion of a successful treatment program, if horses are exposed to stressful situations again.

Preventing stomach ulcers before they start is more cost effective, Dr. Knudson says. She recommends using Ulcergard (omeprazole) during times of stress, which is the only FDA-approved, proven preventive for stomach ulcers.

“Even with top-notch care and regular veterinary visits, many horse owners don’t like to think that stomach ulcers may develop in their horses,” Dr. Knudson says. “But, the results of these scopings confirm what university studies have found previously: horses of all competitive disciplines are at risk for stomach ulcers.”

Is there a way to tell that your mare is about to foal? Are there complications to watch for before the the actual birthing process? AQHA’s Guide to Foaling has the answers.