Horse journal june 2014

. . .Online

A PDF of all the articles uploaded to www.horse-journal.com in June 2014

Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©20142

Table of ContentsEuthanasia: Let’s Talk it Over—3Ecovet Fly Spray is Strong—6Dressage and Jumping World Cup Competitions in Omaha—7Veterinary Visits: Knowing When to Make the Call—8California Chrome and Skechers?—11North Carolina Foal Born in Wild with Crooked Legs—11Stall-Fan Safety—12Nasal Strips: They definitely don’t harm—13Belmont, Preakness, Kentucky Derby - Watch Them Again—13NBC’s Coverage of the Belmont Stakes—13The Search For An Affordable, Trustable Joint Product—14Mosquitoes Can be Deadly—18Horses Injected with Gasoline—18Can California Chrome Win The Triple Crown?—19Joint Products: Some Pricey Ingredients Are Worth Your Money—20RIP Sapphire—24Lameness Locator —25AVMA Serious About Compounded Drugs—25Managing Tendons: It Doesn’t Have To Be A Stretch—26Magnesium For OCD?—29Safety Thought: Metal on Cross-Ties—29Equine Dental Care—30Swimming Through Summer Heat—32Supplementing Salt—33Horse Blocker Tie Ring—34Your Sweating Horse—35Horse Cut with Scalpel—36Levi’s Artwork Helps Pay the Bills—36Horse Cut with Scalpel—36Media Critique: Where Does My Horse Hurt?—37

2018 World Games to be in Canada—37A Look Back: “Here’s Hoping We’ll Host Another WEG Soon”—38Horse Shot in Cincinnati—38What’s Next For California Chrome—And the Triple Crown?—39The Cutaneous Trunci Muscle Reflex in Horses—40EOTRH: Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis—41Moldy Leather —42What I Learned By Riding In A Phillip Dutton Clinic—43Reliable Recipes or Time Wasters—45Horse Journal OnCall: Do I Really Need to Use a Bit?—46Judging Western Dressage—47The Glass Horse—48Ticks, Ticks and More Ticks—49Horse Journal’s OnCall Service: Your Own Personal Equine Consultant—50Some Horses Develop Faster Than Others—51Barn Drama—52Choosing The Top Prospect—53Sarcoids—54

Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014 �

Euthanasia: Let’s Talk it Over

It’s wise to create a “road map” ahead of time – one to guide us when we’re faced with the painful prospect of putting our horses to sleep.

The decision on euthanasia must be made with your horse’s best interest at heart.

We often receive inquiries about euthanasia; too many to dismiss them as mor-

bid curiosity. Horse owners often display a full gamut of philosophies and game plans. Some plan to let their horse “die peacefully in pasture, of natural causes.” Others don’t want to even think about it.

Those who examine the subject critically ahead of time come to the inevitable conclusion that our horses will die someday, and real-ize that, realistically, it’s unlikely they all will die peacefully in a pas-ture and make the scenario more bearable for us. While the planning may be somewhat painful, it is a good thing for everyone involved – including your horse – to make those decisions in advance.

One of the most basic is what to do with your horse’s body. It’s far easier to know ahead of time who to call and what it will cost than it is to frantically try to find some-one last minute. You will need to know in advance whether you can bury the horse and who can help dig the hole or where you can have him cremated and how he will be transported to that facility or if you will have his body picked up for disposal. Your local laws may come into play, so it’s not something to tackle when you’re highly emotion-al. Once you’ve made those choices, you can tuck the information away for when you’re ready.

In this article, we will help you understand how to make the deci-sion for your horse and explain what happens to the horse physi-cally at the time of death.

A PhiLOsOPhicAL cOnun-drumPutting our horse to sleep is per-haps the single greatest difficulty we may face as horse owners. It can really be a mind-bender and heart

breaker. We go to great lengths, expense, and effort to preserve our horses (vet care, blanketing, supple-ments, etc.), so of course it feels “inside out” to force an end to their lives.

However, by the nature of our physiology verses theirs, most of us will outlive our horses. Despite this knowledge, we all try to find a way off the roller coaster when our horses are near death. Our circuits become overloaded as the left brain battles the right in the midst of emotion, confusion, and the un-bearable stress of the ticking clock. We feel like we’re climbing the first big incline of the roller coaster ride . . .

We know what is going to happen. We can see it coming. And we cannot stop it. So, the question is not will it oc-

cur; it is how and sometimes when it will occur.

Ultimately we must do what is best for our horses, so we must navigate the situation to minimize the “what ifs” that we may haunt us if we make a decision in haste, without clear thought. There are no second chances here. Quite the

cat’s cradle - so, how do we find our way through it?

A swifT cuT wiTh A shArP BLAdEWe are all aware that colic is the leading cause of death in domestic horses. It can happen to any horse, at any time, at any age. Perhaps it is the most familiar scenario that horse enthusiasts envision when they broach the topic of euthana-sia. In a way, owners who lose their horse to a sudden colic suffer the lesser of two evils compared to other scenarios. Colic comes on fast and in a matter of hours your companion can be gone. Horrific as it is, it may be less painful than watching your horse fail to thrive over time, knowing a plan for eu-thanasia must be made.

The contrast between the scenar-ios is like the difference between a swift cut with a sharp blade, or a dull edge dragging slowly across the skin. In scenarios such as colic, you are more likely to feel more turmoil for leaving your horse alive than for euthanizing him, since he will be subject to extreme pain and a prolonged death if you do. In this


case, euthanasia clearly becomes the logical option to tilt the scale toward your left brain’s point of view. Now on to the more difficult situation.

A sLOw cuT wiTh A duLL EdgEIn this scenario, you, as the con-servator of the horse, must wrestle with the slow pain of knowing that the time is coming to put the horse to sleep … like a freight train on the horizon. The most common examples include chronic laminitis or debilitating arthritis. In these instances, the body can and will continue to function despite an ongoing painful condition.

This is a sharp contrast to colic in which the horse will die anyway in a matter of hours if you do not make the decision for him. Arguably, the decision involving something like chronic laminitis is the more excruciating of the two scenarios. In this situation, every option pres-ents with its own set of stand-offs between emotion and logic.

On one hand, we become con-cerned that we are “playing God” and giving up on our beloved horses by choosing to end their life humanely. But, on the other hand, if we do not euthanize, they will face a slow and painful demise. Of course, we always leave room for our own fears and selfish desire to keep them alive because of what they provide for us. In this sce-nario, the answers may not be as obvious as the colic situation.

KnOwing whEn TO sAy whEnSo how … and when do we decide to euthanize? There are no clear answers that can be applied to every situation, but these thoughts may help:

1) Each case must be considered on an individual basis, between the veterinarian (if you include us) and the owner. Critical factors vary from case to case: the horse’s age, money, divorce, moving, sickness (of owner or horse), and other physi-cal factors. They are all fair game and no criteria should be dismissed even if they appear on the surface to be shallow. What may be the best decision for one horse may not

necessarily be the best decision for another horse, even though their circumstances may appear to be similar.

2) Your veterinarian must share in the agreement to euthanize your horse, so you must be prepared to hear his or her opinion too. If there is an alternative, or if you are not considering all of the possible op-tions, the veterinarian may chal-lenge you firmly. Ultimately, the veterinarian must adhere to an ethi-cal oath when euthanizing animals. Unless you intend to humanely euthanize your horse yourself, you must discuss your decision with your vet in order for him or her to ethically be able to perform the procedure.

3) Consider quality of life over quantity of life. This is just one opinion, but horses do not appear to stake too much claim in the future or in the past. They live in the mo-ment. Perhaps being prey animals makes them acutely aware that life is unpredictable and finite? It just seems logical that horses may be interested in living a less-painful life (even if it is shorter), rather than a longer uncomfortable one.

4) But how much pain is too much? Let’s face it, we all live with pain. Some of us more than oth-ers. But that does not mean that we want to die because of the pain. So how can we figure out when and where to draw the line?

Here are some criteria to ponder:What do they appear to care about

on a day-to-day basis? No … not the riding, not the medals and ribbons … they use far more basic things to define the quality of their existence. Although these criteria may seem overly simplified, horses need to be able to run, buck, lie down, roll, sleep, eat, drink and keep up with the herd in order to be, well, horses.

They use these behaviors to make their impression on life and to show their joie de vie. As those abilities diminish, so does the spark of life in the animal. Over time, as the horse is able to do fewer of these activities, living gives way to exist-ing, and your horse can be left a mere fraction of what he once was, trapped in a shell of a broken body. Almost like a roaring fire reduced

down to a smoldering ash. Pain and PAIN. Determining the

nature and extent of pain can go a long way toward deciding how to plan for an ailing horse. For instance, is this pain something that the horse has to get through in order to then have a reasonable quality of life? If someone said to you, “OK, for the next month you are going to hurt badly, but then for the following 10 years, life will be good,” you may decide that it is worth the turbulence. But if someone says, “This pain will never go away, and it is only going to get worse,” your long-term plan could be drastically different. Re-member, horses cannot tell us how much pain they are in, nor can they distract themselves with things like television, magagines, or talking to friends. They have to just stand there - and ache.

Veterinary guidance cannot only help owners mitigate on behalf of their horses, but also can make de-cisions easier by giving an owner a realistic picture of what their horse is facing. Sometimes, something simple and relatively inexpensive (such as a daily Previcox or per-golide tablet) can provide a viable option. Remember, there is a differ-ence between living with pain and living in pain. If you suspect that your horse is spending more than 30 seconds out of every minute preoccupied with pain, it is time to think seriously about intervention - whether it be management changes, medications, or euthanasia.

ThE dEcisiOn is mAdE, nOw whAT?Only after all mental and emotional exercises are tediously exhausted, and all roads lead back to the same destination, can we move on to planning the euthanasia.

It is perfectly natural to feel in-tense anxiety over the euthanasia itself. Not only have we all heard horror stories about euthanasia gone wrong, but we fundamentally are concerned about whether or not the horse senses fear or feels pain during the procedure. Try to go easy on yourself here.

We know quite a bit from science and medicine that death by lethal


Your horse appreciates quality over quantity of life.

injection is minimally invasive and instant in most cases. The euthana-sia procedure is quite simple. The veterinarian usually sedates the horse first and then injects a lethal dose of barbiturate into the jugular vein. The barbiturate disseminates rapidly in the blood and induces unconsciousness within about 30 seconds. At this point the horse will fall to the ground.

Keep in mind that during the fall, the horse is semi-conscious or completely unconscious so he is not sensing much at this point. This has been confirmed by electroen-cephalogram (EEG) brain activity studies. From the point of landing on the ground, he simply feels like he is falling asleep. The barbiturate then induces both respiratory and cardiac arrest (meaning that the heart and lungs cease to expand and contract). Without circulation or oxygen, the body discontinues after a mere minute. Oftentimes, horses will take one large breath just before they expire. Throughout this process, the horse is not aware of stimuli - so again, no pain.

The veterinarian will touch the horse’s eyeball to test for a cor-neal reflex. If any brain activity is present, the horse will blink when his cornea is touched. Once blinking ceases (usually within 1 to 2 minutes), the horse is declared brain dead. It is not uncommon for the body to twitch and move for several minutes (sometimes up to an hour) after death. Do not worry. The horse is not alive. This is just residual electrical activity in the body. Also, be prepared that the eyes will not close when the horse passes.

BOTTOm LinEThe word euthanasia literally means “kind passing.” It is a peace-ful, painless end to life. It can be planned out well - so that everyone has said their goodbyes, and the horse can transition out of this world in a peaceful circle of love (with a full belly) and his dignity, grace, and majesty intact. It can truly be one final gift that you give your friend … to let him leave this world on a good day, without too much fear or pain.

As a practicing veterinarian of over 10 years, I cannot help but notice that each owner seems to know when that time is right for his or her horse. My interpretation of that is this: If you are pondering the decision of euthanasia frequently, the time is getting close. Nobody knows your horse better than you. All we can do as veterinarians is offer advice based on our medical knowledge of your horse and on our experience.

In the moments leading up to your horse’s passing, try to think of your best time together. Emanate and send this positive energy on with him. He needs your support at this crucial moment. You have the rest of your life to cry and fall to pieces, but the moment of euthanasia is his moment, so do your best to assist him through it with positive energy and loving guidance.

Finally, I want you to know that I have never had an owner tell me that they made the decision to euthanize their horse too soon. On the contrary, I have had several tell me that they regret waiting too long. I hope that this article in some way helps you navigate the mental

and emotional exercise needed to comprehend your decision.

Grant Miller, DVM, Contributing Veterinary Editor

Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014�

Ecovet fly spray is strongThis fly repellent worked like no other product we have ever used.

Ecovet is definitely different.Sometimes it seems that flies

treat fly spray like perfume. It doesn’t faze them at all. If the flies are laughing at you, you probably want to pull out a bigger gun. Well, we recently found that gun: Ecovet. Be prepared, though, this fly spray sets aside the frills in order to get the job done.

iT’s VEry diffErEnTEcovet is a completely differ-ent type of insect repellent when compared to traditional products. Its base consists of three different food-grade fatty acids mixed with silicone oil. Together, they work as a spatial repellent. What is a spatial repellent, might you ask? A spatial repellent is a substance that prevents insects from even entering the general space of the animal to which it is applied. Yes, you read that right.

The fatty acids in Ecovet evaporate from the horse’s skin at different rates, and during the course of their evaporation they release a scent that interferes with the insect’s directional ability. In other words, they cause flies and mosquitoes to become disoriented, and it can re-sult in their death. The fatty acids evaporate in one to three days, so this spray needs to be reapplied on that interval to work continually. That’s of course on a horse that isn’t sweating a lot, being rained on or bathed.

Several of our top field-trial barns tried this product for us. Collec-tively, we all agreed that it worked extremely well at repelling flies. From there, our opinions varied.

Initially, you have to prepare yourself. This product does not smell like traditional fly spray. It has a musty smell with a hint of coconut, reminding some of us of the Coppertone sunscreen that we grew up with. A few testers said the smell was overpowering at

first, making them want to sneeze. It may even irritate your eyes. The smell is more obnoxious in a closed space like a barn aisle than it is in an open wash stall or breezeway, of course.

The next question was, what does the horse want? Well, we found our horses seemed to opt to be fly-free in exchange for smelling a bit odd. Note: Ecovet reports the company is working on producing more than one scent. Our bottles contained the “classic” scent, but the company was already at work on a new scent based on sage. Maybe that will help some of those with sensitive noses.

EffEcTsOur horses’ coats became smooth and shiny when we used the spray, but amazingly it did not leave a greasy residue.

The sprayer is high quality. It puts out a perfect mist and very little of the product is wasted. It didn’t clog for us, and we were able to use all of the spray without waste.

On the bottle, it says that it should not be used in intensely sweating horses, which concerned some of our testers who had sport horses in hard work. The warning is because Ecovet follows the “oil and water” rule when it comes into contact with a moist surface. As a result, if it’s sprayed on a wet or sweaty horse, it may bead up and be less effective than when sprayed on a dry horse.

We noticed this effect when we sprayed it on the ground in a wet wash rack. It beaded up imme-diately, due to the polarity of the fatty acids in the spray. There is no harm to spraying a wet or sweaty horse, but it won’t go on as evenly if it is applied to a wet horse vs. a dry

one. We’re also sharing with

you the questions we re-ceived from testers:

Is it toxic? Only to insects. Fatty

acids are encountered commonly in day-to-day life. They are widely used in performance products, such as Platinum and others. Silicone oil is a base component of most human skin care, hair care and cosmetic products. It merely serves as a carrier

and is classified by the Environ-mental Protection Agency as an inert substance.

If it has fatty acids in it, can it go rancid?

No. Some fatty acids are unsatu-rated (such as those found in butter and cooking oil). But the fatty acids in Ecovet are saturated, meaning that they are stabilized and unable to denature. There are no adverse consequences of keeping it in warm ambient temperatures.

Can it react with any other prod-ucts that I put on my horse?

As we finish this story, Ecovet isn’t known to react with any products. Theoretically, however, it could react with a substance that had a very high pH, such as bleach. That said, we shouldn’t be using products with high pH on our horses anyway, because they would irritate the skin.

We believe it would be unlikely to react with any of our daily horse products. For the most part, we think it may become inactive if it did react with a basic compound but not likely harmful. That said, if you have any reason for concern, do a 24-hour spot test on your horse first, meaning, just spray a small specific area, such as your horse’s


hip, then wait 24 hours to see if there’s a reaction.

The veterinarian from the Ecovet company said that it has helped horses that have sweet itch prob-lems. Some horses, he said, had reached a point that unless they were covered 24/7 they were miser-able.

“Because of its mechanism of action,” he said, “the midges that cause the problem didn’t land on the horses so it didn’t start the inflammatory response. We have reports of horses growing manes and tails that haven’t had ones for years.” We did not have the oppor-tunity to try the product on sweet itch, but we know that horse own-ers battling it will try anything to get their horses relief, so we wanted to share this with you.

BOTTOm LinESome of our testers were so turned off by the smell they said they would not use it again, despite its effectiveness. When we spoke with the manufacturer, we learned that they were aware that some people didn’t like the classic scent – which is what we had – and that they are no longer making that scent. That’s good news because, in overall ef-fectiveness at repelling flies, we found it surpassed other products we’ve used. When our testers learned there were different scents available, they all said they would purchase Ecovet.

Ecovet literally repelled the bugs - they didn’t want to be around the horse wearing Ecovet. With tradi-tional fly sprays, the flies often land on the horse then leave quickly, before biting. It’s a big complaint from a lot of horse people who don’t really understand how these prod-ucts work and think that, because they see flies around their horses, the spray “isn’t working.” That isn’t the case. With most horse fly spray products, you don’t see the fly die. You see it briefly land, then fly off, quickly becoming disoriented and/or killed.

However, there are two cons to its use:

1. It is more expensive: Ecovet is $19.99 for an 18 oz bottle, or $1.11/oz. (You can purchase a 4 oz. sam-

pler size for $6.50.) We compared that price to our

top-choice fly products, which also remain Horse Journal recommend-ed products: Absorbine UltraShield and Farnam’s Mosquito Halt, both of which average around 62¢/oz. in a quart-size sprayer; Pyranha Fly Spray and Espree Aloe Herbal (our only all-natural favorite), both of which retail around 47¢/oz. in a quart-size sprayer; and Farnam Original Wipe, which is about 78¢/oz. at the 32 oz. size.

2. It is currently only sold – even via the Internet – in Oregon, Wash-ington, Nebraska and Texas, due to the costs associated with each state’s individual regulations and fees for pesticide registration. The company does plan to continue to expand their territory nationally.

Article by Grant Miller, DVM, Con-tributing Veterinary Editor

dressage and Jumping world cup competitions in OmahaWe have to wait until 2017, but it’s right around the corner!

The FEI released the names of the host cities for major competitions over the next three years. The big news for the USA is that Omaha (yes! in Nebraska!) will host the joint Longines FEI World Cup compe-

titions for jumping and dressage March 27 to April 2, 2017. Get those hotel reservations in!

Read the full story here.


When your horse turns up with a laceration or a runny nose, knowing

whether or not to call the veterinar-ian isn’t always easy. Over-reacting can be costly, since most vets levee an emergency surcharge, yet dis-missing a true emergency can cost you and your horse later. Nothing trumps experience in this matter, but for most of us, we rarely have emergencies with our horses. Thus, we are left trying to decide whether to make that call in an economy where every dollar counts.

We’re going to help you to develop better decision making skills when it comes to calling your vet. We’ll also share some tips on ways to

Veterinary Visits: Knowing when to make the call

Advice, charts and recommendations to help you make the right decision.

PHYSICAL SIGN NON-EMERGENCY EMERGENCY

Temperature: Insert a lubed thermometer into the rectum and leave it there for 2 minutes.

98-101° F at rest Above 101° F at rest

Pulse: Place your fingers under the curvature of the jaw and feel for a pulse, or place a stethoscope behind the LEFT elbow and listen for a heartbeat. A “lub-dub” sound counts as ONE beat.

32-44 beats per minute at rest Above 48 beats per minute at rest

Respiration: Observe the horse breathing by watching the flare of its nostrils or by watching its flanks heave in and out.

20-32 breaths per minute at rest Above 36 breaths per minute at rest

Gums: Lift up the upper lip and observe the gums above the upper incisor teeth.

Pink, moist White, red, blue or dry

Gum Blanching: Press your finger firmly on the gums and then release it. Watch for the color return to the spot that you pressed.

Less than 2 seconds to return to normal color

Greater than 2 seconds to return to normal color

Attitude / Demeanor: Observe how the horse is acting. Bright, alert, responsive Quiet, stuporous, obtunded (unaware of surrounding, acting tired, eyes have distant look in them)

Movement (Mobility): Observe the horse standing and also walking. Coordinated, smooth movements, no limping

Ataxic (uncoordinated), staggering, showing signs of lameness, reluctance to walk.

Pain Level: Watch for limping, look for signs of colic such as kicking at stomach, biting at flanks, pawing, sweating, trying to roll. Also look for signs of tying up such as muscle spasm, stiffness, or sweating. Horses in pain will often breathe heavily and fast and sometimes make grunting sounds.

Normal behavior Expressing signs of pain.

Extreme Injury: Look for lacerations, eye injuries, bleeding, broken limbs.

Mild scrapes, slow bleeding or dried blood, runny eyes.

Full thickness lacerations, rapidly bleeding wounds (blood spurting), eyes extremely swollen or closed, broken bones.

Deciding when to call in the veterinarian is critical to your horse’s health.

manage problems yourself if it is determined that veterinary assis-tance is not needed.

whEn is VETErinAry AssisTAncE nEEdEd?Generally, if you would go to the hospital for the ailment that you’re observing in your horse, a vet call is warranted. For instance, if you cut yourself, you can pretty quickly determine whether or not you need to go to the emergency room. The same rule holds true for horses. If the severity of the ailment and the pain that your horse is in is more than you could endure, then calling the vet is the best solution.

These “slam dunk” ailments in

Emergency vs. non-Emergency


horses that will almost always require veterinary assistance in a timely fashion:

• Not eatingo Colico Temperature > 101F

• Lacerationso Full thickness (all the way

through the skin)o Anything below the knee or

hock• Eye Injury• Neurologic / Down Horse• Birthing Difficulty• Extreme Lameness

o “5 out of 5”- non-weight bearing

o Broken boneso Laminitis

TiPs fOr dETErmining if yOu nEEd A VETCalling the vet doesn’t always mean that he or she will come out.

Chronic “Aches and Pains” Already Seen by Your VeterinarianProblem Suggestions

Waxing and waning low grade ringbone/ arthritis and caudal heel pain

1. Liniment : Absorbine Original, Sore No-More, Bigeloil, Vetrolin

2.Turn-out/ change in housing: Horses that can move ad libitum historically do much better. Therefore, if your horse is stiff standing in a stall, try to change the housing arrangement to provide a larger space, or increase daily turnout time.

3 Hand walk/ Eurociser/ hot walker: Even 20 minutes twice daily can make a difference in creaky joints.

4.Changes in shoeing: sometimes the length of the toe or angle of the foot can be altered to assist the horse in accommodating arthritis or navicular.

5. Equine Vibration plate

6.Addition of joint supplements can assist in reducing inflammation. See our recommendations here..

Sore backs 1.Back on Track Ceramic Blankets have been known to help sore backs by keeping the muscles warm through insulation. This, in turn, increases blood circulation which enables the muscles to flex and relax more easily.

2. Reactor Panel saddles are a revolutionary new type of saddle that has a flexible tree with four shock absorbers built in. They help to distribute weight and minimize traumatic concussive forces on the epaxial muscles, which in turn can ease back soreness.

3. Magnetic Pads/ Blankets can improve circulation and relax backs. Be prepared though, they can be costly!

4. Saddle fit evaluation/ adjustment or new saddle is commonly needed for back sore horses. Sometimes your horse’s body shape changes or you begin to ride differently- therefore requiring that the saddle be evaluated and adjusted. In other instances, a saddle is just a poor fit or doesn’t fit at all.

5. Massage/ body work works to relax sore backs just as it does in humans. Sometimes muscles and soft tissues “memorize” a tense position and it takes a thorough kneading to release the tension.

6. Stretching before exercise reduces the chance of muscle strain and subsequent seizure. By gently and passively stretching muscles, muscle fibers are able to elongate and contract without excessive force.

“Stocking up” of the legs

1. Stocking up refers to the swelling of the legs (usually hind limbs) due to poor lymphatic circulation and drainage when a horse stands still. Therefore, allowing turn out/ daily walking by hand / Eurociser or hot walker, or changing housing to keep the horse in a larger area will help.

2. Standing wraps are a classic way to keep legs from stocking up. They consist of a quilt and a stable bandage.

3. Game Ready. This pressurized wrap system utilizes cold water and air compression to shrink swollen legs.

4. Vibraplate therapy will reduce limb edema by increasing blood circulation and osmotic pressure in the legs.

Sometimes, a phone consult is all that is needed to determine if a trip is warranted. Some veterinarians charge for phone time and some don’t. Undoubtedly, a 15-minute phone consult will cost you far less than a veterinary ranch call. When you call, be prepared to describe the problem calmly and succinctly. Veterinarians will often want to know the horse’s temperature, so having a working thermometer around is advised.

Rely on technology when commu-nicating with the vet. You can take fairly detailed photos on your mo-bile phone and email them or text them directly to your vet. Make sure that they are not blurry, are ad-equately lit, and are not an extreme close up. Pan out far enough to give the veterinarian a good idea of what you are seeing. Even short videos can be quickly transmitted these

days. Familiarize yourself with these capabilities on your phone and don’t be afraid to use them!

Make sure that if the vet is paged, you pick up the phone when he or she returns your call for help. This means that you or someone needs to be near the phone to answer. If you’re using a mobile phone, you must be in a location with service. Be sure that if you are calling sev-eral different veterinarians that you answer the phone to let responding vets know whether they are needed or not. (This can be extremely important in order to get a response the next time you have an emer-gency.)

Many horse problems are chronic. That means they “flare up” on a repetitive basis. If you feel confi-dent in your knowledge of the issue and your horse doesn’t appear to be in any physical danger, you can


Pesky Skin Problems That Have Been Diagnosed Previously

Problem Suggestions

Rain rot 1. Medicated shampoos and sprays including EQyss Micro-Tek shampoo and Vetericyn Hydrogel spray may help. In a pinch, Betadine or Nolvasan (chlorhexidine) scrub will work, but be careful since prolonged use will dry out the skin.

2. Cleaning/ airing blankets/ brushes and halters: Rain rot is a fungal infection that can be perpetuated by contaminated objects that contact the skin. Soaking grooming equipment in buckets of dilute bleach or Nolvasan and laundering halters and blankets is recommended.

3. Air out your horse and groom daily! Take the blanket off to allow air to get to the skin. Grooming will physically remove fungal hyphae.

Scratches 1. A fungal/ bacterial infection of the pasterns and in more extreme cases, the cannon bones is best treated by changing the environment. Most horses that stand in muddy and wet footing are prone, or horses standing in soiled bedding. Lay down base rock to give the horse a way out of the wet, and clean stalls daily.

2. Gentle scrubbing with betadine scrub is very effective at killing the infection.

3. Vetericyn Hydrogel spray works wonders on scratches!

4. Clipping the hair (especially for horses with feathers - GASP!) will help a lot. Just getting air down to the skin can help dry out the moisture that facilitates scratches.

Low grade insect bite hypersensitivity

1. Use fly sheets/ fly masks- nothing takes the place of a physical barrier when it comes to protecting your horse from the “itchies.”

2. War Paint or SWAT ointment on ventral midline and around tail head help to repel insects in those “hard to reach” places for days at a time. They act as a physical barrier to the insects and have eucalyptus pyrethrins in them that repel the bugs.

3. EquiSpot Spot-On insect repellent seems to work well for 2 to 3 weeks at a time.

4. Of course, fly spray… and lots of it.

Hoof Issues That Are Being Handled Adequately by the Farrier

Problem Suggestions

Quarter cracks 1. Daily feeding of hoof supplements, which can improve hoof quality over time.

2. Topical hoof products which increase hoof moisture, such as Life Data’s “The Right Step.” See our article.

3. Creative trimming by your farrier. Farriers can “score” and or “float” quarter cracks. Scoring involves burning a horizontal line into the outer hoof wall at the proximal most aspect of the crack. Floating involves filing the rim of the hoof where the crack ends to take it out of contact with the ground. Both procedures can stop the crack by changing the force distribution on the hoof.

Thrush 1. Application of anti-thrush medication on a routine basis can stop thrush in its tracks. Several OTC thrush remedies are effective.

2. Physically removing thrush infected frog is one of the most potent methods of getting the problem under control. Sometimes diligent hoof picking is enough, but it may be necessary to have a farrier cut it out with a hoof knife.

3. Decrease mud/ standing water and soiled bedding in your horse’s environment as all of these factors predispose the hoof to infection.

4. Daily exercise can be helpful in combating thrush infections because the movement of the foot clears debris, facilitates air movement in the sulci (“cracks”) of the hoof, and improves circulation to tissues which aids in immune response.

Tender feet/ thin soles/ sole bruising

1. Shoes +/- pads, or boots can shield thin soles from jagged rocks and hard ground.

2. Applying a hoof hardener to the bottom of the hoof will decrease sensitivity. Venice turpentine, Keratex Hoof Gel or Sole Pack are top choices here.

3. As the farrier to allow some callous to form on the bottom of the hoof and go easy on the trimming. Allowing a bit more hoof to grow rather than aggressively paring sole out can make a big difference.

probably institute therapy yourself, provided that you have all of the necessary supplies. Remember, though, if you’re at all unsure of what is going on with your horse or if you are inadequately equipped (with supplies/ medications) to deal

with the problem, you’re wise to make the call.

fOr ALL ThE rEsT Of iTSo, what about all the times that you don’t necessarily need a veteri-narian front and center? As stated,

many horse owners are more fa-miliar with their horse’s repetitive ailments than the vets are. In other instances, the problem at hand just doesn’t warrant a vet call either be-cause the vet has already seen the horse and prescribed a treatment,

Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014 11

or the problem does not rise to the level of needing a vet.

Our charts contain examples of times in which you may be able to manage problems on your own, and some suggested therapies to help.

BOTTOm LinEFor each of the problems listed

Superficial Skin Wounds

Problem Suggestions

Bites from other pasture mates that do not break the skin

1. Separate or rearrange horses.

2. Muzzles work as a last resort.

3. Make sure that horses are fed far apart, have at least two water sources, and have ample room in a shared space. These provisions will cut down on competition and subsequent fighting.

Hock sores 1. Providing soft bedding such as shavings in a stall or a sand pile in a pasture/turnout can reduce hock sores by providing some padding between the hock and the hard ground.

2. Hock wraps are marketed specifically to provide protection to the joint. They usually have a Velcro strap design to facilitate easy application and removal.

Minor scrapes/ abrasions 1. Principles of wound care are universal: Keep the wound clean is the highest priority. Wounds can be cleaned with betadine and dressed with wound creams, such as triple antibiotic ointment.

above, you may be within your comfort level to make a management change or use an over-the-counter product to help the situation. Again, if you are unsure of how to proceed, especially when your vet has not previously seen the horse for the problem, it would be wise to call and at least talk about the issue to

determine the best course of action.Please refer to the online story for

links to the products in this article.Article by Contributing Veterinary

Editor Grant Miller, DVM.

north carolina foal Born in wild with crooked LegsReport from CBS 12 News 6-2-2014

CBS 12 News reports that a crippled foal and his dam were found by volunteers in North Carolina. Report includes work to correct his legs. Foal will be up for adoption after weaning. Cute Video. http://

www.cbs12.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_16399.shtml

california chrome and skechers?Yup, he’ll be promoting shoes.

We stumbled across this video report about California Chrome and Skechers. Thought you might be amazed, too.


A properly mounted stall fan is positioned so the horse cannot access the fan or the wiring. Cords are neatly tied together with an electric-safe cable.

Fans tied to the front of horse stalls is a familiar site to all of us. Often bungeed into place,

the fan is often a simple, inexpen-sive product from a local discount store. And few of us give it another thought. But that’s a mistake. Not all fans are intended for barn use, a dusty, dirty environment even in the most pristine barns. And a fan that isn’t designed for a barn setting can lead to fire.

OK, ThEn whAT fAn?A fan suitable for continued use in a barn needs a sealed/enclosed motor, so it can’t suck dust up into it.

Just look at the back of an ordinary fan, and you’ll likely see the glint of the copper wires in the motor. That tells you the motor isn’t sealed.

If hay or another combustible material reaches the hot parts of the motor the fan may catch on fire or it may short out. It may produce enough heat to melt the plastic parts of the fan, which could drip onto hay or even result in some small flames . . .

Unfortunately, the fan package won’t say it’s safe for a barn. And the customer-service representative you call at that 800 number may not know either. But, if you check the package or call the company, you may find what you need: a mo-tor that is totally enclosed and/or sealed. Fans that are also outdoor-rated or waterproof also qualify as “sealed.”

We also like fans that have a ther-mal overload protector that will shut off the fan if the motor overheats. The protector re-sets when the fan cools and turns it on again. Another option to consider is a fan with a fused plug, which will disable the fan if there is an electrical short or overload.

gO cOmmErciALBecause our horses’ fans tend to run continuously for months on end, durability is extremely important. Fans that are designated as “com-

stall-fan safetyThe ordinary box fan isn’t your best choice.

mercial” tend to be more long-lived. A fan that has an airflow rating of

approximately 2,000 cubic feet per minute (CF/M), on the high setting, is right on the money for most stalls. Much more than this is likely to cause too much dust rise and may even make the horse too cool.

Aim the fan so that the horse can get out of the air flow if he wants to do so, and be sure the fan is mounted securely. The stall front is usually the best location because the fan can be mounted to blow horizontally.

If you don’t have a grill/mesh stall front, you can use a post along the wall or in a corner of the stall to install the fan with a wall mount.

You can also use a beam above the stall and mount a ceiling fan. It will need to be out of the horse’s reach. A height of 12 feet (higher for very tall horses) allows airflow while keep-ing the horse from messing with the fan.

Place any fan (including ceiling fans) below the really hot layer of air that forms just under the roof. In many barns this hot layer will flow up and out through vents or a cu-pola and you don’t want to disrupt that flow or blow the hot air back down in the barn.

If the fan is on the stall front, route the cord around the back of the fan, then up out of reach, and be just as careful about getting the cord back down to the plug. Self-closing cable ties can help.

If you use choose to use zip plas-tic ties, select ones that are rated for electrical cords and don’t cinch them too tight. Avoid extension cords if you can, but if you need one get a heavy-duty cord intended for contractor or heavy-duty use.

BOTTOm LinENothing can totally prevent barn fires, but you can lessen the odds with the right fan. A barn fan needs to have a sealed motor. We would consider springing for commercial quality, made for use in outdoors

and/or wet, dirty areas, and expect to get more than one year out of it.

And, if you are pulling that fan out of storage for another year, be sure you look it over carefully – com-mercial quality or not. Clean it (unless you were very good and did that before you put it away), check the wiring and cords. Replace any that are stiff or cracked. Better yet, consider replacing the entire fan. Remember, only you can prevent barn fires (thank you, Smokey Bear, we couldn’t resist).

These companies carry fans suited to a barn environment:

www.airkinglimited.comwww.bigassfans.comwww.farmtek.comwww.qcsupply.comwww.schaeferfan.com

Fan mounts made for horse stalls can be found at:

www.doversaddlery.comwww.horse.comwww.smartpakequine.comwww.sstack.comwww.valleyvet.com

Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014 1�

nasal strips: They definitely don’t harm

Controversy regarding California Chrome running for the Triple Crown comes down to a 3-inch adhesive strip.

All this talk about Califor-nia Chrome running in the Belmont on Saturday, June 7,

for a chance to be the 12th horse in history and the next since 1978 to win the coveted Triple Crown (Ken-tucky Derby, Preakness Cup, and Belmont Stakes) has centered on the use of nasal strips. The controversy has been whether or not the use of the nasal strip was performance enhancing.

Do the strips give horses a compet-itive edge? Experts say no, and thus the State of New York Racing Com-mission cleared the use of the strip for the Belmont Stakes. However upon further investigation, research results are conflicting.

In a 2001 study, conducted on nasal strips, it was shown that they had no effect on gas exchange, ex-ercise-induced pulmonary hemor-

rhage, or lactate build-up due to anaerobic metabolism. But a more recent study conducted in 2004 suggests that horses wearing nasal strips had a reduction in bleeding in the lungs.

The disposable 3-inch strip laid across the dorsum of the horse’s nose is said to expand the diameter of the nasal passages to allow more airflow with less restriction. Since

nBc’s coverage of the Belmont stakesSeriously? 18 hours of coverage?

If you’re ultra excited about the upcoming Belmont on Saturday, June 7, NBC nnounced astonishing coverage, which actually began with pro-gramming on Wednesday, June 4. Includes video footage. See the cover-

age here.

horses are obligate nasal breathers (meaning that they can only breathe through their nose and not through their mouth like us humans) an open nasal passage is extremely important. Sold under the brand name Flair, the equine nasal strip was invented by two veterinarians in the early 2000s.

For the $10 that it costs for a nasal strip, if they can help your horse to breathe easier and more freely - why not try them? Even if they help the smallest amount, every little bit helps, especially in cases of speed.

Bottom Line: They won’t harm your horse if you choose to be adventurous and give them a try. Whether you feel they truly make a difference for your horse is some-thing we’d like to hear about.


Belmont, Preakness, Kentucky derby - watch Them AgainWhat did we do before YouTube??

In case you missed the races, here’s video! California Chrome: Purple silks, green jockey hat. Includes links to these videos online.


Mild lameness or stiffness

Decreased range of motion in a joint

Swelling/excess fluid in a joint

Pain reaction to flexion tests

■

■

■

■

Abnormal shape of a joint

Reluctance to perform, unwilling to hold a gait

Agitated, unhappy behavior

Difficult for the farrier

■

■

■

■

Symptoms of Arthritis That May Respond To A Joint Supplement

The search for An Affordable, Trustable Joint Product

If the product contains recommended levels of ingredients and costs under $2 a serving, it’s worth a try. An NASC seal is a bonus.

Your horse is an athlete and subject to wear and tear.

For as long as joint supplements have been used in the horse world—over 20 years now—

their efficacy has been debated. On a Monday, you might read a study saying they help, and on Tuesday you’ll see one that calls them a waste of money.

In barn aisles, you may hear that a horse can’t “absorb” the molecules through its digestive system (and that it’s been “proven”). Your vet may say only injectables work, because they’re the only ones with FDA proof.

Your barn manager may discour-age you, stating you can’t be sure your horse eats enough of the supplement to work. We’ve even heard some people don’t use these products because, they say, they’re called “supplements” because your horse doesn’t need them.

Well, in the real world, horse own-ers notice such a positive difference in their horses on joint nutraceu-ticals that they skip the research articles, ignore the gossip and feed the products. Then they happily pick up the reins and gallop off into the sunset.

So, if your horse has symptoms like the ones in our box below, you need to decide which product to purchase. It’s not easy. Some people

get so frustrated they close their eyes, point to a product on a catalog page and hope for the best.

wE’VE gOT ThE BEsT. In the past, we’ve discussed the injectable joint supplements (Legend, Ade-quan, Pentosan) that your vet might suggest. We broke them down in a cost/benefit analysis to help you choose the one best for your horse.

Now we’re tackling oral joint supplements, which are used 7 to 1 over injectables, mainly because they’re easily available, simple to use and don’t involve an injection.

As we make our way through the facts, you’ll learn to bypass the ad hype and look for value, spend-ing your money wisely while your horse reaps the benefits.

OnE scOOP Or TwO? Can any-one actually make sense out of a supplement label? Some products are measured in ounces, some in milligrams . . . others don’t even tell you how much of each ingredient they contain (advertisements are notorious for that!).

The key to reading a label is to break things down into a simple per-serving basis. And, no, they don’t always do that for you. Also, the scoop that the manufacturer

includes doesn’t always equal one serving. You may need two or you may need a half scoop.

We’ve found three simple criteria —all of which should be some-where on that label—needed to make an informed purchase:

1. The number of scoops that equal one serving,

2. The quantity of active ingredi-ents in each serving,

3. The cost of one serving.Most scoops are marked to show

their capacity (either in milligrams or ounces), but that may or may not equal one serving. You’ve got to read the label to make that determi-nation because if the label says to feed 2 scoops per day, and you feed


Product NASC seal Available Forms

Gluco-samine mg

Chondro-itin sulfatemg

Contains other joint-supporting ingredients

Approx. cost per container

Daily Serving size

Approx. cost/ day

Double-dose price

Chondroitin Sulfate HorseTech www.horsetech.com800-831-3309

Yes Powder 0 2000 No 6 oz./$49.95

½ scoop 59¢ NA

Cosequin OriginalNutramaxwww.nutramaxlabs.com888-886-6442

No Powder 3600 1200 No 280 grams/$60

6 grams $1.28 NA

Equine Glucosamine SulfatePlatinum Performancewww.platinumperformance.com800-553-2400

Yes Powder 9160 0 No 1 lb./$35

2 teas-poons

35¢ NA

FluidFlexFarnamwww.farnamhorse.com800-234-2269

Yes Liquid 2500 100 Yes 32 oz./$35

1 oz. $1.09 NA

FLX SeniorPrime Performancewww.prime performancenutrition.com888-457-4235

Yes Powder 6000 250 Yes 4 lbs. /$44.45

½ oz. 69¢ NA

Glanzen-GLHorseTechwww.horsetech.com800-831-3309

Yes Powder 6000 0 Yes 12 lbs./$56.95

6 oz. $1.77 NA

The products we selected here are what we call entry-level glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate choices, which we consider step 1 in your joint-product search because they’re less expensive. Cost per day and ingredient amounts are for the manufacturer-rec-ommended maintenance dose.

Because we found some products so well-priced, we included a “double-dose price” column. For the products with a price in this column, we quibble with the manufacturer-recommended levels and suggest feeding double the manufacturer’s recom-mended daily dose. This raises you to our recommended levels and still saves you money.

Note: We did not include products that include hyaluronic acid (HA) or MSM, as we’ll discuss those in our next article. We also did not include combination products, such as those that include hoof-support ingredients.

good starter-Product choices

only 1, you’re wasting your money. That’s because your horse needs to

consume specific amounts of a joint supplement to receive maximum benefit. Of course, these findings are based (and debased) by research . . . lots of research.

Once you figure out how many scoops constitutes one serving, the next task is to determine if each serving actually has enough joint product in it to make a difference. Herein lies the rub.

In our Minimum Dosages chart, we’ve included our recommended daily doses for an average-size horse (1,100 lbs.). While there are literally thousands of research articles that may support or refute these recommendations, we feel that they’re sound. We’ve based this

on research and clinical evidence from the past decade. Note: When you begin adding other ingredients to a joint supplement, the required levels of some ingredients can vary, which we discuss in “Some Pricey Ingredients are Worth Your Money.”

Now you can compare your joint supplement to our chart to figure out whether it’s making the grade.

As an example, consider these ingredients, from an actual label:

1 oz. equals one daily serving. Each 1 oz. serving contains:Glucosamine - 5,000 mg Vitamin C - 5,000 mg Zinc - 200 mg Manganese - 250 mg Yucca - 100 mgThe label clearly indicates that 1

scoop is 1 ounce, which equals 1

serving, which is good. When you break down the ingre-

dients, it’s clear that one serving only provides half of our recom-mended amount of glucosamine, manganese and zinc. It contains enough vitamin C, but yucca is too low. If you’re going to pay for an ingredient, it needs to be at a level that will can make a difference. (To determine if it’s a quality product, consider a one bearing the NASC seal.)

VALuE fOr ThE dOLLAr. If you’ve looked around, you know that joint supplement prices vary tremendously from as little as 26¢ a day to over $5 a day, with most selling at about $2 per day. It may be tempting to purchase a large


Product NASC seal Available Forms

Gluco-samine mg

Chondro-itin sulfatemg

Contains other joint-supporting ingredients

Approx. cost per container

Daily Serving size

Approx. cost/ day

Double-dose price

Glucosamine HCLUckele Equinewww.uckele.com800-248-0330

Yes Powder 9000 0 No 2.5 lbs./$74.95

2 teaspoon 86¢ NA

Grand FlexGrand Meadowswww.grandmeadows.com800-255-2962

Yes powder 5000 0 Yes 1.875 lbs./$44

1 oz. $1.46 NA

Joint RenewPeak Performance Nutrientswww.peak performancenutrients.com800-944-1984

Yes Powder 5000 0 No 5 lbs./ $145.99

5 grams 32¢ 64¢

LubrunUckele Equinewww.uckele.com800-248-0330

Yes Powder 6000 2000 No 240 grams/$37.95

4 grams (1 scoop)

61¢ NA

MaxFlex Maximum Relief Glucosamine PelletsFarnamwww.farnamhorse.com800-234-2269

Yes Pellets 7500 0 Yes 3.75 lbs./$65

1 oz. $1.08 NA

SU-Per Glucosamine Gateway Productswww.buygpdirect.com888-472-2825

NASC member; no seal yet

Powder 5000 0 No 2.5 lbs./$14.20

1 oz. 35¢ 70¢

SU-Per Glucosamine C.SGateway Products www.buygpdirect.com888-472-2825


Liquid 5000 0 Yes 32 oz./$15.88

2 oz. 99¢ MA

SU-Per Glucosamine Ultra Pure PowderGateway Products www.buygpdirect.com888-472-2825


Powder 6320 0 No 2 lb./$47.88

1 oz. 18¢ 36¢

container to save money, and most of these ingredients have about a one-year shelf life. However, once you open the container, that shelf life is greatly limited. We recom-mend not purchasing more than 30 to 60 days of product at a time.

Sometimes a product may appear to be a good value because it has a relatively low purchase price com-pared to other products. That’s why you need to know:

1) If it contains the required amount of an active ingredient needed to work, as discussed, and

2) How many servings are in the container (not just scoops).

For example, Joint Product A comes in an eight-lb. container and costs $100. It says it contains 128 scoops, which might sound like enough for around four months. But wait. It only contains a 1 oz. scoop

and the label states one serving is 2 ozs. Now you know you have to use 2 scoops to achieve the concen-tration that the product lists in its ingredient list and the container will last about two months.

You note that each 2-oz. serving contains 10,000 mg of glucosamine, 10,000 mg of MSM and 5,000 mg vitamin C, so the levels are good (remember our chart on page 3). There are 16 oz. in 1 lb., so at 8 lbs. in the container, that $100 is buying 128 ozs., which is actually 64 two-oz. servings. Therefore, that $100 container costs $1.56 per serving. That’s a pretty good deal!

BOTTOm LinE. Learning to evalu-ate these products on a per-serving basis is pretty easy, and we’ve done that for you for a number of popular simple joint products in our chart.

If you’ve never given your horse a joint product before—because you didn’t see signs of arthritis earlier or just learned that these supple-ments do even more to prevent inflammation and joint breakdown than they do to treat it once it’s started—you can begin with a basic glucosamine product, containing 10,000 mg per serving. Although glucosamine works a little more slowly than other ingredients, it remains an excellent economical option, which is why we recom-mend starting with it.

Don’t skip the suggested loading dose (double the daily serving size) when starting a product, as it will just take longer for the ingredi-ent to begin working (literally, the body needs to be “loaded” with the product before it begins to work and doubling the ingredients for


Joint Supplement Minimum Recommended Daily Dose*

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) 4,500 mg

Avocado / Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU)

2,100 mg

Boswellia serrate extract 10,000 mg

Buckwheat 3,000 mg

Cat’s Claw 2,000 mg

Cetyl Myristoleate (Cetyl-M)

5,000 mg

Chondroitin sulfate (Bovine source)

1,400 mg; 3,000 mg preferred (500 to 1000 mg in combination)

Coenzyme Q-10 100 mg

Devil’s Claw 500 mg

Dimethyl Glycine (DMG) 1,500 mg

EGCG (Green Tea) 10,000 mg

Glucosamine Hydrochloride or Sulfate

10,000 mg (1250 to 2500 mg in combination)

Glutathione 9,000 mg

Grape Seed Oil 500 mg

Horsetail 30,000 mg

Hyaluronic Acid 250 mg (10 to 25 mg when used in combination)

Hydrolyzed Collagen 1000 mg to 1200 mg (collagen types vary)

Jiaogulan 4,000 mg

Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid)

30 mg

Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 Fatty Acid) (fish oil or flax oil preferred)

100 mg to 130 mg

Manganese 450 mg

Methysulfonylmethane (MSM)

10,000 mg to 30,000 mg

Microlactin 7,500 mg

Pine Bark 500 mg

Reservatrol No clear recommendations

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe)

7,200 mg

Silicon 30 mg

Willow Bark No clear recommendations

Yucca 10,000 mg

Zinc 450 mg

α-Tocopherol (Vitamin E) 500 mg (conjugations of vitamin E vary)

Ounce (oz.)

Cubic Centimeter (cc)

Milliliter (mL)

Gram (g)

Milligram (mg)

Table-spoon (Tbs.)

Pounds (1� oz. = 1 lb.)(lb.)

1 30 30 28.5 28,500 2 0.0625

2 60 60 57 57,000 4 0.125

minimum dosages

* When a product contains multiple joint-specific ingredients, the minimum required amounts may decrease, as the ingredients work in synergy.

Quantity measurements conversion Table

Proper conditioning is another way to com-bat arthritis.

the first 10 to 14 days is the most efficient method of accomplishing that). You should see some improve-ment within 14 days, however. If not, consider changing products.

If your horse shows some improve-ment on glucosamine, but you think you could get more, work your way up in ingredients, like hyaluronic acid and MSM. We’ll discuss those and more in detail next month. Remember, supplements such as glucosamine, yucca, and chondroi-tin represent the basic, most popu-lar joint supplements that act as anti-inflammatories in the body.

If you see no difference at all, consult your veterinarian. The problem may not be one that can be addressed with a joint supple-ment. In fact, if you’re not using the product as a straight preventative, we recommend getting a veterinary evaluation of the problem first.

Joint ingredients aren’t “pain pills” per se. Rather, they act as anti-inflammatories, which in turn help limit pain. If your horse is

head-bobbing lame, however, a sim-ple joint supplement likely won’t be enough to fix the problem.

Article by Contributing Veterinary Editor Grant Miller, DVM.

Form Pros Cons Comments

Gel Convenient, ensures consumption.

Expensive, some horses make giving a paste/gel difficult.

We’d use these when absolutely needed, such as a horse who can’t eat grain or alfalfa (pellets).

Liquid May be absorbed by some feeds, some clinical evidence they work more quickly.

Messy, more costly, can sink down to bottom of tub with whole grains.

We’d use liquids for horses who won’t eat powders and pellets aren’t available.

Pellet Alfalfa-based (palatable), mix in feeds well.

Expensive, manufactured through a heat process, which makes some people question efficacy.

Probably the simplest method of ensuring your horse consumes the product. Can even be fed as a treat. We’ve never noted efficacy problems.

Powder Most common, least expensive, usually a flaxseed and/or rice bran base, which is palatable and adds omega fatty acids.

Can sift down to the bottom of the feed tub, uneaten, as some horses hate the texture.

It helps to use a moist feed or moisten it, using water, corn oil, brown sugar, chopped apples or wet beet pulp. (See July 2011 “No Need To Resort to Sugar” for additional suggestions.)

Liquid, Pellet, gel or Powder


Mosquito season is upon us. Other bugs too, but today I want to deal

with mosquitoes. Clearly these are insects we want to avoid. Mosquitoes are known for their part in spreading the deadly encephalitis viruses horses are susceptible to.

“Chemical warfare” is cer-tainly used to fight mosquitoes. Still, most of us prefer to keep our chemical weapons to a minimum and use natural bug beaters as much as we can. So how can you keep your horses relatively mosquito free in a natural way?

First, minimize mosquito habitat on your farm. We love using big water tubs and troughs in the sum-mer so we don’t have to lug water buckets all day. Those tubs should be dumped at least weekly if not ev-ery three days or so to destroy any insect larvae developing in them. Dump and scrub!

If you rely on ponds for water for your horses, consider stocking some native mosquito killers. These include a fish called Gambusia. These are small – one- to three-inch guppy- type fish – that thrive on mosquito larvae. Koi and goldfish do, too, but they aren’t native fish and may not do as well. Or you could add tadpoles purchased from local bait shops. Frogs will eat mosquitoes.

BTI is Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, a natural-occurring bacteria that mosquito larvae will eat. The bacteria then produce a toxin that kills the mosquito larvae. This will not affect adult mosqui-toes and is considered to be safe for birds and other animals who drink from the pond. You would “seed” your pond with this to get a culture growing.

You can also stock your pond with damselfly and dragonfly larvae. The larvae feed on mosquito larvae and adult dragonflies will eat adult

mosquitoes can be deadlyThey may transmit nasty illnesses.

A natural skeeter-eater.

mosquitoes. These and BTI can be ordered through many farm and garden outlets.

Birds are big mosquito eaters. That includes lovely hummingbirds – after all they need protein, too! – as well as your traditional bug-eating birds like barn swallows and purple martins. If you provide suitable housing (and in the case of hummingbird additional flowers or feeders) these birds will take up residence and quickly start in on your mosquitoes.

Our barn swallows have already had one hitching and are sitting on a second set of eggs. Be prepared to deal with the possibility of bird droppings in your barn aisle or even on your horse at times. I con-sider this a small price to pay for the bug control. Swallows zipping in and out of the barn can also de-sensitize a spooky horse to flapping, flying objects.

While bats cause panic in many people, they are wonderful bug eat-ers and rarely cause any other prob-lems. You can set up “bat houses” to attract them as well.

There are passive ways to repel mosquitoes from your barn area,

too. Many plants serve to repel bugs including mosquitoes. My favorite plants for this are marigolds whose spicy scent is attractive. Rosemary, catnip and citronella grass also perform this duty. Your resident barn cat might really appreciate his own catnip bed.

I have used essential oil mixes to help keep black flies and mosquitoes off my horses’ faces and ears. My favorite is Buzz-Guard from Earthheart, which contains Neem seed oil and pure essential oils of citronella,

fir, geranium, rosewood, basil and myrrh in water. I like the smell and it does truly seem to help especially with the black flies and mosquitoes. One farm near me burns citronella torches near the barn doors at night hoping to keep mosquitoes out. Ob-viously, you need to observe those due to fire risk.

A face/fly mask will also help keep mosquitoes off at least part of your horse. Combined with a fly sheet you have additional protec-tion but I do find that mosquitoes will bite right through the fly sheets.

An ideal set up would be a stall with mosquito netting and screens to keep your horse in at night. That simply isn’t realistic for most of us.

Those are my best mosquito fight-ing tips. I’d love to hear your suc-cess stories, too.

Deb M. Eldredge, DVM, Contribut-ing Veterinary Editor

horses injected with gasolineOne dies and one survives.

Two Florida horses were injected with gasoline. Horses are not safe when unattended. Get a surveillance system for your barn. See the news report here.


can california chrome win The Triple crown?I think that today’s racehorses aren’t as iron fit as horses of the past.

In 1919, Sir Barton became the first Triple Crown winner.

As a horseman and as a racing fan, I’d very much like the answer to be: Yes,

California Chrome will win the Triple Crown. But if I were a bettor, and my main interest in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes was to make money, I’d bet on one or two of his rivals.

Why? Because, even if Califor-nia Chrome is the extraordinary racehorse he appears to be, the Belmont Stakes will be the big-gest challenge of his life, so far, for a number of reasons.

The biggest reason is that he’s going to be facing a bunch of fresh horses, a bunch of good horses whose trainers have pointed them specifically to the Belmont. None of the four horses who finished closest to him in the Kentucky Derby faced California Chrome again in his Preakness victory, instead girding their loins to block him from being the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed did it in 1978.

Ever since California Chrome became the 13th horse since then to win the Triple Crown’s first two legs, I’ve heard and read multiple theories on why no horse has done it since then. I don’t think there is any single reason, but I do think that one factor is the curious phe-nomenon we’re seeing this year, of which the above paragraph in symptomatic.

That is that, since 1978, the three Triple Crown races have grown steadily in public popularity and in prestige among trainers and owners. In the last 36 years, the Kentucky Derby, especially, has become a giant spectacle, the one race that millions of people who don’t otherwise follow horse racing notice each year. And for owners and trainers, winning any of the Triple Crown classics has become a highly sought-after line on a po-

tential stallion’s resume, especially “Kentucky Derby winner.”

But at the same time, “Triple Crown winner” has become less meaningful, much less of a priority for owners and trainers. Affirmed, along with Secretariat and Seattle Slew in 1973 and 1977, ran against many of the same horses in all three races. Those horses’ owners believed that running in those races was an important thing to do. But not anymore.

Perhaps more importantly, I think that today’s racehorses aren’t as iron fit as horses of the past. The tendency today is to run horses with far less frequency than 30, 40, 50 or more years ago. Is this because Thoroughbred breeding has produced horses who are far more fragile, or is it just a another symptom of the growing cultural cautiousness regarding so much of our lives?

I can’t say for sure, obviously, but here are some numbers: Before Sec-retariat won the Kentucky Derby, he’d raced 12 times, winning 10 of them. Seattle Slew had won a com-paratively few seven of seven starts, but Affirmed had won 11 of 13. Back in 1948, when Citation won the last Triple Crown before Secre-tariat, he’d raced 14 times before he stepped into the gate at Churchill

downs. Citation, who was said to have bottomless stamina, had raced 29 times by the end of his 3-year-old year, winning 27 of them. He would race through age 6, winning 32 of 45 starts.

For California Chrome, the Belmont will be his sixth start of the year and 12th in his lifetime—about the same as the three previous winners. Will that mean he’s a little bit fitter, a little bit tougher, than his fresh-ly prepared rivals? Will that give him the edge over them, or will he be too tired from his exer-

tions?As they say, that’s why we run

the race, instead of just postulating about it.

Fitness and freshness is the very narrow line you walk in training a horse for any sport, but espe-cially for the speed and endurance sports of racing, endurance riding, eventing and combined driving. You have to push the horse hard enough, put enough stress on his systems, to develop and advance his fitness. But you also have to be able to see when to back off, when the horse would benefit more from a little bit of rest than from another hard workout or a competition. It’s a sense that you have to develop from experience, because every horse is different and because even the same horse is different from year to year.

Sometimes we guess right, and sometimes we’re horribly wrong.

I’m hoping that Art Sherman has guessed right in his preparation of California Chrome for this poten-tially historic moment. He, and the horse’s “regular guy” owners, deserves it.

John Strassburger, Performance Editor


good sources of hylauronic Acid (hA)Brand Serving size Average Price Cost per

serving

Conquer (powder, liquid or gel; we prefer the gel)www.kinetictech.net, 877-786-9882

10 ml (1/6th of the tube) = 100 mg

$15.50/1 tube $2.58

HylaMax pastewww.primeperformancenutrition.com888-457-4235


$16/1 tube $2.66

HylaMotion gelwww.vitaflex.com, 800-848-2359


$10/1 tube $2.50

HylaRx liquidwww.selectthebest.com, 800-648-0950

2 oz. =250 mg $60/128 oz. 94¢

LubriSyn liquidwww.lubrisyn.com800-901-8498

½ oz. = 75 mg $122/32 oz. $1.90

Su-Per Hyaluronic(powder, liquid or gel; we prefer the gel)www.su-perstore.com888-472-2825

10 cc (1/7th of the tube) = 100 mg

$14.37/tube $2.05

We’ve discussed basic oral joint supplements, those with glucosamine and/or

chondroitin in them, which are your “starter” level products. We discussed specific minimal levels of ingredients needed to reach an effective dose, and we consider this so important that we’re repeating it here (Minimum Dosages).

Glucosamine and chondroitin are excellent first-level joint nutraceu-ticals, and they’re where everyone should start their horses, whether for therapeutic or preventative reasons (yes, you should begin us-ing them before your horse actually shows signs of arthritis). However, we frequently hear complaints from horse owners who claim these products “don’t work.”

They do work, but there are valid reasons why they might not be working for your individual horse:

1. The horse’s problem isn’t just

Joint Products: some Pricey ingredients Are worth your moneyMSM and HA remain the big-gun superstars in joint products.

arthritis, meaning you need to get a real veterinary diagnosis;

2. The levels of ingredients in the product you purchased aren’t up to therapeutic levels, meaning there’s not enough of the ingredients in them to work (a waste of money);

3. The horse needs more “power-ful” (and yes, pricier) ingredients.

And it’s those that we’re going to take on in this article.

mOrE BAng fOr mOrE BucKs.Sometimes horses with advanced joint issues or high athletic de-mands need more help than glucos-amine and/or chondroitin can give. That’s when you need the “double-barrel shotguns” of the supplement world: hyaluronic acid (HA) and MSM (methysufonylmethane). Of course, there are a host of other in-gredients out there. Some are worth your money, but many aren’t.

The veterinarian-injected prod-ucts—Adequan and Legend—work reliably well. However, there’s a big difference between injecting a supplement and feeding it, and it’s not just the shot.

When you inject a supplement, it gets directly into the bloodstream and body and bypasses the diges-tive tract. As a result, injectables have high availability and potency because 100% of the supplement gets into the central compartment of the body.

When a horse eats a supplement, the ingredient travels to the stom-ach where it’s partially digested. Stomach acid is strong enough to burn through wood, so you can imagine what it may do to degrade a joint supplement floating around in it. Consequently, right off the bat, whatever joint supplement you feed may be greatly diminished in concentration when passing

Your older horse may appreciate the relief from arthritic joint pain that nutraceuticals can provide.


Brand Serving Average Price

Per serving

Animed MSM-Pure www.animedproducts.com, 859-737-3441

1 tablespoon = 28,265 mg

2.5 lbs./ $16.99 21¢

Kinetic MSM Crystals www.kinetictech.net, 877-786-9882

3 scoops = 12,000 mg 2 lbs./$16.75 22¢

MSM by SmartPak www.smartpakequine.com, 888-773-2716

1 scoop = 10,000 mg 1.3 lbs./$18.95 34¢

Peak Performance Premium MSM www.peakperformancenutrients.com, 800-944-1984

1 scoop = 10,000 mg 2 lbs./$16.99 19¢

Select The Best MSM www.selectthebest.com, 800-648-0950

1 scoop = 10,000 mg 1 lb./$6.95 15¢

Sure Nutrition MSMwww.farnamhorse.com, 800-234-2269

1 scoop = 9,430 mg 4 lbs./$24 13¢

VitaFlex MSMwww.vitaflex.com, 800-848-2359

1 scoop = 9,340 mg 1 lb./$9.95 22¢

good sources of Pure Powdered msm

Joint Supplement Minimum Recommended Daily Dose*

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) 4,500 mg

Avocado / Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU)

2,100 mg

Boswellia serrate extract 10,000 mg

Buckwheat 3,000 mg

Cat’s Claw 2,000 mg

Cetyl Myristoleate (Cetyl-M)

5,000 mg

Chondroitin sulfate (Bovine source)

1,400 mg; 3,000 mg preferred (500 to 1000 mg in combination)

Coenzyme Q-10 100 mg

Devil’s Claw 500 mg

Dimethyl Glycine (DMG) 1,500 mg

EGCG (Green Tea) 10,000 mg

Glucosamine Hydrochloride or Sulfate

10,000 mg (1,250 to 2,500 mg in combination)

Glutathione 9,000 mg

Grape Seed Oil 500 mg

Horsetail 30,000 mg

Hyaluronic Acid 250 mg (10 to 25 mg when used in combination)

Hydrolyzed Collagen 1,000 mg to 1,200 mg (collagen types vary)

Jiaogulan 4,000 mg

Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid)

30 mg

Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 Fatty Acid) (fish oil or flax oil preferred)

100 mg to 130 mg

Manganese 450 mg

Methysulfonylmethane (MSM)

10,000 mg to 30,000 mg

Microlactin 7,500 mg

Pine Bark 500 mg

Reservatrol No clear recommendations

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe)

7,200 mg

Silicon 30 mg

Willow Bark No clear recommendations

Yucca 10,000 mg

Zinc 450 mg

α-Tocopherol (Vitamin E) 500 mg (conjugations of vitamin E vary)

minimum dosages

* When a product contains multiple joint-specific ingredients, the minimum required amounts may decrease, as the ingredients work in synergy.

through the stomach. Fortunately, some supplement does survive the stomach acid.

That remaining supplement then enters the small intestine, where it may be absorbed into the blood-stream through the intestinal wall. In order for a molecule to be ab-sorbed through the intestine wall in its whole intact state, it must be quite small. This helps to explain why glucosamine works so well in horses, because it is a very small molecule.

For larger molecules, the body usually breaks them down into smaller components before they’re absorbed. In some cases, they’re not absorbed at all, passing on through to the manure pile. For those that are broken down and absorbed, there’s little research to prove that the pieces (or substrates) have the same anti-inflammatory effect in the joints that the parent compound does.

Such is the case with oral hyal-uronic acid, a large molecule that can’t be absorbed into the blood-stream whole. It’s also quite expen-sive. Is it worth feeding hyaluronic acid to horses? Yes.

rEsEArch Or rEALiTy? There’s research that supports the use of joint supplements and research that disputes it. What matters to us are the results that we see when we use them. Anecdotal

evidence can have a strong impact on choosing to use a product that isn’t “proven” to work. Such is the case with oral hyaluronic acid.

Since, in most cases, HA is given in conjunction with glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, or other prod-ucts, one might wonder how much it’s contributing to the anti-inflam-matory effect. By-and-large, own-ers report improvements in their horses when HA is included, so many choose to not split hairs. Our advice is: If you can afford it, and it works, use it—because it seems that some products work in certain horses better than in others.

msm. Another strong addition to basic glucosamine and chondroitin is methylsufonylmethane, aka MSM. This sulfur-based molecule is in the same family as DMSO and garlic, although it doesn’t bear the harsh smell. It’s known for binding free-radicals (harmful chemicals released from inflamed tissue) and having an anti-inflammatory effect in the body.

At high concentrations, MSM has even been shown to be a pain-killer because it can numb nerve end-ings to lessen the body’s sensation of pain. MSM is absorbed quite well, but it needs to be fed to horses in high concentrations in order to achieve the effects noted.

Some companies have caught on


How long must I wait before I decide if a joint supplement is working? If you give a double dose of a joint supplement for the first two weeks,

then you should notice results by the end of that time. This “loading dose” is the quickest and most cost-effective method. If you feed the maintenance dose, it will take 60 to 90 days. If you don’t see improve-ment, you need to either review the label and adjust the dose/product to meet our minimum-level recommendations (p. 7) or consult your veteri-narian to make sure that nothing else is wrong with your horse.

Are joint products a waste of money for a nine-year-old sound horse?We understand your concern, especially during these challenging eco-

nomic times, but here are a few things to think about: Joint supplements do far more to prevent arthritis (joint inflammation)

than they do to treat it once it starts. A degenerative condition, arthritis worsens over time. If we can prevent it as long as possible, we make our horses comfortable and sound later into their lives. Therefore, the use of joint supplements at an early age is justifiable.

In a perfect world, horses would receive joint supplements beginning in the first few years of life, or at least when they begin their training (2 to 5 years old in most cases). However, many people wait until the horse is over 10 years old to begin. While they still help, it’s likely that by that age, horse owners are already behind the 8-ball in the fight. So, you’ll get the most bang for your buck if you start young with a basic product now.

nutraceutical fAQs

Product Form Glucosamine mg

Chondroitin Sulfate mg

HA mg

MSMmg

Average Cost

Cost / Day

Cosequin ASUwww.nutramaxlabs.com, 888-886-6442

N Powder 7,200 1,200 0 5,000 $150/2.3 lbs. $1.96

Hyla Sportwww.horsetech.com, 800-831-3309

Y Powder 10,000 2,000 100 10,000 $71.95/ 4 lbs. $2.25

MVP Cetyl-Flex HAwww.MedVetPharm.com, 800-366-8986

Y Pellet 10,000 1,200 100 10,000 $192/8 lbs. $2.90

MVP Exceed 6-waywww.MedVetPharm.com, 800-366-8986

Y Pellet 12,000 500 125 10,000 $87.36/6 lbs. $2.73

MVP Med Vet 5 HAwww.MedVetPharm.com, 800-366-8986

Y Pellet 10,000 2,500 125 10,000 $82/5 lbs. $2.04

Recovery EQ Extra Strengthwww.recoveryeq.com, 866-334-2463

N Powder 10,000 100 10,000 $95.95/2.2 lbs. $2.53/day

ReitSport HAwww.horsetech.com, 800-831-3309

Y Powder 10,000 2,000 100 10,000 $109.95/12 lbs.

$3.41

Smart III Resliencewww.smartpakequine.com, 888-773-2716

Y Powder, pellet

10,000 1,000 100 10,000 $60.95/ 4 lbs..

$2.09

Smart IV Ultimate Pelletswww.smartpakequine.com, 888-773-2716

Y Pellet 10,000 1,000 150 10,000 $57.95/2 lbs. $2.89

Smart Pak’s Cosequin SPwww.smartpakequine.com, 888-773-2716

Y Powder 7,200 1,200 10,000 $49.95/30 days

$1.78

TriLube Xtrawww.uckele.com, 800-248-0330

Y Powder 5,000 2,000 50 10,000 $77.95/2 lbs. $1.73

double-Barrel shotgun Joint ProductsThese provide our recommended therapeutic levels for glucosamine and/or chondroitin, and include HA and/or MSM.

to the research regarding MSM and are marketing it in effective higher concentrations. But many still don’t. These manufacturers sell their products at a cheaper price, but their relatively low levels of MSM are likely why many horse owners report that they don’t see an improvement in their horses when they use them.

Frankly, we find the results we see in field trials and clinical settings with MSM are far more powerful than any research regarding its poor efficacy. The fact is, many research projects show promising clinical results, but they’re dis-credited because reviewers don’t like the project design, the number of test subjects, or the outcome of statistical analysis.

Yes, of course, there’s value in sta-tistical analysis. But statistics can’t explain the undeniable positive results that owners who give MSM to their horses (at the optimum dose) report.

We’ve heard claims that the placebo effect is in play, but horses can’t experience a placebo effect


Product Forms Gluco-samine mg

Chondr-oitin Sulfate mg

HA mg

MSMmg

Average Cost

Cost /day

Absorbine Flex+Maxwww.absorbine.com, 800-628-9653

Y Pellet 10,000 1,200 150 5,000 $53.95/5 lbs. $1.80

Chondrogen EQwww.kinetictech.net, 877-986-9882

Y Powder 5,000 500 20 $67.15/50 servings

$1.34

Corta-Flx HAwww.cortaflex.com, 866-378-8383

N Paste, pellet, powder

undisclosed undisclosed 100 $50/32 oz. $1.56

Duflex EQwww.durvet.com, 800-821-5570

N Liquid 6,000 250 25 3,050 $30/32 oz. 83¢

Farrier’s Magic Flex N Actionwww.farriersmagic.com, 800-544-3635

Y Pellet 5,000 4,000 40 2,000 $35/2.5 lbs. 82¢

Farrier’s Magic Flex N Motionwww.farriersmagic.com, 800-544-3635

Y Pellet 5,000 4,000 40 $39/2.5 lbs. 97¢

FourFlexwww.shermarenterprises.com, 800-799-2990

Y Powder 7,500 1,000 100 7,500 $80/3.75 lbs. $1.33

Foxden Flex HAwww.foxdenequine.com, 540-337-5450

Y Powder 7,200 2,300 200 $90/727.8mg

$1.33

Grand HAwww.grandmeadows.com, 800-255-2962

Y Powder 350 300 $80/3.75 lbs. $1.34

Grand HA Synergywww.grandmeadows.com, 800-255-2962

Y Powder 5,000 250 200 10,000 $81/5 lbs. $2

HylaRx Completewww.selectthebest.com, 800-648-0950

Y Powder 7,500 500 100 5,000 $48/5 lbs. $1.60

MaxFlex XRwww.farnamhorse.com, 800-234-2269

Y Powder 5,000 50 10 100 $30/9375 mg

$1

MVP Med Vet Senior Flex HAwww.medvetpharm.com, 800-366-8986

Y Pellet 5,000 500 50 5,000 $90/5 lbs. $1.12

Nimble Supremewww.adeptusnutrition.com, 866- 233-7887

N Powder 7,500 200 100 $100.99/3.75 lbs.

$1.68

Nupro MultiFlexwww.multivetusa.com, 800-356-8776

Y Powder 7,500 6,000 100 5,000 $57/4 lbs. 95¢

OmniCetyl HAwww.peakperformancenutrients.com, 800-944-1984

Y Powder 10,000 500 100 10,000 $92.99/1.85 lbs.

$1.66

Platform Jointwww.farnamhorse.com, 800-234-2269

Y Powder 5,000 250 15 500 $37/2.8 lbs. 82¢

Platinum Performance CJwww.platinumperformance.com, 800-553-2400

Y Powder 9,350 100 8,500 $138/10 lbs. $2.38

These products meet/exceed our minimal levels for combination products.

good mid-Level Joint Product choices

since they don’t know what they’re being fed in the first place.

hOLd ThE KiTchEn sinK. If you’ve seen ads and read labels, you know that lesser-known ingre-dients like avocado, cetyl myristo-leate, and branched-chain amino acids are on the market. Both scientific research and use among

horse owners suggest that products like these can have a positive effect when combating inflammation in horses. Some companies market combination products that literally include dozens of real and alleged joint ingredients.

Although no one’s readily admit-ting it, we suspect some people use expensive multi-ingredient prod-

ucts only because they can’t figure out which supplement is the best. What the heck! I’ll feed them all.

If you can afford it, and your horse doesn’t have any health problems that can be associated with the ingredients, you’re not going to hurt anything except your wallet. How-ever, we suggest that you ponder these points, as they might save you a few bucks:


Some joint supplements can have deleterious side effects in horses.

For instance, Boswellia, horse tail extract, cat’s claw, devil’s claw and willow bark can all potentiate or exacerbate gastric ulcers, especially when given in combination with traditional non-steroidal anti-in-flammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as phynelbutazone (bute), flunixin meglumine (Banamine) or firocoxib (Equioxx, Previcox).

Some of these joint supplements have also been experimentally linked to coagulopathies (inabil-ity for blood to clot) and therefore should be used with caution in certain horses.

When giving combination joint products, you must pay particular attention to the amount of each ingredient.

Some products only contain “cam-eo” amounts of certain ingredients. It’s enough to jack up the price, but not enough to actually help your horse.

But there’s a bit of a monkey wrench in the formula: Some re-search and anecdotal/clinical data shows that you can feed less of a certain ingredient if it’s given in combination with another.

For instance, it’s recommended that horses receive 10,000 mg of glucosamine per day to achieve a useful anti-inflammatory effect. However, if fed in conjunction with chondroitin, some research shows that you can feed only ¼ of that (2,500 mg) to achieve an anti-in-flammatory effect. True to form, horse owners report that feeding combination products with glucos-amine and chondroitin in them do help their horses feel better.

The problem is that we don’t have research to show how each and ev-ery one of the ingredients found in joint supplements acts in conjunc-tion with one another.

So, does coenzyme Q-10 work if given with grapeseed oil (Reserva-trol)? We just don’t know. For that reason, the closer you can come to providing the recommended levels of products given individually, the better off your horse will be.

If you use a multi-ingredient

product, take a moment to compare its label to our recommendations. If it contains at or near the amount of supplement ingredients that we recommend, then it’s probably a keeper. If the majority of the ingre-dients are falling short of recom-mendations, shop around.

Sometimes these combination products contain ingredients that have no documented therapeutic effect in joints.

For instance, milk thistle, slip-pery elm, and marshmallow have no documented anti-inflammatory effect in joints. Because the nutra-ceutical industry isn’t well regu-lated, some companies get away with putting “fillers” into products that aren’t actually doing anything to help your horse. For instance, dextrose is a filler. It’s also a sugar, so horses are more likely to eat a product that contains it, which may be the manufacturer’s logic here.

The point is, just because some-thing’s on a label or in an ad doesn’t mean it actually does anything. Do your research before blindly pur-chasing a product with unfamiliar ingredients.

We focused on glucosamine, chon-droitin sulfate, MSM and HA in our charts because we’re discussing joint-supporting ingredients. Some products contain other important ingredients, such as devil’s claw, a strong anti-inflammatory or biotin for hoof growth, which may benefit you.

Cosequin may appear out of place in the “double-barrel” chart, but it works. It’s there because we believe

it’s arguably the longest-running, most highly respected product.

BOTTOm LinE. Here’s the formula: First, be sure it’s arthritis. If your horse is sore, you need to be certain why. Delaying proper care trying a joint nutraceu-tical is unfair to your horse and may make things worse and more difficult.

We think glucosamine is a must-have ingredient (we’ll discuss its effects on insulin-resistant horses in an upcoming issue). You can choose a glucosamine from our January article, then add MSM and/or HA by using the products on our charts. This may be a more eco-nomical route, but it’s not as easy as choosing a commercial product that includes all three.

As consumers, we believe the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) product seal is a plus. We’ve included that seal in our chart.

If your horse hasn’t been on a joint product before, start with our entry-level choices. If they don’t work well, move to the mid-level choic-es—or find a product with similar ingredient levels. Save the double-barrel shotgun recommendations for horses with extreme demands.

Finding a joint supplement that suits your budget, that your horse will eat, and that has a noticeable effect can be hard to do. If you have a product that meets those criteria, and it works, keep using it.

Article by Grant Miller, DVM, Contributing Veterinary Editor

riP sapphireJumper champion died due to colic.

We were so sad to learn that the great jumper mare Sapphire died due to complications of colic. She and McLain Ward were an incredible team.


Lameness Locator Gone are the days when the vet just watches your horse trot and then tells you what is wrong!

Technology has crept into our lives like vines overtaking a picket fence. We interact

with it in all aspects of life- from washing our hands in the bathroom (with this finicky faucets and soap dispensers) to connecting us to the world through our smart phones. The horse world has not been forgotten in this age of technology either!

In the past decade we have seen advents such as digital high-reso-lution radiography, Ultrasound, MRI and CT Scan assist vets in diagnosing lameness. We also have uncovered widespread ailments like gastric ulcers through improve-ments in endoscopy. Now, even the most rudimentary part of the equine lameness exam can be as-sisted by technology! That’s right,

the Lameness Locator by Vetel Diag-nostics can assist the veterinarian in finding lameness when the horse walks and trots.

The Lameness Locator is a system that enables a veterinarian to objec-tively identify lameness in horses. The system provides an analysis that indicates whether the horse is

lame, an amplitude of the severity of the lameness, the limb or limbs involved, and the part of the mo-tion cycle at which peak pain is occurring (impact, mid-stance, or push off). It achieves this through the attachment of small, wireless, body-mounted inertial sensors to the horse’s body that transmit data at a rate of 200 times per second to a hand-held tablet PC. In the end, the veterinarian can look at a graph which points to the lame leg!

These types of diagnostic instru-ments cannot replace a lameness exam and should only be used by a veterinarian since results simply “point to the lame leg” but do not diagnose which structure or struc-tures in the leg are the source of the lameness. This technology can be particularly useful in subtle cases of lameness, or in which lameness is present in multiple limbs.

If you’re vet has used the lameness locator on your horse, I would love to hear about your experience with it.


AVmA serious About compounded drugsRecent equine deaths part of the spur to get moving on this.

Consumers Beware: The Ameri-can Veterinary Medical As-sociation announced on June

4 that it has renewed its determina-tion to get the problems surround-ing many compounding pharmacies under control. This is due to the frequent reports of animal illness or death after consuming drugs made at some of these businesses.

The AVMA’s newly revised Task Force will look into questions about compounding pharmacies and make recommendations for legis-lative action to solve the difficul-ties and protect our animals and consumers.

The recent deaths of the horses in May of horses who consumed EPM drugs from a compounding phar-

macies has been cited as one of the main reasons for stepping up their efforts.You can read the entire news bulletin here.

Many horse people use com-pounding pharmacies, especially when their horses are on long-term pricey medications. And we do un-derstand. However, over the years, we have repeatedly warned con-sumers to use caution when select-

ing a pharmacy - especially when the drug will be compounded - and to check for pharmacy accredita-tion. Be honest with your veterinar-ian about where you plan to get a prescription filled, as he or she may have additional information for you about the company.


Seeing your horse’s head bob can make your head throb! High fever, a

swollen eye, you name it—our horses really keep us on the edge of our seats. But one injury that gives us serious indigestion is the dreaded “soft tissue” injury. Soft-tissue in-juries usually involve muscles, ligaments or tendons. In this article, we’re going to focus on tendons, following up next month with ligaments.

The bad news about tendon injuries is that they take a long time to heal and the road to re-covery can be rough. The good news is that they can and do heal in most cases.

hOw TEndOns wOrK. A tendon attaches muscle to bone. Elastic by nature, tendons are instrumental in movement and part of the lever sys-tem responsible for making joints bend (flex) and straighten (extend).

The most common tendons are the deep digital flexor tendon and the superficial digital flexor ten-don. They run between the carpus (“knee”) and fetlock down the back of the front legs, and between the hock and fetlock on the hind legs.

TEndOn inJuriEs. The most

Managing Tendons: it doesn’t have To Be A stretchYour horse will need time to heal, but some high-tech therapies can speed up the process.

Tendon Frequency of Injury Ease of Healing Average Healing Time Return to Work Lameness

FRONT HIND FRONT HIND FRONT HIND FRONT HIND FRONT HIND

Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon

Common Rare Easy Easy 6 months 6 months Likely Likely First few days only

First few days only

Deep Digital Flexor Tendon

Common Less common

Difficult Difficult 9 months 9-12 months

Likely Unlikely Yes Yes

Deep Digital Flexor Tendon- Insertion Tears

Rare Rare Very difficult

Very difficult

12 months, if at all

12 months, if at all

Unlikely Unlikely Extreme Extreme

Tendon injury healing And Prognosis

This ultrasound shows the location of a tear in the superfi-cial digital flexor tendon.

common tendon injury is a tear. Also known as “tendinitis” or a “bowed tendon,” tearing occurs when load bearing forces stretch a tendon beyond its physiologic range. Imagine a braided rope that is made up of hundreds of little fibers. If you use that rope to hang a grand piano off of a roof, you may see some of the rope fibers begin to snap. A similar phenomenon oc-curs when a horse over exerts itself and tears its tendon.

TEndOn hEALing. The three main stages of tendon healing are Inflammation (heat, pain

upon touch, swelling, lameness),

Repair or proliferation (re-generation of collagen tissue), and Remodeling (which can be

further divided into consolidation and maturation).

The inflammation and repair stag-es usually last a couple of months. However, depending upon owner compliance and the horse’s disposi-

tion, it can take much longer or not happen at all.

Remodeling begins with consolidation, ideally lasting a couple of months. During this time, the newly formed tissue becomes stronger and the fibrils become aligned in the direction of mechanical stress. In the final maturation stage, the tendon fibrils gain more strength by creating cross links between each other.

Tendon healing isn’t a car-riage ride through the park. It’s more like a day on the New York stock exchange. It can go in the right direction for months and then plummet in a

matter of minutes. In many cases, horses get stuck in

a phase of tendon healing and don’t progress out of it, usually because they move around too much or the therapy itself isn’t aggressive enough. In the worst cases, horses can be almost healed, and then something happens that sets them back, such as they get loose and have a field day. Incidents like these send an injured tendon back to square one.

firsT rEsPOnsE. If you’re riding when it happens, you’ll feel your horse pull up instantly lame. You’ll hop off, hoping that he has a rock


Treatment Description Cost Pros Cons

Regenerative cell therapy

Stem cells have the ability to transform into whatever cell type is near them. Stem cells are either harvested from fat near the horse’s tail head, or from bone marrow (taken out of the hip or the sternum).

$2,000 and $3,000. Some insurances cover this.

Stem cells accelerate healing by helping to clean up the damaged area of tendon and often by growing into new tendon fibers.

Harvesting the cells is invasive and can carry risks.

Platelet-rich plasma or thrombin injections

Both of these regenerative therapies involve drawing blood from your horse, which is then incubated in a special culture medium to amplify the number of platelets or thrombin in the sample. The platelets or thrombin are then separated out to later be injected into the damaged area of tendon.

$1,000 to $1,500. Some insurance companies cover this.

Less invasive than stem-cell harvesting. Usually performed early on in a tendon injury and have awesome effects on speeding up the healing process.

Blood draw risks.

Extracorporeal (“Acoustic”) shockwave therapy

A special ultrasound machine sends high-energy pulses of sound into the damaged tendon. The impact of the sound causes increased blood flow in the tendon. After about 500 or so shocks, the nerve endings in the area also go numb for several days, which can make your horse a bit more comfortable over the long term.

Thousands of dollars. Some insurance companies cover this.

Acoustic shockwave can speed up tendon healing and also enhance the effect of stem cells.

Must be performed by your veterinarian and requires at least three treatments over the course of weeks. The first 500 or so shocks are rather uncomfortable, so your horse must be sedated for it to be performed safely.

Interleukin Receptor Antagonist Protein

“IRAP” is gaining popularity as the “natural cortisone.” IRAP is a protein that exists in the bloodstream. When IRAP is processed, blood is drawn and incubated within a special medium. The incubation process causes the IRAP to multiply. It is then separated out and injected into the damaged tissue.It should be injected into the damaged tissue three or more times over a period of weeks.

The entire process, from drawing the blood to completing a three-part series is usually $2,000 to $2,500. Some insurance companies cover this.

It has a potent anti-inflammatory effect because it blocks the signal sent out by damaged tissue that elicits the inflammatory process.

Each time a needle is placed into the body, there is a small chance of infection, and so therefore, there is a slightly greater risk when using IRAP due to the multiple times that it needs to be injected.

Microcurrent Microcurrent involves fixing electrodes to the skin and then passing 1/1000th of an ampere of electricity through the damaged area. The low current of electricity provides pain relief and also stimulates cells to regenerate by improving their oxygen metabolism.

Battery-operated, hand-held microcurrent units are under $100. Not covered by insurance.

An excellent therapy that is non-invasive and affordable if you do it yourself. You can use it on a damaged tendon daily.

You must have a veterinarian trained in microcurrent assess your horse, determine that it is an appropriate treatment option, and then teach you how to do it.

recommended high-Tech Treatment Options

Rub-On SupportSystemic anti-inflammatories (such as bute) can have harmful side effects on the gastroin-testinal tracts of some horses. One way to provide potent anti-inflammatory therapy to an injured tendon without the side effects is to use Surpass paste. Rubbing this paste on an injured tendon 1 to 2 times per day can deliver high levels of anti-inflammatory medication through the skin, specifically at the site of application. (You’ll need a prescription from your veterinarian for Surpass.)

Supplements for Tendon InjuriesWell, we wouldn’t be Horse Journal if we didn’t emphasize the need for optimal nutrition! The added support of these recommended supplements help give your horse the “tools” his body needs to heal. Check what your horse’s supplements contain to see if they cover these levels. If not, consider adding these: Vitamin C - 3000 mg/day; Vitamin E – 800 IU/day; Selenium - 1 mg/day; Polysulfated glycos-aminoglycans (Adequan), which your vet must provide.

stuck in his shoe, but end up lead-ing your limping horse back to the barn. It’s clear which leg hurts, and after a bit of time passes, the tendon area will swell. Being able to iden-tify a tendon injury early is monu-mental to your success in healing it, because what you do in the first 72 hours following the injury can set the tone for the entire course of the healing process.

If you take nothing else away from this article, please remem-ber this: Rest, Wrapping, Ice and Anti-Inflammatory Medications are absolute MUSTS during the inflammatory (early onset) stage of a tendon injury.

If your vet can’t get to your horse the same day of the injury, be sure to talk with him or her about start-ing these first-response therapies.

Rest (aka “locking your horse in a stall”) is critical to prevent further damage to the tendon. A horse must be prevented from exerting


Prevention Is Worth A Ton Of CureWhen it comes to tendon health, keep your athletic ventures focused on those that your horse can handle.

1. Keep your horse in prime respiratory fitness. If the lungs and heart are functioning at peak capacity, the bloodstream will be well-saturated with oxygen. Muscles that are well-oxygenated won’t fatigue as easily as ones that aren’t, which in turn will reduce the chances of a tendon being overstretched and torn. Regular exercise (daily riding, turn-out, longeing) can keep a horse aerobically fit.

2. Use discretion when riding. Horses that aren’t fit for their work are at the greatest risk of tendon injuries (see #1 above). Take extra care over uneven ground and steep downhill slopes. If necessary, dis-mount and walk your horse through rough areas. Try to stay centered as a rider. Unpredictable weight on the horse’s back makes it more difficult for him to stay balanced, increasing the chance of injury.

�. Weight control. If your horse is overweight, that’s more force that a tendon has to deal with and see #1 above.

Tendon swelling requires immediate veterinary assistance.

any more stress on a tendon by moving around on it.

Wrapping with a standing wrap (quilt+stable wrap) helps control the tendon swelling by “squeezing” it. As much as we like to think stand-ing wraps provide support, they don’t. However, they do a good job applying pressure to reduce swell-ing, which keeps blood and lymph vessels open and flowing.

Ice is vital to combating inflam-mation because it slows the me-tabolism in the damaged tissue, which reduces swelling, numbs the pain, and limits tissue damage due to release of harmful free radicals from the injured site. Unlike most animals, horses can have ice on an injured leg 24/7 and benefit from it.

In other animals, ice will initially cause blood vessels to constrict, however, the smooth muscles that line blood vessels usually can only stay contracted for so long before they fatigue and relax again (about 20 minutes max). After that, blood vessels open up again and the limb heats up, despite the ice being on it.

But not in horses! They have incredibly resilient smooth muscles lining the blood vessels in their legs, which means that their legs can benefit from ice therapy over long periods of time. Popular meth-ods of icing include ice wraps or simply standing the horse with the injured leg in a bucket of ice water.

We recommend using ice wraps because horses tolerate them well, and they are a bit safer and logisti-cally easier than ice water buckets (see our November 2010 issue at www.horse-journal.com, for the best ice-wrap/cold-therapy choices).

Anti-inflam-matory medica-tions make up the final first-response therapy. Inflamed tissues release hundreds of chemical agents that result in pain, swelling, heat, loss of function and sometimes redness. All of these processes can do more harm than good in most cases.

Provided that the horse isn’t left to run free, giving anti-inflammatory medications such as bute or firocox-ib (Equioxx, Previcox) immediately after a tendon injury will mitigate the damage by stopping the release of all of those nasty chemicals from the injury site.

But if he’s not lame, why can’t he run free? Pain’s job is to protect the injured area. The horse’s natural response is to limp and protect the area when he feels pain. This helps

prevent further damage. Since the benefits of medi-cations outweigh this one draw-back, we have to do pain’s job and limit the horse’s activity. Actu-ally, most horses are only lame for a few days after a tendon injury, but don’t realize they’re injured, so we need to take it easy for them. The added weight of the rider alone can

increase the damage significantly.

LOng-TErm ThErAPy. As if the first 72 hours weren’t bad enough, you now face months of long-term recovery, as the damaged tendon re-constructs itself and gains strength.

That’s because tendons are basi-cally made up of collagen, and col-lagen has virtually no blood supply. Since blood flow is responsible for clearing out damaged tissue and supplying nutrients and oxygen to rebuild new tissue, this puts ten-dons at a disadvantage.

And, when you consider that tendons are also partially respon-sible for making the horse stand, it becomes apparent that they really rarely ever get a break from their work. All this makes healing dif-ficult but not impossible.

The high-tech therapies in our chart on page 5 can be worth the seemingly exorbitant prices in terms of success rate and healing time. The decision on which to use-must be made by your veterinarian.

BOTTOm LinE. Tendons are incredibly resilient and elastic structures, but they aren’t invinci-ble. Preventing injuries by keeping your horse fit and riding judiciously is advisable. Intervening imme-diately with ice, rest, wraps and anti-inflammatories when a tendon injury first occurs is pivotal to the outcome of the healing process.

Article by Contributing Veterinary Editor Grant Miller DVM.


safety Thought: metal on cross-TiesPlace the heavy snap on the horse end of the cross-ties.

There should always be a quick-release or breakable component to cross-ties, in case the horse panics. The simplest such device is to put a loop of twine at the top. The twine will break if heavy sudden pressure is exerted. How-

ever, any heavy metal element, such as a large metal snap, should be placed at the halter end of the cross-tie, not at the end of the tie that attaches to the wall/twine. If the horse breaks free, you don’t want anything heavy flying around at the end of the rope that’s still attached to the horse’s halter and could hurt the horse or any-one nearby. For the same reason, metal chain should not be used for cross-ties.

A recent study in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science from the Dutch Animal Health Center suggests supplements make a difference with

OCD.OCD is osteochondritis dessicans – a cartilage defect

found in various joints (not the obsessive compulsive behavior disorder). This is not an unusual problem in young horses, especially Thoroughbreds. When listed simply as OC (ostechondrosis), the condition is a milder form with no loose flaps of cartilage in the joint. Either way, a condition you would prefer to avoid!

The initial study looked at 64 mare and foal teams from birth to five months of age. The teams were di-vided into two groups. One group received a mineral supplement with special emphasis on magnesium. Milk samples from the mares and bone biomarkers in blood were looked at along the way. At the end of the study, knee, hock and fetlock joints were radiographed (x-rayed) to look for any signs of lesions.

The second study followed the same protocol but with 54 mare and foal teams with foals aged five to 12 months. Similar blood samples for bone biomarkers were evaluated.

In the first study, the incidence of OCD was 21.9% in the supplemented group versus 41.9% in the non-supplemented group. In the second study, there was a decrease in incidence of 14.3% in the group that was supplemented.

BOTTOm LinESupplementing minerals – done carefully with consul-tation with your veterinarian and/or an equine nutri-

Can supplements help with the incidence of OCD in horses?

magnesium for Ocd?

tionist – could reduce the chances of your foal develop-ing OCD. And it looks like doing the supplementing early on, to the mare while the foal is nursing, might be the most efficient way of doing this.

Deb M. Eldredge, DVM, Contributing Veterinary Editor

Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014�0

Not all that long ago, it wasn’t uncommon for a farrier to use a hoof rasp

on a horse’s teeth - and that constituted a horse’s dental care. We’ve come a long way in equine dental are since then.

Today, mainly veterinarians handle a horse’s dental health. And most work to create a “bal-anced mouth” in their equine patient. That’s because we now know how many illnesses and performance problems are directly related to tooth and mouth abnormalities

While there’s no one perfect way to do dental work on a horse, for the horse owner, knowing the lay of the land can give you a better perspective when you “look your horse in the mouth.”

dEnTisTry 101For the uninformed, an equine dental procedure can appear rather horrific, but most horses tolerate dental procedures quite well.

Like elephants, rabbits, and cows, a horse’s teeth continual grow and erupt throughout his life. As the teeth grow, the repetitive circular chewing motion causes the pre-molars and molars (cheek teeth) to form sharp enamel points. In most cases, these sharp points form on the outside (buccal) edges of the upper premolars and molars, and on the inside (lingual) edges of the

lower premolars and molars. Over time, sharp points can ir-

ritate the cheeks and tongue, even change the way the horse chews. Floating (filing) the teeth reduces sharp points and levels occlusal surfaces in an effort to “balance” the mouth. Horses with balanced mouths are more comfortable, chew food more efficiently, and tend to keep their teeth longer.

cOmmOn dEnTAL issuEsHorses can literally have dozens of problems with their teeth, and some unlucky fellows have mul-tiple problems at once. These are some of the most common issues:

Wave Mouth: If you look at your horse’s premolars and molars from the side, ideally, the occlusal (horizontal grinding) surfaces used to chew food are flat. But, in some horses, they look like a wave, which can inhibit regular circular chew-ing motion.

Parrot Mouth/ Overbite/ Rostral Hooks and Caudal Ramps: Horses with an overbite (in extreme cases, referred to as “Parrot Mouth”) end up with tooth overgrowth in the front and the back of the mouth as a result of the misalignment. Over-grown “hooks” and “ramps” can limit front-to-back mobility of the

jaw and impede chewing. They can also be painful.

Step Defects: When a premolar or molar is longer than its neighbors, it can “lock” the jaw up and prevent normal circular chewing motion of the lower jaw. This defect can cause premature wear to the op-posing tooth and often results in tooth loss if left unchecked.

Overgrown Incisors/ Slanted Incisors: The phrase “long in the tooth” originates from looking at a horse’s incisors. Over time, inci-sors elongate and become angular, when viewed from the side. If the incisors become too long, they reduce the horse’s ability to chew. As a result, the horse may change the position of his lower jaw, which results in the appearance of “slanted” incisors.

Rotten/ Fractured Tooth: Usu-ally, it’s older horses who have these problems as, the periodontal ligament, which holds teeth in

place, can loosen. As feed material and bacteria travel down the edges of a tooth with a loose ligament, the surrounding tissues become infected and inflamed. If left long enough, the tooth will eventually loosen. This process is painful, and it can cause the neighboring teeth and adjacent bone to also have problems.

why fLOAT TEETh?This is one of my favorite ques-tions, as so many horse problems are linked to a lack of tooth care. The answer is: Everything is “con-nected,” and here’s why:

1. Sharp points on a tooth can dig into the tongue and cheek, causing painful abrasions termed “ulcers.” Ulcers are painful, so our horse feels pain with each bite.

2. Horses will alter their chewing to minimize pain. This results in less grinding of the food prior to swallowing, which means he may swallow food “whole,” gleaning fewer nutrients and wasting feed and, therefore, money.

3. If a horse doesn’t chew food ef-ficiently, impaction colic can result from the particle-sized pieces of feed getting lodged in the colon.

4. Horses will drop food out of their mouths (also known as “quid-

Equine dental carePerformance problems? When’s the last time your horse had a veterinary mouth exam?

Slanted incisors.

Parrot mouth.

Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014 �1

ding”) to avoid pain. Again, waste-ful.

5. Horses that are preoccupied with pain will underperform ath-letically. Have you tried to perform an athletic endeavor when you’re experiencing pain somewhere? Horses are no different, except you should add into your athletic expe-rience sharp points that dig into the tongue and cheeks every time you move your mouth.

6. The horse may clench his jaw to avoid pain from sharp points, horses. This can cause TMJ (tem-poromandibular joint) pain. Plus, jaw clenching tenses the neck muscles and even the back! The result is decreased performance.

7. A horse with cavities or loose teeth is at higher risk of bone and sinus infection - problems that can go on for years, cost-ing thousands of dollars. The sooner a problem is caught, the better for everyone.

whO fLOATs TEETh?In the United States, equine teeth are gener-ally floated by either a veterinarian or an equine dental technician. Some states allow equine den-tal technicians to sedate the horses and work on teeth without veterinary supervision. However, most require that only veterinarians sedate the horse and require that the veterinarian be present to supervise the technician.

I feel strongly that it is important that the veterinarian be present to diagnose problems in the mouth and sedate the horses. If a horse be-comes over-sedated, only a veterinarian has the training and medications to manage the problem.

In addition, many states limit the procedures that non-veterinarians can perform, not allowing them to read radiographs

and or extract teeth, for example. Therefore, using a veterinarian, or a dental technician working directly under the supervi-sion of a veterinarian, are our recommended best options for the safety of your horse and the convenience of “one-stop-shopping.”

ThE “fLOATing” PrOcE-durENearly all horses are sedated prior to a dental procedure. Sedation is essential to keep the horse still, to keep him calm, and to dull any pain that may occur with sore teeth or vulnerable nerves.

In addition, adequate sedation limits TMJ and jaw muscle pain after the procedure, because the sedation prevents the horse from fighting having his mouth open.

The horse remains standing throughout the procedure and gen-erally returns to normal mentation about an hour later. (The average procedure takes about 20 minutes . . . so it’s 20 minutes of mild discom-fort for a year of more of no sharp points? It’s a “no-brainer”!)

After the horse is sedated, his mouth is rinsed out with a dosing syringe to get any food particles out. In most cases, an oral specu-lum is then placed in order to open the mouth.

The practitioner will then use either a stand to rest the horse’s head on or a special halter that uses a pulley and an overhead beam to hoist the head up. Once the filing is complete, most practitioners will give the horse an IV injection of bute or banamine just to relieve any aches or pains that may result from the procedure. Most horses are back to work the after the procedure.

There are two types of floating procedures. The first is “hand float-ing.” This older method involves the use of several different rasps that are bent at various angles to reach all of the teeth in the mouth. It can be a bit bloody, as it usually involves blindly sawing back and forth in a rapid motion.

I find hand floating makes it dif-ficult to effectively file ramps/hooks and challenging to level the occlu-sal surfaces or reduce the incisors. It can reduce the sharp enamel

Ulcers on the tongue caused by sharp enamel points

The power float offers many advantages over a hand float.

Extreme hooks.


points on the edges of the pre-molars and molars, as long as the person performing the procedure has the upper-body strength and stamina to do it completely.

To be honest, the introduction of dental power float about 20 years ago has phased-out most hand floats. A power float involves the use of a drill that either operates a reciprocal or rotational grinding tip. It is a superior method of tooth care, which is why its prevalence is increasing. The advantages include:

1. Better evaluation. Because the mouth is open with a speculum when a power float is being used, the operator can examine each tooth and evaluate problems. A speculum can also be used with hand floats, but it’s far more dif-ficult to correct abnormalities with hand floats.

2. Precision. The power float reduces over-filing and under-fil-ing. It allows the practitioner to be exact about how each tooth is being shaped.

3. There is less blood.4. The power float is gentler on the

teeth because it isn’t used with the same “back and forth” motion as a hand float.

5. The power float is also far faster.

BOTTOm LinEAlthough hand floating is still used by some practitioners, power float-ing is vastly superior.

Floating teeth should be a routine part of horse care. Most horses are done on a 12- to 15-month basis, with some more often and some go-ing a couple of years.

Remember that the biggest ad-vantage to regular dental care for your hosre is that it can head off problems at the pass. With regular exams and floating, you can keep your horse comfortable and mini-mize wear and tear on the teeth.

That, in turn, will increase per-formance, improve feed efficiency, reduce the chances of impaction colic, ultimately keeping the teeth in the horse’s head longer.

Article by Grant Miller, DVM, Con-tributing Veterinary Editor

swimming Through summer heatShowing when the temps go past 90 requires fitness.

Last weekend I rode in my first show in a year, plus it was my first show in four years where the temps clawed their way into the 90-degree range, not to mention the humidity that goes with it. When I’m load-

ing up for a show, there’s always a point where I declare loudly to anyone within range that I’m going to take up competitive swimming. Only prob-lem there is that I hate to swim. But, the only gear you need is a swim suit and maybe a towel.

It’s a good thing I’m a compulsive list maker, sometimes making lists of lists, because there is always something at the last minute I can’t find. I al-most prefer to take a follow car for the truck because then we don’t have to pack so carefully – but if I was driving by myself I’d miss that great oppor-tunity to catch up on gossip.

Anyway, departure day was agony, too little sleep, too much heat and too much to carry. I put my new expanding cart from Costco to good use and earned definite cart envy from others at the show. Bed was midnight and reveille at 5 a.m., and I had leg cramps all night. I rode my FEI Interme-diare I test at 9:45 in relative cool (lower 80s). With all of us done by early afternoon, dinner was early and I was asleep by 9 p.m.

Just before bed, I realized I was so hot that day that – despite always hav-ing water or Gatorade in my hand – I’d never visited the PortaJohn, a side benefit to heat and humidity but not exactly a healthy life style. Even my fit mare was huffing a bit but made a faster recovery than I did.

So lessons learned this weekend: Either show just in the spring and fall or get fitter!!! Especially since I won’t be getting any younger. I’m looking forward to maybe showing Grand Prix next year – passage is a lot easier to sit than collected trot. Darn it, but I can’t get away with posting in FEI-level tests.

Margaret Freeman, Associate Editor

It’s a lot more comfortable to show without a jacket when temps are high.

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Estimated daily salt requirements for your horseWork Level (1100-lb. horse)

Salt, grams per day Salt, ounces per day (2 tablespoons = 1 ounce)

Maintenance 25 grams Just under an ounce

Light/moderate work in cool weather

35 grams 1.25 ounces

Heavy work in cool weather

50 grams (speed work) to 62.5 grams (endurance)

1.75 ounces to 2.2 ounces

Light/moderate work in hot weather

35 grams plus a correctly balanced electrolyte replacement product, according to instructions, to balance sweat losses

1.25 ounces plus a correctly balanced electrolyte replacement product, according to instructions, to balance sweat losses

Heavy work in hot weather

50 grams (speed work) to 62.5 grams (endurance work) plus a correctly balanced electrolyte replacement product, according to instructions, to balance sweat losses

1.75 ounces (speed work) to 2.2 ounces (endurance work) plus a correctly balanced electrolyte replacement product, according to instructions, to balance sweat losses

Lactating mares Minimum 30 gramsNote: Mares with generous salt intake will consume water more freely, supporting good milk production.

Minimum 1.05 ounces

Let’s start with some salt facts:

Salt is the only mineral horses will instinctively seek.“Designer” salts, said to be nat-ural or from specific areas, give your horse no more value than inexpensive white table salt.Some natural, unrefined salts can contain toxic minerals.Salt is a chemical called so-dium chloride (NaCl).Ensuring a daily consumption of 1 to 2 oz. of salt is necessary to avoid a dehydrated state.Sea salt may not be safe because the oceans are contaminated.

TArgET sALT inTAKEs:1 to 2 oz. (2 to 4 tablespoons) in cool weather.2 to 4 oz. (4 to 8 tablespoons) in hot weather.

Horses in hard work may need more and may be advisable for hors-

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supplementing saltYour horse needs to consume salt. It’s up to you to make sure that happens.

es with diarrhea or chronic loose manure. Talk with your veterinar-ian if this describes your horse.

You should be aware that most horses don’t consume enough salt from a salt block, especially if it’s hot or he’s in hard work. It’s likely that he won’t spend all the time

necessary to lick enough salt to meet his needs. He would have to bite off and consume small chunks of salt, which some horses do.

Yes, most horses do have a natural appetite for salt. Those that seem to avoid free-choice salt may be battling stomach problems (ulcers), mouth irritation, gum disease, or small cuts/scrapes in the mouth.

sALT crAVingSalt is the only mineral essentially absent from all hay and grass. How-ever, horses have a natural taste for salt and will seek it out and volun-tarily consume in plain form.

Salt controls your horse’s water intake. If the horse’s intake of salt is too low, his body will adjust by holding less water. This keeps the concentration of salt in his body normal, which is good. The bad news is that this leaves the horse somewhat dehydrated.

That’s because, while the salt concentration in the body fluids is normal, the total body fluid itself is below normal. And, because his salt levels are good, he isn’t stimu-lated to drink more water.

The only way to break this cycle is to make sure a normal amount of salt gets into the horse, as this will change the salt concentration in the body fluids and encourage the horse to consume adequate amounts of water.

Of course, if the horse is healthy and not in hard work, this dehydra-tion state may not cause problems. But, if the horse has further losses of salt and water through sweating or diarrhea, severe dehydration and overheating can occur.

Secondary potassium deficiencies can also occur, causing things like muscular cramps, thumps and poor intestinal motility. These horses are also prone to impaction and other forms of colic from the decreased water consumption.

PLAin OLd sALTDespite all the ads for fancy salts, all your horse really needs is plain white salt. You can use bricks or blocks, of course, but realize it may not be enough. He should eat about an ounce of salt a day, and up to twice that in hot weather.

Hard work or hot weather will increase your horse’s need for salt.


You can, of course, add table salt to his feed, which is what we sug-gest. Two tablespoons of table salt weighs 1 oz., and there are three teaspoons in a tablespoon.

Most horses will tolerate at least 1 teaspoon of table salt per pound of grain. If more is needed, you can either put it in the bottom of the horse’s feeder before feeding, leave it free choice in a small mineral feeder, or mix it with water and sy-ringe it in after the horse has eaten.

Be careful, though. Horses won’t eat feed that is too salty, and most need to become used to it. Start with ½ teaspoon per pound and work up to an optimal tolerable level we discussed in the beginning of this article.

If your horse has good hydration but rarely even looks at free choice salt, he may be getting salt from other sources, such as your com-mercial grain or a mineral supple-ment. Check the labels. If you see salt or sodium chloride listed, go to the guaranteed analysis for more information. A supplement with 10% salt will contain 2.84 grams per ounce, 5% half that, etc. If salt is on the list but not mentioned in the analysis, you’ll have to call the manufacturer to find out how much salt is in there.

If your grain or supplement has salt added, a 1% salt supplement or grain will provide 0.284 grams of salt per ounce, or 4.5 grams per pound.

Conversions: 1 oz. = 28.4 grams ½ oz. = 14.2 grams 1 tablespoon of fine (table) salt =

14.2 grams1 teaspoon of fine (table) salt = 4.7

grams

horse Blocker Tie ringFor horses who worry about tight ties.

Few situations put us in as much danger as trying to un-tie a panicking horse. Double

the trouble if you’re trying to release one inside a trailer. When a horse panics and collides with the end of a tied rope, the result can be injury to the horse and any human trying to help him.

No horse should ever be tied with a device that does not release. It can be the tie itself, the snap that holds him, a quick-release knot or even a breakaway halter of some type. That horse has to be able to escape if necessary.

rELEAsEsQuick-release snaps work well, but they take some pressure before they release. They’re an emergency release only. There’s no easy “giving” feeling when a horse is tied with these snaps.

Old-fashioned quick-release knots can do the job, too. Unfortunately, though, not all leads can be tied in this manner, and many horsemen no longer learn to tie the knots anyway.

Although we’re not huge fans of them, Bungee ties will give a horse a bit more play to help alleviate the trapped feeling. These ties still need to have either a quick-release snap or a breakaway halter, though. And remember that, if the horse starts pulling on a Bungee, when the breaking part does finally give, you’re going to have one whale of a backlash to avoid.

Most horses tie just fine. But there are always going to be a few that don’t, and they make tying them up a gamble. Maybe they’ll stay, but maybe they’ll pull back . . . and if they do, they’ll panic as soon as they feel too constrained.

A horseman named Ted Blocker sat down to figure out a safer way to tie a horse — one where the horse wouldn’t feel confined and trapped. He came up with a simple device that looks like half of a snaffle bit. The tie rope is doubled and pushed through the ring. The center piece is flipped up through the loop in the rope and the two ends are pulled down snug-gly. If the horse pulls back, the rope slides slowly around the post feeding the horse some slack. The tension can be increased by doubling the loop, if necessary.

The Blocker Tie Ring is portable, so you can take it off the barn wall and attach it inside, or outside, your horse trailer, when needed.

BOTTOm LinETying your horse is with a quick-release snap and a breakaway halter is fine. You’re basically ensured the horse will stay put unless an actual emergency arises, and then he can safely escape.

However, the Blocker Tie Ring is well worth trying with horses who worry when tied or seem to just wait for the tension to occur so they can throw a panic attack. It’s also a good option for smaller animals who may lack the strength to release an actual snap or leather halter breakaway piece. The Blocker Tie Ring ensures a horse should get out in an emergency, but it should not be used as an excuse to not train your horse to tie. $30 to $45. Distributed by Toklat.

Article by Contributing Writer Nancy Butler.


your sweating horse

What you see: A very sweaty, heavily lathered horse, breathing hard, nostrils flared.

Panic level: Yellow (caution) to Red (emergency).

Immediate Action: Continuous cold-water hosing while scraping water off immediately. Cease activity. Track recovery vitals - temperature, water intake, urine output.

Call your vet: If muscle twitches are seen, sweating suddenly stops, signs of tying-up, weakness or thumps show up.

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Does Sweating Indicate an Emergency?

Know when you should be concerned and how to use electrolytes, if needed.

cause muscle cramps or colic in a normal horse.)

If you’re indoors, you can put a fan on your horse, and if outdoors, get him into the shade. (Do not cover him with a cooler or anti-sweat sheet, as these just make him warmer.)

Track recovery by watching for urination and following respiration rates (write them down, as it will be helpful to the vet if you need help). With severe overheating problems, your veterinarian will need to take blood samples to check the horse’s

Horses sweat. And they breathe hard after heavy

exercise. That’s normal. However, you should know when these symp-toms indicate a problem and what to do about it, including supplement-ing electrolytes.

hOT, hArd wOrKA horse’s normal sweat will generally be clear, not lathered (except between the hind legs where it’s commonly lathered or under a girth or breastplate). An exception to this rule would be a truly tough workout, such as a three-day-event cross-country run or a race.

The hard-working horse’s breath-ing rate will be increased, but the normal horse will recover as he walks out. Offer him water as you cool him out, without letting him over drink. Continue to walk him till he’s cool.

If your horse is overly hot, cold-water hose him off, scrape the water off quickly - it quickly heats up on his hot body - and then reap-ply more cold water. Continue this until he cools. (Cold water will not

electrolyte levels.If your horse regularly works hard,

using an electrolyte supplement may be a good idea. You should ensure that your horse is consum-ing adequate salt, a basic “electro-

lyte,” as well, as salt consumption is of the utmost importance. (See story on salt.)

suPPLEmEnTing ELEcTrOLyTEsEquine sweat differs from human sweat. Our sweat has a high percentage of water. This stimulates us to drink, and we restore the balance of our systems. Horse sweat has a higher percentage of elec-trolytes, especially sodium, potassium and chloride. And it’s the horse’s salt intake that makes him drink.

Horse sweat is closer to blood composition or “isotonic.” A horse can, with prolonged heavy sweat-ing, change his electrolyte balance and may need veterinarian-admin-istered IV fluids to restore balance.

An electrolyte imbalance can result in thumps, a flutter of the horse’s sides and diaphragm. It may also cause tying up, aka rhabdomy-olysis, colic, weakness and heart arrhythmias. If you suspect any of these problems, call your vet im-mediately.

NOTE: Worse than lathered sweat-ing is the absence of sweating. These horses are generally severely dehydrated and need IV fluids. If your horse never sweats, he may have anhidrosis, a serious chronic condition that can come on sud-denly. Call your vet.

using ELEcTrOLyTEsMaintaining electrolyte concentra-tions plays a major role in keeping the body properly hydrated and healthy.

Electrolytes are minerals that ex-ist in the body in their free, “ion-ized” form. Ionized means these minerals carry an electrical charge.

Work in the hot summer sun can use up electrolytes quickly.

Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014��

mAJOr ELEcTrOLyTEs:Sodium

Chloride

Potassium

Bicarbonate

minOr ELEcTrOLyTEs:Calcium

Sulfate

Magnesium

Phosphate

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Minerals with an electrical charge hold water. Sodium and chloride are the major electrolytes in blood and the tissues surrounding the cells. Potassium is the major elec-trolyte inside cells.

Electrolytes are excreted in sweat, saliva, digestive fluids and urine. All this is normal, and average non-sweat losses every day for an 1,100-lb. horse are:

Sodium 10 grams Potassium 25 grams Chloride 40 grams.

However, the harder the horse works, the more he will use through sweat.

Most horses replace these elec-trolytes through their basic diet and supplemented salt. However, they can run short when the horse’s body tries to make up for heavy electrolyte losses with just salt.

If your horse is working more than 2 hours/day, or at a work level that produces heavy sweating, you’ll want to begin using an electrolyte supplement because your horse may be losing more potassium and chloride than the horse’s diet can provide. Again, this is in addition to the plain white salt.

Replacing lost electrolytes is cer-tainly an understandable method of supplementing, but it will do your horse the most good if you supple-ment both prior to and after hard works.

When choosing a commercial product, focus on the label’s so-dium, potassium and chloride levels. A good supplement will provide around 7 grams of sodium,

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3.5 to 4 grams of potassium and 14 to 15 grams of chloride per ounce. Small amounts (less than 1 gram) of calcium and magnesium are also desirable.

Read the label instructions, of course, but as a general rule of thumb, you can provide 1.5 to 2 ounces of the supplement for every hour worked above the 2-hour mark.

BOTTOm LinEFor horses in work in hot weather, think “2” to help you remember what to offer:

2 ounces of plain salt the night before work.2 ounces of plain salt the morn-

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ing of the work day.2 or more hours of work per day in the heat, add 2 ounces of a balanced electrolyte supple-ment for every hour worked over the 2 hours mark.

When choosing a commercial electrolyte supplement, we look for products with ingredient levels that most closely match the electrolyte levels found in sweat, as stated earlier in the article.

Our favorite electrolytes are: Exer-LyteSummer GamesProLytePerfect Balance ElectrolytesSu-Per Lytes.

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Levi’s Artwork helps Pay the BillsThe Quarter Horse is an artist.

This horse does paintings to help pay for his owner’s illness. Read more here.

horse cut with scalpelWe must be keep tight security on horse farms.

Horse cut with scalpel, near jugular vein. See story here.

horse cut with scalpelWe must be keep tight security on horse farms.

Horse cut with scalpel, near jugular vein. See story here.


media critique: where does my horse hurt?An excellent resource for anyone considering chiropractic work for their horse.

Chiropractic methods are gradually gaining more acceptance as a way to

evaluate pain and dysfunction in horses, but for many horse own-ers they remain more mystery than mainstream, even when the horseman regularly uses a chiro vet.

“Where Does My Horse Hurt’” by Renee Tucker DVM is a color-ful, well-organized volume that provides an excellent introduc-tion to how chiropractic works and a detailed explanation of how owners can check over their horses for suspected problems. it’s not intended for do-it-yourself diagnosis or treatment but rather as an educational reference to help the owner decide whether to first call in the vet, farrier, chiropractor, dentist or saddle fitter, getting to the crux of a

problem more efficiently. It’s richly illustrated with photos, drawings and charts, and spiral-bound to lie flat for easy reference.

Detailed step-by-step instructions are included for 27 different body checkups. And, we do mean de-tailed. You need to read the front of the book thoroughly, then practice the various techniques before using them yourself. While the tech-niques described aren’t so difficult, there are a variety of steps to follow for each one and a lot of different things to consider. You can’t just take this book to the barn and sim-ply figure out why your horse is a little stiff on his left hind leg.

Bottom Line: Excellent starting point for a horse owner to under-stand chiropractic methods and to help sort out a suspected physical problem.

Best Suited For: Analytic, detail-oriented horse caretakers, par-ticularly those who already have a chiropractor in their repertoire of horse helpers.

You be disappointed if: You want easy answers to lameness problems.


2018 world games to be in canadaThe FEI made their decision, opting for Bromont over Lexington.

The FEI unanimously approved Bromont/Montreal as host city for the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in 2018, at the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park, venue for the Montreal 1976 Olympic equestrian events. It will be the second host outside Europe following the 2010 WEG which were staged in Lexington, Ky. Lexington

had also put in a bid to host the 2018 WEG. (Read Performance Editor John Strassburger’s comments about the 2010 Games here.)

The 2014 WEG will be held in Normandy, France, Aug. 23 to Sept. 7. Go to www.normandy2014.com for more information.

For more information about the history of the FEI World Equestrian Games History Hub click here. The FEI World Equestrian Games are held every four years, in the middle of the Olympic cycle. The seven FEI

disciplines - Jumping, Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining - are all included on the competition schedule.

The first WEG was held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1990.

Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014��

The main stadium at the 2010 World Games in Lexington was an awesome spectacle.

A Look Back: “here’s hoping we’ll host Another wEg soon”The 2010 Games in Lexington were beyond anything we’ve seen before.

With the 2018 World Eques-trian Games awarded to Bromont, Canada - a city in

Southwest Quebec - many of us will find it fairly easy to attend. And it’s an amazing event - held once every four years in between the Summer Olympic Games. Our Performance Editor, John Strassburger, was part of the media there at the Horse Park in 2010. We’re sharing his story about that event again because, well, it’s an event you won’t want to miss in 2018:

When the Kentucky Horse Park was named to host the 2010 World Equestrian Games (WEG) about five years ago, my wife and I were so sure we wanted to go that we put our names on the list for tickets in 2006. We didn’t need those tickets after all, because we got jobs in the Media Center.

Yes, the attendance for these World Games fell short of the sky-high early predictions, made in the heady months of the economic boom that crashed two years ago. But 507,022 fans walked through the gates of the Kentucky Horse Park to watch the eight champi-onships, and the WEG website recorded 1.5 million views, with 300,000 video streaming downloads to watch the action. Plus, NBC-TV showed eight hours of the WEG in sports prime time on three Sun-day afternoons, and the Universal Sports Network showed another 15 hours, live.

These are absolutely unheard-of numbers in the history of U.S. horse sports—numbers never imag-ined until now. The TV numbers are thanks to hard work by Bob Hughes, of Carr-Hughes Produc-tions, who produces TV equestrian coverage and convinced NBC exec-utives that people will watch them, and to behind-the-scenes work by the communications folks at the

WEG and the U.S. Eques-trian Federation that made the sponsorship happen.

The website views and downloading are the result of relatively new technol-ogy that makes it cost-efficient to produce the video and for people to see it. Let’s face it: The WEG TV coverage doesn’t mean that suddenly horse sports are going to replace major league or college sports on TV. But many, including USEF President David O’Connor, believe that video streaming is the wave of the future for horse sports.

“I think that platform is the way to go, because it’s only going to get faster and easier,” he told me.

Unquestionably, the WEG worked in Kentucky. We were the first to host eight world championships (para dressage was added this year), we were the first since the 1990 WEG (Stockholm) to have them all on the same grounds, and we were the first to really present the WEG to the public as a full-blown festival revolving around the horse.

So, will the WEG return to Ken-tucky?

“I think it’s been life-changing,”

John Long, USEF chief executive officer and chairman of the World Games 2010 Foundation, told me after the games ended. “I think the world shifted a little bit as a result of those 16 days, so, yes, I hope we can do it again.”

O’Connor grimaced at the effort of this one but said, “I think that it should come back to Kentucky at some point. The whole scope of it worked, like no WEG I’ve ever been to before. Obviously 2014 is in Nor-mandy, and I expect the next one will be in Europe, too, but maybe in 2022?”


horse shot in cincinnatiDeliberate act leaves more questions than answers.

An Arabian was found dead in her pasture near Cincinnati, shot in her head. See story here.

Why do we tell you about these types of incidents? Because nobody believes it will ever happen to them. Security should be paramount around your farm.


what’s next for california chrome—And the Triple crown?I’m thinking that, instead of decrying California Chrome as just another not-quite-champion, that we should be impressed by his courage.

Just a few hours after the Bel-mont Stakes was over and the Triple Crown dream had died,

we may have found out why Cali-fornia Chrome ran a sub-par race. Photo evidence shows that Matter-horn, the horse in the starting gate stall next to him, dove left out of the gate and stepped on California Chrome’s right front foot, gashing the heel badly enough to be bleed-ing after the race.

(Video on website.)That, and being forced to go wide

on turn for home, easily explains the 2 ½ lengths by which he lost to Tonalist. I’m thinking that, instead of decrying him as just another not-quite-champion, that we should be impressed by his courage, that we should congratulate him for run-ning that well despite his foot being bruised and bleeding.

Nevertheless, his defeat has only fueled the debate about whether the Triple Crown’s races should be changed. Certainly owner Steve Co-burn’s immediate post-race outburst made some good points, although it did seem a bit cry babyish.

I don’t blame him, though. I’d be depressed and a bit angry too if my dream had just been shattered by a bunch of horses my horse had never run against, who were there just to take a shot at him.

So, let’s look at what Coburn said. Is it fair, or good for the Triple Crown, that horses have to qualify for the Kentucky Derby by earning points in designated races, but that anybody can run in The Preakness and the Belmont? I know the Derby requires qualification because, otherwise, they’d have 100-horse fields, which isn’t a problem for the other two. But why shouldn’t horses have to qualify with money earned for the Preakness and Belmont too?

Shouldn’t horses have achieved a certain level to run in any of the three classics, just like the Breed-ers’ Cup? I think they should.

But I don’t think his suggestion that horses have to run in both the Derby and the Preakness to start in the Belmont is workable or desir-able. You can’t force owners and trainers to run their horses in all three races—and you might end up with one- or two-horse races in the Belmont.

What about other suggestions for changing the Triple Crown? Well, I’d argue against substantial chang-es in any of the races, as it would mean that any future winners couldn’t be compared to the previ-ous winners. Changing the races would just cheapen the prize. But I could go with moving the Preak-ness back one week so that there would be three weeks between each race. I don’t think that would horri-bly alter the challenge or negatively affect public interest in it.

I’m wondering, though if trainers who don’t run horses at New York tracks as they consider a Triple Crown bid for a promising 2-year-old aren’t missing a key ingredi-ent. I watch TVG (a horse racing network) almost every day, and I just heard one of the commentators observe that no horse has ever won the Belmont Stakes and, thus, the Triple Crown without having raced at Belmont Park previously.

Belmont Park’s 1 ½-mile track is half again as big as most other U.S. tracks (which usually have a circumference of 7 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles), and its surface is deeper than most tracks. (Which is why Belmont is called “the Big Sandy.”) Does this make a difference when the title is on the line? Maybe, although they’d have to run them

there in the fall of their 2-year-old year, since Belmont doesn’t open until May each year, after the Triple Crown is under way.

Now the outgoing Coburn and co-owner Perry Martin (the quiet one) have a big decision to make, a deci-sion that’s actually harder follow-ing his defeat and injury. Assuming that the injury is only a wound and bruise, should they bring him back and aim him for the summer’s and fall’s big races, like the Travers at Saratoga, the Haskell at Monmouth, the Del Mar Classic at Del Mar and then the Breeder’s Cup Classic at his home track of Santa Anita in early November, and perhaps run him as a 4-year-old? Or should they retire him now, to protect him and their financial interest? (Of course, at this point California Chrome has already multiplied the $10,000 they spent to produce him by a factor of about 1,000.)

As a racing fan, I certainly hope they keep California Chrome in training, at least to the end of the year to run in the Breeders’ Cup. I think this would also make sense from a stud-value point of view. If he wins these races, it would prove his classic ability, which is a bit in doubt after losing the Belmont.

Interestingly, after Palace Malice, the 2013 Belmont winner, won the Metropolitan Mile, one of the other stakes races on Saturday’s stellar card, one of the TV commenta-tors pointed out that he’d actually increased his stud value by proving he could win at 1 mile as well as at the 1 ½ miles of the Belmont. The Met Mile win showed his versatil-ity, and the majority of breeders are more interested in producing horses who are fast enough to win the shorter races.

Plus, Coburn and Perry also


have two full sisters to California Chrome. Now, genetic statistics indicate that the chances of either of them having his ability are ex-tremely slim, but they are certainly very valuable as breeding stock. How valuable? I’d guess that, even if they don’t race at all, they’re worth more than $250,000 apiece. In fact, if I were them, I’d aim California Chrome for the Breeders’ Cup and then sell his sisters without racing them, because if they turned out to have no racing ability, it would only decrease their value. That strat-egy would let us enjoy California Chrome for longer and provide the best return on their investment.

Can you tell that I don’t think we’ve seen the best of California Chrome yet? You bet—I think that the Belmont was just bad racing luck at the worst time. I think he’s a star, but I also think that this loss should remind us what superstars Affirmed, Seattle Slew and, espe-cially, Secretariat were.

In the aftermath of this year’s Bel-mont, I think we should be raising those three horses higher, not plac-ing California Chrome lower.

The cutaneous Trunci muscle reflex in horsesUnderstanding your horse’s natural skin reactions.

The thorax is an important area for riders to understand, since the saddle, leg, girth and whip will all touch that area.

A study in the November 2013 American Journal of Vet-erinary Research looked at

the skin responses of horses when the skin on the thorax wall was stimulated. The thorax is the area between the horse’s shoulders and hindquarters. The study was done at the McPhail Equine Performance Center associated with the Michi-gan State University college of Vet-erinary Medicine. Lead researcher was Cynthia M. Essig, DVM.

In a clever study, eight horses “volunteered” to wear 56 reflec-tive markers on their sides. Spe-cial infrared cameras tracked the movement of the markers after skin stimulation with a stick wand. The cutaneous trunci muscles work to twitch and remove irritants like flies. They also can twitch with the stimulation of a rider’s leg or the touch of a crop. Most horses adapt to the stimulation provided by the presence of a saddle and girth or harness.

The research showed that skin movement induced by a touch of the wand used for stimulus on the top of the thorax was a localized re-sponse. This was not the same as a generalized twitch of the cutaneous trunci muscles. The maximal skin response tended to show up below the stimulus site.

Among the eight horses used, there were variations in sensitivity. This fits with practical horsemen’s experience. Some horses are touchy about the girth being tightened and others could care less. Some young horses handle a saddle being placed on their back with equanimity while others put on a great show.

Bottom Line: While this study may seem a bit esoteric, it could lead to improvements in training techniques for young horses and

development of better saddles and harnesses to accommodate a horse’s innate skin reactions.



EOTrh: Equine Odontoclastic Tooth resorption and hypercementosisIf you think it is a mouthful for us, imagine what the horse has to deal with!

This past weekend I power-floated a 22-year-old warm-blood gelding and immedi-

ately noticed that he was “long in the tooth.” The term is widely used to describe something that is old, but did you know that long incisors in horses can be an indicator of a disease process? In other words - there are some cases in which long incisors occur due to something other than just aging. I am talking about Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resporption and Hypercementosis or “EOTRH.”

EOTRH is characterized by disintegration of the incisor tooth roots and gingiva (gum) recession. In many cases, the surrounding gingiva will concurrently swell. The cause of this disease process is unknown, but it only occurs in aged horses (usually late teens onward). It can be painful, since loss of tooth roots can render the in-cisors unstable, thus causing nerve pain. In addition, as they loosen, food particles can pack down in between the tooth and the gingiva, resulting in infection and in some cases, tooth root abscesses. No fun.

Horses with EOTRH tend to not show many outward signs of tooth pain, but rest assured - they have it. Any of us who have ever had a tooth root abscess can attest! EO-TRH horses may not be able to bite down on apples or carrots. They also sometimes exhibit signs of slow eating and reluctance to drink extremely cold water.

The first step in determining if a horse has EOTRH is to have a vet-erinarian do an oral examination of the incisors and canine teeth (these are the only teeth that are currently known to be affected by the condi-tion). If the gingiva are receding and the teeth look “long” - there may be a problem. If the receded

gingiva are swollen and there is ex-cess cementum on the teeth - these also can be signs of the problem. Ultimately, taking intraoral radio-graphs of the incisors or canines can confirm the diagnosis. Radio-graphs will show black shadows around the roots of the teeth. In more advanced cases, the roots will literally be fractured off or missing altogether due to resorption.

Taking intraoral radiographs is not impossible to do with a convention-al digital X-ray processor (termed a “DR” processor), however, there are special X-ray plates made specifi-cally for evaluating incisors. Not all vets have them, but they are be-coming increasingly more available as more and more veterinarians expand their dentistry services.

BOTTOm LinE Your vet can get by with putting a

normal digital radiograph plate in your horse’s mouth in order to as-sess the incisor teeth.

The best treatment for EOTRH is to extract affected teeth - especially if it is in an advanced state, if the horse is excessively painful, or if evidence of infection is present. Don’t worry though- horses can live and eat just fine without incisors. In fact, owners report that once painful teeth are removed, their horses act younger and more ener-getic. In cases where all incisors are removed, the tongue will hang out of the mouth. Other than look-ing a bit funny, it is of no detriment to the horse!

Want to read more dentistry by Dr. Miller? Here’s an article explaining power floats and the need for regu-lar dental care on your horse.


Courtesy: Midwest Equine Services


moldy LeatherChoose a leather-care product that inhibits mold.

Mold and mil-dew are living organisms -

they’re fungi. And they literally eat leather and stitching. Worse, once mold gets deep into the leather, it’s nearly im-possible to completely eliminate. In addition, mold spores can be re-leased into the air and contaminate everything in the barn.

Ironically, it’s the healthiest leather that is most likely to mold. Mold won’t grow on dry tack because there’s nothing for it to eat. So, if you have a tack room full of moldy tack, ex-cept for one odd piece, take a good look at the integrity of that leather. Chances are, it’s dried out far beyond a safe or even restor-able level.

mOLdy cOndiTiOnsHumidity, dust and dirt are friends of mold. Tack that’s used infre-quently is often an early target, especially if it wasn’t put away properly and isn’t covered to protect it from dust. And that’s what we’re going to discuss here: storage, use, and care of your leather.

Mold loves summer temperatures in the high 70s to high 80s with a humidity level at above 65%. If your barn can safely support a tack-room dehumidifier, you should be able to keep the humidity below 55%.

You can also try desiccants, ma-terials that absorb water from the air, sort of a natural dehumidifier. That’s what those little packets of silica gel are that you find in shoe boxes. Desiccants come in dispos-able tubs and are found at most dis-count stores. Look for products like Keep It Dry Closet Dehumidifier,

Attwood No Damp Dehumidifier, or Starbright No Damp dehumidi-fier. The cost is less than $10/tub, and you must replace them when they’re “full.”

Never place a wet saddle pad under or over your saddle or even hang it close to your saddle. It will attract mold to the leather. And avoid long storage periods in a dark, closed container, like a trunk or locker, unless it is truly air-tight. These storage devices are fine for tack that’s used and cleaned fre-quently. If not, you’re probably going to pull out a piece of “green, furry” leather. For long-term stor-age, an old cooler works well. Hit the garage sales to look for one that might be beat up beyond use for human food, but still air tight, or watch for a sale after the 4th of July.

Maximize air circulation in your tack room, using a fan if it’s safe, and keep the floor and surfaces clean. Unfortunately, cement floors can transfer moisture into the air. There’s not much you can do about that beyond being aware of it. Some barns have tried placing kitty litter

(clay is a desiccant) on the floors with limited success.

When you clean your tack, be sure to remove residue. Check the folds and crevices. These areas are often the first to attract mold, as

they tend to be dark and moist. Take a dry cloth and polish your leather, wiping away all excess.

Mold can be killed by a number of house-hold treatments, diluted with water:AlcoholAmmoniaBleachBaking sodaCleaning disinfec-tants, like LysolWhite vinegar.

Be aware, though, that these products have the potential to damage the leather. Dilute (50-50) your choice with water and then clean and condition the leather with good commercial

leather-care products immediately after using them.

Clean moldy tack outside, away from the tack room. You don’t want to spread the mold spores, which will go into the air as you clean. Choose several cloths to use for the cleaning, and don’t dip one into the rinse water to use again in the same session. These cloths should either be ones you can toss when you’re finished or that can be thoroughly washed with bleach.

If you’re really battling heavy mold, finish the cleaning with a mold-inhibiting commercial leather-care product.

BOTTOm LinEOnce mold infiltrates the deep fi-bers of your leather, it is never truly gone. So, the only tried-and-true way to keep your tack mold-free is to remove it as soon as you see even a slight tinge of it. For heavy-duty molds, we start with a cleaning with vinegar and water, followed by cleaning and conditioning with commercial products.

Of the multitude of products

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Keep your tack in a light, airy tack room.


we’ve used over the years, the ones we found to show above-average mold resistance in our tack rooms include:

Bee Natural Leathercare #1 Saddle Oil with FungicideBee Natural Rudy’s Tack and Saddle Conditioner and FinishFarnam Leather New Deep Con-ditioner and RestorerLeather Therapy Restorer and ConditionerRay Hole’s Saddle ButterSaddler’s One StepURAD Leather Conditioner

Of these, the products we reach for first are Leather Therapy Restor-er and Conditioner and Bee Natural Leathercare #1 Saddle Oil with Fungicide. If there truly is a leather mold inhibitor, these two would be our choices.

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what i Learned By riding in A Phillip dutton clinicPhillip’s mantra: The horse must be in front of your leg and on your aids whenever you put him to work. And he must be immediately there.

When I learned in April that Phillip Dutton, the top U.S. eventing rider for the past

decade, was going to be conduct-ing a clinic at the Fresno County Horse Park in June, I jumped at the chance to take my 7-year-old mare, Phoenix Amani, to ride with him. Why? Because I’ve known Phillip for more than 20 years, and from interviewing him and from reading his book (read the review here), I felt confident that he could help me with a vexing jumping issue.

I rode in Phillip’s clinic two weeks ago, with show jumping (really, gymnastic jumping) on Saturday and cross-country schooling on Sunday. Phillip not only helped me considerably with Amani, but my wife, Heather, and I also came home with several jumping exercises that have also worked beautifully with every horse in our program.

Phillip’s main training mantra is that the horse must be in front of your leg and on your aids, when-ever you put him to work. And he must be immediately there—“No” is not an acceptable response, nor is, “I’ll be with you in a few min-utes.”

Use your legs aids and spur to get his attention, and don’t be afraid to use the whip as a stronger form of communication and encour-agement—or for discipline if it’s needed. No matter what’s going on around him, the horse must be obe-dient and respond correctly to your correctly given aids, immediately.

His secondary theme, which was especially evident when we jumped on the cross-country course, was to make the horse be responsible for the jump. Ride positively forward to the jump, make sure he’s straight

and at the correct speed, but don’t try to jump the jump for him. That’s his job. I’ve always trained this way, and Phillip said that the horse will become much more certain and careful through training this way, and on course you’ll feel him gain confidence.

Phillip is a man of few words, and I’ve long known from talking with his students that in lessons he largely sets up exercises and says, “Now do it.” And if you don’t do it right, you’ll likely hear only, “More leg. Do it again.”

His clinic was rather like that: If you were expecting to hear lectures on theory or to be entertained by a string of humorous anecdotes, well, you were going to be sorely disap-pointed. But if you were there to improve, he had exercises for you to do. Another reason I made the five-hour trip to the clinic.

Interestingly, the horses at each level (from the preliminary group in which I rode to the beginner novice horses and riders) did the same exercises. The only difference was the height of the jumps. What we found particularly educational was his belief that you should start applying these relatively advanced concepts from the beginning, with lower-level horses, and riders too.

After a brief warm-up on the flat, doing transitions and lateral exer-cises to get the horses on our aids, we began to jump. The very first jump was two crossrails set on a bounce distance, approached at the canter. This exercise demonstrated what he means about the horse an-swering your aids—right away!

Amani found it disconcerting to start to jump this way, and she stopped at the first crossrail the first


I listened attentively (far right) as Phillip Dutton (far left) instructed us in riding cross-country.

time. I didn’t expect her to stop, but I wasn’t surprised that she didn’t like hav-ing to pay attention and work right away. That, after all, is the heart of my problem with her. It’s why I’d brought her to this clinic. Her “in-a-minute” attitude is one reason why we call her “the prin-cess.”

After three or four times through the bounce, Amani was jumping out of stride, but then we had to turn, in four or five strides, to jump a sec-ond crossrail bounce. She initially found that vexing too, especially when Phillip would tell us to make the turn in either the more forward four strides or in the more packaged five strides, not to just take what-ever we got.

Next we moved on to a square oxer set on an angle to a skinny jump, with a forward-going one stride between. We began by jump-ing the skinny to the angled oxer, and Amani stopped at the oxer the first time because she didn’t come off my leg to get the one stride. Then we did the oxer to the skinny.

And then Phillip added turning right, in five or six strides, to jump a corner set at basically 90 degrees to the skinny. She did that reasonably well right away. Then we came back the other way— corner, turn left to do the skinny to the oxer.

Next he had an oxer and a verti-cal set on a line, a comfortable five strides apart. But the exercise was to jump the line (both ways) in five strides, then shorten to do six strides, then lengthen to do four strides. By now Amani was men-tally in the game, and she’s done exercises like this since shortly after she started to jump, so she did well here.

Still, I was quite pleased with how well she answered my leg the first time to get the four strides. I felt that was a sign that the exercises were having the desired effect.

Fresno’s cross-country course has jumps from introductory to inter-

mediate, and again Phillip empha-sized response to the leg. He also encouraged us preliminary riders to avoid constantly adding strides to the jumps, especially the gallop-ing jumps, because it catches up to you. If you keep second-guessing your distance and adding strides, in negatively affects the horse’s confi-dence, and then, when you need to ride forward to get the striding right in a combination, often the horse won’t do it.

Amani likes to sort of get in gear for cross-country, and although we started with a few novice-sized fences, she found jumping combina-tions (usually her strong suit) after standing around to be mentally challenging.

Phillip summed Amani up well after the cross-country school by describing her as “cautiously brave.” The problem I’ve had with her—related to her less-than-imme-diate response to my driving aids at times and to her innate carefulness over jumps—has been jumping the galloping fences at true galloping speed and out of stride. Her pre-ferred method is to drift left and add one more short stride. That’s why she spent the winter in “dres-sage boot camp” with Heather and why we’ve worked hard to further develop the strength of her back.

Well, I felt that on this weekend something clicked in her brain, resulting from the exercises and the way I changed to ride her. And we ended the cross-country portion by galloping up to an intermedi-ate question—two houses set at a parallel angle to each other—and

instead of jumping them in the two strides the course designer intended, she jumped them beauti-fully in one stride. I was thrilled. I felt like she said, “Wow! Look what I can do.”

So when we got home, I built the crossrail bounc-es right away and had all our horses and students jumping them right off the bat.

Amani did them per-fectly a few days later, acting like she under-

stood we’d “jumped” to a new level. In fact, she feels like a new and improved horse.

Doing these exercises with Piper, our 5-year-old homebred who’s competing at beginner novice, was interesting and amusing. Piper is a warmblood, and his reaction to starting with bounces was so “slow-brained” warmblood. He stopped suddenly the first time, clearly shocked at the last stride to see a second crossrail right behind the first. Then he jumped them tenta-tively, not sure I wasn’t kidding that he had to pick up his feet that fast. (He had done numerous bounces before, so the concept was not new to him.)

After four or five repetitions, he was cantering through them smoothly, but then I added the turn to the second set. “What!? Another!? I can’t do that!” But with repetition, he figured it out, turning in both directions. And when I did the exercise again, three days later, he sailed smoothly through right away.

I had similar reactions from two students, who didn’t believe they and their horses could possibly do that right away. But they did, and I could see their confidence level grow.

Thanks, Phillip. And thanks to organizer Sue Funkey and to John Marshall at the Fresno County Horse Park for hosting the clinic.



reliable recipes or Time wastersHome-made doesn’t mean it’s arguably better than what you grab from a store.

People love a home-made rem-edy. Many blindly believe it must be better than something

store-bought. Make-your-own fly spray is a big favorite, followed by ointments, I’d guess. You can find recipes for almost anything we need for our horses – even supple-ments and feeds. That’s great, but I’m perplexed by the interest. A lot of folks must have more free time than I do.

I am thankful for manufactured products. Sure, I want to save money and that’s why I usually choose a Horse Journal Best Buy, but I appreciate the convenience of knowing there’s a reliable remedy readily available. Rarely will I mix up my own concoction. It’s not worth my time, and the savings is usually negligible.

It stands to reason that if there’s a recipe out there the manufac-turer has researched it and would duplicate it if it were indeed “bet-ter.” With few exceptions – usu-ally involving a specific horse with a unique problem – it is not. But home-made is often perceived to work better. We expect a commer-cial product to perform to perfec-tion, but we give that home-made recipe a lot of leeway when it comes to being called “effective.”

We frequently get requests for a fly-spray recipe, almost always in-cluding original Skin So-Soft. That product has been proven repeatedly to not offer any more bug-repellent properties than what you would expect from anything containing a little citronella. Even Avon says Skin So-Soft isn’t a bug repellent; they now market a Skin So-Soft Bug Repellent (very, very smart, Avon). Still, the legend remains.

Of course, I’m not immune to the appeal of make-your-own products. This past spring I saw a recipe for

home-made weed killer on Face-book (where else?). It claimed the recipe was cheaper than Roundup and worked within a similar time frame.

But this Facebook recipe included “blue Dawn Original” dishwash-ing detergent. I was mesmerized. That stuff is awesome. My husband mixes it with water and uses it to destroy small bee nests. I use it to clean my brushes, nylon halters, buckets, tubs and other things in the barn. (No, I don’t bathe the horses in dishwashing liquid nor do I use it on my leather tack because I know the pH is not optimal for skin of any type.)

So, excited about saving money and feeling confident that anything with Dawn in it must be good, I printed out the recipe and gave it to my husband. His reaction? “It’s more expensive to make than what I’m using and a lot more effort. Why would I bother?”

I was dumbfounded. I should have known that!

Some folks will counter that the Facebook recipe doesn’t include chemicals. Really? Have you read the ingredients in Dawn? Remem-ber, prescription drugs are chemi-

cals. Hemlock is “natural.” Yes, I do understand why you

make your own product, if you have the time and desire to use a recipe and the recipe is truly effec-tive. But avoiding a product because it’s “commercial” or from a “big corporation” is like cutting off your nose to spite your face. I buy cook-ies from Wegman’s bakery because they’re really good and, when you factor in time and ingredients, less expensive. Plus, they last a little longer – Aack! Preservatives!

I guess my life forces me to save time anywhere I can. Running around to a couple of stores to gather several ingredients that I then have to drag home and mix together in a container (if I can find one; probably would have to buy that, too) before I can apply it to my horse is a lot more work than grab-bing a jar at the store. And, as far as the cookies go, well, I can probably use the preservatives.

Cynthia Foley, Editor-in-ChiefMaybe the grass on the other side of the fence is home-made.


Horse Journal OnCall: do i really need to use a Bit?We just trail ride, but if I should use a bit, how do I get him to accept it?

If a bit is comfortable, most horses don’t mind wearing it.

I have a 3-year-old Paso Fino whom I began to ride last sum-mer. Before starting to ride him,

I put a bridle on him with a snaffle bit. He never refused to take it, but he chomped on it the entire time. I’d leave him in his stall, chomping away, while I did chores nearby. When it came time to ride, though, I just stuck with a Parelli hackamore (rope halter with rope reins and lead attached). Due to his rotund shape, I rarely ride him with a saddle, because, tight as I pull the girth, it still slips when I try to mount from the ground. And being so comfy, he’s really rather nice to ride bareback.

My question: Should I continue to try to get him to work with a bit, or just forget it? I won’t be riding any discipline that requires it—we’ll just trail ride for fun. If you think he should be wearing a bit, how will I get him to accept it quietly? And should he hold it still in his mouth before I try to ride with it?

Performance Editor John Stras-sburger responds: If you’re not planning on training for or compet-ing in any discipline that requires a bit, then the answer is, no, you don’t have to teach your horse to go in a bit.

But, should you decide that you want to further your horse’s edu-cation by doing so, here are some thoughts.

First, it’s not at all unusual for a horse to mouth or chomp on the bit when it’s first introduced to them. They have to get used to the taste and the feel of it—rather like you putting on a new pair of shoes. But he may be doing it because the bit is uncomfortable in his mouth, per-haps because he needs to have his teeth power-floated. He could even need to have some teeth extracted

or to have a bit seat filed in his front molars. These are very common is-sues with young horses. I’d strongly recommend having a veterinarian certified in dental care or an equine dentist attend to him before pro-ceeding with the bit.

Also check the adjustment of the bit in his mouth. Many people place the bit far too low in their horses’ mouths. You should see one to three wrinkles in the skin at the corner of his mouth. The bit should not be banging against his incisors—that will make him very uncomfortable.

Your horse could also have a dis-like of, or preference for, certain bit materials. Instead of a metal bit, try a plastic-covered or rubber-covered bit. You could also try different types of metals.

No, he doesn’t need to be able to stand without chomping on the bit before you try to work him. Work-

ing may end his distraction with the bit, and horses really should move the bit with their jaws and tongues, not just hold it inert, while working.

To prevent your saddle from slid-ing off him, I’d recommend three changes. First is weight loss. I’m afraid that your description sug-gests an obese horse. Less food and more exercise are in order. Second, you may need a wider saddle, for his comfort and your security. Third, I’d recommend a breastplate to help hold the saddle in place.


Judging western dressageA new USEF division shows a growing interest in Western Dressage.

Last weekend I had my first ven-ture into judging western dres-sage. I’ve gone on record as

not being particularly happy about the term “western dressage.” To me dressage is dressage, and tack does not define it. My biggest concern with the idea is that, instead of trot or canter, the gaits referred to in western dressage are jog and lope. Because of that distinction, the U.S. Dressage Federation has not adopted western dressage under its aegis. However, The U.S. Eques-trian Federation, which writes the competition rules for straight dressage shows, now has a separate western dressage division, and it is to be judged by licensed USEF dres-sage judges like myself.

I was invited to judge the dres-sage classes at a Morgan show, open only to horses of that breed. (Some breed shows open their dressage classes to all comers, but not this specific show.) I was told it would include western dressage classes, and I explained my reservations to the show management, that I would need to score as insufficient any jog that wasn’t clearly a diagonal two-beat gait or any lope that wasn’t clearly three-beat, just as I would at any regular dressage show. They said no problem. I then studied the USEF rules and the western tests at length. They also emphasized that the jog would be a diagonal two-beat gait and the lope a clear three-beat gait. So far, so good.

The Morgan division used to write its own rules for western dressage, but since the USEF added a separate western dressage division last year, the Morgans have dropped their own rules and tests in lieu of those rules instead. This was a good plan – makes things more consis-tent and less confusing to have one set of rules and tests rather than two. At the show, I judged only the Intro and Basic classes, equivalent

roughly to Intro and Training in regular dressage. Things seemed to go pretty smoothly, although the tests clearly call for freedom in the strides, and at times that seemed to be lacking.

A significant difference between the score sheets for straight dres-sage and those for western dres-sage is found at the bottom in the boxes for collective marks. Straight dressage has six boxes there: gaits, impulsion and submission plus three more for the rider. Western dressage has five boxes: gaits, sub-mission, rider position, accuracy and harmony. The gait box uses the same directive for both western and straight dressage: “Freedom and regularity.” The important distinc-tion on the western sheets is that the impulsion box is dropped while the submission score is multiplied by a coefficient of 2. Coupled with the harmony box, that is a signifi-cant emphasis on submission for western dressage over straight dres-sage.

I also found some of the western dressage rules to be very inter-esting, at least in contrast to the straight dressage rules. For ex-ample, bucking requires elimina-

tion in western dressage, while it’s merely a score reduction in straight dressage. There was no reference to rearing, which I consider to be a much bigger issue than bucking in terms of both safety and submis-sion. Both curb and snaffle bits are allowed (as are hackamores) and riders can choose to ride with one hand on the reins or two. Posting is allowed. Drop nose bands are not allowed. Use of voice aids is allowed. Wow, that would be a big one in straight dressage, where any use of voice is an automatic deduc-tion.

The lower-level tests that I judged flowed fairly well but were consid-erably longer than their counter-parts in straight dressage. I suspect they will continue to be reviewed as this new discipline gathers inter-est. It will be interesting to see how the gait score and the term “free-dom” continue to be interpreted as both more riders and judges give these tests a try.


The western dressage score sheet doesn’t include impulsion.


The glass horseA “Must Have” for Horse Enthusiasts

Trying to comprehend what is happening to your horse dur-ing colic is nearly impossible

because equine anatomy is so much different from human anatomy. When the vet starts talking about the right dorsal colon, the cecum, the transverse colon, and the small colon - everything can get terribly confusing. When you have to make serious medical decisions under pressure, confused is the last thing you want to be! To help clear it all up, The Glass Horse offers 3-D digital animations that will in-stantly catapult your understanding of equine anatomy to a whole new level.

The Horse Owners Guide to Colic includes a detailed, step by step 3-D anatomy construction pro-gram in which you can “build” the internal anatomy of the horse one organ system at a time- almost like

putting together a puzzle. It allows you to see “what goes where” in a step-by-step fashion. The program

The Glass Limb.

also includes information about colic including the common signs as well as answers to frequently asked questions about the various types of colic. Best of all, this guide shows what happens internally during 9 different types of colic, ranging from impactions to torsion. In these sections, the animated 3-D movie can be viewed from all angles with a drag of the mouse.

The Glass Horse has extended this technology into the Equine Distal Limb for owners trying to understand lameness. Since the vast majority of lameness comes from the foot region, it makes sense to focus on this area. The program pieces the distal limb (from the fet-lock down) together - one structure at a time. Within a few minutes, users are versed in knowing where tendons, ligaments and bones are in the foot.

These two programs can be purchased as downloads or as a CD - check them out if you have a chance - you will be glad you did.



Ticks, Ticks and more TicksFew products for horses are specifically labeled for tick control.

I count myself as extremely lucky. Our little microenvironment in upstate New York is not a hotbed

for ticks. People living even a few miles from our farm tend to see many more ticks. However, last fall and this spring I started finding oc-casional ticks on the dogs. Luckily, none on the horses so far.

Are ticks a concern for our horses? Absolutely! Two of the diseases ticks can spread to horses are Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis (used to be Equine Ehrlichiosis if you started in horses way back like I did :-). Both of these diseases can be treated, but they can also do lasting damage to your horse.

Anaplasmosis will affect your horse’s blood cells. You may notice petechia (tiny blood patches on the skin), edema or swelling of the legs, a fever and not wanting to move. Some horses will show icterus or yellow tissues from the destruction of red blood cells. This is diagnosed via blood samples and treated with oxytetracycline.

Lyme disease is seen in horses in areas where the disease is prevalent in people and pets. Think New Eng-land and the Northeast, though the areas of known cases are spreading. Horses may show joint problems with lameness, pain, laminitis, eye problems and possible liver or kidney problems. This is gener-ally treated with oxyteracycline or doxycycline.

The reality is that you would pre-fer not to have to treat your horse at all! So how can you help to prevent tick problems with your horses?

Step one is to look at your envi-ronment. Mowed or fairly closely grazed pastures (such as a rotation-al system) will keep tick encounters to a minimum. Don’t pile up brush or old leaves and other plant mate-rial right by your horse pastures and your barn.

Discourage wildlife. Deer, voles, mice and almost any mammalian wildife can carry ticks into your

pasture and near your horses. Put salt and mineral blocks near the barn so hopefully deer won’t come that close to lick them. Put hay out in racks near the barn for the same reason. Sunlight and dry weather (low humidity) are enemies of ticks, so keep that in mind as you survey your property and plan plantings, landscaping, etc.

Chickens, especially bantams, and guinea hens are renowned for tick eating. If you want farm fresh eggs and fewer ticks you can simply add a few chickens to your animal population. Of course, chickens can bring their own problems and beware if you have a horse with allergies.

There are very few products for horses specifically labeled for tick control but many of the fly sprays will help to discourage ticks from attaching to your horse. I have sprayed people insect repellents on a cloth and used that to wipe down my horses during bad times of in-sect harassment.

Actually the best method of tick control (along with environmental steps) is to do a quick daily survey of your horse. An eyeball assess-ment can catch many ticks early on. You may need to actually rub your hands over your horse in some areas like the armpits and carefully feel for any “tick bumps.” Always check ears and tail carefully. Sitting on the tailbone is a common place for ticks to attach on horses and they like ears too. If you see your horse itching, rubbing or biting at a

certain spot, feel carefully for any ticks in those areas. A recent sug-gestion was to run a lint roller over your horse when he comes in from the pasture. Ticks that aren’t firmly attached already would get stuck on the sticky paper.

If you find a tick, do NOT do the local old wives’ tales methods of removal. Holding a match near the tick will simply singe and terrify your horse! I can recommend a “tick key”. These little tools work very well for scooping a tick out. Ideally you should wear gloves while doing this. Horses, dogs and people tolerate tick removal with this simple tool.

Hopefully you won’t encounter any ticks on you or your horse. If you have other great tips to share on keeping tick populations down and keeping ticks off your horse, feel free to share them!


The Tick Key.


horse Journal’s Oncall service: your Own Personal Equine consultantOur experts provide answers to your questions.

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In addition to OnCall, we have lifelong, dedicated horsemen and women directing Horse Journal’s editorial content, so you know you’re getting expert equine infor-mation. Navicular horse? You may want to talk with your veterinarian after you read Dr. Grant Miller’s discussion about Tildren, which is finally available in the U.S.!

Just getting back in the saddle af-ter the long winter and wet spring? Three-day eventing trainer John Strassburger tells you why build-ing strength is so important in your horses – and explains how to do it.

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some horses develop faster Than OthersYou have to have a program or overall plan for developing horses, but you have to be able to take different routes on the way to your goal.

Piper jumped eagerly and confidently in his second begin-ner novice start.

One of the challenges to horse training is to accept—even to em-

brace—that you can’t just do the same things with all horses and that they won’t all fit neatly into your perfect training box. Yes, you have to have a program or overall plan for developing horses, but you have to be able to take differ-ent routes on the way to your goal, whether it’s eventing or another sport.

Well, last weekend I rode two young horses, each of whom we bred, in the Shepherd Ranch Horse Trials in Solvang, Calif., and I think that the different rates at which they’re progressing is a good example of what I’m talking about.

Both horses are 5 years old, and they were born here at Phoenix Farm just two weeks apart. They spent the first seven or eight months of their lives living together before we separated them because one was a colt and one was a filly. We started working them as 2-year-olds in our usual program (ponying or longeing them three days a week), gave them several months off for the winter, then put them back into work in the spring of their 3-year-old year and started them under saddle. And that was when their physical and mental differences required the rate of their training to diverge.

Basically, if you think of them as two teenagers aiming for college, one went into the advanced-place-ment program to get ready and one needed additional tutoring and time to get ready. But they’re both going to get there.

Bella (Phoenix Bellisima) is the AP student. If she were a girl in your class, she’d be the tall, lanky, quiet one who sits in the front row. She would quietly offer answers to the teacher’s questions, and her

answers would always be correct. She’d also be the leader of whatever group the teacher put her in, and she’d be the first to hand in her work.

In real life, she’s always eager to come in from the field to work, she walks eagerly down to the ring to get started schooling or marches up the hill on hacking days, and I have to move quickly to stay in front of her when she loads on a trailer.

A year ago, Shepherd Ranch was Bella’s first event; I started her at the introductory level (and she fin-ished second). This year Shepherd Ranch was her first training level start, having progressed through the beginner novice and novice lev-els since then. Bella stopped twice at the ditch in the rail-ditch-rail combination, which wasn’t shock-ing because her challenge at the moment is obstacles with no height (ditches and down banks). Bella is very leggy (rather like a spider), and she has trouble sorting out her legs when there isn’t a jump to navigate.

I urged her over the ditch on the third attempt, and from there on she jumped better with each jump. She even very nicely figured out the downhill rail-bank combination five or six jumps later.

And then she jumped beautifully

in show jumping, making a green-horse error at the fifth fence, a vertical set along the rail by the out-gate, where many horses and people were gathered. The crowd distract-ed her, and she didn’t pick up her front feet fast enough.

So I’ll set up ditch-like ob-stacles at home and take her cross-country schooling at a course with several ditches before her next event. But I’m very pleased with how Bella answered the new challenges and learned this weekend, and I’m still optimistic that

she’ll be ready for the training level three-day event at Galway Downs in November. If we complete that event well, then I’ll plan to move Bella up to preliminary level next spring, as she progresses toward what I hope will be an international career.

Bella has a very quick brain to go along with her eager work ethic. Even though she’s only half-Thor-oughbred (her sire, Palladio is a Dutch Warmblood) she has a decid-edly Thoroughbred temperament and has physically matured at a rate closer to a Thoroughbred than to a warmblood.

But Piper (Phoenix Promiscu-ous), our other homebred, is very different. He has no Thoroughbred close-up in his pedigree (which is basically Oldenburg and Hanove-rian), and when he was 2 and 3 and growing in random ways we joked that we kept him on the back 40 acres so no one would see him. We were confident that he would grow up to be a handsome horse, because he was a beautiful foal, and he’s definitely done that.

Piper is kind and very willing, but I swear there are times when you can see the synapses firing in his brain. Once he learns how to do something—whether on his back or


on the ground—it’s locked in there. But he’s not nearly as able to figure out new things as Bella.

For these physical and mental reasons, Piper made his eventing debut six months after Bella, also at the introductory level. He was a very good boy, especially since time limitations had prevented me from taking him to a single schooling show of any kind before taking him for four days to a full-fledged event.

Then, in March, we reluctantly decided we should sell Piper. We’d bred him to be my wife, Heather’s, horse, and, as he grew, I believed he had the temperament and athleti-cism to be a “horse of a lifetime” for her. But his gaits are too big and his jump is too scopey for her neck and back to handle, so we’ve sadly accepted that he’ll have to be a star for someone else.

While we wait for the right person to come along, I’ve been giving him competitive experience and enjoying the wonderful horse we’ve produced. Shepherd Ranch was his second start at beginner novice, and he finished fourth with his second clear cross-country round. (Since last weekend, I’ve told Heather and most of our students to buy lottery tickets so he can stay here. They said they would, because everybody loves Piper.)

As usually happens at this point in training, Piper felt much more experienced and confident than he did last month at Woodside, jump-ing both the cross-country and show jumping courses with ease. So I’m planning on moving him up to novice at the August Woodside event. The way he’s progressing, if I were to keep him, I’d expect him to be ready to move up to training level in the spring, and he certainly has the scope of gaits and jump to compete at preliminary level far-ther in the future.

This brief description should have demonstrated how Piper and Bella have progressed at a different pace, but here’s one additional observa-tion on their physical differences: Bella has big, strong feet, but she needed front shoes very shortly after I started her under saddle, for comfort and support, and I thought she needed hind shoes too before

I started to compete her, again for comfort and support.

But Piper, who’s about 2 inches taller and probably 200 pounds heavier than Bella, is still barefoot and going beautifully. We haven’t even considered putting shoes on

Barn dramaIt doesn’t have to be a problem in a boarding barn.

Our barn is full of positive-thinking people.

Back in April, the Wall Street Journal printed an

article on Barn Drama. Really?! Must have been a really slow news day.

I just heard about it and, with the wacky world of the internet I was able to find the back issue and read it. It made some valid points but was overall poorly researched and reported – made boarding barns sound worse than the “cool table” at a high school cafete-ria.

One point seemed to be that people in a multi-discipline barn just can’t get along. Really?! I have mostly boarded in multi-discipline barns over the past 40 years, usu-ally hanging out with eventers, hunters and jumpers if the barn had good management and care and was easy for my commute. I especially enjoyed boarding with eventers. (“Okay, let’s hit the trails!)

The barn I’m in now is a pure joy. Yes, we all do dressage so there are never jumps set up in the covered arena, although there are some out in the field. My BO takes exquisite care of the footing – it’s watered and dragged daily. We all help each other out and there is a lot of laughing going on. (DQs with a sense of humor?! Really?!) Gossip is kept at a minimum – no need for it when we are all pretty much positive thinkers.

Boarding barns are a microcosm of life in a way. When you get a mixture of people in a tight envi-

him—I find it quite extraordinary that a horse of his size and big movement doesn’t need shoes, even on the rock-hard ground we have here in California.


ronment, all with their separate concerns, and then add the pres-sures and emotions of maintaining an expensive animal, things can get heated. If someone isn’t comfort-able in a particular barn environ-ment, the best solution is to find another barn. If that’s not possible, then you have to keep more to yourself and that can be difficult as well, not to mention blunting the enjoyment of spending time with your horse.

But, I have found that barn drama isn’t automatic. Mostly it comes from the attitude and standards set by the people running the barn. If they are positive and considerate, they won’t tolerate boarders who are cranky. If you need to move to a new barn, make sure the person running it is someone you can respect.



choosing The Top ProspectAn impressive 8,000-horse study evaluates potential in young horses.

A Swedish study looked at over 8,000 horses to help us better evaluate young prospects.

We would all love a magic wand to wave over a group of promising performance

horses that lights up over the top prospects. A study written up in the June 15 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medi-cal Association – Associations of health status and conformation with longevity and lifetime compe-tition performance in young Swed-ish Warmblood riding horses: 8,238 cases (1983-2005) - comes close, however.

The study was done in Sweden with 8,238 Swedish Warmblood horses involved. Four- to five-year-old horses were tested with an eye toward seeing which horses would have the longest and best careers in competition performance events. The horses were tracked over their performance careers. Health status and conformation factors were examined. Horses received in over-all orthopedic health score, hoof health score, locomotion health score, palpation orthopedic score and a riding quality test. Conforma-tion was also evaluated.

Hoof evaluation rated each horse on 11 traits of the hoof, including shape and hoof wall. Locomotion was checked at a walk and trot, and then followed up with a trot after flexion. For conformation, judges looked at overall body type, head, neck and body specifically, con-formation of the legs and looking at the walk and trot in hand. Since most horses were looking at careers in dressage and show jumping, those were the areas looked at in the riding test.

The tests, which statistically were the most helpful in predicting a horse’s future, were the locomotion evaluation, the body type and trot-ting scores and the overall health score (resulting from palpation, locomotion, etc). The talent scores from the riding test were also im-portant. Poor hoof quality and any

joint effusion tended to correlate with a shorter career and/or poor performance.

The best qualities were a large but moderate in height horse, slightly sloping shoulders, nice neck, good withers and a sloping croup. Free movement both in the fore and rear were important. Talent in the jumping arena showing up in a four- to five-year-old horse was very positive for both longevity in performance and overall lifetime performance quality.

Negative correlations included short and heavy horses, steep shoulder conformation and stiff movement. Toeing in in the front had negative results while slight toeing out showed a positive ef-fect on longevity. Any reaction on flexion tests matched up with poor longevity and performance, as did any atrophy of the croup or hamstring muscles. Joint effusions and poor hoof quality also showed strong heritability. This suggests that thought needs to go into these conditions when evaluating breed-

ing stock.Bottom Line: Careful, systematic

evaluation of young performance horse prospects makes sense. Do a thorough workup and you have a better chance of coming up with a horse who will have a long and suc-cessful performance career.



sarcoidsIf your horse has an abrasion that won’t resolve, don’t overlook this form of cancer!

Does your horse have a dime to

quarter-sized round patch of missing hair that doesn’t ever go away? Al-though it could be a scar or a callous, don’t forget about the possibility of an equine sarcoid.

Sarcoids are a form of skin cancer caused by the bovine papilloma virus. It is a weird sort of etiology- the virus that causes warts in cattle can cause cancer in horses. While warts are generally self-limiting in cattle, the cancer is a potentially serious life-long issue in horses. Flies can carry the bovine papil-loma virus on their mouth piece and inoculate it into the horse’s skin when they bite. Of course, not every horse that gets bitten by a fly carrying papilloma virus gets sarcoids, so much is still unknown about the disease process. It has been postulated that some horses are genetically susceptible to the cancer, or also possibilities that im-mune status plays a roll. Despite all that we have yet to learn about why they occur, we do know for sure that sarcoids are the most com-monly diagnosed tumor of horses, mules and donkeys- representing 36% of diagnosed skin tumors. Studies suggest there is no signifi-cant gender or age predisposition, but they are highly prevalent in Quarter horses and Arabians and less common in Standardbreds.

There are six described types of sarcoids:

Occult sarcoids are flat, hair-less, crusty lesions that are typically round. They often have a smooth, dark hairless area around them. Verrucose sarcoids are raised, knobby, dark areas that often spread into poorly defined mar-gins. They can sometimes have

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ulcerated portions. Nodular sarcoids are firm and nodular skin lumps which may have normal skin over them.Fibroblastic sarcoids are often swollen, nodular bloody scab-bing lesions that grow off the body

much like proud flesh. Mixed sarcoids are commonly a mixture of two or more of the forms described above. Malevolent sarcoids are aggres-sive and invasive lesions that appear on the outside like fibro-blastic sarcoids but also invade deep tissues.

Sarcoids can develop anywhere on the body but are most common in the paragenital region (around the sheath and on the inside of the upper hind legs,) the ventral thorax and abdomen (midline), and the head. They frequently are seen at sites of previous injury and scar-ring. Why? Because these are the places where flies most commonly bite!

Several treatments are available, but none are guaranteed cures. Most commonly, small sarcoids are surgically excised and removed. Often times a laser is used in the surgical process since it can cut the sarcoid out and cauterize the loca-tion simutaneously. Cases in which sarcoids are too large to be excised or are in inoperable locations, chemotherapy, radiation and even topical caustic agents can be used to reduce the size of the lesions and kill neoplastic cells. There are even some experimental sarcoid vaccina-tions in the works- stay tuned! No two sarcoids are treated exactly the same way, so you must consult with your veterinarian to determine which treatment plan is the best option should your horse have a sarcoid.

If your horse has a sarcoid, avoid

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picking at it and keep the flies away since any irritation can cause it to “wake up” and grow.



Documents

Horse journal june 2014