Evaluating a Horse

When looking at a horse you're considering buying, keep the following in mind in terms of the purpose/discipline for which you are purchasing it

• Soundness
• Any blemishes
• Movement
• Conformation
• Manners
• Health (history and current)
• Training and show history
• Size (and is it full grown?)
• Quality/flash - is the horse eye catching? will it stand out in the show ring?
• Pedigree (if considering breeding)

Be sure to keep safety in mind at all times - a timid rider probably shouldn't be paired with a timid horse.

Medical Monday: Abscesses

An abscess is basically an infection of the lamina.  Bacteria gets in, causes an infection and then white blood cells attack the infection.  Normally this would cause swelling but because this is in the hoof and the hoof cannot expand, pressure builds and results in pretty severe pain.  The purulent fluid (pus) that is the source of the pressure (product of the body fighting the infection) needs to find a way out.  Generally it takes the easiest path which could either be a hole in the hoof (drilled by either a vet or a farrier) or through the coronary band. 

Causes:

• Introduction of bacteria to the lamina resulting in infection.  This can happen a number of ways:
• Pierced sole
• Wall cracks
• Bruised sole
• Unsanitary living conditions (softens the sole which allows bacteria in)
• Infrequently cleaned hooves (again, softens the sole which can allow bacteria in)

Symptoms:

• Horse appears lame, doesn’t want to put any weight on the foot (usually a sudden and extreme lameness)
• Increased digital pulse in the hoof
• Swelling of lower leg
• Decreased ground contact with heels

 Treatment:

• Your vet or farrier will hoof test to try to pinpoint the location of the abscess, they will then cut a small hole for fluid to drain
• Be sure to keep the drainage hole clean so no new bacteria is introduced
• If unable to pinpoint the location, your vet/farrier might recommend soaking the hoof or poulticing the coronary band to soften it to provide an easier path for the pus to escape through
• To increase blood circulation and promote healing, your vet/farrier may recommend hand walking your horse

 Prevention:

• Regularly pick your horses hooves
• Keep your horse in a clean, dry area
• Use a qualified and competent farrier.

 Note: I found an article regarding soaking a horses hoof to help bring out the abscess and according to it repeated soaking, over several days, can result in the hoof wall to loosing integrity causing it to expand or bend outward.  Take a look at this article and remember to always consult your vet or farrier!  www.equipodiatry.com/footsoak.htm

HRNs 2nd Contest!

What?! Already?! This is madness! Madness, I say!

While Meredith is putting the finishing touches on the portrait for the winner of our first contest, I got a little eager to do another one!

Enter to win a new saddle pad! And not just any saddle pad, the very sleek, very sexy, very toight (Austin Powers movie reference intended) saddle pad pictured below!

To enter HRN's contest, place any type of ad on HRN before July 25 and your name will automatically be entered into the draw.  Make sure to get your ads in before July 25, because at the stroke of midnight on July 24, Cinderella turns into a pumpkin! (and the contest ends) :)

Say it with me now: Ooooooh. Aaaaaaaah.

Questions? Email us at info@horseresourcenet.com.  Operators are standing by now!

A hoof, a hoof, My kingdom for a ... hoof?

It has recently been brought to my attention that the horse world is a strange and wondrous place.  A place where magical, I daresay incredulous, things take place.  Or at least that is what a non-horsey friend has recently tried to convince me of.

This friend, we'll call him Mike (mostly because that's his name) asked of me the age old question, "if you remove a horses hoof, will it grow back".  As I'm sure you're aware, this question has been asked thousands upon thousands of times over the years, asked in frequency second only to "if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it , does it make a sound?" (well? Does it?).  What's that you say? No, you weren't aware that non-horse people thought horses had magical regenerative capabilities? Well, neither was I!

At first I just assumed Mike meant the hoof wall - logic dictating that 1 - No one would want to cut off a horse’s hoof, and 2 - That as a functioning adult he had a working knowledge of the basic physiological structure of domesticated animals.  Oh no, my friend, he actually meant the harvesting of the entire hoof for the purpose of gelatin production!

Ignoring the obviously heinous gelatin comment, I proceeded to educate Mike in the structure of the equine hoof.  I dumbed it down to no hoof = no horse.  It seemed the best way to go given who I was dealing with...

So now, in an act of contrite redemption, Mike has suggested writing a blog post on the common, but grossly inaccurate, assumptions of non-horse people about our beloved creatures.

1.  Horses, as wonderful as they are, do not possess magical regenerative capabilities. They are not like lizards in any way, shape, or form.

2.  As much as I wish it were true, Pegasus does not exist.

3. ...and here I'm at a loss.  I'm trying to come up with outrageous assumptions made by non-horsey people and I'm coming up empty handed.

So I ask, what are some of the weird and wacky questions that have been posited to you over the years regarding our (hopefully) hooved friends?

Medical Monday: Laminitis & Founder

Some people use these terms interchangeably but they are actually two different conditions – founder being a possible result of laminitis.

Laminitis is an infection of the laminae (tissue) that connects the coffin bone and the hoof wall.  Founder occurs when the laminae die, causing the attachment of the coffin bone to the hoof wall to breakdown completely.

Cause

There are several causes of laminitis and founder, including:

·         Too much grain – overconsumption of carbohydrates

·         Too much grass and/or grass clippings (aka grass founder)

·         Drinking too much when overheated

·         Repetitive and excessive concussion of the hooves (aka road founder)

·         Exposure to black walnut shavings

·         Repeated used of high doses of corticosteroids

Symptoms

·         Typically the first tell-tale sign is the horse standing in the “founder stance” – where the horse stands with his hind legs well underneath his belly and his front legs out in front to relieve as much pressure from them as possible.

·         The horse will be reluctant to walk

·         Horse will turn by pivoting on the hind end rather than walk a full circle.

·         Increased temperature in the affected hooves

Treatment

·         Doing your best to make the horse comfortable

o   Encouraging them to lie down (relieves pressure on hoof)

o   Extra stall bedding

o   Painkillers

·         Purge the horse’s digestive tract to limit absorption of toxins

·         Antibiotics to ward against infection

·         Anticoagulants to improve blood flow to the hooves

Prevention

·         Dietary restrictions – especially for breeds that are predisposed to laminitis and founder (watch for horses with cresty necks and ponies)

·         Keep your horse at a healthy weight

·         Keep feed securely locked away to prevent binging

·         Regulate water intake when horse is overheated (for example, after a hard workout).

HRN's First Contest - Progress Update

Here's a quick update on the portrait that Meredith is currently working on for our first contest winner.  We'll post a few more as she races towards completion!

If you'd like Meredith to do a portrait for you, she is available for commissioned artwork.  Contact her at meredith.madderom@gmail.com for more information. 

Safety Notice for Langley Residents

The following was forwarded to me today.  Residents of Langley, BC beware.

-----

It has come to my attention that a number of farms have had things go missing and have noticed a man on a bike coming into their driveways and looking around or riding in the area.

Recently a bike was noticed at the gate by someone coming home so they went out to the barn to check things out. A man came out from the barn area and assaulted the home owner knocking them unconscious.

Medical Monday: Tetanus

Medical Monday: Tetanus (aka Lockjaw)

I wanted to do an article on tetanus because, if you’re like me, you always get your horse vaccinated against it but it’s become so automatic that you’ve kind of forgotten what tetanus is exactly – the finer points of the disease, if you will.

Tetanus can occur when a wound becomes infected with the Clostridium tetani bacterium – which is naturally found in soil and animal feces.  This bacterium produces a powerful neurotoxin which results in muscle contraction and spasm.  The incubation period for this disease is anywhere from 3 to 21 days. 

Symptoms:

• Inability to eat as the jaw is unable to move (“lockjaw”)
• Movement becomes progressively more rigid
• Tail may be raised
• Ears constantly pricked forward
• Horse may be unable to bend or flex their neck
• Muscle spasms affecting small areas, or possibly the entire body, will become apparent
• As the disease progresses, it moves into the horses’ lungs and causes an inability to breath resulting in death. 

Treatment:

• Generally consists of antibiotics, muscle relaxants, and the tetanus antitoxin.

Prevention:

• Vaccination – annually on regularly vaccinated horses.  If the horse hasn’t been vaccinated, or its vaccination status is unknown, the horse should receive 2 doses administered 3 to 6 weeks apart.
• Proper wound management

Well this was informative, but depressing.  Please, make sure to take proper care of any/all injuries your horse sustains! Here’s a pretty picture to leave this on an upbeat note!

Tips for Buying a New Horse: Part 2

Questions to ask the seller:

·         Has the horse ever foundered

·         Does he kick? Bite? Rear? Bolt? Spooky?

·         How well does he trailer?

·         How is he on trails?

·         Can he be pastured with other horses? –how is he in a herd situation?

·         Any vices? Cribbing? Weaving? Chewing?

·         Any history of colic?

·         Is the horse an easy keeper or hard to keep weight on?

·         When did the horse last see a vet? Teeth floated? Vaccinations? Farrier? Wormed?

·         What equipment does the horse come with? Blankets? Saddle? Bridle? Halter? Lead rope?

·         What is the horses training level and show history?

Don’t forget to examine your own personal needs to determine what other information about your potential new horse you might need to know.  For example, do you have young children that will be riding the horse as well? –if so, you’re going to want to ask how the horse is with kids.

Remember, given the choice, visit the horse a few times before making a purchase decision as this is a huge commitment :)  Good luck with your purchase!

Contest Winner!

Winner winner chicken dinner!! (can't believe I just typed that...)

HRN's first contest officially came to an end last week.  We have contacted our winner, randomly drawn from a hat (a top hat so we could be classy) and their photo has been sent to Meredith Madderom for her to start on production of the oil pastel portrait.  Meredith estimated that it would take her approximately two weeks to complete the project so check back here for updates on how the portrait is developing - we'll also post photos on our facebook page so make sure to "like" our facebook page and stay tuned!

Even though we've just finished this contest, we're already thinking about our next one and are looking for suggestions! Maybe a funny photo contest? I know, I know, it's been done - but who doesn't love a funny horse photo?!  They're classics for a reason :P

Medical Monday: West Nile Disease

Given that it's mosquito season, what better than to post on Medical Monday about West Nile Disease.  (I imagine that if this was being narrated aloud, "West Nile Disease" would be all echo-y and have ominous tones playing in the background - da da daaaa.)

Symptoms (can include):

• listlessness, change in behaviour
• muscle twitches 
• lack of coordination
• limb weakness
• partial paralysis, inability to get up.

Treatment:

• Currently there is no treatment available for horses

Prevention:
 While there is a vaccine available for horses, it is not a guarantee that your horse will not contract the disease.  The best preventative measure, currently, is to do your best to reduce the mosquito population at your barn by reducing the number of areas with stagnant water - ie. clogged rain gutters, ceramic pots, recycle boxes (drill holes in the bottom to allow better drainage).  Keep wheelbarrows overturned to prevent them from collecting water.  Fly sprays containing mosquito repellent are available and may help keep them away.

The good news:
There is currently no evidence that the disease is transmitted any other way than by mosquito.  So if you do have an infected horse at your barn, he or she will not be able to pass the disease on to your horse.

I hope that helps - for more information on mosquito prevention and population reduction, check out google, they're a wealth of information!

Upcoming Events

Woohoo! We just booked our booth at The Mane Event coming up in October in Chilliwack, BC.  I've attended this event for the past few years and have been waiting for the day when HRN was up and running and I could get a booth of my own. And that day is finally here! Or, at least it will be in October :D

In the meantime, HRN has proudly signed on to be a sponsor of the Kamloops Dressage Show coming up later this month - June 25-26 to be exact.  Look for our rack cards in competitor packages and their show program!

Coming up in July, look for our half page ad in the BC Half Arabian Horse Association show program for their July 15-17 show at the Cloverdale Agriplex. 

We're looking in to a bunch of other events that HRN can sponsor or advertise with this show season - so if you know of any please let us know! If your event is looking for sponsors or advertisers you can email the info to us at info@horseresourcenet.com.