Category: Horse

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Is Salt Really important?

Is Salt really Important?

Salt is a common additive to horse feed and water, but does it have any benefits?

The benefits of salt for horses

  • Maintain good health
  • Improves performance
  • Protect your horse from the heat
  • Protects from dehydration
  • The sodium in salt is important in regulating blood pressure and maintaining normal blood volume
  • Reduces the risk of heat stroke when exercising

How much salt should a horse have?

The average horse (weighs about 450kg) has a basic salt (sodium chloride) requirement of approximately 1 oz/day.

They may also need 1 ounce of plain salt daily in cool weather, up to 3 or 4 when sweating. 

The best way to determine how much salt your horse needs is to talk to your veterinarian or equine nutritionist.

Which is better: loose, coarse salt or salt block?

Horses prefer loose, coarse salt. Horses can and do lick salt blocks but may not be enough especially if they are sweating a lot due to exercise or work.

When should a horse get salt?

Horses need salt daily but the amount will depend on their level of activity. Their sodium requirement may increase when sweating. In fact, according to Dr. Kellon, when sweating heavily for an hour, the sodium requirement goes up 500%.

It does no good to give extra salt/electrolytes several hours before work because they will end up in the urine. When exercising your horse, you can give the first hour’s dose within 30 minutes of starting exercise and the rest during or after exercise.

How can you tell if a horse needs more salt?

  • Sweating a lot, or working hard
  • Signs of dehydration
  • Reduced performance
  • Muscle cramping

Conclusion: 

Salt is an essential mineral for horses. It helps regulate the amount of water in their body, maintain normal blood pressure, and keep their muscles and nerves functioning properly. Horses that don’t get enough salt may develop dehydration, muscle cramps, or nerve problems.

 

Reference:

https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/tag/salt/

Image by Marek from Pixabay
Image by Rebecca Scholz from Pixabay

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Deworming Strategy

Deworming horses

Parasites are a common problem in horses. They can cause serious health conditions. Deworming is a good preventative measure for horses. It can help control these parasites and improve their health. 

There are many different deworming strategies available. One common way is deworming by fecal egg count (FEC). You might have already tried using it. But what are the factors that we need to know and consider in deworming by FEC?

Facts about fecal egg count (FEC)

  1. The effect of deworming by FEC is primarily to minimize environmental contamination, not to optimally protect the individual.
  2. FECs have limited capacity to detect parasites.
    •  they only reflect adults that are actively laying eggs at the time of the test
    • egg-laying activity may vary seasonally
    • tapes often missed because eggs are laid in packets/segments, not evenly mixed in the manure
    • can’t detect tissue forms or immature stages in the lumen but these can be the most harmful for the host
    • bots missed
    • pinworms missed (lay their eggs on the perianal skin)
    • Strongyloides in adults not detected
  3. FECs have technical limitations.
    • Samples sent through the mail are useless. 
    • Samples not collected as soon as they are passed then kept cold are likely inaccurate.
  4. There is growing evidence that the practice of only deworming by FEC is leading to reemergence of Strongylus vulgaris – “bloodworms.” These are the large Strongyles which do significant damage to the intestine and arterial system when they are migrating. 

Deworming Resistance

Resistance can develop when the parasites that are treated with deworming agents become resistant to the drugs.

According to parasitologists the major way resistance develops is underdosing. What doesn’t kill them makes them stronger. Frequent exposure can cause a dewormer to go from a 20% failure rate to 80% or higher. 

It’s also true they can’t be fully resistant to a drug they have never been exposed to.

Deworming Products

It’s wise not to attempt to deworm your horse with drugs that are known to have widespread resistance. This includes as follows:

  • Ivermectin
  • Moxidectin
  • Pyrantel
  • Fenbendazole
  • Albendazole

Deworming Schedule

How often does a horse need to be dewormed? The best way is to speak to your vet about developing a program that is optimal for your individual horse.

 

Deworming is an important part of horse care. A strategic deworming plan can help to protect your horse from parasites and keep them healthy. There are many different deworming products on the market, so be sure to talk to your veterinarian about which one is best for your horse.

Recommended Product:

https://myhorsesupplies.com.au/product/diamond-x-vpc-gut-health-prebiotic/

 

Reference: 

https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2022/07/05/deworming-strategy/

Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay

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Ban on Removing Whiskers

Ban on Removing Horse Whiskers

Equestrian Australia has banned the trimming of sensory hairs effective from 1st July 2022. 

The FEI banned the trimming of whiskers as of 1st July 2021. Following the FEI ruling, the Equestrian Australia board voted to implement the same ban for all National EA events and disciplines.

Reasons for Ban 

  • Equestrian Australia advises that sensory hairs located around the mouth, nose and eyes are an important sensory organ for the horse and should not be removed for cosmetic purposes.  
  • Removing whiskers reduces the horse’s sensory ability. It can disrupt a horse’s natural behavior and communication.
  • The FEI has warned that the practice of removing whiskers can cause horses to develop skin lesions and other health problems.

Exemption to the rule:  Sensory hairs that have been removed by a veterinarian to prevent pain or discomfort for the horse.

What are horse whiskers?

Whiskers/sensory hairs are a coarse hair-like structure. Found around the horse’s eyes and muzzle. They are long, stiff hairs that protrude from the face of a horse.

Why is it different from regular hair?

These amazing sensory hairs have their own nerve and blood supply. Their follicles are deeper and larger than other hair follicles. And with a richer blood supply and a connection to far more nerves than regular hairs.

Functions of horse whiskers

The whiskers on a horse play an important role in their sensory awareness system. Whiskers are incredibly sensitive to touch, even if it’s something as subtle as air movements. 

  • It helps horses navigate their surroundings. 
  • The length of the whiskers determines the safe distance from unfamiliar objects, compensating for the blind spots a horse has in front of its face and underneath its nose. 
  • They also enable the horse to understand unfamiliar characteristics of food or detect small inedible objects. 
  • The whiskers, present on both upper and lower eyelids, provide an automatic blink response when they encounter something like a fly or contact with an object which helps protect the eye itself.
  • Due to the whiskers having a good nerve supply, one study has even suggested that horses may be capable of picking up vibrational energy through their whiskers, which might help them detect sound frequencies. Or feel the energy in an electric fence without touching it.

Impact of the Ban 

You will not be permitted to compete in EA events if your horse’s whiskers have been clipped or shaved (unless for veterinary reasons).

Conclusion

While the whiskers may seem like insignificant hairs, whiskers are important for horses’ safety and should not be removed without good reason.

For more info, visit Equestrian Australia website or click the link below.

https://www.equestriaorg.au/content/sensory-hairs

Image by rihaij from Pixabay

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Laminitis for Horses from too High Grain Diet

Laminitis from too high grain

As we all know diet and exercise plays a vital part to be healthy, not only for humans but for horses as well. And you would agree that sometimes balancing diet and exercise is easier said than done. Laminitis for horses can occur when overfeeding grains during low activity times.

This balancing is especially important in cold weather. Horses tend to stay at their stable, get less work or be sedentary while eating more. 

According to Dr. Kellon, horses normally have to spend calories in winter. It helps to maintain their normal body temperature. And hay is the first good choice to feed because it is fermented in the hind gut which generates heat. But since hay is also low in calories, dense sources like grains may be a good addition if they are using too much energy.

Grains are an easily available source of calories. There are people that tend to feed their horse grains for a variety of other reasons. Including admirable ones, such as trying to make the horse happy.  But the fact is the more you push grain into your horse, the more likely the horse is to develop a problem. Why?

Here’s the reasons grain can be a problem:

  1. Overfeeding them with grains may result in overweight horses. Especially horses with less regular work or exercise to burn calories. Overweight horses have a higher percentage of insulin problems. And insulin problems may cause laminitis.
  2. Grains naturally contain higher levels of sugar and starch.
  3. High-grain diets have been also associated with all sorts of other problems, even behavioural problems. 

Follow the recommended feeding rates to control the intake of sugar and starch. Taking into consideration their level of activity. Make sure also that you keep your grain secure with latches on doors and secure tops on storage bins. This helps to prevent accidental access and overeating. These cautions will help to prevent laminitis development and other problems.

Helpful tip: Allow your horse to lose weight or maintain a body score of around 2.5/5 during winter. That allows their systems enough capacity to cope with seasonal fluctuations in grass sugar levels in spring. And prevent them from laminitis development as well.

Hay and Grains sometimes won’t work so well for horses with metabolic problems. A fat supplement can be helpful since all the horse needs is extra calories and fat supplies. That is 5 times the calories of average grass hay and triple that of plain oats.

Product Recommendation:

Australian Equine Gold – My Horse Supplies is made from 100% Camelina oil. And contains a great balance of omegas 3, 6 and 9 providing a rich source of beneficial fatty acid. https://myhorsesupplies.com.au/product/australian-equine-gold/

Image by Ebowalker from Pixabay

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Eating Dirt and Sand

Horses naturally eat quite a bit of soil. Under normal circumstances there is sufficient fibre moving through their gut to move the sand and dirt through their gut and out in their manure… so normally it won’t accumulate too much. During drought however, due to grazing very close to virtually bare ground the amount of soil they eat increases, while often the amount of fibre they have to eat is reduced. So drought is a double whammy… more sand and dirt in their gut and less fibre to carry it through. This situation often results in accumulation of sand and dirt, which can cause irritation of the gastrointestinal tract and result in colic or diarrhoea.

A simple home test for the level of sand is the glove test. Using big clear gloves (vet rectal exam gloves are good), put several lumps of manure in the glove with plenty of water. Massage the glove until the manure is all broken up, then hang the glove to allow it to settle. Check the fingers of the glove to see how much sand falls to the bottom. If you don’t have gloves, you can do the same with a clear plastic bag, tipping it so one corner is at the bottom when leaving it to settle.
If there’s less than 1 teaspoon in total then generally there’s no need for concern. If more than that, do another test in a couple of days to confirm the results, then check with your vet if you need to take additional action.

The best way to clear sand and dirt from a horse’s gut is to feed lots and lots of hay. During a drought this isn’t always possible as hay supplies get shorter and shorter. An alternative and also quite effective way of clearing it is to feed psyllium husk. Psyllium husk is a fibre that absorbs water in the gut and turns into a really sticky goo that will stick to the sand and dirt and move it out of the gut.
Epsom salts will increase the cleaning action by attracting even more water to the intestines as it passes through.

We found an interesting research paper here showing significant sand and dirt accumulation being successfully shifted in 4 days using a combination of psyllium husk and Epsom salts. The action of the 2 together appeared to be significantly better than either by themselves. Care needs to be taken though to limit the use of Epsom salts to short periods as it can have an irritant effect on the gut with prolonged use.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023318302648?via%3Dihub&fbclid=IwAR1nkpdKa7Klyfw1OG81oj3Ai0V-yKp5EKvgdA9vfuFWsyTifuLmNVjjwnc

The study was primarily testing with nasogastric tubing however does state that previous studies have shown there didn’t appear to be a significant difference in effect between tubing or feeding. Recommended feeding rate from our vet is 50 grams per 100 kg of bodyweight of psyllium husk and 10g per 100kg of Epsom salts per day, for maximum 5 days at a time.

Feed it in a single meal, for 5 days in a row, mixed with something your horse loves the taste of. Make the feed very slightly damp then put in the psyllium and Epsom salts and mix it around. Don’t make it too wet as many horses don’t like the taste and/or texture of wet psyllium. If your horse was showing signs of sand or dirt accumulation (mild colic or diarrhoea), give the horse a break for 5 days and then repeat the 5 day treatment.

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How to Make a Saline Solution

Normal saline is a sterile mixture of salt and water. It is called normal because its salt concentration is similar to tears, blood, and other body fluids (0.9% saline). It is also called isotonic solution. Normal saline is soothing and unlike straight water, will not burn or sting when applied.

How to make normal saline solution at home 

Saline solution is easy to make at home. You will need:

  • 1 clean glass bottle or jar with lid
  • table salt
  • pot with lid
  1. Put two cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt into the pot. Put the lid on.
  2. Boil for 15 minutes with the lid on (set a timer).
  3. Set the pan aside until cooled to a room temperature.
  4. Carefully pour the salt and water (normal saline) from the pan into the jar or bottle and put the lid on.

Normal saline solution: A few important points

  • It is very important to use only fresh normal saline. Bacteria can grow in saline and cause infections
  • Use a clean glass jar or bottle is that has been recently washed in a dishwasher with very hot soapy water
  • Do not drink solution
  • Throw away the solution if it grows cloudy or looks dirty
  • Keep the saline in a bottle or a glass for a maximum of 24 hours. Throw away any unused solution, wash the container, and make a new solution.

 

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Hoof Balance

A good step to begin with when doing hoof trimming is identifying hoof balance. What is a balanced hoof? A balanced hoof is a ‘natural hoof’ or a hoof that is trimmed to replicate the form of a natural hoof. What is a natural hoof? This is the hoof that you usually see on wild horses. These horses tend to have balanced hooves as they have a free roaming life style.

A balanced hoof has a hoof wall that supports not only the foot but also the entire body of the horse. The only part of the hoof that touches the ground is the ‘hoof wall’. In a balanced hoof, the frog area has the passive contact with the floor and the sole does not touch the floor.

 Hoof Balance

A good point to ponder is from Jaime Jackson sharing “A balanced hoof is one whose size, shape, and proportion correspond precisely to its own unique, natural conformation.”

A Balanced Hoof:

  • With its relationship with the coffin bone, a balanced hoof can provide balance to your horse’s skeleton system.
  • It provides traction during the pull of the front hoof and push of the hind hoof.
  • It services as a shock absorber by expanding and contracting.
  • Pumps blood out of the foot when expanding and contracting.
  • Promotes proper stride break over.

What to Look For?

Look at the hoof wall from its side view (see figure 2), and see if the angle of growth of the front hairline is similar with the angle of growth with the tip of the toe. Think of the angle of growth as a line and no matter what the line’s angle is, it should be a straight line. If there are changes in that straight line or a different angle is created then it is an indication that something not right is taking place.

Potential Indicators of Hoof Imbalance

1. Bruise or soreness around the toe wall – Any soreness or redness around the toe should tell you that something is wrong. There are other factors that can cause this problem, but for now consider hoof imbalance as the main factor. This is often just a minor issue that can be cured using regular hoof care and hoof balance methods so do not go into major methods right away such as shoes or invasive trimming methods.

4. Unnatural Hoof Wall Wear Patterns – Generally, a naturally balanced hoof will possess 3 or 4 points of positive contact with the floor. Two of these points in contact are located at the heal buttresses and the rest of the points in contact will be at or close to the toe. These points of contact are the most active when it comes to growth. As these points get the most floor contact, they wear faster yet grows faster compared to areas that only have passive ground contact.

3. Growth Lines’ Deviation – The Hoof Wall’s Growth Lines Need to Be Perpendicular to the Floor.  Any deviation of the growth lines is an indication of hoof imbalance or abnormal growth. The deviation can be a result from improper trimming or shoeing methods and unnatural wearing conditions.

2. Elevated Heel – The horse’s heel is directly proportional with the angle of growth. Heels that are too high, incorrectly trimmed or on the shod horse will have a negative effect on the natural angle of growth of hooves. The heels need to be maintained short so the frog will have passive contact with the ground.

Frogs that are uneven and narrow tend to become rubbery and damp near the sole which is why frogs need to be kept flat and wide. The frog should only passively touch the ground and not have the full pressure against it. The frog is a sensitive area and it helps your horse know where on the ground its hooves are with just a minor contact. Properly trimming the heels will allow the frog to wear naturally and maintain the right sensitivity.

A good way to evaluate the horse’s balance is to observe how it moves on its own or without a rider. It is hard to clearly see the imbalance if someone is riding the horse especially if that someone is a novice and is the main cause of the struggle. A horse with a naturally balanced hoof will move naturally, freely and swiftly.

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Foal Hoof Care: When To Get Help

New Born Foals When to Trim?Many horse owners are curious about the right time for their foal’s first trim. Many believe that hoof care is necessary when the foal is a year old or is starting with its riding training. If you are concerned about the welfare of your foal then waiting a year is a big NO. As hooves get long, break or wear unevenly or not break and wear at all, they can potentially cause leg strain and deviation.

The more your foal matures the more difficult the corrections will be since as it matures, its bones continue to harden and joints formalize. ALL counteractive efforts and trimming to maintain the right shape and function of the leg should be done before your foal reaches a year old.

In fact, the first trim should be at your foul’s 3 to 4 weeks of age considering its legs are fairly normal and straight. If required, early corrections should be implemented to make big adjustments when it comes to correcting a deviated bone column. As majority of foals are born with several deviations, early corrections can help increase success of corrective trimming efforts.

The right hoof trimming can modify and improve minor deviations as well as maintain the right leg structure for foals born with averagely correct legs and hooves. Conversely, neglecting proper trimming can increase deviations to foals with only minor leg deviations and even to foals born with correctly structured legs.

Foals that are born with major leg and hoof deviations will take more than early hoof trimming methods for their deviations to subside. These foals may need surgery or attention from a veterinarian.

What to look for in a “normal” hoof

A freshly born foal will have front hooves that are fairly pointed. The pointy hooves on the front feet help in the positioning and delivery through the birth canal. In addition, they help rip off the placenta during delivery.

The pointed feet become useless after the foal is born. The pointed hoof prevents the foal from breaking directly over the front of the hoof. This complicates the flight path of the foal allowing it to become toed in (pigeon toed) or toed out (splay footed) (See Image Below). Neglecting this issue will allow further wear during break-over thus resulting to more deviations in the future.

Hoof Care Balance and Angles in Foal TrimmingThe ultimate aim of the first trim is to provide a straight break over point on the hoof. This technique will prevent any inward or outward deviation in the leg structure as well as movement pattern. This corrects and reduces additional deviation in the future. The proper first trim can supply a straight and simple break over point for the stride. This fixes minor deviations and provides a straight path for foals having already correct feet and legs needed for maintaining the right bone structure.

Trimming regularly every three to four weeks after the first trim will allow the solidification of the bony column in as correct and straight a line as possible. Remember to start the first trim earlier before your foal is a year old and practice the method throughout the life of your horse to improve its performance and function.

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How Often Should My Horse See the Farrier for Trimming?

FarrierTrimingHoof

All domestic horses require having complete, regular hoof care. Hooves that are unmaintained will result to unpleasant looking and unbalanced hooves which in turn affects the hoof’s internal workings, legs’ tendons and ligaments and mainly the horse’s movement.

So how often should your horse see the farrier for trimming?

It will depend on your horse’s activities as well as the type of riding you do. Generally, most horses should get trimming every eight weeks.

There are horses that require a more frequent farrier visit such as those used for competition. This is because horses used for competition require to have completely balanced feet to ensure they compete at their maximum capability. In addition, having your horse adequately trimmed can reduce risk of injury.

Unshod horses can require regular trimming depending on the surfaces they walk on. These horses can need to be trimmed about three to six weeks as the soft surfaces that these horses walk on do not cause any wear on their hoofs.

Horses that walk on abrasive surfaces wear their feet down more so they tend to need less frequent trimmings. Although this is the case, these horses still require regular trimming in order to maintain the right hoof shape.

The hoofs of ponies and hacks can be left a longer as these horses are ridden only a few times in a week and will have a wear chance that is close to their hoofs’ growth rate. Mostly, they only need some minor trims just to clean their hoofs’ ragged edges.

Horses having fewer activities and not used for riding should not be exempted from trimming. Horses that fall in this category such as brood mares and retired horses still have hoofs that continue to grow as well as have a wear rate that is very low. This is why these horses also require frequent farrier visits.

What To Look For In A Farrier?

To ensure the well being of both you and your horse, you need to choose a certified, professional and experienced farrier. A farrier is someone who is skilled is various hoof cares such as horse shoeing, blacksmithing as well as knowledgeable about the physiology and anatomy of horses’ legs and feet. An unskilled farrier can expose your horse to risk such as injury, lameness and damage which is why it is best you choose a certified farrier.

Certification and training

Certified farriers have acquired extensive trainings, completed standardized and veterinary related exams as well as proved they possess the needed skills required in the farrier profession. As there are no laws that farriers should first be certified, it is your duty to determine if your farrier is skilled and reliable.

Interviewing farriers

Here are a few essential questions you can ask your potential farriers:

1. Where have you studied, apprenticed or learned your skill?

2. Are you a member of the national farrier organization?

3. In which disciplines are you knowledgeable?

4. How do you handle an uncooperative and difficult horse?

5. Can you provide references?

Things To Know About Your Farrier:

1. Find out of your farrier is punctual.

2. Find out the reputation of the school the farrier got the certification from.

3. Know if the farrier is responsive or good in communication. Determine if the farrier can easily be reached, returns calls, keeps you updated about the work as well as shares essential information about your horse’s condition.

4. Determine if he handles his business transaction and clients professionally.

5. Determine if the farrier can work well with others such as your trainers, groomers, veterinarians and riders.

6. Find out if the farrier understands the athletic level and sport of your horse or knows the right care and shoe wear.

7. Know if the farrier is equipped with all the needed supplies for the tasks.