Health and Welfare

FROM YOUR MARE?

By Mary-Kate Burke MVB CertAVP PgCert VPS MRCVS Clinical Veterinarian in Equine First Opinion Practice

Many people dream of having a cute, little foal running around the field, but there are a number of things to consider before making the leap and breeding your mare.

1. What are my mare’s flaws? We all love our mares more than anything, however, no mare is perfect. It is important to analyse your mare’s character, performance and conformation with a critical eye so you can select a stallion which compliments your mare’s features. The aim of breeding should always be to produce a foal which is better than the mare and stallion. It is not easy to pick out your own horse’s faults, so asking an experienced friend or vet to help with this is always wise.

2. Is my mare generally healthy? Just like humans, mares have a much greater chance of becoming pregnant if they are healthy. For instance, if your mare has a high body condition score it is worth consulting your veterinary surgeon to organise a weight loss plan. Diseases like Cushing’s disease, and severe lameness at walk, can affect a mare’s cycle and hence her ability to become and maintain a pregnancy. 3. Book a pre-breeding assessment with your vet. This is a great opportunity to identify any issues such as endometritis, uterine cysts or anovulatory follicles. Early identification allows for treatment of issues which will aid in improving the chances of conception and of carrying a foal to term.

4. How old is my mare and has she had a foal before? Mares are most fertile when they are less than 12years-old. After this point their fertility begins to decline. The good news is, mares can still carry and successfully deliver foals into old age (i.e their 20’s). It is important to take this on a case by case basis, consulting your vet for the best results. 5. Plan early! Mares naturally cycle between March and September with their highest fertility being between the end of April and the start of July. At the beginning and end of the breeding season the mare’s cycles can become unpredictable, making successful breeding more difficult.

6. What method of breeding will I use? Natural cover, fresh, chilled and frozen artificial insemination are all viable options for breeding in the UK. Often the decision is

Article supplied by:

Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge

www.vet.cam.ac.uk

dictated by what your selected stallion offers. Chilled, and frozen, AI offers a greater variety of stallions with the use of semen from overseas now commonplace. Brexit has led to some issues with shipping, which means careful planning is even more important so that the correct paperwork can be arranged. With natural cover, studs will often require certain diagnostic swabs and vaccinations to have been performed prior to covering. 7. Have I really got the budget for this? As the old saying goes ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’ and horses have a habit of not sticking to the plan! Remember, the stud fee is a small percentage of the costs involved with breeding. Insemination, potential issues during pregnancy and foaling can all add to costs. New born foals are also susceptible to issues, so the costs don’t necessarily end when the pregnancy is over.

The Cambridge Equine Hospital provides high quality reproductive services for all horse breeders and is a registered British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) approved centre for fresh, chilled and frozen semen artificial insemination (AI). Mary-Kate Burke has completed a certificate in Advance Veterinary Practice focused on Equine Reproduction.

REAL-LIFE STORY...

In 2017 Chloe Burrell, who was a competitive showjumper, suffered a serious back injury whilst playing hockey that meant she could hardly walk, let alone ride or compete. Chloe, 21, gained the injury during a game of hockey and obtained several slipped disks.

In a strange twist of fate, her horse The Dark Emperor (AKA Andrew) also suffered an injury not long after she did. Andrew tore a tendon after an accident in his field and faced up to a year of box rest. Chloe said: “Initially, my family and I were worried because the injury was serious and I was very young (17) to have such an injury; naturally, surgery on my back wasn’t an option.” Doctors said that Chloe could have been out of action for a year and would struggle to walk, let alone ride again. This was a shock to the family. So they contacted Optimum Performance, a sports injury clinic in Camberley, and sought advice. Optimum Performance is dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries, especially musculoskeletal injuries. The Director of Optimum Performance, Suzanne Bowen, who was also physiotherapist at Fulham Football Club, took on Chloe’s case and offered her a treatment plan to help her get competing again. She was also able to offer therapy for Andrew too. Chloe was prescribed nine 1hour sessions of MBST, at a total cost of £1000. Magnetic Resonance Therapy transfers energy directly into the cells of the tissue being treated to stimulate the regenerative processes. The therapy is noninvasive, risk free therapy of pain associated with arthritis, osteoporosis, general wear and tear or sports/accident injuries. MBST is made up of a treatment unit that uses three different electro-magnetic fields. The magnetic fields alternate, reacting with the damaged cells in order to stimulate their regeneration. This results in increased function of the joint, often eliminating the need for surgery. Chloe could have been out of action for a whole year, but due to MBST technology she only had five months out in total!. Her bed rest was reduced by 6-7 months which is an incredible 50-60% reduction in healing time. Chloe said: “As well as MBST being a life-saver for me, Suzanne being able to to use the same therapy for Andrew meant that we didn’t have to put him through the lengthy process of box rest which was amazing. Not only could lengthy box rest run the risk of other injuries but mentally it was not a good option, he would not have enjoyed being cooped up for months and months on end, it could have been even more damaging in the long run.” MBST on the horse’s leg meant that the recovery time was cut down by around half - from twelve months to just six months which meant Chloe and Andrew could be reunited far sooner than first thought. Chloe continued: “The vet was baffled by how quickly the tendon had healed in such a short amount of time.” Around 18-months later, Chloe was on ‘cloud nine’ as she regained her independence and her confidence was back. “Honestly, without Suzanne and the MBST machine, I don’t know where I would be today as there was no other cure. It was a long process but I had full faith in the treatment and the guidance of Sue, which is why we were so keen to use it on Andrew when we had the opportunity, as again, surgery wasn’t an option.” Chloe is now completely pain free. “I was so worried for my future with back problems at such a young age but I feel amazing, I don’t know what I would’ve done without the treatment.” One of the greatest benefits of the MBST for Chloe was the topup sessions offered by the clinic. She would religiously have a top-up every 6-8months and found the difference after was noticeable. “I can’t really imagine how I would have got back to a normal life, let alone being able to run, exercise and most importantly ride without MBST, so I am always grateful for the benefits of such an amazing treatment. It’s also just incredible how much it helped Andrew, he was back to his old self so quickly, I never would have believed this was possible until it put me back in the saddle and us in the rosettes.”

www.optimumperformance clinic.co.uk

STOP PRESS:

HELP SAVE UKRAINE’S WAR HORSES

Suffolk animal therapy farm, Wilderley, is appealing to the equestrian community for urgent funding to help evacuate injured and at-risk horses in the Ukranian city of Kharkiv.

Wilderley is coordinating the campaign to save the horses with Dergachev Children's and Youth Equestrian School of the Kharkiv's State Biotechnological University (formerly the Kharkiv State Veterinary Academy). Wilderley is an ethically focused sustainable living recreational farm in the Waveney Valley, East Anglia, founded by Celeste Goschen. The farm is currently hosting a refugee family who fled the war in Ukraine. Masha and her little girl, Lisa, were one of the first Ukrainian refugees to arrive in the UK. Wilderley and Masha have been urgently contacted by a horse yard at the Kharkiv veterinary university where a group of women who worked there are trying to save their twenty horses. The horse yard is located on the Eastern side of Kharkiv currently being controlled by the Russian forces. “At the moment, we have managed to raise immediate funds to help transport the horses to a safer place in Ukraine,” said Celeste. “But we urgently need further funding to cover the necessary vaccinations and passports, before the horses can be moved to the safety of the UK. Once there we will be calling for foster homes. “Not only are the horses at risk during the siege but have the added threat of starvation if they remain in the Ukraine,” continued Celeste. “It's unlikely that there will be a harvest in the Ukraine this year which will inevitably lead to a massive shortage of horse feed, as well as the current lack of veterinary medications and equestrian related support.” The head groom at the stables said: “We have managed to place some of the horses in temporary stables, but we need to get the rest out as soon as possible. “The added problem is that while the owners of the temporary stables are kind people and could not refuse us, they cannot keep our horses for a long time, because they do not have enough food or space. We would like to transport some of the horses to other stables in the Poltava region, so that everyone has enough space and food. There is also a club with a sufficient stalls and feed for our horses, but there is already a problem in paying for their keep there. “Thanks to a volunteer organisation in Ukraine, as well as caring people, we have now been able to pay for a month’s stay. But the funds are rapidly running out, and within a month we will have a problem with paying for the stay. Unfortunately, this nightmare will not end in a month and we will not be able to return home so quickly.” “We beseech you to make a donation, no matter how small it will help to make a real difference to the future safety and health of these horses,” said Celeste.

www.gofundme.com/f/helpsave-ukraines-war-horses

MARE INVOLVED IN ROAD ACCIDENT GIVES BIRTH TO FOAL IN REDWINGS’ CARE

Apregnant mare who was involved in a road traffic accident in Essex has given

birth in Redwings’ care. Bay mare Majesty – named in honour of the Queen’s Jubilee year – came into the charity after suffering a broken nose and chest injuries in the crash. Happily, she has successfully given birth to a not-so-little boy who has been named Monarch. Jo Franklin, Redwings Senior Field Officer, said: “ We’re so glad we were able to offer her a home in Sanctuary here at Redwings, and of course her new foal Monarch.” www.redwings.org.uk/donate