PM #40009439 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Suite 201, 2400 Bevan Ave., Sidney BC, V8L 1W1
CONTENTS •
In This Issue SPECIAL FEATURES 36 Be a Water Steward 6 stream care strategies to better care for your waterway.
42 To Mow or Not to Mow…? Learn the benefits and the risks of mowing the pasture.
44 Horsemanship with Jonathan Field Lessons from the boxing ring, and footwork to free up the shoulders.
50 7 Ways to be the Coolest Horse Show Parent How to be the ringside parent your child needs you to be.
54 In the Shadow of Equus
July 2015
22 Equine Infectious Anemia This viral disease of horses, mules,
Shetland ponies and science are offering clues to coping with allergies.
and donkeys should be taken seriously.
56 The Business Stable For LaVern Dueck of Diamond
24 How Serious is Your Horse’s Injury? Location is a key factor in assessing
Shelters, building things is in his DNA.
the severity of wounds.
58-60 Products We Love A new book review, and a collection of
28 The Equine Eye Understand what your horse sees,
products for the Canadian horse community from businesses around the world.
and learn about common eye disorders.
Departments
HORSE HEALTH
2 Celebration of Horses Photo Contest
12 Managing the Health of Performance Horses High level equine athletes can be at
6 Editorial
risk for certain conditions that cause poor performance.
8 The Hoofbeat
16 Feeding for Performance Understanding the nutrients required to fuel the equine athlete.
62 Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association News 64-65 Country Homes & Acreages Inside B/Cover To Subscribe
20 Spirulina: A Mighty Immune Modifier This blue-green algae is considered an
EquiNetwork
excellent supplement for horses.
66-67 H itchin’ Post, Classifieds 67 Index to Advertisers 68 Roundup
page
44 4
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
PHOTO: ©ISTOCKPHOTO/RHYMAN007
page
PHOTO: ANGIE FIELD
12
HORSE HEALTH
Managing the
HEALTH of
PHOTO: ©ISTOCKPHOTO/RHYMAN007
Performance Horses
M
uch like humans, equine athletes performing at a high level can be at risk for certain conditions that cause poor performance. “Factors that make them athletes also predispose them to disease,” says Dr. Julia Montgomery, a specialist in large animal internal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).
PHOTO: ©SHUTTERSTOCK/KOBBY DAGAN
Horses have a very large heart with a low resting heart rate. They have big lungs and have evolved to run, with an elevated foot. Horses essentially walk on their tiptoes, and their entire musculoskeletal structure has developed to accommodate this motion. When health problems appear in a performance horse, they often show up as a change of attitude. PHOTO: ©SHUTTERSTOCK/GERTAN
BY JEANETTE STEWART
left & above: Some performance horse health issues can be correlated to specific disciplines. For example, both barrel racing horses that must repeatedly collect or shorten their gait, and driving horses that show with a higher head carriage, are more prone to developing back pain. 12
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
“If a horse that always liked to perform doesn’t want to perform, I like to give them the benefit of the doubt,” says Montgomery. When a horse begins showing signs of poor performance there are three major body systems to be considered: respiratory, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal.
• Transportation often causes stress in horses. Stress acts as an immunosuppressive, which may cause the horse to pick up a virus. Preventive measures include: • Quarantine horses coming or returning to the farm. • Don’t share tack between new arrivals and those already on the farm.
right: Dr. Julia Montgomary, a large animal internal medicine specialist at the WCVM, likens the body of a horse to a suspension bridge – the horse carries about 60 percent of its body weight on its front limbs and uses the hind legs for power. The front limbs are attached by muscles and function as a sling to propel the body forward.
PHOTO: ©THINKSTOCKPHOTO/BETYARLACA
below: To help prevent the spread of viral diseases, do not allow nose-to-nose contact with other horses at shows and events where animals mingle.
PHOTO: ©CANSTOCKPHOTO/FOTODREAMS
Respiratory Upper airway obstructions are caused by malfunctioning structures that lead to airflow obstruction. One common condition of the upper airway is known as roaring, or laryngeal hemiplegia. It can cause difficulties in active horses and can manifest as noises or “roaring” during exercise. The lower respiratory tract is at risk for viral diseases and bacteria that can affect the lungs. Performance horses are especially vulnerable. Common viral diseases are rhinopneumonitis (equine herpesvirus) and equine influenza. Performance horses have increased risk of exposure to these diseases and should be vaccinated. Several risk factors are associated with the spread of viral diseases: • Horse shows where lots of animals mingle. • Many animals of different ages or states of immunity.
July 2015 • Canadian Horse Journal
13
PHOTO: ANKEVANWYK/DREAMSTIME.COM
HORSE HEALTH
Feeding for Performance What makes a horse a performance horse? Performance is loosely defined as any form of work or forced physical activity. Work or physical activity can include walking, trotting, cantering, running, jumping, and turning. Therefore, the term “performance horse” can include any horse that is actively ridden, trained, or that may carry or pull a load. With this broad definition of performance, many of us have horses that are considered performance horses. And because the performance activities of horses vary in both duration and intensity, feeding systems to address the nutrient requirements of these horses must also vary. In this article, we will begin to talk about feeding performance horses by addressing water and energy needs. Each and every performance horse requires water, energy (calories), protein, vitamins, and minerals. 16
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
BY DR. STEPHEN DUREN
Nutritionists and horse owners spend a great deal of time and effort balancing the diet for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals; however, water is the single most important nutrient. Small decreases in the amount of water contained within the body (dehydration) can lead to serious health consequences as well as a decline in performance potential. Performance horses must maintain proper hydration to transport materials to and from the cells within the body and to synthesize and repair body tissues. The amount of water required by a performance horse depends on the amount of water lost from the body and the amount of water utilized for synthesis of protein. For performance horses, water is lost from the body primarily in sweat, urine, and feces. To replace the water lost from the body, the horse should have free access to fresh, clean water. Ice cold water should be avoided for horses still hot
and sweaty from exercise, since cold water may cause shock to their system. Of the remaining nutrients required by performance horses, energy is the dietary factor most influenced by work or exercise performance. Simply stated, the more work a horse performs, the more energy is required to fuel that work. In a sense, performance horses are like automobiles, the more we drive and the faster we drive, the more fuel that is utilized. Horses derive energy from the feeds they consume. Hay, pasture, grain concentrates and certain supplements contain chemical energy that horses can metabolize and use to generate mechanical energy for muscle movement. Within feed, there are four chemical constituents that can be metabolized to produce mechanical energy: starch, fat, protein, and fibre. Starch is a carbohydrate that can be broken down within the small intestine of the horse to form glucose, a simple sugar. Glucose is absorbed from the digestive system and can be metabolized immediately to produce energy, or it can be stored as energy within the body in the form of muscle or liver glycogen (sugar) or as body fat. The main source of starch in a performance horse diet is cereal grain (oats, corn or barley). Since the digestive system of a horse is designed primarily to digest fibre and has a limited capacity to digest starch, there is a restriction to the amount of grain that can be fed to performance horses. If too much grain is fed in a single meal (more than five pounds of grain per meal per 1000 Water, the most important nutrient in the horse’s diet, is lost from the body mainly in sweat, feces, and urine. Horses should have free access to clean, fresh water at all times.
pound horse) this grain will not be properly digested in the small intestine and may result in digestive upset (colic) or laminitis as it travels further down the digestive tract. For this reason, other sources of energy (fat, protein and fibre) are also incorporated into a performance horse’s diet. Fat is commonly added to the diets of performance horses. Liquid vegetable oil (corn and soybean oil), flax, and rice bran are several fat sources commonly utilized as energy sources for performance horses. Fat is an extremely useful energy source for several reasons. First, vegetable oil is well
digested (over 90 percent) by horses. Compared to hay, fat is nearly twice as digestible. Second, vegetable oil contains roughly two and one-half times as much digestible energy as an equal weight of corn, and three times as much digestible energy as an equal weight of oats. The high calorie content of fat is very helpful in fueling the high-energy requirements of many performance horses. Finally, vegetable oil is safe to feed. Feeding too much fat does not cause colic or laminitis in horses. Performance horses can easily be adapted so they can be fed up to two cups of vegetable
Body Support Known as Body Builder in USA
Natural Alternative to Steroids...
THE FIRST, & STILL THE BEST, FOR OVER 28 YEARS! Works so well that others try to replicate it. Don’t Be Fooled !!! They do not use the same quality of ingredients. BODY SUPPORT is cheaper because of the dosage and obvious results! Bottom line, BODY SUPPORT was the first and is still the best. Our Secret? We use the highest quality ingredients and have a proprietary, unique way of mixing them. What’s the difference? The key is absorption.
PHOTO: ©CANSTOCKPHOTO/ALEXIA KHRUSCHEVA
One Bottle + One Horse + Two Months = Outstanding Results!! For the money, there is no better supplement with faster turn-around results than BODY SUPPORT! 26 years of repeat customers prove it! From yearling and 2-year-old prep to racehorses and competition horses, to broodmares and stallions. Yep, it works for all.
Available in various catalogs and at your local tack shops, Greenhawk outlets, through WeCan Sales distributors and Cloverdale Pharmasave. Equiade Products • www.equiade.com • 1-800-413-3702 • (201) 568-5551
Registered and approved for sale in Canada!
TRY IT! YOU WILL LOVE IT!! GUARANTEED! July 2015 • Canadian Horse Journal
17
HORSE HEALTH
How Serious is Your Horse’s Injury? Location a Key Factor in Assessing Wounds By Brenden Van Wyk
H
orses can suffer from all types of wounds, and while some wounds look much worse than others, the primary assessment of their severity is the same as that of gauging housing prices: location, location, location. This claim is backed by Dr. Suzanne Mund, a master’s degree student in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences. Her research focus is on wound healing through the use of stem cells.
24
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
PHOTO: DR. SUZANNE MUND
For sudden lameness, check for wounds in the leg or an abscess in the hoof, and consult your veterinarian to determine the exact location and recommend treatment.
©THINKSTOCKPHOTOS/MONKEY BUSINESS
SMALL PUNCTURE WOUND OVER MEDIAL HOCK: This wound demonstrates that small puncture wounds can be a lot more damaging than they appear on the surface. This tiny puncture wound communicated with the tarsometatarsal joint, causing a joint infection that required intensive treatment.
“It doesn’t matter necessarily how big the wound is, what matters more is where it is,” stresses Mund. “Size doesn’t matter when it comes to wounds, at least not as much. A larger wound in a safer place isn’t as bad as a tiny, little puncture wound over top of the joint.” Because of the increased risk of bleeding and infection, more severe wounds often occur in locations with more blood vessels – between the hind legs, up in the arm pits, along the jugular vein, and underneath the skin. Wounds on the backs of legs are also serious because of the potential damage to vital ligaments and tendons. Wounds in high-motion areas – mainly joints – increase the risk for major complications. One serious condition is when gas or air becomes trapped underneath the horse’s skin (subcutaneous emphysema). “As the horse walks, the wound
SMALL LACERATION OVER PASTERN: Lacerations on the limbs are always concerning regardless of how large or small because of the proximity of many vital structures such as tendons, ligaments, tendon sheaths, bone and joints. In this case, the small laceration was cause for concern because of its proximity to the pastern joint and the tendon sheath.
[continually] gapes open and closed and air that is pushed up underneath the skin can spread throughout the body,” explains Mund. If the air dissects along the front of the horse’s chest and in to the potential space between the lungs and the heart, it can cause a collapsed lung that requires emergency care. Mund emphasizes that any wounds found in highly vascular regions or around joints should be immediately checked by a
veterinarian. Lacerations — tears or cuts on the skin — are comparatively less serious and can usually be treated by simply flushing, draining, and suturing them. Mund recommends calling the veterinarian early, particularly to avoid the growth of too much granulation tissue (proud flesh) on the limbs and/or around joints. Puncture wounds are potentially more dangerous than open lacerations because
ADVANCED NUTRITION specifically formulated for BC’s horses
LifeLine Premium Horse Feeds are balanced to your horse’s unique nutritional needs. With 13 focused blends, LifeLine Premium Horse Feeds can provide the particular essential nutrients your horse needs for every stage of its life and for every level of performance.
PHOTO: DR. SUZANNE MUND
Manufactured and distributed by Aldergrove, BC’s Otter Co-Op
Contact 1(800) 663-6038 ext. 6905 for a Dealer Near You!
www.ottercoop.com
July 2015 • Canadian Horse Journal
25
HORSE HEALTH
THE
Equine
Eye
Understand Your Horse’s Vision and Common Eye Disorders
BY KIRBY PENTTILA, DVM
A
s a prey species, the horse relies on sensory stimulus such as sight, smell, and sound for defense against predation. Perhaps the most important of these sensory organs is the equine eye, which has several unique adaptations to allow horses to obtain and interpret information about their surroundings and decide whether or not to engage the fight-or-flight response they employ for survival. Given that horses rely so heavily on vision for this response, any disorders that may affect vision or the health of the eye must be treated as soon as possible to help preserve optimal vision and eye function.
Anatomy – Form & Function The equine eyes are located on either side of the head, in what are known as the orbits, or the bony sockets of the skull. The lateral location of the bony orbits within 28
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
the horse’s skull allows for better peripheral vision. The eye is protected externally by the eyelids, the eye lashes, and the long hairs known as vibrissae above and below the eye. The third eyelid (also referred to as the nictitans) is located at the medial canthus, and helps to protect the cornea and distribute tear film across the eye (see Figures 1a,b). The anterior segment of the eye is composed of the cornea, iris, lens, and ciliary body. The uvea is composed of the iris, ciliary body, and the choroid. The posterior segment (also known as the fundus) of the eye comprises the vitreous, retina, and choroid. The anterior and posterior segments of the eye are divided by the iris, ciliary body and the lens. Each of the structures of the equine eye play an important role in maintaining vision, and damage to any one of these structures can have devastating consequences.
Vision
When Should I Call a Vet? Because of the importance of vision in the life of a horse, most disorders of the equine eye should be treated as soon as possible once they are noticed. It is recommended that a veterinarian be called immediately if you notice your horse holding his eye shut, squinting with discharge coming from the eye, any colour change of the eye, or if he has a wound to the eyelid or other signs of trauma. The quicker the eye is assessed and treated, the better the chance of preserving vision.
Figure 1A: Internal anatomy of the eye and surrounding structures LACRIMAL GLAND
CONJUNCTIVA EYELID
RETINA CILIARY BODY CHOROID
AQUEOUS HUMOR CORNEA COURTESY OF LYNNE SANDMEYER, DVM
A horse’s vision differs from that of a human in several ways. Given the adaptation for defense, the horse’s field of view is virtually 350 degrees. The only “blind spots” a horse has are immediately in front of the forehead/eyes, directly below the nose, and the width of the horse’s head directly behind it. When viewing the horizon, a horse has a much wider field of view with a lower acuity (sharpness) above and below as compared to human vision, which has high acuity centrally and lower acuity peripherally, as demonstrated in Figures 2 and 3. The ability of horses to see colour is also limited compared to humans. Horses have what is known as dichromatic colour vision, as opposed to humans who have trichromatic colour vision, as shown in Figure 4. This means that blue and yellow are the two colour hues horses are able to differentiate. Other colours, such as orange, red, and green, appear similar to each other and as various shades of grey to the eye of a horse.
IRIS
PUPIL
SCLERA
VITREOUS CHAMBER
LENS
ANTERIOR CHAMBER
OPTIC NERVE
EYELID THIRD EYELID ANTERIOR SEGMENT
POSTERIOR SEGMENT
Figure 1B: External anatomy of the eye and surrounding structures CORPORA NIGRA
EYELID
What to Expect in an Equine Ophthalmic Exam SCLERA
PUPIL IRIS
THIRD EYELID
Figure 2:
COURTESY OF LYNNE SANDMEYER, DVM
Examination of the equine eye often begins with a distant examination where the eyes are assessed for symmetry and swelling. The veterinarian will then assess a combination of various ocular reflexes to determine if there is any loss of function apparent in the affected eye(s). These reflexes include the menace response (the horse should blink in response to a gesture towards the eye), the dazzle response (the horse should blink in response to a bright light being shone in the eye), the palpebral response (the horse should blink when the eyelids are tapped), and the pupillary light response (the pupil should constrict when a light is shone in the eye). The eye is then examined with direct ophthalmoscopy to assess the iris, pupil, lens, retina, optic nerve, and the various chambers in the eye. Depending on the findings of the initial exam, the veterinarian will often use one or more topical stains to check for damage to the cornea. Examples of stains typically used include fluorescein stain and rose bengal stain. In certain cases, the veterinarian may need to use additional procedures to facilitate a thorough examination, including dilation of the pupil, sedation, or local nerve blocks. Vision is difficult to assess in horses – a veterinarian cannot simply ask the patient to read a series of letters on the wall like a human ophthalmologist would. In cases where vision is thought to be compromised, the veterinarian may use an obstacle course, with or without blindfolding individual eyes, to determine if there appears
Lateral placement of the eyes results in 65 degrees of binocular overlap and a monocular field of 146 degrees. Blind spots exist directly behind the head, in the forehead region, and directly under the body to about four feet in front of the legs.
146°
146° 65°
July 2015 • Canadian Horse Journal
29
BE A
PHOTO: ©CANSTOCKPHOTO/IJDEMA
water steward 6 STREAM CARE STRATEGIES BY AVA SHANNON
above: Horses and other livestock can cause considerable damage to sensitive riparian areas, and contaminate the water with manure and urine. The wet, muddy conditions also put horses at risk of health problems.
36
Horse owners with a stream on their property know exactly what kinds of headaches a waterway can cause. Besides posing a hazard to your horses and other animals, or being inconvenient when moving machinery and vehicles around your property, use of your stream is likely subject to a host of strict government regulations designed to maintain water quality, which is something we all benefit from. The value of your stream isn’t defined only by the regulations that govern it. A stream can be a clean and constant water source for your horses, and depending on its condition, it can also provide a habitat for fish and other wildlife. By following a few management guidelines, you can both protect the safety of your horses and minimize your impact on the natural habitats in and around a stream. You will benefit from cleaner water, more biodiversity, reduced erosion and land loss, and safer movement across the waterway for you and your horses. Here are six best practices for waterway management:
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
1 FENCE Although your creek may offer a supply of beautiful water for your horses, streams and their banks (riparian areas) are sensitive to disturbances by large, heavy animals. The compaction and churning that happens in these wet areas results in erosion, low survival of riparian plants, and muddying of the water. Many fish and other aquatic organisms cannot survive in clouded water, and the bare soil means there is nothing holding the bank together, which means high water levels can wash them away more easily. Standing in these muddy areas can put your horses at risk of foot rot, soft hooves, and other health problems. Horses also leave behind manure and urine, further contaminating the water and creating pathogen risks. To keep horses out of these fragile areas, fence at least three metres (10 feet) from the top of the bank. This leaves room for riparian plants to grow, and for the natural shifting of the stream’s route.
PHOTO: MARY R VOGT
HORSE HEALTH
To Mow or Not to Mow...? Caring for Your Horse Pasture If your pasture management plan doesn’t include mowing, you may be asking the following questions: • Do the pastures, paddocks, or fields used to graze horses require mowing? • At what height do you mow pasture grass? • Are there any risks associated with grazing horses on freshly mowed pasture? • Are there any potential benefits of mowing?
Pity the horse that has to find something to eat in this poorly maintained pasture. This pasture is full of weeds, with very little forage of nutritional value and well established grazing patterns creating many ungrazed areas with weeds that have gone to seed. 42
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
BY DR. STEPHEN DUREN
Benefits of Mowing The main goal in pasture management is to maintain or to enhance grass quality. The intake of pasture grass can be a significant source of nutrition for the grazing horse if the pasture is properly managed. Mowing is one of the tools for better pasture management. Some horse owners mistakenly feel that mowing pastures is done simply to make the pastures look nice. However, there are several valid reasons to consider mowing pastures. Some potential benefits of mowing include weed management, enhancing forage quality, and reducing grazing patterns. Mowing pastures is a great means of controlling weeds. Repeated mowing of pasture decreases the competitive ability of a weed to survive in a grass paddock. Keeping weeds the same height of grass will give grass an advantage, and prevent weeds from shading and restricting grass growth. Mowing also serves to prevent weeds from establishing seed heads. Eliminating seed heads prevents weeds from reproducing and spreading in the pasture. The control of weeds in a pasture does not occur with a single mowing, but is facilitated with repeated mowing. Mowing pastures enhances pasture quality. A grass plant that is actively growing is constantly producing nutrients that horses can utilize. The mowing process
HORSEMANSHIP
Lessons from the Boxing Ring Footwork to Free Up the Shoulders
PHOTO: ANGIE FIELD
D
My new horse “Little” is little, but he doesn’t know it! He is a rising four-year-old Peppy San Badger (AQHA) crossed with a quarter Thoroughbred. I rode him ten times as a two-year-old, forty times as a three-year-old, and now as a four-year-old he is heading into his riding career. As a five and six-year-old, the physical work will really increase. This is roughly the same schedule we use with our ranch horses. 44
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
PART 1 BY JONATHAN FIELD
uring the past few months, I’ve been teaching and developing my young horses and my program. Each year, I take time to gain new skills and insights, mainly because I’m an avid student and always benefit as a clinician if I take time to become a student myself. I believe that leaders and mentors of others must never lose sight of what it feels like to be a student. A student’s role is a humbling and sensitive time for many people, and as a result, most adults tend to shy away from the experience. It only takes a few incidents with an overbearing, criticizing instructor, perhaps over a microphone in the presence of an audience, to turn a student away from horses and the potentially wonderful learning experience they could have had. When this happens, the instructor has lost sight of what it is like to be a student. As a teacher, I must remain a student first. This aspiration has led me on all kinds of adventures including several trips to Wellington, Florida, to ride jumping horses, take dressage lessons, learn horseback archery, polo, and participate in many non-horse related activities. Anything that takes me out of my comfort zone is where I’ll go to experience another part of life that I may not know about. Sometimes these non-equine activities have given me insights with horses I would have never had. Mostly, they have reminded me of what it is like to be in the vulnerable, humbling, and exciting role of student. This past year I set out on what was possibly my biggest challenge ever. I ventured into the world of boxing in a legitimate boxing club that develops aspiring young boxers… not 38-year-old horsemen just learning about the sport! One of my closest friends was in the club and assured them that I’m not a whiner or a quitter, so they let me try a session to see if I could cut it and train with the other members – the real boxers. I survived that first time and was allowed to continue. As I ventured into this new world, there were times when I felt completely uncoordinated, inept, and totally out of place… and wondered what the heck I was doing there. As I persisted, each week things got better, and I began to learn more about the subtle techniques of boxing. It was fascinating to discover how some of these lessons of balance, timing, rhythm, and repetition paralleled my lessons with the young horses I was riding.
I specifically recall a time in the middle of my student trials when I was dropping my right hand whenever I threw a jab. On these occasions, my coach pointed it out and told me to hold my right hand up. I was desperately trying to do that and I recognized the problem, but could not make my right hand stay up. I kept telling myself: Hold your hand UP… but I couldn’t make it happen! It took about a week of slowly repeating the move for me to correct this habit.
It’s only NATURAL. You want your horse to look his best. But have you ever wondered what nasty ingredients are hiding in your grooming tote? With EcoLicious products you get show-stopping results while respecting the planet and your health. 100% free of nasty chemicals, silicones & parabens. Now GMO free.
Available at select fine retailers or online at
ecoliciousequestrian.com
we make horses beautiful. naturally.
PHOTO: KATHERINE SIMONSEN
PHOTO: ANGIE FIELD
Working with our Equine Partners from Coast-to-Coast Spins with Little – Turning left, Little’s front right hoof passes in front of his left, while his hindquarters stay in an area the size of a hula-hoop.
As much as I wanted to do what the coach said, I had so many other things to focus on… I was at my maximum mental load. I was very glad to have a patient coach who just kept reminding me and giving me suggestions about how to develop this new habit.
• Horse Mortality
Our customers DO come first!
• Farm Property
Intercity Insurance Services Inc.
®
• Commercial Property & Liability
15221 Yonge St., 2nd Floor, Aurora, ON L4G 1L8
888-394-3330 • Fax: 905-841-0030 www.intercityinsurance.com info@intercityinsurance.com
• Home • Auto & more!
Capri Insurance Services Ltd. Suite 100, 1500 Hardy St., Kelowna, BC V1Y 8H2
800-670-1877 • Fax: 250-860-1213 www.capri.ca • reception@capri.ca
PHOTO: ANGIE FIELD
Insurance for Horses & Their People – It is What We Do!
Jonathan working with his boxing coach, Cal Bennett. Spending the winter in a boxing club was a really good reminder of what it’s like to be a student. This experience reminded me of students I’ve had, how hard they try to “get it,” and how it feels to be in their position. It also made me think of Little, the young horse I was developing. Little was having challenges with the footwork in his spins. He was really July 2015 • Canadian Horse Journal
45
IN THE SHADOW OF EQUUS
Shetland Pony Studies Offer Clues to Coping
PHOTO: ŠCANSTOCKPHOTO/ZUZULE
Shetland ponies have an immune response to insect bites that is helping scientists understand how people might be prevented from developing allergies.
54
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is a common, seasonal skin reaction that affects a lot of horses of different breeds. At the University of Edinburgh, researchers investigated the reaction to midge bites on Shetland ponies. They found that among some of the ponies, their immune system was able to respond in a way that prevented an allergic reaction. It was previously believed that the reason some ponies do not suffer an allergic reaction to bites was because their immune system did not recognize the allergens carried by insects. However, the researchers have demonstrated for the first time that all horses respond, but that their immune system can react in two different ways. One response will yield the irritating itching and inflammation which another response will block it. Midges are dark insects just a few millimetres long and are often seen rising in clouds in the evening. Both males and females feed on nectar but the female needs a blood meal so that her fertilized eggs can mature. They swarm around water, marshes, wet soil, rotting vegetation or manure, and often bite at dusk or dawn and lay their eggs en masse. The bite is like a sharp prick and a constant irritant to sensitive horses. Sixteen Shetland ponies took part in the study during the IBH off-season and 19 during the allergy season, basically a winter/summer scenario. IBH affected ponies ranging in age from two to ten years, and had each been diagnosed by a veterinarian to confirm a clinical history of recurrent skin
irritation at the mane and tail with remission during the off-season. The control ponies ranged in age from four to fifteen years and were randomly selected from the same stable with a diagnosis of no sensitivity to midge bites. None of the ponies received any immunosuppressive drugs before or during the testing. To collect the midge serum, 300 live female midges were collected then frozen at minus 80 degrees C. The insects were then crushed in a protease inhibitor mixture that protects the integrity of the proteins during extraction. The protein samples were centrifuged for ten minutes then snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen until use. Prior to injection, blood was collected from each pony to determine its midge-specific antibodies. Each pony was injected with the midge whole body extract. Skin biopsies were taken five minutes, twenty minutes, and twenty-four hours after the allergen injection using local anesthesia. The team found that after being exposed to bites, the horse immune system releases
THE BUSINESS STABLE
Diamond Shelters WHERE QUALITY, SERVICE, AND PRICE MEET BY MARGARET EVANS above: Dueck’s Mechanical Inc. offers structures in a wide variety of sizes, custom-made for the needs of clients. Their product line includes shelters for warehousing, storage, manufacturing, sports training, livestock, greenhouses, and riding arenas.
LaVern Dueck loved building things as a kid. He grew up on his parents’ farm near Whitemouth in eastern Manitoba where they raised grain, hogs, poultry, and cattle. But he was under the influence of a dad who knew the economic value of being mechanical and fixing his own equipment. He also had a pretty talented grandfather who was ahead of the curve remodeling carburetors for greater fuel efficiency during his own
right: This riding arena has a fabric cover which provides natural light and warmth from the sun, and accelerates thawing in the spring. 56
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
growing years, and developing an early form of infrared heaters before they were on the commercial market. Building things was clearly in Dueck’s DNA. “I worked with wood as a kid and then turned to steel as I got older,” he says. “I was 20 when I started my own business. A lot of people told me it’s never going to work. You are way too young. My answer was that I’m young enough. If it doesn’t work, I’ll do something else.”
NEW & NOTEWORTHY SeeHorse Inc.
Wearable Device Lets Horses Communicate with People BY LILIAN SCHAER, AGINNOVATION ONTARIO There’s a new wearable technology for horses that lets them email their owner or veterinarian if they’re not well. Similar to the wristbands or gym fitness straps that people use, the SeeHorse wearable collects a horse’s vital signs and sends that information to a Smartphone or other device, alerting owners or veterinarians when something is not quite right. “This wearable gives a horse a tool to connect with humans like never before,” says Peter Mankowski, SeeHorse co-founder and CEO. “Horses are incredibly intelligent and majestic, but also fragile. They would like to tell us when they’re not feeling well, recovering from injury, or simply missing our companionship, and SeeHorse lets them do that.” SeeHorse tracks a horse’s temperature, pulse, and respiratory (TPR) functions and builds in-depth daily and long term reports and analysis of the animal’s activity. This helps owners and others working with horses to keep a close eye on their health and fitness levels, as well as managing conditioning and preparation for competitions. This is beneficial in many Cofounder Jessica Roberts using the SeeHorse device while riding.
situations, including as an additional safety feature during transportation, and for monitoring pregnant mares at foaling time. In conjunction with the traditional night watch, Seehorse scans and notifies of changes in the heartbeat and temperature of the pregnant mare hours before foaling begins. This allows time to prepare for the foal’s arrival. “We saw a horse’s temperature spike and then drop unexpectedly and it took only seconds to notify the owner, the veterinarian, and others about the event. Thankfully, it was not an emergency but simply the case of horse having
early pregnancy signs,” he explains. The waterproof device can be used almost anywhere on a horse’s body, and will recharge its own battery through the horse’s movements. “A moving horse is a natural source of clean energy and we’ve designed the SeeHorse unit to be clever enough to take advantage of that,” says Mankowski, adding this gives SeeHorse a zero pollution footprint. SeeHorse is compatible with veterinary software and can be wirelessly linked to social media platforms so horses with their own Facebook profiles or Twitter handles can share their equine adventures online. It was cofounder Jessica Roberts, an avid rider and horse lover, who convinced former BlackBerry research and development lead Mankowski to channel his love of animal science and technology into developing a device that could help horse owners do a better job to taking care of their animals and preparing them for important events. Executives at Waterloo Region’s Communitech Hub convinced Mankowski to keep his start-up in the area; the industry-led innovation centre provides office space, resources and mentorship, coaching and industry contacts to emerging tech companies. SeeHorse has also received support from other sources, including the Ontario Equestrian Federation, the Accelerator Centre JumpStart program funded by FedDev Ontario, Ontario Centres of Excellence, and the Stronach Group. The SeeHorse wearable is currently available online at www.SeeHorse.ca, with the goal of being in full scale commercial production within 12 months. Longer term, Mankowski says he’s promised Roberts to help sponsor equestrian events throughout Canada as a way of giving back to the equine community. He has ideas for other agricultural devices too, such as for the dairy and beef industries, but for the time being, his focus is on successfully launching SeeHorse into the marketplace. Follow SeeHorse on Twitter at @SeeHorseCA.
58
www.HORSEJournals.com • July 2015
BOOK REVIEW
The Compassionate Equestrian By Allen M. Schoen, DVM, MS, and Susan Gordon Trafalgar Square Books, 2015 422 pages, $24.95 USD ISBN 978-1-57076-715-9 Paperback REVIEWED BY MARGARET EVANS “When I brought Willie home, I believe it was a subconscious attempt to rekindle the sense of being centered and connected through contact with horses. It seems many people these days are searching for that same kind of reconnection to nature and a slower more peaceful way of life that interaction with horses can provide.” In The Compassionate Equestrian published by Trafalgar Square Books, veterinarian Dr. Allen Schoen and trainer Susan Gordon explore the profound values of compassion, peacefulness, and centered awareness in developing a holistic relationship with horses. Their approach is based on 25 principles that are as ancient in wisdom as they are modern in contemporary thought. Horses are sentient beings aware of themselves, the world around them, and others – horses and humans – in their experience. They feel the same range of emotions that we do – affection, playfulness, fear, sadness, anger, curiosity, and courage. They bring to any relationship the sum total of their instincts, their acquired knowledge, and their interactions with others (good or bad) that define their character and personality. But do we always think of that when we approach the horse for schooling, training, or competition? Are they part of our inner emotional world or are they a commodity with which to aspire to our goals? Schoen and Gordon explore with unique depth the new (some might say New Age) principles by which horse riders and owners can develop better, more enriched relationships with their animals. Their principles are founded in such values as respect, loving kindness, selfreflection, heart-centeredness, joy, truth,
consistency, peacefulness, and humane commitments to protect horses, and therefore humans, from harm, danger, and injury. Throughout the book, Gordon shares her journey with Willie, an 18-year-old warmblood that had clearly seen better days – with an attitude to match. “Willie was not able to convey his story to the inexperienced riders whose rough hands and unbalanced seats he had been subjected to. His only language was that of physical responses to pressure, and he was screaming as loudly as he could with every buck, pitch, nose-wrinkle, and pin of his ears.” Yet through Willie and his challenges came deeper insights, greater clarity of thought, and a wider perspective for the global herd. As Dr. Shoen wrote, the book’s approach evolved into a global approach. During an introspective period in his life, his path led him to historian Karen Armstrong whose Charter for Compassion was the basis of her awardwinning TED talk. That Charter became the foundation from which the 25 principles in The Compassionate Equestrian sprang. “A large part of creating a healthy environment for your horses is to make it a quiet and peaceful one,” wrote Gordon. “It supports the parasympathetic response – the branch of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the body’s ability to recuperate and recover after stress – in people and animals. Everyone stays calmer and the atmosphere of the barn remains healthier.” With over 60 years of combined experience in the horse industry, Shoen and Gordon offer a wealth of wisdom and insights based on science and emotive common sense that allow every rider to reach a new paradigm of caring and expanded awareness in their equestrian goals. The Compassionate Equestrian is a delightful and insightful book that deserves a place on every rider’s bookshelf.
FREE
Horse-for-Sale Listings 3 Month Listings include 10 photos, video Reach potential buyers across Canada & the USA Over 35,000 unique visitors monthly
www.HORSEJournals.com/ order-listing July 2015 • Canadian Horse Journal
59
r e m m u S ription c s b Su
e l Sa
Get 2 Years for the Price of 1 (Print & Digital Edition – Canadian Subscribers Only)
It’s like getting 10 issues FREE! Get 2 years (20 issues) for the 1 Year Rate of $32
Or, Get 10% off Digital Only for Canadian, US, & International Subscribers
ONLY UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2015
Includes both Print and Digital editions, and the Annual Equine Consumers’ Guide Available for new subscriptions, renewals, extending the term of a current subscription, and gifts.
How To Order
• Visit www.horsejournals.com • Call 1-800-299-3799, or 250-655-8883, ext. 212 • Email subscriptions@horsejournals.com
If horses are your passion,
PERSONAL CHEQUE
is your magazine.