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58 SPECIAL FEATURES 40 Equine Physiology & Fitness
Simple exercises and routines to reprogram dysfunctional movement.
48 After the Ride
Candles lit, lives changed – a look back at The Veterans Ride Across Canada.
58 The 8 Second Dance
Understanding the psychology of the bull rider.
62 The Mystery of Sable Island’s Growing Horse Population
The number of Nova Scotia’s Sable Island horses is at a historic high.
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ON THE COVER “But I do love horses. They are such an expression of joy.” – Diane Lane PHOTO: CANSTOCK/OLGAIT
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40 PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/HORSEMEN | 48 PHOTO: LINDSAY CHUNG, COMMUNITIES FOR VETERANS FOUNDATION | 58 PHOTO: ©WARD CAMERON 2016
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HORSE HEALTH 12 Drugs in My Tack Box
A positive drug test can cause serious problems for horse and rider.
16 The Golden Years
Common conditions, challenges, and pain recognition in the older horse.
24 Aging Gracefully
Each senior equine presents a specific set of needs depending on age and stage of life.
28 Feeding to Body Condition
A feeding strategy that celebrates the horse’s individuality.
32 Propionic Acid-Treated Hay
Treating hay with propionic acid increases the baling window – but is it safe?
38 A New Take on Hoof Care
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Conscientious care of hooves is not as simple as it used to be.
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DEPARTMENTS
EQUINETWORK
2 Celebration of Horses Photo
74-75 Hitchin’ Post, Horses for Sale
Contest
4 To Subscribe 10 Editorial 11 Letters to the Editor 64 News from Horse Council BC 66 Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association News
67-69 Book Reviews 70-72 Product Reviews & Profiles 73 Country Homes & Acreages
75 Index to Advertisers 76 Roundup
12 PHOTO: DREAMSTIME/ANKE VAN WYK | 16 PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/WOLF ANVI | 28 PHOTO: CANSTOCK/STEING | 32 PHOTO: CANSTOCK/AORLEMANN
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HORSE HEALTH
PHOTO: DREAMSTIME/ANKE VAN WYK
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Tack Box
Much like human sport competitions, irresponsible medication use and a positive drug test can cause serious problems for both the horse and rider at equine events. 12
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“If you’re competing in a horse sport, the first thing you need to know is whose rules you’re running under,” says Dr. Trisha Dowling, Dr. Trisha Dowling a board-certified specialist in veterinary pharmacology and large animal internal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM). The veterinary professor is also a member of the Equine Medications Committee for Equestrian Canada (formerly known as Equine Canada). Equestrian Canada (EC) is responsible for many equine competitions on a national level, but international disciplines such as reining and show jumping can be sanctioned under the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI). Many Canadian competitors also travel south of the border where the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) organizes many of the competitions. Medication rules vary considerably between these regulatory bodies. Historically, organizations preferred
PHOTO: CAITLIN TAYLOR
r th
Drugs IN
By WCVM Today
a “no drug” rule (also known as the “oats, hay and water” rule) — meaning that the horse competed solely on its own natural talents without any chemical help. However, as analytical chemistry has improved, the equine drug testing laboratories are able to detect extremely small amounts of drug in blood or urine samples from horses. Most drugs are readily detected in the parts per billion — some even in the range of parts per trillion. “Clearly these minute traces of drug are not causing performancealtering effects and calling positives at this level is detrimental to the welfare of the horse,” says Dowling. “As veterinarians, we need to use medications for valid therapeutic purposes, and we still want people to be able to compete when the drug is no longer affecting the horse.” Many horse sport organizations use a “threshold rule” that recognizes the use of certain drugs with legitimate uses such as certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), tranquilizers, and local anesthetic drugs. Some of these medications may affect the horse’s performance, but they have a valid use in veterinarian medicine. In these
PHOTO: DREAMSTIME/ANKE VAN WYK
PHOTO: DREAMSTIME/ANKE VAN WYK
If a horse is injured during a competition or while being transported to the show, the use of emergency medicine is allowed and an equine emergency medication report form must be completed by the veterinarian who administers the medication. The form is filed with the show steward, and the horse must be withdrawn from the competition for 24 hours.
cases, sport organizations set threshold concentrations in blood and/or urine, and a drug violation would only occur if the medication in the horse exceeds the set threshold. “To set a threshold, we need to do studies to determine what we care about and what we don’t,” says Dowling. “If it’s something that shouldn’t be in a horse, such as cocaine, then we set the threshold at the lowest amount that our laboratory is able to detect — but this can still cause problems from inadvertent contamination.” For example, Dowling points to a case that was recently described in a Canadian Veterinary Journal article. “A horse trainer got a good deal on a used horse trailer, not knowing that it had been used as a mobile meth lab,” she says. “After using it to haul horses to the races, he ended up with all of the horses testing positive for low levels of methamphetamine from contact with contaminated surfaces in the trailer.” If a prohibited drug is detected in a horse during competition, EC applies the violation to the person who signs the entry form and declares responsibility for the horse. The person must be an EC member and be over the age of 18. Penalties are assigned to the
violation based on a classification system used by racing to assess the severity of the infraction. For example, penalties are more severe for the use of tranquilizers than for the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. EC does offer an emergency provision to competitors if it is medically necessary to use a prohibited drug near the time of competition. For example, if a horse is injured while being transported to a show or during a competitive event, EC allows the use of emergency medicine such as a local anesthetic or a tranquilizer drug. A veterinarian must administer the medication and complete an equine emergency medication report from (available on the Equestrian Canada website). The form is also to be filed with the competition steward, and the horse must be withdrawn from competition for 24 hours. Dowling advises purchasing approved veterinary drugs that have a drug identification number (DIN) because it means that the drug is produced by a licensed pharmaceutical company and has been subjected to stringent quality control, which lowers the risk of contamination. She strongly advises against the use
When horse feed is purchased from a mill that produces feed for other types of livestock, the horse feed can be contaminated with drugs and chemicals used in poultry, swine, and cattle feed.
of compound drugs since these products are made by pharmacies – not by pharmaceutical companies. As Dowling points out, drugs are only supposed to be compounded to fulfil a specific patient need, such as when the approved drug formulation isn’t suitable for a specific patient. However, compounded drugs are sometimes made in large batches and sold at cheaper prices than the approved drug without undergoing the strict manufacturing processes that a pharmaceutical company must follow. Numerous studies have also shown SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
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HORSE HEALTH
THE
GOLDEN
Common Conditions, Challenges and Pain Recognition in the Senior Horse
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By Equine Guelph
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eeping a horse comfortable into their senior years requires an attentive caretaker backed by a knowledgeable team. It is important to seek the input from your veterinarian and farrier to help maintain the health of an elderly equine and to spot conditions that will need special treatment sooner rather than later. Recognizing changes and not just dismissing them as “old age setting in” is a large part of the responsibility assumed when caring for the senior horse.
Pain Recognition
As a prey species, horses are predisposed to hide pain so as not to attract the attention of predators. Horses can be very stoic and not show the signs of pain until it becomes severe. Often the first signs of pain are changes in behaviour or attitude, as in the following examples: • A horse that normally greets you at the stall door is now hiding at the back of the stall • Rigid posture
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/WOLF AVNI
YEARS
• Guarding part of their body or reluctance to be handled • Head lowering, squinting eyes, limp ears • Teeth-grinding • Increased flight behaviour • Aggression • More subdued than usual • Decrease in responsiveness • Flaring of nostrils • Looking back at the flank • Restlessness • Stoic or pained expression, dull eyes • Awkward tail carriage or aggressively swishing tail • Decreased performance • Reluctance to perform tasks which have already been mastered • Reluctance to move • Reluctance to drink cold water (indicates oral/dental pain) Recognizing pain is not always as obvious as the horse thrashing or rolling violently on the ground, or the horse that is limping. The suddenly quiet, withdrawn horse may be
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/WOLF AVNI
suffering from the pain of a stomach ulcer or another non-visible ailment. It is important to resolve sources of pain early on. Chronic pain can cause depression and stress. It can also have a negative impact on appetite, the immune system and tissue healing, and can increase the risk for developing gastric ulceration and colitis (inflammation of the colon). Be on the lookout every time you groom for lumps, bumps, cuts, heat, or swelling, and pay particular attention if your horse displays sensitivity to touch. Also take note of any decrease in bowel movements as an early warning sign for colic. Knowing the baseline vitals for your horse is important to help you assess health.
Colic
Colic risk does increase in senior horses. Gut motility issues are more common in older horses, which can lead to an increased risk of impaction colic. Other issues in the senior gastro-intestinal tract that elevate the risk of colic include tumours and increased parasite load. Older horses tend to have a reduced drive to drink, and inadequate intake of water is also a risk factor. Difficulty in chewing feed can result in undigested food entering the gut, which can also lead to gas or impaction colic. Digestion is impaired if a horse is unable to grind food properly. Schedule regular dental checkups with your veterinarian to make sure teeth are aligned with no jagged edges and your senior horse has a balanced surface to effectively grind food. If changes in feed are required due to difficulty in chewing, be sure to make these changes slowly to allow gut bacteria and enzymes to adapt.
Dental Health
Extra diligence needs to be paid to dental health in the senior horse. The front teeth continually erupt at an angle that increases as they age. Cases of unbalanced chewing surfaces escalate as the horse ages. Horses wear down their teeth as they chew but that wear is not always even. The development of sharp points in the mouth is much more prevalent in the elderly equine and this can result in ulcerations, reluctance to chew food, poor SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
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For the senior horse, movement is the best defence against arthritis.
Senior Horses
Aging Gracefully By Lola Michelin, Director of Education, Northwest School of Animal Massage
The idea of scheduling a massage for your horse may seem luxurious. Yet those who have experienced it will agree that massage can be a valuable tool in managing an animal’s health and well-being, along with other therapies such as chiropractic or acupressure. Senior horses present an opportunity to combine different approaches to health because each horse will have a very specific set of needs depending on their age and stage of life. Most of my career has been spent providing therapies for athletic horses, race horses, and show jumpers in the prime of their competitive life. When I relocated my animal massage school to a farm outside of Seattle, Washington, the focus became providing a retirement 24
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home to many of those horses as they entered their golden years. There was a steep learning curve as we adjusted to designer diets for metabolic cases and creative turnout and exercise solutions for chronic founder cases. It took hay testing and experimenting with slow feeders and soaked rations to dial in just the right feeding programs for our “old gummers” – horses over 30 with failing dentition. Older horses often age gracefully and may do well with little more than a pasture mate and routine veterinary care and hoof trimming. But as your horse moves into its 20s and hopefully 30s, it is wise to be on the lookout for areas where additional support will be needed. In my experience, the three most challenging aspects of managing the
senior horse are nutrition, pain management, and immune support. While there are many approaches to each, I will focus on the first two for this article, with an emphasis on the therapeutic management of pain. Managing the diet of the older horse requires knowledge of their individual metabolic ability and their dentition. This is a topic that warrants close attention and detailed research. Keeping diets for older horses simple is key. Nearly all of our horses are on some wet ration, either soaked hay or hay pellets supplemented with salt. Not only is this more palatable, it ensures proper levels of hydration and goes a long way to preventing choke. Less is usually more for these older gals and gents, with little to no grain products, a well-rounded vitamin and mineral
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/MICHAELA S
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supplement, and plenty of access to salt and water. Many older horses suffer from insulin resistance or Cushing’s disease, both of which necessitate the removal of any sugars from the diet. This means sensible treats as well, so we post signs for visitors regarding special diets and treats. Of particular interest to me as a therapist is the pain management and immune support we provide. Many older horses have some level of arthritic changes or joint pain. Many more have generalized pain or discomfort that is harder to pinpoint but decreases quality of life and suppresses immune function. Natural approaches to pain management include massage, acupressure or acupuncture, and gentle herbal pain formulas along
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HORSE HEALTH
Feeding to Body Condition
Hormonal Regulation of Feeding Behaviour
PHOTO: CANSTOCK/STEING
By Dr. Wendy Pearson, Ph.D. (Dr. of veterinary toxicology)
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There are few things we humans are more sensitive about than our body weight. Where the rest of the world sees our gentle curves and happy smiles, we see lumps and wobbles and wrinkles. We generally have a far worse opinion of our own body condition than do any of the people around us. I would hazard that this is because our friends and family care about us and see the best in us, and recognize that while we may have a few extra curves we are healthy and happy, and that’s what counts. And if anyone ever said things about our friends that resemble what we have said about ourselves, most of us would likely get pretty vocal about defending our friends. And so it is with our horses. Our emotional connection to our horse often blinds us to his or her extra “fluffiness” – and a plague on anyone who dares suggest our Fluffy needs to shed a few pounds! The best way to steer clear of family feuds around your horse’s waistline is to apply a simple set of objective rules when assessing Fluffy’s body condition. Feeding to body condition is a strategy that celebrates the individuality of our horses. It recognizes that no two horses are the same and the “rules” for feeding are loose guidelines that undergo fairly rigorous refinement in the feed room. There are two scales commonly used to assess body condition – Body Condition Scoring (BCS) goes from 0 to 5, and the Henneke Scale scoring system ranges from 1 to 9. A key similarity between these scales is that they assess the amount of fat on a horse. This is important because it accounts for the fact that fat is deposited preferentially on different parts
PHOTOS, L & R: CANSTOCK/MELORY
As the main component of the horse’s diet, hay should be the basis of a complete ration. If you suspect your horse is not getting enough nutrients from his diet, have your hay analysed and then balance the ration with concentrates.
of the skeleton. For example, a severely malnourished horse will, when weaned onto a healthy diet, deposit fat first along the lumbar spine. The very last place fat is stored on a horse is over the ribs. So, in most cases the ribs are the telltale landmark of how wellconditioned the horse is. For a healthy body condition ribs should not be visible, but should be felt when you run your hand along the horse’s side. There should be some fat around the tail head, and the withers should be rounded, with the shoulders and neck blending smoothly into the rest of the body. The ideal body condition is somewhere near the middle in both the 0 to 5 and the 1 to 9 scale, but it will vary with individual horses. Some horses will never achieve the ideal body condition, preferring either to hover around thin-ish or plump-ish.
tless consistently throughout the day, with larger amounts being produced at night. It contributes to horses’ trickle-feeding behaviour, wherein they prefer to eat small amounts frequently throughout the course of the day. And many of us who offer hay to horses 24/7 can attest to the fact that horses eat considerably more at night than during the day. When we impose “meal feeding” on horses, ghrelin gets produced in larger amounts during times of feed restriction. This can contribute to horses bolting their feed at mealtime and may predispose them to choke or colic.
Why is my horse too skinny?
Conscientious horse owners frequently turn to the published National Research Council guidelines for feeding horses. But
This horse is fit and in a healthy body condition. His ribs are not visible, but can be easily felt. There is some fat around the tail head, withers are rounded, and shoulders and neck blend smoothly into the rest of his body.
all too frequently, despite the ration being optimized for a horse’s weight, age, and workload, the horse still carries a low body condition score. This can be because the horse isn’t eating enough, or the horse is not able to extract energy from his diet, or the diet isn’t offering the nutrients the horse needs. In cases where the horse isn’t eating the feed offered, this may be attributed to poor dentition (teeth should be floated at least once a year), stress (the stress hormone
One of the key factors in maintaining a healthy body condition in your horse is the amount of food your horse actually eats. Let’s face it, some horses left to their own devices will literally pig out. But for others, it doesn’t matter how much expensive high-fat grain you offer, they’ll just pick like sparrows and look suspiciously like they need a daily cheeseburger with fries. Feeding behaviour is regulated, at least in part, by a hormone called ghrelin. In horses this hormone is produced more or
The horse that stays thin no matter how much or how often he is fed may not be getting enough nutrients from his diet, or he may have an underlying health condition.
PHOTO: CANSTOCK/NJNIGHTSKY
Regulating feed intake
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PROPIONIC ACID-TREATED HAY
Is it Safe? By Lynda M. Vanden Elzen
A
s horse owners, we always want to find the highest quality hay available for our horses. Opinions vary regarding which type of hay is ideal, and a hay that is ideal for one horse may be detrimental to another. One consistent requirement, however, is that hay must be free of detectable mould and dust. But what horse owners may not be aware of is how narrow the window is for farmers to bale hay successfully, not only at the optimal plant maturity level, but also at safe moisture levels while contending with unpredictable weather at the same time. Losses due to rain and insufficient drying time can cost a farmer a lot of money, loss of nutritional value, and cause heating, which can lead to spontaneous combustion Farmers tend to want to bale when the plants have dried to moisture levels of 13 to 17 percent, so that the hay is dry enough to avoid heating as well as significant loss of nutritional value and bale weight, but not so dry that it shatters. Ideally, this hay will then cure to contain 10 to 12 percent moisture or less while maintaining nutritional value and palatability. Mike Rankin of the University of Wisconsin Hay Extension points out: “Moist hay that is put into storage can suffer extensive dry matter loss because of increased plant respiration and microbial activity. There is typically a one percent loss of dry matter for each percent moisture loss during storage to reach a stable equilibrium. These 32
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Treating hay with propionic acid significantly decreases the drying time needed after cutting, and decreases the chance of heating and reduction of nutrients once hay is baled.
losses are from the non-fibre components of the plants.” As a result of all of these factors, the risk of significant losses is high for hay farmers, and if wet hay moulds in storage, it will not be suitable horse feed. In an effort to increase the window of acceptable moisture levels at baling, some farmers are now using drying agents, the most widelyused of which is called buffered propionic acid.
What is Priopionic Acid and Why Use It?
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs defines propionic acid as follows: “Propionic acid is an organic acid that acts as a fungicide, inhibiting the growth of aerobic microorganisms that can cause heating and moulding. Other organic acids such as acetic and citric acids are sometimes also included, but propionic acid is the most effective as a mould inhibitor.” Propionic acid is a short chain fatty acid produced by microbial fermentation in the hindgut. It is touted as safe because it is a natural acid that is already present in the horse’s digestive system. In practical terms, treating hay with propionic acid during baling increases the baling window substantially, from the usual 13 to 17 percent moisture to up to 25 to 30 percent moisture. Propionic acid application decreases the drying time needed significantly once the hay has been cut, and also decreases the chance of heating as well
PHOTO: CANSTOCKPHOTO/AORLEMANN
HORSE HEALTH
The moisture levels of the hay being baled determine the amount of propionic acid applied. Because moisture readings vary in different parts of the field, and the highest moisture reading determines the amount of propionic acid used on that field, the hay from the entire field is likely sprayed with more acid than required to compensate for the wet areas.
>
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/ELENA ELISSEEVA
PHOTO: CANSTOCK/AORLEMANN
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK/NBROWNFIELD
>
Equine nutritionist Dr. Juliet Getty cautions that feeding hay treated with propionic acid to sugar-sensitive horses can be potentially harmful because once propionate is absorbed and metabolized, it is converted to glucose.
as nutrient losses once the hay is baled. If a storm is coming when a farmer’s hay crop is drying before baling, the use of propionic acid can mean the difference between that farmer losing his entire crop, and being able to bale and sell his hay. According to Agriculture Victoria, the following are the benefits of using propionic acid: • Allows the safe baling of hay from slightly above target moisture levels up to 25 percent (or 30 percent) moisture depending on preservative type; • Allows baling after a shorter curing period, which reduces risk of rain damage and sun bleaching. It may also allow baling earlier in a season in certain areas, when fodder is less mature and nutritive value is higher; • Reduces dry matter and nutrient loss caused by leaf loss and shatter, microbial activity, and moulds;
from the treated hay can cause the drier hay to mould.
• May increase animal intake; • Animal and human health are not affected due to lack of mould spores. Many horse owners wish to avoid feeding hay that has been treated with propionic acid — but we also want pretty green hay that smells good, hasn’t been bleached by the sun, is free of detectable mould and dust, and has optimal nutrient levels. Perhaps propionic acid-treated hay is something we should consider?
Disadvantages of Propionic Acid
Many sources suggest that propionic acid-treated hay is 100 percent safe to feed to livestock. We have found this to be not necessarily true, but due to a lack of scientific study, at this time we can only hypothesize about potential harmful effects based on our anecdotal observations and those of equine nutritionists.
• Prevents dry matter and quality loss in storage from bacterial, yeast, and mould activity;
Handling safety: In the early days when propionic acid was first introduced, it was found to be corrosive to baling equipment, so ammonium propionate (buffered propionic acid) was introduced instead and is now recommended as an alternative. Buffered propionic acid is much less corrosive and is safer to handle, but it is still corrosive and caustic.
• Reduces the risk of spontaneous combustion;
Costs and rate of application: The amount of propionic
• Enables baling over a longer period each day, resulting in more efficient use of machinery and labour; • Maintains hay colour (due to increased leaf retention) and hay often smells better;
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treated with propionic acid has a higher moisture content > Hay and should not be stored next to untreated hay. The moisture
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EQUINE
PHOTO: SHUT TERSTOCK/HORSEMEN
Physiology & Fitness
Simple Exercises and Routines to Reprogram Dysfunctional Movement As tempting as it is to use our riding skills and training expertise when teaching a horse to carry his body differently or when rehabbing post-layoff, this actually slows the process down. Somehow, many of us equestrians missed this crucial fact during our educations. The horse’s big, fleshy gymnastic muscles that engage as we school him are not the ones where habitual patterns, sometimes called “muscle memories,” are stored. Nor are they the ones responsible for joint and posture stability. In fact, they carry a low supply of nerves and have, therefore, a weak relationship with the 40
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horse’s neurosensory system. Working these muscles is not the fastest way to instate new patterns and habits. When patterns need to be changed or introduced, we must access the muscles close to his spine and around joints, which carry a large supply of nerves and pathways that create the language for how a horse moves. This means using exercises outside our regular training routines, ones that have direct communication to his central nervous system. These are what I call calisthenics, or finely controlled movements that access these slow twitch muscles. In physical therapy,
By Jec A. Ballou
they are often called corrective exercises. By bringing these muscles through specific movements without allowing the large gymnastic muscles to take over, new neural pathways are established. Until this occurs, we would be trying to speak a language for which the horse has no vocabulary. For instance, rather than getting on and immediately beginning to school a stiff-necked Thoroughbred that showed up recently for training, I spent the first several days performing unmounted movement patterns and stretches like the ones suggested below. It can take six months or more
Working with our Equine Partners from Coast-to-Coast to change distribution of muscle mass and tone, but studies have shown that new pathways for muscle recruitment, and a new language in the nervous system, can happen in six weeks of consistent routines. The following exercises stimulate the nervous system in ways that, when practiced consistently, lead to permanent changes. Depending on the extent of the rehab or poor posture that you’d like to change, I recommend following a program that performs only the following exercises, and avoid regular riding exercise where the horse uses existing patterns, for a focused period of anywhere from seven days to three weeks. After that period, continue practicing these exercises, but also begin to add 20 to 30 minutes of regular gymnastic work — flatwork, trail riding, lessons.
PHOTO: SHUT TERSTOCK/HORSEMEN
Tune Proprioception with Surfaces
In physical therapy programs, trainers use an area of alternating surfaces called a sensory re-education path. It includes repeating three-meter segments of pebbles, firm ground, and sand. Walking the horse through these surfaces causes his neuro-receptors to function rapidly. These adaptations get stored in the horse’s overall motor control. Therapists often think of this as “waking up” the horse’s nervous system. In the same way that muscles atrophy from under-use, nerves can become dull or shut off from injury, trauma, or time off. Helping them fire again through use of sensory reeducation paths can help restore mobility and function to areas of your horse’s neuromuscular system that are stuck. In the absence of a formal path like this, you can create a similar experience by treading across the various surfaces immediately near your barn. At our barn, we have a paved driveway, a grassy lawn, a section of wood chips, and a sandy paddock all close to each other. I ride figure-eight and serpentine patterns across these changing surfaces to mimic the sensory path used by therapists. I recommend aiming to do this three times per week for five to ten minutes, asking your horse to walk and jog slowly across these constantly changing surfaces.
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just outside Shelburne, Ontario on August 6, 2015.
Candles Lit, Lives Changed A LOOK BACK AT
The Ride Across Canada 48
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
By Margaret Evans
Paul Nichols who, with his wife Terry, owns Pen-y-Bryn Farm Equine Facility in Quesnel, BC, had no idea that a chance encounter with a cashier in a gift shop several years ago would change his life. Thousands of kilometres away, Sylvain Nadon, who lives in Victoriaville, Quebec, had no idea that a chance encounter with a man on a horse would save his life.
PHOTO: LINDSAY CHUNG, COMMUNITIES FOR VETERANS FOUNDATION
Paul Nichols rode about 5,000 of his 7,000-kilometre Ride Across Canada on his bay mare, Zoe. Here they are just outside Paul Nichols Shelburne, Ontarioon on his bay6,mare, August 2015. Zoe,
PHOTO COURTESY OF COMMUNITIES FOR VETERANS FOUNDATION
P
aul’s encounter with the cashier led to an emotional conversation about his military tour in Yugoslavia. It was a lightbulb moment. It launched the idea to ride across Canada, connect with veterans, invite them to ride with him, visit communities, and raise the awareness of family trauma and the post-traumatic stress disorder that cripples so many soldiers struggling to find their way in civilian life. The Communities for Veterans Ride Across Canada set out from the Victoria Legislature in British Columbia on April 13, 2015 and ended on November 9th in St John’s, Newfoundland. The start of the ride was featured in Canadian Horse Journal May 2015 issue, and the epic
Cpl. Kelly James rides Skip during a lesson at Amberlea Meadows in Leduc County, Alberta. James has spent her entire career at 1 Field Ambulance, working as a dismounted medic, deploying with MTTF 01-11, Ops & Training, and at the base clinic. She joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2007 and was posted to Edmonton in 2009.
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Riding through Wainright, Alberta, with national pride on display.
PHOTO: LINDSAY CHUNG, COMMUNITIES FOR VETERANS FOUNDATION
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PHOTO: LINDSAY CHUNG, COMMUNITIES FOR VETERANS FOUNDATION
> PHOTO: LINDSAY CHUNG, COMMUNITIES FOR VETERANS FOUNDATION
The Communities for Veterans Ride Across Canada left the Legislature in Victoria, BC, on April 13, 2015.
journey itself was featured in the November/December 2015 issue. In total, 363 veterans rode with Paul and hundreds more took part in support activities. The Ride took 211 days and was 11,000 kilometres in length, of which Paul rode 7,000 kilometres on his beloved mare Zoe, a 19-year-old 15.3 hand bay Trakehner/Quarter Horse. Seventeen horses made up the remuda, some owned by the Nichols and others offered on a free lease, with a maximum of four ridden on the road at any one time. Given the winding route chosen in order to visit the hundreds of communities that invited them and some 400 events planned, the horses were occasionally trailered to keep on
track with their schedule. By the end of the ride, they finished with 12 crew members but more than one thousand people had come out along the way to contribute, help, or organize essential services – overnight stays, donated feed, farrier work, veterinary services, repairs, cleaning, food supplies, publicity, events at legion halls, etc. And every step of the way required safety measures for each veteran rider and horse. “In order for people to be able to ride our horses we needed them to have an awareness of what they [the riders] give off,” says Terry. “For example, if they were carrying a lot of tension, if they were controlling, if their emotions were impacting them SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
49
The
Photo: ŠWard Cameron 2016
8
Second Dance
The Psychology of the Bull Rider
By April Clay, M.Ed., Registered Psychologist
Picture a human and an animal moving in unison, coming together for a brief connection. Those who witness it are left holding their breath in complete wonderment, curious about what the rider must possess in order to engage in such a feat. Of course most might answer: Pure madness. Because we are talking about riding bulls, not horses. 58
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
Long considered to be one of the world’s most dangerous sports, the appeal of bull riding is challenging for the outsider to understand. Injury is imminent and unpredictable, and can have longterm consequences. But for the bull rider, these factors do not interfere with the allure of the bull.
Who is the bull?
The art of horsemanship has drawn analogies to dance, where partners in performance form a synchronous movement toward a goal. Elegance, mastery, a beautiful melding of human and animal. But does the bull rider view the bull as a partner or an adversary?
Former world champion Cody Snyder of Alberta says, “I liked the bulls. Looked at them as a partner. It was me against them, but without them you could not be a bull rider so they were your partner.” In this strange dance of rider and animal, it seems you have to hold loosely to a contradiction. Yes, the bull is your athletic rival, your opponent. But in order to succeed, the rider must follow the bull’s lead — the bull sets the dance steps. The rider’s job is to follow well enough to make that dance last the full eight seconds. Though there may be no bond to speak of, such as that felt between horse and rider, there is certainly a healthy respect, and a firm nod to the beast that is ultimately in charge of the direction of the game. As Manitoba bull rider Landon Lockhart says, “You have to be relaxed. That bull will do what he wants, you’ve got to go with him.”
all very lighthearted. I try to stay there just as long as I can. The more calm and cool I am, the better I have always done.” Now in his mid-30s, as the years have gone by Schiffner has kept his routine flexible to meet his ever-changing needs. “I don’t turn the switch on until I get into that chute with the bull. I’m too old to run around and get jacked up on adrenaline.” Then there is the ever-sobering reality of
So exactly how does a bull rider prepare to dance with 1,500 or more pounds of snorting, vengeful beast? Every top level athlete has a pre-competition plan to match his or her particular needs. The plan for the bull rider is a complex one. Consider the fortitude required to face the risk, coupled with the relaxed feel necessary to follow the animal’s movements. Not unlike horse sports, the bull rider has to align with the energy of the bull rather than fight it. To ride with a body too tense is to ensure early ejection. Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Canada National Champion Scott Schiffner of Strathmore, Alberta says riders have both individual and collective ways of staying relaxed. “When it’s half an hour out there is lots of joking and camaraderie going on. What we do is a very serious and dangerous sport, you can’t dwell on it. So we are
Photo: ©Ward Cameron 2016
Preparing for the dance
The bull rider considers the bull to be his partner, not his adversary.
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CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
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