PM #40009439 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Suite 201, 2400 Bevan Ave., Sidney BC, V8L 1W1
b IN THIS ISSUE
MARCH/APRIL 2016
12
58
74
SPECIAL FEATURES 12 Western Canada’s Hay Shortage
Facing dwindling late winter hay supplies and high prices, horse owners are wondering what’s ahead for this year’s harvest.
38 Lessons in Trailer Loading
Patience and good horsemanship are the keys to success.
48 Riding the Remarkable Rockies
A memorable trip into the remote Upper Brazeau River Valley of the Canadian Rockies.
58 The Magic of Mongolia
Discovering the country’s simplicity and beauty on a ten-day trek.
4
www.HORSE Journals.com
::
MARCH/APRIL 2016
66 Bar W Guest Ranch
A vacation in Montana’s Big Sky Country featuring true Western hospitality.
74 Horsemanship with Jonathan Field
Helping a worried horse build confidence with tarps (Part 2)
84 SciencePure Nutraceuticals
For Shelley and Calvin Nyuli, the reward is helping horse owners improve the overall health of their animals.
38
12 PHOTO: ©CANSTOCK/ALEXIA KHRUSCHEVA | 38 PHOTOS: ©iSTOCK/GLOBAL P (HORSE), HORSE_TRAILER3-JEBULON-WIKI (TRAILER) | 58 Photo: Clix Photography | 74 Photo: Andrea Hecimovic | 84 Photo courtesy of SciencePure Nutraceuticals
84
b IN THIS ISSUE
MARCH/APRIL 2016
26
HORSE HEALTH & BREEDING
20 Photo: ©Canstock/Alexia Khruscheva | 26 Photo: Christina Weese | 30 Photo courtesy of Juliane Kuhl
20
30
20 Gastric Ulcers in Horses
Learn about the causes, prevention, and treatment of a condition that occurs with alarming frequency.
26 New Device Gives Healing Horses a Lift
A robotic lift system will improve the odds for horses recovering from limb fractures and surgeries.
30 The Broodmare Influence
How maternal lineage plays an important role in many aspects of the breeding program.
36 New Research Reins in a Deadly Equine Disease
A breakthrough that can change the health of newborn foals.
DEPARTMENTS
EQUINETWORK
8 Editorial
90-91 Hitchin’ Post, Classifieds
9 The Hoofbeat
91 Index to Advertisers
80 News from Horse Council BC
92 Roundup
82 New & Noteworthy: Ontario’s Newest Horse Campground
87 Country Homes & Acreages 88 Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association News
89 To Subscribe
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
ON THE COVER Tania Millen and Muddy – Riding the Remarkable Rockies. PHOTO: SUE KEALL
6
www.HORSE Journals.com
::
MARCH/APRIL 2016
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII BY MARGARET EVANS
>
PHOTO: ©CANSTOCK PHOTO/KIAN KHOON
Homestretch for Northlands Racetrack
THE HOOFBEAT
The $24-million Century Downs Racetrack and Casino in Calgary, Alberta, opened its doors in April, 2015. For a while it looked like we had and ranches. Some 1.2 million other opportunities arise and the real stability with two tracks. But fans watch and wager $137 million potential for a new facility may this industry is very resilient. We at five racetracks or 41 off-track emerge in the future. weathered the [earlier] loss of the betting facilities. For all of them, “We respect their decision and Calgary track and now we have [a horseracing is not just an wish them well in their new new] one. We will weather this industry; it is a way of life, a endeavours,” says McClellan of and we plan to continue racing.” heritage, and a culture. the Northland executives’ To that end, McClellan said But when change comes, it can decision. “We will work with that there are industry partners be difficult for some. Yet, from Northlands Park as they transition interested in exploring options for another perspective, it can also out of racing to minimize the racing in the Edmonton area. be a new beginning for many as impact on our industry.” “In Alberta, the horse racing and breeding industry is a way of life,” she says. “Every day, over Since the start of the year, there have been three barn fires in 7,000 Albertans work hard Ontario that resulted in the tragic loss of equine lives. caring for over 7,000 An early morning barn fire on February 27, 2016 at Darkin Riding horses in communities Stables in Otterville, ON, claimed the lives of nine horses. Stable owner across our province. Horse Darlene Kinnear said the Racing Alberta remains horses were rescues used committed to continue to mostly for private trail rides race, entertain, provide and birthday parties, and jobs, and contribute were utilized by the St. Thomas Elgin Mental Health significantly to Alberta’s Association due to their economy.” calming effect on people. The Alberta racehorse Twelve Arabian horses industry, which began in died in a fire on January 14 1882, provides economic Apprentice Hanover, one of the horses at a private farm on Highway lost in the fire, winning at Mohawk on benefits to the province 89 west of Mount Forest, ON. September 13, 2014. of $399 million with taxes On January 4, 43 estimated at $33 million. Standardbred horses died at Classy Lane Stables Training Centre in The rural economic Puslinch Township, ON, 20 km southeast of Guelph. Damages in that benefits amount to fire were estimated to be up to $6 million. One of the horses lost was Apprentice Hanover, worth more than $1 million. approximately $254 million across 400 farms
Horses Perish in Ontario Barn Fires
PHOTO COURTESY OF WOODBINE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/NEW IMAGE MEDIA
This year will see the last horse racing season at Northlands Park in Edmonton, Alberta. Future plans for Northlands include an athletic complex with seven sheets of ice across two levels plus venues for professional lacrosse, rodeo events, minor hockey tournaments, and concerts. The location where the current casino and racetrack sit will become the site for a huge urban festival centre. The announcement was not unexpected among those in the horse racing community, but it was not easy to mask their disappointment when the news came on February 17. “That is the plan that they put to council and they have gone ahead with it,” says Shirley McClellan, CEO of Horse Racing Alberta. “It’s really disappointing. Horse racing has been here 100 years. But they make their decisions for their property. Last year we operated at Balzac, Calgary, and that went really well and it was very successful. People were happy to see horse racing back and we were happy to have two tracks for a while. It’s very hard on the breeders and everyone working in the industry.
MARCH/APRIL 2016
::
CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
9
HORSE INDUSTRY
HAY Shortage
Western Canada’s
High Costs, Low Supplies, and
By Margaret Evans
12
www.HORSE Journals.com
::
MARCH/APRIL 2016
a
Unintended Consequences
PHOTO: ©CANSTOCK/ALEXIA KHRUSCHEVA
nyone remotely connected with the horse industry in Western Canada knows that the cost of feed has skyrocketed this winter. The hot, dry growing season last year resulted in a severe lack of moisture for crop and pasture growth, triggering concerns about low hay supplies and high feed prices for the 2015-2016 winter, as reported in Winds of Change Across Canada’s Hay Fields (September 2015 issue). Those concerns are now the reality and many horse owners and barn managers are under stress as they keep adjusting their budgets to ensure a steady supply of hay. In some parts of British Columbia, hay prices have gone up a whopping 50 percent since last year. Where I live near Chilliwack in the Fraser Valley of BC, the cost of an 80-pound bale of alfalfa/timothy mix is $20, and believe it or not, right now that’s considered a pretty good deal. Around the Fraser Valley, a 50-pound grass bale sells for $18 in the store or $12-plus directly from a farm (if they still have supply), and a 65-pound alfalfa mix bale is going for $25. I’ve heard of straight alfalfa bales pushing the $30 mark — yikes! Many owners managed to stock up on as much hay as they could afford last fall, but those stocks are dwindling now as we move into spring “crunch time.” My own supplier ran out of hay in January and had to bring in alfalfa mix hay from Alberta. Now, horse owners are either getting by or giving up, depending on their circumstances. There are many horse owners looking at long-range weather forecasts and wondering, with some trepidation, what’s ahead for the growing season this year.
“For us the prices have held steady as I bought enough hay early,” says Tamara Wrayton, owner with husband Eddie of Wrayton Transport Ltd., in Langley, BC. “Our sales have nearly doubled this year and I am so glad I bought as much hay as I did! As far as transport costs, yes, fuel has come down since summer however, [but] not enough to make a huge difference over all. And another huge impact for us on the coast is the Alberta economic situation. With their economy as slow as it is, there is much less freight travelling east than normal. Most if not all hay brokers and transport companies haul freight of various types (lumber, pipe, steel for the oil industry) west to east. This loss of freight can have an enormous economic impact on a transport company. This could be counteracting the benefit of a decrease in fuel prices. And don’t forget the exchange rate. This is having a huge impact on the price of Washington-grown hay, [which is] a huge portion of the hay supply here on the coast. We still have a good variety but for us at Wrayton Transport we currently have only Alberta hay available. We ran out of [BC] Interior hay quite some time ago. I am also seeing a huge increase in demand in the Interior. We hauled a fair bit of hay from Armstrong in early summer, only to find ourselves hauling hay to Armstrong, Kelowna, and Vernon over the winter. We have regular loads to these areas and this is very unusual. Vancouver Island was especially hard hit and I have customers whose normal hay purchases have doubled as they were unable to source any hay locally.”
MARCH/APRIL 2016
::
CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
13
HORSE INDUSTRY
30
www.HORSE Journals.com
::
MARCH/APRIL 2016
The Broodmare Influence
By Margaret Evans
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JULIANE KUHL
The Brandenburg State Stud in Germany.
Traditionally, horse breeders look to the stallion for pedigree lines to produce the superior performance offspring with the desired characteristics of speed, conformation, and health. But the lineage of mares plays an equally important role not only in the genetic quality of the foal, but potentially in the breeder’s selection for fillies or colts. In addition, a mare’s maternal heritage influences the length of gestation. At the Graf Lehndorff Institute for Equine Science, a joint research institution of the Vetmeduni Vienna and the Brandenburg State Stud in Germany, researcher Juliane Kuhl investigated the degree to which the maternal lineage (family lines) influences gestation length and foal characteristics. “When I started my work at the Brandenburg State Stud in 2009, part of my duty was to supervise parturition in the mares,” says Kuhl. “As horse breeders may well know, gestation length in mares is highly variable and early signs of impending parturition can be subtle impeding accurate prediction of foaling. However, the experienced staff at the stud often told me something like: “Oh, this is a P-mare. She will probably take more time until foaling.” Or the other way round: “Mon Plaisir — belonging to the M-mare lineage — will probably come earlier with the foal.” And often they were right. On the other hand, every morning when the stud director
would be looking at the mares and the newborn foals, I got to hear: “Again a filly. You have to produce more colts.” I wanted to know more and started to look at the breeding data of these mares.” Working with a team of researchers, Kuhl found that the length of gestation varied significantly between the different lineages. In addition, certain family lines will produce more fillies than colts. As breeders know, the gestation period for horses ranges from 335 to 345 days and sometimes more widely from 320 to 360 days. Some maternal lines will average 10 days longer than other family lines. The researchers also noted in their study that the gestation length for
male foals tended to be longer than for female foals which added to the complex variation between the mare families in the focus broodmare group. “In general, when you want to investigate genetic effects on a trait influenced by a variety of factors which, in the horse, is gestation length as well as foal sex ratio, environmental factors have to be reduced to a minimum to be as constant as possible,” says Kuhl. “The broodmare herd at the Brandenburg State Stud offers ideal conditions. A peculiarity of the stud is the large broodmare herd where breeding selection from distinct mare families — maternal lineages — takes place over many generations in a nearly invariable environment. The mare lineages
Juliane Kuhl with a broodmare friend. CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
31
b TRAINING & TRANSPORT
How to Get Jack Into the Box An Introduction to Trailer Loading
//////////////////////////////////////////
EVERY HORSE IS CLAUSTROPHOBIC, SOME JUST HIDE IT BETTER THAN OTHERS. 38
www.HORSE Journals.com
::
MARCH/APRIL 2016
HORSE PHOTO: ISTOCK/GLOBALP / TRAILER PHOTO: JEBULON/WIKI
By Kevan Garecki
T
he most common transport-related injuries to horses are from failure to adequately and properly train the horse to load and haul. It’s solely a matter of investing the time and having the willingness to teach the horse in the way he can best learn and accept the concept. Think about the second half of that statement for a moment; as with any form of teaching, if method A isn’t working, there are 25 more letters in the alphabet!
Horses react to stimuli differently than we do. horse never forgets something that frightens him. The best we can do is help him manage the fear, so it’s better to prevent scaring him in the first place than to try to correct the effect later on. A horse’s first experience with something should be a positive one, which builds trust for future teaching. By far the most stressful part of trailering for the “newbie” is the loading phase, so it’s essential to make this part of the lesson as stress free as possible. When working with horses, it helps to understand how the horse sees things. The horse’s depth perception is not as acute as ours; although they can often discern details at much greater distances than we are capable of, they are often unable to determine exactly how far away something is. This is a clue as to why they approach new things slowly, and why they need to stop and look at a trailer’s ramp or step-up. It’s also why they may spook at something whether it’s right next to them or a meter away, or mash you against a wall as they pass by it. They’re not blind, silly, or pushy — they just don’t see things the way we do. Horses also see
BLIND AREA
MONOCULAR VISION
The two most important things to remember are patience, and to not get stuck on one method or approach. To reinforce any lesson, it must be practiced in order for the horse to fully understand what is expected of him.
A
BINOCULAR VISION
MONOCULAR VISION
details that we often miss: A wheelbarrow placed a few inches left of MARGINAL MARGINAL where it was SIGHT SIGHT BLIND yesterday, a regular AREA visitor wearing a different hat, or a subtle scent on the breeze are enough to put many horses on alert and ill at ease. The horse vision image (above) provides some clues about what horses can and cannot see. Note the large blind area directly behind the horse and the smaller one immediately in front of the muzzle. The horse’s binocular vision (ability to see simultaneously with both eyes) is limited to a narrow field directly in front of their head. Keeping these attributes in mind can assist us in helping the horse see what we see, and allow us to predict what situations might elicit a spook.
Your One Stop Shop For Trailer & Vehicle Purchase, Lease or Rental
TITAN AVALANCHE II
SUNDOWNER SANTA FE
Transcanada Highway (770 Highland Ave.) • Brandon, MB phone: 204-729-8989
• toll free: 1-888-571-8899
www.aats.ca • Financing and Leasing Available. Call for Quotes. MARCH/APRIL 2016
::
CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
39
HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK
Looking west from our turn-around point at Nigel Pass.
48
www.HORSEJournals.com Journals.com www.HORSE
::::
MARCH/APRIL 2016 2016 MARCH/APRIL
Riding the
Remarkable
ROCKIES
PHOTOS: SUE KEALL
BOOM! CRACK! FLASH! Instantly I was awake. Rain and wind was pounding the tent. Thunder crashed and lightning snapped. The storm was right on top of us and the sound was deafening. Intense flashes of lightning rendered my eyes useless. Unconsciously I pushed my spine into the ground, trying to make my body as small as possible while a myriad of thoughts spun through my head… Were the horses okay? They were tied under trees in a slight dip. If the trees were hit by lightning, they’d all be killed. If they spooked and got loose, we’d probably never find them. Should I get up and check on them? I was afraid of standing up and becoming a lightning rod. Plus a hunched-over shape blindly feeling her way towards six worried horses through a roiling storm could cause them to panic. Better to stay in the tent, flat on the ground. Were Tom and Sue okay? They were camped nearby but if I called out they’d never hear mae over the torrential rain and crashing thunder. They’d just have to survive the best they could. Which made me wonder, what possessed us — experienced backcountry travelers — to camp on top of an isolated hill in the remote Upper Brazeau River valley of the Canadian Rockies, with a storm rolling in? My thoughts were interrupted by thunder banging around the valley.
BY TANIA MILLEN
T
he Upper Brazeau River Valley in Jasper National Park parallels the northern border of Banff National Park and is part of a popular hiking loop. It has a healthy grizzly bear population, interesting history, and stunning scenery. There are two trailheads on the Icefields Parkway – the main north-south road through the Rockies – which provide quick access to genuine backcountry. In mid-July, a friend and I had planned to do a nine-day pack trip into the Upper Brazeau with four horses. Our final destination and turnaround point was Nigel Pass, but the trip was cut short when we couldn’t cross the flooded Brazeau River. However, I’d planned a second trip into the Rockies with friends in August, so rather than venturing down a new trail, they agreed to pack into the Brazeau.
MARCH/APRIL 2016 2016 MARCH/APRIL
::::
CANADIAN HORSE HORSE JOURNAL JOURNAL CANADIAN
49
HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK
The Magic of
Mongolia
By Shawn Hamilton
During a ten-day horseback trek in Mongolia, the simplicity and beauty of the country’s people and culture touched my soul.
A Mongolian herder’s son. 58
www.HORSE Journals.com
::
MARCH/APRIL 2016
PHOTOS: CLIX PHOTOGRAPHY
Mongolian stallion
In a country more than twice the size of Texas, but with a population only the size of Houston, one finds open land, peace, and serenity. Just over an hour’s drive outside of Mongolia’s capital city, Ulaanbaatar, a piece of paradise waits to be discovered from the saddle. The Mongolian horses live in an almost wild state. They have an incredibly smooth gait and seemingly endless endurance. These horses are kept as nature intended, living outdoors year-round in temperatures ranging from 30 degrees C in summer to minus 40 degrees C in winter, and finding their own food by grazing. The herdsman share a silent connection with their horses, passing down their unwritten traditions through the generations. On horseback is the perfect way to experience this country. The Mongolian people of the countryside live off the land in a tough yet peaceful, sustainable lifestyle. The herdsmen live as nomads, moving their portable round house, called a ger, to greener pastures when needed. The wooden accordion style sides of the ger fold up, the centre columns that support the roof slats all come apart, and topped by the felt or canvas shell it lays neatly on a wagon that is often pulled by a yak. Young children fetch water from the river; women milk mares and ferment the liquid to make the famous alcoholic drink, airag. Yogurt, cheeses, curds, and other dairy and meat staples are made from yaks, sheep, cattle, and goats. Cashmere is spun from goat hair. I watch a herd of 40 horses cross the river that runs through the ranch owned by my hosts, Baagii and his wife, Saraa, of Horse Trek Mongolia. A mare tied to her foal coaxes it across. Instantly falling in love with this country, I would soon discover that the people are as genuine as its beauty. MARCH/APRIL 2016
::
CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
59
HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK
Escaping to‌
The Bar W Guest Ranch By Shawn Hamilton
The Bar W Guest Ranch on Spencer Lake in Whitefish, Montana, offers a vacation for all ages with true Western hospitality. The ranch is nestled at the base of Spencer Mountain, and features a 6,200-square-foot lodge, cabin suites, indoor and outdoor riding arenas, stables, a barn, play meadow, entertainment area, and a gazebo on the lake. They offer numerous other outdoor activities, but horseback riding in Montana’s Big Sky country is their feature attraction. With 3,000 acres available to explore from the saddle, it feels far from civilization yet is just a few miles from the City of Whitefish. 66
www.HORSE Journals.com
::
MARCH/APRIL 2016
The author welcomed the opportunity to learn the basics of fly-fishing in Spencer Lake.
PHOTOS: CLIX PHOTOGRAPHY
A
rriving at the ranch with my husband, Joe, in complete darkness, we were greeted at the gate by Dave Leishman, ranch owner and manager, and led to the cabin which would be our home for the coming week. After unloading the car I sat on the deck admiring the stars and taking in the sound of horses grazing in a nearby field. The log cabin was brand new, featuring wooden furniture and an extremely comfy bed. Drifting off to sleep, I wondered what the ranch would look like in daylight. The next morning, I awoke to the sound of wild turkeys in the nearby field, just a few feet away from where a doe and her fawn were grazing peacefully. Approximately 40 good-looking Quarter Horse crosses were happily munching hay in their pens.
The ranch’s gentle horses take good care of children and adults alike. MARCH/APRIL 2016
::
CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
67
b HORSEMANSHIP
Building Confidence with Tarps Helping a Worried Horse, Part 2 By Jonathan Field In Helping a Worried Horse, Part 1, in the November-December issue, I introduced a special horse of mine named Bellagio (Geo), a nine-year-old Warmblood gelding I’ve had for about three years. He came to me quite troubled because of his general lack of confidence. Geo is a very sensitive, flighty horse, which just so happens to be the kind of horse I love! While this type of horse is not for everyone, there are many great lessons you can learn from a horse like Geo.
74
www.HORSE Journals.com
::
MARCH/APRIL 2016
Part one demonstrated how I helped Geo become confident enough to walk over the blue tarp and stand quietly on it. Now it’s time to touch him with it. I do a wide variety of exercises with my horses to help them become calmer and braver in various situations. My goal is to have them trust what I ask of them, and be okay with it because I am asking. In other words, for me it’s not about the tarp but about Geo’s trust in me to put the tarp on his body. If he trusts me at the heart of it, then tarps, garbage cans, or
stumps on a trail won’t bother him. For Geo, this is a really big ask. He’s thin-skinned and very particular about everything, such as the brush you pick to groom him with, or how fast you pump the fly spray. All kinds of things affect him, and mostly he is over-sensitive to objects he doesn’t know. If there is something slightly out of place on the
ranch, Geo will tell you about it. You will see his tail go up and he’ll be running the other way! Over the past three years, Geo has made tremendous changes and has really become a partner to me. I can ask him to do all kinds of things without the explosive reactions of the past. He still has some pretty big spooks in his system, but the difference now is that he will allow me to guide him and shut him
down if he overreacts too much, whereas before if he started to spook at something, I might have ended up in another county before I got him stopped! These photos are from a training session we had awhile back at our ranch in Merritt, BC, when Geo was first introduced to the idea of wearing a tarp. When I notice something that bothers my horse, I take time to show him that it won’t hurt him and he has nothing to worry about. One of the direct benefits of this is that getting him used to the noise and texture of a tarp can help me ride safely with a rain slicker. With a horse like Geo, that’s a big deal. This exercise has many other indirect benefits that help with his confidence overall, so when we approach a new challenge down the road he will have an
In part one I talked significantly about using “horsemanship vs forcemanship.” I want to use feel and timing coupled with a sensitivity to the level of worry in a horse. This helps me determine how much I can fairly ask of him in any one session. I want to do things in a way that results in more trust and a greater bond, rather than ending up with a horse that may carry a tarp but has shut down and is less trusting of me and other humans in the future. There are key points in this series of photos, but none are more important than your safety. This is potentially a rather dangerous activity to ask of the wrong horse, so if you have little skill the situation could quickly become a wreck. The horse can kick out at the tarp and hit
you instead, run over you trying to get away from the tarp, or a host of other unforeseeable things could go wrong. I shall share this information with you on the condition that you seek a professional’s help if you are inexperienced and decide to pursue this on your own. It’s always a good thing to call on qualified help. Regardless of whether you pursue these activities, there are some good lessons here. Horsemanship learned from one activity can transfer to another and influence how you approach a wide variety of issues. And being reminded that horses are inherently risky is always a good thing. Keep a healthy respect for the potential of these prey animals – they are amazing athletes and very survival oriented, willing to hurt themselves or others to save their life.
2
1
After a bit of time spent allowing Geo to sniff the tarp, I began to ask a bit more of him. I want to move slowly but not in a sneaky way. Approaching and then retreating, I worked my way down his side. A thick, boney spot on a horse, like the shoulder area, is a good place to start rather than the front legs or belly. Starting near his shoulder I worked my way back, keeping him bent towards me and looking at what I am doing. After each one of these stages I took the tarp away, backed off, and allowed him to think about it and realize that everything was okay.
PHOTOS: ANDREA HECIMOVIC
Here I have crumpled the tarp into a small wad to allow Geo to have a sniff. Curiosity leads to confidence, so allowing time for a sniff and a touch can help. One thing here is really important but hard to tell from the photo – I walked backwards and led Geo towards the tarp at first, rather than bringing it to him. Geo followed the tarp as he did in part one where I explained that, in the beginning, it is much more effective to take the object away and have the horse come to the object instead of approaching the horse with it and possibly triggering the self-preservation response. This is a good starting point and in a short time I could walk the tarp towards him and then away, showing him it can come and it won’t harm him, and it will leave. In these situations, most of the time you are not trying to totally avoid the flight response, in fact it’s okay for the horse to spook and jump around a bit. The key is being aware that you can add more challenge or take it away as you feel the horse can handle it.
easier time with it. I will share some insights and the steps I took to achieve this goal.
MARCH/APRIL 2016
::
CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
75
b HORSEMANSHIP
SciencePure Nutraceuticals By Margaret Evans
SciencePure Nutraceuticals based in Abbotsford, BC, offers top quality supplements for horses, pets, and people. “SciencePure was first a human nutritional company started by me in 1986 when we lived in Vernon, BC and owned the Centurion Fitness Centre,” says Shelley Nyuli, president of SciencePure Nutraceuticals Inc. “My products then were quality nutritional and amino acid supplements to support natural and safe muscle growth and recovery. Our products were being sold mail order to professional sports people throughout the US and Canada. This market was prime for us because of our Canadian bodybuilding titles, competing internationally and giving advanced nutritional seminars.” Once Shelley’s husband, Calvin, had obtained his biochemistry degree at the University of British Columbia, he worked as a nutritional and technical consultant for Champion’s Choice, later bought out by Nu-Life Vitamins in 1996. In addition to advising potential customers about their
supplements, Calvin would get calls from racehorse trainers and owners asking about the human supplements and whether they might boost their horses’ performance. Then, when he learned that a horse had tested positive for caffeine after being given a certain energy boosting supplement that had not listed caffeine as an ingredient, he became very curious. When he discussed this with product developers at Nu-Life, no one was interested in pursuing the equine market. “This was probably the most significant push toward the start of SciencePure Nutraceuticals Inc., because this is what sent Calvin, a scientist, into a research frenzy, especially since we had owned Thoroughbred racehorses in the 1980s and thought our trainers knew what was needed for our equine athletes,” says Nyuli. “Just to make it clear, horses were my first love, as they are with many girls. I grew up with horses and riding in the amazing open foothills of Hinton, Alberta and the mountains of Jasper Park.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF SCIENCEPURE NUTRACEUTICALS
Caring for the Whole Horse
Shelley and Calvin Nyuli.
84
www.HORSE Journals.com
::
MARCH/APRIL 2016
The couple had a passion for nutrition and fitness and it soon spilled into the equine field. “Calvin was intrigued and obsessed with ATP [Adenosine triphosphate] rates, muscle enzymes, nutrient absorptions, and effects in horses,” she says. “His discussions with more trainers about their horses’ most important needs led him to develop and test ingredients for improved joint mobility, muscle recovery, breathing, and pain reduction. “For the last 20 years, we have been involved in the Standardbred racing industry with breeding and racing under the PUREFORM farm name. We have foaled out over 60 babies during this time.” The goal for every horse owner is to keep the diet as natural as possible and supplement when necessary, such as when there is a deficiency in the natural forage, when there is a need to help young horses as they are growing, and to provide for needs during competition or recovery. Nyuli suggests that, before looking for supplements, the horse owner needs to know what is nutritionally lacking in their hay or main forage. It is really valuable to obtain a mineral panel hay analysis, even for small quantities of hay. “Forage is the main dietary source of fibre, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and protein and you have to know what the numbers are, especially if you are a full-time competitor,” she says.
“Competitors are athletes and bodies have to be trained and fed like an athlete in order to build muscle, stamina, lung capacity, [and] ligament and bone density. You should know what it takes to balance the proteins, carbohydrates, fats, water, and nutrients to achieve a well-balanced and willing teammate who just happens to be a 1,200 lb (545 kg) animal with thoughts of its own. Believe me, it is much easier to take the hay analysis to your veterinarian or equine nutritionist who specializes in sports or reproductive nutrition and have that starting point to build the ideal nutritional program. Once you do, most of the guessing stops. It’s like having the answers to a test.” Owners often start to see an improvement once horses are on their ideal forage, and the vet can draw blood for a baseline reference. Those test results are a valuable guide should anything go wrong while travelling, training, or competing. From that point, the owner will be better informed and can invest in supplements knowing what their horse needs. “In a perfect world, horses are not stalled 18 to 23 hours a day, but most competitive horses are,” says Nyuli. “This alone causes more stress and changes to the natural evolution of their mind and body. If we confine them, we have to support their well-being without over-compensating and over-
Shelley and Calvin Nyuli have raised more than 60 foals over the past 20 years.
For the Nyulis, the most rewarding experience is helping other horse owners understand their horse’s individual needs, and working with them to improve the animal’s overall health while watching their relationship with the horse improve at the same time. MARCH/APRIL 2016
::
CANADIAN HORSE JOURNAL
85
Your Horse • Your Passion • Your Magazine
Proud to offer
REDUCED-RATE SUBSCRIPTIONS
PHOTO: ©THINKSTOCK/IPGGUTENBERGUKLTD
to members of Canada’s Equestrian Federations
SUBSCRIBE TODAY! “Canadian Horse Journal is a leader in training tips, health for horse and rider, physiology and science of the horse, and general information on equine activities. I love the broad spectrum of current information for all horse enthusiasts of all disciplines and breeds. It is like the ‘CBC’ of the horse world. Thank you for keeping it ‘real and present.’”
SUBSCRIPTIONS INCLUDE: • 6 BIG issues per year • Both print and digital editions • Annual Equine Consumers’ Guide (January/February)
• 25th Anniversay Issue (July/August)
25
th nivers 25 An
ar y Spec
on ial Editi
– KELLY TWORDIK
HOW TO ORDER:
• VISIT www.horsejournals.com • CALL 1-800-299-3799, or 250-655-8883, ext. 212 • EMAIL subscriptions@horsejournals.com
PERSONAL CHEQUE