EQUINE NEWS - Autumn-Winter 2020 Issue by Equine News And Trade Services Directory

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Volume 12 – Issue 1

Autumn / Winter 2020

Nutrition during Drought Joint Health and Equine Acupressure Mindful Grooming MSM the facts!

Feeding the Microbiome Desert Hoof Prints Part 2 The perfect saddle for every horse!

t he t rainer’s f riend

AREA MAP VET CONTACTS SERVICE DIRECTORY

Hoof Gel & Pad Pack

Introducing...

NEW Equine & Canine Range! Following the success of HOOF GOLDTM and increasing demand from Veterinarians, Farriers and clients we embarked on producing our next generation of formulas. We are proud to announce the release of our two new patent formulations, BONE GOLDTM and COAT GOLDTM in both the Equine and Canine presentations. Our formulas have been granted an Innovative Patent as they present as totally unique in the market and are clearly differentiated from all other supplements. Our new products have been produced with the same attention to detail with the highest quality pharmaceutical grade ingredients manufactured in an Australian APVMA CLASS 2 registered and certified Laboratory. Unlike most other supplements made in feed barns or pet food factories, this guarantees the quality and quantity of each ingredient in all our products. VET GOLDTM products are made in the same laboratories as many Veterinary Pharmaceuticals with the highest quality control standards in the Australian Veterinary industry. Our products are developed with specialist bio-engineers focused on ensuring maximising product effectiveness balancing ingredient ratios and particle sizes to optimise physiological uptake, digestibility and stability. Extensive research and development in conjunction with clinical testing and observation by Veterinary Surgeons on clinical equine and canine cases is conducted on all our products.

Dr Watts has lectured at Equine Veterinary Association meetings, at the University of Queensland and runs regular remedial Equine podiatry workshops in conjunction with Veterinary colleagues and Farriers in addition to running a busy clinical Equine Practice. VET GOLDTM is a family owned Australian business that takes pride in all our product range with comprehensive personal support with any questions answered directly by Dr Andrew Watts and his stoic knowledgeable partner Mel Watts. Please feel welcome to contact us anytime, we look forward to personally providing any technical or medical support or information regarding our products.

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AVAILABLE FROM OUR ONLINE STORE OR THROUGH YOUR VET OR FARRIER

info@vetgold.com.au WEB: www.vetgold.com.au Dr Andrew Watts BVSc Equine Podiatry Specialist Veterinarian

EMAIL:

Feeding the Microbiome

4-5

Brumby Forever Wild and Free

Natural Nutritional Support during Drought Conditions

Cover Photo by: Agnieszka Gulczynska Fotografia https://fotogulczynska.wordpress.com

Welcome to this issue... No 40 of Equine News! May it bring some enjoyment and pleasure reading through these quiet times being spent at home, hopefully with your family and horses. We hope the crisp clean freshness of these pages and the interesting information contained within is both comforting and inspiring. With all events being on hold at the moment, this seasonal edition does not hold a schedule but look out for our next issue in August for rescheduled event dates. Also keep your eye on www.equinenews.com.au where our Coming Events page will list things as they resume. We would also like to take this opportunity to extend a sincere thank you to all our loyal supporters who make it possible for Equine News to arrive at your local store, especially through the current challenging times.

8 - 10

MSM All your Questions Answered

12 - 14

The Perfect saddle for Every horse!

16 - 19

Area Map

20 - 21

Announcements

22 - 23

Practicing Mindful Grooming

24 - 25

Hoof Prints in the Desert Part 2

26 - 29

Joint Health and Equine Acupressure

30 - 31

The Aussie Farrier

Service Directory

33 - 39

8 26

Stay safe! Stay well! And enjoy some horse time! Congratulations to our 3 Winning Subscribers from last issue who each won Worlds BEST HOOF Oil prizes.

Queensland – Jacinta Stoodley New South Wales – Deb Lord Victoria – Lenny Xuereb

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Final Advertising Deadline for our Spring issue is 31st July 2020 Expressions of interest will be welcomed prior to that date.

Contact Kerrie Phone: (02) 6653 6403 Mobile: 0422 235 933 Email: equinenews@bigpond.com www.equinenews.com.au

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Equine News & Trade Services Directory PO Box 9014 Moonee Beach NSW 2450 The Mid North Coast Equine News & Trade Services Directory Disclaimer: All rights reserved. This Publication may not, in part or whole, be copied, photographed, scanned or reproduced in any format, electronic or otherwise for reproduction without written authority of Equine News & Trade Services Directory. While we exercise due care and diligence to ensure the accuracy of it’s contents, the publication of an article or advertisement is not automatically the view held or has the endorsement of the editors. We do not take responsibility for any inaccuracies by authors. Contents of advertisements are the responsibility of the advertisers. The Publishers liability for damages resulting from any omissions, error, misprint or failure to publish any advertisement that it has accepted or agreed to publish is limited to the exact amount actually received in payment for the advertisement.

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MICROBIOME by Sophie Fletcher

As herbivores and hindgut fermenters, horses are particularly reliant on the microbes that live in the large intestine. Plant fibre (known as structural carbohydrates, the most abundant being cellulose) contains large amounts of energy-providing glucose, however the way these molecules are structured means that digestive enzymes are not able to break it down. Gut microbes however, do have the necessary enzymes to break fibre such as cellulose down into glucose. The bacteria use the glucose for their own energy needs, and in turn produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which the horse can absorb and use for energy through a number of mechanisms. Without this symbiotic relationship, the horse

FEEDCHAR

simply would not be able to survive on grasses and shrubs alone. With domestication and the advent of agriculture, we have found other ways to sustain horses – preserving grass in the form of hay and, crucially, concentrated forms of energy such as grains. Grains contain high amounts of non-structural carbohydrates – starch predominantly. Again, these are long chains of glucose molecules, but they can be broken down by mammalian digestive enzymes – in the horse this occurs in the small intestine. If large amounts of starch are fed, it can overwhelm the ability of the small intestine and instead enter the hindgut, where microbes can ferment it. The type of bacteria that prefer utilising starch, compared to cellulose or other fibres, are different, and those that use starch (amylolytic bacteria) produce different substances – rather than beneficial VFAs, they can produce lactic acid. This can make the hindgut

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more acidic, which can lead to digestive upset, laminitis and, very importantly, alters the microbial population. Whilst this idea has long been understood, it is only in recent years that scientists have begun to uncover a more detailed picture of the microbiome – how sensitive the bacteria are to change, and what sort of dietary changes and components affect the diversity and structure of the overall population. Researchers now understand that forage-only diets (pasture or hay) result in the most diverse and stable microbial populations. Diversity in bacteria means that the horse will be able to adapt to acute changes in diet more easily – an important ability when sugar and starch levels in grasses can fluctuate not only seasonally, but day to day and hour to hour. Despite this, the equine gastric microbiome is acutely sensitive to changes in diet – an abrupt change from a fibre-based pelleted feed directly to pasture can result in increases in the relative abundance of the lactobacillus and streptococcus bacteria that are linked with colic and laminitis, however within days on pasture there is a rapid increase diversity. The bigger dietary issue is with concentrate feeds, particularly grains. Horses fed only forage have very low numbers of lactobacillus

Independent, science-based feed & management advice including An organic acidosis buffer and toxin binder to support digestive balance and condition through all seasons. - Visits (Greater Sydney region, can travel) May be fed continuously and with other supplements. - Pasture & hay analysis From your local FEEDCHAR™ stockist, or post direct, via www.agspand.com.au - Diet formulation - Custom pelleted supplement: the easy way to feed Fletcher Equine Nutrition an optimal dietSophie or balance yourConsulting pasture Independent, science-based feed & management advice including:

INTEGRAL EQUINE NUTRITION

BAn VetBioSci (Hons I), MAnSci

• Visits (Greater Sydney region, can travel) • Pasture & hay analysis • Diet formulation • Custom pelleted supplement: the easy way to feed an optimal diet or balance your pasture

0407 405 594 • sophie@integralequine.com.au • www.integralequine.com.au

0407 405 594 -

4 EQUINE NEWS.COM.AU

AUTUMN 2020

and streptococcus bacteria, however when fed 50% of the diet as (grainbased) concentrate, this can quickly change, even when the overall starch levels in the diet are considered “safe” (2g starch/kg bodyweight per day). Bacterial populations also appear to fluctuate more when horses are fed concentrate, which leaves them less able to cope with stressors and potentially trigger gastric disorder or laminitic events. This fluctuation can be reduced if concentrate is fed “little and often”, as has so long been advised. Recent work has looked at the source of starch – corn, oats or wheat middlings, as the starch in these different grains have varying properties and characteristics. They found that corn and wheat middlings had a much greater effect on potentially negative amylolytic bacteria than did oats – where feeding oats resulted in a 10 times increase, there was a 100,000 times increase when corn (fed to provide the same amount of starch) was fed! Fibre-consuming bacteria (cellulolytic) were also decreased when corn, wheat middlings or high amounts of oats were fed, however there was no effect over a lower amount of oats, compared to forage only. There are two possible explanations for these results – firstly, the amount of starch reaching the hindgut is known to vary between grains – corn is known to be particularly resistant to digestion in the small intestine, whilst oats are well digested by enzymes in the small intestine. This will mean that less oat starch gets to the hindgut to cause problems. Alternatively, there may be differences in the grain components that affect the bacteria themselves. It’s clear that minimising and carefully choosing dietary starch is beneficial to the equine microbiome, but what about newer trends in feeding, such as “super fibres” like soybean hulls and beet pulp, or adding fat sources? Research is ongoing in this fascinating field.

OVS Kid with Style & OVS VICTORIOUS aka QuTe owned by Mavis Marshall Qld. PHOTO: Ev Lagoon Photography

d g ut n i H & l a ntestin I g n i t o e s ti o n g m i D Pro d e v o r Imp r o f h t l a e H KOOL GLOW BENEFITS:

References Dougal, Kirsty, et al. “Characterisation of the faecal bacterial community in adult and elderly horses fed a high fibre, high oil or high starch diet using 454 pyrosequencing.” PloS one 9.2 (2014): e87424. Fernandes, Karlette A., et al. “Faecal microbiota of forage-fed horses in New Zealand and the population dynamics of microbial communities following dietary change.” PloS one9.11 (2014): e112846. Harlow, Brittany E., et al. “Effect of dietary starch source and concentration on equine fecal microbiota.” PloS one 11.4 (2016): e0154037. Venable, Erin B., et al. “Effects of feeding management on the equine cecal microbiota.” Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 49 (2017): 113-121. Willing, B., et al. “Changes in faecal bacteria associated with concentrate and forage‐only diets fed to horses in training.” Equine veterinary journal 41.9 (2009): 908-914.

405 594 sophie@integralequine.com.au WEB: www.integralequine.com.au EMAIL:

EQUINE NEWS.COM.AU

Photo courtesy of Dave Taylor

BAnVetBioSci (Hons I), MAnSci

PHONE: 0407

✓ Coat changes will occur after 21 days. ✓ Hoof improvement is noticeable after a couple of months. ✓ Feed the 200g with one meal or 100g morning and evening.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Sophie Fletcher Sophie runs Integral Equine Nutrition, providing independent, science-based nutrition services and customised advice. After gaining a solid foundation during her Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience (Hons I), Sophie worked for 5 years in medical research. A problem horse of her own and a desire to return to her passion led Sophie to the field of equine nutrition, conducting a study on turmeric in preventing gastric ulcers in horses to complete her Master of Animal Science. Integral Equine Nutrition is based in northern Sydney, and specialises in on-site visits in Sydney and surrounds.

✓ Hind gut health improved rapidly. Better feed absorption and conversion.

✓ Palatable, horses love the taste. ✓ Non Swabbing.

www.koolglow.com.au Kool Glow AUSTRALIAN MADE AND OWNED 5

Brumby - Forever wild and free –

a children’s picture book honouring nature in it’s finest form. Yuraygir National Park in northern NSW is home to many mobs of wild brumbies; none however, have captured the imagination of those who witness them as much as the Brooms Head Brumbies. These magnificent wild horses of the sea have enchanted generations of holiday makers and locals alike to the coastal town with their gentle and playful presence. “Brumbles – Forever Wild and Free” is the story of the great, gentle stallion and his family, within the magnificent natural world in which he lives and happily shares with other wild animals. It is the perfect gift to inspire your young reader, keeping them engaged with every page being a masterpiece; photographed with love by Stephen Otton, Author of “Tiny, little dog on a big adventure”.

Brumby - Forever wild and free Release date – December 2019 44 pages of colourful and captivating photos Age group – Young reader $19.50 + postage Available now for purchase direct from Publisher – Stephen Otton https://stephenotton.com/

6 EQUINE NEWS.COM.AU

AUTUMN 2020

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Lack of access to good quality hays is causing problems for many, and I have had several clients who inadvertently were feeding out only teff hay, a high oxalate hay (unbeknownst to them). High Oxalate feeds cause the condition known as bighead and is a common feature of Queensland and some coastal environments. Oxalates rob Mg and Ca from the system so supplementation of both Ca and Mg is advised. Many owners or old-time farmers are feeding out bran pellets, oats or wheat depending what they can find. This kind of feeding is disastrous long-term for horses due to the calcium/phosphorus ratio imbalance and it is important that if you are feeding in drought conditions you try your best to provide 24/7 hay or forage that can supply the calcium as well as the phosphorus. This ratio can be calculated at 2-3 parts calcium to 1-part phosphorus. A good general guide is that green feeds and herbs (including beet pulp) is the Ca and the P is usually ‘white’ or ‘brown’ feeds.

The safe calcium:phosphorus ratio in the diet of a mature horse is a range of 1:1 to 6:1, though the ideal is generally recognized to be 2:1. If the calcium:phosphorus ratio of your entire ration, including hay, grass, seeds, and herbs and minerals , is between 1.5:1 and 2.5:1, that is a very appropriate ration (Sonntag et al., 1996). A big concern of under feeding horses is ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract. Watch out for personality changes, tight gut or kicking up, manure changes or starry coat - these are all signs of discomfort in the gut and possible ulcers. Herbs can be used to mimic the grazing habits of horses by providing the much-needed nutritional variation and will be of medicinal value as well.

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Let us consider some of the vitamins and minerals one at a time.

Vitamin A: Is found in carrots and lucerne and is therefore much better supplied in feed, rather than in processed supplements.

If feeding the average horse, I like to give the following feeds with herbs – I have weighted the calcium phosphorus ratio in each element as a basic guide.

Vitamin B: Vitamin B12 is a little harder to get and is best found in the herb comfrey which can be offered OCCASIONALLY and in small quantities and in these doses is a valuable supplement.

Bioflavinoids: Can be supplied by carrots, Maritime Pine bark extract and rue extract which contains Rutin. There are many sources of bioflavonoids in the world, the above are some that are easily available for your horse.

Vitamin C: Is found in fresh greens and rosehips. If a horse is kept away from green grass then half a cup of whole dried rosehips in boiling water and allowed to cool will provide all vitamin C that is missing.

Choline: Is found in bitter vegetables and the leaves of dandelions. A few dried handfuls steeped in hot water can be offered to a horse without access to fresh feed from time to time. Otherwise, let a few dandelions grow around the yard and the horse will chose them for itself.

Vitamin D: Is synthesized by the action of sunlight on skin and found in fish oils. Not needed as a supplement for grazing animals. Always consider Vitamin D when rugging a horse for long periods.

Vitamin E: Is found in abundance in fresh, green feeds. It is also found in abundance in almond meal, hemp seed and sunflower seed. Hemp seeds are rich in healthy fats and essential fatty acids, they are also a great protein source. Hemp is high in fibre and vitamin C, vitamin E, and chlorophyll, and is highly palatable.

Calcium:

Is found in leafy greens like nettle, and in molasses (along with sulfur). Lucerne (alfalfa) hay and the herb horsetail also contain calcium.

Iron: Is found in rosehips (they are one of the very best sources of natural iron!), green feed, molasses and kelp.

Silica: Is found in dried feed in abundance. Millet contains high levels of organic silica compounds as well as carbohydrate and many other minerals. Silica is the key to balancing the calcium scaring that occurs in conditions like ringbone.

Omega 3 and 6 and Linoleic: Linseed is a whole feed source of Omega 3 and 6 and Linoleic acids and specific nourishment for strength and elasticity of ligaments and attachment points. Hemp is highly digestible with all the essential amino and fatty acids required for a healthy diet.

About the Author – Catherine McDowell Medicine of Mother Nature… I was first introduced to the concept of Herbal Lore when I was very young. I think one of the earliest influences I can remember was from my grandparents, who were very traditional Bathurst farmers of the well known Cox family. My grandfather had the “people’s home library” which was a compendium of all kinds of home cures. Herbal Medicine is, at its core, studying nature and the humanities. It’s about observing our diet, our environment and how we respond. Keeping a balance is difficult in the modern era as we are no longer interacting with our environment in the same way as we may have done even as little as a 100 years ago. As a Dorothy Hall graduate working along side the well known Robert McDowell for many years and furthering my education with Dennis Stewart, I have developed my own unique application of herbal remedies. Working primarily with animals (Horses and Dogs) has been the most rewarding. Having seen herbs work so well in so many cases has proven to me time and again the under-utilised power of herbal medicine. It is heartening to see now Vets, and some Medical Doctors seeing the traditional application of herbs as useful. My comprehensive service includes free animal consultations 24/7 via my web site, and face to face consultation at 61 Corporation Avenue, Bathurst NSW 2795.

(02) 6331 3937 +61 2 6331 3937 EMAIL: info@mcdowellsherbal.com WEB: www.mcdowellsherbal.com CLINIC:

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Trace Elements: Are all found in kelp. Kelp contains over 30 essential minerals and vitamins. Kelp is one of the highest sources of minerals and vitamins and is especially high in natural iodine together with all the cell salts that are so important to the proper function of the body and the thyroid.

Herbs can be used to mimic the grazing habits of horses by providing the much-needed nutritional variation and will be of medicinal value as well.

10 EQUINE NEWS.COM.AU

AUTUMN 2020

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MSM All your Questions...

ANSWERED! Scientific literature does suggest that MSM may have clinical applications for arthritis and other inflammatory disorders such as acute exerciseinduced inflammation. Holding a USDA Food and Drug Administration (2007) status of ‘Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)’ in humans, MSM is well-tolerated by most at dosages of up to four grams daily, with few, mild side effects. Also known as dimethyl sulfone, methyl sulfone, sulfonylbismethane, organic sulfur, or crystalline dimethyl sulfoxide, MSM is a naturally occurring compound. Synthesised in nature by algae, phytoplankton and other marine micro-organisms it is absorbed into soil, used by the bacteria in the soil and taken up by plants. During respiration, the plants excrete MSM into the atmosphere as sulphide and when they die and decompose the sulphur sources are incorporated into soil minerals, which undergo erosion and return to the oceans - thus completing this sulphur cycle. It is found in the diets of all vertebrates and is present in vegetables, fruit, fish, milk and meat – although processing of feedstuffs (including drying of lucerne to make hay) can drive it off. The amounts in fruit, corn, tomatoes, tea, coffee and milk are just a fraction of the amount generally included in supplements. MSM can be produced from DMSO and there are no biochemical differences in its ability to intermediate oxidative stress and inflammation, whether MSM is naturally produced or manufactured. Over the last 30 years, quite a bit has been discovered about the movement and metabolism of MSM. When taken orally, some binds to receptor sites of the mucous membranes and the rest is absorbed into the blood and travels to every cell in the body. There it crosses the cell wall, passes into the cell and can be found in every structure inside the cell. In specialised structures within the cell it is bio-transformed into

the multitude of organo-sulphur molecules required for health. Unused MSM passes out in the urine and manure. Because MSM has the ability to penetrate membranes and permeate throughout the body, it has broad biological effects. Its full range of actions involve a collection of cell types and is therefore difficult to elucidate. Studies in laboratories and in animals and humans suggest that it somehow operates at the crosstalk of inflammation and oxidative stress. Among its many actions, it regulates the production of proinflammatory chemicals that wreak havoc in the body and although it supports the immune system, it prevents its over-activation. The ability to enter cells and to moderate inflammation are believed to be why it has a therapeutic role in humans and other animals for: • arthritis and inflammation • cartilage preservation • rheumatoid arthritis • muscle soreness after exercise • improvement of skin quality and texture Although MSM has been well-investigated in animal models, human clinical trials and experiments, there is a dearth of scientific literature regarding feed additives and supplements for the horse. Because the majority of research has been conducted in tissue cultures, humans or laboratory animals, knowledge of the effect and bioavailability of MSM in horses is limited. There are however many clinical trials and subjective observations about this seemingly amazing product. Many claims have been made about the benefits of MSM in horses and it’s potential: • to modulate allergic reactions – although no benefits were found for head-shaking • to moderate gastrointestinal tract upsets from diet and oral drugs • to correct malabsorption of minerals • for antiparasitic action • for pain and inflammation relief • for antimicrobial and antioxidant effects One study in show-jumping horses found a reduction in oxidative stress when they were fed 4 grams (8mg/kg body weight) daily. The protective effects were greater when MSM was combined with another antioxidant, vitamin C, at 2.5 grams (5mg/kg bodyweight) per day. An anti-inflammatory effect has been demonstrated in horses with hock arthritis – the effective dose was 20 grams/day. Another study on 30 racing Standardbreds found a significant improvement in the ability of equine muscle tissue to rebound from exercise stress. The horses were fed either 10 grams or 20 grams of MSM per day and monitored by thermography (a very sensitive way to identify sites of inflammation), blood tests to measure the leakage of enzymes (AST aspartate aminotransferase and CK - creatine kinase) from damaged muscle cells, and performance times. All the horses receiving MSM had dramatic improvement - less inflammation and soreness, a reduction in muscle enzyme leakage and improved training times. The changes occurred faster and were more dramatic in the horses on 20 grams per day. Trainers reported that the horses on the higher dose had better hair coats, faster healthy hoof growth, and quicker recoveries after exercise, with no side effects. (NB: 5 grams = approx. one teaspoon) Almost 40 years ago MSM was trialled in horses and dogs. Finding his own respiratory allergy (including to horses!) much-improved after feeding himself 1 gram twice a day, a respected equine veterinarian began using MSM in his clinical management of horses and dogs. Excited about his response, he provided his arthritic 11-year old Labrador and four of her friends with daily MSM in their diet, and after a month of treatment, their soundness and level of activity reverted to what it had been 4 years previously. Their coats also improved and their toe-

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nails grew faster, prompting its use in horses with poorgrowing, flinty hooves. Another of his patients, a 4-year old gelding with a history of poor racing performance due to chronic muscle soreness, was fed 12-15 grams twice daily. Within a week he worked with enthusiasm and no longer flattened his ears and swished his tail when asked to work. Dr Metcalf also used it in cases of current digestive tract disturbance, epiphysitis, acute laminitis and early navicular disease at 12-14 grams twice daily with the horses improving within 30-90 days. Symptoms returned after 10 days when the MSM was withheld and resolved again once it was reintroduced to the daily diet. More recent descriptions suggest a role for MSM in promoting stronger, healthier hooves. Hoof quality and growth rate are influenced by dietary deficiencies or excesses of protein, particular minerals, vitamins or amino acids. Variations in the amino acid content of hoof samples (notably methionine and cystine) are related to both diet and management. In a study on the hoof wall strength and composition, two different types of defects were found brittle feet - one responded to biotin and the other to calcium supplementation. Several mineral deficiencies affect the hooves: magnesium deficiency is linked to flat, thin soles and sub-clinically laminitic hooves; calcium deficiency is a contributor to brittle hooves; horses with low intakes of zinc and copper are more likely to develop white line disease; sulphur deficiency is associated with less than optimum methionine intake, and MSM has been suggested to support hooves in wet environments. When methionine intake is low or a horse has poor hoof quality, supplementation of 5,000 to 10,000 mg (5 to 10 grams) per day for the average size horse can improve hoof wall integrity. Due to enhanced penetrability properties, MSM is commonly combined with other anti-arthritic agents (including glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, and boswellic acid). Accounts in humans of MSM in combination with glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, MSM, guava leaf extract, and vitamin D showed positive results in knee osteoarthritis. And, MSM with arginine l-Îąketoglutarate, hydrolysed Type I collagen, and bromelain improved rotator cuff repair post-surgery. In horses, some studies have failed to show significant improvements. In one such study in geriatric horses, a glucosaminechondroitin-MSM combination supplement given orally for three months failed to show significant changes in gait characteristics. Its important to remember that although MSM is added to many joint supplements it may not always be added in the same amounts that research has

EQUINE NEWS.COM.AU

shown to be beneficial. So, to assess your horse’s response to MSM, its worth checking the amount in individual products or buy a pure MSM product and add that at varying doses. Due to its many actions in the body, MSM needs to be used with care and veterinary advice in certain horses. Any horses with clotting disorders or taking medications to aid in clotting should not receive this supplement without close veterinary supervision. Any horse with hyperglycaemia (elevated blood glucose) should not take MSM. Although there are no studies indicating any toxicity from MSM in a variety of species, if an individual horse is given more than the manufacturers recommended dose, it should be done under veterinary supervision. The recommended dosage of MSM seems variable according to either the company that packages it or the therapist who prescribes it anything from 7 grams to 36 grams daily. Some scientists advise that sound eventing and endurance horses should be started on 5 grams twice daily, increasing over 4 weeks to 18 grams twice daily; horses with inflammation and lameness 20 grams twice a day. Ponies receive a reduced amount based on bodyweight. Dietary imbalances, excesses and deficiencies contribute to clinical and health problems in horses. As with all supplements and additives, it’s important to ensure the basic diet is balanced and correct for minerals, vitamins and amino acids before exploring the option of supplements. In addition, randomly adding individual vitamin, amino acid and mineral supplements is a hit-and-miss affair and can lead to disproportionate and sometimes toxic levels of intake. Some supplements contain a range of

14 EQUINE NEWS.COM.AU

different vitamins and minerals and if multiple supplements are used, overlaps can occur. A diet analysis and a well-formulated balancer remove the guesswork and risks of trying to balance the diet with individual supplements, ensuring the benefits of supplements such as MSM are not being undermined by other nutrient deficiencies or imbalances. All content provided in this editorial is for general use and information only and does not constitute advice or veterinary opinion. The content does not consider individual circumstances, is not intended as a substitute for advice, and should not be relied upon as advice or in place of consultation with your equine veterinarian. For full disclaimer, please refer to our website: www.jenquine.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Dr Jennifer Stewart

(BSc, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, Dip BEP AAIM) is an equine veterinarian with over thirty five years of experience. She is also a consultant nutritionist and has formulated feeds, custom mixes and supplements for leading international horse feed manufacturers in Australia, India, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and the UAE. Dr Stewart is passionate about equine nutrition and it’s role in the management, treatment and prevention of many equine diseases and she is committed to bringing ‘science to the feed bin’.

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The perfect saddle for every horse! So, does it exist and if so, what does it look like, and where would you find it? Let’s first get clear about how we define what a saddle is, in order to discuss the saddle in more detail: In my opinion, a saddle is a saddle when it has a hard/firm framework inside that provides structure. If it doesn’t have a framework inside, it is a bareback pad, even if it is an elaborately made bareback pad. They do very different things and therefore should be viewed as such. Bareback pads are what people made and used many centuries ago, when they first discovered that they could persuade horses to carry them. Soft padded cloth or animal skins used as a cushion on the horses back, must have been more comfortable for the horses and the riders than nothing. They became more elaborate as time went on but then the limitations of this kind of soft cushion were recognised, because they did not protect the horse very well from the unnatural weight of the rider. The way in which they flex and bend, allows the rider’s weight to become too focussed in one part of the horses’ back, discouraging him from engaging his back up into a flatter/wider posture during movement, which is a natural and important pattern of movement/posture. Saddles, by contrast, are built on and around a solid or semi-solid framework, (tree) like an upholstered chair. The tree creates the potential for the rider’s weight to be well distributed along the length and sideto-side across the saddle, which is the reason it was invented and the reason it is still used today. However, the fact that the tree is a hard structure (anything from completely rigid to having a small degree of flex), means that while it has the potential to be of great benefit to the ridden horse when it is a good design, made with care in an appropriate shape, width and length, it also has the potential to cause damage, discomfort, distress and disability in the horse when it is wrong. A saddle fitted in width that is too narrow and tight, to match a muscle wasted back. This restricts the movement of the shoulder blades, causes high pressures restricted blood flow, further atrophy and pain.

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Constructive, because the methods and equipment used are designed to create a positive and constructive way of supporting the horse and rider, as opposed to the often de-structive way that conventional saddle fitting impacts on the horse. BALANCE would argue that Functional Saddling, which studies and respects the way a ridden horse needs to be able to use its body in order to stay safe, comfortable and brilliant in its performance, is the future of saddling. However there is evidence that at least some aspects of it have been used in the years gone by in the Military, so it is not entirely new information, rather it seems to be lost and forgotten wisdom.

A Functional approach combines a saddle and padding system that creates a very affective Remedial Saddling programme that helps damaged horses to recover and/or an ongoing Maintenance Saddling programme for horses with well-developed backs

There is no doubt that Conventional Saddle Fitting methods are what most horse owners and horses have to make do with, because alternatives are rarely offered, even though the saddle industry has known about it for many years. Thankfully, there is a growing number of people who are willing to look beyond the status quo and seek out a more enlightened approach, and horses all around the world will rejoice when Functional Saddling comes full circle and is available to every ridden horse and their owners to try.

A conventionally fitted saddle compresses the tissues of the horse’s back. Combining a layered/adjustable pad system with the saddle to fine-tune comfort and balance.

What does the tree need in order to be of benefit to the ridden horse? It needs to be made with care, to be as symmetrical as possible and to mirror the contours, angles and width of the horse’s back when it is healthy, well-muscled and moving correctly. It is essential to remember that shape of the horse’s back, when he is moving in a bio-mechanically efficient (correct) way, is most definitely wider and flatter than when he is standing still, in a relaxed state. So, any horse who has had a saddle made for him, or supplied, in a width and shape that is a good match for his back when he is standing still, is doomed. These horses are forced to learn how to move in a biomechanically unnatural way, that puts much more stress on the joints and soft tissues. Often the worst saddles are those that are classified as ‘bespoke’ where the saddle fitter has taken great care to record every detail of the horse’s back shape when it is standing still.

A functional and constructively designed and fitted saddle – Tree and panel shape, very soft panels and cushioning padding system allows the horse back to expand into it.

Simple, logical and supportive The principles of Functional Saddling are not complicated. This very logical method involves using saddles designed to fit the healthy moving shape of a horse’s back with a pad combination tailored to suit each individual horse which can be easily adjusted to suit the horse’s changing shape and needs. It is not restricted to a specific make or model of saddle, although both the saddle and pads used do need to contain a particular number of horse-friendly design features. The most obvious difference is that Functional Saddling, like the BALANCE Saddling System involves working with saddles that DO NOT FIT the horse (in a conventional way). It is the way that the saddles don’t fit the static shape of the horse, that makes them work so well for the moving horse, and let’s face it, most riders do want their horses to move!

The horse is its own worst enemy in many respects because most are willing to adapt to restrictions that are imposed upon them by equipment and the unnatural act of being ridden, and therefore, the symptoms of saddle related dis-ability and damage can take years to manifest as an actual lameness or injury, although they can manifest sooner in the form of resistance and loss of quality in the movement. Unfortunately, the practice of using the horse’s static and often compromised body shape to match the tree and saddle shape to, became generally accepted and taught about 40 years ago and went unchallenged until 1993, when two of the founders of the UK based BALANCE organisation exposed the flaws in this approach and started to explore and develop a kinder and more logical method of saddling.

Functional & Constructive Saddling BALANCE has adopted this descriptive name for the approach they developed and have been encouraging others to explore it for the past 26 years. Functional, because rather like Functional Medicine, it looks at the whole horse and what he/she needs to be healthy and happy. This involves looking beyond the saddle itself, to the way the horse is ridden and trained to make sure that the saddle does not conflict. EQUINE NEWS.COM.AU

Showing the beginnings of engagement (lowering of the haunches and greater bend and flexion in all the joints of the hind legs with the hind leg stepping further under the body and carrying more weight) and the corresponding straighter, wider and flatter back and expanded ribcage that goes with this.

A comparison of two saddle shapes the bottom one is a standard medium width in conventional saddling, the top one is horse shaped â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a medium width in the BALANCE saddle range.

A tight tree showing how the clearance over the withers is achieved by putting pressure on the soft tissues in conventional saddle fitting.

It is a method that respects the role that riders and trainers play in the health and welfare of the ridden horse and provides them with the knowledge and the equipment needed to assess and fine tune saddle comfort themselves on a daily basis, with additional professional support available whenever they feel the need.

biomechanics look and feel like. Also people are largely unaware that so much of the resistance and so called bad behaviour that occurs in horses is due to discomfort. We are working hard to help more people become aware that there is so much more potential for improvement in how horses move and perform. By exploring this simple but brilliant alternative approach to conventional saddling, people will find that their horses will be happier, healthier, will stay sound and be more obliging partners and better athletes.

Most people (probably 95% fall into this category) have only ever seen or felt the way horses move, behave and look in conventionally fitted saddles, so they are largely unaware of what correct movement and

Feeling under a conventionally fitted saddle. Feeling under a functional and constructively fitted saddle.

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The BALANCE Organisation Website www.balanceinternational.com has a lot of information for those of you who are interested in learning more. Contact Mel Fleming mel@melfleming.com.au / 0428 385 745 to find out more or book a saddle fitting demonstration/seminar. This article was written by Mel Fleming in conjunction with BALANCE Co-founder Lesley Taylor-Brett.

About Mel Fleming –

Test Ride Facilitator for BALANCE saddles in Australia & Teacher of Constructive Functional Saddling Naturally a teacher, Mel Fleming has a clear concise and encouraging style of teaching and her passion for horsemanship is clearly demonstrated in her training. Mel has a diverse range of skills with many years of experience in starting horses under saddle, solving behaviour problems with difficult horses, developing competition and performance horses, equine postural training and rehabilitating horses that are broken in body and spirit. Mel uses the principles of Aikido and Feldenkrais - using energy and alignment rather that physical force – and when combined with two way communication, the result is harmony with horses. This leads to correct biomechanics, where movement is graced with effortlessness and ease. Mel facilitates both horses and humans to reach their highest potential. Clinics and courses varying in length from days to weeks are held by Mel around Australia and at ‘Alchemy Place’ “Alchemy Place” is a scenic 100 acre property situated in a beautiful valley at the base of the Moonbi range near Tamworth NSW which is set up as a horsemanship facility for developing horses and teaching people. It offers the ultimate escape and perfect surroundings to learn and experience being one with your horse. For clinic schedule please visit

www.melfleming.com.au Call Mel Fleming on 0428 385 745 or email mel@melfleming.com.au

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Working Equitation “A fun way to train seriously” Working Equitation is an equine discipline consisting of 4 phases graded from Introductory Level to Masters Level. Australian National Working Equitation - Qld Inc. (ANWE Qld) is the peak body for Working Equitation in Queensland. We support and assist Queensland clubs to affiliate, participate and compete in line with the governing national body Australian National Working Equitation Ltd (ANWEL).

Want to join?

Working Dressage phase: A graded dressage test performed in a 40 x 20m arena. Maneability phase (Ease of Handling/Style): The horse & rider navigate a set series of obstacles ideally showing a calm and flowing course. Speed phase is carried out with a reduced number of obstacles. The object is to complete the course correctly and with the fastest time. Cattle phase (optional)- a team of 4 riders and is a timed event where each rider cuts a cow from the herd and with the help of the team, guides it down the arena into a pen.

Below is a list of the current ANWE Clubs in QLD. Connect with your local club for more information or if you would like to start a club connect with us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ANWEQLD/. • • • • • •

Noosa District Working Equitation – RDA Yandina - https://www.facebook.com/groups/NDWEQInc Samford Working Equitation – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1622450161208568/ Logan River Redlands Working Equitation – Chambers Flat - https://www.facebook.com/groups/728188603866138/ Darling Downs Western Dressage – Toowoomba - https://www.facebook.com/darlingdownswesterndressage/ South Burnett Working Equitation - Nanango - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2396807330605085/ Gold Coast Working Equitation – Mt Tambourine - https://www.facebook.com/Gold-Coast-Working-Equitation-Club-Inc-839496086407053/

Come and visit us at the QSEC Horse Home Show to find out more or be in the draw to win a working equitation starter pack. T’s & C’s apply.

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Discounts for multiple mares booked. Chilled and frozen semen available. • Will pass on his awesome temperament to even the hottest of mares and breeds • Highly heritable train-ability, leg conformation and feet quality • Homozygous black so cannot throw a chestnut foal • Cross of Star Black Minstril and Peppys Doc Bar • 15.2 HH 2nd cross ASH Rego # 152985 • Progeny have won up to State and National Levels in Led, Working, Hacking, Camp Drafting, Jumping, Polo X, Pony Club. • Great Testimonials have been given by top horse-people including Dan Steers and Ian Bruce.

For booking form and further info, go to http://evds.net.au/bromac-aladar/ or Find him on Facebook *service fee does not include agistment or pregnancy scans. Should the mare not conceive on 1st cycle a live cover scan and handling fee or semen collection fee of $250 will be charged for subsequent cycles.

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Carriage Driving IN QUEENSLAND

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There are many disciplines in Carriage Driving including show driving, driven dressage, combined driving, endurance and pleasure driving. This year, Queensland is proud to host two National Championships at the Queensland State Equestrian Centre, Caboolture. The Queensland Driven Dressage Championships are scheduled to take place on 20th June, 2020 followed by the National Driven Dressage Championships on 21st June, 2020. Please check our website for updates pending the current lockdown period. Eligibility to participate in these championship events requires current membership of driver and registered horse(s) with the Australian Carriage Driving Society (ACDS) and participation in a minimum of two Graded Driven Dressage Qualifiers prior to the Championships. We are also hosting the Queensland Show Driving Championships on 5th September, 2020 and the National Show Driving Championships on 6th September, 2020. Keep your eye on our Events Calendar https://sites.google.com/ site/acdsqueenslandbranch/Home/state-calendar-2009-10 to keep up to date on what’s happening in Carriage Driving this year. If you join your nearest ACDS affiliated club now you will receive 18 months membership for the cost of 12 months membership (only for first time members). Everybody is welcome to come along to any event and have a look or call me on 0452 220 977 for more information.

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Grooming is the first thing you do with your horse after catching them. The quality of grooming time can set the tone for all that’s to follow so it’s important. Some people have ‘issues’ when grooming. It can be such a positive thing, a personal body pamper session, and normally horses love it, but sometimes not. Problems include moving away, trying to bite/ kick or having no-go zones. What’s happening when we see two horses mutually grooming? Mutual trust and affection while touching. When we see this, we think it’s sweet, they like each other. When we groom, we can adopt this headspace, that we really like our horse and want to give them a lovely experience. Not ‘get the job done’. This positive headspace is essential. To do this, we need to be in the present moment. If we’re on auto pilot, thinking about other things and just getting the job done, we can’t feel our horse and respond to them in the moment. If you’re grooming and your mind strays, place a bare hand on the horse, or go to their head and stroke for a while to bring yourself back.

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Ensure your tools are comfortable for the horse. Some horse grooming tools are uncomfortable and even painful for the horse. Hard, stiff bristles hurt on sensitive skin, especially a summer coat, and many horses hate them. Some mane and tail brushes rip the hair out, causing pain. Look at your tools and discard any that may be causing discomfort. Look at the amount of pressure you’re using, not too hard or soft. Sometimes people push so strongly it hurts, or so lightly it tickles. Both may incline horses to dislike grooming. In the middle, with a nice firm pressure but not pushing too hard works best. Be aware of areas of sensitivity. The flank is very sensitive, plus belly, inner thighs and face. When in a sensitive area be careful not to tickle or push too hard. Grooming in the direction of hair growth can assist with comfort. When grooming the head move slowly so they know you are aware of the eyes. If approaching a sensitive area slide into it from a less sensitive area. For example, if you want to groom the flank and just plonk the brush there you

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can expect a protest. Groom along the horses’ side, then slide onto the flank. Similarly, if you want to pull off a tick don’t just grab it, especially if it’s in a sensitive area. Rub toward it then slide to get the tick. For a tick on the muzzle, slide down from the forehead. The same thing goes for poking and prodding. No-one, yourself included, likes it if someone comes up and just pokes them. If you must poke an area, approach the spot by sliding there with an open hand first. Looking at all the possible things we could be doing to cause the problem is always the first approach to any horse issue. If you’ve ticked all these boxes and still have a problem, it’s time to start re-training. Horses with a long-term aversion to something may have formed a habitual response. This can take time to change, but every session should show improvement. If not, then look again at what you’re doing and make necessary adjustments. The priority is to remain safe. If the horse is showing aggressive behaviour and you are not sufficiently experienced to re-train, call in a professional to start. If it’s safe and you have the skills, the goal is to reward the positive behaviours and ignore the negative. Hitting or reprimanding will only confirm to the horse that grooming is bad. If grooming the body and the horse moves or goes to kick/bite, try and keep the brush on their body (it doesn’t matter where) until they stop. The moment they stop, remove the brush. It’s best to have the lead-rope in your other hand for this. If they’re tied up and pull back, they may feel trapped and panic, again confirming it’s bad. If you have the lead you can move with them, show them what’s wanted plus control dangerous behaviours

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If grooming the mane and the horse turns the head away, continue and wait for them to move back to centre. When they do, stop grooming. Set up a rhythm. Every time they move away keep going, every time they come back stop. Pretty soon they won’t be moving. Using this simple method horses can see being groomed as a pamper session, not as a punishment. This is what it should be, pleasurable for both the horse and the human. Your special time together.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Suzy Maloney B. Eq. Sc.

has a degree in Equine Science, has been instructing riding students for 15 years and runs her own business Happy Horses Bitless. Suzy discovered bitless bridles 10 years ago and has now made the promotion of their use her passion. She teaches students exclusively in bitless bridles, gives bitless clinics, writes articles, gives talks on bitless riding and sells bitless bridles through her web page. Suzy believes we can communicate with horses using gentleness, intuition and an open mind. Her lessons are a combination of classical riding, natural horsemanship and the understanding of equine behaviour.

Suzy Maloney B.Eq.Sc. HAPPY HORSES BITLESS Phone: 0401 249 263 Email: happyhorsesbitless@gmail.com www.happyhorsesbitless.com Happy Horses Bitless Bridles

The Wild Horse Model of Hoof Care and my Journey to Understand it Better Part 2 - Tucson to Utah IMAGES: Bobbie Grover

I’m sitting on an absolute buzz of professional inspiration in an old classic American truck beside someone who, on the face of it, resembles a classic American cowboy. I have many mentors in the hoofcare world as I believe every experienced professional has a great deal of wisdom to offer, and I’ve been following David’s work for years. The Saguaros rush by as we flow down the straight desert highway towards Tucson area, animated chatter about hooves, horses and philosophy all the way. David Landreville is a rehabilitative trimmer in Southern Arizona. If you’re a hoof care professional and you haven’t seen photographic records of his hoof recovery, you may want to check it out. David’s trimming, like mine, is inspired from a desire to help domestic horses with problematic hooves, using principles of nature and time to achieve some great results which I am thrilled to see first hand. David uses the concept of soft tissue development to grow the health of the back of the foot, in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of the conditions that lead to a wild horse foot itself. One of the highlights of my time with David, which inspires me is a wild born Sulphur Springs mustang, Te Amo. He is a ‘failed’ mustang makeover horse that proved a little too much for the standard and somewhat ‘rough and ready’ training that goes into horses brought in from the wild. I watch as the grullo mustang slips explosively away from his handler, and glides around his arena, padding the sandy ground on feet that flick out and propel him forward in a way that would make a grand prix dressage rider salivate. Compared with others, even good footed domestic horses he has a propulsion that lacks jarring, more closely resembling an animal living in nature, rather than a domestic pet or livestock. And, he reminds me of something. For a moment I can’t place it. Then a memory flashes in front of me of that bobcat on the bank of the Salt River, padding silently up the sand. This horse moves like a bobcat in the desert. Compared with many of our horses, his movement is feline. 26 EQUINE NEWS.COM.AU

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Expert care and rehabilitative trimming aside Te Amo was, for me, such an amazing example of the movement that horses can achieve in their wild environment, and highlighted the deficiency in the same that our domestic horses suffer from. After spending three inspiring days with David and his lovely wife Stephanie it is time to hit the road, traveling by bus to Holbrook to see an American Rodeo and Fair, and then up to the Grand Canyon for the non-equine part of my tour of the Wild West. I’m sitting on a grandstand at the Holbrook Navajo County Fair and Rodeo grounds, comparing riding styles of American and Australian stock men and women. I’m also thinking about the horses in the corrals across the arena awaiting, I assume, the Bronc events later on. Many of them resemble mustangs and I wonder how many of them have previously lived on the ranges of western USA. They are calm and well cared for, and a close look at them shows beautifully soft eyes and absence of fear. They do make me wonder about a round up that’s taking place in western Utah, my last destination of this trip. I have mixed feelings. My childhood and early teens spent at rodeos in Australia means I have a great deal of love for the sport, and yet... like anything in this world, there

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be altered by our creeping destruction. And yet it is. Dams upstream of the Grand Canyon have reduced its maker the Colorado River to a comparative trickle, and lack of natural flooding events have affected the canyon floor ecosystem to the point where plant species are threatened. It also has spiritual significance. The Hopi, indigenous people of the area believe that the Grand Canyon was the portal through which we entered this world, through the sky of one of the four worlds below. So I fade in and out of an exhausted nap, feeling equal parts exaltant on a wondrous day, and deep unease.

are no perfect solutions or scenarios. As an environmentalist I also understand the unfortunate necessity to manage our wildlife when their range is compromised by human habitation. But I remind myself that I am not here to answer the dilemma that is wild horse management in a country to which I am foreign. I’m in a bus on my way home from the Grand Canyon. I’m thinking about the day I have just had, and back to exactly 2 weeks ago when I flew into Los Angeles, where the spreading stain of human population on a great section of the earth was like a kick to the stomach. When I had arrived earlier that day at the edge of a canyon that is utterly indescribable, a man behind me spoke in awe. He said ‘Oh. Now I get it...’ The thing about the Grand Canyon is that it makes you feel so small, it figuratively slaps you in the face with your own insignificance. And it feels good. There is a spiritual value in that insignificance. It seems an antidote to the view of LA from the air, speaking of wilderness that can’t

While waiting for a connecting flight to take me to my last stop on my quest, I read about a study that movement and regular trimming brings excellent outcomes for hoof rehabilitation and development. This is no surprise to me, as I have found this in my practice, but it is good to see peer reviewed studies confirming the things we know. While the Salt River horses range is limited, for mustangs on the continent, wild horses in Utah range over 2.5 million acres, attributing one horse to every 1278 acres. Migratory patterns are based on season - it gets much colder up here - predators like mountain lions, and sometimes round ups leading horses to leave their home range. I head out with a passionate lady to see the Onaqui herd, in the ranges to the west of Salt Lake City. These horses are currently under threat of removal, and there is a wild horse holding area not far from here, as well as a round up that is just winding up. The plain is vast and covered with bleached blond grasses, purple bruise-coloured mountains and pastel blue skies. It is a sandy road that we meander along, with scores of insects and birds flickering up in front of us. We pass pronghorns, an odd antelope-like creature that is skittish and graceful in its retreat. I am in awe of the Onaqui. Never before have I seen so many wild horses in one place. They live in bands within the herd itself, with jealous stallions and their lieutenants keeping unwanted attentions separate from

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I watch as the bison wander in ungainly fashion across the plain and, not for the first time on this trip I think of natural movement in migration, and how ecosystems, hoof function and development, grass and shrub health and our planet’s health - in every continent - once relied upon nomadic high mileage grazing herds. The following day I return, once more, to the Onaqui. Today there is snow on the peaks and as we drive through the muddy trails, the threat of snow splashes on our windshield. We are lucky to see a roan stallion galloping along the perimeter of his territory, head held aloft, hooves like pogo sticks in the softened earth. We are fascinating to them, as well - a breathtaking black beauty of a filly wants to know more about me, and while threatening dark clouds drive me away, I could not help but feel like we had started a friendship in the cold and windy open plain. I spend the rest of the day observing functional and beautiful hooves and their magnificent owners.

their harems. Youngsters flick in and out of afternoon slumber, or rise and stretch in that perfectly natural movement that is equine kin to the downward dog. The Onaqui herd is a coloured one, despite being perhaps mainly descended from the bankrupted Pony Express that passed through here, favouring strong horses to cross the continent in the days before telegraphs and modern communication. I hear from my guides that these wild horses have benefited from Spanish Mustangs, released into the population more recently to add colour and type to the herd. On the first day I spend with the Onaqui, I wait with my new friend for them to arrive at a BLM trough for a drink. As they arrive in their bands, I check out their hooves and movement with binoculars. It is not long until I am incredulous with seeing, for the first time, the biggest group of good-footed horses I have ever seen. I count around 200 horses, and while their hooves are varied in size and shape, aside from 3 horses, all were, by our standards, well-footed, with strong caudal development, a surprising lack of flare, and almost no contraction. Foals raced along their dam’s side across the rocky footing, with that now familiar padding like the feline Te Amo. I take a slight detour on my second day in Utah and visit Antelope Island, again with an extraordinarily generous local new friend. As we drive we are looking out for porcupine in the trees, and watching a lone bison that wanders along the shore of the water bird laden Great Salt Lake. We find a porcupine, and a horned owl, and a burrowing owl. I am utterly unprepared for what follows. We drive up a small track and find ourselves in the middle of a massive herd of bison, traveling almost relentlessly across the golden foothills of the island’s small plateau. My friend tells me that bison are a keystone species, that they have a crucial role in ecosystem function. They are relied upon by many other species and removal of them is tantamount to ecosystem ill health and even collapse. I am reminded of a project I have read about in Croatia where horses are being introduced into their natural ecosystems once more as a restoration attempt. I wonder if, evolving here on the American plains, horses have fallen back into the function they once maintained.

There is, of course, genetic weakness but Nature manages this. A yearling whose tendon contraction left him walking on his dorsal hoof wall, is unlikely to survive to adulthood and/or breed. It is the tough that survive and pass on their genes, contributing to the success of the whole. Whilst I fly home exuberant with the experience of seeing them ‘in the flesh’, my wild horse journey leaves me with as many questions as answers. The Wild Horses of the Americas hold great value to those who wish to learn about and care for the domestic equine hoof. But they have such great value in so many other respects. Maybe because they represent some of the last genetic vestiges of an evolved horse, mostly free from human interference. Maybe because they represent a complicated human history on a compromised continent. Doubtlessly in their freedom they have an intrinsic value to those who seek their company, and counsel. Grazing animals are being recognised as playing a role in preventing wildfires and building soil, sequestering carbon and promoting biodiversity, in an era of climate insecurity. As a trimmer, my practice will include my memories of both the deeply gentle lifestyles and the harsh sculpting conditions of the desert. It will continue to take into domesticity the philosophy that is the wild horse model, based on optimal high mileage desert lifestyles. And, it will take with it a desire to let nature and all its facets do its job, in a world where we are increasingly overstepping.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Dan Smith ‘Dan Smith is a natural hoof care practitioner in the Northern Rivers area of NSW. He specialises in holistic horse management for healthy hoof growth with a focus on nature as healer, and a keep it simple philosophy. He believes that you should ride what you trim, and competes his quarter horse in camp drafts and challenges... with a lot of practice needed!’

Dan Smith Hoof Nerd

Natural Hoof Care Practitioner – Northern Rivers and Tenterfield • Equine Hoof Trimming - Maintenance, Rehabilitation and Performance • Equine Hoof Boot Sales • Holistic Horse Care • Hoof Care Education and Training

Photo credit: Angela Murdock

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065

dansmithhoofnerd@outlook.com FACEBOOK:

Dan Smith Hoof Nerd

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Joint Health and Equine Acupressure By Amy Snow & Nancy Zidonis, Founders of Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Resources

Every sport horse needs strong healthy joints. We ask a lot of our horses -- whether it’s jumping, climbing mountains, stopping short, spinning, or pulling a cart – and the risk of short-term injury or long-term damage is always there. Taking an integrative approach can help you maintain the strength and flexibility of your horse’s joints. Horse people know that breeding plays a huge role in a horse’s overall structural development and soundness. Trainers tell us about proper training and conditioning techniques, which are essential during every stage in the horse’s life. Diet is of the utmost importance, while veterinary assessment and early detection of joint issues are critical. Experts in all these fields can give you a treasure trove of information about how to best care for your horse’s joints and prevent injury. Giving your horse an acupressure-massage session twice a week is something you can do on your own to support his joints. Acupressure is non-invasive, safe, always available, deceptively gentle, yet powerful. Horses are highly receptive to acupressure-massage. For over 3,000 years, these bodywork techniques have been proven through clinical observation to enhance equine health and performance.

Equine Joints By definition, a joint is the site of the junction or union of two or more bones. The primary function of joints is to provide for growth, motion, and flexibility of the skeletal frame. The horse’s joints are made up of at least two bones covered by smooth, interfacing cartilage, synovial fluid, and ligaments binding the joint together. The equine athlete’s joints must articulate properly and withstand a huge amount of impact. Miraculously, these joints are structurally designed to flex, and serve as amazing shock absorbers. However, repetitive wear and tear, a sudden impact injury, a ligament

tear or instability, and/or joint disease can put an end to a horse’s career and to your enjoyment of equine sports or even leisure hacking. As tough as horses are, we are responsible for protecting them and preventing as much pain and suffering as possible.

Acupressure-Massage for Joint Health Specific acupressure points, also called “acupoints”, help nourish and balance the structural components of the horse’s joints – including bones, cartilage, synovial fluid and ligaments. By gently placing your thumb on the acupoints shown in the chart, you are bringing chi (life-promoting energy), nourishing blood, and essential body fluids to the tissues. Ligaments are responsible for holding the bones of the joints together. They need sufficient nourishment to remain supple and strong enough to flex and hold the joint in alignment. The smooth cartilage covering the surface of the connecting bones, along with the synovial joint fluid, must receive nutrients and chi to sustain their capacity to move smoothly and absorb impact to the joint. By offering your equine athlete acupressure-massage sessions two times a week, you will support his ability to stay sound, preventing injury while extending his years of comfort and well-being, and your enjoyment of your chosen sport.

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Acupressure-Massage Session An acupressure-massage session includes acupoints that are specifically selected to support joint health. The following acupoints are known to enhance joint flexibility and strength. Stomach 36 (St 36), Leg Three Miles, is used to nourish muscles, tendons, and ligaments with which strengthens the joints and increases their flexibility. Bladder 17 (Bl 17), Diaphragm’s Hollow, is the “Influential point” for blood. This means this acupoint influences and creates the nutrientrich quality of the blood. The strength of the joint is dependent on nourishment. Gall Bladder 34 (GB 34), Yang Mound Spring, directly influences the health of the horse’s joints. It is known to bring chi energy and blood to all the tissues of the joint.

CLINICAL SIGNS OF JOINT TRAUMA • Lameness • Exercise avoidance • Gait changes • Swelling • Heat • Audible clicking of the joint • Pain response to touch Note: If any of the above conditions occur, immediately seek veterinary assessment and recommendations. Acupressure-massage is not a substitute for veterinary medical care.

Liver 3 (Liv 3), Great Thoroughfare – the Liver organ system is directly responsible for the health of tendons and ligaments. As such, the acupoint, Liver 3, supports the essential chi, blood and essence needed to maintain the horse’s joints.

Hands-On Application Chinese medicine practitioners have been helping horses feel and perform their best by stimulating these acupoints specifically for their joints. Using the soft tip of your thumb or pointer finger, apply gentle pressure on the acupoint shown in the chart. Rest your other hand comfortably on your horse. Slowly count to 30 before moving to the next acupoint. Place your fingers on the acupoints on one side before working on the other side of your horse. While you are stimulating these acupoints, the signs your horse may give indicating more chi and blood are circulating include licking, softening of the eye, stretching, shaking, passing air, and even sleeping. If your horse gives any indication that he is not comfortable with a point, just move to the next.

Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis are the authors of Acu-Horse: A Guide to Equine Acupressure, Acu-Dog: A Guide to Canine Acupressure and Acu-Cat: A Guide to Feline Acupressure. They founded Tallgrass, offering books, manuals, DVDs, apps, and meridian charts. Tallgrass also provides online training programmes worldwide. Visit: www.animalacupressureresources.com Email: amy@animalacupressure.com Facebook: AnimalAcupressure

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The Aussie Farrier When a horse owner faces dealing with brittle, cracked hooves, they should never underestimate the potential seriousness of the problem. Remember those well-used words of wisdom: “No hoof, no horse”. It’s essential that any cracking or splitting be arrested. If the problem advances too far up the hoof wall, or the cracks gets too deep, the chances of infection of the delicate underlying layers of living tissue are greatly increased Researchers have clearly shown that the right nutritional supplements will improve hoof condition.

The sensitive laminae are protected by the hoof wall. Poor quality, cracked hooves can lead to infection in this delicate tissue.

The importance of certain ingredients to create and maintain healthy hooves

Zinc and Copper. Zinc is involved with growth rates and healing. Zinc to Copper ratio needs to be from 3:1 to 5:1 to achieve the optimum absorption of both minerals. The correct amount of dietary zinc speeds up wound healing – two to three times as fast as horses with a deficiency. Zinc boosts the ability to heal and grow both healthy tissue in the hoof and strong connective tissue between the laminae. It has antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage and infection. Zinc deficiencies can be caused by an excess intake of calcium as calcium displaces zinc. A horse fed purely on lucerne hay/chaff without supplements could have a zinc deficiency. Methionine is an amino acid that is absolutely essential in the creation of cystine. Cystine is what makes keratin durable through disulfide bonds - so as the hoof wall is made of keratin, its strength relies on Methionine being present. Methionine needs to be fed (the horse’s body does not make it) and as plant material is a fairly poor source of this amino acid, a deficiency of Methionine is often pinpointed as the cause for crumbly, cracking and poor growing hoof walls. Biotin is a B vitamin and although the biotin requirement for normal horses is 1-2 mg per day, studies have shown that supplementing the horse with 15- 25 mg of biotin per day significantly improves the hoof wall tissue. Biotin plays an important role in cell-to-cell adhesion, therefore strengthening the hoof wall when supplied in adequate quantities. However, biotin needs several other nutrients to carry out its role, specifically zinc and methionine.

The horse in this case was born with shelly, brittle feet. The addition of a supplement was imperative to assist in his riding future.

The horse in this case was an eventer and had a deep crack that was causing incidence of dry abscesses. The addition of a supplement gave his hooves the strength and elasticity to withstand performance competition.

Because the outer part of the hoof is dead tissue, you are never going to “heal” poor hooves.Your strategies will need to centre on ensuring the horse has a good diet to encourage good hoof growth. As our current drought conditions are likely to affect the quality of feed available, owners may find a dietary supplement will be needed to address hoof problems.

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Oxenford Valley Stockfeed Horse Feed - Cattle Feed Dog & Cat Food Wormers - Tick Control Vet Supplies

WE DELIVER...

all your stock & pet supplies Ph: (07) 5573 1273

Shop 1/141, Old Pacific Hwy

LOCATION

ADDRESS

PHONE NO.

1 Bundaberg

71 Cnr Gavin and Queens Street, Bundaberg, QLD 4670

(07) 4151 7883

2 Windera

2814 Murgon/Gayndah Road, Windera, QLD 4605

(07) 4168 6186

3 Murgon

21 Lamb Street Murgon, QLD 4605

(07) 4168 3060

4 Kingaroy

97 River Road, Kingaroy, QLD 4610

(07) 4163 6310

5 Wamuran

1055 D’Aguilar Hwy, Wamuran, QLD 4512

(07) 5496 6500

6 Quinalow

3 Myall Street, Quinalow, QLD 4403

(07) 4692 1333

7 Toowoomba

300-312 Anzac Avenue, Toowoomba, QLD 4350

(07) 4637 3300

8 Allora

Has everything you need to: 120 Clifton Road, Allora, QLD 4362

(07) 4666 2210

9 Beaudesert

9A Thiedeke Road, Beaudesert, QLD 4285

(07) 5541 4882

10 Murwillumbah

17 Buchanan Street, Murwillumbah, NSW 2484

(02) 6672 2311

11 Kyogle

Willis Street, Kyogle, NSW 2474

(02) 6632 2920

12 Casino

Dyraaba Street, Casino, NSW 2470

(02) 6661 2100

13 Lismore

105 Wilson Street, South Lismore, NSW 2480

(02) 6627 8266

14 Alstonville

17 Kays Lane, Russelton Estate, Alstonville, NSW 2477

(02) 6628 8315

15 Woodburn

81 Trustums Hill Road, Woodburn NSW 2472

(02) 6682 2081

16 Tenterfield

445 Rouse Street, Tenterfield, NSW 2372

(02) 6736 5902

17 Glen Innes

165 Lang Street, Glen Innes, NSW 2370

(02) 6732 2162

18 Armidale

252 Mann Street, Armidale, NSW 2350

(02) 6771 4669

19 Grafton

19 Queen Street, Grafton, NSW 2460

(02) 6643 5630

20 Woolgoolga

16 Featherstone Drive, Woolgoolga, NSW 2456

(02) 6654 2905

21 Coffs Harbour

24 Isles Drive, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450

(02) 6658 0393

22 Bellingen

1076 Waterfall Way, Bellingen, NSW 2454

(02) 6655 9792

23 Bowraville

51 Carbin Street, Bowraville, NSW 2449

(02) 6564 8648

24 Macksville

Tilly Willy Street, Macksville, NSW 2447

(02) 6568 4057

25 Stuarts Point

906 Stuarts Point Road, Stuarts Point, NSW 2441

(02) 6569 0955

26 Kempsey

3 Kemp Street, West Kempsey, NSW 2440

(02) 6562 6393

27 Taree

5 Grey Gum Road, Taree, NSW 2430

(02) 6551 2999

28 Gloucester

Corner of Church and Phillip Street Gloucester, NSW 2422

(02) 6558 9600

29 Dungog

Stroud Road, Dungog, NSW 2420

(02) 4992 1087

30 Heatherbrae

9 Hank Street Heatherbae, NSW 2324

(02) 4987 6500

• Feed it • Plant it & • Fence it • Grow it Call 02 - 6627 8000 for a store near you or visit - www.norco.com.au Norco Stores Because there’s a farmer in all of us

Norco - is an Australian owned dairy co-operative since 1895

Oxenford Qld

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7 8

11 12

10 13 14

15 19 0 2 22 2 1 23 25 24 26

17 18

28 29

BRISBANE

SYDNEY

and Rural Services

ROUND BALE SILAGE BULK WHITE COTTON SEED CUSTOM MIXES MADE ON PREMISES

Farm Implements, Slashers, Bale Grabs, Grain Feeders, Round Bale Feeders, Fencing Supplies and Much More! Ph: 02 6642 2200 E: seyah5@bigpond.com.au M: 0428 666 782 9 Butterfactory Lane, Grafton NSW

MOLASSES

(small qty & bulk)

148 Yarramalong Road, Wyong Creek NSW 2259 – The NEW “Big Shed” opposite Yarramalong Turf Supplies –

(02) 4353 8553

0418 609 820

www.wyongcreekproduce.com

COFFS HARBOUR PRODUCE Feed & Stock Supplements - Grain & Produce - Pet Food & Supplies Fencing Supplies & Gates - Electric Fences - Concrete Products Garden Equipment & Supplies - Organic Supplies & Produce - Vegie Seeds

www.coffsharbourproduce.com.au FREE DELIVERY OR DRIVE THROUGH - BUSINESS HOURS: Mon - Fri 7am - 5pm Sat 8am - 12pm

26 June Street (Behind Bailey Centre) Coffs Harbour P: (02) 6652 2599 F: (02) 6652 8328 E: chp1@bigpond.com

www.equinenews.com.au

Service Directory PRODUCE & RURAL SUPPLIES “Buy where the farmers buy”

HEAD OFFICE 326 Anzac Ave TOOWOOMBA 07 4614 4000 MILES 07 4685 4401

www.nfw.com.au • Seed Right Price, Right Advice! • Fertiliser 6 Branches - Servicing QLD & NSW • Chemical Proud GOLD sponsor • Fencing • Stockfeed • Fencing • Seed Flinton Race Meeting Irrigation • Supplements • Irrigation • •Fertiliser March 26th 2016 • Animal Health • Animal Health • Tanks/Troughs • Chemical • Stockfeed • Supplements • Tanks/Troughs • Vet Wholesaling (S4 Drugs)

COTTONVALE 07 4680 6002

Available from a Produce Store near you!

MEANDARRA 0400 255 171

Available in three varieties, in addition to a custom option, our feed blocks are formulated to meet the dietary and nutrition requirements of your animals. Multiblock is a rich source of:

CECIL PLAINS 07 4567 7001

Energy - Protein - Vitamins - Minerals - Electrolytes

GUNNEDAH 02 6741 4900

www.nfw.com.au

PHONE 02

6779 2232

Right Price, Right advice

6 Branches - Servicing QLD & NSW •Toowoomba 4614 4000 •Miles - 4627 1076 •Cottonvale - 4685 2136

•Meandarra - 0400 255171 •Cecil Plains - 4668 0888 •Gunnedah - 02 6742 2733

For all your horse, property and pet requirements

E LUCERN CUBES LE B A AVAIL

Producers and Suppliers of...

OPEN 7 DAYS Mon-Fri 8.30am-6pm Sat 8.30am-2pm Sun 9.30am-2pm

Premium Quality Hay Cubes Pressed Hay CONVENIENT COMPACT BALE 1/3 THE SIZE OF A STANDARD SMALL SQUARE BALE ... BUT THE SAME WEIGHT

Pressed Hay products include: Lucerne Hay, Oaten Hay, Pasture Hay & Straw

Please contact your local feed store or contact Rhonda on 0458 415 240

www.multicube.com.au

we make hay easy... to... feed, stack, store and transport

Contains:

PRE & PROBIOTICS

Contains:

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

AUSTRALIAN MADE AND OWNED

108-110 Powlett Street Kilmore Victoria 3764 Email: info@southsidestockfeeds.com.au or visit our online store 24/7:

www.southsidestockfeeds.com.au

Contains:

BIOTIN FOR HEALTHIER HOOVES

Promotes:

INTESTINAL & HIND GUT HEALTH

Find your nearest stockist at

www.koolglow.com.au

www.equinenews.com.au

Kool Glow

Service Directory SADDLERY – CLOTHING – EQUIPMENT

Servicing the equine and canine industries of Australasia with the most extensive range of...

SHOEHORSE Horse & Rider Accessories & Repairs For the Clarence Valley & Surrounding Districts

Stockists of: Hitchley & Harrow – Cinch – Ringers Western Country Park Herbs – Stockmans – Dr Show

Ph: (02) 666 2 2131 E: fitzmaxclothing@gmail.com

Julie & Stevie PHONE: (02) 6642 7038 Shop 27 Skinner Street, South Grafton NSW 2460

82 Walker Street, Casino

Find us on

LAYBYS & GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE

Facebook

HAPPY HORSES BITLESS BRIDLES Suppliers of Dr Cooks cross-under bitless bridles Australia wide. Beta, nylon, range of colours, matching reins & accessories.

PHONE: 0401 EMAIL: WEB:

249 263 happyhorsesbitless@gmail.com www.happyhorsesbitless.com

Embroidered Saddlecloths

ClubColoursDirect The Colour Specialists Braided Rope Reins

Visit W Our NE Y r E L D D sa sHOp

43 Wyrallah Rd, East Lismore, NSW 2480 PHONE: (02) 6622 5002 EMAIL: clubcoloursdirect@gmail.com

For all information please visit our website at 38

We manufacture quality embroidered saddlecloths for Clubs, Schools, Studs and Shows.

~ Huge range of colours in quality fabrics and trims ~ Special prices for Clubs ~ Digitising of logos ~ High density foam inners ~ Any size, any shape ~ Delivered Australia-wide

www.clubcoloursdirect.com.au

www.equinenews.com.au

Service Directory VETERINARY SERVICES

PACIFIC VETCARE Coffs Harbour

320 Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour Ph:6652 3455 Fax:6652 8187 Email:diagnosis@pacificvetcare.com.au

Equine Medicine & Surgery Digital Radiography New Equine Surgery - Specialist Surgeon Endoscopy - Diagnostics Vaccinations - Ultrasound Reproduction - AI - Dentistry

Dr. David Johnson Dr. Stephen Deist Dr. Allan Hudson Dr. Adam Gerhardt Dr. Mathew Grabovszky Dr. Kelly Griffin Dr. Merrilyn Fitzgerald Dr. Amanda Johnson Dr. Chelsea Kramer Dr. Julia Etel Dr. Amber Aspinall

www.pacificvetcare.com.au

Dr Chris Livingston

BVSc (Hons), DVCS, MANZCVS.

and Associates

Complete Veterinary Services Equine Power Float Dentistry Tru DR Digital Radiography 159 Gordon St, Port Macquarie

Ph: (02) 6583 1611 www.portvet.com.au

Utilising The Latest Technology And Techniques WITH 100% CARE AND PROFESSIONALISM Providing the highest quality of equine veterinary dental care. Servicing Sydney and Melbourne.

Dr Shannon Lee B.V.Sc M.A.N.Z.C.V.Sc Eqd M.I.C.E.V.O E.Ds

Ph: 0418 598 621 E: vetbloke@hotmail.com

www.advancedequinedentistry.com.au

Tamworth Veterinary Hospital Dr Greg Ireland Veterinary Surgeon & Physician 106 Brisbane Street Tamworth NSW 2340 Ph: (02) 6766 3988 Fax: (02) 6766 4259 Web: www.tamworthvet.com.au

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Greg Ireland BSc., BVSc. Alison Neef BSc(Vet)., BVSc. Jessica Wise BVetBiol., BVSc. Jessica Cooke BVetBiol., BVSc. Ryan McGhie B.Rur.Sc., BVSc.

FULL AMBULATORY VETERINARY SERVICES ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANY JOB... North QLD I South East QLD I Melbourne Bendigo I Ballarat I Melton I Geelong - and all surrounding areas -

www.equinenews.com.au

Servicing the equine and canine industries of Australasia with the most extensive range of...

North QLD I South East QLD I Melbourne Bendigo I Ballarat I Melton I Geelong - and all surrounding areas -