February 2023 Equine Times

North America’s Premier

Equine Exposition & Equestrian Gathering

APRIL 13–16, 2023

COLUMBUS, OH, Ohio Expo Center

• An Unparalleled Educational Program.

• The Largest Horse-Related Trade Show in North America.

• The “Marketplace” featuring quality consignments for horse & rider.

• The Fantasia (sponsored by Absorbine) — Equine Affaire’s signature musical celebration of the horse on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

• Breed Pavilion, Horse & Farm Exhibits, Horses for Sale and Demonstrations —Enjoy meeting horses of all shapes, sizes, breeds, colors, and disciplines!

• Equine Fundamentals Forum — Educational presentations, exhibits, and activities for new riders and horse owners, young & old.

• The Versatile Horse & Rider Competition — A fastpaced timed and judged race through an obstacle course with $5,500 at stake!

Featured Clinicians

Guy McLean (General Training & Horsemanship)

Julie Goodnight (General Training & Horsemanship)

Jonathan Field (General Training & Horsemanship)

Jason Irwin (General Training & Horsemanship)

• Adoption Affaire — Find and adopt your next horse at the Adoption Affaire, affiliated with the Right Horse Initiative!

• A Horse for Heroes — Equine-assisted activities and therapies designed to benefit veterans, active-duty, and first responders, as well as their families.

• International Liberty Horse Association (ILHA) Freestyle Invitational —Select liberty trainers and horses of a variety of breeds and backgrounds will display their talents in a two-part invitational competition.

• NEW! Ohio State 4-H Horse Bowl & Hippology Contest — Teams compete to demonstrate their knowledge of equine science and trivia.

• Youth Activities and a fun and educational College and Career Fair Scavenger Hunt!

Nona Garson (Hunter/Jumper)

Brad Barkemeyer (Reined Cow Horse and Roping)

Rita Timpanaro (Hunter/Jumper)

J.J. Tate (Dressage)

Bronwyn Irwin (Pole Bending)

Sterling Graburn (Driving)

For all you need to know, visit equineaffaire.com

Proud sponsors of this Equine Affaire:

Carl Bledsoe (Easy Gaited Horses)

Suzanne Galdun (Biomechanics)

Carrie Brandt and Laura Benson (Resonant Riding)

Ali Kermeen (Working Equitation)

Wendy Murdoch (Horsemanship and SureFoot®) …and many more to be announced!

© 2023 Equine Affaire, Inc.

Michigan Fox Trotter Association

Michigan Fox Trotter Association

Michigan Foxtrotting Horse Association

Hello December! Time is sure flying!!

Marilyn Mannino

is nothing like the expectation of a well-bred foal!

Marilyn Mannino

Hello April! Spring is upon us! People are out Fox Trotting and enjoying the weather. Many are accumulating points in the Versatility Challenges that we are offering.

At our November meeting we elected some new officers for 2021. Congratulations go out to Bob Howell elected as the new MFTA President, Kathy Kruch is now VP, Marilyn is still Secretary/Treasurer, Char Ostrom is the new 2-year Director and Miranda Mannino is now the 1-year Director.

Announcing the 2022 versatility challenge winners, for the under saddle division (adult) Georgi Carleton on Joey earned the most points and Carrie Carpenter was the high point earner for the ultimate horseman division (adult). There were no entries in the not under saddle division for adults or youth.

We are accepting membership renewals and new memberships for 2021 now. Youth are encouraged to join too! Go to www.michiganfox trotters.com to print off the form. You will learn alot from our members about the history of Fox Trotters,their uses and availability and be able to network with those of us who camp,train and show them. Our association is blessed to have skilled trainers,breeders and a farrier to learn from. We love promoting this breed as they have great personalities,are so versatile and come in many sizes and different coat colors. A benefit to joining is that we can offer clinics at a reduced price to our members. Due to Covid we are meeting remotely each month. Michigan is a big state and this is a good way to easily see and talk with each other within and outside of MI. Come join the fun!

Don't forget to transfer your newly-bought horse's registration papers into your name with the MFTHBA,too.

We have resources and people available for you to learn from and breeders to refer you to if you want to buy a young one to train or if you want to further the training with your present horse.

Registration is still open for all three Versatility Challenges (Under Saddle Challenge, Not Under Saddle Challenge and Ultimate Horseman Challenge). This program is designed to show how versatile the Missouri Fox Trotter is. Registered and grade MFTs are allowed. All handicapped and regular youth through adults are welcome. Every imaginable activity and category is included from in hand work to Dressage, short distance trail riding to endurance competitions and everything in-between (cow work, driving, extreme trail, 4H and open showing, parades, reining, trail maintenance and more!). We also included a competition for the most ambitious member who demonstrates their horsemanship skills in a wide variety of categories. Quarterly and year-end awards will be given. Go to www.michiganfoxtrotters.com to read the rules and print off the forms to join in on the friendly competition and fun.

Congratulations to both Georgi and Carrie!! The MFHA is proud of all of the rest of the members who participated and accomplished a variety of activities as well. Registrations are now being accepted for the 2023 versatili ty challenge. Read the rules on our web site and see the different ways in which you can start learning and doing things with your horse. Yes, you can do lots of different activities during the cold winter months and get credit for them. You will get a lot accomplished with your horse and earn prizes along the way. This program is motivating and fun! Go to the activities section of michiganfoxtrottinghorse.com to read about the three challenges for adults and youth and find the registration forms. Once your registration form is received, you will be invited to join the private 2023 versatility Facebook group where you will post your activities and points which will help you qualify for quarterly and year end awards. The high point awards are usually embroidered jackets or can be a specially designed belt buckle.

Sign up now for the popular Versatility Challenge for 2021. Print off the enrollment form from our website. There are may areas in which you can accumulate points-even in the non-rideable months.

More Fox Trotters are slowly becoming available to purchase but they are selling fast. There is a good video on the correct Fox Trot gait posted on our Face Book site to refer to when you are considering an MFT to buy. Be sure to bring a knowledgeable person with you,too, when you narrow down your search. Breeders, Chuck Fanslow (riverflatranch.com) and Gale Gunders (989-534-1207), have well-gaited young stock available. They also have quality studs to breed to if you have a mare you want bred. Chuck has a Buckskin stallion and a palomino stallion(both sons of Cotton Eyed Joe). Gale has a spotted stallion who will throw color to your foal. Both are located in Gladwin,MI. Contact them if you want to have your mare bred. There

Dimensions: 72” x 78” x 76”

Weight: 230 lbs.

We are growing! New member welcomes go out to Naomi Haas, equine dentist Kris Modreske and Harry Struble all of MI. Naomi rides a sorrel sabino gelding (Dexter) and a black mare (Hank's Serenity Liberty Bell B). Kris rides a black and white gelding (Radar's Spotted Prior). And congratulations go out to Harry Struble on his purchase of Joe's Golden Chip, a handsome buckskin gelding, from Chuck Fanslow. All these members are riding quality Fox Trotters!!!

The MFTHBA needs registered members to fill their committees for 2021. I just agreed to help out on the Trail Committee again. Surely you can,too! Various committees need members(younger ones too) for their input and advice to increase affiliate numbers,think of ways to make the shows better,to improve and okay National Trail Ride applications,give ideas on clinics (let's get more closer to our state),getting more versatility riders interested,give ideas on training and picking judges, plus more. Many positions can be supported remotely. Also, this is a great way to meet those from other areas of the USA who raise,train and ride MFTs. I have made new friends this way who I would not have otherwise. Contact the MO Fox Trotting Horse Breeding Association via www.mfthba.com to become a member and for more information

“Hay Huts save and preserve the hay They keep the hay weather protected and are horse friendly.” -CHRIS COX

New and renewing MFHA memberships are being accepted now. Meet new friends with MFTs! Learn how to train and gait better. We do lots of things together such as educational clinics with known clinicians, camping and trail rides and showing. Go to the michiganfoxtrottinghorse.com website and click on the membership application button to print your form. Your support will provide needed funds to help us to promote the Fox Trotter breed as well as to assist in educating people about this breed, teach proper gaiting and support the variety of activities that can be done with them. Fox Trotters are rock stars in versatility! Plus, your membership qualifies you for discounts at

Also, PLEASE send in your MFTA dues and your MFTHBA dues

New members are always welcome! Go to www.michiganfoxtrotters.com to print off the membership form. We meet virtually so all members are able to meet without having to drive long distances.

Wishing everyone a blessed and safe Christmas!

our various clinics and with our sponsors (Levi Beechy reduced clinic fee, Chuck Fanslow reduced cost breeding fee, Jackson's Western Store discount and others). More member discounts are always being added. In the winter, some of our members take their horses and go south to Florida or to Arizona to escape the Michigan snow and cold, but they still stay in contact via Zoom for our monthly meetings. Once a member, no matter where you live, you can attend similarly to learn about MFTs and all that they can do as well as network with other owners while the weather is preventing most of us from riding.

Our Event Committee is busy planning the next clinic. It will be a Gaited Western Dressage Clinic at the end of May. More details will be available next month. The clinician is top-notch!

Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Mannino

Your MFTHBA membership qualifies you to become an important member voting for officers and MFTHBA sponsored seminars, clinics, programs and events qualifies you for discount pricing at Stateline Tack and other businesses as well as access to the online registry database (a $95 value). You will receive the online MFTHBA Journal each month and the

Our upcoming clinic with Levi Beechy is set for April 15 and April 16 at Morning View Farm in Ionia, Michigan. The Great Lakes National Trail Ride is scheduled for July 7 through July 9 at the Horseman's Camp at the Waterloo State Recreation Area. As more clinics are finalized, they will be announced here, on

A little history on our breed: The present-day Missouri Fox Trotter evolved from Morgans in New England being crossed with Arabians, Plantation Horses, American Saddlebreds, TWHs and pacing Standardbreds. The genetic mix of square-trotting horses and pacing horses created the comfortable fox trot gait! Missouri Fox Trotting horses have been used by farmers in Missouri and surrounding states to ride long distances to check their fencing and work cows, pull buggies, by US Forest Service workers, by mounted police and now people across the United States and Europe use them for recreation (showing, trail riding, Dressage,reining, 4H and Equestrian Team, Hippotherapy,etc.). They are truly versatile and also can be found in all colors and sizes! Try one out and find out why everyone loves them so!

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cation in January which will allow us to become a non-profit association. Now we wait for the yay or nay answer from the federal government on whether we qualify. We are the Michigan affiliate of the Missouri Fox Trotter Horse Breed Association (mfthba.com)

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Our mission is to promote MFTs and to encourage the breeding and training of them as well as to help their owners learn to enjoy their horses more through

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Trainer Bob Baffert's ban from racing in New York is over

AP

Bob Baffert can once again enter horses at New York’s major tracks.

The Hall of Fame trainer’s one-year ban by the New York Racing Association ended Wednesday, allowing him to enter horses as soon as Thursday.

“I was disappointed they even did it, but it’s water under the bridge,” Baffert told The Associated Press by phone.

He was suspended last June for repeated medication violations, although none of them occurred in New York. He was barred from Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga. A panel credited Baffert for time served for an initial suspension, which allowed him to return this week.

Aqueduct is currently holding its 44-day winter meet that runs through

March 26. Baffert doesn’t typically run horses this time of year in New York; he targets the biggest stakes races at Belmont in the spring and Saratoga in the summer.

Baffert remains under a two-year ban by Churchill Downs Inc., which sidelined him after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit tested positive for a substance that is not allowed on race day. The penalty expires shortly after the Kentucky Derby in May. However, Baffert is fighting the suspension in federal court.

The Southern California-based trainer had a big weekend around the country, although not in New York.

He had horses running at three tracks on Saturday, January 28.

Defunded was entered in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream in

Florida, where Baffert assistant Jimmy Barnes was on hand.

Arabian Knight went into the $750,000 Southwest Stakes as the early favorite at Oaklawn in Arkansas. Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby prep race a record-tying five times and traveled to Hot Springs to watch the 3-year-old colt.

The Southwest offered Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top five finishers. Arabian Knight didn’t receive any points regardless of his placing because of Baffert's Derby ban.

Hopper ran in the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes on Saturday, January 28 at Santa Anita.

On Sunday, January 29 at the same track, Baffert had entered four of the five horses set to run in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds.

Bob Baffert. John Minchillo

'Black Shot' and gone: Stallion's death after libido injection raises questions

Tim Sullivan

Laoban had bred with 126 mares last year when he seemed to lose interest in mating.

The WinStar Farm stallion mounted three mares on May, 22, 2021, and failed to finish his job with any of them, according to insurance documents. The following day, presented with two more potential partners, Laoban was again unable to perform.

So at 6:37 a.m. on May 24, in an effort to increase his energy and enthusiasm for breeding, Laoban was injected with a cocktail of four vitamins and minerals called the “Black Shot.” Within minutes, he was dead.

The North America Specialty Insurance Company (NAS) found that three of the four substances had been administered after their expiration date — one of them by nearly nine years — and said the “acts, errors and omissions” of attending veterinarian Dr. Heather Wharton constituted a failure to provide proper care and entailed risks not covered by its policies.

Part-owners Cypress Creek Equine and Southern Equine Stables filed suit in December in Fayette Circuit Court seeking to

compel the insurance company to pay claims for which it has denied liability. North American Specialty Insurance Company filed a notice of removal in January to move the case to U.S. District Court. The Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners, meanwhile, has declined to investigate in the absence of a filed complaint.

Nearly 11 months after his abrupt demise, Laoban’s death raises questions about priorities and procedures in the breeding industry, about the vigilance of state regulators and about the wisdom of breeding limits the Jockey Club imposed but later rescinded under pressure from the Kentucky legislature. What happened to Laoban?

Laoban was 8 years old, the winner of Saratoga’s 2016 Jim Dandy Stakes and, at last count, the sire of 219 registered foals and another 49 live foals born this year. Fifty-six of Laoban’s progeny sold at auction in 2021 for a total of $3,646,500, with 18 of his mares in foal bringing another $1,445,000. One of his offspring not offered at auction, Keepmeinmind, finished seventh in last year’s Kentucky Derby.

Though he was neither WinStar’s most popular stallion nor its Laoban works out at Keeneland. Coady Photography

priciest, Laoban was a steady source of income with a published stud fee of $25,000, later raised to $40,000. According to the Jockey Club’s breeding statistics, only five of WinStar’s 22 stallions bred more frequently than did Laoban in 2021.

How much effort to maximize his earning potential contributed to his death is conjecture, but Laoban had never bred to as many as 126 mares in four previous years at New York’s Sequel Stallions and, as Wharton acknowledged under oath, was not considered to be in pain, distress or “in any condition that death would occur” at the time he was injected.

High-demand stallions often experience decreased libido late in the breeding season, and the Jockey Club’s efforts to limit stallions’ breeding to 140 mares annually were abandoned earlier this year in the face of threats from the Kentucky legislature. Because of their financial interest in fertility, breeders tend to rely on medication rather than rest to treat underperforming studs.

“Certainly, this loss of interest is not unusual,” said Dr. Cynthia Cole, the veterinarian who directs the University of Florida’s racing laboratory. “One of the things you can do is give him some time off. But there’s always the issue of having an unhappy client.”

What was in the 'Black Shot' given to Laoban?

Investigating Laoban’s death for NAS, attorney Harvey Feintuch found Wharton had admittedly administered the “Black Shot” cocktail without reading the labels on its four ingredients and concluded Wharton had used them in at least 10 different ways contrary to label instructions. According to a 29-page document Feintuch authored last August, vitamins intended to be administered intramuscularly were instead injected intravenously; expired Vitamin B12 was administered at five times the recom-

mended dosage; and expired Vitamin B Complex was administered despite a warning about the risk of anaphylactic shock.

One of the ingredients, Iron Hydrogenated Dextran, carried an expiration date of July 2012, and was indicated only for iron deficiency anemia in baby pigs.

“It’s terribly egregious that anyone would use any kind of substance that's been expired for nine years on any horse for any reason,” said Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action. “I’ve been around horses for my entire life. I’ve never heard of anyone using medication nine years old. That’s just insane.”

Kathy Guillermo, vice president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), said her organization will be filing complaints with both law enforcement and the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners.

"The racing industry is culpable, too," she said. "It should take a hard look at itself and the greed that leads it to breed these horses beyond what is healthy."

Wharton did not respond to interview requests from The Courier Journal. WinStar Farm chief executive officer Elliott Walden declined to be interviewed, confining his response to a prepared statement.

“WinStar has been in the thoroughbred business for over 20 years," Walden said. "Laoban’s passing was a traumatic experience and felt by everyone at the farm. As we stated at the time, insurance companies in general have a self-serving interest in denying claims and blaming others. We resolved by mutual agreement any concerns that were brought to us and closed the chapter of this tragic loss a long time ago.”

Who is at fault for Laoban's death?

Prior to The Courier Journal obtaining a copy of Feintuch’s letter, quiet settlements prevented the matter from attracting significant scrutiny from the media, animal welfare activists or, apparently, state regulators. Dr. Steven J. Wills, chairman of the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners, said in a statement the board “does not have any recent or current grievance cases against licensees involving the stallion Laoban,” but declined to answer additional questions.

Dr. Katie Flynn, the Kentucky state veterinarian, declined to comment.

“You can look at the last 25 years of thoroughbred breeding,” said Chauncey Morris, executive director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association. “There have been circumstances where similar things have happened and you just have to wait for the courts to sort something out.”

Sequel Stallions’ owner Becky Thomas, who retained partial ownership of Laoban after WinStar became its syndicate manager in October 2020, described the stallion’s death as a “very unfortunate accident.” She confirmed she had settled with WinStar. Investors Tony Pettograsso and JR Young declined comment, citing non-disclosure agreements.

Attorney Escum Moore, who filed suit last month claiming Cypress Creek Equine and Southern Equine were wrongfully denied mortality insurance coverage, also declined comment.

According to Feintuch, Wharton claimed to have “likely” injected thoroughbreds with the “Black Shot” 50 times or more while working in California, albeit sometimes with a different mix of ingredients, and that she believed it to be safe.

Feintuch said video of Laoban’s death showed Wharton injecting the horse’s jugular vein and then leaving the stall less than 25 seconds later. He describes Laoban abruptly jolting

Speedway Stable's Collected and jockey Martin Garcia, right, outleg Laoban (Tyler Baze) to win the Grade III $100,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Benoit Photo

toward a wall approximately 58 seconds after the injection, then rolling around violently for 10 seconds “before collapsing in a corner of the stall with his limbs flailing.”

Contacted en route to her office, Wharton returned to the stall and attempted to revive the stallion with steroid injections, to no avail. She attributed his death to anaphylactic shock. The University of Kentucky’s Dr. Laura Kennedy concluded a “presumptive diagnosis of anaphylactic shock can be made with a reasonable degree of medico-legal certainty” based on the horse’s clinical history, post-mortem findings and the elimination of other possible causes of death.

Cole said she would be wary of combining multiple ingredients in a single syringe, in the efficacy of expired substances and, in particular, about the risks of administering iron dextran intravenously.

“The iron itself can cause an anaphylactoid reaction,” Cole said. “Something about the iron triggers an inflammatory reac-

tion. Literally, it’s so quick the horses collapse within 30 seconds to a minute of being administered the drug.

“It may not be related at all to the expiration of the product, though I would say administering something intravenously that has been expired for that long a period of years would be very concerning to me as a veterinary pharmacologist. You don’t know how the product has been stored (or) if it’s still sterile.”

Feintuch said Wharton attempted to shift some of the blame for her failure to read labels to the staff of WinStar’s pharmacy, quoting her as saying, “It’s not my responsibility to go through our drug cabinet.”

Dr. Natanya Nieman, WinStar’s resident veterinarian, told Feintuch she was upset she had not been consulted about the shot and had never injected an adult horse with a vitamin, much less a mixture of vitamins that also included iron dextran.

“I was mad that if something had happened differently, he may not be dead,” she said.

An apron for Laoban hangs in a barn as he is washed at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Patrick Semansky

Hannah Lochner

Many owners blanket their horses during the winter months for warmth, cleanliness, or in an effort to decrease hair length. While previous studies have evaluated the effect of blanketing on a horse's surface temperature and hay intake, none have assessed the impact of blanketing on a horse's coat. Therefore, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls evaluated changes in hair coat length and diameter of horses with or without medium-weight blankets during winter.

The study was conducted with 16 adult horses (9 ± 3 years of age) that had an average body condition score of 5.5 ± 0.5. Two Arabians, two Quarabs, two Thoroughbreds and ten stock type horses were included in the study. Medium-weight (220g fiberfill) blankets were placed on eight of the horses when temperatures were below 5° Celsius for two days (October 27, 2019). Each month, through March 2020, hair samples were taken from the neck and hindquarters using tweezers. Hair length and diameter were measured using a digital caliber and micrometer, respectively.

Blanketing did not affect body weight or body condition score of the horses. For all horses, hair length was shortest in October and March, and longest in January and February. Similarly, hair coat diameter was smallest in October and March, and largest in January and February.

The length of hindquarter hair did not differ between blanketed and non-blanketed horses. However, neck hair length was greater for non-blanketed horses (58 and 47 mm) compared to blanketed horses (43 and 35 mm) in January and February. These differences were not observed for the month of March. When looking at hair coat diameter of the neck and hindquarter, no differences were found between blanketed and non-blanketed horses.

The results of this study provide evidence that blanketing can affect hair length in areas not covered by a blanket, such as the neck. But the effects are only short-term, where blanketed and non-blanketed horses had similar hair coat lengths when shedding their winter hair coats. However, the effect of blanketing on

hair coat length will likely vary based on timing of blanket use.

For more information on this research, view the abstract published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Sciences at https://www.sciencedirect. com/science/article/abs/pii/ S0737080622003276?via%3Dihub.

Prettier pastures are on the horizon

Laura Kenny

You're bringing your horse in from the pasture and you notice all the weeds and bare spots that have appeared. You start thinking it might be time to do something to improve the pasture.

We get a lot of questions from farm owners about how to improve their pastures quickly. Unfortunately, an overgrazed, unmanaged pasture will take several seasons to return to productivity. This article will outline a suggested timeline to use for planning purposes. Knowing that you should seed in the late summer or early spring, you can work backwards to plan your

renovation.

Step 1:

6 to 12+ months before seeding

Soil test and lime/fertilize if required

Soil fertility. If you want your newly seeded grass to thrive, it must be planted into optimal soil conditions. A soil test will tell you if you need to apply lime and fertilizer. In very acidic soil, plant roots cannot take up nutrients as well, so even if you apply fertilizer, the plants may not get any benefit. Lime can take months to years to neutralize acidity deep in the soil, especially if it is being applied to the soil surface without tilling it

in. It needs to migrate through the soil profile into the root zone before it will help your plants. Finely ground limestone will react faster than coarsely ground. If your pH is quite low and you need a lot of lime, apply it at least a year before seeding.

Step 2: 3 to 6 months before seeding

Evaluate current condition and decide if overseeding or reestablishing (starting over)

Evaluate pasture condition during the grazing season. A general rule of thumb is to completely reestablish your pasture (kill all vegetation and start over) if it contains less than 50%

This new seeding has had plenty of time to grow before grazing.

desirable plants and to overseed if it contains 50-70% desirable plants. How can you determine these numbers? An easy method is called the "equine pasture evaluation disc", where you draw an arrow on the edge of a plastic disc and toss it randomly around the pasture. Every time it lands, you record what is under the arrow and then add up the observations after 20 or more tosses.

Step 3: 1 week before seeding

Prepare pasture for planting: mow short or till/disc/cultipack

Prepare the pasture to be seeded.

If overseeding, overgraze or mow the pasture very close before seeding. The existing vegetation will shade out new seedlings, so it is important to minimize that competition for your best chance of success.

If reestablishing, you have two options to kill existing vegetation: use a non-selective herbi-

cide or till the soil, burying the plants. Using herbicide leaves a layer of plant litter that can act as a mulch to protect the soil and keep it moist while your new seed is germinating. Tilling allows you to prepare the seedbed to be optimal for planting seed; you want a fine, firm seedbed. To achieve this, after tilling you may need to disc and roll/ cultipack the soil.

Step 4

Seeding. Weather permitting, the optimal time to plant cool-season grass seed is late summer (early to mid-August in cooler regions and late August to early September in warmer regions). This gives the seed a chance to establish in cooler temperatures with less competition from weeds than in the spring. The other time to plant is early spring (mid-April to midMay in cooler regions and midMarch to mid-April in warmer

regions) while it is still cool and moist. There will be more weed pressure and the seedlings will need to establish before it gets too hot and growth slows.

There are two methods of seeding: broadcasting seed and using a planter or drill. The key to a successful seeding is seed to soil contact; the seed should be buried no deeper than 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Therefore, broadcasting seed is less effective unless you can drag or harrow the seedbed afterward to pull some soil over the seed, then roll it again to pack down the soil. A no-till drill is an excellent alternative if you do not plan to till your pasture. It cuts a small slit in the soil, drops seed in and then a press wheel closes the slit, all in one pass. These are sometimes available to rent at your county Conservation District. Make sure the drill can plant small seeds, a grain drill will not work correctly for grass seed. Additionally, Tilling a horse pasture.

Equine pasture evaluation disc.

confirm that the tractor and drill will fit through all gates and lanes on your farm.

Step 5: 6+ months AFTER seeding

Rest pasture so plants can establish strong root systems before grazing

Rest pasture. Many people do not realize that there is a crucial last step in seeding a pasture. The new grasses need time to develop strong, deep root systems before being grazed. If you graze too early, your horses can rip the plants out by the roots or remove too much leaf area for the plant to recover. Seed is expensive, protect your investment! The longer you let the pasture establish, the stronger it will be and the better it will stand up to grazing. The pasture can be mowed while it is resting to encourage it to thicken. It can

be difficult to rest pastures for this long on horse farms, so if you don't have anywhere else to turn horses out while the pasture is resting, consider reseeding only one or two pastures at a time.

Grazing Management

Once your pasture is established, it's time to graze. To keep your pasture productive for as long as possible, consider developing a rotational grazing system, which allows pastures to rest and recover for several weeks between grazings. Keep in mind that grasses do not have an infinite lifespan; even well managed pastures decline over three to five years and need to be overseeded periodically.

Weed Control

You may have noticed that weed control was not included in

the timeline, even though it may be an important part of your pasture improvement. There is no specific time to control all weeds. Many weeds can be controlled by maintaining a healthy stand of forages and regular mowing. For problem weeds that take over, chemical control may be warranted. Work with your local Extension office to first identify the weed and its life cycle, then pick an effective product and the correct time to apply it.

Improving a pasture is not a quick or easy task. It requires planning, money, and patience. However, if done correctly, you can enjoy a productive, nutritious pasture that provides plenty of feed for your horses. Make sure to keep up with basic pasture management practices throughout the year.

This thick pasture has had a year to establish after seeding.

This no-till drill can plant seeds of different sizes and spray, all in one pass. It is also quite narrow so it can fit through gates and lanes on horse farms.

Ask the Expert: Free Fecal Water Syndrome

Hannah Lochner

Help! I have a horse who recently developed fecal water syndrome. What are my options? What works? Also, do you have any advice for washing his seat and legs? We do not have a heated facility.

Fecal water syndrome (FWS) refers to the presence of fecal water before, during or after passing formed manure. Free fecal water can leave your horse's hind legs and tail a mess. If not cleaned regularly, free fecal water can also irritate the skin. Do not confuse FWS with diarrhea, which is defined as loose or runny manure. Always work with a veterinarian to determine a diagnosis. They can help rule out other potential problems such as an infection. While FWS is often not a serious condition, diarrhea can be life-threatening. Stress and an imbalance of microbial populations in the gut may contribute to FWS but causes of FWS largely remain unknown. So, your horse has FWS, what now? Unfortunately, resolving FWS can be challenging. What works for one horse might not work for another. A good place to start is your horse's diet. When adjusting a horse's diet, always make gradual changes to allow their gut time to adapt. Work with an equine nutritionist, who can ensure your horse is receiving a balanced diet that meets their needs. A healthy adult horse should have 1.5 to 2.5% of their bodyweight daily in forage. Forage tends to be the primary fiber source in horse diets. During the winter months, this is often in the form of long-stem hay. Providing a variety of forage types or fiber sources may better support the gut of horses with FWS. You could try adding a different maturity or species of hay, hay pellets, hay cubes, beet pulp or a complete feed to their diet. Again, consult with a professional to ensure the diet remains balanced, meets your horse's needs and is adjusted gradually to allow the gut time to adapt. Here are a few tips to help keep your horse clean during the winter months when you do not have access to a heated facility.

• Use a tail bag or bandage wrap to protect the tail below the tail bone. While some fecal water may still collect under the dock, a tail bag or bandage wrap can prevent most of the tail from becoming a caked, frozen mess. Do not tie or wrap around the tail bone, which can cut off circulation and damage the live portion of your horse's tail. Check the bag or wrap routinely and adjust or replace it as needed.

• Apply baby oil or petroleum jelly below the anus and along the hind legs to ease cleaning and limit caking of fecal water. In turn, these products will also help prevent skin irritation.

• Use baby wipes as an alternative to soap and water. This may not be a practical option depending on the severity of FWS.

Unwanted behaviors, often called vices, are repetitive, purposeless behaviors that take up a large portion of a horse's time. Common examples include cribbing, chewing and weaving. Vices can stem from environments that limit a horse's natural feeding or social behavior.

Horses have a strong instinct to forage, move and socialize. They have evolved to eat small, frequent, forage-based meals throughout the day. When allowed to graze, horses will forage for over 14.5 hours daily while moving around the pasture. Additionally, as herd animals, social interaction is key to horse welfare. However, providing this ideal environment for horses is often not practical.

Many of today's horses spend

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a lot of time in stalls or dry lots, receive two large meals per day, and have a limited chance to forage. While some horses adapt well to a highly controlled environment, others may become stressed and find relief through an unwanted behavior. Once a horse develops an unwanted behavior, they may never stop. There are some steps you can take to help manage or prevent unwanted behaviors in your horse.

Reduce the amount of time your horse spends indoors

Allowing your horse turnout and exercise can provide your horse an opportunity to satisfy their instinct to move. When given the choice of being in a paddock or stall, horses will often choose a paddock, even in poor weather. Additionally, routine turnout can help prevent boredom and allow for socializ-

ing with other horses.

If your horse must be kept in a stall for a long period of time (e.g., stall rest), try to keep them entertained.

• Spend time with them outside their stall, for example hand walking around the arena or grooming in the barn aisle.

• Provide hay in slow feed nets to prolong the time your horse spends eating. Mature hay (high in NDF) can be fed to keep your horse busy between meals.

• Make sure your horse is not alone in the barn. Stalling another horse within sight of your horse can help reduce their stress.

• Provide toys that your horse can play with or chew on while in their stall. Treat toys require the horse to work or chew on the toy to receive a treat. Remember, you should

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only provide treats in moderation. Always select toys that are approved and safe for horses.

Keep your horse in a herd

Horses have a strong desire for social interaction, which can be met while kept in a herd. In these social groups, horses communicate through touch, smell and changes in body posture and facial expression. A herd size of four to 10 horses of the

same sex works best with the exception of stallions. Try to limit changes in the herd, which can be stressful.

If your horse must be kept outside a herd, try introducing your horse to another animal, such as a goat, donkey or sheep. If you keep your horse with any of these species, check with your veterinarian to see if you need to adjust your horse's vac-

cination or health plan.

Provide a forage-based diet

Keep your horse on a high forage diet and ensure it meets their nutritional needs. You should feed your horse based on their age, body weight, physiological state and activity level. Limited access to long-stemmed forage can cause horses to develop alternative chewing habits such as cribbing or wood chewing. Little forage or large amounts of grain can also increase the risk of colic.

Prolonging the amount of time a horse spends eating forage better mimics natural feeding behavior. When grazing isn't an option there are a couple management practices you can try. Consider feeding horses three to four small meals throughout the day. Alternatively, you could use restrictive hay feeders, such as slow feed hay nets. When feeding horses a single hay meal (1% body weight in hay), horses spent 6.5 hours eating hay from a slow feed net compared to 3.2 hours when eating off the floor.

Use positive training methods

When training a horse, choose a training method that uses positive reinforcement away from abuse or force. Many horse training methods are available. It is your responsibility to choose a method that meets the best interest of you and your horse. Training methods that use negative reinforcement can lead to poor behavior such as bolting and rearing.