Save money feeding your hay

Hay is expensive this year!  Here’s what we found that is inexpensive, safe, saves money on hay and is healthier for our horses.  There has been a lot of talk about “slow feeders” for feeding hay.  Here’s one article.  Horses that spend a lot of time in a stall or run and are fed hay a couple of times a day can get bored and waste a lot of hay.  There are many types of slow feeders now available.  Recently we purchased some small mesh hay bags from Dover.  Dover Mesh Bags website.  We didn’t want to spend a lot of money but wanted to give the concept a try.  They work great!  It takes longer for our horses to eat the hay so they seem more satisfied and less bored.  The hay also stays contained better so they are not spreading it around stomping around in it and peeing in it.  Our hay consumption has definitely decreased so we’re happier and our horses are happier and healthier also.

 

A Happy Trailering Environment For Your Horse

At a recent riding clinic a signed up participant arrived disappointedly without her horse.  Her comment was, “My horse just didn’t want to load today.”  We had a good discussion trying to determine what the problem was.

There are two basic issues here.  One is trailer loading.  Is your horse trained to LOAD into the trailer?  This alone is the subject of many articles and chapters in books.  But that’s not what I want to discuss here and not what we thought was the problem with her horse.

The second issue is keeping your horse happy in the trailering environment.  This is something that is not as well talked about but is as, if not more important than will your horse load.  You may be able to load your horse but making a hospitable place for them to be will keep them loading without fear.  Long hauls vs. short hauls require different discussions also but now I am just thinking about keeping your horse comfortable for the short trip to a clinic, event or trailhead.

Here are some ideas about determining if the trailering environment is a comfortable place where your horse wants to be and won’t try to avoid.

Number 1. How do you drive?  Many years ago my wife and I wanted to see what it was like for the horse riding in our trailer.  We took turns driving and riding in the trailer with one of our horses.  It was eye opening.  It took significant effort for the horse to stay balanced.  We drive with the idea that there is a full cup of coffee in our cup holder and we don’t want it to spill.  This determines how we accelerate and brake and especially how we make turns.  We make sure our horse has the room and the ability to move, spread its feet and shift to keep its balance.  This brings up the issue of “to tie or not to tie.”  This is a subject of which there are many pros and cons, too many to be discussed in this brief blog but important to research if it is something you are concerned about.  Read the answer to my question about this in the Hitch Up Magazine.

“To Tie or Not to Tie?” article in Hitch Up Magazine.

2. Another aha moment while traveling in the trailer with the horse was the noise.  We had a divider that was rattling badly.  Of course the horse was used to it but you could tell it made for some discomfort.  Try to muffle sounds that annoy your horse.

3. Then there’s the footing.  Horses are very sensitive to what’s under their feet.  The main thing we have determined to be careful of is the flooring becoming slick so the horse does not feel secure.  Again many ways to solve this with matting, shavings, booting etc., but something to be aware of so the horse does not have a fear of its footing.  Some horses like to pee or poop in the trailer which is good and bad.  They find it an appropriate place to relieve themselves without the stress of “holding it.”  But care must be taken to again make sure their footing is secure.

4. VENTILATION!!!!!!  Most trailering is done in the nice warm weather.  Trailers can heat up fast.  Does your trailer have the ability to be ventilated?  Do you open the windows and vents?  Stories are out there about dogs being left in cars that get too hot.  Well that goes for our horses also.  This can not be stressed enough!!!!  Insulated roofs sometimes are necessary for those frequently traveling in hot weather and slow traffic conditions.

5. Feeding your horse in the trailer is another issue that has its pros and cons.  We feel that allowing your horse to eat in the trailer adds to the environment being more acceptable.  When teaching our horses to load we often just let them stand and eat in the trailer without going anywhere.  Our horses seek out the trailer as they know there is food in there.   Loading the horses is not the last thing we do when going for a ride.  Before we drive off with our horses in the trailer we let them stand still and eat while we do our last minute things before leaving.

6. Hydration is important, more so for the long haul but even on the short haul giving the horse an opportunity to drink before loading is advisable.  Two buckets of water with covers always ride in the bed of our truck.  Some horses won’t drink but for those who will the trailer is not the place where they fear they will stand and be thirsty.

Have you noticed in any parking area where horses are being loaded there is always an audience with one eye watching.  It’s like watching NASCAR to see the crashes.  Will that horse load?  And for us who are loading, it’s “please don’t embarrass me and load easily.”  Thankfully our horses seek out the trailer as a comfortable place.  Here’s hoping yours do also.

In cold weather, “To Blanket or Not to Blanket” is the question.

Recently on the MRER Facebook page the question was asked by a young rider who had moved her horse to a colder area than it was used to, “Should I blanket my horse?”  I was surprised, that of all the posts on the page, that one generated many responses and much passion from members.  I did a little research and found the following article from Weber Training Stable to be informative.  I really liked the “use common sense” tone of the article, “To Blanket or Not to Blanket.”   No matter where you stand on the issue it’s always good to review the arguments pro and con.

Click to read….To Blanket or Not to Blanket?

An inside view of a horse’s hoof

For those of you interested in getting an up close and personal view of a horse’s hoof, here is a good article and pictures showing what we are dealing with when we trim a hoof.

Horse Hoof Anatomy via Hoof Dissection

Leave that Sole and Frog

From the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University:

Physiological Trimming for a Healthy Equine Foot

More than ten years of intensive, scientific research at Michigan State University has resulted in new recommendations that are leading to relief from navicular syndrome and other chronic foot ailments in the horse.

Robert Bowker, VMD, PhD, director of the Equine Foot Laboratory at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University is conducting this research on the physiological function of the equine foot.

Bowker earned his veterinary degree at the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1973 and later began additional PhD research in the anatomy department at the medical school there. He completed the PhD degree in 1979 and began his career at MSU in 1988.

As a result of teaching gross anatomy to MSU veterinary students, Bowker became interested in the equine foot, because he knew that the texts commonly used by students and veterinarians were often incorrect on this subject.

As his PhD training was in neurobiology, Bowker began to look at the nerves of the foot, and the research expanded from there to blood vessels, cartilage, and bones of the foot, and more recently to hooves and their laminae in both health and disease.

Most of his research efforts are supported by the American Quarter Horse Association, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Inc., and private donations.

In the 1990s, Bowker began supplementing his scientific studies with observations in the field. He studied the foot of the wild horse in order to better understand the situation of the domestic horse.

Bowker’s research in all these areas led to the discovery of a wholly different theory of how horse feet respond to ground impact. His research focused on the blood flow to and from the equine foot and the role it plays in energy dissipation.

The results of his research led Bowker to believe that the modern-day horse should be trimmed so that more of the back part of the foot–including the frog–will bear the initial ground impact forces and weight.

His research showed that if the foot was trimmed so that the frog rests on the ground, the back part of the foot would be stimulated to grow more fibrous and fibrocartilaginous tissue in the digital cushion, which appears to be protective of the more chronic foot problems.

The Physiological Trim

Bowker has studied the various components (the frog, sole, blood flow, etc.) of the equine foot and has determined the role they play together to make a “good” equine foot.

According to him, “The aim is to use this acquired knowledge to prevent and better treat cases of navicular syndrome and other chronic foot ailments.”

Bowker and his students at the Equine Foot Laboratory, in close collaboration with other farriers and veterinarians, have developed guidelines for a “physiological trim.” While some aspects of the trim are not new, they have been forgotten or have been underutilized by most hoofcare professionals.

Bowker explains, “The physiological trim is a trim that permits the tissues of the foot to function optimally in dissipating impact energies during foot contact with the ground.”

According to him, “This physiological trim is the result of the continuous evolution of our research. We’ve found that the back part of the foot and blood flow is a major mechanism for dissipating energy.

“Our research has shown that the equine foot is constantly adapting and responding to environmental conditions. Most feet are sculpted by their environment, rather than only by genetic influences.

“We have found that from a neuro-anatomical point of view, the equine foot is designed to hit the ground heel-first. This concept of hitting the ground heel-first is seen in virtually all feral horses and the majority of sound domestic horses.

“We have also determined that the back part of the foot should be the largest surface, area wise, for ground impact.” Bowker explains, “This is very much like a human being wearing high-heeled shoes as opposed to sneakers. The more comfortable sneakers distribute the load over a larger surface area, versus the smaller area of a high-heeled shoe.” An impact load distributed over a large surface area can be better supported with minimal stress by the foot tissues.

Bowker further explains that the horse has the additional energy dissipation mechanisms of the large blood flow through this same region. Together this large surface area–coupled with the frog and the blood flow–is what dissipates the energy.

When the back part of the foot and frog do not touch the ground, this impact energy is not dissipated but instead is transmitted to the bones and other tissues of the foot. These tissues do not dissipate the impact energy well. The long-term result of insufficient energy dissipation is chronic foot problems and lameness. For example, in underrun feet, the ground contact area is usually under the coffin bone rather than under the back part of the foot.

Recommendations for Farriers

“What we are trying to do is work with Mother Nature, not fight her,” explains Bowker. “We can do this by keeping the toe short and the back part of the foot on the ground. In other words, it’s a matter of using a large dose of common sense.”

The aim is to have a functional, physiologically sound foot. The way to achieve this involves three essential ingredients: the frog, the sole, and the trim.

Frog on the Ground

Bowker’s research has shown that the frog must be on the ground. He emphasizes that in order to get the frog resting on the ground, the farrier must gradually lower the heel. When the heel is not on the ground, the foot will start to contract and get smaller, similar to a woman wearing “high heeled” shoes.

According to Bowker, “Once the frog is on the ground, the bars will contribute in supporting weight and much of the load will be supported by the sole.”

This load is transmitted to the sole around the frog apex via the dirt that accumulates from the ground. “Dirt should be left in the foot,” explains Bowker. In other words, don’t clean your horse’s feet unless they have been standing in a lot of manure.

Bowker further states that a foot that has a high-cupped or dished-out sole and frog that is not on the ground will not be able to support its weight with the frog and solar surface. This goes back to the analogy mentioned earlier about high heels and a small surface area for weight bearing. This small surface area results in high loads being placed upon the foot and will result in significant stress changes to the foot tissues.

“In a nutshell, what we want when the farrier is finished trimming the equine foot is that when viewing the solar surface of the foot, one-third of the foot will be in front of the apex of the frog, and two-thirds behind it. This creates a short toe and encourages a ‘heel first’ landing.”

Gradually Lower the Heel

Bowker emphasizes that any changes to a horse’s feet should be done gradually. He explains that, “If the frog is on the ground, the foot will do what Mother Nature intends it to do. When the frog is on the ground, the heel will be low (not an under run heel)–this is what the farrier should aim for.

“But if the frog is not on the ground, the heel should be lowered gradually over a period of several weeks. This is important, as it will allow the foot to adjust to the changes. Again, this is a matter of common sense: do these adjustments gradually, as opposed to all at once, as the foot will better adapt to these changes.”

Bowker explains that a good way to check to see if the frog is touching the ground is to try to insert a thin plastic ruler under the frog at the rear of the foot while the horse is standing on cement or asphalt. He states that, “If the frog is on the ground, you shouldn’t be able to slide the ruler under the frog. If you can, it means that the frog is not bearing a lot of weight, which is contrary to what it was designed to do.”

Bowker emphasizes, “The farrier should not trim much, if any, of the frog–especially the cushion –the swollen area that is four to five centimeters (one and one-half to two inches) behind the apex of the frog. Farriers tend to remove this by trimming straight back and removing it. This cushion area, as well as the rest of the frog, should not be trimmed.”

According to Bowker, “The farrier, when looking at the solar surface of the foot, should not trim and remove much of the frog, as the goal is to trim the foot so that the frog is resting on the ground.”

Bowker’s observations of the trimming methods used on today’s horses are that in most cases you can slide not only a ruler but your fingers and even part of your hand under the frog.

The Sole

According to Bowker, “The farrier’s goal should be to trim the foot to increase the surface area of the weight-bearing surface of the solar part of the foot.

“When the farrier is trimming, he/she should try to get to the sole plane (the grayish, waxy part of the sole that will appear after the dry, scaly superficial part of the sole has been flaked off). This should be done on the edge of the sole by the quarters of the hoof wall.”

The result: this reveals the plane of the live sole in relationship to the rest of the foot.

Once this has been established in the foot, then in the future, the farrier need not have to remove sole or frog. The farrier’s goal should be to leave as much of the sole as possible.

Bowker states, “In the feral horse, the sole thickness is twice as thick as that of the domestic horse, which is why the feral horse can run and walk over most all surfaces without any tenderness.”

Don’t Touch the Sole!

Bowker explains, “Once the farrier has established the sole plane (the live sole remains constant to the rest of the foot), he/she may not have to remove much sole at all in future trimming.

“The goal in future trimming is to leave as much sole as possible. Therefore, once the farrier is satisfied with the sole plane and coffin bone alignment, he/she shouldn’t have to touch the sole or the frog very much, if at all.”

Often there is a tendency to remove much sole creating a high arch. While this lessens the chance of the horse landing on small rocks and therefore having tender feet, it encourages significant stress in the coffin bone.

But, in a “bad-footed” horse (a horse with chronic lameness), the farrier will have to get to the sole plane, and then he/she can trim the sole in relationship to that sole plane. That will level the plane of the sole in relationship to the plane of the coffin bone.

Bowker believes that the foot should be trimmed regularly and often to keep the toe short–at five- to six-week intervals rather than the eight to ten weeks that is commonly used by horse owners.

Again Bowker states that this is a matter of common sense–to maintain the foot in as perfect condition as you can by trimming more frequently, rather than trimming at very long intervals (eight to ten weeks).

Don’t Touch the Bars, Either

Bowker also emphasizes that the bars of the foot should not be removed. “They are there for a reason! Leave the bars so they are a little bit lower (shorter) than the hoof wall–with ‘a little bit’ meaning a fraction of a millimeter. But obviously, if the bars have overgrown the horn, they need to be trimmed, but not removed–again this is a matter of common sense.”

Trimming for 1/3-2/3

Keep in mind that one of the goals of the “physiological trim” is that one-third of the foot should be in front of the apex of the frog and two-thirds should be behind it.

According to Bowker, “If you have a foot where one-half to two-thirds of the foot are in front of the apex of the frog, you now have a foot in which the sole and foot relationships are out of balance (i.e. the toe is much too long).”

He explains, “You can trim the foot back to approach this one-third to two-thirds ratio. The farrier, in consultation with a veterinarian, may request radiographs to discover where the coffin bone is in relationship to the hoof wall if this one-third/two-thirds ratio is out of alignment. Lateral radiographs, marking the apex of the frog with a thumbtack and a wire on the dorsal hoof wall, will demonstrate the relationship of the coffin bone to these external foot structures.

Once you demonstrate where the tip of the coffin bone and frog apex are, you can generally measure 1-1/4 – 1-1/2 inches in front of the apex of the frog to locate where the new toe will be. In horses with long toes, the farrier will be trimming behind the white line.

Bowker adds, “Once you are confident where these internal structures are in relationship to the hoof and sole, the farrier can prepare the foot to this one-third/two-thirds trim. (Once the farrier becomes aware and experienced with the sole callus and other sole features, radiographs may not always be necessary). Then it is okay to trim the toe area by rounding it off. Again, another common sense note is that if you are unsure where internal structures are located, consult with a veterinarian to obtain radiographs.”

Shoes

To shoe or not to shoe, that is often the question. Bowker explains, “If the horse must have shoes on, the problem results in the frog being elevated from the ground. Therefore, it isn’t touching the ground and doing its job of bearing weight. Physiological function of the foot is compromised and the foot begins to contract.

“Some farriers have started trimming the foot so the frog is as close to the ground as possible–and even touching the ground–when the horse has shoes on. Therefore, if the horse has to have shoes on, this is the next best option.”

What about barefooted horses with tender feet? Bowker explains, “It is simply a matter of ‘whatever you ride the horse on is what you should bed the horse on.’ The foot will adapt to whatever environmental surface the horse is standing on. The problem arises when we bed them on soft surfaces (straw, shavings, rubber mats, etc.) and then expect them to walk/trot/gallop on rocks.

“There are hundreds of barefoot endurance horses that are housed and trained on hard-packed surfaces (hard dirt, gravel, small rocks, etc.) without tender feet. The environment is the major determinant of a healthy foot rather than genetics. Again, it is a matter of common sense, as the foot will adapt to its environment. However, I do not recommend that horses be kept on cement.”

How to Gradually Turn a Bad Foot Into a Good Foot

Bowker recommends the farrier use these trimming techniques conservatively to gradually turn a bad foot into a good foot and allow the foot time to adjust.

“We do know that such a physiological trim as described here and greater movement–rather than stall rest–are critically important to producing a good foot, regardless of the breed of horse.”

For example, over the past year, Bowker has received dozens of letters and emails from owners and veterinarians asking about their horses’ prognosis with navicular syndrome. Most of these horses have been through all sorts of pads/bar shoes, acupuncture, and pain management therapy, with little or no improvement.

However, with using this “physiological trim” (removal of the shoes and lowering the heels to get the frog on the ground), the horse owners and veterinarians have communicated back to Bowker that the feet responded and began to become sound within a short time period (six to eight weeks).

For additional information on Bowker’s research, see New Theory May Help Avoid Navicular and A New Theory About Equine Foot Physiology, at
http://cvm.msu.edu/HINFO.HTM.

A horse’s foot, A look from the outside and inside

Here is a long but interesting article looking at horses’ feet.  If you trim your horse or are interested in trimming your own horse this will help.  The most helpful thing for me when learning to trim was what a good foot looks like.  What am I aiming for.  When you know what it is you are trying to get to, trimming seems a lot easier.  Sometimes words get in the way but they sometimes help me understand why I am rasping here or leaving hoof here or there.  It is also evident that many things apply to many horses and sometimes I scratch my head not having seen a problem which seems to be common.  Take what you can from the following article.  Taking the responsibility for trimming your own horse can be another rewarding way to be a steward to your horse.

So How Do My Horse’s Feet Look? Learning to Evaluate Your Horse’s Hooves

Wednesday, July 6, 2011 by Dawn Willoughby

Becky Hart Clinic Article

I know some of you are members of the Mountain Region Endurance Riders and receive the newsletter.  But for those of you who aren’t I wrote this article which appeared in the MRER newsletter about the Becky Hart Centered Riding Clinic that MRER sponsored and I participated in.  Centered riding is like being coached in any sport to be more coordinated and efficient in your movement.  Only in riding, we have to coordinate with something else, our horse.  For me the aha moment was when I realized the “half halt” was a movement to set up the horse to be in an athletic position to make the next movement that you are asking of it.  I would recommend for everyone the experience of a centered riding clinic no matter what your discipline.  There are many good books to start with if you are interested.  Centered riding books.

The MRER Becky Hart Centered Riding Clinic

What was it all about?

By Randy Winter

For three days a hardy group of almost twenty endurance riders rode not an endurance ride but a clinic given by Becky Hart, three time World Endurance Champion and level three Centered Riding instructor.  So what is that all about?  Why would endurance riders who love moving swiftly in the open spaces spend three days in a covered arena mostly walking?  And why would I call these riders “hardy?”

Yes, we love to ride.  Moving down a trail in concert with our horses is what puts a smile on our faces.  Three days of learning to be more “centered” with my horse has increased the number of smiles per mile I get riding out on trail.  Three days of intense concentration on our bodies affect on our horses, is why I used the word hardy to describe the participants.

Centered Riding has 4+ basic concepts:

Soft Eyes

Breathing

Centering

Building Blocks

And Grounding

We learned to key our bodies into those basics.  Each day started with breakfast (all meals were provided) and an off the horse ground school lesson.  Then riding one hour in the morning with half the group and auditing the other half as they rode.  After lunch we broke into smaller, four horse groups, for another hour of riding.  Again auditing others as they rode.  Becky reminded us in these sessions to use one or more of these basics and feel the difference in our horses.  Sometimes it was like rubbing your head and patting your stomach at the same time.  But when your horse felt you do something to its benefit it responded with bigger strides, relaxation and happiness.  At dinner it was nice to sit around and discuss not only the day’s sessions but reminisce about all our endurance adventures.

For me, personally, learning to ride the flat of my seat bones (building blocks) and using soft eyes put me more in the center of my horse that allowed communication to flow much more easily through my body.  Becky has the ability to be specific with each rider as to their needs.  Imperceptible weight shifts now became meaningful to my horse.  As I prepared my body to ask for a change in his body it was more easily recognized.

We consider our horses to be athletes.  In any sport the athlete puts its body in the best possible position to get the best results.  A sprinter crouches before the start of a race.  Think about the advantage the crouched sprinter has on one who would stand straight up at the starting line to get ready to sprint.

What about Tim Tebow the next SuperBowl Champion quarterback for the Denver Broncos?  (Sorry about that shameless partisanship)  His throwing motion has been criticized as too slow.  He has worked on his mechanics to fix that.

Have you ever tried throwing a ball with the wrong foot going forward?  It doesn’t work as well as when you stride correctly with the opposite foot from the hand you are throwing with.

Well, that’s what the Centered Riding clinic was about.  Our horses act like they are throwing off the wrong foot when we are the foot that is out of place.  Our horses are awkward in their motion when we are the mechanics that are out of whack. Our horses can’t efficiently move forward when we are not in a correct athletic position to allow them to move athletically.

Now both my horse and I smile when we flow into a trot.  We smile when we are set up correctly to float left or right.  We smile when a quick shy is a dance move by both of us.

Thank you Sally Swift for having these ideas and applying them to the horse.  Thank you Becky Hart for your assertive, gentle and effective teaching.  Thank you to Holly et al. for your work putting the clinic together.  And finally thank you to all of our horses who really are athletes and really do want to move efficiently with us on their backs.

Pass the salt: electrolyte replacement for horses

Electrolytes are needed by our horses during hot weather, but need to be given thoughtfully.  This article is from horsetalk.com.nz and Kentucky Equine Research, Inc.
.

November 28, 2007

Pictures © Horsetalk 2007

Summer is here! Forget about rugging and breaking ice and begging farriers for borium. Short winter days have given way to the long, lazy days of summer. Spring and summer represent the height of riding season, and with the delicious warmth of the days, nutritional strategies for a winning season must begin anew.Horses have adapted well to demands placed on them by humans. Sweating allows horses to cool themselves after sustained bouts of exercise. For the most part, this mechanism works well. The exception may be in hot, humid weather, according to Kentucky Equine Research nutritionist and endurance enthusiast Kathleen Crandell.”Endurance horses have the most problems in humid weather because the sweat does not evaporate, which delays cooling. Instead, the sweat stays wet on the coat. As long as horses are trotting or cantering, it is not a concern because the wind cools them. But, as the horses slow to a walk or stop, humidity can present major cooling problems because the wet coat acts as insulation, holding the heat in.”The appearance of sweat, whether it is thin and watery or thick and foamy, is a sign the horse is losing fluids. Within those fluids, important body salts called electrolytes are escaping from the body at alarming rates. These salts are responsible for an extraordinary array of critical body processes: the pumping of the heart, the moving of ingesta through the gastrointestinal tract, and the filtering of wastes through the kidneys. On the cellular level, the salts control the fluid balance of the body by regulating movement of water in and out of cells. Without sufficient circulating electrolytes, horses may weaken, collapse, and in worst-case scenarios, die.

When exercised intensely in hot, humid weather, a horse may lose up to four gallons of sweat per hour. In that four gallons, a total of 30 teaspoons of body salts are lost. Horse sweat contains primarily sodium, chloride, and potassium, but other electrolytes, including magnesium and calcium, are also present in smaller amounts.

The concentration of electrolytes in the bloodstream and sweat is not identical. Horse sweat is considered hypertonic, which means a greater concentration of electrolytes exists in sweat than in fluids circulating within the body.

Human sweat, in contrast, is hypotonic, which means a higher concentration of electrolytes remains in the circulating fluids. This is why equine researchers have established their own protocols in supplying electrolytes to horses. In this regard, directly transferring human-medicine knowledge to the equine field proved incompatible.

When exercised intensely in hot, humid weather, a horse may lose up to four gallons of sweat per hour.

Horsemen are sometimes unsure when electrolyte supplementation is appropriate. Supplementation is pertinent any time the horse experiences prolonged sweating or repeated sweating day after day. While sweating is most frequently linked to exercise, electrolyte depletion can be the result of other, seemingly less stressful activities.

Horses can sweat profusely when hauled long distances or when exposed to unusually high temperatures for extended periods. “This is particularly true when unseasonably warm weather occurs and horses still have their heavy winter coats,” said Crandell.

The amount of supplementation varies with sweat loss.

Electrolytes do not necessarily have to be replaced in the same ratio as they are lost. Imagine feeding a horse 30 teaspoons of salt!

“With regard to endurance horses, we generally try to replace about half of the estimated electrolyte losses from sweat. It is not uncommon to see a horse receive two ounces of electrolyte at the beginning and at every veterinary stopover during an endurance race in the heat. If the race is 50 miles, there would be about three stops, and a 100-mile race would have about six stops, which would equate to the horse receiving eight to 14 ounces of electrolyte during the race. Dose rate averages out to about one ounce per hour, which is close to half of what a moderately exercised horse will lose in its sweat,” said Crandell.

Extreme weather may boost supplementation. “In extremely hot and humid weather, horses may require more electrolytes to support performance.”

Commercial electrolytes are available, but horsemen should be careful in selecting a supplement. The first ingredient in many commercial electrolytes is not salt, but dextrose, a sugar. These supplements are most appropriate for horses recuperating from illness. To aid recovery from sweat-inducing exercise, horses should be given preparations containing salt (sodium and chloride) as the first ingredient.

Crandell advises paying careful attention to labels. “If a commercial electrolyte mix with more than 15% sugar is purchased, the consumer is basically paying for sugar – not electrolytes. What horsemen are trying to replace in the horse are electrolytes – not sugar. Of course, the horse may like the sugary electrolyte more because it is sweet, but it helps the horse little and it fools the rider into thinking the horse is being appropriately supplemented.”

In addition to oral supplementation, measures to limit sweating following exercise can be taken to reduce the leaching of electrolytes from the bloodstream. If horses are worked heavily, sponging can reduce the need for sweating by quickly cooling the horse’s body. Dousing liberally with water is 20% more efficient than air for removing heat from skin surfaces, though caution should be taken as to where the coat is soaked.

Dehydration is simply the loss of body water through sweat or waste products. Under normal circumstances, horses replace water by drinking occasionally. When horses sweat profusely, such as during heavy exercise, they are unable to replace water losses quickly enough to maintain fluid balance. In the horse, dehydration is estimated as a loss of body weight. Losses of less than 5% (about 60 pounds for a 1200-lb horse) are not likely to be detected.

A simple pinch test of the skin over the shoulder blade will quickly determine hydration status. If the skin is elastic and returns quickly to its original position, dehydration is not a problem. If, however, the skin is slow to rebound, dehydration has set in to some extent.

Dehydration – Why Won’t He Drink?

In no instance is the adage “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” more appropriate than with horses in a state of dehydration.

Like all mammals, horses have a thirst response, a physiological trigger that tells them when to drink.

This mechanism keeps horses from becoming dehydrated in everyday situations, and is dependent, at least in part, on electrolyte balance. The thirst response is thought to hinge on sodium concentrations in the blood. In instances of light sweating, water is released, but the amount of electrolytes lost is minimal. The body recognizes this water loss and seeks to replace the deficit. In instances of heavy or prolonged sweating, however, water and salt are both lost, and the sodium concentration of blood may not rise appreciably. So, horses will not drink even though they are dehydrated.

Endurance riders must be careful with electrolyte replacement. Dosing severely dehydrated horses with electrolytes will likely transfer precious water from circulation to the gastrointestinal tract, thus compounding the dehydration.

Only hydrated horses should be given electrolyte supplements. Dosing severely dehydrated horses with electrolytes will likely transfer precious water from circulation to the gastrointestinal tract, thus compounding the dehydration.

Before electrolytes can be given, horses must drink or receive liquids intravenously.

Despite this knowledge, some endurance riders give electrolytes to endurance horses that are mildly dehydrated.

“These riders are always taking a gamble. The hope is that it will make horses thirsty, and most of the time it causes them to drink. Of course, during an endurance race water is frequently available along the trail. Nevertheless, these riders always run the risk that electrolyte supplementation during dehydration may backfire and get their horses in trouble,” said Crandell.

Researchers at Michigan State University researched the effects of offering salt water to horses following an 18 or 28-mile endurance test. For the first minutes following exercise, horses were offered plain water or salt water. The scientists discovered that the horses that consumed salt water actually had improved recovery of sweat fluid losses because they were more likely to drink later. When horses drank the salt water, the blood concentrations of salt remained elevated and thus horses were more willing to drink again. Horses that drank plain water did not drink again following the first swallows despite being partially dehydrated because the water had diluted the blood and effectively switched off the thirst response.

What’s the bottom line on electrolyte supplementation?

If a horse sweats little, access to a generous amount of high-quality hay and a salt block will provide sufficient electrolytes. If the horse sweats profusely or is allowed only minimal forage, an electrolyte product containing sodium, chloride, and potassium is recommended.

Consistent supplementation with electrolytes may be just the thing to transform lackluster summertime performances into winning ones.

Reprint courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research, Inc.
Contact KER’s Australian office at www.ker.com.

Heat Stress Prevention Strategy

It’s the heat of the summer, and here is a good article from discoverhorses.com about heat stroke.  And don’t forget your needs in the heat also.

By: Heather Smith Thomas

Getting the Easyboot Glove to stay on

There has been some talk lately about the frustrating moments learning to use Easyboot Gloves.  While there is a learning curve to get them to work for you they CAN stay on in the best and worst conditions.  It may take some tweeking of the boot and or the horses hoof but if you are committed to being barefoot and using boots for protection you will find what works for you and your horse.

Below are some of the first things to consider when fitting the Glove and a couple of video tips from Easycare to help make them work better.  I have used the Glove successfully in terrible conditions and have some other hints and ideas in addition to what Easycare advocates.  Email me or comment on this post and I will gladly work with you.  I know how frustrating it is to lose boots.  It took me a season of tweeking and experimenting.  Eventually doing some of my own trimming and a tape and glue protocol worked so that I haven’t lost a boot since I figured it out for my horse.  Hang in there if you are having problems.  It’s a wonderful feeling when you figure it out for you and your horse.

Click on the links

Proper fitting of the Easyboot Glove

Using a Powerstrap

Using Athletic tape