The Horse Talker

Guest Post; Horse Riding For Your Health

2013-04-21T09:00:00.000+01:00

This week's guest post is written by Marcela De Vivo who is a freelance writer who has written on everything from marketing, tech, to health & wellness. She loved to ride horses when she was younger but hasn’t had the chance recently; however as her children grow older she hopes to teach them how to ride and for them to benefit from horsebacking riding just as much as she once did!

Image courtesy of Tanatat / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Horseback riding has long been recognized as having a host of therapeutic, psychological, and physical benefits. Unsurprisingly, a formalized form of therapy has been developed to harness the vast catalog of improvements achieved through horseback riding.

At the same time, not only is the physical exercise in an outdoor space an excellent stress reliever, but the establishment of a relationship between yourself and horse can positively impact your confidence and improve your other relationships.

Therapeutic horseback riding

Also known as equine-assisted activity, adaptive riding, or hippotherapy (no longer frequently used), therapeutic horseback riding teaches riding skills to individuals with a range of physical and emotional disabilities.

Originating in Germany as therapy to help with orthopedic problems like scoliosis, therapeutic horseback riding is now also used to help people recovering from injury, or people with social and psychological difficulties. As horseback riding requires a host of muscles to work in concert to keep a rider upright, muscle strength and tone is greatly improved with prolonged riding experience.

More recently, equine therapy has gained popularity as therapy for children with autism. Autistic children who experience this form of treatment demonstrated improvement in responses to verbal and external stimuli. This activity is said to benefit the communication, motor skills, and social skills of an autistic person.

Therapeutic horseback riding has also proven to be an excellent way to counsel troubled youth when traditional forms of therapy have been less than successful. Youths undergoing equine therapy generally gain confidence, self-efficacy, improved communication skills and impulse control, reduction in trust issues and isolation, and a better understanding of social skills and boundaries. Equine therapy also teaches the at-risk individuals responsibility horse care, grooming, and safety are a few of the lessons taught.

Image courtesy of dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Physical and psychological benefits of horseback riding

Horseback riding is an excellent form of exercise as an hour on horseback burns the equivalent number of calories as a 30-minute jog. Not only does riding improve respiration and blood circulation (and in turn, the entire cardiovascular system with consistent practice), but it also has significant muscle conditioning benefits.

The horse’s movement under the rider creates a dynamic situation for the rider, who has to constantly adjust in order to stay upright (and on!) the horse. Pelvic muscles and other core muscles are activated; at a gallop, upper leg muscles like quadriceps and hamstrings are also engaged to keep the rider moving with the horse. Posture is also improved as those core muscles strengthen.

Balance and coordination are also improved with frequent horseback riding as both are required to stay upright and to move with the horse.

Some psychological benefits of horseback riding, outside of the stress reduction that comes from exercising outdoors, include improved confidence. Learning and then mastering any new skill improves self-confidence; when it comes to mastering a skill that involves handling an animal with a mind of its own, even greater confidence is developed.

Additionally, some of the lessons in learning to ride, like developing trust and a relationship between the rider and the animal can translate into relationships in everyday life. A better sense of empathy and understanding is usually developed by a rider as communication is non-verbal.

Whether you’re seeking to ride horses for exercise, for stress relief, as a way of learning a new skill, or are implementing it as a form of therapy, horseback riding is an excellent way to improve your physical and psychological self.

Guest Post; Choosing A Horse For A New Rider

2013-04-14T09:00:00.000+01:00

This week's guest post is by Holly Powell who writes for Edgemere, a leading online equestrian supplies retailer helping the horse riding community get the very best horse gear and equipment.

Imaged: Draft Cross, an easy going horse with good temperament.

Horse riding is one of the UK's favourite past times, and in rural areas in particular horse riding is very popular indeed. Horses make for fantastic pets, and if well looked after can live 20 or even 30 years. There are over 200 species of horse on the planet and of them, many are recommended for new riders whilst other breeds are best left for seasoned professionals. Horses can have a tendency to "flip" under pressure or stress, leading many to choose a safer breed of horse especially as a new rider.

If you are looking at which horses are best for a new rider who is perhaps a member of your family or a friend, or are a new rider and would like to discover how you can best choose your first horse, let's take a look at some advice published by experts.

Consider time dedication

Horses are a long-term commitment and should be treated as such. They require a lot of maintenance, and contrary to some belief, a domesticated horse would likely not survive living on a grassy field alone in the winter months. Amongst other things, horses need to have their feet trimmed and shoed, and regularly checked every few days for illness or any signs of possible infection. If you board your horse yourself, its stable will also need to be regularly cleaned and maintained.

Consider the riders capability

Not all riders are equal and for some people it can take years worth of experience to get the most out of a ride. The amount of training and on-horse time a rider has had will likely determine a rider’s ability to handle a horse. If a rider has had little to no experience, a quiet well-trained horse is the best bet to ensure the rider’s and the horse’s safety. For more seasoned riders, a horse with a fiery temperament can be enticing due to the nature of the challenge.

Always consider finances

Horses take a lot of maintenance, and they also cost a lot of money. It is always said that if you cannot afford to keep a horse and keep its living conditions consistent, then you should not be buying a horse in the first place. The amount of training a horse has had is the main determining factor of initial cost as well as breed / pedigree. A horse that is 6 - 8 years old will likely cost upwards of £1000 or more, however is safer than a younger horse for a new rider. As well as initial cost, you will need to also consider veterinary bills as well as food, clothing and other necessities. What's more, relocating a horse can cost a pretty penny too.

Consider the breed of horse

There are 267 breeds of horse in the world and all of them are unique in their own special way. For a new rider or beginner, "draft crosses" are usually a top beginner horse due to their quiet demeanor and soft temperament. Whatever the breed, though, training plays a key role in whether a horse will to get on with a rider.

Guest Post; Regular Grooming- Important For You And Your Horse

2013-03-31T09:00:00.000+01:00

Today's guest post is written by Joe Hargreaves, he grew up riding and has always had a passion for the equestrian lifestyle. He recently started own website about horse riding equipment.

Regular horse grooming is essential, both for the health of the horse and for your relationship with him. It is a time for bonding, when he knows it will be just the two of you together, and it enables you to get a sense of his happiness and well being, or if there is anything troubling him. If you do it right, both you and your horse will enjoy your grooming sessions and look forward to them.

There are several reasons why regular grooming is important, the obvious one of course being the health of your horse. Even removing the mud will prevent skin problems, and picking his feet with a hoof pick will prevent thrush, and avoid abscesses developing from stones being left in. The circular motion of brushing with a curry comb over the whole body really stimulates circulation and blood flow, which not only reduces swellings and promotes healing, but brings up the natural oils in his coat.

Along with this, grooming is important because it enables you to assess his physical health and his emotional state. You should run your hands over the whole horse every time you groom, so that you get to know the normal feel of his skin. This means you can quickly pick up any problem, such as a lump, scratch or cut that wasn't there before.

Apart from this, regularly running your hands over your horse is part of communicating with him -- horses are very sensitive to touch. Not only your hands, but your voice and your body language will have an effect on him and strengthen the bond between you. This will work both ways, and enable you to become increasingly sensitive to how he is feeling as well, so that you can pick up on anything that needs attention. This type of hands-on grooming is especially valuable for young or nervous horses, and helps them to build up trust.
As well as regular horse grooming, it is equally important to carry out regular cleaning of tack, or horse riding equipment. It is particularly necessary to clean any part of the equipment which has contact with the horse, including horse saddles, saddle pads and girth, and of course the bit. All these items of equipment get dirty very quickly when you are out riding, and failing to clean them regularly will not only cause discomfort to the horse, but can result in sores and ulcers.

You can clean saddle pads by hanging them up and whacking them with a stick several times, to remove the loose hair and dirt, and then brushing the side that is next to the horse's skin with a horse brush or
rubber curry comb. Vacuums can also be useful for sucking off the loose dirt and hair. As well as being important for the horse's comfort, regular cleaning of the horse riding equipment is important for preserving the leather, and helping to keep it more supple and weatherproof.

Regular horse grooming has benefits for you as well as the horse -- it is a great means of exercise, and improves your muscle strength. You have to remember grooming is only part of the overall care of your horse, and a good balanced diet is also very important to ensure he has a gleaming coat. Keeping all these things in mind means that you and your horse will benefit each other, and have a long and happy relationship.

Guest Post; History Of The Grand National

2013-03-17T09:00:00.000Z

Today's guest post is written by Neil Maycock, who writes articles on the Grand National for http://www.grand-national.me.uk

The Grand National is without a doubt the best known and most popular horse racing event in the world. An estimated 500 to 600 million people watch the Grand National in over 140 countries, it attracts over 154,000 racegoers over its three days, and under the sponsorship of John Smith’s, is Britain’s richest jump race by far with a total 2013 prize fund of £975,000.

The National as it’s often simply known is a handicap steeplechase run over 4 miles and 4 furlongs with horses jumping 30 fences over two circuits of the course but what makes the Grand National really stand out so much from other races are perhaps its three greatest features:

· The race is one of the most open there is – 40 runners with outsiders almost as likely to win as the favourite.

· It gets prime television coverage on a Saturday afternoon every April.

· Quite simply, it’s a great spectacle to watch with drama, skill, luck and emotions all clearly on show.

The Grand National is also one of the easiest horse races to get involved with as most work places, clubs, pubs, etc. hold their own sweepstakes on the result, so even people who would never normally bet on a horse race can easily join in. The advent of online betting has made it easier than ever to get directly involved.

The first Grand National was run in 1839 at Aintree, Liverpool and has been run regularly ever since (with only a short break during the first World War). The 2012 race provided a classic, nailbiting finish with Neptune Collonges just winning the on the line from Sunnyhillboy.

The runners for the race are not finally confirmed until close to the day but you can guarantee that the very best steeplechasers will be there with every one of them in with a chance – there have being four winners in Grand National History that have started at 100/1, the latest being Mon Mome in 2009.

The history of the National contains some memorable events.

Tipperary Tim, the first 100/1 winner in 1928. The 1928 National also holds the record for the fewest number of finishers, with only two riders completing the course but making outsider Tipperary Tim a household name.

In 1956 Devon Loch, owned by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, was leading the race by five lengths after the final fence but only forty yards from a clear victory Devon Loch, for no apparent reason, half-jumped into the air, collapsed onto the course and was unable to complete the race, gifting the win to E.S.B.

The most famous and successful horse to win at the National was of course Red Rum, uniquely winning the event no less than three times in 1973, 1974 and 1977. He lived on until the age of 30 when the general affection for this great horse helped him be honoured by burial at the Aintree finishing post.

Probably the most famous winning jockey in the Grand National was Bob Champion in 1981. He had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and given only months to live by doctors but was passed fit to ride the Grand National on Aldaniti, a horse only recently recovered from leg problems. The underdog pair went on to win the race and celebrity status by four-and-a-half lengths. Their story was later turned into in the film Champions, starring John Hurt.

We have no idea what unique result we’ll get this year although many are hoping to see the first win by a female jockey. One thing is certain, it will be followed by millions.

Guest Post; What You Need To Wear When Looking After A Horse

2013-03-10T09:00:00.000Z

Author Bio – Claire Hunter enjoys writing on a wide range of topics including animals, horses, lifestyle, home wares, fashion and more. Hopefully readers will enjoy this blog post and take from it some useful information.

Owning a horse requires a lot of purchases to be made from an owner. Accessories, equipment, food and housing are just a few of the things you will need to buy if you are going to be caring for a horse. One thing that many equestrians also need to consider, that most other pet owners don’t is clothing. Wearing the right clothing is essential when choosing to take care or ride a horse.

Equestrian clothing comes in all sorts of different pieces, which you will need to acquire when looking after your pet. Whether you are riding or mucking out the stables, there are many different items of clothing you will need to purchase when taking on the responsibility of a horse. Riding a horse requires you to wear all kinds of different apparel.

What you will need -

The hat is the most important item, as this will keep your head safe if you were to have any kind of accident while riding.
Gloves are also essential for keeping your hands warm while out in cold weather as well as keeping a tighter grip on your horse’s reins.
Riding boots and chaps are also needed for the sport of horse riding. These will help to secure more grip and control while on your animal.
Body protectors will also keep you safe when you are out and about on your horse.
Breeches or jodhpurs are required when riding to help you stay comfortable and still on your horse.
The right footwear is also important, this is usually a pair of riding boots specially for wearing while on your horse.

From time to time you may take part in competitions with your horse. This will require a whole new set of clothing for you to wear. Usually a tweed riding jacket is worn over a shirt and tie with a smart pair of jodhpurs to go with it. Sometimes a stock is adorned instead of a tie and of course a hat is to be worn too along with chaps and riding boots.

If you are considering looking after a horse then you will need to think about all those purchases including the many items of clothing you will need to obtain. Owning a horse is a lot of responsibility, but it can also be a very rewarding hobby. Remember to think through your decision before coming to the conclusion that you want to look after a horse.

Guest Post; Are You Ready To Own A Horse?

2013-03-04T13:12:00.000Z

Today's post is a guest one from Joyce Pearson has been around horses her entire life and has been riding since she was old enough to walk. She currently owns 2 of her own horses and rides every day. She shares her knowledge on www.horsesjournal.co.uk.

Owning a horse is a truly rewarding, if at times challenging experience. It requires dedication, time and money, and while it will be hard work, it’ll be completely worth it if you get it right.

Before you get carried away with the idea of cantering down a beach on a beautiful day, it is important to think it all through before spending any hard-earned cash. A horse is a massive commitment and an investment that requires monthly outgoings as well as the initial outlay.

There are many factors to consider, all of which will cost you money! The biggest expense and also the biggest decision you need to make is where your horse will live. The most expensive option is a livery yard, although there are various different options depending on what your needs are. The most expensive of the livery options is Full Livery – this is often the best option if you are a busy person and need some help looking after your horse.

It is important to do your research to work out what kind of livery you will need and how much it is likely to end up costing you. You may also have to join a waiting list for a livery yard, so it is important to suss all of this out before you even start looking for a horse.

Once you have done your sums and worked out whether or not you can afford a horse, it’s time to start looking. Be patient and prepared to take your time - finding the right horse for you can be a long process and it’s important not to rush it.

Write out a list of the qualities you are looking for based on your riding abilities. Although you want a horse that is going to advance your skills as a rider, what you don’t want is a horse that will be too difficult for you to control and that you will end up regretting buying.

Start your search on Horse Deals, they have a huge variety of horses for sale and you can tailor your search to suit your needs. Keep your list to hand at all times and refer to it throughout.

Once you have your shortlist you can make some phone calls to ask any questions you have and then start arranging visits. Always visit a horse at least twice and remember that the most important things you are looking out for are the horse’s temperament and whether you have a connection or not. This will matter more in the long-term than the type of horse you go for.

Click here for more tips on buying a horse and prepare yourself for an amazing journey!

Sooo, What Is Dance Pony Dance?

2013-03-01T20:57:00.001Z

I have found out what my last blog post was all about now. It is a website where you can make interactive music videos of Shetland ponies. Click here to watch mine! The website where you can make your own is below and you can pick from a variety of music and special effects! Mine is the Boy Band one!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/three/theponymixer

Love Laura
xxxx

#danceponydance?

2013-02-26T21:20:00.000Z

I received a lovely surprise package in the post the other day! There was a horseshoe made out of chocolate and a bucket of sweets along with a gift card. It was also packaged really nicely! On the gift card it said "This plucky little pony can't wait to show you what he can do. On March 1st he'll do just that." "#danceponydance". It also mentions the Shetland Isles and has a photo of a pony's legs so I also thinking it must be something to do with a Shetland pony! It must be a new website for something, it's also something to do with 3, the mobile phone network!

Here are some photos!

I love the horseshoe, it looks really realistic! I need to found out where I can buy one if they don't sell them on the website! We will have to wait and see what it's all about.

Love Laura
xxxx

A Video Of Trooper On A GoPro Camera

2013-02-24T20:36:00.005Z

Here is a video I took of Trooper last weekend while I was home. I took it with my boyfriend's GoPro camera which has different attachments so you can film with it in different ways!

*I accidentally had this video set as private but I have changed the settings now!*

I am really busy at the moment with my new job and I am moving house soon! I am aiming still try and write a weekly blog post on Sundays for now!

Love Laura
xxxx

Science Sunday; EHV1

2013-02-10T09:00:00.000Z

Here is a message from the British Horse Society from earlier in the week. An easy post for me to publish while I am busy but also still very important that people recognise the symptoms. I might write next weeks Science Sunday post on this virus to give more information.

"You may have seen the recent news stories concerning an outbreak of
Equine Herpes Virus (EHV 1) in Gloucestershire. Two horses have been
shown to have the neurological form of the disease and one the
respiratory form. It appears that others are also showing signs but
have yet to be definitively diagnosed.

Although not a legally notifiable condition, EHV 1 is contagious and
does have the potential to be quite a serious disease. Indeed, the
neurological form can lead to paralysis. In most cases, EHV 1 is spread
via respiratory transmission so wherever horses are brought together
from different yards there is the possibility for the disease to spread
if one of the horses present is affected. For this reason the Heythrop
have very responsibly suspended hunting for a week.

It is important to be aware that the risk of your horse contracting EHV
1 is very small and there is certainly no need to panic. However, as
with any disease, spotting it early is the best thing for your horse so
the BHS felt it would be useful to provide a short refresher on EHV 1
and its signs.

Although aimed at a different disease (Strangles) our STEPS leaflet
provides lots of useful information about quarantining and isolating
horses.

Many of the clinical signs of EHV 1 can be confused with other
diseases. A high temperature is a key indicator and it is essential to
monitor the temperature of ‘at risk’ horses. Affected horses will tend
to be disinterested and off their food, as well as showing typical
respiratory disease signs such as coughing and a nasal discharge. If a
horse is affected by the neurological form of the disease you may see
some incoordination or just general ‘wobbliness’.

Should you have any concerns at all that your horse may be affected
please contact your vet immediately.

The BHS is part of the group that produces the HBLB Codes of Practice.
There is much helpful information about EHV in the Codes which you can
access here.

If anyone has any further concerns about EHV or would like more
information, please contact our BHS Welfare Team on 02476 840517 or
email welfare@bhs.org.uk"

Love Laura
xxxx

Martin Clunes TV Programme

2013-02-07T19:00:00.000Z

I thought those of you that are in the UK might like this programme on tonight about heavy horses with Martin Clunes! Here is a link to an article about it on Horse & Hound. It is on at 9pm on ITV!

I am currently trying to think of a post to do my next Science Sunday on so if you have any ideas please let me know! I am very busy with my job now so don't have as much time to think of posts!

Trooper is doing well. The vet checked his leg and his chest the other day and both are doing well!

Love Laura
xxxx

Guest Post; The Dietary Requirements of a Horse

2013-02-03T09:00:00.000Z

Horses with their unique and lengthy digestive tracts are known as non-ruminant, hindgut herbivores – meaning that like humans, they only have one stomach. Horses have to digest large amounts of cellulose from plant fibre – much more than humans – so they have an organ called a cecum that’s part of the large intestine, which has the function of aiding digestion with microbes.

The microbes ferment in the hindgut of the horse and produce various fatty acids. These fatty acids are an important source of nutrients for the horse.

Horses cannot be sick, other than to regurgitate food from the oesophagus. They also have a very complex large intestine. Colic, as you may very well know, is an illness that startlingly can kill your horse. This means that getting your horse’s diet correct is all the more important.

What should my horse eat?All the goodness a horse requires should come from its feed. Assuming your horse is not overweight or underweight, a good diet will consist of good pasture grass and hay, which they can quite happily exist on.

Hay will fall into two categories: legumes and grasses. Legumes will provide the horse with more nutrients than the grasses, whereas the grasses will provide the horse with more of its fibre dietary needs.

Depending upon a horse’s workload, it may be beneficial to give the horse grain for a little extra protein and energy. A horse that grazes most of the day and is ridden only occasionally will probably not need grain, but a horse that is very active and athletic certainly will benefit from a grain supplement.

Your equine friend should also have access to a salt lick, which will provide your horse with its essential electrolytes and other trace elements.

Don’t forget, your animal needs a fresh supply of safe drinking water too.

Benefits of salt licksSalt is quite a difficult substance to come by naturally when a horse is domesticated. A horse needs the salt for the same reasons we do; it helps to maintain electrolyte levels, which is essential for certain functions of the body, right down to the cellular level.

It’s also beneficial because it will help keep the horse drinking plenty of water. If they drink plenty of water, it could reduce the chances of them getting colic.

So as you can see, it’s good to let your horse have easy access to a salt lick. One of the most popular varieties is Himalayan salt.

How beneficial is Himalayan salt for horses?Himalayan salt was created around 250 million years ago when the ancient seas in that area of the world dried up. Along with the salt crystals that formed from the fertile waters of the ocean were a percentage of other minerals containing various essential elements – a total of 84 different elements and minerals.

This means that Himalayan licking salt contains many more minerals than just the sodium and chlorine ions your horse would get from normal salt.

Over the eons, geological pressures compressed and transformed the minerals and the salt together into what we mine today.

Mined from the world’s second largest salt mines at Khewra in Pakistan at the foot of the Himalayas, Himalayan rock salt is renowned the world over for being a healthy alternative for humans as much as it is for horses.

It’s very important to make sure you get your horse’s diet right; to make sure it’s not overfed, underfed, has the correct amount of minerals and vitamins, and gets enough fresh, clean water.

Hopefully after reading this article, you’ll have a little more insight into the dietary requirements of your horse.

Robert is from the Wirral, UK, and works for The Darlington Group in Eastham. Also known as ‘Darlies’, Darlingtons has been selling salt licks for years and now offers them in its online shop too. You can visit the Darlies website at: http://www.darlies.co.uk/.

Types Of Wormers

2013-01-27T09:00:00.000Z

There are 6 main categories of wormers and then some of these categories can be combined to make some dual wormers. How long the wormer will remain effective in the horse’s system for depends on the type of wormer it is.

Ivermectin; This group included Eqvalan, Eraquelle, Vectin, Noromectin, Bimectin and Animectin. This group of wormers are effective for 8-10 weeks. They treat worms such as lungworm, red worm, roundworm and bots. They don’t treat the larvae that have burrowed into the gut wall however (encysted).

Moxidectin; This group includes Equest. This wormer stays in the system for 13 weeks. They treat small redworm, bots and roundworm. This shouldn’t be given to horses that may have a large worm burden as once the worms in the gut have been killed off, more may emerge from inside the gut wall and this can cause colic.

Praziquantel; This group includes Equitape. This treats tapeworm and is a one-off treatment which doesn’t have lasting effects in the horse once it has killed the worms that are present.

Pyrantel; This group includes Strongid-P, Pyratape-P, Exodus and Embotape. This lasts in the horse’s system for 4-6 weeks. Treat nematode worms. Some of these wormers may be given at a double dose to treat tapeworm.

Fenbendazole; This group includes Panacur and Panacur Equine Guard 5 day course. This lasts in the horse’s system for 6-8 weeks. These also treat nematodes but some will not kill them if they are encysted in the gut wall. The 5 day course kills these encysted worms.

Mebendazole; This group includes telmin. This lasts in the horse’s system for 6-8 weeks. This doesn’t treat encysted worms.

When looking at the dual wormers, this include Equest Pramox which is a Moxidectin and Praziquantel and Equimax and Eqvalan Duo which is Ivermectin and Praziquantel. These wormers treat for tapeworm along with other types of worms such as bots.

Love Laura
xxxx

Horse Racing

2013-01-24T19:36:00.001Z

Today's post is going to be on horse racing! This is a topic I have not covered much on The Horse Talker but there are lots of things to talk about!

Betting
A big factor in the racing industry is the betting that takes place on the horses. This may be what gives the sport so much money and increases the following of horse racing dramatically. An example of how horse betting can work can be seen when looking at the Cheltenham Festival horse racing odds which is on quite soon. Horses will be given odds depending on how good they are, for example, currently Puffin Billy is 6/1 to win any horse. This would mean that if you put a £1 bet on the horse and it won you would get your £1 back and then £6 extra.

When I went to the races with a group of people we just put small bets on of around £5 in pairs and then split any money we won. This was really fun and even though we were picking horses based on their names we won quite a bit!

The Horses
In the past I have written a short post on the history of Thoroughbreds. The Thoroughbred world is often seen as very different to the rest of the horse industry and can be very interesting to look into.

Jargon Busting

Claimer- An apprentice flat race jockey.
Clerk of the course- The person responsible for the overall management of a racecourse during raceday.
Conditional Jockey- A National Hunt jockey who is under 26 and receives a weight allowance for inexperience until he has ridden a certain number of winners.
Draw- The position in the starting stalls in a flat race.
Drifter- A horse whose betting odds have lengthened.
Furlong- The unit of distance in a horse race. One-eighth of a mile or 201 metres.
Going Report- The condition of the racecourse ground. The turf is classed as Hard, Firm, Good To Firm, Good, Good To Soft, Soft, Heavy.
Hacked Up- When a horse wins easily.
Handicap- A handicap race in which the the weight each horse has to carry is individually allotted according to it's past performance to make the chances of all horses in the race more equal.
Juvenile- A two year old Flat horse or a three year old National Hunt horse.
National Hunt- Racing over fences and hurdles AKA jump racing.
Novice- A horse which has not won more than two races.
Nursery- A handicap race for two year old horses.
Penalty- Additional weight carried by a horse on account of previous wins. In a handicap, penalties are added to the allotted weight of a horse if it has won since the weights for the race were published.
Steeplechase A horse race over fences, open ditches and water jumps.
Weights- Lead strips placed in a weight cloth bring the jockey up to the handicap weight of the race.

I have been to watch the races once at Haydock and I really enjoyed it. I think it can be a really enjoyable sport if the rules are correctly followed. I have also just realised I don't think I wrote a post on that trip so I will have to do that soon with the photos I took.

Have any of you been to watch the races and what did you think? I would love to go back again soon!

Love Laura
xxxx

Update!

2013-01-22T19:30:00.000Z

As some of you may know I have recently gained employment with an equine worming company. Therefore I am not living at home anymore and Troops is still at home with my Mum. I will still be going home some weekends and will update you on him then and I might get her to take some photos I can upload on here.

I will still be writing my “Science Sunday” posts and hopefully will be fitting in some other posts in between. When I am more settled in here I will probably try and get some riding down here maybe with lessons on a riding school which could be interesting!

I still have 2 Joules notebooks to giveaway but I have left them at home when I was packing. I will get hold of them soon and bring them back with me.

Also I am willing to take guest posts if any of you would like to write these and I would link back to your own blog or website. My email address is thehorsetalker@yahoo.co.uk if you would like to contact me about this.

Love Laura
xxxx

Science Sunday; Resistance To Wormers

2013-01-20T09:00:00.000Z

Resistance to wormers is are large potential problem. It is the worms themselves that become resistant to the wormer and not the horse.

How does resistance develop?
Within a population of worms there will be a variety of genetic differences as there are within any population. Mutations can happen and this may lead to a worm having an advantage as it may not be killed by the wormer given to the horse. Mutations are random and many of them may have no effect on the worm or may make it not survive as well, however, some mutations may give the worm an advantage. This is effectively evolution and they are increasing their ability to survive in the environment. When a wormer is given to the horse it will kill most of the worms, if there are worms present with an advantageous mutation then they will survive to reproduce and may pass on this genetic advantage to their offspring. Therefore the next time the horse is wormed a larger percentage of these worms will not be killed.

Types of wormers
Different types of wormers work in different ways to kill the worm. Therefore if a worm becomes resistant to one type of wormer a different one can be effectively used. However, there are only 3 families of wormers used in horses and problems arise when the worms become resistant to all of these types. It also takes a very long time for new drugs to be developed for use which increases the problem.

Resistance is already developing
In some livestock species there have been reports of worms that are resistant to all types of wormers. Resistance in the horse is not as common yet in the horse but there is evidence that it is increasing. For example, resistance has been found to ivermectin on some farms in Italy from Parascaris equorum.

The test they use to test for resistance is a faecal egg count reduction. They will carry out a faecal egg count, worm the animal then carry out another test to see how much the worm burden has decreased. However, there is a lack of a definition for resistance in horses.

How can we help prevent resistance developing?
Worming horses with the correct dosage will help to prevent resistance developing. This is due to the worms not coming into contact with a small dosage of the wormer but not enough to kill them which may lead to them developing resistance.

In Denmark there are restrictions on the use of wormers and they have found little evidence that resistance is happening in horses there. Therefore restricting the use of wormers may also help to prevent resistance developing. It is best to worm horses only when they need to be wormed and not on a scheduled programme where they are wormed on a certain date whether they need it or not. However, this may be hard to put into place on large livery yards.

Love Laura
xxxx

Science Sunday; Conformation And Disciplines

2013-01-13T09:00:00.000Z

Training

When training a horse it is important to be mindful that the behavioural responses required of horses, even at the highest level of dressage, are not beyond their physical capabilities. While physical limitations due to conformation may affect the quality of the training outcome, dressage movements are essentially derived from natural movements innate to the species. Conformation often limits performance such as height and weight when jumping.

Genetics

Conformation assessments may be done and the results of these used to breed horses from. This can be done from a young age and certain conformational traits are linked to abilities to perform well in certain areas. However, although this gives an early result it is not reliable as there are a wide variety of types of horses that compete in different disciplines therefore these horses will be missed.

Koenen et al (1995) did an interesting study into genetics and conformation of horses and how this related to their dressage and show jumping performance in Dutch Warmbloods. Over 10,000 mares were used with over 3,000 in each of the two categories, dressage and show jumping. They found low genetic correlations which suggested that selecting horses to breed based purely on their conformation is of limited value. Conformation points such as the length of neck, position of shoulders and muscularity of the haunches were all looked at amongst other things. It was found that the shorter necks had higher dressage scores, however this was only a small relationship.

In a study of 500 standard bred trotters it was found that 5 to 9% of their performance traits could be due to conformation. It has been found that conformation for the different disciplines varies. Show jumpers have been found to have smaller pelvic inclinations and smaller hip and pelvic angles. Dressage horses have been found to have a shorter neck and tibia, large elbow angles and a larger angle between the femur and the horizontal plate.

Injuries

Conformational faults may lead to a horse being prone to a certain type of injury. This is a problem that is seen in race horses as sometimes they are retired to stud after an injury which may pass on this fault to its offspring. Poor conformation will not be the only cause of an injury but may lead to a predisposition.

Love Laura
xxxx

Science Sunday; Vaccines

2013-01-06T09:00:00.000Z

Immunological memory

The immune system needs to remember the things it has had to fight off in the past in order to be able to treat them efficiently if the horse is reinfected. Some studies have shown that the memory of some viruses and diseases can last for over 75 years in humans. This is why vaccines work well as the animal will remember the infection and kill it more quickly next time it becomes infected. Vaccines stimulate a normal protective immune response of host to successfully fight invading pathogens.

Types of vaccine
There are a number of types of vaccine. These include a killed version of the bacteria/virus. It can be a live version that has been altered. They can be a section of protein or DNA taken from the bacteria/virus. They want the disease to still be recognisable to the immune system of the animal without still being able to cause harm.

There are a number of reasons why some vaccines work and others don't. Some are toxic to the animal. Some need to be boosted as one injection will not provide lifelong treatment (although they should in theory). A lot of knowledge into the disease is needed before they can start designing a vaccine. They need to understand it's life cycle to work out when is best to target the bacteria/virus.

Foals

Vaccines when the foal is very young are questionable. The antibodies in the colostrum cause the offspring’s immune system not to make its own antibodies. The length of time the maternal immunity (passed on from the mother) lasts for is questionable and antibodies for different things may last different amounts of time. The mare should be given a tetanus vaccine during pregnancy as the horse is susceptible to tetanus and foals may be at risk. These antibodies will be passed onto the foal in the colostrum. However, if you are unsure if the mare has had the vaccine the foal should be vaccinated as it may have a benefit. The foal should start having vaccines around 6 months.

Parasites

There are some problems when developing vaccines for parasites as they hide from the animals immune system and can also suppress the immune system. Success with commercial parasitic vaccines has been seen in some animals. Some have a poor shelf life so have not worked well commercially. A vaccine for ticks and another for tapeworm in sheep were produced but are not produced now due to commercial reasons.

Love Laura
xxxx

Science Sunday; Parasites

2012-12-30T09:00:00.000Z

What do parasites do?

Parasites suppress the immune system of the host in order to help them survive. They want to carry out their own life cycle and if they cause immunosupression to the host they are less likely to be killed. However, it is a trade off between the host dieing and the parasite being dieing. Parasitism is when an organism lives off another organism, it will be draining its resources.

Types of parasites

There are a number of different types of parasites. Helminths are worms that live in the host. They are often large and need to be well adapted to evade the host’s immune response to prevent them from being killed. They may also adopt host proteins as its own surface protein so it is not recognised as foreign by the immune system. Many have a long life cycle so it is in their interest to keep the host alive for a long time. Helminths are a big problem in livestock and they are often put on worming programs. There are many different types such as strongyles that live in the intestines.

Protozoa are small and will often live inside cells. An example of this type of parasite in the horse is Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM).

Arthropods live on the outside of the animal such as ticks and fleas. They feed off the host through their skin. The well adapted ones have an anaesthetic in their saliva so the host will not feel them drinking their blood and will not scratch them off.

Strongyles vulgaris can be seen in the horse becomes infected by ingesting the larvae. They go through the small intestine and large intestine walls and get into the arteries 7 days after they have been infected. They then carry on developing for the next 3-4 months. Mature worms lay eggs which pass to faeces and pasture.

TreatmentsIvermectin is in the macrolytic class of wormers and is approved for the control of stomach bots, threadworms, pinworms, adult cyathostomes, adult and some larvae small strongyles and adult hairworms. It interferes with the brain in the parasite. There are a number of other types of treatments which can be used. There are problems with resistance developing to these wormers so they should not be over-used as this can increase resistance developing.
There are also a number of other methods to control parasites which I will go into in another Science Sunday post.

Love Laura
xxxx

Science Sunday; My Dissertation, Wormer Effects

2012-12-23T09:00:00.000Z

After finishing the taught section to my masters course in June I completed a dissertation over the summer which was handed in at the end of November. My dissertation was looking into the effects wormers may have on the bacteria that live in the hindgut of the horse. These microbes are important as they carry out some of the digestion of the food the horses eat, helping the horse to get more nutrients. You can read more about this in my digestive system post. My first dissertation which I carried out in my final year of my undergraduate degree was also looking at changes in the hindgut bacteria of horses but this was looking at the effects of probiotics, click here to read about it. This has given me quite a good understanding of this area of the horse.

What I did
At the start of the study faecal egg counts were carried out for a number of horses, the results of this led to the two groups that were in my study. If the horses had a high enough burden of worms to be treated they were in the "treated" group and if they were not treated they were in the "control" group.

I then took poo samples on three separate occasions and analysed the DNA of the microbes present in these in the lab. This showed me which species of bacteria were present under the different conditions and how they may have changed.

What I found
I found there was a difference in the bacteria living in the hindgut of the horse between the two groups of horses. However, that difference seemed to be there from the beginning of the study which suggested to me that the presence of worms in the digestive tract of the horse may have causes these differences. I concluded that more research is still needed as my sample size was only small (it contained 12 horses) but the results were interesting and a good starting point for further research.

Love Laura
xxxx

Guest Post; Where's Your Tack Tonight?

2012-12-17T11:11:00.001Z

Today I have a guest post from Easy2Insure, an independent insurance broker with access to a variety of horsebox policies providing insurance for all types of horseboxes including motorised horseboxes and trailers. Visit us their website to find out more about their horsebox insurance that's right for you, your horse and your budget.

Whether you’re at a show or at home, there’s always a chance that thieves could strike without warning. With rural crime on the rise, even being out in the countryside is no guarantee that your tack room and everything in it is safe. So do you know where your tack is tonight? Let’s look at tack security at home and away.

Why is tack a target?

In the modern age anything that isn’t nailed down (and even some things that are!) is a potential target for thieves. Because tack is high value and easily transportable (you can quite literally carry it away), it is becoming a favourite target for thieves. Tack is also reasonably generic, and it can be very difficult to prove ownership of a standard saddle, for example, unless it has some particular distinguishing marks. So it’s easy to sell on without ‘too many questions’ being asked…

There are two types of thieves – opportunist thieves who will see an unattended item and simply grab it, and more organised gangs who may plan the robbery beforehand. Opportunistic thieves are more likely to strike at shows and events, while the more organised (and often more dangerous) gangs target remote locations such as livery stables, yards and farms.

Home security

This is probably the easiest to scenario to deal with, as there is much more you can do to protect your tack and possessions at home than when you’re at a show.

Locks – It may seem obvious, but even if your nearest neighbour is five miles away, fit a lock to your tack-room door. Make sure those locks are strong enough to withstand a sustained and determined attack by a thief.

Alarms – Silent alarms are probably the most effective, as they will activate a secondary alarm in your property, allowing you to contact the Police while the thieves are still in situ, thus giving them a better chance of catching the thieves ‘in the act’.

Cameras – Security systems that include motion-sensitive cameras are now very reasonably priced and make a worthwhile investment, particularly if your tack is expensive, custom-made or professional standard.

Insurance – Even large items such as horse boxes can be at risk, so make sure you have horse box insurance. This will also often cover any tack that is stored in the box, and give you some peace of mind that you won’t be facing a big bill if things go missing!

Geese! – One of the best alarm systems you can have is couple of geese living in the yard (the geese at a yard we used to ride in would attack anyone who wasn’t wearing riding boots!).

At a show

Security at a show is much more complicated, as there will be times when your tack is left unattended, even for a brief moment while you dash to the tea hut! This is where opportunist thieves strike, so make life difficult for them.

Lock it up – If you’re lucky enough to have a horse box with a lockable tack storage area, then make sure you use it! Again, as with home locks, choose padlocks that are going to give thieves a problem (circular padlocks are much harder to open using bolt cutters than traditional style padlocks).

Mark your tack – this won’t prevent it from being stolen, but if you use security markers to mark your tack then it may ensure that it gets back to you if the Police recover it later. Make sure you have a photographic record of all tack, especially saddles.

Don’t leave tack in plain sight – In the same way that you wouldn’t leave your handbag on the passenger seat of your car, try not to leave high-ticket items in plain sight. Remove the temptation and you lessen the chances of being a victim of theft.

Insurance on the go – Check with your specialist insurance broker to see if your horse box insurance covers your tack whilst at a show. Again, it won’t stop your tack being stolen, but it will make it financially much easier to replace!

Science Sunday; Sarcoids

2012-12-16T09:00:00.000Z

Sarcoids are the most common form of skin tumour in the horse. They are often seen on the head, and they may be a problem if near the eye. They are also seen on the lower body, limbs and sites of previous injury. Trooper has a small sarcoid in between his front legs and has had it for a few years without having any problems from it.

Types of sarcoids

There are six types that occur.

Occult has hair loss and they are often on the neck.
Verrucous are wart like, cytokines transform the epidermis.
A fibroblastic legion is the most ugly, they are red and weep. They are often seen on the pastern or the upper eyelid.
The nodular form is where there is intact skin over them, the skin will move over them, this means they are easily removed with surgery. They are often seen around the eye or the inguinal region.
They can be a mixed form.
They can also be a malignant form, this is not common.

Treatments

The treatment options currently available for sarcoids in the equine are limited. Surgical excision can be done. However, this may cuase recurrence and may enhance the growth. Some nodules may be OK to be removed in this way. Cyrosurgery may be done, this is when the tissue is frozen, mixed results have been seen using this method. This may cause scarring however and should not be done near the eye. Immunotherapy can be used such as using a vaccine, this would need to be given in a series of injections.This triggers an immune response and will help to heal it. However some horses are allergic to this. Radiotherapy can be used, this is more modern. Gold, radium and iridium are used and inserted into the legion. Topical chemotherapy may be used. There is a risk to the handler when using this as it is unstable. The smaller the sarcoid the easier to treat so it has to be done early. This method has been used for around 200 years.

Cause

The cause of sarcoids is not known. However, it is currently thought to be a bovine papilloma virus (BPV) related virus. It is also suspected that there is a genetic predisposition but then there has to be a trigger. Younger horses, ages 2- 6 show the highest prevalence. Most studies have not found a breed or sex linked predisposition. Though it has been linked with castration wounds in geldings. Mohammed et al (1994) found an increased prevalence in arabs and quarter horses compared to thoroughbreds. It is thought it could be carried by flies as it is more common around wound areas. This may explain the geographical variations that are seen with sarcoids.

Love Laura
xxxx

Keeping Older Horses Supple

2012-12-12T14:24:00.001Z

A lot of people have been asking me recently how I keep Trooper supple and prevent him from getting stiff. For those of you that don't know, Trooper is 23 years old and had a tendon injury just over a year ago. He no longer jumps but I school him and he still goes nicely and can do lateral work and is not too on the fore-hand. The only thing he does do is trip up a bit.

Nutrition
People have been asking me if he is on any extra supplements to help prevent him from getting stiff but he only has Happy Hoof and sometimes Winergy Ventilate in his feeds. They were asking about glucosamine and chondroitins. Our dog is on glucosamine tablets and they are meant to be quite a cheap option for horses. Cortaflex is the one of these feeds that I have heard the most from, this contains both glucosamine and chondroitin. These are meant to increase the synthesis of joint cartilage so in theory help with things such as arthritis. However, in horses more research is still needed, especially into the dosage of these products. Codlivine is another product given, some people do not like feeding this as it is an animal product. It is hard to tell what effects these have though in each individual horse and it may be more beneficial to give them a try if you are wondering and see how your specific horse reacts to them. I would be interested to hear if any of you have tried any of these products and how you have found them! Maybe in the future we will try out some of these products and report back!

Exercise
I think the main thing that is keeping Trooper supple is the amount we exercise him. We try to ride him at least 3 times a week and he is turned out every day for at least 6 hours even through the winter. When he had his tendon injury we still turned him out as we thought keeping him on box rest may lead to him stiffening up. When I ride him I warm him up for a good 5-10 minutes and then he goes really nicely. I think he does get a bit more stiff when he has not been ridden as often.

Also I have now found a way to add more photos into my blog after the Picasa storage ran out. For those of you wondering I have uploaded the photo to Flickr. I then went onto the "share" setting and got the HTML code for the photo. I then went onto the HTML button whilst writing a blog post and copy and pasted it into there! There might be other ways to do it but this is the way I have found! At least I can keep uploading photos for free! The photo below is a bit of a random one to go with this post but it wouldn't upload the other day so I thought I would try it here!

Love Laura
xxxx

Science Sunday; Why Are Foals Susceptible To Diseases?

2012-12-09T09:00:00.000Z

New born foals are particularly susceptible to disease as they rely on colostrum from the mare to give them antibodies. Colostrum is the first bit of milk they get from their mother and is important as it contains antibodies developed by the mare that are a response to the immediate environment. The mare therefore has to be in the environment that the foal will be born into 2-3 weeks before so that the antibodies made will be specific to the correct environment. These antibodies allow the foal to fight infection before its immune system becomes efficient. The new born foal is able to absorb these antibodies through the intestinal wall and into the blood stream. The ability to absorb these antibodies only lasts for the about 12 -24 hours. During this period the foal needs to have 1- 2 litres of colostrums. These antibodies protect the foal for the first 2-4 months of life. After this, the foals own immune system becomes more efficient making its own antibodies. If the mare leaks colostrum, it will be lost so there will not be enough for the foal.

A number of conditions in the foal are a consequence of them not receiving enough colostrum, leading to a failure of them receiving this early immunity. This could be due to the foal being born premature or the mare running colostrum before parturition. There could be a reduced quality of colostrums that contains low antibody levels. The foals access to colostrum could also be reduced, such as the foal being separated from the mare of the foal being too weak to feed in the early hours after birth. The foals immunity levels and the quality of the colostrums can be checked in a number of ways to see if there are any problems.

These problems could be prevented by giving the foal colostrum supplementation, this is useful within the first 24 hours of birth. There are a number of types of antibodies and if it is given after this time the IgM antibody will still be absorbed but the IgG may not be. It may be possible to create a colostrum bank by milking the colostrum from a number of different mares after the foal ahs had enough, this can be stored in the freezer and mixed together and can be given to sick foals when they need it.

A plasma transfusion may be given if there are severe problems, this is when 3-4 litres of blood is taken from a donor mare or gelding. The plasma is separated from the blood. This can then be transfused into a foal and will raise their IgG antibody levels.

Love Laura
xxxx

Little Update

2012-12-05T16:33:00.000Z

I'll start off this post with a quick story about Trooper from earlier this week. As he is out in the field during the day, he is always at the gate waiting for us when we go to the farm around 2:30/3:00 pm. Earlier in the week around 1 pm one of the grooms at the farm saw the gate to the field was wide open. She went up and she couldn't see Trooper anywhere! When she went onto the farm she could see Joe's bucket had been moved into the yard. Trooper usually heads straight for this bucket when he escapes. Joe's stable had been messed up and some of his hay-net had been eaten but Trooper had gone. She then looked over to the small shelter area where the haylage is kept and could see the back of Trooper's bum. He had gone right inside and had been eating from the huge, round haylage bale for a while as the mud had dried on his legs from when he left the field so had a nice feast. I think he will be heading straight there next time he escapes! We're not sure how he got the gate unlocked. He does barge the gate but it has a chain hooked round it. Either someone left this open or he barged it and it came off!

And just a little update to say I am currently trying to sort out a technical issue with uploading photos so I may not be posting as often as I like to include photos. I have reached the memory limit on my Picasa storage and have to may to increase the storage amount so I thought while I may have to may anyway I might be able to host my blog on my own website so I am just looking into the pros and cons of this at the moment. It might also help with the problems I have been having with people commenting.

Love Laura
xxxx