Researchers at the University of Florida are using specially engineered viruses to deliver restorative proteins to the joints -More-
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Researchers are testing virus-based osteoarthritis treatment in horses
Researchers are testing virus-based osteoarthritis treatment in horses: Researchers are testing virus-based osteoarthritis treatment in horses:
NCHA Futurity Set to Open Monday
NCHA Futurity Set to Open Monday:
FORT WORTH, (NCHA) – The National Cutting Horse Association’s most widely-anticipated event of the year, the 2011 Borden Milk/NCHA World
Championship Futurity 50, is set to begin its 20-day run on Nov. 21, boasting 1,600 entries and a purse nearing $4 million.
The annual NCHA Triple Crown series begins with the Borden Milk Futurity and continues with the XTO Energy Super Stakes in April, followed by the Great American Insurance Summer Cutting Spectacular in July. All three events are held at Will Rogers Equestrian Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
Along with the Futurity cutting competition, there will be numerous events at the show, including the following:
Neiman Marcus Futurity Champions’ Cup, presented by Jerry Durant Auto Group
All 32 living past Open Futurity champion riders were invited to the Futurity Champions’ Cup, and 31 of them elected to participate. The past champions will compete in a crowd-pleasing format every horse enthusiast will want to attend. The Champions’ Cup will begin at 4 pm on Nov. 26. General admission is $10, with proceeds benefitting the NCHA Foundation. Tickets may be purchased online at nchatickets.com or during the show at the NCHA Information Booth in the Best of the West Tradeshow.
One lucky fan (18 years old or older) will win $15,000 off the purchase of the new vehicle from the Jerry Durant Auto Group of Weatherford, Texas. The winner will be chosen from a random drawing of ticket numbers at the event. Jerry Durant Auto Group is the Official Auto Dealership of the NCHA Triple Crown.
Neiman Marcus will also host a Futurity Champions’ Cup party open to all NCHA members at their Ridgmar Mall location on Friday, Nov. 25, at 7 pm with food, beverages, live music and Christmas shopping opportunities.
Mercuria Energy/NCHA World Championship Finals
This year’s $200,000-added Mercuria/NCHA World Finals will once again be held in conjunction with the Borden Milk/NCHA Futurity. The format will feature the Top 15 Open horses and Top 15 Non-Pro riders from the 2011 point year in a riveting competition for a world championship title. Go-round action will take place in the Watt Arena at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, beginning at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26, Sunday, Nov. 27, and Thursday, Dec. 1 as well as the final go-round at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3. Admission is free.
“Best Seat In the House” to be Auctioned
A unique package that will give one cutting horse fan the experience of a lifetime will be auctioned (from the Will Rogers Coliseum arena floor) immediately preceding the 2011 NCHA Futurity finals
The package will include custom chaps signed by all of the living riders of the past Futurity champions, from the first Futurity champion, Buster Welch, to 2010 champion Lloyd Cox.
To top it off, the package will feature literally “the best seat in the house,” accommodation in the sixth box on the judges stand during the finals. The unique perspective from the middle of the arena has never been available to a spectator before and it will give the top bidder the same view of the action as the judges have.
Cutting Horse Gold: A 50-Year History of the NCHA Futurity
Award-winning author and cutting horse historian Sally Harrison published Cutting Horse Gold: A 50-Year History of the NCHA Futurity, this fall. Based on exclusive interviews and never-before-published personal accounts, the book traces the history of the NCHA Futurity from the inaugural event up to last year’s record breaking top score. A limited edition hardcover version will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, as well as a paperback version, both available at for purchase at the NCHA Information Booth. Or visit www.sallyharrison.com for the latest news about this unique collector’s item.
Pat Parelli Natural Horsemanship Clinic
One of the most successful horsemanship clinicians, Pat Parelli, will conduct a clinic in the Watt Arena on Sunday Nov. 27 from 1 to 4 pm, showcasing his proven Parelli Method. Parelli bases his teachings on the horse’s ability to communicate and relate in their natural world. His method has proven success for horse lovers of all levels and disciplines. General admission tickets are $20 each and can be pre-purchased at nchatickets.com.
Celebrity Cutting
The 17th Annual Celebrity Cutting presented by the Careity Foundation will be held Friday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. at Will Rogers Coliseum. This year’s lineup includes Lyle Lovett, Sonny Burgess, Bob Kingsley and more. Proceeds from the event provide funding for a variety of supportive clinical services for cancer patients in the Tarrant County areas. Visit www.celebritycutting.com to reserve tickets.
Best of the West Premier Shopping Experience, presented by Coors Light
The Best of the West Premier Shopping Experience presented by Coors Light opens Nov. 21 in the Amon G. Carter Exhibit Hall. This exhibit features 100,000 square feet of merchants offering clothing, art, tack, jewelry, furniture and more.
Admission is always free and it will be open daily from 9:30 a.m. through 7 p.m. during go-rounds and will remain open with extended hours through the semi-finals and finals performances. Closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Cowboy Santa
Need to settle up with Santa before Christmas? Cowboy Santa will be in the Best of the West Trade Show taking Christmas lists on Nov. 25 – 27 from 1 to 4 p.m., Dec 1 from 1 to 4 p.m., Dec. 2 from 5 to 8 p.m., Dec. 3-4 from 1 to 4 p.m., Dec. 8-9 from 4 to 7 p.m., and Dec. 10 from 2:30 to 6 p.m.
Ride the Mechanical Cutting Horse
Get a taste of what attracts people of all ages to one of the fastest growing equine sports. The mechanical cutting horse and cow will be set up at the Best of the West Trade Show for the duration of the show. It simulates the quick maneuvers and hard stops of a real cutter, and it has multiple speeds for riders of all ages and skill levels.
Commemorative Belt Buckles
Visitors to the show will have the chance to purchase a commemorative 50th Futurity belt buckle, made by Gist Silversmiths.
Meet the Stars of PBR
Four of Professional Bull Riding’s greats will be signing autographs from 1 to 3 pm in the Best of the West Shopping Experience on Saturday, Dec. 3. Headliners comprise Ross Coleman, Colby Yates, Cord McCoy and J.W. Hart. The guys will also try their skills at riding the mechanical cutting horse. PBR will also have Martinez’s Far West, a top PBR bull, on display outside the exhibit hall.
Historical Futurity Display
A special display celebrating the NCHA Futurity Open Champions will greet visitors to the Best of the West trade show in the Amon G. Carter Exhibit Hall where hundreds of vendors will offer an unparalleled shopping experience in the weeks before Christmas..
Each of the display’s five sections will focus on a decade of past NCHA Futurities, with historic photos, statistics and more.
Meet the legendary Buster Welch
Buster Welch was not only the inaugural Futurity champion in 1962, he is also a five-time winner of the prestigious title. Buster will be in the Amon G Carter Exhibit Hall from 3 to 5 pm on Saturday Dec. 10 to shake hands and sign autographs.
Cooper’s Bar-B-Que Reception
All NCHA members are invited to a special reception at Cooper’s Bar-B-Que in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards Sunday Dec. 4 at 7 pm. The reception will also feature a Christmas Art Show and Sale with this season’s complete inventory of Jerry McAdams original works. Cooper’s is located on North Main Street, next to Billy Bob’s Texas.
Ranch and Breeding Operation Tours
NCHA will host a ranch and breeding operation bus tour to select locations in Parker County Dec 7 and 8. The tour will stop at some of the industry’s top operations and stallion stations. Two-time Futurity Champion Leon Harrel will serve as the tour guide. If available, tickets can be purchased the day of the tour for $40.
Western Bloodstock sales
Western Bloodstock will host cutting horse sales beginning Monday, Dec. 5 and continuing through the finals day on Saturday, Dec. 10. On Saturday, Dec. 10, XTO Energy’s Super Stallion Saturday, an event that showcases many of the top cutting horse sires in the industry, will begin at 8:00 a.m. Visitors are welcome to walk through the barn at the Watt to have a closer look at the stallions. In light of the 50th Futurity events, Western Bloodstock invited all 20 living Open Futurity Champion horses to join in the Super Stallion Saturday festivities. For more information, visit www.westernbloodstock.com.
Trigger and Bullet Happy Trails Tour
In honor of Roy Rogers’ 100th birthday, stop by the Amon G Carter Exhibit Hall anytime Dec 1 – 10 to see Trigger “The Golden Palomino” and Bullet “The Wonder Dog” on their 48-state Happy Trails Tour.
International Lounge
International guests will be welcomed to the show with a space to call their own – the international lounge. Located next to the NCHA Information Booth, the lounge is great place to relax and watch the live feed from the coliseum. Guests will also receive a welcome bag stuffed full with goodies.
Held annually at Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, each year, the NCHA World Championship Futurity showcases the next generation of leading cutting horses in their first arena competition. Since the inaugural Futurity in 1962 with 35 entries vying for a purse of $18,375, this event captures the imagination of fans around the world as more than 1,500 of the world’s top horse and rider combinations compete for a piece of a purse estimated at nearly $4 million
The National Cutting Horse Association has more than 20,000 members from a wide range of backgrounds. Each year more than 2,200 NCHA-approved events are held throughout North America, with more than $40 million in prize money awarded. For more information visit www.nchacutting.com or call (817) 244-6188.
Veterinarians Connect the (FDA-Approved) Prascend® Dots: Will Senior Horses Need to Change to the New Medication to Control Cushings and IR Symptoms?
Veterinarians Connect the (FDA-Approved) Prascend® Dots: Will Senior Horses Need to Change to the New Medication to Control Cushings and IR Symptoms?: The imminent release of Boehringer Ingelheim's FDA-approved Prascend to the equine market may mean serious changes are afoot for senior horses that are currently being treated with the compounded medication known as pergolide to control symptoms of equine Cushings disease (PPID) or insulin resistance.
Florida: Still Waiting on Pari-Mutuel Barrel Racing Rules
Florida: Still Waiting on Pari-Mutuel Barrel Racing Rules: As Gretna Racing heads toward its Dec. 1 opening of Florida's first pari-mutuel barrel racing meet, issues including the wagering format and a Quarter Horse industry group's challenge to Gretna Racing's state-approved license remain unresolved....
Winter Driving Tips for Horse Owners
Winter Driving Tips for Horse Owners:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 14, 2011) – With the change of seasons, USRider – the national provider of roadside emergency assistance for equestrians – reminds those who travel with Horses to be careful when traveling and invest time doing routine preventive trailer maintenance to enhance their travel safety.
It is imperative to make sure your vehicle is ready for winter driving. Be sure to maintain your vehicle according to the manufacturer’s service schedule. It’s also important to take your vehicle to a trusted mechanic.
“When it comes to vehicle maintenance, especially heavy-duty vehicles towing precious cargo, it is better to be proactive than reactive,” said Bill Riss, general manager of USRider. “If you have not already done so, establish a relationship with a trusted ASE (www.ase.com <http://www.ase.com> ) mechanic. It is essential that you do this before your vehicle breaks down on the side of the highway while towing your horse trailer.”
USRider recommends that you check tire pressure before each trip. This is especially important with temperature changes. If you are traveling from a warm climate to a cold climate, air pressure in your tires will drop. On the other hand, when traveling from a cold climate into a warm climate, the air pressure will rise.
A weak battery will usually reveal itself during cold weather. If your battery is more than a couple of years old, be sure to check it prior to cold weather setting in. Otherwise, you will most likely be inconvenienced on some cold morning when the battery fails to start your vehicle.
When driving, a good rule of thumb to follow on the road is “rain,ice & snow – take it slow.” Before setting out on a trip, take the time to check weather reports and plan accordingly. Be sure to allow extra time for inclement weather. Mother Nature doesn’t care that you need to be somewhere at a certain time.
Always drive with your headlights on during inclement weather – even if it is not dark. USRider recommends that Horse owners drive with headlights on anytime when trailering Horses, regardless of weather, because of increased visibility afforded by using headlights.
Also during inclement weather, be sure to increase distance between vehicles to allow more stopping time. USRider recommends that you double the normal distance between vehicles when towing a Horse trailer.
“Stopping on snow or ice without skidding and/or jackknifing takes extra distance. Use brakes very gently to avoid skidding,” added Riss. “If you begin to skid or jackknife, ease up on the brake and steer into the skid to regain control.”
During winter months, traction tires are recommended. In order to qualify as a traction tire, tires must have at least an eighth of an inch of tread and be labeled Mud and Snow, M+S, All-Season, or have a Mountain/Snowflake symbol. Since tire performance can vary, a trusted area dealer may be able to advise you on the best tires for your vehicle.
Since it’s difficult to know what road conditions you may encounter during the winter, make it a practice to re-fuel when your vehicle fuel gauge drops below the halfway mark. In many states, you can dial 5-1-1 for travel conditions and road closures.
In some states, vehicles over 10,000 gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), including some passenger trucks, SUVs, RVs, and vehicles towing trailers, must carry chains on certain highways November 1 through March 31. Check with the Department of Transportation or Department of Motor Vehicles for information on the states you will be traveling through.
USRider provides roadside assistance and towing services along with other travel-related benefits to its members through the Equestrian Motor Plan. Standard features include flat-tire repair, battery assistance and lockout services, towing up to 100 miles, roadside repairs for tow vehicles and trailers with Horses, emergency stabling, veterinary referrals and more. For more information about the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, visit www.usrider.org online or call (800) 844-1409.
For additional safety tips, visit the Equine Travel Safety Area on the USRider website at www.usrider.org.
17-Nov-11 8:00 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 14, 2011) – With the change of seasons, USRider – the national provider of roadside emergency assistance for equestrians – reminds those who travel with Horses to be careful when traveling and invest time doing routine preventive trailer maintenance to enhance their travel safety.
It is imperative to make sure your vehicle is ready for winter driving. Be sure to maintain your vehicle according to the manufacturer’s service schedule. It’s also important to take your vehicle to a trusted mechanic.
“When it comes to vehicle maintenance, especially heavy-duty vehicles towing precious cargo, it is better to be proactive than reactive,” said Bill Riss, general manager of USRider. “If you have not already done so, establish a relationship with a trusted ASE (www.ase.com <http://www.ase.com> ) mechanic. It is essential that you do this before your vehicle breaks down on the side of the highway while towing your horse trailer.”
USRider recommends that you check tire pressure before each trip. This is especially important with temperature changes. If you are traveling from a warm climate to a cold climate, air pressure in your tires will drop. On the other hand, when traveling from a cold climate into a warm climate, the air pressure will rise.
A weak battery will usually reveal itself during cold weather. If your battery is more than a couple of years old, be sure to check it prior to cold weather setting in. Otherwise, you will most likely be inconvenienced on some cold morning when the battery fails to start your vehicle.
When driving, a good rule of thumb to follow on the road is “rain,ice & snow – take it slow.” Before setting out on a trip, take the time to check weather reports and plan accordingly. Be sure to allow extra time for inclement weather. Mother Nature doesn’t care that you need to be somewhere at a certain time.
Always drive with your headlights on during inclement weather – even if it is not dark. USRider recommends that Horse owners drive with headlights on anytime when trailering Horses, regardless of weather, because of increased visibility afforded by using headlights.
Also during inclement weather, be sure to increase distance between vehicles to allow more stopping time. USRider recommends that you double the normal distance between vehicles when towing a Horse trailer.
“Stopping on snow or ice without skidding and/or jackknifing takes extra distance. Use brakes very gently to avoid skidding,” added Riss. “If you begin to skid or jackknife, ease up on the brake and steer into the skid to regain control.”
During winter months, traction tires are recommended. In order to qualify as a traction tire, tires must have at least an eighth of an inch of tread and be labeled Mud and Snow, M+S, All-Season, or have a Mountain/Snowflake symbol. Since tire performance can vary, a trusted area dealer may be able to advise you on the best tires for your vehicle.
Since it’s difficult to know what road conditions you may encounter during the winter, make it a practice to re-fuel when your vehicle fuel gauge drops below the halfway mark. In many states, you can dial 5-1-1 for travel conditions and road closures.
In some states, vehicles over 10,000 gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), including some passenger trucks, SUVs, RVs, and vehicles towing trailers, must carry chains on certain highways November 1 through March 31. Check with the Department of Transportation or Department of Motor Vehicles for information on the states you will be traveling through.
USRider provides roadside assistance and towing services along with other travel-related benefits to its members through the Equestrian Motor Plan. Standard features include flat-tire repair, battery assistance and lockout services, towing up to 100 miles, roadside repairs for tow vehicles and trailers with Horses, emergency stabling, veterinary referrals and more. For more information about the USRider Equestrian Motor Plan, visit www.usrider.org online or call (800) 844-1409.
For additional safety tips, visit the Equine Travel Safety Area on the USRider website at www.usrider.org.
17-Nov-11 8:00 AM
To Blanket or Not to Blanket
To Blanket or Not to Blanket:
One of the most confusing decisions when trailering in cold weather is whether to blanket your Horse, said Neva Kittrell Scheve, author and equine travel expert. Horses are very comfortable in cold conditions, and most will travel very well during the winter. Two important factors should be considered when making this decision, according toScheve:
Ensure that the trailer is well ventilated because Horses are prone to respiratory illness. A trailer that is not properly ventilated becomes filled with toxic air from the hay dust, shavings,and any gases from urine and manure. The body heat produced by the Horses also builds up inside the trailer.
Keep Horses hydrated in the summer as well as during the winter. Dehydration is the most common cause of colic. Horses can become dehydrated even during the winter if they do not drink or they lose water through perspiration. If a Horse is dressed too warmly, it will tend to lose more fluids than it should.
Be sure to dress the Horse according to the situation. If the Horse has a full winter coat and does well in daily life, it will not need a blanket for the trailer trip. In this case, open the roof vents and a few windows in the back so the air does not blow directly on the Horse. If you have a stock trailer that does not have windows that close, a light sheet can protect the Horse from the wind. If the Horse is body clipped or does not have a heavy coat, it should wear the same weight blanket that it would normally wear, and vents and windows should be open.
Long-distance trips require a little more preparation. Be ready for driving through different temperatures. Pack blankets of different weights so you can change them as the weather changes during travel. Be sure the Horse does not sweat too much. It could get wet and get chilled. Also, the Horse can lose water through sweat and become dehydrated.
About the Equine Network
The Equine Network provides, creates, and distributes relevant content and services to passionate horseenthusiasts while connecting them to each other and the marketplace. The Equine Network is the publisher of award-winning magazines: Horse&Rider, EQUUS, Dressage Today, The Trail Rider, Spin to Win Rodeo, American Cowboy, Practical Horseman, and Horse Journal. The Equine Network also publishes a proprietary line of books and DVDs for sale through its store, HorseBooksEtc.com. The Equine Network provides emergency roadside assistance through its recent acquisition of USRider, and is home to several websites including: EquiSearch.com, Equine.com, MyHorseDaily.com, DiscoverHorses.com, AmericanCowboy.com, and Horse-Journal.com.
17-Nov-11 8:15 AM
One of the most confusing decisions when trailering in cold weather is whether to blanket your Horse, said Neva Kittrell Scheve, author and equine travel expert. Horses are very comfortable in cold conditions, and most will travel very well during the winter. Two important factors should be considered when making this decision, according toScheve:
Ensure that the trailer is well ventilated because Horses are prone to respiratory illness. A trailer that is not properly ventilated becomes filled with toxic air from the hay dust, shavings,and any gases from urine and manure. The body heat produced by the Horses also builds up inside the trailer.
Keep Horses hydrated in the summer as well as during the winter. Dehydration is the most common cause of colic. Horses can become dehydrated even during the winter if they do not drink or they lose water through perspiration. If a Horse is dressed too warmly, it will tend to lose more fluids than it should.
Be sure to dress the Horse according to the situation. If the Horse has a full winter coat and does well in daily life, it will not need a blanket for the trailer trip. In this case, open the roof vents and a few windows in the back so the air does not blow directly on the Horse. If you have a stock trailer that does not have windows that close, a light sheet can protect the Horse from the wind. If the Horse is body clipped or does not have a heavy coat, it should wear the same weight blanket that it would normally wear, and vents and windows should be open.
Long-distance trips require a little more preparation. Be ready for driving through different temperatures. Pack blankets of different weights so you can change them as the weather changes during travel. Be sure the Horse does not sweat too much. It could get wet and get chilled. Also, the Horse can lose water through sweat and become dehydrated.
About the Equine Network
The Equine Network provides, creates, and distributes relevant content and services to passionate horseenthusiasts while connecting them to each other and the marketplace. The Equine Network is the publisher of award-winning magazines: Horse&Rider, EQUUS, Dressage Today, The Trail Rider, Spin to Win Rodeo, American Cowboy, Practical Horseman, and Horse Journal. The Equine Network also publishes a proprietary line of books and DVDs for sale through its store, HorseBooksEtc.com. The Equine Network provides emergency roadside assistance through its recent acquisition of USRider, and is home to several websites including: EquiSearch.com, Equine.com, MyHorseDaily.com, DiscoverHorses.com, AmericanCowboy.com, and Horse-Journal.com.
17-Nov-11 8:15 AM
Study: Dental Work Improves Feed Digestibility in Horses
Veterinarians and staff at BVEH are well trained and specialize in advanced dental procedures and routine prophylactic procedures.
Study: Dental Work Improves Feed Digestibility in Horses: Aim for routine dental care before a horse begins displaying signs of discomfort or difficulty chewing. The resulting increased digestibility means greater conversion of feed to energy and--ideally--reduced feed bills....
Rider and Handler Effect on Horse Behavior
Rider and Handler Effect on Horse Behavior: According to a recent study led by Uta Konig von Borste, PhD, professor at the University of Goettingen in Germany, riders and handlers might have a considerable affect on a horse's behavior, especially in fearful situations....
Weed of the Month: Perilla Mint
Weed of the Month: Perilla Mint: Perilla mint plants are toxic to horses, and all plant parts (especially the flowers and fruits) contain the toxin. The greatest risk poisoning is with consumption of fresh plant material during late summer or early fall.
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Laminitis Research: AAEP Foundation to Investigate Pasture or Endocrinopathy-Associated Laminitis with Help of Boehringer Ingelheim Prascend® Donation
Laminitis Research: AAEP Foundation to Investigate Pasture or Endocrinopathy-Associated Laminitis with Help of Boehringer Ingelheim Prascend® Donation: The American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation will aunch an aggressive $1 million campaign for laminitis research. Also announced at the AAEP’s 57th Annual Convention was the donation of $200,000 to the AAEP Foundation for support of the first study Case-Control Study of Pasture or Endocrinopathy Laminitis supported by Prascend® (pergolide mesylate), manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica.
Brazile seeks third Triple Crown … and other things to watch for at the NFR
Brazile seeks third Triple Crown … and other things to watch for at the NFR:
COLORADO SPRINGS, (PRCA) – Montana Silversmiths might as well ship the all-around champion buckle pre-printed with Trevor Brazile’s name on it.
The Decatur, Texas, cowboy will arrive in Las Vegas with a $140,019 lead on nearest challenger Shane Proctor, and Brazile will compete in two events while those in pursuit have qualified for just one at the Dec. 1-10 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
With 15 world titles to his credit, Brazile is poised to pass legendary roughstock hand Jim Shoulders for second most in PRCA history. That record ninth all-around crown will push him into a tie with Shoulders, who won five all-around buckles, seven bull riding crowns and four bareback riding titles for his total of 16.
A second title in Las Vegas would move Brazile to within one championship of steer roper Guy Allen for the most in the sport’s history at 18.
The biggest question hanging over Brazile at this point is whether he can claim a third world title in one season for the third time in the last five years. To make that happen, he’ll have to rope well in either the tie-down roping (where he trails Tuf Cooper by $53,297) or the team roping (he trails first-place header Derrick Begay by $48,426) during his 10-day stay in Las Vegas.
Considering he won $239,586 at the Wrangler NFR and the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping in 2010, nothing’s out of the question for Brazile.
Winning his third steer roping title in November put Brazile in position to win his third Triple Crown in five years. Should he leave Las Vegas with two more gold buckles, he’ll become just the second cowboy in ProRodeo history to win three Triple Crowns. Shoulders managed to win his three Triple Crowns in consecutive years from 1956-58. Brazile won his first in 2007 and added a second in 2010. Last year, he joined Everett Bowman (1935, 1937), in an elite group of two that has achieved the feat in different events. In 2007, Brazile won the all-around, tie-down roping and steer roping world titles. The second time around, he claimed the top spot in the all-around, tie-down roping and team roping heading.
In addition to the Triple Crown milestone, Brazile will also be looking to tie or break Billy Etbauer’s record for most rounds won in National Finals competition. Etbauer had 51 from 1989-2009, and Brazile is just three back at 48.
Those will be the primary bits of history the rodeo world will be focused on in the Thomas & Mack Center next month, but it is by no means the only historical storylines worthy of consideration:
• J.W. Harris of Mullin, Texas, will be seeking to become the first bull rider to win four consecutive gold buckles since his mentor Don Gay did it from 1974-77 and just the fourth man in bull riding history to win four straight.
• Bobby Mote of Culver, Ore., is taking aim at his fifth world title, which would tie the record currently shared by Joe Alexander and Bruce Ford. Mote needs just $45,232 in Vegas to become the 18th cowboy to surpass $2 million in career earnings.
• Saddle bronc rider Taos Muncy of Corona, N.M., will be trying to become the third cowboy ever to win the Canadian and world championships in the same year, joining fellow bronc rider Mel Hyland (1972) and steer wrestler Lee Graves (2005).
• Jake Barnes of Scottsdale, Ariz., could tie the team roping record of eight world championships held by Speed Williams and Rich Skelton, if he and partner Walt Woodard could rise through the ranks and win the gold buckle. Barnes and Woodard would also be the oldest team in ProRodeo history to win the world championship, a combined age of 108 years; Barnes is 52 and Woodard turns 56 on Sunday.
• There are two events where there is a very strong possibility that rodeo fans will see the crowning of a second-generation world champion. Roy Cooper, the winner of eight gold buckles, has three sons in the tie-down roping field – Tuf (No. 1), Clint (No. 5) and Clif (No. 15). Bareback riding leader Kaycee Feild of Payson, Utah, is this son of five-time world champion Lewis Feild and Royce Ford is the son of five-time world champion Bruce Ford. They are all aiming to follow in the footsteps of the five previous father-son world champions: Deb and Jeff Copenhaver, John Sr. and John Jones Jr., John and Clark McEntire, Butch and Rope Myers and Bobby and Sid Steiner.
2. Wrangler National Finals Rodeo to be telecast in Canada on Sportsnet
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) announced Nov. 16 that it has entered into a one-year partnership with Sportsnet to telecast the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in Canada.
Sportsnet will carry all 10 rounds of the 2011 Wrangler NFR in high definition on the 24-hour all-sports networks Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet West. Broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks.
“We are excited to welcome Sportsnet as our Canadian broadcast partner for the Wrangler NFR,” said PRCA Commissioner Karl Stressman. “Canadian ProRodeo fans are a passionate group, and we have been working to make sure they will have access to this year’s exciting WNFR action. Sportsnet will be a great partner for ProRodeo in Canada, and we encourage our Canadian fans to make sure to tune-in to these great broadcasts.”
“Our new partnership with the PRCA will offer Canadian rodeo fans a great marquee event in the 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo,” said Scott Moore, President of Broadcasting, Rogers Media. “Rodeo has a fervent following in many parts of Canada, and we are proud to have one of the premier events of the year on Sportsnet.”
For ProRodeo fans in the United States, the 2011 Wrangler NFR is available live on Great American Country (GAC). For a full schedule of GAC’s coverage of the 2011 WNFR, go to www.prorodeo.com.
3. Crane’s quest for Linderman Award begins on familiar turf in Inverness, Fla.
INVERNESS, Fla. – It will be a few more months before Clovis Crane takes up the craft of steer wrestling again. In the meantime he is laying down a strong foundation in his bid for the Linderman Award with his usual hearty diet of roughstock competition.
Crane more than covered his expenses – even counting his airfare from Pennsylvania – at the Nov. 12-13 Citrus Stampede Rodeo by earning checks in all three bucking events, a total of $1,299.
He finished second to Chris Smith in the bareback riding, shared first place in the bull riding with Bobby Peaden and took first outright in the saddle bronc riding.
Following a successful weekend in Glens Falls, N.Y., on Nov. 4-5, Crane has climbed on eight bucking animals this month and ridden seven of them for the required eight seconds. So, yes, he’s covered at the roughstock end of the arena.
In order to qualify for the Linderman Award, however, a competitor has to earn at least $1,000 in three events with at least one of those at the timed-event end of the arena and one in a roughstock event. And the Linderman is at the very top of Crane’s wish list.
“I’m still learning steer wrestling,” Crane said. “I’d never done any bulldogging before mid-July of last year. I went to (fellow First Frontier Circuit cowboy) Greg Bennett’s school last summer, and that helped get me on the right track.
“I came close to qualifying in the steer wrestling last year ($779) until I injured my knee at the end of July. I want to be sure I’m fully healed before I start bulldogging as a regular thing. I’ll probably start back with it in the spring.”
Because he was on the wrestling team at Purdue University, Crane says the transition to steer wrestling seems sort of natural to him.
“The biggest similarities are that both require a lot of grit,” Crane said, “and a lot of confidence that you impose your will on your opponent, whether it’s a man or a steer.”
The other champions at the Citrus County Fairgrounds were steer wrestler Shayde Etherton (4.4 seconds), team ropers Arky Rogers and Clint Summers (5.7 seconds), tie-down roper Jeff Clair (8.8 seconds) and barrel racer Sally Young (15.60 seconds).
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“It’s 11 days away and I have no idea yet. All I know is I need to have a horse by 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 in Las Vegas.”
– Team roping header Brady Tryan talking to the Billings Gazette about his search for a horse to use at the Wrangler NFR. Tryan is about to test-ride a horse in Texas and another in Oklahoma.
4. Next Up
Dec. 1 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Las Vegas, begins
Dec. 2 Benny Binion Bucking Horse and Bull Sale, Las Vegas, begins
5. News and notes from the rodeo trail
Wrangler NFR steer wrestler Stockton Graves has a new job waiting for him when he finishes his labors at the Thomas & Mack Center next month. Graves, who turns 33 midway through the NFR, will return to alma mater Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva to serve as the coach of the men’s and women’s rodeo teams. Athletic Director Andrew Carter made the announcement Nov. 17, saying that Graves’ record of success and familiarity with the program made him the best choice for the job following a nationwide search. “I am very excited about the opportunity to serve as the new head coach, and to be coming back to Alva and Northwestern,” said Graves. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Northwestern and want to share that experience with the current and future members of the rodeo team. I’m pleased to be able to give something back to the University and the community.” Graves competed for Northwestern Oklahoma from 1997-2002, qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo three times and still holds the CNFR arena record with a time of 3.4 seconds. A PRCA card holder since 1997, he has twice won the Prairie Circuit steer wrestling championship and won the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in 2006. The 2011 Wrangler NFR will be the seventh of his career, and he is approaching $1 million in career earnings … Purchase of a 17.5-acre equestrian center and rodeo arena east of Cody, Wyo., has been approved by the board of trustees at Northwest College in Powell. College Vice President for Administrative Services Kim Mills says the $550,000 purchase price for Heart Mountain Equestrian Center will come from the school’s $5.3 million operation reserve fund. Northwest College has rented the facility for years. The school will begin a search for a new rodeo coach within the next few weeks. Becky Nose is serving as the interim coach, assisted by six-time World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider and ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee Dan Mortensen.
6. 2011 PRCA World Standings leaders
AA: Trevor Brazile……….…$259,043
BB: Kaycee Feild………………..$140,660
SW: Dean Gorsuch……………..$100,511
TR-1: Derrick Begay..……….. $118,754
TR-2: Cesar de la Cruz…………$118,754
SB: Taos Muncy..….…………..$155,443
TD: Tuf Cooper………………….$145,311
BR: Shane Proctor……………….$171,758
SR: Trevor Brazile…………………$77,162
Treeless vs. Conventional Saddles: Back Pressure Evaluated
Treeless vs. Conventional Saddles: Back Pressure Evaluated: Treeless saddles are often said to be more more comfortable for riders and horses or more universally fitting for all equine back shapes. But according to a one researcher, the tree still seems to serve a purpose: regulating pressure distribution....
Cryotherapy Methods to Treat Laminitis
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Laminitis Treatment with Stem Cells
Laminitis Treatment with Stem Cells: Laminitis Treatment with Stem Cells: Stem cell therapy is a regenerative approach that has gained much press recently as a potential method for treating equine injuries. While scientific studies on its efficacy are scarce, Scott Morrison, DVM, of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital's podiatry ...
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Can Horses 'Watch and Learn'?
Can Horses 'Watch and Learn'?: Watch and learn. It sure seems that horses can do it. One of them figures out how to open the gate to get to your not-so-well-hidden stock of carrots, and then before you know it, they're all getting orange in the muzzle. So can they really learn from each other? Maybe, according to a group of Danish equestrian scientists, but there's nothing cert...
NCHA World Finals to Start; Top Horse and Top Non-Pro Rider Titles Already Clinched
NCHA World Finals to Start; Top Horse and Top Non-Pro Rider Titles Already Clinched: 
Spoiler Alert – If you don’t want to know that 5-year-old stallion Bet Hesa Cat has already clinched year-end NCHA Open World Champion Horse any-age honors and that Dan Hansen, 60, Weatherford, Texas, has already secured the 2011 Non-Pro World Champion rider title then don’t read this article.
Bet Hesa Cat & Austin Shepard
Spoiler Alert – If you don’t want to know that 5-year-old stallion Bet Hesa Cat has already clinched year-end NCHA Open World Champion Horse any-age honors and that Dan Hansen, 60, Weatherford, Texas, has already secured the 2011 Non-Pro World Champion rider title then don’t read this article.
Chronic Laminitis: Understanding Lameness and Low-Dose Bute
Chronic Laminitis: Understanding Lameness and Low-Dose Bute: David Hood, DVM, PhD, discussed effective methods to pinpoint laminitic pain and explored using the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone (Bute) to control it....
Everything you need to know about Deworming Horses
Everything you need to know about Deworming Horses:
Everyone knows how to deworm horses. You buy an inexpensive dewormer from the feed store and give it to your horse. You need to rotate the dewormer every two months to prevent resistance in the parasites. The old method of tube worming isn't used anymore since the newer dewormer compounds have become available.
Actually, recent research on parasite resistance has blown this whole concept of rotational dewormers out of the water. It turns out that (1) eliminating parasites completely from horses is neither beneficial nor desirable, and (2) our diligent rotational deworming program has not prevented resistance in equine parasites, but rather is creating super-parasites.
Historically, animals and their parasites have evolved together, reaching an “agreement” where the animal's immune system keeps the parasites under control, and the parasite agrees not to kill the host upon which it depends. By eliminating all of the parasites, the animals' immune system can go into overdrive, ultimately predisposing the horse to develop allergies, and possibly autoimmune diseases. So, in reality, a low level of parasitism functions as an “immune optimizer” for the animal. It turns out that a fecal egg count of 0-500 reflects a low level of parasitism, which is optimal for the horse, but unlikely to cause parasite related disease. Over 500 epg indicates a possibly disease causing infestation.
The more disturbing concern is the possible production of super-parasites. Resistance to every major class of dewormer has been identified. In the case of the most common equine parasite, strongyles, eggs are passed in the feces, they are not infective to the horse. They must hatch and develop into stage 3 larvae (L3), a process which is weather dependent. They do not develop at all below 46F or over 100F, making April – November the prime time for parasite transmission in most of the United States, including Kentucky. It turns out that a solid deworming after the first hard frost in the late fall with moxidectin will take care of the parasites for the rest of the winter. Once the weather starts to break in the spring, a fecal on all the horses at a farm is indicated to determine which horses are shedding. Since 20 % of the horses shed 80% of the parasite eggs, the key is to identify those horses and treat them regularly to keep the overall worm burden on the pastures down. The 80% of horses which are low shedders should be allowed to maintain this lower worm burden, and shed eggs that are not subjected to the selection pressure of rotational dewormers. This way, only a small number of the eggs on the pasture belong to the potential “super-parasites.”
After the first spring fecals and treatment of all horses with fecal egg counts over 500 epg, the fecals should be repeated on those treated horses in 4 weeks to determine if the worms were sensitive to dewormer used. If the counts are still high, that indicates that the worms on that farm are no longer sensitive to that dewormer. This resistance is now permanent for that farm, and it is of no value for use on that farm. Worms on specific locations have been tested as long as 20 years after resistance develops, and they are still resistant on that farm. The ineffective dewormer should be permanently left out of the dewormer rotation for that farm
The pre-patent period (time from consuming the infective L3 larvae to adulthood and production of eggs in the feces) of strongyles is about 60 days, so fecals should be repeated on all the horses in 2 months. Again, any horses with 500 or lower epg counts are considered to have low level infestations and do not need to be treated. Horses with over 500 epg have high infestations and require treatment. As a rule, those horses with high egg counts will be the same horses over and over, because they lack the appropriate immunty to control the infestation on their own. Therefore, this subset of “high shedders” require a rotational deworming program. The typical rotational program for this group of horses will sound pretty familiar: Oxibendazole (Anthelcide ®), Ivermectin, and Pyrantel (Strongid ®). The reason that all the horses should not be on the rotational program is that we want to encourage the subset of parasites that can be easily controlled by the horse's own immune system, and not indiscriminately kill off that group. This is the best way to prevent the development of a super-parasite, and also allow the horses to maintain a healthy, small population of worms to properly stimulate immunity.
There are other parasites besides those that produce eggs that can be measured in the feces. Because of these groups of parasites, all the horses in a group should be dewormed twice a year with either ivermectin or moxidectin. Firstly, the large strongyles have a pre-patent period of almost 6 -9 months and the larvae can migrate through the liver, mesentary and other abdominal organs. Therefore, horses should be wormed before the eggs can be detected in the feces.
The second group of parasites that are not typically found in a fecal egg count is the tapeworms. This group of worms has a stage of its life cycle in mites that live on the pasture, and horses actually pick up the infection by eating the mites on the grass. The larvae develop into adults which attach themselves to the mucosa in the region between the ileum and cecum and can cause colic. Tapeworm eggs are not usually found in the feces because they do not float in the typical fecal lab test. In order to keep tapeworms under control, we deworm at least once a year with either praziquantel, which is found in Quest Plus ® (moxidectin with praziquantel), or Equimax ® or Zimectrin Gold ® (ivermectin with praziquantel).
Next are the bots. Bot flies lay eggs on the horses hair, commonly on the neck and inner portions of the front limbs. As the horses itch themselves with their teeth, they pick off the eggs, which hatch in the mouth and travel to the stomach. The bot larvae attach to the stomach lining, causing stomach irritation, including ulcers. Typically we control bots by keeping the bot eggs scraped off the hair to prevent ingestion and also by deworming with either ivermectin or moxidection after the first frost in the fall to eliminate the bots.
Other parasites include habronema, which contributes to summer sores (non-healing wounds on the legs), conjunctivitis and other eye lesions, and onchocerca, which causes skin and eye lesions. Since these parasites don't produce eggs in the feces, twice yearly deworming with either ivermectin or moxidection controls these parasites.
Summary of Deworming Recommendations for Adult Horses:
- Deworm with moxidection with praziquantel (Quest Plus ®) in the fall after the first frost to eliminate encysted strongyles, bots, onchocerca, habronema and tapeworms. This should control parasites for the rest of the winter.
- Check fecals on all horses in the group about 4 weeks after the first warm days (7 – 10 days of consistently warm days in a row). Deworm all horses with egg counts over 500 with 5 day double dose fenbendazole (Panacur ®) to eliminate migrating larvae and encysted larvae.
- Recheck all treated horses again in 10 – 14 days to determine if the fenbendazole was effective. If yes, then the Strongyles on the farm are not resistant to fenbendazole, so it is a good product to keep in the rotation.
- Check fecals on all horses in the group 8 weeks after the first. This allows a full cycle of infective L3 larvae picked up after the first taste of Spring maturing into adult worms which shed eggs in the feces. Any horses whose immune systems are unable to control their parasites (high shedders) will have egg counts over 500 epg, and should be dewormed with the next compound in the rotation, pyrantel pamoate (Strongid®) . Again, fecals should be checked on those that were dewormed at 10-14 days to determine if the pyrantel was effective. Again, if the parasites are not resistant, this product can be kept in the rotation. Low shedders will have low egg counts (<500 epg) at both times.
- Now you know which horses are “high shedders” and which are “low shedders.” After the next 8 weeks, all horses should be dewormed with Ivermectin with praziquantel (Ivermectin Gold ®, Equimax ®).
- At the next 8 week point, deworm the “high shedders” with the next product in the rotation, oxibendazole (anthelcide). Again, recheck the fecals at 10-14 days to determine if this dewormer is effective on your farm.
- At the next 8 week point, repeat the process, this time using pyrantel again, only if it effective in your location.
- Next, deworm with Quest Plus after the first frost.
After following this program for a year, you should have a good idea which horses are the high shedders and which are the low shedders. If you have a stable population, then, your program will be similar year after year. All horses coming into the group should be dewormed with Quest Plus before joining the herd.
Foals add a different dimension to the program. Most adults develop immunity to worms, but foals have never been exposed, so deworming is of critical importance. The first worms that foals pick up are Strongyloides (threadworms), which they actually ingest in the milk of the mare. There is some debate about whether Strongyloides causes any disease in foals. However, current recommendations are to dewormed the mares with ivermectin within 24 – 48 hours of foaling to eliminate this parasite.
The next group of parasites that are important to foals are the ascarids, or roundworms. This group is one of the biggest problems groups, because the eggs hatch in the intestines and then burrow through the tissue of the foal and migrate through the lungs. Many foals develop a cough and even pneumonia as a result of the parasites migrating through the lung tissue. For this reason, the first deworming of foals should be with a product that will eliminate most of these migrating larvae. Therefore, this early deworming at 3-4 weeks of age is with ivermectin. Those ascarids that escape the ivermectin deworming will go on to develop into adults, which can then cause generalized unthriftiness and colic. Therefore, at 8 weeks, foals should be dewormed with pyrantel.
The early deworming program in foals is designed to treat for parasites that are not mature enough to produce eggs, so fecal egg counts are not of value. However, once the foals are out to 16 weeks, they should start on the fecal egg count program. Young horses should be checked every two months until after the first frost of their yearling year, after which they join the adult program. Yearlings are still at risk for ascarids, and consequently vigilance should be maintained until they are two-year-olds.
Summary of Deworming Recommendations for Foals:
- Deworm mares with ivermectin within 24 – 48 hours of foaling to control Strongyloides (threadworms) infections in the foals.
- Deworm with ivermectin at 3-4 weeks of age to treat migrating larvae of ascarids (roundworms).
- Deworm with pyrantel at 8 weeks of age.
- Start checking fecal egg counts at 8 week intervals starting at 16 weeks of age, and use rotational dewormers of oxibendazole, and pyrantel, when counts are high. Respiratory signs without evidence of infectious disease may be associated with migrating ascarids, and may require an additional deworming with either ivermectin or double fenbendazole. Recheck fecal egg counts 10-14 days after deworming to determine if the worms are susceptible to the dewormer product you are using. If the product you are using is not effective, you need to eliminate that product from your rotation.
- Ivermectin is indicated at the next 8 week point, similar to the adult program.
- The terms “high shedders” and “low shedders” aren't useful in this age group, because they tend to all have high egg counts, probably because of limited immunity at this age.
- Continue to deworm at 8 week intervals until after the first frost, when moxidectin with praziquantel (Quest Plus ®) is indicated. Always carefully estimate the foal's weight and dose exactly according to weight to avoid accidental overdose.
- Young horses join the adult fecal egg count and deworming program 4 weeks after the first break in the weather in the spring, although most yearlings of this age have not developed sufficient immunity to control the parasites themselves, and will carry a high worm burden. This group needs to continue on the rotational deworming program, with spot checking egg counts at 10-14 days post dewormer to determine resistance among the parasites on the farm.
- By the spring of their two-year-old year, the pattern of “high shedder” and “low shedder” emerges, and you will be able to determine which horses must remain on a high frequency rotation, and which require only ivermectin or moxidectin with praziquantel twice a year.
Management Program to keep Parasitism in Check
Management programs will also help limit parasitism in horses, and are probably a bigger part of parasite control in warm regions of the country, where you cannot count on a hard frost to “reset” the environmental parasite clock.
The most critical factor is pasture rotation. If pastures can be rested for 2 – 4 weeks at a time, the fields can be harrowed to break up the manure piles, and over a 2 – 4 week period (shorter in temperatures over 70F, longer below 70F) the strongyle eggs hatch, and the infective L3 larvae emerge. After a period of time, if they are not ingested by a susceptible host (horses), they die off, leaving the pasture strongyle free. If pastures cannot be completely rested, an alternative species, such as sheep, cattle or goats can be grazed instead, because the parasites do not cross host species lines. If horses are kept in a sufficiently small pasture, an alternative to pasture rest is manure removal. The manure can be picked up and disposed of similar to stall muck. Composting, where the internal temperature of the piles reaches and maintains 165F will also kill off the parasites. Unfortunately, very little kills off ascarid eggs, and these eggs remain viable on pasture for up to 20 years.
This is the current state of the recommendations of the parasite experts at this time in order to optimize equine health and immunity as well as prevent further resistance among the equine parasites. For specific recommendations for your area of the country, contact your veterinarian.
Developmental Orthopedic Diseases and Nutrition
Developmental Orthopedic Diseases and Nutrition: Long name, sounds complicated. "Developmental Orthopedic Diseases (DODs)" sounds difficult to understand and probably doesn't apply to me. How could it have anything to do with my horse or foal? Fact is, in young horses, DODs are extremely common and, if not managed properly from an early age, may lead to chronic unsoundnesses in the horse as he grows. Most importantly, many of these conditions are preventable and/or treatable with nutritional management.
What are DODs?
DODs are exactly what the name implies. As the foal/young horse grows, abnormalities of growth cause orthopedic problems to develop. These may show up as tendon contractures, where the knees or ankles buckle forward when the foal is standing, physitis, where inflammation and pain occur in the growth plates, or osteochondrosis (OCD), where the normal ossification of cartilage is disrupted. All of these conditions can result in chronic lamenesses or crooked legs or both. These are conditions that develop in young foals to yearlings and primarily during phases of rapid growth.
What Causes DODs?
Normal growth and development depends upon a delicate balance of mineral availability, vitamin cofactors, normal hormone balance, exercise and injury prevention. The easiest method of preventing DODs is to provide proper nutrition and regular exercise. This sounds easy, but is actually more complicated than it sounds. There are several points to consider.
(1) Major minerals such as calcium and phosphorus must be present in the diet of foals and adolescent horses in a ratio of 2:1. Imbalances in these major minerals result in abnormal growth. While it's fairly easy to make sure that the grain fed to a horse has the right ratio of minerals (because the feed companies make them that way), hay can vary widely. In particular, alfalfa hay can have a calcium:phosphorus ratio of anywhere from 4:1 to 8:1, making balancing the minerals in the complete diet almost impossible, unless you have the hay analyzed.
(2) Trace minerals such as zinc and copper, as well as vitamin cofactors are key elements of enzymes that build the cartilage and convert cartilage to bone (ossification) during growth. All of the minerals must be present within a certain range of total intake and balance, because too much of one mineral can result in deficiencies of the others. Just a mineral block is not enough, because horses don't know when they need minerals.
(3) Glycemic index is a term that is gradually working its way into the common vernacular. A feed with a high glycemic index causes a spike of blood glucose and insulin in the body. A feed with a low glycemic index is not associated with this insulin and glucose response. The reason that this is important is that these wildly variable fluctuations in glucose and insulin contribute to the abnormal cartilage growth that results in physitis and OCD. Therefore, low glycemic index feeds are ideal for feeding young horses.
How do I prevent DODs?
Fortunately, all this research is not just available to you and me, it is also available to the feed companies. Therefore, most feed companies that produce horse feed, and specifically specialty feeds for growing foals and young horses provide minerals in the correct balance in their feed already. There are only a few additional things that we need to closely watch to make sure that there are no mistakes.
(1) Seems counterintuitive, but DON'T allow foals to eat from the mare's feed. Mare feed is designed for high calories in order to support milk production. The gastrointestinal tract of foals is not able to properly digest grain until at least 3 months of age. The only thing the grain will accomplish is to produce the dreaded high glycemic response. Foal creep feeds such as Foal Starter and Creep (Progressive Nutrition) which are milk based feeds with cooked oats or barley are designed for the intestinal tract of the foal.
(2) Feed grain mixtures that are designed to be fed with grass hay to growing horses. If you must feed alfalfa hay, then get it analyzed and consult the nutritionist for the feed company to have a specific grain mixture recommendation. It is critical that the calcium:phosphorus ratio is correct for growing horses, or tendon contractures, OCDs and physitis will be inevitable.
(3) Diet balancer mineral products are perfectly balanced in minerals for your growing horse, but the quantity may vary depending upon the age, weight and how fast the horse is growing. Fortunately, there is almost a standard formula for these products across feed companies. Similar products are available from most feed companies (M30, Stamm 30, Grow N Win, Purina 32); my personal favorite is Proadvantage (Progressive Nutrition). A "unit" of balancer turns out to about a pound, or a pint volume of feed, no matter which company's product you are using. Progressive Nutrition makes a handy chart for the horse owner to use to determine how much diet balancer you need for a growing horse in his stage of growth (http://www.prognutrition.com/pdf/GrowthChartDailyFeedPlannerLT05.pdf).
How do I treat DODs?
I've discussed how to prevent DODs, but how are they treated? Some of the conditions are more easily treated than others. Many physitis cases and tendon contractures respond to nutritional therapy. These conditions are associated with rapid growth, likely because the mineral intake is imbalanced, and bone growth requires a different set of minerals than tendon or cartilage growth. If the minerals can be properly balanced and any deficiencies corrected, synchronous growth of all the structures can be restored.
In order to restore mineral balance, I will typically feed these young horses 1/2 to 1 pound more diet balancer than the recommended quantity for their stage of growth. If they are on alfalfa hay, it has to be discontinued and replaced with grass hay. In suckling foals, mineral supplementation can be achieved by administering a paste or drench mineral supplement, such as Rejuvenaide (Progressive Nutrition) or Foal Aide (Buckeye Nutrition). Again, for foals that already have a DOD showing up, I administer 15 - 25% more than the label recommendation. Fortunately, in suckling foals, contractures will respond within just a few days to this mineral supplementation. Physitis may take longer to respond, because the bony enlargement associated with physitis doesn't go down; it just stops getting bigger, and the foal grows into them.
If trauma or concussion is contributing to the DOD, such as can be the case with physitis, some exercise restriction is recommended. Generally, the young horse should be restricted to a small paddock with one other buddy, so that excessive concussion from "running with the herd" is avoided.
What about non-nutritional treatments?
Physitis: Many people advocate the use of poultice to help remove heat from inflammation of the growth plate. This may help, but the majority of the heat and abnormal cartilage is deep within the growth plate and unaffected by the poultice. Topical anti-inflammatory treatment with Surpass may also help, but again will only affect the superficial parts of the growth plate. If the young horse is actually stiff or lame with the physitis, systemic anti-inflammatory medication is warranted, preferably Equioxx for 2-3 weeks. Other anti-inflammatory drugs such as bute can predispose to stomach ulcers, so should be used with Gastrogard.
If the physitis is actually causing asymmetry of growth such that the legs are becoming crooked, then some other intervention is required. Non-invasive therapies include trimming the feet lower on the side of the physitis to encourage growth on that side. Shock wave therapy of the affected side may decrease the pain associated with the inflammation, increase blood flow and decrease inflammation, thereby stimulating growth of the affected side of the physis, and ultimately straightening the leg. Some people are also advocating internal or external blistering of the affected side of the growth plate, also to increase the blood flow.
If the angular limb deformity ("crookedness") is severe, then surgery, where a screw is placed across the growth plate on the less affected side is indicated. A screw is used to slow growth on the faster growing side of the physis and then allow the more affected side to catch up. When the leg is straight, the screw is removed.
Contracture: Caught early, nutritional treatment should correct most cases of contracture. If allowed to progress, then complex splinting procedures, or even surgery, where tendons and ligaments are cut may be necessary.
OCDs: OCDs can be prevented, but not treated with nutritional therapy. Most researchers agree that the very beginning of OCD occurs in utero, so adequate mineral balance in the pregnant mare, and particularly in third trimester is critical. The early signs of OCD in the young horse usually becomes evident from 8 - 12 months of age. Treatments in this age group range from adminstration of Adequan (polysulfated glycosaminoglycans) or Legend (hyaluronic acid) to feeding calcium containing supplements. As previously discussed, imbalanced high calcium or high phosphorus diets can cause OCDs, so additional supplementation should probably be avoided. Shock wave therapy to stimulate blood flow to cartilage may be useful. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) has also been advocated because of the growth factors that may be present in the PRP. Equine Growth Hormone also stimulates the presence of local growth factors in cartilage that may return normal function to the cartilage. Finally, surgery to inject corticosteroids into the lesion or remove the abnormal cartilage may be necessary.
Conclusion:
If your equine interests include foals or young horses, then developmental orthopedic diseases should be at the top of your list of concerns. The most important factor that you can control is the nutrition. Do not allow your foal to eat from the mare's feed tub, and provide a creep feed designed for the foal's digestive tract. Make sure that your young horse has good quality grass hay and feed a diet balancer that is designed to be used with grass hay. Avoid high glycemic index grains, like sweet feed until at least 2 years of age. Allow foals to run in groups and spend at least 8 hours a days in free turnout for exercise. Follow these simple steps to lay the foundation for a healthy and sound partnership for life.
What are DODs?
DODs are exactly what the name implies. As the foal/young horse grows, abnormalities of growth cause orthopedic problems to develop. These may show up as tendon contractures, where the knees or ankles buckle forward when the foal is standing, physitis, where inflammation and pain occur in the growth plates, or osteochondrosis (OCD), where the normal ossification of cartilage is disrupted. All of these conditions can result in chronic lamenesses or crooked legs or both. These are conditions that develop in young foals to yearlings and primarily during phases of rapid growth.
What Causes DODs?
Normal growth and development depends upon a delicate balance of mineral availability, vitamin cofactors, normal hormone balance, exercise and injury prevention. The easiest method of preventing DODs is to provide proper nutrition and regular exercise. This sounds easy, but is actually more complicated than it sounds. There are several points to consider.
(1) Major minerals such as calcium and phosphorus must be present in the diet of foals and adolescent horses in a ratio of 2:1. Imbalances in these major minerals result in abnormal growth. While it's fairly easy to make sure that the grain fed to a horse has the right ratio of minerals (because the feed companies make them that way), hay can vary widely. In particular, alfalfa hay can have a calcium:phosphorus ratio of anywhere from 4:1 to 8:1, making balancing the minerals in the complete diet almost impossible, unless you have the hay analyzed.
(2) Trace minerals such as zinc and copper, as well as vitamin cofactors are key elements of enzymes that build the cartilage and convert cartilage to bone (ossification) during growth. All of the minerals must be present within a certain range of total intake and balance, because too much of one mineral can result in deficiencies of the others. Just a mineral block is not enough, because horses don't know when they need minerals.
(3) Glycemic index is a term that is gradually working its way into the common vernacular. A feed with a high glycemic index causes a spike of blood glucose and insulin in the body. A feed with a low glycemic index is not associated with this insulin and glucose response. The reason that this is important is that these wildly variable fluctuations in glucose and insulin contribute to the abnormal cartilage growth that results in physitis and OCD. Therefore, low glycemic index feeds are ideal for feeding young horses.
How do I prevent DODs?
Fortunately, all this research is not just available to you and me, it is also available to the feed companies. Therefore, most feed companies that produce horse feed, and specifically specialty feeds for growing foals and young horses provide minerals in the correct balance in their feed already. There are only a few additional things that we need to closely watch to make sure that there are no mistakes.
(1) Seems counterintuitive, but DON'T allow foals to eat from the mare's feed. Mare feed is designed for high calories in order to support milk production. The gastrointestinal tract of foals is not able to properly digest grain until at least 3 months of age. The only thing the grain will accomplish is to produce the dreaded high glycemic response. Foal creep feeds such as Foal Starter and Creep (Progressive Nutrition) which are milk based feeds with cooked oats or barley are designed for the intestinal tract of the foal.
(2) Feed grain mixtures that are designed to be fed with grass hay to growing horses. If you must feed alfalfa hay, then get it analyzed and consult the nutritionist for the feed company to have a specific grain mixture recommendation. It is critical that the calcium:phosphorus ratio is correct for growing horses, or tendon contractures, OCDs and physitis will be inevitable.
(3) Diet balancer mineral products are perfectly balanced in minerals for your growing horse, but the quantity may vary depending upon the age, weight and how fast the horse is growing. Fortunately, there is almost a standard formula for these products across feed companies. Similar products are available from most feed companies (M30, Stamm 30, Grow N Win, Purina 32); my personal favorite is Proadvantage (Progressive Nutrition). A "unit" of balancer turns out to about a pound, or a pint volume of feed, no matter which company's product you are using. Progressive Nutrition makes a handy chart for the horse owner to use to determine how much diet balancer you need for a growing horse in his stage of growth (http://www.prognutrition.com/pdf/GrowthChartDailyFeedPlannerLT05.pdf).
How do I treat DODs?
I've discussed how to prevent DODs, but how are they treated? Some of the conditions are more easily treated than others. Many physitis cases and tendon contractures respond to nutritional therapy. These conditions are associated with rapid growth, likely because the mineral intake is imbalanced, and bone growth requires a different set of minerals than tendon or cartilage growth. If the minerals can be properly balanced and any deficiencies corrected, synchronous growth of all the structures can be restored.
In order to restore mineral balance, I will typically feed these young horses 1/2 to 1 pound more diet balancer than the recommended quantity for their stage of growth. If they are on alfalfa hay, it has to be discontinued and replaced with grass hay. In suckling foals, mineral supplementation can be achieved by administering a paste or drench mineral supplement, such as Rejuvenaide (Progressive Nutrition) or Foal Aide (Buckeye Nutrition). Again, for foals that already have a DOD showing up, I administer 15 - 25% more than the label recommendation. Fortunately, in suckling foals, contractures will respond within just a few days to this mineral supplementation. Physitis may take longer to respond, because the bony enlargement associated with physitis doesn't go down; it just stops getting bigger, and the foal grows into them.
If trauma or concussion is contributing to the DOD, such as can be the case with physitis, some exercise restriction is recommended. Generally, the young horse should be restricted to a small paddock with one other buddy, so that excessive concussion from "running with the herd" is avoided.
What about non-nutritional treatments?
Physitis: Many people advocate the use of poultice to help remove heat from inflammation of the growth plate. This may help, but the majority of the heat and abnormal cartilage is deep within the growth plate and unaffected by the poultice. Topical anti-inflammatory treatment with Surpass may also help, but again will only affect the superficial parts of the growth plate. If the young horse is actually stiff or lame with the physitis, systemic anti-inflammatory medication is warranted, preferably Equioxx for 2-3 weeks. Other anti-inflammatory drugs such as bute can predispose to stomach ulcers, so should be used with Gastrogard.
If the physitis is actually causing asymmetry of growth such that the legs are becoming crooked, then some other intervention is required. Non-invasive therapies include trimming the feet lower on the side of the physitis to encourage growth on that side. Shock wave therapy of the affected side may decrease the pain associated with the inflammation, increase blood flow and decrease inflammation, thereby stimulating growth of the affected side of the physis, and ultimately straightening the leg. Some people are also advocating internal or external blistering of the affected side of the growth plate, also to increase the blood flow.
If the angular limb deformity ("crookedness") is severe, then surgery, where a screw is placed across the growth plate on the less affected side is indicated. A screw is used to slow growth on the faster growing side of the physis and then allow the more affected side to catch up. When the leg is straight, the screw is removed.
Contracture: Caught early, nutritional treatment should correct most cases of contracture. If allowed to progress, then complex splinting procedures, or even surgery, where tendons and ligaments are cut may be necessary.
OCDs: OCDs can be prevented, but not treated with nutritional therapy. Most researchers agree that the very beginning of OCD occurs in utero, so adequate mineral balance in the pregnant mare, and particularly in third trimester is critical. The early signs of OCD in the young horse usually becomes evident from 8 - 12 months of age. Treatments in this age group range from adminstration of Adequan (polysulfated glycosaminoglycans) or Legend (hyaluronic acid) to feeding calcium containing supplements. As previously discussed, imbalanced high calcium or high phosphorus diets can cause OCDs, so additional supplementation should probably be avoided. Shock wave therapy to stimulate blood flow to cartilage may be useful. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) has also been advocated because of the growth factors that may be present in the PRP. Equine Growth Hormone also stimulates the presence of local growth factors in cartilage that may return normal function to the cartilage. Finally, surgery to inject corticosteroids into the lesion or remove the abnormal cartilage may be necessary.
Conclusion:
If your equine interests include foals or young horses, then developmental orthopedic diseases should be at the top of your list of concerns. The most important factor that you can control is the nutrition. Do not allow your foal to eat from the mare's feed tub, and provide a creep feed designed for the foal's digestive tract. Make sure that your young horse has good quality grass hay and feed a diet balancer that is designed to be used with grass hay. Avoid high glycemic index grains, like sweet feed until at least 2 years of age. Allow foals to run in groups and spend at least 8 hours a days in free turnout for exercise. Follow these simple steps to lay the foundation for a healthy and sound partnership for life.
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM): Back by Popular Demand
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM): Back by Popular Demand: There is no end to the requests that I get to repost my EPM website. In response to the requests, I have revamped the site and decided to post it here. This current installment is the introduction, and clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment will follow over the next few weeks. Keep checking back for the next installment.
This disease may be preventable by some simple measures. Anything that may attract opossums into barns should be tightly covered, or put away, especially at night. This includes cat food, garbage and grain. Opossums are particularly fond of cat and dog food. Feed should not be left out at night for the morning, or even during the day to attract birds. The opossum population should be kept under control on farms and stables, where possible. Mesh wire or chain link fencing with "hot wire" around the outside may keep opossums out, since they can climb, but they do not dig. The processes of steam-crimping and pelleting grain kills off the sporocysts, so using processed grains can also decrease the exposure to EPM.
He may stumble once or twice. At first you didn't think much of it, but now it's getting worse. He's not lame, just not the same. Or your yearling colt seems to be really clumsy. He drags his hind toes, but maybe its just a stage he's going through. Maybe your trail mare is starting to be a little unsure over the terrain. Or worse, your horse is stumbling, tripping or falling, worse behind. It could be the development of a lameness, or it could be something else.
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) is an infection of the brain or spinal cord of horses that is most commonly insidious in onset with nebulous clinical signs. However, because the organism can affect any part of the central nervous system, clinical signs can vary widely. The neurologic signs that it causes are most commonly asymmetric incoordination (ataxia), weakness and spasticity, although they may mimic almost any neurologic condition. Clinical signs among horses with EPM include a wide array of symptoms that may result from primary or secondary problems. Some of the signs cannot be distinguished from other problems, such as lameness. Airway abnormalities, such as laryngeal hemiplegia (paralyzed flaps), dorsal displacement of the soft palate (snoring), or airway noise of undetermined origin may result from protozoa infecting the nerves which innervate the throat. Apparent lameness, particularly atypical lameness or slight gait asymmetry of the rear limbs are commonly caused by EPM. Focal muscle atrophy, or even generalized muscle atrophy or loss of condition may result. Secondary signs also occur with neurologic disease. Upward fixation of the patella (locking up of the stifle) is among the most common findings among horses with neurologic disease. Another common side effect of EPM is back soreness, which can be severe. Even typical racing injuries may ultimately be caused by EPM, because horses which are uncoordinated are much more likely to "take a bad step" in racing or training. Therefore, any horse with these signs should be carefully evaluated by your veterinarian for the presence of neurologic disease.
EPM was originally identified as a fatal neurologic disease of horses by Dr. Jim Rooney in the 1960s, who saw the characteristic inflammatory lesions in the spinal cord of horses. Protozoa were first identified in the lesions of affected horses in 1974. The protozoa was identified as being similar to other members of the genus Sarcocystis by Dr. JP Dubey, a senior researcher at the USDA, who named it Sarcocystis neurona in 1990. In 1996, my research identified the opossum as the definitive host and source of infection to horses of S. neurona. Over the next several years, I worked with several pharmaceutical companies worked to develop anti-protozoal treatments.
Like other species of Sarcocystis, S. neurona has a two host life cycle. The definitive host (opossum) consumes the muscle tissue of the intermediate host (skunks, raccoons, armadillos) containing protozoal cysts. The protozoa enter the intestinal cells and undergo sexual reproduction in the intestinal cells of the definitive host, forming the infective sporocysts which are passed in the feces of the definitive host. These sporocysts are ingested by the intermediate host, where they hatch in the intestines and pass into the bloodstream. In the intermediate host (skunks, raccoons, armadillos), the protozoa undergoes asexual reproduction in the blood vessels of the liver, lungs and muscles and then encysts in the intermediate host's muscle tissue, without traveling to the central nervous system. When this tissue is eaten by the opossum, the organism undergoes sexual reproduction in the intestinal cells, and forms the infective sporocysts, which are passed in the feces. The opossum does not become sick, but may shed the parasites for months.
Horses represent an aberrant host of S. neurona. Sporocysts are ingested, but never encyst in the tissues of the horse. Instead, they migrate to the central nervous system, where they continue to undergo asexual reproduction intracellularly in neurons, without forming tissue cysts. Horses cannot transmit the organism to other horses, or even to opossums. Horses probably eat the opossum sporocysts inadvertently while eating grass, hay or grain.
In one of my research studies, I was able to reproduce the disease by feeding opossum-derived sporocysts to horses. The horses had detectable serum antibodies at about 3 weeks after infection, and all of the horses that ultimately developed EPM had spinal fluid antibodies about a week later. Those that did not develop EPM never had antibodies in the spinal fluid, even as long as 4 months later.
Exposure of horses to EPM occurs at an average rate of about 50%, but approaches 80-90% among some groups of horses. It is impossible to predict which exposed horses will develop fulminant disease. Some horses with active disease may be able to clear the organism without treatment. Currently, the only approach to control of EPM is early detection of incoordination, gait or other abnormalities, definitive diagnosis of the disease by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, and appropriate treatment. The disease probably requires a minimum of two weeks and up to two years to develop from the time of exposure to the development of marked clinical signs. Exposure rates (but not disease rates) for different farms or training facilities may vary from zero to 100% of the horses at a given location. Premises with very high seroprevalence appear also to have a high prevalence of clinical disease. Most horses probably ingest the sporocysts, mount an immune response, and clear the organisms before they reach the central nervous system. Alternatively, they may be persistently infected in the central nervous system, but are able to combat the organism sufficiently to prevent the development of clinical signs. There is no "dormant" stage, and there is no "remission.".
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Evaluating Horse, Rider Biomechanic Interaction
Evaluating Horse, Rider Biomechanic Interaction: Technology has helped make our riding experiences safer and more interesting, and according to a group of Dutch researchers, technological advances are now also helping equitation scientists behind the scenes better understand how we ride....
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Celebrates 67 years as it Steps Up and Steps Out for Children in 2012
Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Celebrates 67 years as it Steps Up and Steps Out for Children in 2012:
March 21 – April 1, 2011
HOUSTON, (Pin Oak) – Once known as Houston’s hometown horse show, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has become a world-renowned equestrian event. Each spring, Pin Oak Charity Horse Show welcomes the equestrian world to Houston and will give its exhibitors, sponsors, and spectators a dazzling show from March 21 – April 1, 2012 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center as it Steps Up and Steps Out for Children. The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is proudly presented by BBVA Compass Bank. Hosting more than 1,500 horses and more than 1,200 riders annually, Pin Oak brings together Hunters and Jumpers, American Saddlebreds, Andalusians and Lusitantos, United Mountain Horses, Welsh Ponies, and more in a two week equestrian extravaganza that has been a Houston tradition for 67 years.
The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is known as one of the oldest and most prestigious horse shows in the country, and one of Houston’s most unique social and fundraising events. The thunder of high-stepping hoof beats in the sand, the rap and rattle of a hind leg just brushing the rail of an impossibly high jumps, and the many majestic breeds are just part of the story. The reason Pin Oak Charity Horse Show was created by J. S. Ambercrobmie and his wife, Lillie, in 1945, is the same reason the show continues today – charitable giving. Proudly, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show recently presented its charities with $125,000 for 2011 bringing total contributions to over $5 Million since the show’s inception. Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston’s Ronald McDonald House Family Rooms, and Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance are the beneficiaries of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. This year’s donation completed a $300,000 commitment to Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus Cancer Center and initiated a new commitment of $400,000 to Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus Child Life Services.
The commitment to Texas Children’s Hospital by the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show demonstrates its dedication to Houston. Pin Oak Charity Horse Show began raising money for Texas Children’s Hospital in 1948 and provided the seed money to build the hospital we know today in Houston’s medical center. Now, a new Pin Oak generation is dedicated to supporting the expansion of Texas Children’s Hospital in west Houston to those needing the care of this best-in-class hospital. Pin Oak is privileged to support the healing of sick children through horsepower.
Houstonians, show-goers from across the country, and around the world enjoy the heart racing Grand Prix action with Olympic-level athletes and their horses clearing jumps of unthinkable heights, the elegance of the International Hunter Derby with the fabulous hats sported by spectators, the American Saddlebred known as the “Peacock of the Show Ring” and the breed that is at the heart of Pin Oak history, and so much more. Recognized over the years for its excellence and charitable giving, Pin Oak proudly has received many prestigious awards including the first United States Equestrian Federation Heritage Award, named a top 25 Horse show by the North American Rider’s Groups for 2010, and recently Texas Children’s Hospital honored Pin Oak Charity Horse Show with a nomination for Outstanding Fundraising Program as part of National Philanthropy Day 2011.
While a kaleidoscope of equestrian splendor happens for two weeks annually, Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is engaged throughout the year in planning activities, social events, and outreach with its charities. Pin Oak Show supporters and volunteers bring ArtReach to Texas Children’s Hospital annually, decorate areas of Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus for holidays, provide activity bags for young patients, and will host a family luncheon at Houston’s Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in January 2012 for families needing the comfort offered by Houston’s RMH. Books have been collected and donated to its charities for their in-house libraries along with gifts of toys and games for children and families to enjoy.
Education is also supported and championed by the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. Pin Oak hosts “Education Days” during the show annually so young school children can experience the wonder of equestrian sports, enjoy a behind the scenes look at the show by touring a series of learning stations, and watch demonstrations by horse and rider in the BBVA Compass Bank arena. For equestrian athletes who are high school age and would like to continue showing in college, the Pin Oak Club brings to Houston a College Equestrian Fair featuring colleges from across the country with equestrian riding teams and competitive equestrian programs. To encourage and inspire reading, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is bringing a photography exhibit “The Literary Horse: When Legends Come to Life” by artist Vanessa Wright of New Hampshire to the Houston Public Library, Main Branch. The exhibit will open mid-February and will run through March 31, 2012. For a preview of the exhibit, visit www.theliteraryhorse.com. Riders read and Pin Oak hopes to inspire reading through the majesty of the horse.
Inside the show ring and out, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show offers something for everyone over the two weeks of the show. From the novice to the professional exhibitor, and for those who enjoy the many social events that take place during the show including the grand galas, those who enjoy volunteering their time, or those who choose to sponsor one of Pin Oak’s many events, the show truly has something for everyone one. As Lynn Walsh, President of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show puts it, “Pin Oak is more than a horse show, it’s an event and one that makes a difference in the lives of children.” Pin Oak Charity Horse Show invites all of Houston to Step Up and Step Out for Children – no horse required!
To sponsor, volunteer, or find out more about showing at The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, visit the website at www.pinoak.org, email info@pinoak.org, or call Roxanne Cook at 713-621-6290. Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is a 501-c (3) not for profit entity.
Nutritional Support for Horse Hooves
Nutritional Support for Horse Hooves: The horse depends on strong hooves to be fleet of foot, and the equine hoof--with its complex arrangement of connective tissues, nerves, cartilage, bone, and blood supply--relies on important nutritional building blocks for strength and integrity....
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Rodeos cater to athletes, working ranch cowboys alike
Rodeos cater to athletes, working ranch cowboys alike: Cody Ohl, a six-time world champion in the PRCA, earned $15,0000 after edging former Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier Tuf Cooper in the match roping ...
Win a 2012 Breeding to Cat Ichi
Win a 2012 Breeding to Cat Ichi: 
Cutters Against Cancer is selling raffle tickets for a 2012 breeding to Cat Ichi, donated by Jo Ellard of EE Ranches. Tickets cost $20 for one ticket, $60 for five tickets or $100 for 10 tickets. Checks should be made payable to American Cancer Society and mailed to: Cutters Against Cancer, PO Box 222, Ellensburg, WA 98926. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.
Cat Ichi and Guy Woods
Cutters Against Cancer is selling raffle tickets for a 2012 breeding to Cat Ichi, donated by Jo Ellard of EE Ranches. Tickets cost $20 for one ticket, $60 for five tickets or $100 for 10 tickets. Checks should be made payable to American Cancer Society and mailed to: Cutters Against Cancer, PO Box 222, Ellensburg, WA 98926. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society.
Behavioral Differences Between Colts and Fillies Examined
Behavioral Differences Between Colts and Fillies Examined: By studying the behavior of prepubescent yearling colts and fillies, researchers concluded that there is a definite trend towards fundamental gender differences in equine behavior. In their study, colts were more anxious than fillies....
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Developmental Dental Disorders in Horses
Developmental Dental Disorders in Horses: Developmental dental abnormalities can cause a host of problems for affected horses. Routine dental examinations of foals and young horses can help identify issues early and allow treatment to begin before the disorders become too serious....
Fort Worth Rodeo Goes Super High Tech With App
Fort Worth Rodeo Goes Super High Tech With App:
Taking the show in a “Smart” new direction
FORT WORTH, TEXAS (FWLSR) – The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo has announced its first-ever smart phone application. With this free “app”, users can navigate their way around the Stock Show grounds, find the next real-time event or plan an entire day at the Show.
The application is now available for Apple and Android users in their respective markets.
The new “smart” phone application acts as an interactive guide to the legendary event featuring: GPS functionality, parking maps, a daily schedule of events and many other user friendly functions. With five fully functional menu selections: Find Us, Schedule, Live Music, Activities and More, attending events and planning a Show schedule is more convenient.
Other features of the app include: a daily schedule of activities; customizable schedules; Rodeo Roadhouse and Frost Stage lineups; a Guest Services option – including ATM, First Aid and Lost and Found locations and plenty of maps to navigate your favorite Show areas. One of the most interactive features allows users to access their facebook and twitter pages right from the application. Another feature, Friend Finder, can actually pin point a friend on the Show grounds.
“We are proud to maintain the rich heritage and traditions of the Stock Show, while embracing these amazing advances in technology to enhance our visitor’s experience,” said Brad Barnes, the Stock Show’s president and general manager.
Reserve your rodeo seats today! For rodeo ticket order forms and detailed information contact (817) 877-2420 or visit www.fwssr.com. On Monday, November 28, the Stock Show Rodeo Ticket Office will officially open for business. At that time, rodeo tickets will then also be available through Ticketmaster by calling 800-745-3000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com. Convenience charges are added by Ticketmaster and are nonrefundable.
Come “buck the ordinary” at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, January 13 through February 4, 2012.
Nutritional Support for Equine Digestive Health
Nutritional Support for Equine Digestive Health: The digestive tract is one of the top health priorities in the horse. Balancing the digestive system is a key to maintaining health by improving nutrient absorption and reducing the risks of digestive issues....
NCHA Futurity: Owners With Open Horses
NCHA Futurity: Owners With Open Horses: 
At the 2011 National Cutting Horse Association Futurity, there are 407 owners with horses in the Open division. Eight owners have five or more horses, while 39 entered three or more, and 108 paid up at least two horses. There are 299 owners coming to Fort Worth with one horse competing for the big money in the Open division. Good luck to everybody!
David and Stacie McDavid with their star sire Hes A Peptospoonful
At the 2011 National Cutting Horse Association Futurity, there are 407 owners with horses in the Open division. Eight owners have five or more horses, while 39 entered three or more, and 108 paid up at least two horses. There are 299 owners coming to Fort Worth with one horse competing for the big money in the Open division. Good luck to everybody!
Harnessing the genetic toolbox for the benefit of the racing Thoroughbred
Harnessing the genetic toolbox for the benefit of the racing Thoroughbred:
Summary
The understanding and application of genetics have grown extremely quickly since it has become possible to sequence the whole genome of an organism. The human genome sequence was completed in 2001 and that of the horse in 2007. The significance of this is that it makes it more feasible to explain how both genetically simple and complex traits are transmitted from one generation to the next and, therefore, to make informed breeding decisions, modify how horses are managed and trained to minimise the risk of disease and injury, and improve methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of many conditions. The science of genetics/genomics will continue to grow internationally, limited only by the funds available. The application of the science to man, horses and other species raises very complex moral and commercial issues. Thoroughbred breeders are perceived by some as resistant to change, but their apparent intransigence is often based on a genuine concern for the integrity of the breed. By taking control of the application of the advances in genetics, the Thoroughbred industry potentially has the opportunity to improve both the health and performance of Thoroughbreds. If, however, the science is applied in an uncoordinated manner, driven by commercial interests with no underlying concern for the horses themselves, there is a very real risk that breeders, the Thoroughbred breed and individual horses will all suffer as a consequence.
Important Rules Changes to the Drugs & Medication Rules for Competition Horses Become Effective December 1, 2011
Important Rules Changes to the Drugs & Medication Rules for Competition Horses Become Effective December 1, 2011:
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