Health & Education
We all want the best care possible for our horses. The Heath & Education section covers both Learning Institutions, Organizations as well as many sources for equine assistance including Veterinarians and Farriers.
For those who want a to formally study horses, the Education section includes College Riding, Equine Studies, and Veterinary Schools. Learn about the wide variety of horses in the Horse Breeds section. Supplements and Treatments Therapy are also included in the section.
Everyone can learn from Fine Art and there are some specialty Museums that might surprise you.
Horses as a therapy partner enrich the lives of the disabled. These facilities are listed in our Therapeutic Riding section. To help children and young adults build confidence and grow emotionally, please see the resources available on the Youth Outreach page.
Looking for a place to keep your horse? You can find it in the Horse Boarding section. Traveling? Find a Shipping company or Horse Sitting service if your horse is staying home!
Want to stay up to date with the latest training clinics or professional conferences? Take a look at our Calendar of Events for Health & Education for the dates and locations of upcoming events.
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CHA Master Instructor and Clinician Mitzi Summers explains the hows and whys of long lining or double lunging a horse in this educational video by the Certified Horsemanship Association
For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff
For most horsemen, spring is a welcome season. Among other reasons, spring brings the green up of pastures. While grass seems the most natural of feedstuffs for horses and ponies, it can stir up health concerns in susceptible individuals.
When it comes to consumption of spring pasture, horses and ponies hardly hold back; horses can consume over 3% and ponies up to 5% of body weight daily. “Given that horses and ponies usually consume 1.5-2% of their body weight in forage and feed to maintain body weight, these numbers alone explain why horse owners run into problems with lush grass,” said Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research.
Despite its nutritional benefits, spring grass can be high in sugar and starch, depending on the type of grass. “Levels of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) as high as 40% dry matter have been recorded in certain grasses. Cool season perennials—like ryegrass, timothy, orchardgrass, bluegrass—are especially predisposed to accumulating sugars and fructans,” explained Crandell.
Let’s review some of the common issues that can spring up along with green grass.
Gassiness
Horses on lush grass often expel excessive amounts of gas. Issues arise because the high carbohydrate content of lush grass may cause rapid fermentation of fiber in the hindgut, changing the microbial balance, and an increase in gas-producing microbes can occur. Any shift in the microbial population of the digestive tract can cause excessive gas production. The microbes that ferment sugars and fructans produce copious amounts of gas. “If there is good flow to the digesta in the tract, which is often the case with high-moisture spring grass, the gas will be easily expelled, although it may cause mild discomfort,” Crandell said.
She added, “Horses that are on pasture 24/7 during the winter and into the spring as the grass begins to green up have fewer problems than those who are suddenly introduced to grass because the intestinal microbiome has time to adapt to the changes gradually.”
Loose manure
A change in manure is common when horses consume lush spring grass, most likely because of the elevated water content of grasses, which can reach 85%. If the horse’s manure has green-cowpie consistency when first allowed to graze in the springtime, then the cause is probably the new diet, not disease, Crandell said.
However, horses can develop pathological diarrhea, particularly if they are allowed full-on access to spring grass without acclimation. A dramatic shift in the makeup of the hindgut microbiome, as described previously, can make the horse more susceptible to blooms of pathogenic bacteria that naturally reside in the hindgut. Always consult with a veterinarian when drastic changes occur in a horse’s manure, especially if it is watery and lasts more than a day or two.
Colic
Access to pasture is generally associated with a decreased risk of colic. When it comes to spring grass, though, colic risk rises, primarily due to changes that occur in the gastrointestinal environment consequent to overconsumption.
Further, certain horses may have a problem transitioning from a high-fiber diet of hay or mature grass to lush grass, which has a much lower fiber content. Lack of fiber may cause intestinal upset. This is one reason why many owners offer hay to horses at the same time they’re consuming lush pasture grasses.
Laminitis
Several modes of action may cause laminitis depending on the individual horse and its susceptibility.
One chain of events involves the hindgut. When a horse consumes excessive amounts of spring grass, some of the sugar in it bypasses digestion in the small intestine and ends up in the hindgut. This produces a bloom of lactate-producing gram-negative bacteria that rapidly ferments the sugar and fructans. The byproduct of this fermentation is increasing amounts of lactic acid, which drop the pH of the hindgut. As the pH decreases, other microbes die, releasing endotoxins, reactive amines, and exotoxins into the bloodstream. These are thought to adversely affect circulation, increase inflammation, and destroy lamellar basement membranes in the hooves, causing laminitis.
Another mode of action implicates insulin dysregulation. Consumption of high-sugar grasses causes a rise in blood glucose, which triggers a release of insulin in an attempt to reduce glucose levels by helping to usher it into cells. If a horse or pony is insulin resistant, this mechanism malfunctions, so the pancreas releases more insulin, gradually increasing levels of insulin in the bloodstream. This hyperinsulinemia triggers alterations in blood flow to the hoof, boosts expression of lamellar pro-inflammatory cytokines that activate inflammation, and alters glucose metabolism within the hoof lamellae.
Wood-chewing
Horses require fiber in their diets. Because springtime grass contains little fiber, some horses will look elsewhere to satisfy this need. Horses often chew fence boards or rip bark from trees as a way to consume more fiber. Horses may colic from eating indigestible wood, possibly as a result of impaction. As mentioned above, feeding hay can help alleviate this problem, as it adds palatable fiber to the diet.
Safe springtime turnout requires planning. According to Crandell, management strategies include:
- Gradually acclimating horses unaccustomed to spring pasture by allowing more and more turnout per day and feeding hay the remainder of the day. Start with 20-30 minutes of exposure on the first day of grazing and then increase by 30 minutes every one to two days. Again, this would not be necessary if the horse has access to the pasture throughout the entire transition from winter to spring.
- Using a grazing muzzle to slow the consumption of the fresh grass.
- Continuing to offer hay to horses on pasture to give them more fiber. A flake or two is usually enough to discourage wood-chewing.
- Feeding a research-proven hindgut buffer like EquiShure two to three times a day throughout springtime. EquiShure helps to keep the pH of the hindgut steady, decreasing the likelihood of sweeping shifts in the microbial population.
Reprinted courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research. Kentucky Equine Research is an international equine nutrition, research, and consultation company serving horse owners and the feed industry. Our goals are to advance the industry's knowledge of equine nutrition and exercise physiology, apply that knowledge to produce healthier, more athletic horses, and support the nutritional care of all horses throughout their lives. Learn more at https://ker.com.
There a more informative articles in our section on Health & Education.
By Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D.
Researchers from Poland set out to determine the effect of music played in the barn, on the emotional state of race horses. Many horse owners have found that music has an apparent calming effect on fear, aggression, and overall stress. Race horses, in particular, have demands of increased cardiac activity and speed that may be improved through music exposure.
Forty 3-year-old Arabian horses were placed in a barn where they listened to specifically composed music [i] for five hours each day. Their emotional state was assessed by measuring heart rates at rest, saddling, and warm-up walking. Racing performance and number of wins were also recorded. At the end of each month, for three months, data were compared to a control group of horses subjected to the same activity, without having listened to music.
Results
The music positively impacted the emotional state and performance of treated horses, compared to the control group. What was so remarkable was that the effect was noticeable throughout every activity, even during the heightened excitement of being ridden at a gallop.
Even more noteworthy was the positive influence the music had after the second and third months, improving with each subsequent month, exhibited by the number of races won. Beyond three months, however, the impact leveled off, presumably because the horses became accustomed to the music.
Implications for your horses
Horses are individuals and respond to stress in a variety of ways. This study offers one approach toward helping your horse calm down and better respond to performance demands.
But all horses, not just athletes, can benefit from a relaxed, stress-free environment.
Increased amount of stall confinement, often seen with the onset of winter weather, can agitate many horses. Soft music, such as was used in this study (see endnote for more information), can be a useful tool in helping your horse cope with being indoors, as well as veterinary and farrier visits, travel, and other stressors.
Study
Stachurska, A., Janczarek, I., Wilk, I., and Kedzierski, W., 2015. Does music influence emotional state in race horses? Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 35(5), 650-656.
[i] Composed by Janet Marlow of Pet Acoustics, a specialist in music for animals. Her music can be purchased at www.petacoustics.com
This article originally appeared on Getty Equine Nutrition and is published here with permission.
Find more informative articles in our section on Health & Education.
A horse may need to be sedated at various points in its life. Whether it is undergoing a dental procedure, veterinary examination or surgery, sedation will ensure the horse remains safe, cooperative and free from pain and distress throughout the entire process.
By inducing muscle relaxation and reducing anxiety or fear in a horse, sedation allows veterinarians and trainers to carry out treatment and care for an animal, ensuring they remain still for an extended period, reducing the risk of injury or discomfort. The amount of sedative given to a horse will depend on the treatment or procedure required and should always be administered under the supervision of a trained veterinarian. In this article, we will look at what to expect when sedating a horse for the first time.
Light Sedation
The administration of a light sedative aims to put a horse into a relaxed state while still allowing it to remain responsive. This may be required to calm a horse and help reduce its anxiety when undertaking activities such as clipping or other routine care. When under light sedation a horse will still be responsive, and can even ‘spook’ at certain stimuli, such as unexpected sights or sounds. A veterinarian may prescribe a light sedative for owners to administer to their horses with clear instructions on how to do so to ensure the horse’s safety and well-being.
Medium Sedation
Medium sedation will induce a deeper level of relaxation in a horse. As a result, the horse will become very calm and display a sleepy appearance which may include a drooping lower lip and lowered head. As the horse may become slightly unstable on its feet, some support is advised to prevent it from falling.
This standing sedation is often used when scanning a horse for tendon and ligament injuries and for dental procedures such as removing wolf teeth as it puts the horse in a semiconscious state, allowing the veterinarian to safely and effectively handle the animal and perform the necessary treatment.
Heavy Sedation
This level of sedation will induce high levels of drowsiness and relaxation in a horse and will require a veterinarian to be present throughout the procedure. A horse that is heavily sedated will typically appear very tired and sleepy with its lower lip and head dropping towards the ground.
Despite their unsteadiness, horses usually remain standing when administered with a heavy sedative. This should be done in a safe and closely confined area that has a supportive surface to prevent the horse from receiving any injuries. Heavy sedation is typically used for invasive procedures such as extensive dental work or when suturing wounds to ensure the horse remains calm and manageable throughout.
Recovery
Horses tend to recover relatively quickly from sedation, although the exact duration will depend on the drug and the level of sedation administered. During their recovery, horses should be provided with a quiet and safe environment that is free from draughts, as profuse sweating is also likely during this time. Any feed or other edible items should be removed to prevent the horse from attempting to eat them and choking. Once the effects of the sedative have worn off the horse can gradually begin resuming its normal activities.
An experienced veterinarian can provide more information and advice on safely sedating a horse.
You can find more intriguing articles in our section on Health & Education.
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff
Fiber fermentation in the hindgut provides the horse with energy to grow, work, and play. The fiber fraction of a horse’s diet typically comes from pasture or hay, but there are forage alternatives that can help supplement energy, benefit the digestive system, and provide fiber for horses that have trouble chewing traditional forage.
One such forage alternative is beet pulp. According to Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., a nutritionist at Kentucky Equine Research, “Beet pulp is an energy-rich source of digestible fiber that helps promote a healthy microbial population in the hindgut.”
Beet pulp is a byproduct of the sugar beet industry. Sugar beets are grown and harvested to make sucrose and sugar, and beet pulp is the plant material left over once the sugar has been removed. Because of the processing, beet pulp contains minimal sugar.
“Dried beet pulp products are usually available with or without added molasses. The sugar content of unmolassed beet pulp shreds is less than 10%, making it a safe feed for horses that need a low-sugar diet. Shreds with added molasses contain, on average, less than 15% sugar,” explained Crandell.
Beet pulp is considered a prebiotic, meaning it is beneficial to the millions of microbes in the horse’s hindgut. A robust, well-functioning microbiome contributes to overall health. Despite its prebiotic benefit, beet pulp should never be the sole fiber source of the diet. Beet pulp is low in protein (typically 8-10% crude protein) and rich in calcium but is devoid of vitamins and low in other minerals. While research reported in Nutrient Requirements of Horses, published by the National Research Council, showed that a diet consisting of 45-55% beet pulp had no negative effects on the horses consuming it, beet pulp alone will not provide sufficient nutrients, noted Crandell.
Beet pulp can be used to help underweight horses gain weight, as it provides approximately 1,000 kcals per pound (one quart of dry beet pulp shreds weighs approximately 0.5-0.6 pounds). Byproducts of microbial fermentation of beet pulp in the hindgut include volatile fatty acids, or VFAs, which are absorbed and turned into energy. This energy does not cause a spike in glucose or insulin and is released slowly for a more steady supply. Beet pulp is a common ingredient in commercial grain concentrates because of its energy density and benefit to the microbiome.
Beet pulp can also be used as a top-dressed supplement. Soaking is recommended because beet pulp holds moisture, making it useful for adding water to the digestive system.* Dry shreds will not swell in the throat or stomach when fed appropriately. If feeding beet pulp pellets, soaking is required because of the hardness of the pellet and the significant change in volume once pellets are wet.
Beet pulp has an unfair reputation for causing choke in horses. Choke can be caused by any feedstuff, including forages, that are eaten greedily and swallowed without proper chewing.
In summary, beet pulp is an option for adding energy and promoting digestive health in horses. Contact a KER nutrition advisor for advice on whether beet pulp is right for your horse.
"Work with the nature of the horse" ~ Monty Roberts
In part two of this new online video series, Monty works to put the first halter on Cinder, a wild horse, outside of the gentling chute.
"To blame a horse for anything is like blaming the night for being dark" ~ Monty Roberts
In this online video series, Monty works with a wild horse called Cinder.
Read more: Monty Roberts - Cinder Part 1: Join Up with a Wild Horse (2:04)
In this episode, Dr. Charlie Scoggin and Dr. Maria Schnobrich take you on an in-depth exploration of the commercial opening of the state-of-the-art in vitro fertilization (IVF) lab at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. They spotlight the groundbreaking techniques shaping the future of equine reproduction, and in particular, they discuss the significance of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the intricate process of ICSI fertilization and its role in overcoming various reproductive challenges in horses. This technology is enhancing success rates and opening new possibilities for horse owners and breeders.
The following is an excerpt from Life as a Dressage Trainer in Three Countries, by Gunnar Ostergaard, with Pam Stone
With a consistent address, and a string of students and horses to train, I was beginning to settle into my life at Frederiksdal. I felt content and confident in my ability, as all the horses in my training were developing according to my expectations. The apple of my eye was Lotus, a Hanoverian mare imported from Germany. In those days, that was pretty impressive, as it was quite expensive to import horses from Germany. She was a beautiful mare who moved well enough to be competitive in dressage and had the bonus ability of being able to jump.
With happy anticipation, I entered Lotus in my first show since arriving back in Denmark. To be honest, I felt a little cocky. After all, I had been trained in Germany, was doing well in Denmark, and had a talented horse. Convinced that I would win, I rode what I thought was a very good, error-free test, and left the arena with a smile on my face and a pat for the mare.
When the scores were posted, I was gutted. I finished third. At the bottom of the sheet the judges had written, “Rider is sitting crooked.” How could that possibly be? How could I have not felt that? I was mortified, and wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole. It is said that pride goeth before a fall, and it certainly did with me. That day, I wasn’t just served a slice of humble pie, I was given the whole thing.
My self-esteem in tatters, I wandered around the showgrounds to watch the other classes. I had heard of a show-jumping trainer named N.K. Hansen, who had an envious string of wealthy clients, good horses, and skilled riders. I spotted Hansen riding a horse that was notorious for refusing, but with N.K. in the saddle, that was not an option for this horse. I watched him soar over jump after jump.
One of the things that was becoming apparent in Denmark was that I was expected to teach jumping as well as dressage. I had jumped, and competed in jumping—it was required to earn my bereiter certificate—but my focus in Flensburg had been dressage. In Denmark, however, you both jumped and rode dressage.
There was only one thing to do: find a book on it; memorize the details such as distances and combinations, as well as teaching methods; and then try to sound as if I knew what the hell I was talking about. In the end, I absorbed the material, and sounded quite convincing.
While my students weren’t on the road to becoming professional show jumpers, they improved, and our lessons went well. Luckily, these students only jumped once a week, and the indoor wasn’t nearly big enough for advanced jumping!
I enjoyed adding more jumping to my own personal repertoire, even if I didn’t always come home with a ribbon. Lotus, with her abilities in both dressage and jumping, also possessed the frustrating ability to regularly drop a rail somewhere on course, thus earning four faults at competitions.
I finally found success on a Thoroughbred cross named Tonka, who had courage in spades. He was fearless. His owner found Tonka intimidating, which gave me the opportunity to take the horse to a few shows. The one I will never forget was at one of the more impressive venues in North Zealand—the place to be in Denmark, if you wanted to seriously pursue the horse industry—and this competition was for professionals only.
In this particular class, N.K. and I were the last two left in the jump-off, and it seemed we were going to end up with a tie, as the rails had been raised to the highest point possible on the standards. Then some genius had the idea to place beer crates under the standards to raise them higher. Impossible, today, to think that anyone would even dream of allowing such a thing, but perhaps the beer in the crates had all been consumed at the show, so no one cared. In the end Tonka and I cleared the triple bar at 6’ 4” (1.95 meters). It was the first and last time I would jump that high.
Things felt as though they were beginning to snowball in a very good way for me. One particular event that would have a profound effect on my life and career was reacquainting myself with Gunnar Andersen. I contacted him fairly soon after arriving at Frederiksdal. We agreed that Wednesday would suit us both, and so I made the half-hour drive, and found him as affable and approachable as I had remembered.
That first Wednesday turned into a weekly visit, and I truly felt from the beginning that he was taking a special interest, even putting me on his Grand Prix horses, which was heaven on earth. This man, the face of Danish dressage for forty years, seemed to have taken it upon himself to become my mentor.
Gunnar seemingly had no ego; he remained both humble and respectful all the years I knew him. It was never about money with Gunnar —he had no desire to become a businessman, he simply lived his passion, and he was particularly keen on producing hot-blooded Thoroughbreds. While European Warmbloods were making their mark on the competition scene, particularly in Germany, Gunnar remained faithful to his Thoroughbreds, and said that in order to bring home a ribbon, they had to be “twice as good to beat the Germans.” And many were. His list of Thoroughbreds that made the Danish Team was long: Atmospherics, Inferno, Souliman, and C’est Bon.
I lived for Wednesdays—I couldn’t get enough. One Wednesday was particularly memorable. There was a terrific snowstorm, and I crawled along the road in my Beetle. I nearly turned around three times, as the snow was above the hubcaps and the wipers were doing little to keep the flakes from freezing across the windshield. When I finally limped into the parking area, I got out of my car, trudged through the snow, and shoved open the massive barn door, blinking as my eyes adjusted from the blinding snow to the low light of the indoor. Before me was Gunnar, puffing away on the pipe in his mouth and performing the most exquisite piaffe I had ever seen. The gleaming white of Talisman’s coat, as bright as the snow that swirled around me outside, was filigreed by the morning light now streaming in...It was like watching a movie: horse and rider framed in the doorway, moving from piaffe into passage and back into piaffe—classically correct and utterly breathtaking. With his trademark droll humor, he glanced over at me and remarked nonchalantly, “Huh, didn’t think you’d make it.”
That this man would take me beneath his wing and give me the opportunity to ride all those horses...horses that he had trained and competed with renowned success. Gunnar was unbelievably generous with his knowledge, and never made a big deal out of handing me the reins of one of these international Grand Prix horses saying, as if offering a little kid a pony ride at a fair, “Here, you can try a ride on this one.”
These were halcyon days. I was receiving training I could have only dreamt about with Gunnar, establishing a steady business for myself, and developing a social life.
This excerpt from Life as a Dressage Trainer in Three Country is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books. To order a copy in print or audio, go to: TrafalgarBooks.com
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