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Archive for the ‘Conformation & Physiology’ Category

Arthritis in Horses (Part 2 of 2)

Training of horses young early in life, particularly on compacted tracks or arenas, fast gaited and jumping horses are more prone to develop arthritis later in life. Poor conformation and poor farriery can also be a factor, leading to uneven wear and overload on particular tendons and joints. Horses left to develop long toes and lowered heels risk strain and arthritis in the joints.

Nutritional deficiencies also have a bearing on joint health. High grain, rich feeding, an acidic diet, and inadequate calcium or copper in the diet can increase the incidence of bone and joint degeneration.

Action: With Arthritis, prevention is definitely better than cure. Early recognition and care of arthritis is also highly beneficial.

Early stages of arthritis can be settled with topical liniments. Warm poultices and warm bandaging can help to warm up joints and increase mobility. Applied whilst transporting a horse, overnight or prior to gentle exercise, or alternatively after work, to help relieve minor soreness. Armoricaine Clay poultices can be used in this way.

Diet: According to Pat Colby it is not uncommon for the overuse of super-phosphate fertilizers to have a debilitating and depleting affect on the mineral balance of soils. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassiuim should be added to help balance these phosphorus levels.

High grade dolomite is important for treating and preventing arthritis and giving an adequate Calcium and Magnesium supply. Australian seaweed or Kelp (Natrakelp is the most readily absorbed form of liquid seaweed), apple cider vinegar and flax seed meal or flax oil (refrigerated) have healing properties and are good for supporting a balanced diet for your horse.

Cold pressed Linseed oil, Garlic, Chamomile and a mineral or good quality rock-salt lick will also help support your horse.

MSM is a biological sulphur powder that contains a type of sulphur that is often lacking in arthritic sufferers.

Ester C is a non-acidic Vitamin C that can be added to feed to help reduce inflammation and boost immunity. Glucosamine is also used widely now for the treatment of arthritis, and a vegetable form can be sourced.

An acidic or high grain diet is not recommended for arthritic horses.

General Tip: Management and comfort of arthritic horses is important. Suitable rugging will help your horse through the colder periods. Warm paddock boots can also be used where required.

Therapies that support the suppleness and freedom of movement both in preventative and treatment care, are highly beneficial to your horse. This can include qualified and quality Chiropractic work (where required), Acupuncture and regular Massage for your horse. Exercises that support suppleness are also a good idea, and working your horse on gentle, supportive surfaces will increase the longevity of their joints.

Where an accident or injury has occurred, good first aid and follow up treatment lessens the likelihood of arthritic degeneration occurring. A good example of initial treatment might look like this:

  • Rescue Remedy or Emergency Essence for shock and trauma
  • Homeopathic Arnica for injury
  • Rosehip tea with an appropriate mineral supplementation
  • Herbs for tissue regeneration and detoxification
  • Natural feeding diet to support bone health and general wellbeing
  • Adequate rest

I hope some of the ideas in this article have been of use for increasing your understanding of arthritis.

About the author

Zoe Dodds is an Equine Acupuncturist & holistic healer from Australia and the founder of Natural Horse Therapies. www.naturalhorsetherapies.com

Arthritis in Horses (Part 1 of 2)

In my practice, I am often asked about arthritis, in particular with older horses. In this article I will explore some of the symptoms, causes and basic treatment principles applicable to this condition. In future articles, we will explore some of the herbs, homeopathic and essential oil remedies that can be used in cases of arthritis. Your comments and stories are welcomed below.

Symptoms: Arthritis can be classified under two categories: septic and aseptic. Septic arthritis will show visible and obvious lameness and immobility, with swelling and pain. Its onset will be sudden and joints will feel hot to touch.  Aseptic on the other hand can take longer to develop and the lameness will come and go initially. The joint will gradually become enlarged and flexion will be restricted.

Stiffness, pain and inflammation in the joints occur indicating degeneration within the joints. Arthritis is often called Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD). It can involve all the structures forming the joint, including the bones, ligaments, capsule and cartilage of the joint. Resistance to movement and lameness is often found increase in both cold and overly damp conditions.

The inflamed joint can appear swollen, warm to touch and resistant to flexing. Erosion of the cartilage and bone can be seen, with the addition of internal bony growths or spurs indicating a more long-term arthritis.

Cause: The causes can be many, but the most common is repeated jarring on hard working surfaces and the wearing of the joints in exercise.

About the author

Zoe Dodds is an Equine Acupuncturist & holistic healer from Australia and the founder of Natural Horse Therapies. www.naturalhorsetherapies.com

 

 

Wintertime Groundwork Review (Part 3 of 3)

Backing With a Soft Feel or Collection

To back your horse, face the opposite direction of your horse and grasp the lead rope where it connects to the halter with your thumb turned down. Apply steady gentle backward pressure on the rope until your horse drops his nose toward his chest. Immediately release the pressure on the rope when your horse makes the slightest effort in that direction. If your horse raises or lowers his head while you have pressure on the rope, acknowledge his efforts to search for the place of softness but don’t lighten your pressure on the rope until he tips his nose toward his chest. If your horse backs without softening, stop him and begin the exercise again. Once your horse gives his nose consistently, hold your contact on the rope until he thinks about shifting his weight back. Doing this exercise on the ground improves your timing so that you release your pressure the instant your horse makes the correct action. Your horse will respond to your timing with a great attitude—good timing means your
horse will never be confused and is always rewarded for his efforts.

Backing in Circles

Once your horse is backing freely in a straight line and moving his diagonal pairs of legs in rhythm, you can introduce the more complex exercise of backing in circles. Begin by backing in a straight line. As your horse’s outside front leg leaves the ground, move the hand holding the lead rope to the outside to direct the front leg to step out as well as back. Don’t be surprised if your horse loses all rhythm at this point and gets stuck. He will have to make the appropriate adjustments in the movement of his hind legs to accommodate this change in direction. If both of you get stuck, try developing a deeper understanding of this exercise by getting down on your hands and knees and mimicking what you’re asking your horse to do. This will give you a better idea of physical coordination required to complete this exercise.

Transitions

Now that your horse is leading and backing with softness and lightness, ask him to do some simple transitions in hand. Start by walking beside him with your body even with his head. Break into a jog and ask your horse to keep pace with you. If he fails to do so, drop back behind his shoulder and drive him forward into a jog, then return to your position by his head. Slow to a walk again and ask your horse to stay with you. As your horse catches on to the rules of this “game,” increase the difficulty by going from a trot to a halt, or from a trot to a soft back, and then return to a trot again. Keep your horse fresh by introducing new variations. Be sure and lead your horse from both sides, and when changing direction it is good to get in the habit of turning your horse away from you by driving his shoulder rather than pulling him toward you with the lead rope. This helps your horse stay more balanced and keeps him from leaning into you.

The Basics

These basic exercises empower you and your horse to refine skills, and are perfect to keep your training program on track when the weather refuses to cooperate. My thanks to Buck Brannamon—many of these exercises are adapted from and based on those described in his “Groundwork” book. Please refer to his book for excellent pictures of many of these exercises.

Wintertime Groundwork Review (Part 2 of 3)

Leading Willingly Without Pressure on the Lead Rope

If you find yourself having to drag on the rope to get your horse to move, step back until you are behind his shoulder and drive him forward with the end of the lead rope. Then ask him to follow you once he is moving. Even well-trained horses can get lazy. If a horse is dull on the lead rope he’s likely to be dull under saddle. Proper leading keeps your horse light and responsive.

Longeing in a Circle Around You

Teaching your horse to walk, trot, and canter a 20 meter circle is time well spent. You may not always have access to a round pen and longing is an excellent way to help your horse get focused and work off a little extra energy before being ridden. Never allow your horse to plunge wildly around on the end of the longe line, but a few gentle crow hops can help your horse work out any kinks in his system. During longing ensure that your horse keeps his attention on you and his nose tipped toward you, and that he maintains the correct bend on the circle.

Rolling the Hind End (Turn on the Forehand)

Once your horse is moving forward freely on the longe line or lead rope you can tighten the circle and ask your horse to disengage his hindquarters by stepping across and under his body with the inside hind leg. This movement is like stepping on the clutch in a standard transmission vehicle. It prepares the horse for a new speed or direction. This maneuver is particularly valuable in disciplines where speed and turning are required.

Bringing the Front End Around (Turn on the Haunches)

After your horse has rolled his hind end by stepping up under his body with his inside hind leg, he should be positioned to bring his front end around to complete the change of direction. As your horse’s head crosses the line in front of your body, extend your leading hand in the new direction and step up to what was the horse’s outside shoulder. This drives rather than pulls the horse in the new direction. It takes practice to develop the correct timing for these moves and, in the beginning, it is fine for the horse to bend his body as he moves into the new direction. As his skills improve he will be able to execute a more correct turn on the forehand or turn on the haunches with straightness through the neck and ribcage.

About the Author

Madalyn Ward, DVM, owns Bear Creek Veterinary Clinic in Austin, Texas. She is certified in Veterinary Homeopathy and Equine Osteopathy. Memberships include American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Texas Veterinay Medical Association and the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy. She has authored several books and publishes the monthly newsletter, “Holistic Horsekeeping.”

Wintertime Groundwork Review (Part 1 of 3)

The beauty of groundwork is that you can use it to fine-tune the relationship between you and your horse at any time, especially if the weather is foul or you don’t have time for a full riding session. These basic groundwork exercises set the stage for work under saddle and allow you to introduce new concepts to your horse in a safe environment. Be sure to do all of them from both sides. As you do these exercises, it is important to introduce variety into your work and avoid dwelling on exercises your horse has mastered. It is equally important to break difficult exercises into smaller steps that your horse can more easily handle.

You can spend an entire session just on groundwork or eventually incorporate these exercises into your daily routine with your horse. Many top trainers do groundwork as they lead a horse in from the pasture, as they tack up, or as they walk from the barn to the arena. After a while, groundwork can become second nature to you and your horse—like a graceful language that you both speak without words—and the benefits are immense and amazing. Before you decide that groundwork is either tedious or boring, give it a try. You’ll be quickly surprised by the positive results. The exercises covered in this Basic Groundwork section include:

  • Leading
  • Longeing
  • Rolling the Hind
  • Bringing the Front End Around
  • Backing
  • Backing in Circles
  • Transitions

My thanks to Buck Brannaman—many of these exercises are adapted from and based on those described in hisGroundwork book. Please refer to his book for excellent pictures of many of these exercises.

About the author

Madalyn Ward, DVM, owns Bear Creek Veterinary Clinic in Austin, Texas. She is certified in Veterinary Homeopathy and Equine Osteopathy. Memberships include American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Texas Veterinay Medical Association and the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy. She has authored several books and publishes the monthly newsletter, “Holistic Horsekeeping.”

Groundwork Exercises for Gentling (Part 3 of 3)

YIELDING TO A ROPE ON THE LEG

This exercise is specifically aimed at teaching your horse to stay calm and relaxed if he gets caught in wire. You will need an assistant for the second half of this exercise. Start by placing the loop of your lariat around the pastern of one of his front legs. Hold the lead rope with one hand while using your other hand to apply pressure to the lariat. When your horse allows you to move his foot forward with the lariat, release the pressure, and pet him. Repeat this process and move his foot a little further forward each time. Eventually you should be able to lead your horse by his front foot. Repeat this exercise on the other front foot.

Next you want to teach your horse to yield his back feet in response to pressure on the rope. It’s a good idea to wear leather gloves and chaps to prevent rope burns and bruises for this exercise. Have your assistant take a loop of the lead rope around a stout fence post and stand on the opposite side of the fence or use a long rope so he can stand more than a horse body length from where your horse is tied. Now place the loop of your lariat around one of your horse’s back pasterns. Stand about 15 feet away from your horse and gently apply pressure at a 30 degree angle out behind your horse. Ask him to pick his foot off the ground in response to pressure from the rope. His first reaction will probably be to kick violently to free his foot. This is exactly the action that causes such severe injury when a horse gets caught in wire. Don’t try to stop your horse from kicking but keep enough tension on the rope that your horse can’t kick the loop off. Release the rope as soon as your horse stops kicking. Again ask your horse to yield his foot and relax the rope at the slightest response, such as resting the foot on the toe and letting you drag it backward. Your goal is to have your horse lift each back foot in response to the rope pressure and to hold his foot up with no resistance. This may take several sessions so be patient. In addition to preventing injury, this exercise also helps your horse learn how to balance on three legs.

Why Groundwork?

I’ve listed only a few of the many exercises you can do with your horse in preparation for saddle training or as a review on days when you can’t ride. Not only will your horse develop more self-confidence but he will learn to trust you as well!

About the author

Madalyn Ward, DVM, owns Bear Creek Veterinary Clinic in Austin, Texas. She is certified in Veterinary Homeopathy and Equine Osteopathy. Memberships include American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Texas Veterinay Medical Association and the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy. She has authored several books and publishes the monthly newsletter, “Holistic Horsekeeping.” www.holistichorsekeeping.com

Groundwork Exercises for Gentling (Part 2 of 3)

SACKING OUT

You can do this exercise with a folded feed sack, lariat, or slicker. Start by folding your feed sack into a small square and rubbing your horse’s neck with it. Allow him to move away if he gets anxious but try to keep the sack in contact with his neck. Continue until he stops or slows down, then remove the sack from his neck and pet him. Once your horse stays calm and relaxed with the feed sack at his neck, move the sack to different parts of his body. If he moves away from you, keep him in a tight circle around you and, when he stops, remove the sack from the area of concern. This teaches your horse to move his feet in a controlled manner rather than simply bolting away from you when he is afraid. Once your horse is totally comfortable with you rubbing the folded up sack all over his body, open the sack to its full expansion and slap it gently all over his body. You can repeat this exercise with any similar item that frightens your horse.

ROPE WORK

Even if you never intend to rope off your horse it’s still a good idea to do some rope work on and around his body. Rope work ensures that your horse won’t panic if he gets caught in a fence or if the saddle slides back causing the back cinch to slap him in the belly. Begin by making a loop with your lariat and swinging it gently while standing next to your horse. Toss the loop near your horse, and then pull it back in. Be careful when you draw the rope into the blind spot directly below his nose because he may paw at the rope. When your horse is comfortable with you swinging the rope near him, toss it up on his back and let it drop over his hindquarters. Again, if he moves off let him go in a circle around you but try to keep the rope on him until his stops. When he stays relaxed with the rope draped in his hind end, allow him to step through the loop so that the rope runs between his hind legs. Repeat this maneuver on his front legs with the rope around his neck.

About the author

Madalyn Ward, DVM, owns Bear Creek Veterinary Clinic in Austin, Texas. She is certified in Veterinary Homeopathy and Equine Osteopathy. Memberships include American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Texas Veterinay Medical Association and the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy. She has authored several books and publishes the monthly newsletter, “Holistic Horsekeeping.” www.holistichorsekeeping.com

Groundwork Exercises for Gentling (Part 1 of 3)

Gentling exercises encourage your horse to be safe and dependable in any situation, especially scary ones! These exercises can literally be lifesavers for both you and your horse because they train your horse to respond rather than react with panic in new situations. They also teach your horse to look to and depend on you for cues as to how to respond under pressure. The exercises covered in this Groundwork Exercises for Gentling section include:

  • Flag Work
  • Sacking Out
  • Rope Work
  • Yielding to a Rope on the Leg

FLAGWORK

This exercise teaches your horse to remain calm around fluttering objects like jackets, tarps and even butterflies! I wish I had known about this exercise before I rode my mule mare Tess for the first time with a wind breaker—when we came around a corner the wind caught my jacket and we were off! As you can imagine, the faster Tess ran the more my jacket flapped. To get her back under control I finally had to take the wind breaker off (with Tess still at a dead run) and toss it away. Now that I know about flagwork I look forward to never having another experience like that again!

You can easily make your own flag by attaching a plastic bag to the end of a dressage whip. Before you begin flagging make sure you and your horse are in a safe and enclosed area, like a round pen. Begin by standing a good distance away from your horse (4-6 feet) while holding his lead rope and moving the flag briskly up and down. This may startle him so don’t be surprised if he moves away from you. If you’ve already practiced the groundwork exercises outlined in last month’s newsletter you’ll easily be able to roll his hind end if he moves away from you too quickly. Keep moving the flag up and down and rolling your horse’s hind until he stops moving away from you, then stop moving the flag, walk up to him, and pet him. If you find that your horse does not stop moving away from the flag within a short period of time, slow your movements with the flag and stop at the first sign that your horse is slowing down and trying to stop.

Continue with this exercise until your horse is totally unconcerned with the flag. If you stop before this point (i.e., when he tolerates the flag but is still concerned about it) your horse won’t get as much benefit out of this lesson and you may have to repeat it several times in the future. Once your horse is totally relaxed around the flag, start moving it closer and closer to his body. Continue until you can flutter the flag all around and over his body including his face and legs (be careful to avoid his eyes).

About the Author

Madalyn Ward, DVM, owns Bear Creek Veterinary Clinic in Austin, Texas. She is certified in Veterinary Homeopathy and Equine Osteopathy. Memberships include American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Texas Veterinay Medical Association and the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy. She has authored several books and publishes the monthly newsletter, “Holistic Horsekeeping.” www.holistichorsekeeping.com

FINAL PROOF- Part 2

This shows why the traditional opinion of how hoof mechanism works is completely backwards.

This video contains essential information maximizing your horse’s performance and keeping him sound.

Hoof mechanism is what keeps the hoof alive and frog pressure is what keeps the hoof mechanism alive.

If your horse suffers poor hoof growth, poor horn quality or poor healing capacity the hoof mechanism is most likely out of order.

There is much more information on NoFrog.NoHorse on Facebook.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL_45ml-TlI[/youtube]

FINAL PROOF- Part 1

Thanks to EasyCareInc.com for posting this very interesting video on their Facebook page a few days ago…

This is extremely enlightening and once again opens up the debate of Traditional VS Natural (Barefoot) Hoofcare…

This video shows what could be considered one of the most important breakthroughs in modern hoof research. It proves the complete foundation for the traditional hoof care to be wrong. Since the coffin bone apparently is NOT hanging from the hoof wall the hoof wall should not be forced to carry the horse’s weight.

On the contrary- it would indicate that the hoof wall AS WELL AS frog and sole also need to bear the horse’s weight.

Therefore the practice of traditional hoof care and shoeing is forcing the horses to carry its ENTIRE weight peripherally (on the walls). This can cause significant damage as well of discomfort and even extreme pain.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayEJacuoJ7I&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]