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Reverse Load Trailers? And last month’s Bucket Fund receipts.

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Hello all!

Did you have a nice Holiday Weekend?!  I hope so…

RECEIPTS FOR THE AUGUST BUCKET FUND

The Horse and Man Group was wonderful in donating $567 to BHFER, our Bucket Fund equine charity for August!  The money came in several ways so I had a few different kinds of Pay Pal receipts.

OUR “THANK YOU” FROM BHFER

We received two thank-you’s from BHFER.  The first is from Jenny who does some of their PR work and the second is from Theresa.  I wanted you all to share in their Thank-You’s since you donated the money!

1) From Jenny:

Words can not express how eternally grateful we are for your kindness in nominating the “Bucket Fund” of August to benefit Beauty’s Haven Farm and Equine Rescue.

The lives of those who call us home , their present and their futures , depend not only Theresa and all her volunteers but in the loving hearts of so many…they depend on individuals like you who are willing to speak for them and help make a difference.

Beauty’s Haven is a family, family united by love and compassion. Thank you for being part of this beautiful family that I call my second home.

May you have a wonderful day;

Jenny

2)  From Theresa

Thank you SO very much!  This was truly, truly a blessing!  I can’t tell you how much this helps – the vet and
feed bills increased dramatically after the Naples horses arrived.  We bought 2 needed tons of hay today – I can’t tell you how nice
(and comforting) it is to see the hay stall full of hay!  We’ve been buying it by the bale but it’s a better price by the ton.

Again, thanks so much!!!

Sincerely,
Theresa
Beauty’s Haven Farm & Equine Rescue, Inc.
www.beautysequinerescue.org

REVERSE LOAD TRAILERS!

You don’t hear much about reverse load trailers here in the US.  They are much more popular in the UK.  However, there are several trailer companies that do offer this feature.  If you Google “reverse load horse trailers”, several companies will come up.

WHAT IS REVERSE LOAD?

Reverse load is where the horses either ride straight or slanted in the opposite direction of what we Americans usually see.  For example, if you have a straight load, the horses would ride with their faces towards the rear of the trailer instead of the front.  If you have a slant load, the same thing.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

How they work?  The horse loads on a ramp at the side towards the front of the trailer.  Usually the ramp has three doors so the ramp itself isn’t too long or too heavy.  Then the horse is tied or slotted facing the rear of the trailer.  When it is time to let them out, (on a straight reverse load) you drop the butt bars which are now neck bars, and let them out the rear of the trailer which has double doors.  Or, on a slant reverse load, you have the option of taking them back out the ramp, or depending upon the configuration, bringing them straight out the back.  So, no backing your horses.

THE BENEFIT

There are many thoughts here.

First, there have been a few studies where the general consensus was that horses, if left to their own devices, would ride facing backwards.  The studies showed that loose horses do this if given a chance on a long haul.  What most suspect is that the braking pattern is easier to handle when the rear end of the horse is taking all of the impact.  The rear leg and haunch muscles are more set up for stopping and carrying that stopping weight.  So, the horse naturally points his strong end in the direction of the motion.

Another study suggested that horses are less tired and less likely to become ill from stress when they ship in the reverse position.

Some studies suggested that the horses feel less stress if they are not facing oncoming traffic.

For some, the reverse load is much more safe because they can just walk the horse on and walk the horse off – no more turning around in cramped trailers.  And, no more fighting with horses who will not back out of a trailer or become nervous to back.

WHAT DOUBTERS SAY

The people who don’t like the reverse load trailers say that horses ride however they have been trained to ride.   They also say that oncoming traffic doesn’t mean anything to a horse and that ramps are more dangerous than not having ramps.

MY RETORTS

For my two cents, first off, nothing is better than a good driver.  So, having said that, I am now saying all the rest assuming that we are speaking about good trailer drivers who anticipate the rough spots for their cargo.

I’m really thinking on this one…  Just because a type of trailer isn’t popular doesn’t automatically make it not good.  Especially since it is very popular in the UK.  And, I know for a fact, that my horses ALL will turn around in the trailer if given that freedom.  I have trailered Sam (wild mare – trailered only once before) and her newborn filly, for 5 hours in my heavily bedded trailer with the divider removed.   She was not tied.   I stopped often to check on her and I saw them laying down, facing forwards and backwards.  Mostly, she rode diagonally backwards.  At the end of the trip, she was totally fine, not sweaty and not upset.

My other horses, if given the opportunity to ride free in a trailer, will stand splay-legged in reverse.

To top off my surmises, I know that when I am paying top dollar for my show horses to ride across country, the best way for them to arrive refreshed is to put them, untied,  in a heavily bedded box stall.  This would be the same as riding untied in an open 2-horse without a divider.  In this way, they can decide how they want to ride… and they can lay down whenever they want.

So, if my show horses are well rested after a two day journey riding in a box stall, then I think that is probably the best way.  After all, show horses do have some of the most luxurious trailers available.  And, it is never questioned when half of the large shipping trailers have open box stalls or dividers in reverse.  And, I also have noticed that most of the reverse load trailers are high-end trailers.  Hmmmmmmm.  What do those fancy trailer people know?…  I’m guessing that they too have learned that their horses arrive more rested at the final destinations when they ride reversed.

But, most of us are regular folks who just want to trailer one or more horses in our basic trailer.   So I’d like to think of the best way to fit them so we humans are economically sound and the horses are most definitely ergonomically sound.

WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT REVERSE LOADS ARE DESIGN PREFERENCES

Well, in my opinion, the American market hasn’t demanded enough of these reverse load trailers for the trailer makers to think up all the important details that they would if this was a more popular item.  I’m not saying that reverse loads aren’t a good idea, I’m just suggesting that they might want to offer more options for these models.

So far, the designs are mostly for more than 3-horse loads.  I would love to see a really nice 2-horse…  But, my main beef are the configurations.  I want more choices.  I want removable dividers with the tack room up front, not in the back.  I know that the idea is to have a ramp in the middle so the horses walk on and face backwards, but that necessary design messes up the tack room, I think.  Or something… I’m not sure what is up with the tack room on these reverse loads but I didn’t see placement that I liked, yet, on a smaller model.

I also am not sold on ramps.  I have seen several accidents.  So, I don’t think I would want a ramp.

Also, I want to be able to see my horses noses through the open window (with bars or screens, of course) on my driver side window.  So, I want to have their reversed noses on my side.  Many of the reverse loads have the windows on the passenger side.

Straight reverse load... not sure about this one but better than straight load.

WHAT I WOULD PURCHASE

I think, knowing what I know now, I would purchase a stock trailer with removable reverse load dividers so that I could give my horses the most options.  (The only thing I don’t like about this is I would prefer windows to panels…).   I would choose a stock trailer first because they have more interior room for the horses.

I would probably do a couple of experiments with my horses.  I think I would put the dividers in for shorter rides, even if I had only one horse.  Part of me wonders if the dividers would help the single horse brace better because he could lean against it during shorter rides… So, the jury is still out on that part.  But for longer rides, I’d probably take out the dividers on a single horse and let him do whatever he feels like doing – as long as it was bedded deeply.  I think laying down and getting up would be easier with a deep bed.

If I had two horses, I’d use the reverse dividers.

I actually wish I had one…  I’d love to experiment in all the configurations!

Since I love my 4-Star, I'd probably like this reverse load...click here.

IN CONCLUSION

I think I’m a convert to reverse load trailers.  I think I would like some design changes, but overall, I like it.  It makes sense to me.

And, if you were taught to drive a trailer like I was taught — riding in the horse part of the trailer while someone else drove — you’d probably want to experiment and do the best for your horse as well.  Once you’ve ridden in the back part, you have a whole other understanding of what your horse has to put up with while trailering.  If you haven’t been made to stand back there while someone else is driving, you should try it…  ;)   I think it would all become clear.

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
The September Bucket Fund will benefit Grace, the skinniest horse still alive.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate to this incredible horse,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

September's Bucket Fund is the Amazing Grace, the skinniest horse still alive. Click here to learn her story and make any size, secure Pay Pal Donation. Easy and it means so much!

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Labor Day! Let’s go cruising the Marine for Horsey stuff!

Monday, September 6th, 2010

Happy Labor Day!

It is Labor Day and many of you are enjoying yourselves out on the boat.  Or, at least I have seen many, many boats being trailered up past my house on the way to Lake Tahoe…

Anyway, for some reason, I am the lucky recipient of the WEST MARINE catalog, even though Hubby and I don’t own a boat…  The catalog is huge (bigger than Sears) and it specializes in anything for your boat or boating in general.

Now, a few months ago, I happened to be in a boating store and discovered a three-step

The very inexpensive 3-step from the Marine Store.

for a lot less than what they cost in any equestrian catalog.  In fact, I found several things that crossed over very nicely.  When I received the West Marine catalog in the mail, I decided to walk through it and see whatever other aquatic/horsey jewels I could find.

So, on Labor Day when many of you are boating, the rest of us will peruse the catalog and find interesting cross-over horsey gear!

CATALOG FINDS

1)  Oregon 550 and 550t Handheld GPS Navigators/ Dakota 10 Handheld GPS

Now, what trail rider, endurance rider or cross country fan wouldn’t want a personal GPS?  The great thing about these is that they have a camera as well as a tilt compensated compass built-in!  It also has TopoMaps that help you pick the right terrain and determine rider suitability.  They say this works in canyons and also deep cover.  Wow!

The Dakota 10 is waterproof, palm-sized and sunlight readable. Wahoo!  I like this one.

Both models have lots of extras and are perfect for the rider.  And, the SCORE here is that both of these models from West Marine were less expensive than the same models at REI!

2)  RITCHIESPORT X-10 Compass

This is very cool because it will mount on your saddle.   Or it is small enough to put into your pack and bring out when you need it.

I think a compass would be a great item if you don’t have a GPS and you like to ride in different places often.  I mean, usually, you’ll get a compass that comes with your caribiner clip or maybe you get a flimsy one on your keychain.  But, you rarely get a real compass that would survive a day of riding.  So, I think the massive assortment of compasses in this catalog should give you many options for a tremendously capable compass in a variety of shapes and sizes!

3)  Mega Braid Nylon Line

This nylon line can take 55,000 lbs of pressure!  I’m guessing most horses couldn’t break this or nibble through it!  So, if you are looking for strong lead lines, halter ropes, lounge lines, cross ties or any other type of rope, this would really hold up!

Of course, I know that many of you would rather use cotton for lead ropes and halters.  But, if you are not against nylon, they have every color imaginable in just about every weight you could want.  So, why not?

I see huge spools of this rope at almost every large Horse Expo.  So, I think we are onto something here.  And, it is less expensive in this catalog marine catalog…

4)  Folding Solar Chargers

These are too cool!  You can charge your phone, GPS, laptop, lights, fence wire… or a multitude of other applications yet they fold up for easy traveling.  And, they have larger versions as well so you can take a hot shower on the trail or power large lights.  So, if you are missing out on something on the trail or in the barn because you don’t have power, check these out.  There is a huge selection with multiple aquatic uses that could transfer onto land easily!

5)  Horse Toys!  (Or, boat fenders…)

OMG!   Here is a huge assortment of all shapes and sizes of horse toys boat fenders.  They come in many shapes, sizes and weights!  You can pick one for your brute’s stall as well as one for your dainty little lass…  And, the round kind would be great in a pasture hanging from a tree!   I’m sure you could think of many uses for these things (even as bumpers in your trailer…).

If you consider that these fenders are meant to withstand a huge boat crashing against a stationary dock, I think they could withstand the jaws or feet of your mount.  Also, they come with a guarantee.   It says they are guaranteed for the life of your boat against splitting or bursting!  Ah ha!  I’d like to see a comparable horse product!

6)  Sport/Dive Ladder (or Hay Barn Ladder…)

I see this item wall mounted in my hay barn.  It would be so much easier than climbing the rickety barn bales to kick the top bale off!  I swear, there is nothing more finger slicing than trying to open a regular ladder in the hay barn.  Oy.  It always slams shut on something you didn’t see … or it is all wonky on the uneven ground and you hurt yourself more by using it than not.

So, why not mount this handy little item on your hay barn wall?!  It takes less space than a regular ladder and is much more safe.

I think you could mount a few of them on top of each other to make a taller version.  The treads are non-slip and you can easily detach these if you need to put them anywhere else (like on the side of your trailer to climb up to the roof).

7)  Admiral Series Telescoping Handles  (Cobweb getter!)

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of using my broom to reach the webs and then getting mouthfuls of yuk as I do my work…

With this handydandy little item, you can attach any kind of end (there are many available) and telescope the useful part waaaaaay up there.  Then you, and your closed mouth,  can stand very clear as you clean up the far reaches of your barn.

And, it is “aircraft” grade so it isn’t wimpy.  If someone left it where a horse could step on it, I think the telescoping handle would be A-OK!

8)  Surge Multi-Tool!

OK, there are a zillion multi-tools in this catalog that can do just about everything except shoe your horse!  I could have picked any number of them for this report but I decided on the Surge Multi-Tool because it has wire cutters, eyeglasses screwdrivers and an awl with threader (for leather mishaps), among other things.  I think the boating people are so much more inventive with their Leathermans than equestrians!  I mean, these are far superior to the Leatherman’s of my glove compartment!  These are the Leatherman’s of the future!  And, the future of my daypack, for sure!  Here is a list of what this particular model can do!

  • Large and small bit drivers include double-ended bits
  • 4 outside-opening blades
  • Leatherman’s strongest scissors yet
  • Stainless Steel
  • All-Locking Blades
  • Needlenose Pliers
  • Regular Pliers
  • Wire Cutters
  • Hard-Wire Cutters
  • Stranded-Wire Cutters
  • Electrical Crimper
  • Clip-Point Knife
  • Serrated Knife
  • Scissors. Blade Exchanger
  • Diamond File Blade
  • Wood File Blade
  • Saw Blade
  • Large Bit Driver
  • Small Bit Driver
  • 5/16″ Screwdriver
  • Awl w/Thread Loop
  • Ruler (9 inches/22 cm)
  • Bottle/Can Opener
  • Wire Stripper
  • Lanyard Ring
  • Two Double-Ended Bit

9)  REMIX Headlamp

Now who of us doesn’t have to affix a headlamp to your head at least once a day during the winter months?!  I sure do!  I use them so much during winter that sometimes I forget to take the off!  My horses probably think I grew a very bright, third eye or something.

Anyway, I love these things and am always looking for the perfect fit, the lightest weight and the easiest to add batteries.

This one seems to do all of those things, however, if you prefer others, there are many in this catalog (along with any other kind of light you could imagine…).  I love that this headlamp has an easy opening battery compartment.  I also LOVE the over-sized on/off button.  I cannot tell you how often I fumble to find the dang button or I accidentally switch it to the evil strobe!

10)  Last but not least…  COOLER SWINGBACK CHAIR WITH BACKREST!

Can’t you just see this in your truck bed?  OK, maybe it is kinda whitetrashy but I think it is a great idea for horse camping or tailgating or maybe just when you are having lunch on a long ride…   The best part is that it fits a regular sized cooler inside of it.  So, you can fill your cooler at home and just set it inside this cooler!  Or, use it as dry storage.

I would put this in the bed of my truck with the back part against the cab window.  I’d fill the chest with a faboo picnic lunch and then sit on the lovely cushioned (with backrest) chair in the shade under a tree.  Ahhhhh.

And, if this one wasn’t up to your fancy, there are many, many more styles and sizes!

IN CONCLUSION

OK, that concludes our initial trip through the West Marine catalog!  I tore out so many different items, I’ll have to have a Phase 2 on this topic later.

I sure hope you are all having a wonderful and safe LABOR DAY!

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
The September Bucket Fund will benefit Grace, the skinniest horse still alive.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate to this incredible horse,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

September's Bucket Fund is the Amazing Grace, the skinniest horse still alive. Click here to learn her story and make any size, secure Pay Pal Donation. Easy and it means so much!

Posted in Handy Tips | No Comments »

Let’s Talk about Equine Peepers, shall we?…

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

I was interested in this topic after going outside last night in the dark.

Do you ever go outside at night because you think (for the hundredth time) that you left the water on?  Or, you hear something go “bump” and you are sure it is a loose horse?  Or, my personal favorite, you KNOW a horse is loose and running amuck…  Me, too.  And, what always amazes me is that all the horses are awake at whatever hour and their eyes are beaming at me.

How do their eyes shine at night like that?  And, how do they run amuck in the dark and never run into anything?  How can they see so well with fly masks on at night (not that I recommend this but it has happened around here…)?  How well do horses see?

FIELD OF VISION?

Let’s start with the field of vision.  Now you all probably already know that a horse can see, while standing, much more than we can because of the placement of their eyes on the sides of their heads (vs. ours which are placed in front).  Since the horse is a prey animal, these wide set eyes allow him to see almost 360 degrees.

BLIND SPOTS

However, he does have blind spots.  They are directly in front of his nose, the spot below the eyes and directly behind his behind.

Now, what people sometimes don’t understand is that when we approach from the front of a horse, there comes a point where we disappear.  Imagine how upsetting that would be, eh?  This is why a horse suddenly jerks his head up or sideways as we get close to his face.  So, don’t do that.  Don’t approach straight onto a horse.  Come from the side.  It makes the whole thing easier.

Same with the rear.  You’ve heard not to approach a horse from behind.  The reason is that he cannot see you if you come up directly on his tail.  This is why you might get kicked.  And, this is why I so admire the trick riders who can run up and mount from behind.  Obviously, the horse really trusts his rider.

MONOCULAR VS BINOCULAR

This is another interesting concept.  Since their eyes are on the sides of their heads, they can see all around them while their heads are down, grazing.  When their heads are down, both of their eyes cannot focus on anything together because they are seeing completely different things.  Do you see what I mean?  So, if their heads are down, the right eye is seeing what is on the right and the left eye is seeing what is on the left — monocular.

Now, the interesting thing is that if a horse senses something moving while his head is down, he NEEDS to raise his head to see it dimensionally.  In other words, when he is alerted, he naturally raises his head so that he can focus on the object with both eyes or BINOCULAR vision.  So, that is why he “spooks” except it isn’t spooking at all.  He is just checking it out.  And, it takes a few moments for his eyes to work together so he kinda bobs his head until it all makes sense to him.

Another reason horses move their heads up and down when they are trying to figure something out visually is that their field of vision is narrow.   Objects seen the clearest are the ones that fall within a narrow area–the horse tilts his head in order to get as much of an object as possible to that area of his eye.  Basically, all that sudden head movement is really only to help him focus, visually, on the object.

If we understood this monocular vs binocular vision a bit better with our horses, we would have less fear around the rapid head jerk that they do when they see something they cannot identify immediately.  It is only their eyes adjusting to better qualify what has moved in their line of sight.

MOVEMENT

Since the horse is a prey animal, when they see movement, they need to check it out — unless that movement is accompanied by a sound they recognize or if they already understand what created the movement.

So, if the head is down, they will raise their head to use their binocular vision.  And, if the head is already up, they will look directly at the movement and prick their ears.  If they cannot distinguish the movement, they will look to you.  If they are not confident in your leadership, they will fret.  And, if the movement smells bad, they will run.

Movement is a big deal to a prey animal.  The more hours training and desensitizing, the wiser the rider and the mount.

THE ALMIGHTY WIND

Well, dontja just hate riding in the wind?  I especially hate it with a green horse.  In fact, I try to avoid it.

Do you know why they spook in the wind?  Too many things are moving, darn it!  How can a poor horse watch it all when so many things are moving?!  The entire herd gets all whooped up, except the oldies, because they know better.

In my humble opinion, if you have to ride in the wind, take your seasoned mount and sing a lot!

PUDDLES

I know we have been told that horses don’t have depth perception.  This isn’t true.  Theirs is as good as ours.  But, if a puddle is murky, they cannot see the bottom and that is a problem.  Otherwise, maybe they don’t want to get wet or walk on wet rocks.  That myth that they cannot distinguish depth has been maligned scientifically.  When trained to prefer a photo with depth, a horse can pick out the deep images.  For example, if  a trained horses is shown a photo of train tracks going off to infinity or a park bench, he will pick the train tracks every time.  Or, anything else with depth.

NIGHT VISION

“What there is of it is based on anatomical and physiological factors, not behavioral. What we do know is that the equine retina has many more rod receptors than cones, about 9:1. These receptors are responsible for vision in dim light. The eye also contains a tapetum lucidum (the reason eyes of nocturnal animals shine in the dark), which reflects light and enhances the light-gathering properties of the rods. All this indicates good night vision but there may be a hitch. The tapetum lucidum, while increasing sensitivity to dim light, may also, because of light scattering, reduce visual discrimination. Nonetheless, horses are active during the night, grazing, moving about, avoiding obstacles. This gives us a behavioral clue that their scotopic vision is decent.”  by Evelyn B. Hanggi, M.S., Ph.D. I copied that because she said it so well…

Yes, they can see better than us at night.  And yes, that is their actual eyeball that you are seeing reflecting back at you when you are walking around in your nightie to turn off the water…

And, yes, Paul Revere totally relied on his horse.

HEAD SET AND EQUINE VISION

I don’t know about you, but I hadn’t really thought about this… Horses with a dressage type head set cannot see in front of them.  They can see the ground and a few feet beyond, maybe, but they really are depending upon the rider to let them know if they are OK.  So, this may explain why horses are not willing to set their heads without a lot of trust and time.  Also, it tells you why they never hold their heads absolutely vertical when they are on the trail.  They can’t see!

I read about a few crashes in dressage arenas where a few riders were practicing diligently.  However, you gotta wonder what in the heck the riders were doing, eh?  Even if the horse is keeping his head exactly vertical, the rider is supposed to be looking where he is going!  I find this hard to believe but I did see documented cases which were recorded to prove that horses in a vertical headset have marred vision.

RIGHT SIDE VERSUS LEFT

We all have been trained to show the horse whatever you are showing him, on both sides.  Sometimes people say that horses cannot learn something on both sides of their heads at the same time.  Well, that isn’t true.  A horse can “think it through” and understand that whatever happened on the right can happen on the left.

What takes them time, and why you might want to show them things on both sides, is that they cannot turn objects well in their minds – quickly.  For example, if you showed them an odd shaped brush on the right side and then turned it upside down and backward on the left side, they might not recognize it at first.  But, if you showed it to them the same way on both sides, they usually will understand after a few seconds.

Another example is a mailbox or a boulder.   Most horses think these items will eat horses, even if they saw it going down the trail and now we are just going back.  The difference is in the image itself.  Is the thing exactly the same from all angles?  Probably not.  Since horses cannot flip objects or rotate objects in their brains as fast as we can, it takes them a while to recognize the same object from a different angle.  Your patience really helps here.

20/20?

Actually, horses see a bit better than we do.  We are all familiar with the 20/20 thing in humans.  Well, a horse sees 20/30.   A dog sees 20/50, a cat 20/75 and rats see 20/300.   Holy cannoli!

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
The August Bucket Fund will benefit the charity BHFER.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate $5,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

August's Bucket Fund is Beauty's Haven Farm and Equine Rescue. Click here to learn their story and make any size, secure Pay Pal Donation. Easy and it means so much!

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Posted in Handy Tips, Medical | 1 Comment »

LAMINITIS Shoes and Clogs… Glue and screws vs nails.

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

(First up: I am making an order for LG bridles from Germany.  Anyone else want to get in on this order?  It takes about a month to get these.  Email me asap if you’d like one (horseandman@gmail.com)  Here is the reference link:  http://horseandman.com/tack-thoughts/go-bitless-and-feel-secure-i-love-my-lg-bridle-and-so-do-5-of-my-horses/)

Now, back to the original programming for today…  ;)

LAMINITIS.

Oy.  If you have ever dealt with this, you know what I mean. It is difficult to catch on time and if you don’t, it can be very difficult to heal and treat.  The horse is sore so he doesn’t want to pick up his foot.  The unsore feet become sore because of excess use.  To top that, Laminitis can become chronic.  Oy again.  And, sadly, Laminitis can be fatal if it turns into fully rotated Founder.  So, the term Laminitis should not be taken lightly.  It sends shivers through the barn…

Click for rotation animation

Now, I’m not going to go into Laminitis except to say that it is not Founder (here is a link).  Founder is when there is bone rotation or sinking.  Laminitis is the inflammation of the laminae.  You can have Laminitis without Founder.  But, you cannot have Founder without Laminitis.  Laminitis is a precursor to founder.

Here is are two little movies that show how rotation and sinking differ.  Click on the photos and they will animate.

Click for sinking animation

Anyway, those of you who have fought chronic Laminitis know how difficult and painful this is for your horse.  In order to get better, he has to feel relief.  But, how do you get him the relief without creating pressure?

The long often used fix is to tape a styrofoam or stiff foam pad on the hoof, bed the stall deeply, cut out all protein rich foods and wait.  Many times, if the Laminitis was caught really early, this worked.

But if you don’t catch it in time, there are some new shoeing products that are out there which have been getting rave reviews!

Have you heard of the EDSS system?

EDSS SYSTEM

EDSS stands for Equine Digital Support System.   If you look on the website, there seem to be a lot of pieces and it may appear complicated.  But, it isn’t complicated if you are a competent farrier.  Even a layman can understand the basics.  Here are the Cliff Notes.

1)  Have a great farrier work on your horse using these products.

2)  The idea is to avoid nails (concussion) by using screws or glue, if possible

3)  The pad/lifts and support systems are added to the bottom of the shoe so you don’t have to take the shoe off to change the pads or the angles!

Let me say that again so it has the full effect… THE PAD/LIFTS AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS ARE ADDED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SHOE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO TAKE THE SHOE OFF TO CHANGE THE PADS!  Wowee!  This is the best thing since sliced bread!  That right there is the most awesome idea for sore hooves ever!  If you can apply a shoe ONCE and then change the supports at any time without more invasion, the horse is so much better off.  Yay Howdy!

I am a fan of this system because I know that my mare turned the corner when we used a hospital plate on her.  And this is far better than a hospital plate.  You see, the notion of not having to hammer on a sore foot to make a change is WONDERFUL.  And, you can make subtle changes much easier since you do not need to pull the shoe.  You just apply what you need to the outside.  So, less trauma, more healing.

The shoe can be glued on, screwed on or nailed on — whatever will work best for your horse.  And, if you don’t have any foot to nail, they have just created a plate that works for that, too!

Cuff shoe for when there is no wall

I’m so thrilled that these farriers and doctors who created EDSS have joined together to invent these systems that ease hoof pain.

STEWARD CLOGS

I had never heard of these.  Then, my friend told me how her horse, Angel (the same one who had the HBOT experience), due to an acute illness has been fighting chronic laminits for years and the STEWARD CLOG has been the answer.  Bar none, the Steward Clog has saved her horse.  You can watch Angel’s story here.  As you can see, her laminitis was bad.  Very bad.  Angel now wears the Clogs and is happily pastured with her buddies.  Unbelievable if you’ve ever gone through chronic laminitis…

The Clog has actually brought the rotation back to 0 degrees.

First though, you need a wonderful farrier to apply these (here is an instruction guide link).  They are rubber and are glued to the hoof.  Then, the series of wedges and supports are applied to the bottom of the clog depending upon the needs of the horse.  Again, no need to pull the clogs to change any angles.  This is a great benefit because the shoeing process alone can aggravate the situation.

And, the Clogs come in most sizes (pony to draft) or can be specially made if your horse is bigger or smaller.

My friend swears by these Clogs.  In fact, she sent photos of her horse, Angel, and the shoeing process.  I’ve attached one below of Angel in her Clogs.

Angel's feet after a Steward Clog application

As another testament to these Clogs, I know that a horse with chronic laminitis or founder will run to the back of the stall when they see the vet/farrier coming.  But, not with this Clog.  Nancy says that her horse is not sore or lame after the application at all.  Angel trots and bucks right after getting her new Clogs!  Imagine that. Her horse is NOT LAME OR SORE after the application and can be turned out immediately.  Wow.  (sorry for shouting…)

Angel, a horse with chronic laminitis who, according to Nancy, has all of her personality back — front and center!  She is doing great!

Angel (rear), with chronic laminitis, is living pain free with the Steward Clog!

NOT JUST FOR LAMINITIS OR FOUNDER – MANY SORE HOOVES BENEFIT!

These are for sore hooves of any sort… they even work for High Ring Bone, White Line Disease (when a resection is done), and Collateral Ligament Injuries, plus any other lameness that requires stable support and multi-direction breakover.

So, all you folks with sore hooves, please check into these shoeing systems.  Here is the link again.  Scroll down to see the Clogs.  And, if you know of a friend who has these issues with a horse, please pass it along.

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
July’s Bucket Fund will benefit the charity THE GOLDEN CARROT SANCTUARY.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate $5,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

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Summertime Products: Tail Rub Tonic, Poor Man’s Mister, User Friendly Fly Spray and Auto Part Feed Bowls.

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

(First up: I am making an order for LG bridles from Germany.  Anyone else want to get in on this order?  It takes about a month to get these.  Email me asap if you’d like one (horseandman@gmail.com)  Here is the reference link:  http://horseandman.com/tack-thoughts/go-bitless-and-feel-secure-i-love-my-lg-bridle-and-so-do-5-of-my-horses/)

Now, back to the original programming for today…  ;)

Summertime Products: Tail Rub Tonic, Poor Man’s Mister, User Friendly Fly Spray and Auto Part Feed Bowls.

Whew.  That title was a mouthful!

I have an assortment of things to talk about today that don’t really fit into any category except they all are used in the Summertime.  So, I picked that to twistie-tie them together.

TAIL RUB TONIC

Tail Rub.  Ugh.  You know what I mean…  All winter long the horse has a faboo tail.  You fix it and brush it and the thing is a work of art!  You cannot wait until Spring to unveil the luxurious  locks as you ride with pride.  All your friends ooooh  and ahhhhhhh.  Then, summer comes and things heat up a bit.  The biting, flying insects are everywhere but you have that under control with all of your fly spray products.  Or so you think…

Then one morning, you go out to feed and you are met by a dreamy-eyed equine who has spent the entire night rubbing the bejeezus out of his tail dock.  What you end up with is a dense layer of ratted, bad back-combed, stumpy frizzy tangle of what used to be the top half of his beautious tail.  You practically cry.  “Precious, what did you do?!”  Yup.  Been there.

I always thought that a horse rubbed the top of its tail because it either was wormy or the udder had to be cleaned.  Since most of my tail rubbing horses have always been mares, I just assumed they needed a good cleaning “down under”.  And, usually I was right.

But, now that I have lighter colored horses (and I’m not sure if that makes a difference…), I seem to be noticing more rubbing.  And, my gelding rubs, too.  So, since I know they aren’t wormy and I’ve cleaned every udder/sheath on the place, I can only assume that the tail dock itches.  Maybe it is exposed to the sun so it dries or the nighttime bugs are biting, dunno.

Well, lo and behold, a while ago, I was sent some natural tail rub and fly spray products for equines.   The product line is called Equi-Spa and it was started by an aromatherapist.  I remembered that I had these products stashed away, so I decided to go to the website, read all about the items and then run a trial.

The three horses I chose for the test were Tess (tail rubbing is her habit), BG (bugs really irritate her) and Finn (in one night he can rub his entire tail to a stump).  These three had just started the hints of tail rubbing so I waited a day to make sure they were truly irritated.  Yup, all three had the gnarls in the morning.

I started using the Sweet-Itch spray 10 days ago. And, I can honestly say, I used it every day and none of them have rubbed.  Not a single hair out of place.  Amazing.  So today, I went back to the website and am cutting and pasting this paragraph for you so you can read about it, too:  ” Not-so-sweet-itch “is a special blend of soothing witch hazel and moisturizing coconut oil blended with pure essential fragrance oils. These oils also have some properties that help with hair regrowth while moisturizing dry skin and hair. Gentle enough for sensitive areas.”

I also have the gel.  So, I’m going to switch to that this week and see if there is any change or if I like the gel application better.

In any event.  It works.  And, while you are on the website, look at all of her other essential oil and really wonderful natural products for equines!  (I’m not affiliated.)

EQUINES IN THE MIST!

I am writing about horsey sprinklers because this is so easy yet it took me years to figure it out…

Finn with his face in the mister

My herd around the mist, waiting their turns..

I’m sure many of you live in areas where you don’t have extra water to create the ‘running through the sprinkler’ environment for your horses.  But, if you do, they looooove to be misted.  Now, there are really wonderful barn misting systems out there.  And, you can also purchase those party misters that people attach to their awnings and attach that to your barn or fence.  But, for me, I went the totally cheapo route and bought a mister for the garden hose.  And they love it!

The oldie but goodie mister bungied to the fence.

So, if you want a quick, easy fix, like I did, just go to Home Depot or any Lawn and Garden Center.  Find the hose nozzle heads and buy the sturdiest “mister” they have.  I got a metal, three spout dandy!  Then, find a communal place on your fence where you can have the largest crowd with the least amount of fighting that is also near your hose.  Make sure to secure the hose and mister against a post or somewhere so that the horses can’t mess with it (you’d be surprised).  Then turn on the hose and walk away but make sure you are close enough to watch, point and laugh! I swear, horses and hoses are really funny!  My Icy uses it as a dental water pik…

Anyway, I also saw this photo on FB where this equine Mom pointed her industrial sprinkler at her crowd.  Obviously, if you have one of those great big powerful sprinklers, you can set it outside the paddock and aim for the equine hineys.  Clearly, most all of them love the spray!  In fact, it ends up being a total Spa Day where they get watered down and then they take a mud bath and then the cooling spray again… A wonderful, natural way to keep the bugs away — even if Mom wipes it off the next day.

NATURAL BUG SPRAY

OK, I’m back to the Equi-Spa website.

At the same time I was sent the lovely tail itch formula mentioned above, I was also sent the Peppermint Summer Protection Spray.  Yay!

I decided to try it because I had run out of my usual spray and because I have a mare who HATES most fly sprays except for one.  I thought as long as I was testing things, I may as well test the fly spray with her because she knows her stuff.  Ain’t nothin’ gonna get past her in the fly spray department!  So, I set out to test the fly spray on all 12 of my horses including Remi, the fly spray hating mare.

Initially, all the horses looked surprised when I used this unusually nice and fragrant spray.  “Huh?”  They all let me spray them without any dancing or “Ewwww”ing.  And, the fussy mare, Remi, let me brush her with it.  She likes it!  Remi-Tested.  Stamp of approval!  No skin irritation.  No attempts to bite the bottle.

I’ve also been using it to prepare for my HOT trail rides the last two weeks.  I’ve been very happy.  The horses let me put it on their faces as well as all over –  and I use it on my arms.  We are all happy and I don’t feel like I’ve got some Industrial Strength chemical on me or my horse.  (Deet is really bad for us and the horse.  When you spray it, you inhale it.  Ugh.)

There is a bittersweet part to this product.  You have to apply it every day.  But, that is also the good part.  It isn’t full of nasty petroleum stuff that gives it a sticky, unhealthy shelf life.

Here is what the website says:  “Peppermint Summer Protection contains many essential oils that insects find unattractive, yet are very attractive to the horse and rider.  It contains catnip oil which Iowa state University has studied and determined to be 10 time more effective against mosquitoes than DEET.    It does not contain potentially harmful oils, such as penny royal, as some other natural products.  It is a safe effective barrier against flying insects that bite and sting.  Spray on all over brushing into the coat for maximum protection.  After all the flies dont bite the hair,,,they bite at the skin level.  No need to wash it off your own hands, in fact I use it on my self as well.  I even use it on lactating mares!”

So, order the Peppermint Summer Protection Spray, too, if it sounds good to you.  I can vouch that it works!  (I’m not affiliated.)

OIL PAN BOWLS

OK, Hubby teases me that I’m channeling my eccentric, miserly, deceased father when I talk about inexpensive things that can be used as other things… But, here I go again.

You see, two years ago, I needed a few more feed bowls for my new horses.  I didn’t have time to run to the feed store in town and the local feed store was out of the rubber bowls.  Hmmmmmm.  Then, luckily, Hubby took me to an auto parts store.  Well, the auto parts store thing wasn’t the lucky part…  the good part was my FIND!  I found these black, plastic oil drain pans for changing oil.  They were $2 each.  I bought 6.

OKOK, I can hear it now… they won’t hold up in the sun, they will crack and cut the horses’ lips, they will get broken and swallowed, they will tear and the sharp edges will cut the hooves… Uh huh.  Well, I’ve had them two years and I’m still using the original 3 with the other 3 pristine bowls in my tack room.

Gratuitous photos of my Mastiff with a new and old bowl

The only issue I have is that my big Draft horse will step on his bowl every day.  I just step in it the other way and push it back to its regular form.  Oh, and the noise.  I guess that is a bad part.  My Draft will slide the bowl around with his foot if I don’t remove it from breakfast and it is near dinner time.  He likes the noise it makes.  I hate the noise it makes.  Rubber bowls don’t do that.

But, none of the other horses mess with the bowls and they have lasted for two years without incident.  So, if you need cheap feed bowls that don’t hang on fences, go to the nearby auto parts store!  Like father, like daughter…  ;)

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
July’s Bucket Fund will benefit the charity THE GOLDEN CARROT SANCTUARY.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate $5,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

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Bicycles and Green Horses on the Trail Together… Oh My!

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

Yesterday I thought would be a great day to take BG out on her first trail ride.  We were ready!

I prepared by deciding to leave really early to beat the heat.  I also wanted to leave early so there would be less people and fuss at the nearby horse-friendly State Park.

I went alone because no one else was willing to get up that early to join me…  So, all excited, I got up early, found my mount, popped her into the trailer and set sail to the park!  Yeehaw!  We were on the road and the new day was looking to be beautiful!

BY THE WAY…

BG is the TWH mare that I spoke about recently… she is new to riding.  Some of you may remember BG from a post I wrote a few weeks ago.  It was about me walking her around my friend’s House of Horrors (according to BG) equestrian training facility.  You can read the post here.

AHEM

Anyway, you might  surmise by the title and my lead-in, what I’m going to speak about today…

Green horses and numbskulls, idiots, evil doers, arrogant sods, asshats, discourteous bikers — together on trails.

MOUNTAIN BIKING IS GREAT!

First of all, let me declare, I love to ride a bike.  Hubby mountain bikes as often as he can!  I think it is a great form of exercise.   And in our area, we have fabulous trails.  So, I’m not against bikes.  I’m against people on bikes who purposefully will not yield to a horse especially when they can obviously see that the horse is very nervous about them approaching at XGame speeds.

COMMON SENSE

When you enter a State Park, usually, unless vandals have ripped it off, you will see a sign that says who can be there and who has the right of way.  You’ve all seen them.

Common sense would tell you to read those signs because they are probably erected for a reason.  Basically, even if you didn’t have any common sense, some one out there decided to help those with this short fall by placing big ol’ signs at the trail heads.  So, if you didn’t really get it in your own head what the right and safe thing to do on the trail would be, there would be a nice sign that tells you how to act cooperatively and safely.

IGNORANCE

OK, maybe some bike riders are illiterate.  I think that is why they made the signs with pictures.   Or, you could say that some people may miss the signs when they get onto the trail head.  And it could be true that some bikers have never seen a horse on a trail.

So, what does one do when they see a 1200 lbs animal on the trail for the first time?  Hmmm.  I would thiiiiiink that most people would stop and ponder.  You’d think…

And, if one stopped to ponder, the equestrian would most likely thank the biker for his courtesy (or they should) and the biker would learn that stopping for a horse was a good idea.

ARROGANCE

Now let’s talk about the select few bikers that refuse to yield to any horse.  Their argument goes something like this:  Why should we yield to a horse?  We have just as much right to be in the park as the horse.  And, we ride really fast because that is what mountain biking is… and it would kill the buzz to slow down.  “Fuggem” is their war cry!

HERE’S WHY

I totally get why it would be a bit upsetting to the biker to have to stop when he is going along at a nice, fun clip. I know that I don’t like having to stop my horse when I’m flying along the trail, too.  I dislike having to whoa-up when I see another horse who might not appreciate me coming up fast behind or coming up fast in front.  It doesn’t matter.  I need to stop and consider the state of mind of the other unknown horse and rider, even though it isn’t fun for me.

The reason?  This seems like a no-brainer… It is dangerous.  Simple.  Would you rather put a stranger at risk for your speed buzz?

Terminal consequences for a fleeting choice…

WHAT HAPPENED TODAY

I wish I had the time to take out my camera and snap a photo of the schmuck biker I met today on the trail.  But, with my horse doing the reverse stampede doesey-doe snortalong, I had no leisurely time to retract my heart that had jumped out of my mouth, let alone my camera phone.  And, If I did have my hands on my phone, taking a picture is not what I would do with it… Besides resisting the desire to call my Uncle Guido to break his kneecaps (and bike), I’d probably throw my phone directly at his smirk.

But, I didn’t do what I would have liked to have done.  Instead, I tried to commonsense him.

Courteous Bikers

Let me tell you how it went down…  I was riding along, alone, for the first time on a trail with my green horse.  She was doing very well, I would say.  She was alert and doing her job.  But, I could feel the rubberband tightness under her “I’m on duty” hippity hop.  She was listening, which was good, but she was barely touching the ground as we walked along.  I could see her brain scanning the hillside, sure there were mountain cats or gorillas or some huge beasts in those dense woods.

I was singing.  I kept assuring her that she was alright.  And  the best part, she was believing me.  I was relaxing her.  She was settling in and feeling confident.  She trusted me.  I was the leader and she was my trail buddy… And then…

WUUGGA WUUGA, SCHREEEECH, FLAPPY FLIPPITY FLAOP…

A bicycle was coming very fast and straight at us from about 200 yards.   OK, well, I’ll just call out a friendly, Hello! and he/she will stop and wave me on.

Nope, he kept flying towards me, looking straight at me.  WUGGA WUGGGGGA SHOOSH SHOOOOOSY SHOOSH…

I tensed a bit but told myself to relax.  It didn’t work.   BG amped into the OHMYGOD-WE-ARE-GONNA-DIE mode.  Crabbing sideways up the hill and slipping, I yelled at the cyclist to PLEASE SLOW DOWN!.

“I HAVE JUST AS MUCH RIGHT TO BE HERE ARE YOU!”, was his ignorant rebel yell.

Well, if we had been having a calm discussion, I would have replied, but at the moment, I was preoccupied with my mare who was now on two feet and circling to find a way out of the path of the psycho thing coming right at her.  What was this idiot going to do?  Ride over us?  I was now really, really angry.

I wheeled BG around and planted right across his path.  I was so angry at the accident he nearly caused that I glared right into his ridiculous goggles and did not let my stare leave his until I had burned a new laser line through his equally ridiculous speedracer cap.

Both BG and I were eagle-eyed on him.  I was actually proud of her.  Somehow, in that instant, she went from fright to indignation, just as I had.  We stood there and glared at him as he pedaled away.

He stopped.  He turned around and yelled something at us.

(Now I know he’s a fool.)

What did you say?, I inquired, still standing rock solid and quiet.

“What the eff are you starin’ at?”  (ooh, I hate incorrect grammar…)

YOU.

“What’s your problem?”

YOU.

“Oh really, how’s that?  I’ve got as much right to be here as you do!”

Yes, that is correct.  Did you read the RIGHT OF WAY signs when you entered the park?

“So.  You shouldn’t be here if your horse can’t take it.  You should train your horse.”

(I’m about to get off and bite him…)

-gritting my teeth- Do you have a minute?  Because I would like to share with you some horse and bike information.

“Eff off, Lady.”

OK, well, let me put it to you this way…  (He was straddling his bike being very confrontational as I continued…) Horses aren’t born with an innate understanding of wheeled objects.  And, they are live animals, just like you.  They have brains and they think and they have fear.  You, who also has a brain and can think and has probably been frightened in your life — I would suspect that you, with your fine brain, could recognize fear in another animal.  So, if you saw an animal with a human on it and the animal was obviously frightened,  you would take your understanding of fear and consider the other human sitting on top of a 1200 lbs frightened animal.   Or… you could, as in this case, decide that horses should automatically know not to be frightened when a bike comes flying directly at them without even a hint of granting space or slowing down.   Actually, let’s say you were riding your bike and a CAR came barreling down on you playing chicken?  Don’t you think you’d be a little upset with the driver of that car?

“Whatever bitch, you should train your horse if you want to come here…”

(thinking of having my friend the Sheriff pay him a visit, but instead I said…)

How about this then… Maybe this would be easier for you to understand.  Consider your Mom or daughter or sister or Loved One was learning how to ride a horse on a trail designated for horses – kinda like this one.  Then along comes some biker buzzing up behind her and the horse steps sideways to avoid the bike.  The horse is perfectly trained but he is startled.  Your Loved One goes flying and is gravely injured or killed…  Are you going to think the bike rider was perfectly in his rights?  Or, are you going to go to a lawyer with guns blazing saying that the stupid biker should have heeded the  YIELD SIGNS in the park.  After all, the signs are posted, right?  Shouldn’t that biker have yielded to your sister/daughter/mother/girlfriend’s horse?  Aren’t you going to say that your Loved One was injured because that idiot biker was being negligent not to stop when he saw the horse was spooking?  Why didn’t the biker heed the posted warning signs and let the novice rider or novice horse be safe?  You’d say there isn’t a judge in the nation who wouldn’t string up that biker…  Right?  Huh Mister?  Tell me that.  Tell me that you wouldn’t wish that the jacknuts biker who wouldn’t stop while your Mom was getting dumped by a frightened horse — should spend all of his remaining days wishing he had made a different choice on that fateful day.  Right?  You’d want that biker to rot in jail thinking what he should have done instead of what he did…

“Eff off, Lady!”

Fine.  But, at least you will always remember what I’ve just said to you today.  And I bet you are going to think about what I’ve said and you’re gonna stop your bike when you see a horse.  If not, you are a fool and let whatever happens to you, happen to you…  I did my part to shine the light on your ignorant self.  You’d had your warning.

He said nothing.

And with that, BG and I rode off.

She had learned about bikes and I had learned that she was a very solid girl.

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
July’s Bucket Fund will benefit the charity THE GOLDEN CARROT SANCTUARY.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate $5,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

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HBOT – Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment for Equines… Heard of it?

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

HBOT – HYPERBARIC OXYGEN TREATMENT FOR EQUINES

Well, I had heard the expression Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers…   I know Michael Jackson had one…

I guess I also know, in the back of my mind floating about, that I’ve heard of these chambers for healing flesh.  But, truly, I knew nothing concrete about any of it until someone brought HBOT to my attention for equines.

You see, recently I met the owner of Horseshoe Gift Packaging, Nancy Yonko.  She is VERY familiar with the chamber.  It saved the life of her filly.  In fact, there is an entire video devoted to the chamber on her website…

Angel's Story video.

So, I decided to learn about this.  I clicked on her website and saw the story of her horse, Angel.  In that story, (link here) Nancy and her vets speak candidly about the chamber and how it heals.  Hmmmmm.  There must be something to this.  So, I dug and clicked around.

Then, I asked a human spine surgeon friend of mine what he thought about the treatment.  He was all for it in humans and wondered how the equine device worked since there are many precautions – of which the horse could not participate directly.  One of the most vital precautions is the “exploding” part.  Yup.   That layman’s term is addressing a static electricity issue which has been remedied by the use of abundant water showered onto the equine before he enters the chamber. The build up of static electricity mixed with petroleum products could create a spark in an oxygen rich environment.  Not good.   So, the horse must be clear of any coat product or fly spray that may have a petroleum base.  That is also why the horse should be without shoes, or have their shoes covered.  Should the horse rub its feet together, there could be a chance of a spark.  However, technicians are very aware of these issues which is why they take hydro precautions.  For me, the benefit of the HBOT would outweigh the risk.

WHAT IS IT?

To my understanding, this chamber is built to manage oxygen content and pressure.  The idea is that if a body is able to pull in more oxygen than through simple breathing, that excess oxygen helps in cell growth which aids in healing.  Very simply, it speeds up the process.  It increase tissue oxygen levels in diseased tissue which improves and speeds healing, improves the body’s ability to fight infections, and reduces inflammation and swelling.

WHY?

All of us horse owners probably know the “beat the clock” game of certain injuries.  If you get to it soon enough, you might be OK.  Time can be our enemy otherwise.

This chamber slows down time, in essence, by allowing excess oxygen within a particular time frame.  So, critical time situations, like colic or founder, can be remedied more quickly when the Hyperbaric Oxygen chamber treatment is used.

From all testimonials that I’ve read about the HBOT, it seems to be a miracle…!

HOW?

I learned the particulars in the video about Nancy’s Angel and her HBOT treatment/recovery (link here).  Angel had ingested too much hot food, they believe.  She started to exhibit colic-like symptoms but it ended up not being colic.  She had severe colitis that rapidly progressed to endotoxemia.  What does that mean?  The lining of the colon basically dissolved so the toxins could seep into her body.  This created the endotoxemia.  Ouch.  And, this toxemia often expresses itself through laminitis which appeared shortly thereafter.  Poor girl.  She got it all.

Well, Angel’s astute vets transported her to an HBOT chamber and worked to battle her colitis and laminitis.  The idea was that the excess oxygen would repair her colon more rapidly and also heal the inflamed cells of her feet.

And, you know… they were right.  She got better rapidly.  For a horse whose gums were black and legs were cold, she survived beyond all hope.

OTHER USES

I get the impression that no one will say that this HBOT is the cure, but they will say that it helps immensely.  That’s OK by me… Any rope to hang onto really helps in dire situations.  And, this one seems pretty reliable!

Also, the list of illness that the HBOT helps includes quite everyday maladies as well as the unusual.  Laminitis, Colic, Shin splints…  For me, in my lifetime of horse illnesses, I’ve had several problems listed below:  shin splints, a dummy foal, laminitis and septic arthritis.  I know I would have used this on Aladdin when he had juvenile spavin, if it had been around.  That would have saved him years of hurt with his adult arthritis stemming from his bout as a youngster.

I’m sure those who have had their horses survive a fire would love to know about how this can heal the lungs.  Also, those flesh eating bacterias… necrotic tissue… ugly diseases that can kill a human or horse!  There are many practical uses for this chamber even though the thought sounds impractical.  Here is the generic list and I’m sure there are more specific uses that would apply to particular issues.

  • Laminitis
  • Post-surgical wounds and wounds that were slow to heal
  • Thermal burns and smoke inhalation
  • Lymphangitis
  • Intestinal surgeries (normalizes function post-surgery)
  • Tissue necrosis due to rattlesnake and spider bites
  • Rhodococcus Infection
  • Internal Abscesses
  • Dummy Foals (Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy)
  • Anaerobic Infections
  • Antimicrobial Activity
  • Infections not responding to antibiotic therapy
  • Sub-fertility (mare and stallion)
  • Post Surgical trama
  • Colic (post-surgical)
  • Endotoxic Shock
  • Central Nervous System Trama
  • Head and Peripheral Nerve Trama
  • Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
  • Desmitis and Tendonitis (ligament and tendon injuries)
  • EIPH (Exersice Induced Pulmonary Hemorrage)
  • Rahabdomyolysis (Tying Up)
  • Shin Splints
  • Athletic performance recovery
  • Septic Arthritis (Joint III in Foals)
  • Severe Trauma / Edema
  • Circulation Disorders

WHERE

So far, I could not find an ultimate list of which hospitals have this. But, I did find some listed in Florida, KY, CA, TX, TN and a few other states.  Plus there are mobile units!  I love this!  The vet brings it to your critically ill animal. So, you can email the manufacturere or google for the HBOT in your area and see what you can find.  (Here are the links for FL, KY, CA, TX, TN, PA)

I’m sure this isn’t cheap… but we all know what we have spent to save the lives of our horses.  Perhaps this is actually less expensive because it works more quickly!  In any event, keep it in the back of your mind.  You may just need it someday…

After all, they say it is a miracle and there are those awful days when we need one.

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
July’s Bucket Fund will benefit the charity THE GOLDEN CARROT SANCTUARY.  To learn all about the Bucket Fund and to donate $5,  please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

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Microchip Your Horse! Cheap n Easy plus Peace of Mind.

Friday, July 9th, 2010

OK, OK, I know… What?!  Microchip my horse?  I don’t even microchip my dog…

Well there’s a reason why you should microchip your horse and I’ll tell you…

WHY MICROCHIP?

If you are like me, you are probably thinking that there is no real way that my horse can get lost or stolen.  I live on my own, secure property — or my horse is boarded safely.

Au contraire, mes amies…

I probably read lost/stolen horror stories every day.  Unsuspecting owners wake up to a hole in their fence and their loved ones gone.  Vanished –  on the truck headed to Canada or Mexico for a quick sale to the slaughterhouse.  Now, I’m not trying to put the fear of God in you.  I’m just stating that since horsemeat drives a high dollar and times are tough, people resort to things they wouldn’t normally do.

ARE YOU PREPARED?

I know, I sound like a flyer for “Drug Prevention” or something… Sorry.  I’m not trying to scare you, just inform you.

Anyway, are you prepared?  I know I’m not.  I have 12 horses here and I’m sure I’d have to dig deeply to find photos on all of them, let alone all sides and distinctive marking on all of them.  I don’t have photos of specific birthmarks or telltale scars that would absolutely identify my horses.

Did you know that there are networks set up to help  you figure out what to do if your horse is stolen.  Stolen Horse International is one.  But, once the horse is gone, if you don’t jump on it immediately and have all the information ready, most likely, your buddy will not return to you.

LOST

What if there was a fire and your horse had to be set loose?  Or, what if you fell off and he took off? What if you were far from home and he got out of his pen and wandered around an area you were just visiting… No one knew you or this horse…?

And, I know this sounds impossible, but horses do get lost.  Some make their way out of a paddock during a show or trail ride and end up walking down the road.  That just happened here in Grass Valley.  A horse showed up walking down a busy street, with tack!  The tack had no tags (I feel we should always have a luggage tag on our saddles…) and the horse was unknown to all that met him.  Luckily, after a day or so, someone talked to someone who heard of a guy from out of town that had lost his horse while he went to use the facilities.  (Evidently, he hadn’t tied his horse up well and by the time the owner was done, the horse was waaaay gone.)  Anyway, that rider was reunited with his horse.  But, it usually isn’t that easy.

So, what can you do?  Microchip.  If this lost horse had had a microchip, he would have been scanned as soon as he was found wandering the roads.

HOW TO MICROCHIP?

For me, I always thought microchipping my horses would be too expensive.  I didn’t look into it, but that was my assumption.  And, I was wrong.  You can easily get a microchip, already loaded in a syringe, for under $20.  The actual chip is tiny.  It is inserted like a vaccine and will last 25 years.   All you have to do is order one, keep it and the next time your vet is out, ask him to insert it.  Or, have him out right away… up to you.  Here is a link to the microchip page on the Stolen Horse International site.  You can get a few combinations and value packs if you have several horses.  Here is an article to further read about the microchip for horses.  And, here is another company that is heavily into equine microchip information.

PHASE 2

Basically, a microchip is great.  And, if you know your horse is lost and you are at the feedlot where it is or someone at the Humane Society where your horse was taken has a scanner, you can scan him/her and know this horse is yours.  Or, if a bunch of people are on the alert for your horse and they know he/she has a chip, they can immediately scan any horse who looks like your horse and know instantly.

However, phase 2 of this is registration.  This is another step that adds awareness if your horse is lost or stolen.  When you microchip your horse, you can register the microchip with several agencies who upload the information to a large database.  Then, if a microchip is discovered at a feedlot or on a horse that is roaming around lost, a smart individual can key the chip number into the database and up pops your name!   Registrations are a short-cut to being notified if your horse is found.  Yay!

In any event, I think the low cost of microchipping versus the high alarm and struggle in trying to find a lost/stolen horse makes a very solid case for the microchip.  I mean, imagine if you were doing everything you could to find your lost horse… you had flyers, Facebook pages, photos everywhere, alerted the media… you did everything you could think of but you didn’t have a microchip.  Then, you get a call.  “We think we have your horse…”  Your heart skips.  “Can you describe the heart shaped star on his forehead?   Is it more to the left?  When did he have his feet done?  Well, he’s been shaved so I don’t see that scar but it could be him… Do you remember if he had a swirl on his left lower neck?”  Oy.

Click for info

One person’s heart shape is another person’s circle.  So, you wait for the digital photo but it is too close or too fuzzy to really tell… which means you have to get in your car and drive the two states over while you fear for your horse’s well being.

If you had a microchip, it ends any guessing.  Just send a local vet over with a scanner (could be a dog vet…) and you have your answer.  Easy.

So, check them out on Stolen Horse International or Microchip ID and see what you think.  Oh, as an aside, I also saw a “tack chip” so you can protect your saddle and bridle investments…

THIS JUST IN FROM A READER: I did this microchipping on all five of the horses I own, and I was forewarned by the vet who implanted the chips that there are several manufacturers putting out different types of chips that require different scanners.  It’s a great idea, but you might want to also recommend that the owner buy the matching scanner.  I did that.  That way if my horse turns up somewhere questionable, I can go there with my little scanner and my registration papers and prove that it’s my horse.  But until the industry standardizes the chip format, there won’t be an easy answer.

SPEAKING OF LOST HORSES – LET’S HELP GABE, THE WONDER HORSE, WITH AN APPLE BOB!

Remember GABE THE WONDER HORSE?  I wrote about him a while back.  (Here is the link if you’d like to read it.)

Gabe waiting at the Drive Thru Window

Gabe was not really lost or stolen, he was dumped.  There is a local to rural Washington dumping ground where it is known that horses are dumped and then shot and fed to the zoo animals.  Or, so the story goes.  Luckily for Gabe, he averted that fate by wandering into the yard of Jackie.  Jackie knows nothing about horses.  But, evidently, Gabe knew something about people, and he liked Jackie.  He wouldn’t leave.  Day after day, Gabe hung around Jackie’s house, looking at her.

Finally, Jackie consulted her neighbor, Marilyn, who happens to be a farrier.  Marilyn took pictures of Gabe and put them up on a popular horse forum.  Lots of interested people got on the bandwagon and did their best to identify Gabe by his tattoo.  Obviously a TB.  Marilyn had the vet out and they figured this old guy was around 28 – 30.  But, he was in relatively good shape except for this hooves (which Marilyn fixed, bless her) and he was a bit skinny.

So, after all this hoopla to help find Gabe’s identity, it became apparent that Gabe had been working on Jackie.  Jackie who had no intention of ever having a horse, found herself obliging Gabe, much to her husband’s dismay.  And, as winter approached, the do-gooders on this particular forum, purchased a blanket and other items for Gabe while Jackie and her spouse put up a shelter and a make-shift corral — not that Gabe was going anywhere.

Long story short, this has been a very unexpected love affair between a non-horse family and a family loving horse.  Gabe has several pastures now, give rides to the Grandkids

Yay! The Drive Thru is OPEN!

(and Jackie!), and has a new rescue buddy, Topper.  Both Gabe and Topper look incredible and are very happy.  Thanks to Marilyn, Gabe has photo updates bi-weekly so all of his fans can watch his progression.  In fact, I often use Gabe and Topper in my Saturday PhoBlogs.

Today, I am writing about Gabe because his new people sometimes struggle with affording the senior feed.  So, Marilyn has set up an apple bobbing contest to raise grain money.  I think it is a very cute idea and not very costly.  So, if you have a need for a horsehair zipper pull or bracelet, PLEASE get your name on an apple.  At the end of the month, Gabe will go bobbing and pick out the apple with someone’s first place name!  Topper gets to go second and he picks the second place winner and so it goes.  I think it is a great idea and I’m sure there will be inspirational and humorous photos that I will post for you to enjoy!

GABE’S APPLE BOBBIN’ CONTEST!

Here are the details taken from Marilyn’s email.  Enjoy and buy an apple for Gabe and Topper!

Count down: 22 days to go until ‘apple bobbin’ time.  Will be video taped :)

Gabe’s Bobbing for Apples fundraiser!

Gabe practicing his apple bobbing in the kiddy pool

Fundraiser for Gabe’s the Wonder Horse’s feed runs throught the month of July, ending July 31st at midnight, winner will be chosen on the first of August, time annouced later.

There will be five winners.

Chances/apples are $5.00 each with number of chances limited to 200.

Winners will be chosen by Gabe and Topper.

First place will be a beautiful bracelet made of Gabe the Wonder Horse’s tail hair or (winner has a choice of bead colors and charm).

All prizes will be made by artist Jen Brock, her lovely work can be seen @ http://forums.delphiforums.com/alexbrown/?msg=42623.2901&post=y&guest=y.

Second through fifth places will recieve lovely zipper pulls, also made from Gabe’s tail hair or a mix of Gabe and Topper’s hair (winner’s choice), and choice of bead colors and charm.

How Gabe and Topper will pick their winners;

For each chance bought, an apple (Washington of course) will be assigned a number starting from 1 up to 200 apples, the number will be written on a small flag stuck in the top of each apple, the apples with their flags will be placed in a water trough and they will be circulated, Gabe will be brought towards the trough and released, whichever flag Gabe touches first wins, then it will be Topper’s turn to pick an apple for second place, and so on.

Twenty three apples have been sold, the odds are good for winning one of Gabe’s five wonderful prizes.

Please be sure to let your friends and family know, also facebook, blogs etc., appreciated.

To purchase a chance/’s to win these wonderful prizes please send money to Jackie Tapia @ 3569 Beitey Rd., Valley, Wa., 99181, or pp to mjwilson4978@yahoo.com.

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

If you want an update on THE GOLDEN CARROT SANCTUARY July Bucket Fund or to donate, please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

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IRON MAN’S Receipt and Things I Couldn’t do Without!

Monday, July 5th, 2010

IRON MAN’S RECEIPT FOR THE JUNE BUCKET FUND

Here is the receipt or the June Bucket Fund from us to Iron Man, the rescued mustang foal and his buddies.  Yay!  We sent $175!!  They were THRILLED.  I mean it!  Shirley said that donations have been down and this money would really help with Foal Lac pellets.  So, THANK YOU ALL!!

Thank you for supporting the Bucket Fund!  For the month of July, we are supporting THE GOLDEN CARROT.  Here is a link to their story.

THANKS, AGAIN!

GUILTY!

But first, I have a photo of my very guilty 2 year-old.  I left him in the barn while I went to get something to drink and when I came back, he had destroyed or knocked over every single thing in there.  When I asked him the obvious, “DID YOU DO THIS?!” he gave me this priceless expression!  He will never win at poker with that face…

THINGS I COULDN’T DO WITHOUT

I’ve spoken about some of these before, but I wanted to talk about them again because I was thinking to myself  about how much they help!  I thought you might like to know, as well, in case any of you had missed this.

1)  Garlic:

I use garlic to help keep the flying insects away from my horses.  It really, really works.  If I don’t use it, I can absolutely see the difference… When I use it, they might have a few flies on their fly masks and a few on their bodies.  If I do not use the garlic, they will have a carpet of flies on their faces and all over their bodies.

I get it from Springtime, Inc.  (no affiliation).  For me, it has been the least expensive and effective garlic that I’ve tried.  I did have a friend go to a local Health Food Store to see if their powdered garlic was less expensive, but it ended up being almost double the price (even including shipping).  So, I think Springtime is the best option that I know about.

2)  Predators:

I use fly predators.  Yes, they work, too!  In combination with the garlic and fly spray, I don’t have a very irritating fly problem and that is saying a lot since I have cows all around the ranch.

I have found that the predators from Spalding are the best (again, no affiliation).  They arrive on time, they take a few days to hatch and they are packed well.  If you get a dud pack (rare), they will replace it.  So, I totally believe in Predators.

3)  Cheap and good fly mask:

I found this fly mask early in the year.  It was on sale and I thought it might not be any good because who puts a fly mask on sale in the beginning of the season?  But, it is a really good one.

The eyes have darts.  It had double velcro.  The netting is strong.  The ear holes make sense.

The downsides are that they are kinda short on the nose and there is no forelock hole.  But, for the price, I think they are great!  You can get them at Valley Vet.  Super Mesh Fly Mask by Brookside.

4)  The Easy Catch Halter:

I love this thing!

I am one of those people that uses a lead rope around the neck to bring my horses in… not that smart.  So far, no accidents but plenty of close calls.  I should know better… and I do.  So, last year I purchased one of these at the Horse Expo.

It is great!  It is so easy, the horse doesn’t even know he’s been “got”.  I swear.  And, it looks really comfortable for the horse.  I highly recommend this for easy, lightweight  catching and easy moving.

5)  EQUION:

This is a supplement that I use for coats and hooves.

I will never not use it.  It works so well, my trainer even uses it now.  (We all know how difficult it is to convince a trainer!)  He says that my horses always come in with the best coats and hooves.  This is why.  Equion.

I do have all my horses out on pasture and they all move around often and eat variable grass hays (no alfalfa).  Equion seems to fill in all the nutritional blanks.  I’m very pleased.

6)  Davis Boot:

This is a great all-around, inexpensive boot!  I use it to soak as well as keep a wrapped foot protected.

I have put this boot into service continuously on my mare and it still looks great!  The Davis boot lets the air in but still makes sure all is clean and together when it is time to change the wrapping.  This is so easy, I nearly kissed it the first time I used it…

Oh, and if it is too big, you can vet wrap the top closure (within reason).  I love this boot and have over-used my welcome with it since I’m borrowing my friends and haven’t given it back  yet.  Bonnie, I owe you!

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
If you want an update on THE GOLDEN CARROT SANCTUARY July Bucket Fund or to donate, please click on the photo (photo credit, Trish Lowe)

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Ad Browsing… Come Along!

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Yes, I am actually one of those people who reads the ads in horsey magazines. Yup, I go on a ripping and tearing frenzy with pieces of paper and snippets of articles all over the place! Once I have all the ads marked or ripped out, I make a neat stack and start researching.   I have my Yes, Maybe and No piles.  Well, I did that today and I thought I’d bring you along…

As an aside, here is a photo of my husband’s cat, Sirdar. He was my research assistant today as long as I didn’t bother him too much.  At one point, he had pages scattered all around his sleeping body, but then he got upset with me and moved. You can see that he is still a bit peeved in this photo.

OK, anyway, back to my research..

PONY PALS
I loved this idea so much and I don’t even have kids!!  But, I can remember being a little girl who would have swooned over a bike like this.

I grew up in San Francisco and there was no way my Dad was going to buy me a horse. But, we all had bikes!   So, this would have been perfect.

I think this is a very darling and wonderful way to satisfy the “I want a pony”.  How cool would this be for your horse crazy child or friend?!

I also love the descriptions:
The mane on the Pony Pals pony bike is made of synthetic hair and can be groomed and washed (see care instructions in the Owner’s Manual).
The saddle seat can be raised or lowered 4 1/2″. The handlebar height is also adjustable.
The tail is designed to “bob” up and down (much like an Arabian horse’s tail) when the pony bike is ridden.

How adorable.

Here is the website.   I just love how the saddle (seat) is made by an English saddle maker and the face of the horse was created by a sculptor.  I  love the attention to detail.  What a great idea!

NUZZLE PERFUME

I don’t know what to think about his one… It is advertised as, “An Unspoken Companionship”.  ?  The ad photo has a crystal emblazoned horse shoe plus hearts in a pink bottle.  Is this for me or the horse? Or both or what?  I had to check it out.

Once on the website, I still wasn’t sure if this was perfume made from the fragrance of horses, a perfume horses would like or a perfume for people who like horses.  You can imagine where my mind was going with this one…

Finally, a few tabs in, I figured out that it is a perfume for people who like horses.  The fragrance is described as:  “Nuzzle perfume knows how particular you are. Ribbons of lush Fruity Plum, BlackCurrant, and SweetPineapple are highlighted with touches of juicy Orange and Lime. These essences evoke feelings of freedom, and elation.”

Hmmmm, sounds pretty good.  I’d like feelings of freedom and elation on a daily basis.  Maybe I need to get me some o’ that NUZZLE…  I wish it came with the scratch and sniff testers that you get in Vogue or Vanity Fair magazines.  I’m afraid to spend the money just in case no one likes it but my horses.  And, judging by the scent notes, I’m pretty sure all of my horses would try to eat my neck if I had this applied.  I wonder if I’d get attacked by flying insects…

Anyway, the best part about this product, so far without experiencing it, is that they give a percentage of their sales to Habitat for Horses.  That’s nice.

Anyway, let me know if you have it and if you like it!  I’m very curious.

HORSEY SHADES

I saw this in HORSE AND RIDER magazine.  It seemed like a all the other fly masks… but then I looked closer and thought that maybe it could work just a wee bit better.

The idea is that the material used for this fly mask has super UV fighters.  So, your lighter colored horse would benefit from wearing this on his pink  skin or white patches.

To me, usually the white patches are down on the nose.  So, I liked that the nose on the mask is long.  And, I am guessing that blue-eyed horses (or any horse) could really benefit.  They say it blocks 90% of the UV rays.  That made me wonder what other fly masks block…  I checked my favorite fly mask and it blocks 70%.  Hmmmmm.

The other cool thing is that this company gives the buyer a year guarantee on the sheer weave material.  They say it is so well constructed, it will last!  It is kinda spendy, so it better.

I know that horses with really light colored eyes and muzzles suffer with sunburn and eye cancers.  So, I think their owners might like to know about this product.  (I love how the horse’s mane is blowing in the ad…)

PEGASUS PAPER

I think I ripped this out of Cowboys and Indians magazine.  Truth to tell, the ad was so pretty, I thought it was for furniture.  I was kinda shocked to see that it was for paper.  Well, not really paper, but paper products.

This would be great at Xmas!  Or, great to have around if you go to a lot of horsey parties.  The bags, paper, wrapping paper, tissue, etc are all very elegant and not that expensive.  I was surprised.  Maybe you could paper your horses’ stalls with it.  Dunno.  I just thought it was very fun!

DONNA HOWELL SICKLES

I greatly appreciate original art.  But, I cannot always afford it.

And, I also think that original styling in art should be spread around as often as possible.

Well, when I saw the ad for Donna Howell Sickles, I figured it would be original art that I would love but couldn’t afford.  Yup… except this had a twist.  On the website, there was a “gift” tab.  So, I clicked it.

Yahoo!!!  OMG!  I love it when artists put their wonderful images on things I can afford.  And if those things I can afford are actually thing I want, well Howdy Doody!  (I have enough caps and T-shirts for my entire life.)   There were several items I wanted…

First, I scrolled down to see scarves.  I’m a scarf person.  I wear them all winter and sometimes through Spring.  Donna has really fun designs that are totally affordable. Score!  I was starting to get hopeful…

Next, I saw platters!  Yay!  We have people over as often as they’ll come and we love to serve with colorful and unusual platters.  These were really fun!  Of course, she has mugs, but I liked the images since they were her design and I hadn’t seen them before.

Last, I saw cards.  I love cards.  I love to give them and I love to receive them.  So, not only were these designs unusual, but she also had a set with inscriptions.  Here are the inscriptions:

Box of Cards?$15.00?3 each of 4 images
1. “Red River Rider”?This cowgirl is every one of us on our best days. Confident and happy, the reins of life grasped firmly in her hand, her broad smile says it all. The Chinese characters for “water” are on her saddle blanket and tell us that, for now, life is fluid. The ride today is so smooth – the sky clear and cloudless and the red horse of life so under control – that staying the course, symbolized by her faithful dog, is no problem.
2. “Bedtime Stories”?Stretched out under a starry sky with the fish above her, symbolizing the feminine, the cowgirl reads from the bear’s book of wisdom with its paw print on the cover. The bear is a guardian animal of healing and the maternal but its outstretched claws remind us that it is fierce and wild too.   Lying on the checkerboard blanket – an emblem of balance – the cowgirl learns there is a place in life for both strength and softness of heart.
3. “Five Gray Mares”?The laughing cowgirl is in her element, surrounded by faithful companions. She reaches out to the horse in the center with one hand, while her other spells out the word for “joy” in American Sign Language – a reminder that the simplest pleasures in life are often best.
4. “Strings Attached”?When the bull kicks his heels high and sends the cowgirl and her hat flying, she’s hurtled from the present into the unknown future.  While the big smile on her face tells us she’s enjoying the ride, the striding cowgirl on the right – the reins of life in her hand – reminds us that the future is always informed by the past.  Where we’re going next always includes where we’ve been.

Single note cards are available for $2.00 each when included with another purchase.  Captions by Peg Streep

So, there you have it… The ads that caught my eye this week.  I hope I’ve helped you in some way!

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

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