The Search For An Affordable, Trustable Joint Product

January 2012
Volume 19 • Number 1
The Search For An Affordable,
Trustable Joint Product
If the product contains recommended levels of ingredients and costs
under $2 a serving, it’s worth a try. An NASC seal is a bonus.
F
or as long as joint supplements
have been used in the horse
world—over 20 years now—
their efficacy has been debated. On
a Monday, you might read a study
saying they help, and on Tuesday
you’ll see one that calls them a
waste of money.
In barn aisles, you may hear that a
horse can’t “absorb” the molecules
through its digestive system (and
that it’s been “proven”). Your vet
may say only injectables work,
because they’re the only ones with
FDA proof.
Your barn manager may discourage you, stating you can’t be sure
your horse eats enough of the
supplement to work. We’ve even
heard some people don’t use these
products because, they say, they’re
called “supplements” because your
horse doesn’t need them.
Well, in the real world, horse owners notice such a positive difference
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
2
Editorial
7
8
10 11
12
13 14
15
16
Blanket/Pad Detergents
Conditioning Schedule
Book Review
Veterinary Viewpoint, Safety Thought
Vaccination Decisions
Grab Strap
Ask Horse Journal
Letters, Cold Riding
Commentary
in their horses on joint nutraceuticals that they skip the research
articles, ignore the gossip and feed
the products. Then they happily
pick up the reins and gallop off into
the sunset.
So, if your horse has symptoms
like the ones in our box below, you
need to decide which product to
purchase. It’s not easy. Some people
get so frustrated they close their
eyes, point to a product on a catalog
page and hope for the best.
We’ve Got The Best. In September 2011, we discussed the injectable joint supplements (Legend
and Adequan) that your vet might
suggest. We broke them down in
a cost/benefit analysis to help you
choose the one best for your horse.
Now we’re tackling oral joint supplements, which are used 7 to 1 over
injectables, mainly because they’re
easily available, simple to use and
don’t involve an injection.
As we make our way through the
facts, you’ll learn to bypass the ad
hype and look for value, spend-
Your horse is an athlete and subject to
wear and tear.
Symptoms of Arthritis That May
Respond To A Joint Supplement
■ Mild lameness or stiffness
■ Abnormal shape of a joint
■ Decreased range of
motion in a joint
■ Reluctance to perform,
unwilling to hold a gait
■ Swelling/excess fluid in a joint ■ Agitated, unhappy behavior
■ Pain reaction to flexion tests
■ Difficult for the farrier
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief
Cynthia Foley
Associate Editor
Margaret Freeman
Performance Editor
John Strassburger
Contributing Veterinary Editors
Deb M. Eldredge, DVM,
Grant Miller, DVM
Contributing Writers
Beth Benard, Nancy Butler, Lee Foley,
Nina Fedrizzi, Maureen Gallatin,
Deb Tompkins, Sue Stuska Ed.D.
Editorial Offices
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Reprints For Publication
And Web-Posting
Jennifer Knapp
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Horse Journal™ makes every effort to provide information on horse health, care
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Efrem Zimbalist III CHAIRMAN AND CEO
Andrew W. Clurman PRESIDENT AND COO
Brian Sellstrom SENIOR VP AND CFO
Patricia B. Fox SENIOR VP OPERATIONS
For Flurry
And all the horses like him who give us so much.
I
love hearing reader stories. It amaz“He was always a dignified horse,
es me how alike we all are, espean ‘old-school’ gentleman. However,
cially when it comes to love for our
behind that placid, even hang-dog,
horses. One particular story touched
expression beat the heart of an imp. me deeply, and I want to share it.
He wasn’t above an occasional escape,
In late September, we received a note
even when I was nearby. He knew
from Erin, a reader, who said, “My 38exactly where his treats were (Tums
year-old Appaloosa
on the left, prunes
gelding, Flurry, is
on the right) and was
hardly eating. I feed
quick to point his
him a mash twice a
head at whichever he
day, and he’s eating a
felt like having. Back
quarter of the meal.
when I was riding
This has been going
him, we’d take short
on for several days.”
plinks around the
She said nothing
field, but he’d become
had changed in his
a charging steed
routine, but he was
when going back to
reluctant to move and
the barn. I was terrislow coming up from
fied he would have a
the field. She noticed
heart attack, but there
Flurry. 1973 - 2011.
her other horse started waiting for
was no stopping him. Soon I stopped
Flurry before going out to the pasture.
worrying about him and just worried
“I’m worried it might be time,” she
about staying on, thinking how incredsaid. “But, he can’t go long on such a
ibly embarrassing it would be to come
reduced diet. What can I do?”
off a horse over 30 years old. Although it did sound like Flurry was
“On the day he died, I walked down
close to crossing the Rainbow Bridge,
to the barn to spend more time with
I told her I’d consult one of our veterihim, and I found him standing just the
narians, Dr. Deb Eldredge. A few weeks
other side of the fence from the grave
later, Erin said Flurry was doing better
hole. I fed him copious amounts of
and thanked us for our help.
treats. When they were gone, he conI don’t know what it is, but sometimes
tinued to stand there, so I sat on the
a human or animal closing in on the
ground, and we waited together until
end seems to get a momentary second
the vet came half an hour later. That
breath of life before leaving us. Apparwas one of the most poignant moments
ently, that was the case for Flurry. In
I’ve ever experienced. Flurry was
November, Erin sent this note:
sweet, kind and had a great sense of
“Sweet Flurry passed away yesterday
humor. He made me laugh for 10 years. at the ripe ancient age of 38. A week
I will miss him terribly.”
ago, he let me know that he was ready
So will we, Erin.
to go. It would have been easy to put
off this decision until he lost all his
spark and was in such bad shape that
I wouldn’t have any choice but to put
him down. He trusted me, though, and
Cynthia Foley
I wanted to respect that. Editor-in-Chief
The goal of Horse Journal is to provide practical solutions and hands-on information our readers
can take into the barn and use. We work to make bottom-line recommendations on products we
believe will best serve our readers while standing firm with a back-to-the-basics philosophy on
training, nutrition and horse care. We base our evaluations on field trials, research and experience.
Horse Journal does not accept commercial advertising.
Read blogs by our editors at: www.horse-journal.com
Join our online forum at: www.equisearch.com/community
facebook.com/horsejournal
H o r s e J o u r n a l J ANUARY 2 0 1 2
WINNING NUTRITION
A positive flexion test may indicate arthritis
that can be helped with a joint supplement.
ing your money wisely while your
horse reaps the benefits.
One Scoop or Two? Can any-
one actually make sense out of a
supplement label? Some products
are measured in ounces, some in
milligrams . . . others don’t even tell
you how much of each ingredient
they contain (advertisements are
notorious for that!).
The key to reading a label is to
break things down into a simple
per-serving basis. And, no, they
don’t always do that for you. Also,
the scoop that the manufacturer
includes doesn’t always equal one
serving. You may need two or you
may need a half scoop.
We’ve found three simple criteria
—all of which should be somewhere on that label—needed to
make an informed purchase:
1. The number of scoops that
equal one serving,
2. The quantity of active ingredients in each serving,
3. The cost of one serving.
Most scoops are marked to show
their capacity (either in milligrams
or ounces), but that may or may not
equal one serving. You’ve got to
read the label to make that determination because if the label says to
feed 2 scoops per day, and you feed
only 1, you’re wasting your money.
That’s because your horse needs to
consume specific amounts of a joint
supplement to receive maximum
benefit. Of course, these findings
are based (and debased) by research
. . . lots of research.
Once you figure out how many
scoops constitutes one serving, the
next task is to determine if each
serving actually has enough joint
product in it to make a difference.
Herein lies the rub.
In our Minimum Dosages chart,
we’ve included our recommended
daily doses for an average-size
horse (1,100 lbs.). While there are
literally thousands of research
articles that may support or refute
these recommendations, we feel
that they’re sound. We’ve based this
on research and clinical evidence
from the past decade. Note: When
you begin adding other ingredients
to a joint supplement, the required
levels of some ingredients can vary,
which we’ll discuss more in next
month’s article.
Now you can compare your joint
supplement to our chart to figure
out whether it’s making the grade.
As an example, consider these
ingredients, from an actual label:
1 oz. equals one daily serving.
Each 1 oz. serving contains:
Glucosamine - 5,000 mg
Vitamin C - 5,000 mg
Zinc - 200 mg
Manganese - 250 mg
Yucca - 100 mg
The label clearly indicates that 1
scoop is 1 ounce, which equals 1
serving, which is good.
When you break down the ingredients, it’s clear that one serving
only provides half of our recommended amount of glucosamine,
manganese and zinc. It contains
enough vitamin C, but yucca is too
Quantity Measurements Conversion Table
Ounce
(oz.)
Cubic
Centimeter
(cc)
Milliliter
(mL)
Gram
(g)
Milligram
(mg)
Tablespoon
(Tbs.)
Pounds (16 oz. = 1 lb.)
(lb.)
1
30
30
28.5
28,500
2
0.0625
2
60
60
57
57,000
4
0.125
w w w. h o r s e - j o u r n a l . co m Minimum Dosages
Joint Supplement
Minimum
Recommended
Daily Dose*
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
4,500 mg
Avocado / Soybean
Unsaponifiables (ASU)
2,100 mg
Boswellia serrate extract
10,000 mg
Buckwheat
3,000 mg
Cat’s Claw
2,000 mg
Cetyl Myristoleate (CetylM)
5,000 mg
Chondroitin sulfate
(Bovine source)
1,400 mg; 3,000
mg preferred (500
to 1000 mg in
combination)
Coenzyme Q-10
100 mg
Devil’s Claw
500 mg
Dimethyl Glycine (DMG)
1,500 mg
EGCG (Green Tea)
10,000 mg
Glucosamine
Hydrochloride or Sulfate
10,000 mg (1250
to 2500 mg in
combination)
Glutathione
9,000 mg
Grape Seed Oil
500 mg
Horsetail
30,000 mg
Hyaluronic Acid
250 mg (10 to 25
mg when used in
combination)
Hydrolyzed Collagen
1000 mg to 1200
mg (collagen
types vary)
Jiaogulan
4,000 mg
Linoleic Acid (Omega-6
Fatty Acid)
30 mg
Linolenic Acid (Omega-3
Fatty Acid) (fish oil or flax
oil preferred)
100 mg to 130 mg
Manganese
450 mg
Methysulfonylmethane
(MSM)
10,000 mg to
30,000 mg
Microlactin
7,500 mg
Pine Bark
500 mg
Reservatrol
No clear
recommendations
S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine
(SAMe)
7,200 mg
Silicon
30 mg
Willow Bark
No clear
recommendations
Yucca
10,000 mg
Zinc
450 mg
α-Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
500 mg
(conjugations of
vitamin E vary)
* When a product contains multiple joint-specific
ingredients, the minimum required amounts may
decrease, as the ingredients work in synergy.
J ANUARY 2 0 1 2 WINNING NUTRITION
low. If you’re going to pay for an
ingredient, it needs to be at a level
that will can make a difference. (To
determine if it’s a quality product,
consider a one bearing the NASC
seal. See sidebar, page 6.)
Value For The Dollar. If
you’ve looked around, you know
that joint supplement prices vary
tremendously from as little as 26¢
a day to over $5 a day, with most
selling at about $2 per day. It may
be tempting to purchase a large
container to save money, and most
of these ingredients have about a
one-year shelf life. However, once
you open the container, that shelf
life is greatly limited. We recommend not purchasing more than 30
to 60 days of product at a time.
Sometimes a product may appear
Proper conditioning is another way to
combat arthritis (see page 8).
to be a good value because it has a
relatively low purchase price compared to other products. That’s why
you need to know:
1) If it contains the required
amount of an active ingredient
needed to work, as discussed, and
2) How many servings are in the
container (not just scoops).
For example, Joint Product A
comes in an eight-lb. container and
costs $100. It says it contains 128
scoops, which might sound like
enough for around four months. But
wait. It only contains a 1 oz. scoop
and the label states one serving is
2 ozs. Now you know you have to
use 2 scoops to achieve the concentration that the product lists in its
ingredient list and the container
will last about two months.
You note that each 2-oz. serving
contains 10,000 mg of glucosamine,
10,000 mg of MSM and 5,000 mg
vitamin C, so the levels are good
(remember our chart on page 3).
There are 16 oz. in 1 lb., so at 8 lbs.
Good Starter-Product Choices
The products we selected here are what we call entry-level glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate choices, which we consider step
1 in your joint-product search because they’re less expensive. Cost per day and ingredient amounts are for the manufacturer-recommended maintenance dose.
Because we found some products so well-priced, we included a “double-dose price” column. For the products with a price
in this column, we quibble with the manufacturer-recommended levels and suggest feeding double the manufacturer’s recommended daily dose. This raises you to our recommended levels and still saves you money.
Note: We did not include products that include hyaluronic acid (HA) or MSM, as we’ll discuss those in our next article. We also did
not include combination products, such as those that include hoof-support ingredients.
Product
NASC seal
Available
Forms
Glucosamine
mg
Chondroitin
sulfate
mg
Contains
other jointsupporting
ingredients
Approx.
cost per
container
Daily
Serving
size
Approx.
cost/
day
Doubledose
price
Chondroitin Sulfate HorseTech
www.horsetech.com
800-831-3309
Yes
Powder
0
2000
No
6 oz./
$49.95
½ scoop
59¢
NA
Cosequin Original
Nutramax
www.nutramaxlabs.com
888-886-6442
No
Powder
3600
1200
No
280
grams/
$60
6 grams
$1.28
NA
Equine Glucosamine Sulfate
Platinum Performance
www.platinumperformance.com
800-553-2400
Yes
Powder
9160
0
No
1 lb./
$35
2 teaspoons
35¢
NA
FluidFlex
Farnam
www.farnamhorse.com
800-234-2269
Yes
Liquid
2500
100
Yes
32 oz./
$35
1 oz.
$1.09
NA
FLX Senior
Prime Performance
www.prime
performancenutrition.com
888-457-4235
Yes
Powder
6000
250
Yes
4 lbs. /
$44.45
½ oz.
69¢
NA
Glanzen-GL
HorseTech
www.horsetech.com
800-831-3309
Yes
Powder
6000
0
Yes
12 lbs./
$56.95
6 oz.
$1.77
NA
H o r s e J o u r n a l J ANUARY 2 0 1 2
WINNING NUTRITION
in the container, that $100 is buying
128 ozs., which is actually 64 twooz. servings. Therefore, that $100
container costs $1.56 per serving.
That’s a pretty good deal!
Bottom Line. Learning to evaluate these products on a per-serving
basis is pretty easy, and we’ve done
that for you for a number of popular
simple joint products in our chart.
If you’ve never given your horse a
joint product before—because you
didn’t see signs of arthritis earlier
or just learned that these supplements do even more to prevent
inflammation and joint breakdown
than they do to treat it once it’s
started—you can begin with a basic
glucosamine product, containing
10,000 mg per serving. Although
glucosamine works a little more
Liquid, Pellet, Gel or Powder
Form
Pros
Cons
Comments
Gel
Convenient, ensures
consumption.
Expensive, some horses
make giving a paste/gel
difficult.
We’d use these when absolutely
needed, such as a horse who can’t
eat grain or alfalfa (pellets).
Liquid
May be absorbed by
some feeds, some
clinical evidence they
work more quickly.
Messy, more costly, can
sink down to bottom of
tub with whole grains.
We’d use liquids for horses who
won’t eat powders and pellets aren’t
available.
Pellet
Alfalfa-based
(palatable), mix in
feeds well.
Expensive,
manufactured through
a heat process, which
makes some people
question efficacy.
Probably the simplest method of
ensuring your horse consumes
the product. Can even be fed as a
treat. We’ve never noted efficacy
problems.
Powder
Most common, least
expensive, usually a
flaxseed and/or rice
bran base, which is
palatable and adds
omega fatty acids.
Can sift down to the
bottom of the feed
tub, uneaten, as some
horses hate the texture.
It helps to use a moist feed or
moisten it, using water, corn oil,
brown sugar, chopped apples or wet
beet pulp. (See July 2011 “No Need
To Resort to Sugar” for additional
suggestions.)
Product
NASC seal
Available
Forms
Glucosamine
mg
Chondroitin
sulfate
mg
Contains
other jointsupporting
ingredients
Approx.
cost per
container
Daily
Serving
size
Approx.
cost/
day
Doubledose
price
Glucosamine HCL
Uckele Equine
www.uckele.com
800-248-0330
Yes
Powder
9000
0
No
2.5 lbs./
$74.95
2 teaspoon
86¢
NA
Grand Flex
Grand Meadows
www.grandmeadows.com
800-255-2962
Yes
powder
5000
0
Yes
1.875 lbs./
$44
1 oz.
$1.46
NA
Joint Renew
Peak Performance Nutrients
www.peak
performancenutrients.com
800-944-1984
Yes
Powder
5000
0
No
5 lbs./
$145.99
5 grams
32¢
64¢
Lubrun
Uckele Equine
www.uckele.com
800-248-0330
Yes
Powder
6000
2000
No
240 grams/
$37.95
4 grams (1
scoop)
61¢
NA
MaxFlex Maximum Relief
Glucosamine Pellets
Farnam
www.farnamhorse.com
800-234-2269
Yes
Pellets
7500
0
Yes
3.75 lbs./
$65
1 oz.
$1.08
NA
SU-Per Glucosamine
Gateway Products
www.buygpdirect.com
888-472-2825
NASC
member;
no seal yet
Powder
5000
0
No
2.5 lbs./
$14.20
1 oz.
35¢
70¢
SU-Per Glucosamine C.S
Gateway Products
www.buygpdirect.com
888-472-2825
NASC
member;
no seal yet
Liquid
5000
0
Yes
32 oz./
$15.88
2 oz.
99¢
MA
SU-Per Glucosamine Ultra Pure
Powder
Gateway Products www.
buygpdirect.com
888-472-2825
NASC
member;
no seal yet
Powder
6320
0
No
2 lb./
$47.88
1 oz.
18¢
36¢
w w w. h o r s e - j o u r n a l . co m J ANUARY 2 0 1 2 WINNING NUTRITION
slowly than other ingredients, it
remains an excellent economical
option, which is why we recommend starting with it.
Don’t skip the suggested loading
dose (double the daily serving size)
when starting a product, as it will
just take longer for the ingredient to begin working (literally, the
body needs to be “loaded” with the
product before it begins to work
and doubling the ingredients for
the first 10 to 14 days is the most
efficient method of accomplishing
that). You should see some improve-
ment within 14 days, however. If
not, consider changing products.
If your horse shows some improvement on glucosamine, but you think
you could get more, work your way
up in ingredients, like hyaluronic
acid and MSM. We’ll discuss those
and more in detail next month.
Remember, supplements such as
glucosamine, yucca, and chondroitin represent the basic, most popular joint supplements that act as
anti-inflammatories in the body.
If you see no difference at all,
consult your veterinarian. The
problem may not be one that can
be addressed with a joint supplement. In fact, if you’re not using the
product as a straight preventative,
we recommend getting a veterinary
evaluation of the problem first.
Joint ingredients aren’t “pain
pills” per se. Rather, they act as
anti-inflammatories, which in turn
help limit pain. If your horse is
head-bobbing lame, however, a simple joint supplement likely won’t be
enough to fix the problem.
Article by Contributing Veterinary
Editor Grant Miller, DVM.
Concerned About Quality For The Dollar? Here’s Help
One major worry for people is
whether a product is safe and reputable. What we do is look for the
National Animal Supplement Council
(NASC) seal. The NASC (www.nasc.
cc) is a non-profit industry group that
created its own quality-assurance
program designed to provide independent audits of products. NASC
member companies pay membership fees, so that the consumer can
purchase their products confidently.
NASC companies are required to demonstrate compliance with specific criteria before they’re allowed
to use the NASC seal:
1. The company must have a Quality Control
Manual in place that provides written Standard
Operating Procedures for production process
control. This helps ensure the company is providing
a consistent and quality product.
Why do we care? A Quality Control Manual helps to
assure best practices in manufacturing the product.
Factors such as temperature and humidity control,
clean packaging practices and quality assurance of
raw ingredients are included in this practice.
2. The company must have an Adverse Event
Reporting/Complaint System in place to continually monitor and evaluate products and
ingredients. Why do we care? Many consumers believe a government agency makes sure all products sold are
safe. Well, with joint supplements, that’s simply not
the case. These products are called “nutraceuticals,”
a term coined because these products are neither
a pharmaceutical nor a food, which are the official
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifications.
And, since the FDA doesn’t require nutraceuticals
to conform to any government standards, there are
H o r s e J o u r n a l no government safety and efficacy
guidelines. The NASC is one way
manufacturers can learn of problems
that may occur with the ingredients
and products they’re selling.
3. The company must follow Label
Guidelines about serving size, ingredients, and concentrations.
Why do we care? This helps consumers compare supplements more accurately. However, it doesn’t guarantee the product
contains a minimally required level of ingredients
for efficacy. It also doesn’t guarantee the listing on
the label accurately describes the contents, although NASC-member companies must submit to a
quality audit in order to display this seal.
4. The company’s product labels must include
any specific Warning and Caution Statements
recommended by the FDA’s Center for Veterinary
Medicine and the NASC Scientific Advisory Committee for particular ingredients.
Why do we care? Some ingredients can cause serious health problems in horses, and the consumer
should be aware of this before purchasing the
product. For instance, many people are only just
learning that devil’s claw and willow bark can cause
gastric ulcers.
We believe products that bear the NASC seal go
a lot further to provide a useful, effective joint
supplement than non-member products. It doesn’t
necessarily mean a non-member product isn’t
good, but the seal is an additional tool. For instance, Nutramax, which makes the Cosequin line of
products (a Horse Journal favorite), is not a member.
However, Nutramax is a leader in the industry and
the pioneer in joint-product research, continuing
that work today.
J ANUARY 2 0 1 2
BLANKET BOX
Go Equestrian To Wash Away Heavy Dirt
Regular detergents work, but horsey dirt and odors overwhelm them.
W
ashing horse clothing isn’t rocket science, but
there are differences between it and human
laundry. First, if you have access to a front-load
machine, use it. These machines are roomier than top
loads (never overstuff dirty loads), and they use less water and produce fewer suds (that’s good, since you might
have to do a double-rinse in a traditional machine).
Front-load machines instruct you to use HE detergents,
which are low sudsing (too much suds “confuses” these
high-tech babies). However, each of the horse-laundry
products is acceptable for front-loads, too.
Wash your blankets and pads as directed by the manufacturer, but if the instructions are long-gone we suggest
you go with a cold-water wash on a permanent-press
cycle (that won’t spin as hard as stronger cycles).
Take the time to hose and/or brush off heavy mud/dirt
before washing the item, as it just impedes the washing process. Avoid the temptation to use more detergent
than suggested by the label, especially in a front-load
washer. We’d rather wash twice than risk suds remaining in the fabric and getting on our horse’s skin.
For odor control, well, each of these products deodorize fabrics. However, we found Schneider’s Odor Eliminator, which must be put in during the rinse cycle, was
best of the lot. Otherwise, we went for cleanliness.
Blanket And Pad Washes
Bottom Line. Our favorite results were obtained
with both the Leather Therapy Saddle Pad And Blanket
Wash and Lettia Rain. They did a good job through the
first wash, removing dirt and light odors. We also used
the Leather Therapy Saddle Pad And Blanket Rinse,
which did soften materials, but if you’re on a budget we
think you can skip it.
Best Buy was Saddler’s Blanket Wash, which seemed to
last forever. We also used it as a simple pre-treatment for
stubborn stains.
Article by contributing writers Lee Foley and Deb Tompkins.
They’ll tackle heavy grime and odors, while being kind to waterproofing.
Horse Journal Editor’s Choice $ Horse Journal Best Buy
Manufacturer
Product
Price
Comments
Leather Therapy
800-711-8225
www.leathertherapy.com
Laundry Solution
20 oz./$16
Liquid. Use in regular washing machine or front load. Good choice for sheepskin,
synthetic leather, suede and fabrics, including breathable waterproof fabrics.
Laundry Rinse &
Dressing
20 oz./$13.30
Liquid. Use in regular washing machine or front load. Can top dress, if necessary.
Good choice for sheepskin, synthetic leather, suede and fabrics.
Saddle Pad & Blanket
Rinse
16 oz./$12.95
Pump. Use in regular washing machine or front load. Can be used on waterproof/
breathable blankets, regular blankets, saddle pads, protective boots, wraps and
grooming brushes. Said to reduce spread of skin problems from horse to horse.
Anti-static properties.
Saddle Pad &
16 oz./$15.75
Pump. Use in regular washing machine or front load. Good for saddle pads,
blankets high-tech materials (like breathable, waterproof blankets). Anti-static
properties. Nice scent. Cleans well. S
Union Hill Corp
732-786-9422
www.unionhillcorp.com
Lettia Rain
16 oz./$17.99
Pump. Use in regular washing machine or front load. Use on saddle pads,
blankets, boots, wraps and breathable, waterproofed and high-tech fabrics. Nice
scent. Worked very similarly to Leather Therapy Saddle Pad And Blanket Wash.
Smith-Garrity, Ltd.
800-800-4261
www.LASaddles.com
Glenham’s
Sweet Sheep
Wool Wash and
Leather Conditioner
16 oz./$21.50
Liquid. Developed for hand washing. Best for sheepskin and wool. Developed
to not dry out the fibers. Made for sheepskin saddle pads, wool saddle pads and
blankets. Concentrated, use 2 oz. per 3 gallons of water.
Equine Products, LLC
800-627-2807
www.jmsaddler.com
$ Saddler’s Blanket
16 oz./$11
Cream. Safe for regular and front-load machines, and a little goes an extremely
long way. Cleans horse blankets, saddle pads, virtually all washable gear. Can be
used as a spot pre-treatment.
Schneiders
800-365-1311
www.SSTack.com
Blanket Wash
16 oz./$10.95
Liquid. OK for regular and front-load machines. Leaves waterproofing intact. For
use on saddle pads, blankets, fabric horse gear.
Odor Eliminator
8 oz./$7.95
Liquid. Use in machine’s rinse cycle, 1 oz. Note: Manufacturer says to spot-test the
fabric for colorfastness.
Blanket Wash
Wash
w w w. h o r s e - j o u r n a l . co m J ANUARY 2 0 1 2 PERFORMANCE
Your Horse Needs
Fitness To Perform
“Train, don’t strain,” should be the mantra of
everyone who rides a horse.
A
just sitting at your desk or on your
couch? If you walked energetically
four or five times a week or did
weight training, yoga or swimming,
you’d enjoy that hike or that tennis
game much more while you were
doing it, because you wouldn’t feel
so tired or sore or discouraged.
The second major reason is
injury prevention. When muscles, tendons or ligaments get
tired or sore during exercise,
other soft tissue has to start
pulling a heavier load if the
exercise continues. And that’s
when over-use injuries occur.
In simple terms, fitness is a
simple, inexpensive method of
injury prevention.
properly conditioned
horse—a horse with
strong and supple
muscles—is one who appears
to bound across the ground,
to easily jump over fences, or
work for hours without slowing. An unfit, poorly conditioned horse is one who looks
as if he’s moving through
quicksand.
Riding and training are athToday’s Horses. Your
letic endeavors for both horse
horse’s fitness is actually more
and rider, and thorough, proper
important today than ever
conditioning is essential. You
before, as so many horses don’t
need to plan for pointed physiProper and thorough conditioning makes a horse eager to have the space to live an active
cal preparation to create a body
life on their own. Many are
do his job.
strong enough to withstand the
forced to live in a confined
demands placed upon it, especially
more able and more willing to do
space, instead of in an open field.
for a highly demanding sport, such
what you’re asking him to do.
Nature intended the horse to be
as upper-level eventing or endurThink of yourself—wouldn’t you
constantly on the move.
ance riding.
be keener to undertake a five-mile
Muscular fitness and cardiovasWhy does fitness matter? First,
walk through the woods or play
cular fitness are the two types of
strength and fitness make the
a vigorous game of tennis if you’d
fitness you can develop in horses.
horse’s job easier, which makes him
gotten regular exercise, instead of
Muscle fitness is overall fitness of
Criteria For Judging Fitness
Before you begin, learn the difference between a
well-conditioned, well-trained horse and an unfit
horse, even one that’s being ridden.
An unfit horse lacks muscling in his topline and
hindquarters—his body will lack definition because
he’s either flabby or his muscles are thin instead
of rounded. He’ll look either a bit bony or angular
(particularly in his neck, behind his withers or over
his hips) or he’ll be fat and overly round, depending
on the breed and the individual.
An unfit horse may even move with a gait irregularity—he won’t be lame, but he won’t move straight
or evenly because he’s not pushing evenly with
both hind legs. He may not bend one way, because
the muscles on one side are shorter than the other.
An unfit horse may move lethargically, because
moving his body is hard work. He may also move
out of tempo (first faster, then slower, then faster)
because he doesn’t have the strength to control his
speed, especially if the ground isn’t level.
H o r s e J o u r n a l On a well-conditioned horse, you can see the
muscles of the neck as the horse flexes or bends his
neck, the withers will appear to flow into the back,
and you should be able to see the muscles over
his loins and hindquarters ripple as he moves. He
should have long, easy, rhythmic strides, rather like
a big cat.
How can you tell if your horse is tired? How do
you know when to stop and when to press on?
Usually the horse’s gait will tell you when he’s tired.
He’ll slow down, and his steps will feel labored, perhaps uneven, and there will be a pronounced lag
time between giving an aid and his response to it. If
you’re jumping, the effort will feel strained.
If you’re using a heart-rate monitor or stethoscope,
a pulse that remains at a high level is a sure sign
of fatigue. Heavy sweating and breathing are also
signs of fatigue. (If he’s actually panting, you may
want to call the vet in.) If your horse hits these levels, stop and try again another day.
J ANUARY 2 0 1 2
PERFORMANCE
all soft tissues, including muscles,
tendons and ligaments, as well as
bone and cartilage strength. You
can develop it through general riding and by doing exercises on the
flat like transitions, shoulder-in,
leg-yield and lengthening of the
stride. You can also develop muscle
fitness outside the ring by climbing
and descending hills.
Flatwork, or dressage, is really
gymnastic training of the horse.
While developing his obedience
to your aids, it strengthens and
supples the muscles and in hindquarters, back and shoulders to
propel or carry his mass, easing the
strain on the soft tissues in his legs.
At the same time, flatwork strengthens and supples the tendons and
ligaments in his legs.
To do most of our sports, your
horse’s fitness needs to more akin
to gymnasts, weightlifters or polevaulters than to marathon runners
or soccer players. Most horses need
strong, supple muscles, tendons
and ligaments more than they need
a highly developed cardiovascular
capacity.
General fitness doesn’t happen
overnight or with occasional riding,
though. It develops over a period
of months and years, as the result
of regular and productive training
and exercise.
Depending on your discipline and
goals within that discipline, it probably doesn’t mean you have to ride
five or six days a week, 12 months
a year, though. For most horses
competing in the lower levels of
most sports, working three to four
times a week (but that doesn’t mean
just crawling around a ring for 20
minutes) will provide a training
and conditioning benefit.
With regular work that incorporates flatwork, longeing, jumping (if
that’s part of your sport) and conditioning work, you’ll see your horse
develop muscles in his topline,
forearms and gaskins, and your
horse will feel stronger and more
supple, and he’ll probably be less
prone to common injuries.
Do you need to gallop to get your
horse fit? Galloping isn’t mandatory
unless you’re eventing at training
level or above or doing endurance
or competitive trail riding. But oc-
Sample Conditioning Schedule
This schedule assumes that the horse has been in light work for 30 or
more days, meaning that you’ve been riding him at least two or three
times a week, doing some light flat work, some trail riding, perhaps
some jumping. The horse must have done enough work to develop at
least minimal strength and suppleness in his muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones and joints.
If the horse hasn’t been in work at all, and especially if he lives in only
a small paddock or a stall with a 20-foot run, leg him up before starting serious exercise. Our suggested schedule for legging up begins
with two weeks of walking for 30 to 40 minutes, three or more times a
week. You can walk along bridlepaths, around fields or in the ring, and
you can incorporate some basic flatwork. During the next two weeks,
add five to 10 minutes of trotting to each session.
Note on the conditioning schedule that the length of time spent doing flatwork isn’t as important as the intensity or difficulty. A 25- or
30-minute session of demanding work (the horse on the aids, working
in a forward, round frame) is more intense than 45 to 60 minutes of
ambling around the ring on a long rein.
This schedule is based on riding four times per week. Adding a fifth
day increases the conditioning effect, but it isn’t mandatory. You can
substitute one day of longeing for one day of flatwork, or add it on to
the schedule. See “Longeing: More Than Just Getting The Bucks Out”
(January 2011) for advice on how to develop fitness with longeing.
Week 1: 2 days flat work (30 minutes); 1 day hacking/trails (30-45 minutes) with 10-15 minutes of trotting; 1 day jumping or hacking/trails
Week 2: 2 days flat work (30 minutes); 1 day hacking/trails (30-45
minutes) with 15 minutes of trotting; 1 day jumping or hacking/trails
Week 3: 2 days flat work (30-45 minutes); 1 day hacking/trails (30-45
minutes) with 15 minutes of trotting; 1 day jumping or longer trail ride
(60 minutes)
Week 4: 1 day flat work (30-45 minutes); 2 days hacking/trails (45-60
minutes) with 20 minutes of trotting; 1 day jumping or longer trail ride
(60 minutes)
Week 5: 2 days flat work (30-45 minutes); 1 day hacking/trails (45-60
minutes) with 20 minutes of trotting; 1 day jumping or longer trail ride
(60-90 minutes)
Week 6: 2 days flat work (30-45 minutes); 1 day hacking/trails (45-60
minutes) with 20 minutes of trotting; 1 day jumping or longer trail ride
(90-120 minutes)
Week 7: 1 day flat work (30-45 minutes); 2 days hacking/trails (45-60
minutes) with 20 minutes trotting; 1 day jumping or longer trail ride
(90-120 minutes)
Week 8: 2 days flat work (30-45 minutes); 1 day hacking/trails (45-60
minutes) with 20 minutes trotting; 1 day jumping or longer trail ride
(90-120 minutes)
Unless you progress to a higher level of competition, continue by
working your horse as in weeks 5 through 8. Over the course of
months, you’ll feel his strength and eagerness to work increase.
w w w. h o r s e - j o u r n a l . co m J ANUARY 2 0 1 2 PERFORMANCE
casional galloping (once or twice a
month) can be mentally and physically beneficial for novice or beginner novice eventers, dressage horses
or show jumpers.
It’s even better if you can find a
hill or two of 300 to 800 meters or
a beach to gallop on. Inclines and
sand increase the conditioning effect at low impact.
Remember, too, that the walk is a
conditioning gait—if your horse is
marching along. You can add to the
conditioning value of your flatwork
days by walking for 15 to 20 minutes before or after you school, particularly if you can do it outside the
ring. Walking is especially useful
if you have a hilly or rolling area,
which will make the horse push
and stretch and give him a little
cardiovascular workout too.
We like to take a conditioning
walk at the beginning of our rides,
because it relaxes and warms up
both horse and rider before starting
to work. But you can also do it as
part of your cooling-out routine.
Fitness programs that expand the
horse’s cardiovascular capacity
are necessary for a few disciplines
(upper-level eventing, endurance
racing and racing on the flat or over
Intense, active flatwork builds your horse’s
soft-tissue strength.
fences). They require galloping sets
of three to eight minutes at a time to
prepare the horse for competition.
But these programs must begin
with developing the overall fitness
of the horse’s body.
Bottom Line. Horses are individuals. What’s too much for one
horse can easily be too little for
another, or vice versa, with potentially serious consequences. Seek
input into your program from an
experienced trainer or competitor,
or even your veterinarian, if you’re
not sure, because you can easily
injure your horse.
This is especially true when evaluating the horse’s level of fitness
and need for more or less conditioning work. Keeping a record of the
horse’s respiration and heart rate
(using a stethoscope or a heart-rate
monitor) can be extremely helpful.
Basically, the pulse and respiration should show that the horse is
doing the same amount of (or more)
work more easily as your training
proceeds, although you do have to
factor in weather and footing.
For instance, competitive trail
riding or endurance riding require
careful tracking of mileage and
speed (or a feel developed through
years of experience) to prepare a
horse for a 25-, 50- or 100-mile race.
It’s a gradual conditioning process.
It’s much like eventing above the
training level, in which the horse is
required to demonstrate beginning
collection and extension in dressage, gallop across country at 520
meters per minute over 25 or more
jumps, and then show jump. These
two sports require galloping, work
on hills and more, and conditioning
a horse for them is part science and
part art.
Article by John Strassburger, our
Performance Editor.
Media Critique
Still Riding At 80
STILL RIDING AT 80: wITH pROFILES OF tWENTY eLdER rIDERS AND dRIVERS. BY hELEN HILLS. HALEY’S. SOFTCOVER, 2011. $17.95. AVAILABLE AT
Haley’s, 800-215-8805.
W
e didn’t expect this book to be so entertaining, insightful, and informative. We also
didn’t expect such candid remarks about aging and riding. Although the author acknowledges that the best way to overcome fear is to ignore it and charge on, she also
says that it’s OK to be worried about riding as you age, whether it’s about falling off or just having the “energy and desire to prepare for riding and then for the ride itself.”
She doesn’t shy away from discussing the downsides to aging (is there an upside?) or pain. “The obvious strategy for minimizing discomfort and pain in the saddle is simply to ride shorter distances.” Well said. (Actually,
the entire book is “well said,” one of the best-written, grammatically correct we’ve seen in a long time.)
She quotes excellent sources, including EQUUS and Horse Journal, and discusses her own experiences, as well
as 20 other older riders, all of which are inspiring and real. You’ll feel like you’re talking with a friend when she
discusses her own shoulder complications that brought her to the conclusion that she could no longer care for
her own horses, or even tack them up. “What to do? First, of course, I cried, and then—also of course—I made a
few decisions.” Then she explains how to handle problems like that.
Growing old isn’t for sissies, especially if you’re addicted to horses. Fortunately, we have Helen Hills to help us
through with just the right sense of humor. “Accept, adapt, and appreciate,” she says. “Three A’s. Do you think
that list is short enough for us elder horsefolk to remember it?” Yes, Helen, we do.
Bottom Line: This book is a sleeper. One middle-aged, life-long rider couldn’t put it down.
Best Suited For: Those who admit they’re aging and wonder if it’s OK to keep riding and how to do it.
You’ll Be Disappointed If: You’re young, because you don’t have a clue.
Lee Foley, Contributing Writer
10
H o r s e J o u r n a l J ANUARY 2 0 1 2
VETERINARY VIEWPOINT
Veterinary Viewpoint:
Hospice For Horses
Sure, it’s a lot of work and expense, but our
horses deserve nothing less.
W
hen people get a dog or cat,
they anticipate about 15
years of responsibility and
care. When you take on a horse,
it’s 20 or more. In addition, most
families can easily keep an older
dog or cat around the house without a great deal of added expense.
Keeping an older, retired horse is
another situation altogether.
You may luck out and find a good
home for your retiree. Maybe a
neighbor has an unused pasture,
small barn and two grandchildren
who would enjoy riding bareback
at a walk around the pasture. Many
times, we aren’t that lucky however.
If you board your horse(s), keeping a retired horse around can get
expensive quickly. Even if you have
your own facility, grain, hay, farrier
and vet bills add up. Euthanizing a
horse who is comfortable isn’t the
option most horse lovers want to
take for good reason.
Of course, there are horse retirement facilities. Many take a one
time fee—I’ve seen $10,000 listed
—to take care of your horse for the
rest of his life. But that fee may be
out of the range of many families.
However, you do have to step
up and take responsibility for the
horses who have served you well. A
young, sound horse can fairly easily
be sold or re-homed. Our family
was able to sell a horse my daughter was no longer riding to a good
home. The quality of the home was
more important than the price.
Still, we have three senior horses,
and we lost two stable hands with
both kids off to college. We joke
we’re running a hospice for horses.
One horse is a really neat Arab
gelding, blind in one eye and
with occasional episodes that are
similar to seizures. No more than
one or two per year, otherwise he
happily herds “his mares” around
and comes when called for supper.
Monte requires minimal care and
can get away with just hoof trims.
Crispy is a lovely red dun Quarter Horse who lived through an
EPM (equine protozoal myelitis)
infection that included a week at
the Cornell University veterinary
clinic. She is rideable—sort of
—with an occasional head tilt and
unsteady gait at times. Crispy is
the original easy keeper, who stays
round with minimal feed and can
get away with hoof trims, too.
Cinnamon is one of the equine
loves of my life. She’s a big, 16.2hand Appaloosa mare with a heart
as big as she is. Cinnamon has
ringbone, heaves and the worst
feet of any horse I’ve ever known.
Still, she is the horse we can put a
total novice on and they can ride at
Dr. Deb Eldredge with Cinnamon.
a walk around the 60-acre field to
their delight. Cinnamon requires
medication for her heaves much
of the year and special shoes to
keep her sound. So, she’s the more
expensive retiree.
Monte and Cinnamon have been
with me for over 25 years. Crispy
has been with us about 10 years.
She was my son’s beloved 4-H horse
and even did jousting with him!
Would I like to replace them with
a single sweet young horse to trail
ride? Some days. But most of the
time, I’m happy to have my equine
family members here where I know
they’re cared for and safe. I owe
that to them.
Plan ahead with your horses. Sell
them while they’re still capable of
working or plan to keep them for
the rest of their lives. Follow up if
you place your older horse to be
sure he isn’t starving in a neglected
back field. After all, your horse deserves the best of care in payment
for the service he’s given you.
Dr. Deb Eldredge,
Contributing Veterinary Editor
Safety Thought
Trailer Security
Halters used in trailers need a leather crown or fuse.
A
lways use leather when securing a horse in the trailer. It can be a leather halter or just
have a leather breakaway crown piece or fuse. In a panic situation, or if the horse
should back out of the trailer suddenly, the halter needs to break or the horse could get
seriously hurt, especially with a neck injury. In addition: 1. Always have at least one hole
left on the crown piece above the buckle, since the most likely place it could break would be
at the buckle hole, and you would still have a hole left to re-halter the horse. 2. Keep a spare
halter stored in your trailer.
w w w. h o r s e - j o u r n a l . co m J ANUARY 2 0 1 2 11
VETERINARY CARE
Vaccination Roulette
We’re overflowing with vaccines choices, but
which does your horse truly need?
T
he veterinary world overflows
with vaccines choices, and
they’re safer than ever. However, that doesn’t mean your horse
needs every one of them.
The American Association of
Equine Practitioners (AAEP)
divides vaccines into “core” and
“risk-based,” which are optional depending on your individual horse’s
lifestyle and activities.
The core vaccines cover serious illnesses to which virtually
all horses have a risk of exposure.
Some may even be required by law
in some areas. All horses should
receive these core vaccines, even
your old retired hunter who basically lives out in the pasture 24/7
most of the year.
Risk-based vaccines cover diseases that aren’t common or that
tend to cause problems in certain
situations, such as show horses or
breeding animals.
Core Vaccines. Rabies. All horses are at risk for rabies. Horses are
curious and a sick, rabid raccoon
or skunk wandering in the pasture
is likely to be nosed. A small bite
may not even be noticeable but
could cause rabies. Rabies is virtually 100% fatal. Even if your horse
is never turned out, one rabid bat
on the property is enough to cause
quarantine for unvaccinated horses.
I like to say, “Rabies is forever.
Don’t mess around. Vaccinate.”
Rabies is a zoonotic disease,
meaning your horse could infect
you. A playful nip by a horse incubating rabies could lead to multiple
vaccines for anyone exposed.
EEE and WEE. Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis are
mosquito-borne diseases and can
be fatal in horses. EEE tends to be
deadlier. Despite the designations,
both EEE and WEE occur throughout the U.S.
Both also tend to be “endemic,”
meaning they always exist. On
years when mosquito populations
bloom and there are plenty of bird
hosts around, we’ll see clinical cases of these viruses. These diseases
are spread from bird to horse via
mosquito, not horse to horse. People
can also suffer from these viruses
and even die. While you can and
should try to prevent mosquito exposure to your horse, the reality is
he will be exposed to mosquitoes.
The combined vaccine injection
for EEE and WEE may also provide
some protection against VEE (Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis).
VEE is considered a reportable foreign disease at this time in the U.S.,
but it could rear its ugly head again.
Specific vaccination for this disease
isn’t generally suggested.
Horse Journal Guide To Vaccinations
Some diseases are so ubiquitous and so potentially fatal there is no room for argument about whether or not to vaccinate. These are the
core vaccines we discuss in our article. In this chart, C stands for core vaccines we believe all horses need, R stands for recommended, O for
optional and S for vaccines we’d skip for these horses, unless your veterinarian recommends them. Note: Exposed and not exposed refers to
contact with other horses that travel or where new horses are in and out of the facility.
Vaccine
Horses at
home
- not exposed
Horses
that
travel
Breeding
stallions
Broodmares
- exposed/
not exposed
Yearlings
- exposed/
not exposed
Weanlings
- exposed/
not exposed
Foals exposed/
not
exposed
Older
horses
- not
exposed
Tetanus Toxoid
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
Tetanus Antitoxin
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
WEE
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
VEE
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
EEE
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
Rhino
S
R
R
R
R
R
R
S
Flu
S
R
R
R/O
R
R
R
S
Rabies
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
Strangles
S
R
R
R
R
R
R
S
Botulism
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
EVA
S
O
R
R/O
R/O
R/O
R/O
S
Potomac Horse
Fever
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
West Nile
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
12
H o r s e J o u r n a l J ANUARY 2 0 1 2
VETERINARY CARE
West Nile virus. WNV
breaks of strangles, you
can be deadly. While
might want to consider that
survival rates are higher
vaccine. Otherwise, most
than EEE, many horses
horses can skip that one.
will have residual signs
The vaccine for PHF isn’t
after the infection clears.
highly effective, so few vets
This virus also comes to
suggest it.
horses via birds and can
infect people. As with the
Bottom Line. Many
other encephalitis viruses,
people believe we over-vacspread is almost 100%
cinate. While this may be
between mosquitoes biting
the case, the data doesn’t
birds, then horses and not
exist to prove it (see NoHorses that come into contact with strange horses require more
horse to horse.
vember 2011 Veterinary
vaccinations than those basically isolated from other horses.
Tetanus. Horses are
Viewpoint).
sensitive to the toxin
Blood titers can be run to
formed by the Clostridial bacteria.
horses for respiratory problems. It
determine if the horse has antibody
Clostridium tetani is in manure,
can cause neurologic signs as well.
titers that show active protection,
soil and the intestinal tract of many
Vaccine protection isn’t complete,
but we lack the research needed to
animals. Horses become infected
and rhino hits all age groups.
link titer levels to protection levels.
through puncture wounds, open
Equine viral arteritis is mainly
And, running a titer is likely more
cuts and even through the umbiligiven to breeding stallions to
costly than a vaccine.
cus in foals.
prevent spread via semen. Your
We recommend getting at least the
While horses can survive tetanus,
geldings and mares can skip this
no-excuse core vaccines for your
the fatality rate is high. Nursing
one! Rotaviral diarrhea is another
horse. If your horse travels or you
care and hospitalization can be exvaccine used primarily in breeding
plan on breeding your mare, use
tremely expensive and many horses
situations, as it’s given to pregnant
our chart and talk with your veterinever return to normal. Every horse
mares to help their foals. Your geldnarian to decide on others.
is susceptible to getting small nicks
ing or barren mare can skip that
As always, we aren’t keen on horse
and cuts that this bacteria could
one, too.
owners giving horses vaccines
infect. Vaccination for this should
Equine influenza, Strangles or
themselves because 1) You probably
be another absolute for all horses.
Strep equi, and Potomac horse fearen’t equipped to handle a reaction
ver (PHF) are more commonly recif it occurs and 2) For some horse
Risk-based Choices. The
ommended for horses out traveling
owners, the annual vaccine visit is
risk-based vaccines tend to muddy
and competing or in areas where
the only time you see your veterithe waters considerably. There
the problems have been seen.
narian, and it’s important to keep
are equine vaccines for anthrax,
Flu tends to target horses under
that connection active. You don’t
botulism, equine herpes virus
three, so it’s less of a concern for
want to call the vet with a colicky
(rhinopneumonitis), equine viral
older horses. If you’re weighing
horse only to be told you’re not an
arteritis, equine influenza, Potomac
rhino vs. flu, go with rhino due to
active client and the vet is busy.
horse fever, Rotaviral diarrhea and
its higher morbidity rate.
Article by Contributing Veterinary
strangles.
If a nearby barn has had outEditor Dr. Deb Eldredge.
Whether these vaccines are necessary or recommended for your
horse will vary. Anthrax and botulism aren’t generally given to the
average horse population, but if you
live in an area where anthrax cases
It may give you a little extra security.
have been seen, especially with
horses pastured on alkaline soils,
grab strap is a piece of leather that connects
your vet may suggest this. Botuto the front D rings on your saddle. You can
lism, which can cause Shaker Foal
purchase one for under $12 or even make
syndrome, may be used routinely in
one yourself out of rope, if you’re in a pinch. It
breeding mares.
should be loose enough to get your hand into (but
EHV-1 or equine herpes, also
not stuck) but not so long that it flops around.
known as rhinopneumonitis,
Beginner riders love them, of course, but even
caused some serious uproar in
an experienced rider might want one for added
the horse world this year (see July
security on a frisky horse. They’re also great for
2011). Vaccination is generally
riders being longed and to keep your hands steady
recommended for breeding mares
by hooking your thumb in the strap.
to prevent abortion and in show
Tack Room
Get A Grab Strap
A
w w w. h o r s e - j o u r n a l . co m J ANUARY 2 0 1 2 13
ASK HORSE JOURNAL
Laminitic Mini In Pain
Owner seeks options besides Banamine.
I
have a minature mare with
laminitis. She was doing great,
and then a couple of months ago,
she had a recurrence. I would like
to get her off Banamine, which I’ve
had to use way more than I want to.
Would any non-drug pain relievers help and, if so, which ones and
how much do I give her? My mare
weighs about 300 pounds.
Contributing Veterinary Editor
Grant Miller responds: I’m sorry to
hear that your mini horse has laminitis. Being a mini-horse owner
myself, I’ve been through this many
times with them. Often, metabolic
syndrome and/or Cushing’s disease
can play a role in the unexpected
occurrence of laminitis in minis. Keeping their weight under control
is definitely a huge player in the
laminitis chess game.
Banamine is a wonderful drug
for laminitis pain, but it unfortunately can cause some serious side
effects, such as gastric ulcers and
colitis in many cases of long-term
use. Although I haven’t seen your
mare, I can tell you that I have had
success with several other treatments, both conventional and
complementary, when managing
my own laminitis cases. These are
some ideas to consider, research,
and run past your veterinarian:
1) Previcox: Giving just 29 milligrams per day of this prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug can go a long way to
reducing inflammation in a mini’s
feet. This little pill was designed
specifically for long-term anti-inflammatory care and is engineered
to minimally harm the gastrointestinal tract. A bonus: It is inexpensive (about 50¢ per day) and only
has to be given once every 24 hours.
2) Acupuncture: This is an ancient
modality used to control pain and
reduce inflammation. It’s been
used all over the world successfully, and many horse owners report
14
that it helps laminitic horses. Some
of the most powerful acupoints on
the body are located on the coronet
bands. Usually treatments have to
be done every four to seven days,
and I tell owners to give at least
three to four treatments before deciding whether or not it’s helping.
3) Arnica: This plant, extract
from the Sunflower genus, has
been shown to have vasodiliatory
effects (increases bloodflow) and
has also been shown to reduce pain
and inflammation. All of these effects are desirable in chronic laminitis cases. The core chemicals,
thymol and helenalin (a sesquiterpene lactone) are commonly used
in anti-inflammatory preparations.
4) Devil’s claw: A member of the
sesame family native to South Africa, it’s shown to have potent antiinflammatory effects. However, it’s
also been shown to cause the same
type of stomach and colon ulceration that Banamine and bute do. You may wish to put this at the
bottom of your list of alternatives,
because in my opinion, you would
just be better off with Banamine.
the melanomas located? And are
they causing problems? My sister
had a gray Quarter Horse years ago
with a tennis-ball sized melanoma
in the angle of her jaw from about
the age of five. It never caused a
problem and the mare lived a long,
full life doing Pony Club, hunter/
jumper and foxhunting. Depending on location, a melanoma can be
very serious but not all are. If it’s
not a problem, you might consider
leaving them.
Vaccines are designed to act
against specific organisms or cell
types. I’d guess he’s considering the
ONCEPT canine melanoma vaccine
(DNA), a relatively new vaccine
from Merial for dogs with malignant melanomas.
Whether the vaccine will work or
not depends upon how closely the
DNA for equine and canine melanomas is. If they’re close, the vaccine
may help. I don’t have that information, but your veterinarian may,
since he’s suggested the vaccine.
If you choose to try the melanoma
vaccine, your veterinarian will
have you sign a release form since
it is “off label.” Then, both you and
your veterinarian should keep detailed records so that any information from your horse may help other
horses in the future. Remember,
virtually all treatments have side
effects of some sort.
Gray-Horse Melanoma
Have you any information on melanomas in gray horses? I have an 11year-old gray Andalusian and am
so sorry to see the melanomas coming on. I’ve had a hard time finding
any information on this. My veterinarian wants to try a new vaccine
for dogs that deals with melanomas,
but I am cautious as I understand
there are side effects. I don’t want
my big boy to be a test case.
Contributing Veterinary Editor Deb Eldredge DVM responds:
There are a number of concerns to
look at here:
First, you’re right. Research and
treatments are limited, partially
because horses are relatively cancer-free compared to many of our
domestic animals. Next, where are
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J ANUARY 2 0 1 2
LETTERS
Moldy-Tack Prevention
A simple, effective method for tack storage.
A
fter reading your October
article on leather cleaners,
I wanted to share this suggestion: While living in Louisville,
Ky., I discovered a great way to
keep tack fresh and mold-free while
stored. After a thorough cleaning
and oiling, I put several oversized
bridles and a breastplate away in an
old picnic cooler, which was then
stored in the hay loft.
Several years later, when I needed
to use the oversized equipment
again, everything came out of that
cooler looking exactly as it did
when I put it in. Apparently, the
cooler was a “closed” environment
and mouse-proof to boot.
Sheila Stricker
Arizona
Worth Saving Back Issues
I love Horse Journal. I save every
copy in a large basket. When I have
a question or concern about my
horses I go back through the journals to find the one that helps me
out, and I always find an answer/
advice. I’ve lent journals to friends
for all sorts of horsey information. Usually they decide to subscribe,
so they get their own. I keep copies
on my nightstand and coffee tables. You are everywhere! Thank you for
your help over the years with my
beloved horses. Debbie Gebauer
Pennsylviana
Hoof Boot Measuring
A suggestion to add to the November article on hoof boots: To get the
right size boot, I make a cardboard
cutout of both front feet. After the
horse’s feet are trimmed, I stand
the front hooves on cardboard and
trace an outline of each with a
marker. It’s easy to measure an accurate size from the tracing. If the
hooves are different sizes, it shows
up here. I cut out the tracings and
take them to the tack store to use to
check the boot sizing.
Shelley Scott
California
Winter Care
Know When Your Horse Is Cold
And, yes, it can be “too cold to ride.”
W
e all know that horses need
helps keep the horse’s back and
to be protected from drafts
rear end warm. You may need
and wet when the temperato get your horse accustomed to
ture dips, but truly frigid air can be
wearing the sheet, as it usually sits
tough on your horse. While it’s true
under the saddle and may blow in
he warms as exercise increases,
the breeze a bit. We prefer heavierhe’s still breathing in that very cold
weight quarter sheets that are less
air, which needs to be warmed by
likely to billow in the wind.
his body, which takes more energy.
Be wary of working your horse
And, yes, it can be too cold to ride.
hard enough to sweat in cold
While this will vary with individweather, especally if he’s not
These minis know how to have fun in the
ual horses, most riders agree that
clipped. If he gets sweaty, you’ll
snow and cold.
when it dips below 10°, it’s time to
need to use a cooler to stop him
consider giving your horse the day off.
from getting chilled while he dries out. The longer
A 2007 study from Finland showed that ponies and
his hair, the longer it will take for him to dry. If you
draft breeds are more tolerant to cold than other types
routinely ride hard in the winter, consider giving your
of horses. At 59° F, all types of horses dissipated a
horse a trace or full-body clip and keeping him blansimilar level of heat. At 35.6°, full-sized horses were
keted when he’s not ridden (see November 2010 issue
losing more heat than ponies. Ponies didn’t lose
for a full article on blanketing).
any more heat at 10° than at 2°. When temperatures
It’s important to avoid drafts in the barn, but an
dropped below 2°, cold-blooded horses lost less heat
air-tight facility isn’t ideal either. Consider airing out
than lighter breeds.
your barn on warmer days to help safeguard against
Foals are more susceptible to frostbite than mature
respiratory problems. Inflammatory airway disease
horses, but if the wind chill hits the -20° mark, even
can be brought about by ammonia fumes, dust, mites
an adult horse would be susceptible, especially if he’s
and fungal elements in hays and grains. Symptoms
wet and in the wind.
include a thick clear to whitish nasal discharge,
If you’re riding in cold temperatures, consider using
coughs, and a decrease in exercise tolerance.
a quarter sheet, especially if you’re riding outside. It
Article by Contributing Writer Lee Foley.
w w w. h o r s e - j o u r n a l . co m J ANUARY 2 0 1 2 15
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Horse Journal Commentary:
Western Medicine Can
Meet Eastern Medicine
We believe veterinarians should consider both high-tech
and Eastern medicine, when appropriate.
Horses can benefit from both.
I
’ve long believed that both traditional Western medicine (relies
on pharmaceuticals and surgery
for treatment) and Eastern medicine
(uses physical, herbal and mental
therapies) are useful in treating
injuries and ailments. Each has its
limitations, and often they can be
used together. But neither practitioners nor patients use them in a
complementary way often enough.
Here’s a personal example: In May
2010, I was thrown from a horse
and knocked unconscious, with
four fractured ribs and a fractured
occipital bone. I spent three days
in intensive care, because only the
best of Western medicine’s pain-killing medication and diagnostic tools
could help me. But, after the pain
subsided, I noticed my right shoulder was painful and markedly lower
than my left. X-rays revealed no fracture, so I was given more pain pills
and more rest. Not very helpful.
I went to my chiropractor, who,
over several visits, manipulated my
shoulder (and spine) back into place,
relieving the pain and helping restore the range of motion I’d lost.
Similarly, we’ve been working
with Suzanne Guyton, an equine
chiropractor, for about four years,
The relief she’s provided numerous
horses has been remarkable.
In November, I told her that my
four-year-old filly had become
crabby about grooming and saddling, and I was concerned about
her withers, shoulders and ribs.
Suzanne’s exam confirmed soreness
in her withers and ribs. We checked
saddle fit and found that as the filly’s
physically matured, the saddle’s
been hitting pressure points behind
the scapula. So, Suzanne manipulated her, and I’ll use a different saddle.
Had I asked our vet, whom we
consider the best lameness vet in the
area, I suspect he’d have prescribed
Robaxin, which would’ve relieved
the pain but not the problem.
Here’s another example: Bill is a
two-year-old warmblood gelding
who was in training with us this
past summer. When I curried his
neck the first time, he flew backward and broke out of the crossties.
That suggested pain in his neck,
and I also noticed he moved stiffly
and tentatively on the longe, so the
owner had Suzanne examine him.
She immediately found severe
trauma in his first two cervical vertebrae—she said he probably felt like
he had a migraine every day—and
went to work on him. Bill’s initial
reaction was guarded, but everything she did clearly made him more
comfortable, and he became visibly
more relaxed as she worked. He
moved more calmly and comfortably
on the longe line, and we could practically see the muscles grow in his
formerly pencil-thin neck. After two
treatments, he was—I swear—like a
different horse.
I’m not criticizing traditional medicine. Chiropractors can’t help bowed
tendons or gaping wounds, infections or diseases. Only a veterinary
arsenal can treat those issues.
But precious few vets (or doctors)
are willing to combine their digital
X-rays, ultrasounds and infra-red
scanners with chiropractic, acupuncture or herbal medications.
Some do, but I wish more would.
John Strassburger
Performance Editor