My undeserved reputation: I'm famous for naming!

Since I wrote the blog entry on naming horses I have occasionally received messages from people asking for help with naming their horse. I never quite feel up to the task. Well, earlier this week a young woman (Jacqui) emailed me for help naming her horse. It was my dream come true.  At last, I have the chance to name a blue roan!   Plus, Jacqui has some great material to work with:

• Horse  is a 7 year old Blue roan/Tobiano Kentucky Mountain Horse.
• Owner Jacqui will be showing him in gaited classes and fun shows
• Owner Jacqui wants the name to be a tribute to her Aunt Jacqui, who loved roses, the ocean, and the song Stairway to Heaven (which is already taken in the breed registry)

I advised her against going with a floral name for a gelding, and I gave her my best recommendation which I personally LOVE LOVE LOVE. DRUMMMMRRRROOOOOLLLLLL....

Blue Tsunami

 

Unfortunately Jacqui either does not recognize my genius :-), or perhaps the name truly is not a great fit with her spectacular gelding. So it's time for the general readership to step in and help us out. What would you name this guy? Doesn't he have a sweet face?

What's an equine podiatrist? Part I

I wonder if in your equestrian travels some of you have encountered an Equine Podiatrist (EP). Well, I did.  How is this different from a farrier, a horseshoer, a trimmer, or a vet who specializes in hooves? A human podiatrist normally has a medical degree, what about horse podiatrists? I did  a little research, and it seems that practitioners using this title come in roughly two flavors.

1. Some are veterinarians, like Dr. Steve O'Grady (or Dr. Ric Redden of Versailles, KY). Dr. O'Grady is a veterinarian and farrier who has applied this title to his work (www.equinepodiatry.com). Dr. O'Grady has practiced as a farrier for forty years and has published articles in The Horse  (publication of the AAEP), Blood Horse, and elsewhere. He contributed a chapter for the textbook Current therapy in Equine Medicine and  has presented and moderated at conventions held by the American Farrier's Association as well as other farrier and veterinary associations. I have referred frequently to articles by Dr. O'Grady and appreciate the detail and un-dumbed down information he shares in lectures, articles, and on the Web.
2. The Institute of Applied Equine Podiatry (Ocala, FL) confers certificates and degrees in Applied Equine Podiatry (DAEP). A variety of courses and programs are offered through the school. Currently about forty certified DEAPs are listed as practicing EPs on the Institute's web site.

I was/am curious about the second type of EP.

Well, I did some research

Part of me was skeptical of the EP term -- it sounds a little too much like calling a housewife a domestic engineer, and it also implies an advanced degree through the use of the term "podiatrist." Since the Institute of Applied Equine Podiatry seems to be the main source of practitioners using this title in the U.S,   I looked into it.

From what I can tell, the graduates of the Institute are trained to trim feet, and their philosophy is that in all but the most extreme cases,  "shoeless is best." Now there are lots of schools that teach you how to be a farrier, and presumably a lot of barefoot trimming programs too. In the U.S. it's not that hard to hang out a shingle and become a school for horseshoeing or trimming.

As to the credentials of this Institute, here are a few things I've discovered...

• The Institute's founder (KC La Pierre) is a registered journeyman farrier and hoof specialist. He is an invited speaker at horseman's conventions, equine trade fairs,  and equine-related associations. 
• Yellow flag Ho! In his online bios and at the bottom of his Web site,  he indicates he has a PhD. In a 2005 bio he wrote that he had a "Middleham University PhD based upon original research in the field of animal science." MU is a diploma mill that sells you a PhD for $75 (see threads on COTH, horseshoes.com, and on forums.degreeinfo.com).   Not. cool.  Also in issue 134 of The Farrier's Journal (a UK publication) he lists the credentials DVM (doctor of veterinary medicine). He is not a DVM. While he still lists a PhD among his credentials, he does not say where it is from.
• The Institute Web site is tightly integrated with -- you guessed it -- an online store. 
• The Institute  is a one man show -- the founder has developed his own system and he is promoting that particular system. It may be a good system, but it limits the perspective of the graduates and IMHO detracts from the educational experience. There are no partnerships with vet schools, no instructors with differing viewpoints, the students learn only one person's perspective and theories.
• Graduates who make a career out of their EP degree are encouraged to use the founder's products and to promote them to their clients. This is similar to the Parelli model of training and selling -- nothing wrong with it as a business model, but it seem a bit limiting to the student and self-serving for the Institute.

I'd encourage you to take a look at the web site for the Institute and form your own impressions. 

Stay tuned for Part II. 

Horse bloggers: Let's help each other

I'd like to invite all horse bloggers to join a Google Group Horse Bloggers! Why do we need a group? Well, these reasons occurred to me:

• To learn about new horse-related blogs (broadly defined to include donkeys, mules, farm life, land use, other topics vaguely horse-related).
• To promote each other through badge sharing, article references, link backs, 
• To share ideas for contests, topics, content, advertising (if that's your bag), etc. 

Sixteen horse bloggers have already joined, and I've created a page 'o badges as well as helping two bloggers create their own promotional badge.

Why aren't you clicking on the link to join, already?

I don't wanna inundated with mail! Google let's you turn off email (read posts only when you go to the web site) or receive messages in one daily digest.

I'm not a serious/ambitious blogger.  This group is for folks who do it for fun or for profit, who blog daily or occasionally, who are technically experienced or not, and in any discipline or focus -- for anyone, really.

I don't see how it will benefit me or my readers.  Well, for one thing, if you join and provide a badge I'll feature your badge on top of my blog for a week. How's that?


I like to maintain anonymity. All you need to provide is an email and your blog.

I'm anti-social and don't join groups.  Oh. Okay.

The first project
The first project is to help the bloggers share badges with one another. Some bloggers don't have a badge and don't know how to make one -- two have gotten help from the group and now have a badge to share. See our growing badge page...







Readers
Do you know of a horse blogger you like? Share this link with them :-)

The other semi-finalists

Another 
Purina WEG contest post,

another  excuse to remind you to vote for Sheri.

 Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are my own :-)


 Why I'm voting for Sheri...
Well, first of all I thought her video was super, and she did it with the same type of equipment (roughly) that the WEG blogger will have.  Beyond that, I think her recent "Great 8" blog videos demonstrate the kind of fun, approachable, and thoughtful video posts she can put together. Her writing has a positivity, intelligence, and sense of humor  that we need at the WEG!

And the three other semi-finalists?
Clearly all of the semi-finalists bring a lot  to the table, and they were selected because they have exceptional qualifications. I did look at the other three --  read their essays watched their videos, and tried to get a sense of who they are. Thought I'd convey my impressions in pictures.  Can you guess which picture goes with the other three semi-finalists?

Correctly guess which picture goes with with candidate, and get free BTB stuff (randomly chosen)...

sPunky poetess

East Coast Slick (well, West Coast too, since it's an Apple ad)

Miss American Pie

Which is which?

Match up Erin, Nina, and Kristine with the pix and post the matchups as a comment -- provide your email OR check back to find out the winners! Shorthand (e.g., "firstname/pie" is fine...

Friesian/arab crosses, what do you think?

NO, I did not forget to write an article for Friday. I forgot to post it. Sorry.
First time in over a year I've missed a post, by misdating a scheduled post.

---

You read a lot lately about people crossing Friesians with other breeds. Generally I'm skeptical of this practice, although there are some lovely individuals out there. Apparently the Arabo-Friesian is not just a cross but a breed or registry with fairly specific goals -- basically they are Friesians with 5-20% Arabian blood that meet particular criteria.

 

Arab-Friesian cross learning piaffe/passage

 

Horses of LA: Rooms with a view

clipped from latimesblogs.latimes.com

L.A. at Home

Design, Architecture, Gardens,
Southern California Living

June 5, 2010 | 6:00
am

Lost L.A.: For these horses, a room with a view

At a time when cars were replacing horses and Southern California's stables were being converted to garages, Capt. William Sanford Banning never lost his love for his four-hoofed friends. As Sam Watters writes in his latest Lost. L.A. column:

Middle-class horses bunked in barns, but Banning mounts lived in a manor ... a veritable Monticello, a shingle-roofed, vine-covered stable with column and pediment windows.

Find out the fate of Banning's stables by reading Watters' column. And for more Lost L.A., a look at Southern California social history as told through a home, garden or decor that is no more, click to our Lost L.A. archive.

-- Craig Nakano

Photo credit: Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens

Harvey's X-rays: Finding #1

Harv had his first x-rays taken in March -- recall that he went lame on the LF this spring. I reported on his progress and return to soundness, but I never shared the x-rays because I lost the disk. Well, I found the disk, so I'll share a few items of interest.

Harv overextends himself
If you click to enlarge the image and follow the yellow arrow below you'll see a tiny bone fragment between the pedal bone (P3) and the short pastern bone (P2). The vet told me that this is often caused by hyperextension of that joint, causing the top portion of the pedal bone to chip off. This strikes me as just the kind of injury you'd see in a racehorse or ex-racehorse, and apparently it's pretty common.

How serious is it?
It may or may not cause lameness. In Harv's case, the nerve blocks didn't show that area as a problem.  Harv's probably lived with it for awhile. It's what they call an incidental finding --  no clinical relevance. 




Coming up next -- the non-incidental finding in the x-ray. Sorry it's three months late...

To geld or not to geld: Who deserves to be a stallion?

Should I geld my young prospect? Well, for most horse owners, the answer to the above question is YES. When Riley was judged to be top colt at his inspection in 2006, I idly considered the possibility he might be stallion-worthy. Looking back What a goofy notion this was! Riley is a sweet horse, but a stallion prospect he isn't. A friend of mine was advised by another breeders that her young horse, only a few weeks older than Riley, might be a stallion prospect. He really wasn't one either, and as he became more aggressive and difficult, she was finally persuaded to geld him.

I'm no expert but...
Even aside from the qualities of the actual animal, there are many reasons to geld a horse ...

• First and foremost, there are too darn many horses in the world already! Just read Fugly Horse of the Day to find out more about the sad state of horsel welfare and rescue.
• It's unlikely you'll make any money, if that is your goal. As costs of keeping a horse increase, fewer people can afford it. Read what Ingrid Andrews of Equinnovation Equine Marketing has to say about a statistic that the average number of horses per horse owner is on the rise:

"Observing that the average number of horses per owner has risen from 3.6 to 4.6, an increase of almost 28%. Over the last decade spent working with clients I have observed increases in the number of new breeding farms and in the number of unsold horses that breeders are maintaining. In many cases supply is exceeding demand. I believe that this a primary reason for the increase in the average number of horses per owner reflected in the study.”

• Due to advances in breeding technology, mare owners have a bewildering number of stallion choices. Artificial insemination, shipped semen, embryo transfer, cryopreserved semen, and other techniques give breeders nearly unlimited options for what stallion to use -- meaning that competition for breeding dollars is intense.
  

"Any good stallion will make a great gelding"
Like I said, I'm not an expert on this subject, but here are a few things to consider...

• John Lyons says that if you don't breed at least 4 mares/year, your stallion is probably better off as a gelding.
• Most boarding barns do not usually take stallions. Stallions may require different housing than geldings.
• Stallions generally do not lead a good life, measured by their freedom, decreased and more isolated pasture time, and other restrictions.
• Stallion dietary needs increase 25% during breeding season -- bigger feed bills! Vet bills will also be bigger.
• Gelding later in life is far more risky than in a young horse.
  
• Marketing a stallion is expensive.
• Handling a stallion is dangerous, and not just for you. You could be liable for any injury incurred by people who interact with your stallion.
• Breeding associations are fairly political animals, and new breeders are the odd man out.
  

If you still think you want to own a stallion, read what some of the experts DO say...

RESOURCES

To geld or not to geld from Thoroughbred Times

Stallions: Why Geld? From kimalotquarterhorses.com
 Should I keep my colt entire?  from Paula Sainthouse

Stallion to gelding support organization (offers free gelding services)

Should I geld my stallion? Jessica Jahiel at horsesense.org

Should you geld your colt? From Lost World Farm warmbloods

Hormones and horse behavior from Horsechannel.com

Gone at last? Gone at last!

Sunday night Bob and I watched a PBS tribute to Paul Simon, and one of the performers sang Gone at Last.  Not to get too dramatic, but where Riley is concerned this past year, the song hit close to home. We were singing Gone at Last at the top of our lungs (it was a great special).

What's goin' on?

Wednesday when the farrier came out to trim/shoe Riley, he found a new "problem area" in the toe on the same tract as the surgery site. The surgical wound has totally grown out, so there should be clean growth there. The problem area, or defect, was similar to one he had last spring -- a hole/crack filled with crumbly chalky dead stuff and black gunk. The farrier cleaned it out, and my heart stopped when I saw the thumb-sized notch in my horse's toe -- again, this was like a replay of  last year. Oh, No. Not again. There is one big difference though -- he's been sound since March. What else might it be?

White line disease?
Well, the surgical site could be a place for bacteria/fungi to get in, and frankly it looked like seedy toe/white line disease (WLD). What causes WLD? There at least two possibilities...

1. An opportunistic bacteria/fungal infection entering a weakened/cracked hoof (from the bottom of the hoof).  
2. Trauma/concussion to the lamina cause blood and serum accumulate inside the hoof, creating an environment for bacteria/fungi inside the hoof.

Let's get  x-rays
I called the vet and ordered x-rays. Over the weekend I treated for WLD with a highly recommended product called White Lightning, and consoled myself that Riley was sound -- if he's sound, anything we find is likely to be in the early stages.

WLD entering from the toe (NOT RILEY'S RADS)
From nanric.com

What was I expecting?
X-rays can help indicate a) if there is WLD and b) the likely source of the infection.

• If  the problem stems from damaged lamina  and serum accumulation, there should be a gas tract/empty space emanating from the dorsal side of the hoof. 
• If the  "empty space" starts at the base of the hoof (see right -- NOT Riley's xray), it's likely that bacteria/fungi are entering the white line through a crack through the sole of the hoof.

What did the x-rays say?
Seeing the x-rays was reassuring...

1. The lateral views showed NO gas tract -- the lamina above the defect was strong and smooth,  in fact better than it looked in January.
2. There was no evidence of WLD elsewhere in the hoof
3. We took a picture of the "shark bite" out of Riley's pedal bone. No change, edges clean, no sclerosis.

Okay, so why the thumbsized defect in the hoof?
I dimly remember the Farrier at New Bolton telling me that the  surgery typically creates a bulge on the hoof above surgical site, and he showed me a bulge at the coronary band. He said we'd need to watch it as it grew down as it's a weak area -- maybe this is the last artifact of the surgery?

It could be that, or it could be WLD I suppose.  I'm going to treat it as if it is. In the meantime, I can truly enjoy my horse. Here is a professional photo of Riley at last week's horse show!

Reflections of an Also-Ran: The Purina WEG contest

I'm posting regularly about the Purina WEG blogging contest and the primary reason is to remind you to VOTE FOR SHERI.   Tell your friends, acquaintances, and fellow horse folks to  VOTE.  Best of luck to Sheri for a rich and memorable experience at WEG.

But hey -- what about me?...
Did I want to be selected as a semi-finalist? You bet! The prospect was exciting, I was eager for the chance to prove myself as a writer, and I wanted to blog the Games experience for people who couldn't attend. But if it was exhilarating to think about, it was also scary. The visions of glory were followed by visions of botching up.  I pictured myself standing  dazzled in front of Edward Gal with a microphone and saying "Wow, you guys were just amazing. Really. amazing. Just, like WOW!"

In fact I would never have let that happen. But having not been selected as a semi-finalist, I can tell you there are  reasons to be -- well, if not exactly happy, at least having a sense of humor and a feeling of graceful acceptance.   There is a bright side to not being selected. I can think of  at least three things that worried me about being Purina's WEG blogger:

1. It ain't an easy  job. Blogging the Games will be high visibility, high stress, and high pressure. Doing it the right way will take lots of work and a ton preparation and research.  I had a mental list of the things I'd need do to prepare if I'd ended up going...
   • practice interviewing people in front of a camera -- over and over and over.
   • memorize the FEI rules for the disciplines covered
   • research competitors and teams
   • prepare questions, develop lists of folks to interview
   • Develop a list of topics/article ideas
2. Focus, focus! At big horse events I'm like a kid at the circus, flitting from place to place, taking everything in. The Games will have many sights and sounds and  (let's face it) shopping! But if you're blogging WEG you can't be Shiny Object Girl. The WEG blogger will be there to do a job and will miss out on the spectator experience. Of course, the blogger experience will be unique and wondrous unto itself, but it is a tradeoff. While I would have welcomed the chance to blog, I can feel glad to have the possibility of going to WEG as a spectator.

3. Wardrobe worries. Okay it's a bit of a stretch to find three drawbacks to being Purina's blog-o-spondent--but here's a marginal one. Purina will probably ask the bloggers to wear a uniform of sorts, like a polo  with a Purina logo and a pair of "standard issue" black slacks. Cringe.  This isn't about vanity, it's about Purina's representative at WEG not looking like a dork. I would have to pray that the slacks are not "high-waisters," that they come in a 36" inseam, and that the polo is not a men's or unisex style. In slacks and a unisex polo I'll look just like a guy. My other waking nightmare was interviewing Klaus Balkenhol and having him call me "sir."  

Will I go to the WEG as a spectator? I don't know. I'd have to ask my sister if I can stay with her, and I'd probably just get General Admission tix. I think it all hinges on whether Riley is ready to go to Devon. If he can handle the dressage suitability class (which is a real test of stamina), that's probably where I'll be!

How to hold a horse for the farrier

My farrier would laugh if he saw that I was authoring an article with this title. Riley is handful during shoeing, and I really struggle to keep him under control. I guess the one thing that makes me "qualified" to write about it is that I've found some good articles on the subject, and I've gotten advice from experienced horse people.  If I'm no John Lyons, at least I've improved. Here are the tidbits I've gleaned...

Beforehand...

• Get your horse some exercise prior to the appointment -- turnout, riding, anything to help expend energy.
• Schedule the visit at a time when the barn is quiet.
• Avoid appointments that coincide with the horse's turnout time or feeding.  
•  Clear the aisleway of objects, obstructions,  children/dogs, etc.
• Practice farrier tasks with your horse -- pick up feet, tap feet with hoof pick, etc.

Holding your horse...

• Relax! You'll communicate your mood to the horse, so focus on staying relaxed and calm.
• Relax the arm holding the lead rope.
•  Give a moderate amount of lead rope. Keeping a chokehold on the lead will make the horse tense and resentful.
• You need to monitor your horse's behavior but don't stare at him. Prey animals are  uncomfortable when someone is staring. Try to "take in the whole scene" rather than focusing too much on your charge.
• Pay attention. Farrier work with a difficult horse is dangerous, and you need to focus. Every 3-5 seconds scan the horse's behavior for signs he/she may be about to misbehave. No cell phones, no conversations, no distractions.
• Get the horse's attention. The horse should be focusing on you. How to make this happen?
• Jiggle the lead line when they seem distracted.
• Use a low, authoritative tone when you say whoa  or stand up.
• Warn the farrier before making a strong correction. 
• Do not permit the horse to nibble or nudge the farrier.
• Don't pet, tease, or play with the horse.
• No treats or toys. I've been guilty of trying to "make my horse happy" like  a parent trying to placate a cranky child with toys. You aren't the entertainment. You're the handler. Besides, toys and treats will tend to agitate. 
• Position yourself. Stand at the horse's shoulder. When working on the front feet, the farrier will usually want you to stand on the same side she/he is working on; stand on the opposite side for the back feet.
• Position the horse. Pay attention to what the farrier is doing and position the horse accordingly...
• Square the horse up before the farrier picks up a foot. 
• Tilt the horses head toward the farrier. This will keep the horse from swinging into you, and will allow the horse a view of what is happening.
• Don't worry if the horse gravitates to a wall, as long as the farrier is not in danger of being pinned. Some horses will feel more secure standing close to a wall.
• Keep the horse's head somewhat raised -- a lowered head makes it easier for the horse  to throw weight around.
• If the horse starts to lean on the farrier, position their head over the opposite leg. 
• If the horse starts to lean on the foot stand, move his nose back toward his chest.
• Pay close attention when the farrier is nailing the shoe on -- this is a dangerous time for the horse and the farrier.
• Extra control. Most farriers prefer not to work with restraints or drugs. A cotton lead rope over the gums is a mild restraint that keeps the horse in a good frame of mind.

 RESOURCES

Farrier articles
 Horse holding 101 from Danvers Child web site (foxtailforge.com)
Horse holder positions for the farrier from Tri-state horseshoeing
Be nice to the farrier or the art of horse holding from bwfa.net
Farrier friendly horses from myhorse.com
Holding a horse for the farrier (illustrated) from Horse handling and grooming (book)
Hold your horse safely for your farrier from  Online Magazine of Pamlico County North Carolina
Preparing a horse for the farrier from Andalusian Dressage Partners
How to hold a horse for the farrier from helium.com


 Restraint/manners articles
Restraining a horse from The Horse magazine
Teaching a horse to stand from professorshouse.com
How do deal with a difficult horse from Proceedings of the Annual AAEP Convention 1999
Restraining a horse (excerpt from Understanding Basic Horse Care by Michael A. Ball, DVM. ) from The Horse magazine
How to hold your horses  
Restraining Methods  from Professional Care of the Racehorse

Tornado takes pair of horses on wild ride

Can horses suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder?

Tornado takes pair of horses on wild ride

Toledo Ohio

Another FEI Arab!

The short-backed Arab is never going to show the swing and relaxation you see in a warmblood, but there is a nice softness in this boy's topline and the gaits are very fluid. The Arab neck will also tend to be a little overbent, but he's nicely on the vertical through most of the test. What a pleasure to watch!

Riley's right front -- in the spotlight again

This morning I dream  my phone is ringing, and I wake up. Was it a real ring? I check my phone. There's a voice message dated 5:55am, but when I play it back it's from the previous night, from my mom (go figure). Did my phone really ring? I still don't know. Who would call this early? 

I text the barn manager who should be bringing horses in now.  "Did u try to call?"  I take a shower, and when I get out, her text reply has arrived. "No,  just starting to bring the horses in." Whew.

Then 15 minutes later another message. "Riley lost his RF shoe and a lot of hoof."

She wasn't kidding....

Riley is on week six of his shoes, but that freakin' toe is so long! There's a giant chunk out of his Professional Choice bell boot.My farrier is coming this afternoon -- and I sent him this video -- he thinks he can put a shoe on but he has glue-ons if needed. Are glue-ons the answer?

Glue-on Pros	Glue-on Cons
Hooves are not damaged by nails Glue-ons stay on better than steel/aluminum shoes Horse can wear glue-ons when hoof wall is damaged Applied correctly glue-ons do not cause heel contraction They are increasingly used for sport, not just rehab	Cost Appearance (though this has improved) Some farriers won't or don't know how to apply them Better known for rehab than performance Requires sanding of hoof wall Some glues take awhile to set Take longer to prep/apply than regular shoes

Those of you with glue-on experience far beyond the little I've dabbled in it -- what else???

Five baaaad reasons to breed your mare...

 I cringe when people tell me they want to breed their not-so-special mare. The Fugly Horse of the Day blog can be pretty blunt/harsh, but the author sees a lot of rescue horses up close and personal. She's mad as hell.  I certainly agree with her thesis that there are too many unwanted horses in this world -- we don't need any more!!!!

As responsible horse people, we should be tactful but persuasive when we hear someone say they want to breed their mare because...

"She's too b*tchy to be a good riding horse." The correct response to this statement is, "so you're going to have her raise your next riding horse?" Begin referring to the mare as Mommy Dearest.

"Babies are so cute!"  Point out that the three month period of cuteness is followed by  a 2-3 year stint of fuglyness -- useless, expensive, and fugly.  

"I won a free breeding to [insert stallion name]."  Assure them this will be the most expensive free thing they've ever won. 


"She isn't rideable because of her [insert conformation flaw here]." Take a deep breath, and begin,  "Let me tell you about Gregor Mendel..."


I'd like to make some extra money. Here it is permissible to laugh in their face. They deserve it.

Five reasons to vote for Sheri as Purina's blog-o-spondent

From June 14-July 12  you can vote 

for the Purina Live from Lexington 

Blog-o-spondent!

Sheri of Ohio is a semi-finalist for the Purina Live from Lexington blog-o-spondent contest.  I hope everyone will vote early and often for Sheri. If you're undecided, here are five reasons she deserves to blog for the WEG. Vote every day at www.livefromlexington.com!

1. She is a real blogger (not true of all semi-finalists).  Since 2006 she has chronicled her life and horse adventures on her blog www.dressagemom.com.
2. She is an experienced, successful dressage rider. 
3. Style and substance. She put together a video that got her point across and was fun to watch.
4. She is like many of us who juggle responsibilities to ride and have horses.
5. Her dressage horses are Arabians. Wouldn't it be cool to see a rider who is successfully  showing non-traditional horses get some visibility at WEG?

Good luck Sheri!
 

Riley's first 'real' show!

Riley competed in a schooling dressage show -- a home game, held right at our barn -- so it was hard to pass up. Bob and I came back early from our weekend in Woodstock NY to get him ready.

• The weather: 88 degrees with passing thunderstorms predicted at 1pm and 3pm
• Ride times: 1:25 and 2:21pm
• The tests: Training 1 and Training 2
• The entourage/pit crew: Dawn, Pam, Bob, Leah, Stacey, Randine
• The mitigating circumstances: Riley under saddle for two months; no work on halt or stretchy walk; never worked more than 25 minutes at a time; thunderstorms passing through during both warmups, clearing by the time of his ride.

Training test 1
Score 67%



Training test 2
Score 63% (I thought this was the better test overall (shrug)

New dressage pad (now I just have to wait for the next big name clinician)

At the barn where I board there is a rider (Karen) who competes her  Dutch warmblood at Prix St. Georges. When she comes out to ride she is always dressed immaculately and smartly. While she does all of the chores that leave me filthy and drenched in sweat, she looks mahhvelous. She has an impressive horsey wardrobe too, and I fell in love with one of her dressage pads. That dressage pad kept me awake at night. Finally I asked her about her black and gold Asian print pad.

Karen told me about  Ellerslie custom blankets and helped me get in touch with the company. She assured me that the pads wash beautifully and wear very well. Also the Ellerslie seamstress creates pads in flannel, tapestry, cotton, and other fabrics -- some even lined in leather.

If you order now...
When I called the Ellerslie pad lady, she cautioned me that the imported-from-Italy fabric I wanted had been discontinued -- but she could try to get it. A few days later she reported that the fabric was still available. It was now or never shopping, so of course the answer was Order Now. And once you place a special order...

IT'S YOURS!!!!

Click the image to see the gorgeous detail,

and take a look at Ellerslie's Web site.

She has all kinds of fabrics not just

the super fancy kind.

Kitchen sink breeding: A Friesian Paint Arab Saddlebred

Lots of ingredients here but somehow it works for me. I want him!

I don't know how tall he is but I'd love to think he's a tall boy. Those are loooong socks!

Riley: "Where's my fenceline, dammit!"

On Thursday I watched another session with Riley and the trainer. There were some new challenges. The barn management removed the dressage ring in preparation for Sunday's dressage show (did I mention Riley is doing T1 and T2?). So no ring, no fenceline, no enclosure at all. To add to the mix it was cool, breezy, and due to rain there was no turnout the night prior.

Riley was Mr. Wiggly in the open ring, and the barn had a distinct allure. Toward the end of the session, he started veering toward the barn.  There were two mini-tantrums (worst one pictured left) -- love my trainer's secure seat! I was afraid he'd exit the ring, so ultimately I put the camera down and stood at the ready. The session ended on a lovely, compliant note but I didn't capture it. Turn the volume down so you don't have to hear my inane chatter :-)...






It's also on Youtube (click here or search sek4278 riley june 11).

What's up with my supp? Part III (Overwhelmed)

Thanks for hanging in there through parts I and II.

At Rolex this year I bought a joint supplement for Riley -- but it totally underwhelmed. A little research into the product revealed that Texas A&M did a study on that supplement that yielded lukewarm results. While they had a ton of press releases about this study before it actually occurred, the product name was nowhere to be found on the published report and there were no press releases about the unimpressive results. Shocker.

So... I started looking for new a new joint supplement. I decided to consider only those ingredients that have actual double blind clinical studies supporting their effectiveness. Guess what, that whittles down the choices quite a bit.

Now ask me what supplements I ended up selecting?  Well, not the ones below, although the ingredients are similar.  I've come to have some distinct preferences in supplements -- no powder, no liquid, for example. I'm trying Flex-Max from Absorbine and SmartSenior for Harv, along with a collagen supplement I've blogged about.

My vet told me that horses' response to a joint supplement is highly individual -- what works for one may not work for another, and I don't think science has unravelled the mystery. Till then, we experiment till we find the elixir of equine soft tissue support!


MSM

• Oke, S. MSM Shows Protective Effect in First Equine Study from The Horse,  November 25 2008.

CORTA-FLX

• Clayton, H. Double Blind Study of the Effects of in Horses  with Degenerative Joint Disease, Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the AAEP 2002, Vol. 48.
  

COSEQUIN

• Rodgers  MR.  Effects of Oral Glucosamine and  Chondroitin Sulfates  Supplementation on Frequency of  Intra-articular Therapy of the  Horse Tarsus. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med  4(2), 2006.
• Fortier L. Systemic Therapies for Joint Disease in Horses Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, Volume 21, Issue 3, Pages 547-557 "It is probably wise to recommend to clients that they begin therapy with Cosequin."
• Oke S. Evaluation of glucosamine levels in commercial equine oral supplements for joints. Equine Veterinary Journal 2006 38(1):93-95
• Hanson, RR, et.al. Oral treatment with a nutraceutical (Cosequin) for ameliorating signs of navicular syndrome in horses.  Vet Ther. 2001 Spring 2(2):148-59. 
• Study Shows Cosequin Helps Navicular Horses,  The Horse 
• Fortier, L.  Systemic therapies for joint disease in horses. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 21(3), December 2005, Pages 547-557

Sashas EQ

• Pearson, W. Evaluation of inflammatory responses induced via intra-articular injection of interleukin-1 in horses receiving a dietary nutraceutical and assessment of the clinical effects of long-term nutraceutical administration. American Journal of Veterinary Research July 2009, Vol. 70, No. 7, Pages 848-861 
• Pearson, W., Orth, M. and Lindinger, M.I. (2009) Response to intra-articular IL-1 by
  horses receiving an anti-inflammatory dietary nutraceutical and safety of the
  
  
  product over 12-weeks. Am. J. Vet. Res. In Press.

CONQUER Liquid/gel

• Bergin B. et.al. Oral hyaluronan gel reduces post operative tarsocrural effusion in the yearling Thoroughbred, Equine Veterinary Journal,  (2006) 38 (4) 375-378
• Pierce, S. Efficacy of orally administered sodium hyaluronate gel in the racing thoroughbred. Rood and Riddle Hospital study. 
• Kellon, E.  Conquer is impressive from  Horse Journal Guide to Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals

GLC 5500

• Effects of oral glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates supplementation on frequency of intra-articular therapy of the horse tarsus. MR Rodgers, International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine, 4(2), 2006.

PROBLEMS WITH QUALITY OF RESEARCH

• Pearson, W. Low quality of evidence for glucosamine-based nutraceuticals in equine joint disease: Review of in vivo studies, Equine Veterinary Journal, 41(7), 706-712. Maintains only 3 of 15 studies were of sufficient quality to prove the benefits of joint supplements. Sasha's EQ and a human product called Dona were the two supplements used in the studies that passed muster with this researcher.
•  Robinson, N.E.  Sprayberry K. A. Nutraceutical licensing and proof of efficacy in Current therapy in equine medicine. 2003. Elseveier Publications.
•  Richardson DW. An evidence-based approach to selected joint therapies in horses. Loinaz R. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2007 Aug;23(2):443-60.

PROBLEMS WITH QUALITY OF JOINT SUPPS

Quality counts with joint supplements. Veterinary Practice News by Lynn Tiffany. "Only GLC 5500 and Cosequin Optimized have received Consumer Labs approval in the equine category to meet both label claim and test free of lead contaminates.”
 
Equine Oral joint health supplements, The Horse, Acclaim method of evaluating supplements:  

• A name you recognize Do you recognize the manufacturer's name as an established company?
• Clinical experience Have the products been tested in clinical trials with reports in peer-reviewed journals?
• Contents Are the contents clearly indicated on the product label?
• Label claims Are the product label claims based on scientific study results?
• Administration directions Are administration recommendations clear and easy to follow?
• Identification of lot Is there an identification of lot number, tracking system, and quality control? 
• Manufacturer information Is manufacturer and contact information included on the label?

 

Live from Lexington: PLEASE VOTE!!!

I'm so pleased to announced that a blogger who follows BTB is a semi-finalist for the Purina Live from Lexington contest! Congrats to Sheri Israel AKA Dressagemom!  Her video totally rocks and she will do a super job. She's a good writer, at ease in front of a camera, she's competed in dressage at national levels and, drumroll, she rides an Arabian.

Let's get Sheri to the WEG!
Monday, June 14, go to www.livefromlexington.com and vote for semi-finalist and blogger dressage mom (Sheri Israel). The voting runs through July 12 and I think you can vote every day.

My story :-)
The Purina guy who is my contact said that I was in the list of semi-finalists for several of the judges (including their head nutritionist), and I made his top ten list -- but the sponsors who made the final choice only wanted contestants who submitted a video. I didn't submit one, and if the blogging job involves time in front of a camera, it probably ain't the job for me. Writing is my thing.

So I'll be taking Riley to Devon instead :-). I'm a lucky girl indeed.

What's up with my supp? Part II: SmartPak's guilt-free plastic

Well, you read my little diatribe on meds/supps. Here's another little issue with supplements.

As a barn worker and horse owner, I like Smartpaks. They're easy to feed,  easy to track, and easy to keep fresh. But I have to admit I used to feel bad about all that plastic. My horses already consume  a lot of the planet's resources -- the shavings, the manure, the long horse baths, the fly spray, and the list goes on. I have used Smartpaks for some time, but not without "green guilt."  It turns out, though, that this guilt is misplaced.

I'm green after all!
Last week I added another supplement to Riley's Smartpak -- and in talking with the Smartpak rep I confessed my green guilt. Well, God bless the rep. She referred me to Smartpak's green policies and practices (and a statement they published for Earth Day 2008)...

• Smartpak uses recycled plastic (PET #1) that customers can re-recycled  in virtually every community in the US.   It's the easiest  plastic to recycle, it's impermeable, and it's light. Many standard supplement buckets are PET 5 or another type of plastic that is not easily recycled.
• Smartpak recently made it's plastic "blister packs" thinner so that even less plastic is used.
• Supplement products are delivered to Smartpak in bulk,  in reusable containers.
• Most of the Smartpak processing and production is tracked electronically (no paper).
• Their shrinkwrap is biodegradable.
• Smartpak uses certified recycled cardboard and they reuse it.
• They don't use styrofoam in shipping.
• They're extremely efficient in their shipping and delivery (Barn Buddies is the tip of the iceberg), plus you save gas from trips to the tack shop.

The Smartpak literature provides a lot more detail, but to sum it up, green is their thing.  I may be a gluttonous consumer of unnecessary and frivolous equestrian products -- bling browbands, for example --  but I need not feel guilty about Smartpaks.

It's amazing and wonderful that something that's actually convenient is also green. It doesn't usually work that way...

Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com

"What's up with my supp?" (Is your horse getting his supps?)

The other night I was on the phone with a friend (Debbie) -- basically trying to talk her down. Her horse has mild Cushings. She moved him to a new barn, and over time he was starting to go downhill. She took him to New Bolton where they did a series of tests. They found that the  Cushings was not under control. The clinic vets had no good explanation, as the horse  was previously being treated with pergolide with good success. They asked her she was certain he was getting it. Debbie sounded devastated as she spoke to me from her cell.  What's happening to her horse???

I have a hunch...
Debbie moved recently to a new boarding facility, and I know a former barn worker from there. It's a nice barn, but it's a big operation with  chronic understaffing and lots of staff turnover. Can you guess what I'm thinking?

Me: Debbie, do you track how much of your pergolide is being used?
Debbie: [pausing] No.
Me: Are you sure he's getting it? Do you know how long it's supposed to last?
Debbie: They leave me a note when he's running low on things.
Me: So, that would be a no.

Debbie -- the likely answer is, he is not getting his meds. 

Taking responsibility
In any workplace -- restaurants, factories, retail, you name it --  things are supposed to happen don''t get done. Barns are no exception. IMHO, it's wise to scrutinize your horse's care. I told my friend Debbie, it's your responsibility to make sure your horse is getting the right feed/meds, because he's your horse. How do you make sure this happens? 

• Make it clear. Write it, say it, reinforce it.
• Make it easy. No complicated notes, no conflicting instructions,  if-then statements, no branching diagrams.
• Make it trackable. Don't be sneaky, or nasty, or accusatory.  Just monitor as best you can and ask management about any discrepancies you notice. 

Baggies, Smartpaks, checklists
As a barn worker I am often frustrated by poorly written, confusing, or absent guidelines for care. Some nitty gritty techniques to help out the barn staff...

• Put the supps/meds in  a baggie labelled (e.g., Monday am, Monday pm) -- or use Smartpaks.
• For critical meds, use a clipboard/checklist for each dose to reduce the chance of double dosing or missed doses
• Feed pellets instead of powder. If barn workers aren't careful in dumping feed, if horses toss their feed around, all that money is dust in the wind.
• Date it! Date barn notes, give start/end calendar dates for meds--avoid words like "today," "tonight,"  "Sunday," etc.

What is a helicopter mom?
I work at a university where we refer to helicopter parents -- parents that hover over their kid and swoop in to protect them at any sign of trouble.  We roll our eyes, but the honest truth is, those kids do get our attention, because we want to avoid an  encounter with MOM.  Helicopter parenting pays off, even in the horse world. Make things as easy as possible for barn staff, and it never hurts to hover a little...

Stay tuned for Part II.

Pinch me! Riley's Saturday ride...

Riley is in training 3X a week, and the Saturday morning session is my chance chance to see him go. The video is below, some pix are here, and the progress is amazing. Pinch me!

Over the last three months we've been increasing Riley's feed -- he needs more topline, more flesh, more ENERGY. Today, whether from the extra groceries or from the pleasures of working on a lovely, breezy morning, Riley was just plain happy and forward in his work -- no nagging, no whip needed, and he didn't seem too tired.

The footing isn't hard but it's a bit just sand (as opposed to the indoor which has rubber and is groomed more consistently.  While I looked hard for signs of soreness, he looks pretty good to me. If you can't watch youtube or if the ads are too annoying (I AM ANNOYED), see the same video on vimeo.com.

I could not, can not, stop smiling. As a wise friend of mine said, hold on to these moments when you get them, because they'll get you through the bad moments that inevitably come and go.

I had a great ride on Harvey too, he even gave me some nice shoulder in.

I feel so blessed right now...

Waiting for turnout

It's a slow news day ;-) but here is some footage of the boys who are awaiting their night turnout. Harv has schtick that drives us all crazy, Riley just looks cute in his pink SWAT makeup.

So many things about Harvey are cute, but this particular habit is not. Sometimes he and Skippy bellow in unison, and it's like standing in front of the speakers at a KISS concert. Ear protection suggested.

Totilas footage: May 29 schooling session

Purina's WEG blogger contest update: Over 200 entries were submitted (including mine), and an international panel of judges is selecting the four semi-finalists as I write this.  Monday or Tuesday the semi-finalists will be announced and the voting will begin.
Light a few candles for me :-)

---

Here is some recent Totilas footage -- too brief to really assess much, but it looks like he's schooling passage to extended trot.



I've read that horses should show equivalent movement in front and hind legs -- with that flashy front end there's no hope for the hind legs to "match up," but the hocks do look a tad sluggish. Is it just me?

Anyway, that's the amateur critique -- he's just gorgeous and I love watching him.

Sitting trot wiggle: Help at last!

This footage from a Jeffrey Moore clinic (see biographical info) offers some nice nuggets of wisdom for riders who do the "waist wiggle" during sitting trot.

I tried his suggestions and they helped. I have come to understand that the  waist wiggle is not necessarily from core weakness but from other things -- not engaging the right muscles, bracing/clutching at the knee, or stiffness at the hip or shoulders for example.  My waist wiggle is greatly diminished when I open my hips and soften at the knee.

Thanks to barnbynoteswatch for posting this video...

Why I'm not riding Riley (yet)

A lot of people are asking why I'm not riding Riley myself at this point. Saturday's training session answers that question as well as anything I could say, I think. ..

To see this footwork in action,  play the video and jump  to about 2 minutes 15 seconds. Riley has opinions. Overall, though, it was a good session. My litmus test for progress is to compare the beginning of the ride to the end -- there's a big improvement in his attitude and way of going.




He's just being a baby, but I'm ever grateful that I have someone to work through the little  discussions with confidence and aplomb.

In case you need more reasons I'm not riding him...

• It's still early yet! I'd rather let the trainer set the tone and send the clear message of what's expected of him as a riding horse.
• He's being ridden three times a week. That's plenty for right now.
• I have the Harvster to ride.

I'd be shaking in my boots at the prospect of riding some young horses -- but not Riley. He hasn't reacted in any way to make me think I'd get hurt. It's not about fears, or  ego, it's about what is best for the boy.  I'm happy to wait a bit...

Undenatured collagen II: New research, a cheap source

If you've read the recent report from The Horse magazine, you know that collagen II is showing promise for horses with arthritis (see article "Collagen shown more effective for arthritic horses"). This article reports on a study that appeared in the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Bottom line, collagen II seems to be significantly more effective than glucosamine/chondroitin in treating equine arthritis.

Where do I sign up?
  If you're wondering what joint supplements contain collagen II, I have found *two: Grand Meadows Grand HA ($1.33/day, 1,000mg/oz) and Nimble Supreme ($1.58/day, 600mg/oz). Problem is, I already use glucosamine/chondroitin supplements,  Absorbine FlexMax ($1.39/day) and Smartflex Senior ($1.13/day). I don't need yet another one, and I don't want to switch to something I haven't tested out. 

Looking high and low...
I looked around for a cheap source of pure collagen  in the hopes that it would:

• cost less
• let me control dosage (like I'm such an expert, right?) 

 I found this bulk product from SupplementDirect, undenatured Collagen II, 100 grams for $30 (includes shipping). I checked around some weightlifting forums and found that a lot of body builders use that company. So I bought it!

The Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics  study showed good results for horses getting 320, 480, or 640 mg/day -- with 480 being the optimal dose. The Supplement Direct collagen contains 100 grams. My math skills are pretty poor but I think with a 480-500mg dosage that's  15 cents/day. The bag even comes with a 250mg scoop -- what more could I ask for?

*Another brand with type II collagen is Actiflex -- 3,000 mg/oz?  Has anyone ever used it?

Update: from questions posed in comments...

Questions and answers
What's the difference between active type II collagen and inactive collagen?
When you're talking about undenatured collagen, you expect about 25% of the weight in milligrams to be "active" (which I think means absorbable). A 320mg dose of type II collagen would have about 80 active mgs.


What is undenatured collagen vs. denatured collagen?
Denatured, or hydrolized collagen has been processed with high heat and/or chemicals. These processes alter the molecular structure of the protein, rendering the it ineffective as an immunomodulator. There are no peer-reviewed scientific studies showing that denatured type II collagen provides any joint health benefits.

Undenatured type II collagen is made using little or no heat and very limited processing - just enough to concentrate the collagen and make it soluble. The UC·II manufacturing process ensures that the collagen remains biologically active in its most native, triple helix form, with its immunomodulating ability intact.

How do I know the collagen I buy has the active ingredients and formulation that will help me or my horse?
Suprise! You DON'T. Welcome to the unregulated world of supplements. Unless the manufacturer voluntarily submits samples to Consumer Labs or the NASC, you can't really be certain what you're getting. And if you read Consumer Reports nutraceutical reports, you'll be dismayed to see that paying a lot of money is far from being a guarantee of quality. In some cases dollar store brands outperformed products sold at 4-5 times the price!