If you live where winter snows are heavy, regularly check your barn's roof.
Shovel off snow ad ice
when the load gets heavy - a roof collapse is the mother of all barn accidents.
Install plenty of lights, with switches located next to the main doors. Place
light fixtures out of your
horse's reach, and cover bulbs with heavy-duty wire screening. Install motion
detectors for exterior lights,
so they'll switch on as you, or an intruder, approach your barn after dark.
Never drop hay or anything else out of a loft without first looking to make sure
no people or
animals are below. Call out a warning to anyone who might be approaching.
Install a handrail for stairs, if your barn has them, and guardrails for loft
doors and hatches you
keep open in hot weather.
Keep potentially harmful medications and toxic substances, such as rat poison,
in securely closed
cabinets, out of the reach of curious cats, dogs, horses and children.
If you live in earthquake country, don't store bottles, jars or any heavy items
on shelves where they
might be shaken off. Secure them in trunks or latched cabinets. If you live in a
storm or tornado belt,
install lightning rods to reduce fire hazard and add hurricane strapping to your
barn's roof to reduce
wind/debris damage.
Keep two first-aid kits on hand - one for people, one for horses. Check them
from time to time to
make sure they're fully stocked and that the medications haven't expired.
Make sure stall and barn doors open easily, swing or slide fully out of the way,
and aren't
obstructed by hay bales or equipment. Stiff doors and blocked doorways invite
accidents by encouraging
you and your horse to squeeze through narrow openings. In an emergency, they're
a disaster waiting to
happen.
Keep drives and walkways clear of snow, and well-sanded for traction.
To reduce fire hazard, don't leave fans, the barn vacuum, or any other appliance
hooked up,
especially if they have extension cords. Every time you finish using an
appliance, unplug and roll up the
cord, then put everything away to reduce clutter. Use extension cords rated for
outdoor use, and never
run electrical cords near water.
Keep aisles clear. Banish tack trunks, brush boxes, ladders, wheelbarrows,
brooms, and other items
to out-of-the-way storage areas, where no one will walk into them.
Level stall and aisle floors to reduce the danger of tripping. Fill places where
aisle pavement has
cracked; consider resurfacing with a nonslip material, such as textured
concrete. If you've put down stall
mats, make sure they lie flat, with no curled-up edges.
Keep halters and lead ropes handy and hanging. Never leave them on the floor
where you or your
horse could trip on them.
Lock up feed and grain in horse- and rodent-proof containers. A food raid by a
hungry horse could
result in such life-threatening conditions as founder and colic. Rodent-proofing
will help prevent
contamination and spills.
Stand in your horse's stall and imagine all the ways he could get in trouble if
he tried. Could he
catch a hoof in that hay rack if he reared? Cut himself on the handle of his
water bucket? Tear a nostril
on a poorly fastened bucket clasp? Fix what you find. Protect glass or Plexiglas
stall windows with
horse proof grills.
Go on a hazard hunt: Look for popped nails, bent brackets, protruding door
latches, cracked
windowpanes, splintered boards, torn wire mesh, and anything else that could
wound a horse or a human.
Fix every offending item, even those that seem minor.
ANNOYING PLANTS
COMMON BURDOCK (Arctium minus )
This familiar biennial weed is found growing in waste places and along
roadsides. It grows from a fleshy
taproot and produces large, heart-shaped, hairy leaves and red-violet flower
heads surrounded by
numerous hooked bracts that form a bur-like cup. Burdock is often confused with
cocklebur (a far more
dangerous plant). Burdock burs are rounder and have softer, more Velcro-like
hairs than cocklebur.
Cocklebur burs are oblong and have hooked spines on the bur, and have, on the
end of the bur, two
spines which are larger and not as strongly hooked.
Means of Annoyance
The burs of this plant may lodge in the skin, eyes, ears, mouth, throat, or
stomachs of grazing animals.
Direct irritation may result, with swelling and pain, or the bur may form the
center of a "hairball", a mass
of plant matter, hair, and debris that can cause digestive tract irritation and
possible obstruction. These
burs also tend to lodge in the fur, manes, and tails of animals.
CLOVER from the Trifolium family)
The three main types of clover are, red clover, white clover and alsike clover.
Clover is a many-stemmed
herb. Its leaves are made up of 3 leaflets grouped at the ends of the long
leafstalks. There are no
crescents in the leaflets. Its flowers, borne in rather compact, stalked heads,
range from red to white,
depending on the type of clover
Means of Annoyance
Clovers may contain oestrogens, cyanogenic glycosides, goitrogens, nitrates and
other substances. Also
known as Dew-poisoning or trifoliosis, all the green parts of clover become
poisonous when dampened by
dew. There are also diseases which may be caused by fungi which infect the
clover. It is not a commonly
reported toxicity, and is not usually serious even if toxicity occurs. It is not
known if the wet clover causes
problems by contact or ingestion. The symptoms include gastrointestinal
distress, including mild colic and
diarrhea. Bloating can occur if the animal is no accustomed to eating the lush
clover. Photodermatitis
("sunburn") is also possible, especially on the parts of the body that contact
the wet grass (lower legs,
mouth). Liver damage has been suggested, but not well-verified. In rare cases,
the sunburn may spread to
the entire body, especially in lightly pigmented areas, but large amounts must
be consumed before serious
body-wide sunscald develops.
FOXTAILS (Setaria spp.)
The photos above are that of a foxtail. Not the standard flower variety some
know as foxtails, but a weed
type plant that is very dangerous to animals, not just dogs.
Means of Annoyance
In the dried stages, the bristles become larger and more rigid. They face only
one way. As such they can
invade the body through any orifice, the skin, the feet, etc. Once a penetration
has taken place, the foxtail,
through it's design, can move forward into the body, helped along by the body's
movement. Once the
foxtail has entered the body, it can travel great distances through the blood
stream. There are cases on
record of foxtails being found in the heart, after death and autopsy. Entry
points can be in the pad or paw
and end up in the heart. Along the way massive infections can occur at the
points of entry and any place
lodging takes place in the body. They are designed to move in only one
direction. Even if discovered prior
to full entry, they are to say-the-least devils to extricate. You must be sure
that you have removed all of
the foxtail from the point of entry. If you have the slightest doubt, that you
have left anything behind, you
must take your animal to a veterinarian to check it out. They can become lodged
in the hair, ears, and any
other location. If your animal runs lose or in a yard where they may have come
in contact with them,
thoroughly comb and brush them out, and inspect down to the skin all over,
between the pads, in the
ears, and up the nose. If your animal is sneezing when they return from a run,
check the nose with a
flashlight all the way back, and if you can't find anything, get them to a
veterinarian. Get them there, if
you find something and can't remove it also. Time is of the essence. The plant
can only be removed by
physically cutting and throwing them away. Unfortunately their seeds are already
in the ground and
waiting for the next season to sprout and start all over again. Cutting or
plowing them into the ground only
distributes more seeds for next year. Deal with them as best you can for the
season that is upon you, and
do not disturb them by weed whacking and sending the seeds to other parts of
your yard for next years
cycle.
GIANT HOGWEED (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Giant Hogweed is originally from Asia and was introduced as an ornamental. A
member of the parsley
family, its most impressive characteristic is its massive size. It reaches a
height of 10 to 15 feet when in
flower and has hollow stems, 2 to 4 inches in diameter with dark reddish-purple
spots and bristles. Coarse
white hairs at the base of the leaf stalk are also purplish, and each purple
spot surrounds a blister-based
hair. The deeply incised compound leaves grow up to 5 feet in width. Giant
hogweed flowers mid-May
through July, with numerous white flowers clustered in an umbrella-shaped head
that is up to 2.5 feet in
diameter across its flat top. The plant produces flattened, 3/8-inch long, oval
dry fruits that have a broadly
rounded base, and broad marginal ridges. Hogweed prefers moist soil and can
quickly dominate ravines
and stream banks.
Means of Annoyance
Giant hogweed produces severe, painful, burning blisters in susceptible people,
the symptoms appearing
within 24 to 48 hours after contact. The sap can produce painless red blotches
that later blacken and scar
the skin for several years. For an adverse reaction to occur the skin,
contaminated with plant juices, must
be moist and subsequently exposed to sunlight (see also Lantana and Hypericum).
This phenomenon,
known as phytophotosensitization, occurs in animals when chemical compounds,
either derived directly
from plants or produced by the animal in response to plant substances, are
present in peripheral
circulation.
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT(Arisaema triphyllum)
These herbaceous perennials pop up in spring. They grow 1 to 2 feet tall from a
tuberous root. The large
leaves are three-parted, smooth-margined, and net-veined. Each plant produces
one bloom beneath the
leaves on a short stalk. The "jack" is a fleshy green spike ("spadix") bearing a
number of inconspicuous
male and female flowers. The most noticeable part of the bloom is the "pulpit",
a modified leaf ("spathe")
that wraps around and hides the spadix. It may be all green or striped with red
or reddish-violet. In late
summer the spathe falls away, revealing a cluster of bright red berries.
Means of Annoyance
Rarely is enough of this plant consumed to cause a problem, but the potential
exists, especially in spring
when other forages are not readily available and if the livestock have access to
a wooded area. Signs are
self-limiting, and a veterinarian only needs to be contacted if signs do not
resolve or if breathing is
affected. The bulbs, stems and possibly leaves are dangerous causing Oral and
gastric irritation, mouth
and throat swelling on rare occasions may be severe enough to affect breathing.
POISON IVY (Toxicodendron radicans)
A native plant that is found throughout Ohio, on roadsides, forest edges, and
waste areas. Poison ivy is a
creeping perennial vine or bush that reproduces by seed and vegetatively by
roots. Woody stems grow
along the ground and can climb on a permanent structure (e.g., walls, trees,
utility poles, or fencepost).
Once it begins to climb, adventitious roots appear from the stem that hold it in
place, giving the stem a
fuzzy appearance. The leaves of poison ivy are alternate, with three leaflets,
and often shiny with a
reddish hue. The shape of the leaflets can be variable (elliptic to egg-shaped),
as can the amount and
position of hairs. Leaf margins may be either smooth, toothed, or lobed. The
green-yellow-white flowers
have five petals and bloom in June and July. The small white berries (about
one-eighth inch in diameter)
are round and hard.
Means of Annoyance
All parts of this plant contain an oily resin (3-pentadecylcatechol) that can
cause allergic reactions.
Virtually anything that comes in contact with the oily resin (e.g., animals,
clothes, gloves, tools) can carry
the resin and cause dermatitis. Smoke of burning poison ivy plants can be
extremely dangerous.
STINGING NETTLE (Urtica dioica)
A bristly, stinging, erect perennial that reproduces by seeds and creeping
rootstocks. Stems and leaves are
covered with numerous stinging hairs, the sting resembling that of a bee. Plants
grow up to six feet in
height, with slender, rigid stems branching mostly at the top. Leaves are
opposite, three- to six-inches
long, pointed with saw-toothed margins, sometimes rounded at the base. Flowers
are green to white and
arranged on branched spikes arising from leaf axils. The plant is found
throughout Ohio, especially along
roadsides, fencerows, ditchbanks, shady or moist wood edges.
Means of Annoyance
Contact with the plant can cause inflammation and welts may form.
Caring For Your Horse
"A little neglect may breed mischief...for want of a nail, the shoe was lost;
for want of a shoe, the horse
was lost; and for want of a horse, the rider was lost."
Benjamin Franklin
Diet
In their natural state, horses do not use energy unnecessarily. They move slowly
from one feeding ground
to the next and, as long as the area is large enough, they can exist solely on
grasses and herbs. When the
weather is cold and feed less plentiful, they naturally lose weight; and when
the opposite climatic
conditions prevail, they just as naturally put on weight.
Energy expenditure is very different for the domestic horse, who is expected to
work under saddle or in
harness, often at speeds and over distance. As a result, he expends great
amounts of energy and, if he is
not to lose condition dramatically, he must be fed foods other than those that
are natural to him. These
foods must be fed in balance and it may also be necessary to include vitamin and
mineral supplements to
maintain peak condition.
The basic feeding objectives are: 1. To maintain health at a level that
encourages resistance to disease and
reduces the severity of any illness, so allowing for a more rapid recovery. 2.
To produce, in conjunction
with exercise and grooming, a physical condition compatible with the work that
the horse is required to
do. 3. To feed so as to avoid mental stress at whatever the level of fitness. A
diet that is too rich or one
that is too high in protein can cause stress and result in behavioral problems.
The principles involved in feeding are: 1. Intake of food energy must equal
energy output. Too much
overloads the system, resulting in digestive and circulatory problems, and too
little causes loss of energy
and condition. 2. Feed little and often. A total of 4lb per concentrate feed is
the limit. 3. After feeding,
allow one hour for digestion before working. 4. Observe the ratio between bulk
and concentrate. Bulk,
which is primarily made up of hay, must form between 1/2 and 2/3 of the diet for
the proper function of
the digestive system. 5. Water must always be available to allow food to be
fully utilized.
Grooming Care
Grooming is primarily carried out for appearance's sake, however, it has other
objectives as well.
Grooming cleans the skin so that it can work to maximum effect. Grooming and
strapping, when the
horse is rhythmically thumped with a pad on the shoulders, quarters and neck,
also encourages muscle
development and tone, and promotes circulation.
Stabled horses that are clipped, kept under artificial conditions, and fed
quantities of heating food, create
additional waste matter. Much of this waste is removed through an increased rate
of breathing and
through excrement, but much is also disposed of through the skin, the pores of
which must be clean if the
function is to be fulfilled.
In the case of the stabled horse, grooming is best carried out after morning
exercise, when the horse is
warm and its pores open. Strapping, sometimes called wisping, builds up muscle -
both on horse and
human - but it is better done toward the end of the day in order to maintain the
rate of circulation during
the night.
Horses kept out at pasture should not be overly groomed since you remove the
waterproofing layer of
grease from the coat. It is sufficient to brush off the worst of the mud before
going for a ride.
Grooming is best carried out from front to rear, starting high up on the horse's
head behind the ears.
Stand away from the horse, the secret of grooming lies in getting one's whole
weight behind the brush,
which cannot be done when too close to the horse. The body brush can be used for
cleaning the head but
great care must be taken not to bang the bony projections with its hard edge.
After every few strokes,
clean the brush on the curry comb, which is held in the opposite hand. The stiff
dandy brush is used for
cleaning muddy legs, which usually are left unclipped as a protection against
the cold. It is far too stiff and
harsh to be used on the horse's body.
Shoeing
The invention of the nailed horse shoe is attributed to the Celts of Gaul, the
foremost ironworkers of the
ancient world. The Celts were established in Britain by 450B.C., and it is
possible that they were shoeing
horses before the Roman invasion.
Shoeing was unnecessary for horses in the Middle East because of the dry
conditions, which encouraged
the formation of exceptionally strong, hard horns. In the wet conditions of
Europe, however, hooves
became soft and easily broken, leaving horses footsore and lame. The road
systems created by the
Romans and the damp atmosphere also contributed to excessive wear of the hooves.
The object of shoeing the hoof has not changed. The shoe protects the hoof of
the working horse from
being worn away more quickly than it could be replaced by natural growth, and it
also improves the
gripping property of the hoof.
The Ferrier's job is to preserve its natural function and the horse's natural
action. He also seeks to remedy
conformational defects resulting in faulty movement, and to counter the effect
of disease. Corrective
shoeing ensures that the horse remains sound, its working life is extended and
its performance is
improved.
The horn grows between 1/4" and 3/4" per month, therefore, the shoes need to be
removed every four
weeks so that the excess growth can be removed. A new set of shoes should be
fitted if the old ones are
unserviceable.
Before the Ferrier can fit each horse shoe, the hoof has to be prepared. This
entails removing any surplus
growth from the hoof until the surface is level. Hooves that turn in or out can
be corrected by removing
the overgrowth that usually causes these common faults.
The shoe is fixed to the hoof either by hot or cold shoeing. Hot shoeing
involves heating the shoe until it is
red hot. It is then placed on the hoof for a few seconds, burning a brown rim
where it touches. The object
is to check the fit and to ensure the whole shoe is in perfect contact. If the
brown rim is incomplete, the
hoof must be rasped again until the surface is level. A well-made shoe follows
the rim of the hoof wall
and is neither too wide, too long nor too short. Hot shoeing allows the Ferrier
to make adjustments to the
shape of the shoe more easily and it should ensure a perfect fit. Cold shoeing
is when the completed shoe
is nailed to the prepared hoof without first being heated, and it is not thought
to be as satisfactory. Once
the fit has been perfected, the shoe is nailed to the hoof wall. The number of
nails used should be as few
as possible to avoid weakening the hoof. Generally, six nails per shoe is
considered ideal, but as many as
eight may be used if necessary.
Hoof Care
Picking Out the Hooves
The basic tools for cleaning your horse's hooves are a high-quality hoof
dressing, hoof sealer and a hoof
pick.
Begin by holding the hoof in a comfortable position, with the hoof well
supported by one hand. Holding
the hoof pick in your other hand, loosen the mud, manure, and bedding by
inserting the point of the hoof
pick near the bulbs of the heels. Often you will be able to pop off a large disk
of mud and manure with
this technique. Next, make downward swipes with the hoof pick in the clefts of
the frog. With practice,
you will know exactly where the clefts are even if they are covered with mud.
Now do a more thorough
job of scraping all debris from around the inside edge of the shoe or hoof. Be
sure to get any mud or
material that has become lodged under the heels of the shoes near the opening of
the clefts of the frog.
To apply a sealer, the hoof must be very clean and dry. With the dauber wet but
not dripping
with sealer, start just below the coronary band and work back and forth across
the hoof wall. Start at the
toe and get the center area of the hoof, from coronary band to the ground. Then
dip the dauber into the
sealer and do the same for the inside quarter, then the outside quarter. Let the
sealer dry before exposing
the hooves to dirt or bedding. Hoof dressing should not be overused. In fact,
there are only a few
instances when a hoof dressing is necessary or desirable. When the heels of a
horse's hoof have become
dry and cracked, they can be softened with a daily application of a dressing,
such as a fish-oil based
dressing. It should be applied discriminately and rubbed in thoroughly.
Performing a Hoof Check
Run your fingertips over the clinches (the folded over ends of horseshoe nails
on the outside of your
horse's hooves) to determine if they are smooth or rough. Feel the clinches
right after your horse is
freshly shod so you know what your Ferrier's newly set clinches normally feel
like. A rough clinch could
be a loose clinch and indicates the shoe might be shifting on the horse's hoof
and might possibly come off.
If the clinches are very rough and loose, your Ferrier will need to come and
tighten them or perhaps
reshoe your horse.
Look at the bottom of your horse's hooves to see if the hoof has grown over the
shoe. Sometimes this
will happen rather quickly in wet weather because the hoof tissue expands. But
usually this occurs
because the horse's shoes have been on too long, longer that 6 or 8 weeks, and
the shoes need to be reset.
You should not see any part of the hoof along the outside edge of the shoe.
While your are looking at the bottom of your horse's hooves, be sure to note any
foreign objects such as a
rock, which could get caught under the heel of the shoe and put pressure on the
horse's hoof. Painful
bruises often form from such pressure.
Some horses shed their frogs and soles about twice a year, so a ragged frog
might indicate that the horse's
frog needs a good trim during the next Ferrier visit. Or it could mean that
there is an unfriendly organism
at work destroying the hoof structures. If you are suspicious, confer with your
veterinarian or Ferrier.
If your horse is barefoot, he will still need Ferrier attention. The hoof wall
may grow long enough so that if
it isn't trimmed, it will begin breaking.
Keep an eye and nose out for signs of thrush, a black, foul-smelling decay of
hoof tissues. If you see
something like this, it is past the time to get your veterinarian or Ferrier
involved. The hoof will have to be
pared down to healthy tissue and treated with a special thrush disinfectant.
Whichever product your
Ferrier recommends, be sure you apply it deep into the clefts of the clean,
pared frog. A very effective
home remedy is sugar-dyne. Mix ordinary sugar with Beta dine 10% Stock Solution
until the resulting
consistency is like thick honey. Using a small brush, paint the clefts with
sugar-dyne as directed by your
Ferrier or veterinarian.
Clinics & Clinicians
Classical Dressage. COM
Dr. Thomas Ritter and Shania Young travel all over the United States to give
clinics
Diamond Lu Productions
Internationally known horsewoman Leslie Desmond holds horsemanship clinics
Equine Management Services
Computer saddle fitting clinics, equine educational clinics, packing &
outfitting
Robert O. Mayer
Riding Academy
Riding Instruction and Training to the highest standards of Classical Dressage;
through
Grand Prix and haute ecole. Clinics. Apprenticeships. Riding Instructor
Certification.
Yoga for Riding.
The Art Of Classical Riding
An online school discussing the foundations of classical equitation
The Icelandic Horse Farm
Located in Vernon BC. hosts numerous clinics every year. TT.E.A.M and TT.A.C.T
Van Hargis
Horsemanship Seminars
Horsemanship Seminars "The Horseman With A Message"
Colostrums Banks
Dentistry
Education
Equipment
General
Grooming
Herbs & Herbals
Hoof Care
Magnetic Therapy
Natural Products
Natural Services
Traditional Products
Traditional Services
Universities
Veterinarians
Cyber foal
Locating nurse mares and colostrums to orphan foal's world wide
Academy
of Equine Dentistry
This website has been designed to bring people interested in Equine Dentistry
together
to combine their knowledge and products so all may have access to this
information.
World
Wide Equine, Inc.
Equine Dental Instrument Manufacturer
British Horse Society
Leads equestrian education in the UK. Professional qualifications for
instructors, Riding Schools Approvals,
safety and welfare.
Horse Information from
Cherry Hill
Horse Information from Cherry Hill on riding, training, horse care, hoof care,
showing, barns and facilities,
health care, lameness, shoeing, and more. Tips and articles.
Horse Sense
Learn all you need to know to care for your horse here in one site.. not just a
lot of links real info here ..
about vaccinations, grooming, feeding, and more. Also register to win Horse
Sense Award for your site
Penzance Equine
Solutions
A natural digest of equine information...from Disaster relief listings to horse
Care & management, you'll find
over 200 pages of excellent resources and information at Penzance Horse Source
on line
Rural Heritage
Vet Clinic
Virtual vet online to answer your draft horse health questions.
White Arabian
Learn how to care for your horse. From grooming tips to giving injections. Learn
the health and development
of the horse.
Equipment
BioScan
Offers a full line of therapeutic products designed to help keep your horse
performing
Circle Fence Discount Equine
Supply
Top quality equipment.
Electronic Animal
Management,Inc
Ovatec Breed for filly or colt 90% and better published. Birth-Alert temperature
sensitive
Equine Lifestyles Inc.
Horse boots, biomagnetic and therapeutic products for all disciples of
equestrian
HBS Equine Therapy
Providing the horse owner with magnetic field therapy, real lasers, nebulizers
Jeffers
Equine Super Store
For super low prices on your favorite horse equipment
Performance Horse Therapy
Light Therapy device that is FDA Approved for muscle aches and pains
Saddle Right, Inc.
Orthopedic Competition Saddle Pads. Lifetime Effective Guarantee
General
Comanche Moon
Home recipes and solutions for daily horse care.
Astablemates Apparel, Inc.
Miracle Coat products from Australia are guaranteed to make your horse shine
ATH Science, Inc
We are a small business that designs and manufactures horse grooming products
Diamond L Equestrian
Specialties, LLC
The finest animal hair care products in the world. Cleans in one application.
EQyss Grooming Products
Equine grooming products that do not contain oil, silicone, or harsh detergents.
Healthy Hair Care
Products
Daily maintenance and show grooming products for horses.
Robert McDowell's Herbal
Treatments
Herbal treatments and medicines for horse health
Hoof Care
Hoof-it
The best hoof repair system for horse owners, farriers, and veterinarians.
Magnetic Therapy
Performance Horse Therapy
A complete line of magnetic products for horse & rider
Stuck On You
First in Proper Polarity Magnetic for Horse, Rider and Pet. All your horses
needs and
satisfaction guaranteed
Natural Products
Equilite, Inc.
Leading supplier of all-natural herbal nutritional supplements, liniments, and
herbs
Equinat
Highly effective natural treatments for mud fever (scratches, rain rot, cracked
heels
Glenbrook Farms
We have over 800 herbs and spices and come in bulk 1 pound packages
Horseshoe Herbals
Helping horses with herbal remedies. Calming Formula, arthritis, Glucosamine
Le Melange Home Fragrances
Horse herbs and pest control
Natural Services
Hands for Animals
Massage, Reiki, animal communication services. Massage Instruction for those
wishing
to use massage for personal horses.
The Holistic Horse
Practioner and Product Directory
Holistic and Adjunctive Practioners. Articles from our newsletter, The Holistic
Horse
Traditional Products
Anytime Tack
Secure online shop for all your horse and rider needs. Visit us today and tell a
friend.
We make you and your horse look and feel great.
American Livestock
Supply
We are a mail order supplier of equine health supplies. Very competitive prices.
Buck Snort
Nutrition
Equine nutritional supplements and free choice vitamins and minerals
Donalex Corporation
Manufactures the Equi-Block three-part pain reduction program featuring
Equinehealthcare.com
We offer the best of the best in equine therapy products and information
Finish
Line Quality Horse Products
Manufacturer of quality equine health care products including feed supplements
Guardian Mask
Offers information in alternative therapies for ailments such as
photosensitivity
Jeffers Equine Super Store
Save money on all of your horse health needs. Stop by today and save
Med Equine
A topical anti-microbial horse medicine that treats ringworm, summer itch, girth
itch
Traditional Services
Anticipation Enterprise
Experienced horse services - rehab, layovers, stallion services (AI, standing),
conditioning, training, showing, consultants
Cyber foal 2000
A central site locating nurse mares and colostrums world wide to foals in need.
A not for
profit service. Breeders helping breeders.
Harmonious Horsemanship
Equine facilitated therapy, rehabilitation and performance enhancement,
nutrition and
health maintenance counseling, structural, nutritional and bioenergy
evaluations.
Horse Care Will Travel
Helping you take care of your horse. Services: feeding, stall cleaning,
exercising,
riding. errands for feed and/or supplies, arranging for Ferrier or veterinarian,
maintaining
worming, vaccination records.
Horses and Water
Physiology
The Four Main Compartments
The horse's body has four main repositories for water:
Intravascular space: The blood vessels hold about 5% of the horse's total body
fluids, a level that is
subject to rapid fluctuation as the body's needs change.
Extra cellular space: About 15% of the body's water surrounds the blood vessels
and cells
Intracellular space: Up to 50% of the body's water is contained inside the
cells. This fluid level is critical
to the specialized performance of cells and is less adaptable to change than any
other bodily water
reservoir. Only about 10% of the water in intracellular space can be moved
without serious consequences
to the horse's health, and it can take two to three days to replace water lost
from this area.
The gut: The remaining 30% of water is stored in the large intestine and cecum,
providing a holding tank
of sorts that's unique to horses. About half of the water in the cecum is
available to replenish losses
elsewhere in the body.
Brain Function
Water plays a role in both hearing and vision. The inner ear contains fluid that
vibrates in response to
sound waves, sending nerve impulses to the brain. The eyeball, which is
predominantly water, is
continually bathed in fluids from the lachrymal gland
The hypothalamus, a gland located at the base of the brain, controls the body's
use of water by secreting
antidiuretic hormone (ADH). When ADH is released, the cells retain water; when
it is suppressed, they
release it more freely.
Water makes up 65 to 70% of the average horse's body. A human body is 65% water,
an apple is
85% and a jellyfish is 95%.
Water accounts for 85% of a horse's brain, 75% of his muscle mass and 30% of his
bone.
Water bathes and cushions the brain and central nervous system, and lubricates
all of the body's
moving parts. It also plays a critical role in regulating the body's temperature
through sweating.
If you drained the water from a 1,000lb horse, you would have removed 70
gallons, and he would
weigh a mere 440lbs.
Consumption
The equine stomach holds three to four gallons of water, which is as much as a
very thirsty horse
can drink at a single time.
A horse drinks water as he nursed from his dam: by pursing his lips together,
leaving only a small
crack between them, and using his tongue as a suction pump to draw water up and
into the esophagus.
Waves of involuntary muscle contraction, know as peristalsis, move the water
down to his stomach.
It takes a horse 12 swallows to drink a quart of water.
"Binge" drinking is an uncommon vice, but bored horses have been known to drink
too much
water. Kidney damage and excessive salt intake can also cause over consumption
of water.
Bands of wild horses head toward water only after the alpha mare decides it's
time for a drink.
Dominant bands get first "dibs" on a watering hole; others wait their turn.
In the wild, a horse can survive by filling up on water just once every other
day.
A 1,000lb horse consumes approximately 10 gallons of water a day. A 150lb person
needs just 2
1/2 quarts.
Water Needs
On a hot, humid day, a working horse can lose up to 4 gallons of water an hour -
a rate that can't
be replaced by drinking.
To avoid dangerous water loss in summer, limit your horse's activity when the
temperature is over
80 degrees and the humidity is 70% or higher.
Horses ingest water in two ways: Through intake of food and liquid and through
metabolism, the
breakdown of carbohydrates and other organic molecules in reactions that yield
water as a by-product.
Horses lose water in four ways: Excretion in urine and manure; evaporation by
breathing;
evaporation through the skin and sweating.
As horses age, their bodies contain less water, making them more susceptible to
dehydration and
impaction colic.
The increased metabolic demands of extremely cold weather may lead a horse to
drink even more
than he would in warm weather.
A horse who consumes lush grass, which is 50 to 90% water, will need to drink
less than one who
eats hay, which is only 5 to 8% water.
Lactation dramatically increases a mare's need for water. Most foals do not
drink much water
before weaning; youngsters who seek out water may not be getting sufficient milk
from their dams.
Exhausted or severely dehydrated horses often lose interest in drinking - this
is a situation that calls
for immediate veterinary attention to replace body water and electrolytes.
A dehydrated horse's urine and feces are dark because his body is retaining what
little water it has
left. His skin may lose its elasticity, and he may appear "tucked up" in his
belly and flanks.
Environment
Groundwater in heavily polluted industrial areas can contain such contaminants
as alkali, lead,
arsenic, organophosphates and chlorinated hydrocarbons.
Several waterborne contaminants can lead to serious illness, and even death in
horses:
Botulism - usually caused by the decomposition of dead rodents in the water
source. The infected horse
suffers paralysis of the swallowing muscles and dies of dehydration.
Anthrax - spread when infected carcasses come in contact with the water source.
Signs include acute
colic, fever and swelling of the throat, neck and chest. Fortunately, anthrax is
rare in the United States.
Toxic Algae - sometimes found in nutrient-rich drainage ponds exposed to bright
sunlight. Contact with
these generally rare species can lead to swelling of the head and legs, erratic
movements and loss of
appetite.
A variety of equine diseases, including rhinopneumonitis, influenza and
strangles, can be
transmitted via communal watering troughs. As a precaution, use your own buckets
when visiting an
unfamiliar farm or when your horse travels to shows.
Horses can be picky about unfamiliar water sources, but they usually won't allow
themselves to
become dehydrated.
Muddy water is harmless to horses, though they probably prefer clean water.
Horses in Water
Horses find water a great source of amusement. A bored horse may pass the time
by blowing bubbles in
his bucket or flipping his nose on the surface of the trough, splashing anyone
who happens by. In
summer, horses with access to natural bodies of water make the most of it by
pawing, rolling and
wallowing in shallow spots, enjoying the cool water and the respite from
insects. More adventurous
horses will actually swim through deeper bodies of water. All horses are natural
swimmers when rider less;
they simply dogpaddle along, with noses held high, "blowing" rhythmically as
they swim.
Plants Poisonous To Horses
The traditional agricultural practices both allowed and encouraged a greater
variety of pasture
species to exist compared to today. Before the 1940's, a paddock would probably
have contained
well over 100 different varieties of herbage, compared with today's average of
perhaps 10 species
in the modern pasture.
As a number of different species of plants declined in the countryside (mainly
due to the use of
nitrogenous fertilizers), the general knowledge about the plants affect on
animals declined as well.
Many toxic plants disappeared along with the beneficial species, therefore it
became less important
to identify them as they became less of a threat to livestock.
The trend away from the extensive use of chemicals together with the employment
of more
traditional methods of farming means that species diversity may increase. Along
with the natural
benefit this will bring, there is the risk that many of the potentially
poisonous species of wild
plants will return, together with those which, although not outright poisonous
in themselves, may
be toxic to some degree. It is therefore becoming more important to be able to
identify a wider
range of potentially dangerous herbage in order to access the risk for your
grazing livestock.
TOXICOLOGY.
Chemical analysis of plants can determine their actual or supposed action on the
chemistry of the
body. For practical evaluation, however, there are also other factors which have
to be taken into
consideration. i.e. - not all parts of some poisonous weeds are toxic at certain
times of the year, or
even at certain times of the day. An example of this is the opium poppy. At nine
am is it reputed
to contain a whopping 4 times more morphine in it than it does at midday.
Also small amounts of some toxic species can be quite beneficial for the horse
if ingested as part
of a holistic nutritional profile, which means that the plant may be regarded as
poisonous in some
circumstances, but not in others.
The time taken from when the poisonous plant is first eaten to when the first
appearance of the
symptoms appears may vary greatly. i.e. the effects of eating yew leaves and the
cowbane roots
show up much more quickly than those produced by eating bracken or ragwort. The
initial effects
of some weeds vary greatly depending on the species of the animal eating it.
Deer's are able to eat
rhododendron leaves, which if eaten by goats or cattle will most likely cause
death. There is also a
variation within certain species. i.e. some rabbit breeds are adversely affected
by deadly nightshade
which causes death, while others seem amuse.
Traditionally plants were classified according to their poisonous ratings. There
are many of these
including - alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, nitrates, minerals and phenols to
name a few. These are
either synthesized by a chemical process within the plant itself, or
concentrated by the plant from
the soil.
Alkaloids : are present in many plant species and are the dominant poisonous
principle in
high-risk toxic plants like yew and hemlock. As well as being poisonous,
alkaloids can also be used
for medical purposes. They can be depressives, stimulants, narcotics or
painkillers. Horses will
usually avoid alkaloid-containing plants as they have a characteristically
bitter taste, although
even after poisoning, some horses seemed addicted to the taste. Treatment
involves drugs to
counteract the effect of the alkaloid on the Central Nervous System. In those
that do survive the
treatment, seldom ever recover 100 percent.
Glycosides : are a large group of organic substances, many of which aren't
poisonous. Those that are poisonous can be divided into 4 main categories
which determine their toxicity. Although some poisonous glycosides don't
fit into these groups. The groups are as follows.
Cyanogenic.... Cyanogenic plants aren't toxic as such, but after they have been
broken down by the
digestives system they become poisonous, releasing the poisonous chemical
hydrocyanic acid
(cyanide). Cyanogenic plants include plants from families like Rosacaea,
Leguminous and
Gramineae. The flax plant is cyanogenic, and the seeds must be boiled before
feeding to destroy its
poisonous principle.
Goitrogenic.... The poisonous plants contained in the category mainly come from
the Cruciferous
family - the cabbage and turnips being examples. Plant goitrogenic inhibit the
uptake of iodine by the
body, and poisoning is indicated by an increase in the size of the thyroid
gland, which is clinically
recognized as a goiters. While goiters arising from iodine deficiencies may be
treated by giving iodine,
this treatment has no effect after poisoning by plant goitrogens as the
causative mechanism is
different.
Cardiac.... Cardiac glycosides have a direct action on the heart muscle,
increasing its contractions
whilest slowing the rate. Other affects are gastro-enteritis and diarrhea. If
cardiac glycosides
poisoning occurs, surgical elimination of the plant from the system is the only
option for saving
the animal. If the substance is ingested in lethal quantities and left
undisturbed death will occur
within 12 - 24 hours. Foxglove, Lily of the Valley and Hellebore spp. are
sources of Cardiac
glycosides.
Saponic.... Saponic glycosides, or saponins are distinguishable by their ability
to form a lather, (sapo
means soap) and to emulsify oils. They are widely distributed and are found in
forage legumes like
Lucerne, clover and many other plants. Saponins are more toxic to animals when
injected than when
eaten, although ingestion of large quantities can cause diarrhea.
Nitrates/Nitrites : are not very toxic in themselves, but are converted by
bacteria in the
alimentary tracts into nitrites, which are much more toxic. Nitrates are
absorbed from the soil by
plants and the rate of absorption can be increased by several factors - shade,
the use of herbicides
and especially the use of nitrogenous fertilizers being a few factors. Foods
such as beet, turnips,
mangles, rape, Swedes and kale are more likely to accumulate high levels of
nitrates than other
plants, though accumulation in other plants can be significant. Nitrates pass
form the
gastro-intestinal tract into the bloodstream, where they combine with elements
in the blood to
form a substance calls methaemoglobin, which limits oxygen transportation. The
symptoms are
those of oxygen deficiency - weakness, rapid pulse rate, fall in blood pressure
etc. Death can occur
within hours of the initial poisoning of eating nitrate-rich foods, though more
commonly it takes
days for the symptoms to appear. Ingestion of high levels of nitrogen have also
been linked to
infertility, abortion and vitamin imbalances.
Oxates : exist in many species of plants, but are more highly concentrated in
certain types.
Large variations exist in the amount of oxalates present in different species of
plants at any one
time, depending on soil conditions and climate. Also the more mature the plant
comes the more
concentrated the toxic becomes, especially in the leaves. The effect depends on
the amount
ingested over a given time and on the nutritional status of the animal, the
amount of calcium in
the diet, etc. The symptoms of poisoning are rapid and labored breathing,
staggering,
recumbence and depression. Horses can become adapted over a period of time to
higher levels of
oxalates in their diet, the greatest risk being when large amounts of
oxalate-rich plants are
ingested quickly. This causes Hypocalcaemia to be produced, which is caused by a
combination of
oxalates and calcium in the blood. A post-mortem of affected animals show that
various tissues
and organs - notably the kidneys, contain deposits of calcium oxalate crystals.
Photosensitive Agents: cause unpigmented or partially pigmented areas of the
skin such as
the muzzle, to become hypersensitive to ultraviolet rays from the sun. This will
cause cell damage.
These agents - the furocoumarins - are contained in several different species of
plants, the St
John's Wart being one. They do not need to be ingested to produce this
hypersensitive reaction, as
skin contact can trigger the reaction. Primary photosensitivity by ingestion
will occur when
furocoumarins are transported but he body unchanged to the skins surface. Second
photosensitivity can take place after the plant has been broken down by
digestion, and the
likelihood of this will be increased if the alimentary capacity of the liver has
been compromised.
This means that sensitivity to ultraviolet rays can be increased by a secondary
photosensitivity if
liver damage has occurred through disease, hepatoxic drugs, chemicals, etc.
Danger Ratings.
The weeds have been divided into 2 basic groups, which are represented by the
symbol that
appears alongside each weed. Qualified advice should be taken if there is even
the slightest doubt
about the identity of plants that are suspected of being poisonous.
1.
HIGH RISK!!!! Do not allow access.
2.
May be appropriate for ingestion on a regular basis depending on the overall
nutritional profile,
together with the health status of the horse, but can be hazardous in some
circumstances. Still it is
best to be rid of these weeds, stopping any accidental poisoning to occur.
Better to be safe than
sorry.
PLANT/WEEDS LIST!!!
Please click on the letter links below to view the various pages of weeds.
Acorns
Alder Buckthorn
Autumn Crocus Avocado
Baneberry
Black Bryony
Black Cherry
Black Locust
Black Nightshade
Black Oak
Black Walnut
Bounching Bet
Box
Bracken
Broom
Buckeye and Horsechestnut
Buckthorn
Bulb-Bearing Plants
Burningbush
Buttercup
Castor Oil Plant
Celandine
Charlock
Chickweed
Chives
Columbine
Common Groundsel
Common Milkweed
Common Pokeweed
Common Vertch
Corncockle
Cowbane
Cuckoo Pint
Cutleafed Coneflower
Darnel
Deadly Nightshade
Death Camas
Death Cap
Dutchman's Breeches
English Ivy
Ergot
Fiddleneck
Fireweed
Foxglove
Green Cestrum
Green False Hellebore
Ground Ivy
Hellebore
Hemlock
Hemlock Water-Dropwort
Hemp Nettle
Henbane
Herb Paris
Holly
Horse Radish
Horsetail
Hound's Tongue
Hydrangea
Iris
Jimsonweed
Johnson grass
Kentucky Coffee-Tree
Kidney Vetch
Laburnum
Larkspur
Latana
Lily Of The Valley
Linseed
Locoweed
Lupines
Marijuana
Marsh Marigold
Meadow Saffron
Melilot
Mercury
Mexican Poppy
Milkweed
Monks Hood
Morning-Glory
Murray Phasey Bean
Mustard
Oak
Oats
Oleander
Paterson's Curse
Pigweed
Pimpernel
Poison Hemlock
Poppy
Potato
Privet
Ragwort
Rangiora
Rattle Box
Rhododendron
Rhubarb
Rosary Pea
Rubber vine
Rush
Sensitive Fern
Sneezeweed
Sorghum
Sorrel
Spreading Dogs bane
Spurge
Star Of Bethlehem
St Johns Wart
Sweat Pea
Tall Fescue
Tall Larkspurs
Tansy
Thorn Apple
Tobacco
white Bryony
White Snakeroot
Woody Nightshade
Yellow Star Thistle
Yew
Clover
Common Burdock
Foxtails
Giant Hogwarts
Jack-In-The-Pulpit
Stinging Nettle
Poison Ivy
Brighter Days Horse Refuge
A non-profit 501(3)(c) organization. Available to the Hill Country and
surrounding Texas
counties, the Refuge is the placement facility used by law enforcement who have
seized abused horses in animal cruelty cases. Where horses were historically
destroyed, they can now be rehabilitated and placed for adoption. Extraordinary
care
is given these residents to make sure they are comfortable and loved.
Bright Futures Farm
A 501(c)3 non profit organization. Most of the horses we have available for
adoption
are Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds that have completed their racing careers. We
work with all breeds. Most of the adoption horses we have available are sound
and
can go on to new careers in pleasure, trail, hunt/jump, etc. We do transition
and, in
many cases, retrain our horses before they are adopted. We also have companion
horses available for adoption. These horses cannot be ridden, but make wonderful
pasture mates for the lone horse.
Colorado Horse Rescue
Non-profit shelter for abandoned, abused or neglected horses. Operated by
volunteers, we offer shelter for horses in need, adoptions, education, crisis
support and
grief counseling.
Days End Farm Horse Rescue
Ensuring quality care and treatment of horses through rehabilitation, humane
education
and community outreach since 1989.
Lone Star Equine Rescue
Works in Texas and the surrounding states to improve the lives of equines. We
often
have horses up for adoption, accept members, and educate the public.