HAT Chat Articles – January 2006
A word from our President
Hello and Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas holiday,
and that Santa was good to everyone in your family. Hopefully, Mother Nature will be good to all
of us and bring some much-needed rain soon.
Usually the winter months are slower around the barn, but
not if you are preparing for the breeding season (or foaling and breeding back,
if you have pregnant mares like we do). Here
at HAT we’d like to help: if you are planning to breed your mares this year and
want to save some gas money by using a local stallion, you won’t want to miss
our annual Stallion Showcase in the February issue. This is a special section that lists many of
the stallions in the Texoma area, and gives you the information you need to
contact their owners and make your decisions.
If you are a stallion owner, this is also your chance to get in some
quality advertising for the breeding season.
Check out the story on the front page of this issue for more information
on the upcoming Showcase.
2005 was a good year for HAT, and I believe 2006 will be
even better. Our members will be hard at
work through the coming months to bring you more of the quality events you have
come to expect from our Association.
Look for information about our upcoming activities in future issues.
Roger Dougan
HAT President
2006 Stallion Showcase in February
It’s
a new year, and that means it is breeding season. To help you with making your decisions, HAT
publishes an annual Stallion Showcase featuring many of the stallions standing
in the local Texoma area. This year’s Showcase
will appear in the February newsletter.
As
always, the Showcase consists of two sections – the Stud List and the Showcase
Ads. The Stud List is similar to our
Equine Services Directory – stallions are listed in alphabetical order by
breed, and provide “the basics” (name, age, color, brief pedigree, where
standing, fees, and contact information).
The Showcase Ads are the same as our regular display ads, and can be
purchased at the same sizes (business card, 1/4, 1/2, and full pages); the
difference here is they are all collected into a single area for the
convenience of our readers. Listings in
the Stud List are always free, and our regular advertising rates apply for the
Showcase Ads (remember, HAT members pay only half-price for their ads!). For a list of rates, see page 11 of this
issue.
As
an added benefit, for the first time ever the entire 2006 Showcase will also be
listed online at our website, www.hat-texoma.org.
There will be no extra charge for
placing the ads online.
Ads
for the Stallion Showcase will be accepted through Sunday, January 15th
(extended from January 13th as first printed in the December issue). For more information or to place an ad,
contact any HAT officer, the HAT office (contact information is listed on page
2) or the newsletter editor via e-mail to hatchat@prodigy.net.
2006 HAT Shows and Events Schedule
As
of press time, the schedule for HAT’s 2006 shows and events was not
available. When it does become
available, it will be posted first on the Activities Calendar at the HAT
website, www.hat-texoma.org. Please keep checking the website for updates.
Association
News
Membership Reminders
All HAT memberships expired on September 30 of last
year. If you have joined or renewed your
membership between last August and now, we thank you. For everyone else, now is the time to get
caught up and make your membership current.
If you participate in HAT’s shows, you will find a very
useful benefit in keeping your membership up-to-date. The cost of all-day participation (six
classes or more) is $35 for members and $45 for non-members, so if you are an
“all-day rider” having a current membership will save you $10 per show.
Another benefit of HAT membership is reduced rates for
advertising in the monthly newsletter.
HAT members pay half price for all advertising, including special
features such as the annual Stallion Showcase coming up in February. For a list of current advertising rates,
please see page 11 of this issue.
To join or renew your HAT membership, fill out a membership
application (there’s one printed on the inside back page of every newsletter,
and you can also download and print them from the HAT website) and send it to
the HAT office with your dues. You can
also join or renew your membership at any HAT meeting or event. If you are new to our area and would like
more information about HAT or have any questions prior to joining, please feel
free to contact the HAT office or visit our website at www.hat-texoma.org.
HAT Website Updates
There have been several changes made at the HAT website (www.hat-texoma.org) in the past few
weeks, and everyone is invited to visit and check them out.
Some of the changes include:
·
Photo
Galleries: Photographs taken at HAT events over the years have been posted
in a series of photo galleries for viewing.
Each gallery shows small “thumbnails” of each picture along with a brief
description; to view a larger version of a picture, simply click on its
thumbnail. You can even save copies of
photos on your PC and print them out (but please read the disclaimer at the
bottom of the main Gallery page before you do this).
·
News
Feed: This is a free news feed of equine-related story headlines collected
from news sources around the U.S. and the world that is automatically sent to
the website (look for a white box on the Home page under the heading “Other
Equine News”). The list is updated
frequently, sometimes several times a day, and the six most recently collected headlines
are always listed (to view the story, simply click on the headline). Unfortunately, an occasional advertisement
will appear in the list; this is how HAT is able to provide the service at no
cost.
Additional changes that are planned for the future include
the online Stallion Showcase in February and an archive of past newsletter
articles, meeting minutes, and show results.
If there are other changes or additions you would like to see on the
website, please let us know by sending an e-mail to the Webmaster (webmaster@hat-texoma.org).
State/Local
News
Premises Identification Proposed Regulations
Commissioners for the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC)
approved proposed regulations for
Why these regulations
were proposed:
During the recent legislative session, the Texas Legislature
passed House Bill 1361, authorizing the TAHC to develop and implement an animal
identification system consistent with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
National Animal Identification System (NAIS). HB 1361 (Chapter 161.056 of the Texas
Agriculture Code) also authorizes the TAHC to determine when premises
identification will be required and to assess and collect fees for premises
registration.
As the NAIS is phased in, the TAHC’s
program also will evolve. TAHC
commissioners have proposed regulations at this time for premises
identification only. Premises
identification is the foundation for all other components of the NAIS.
Basics of the
National Animal Identification System (NAIS):
The goal of the NAIS is to enable animal health officials to
identify locations where infected or exposed animals have been and to track
animal movement from those locations within 48 hours, in the event of an animal
disease outbreak. Three main components
comprise the system:
The premises number is a unique
7-character code, issued by the TAHC or USDA. Owners or managers can register their premises
and obtain the unique code online at the TAHC web site at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us. Applications also may be obtained at many
cooperative extension service offices, livestock markets, veterinary clinics,
or from livestock and poultry associations. As of early December, more than 4,200 premises
in
A person who owns or manages two or
more locations and commingles animals may register the locations under one
premises number. However, if a person
maintains livestock on multiple locations but does not commingle the animals,
then each location should be registered separately.
Under the national animal
identification system (NAIS), still in development, premises numbers will NOT
be imprinted on the animal identification devices. The unique 7-character premises identification
and the 15-digit animal identification device number will correlate only in
records. Each animal identification
device will be individually numbered.
In the NAIS, some species, such as
commercially produced swine or poultry, may be identified by group/lot numbers,
provided the animals are held and managed as a group throughout the pre-harvest
production process.
Additional NAIS information and links can be found on the
TAHC web site at: http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_id/index.shtml
Proposed TAHC
premises identification regulations:
Prior to
On
Privacy
considerations under the proposed TAHC regulations:
Information collected by the TAHC for premises or animal
identification is exempt from public disclosure requirements under the Texas
Public Information Act.
Compliance and the
proposed regulations:
Although the TAHC commissioners always urge voluntary
compliance with agency regulations, the proposals include penalties for
noncompliance.
The Texas Agriculture Code (law) may be found on the TAHC
website at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us,
by selecting the “Statutes and Regulations” link on the front page.
National
News
For the first time, the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG)
will be held outside of
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), which is the
international governing body for non-racing equestrian sports, made the
decision that the games will be held at the
As the games are expected to have a $100-million economic
impact on the state of Kentucky, Governor Ernie Fletcher, whose campaign
platform included promises to strengthen and improve the state’s equine
industry, was understandably all smiles as he made the announcement to an
expectant and enthusiastic crowd of industry leaders gathered at the Kentucky
Horse Park. He observed, “This will be
an unprecedented opportunity for our Commonwealth to showcase itself to the
world. It is both fitting and proper
that
John Nicholson, Executive Director of the
The WEG are comprised of the world championships for seven
equestrian sports: show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, endurance,
vaulting and reining. The games are held
every four years, in the middle of the Olympic cycle, and are governed by the
FEI, based in
A five-member delegation consisting of John Nicholson,
executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park; Rob Hinkle, director of
operations at the Kentucky Horse Park; Derrick Ramsey, deputy secretary of the
Commerce Cabinet; Tandy Patrick, chair of the Kentucky Horse Park Commission;
and John Long, chief executive officer of the United States Equestrian
Federation, Inc. made the final, winning presentation.
The games will take place during two weeks in the fall of
2010 and have estimated ticket sales of 300,000. More than 1,000 athletes representing 50
countries are expected to participate. The
games will be broadcast live from the
Extension
Service News
by Eddie Baggs,
CEA-Agriculture
Hay is for Horses
There are many grass and small
grain hays that are available to feed, especially since there is quite a bit of
hay being brought into the area from out of state as a result of drought
conditions this year that limited what we can produce here. They can vary greatly in nutritive value and
palatability depending on variety, where it is grown, fertility provided and
the stage of maturity at harvest. Grass
hays can normally be safely fed free choice to horses with just a few
exceptions.
Bermudagrass is the most common
grass hay fed in the
Timothy hay has an average nutrient
content at 6.8 - 9.6% protein, (DE - .72-.83, CA - .34-.45, and P -
.13-.25). The highest quality timothy
hay is grown in the north. It usually
does not have dust or mold problems. It
is highest in quality and palatability when cut pre-bloom and is frequently
grown with a legume to add quality.
Sorghum hays (Sudangrass,
johnsongrass sorghum/sudan
hybrids) can be average in protein content at 6.7 and higher (DE - .68, CA -
.8, and P - .27). There is the danger of
prussic acid poisoning with these hays if not properly cured. It there is a doubt - test. Some reports have indicated that sudangrass and sorghum/sudan
hybrids may cause urinary tract inflammation called cystitis in horses. This should be a serious consideration when
feeding this type of hay to equine.
Bromegrass
is fed to many horses. It grows extensively in the High Plains and is
usually brought in from there. It is
best when harvested at mid-bloom and runs 6-13% protein (DE - .7- .85, CA -
.24-.25, and P - .2-.25). It is highly
palatable and has a feeding value very similar to bermudagrass.
Prairiegrass
is a mixture of wild and native grasses from the mid west. Many prairie hays will contain a high
percentage of bluestem. When it is cut
at an early maturity, it can make a 6-9% protein content and will vary on other
values. It is best to visually inspect
prairie hays if possible or buy from a reputable producer.
There are many grass hays not
covered in this article that may have become an option for horse producers. For a complete listing of grass hays and
information on nutritive and digestibility averages you can access the
Educational programs
conducted by the
Ask The Vet
by Dr. Katie Hayes, DVM
AAEP Annual Meeting
I attended the AAEP (American Association of Equine
Practitioners) annual meeting in
Gastric Ulcers
Studies indicate that show horses get stomach ulcers. One study revealed that horses off to a show
for just three days started to get stomach ulcers. The studies were funded by Merial, who makes
Gastrogard and Ulcergard. (They did not
say anything in the study about the riders or horse owners getting ulcers or
nervous stomachs.)
Displacement of the Soft Palate
There is a new “tie forward” surgery for those race horses
that displace or flip their palate, with a 73-82% success rate.
Reproduction
Ÿ
Studies indicate that mares which have poor
vulva conformation (Caslicks) and always need to be sutured should be sutured
soon after foaling, even if they are going to be bred in thirty days. Earlier suturing resulted in decreased
uterine infections.
Ÿ
Twins are carried to term (11 months) only 9% of
the time, and of those twins born only 14.5% lived more than two weeks. It is important to have your mare
ultrasounded 16-25 days after breeding, especially with February, March, or
April breeding dates or if Prostin was used because of the greater chances of
twins. If there are twins and one is
pinched at 16-25 days after breeding, there is a 90% chance the remaining one
will go to term. If you wait more than
25 days after breeding to pinch twins, there is only a 25% chance that the
remaining embryo will go to term.
Ÿ
The more inbreeding there is in a horse’s
pedigree, the higher the incidence of retained placentas in mares and decreased
semen motility and quality in stallions.
Ÿ
Feeding stallions omega-3 fatty acids helps
those whose semen does not cool and ship well.
Ÿ
Cooling semen 18-24 hours before freezing
increased the motility of frozen semen by 10% and increased pregnancy rates by
frozen semen. This method should be
helpful for stallion owners in that they can collect their stallion locally and
ship the cooled semen to a breeder’s service to freeze it instead of taking the
stallion to the semen freezing facility.
Ÿ
If you’ve ever wanted to clone your horse, now
you can -- for $367,000 + 15% of the royalties.
Call (305) 304-0368 or go to www.horsecloning.com for more
information.
A Bit of Humor
Equestrian
Definitions, Part 4
Stall: What your
truck does on the way to a horse show, 150 miles from the closest town.
Tack Room: A room
where every item necessary to work with or train your horse has been put, in a
place which it cannot be found in less than 30 minutes.
Twisted Gut: The
feeling deep inside that most riders get before an endurance ride.
Versatility: an
owner’s ability to shovel manure, fix fences and chase down a loose horse in
one afternoon.
Vet Catalog: An
illustrated brochure provided to stable owners that features a wide array of
products that are currently out of stock or have been dropped from a company’s
inventory.
Weaving: The
movement a horse trailer makes while going down the road with a rambunctious
horse in it.
Whip Marks: The
tell-tale raised welts on the face of a rider, caused by the trail rider
directly in front of him/her letting a low hanging branch go. (Also caused by a wet or
dry horse tail across the face while cleaning hooves).
Windpuffs: Stallion owners. Also applied to used
car salesmen.
Withers: The
reason you’ll seldom see a man riding bareback.
Yearling: The age
at which all horses completely forget the things you taught them previously.
Youngstock: A general term used for all equines
old enough to bite, kick or run you over, but not yet old enough to dump you on
the ground.
Zoo: The typical
atmosphere around most horse owner’s houses before a weekend excursion.
Author Unknown
This Month’s Recipe
Easy Breakfast Bake Servings:
8
4 eggs
2
cups milk
1
tsp
3
cups French bread cubes
1
pkg (8 oz) shredded mild
Cheddar cheese
1
cup chopped mushrooms
1
cup chopped red peppers
1/2
cup chopped green onions
1/4
cup bacon bits
1/4
cup chopped ham
·
Beat eggs, milk, and
mustard in a large bowl with a wire whisk until well blended. Add remaining ingredients and stir gently
until mixed well.
·
Pour into lightly
greased 12x8 baking dish. Cover and
refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
·
Preheat oven to 325° F. Uncover baking dish. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted
in center comes out clean.