HAT Chat Articles – June 2006
A word from our President
It’s getting close to that
time of year again – you know, when you take back all those bad things you said
when it was raining so much during the spring?
Yes, it’s almost summer, and that means one thing: it’s going to get
HOT!
We had a couple of great
events last month. First was our Youth
Clinic on May 6th. There
weren’t as many folks there as last year, but we still had a great time. Gerry Snipes did a wonderful job of working
with the kids, and I had the honor of presenting the Youth Scholarship. You can find out about this year’s recipient
on page 3.
The other event was our
Membership Trail Ride on the 20th.
Paul and Sheila Johnson did a great job of putting this together and
running it start-to-finish, and we had really good weather and a really good
turnout for the day at Lake Ray Roberts.
We hope to do more of these in the future.
Coming up this month is our
Open Show on June 17th. This
will be the last one Sally Thomason is running for us as Show Manager. She has decided to step down in order to
spend more time showing her own horses in our shows and others. On behalf of HAT, I’d like to thank Sally for
all her hard work in putting shows together for us these past couple of years. Why don’t you come out to the show on the 17th
and thank her too!
Roger Dougan
HAT President
HAT Summer Show Coming Up June 17th
Don’t forget our Summer Open
Show will be on Saturday, June 17th, at Loy Lake Arena in
We had a great turnout in
April – come out and be a part of our next show!
HAT Youth Clinic
The HAT Youth Clinic was
held on May 6th at Loy Lake Arena in
Our clinician for the day, Gerry Snipes, gave the kids and their
horses a well-organized and very thorough series of lessons on basic
horsemanship, putting them through their paces and working with each child until
they understood what they needed to do in order to work better with their
horses. At the end of the day, each
child successfully worked their horses through a skills test of ground
obstacles and exercises to show what they had learned, and went home with a
certificate to recognize their hard work.
The highlight of the clinic was the presentation of our 2006
Youth Scholarship to Katlyn Davis of
HAT would like thank Gerry Snipes for her hard work, and all of
the children and their parents for coming out and spending the day with us
learning and having fun.
HAT Membership Trail Ride
HAT held its first Membership Trail Ride on May 20th
at Lake Ray Roberts. The weather was
perfect, and we had a really good turnout for the ride. Paul and Sheila Johnson kept everything
running very smoothly throughout the day, and everyone had a great time.
We are looking forward to bringing more events like this to our
members in the coming months. We’d love
to have you come out and join us!
Horseman’s Association of Texoma
Congratulates Katlyn Davis
2006 Youth Scholarship Recipient
The Horseman’s Association of
Texoma (HAT) announced the recipient of its 2006 Youth Scholarship at a
presentation ceremony during the annual Youth Clinic on May 6th at
Loy Lake Arena in
Katlyn Davis, 2006 HAT
Youth Scholarship recipient (L), Roger Dougan, HAT President (R),
HAT Youth Clinician
Gerry Snipes (on horseback)
Katlyn Davis,
a graduating senior at
Speaking about the selection
process at the presentation ceremony, Roger Dougan, HAT President, said,
“Records were not just broken this year; they were blown away! Total applications received were three times
the number received for the previous year... Applications were received from two
states, four counties, and eleven schools, both public and private... Along
with the rising number of applications, the selection process was more tasking
with the astounding essays submitted.
Choosing only one winner becomes a growing challenge. It is very rewarding to read the essays and
gain insight to the impact horses can have on each individual. Each story is unique, yet each confirms our
faith in today’s youth whose lives are enriched because of their passion for
horses or ponies.”
Roger continued, “Presenting
this scholarship would not be possible without the hard work and effort by HAT
members working toward funding and promoting the scholarship... Thank you to
all the dedicated HAT members, our sponsors, and all those who attended,
volunteered, or participated in our fund raising events over the past
year. Special recognition and
appreciation is extended to Dr. Katie Hayes for her contribution to the scholarship
fund. I would also like to express
gratitude to the selection committee for devoting their combined efforts to
select this year’s recipient... And a very special thank you to all the parents
and grandparents who support their kids’ involvement with horses!”
Everyone at HAT wishes Katlyn
all the best as she continues her educational pursuits.
The HAT Youth Scholarship is awarded annually to a
Texoma-area student who is involved in equine activities. Scholarship funds must be used to pay for expenses
in attending an accredited two- or four-year college or university. Information and applications for the 2007 HAT
Youth Scholarship will be made available to school guidance counselors and on
the HAT website, www.hat-texoma.org, later
in the summer.
State/Local News
Equine Miscarriages Linked to Common Caterpillar
That’s because MRLS, as it is commonly called, is
believed to be caused when horses ingest the eastern tent caterpillar, a native
All three
The diagnosis was confirmed by
That outbreak had a negative economic impact of $336 to
$500 million and caused the loss of 30 percent of
“Because the caterpillars are prevalent in parts of
The eastern tent caterpillar reaches a size of 1 to
1-1/2 inches long when full grown. It
creates a conspicuous webbing of a foot or more in size in the crotches of
branches. It is sometimes confused with
a distant cousin, the fall webworm, which makes similar webs on the tips of
tree branches.
“The eastern tent caterpillar has a denser web and you
start to see them starting in March or April throughout the growing season,”
said Dr. Mike Merchant, an Extension urban entomologist based in
Merchant said the eastern tent caterpillar is most
often found in wild cherry, apple and crabapple trees. The threat of MRLS appears to occur when
horses ingest the caterpillars either by eating infested tree leaves, or by
eating grass or feed onto which the caterpillars have crawled after leaving the
tree to pupate.
Dr. Dan Potter, an entomologist with the
Merchant said observations make in
“The strongest current hypothesis to explain the
syndrome in horses points to evidence that involves caterpillar hairs may
irritate the gut lining where they can cause lesions or sores,” Merchant said. “These sores, in turn, allow bacteria to enter
the bloodstream and ultimately cause the abortions.”
MRLS is a possibility when the mares suffer early loss
of pregnancy, late-term abortions, when the foals are born weak or septic, or
when there is evidence of pericarditis, uveitis, laminits or oral ulceration. Pericarditis is an inflammation of the
membrane forming the outer covering of the heart. Uveitis is an eye disease that is the most
common source of blindness in horses. Laminitis
is an inflammation of the foot that can cause the horse to founder. In the worst cases, the horse will have to be
euthanized.
In
“Animal practitioners and horse theriogenologists
practicing in
Merchant said now is the time to start focusing on these
caterpillars in
“We need to have a better monitoring system to alert
horse owners,” Merchant said. “To date,
no one in
Merchant plans to apply for a grant to establish an
online system for homeowners, ranchers, gardeners and Extension agents to
report sightings of the eastern tent caterpillar. He wants to follow up with creation of a
system that will allow veterinarians and horse owners to be quickly notified
about the potential for high risk in specific areas.
“There are only a handful of counties that have reported
this caterpillar, but that’s because no one’s really looked for it before,”
Merchant said. “We know it’s common
throughout the eastern half of
So what’s a horse owner to do? Merchant said that a few simple steps can make
a difference.
“First and foremost, be alert and be aware it’s an
issue,” Merchant said. “Be alert for the
presence of eastern tent caterpillar and control them or keep your horses away
from infested trees. Prune or remove the
trees they thrive in. There are several
effective insecticides that can be used to control these caterpillars with
minimal impact on other living things.”
For more information on Mare Reproductive Loss
Syndrome, its impact on horses, or how to control eastern tent caterpillars,
visit www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/bugalert/bugalert15.htm
or www.ca.uky.edu/gluck/mrls.
Writer: Janet Gregg,
(972) 952-9232, jgregg@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Mike
Merchant, (972) 952-9204, m-merchant@tamu.edu
National News
first-of-its-kind
facility promises to offer new hope for unwanted horses
from press
release
According to the office of Kentucky Congressman Ed Whitfield, over 90,000
horses were slaughtered in the
KEHC’s mission is to provide humane treatment and shelter while working
to seek adoptive homes for all of
Congressman Whitfield said, “…I am so pleased with the establishment of
the
The KEHC is a non-profit organization and is in the process of applying
for 501(c)(3) status. Donations are
tax-deductible and should be sent to The KEHC Fund at The Blue Grass Community
Foundation,
The KEHC currently is seeking to lease a 50- to 60-acre farm in the
There will be no fee for surrendering a horse, donkey or mule to the
KEHC, but donations will be encouraged and are greatly appreciated. No horse will be turned down for any reason,
except lack of a valid negative Coggins.
KEHC will work closely with other rescue, retraining and adoption
organizations; breed associations; and other equine organizations to help find
adoptive homes for
“There are no such facilities that we are aware of in this country where
you can bring your horses when you can no longer keep them,” said Lori Neagle,
a co-founder of the ReRun retirement and retraining organization and also a
KEHC board member. “Not only will the
KEHC benefit the horses, but it will help many caring people who have
unfortunate life circumstances that prevent them from keeping their horses and
who have to give those horses up. When
KEHC opens its doors, no
According to Staci Hancock, owner and breeder at Stone Farm in
Hall of Fame racehorse trainer Nick Zito said he is happy about the new
shelter. “I’m very happy that some nice
people have taken the initiative to have a horse shelter. Horses are like people: they need to be
protected, not left to be treated like garbage. I applaud these wonderful people for this
idea, and I applaud the people who make a difference in the horse world.”
For more information,
contact: Lori Neagle at (859) 865-1342 or llncjn1@bellsouth.net
Equine Science News
World's First Cloned Equine Athletes to
Race
MOSCOW, Idaho - It will be
nature vs. nurture when the University of Idaho’s two mule clones, Idaho Gem
and Idaho Star, take to the racetrack at Winnemucca, Nevada, June 3 and 4 for
the first leg of mule racing’s triple crown.
The mules will become the first cloned athletes to participate in any
sport.
After Winnemucca, the clones
are expected to race at the San Joaquin Fair in
Idaho Gem, born
The three were born as a
result of Project
The three mules were cloned
from mule fetal skin cells so there is no adult animal with which to compare
them. More important, however, is they
will provide a unique test of whether genetics or environment, nature or
nurture, is most important.
The mules are leased by two
mule-racing businessmen, Don Jacklin of
The mules’ genetic heritage
is from a racing line. Their quarter
horse dam, Mesmerizer, and Spanish jack donkey sire, Coalee McGee, were paired
to produce several outstanding racing mules, including world champion Taz.
The cloning project also
provided evidence to support a new line of investigation into human diseases,
including prostate cancer, pursued by Gordon Woods, who directs the Northwest
Equine Reproduction Laboratory in the University of Idaho College of
Agricultural and Life Sciences.
Woods, who is president of
the private company CancEr2, was recently issued U.S. Patent 7,033,615,
“Methods for regulating levels of zinc, cadmium and calcium in humans and for
diagnosing, or screening for the risk of developing, diseases associated with
abnormal levels of cadmium, zinc and calcium in body fluids and tissues.”
Contacts: Gordon Woods, UI
professor of animal and veterinary science, (208) 885-6507, gwoods@uidaho.edu; or Bill Loftus, UI
science writer, (208) 885-7694, bloftus@uidaho.edu
- - - - - - -
Does Giving Concentrated Electrolytes Do
More Harm Than Good?
Recent research suggests that a common method of
electrolyte supplementation in endurance horses may increase the risk of
stomach ulcers.
Dr. Todd C. Holbrook and colleagues at the Oklahoma State
University College of Veterinary Medicine set up a study to assess the effect
of repeated administration of oral electrolytes on the stomach.
Dr. Holbrook explains that he had noticed that horses
given electrolytes during endurance competitions often show signs of irritation
of the gums. This observation prompted
the study to see if concentrated electrolyte solution also had an adverse
effect on the lining of the stomach.
Half of the horses in the study received an electrolyte
marketed for use in endurance horses, mixed with 60ml water. The others received a similar dose of water
only. The horses were treated every hour
until they had been given a total of 8 doses.
They were housed for the trial and given free access to water. Food (alfalfa hay) was only available for 15
minutes before each hourly treatment.
This was to mimic the conditions that might be faced during an endurance
event.
Holbrook examined the stomachs of all horses using an
endoscope, before and after treatment.
He found that concentrated electrolyte solutions caused an increase in
the number and severity of gastric ulcers.
There was an increase in both the number and severity of
gastric ulcers after treatment in both the “electrolyte” and the “control”
groups. But, the increase in number and
the severity of the ulcers was significantly greater in the horses that had
been given electrolytes.
Most horses in the treatment group showed drooping of the
lower lip, drooling and swelling of the gums.
Treated horses also showed more avoidance behavior - turning away when
approached to be treated and resenting treatment. None of the horses that received the placebo
showed any adverse behavior.
Why is electrolyte supplementation important? Endurance competitions often take place under
harsh environmental conditions. Sweating
is the most important mechanism available to horses for losing heat; in extreme
conditions, they can produce as much as 4 gallons of sweat every hour. Equine sweat contains a higher concentration
of salts than the blood, so sweating for any length of time inevitably leads to
the loss of electrolytes from the body.
If the electrolytes are not replaced the horse can suffer severe
metabolic disturbances such as exhaustion and synchronous diaphragmatic flutter
(SDF or thumps).
So, is it safe to give repeated doses of
electrolytes? Given the serious
consequences of inadequate electrolytes, horses need to receive electrolytes
during prolonged periods of work such as during endurance competititons. But further research is needed to examine the
effect of electrolytes on gastric ulcers.
The study does not explain why repeated doses of
electrolytes cause gastric ulcers. The
horses were confined to their stalls during the test. As prolonged exercise itself has been shown
to lead to gastric ulceration, it may be that the effect would be even more
marked in exercising horses.
Legislative Update
American Horse Council
Contact: NLamoureux@horsecouncil.org
Radanovich “Right-to-Ride”
On May 16th, the
The legislation would require that these federal
agencies manage these lands to preserve and facilitate the traditional and
continued use and access of horses to these areas.
During the debate on the legislation on the
House floor, Congressman Radanovich (R-CA) stated:
“Perhaps no other activity is more synonymous
with the exploration of our vast open lands than that of the use of pack and
saddle stock. Who could forget those
images of President Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir on horseback at what was to
become the
The industry must now turn its attention to the
Senate version of the bill (S. 781), which has been introduced by Senator Mike
Crapo (R-ID).
- - - - - - -
ESWG Releases Informational Booklet on NAIS
The American Horse Council
announces that the Equine Species Working Group (ESWG) has developed an
informational booklet titled NAIS and Horses: the Facts Surrounding the
National Animal Identification System as it Applies to the Horse Industry in
the U.S.
This booklet was put together
in an effort to answer the many questions and concerns that have been raised
from the equine industry on the very important and difficult issue of the
potential application of the national ID system to horses. The booklet addresses the following topics:
history of the NAIS, why the horse industry should be involved in developing an
acceptable NAIS, equine diseases of concern, methods of equine identification,
potential benefits, current status of the NAIS, frequently asked questions, and
a list of Equine Species Working Group members.
It is important that equine
organizations, events, service providers and horse owners know the facts so
they can learn about the NAIS, the efforts of the ESWG, and how a national
equine identification plan might affect them, should one become mandatory. We encourage industry members to not only
become educated on the issue by reading this material, but to also distribute
it throughout the industry. The booklet
is currently available to download from the American Horse Council website: www.horsecouncil.org.
Editor’s note: To date,
Horseman’s Association of Texoma has not adopted any official position
with regard to the NAIS.
As the national trade
association representing the horse industry in
The AHC is member supported by
individuals and organizations representing virtually every facet of the horse
world from owners, breeders, veterinarians, farriers, breed registries and
horsemen's associations to horse shows, race tracks, rodeos, commercial suppliers
and state horse councils.
Extension Service News
by Eddie Baggs, CEA-Agriculture
Reasons for Owning a Horse
There
are approximately 1,066,800 equine in
Horses
are the social fabric of
- Enjoy Competition - 74%
- Improve Quality of Life
- 63%
- Relaxation/Decrease
Stress - 61%
- Value for Children - 50%
- Breeding/Raising Foals -
44%
- Means of Physical
Fitness - 35%
- Buy/Sell Business - 26%
- Train for Profit - 13%
- Other - 9%
Over
half of all respondents identified quality of life, relaxation/stress
management and competition as multiple reasons for their horse involvement. Across all respondents 85% identify an
interest in competition and value for children.
Horses
will continue to be a part of
The
Denton County Extension Horse Committee will sponsor a Beginner Horse Owner
Clinic, free to the public on
Educational programs
conducted by the
A Bit of Humor
Defining Riders and
Their Horses
This Month: Dressage
Queen
The Rider:
The Dressage Queen is always freshly coifed. Not even she remembers her own hair color, but
she has taken great pains to ensure that Rolfe, the hairdresser, makes the perm
and highlights look “natural.” Diamond
studs are elegant and stately, and not so large that they blind the judge
during the entire passage-piaffe tour. $30 denim jumper worn over $300 full seat
white breeches and Koenigs.
The Horse:
Fleistergeidelsprundheim (“Fleistergeidel” for short) is an 18-hand Warmblood
who was bred to make Grand Prix in a European nation where his breeders are
still laughing hysterically when they talk about “zat crazy American.” Despite being runty, his owner fell in love
with his lofty gaits, proud carriage and tremendous athleticism. Never mind that this talent was not revealed
until he was chased down by a rabid raccoon, and has not been repeated since. Has been injured 16 times in the last year,
preventing his move to Prix St. George at age 6, despite living in a 20’ x 20’
padded stall and providing family-supporting wages to a groom whose chief job
duty is “don't let him get hurt!”
Frequently Overheard in Conversation:
“On no, he’s hurt again?!”
“The check is in the mail.”
To Herr Germanlastname: “Can’t
you tune up those one tempis for me?”
To the groom: “Get me that
mounting block – can’t you see my nails are still wet?”
To the show manager: “That
footing has ruined my chances at Olympic Gold, I’ll have you know.” and “What
were you thinking, stabling me next to that nobody? That horse could be ‘diseased’?”
To anyone who will listen: “When
I had dinner with Hilda / Lendon / Robert...”
Next Month:
Hunter/Jumper Competitor
Ask The Vet
by Dr. Katie Hayes, DVM
Worming
So many products to choose
from, what’s a horse owner to do? There
are 5 types of wormers and all have different brand names.
1. Ivermectin - Good for 2 months, kills L3 larval
stages, bots, strongyles and round worms.
Use in winter, spring, and fall.
Minimum age 4 weeks. Safe for
breeding stallions, pregnant mares and foals.
- Zimectrin (Merial)
- Eqvalan (Merial)
- Ivermectin Liquid (Generic)
- Equimectrin (Farnam)
- IverEase (oral, alfalfa based, pour on feed)
- Rotectrin 1
2. Moxidectin - Lasts for 3 months. Kills L4 larval stages encysted in intestine,
strongyles, bots, roundworms. Use
4x/year. Minimum age 6 months. Safe for pregnant mares, breeding stallions.
- Quest (
3. Praziquantel - For tapeworms only. Produced only as combination with other
wormers. With combination kills tapes,
bots and all worms. Use in the
winter. Lasts 2-3 months.
- Equimax (Pfizer) (Ivermectin + Praziquantel) is
best. Highest concentration of
Ivermectin and Praziquantel, safety studies on pregnant mares, breeding
stallions and foals, minimum age 4 wks.
- Zimectrin Gold (Merial) (Ivermectin +
Praziquantel) minimum age 5 months
- Quest Plus (
- Combo Care (Farnam) (Moxidectin + Praziquantel)
4(a).Pyrantel Pamoate - Lasts for 4-6 weeks. Kills strongyles and roundworms. 2x the dose kills tapeworms. Does not get bots. Use in summer and spring.
- Strongid Paste
- Exodus
- Pyrantel Generic
- Strongyle Care (Farnam)
- Tape Care Plus (Farnam) is 2x the dose for
tapeworms
- Rotectrin 2
4(b).Pyrantel Tartrate - daily wormer
- Strongid C (use daily in feed, does not get bots
so use bot wormer in Jan and fall)
- Strongid C 2X (Strongid C has colic protection
plan with Vet)
- Equi Aid CW
- Strongyle Wormer
5. Benzimidazoles: Febendazole, Oxibendazole - Very
very safe. Use in foals, pregnant mares
and stallions, debilitated horses.
Doesn’t get bots. Parasite
resistance after repeated use. 2x dose
necessary for roundworms in foals and yearlings. 10x dose purge worming kills L3 & L4
larvae stages
- Safeguard
- Panacur
- Panacur Power Pack (Best. Has labeled doses for foals. 10x dose for 5 day purge worming.)
- Anthelcide EQ (Oxibendazole)
Deworming Programs
A recent Veterinary journal
article found that the incidence of small strongyles was much greater in
stalled horses as pastured horses in their study. It was thought that horses only got affected
with parasites by eating the parasite larva on blades of grass near
manure. This article stated that
parasite eggs in the manure in stalls can find enough moisture from water
spills, urine and inside fresh manure to hatch infective larvae and picked up
by the horse when eating bits of hay and grain fallen to the ground. They recommend stalled horses stay on an
every 2 months worming program. They
still found little parasite resistance to ivermectin which last 2 months (Quest
lasts 3 months). Pyrantel and
Febendazole lasted less than 2 months.
We recommend a rotating
worming schedule every 2 months:
Jan/Feb worm for bots, combination wormers (Equimax,
Ivermectin, Quest)
Mar/Apr worm for bots, encysted strongyles (Quest,
Ivermectin)
May/Jun Quest (lasts 3 months) Ivermectin
Jul/Aug worm safely - its hot! (Panacur,
Pyrantel)
Sep/Oct Ivermectin
Nov/Dec larvacidal worming (Quest, Panacur,
Power Pack)
Recipe of the Month
Stuffed Bacon Cheeseburgers Servings:
4
1 lb lean
ground beef
3 tbsp Ranch
dressing, divided
4 slices bacon,
cooked and crumbled
1/3 cup shredded
Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
4 hamburger
buns, split and lightly toasted
4 lettuce
leaves
8 slices tomato
·
Preheat grill to medium heat. Mix ground beef and 2 tbsp. of the dressing,
then shape into 8 thin patties. Mix
remaining dressing and bacon. Spoon 1/4
of bacon mixture onto center of 4 of the patties, then top with 1/4 of shredded
cheese and a second patty. Pinch the
edges of the patties together to seal.
·
Grill patties 7 to 9 minutes per side or until cooked
through.
·
Cover bottom halves of buns with lettuce. Place cooked burgers on lettuce, then top
with tomatoes and top halves of buns.