HAT Chat Articles – July 2006
A word from
our President
July in
I also hope you had a chance
to come out to our show in June. Not
quite as many folks made it out this time, but everyone who did really seemed
to have a good time, thanks in part to some milder weather and pretty steady
breezes. I’d like to thank all of our
volunteers for the hard work they put in to make this show run very smoothly,
and to the 4-H’ers for operating our concession stand.
Remember, this is the time of
year when it’s best not to push yourself or your horses…without proper
precautions, horse and human both can quickly overheat and suffer from dehydration,
creating a life-threatening situation.
Go easy on yourself and your horse, take breaks more often, and make
sure both of you have plenty of water available to drink. We want to make sure you’ll be around to come
out to our next show in September!
Roger Dougan
HAT President
HAT Summer Show
Our Summer Open Show was held
on Saturday, June 17th, at Loy Lake Arena in
Competition for our daily
HAT will now be taking a
break in its show schedule for the summer.
Look for our next show coming up on September 30th.
HAT Autumn Show September 30th
HAT’s next open show
will be held on Saturday, September 30th at Loy Lake Arena in
Happy Birthday,
A Letter From The Editor
To Our Readers:
July is always a special
month for us. Just as our great nation
celebrates its birthday, HAT Chat
celebrates a birthday as well. This month
marks the beginning of our fifth year of publishing. Five years doesn’t seem like a long time, but
when you stop to consider that more than half of all new business ventures these
days fail in three years or less, it really is quite a feat.
With each passing year, I
stop briefly to take a look back at what we’ve accomplished, and also to look
ahead at what we’d like to do next. The
past 12 months saw a number of changes to the newsletter, mainly in the addition
of regular columns for State/Local, National, and Legislative news, and most
recently a new column for Equine Science News.
These additions were made to provide our readers with even more
information on “what’s going on” in the world of horses. We’ve started to include more photos in our
issues as well, especially from our events throughout the year. And, we’ve worked hard to expand our
Activities Calendar and Showbills sections to include more local events for you
to consider when planning your schedule.
All of these changes have resulted
in a tremendous increase in the size of each issue. I mentioned last year at this time our
average issue size was about 24 pages. Through the first half of 2006, our issues
have averaged 36 pages (a 50% increase), with our largest-ever issue of 46
pages appearing in March. As the issues
grow, HAT Chat seems to be taking
on a life of its own. I often hear members
telling me of dropping off copies in local feed stores and tack shops, and then
stopping by a few days later and finding they’ve all been taken. I am often asked more questions about the
newsletter and how it’s made than about HAT itself. It even gets its own “fan mail”, such as this
comment we received recently:
“Thank someone for their hard work on your
newsletter. It’s a good one. The schedule of events is especially helpful...”
We really do appreciate getting
notes like that. It shows us that we’re “on
the right track” with what we do.
So, what does the future hold
for HAT Chat? Here are a few ideas we’ve been kicking
around:
- New columns on topics such as Trail Riding and Equine
Science (added last month)
- Bringing back some old favorites such as “Kid’s
Corral” and “Where Can I Find…?”
- Creating a “Tips and Tricks” or “Do It Yourself” section
featuring ideas submitted by readers
- “What’s New” announcements and reviews of new
feeds, tack, and horse-care products
- A new column profiling individual horse breeds
- Short stories or cowboy poetry
Look for some of these ideas and
others to appear in the coming months.
In closing, I would like to
thank all of you for your continued interest in and support of our
newsletter. Without you, there would be
no reason for HAT Chat to
exist. We look forward to our continued
service to you and the Texoma horse community in the months and years to come.
Michael J. Bernier
HAT Chat Editor
National News
Cloned Mules Bested in
(
Idaho Gem, the world’s first
equine clone, finished third while Idaho Star wound up seventh in an eight-way
race at the 20th annual Winnemucca Mule Races, Show & Draft Horse
Challenge. Idaho Gem covered the 350-yard
sprint in 21.246 seconds -- two-and-a-half lengths behind the winner, Bar JF
Hot Ticket, who finished in 20.866 seconds.
Idaho Star checked in at 22.181 seconds.
Bert Johnson, a
“They’re great athletes, and
there’s no sign they’re any different than the other mules,” Johnson said. “I think they’re going to be
competitive. These are the most
successful animal clones to date in the world.”
The clones, who competed for
an $8,500 purse in the finals of their bracket, both won their qualifying heats
in what was billed as the first professional competition between clones of any
kind.
The clones were born three
years ago and carry identical DNA taken from a fetus produced by the same
parents that sired a champion mule racer.
Both clones experienced
problems shortly after leaving the gate.
Idaho Gem bumped into another mule and then changed lanes before coming
on strong. Idaho Star went to the
outside rail and stalled.
Idaho Gem’s regular jockey
did not compete. He was arrested on
suspicion of public intoxication after being bucked from the clone shortly
before his qualifying race.
“I think both animals,
especially Idaho Gem, showed they have a lot of upside,” said Don Jacklin, an
Researchers on the cloning
team hailed the clones’ athletic performance and the project’s benefits to
human cancer research.
Horses and other equines have
significantly lower cancer rates than humans, and scientists hope cloning will
illuminate the difference and provide research clues, particularly into
calcium’s role in the disease. Equines
have much less calcium within cell walls than humans, which could explain their
lower incidents of cancer and age-related diseases, researchers on the cloning
project said.
“Winning the race on the
track is important, but the most important race is to find cures for human
health,” said Gordon Woods, the
Wayne Pacelle,
president of the Humane Society of the
A mule is the usually sterile
offspring of a donkey father and a horse mother.
Most spectators appeared to
embrace the clones, and some wore T-shirts that read, “Clone Zone.”
“I’m a broad-minded old
woman, and I think the cloned mules are great,” said Mary Roark, 86, of
But Susan Herring, 48, of
“Cloning is taking away from
the natural process, and I think it’s wrong,” she said. “If we had zebra clones race, people would
turn out to watch them, too. It’s
something different.”
A crowd of 1,000 people stood
and cheered as the mules raced down the stretch of an oval track in Winnemucca,
about 160 miles northeast of Reno. Winnemucca
was the first stop on a professional mule racing circuit that will shift to
county fairs in
Equine Science News
Gait Analysis In
The Field
A gait analysis system
initially developed for the
Haydn Price, farrier to the
British Olympic team, started using video recordings in his work in 1999. Initially, he had only a hand-held camera, but
it allowed him to record the way a horse moved. He could then examine more closely any areas
of concern.
But he wanted something more
objective. “I could never prove that
what we had done had helped the horse. I
could see the effect, the owner could feel the effect,
and the horse performed better. But I
couldn’t prove it.”
To find a solution he turned
to Professor John E. Davies, consultant Physician in Sports Medicine at
As the only equipment needed
is a video camera and a laptop computer, the system is readily portable, making
it possible to use it “in the field”. A
standard protocol has also been devised.
Markers are placed at specific points of the horse’s limbs - mainly over
joints. The horse is walked and trotted
in hand past the camera. A video
recording is made from in front and behind and from both sides. This can then be slowed down, examined and
analyzed.
What does Price look for in a
recording? “The video clips should show
clearly two full strides from a lateral view. The handler should not influence the horse, at
both walk and trot, in any way. Of
course the horse must move in a straight line.”
The computer software records
the movement of the markers, and produces data that can be analyzed to give
information on factors such as the range of movement, the angle, and degree of
flexion of joints.
What are the most common
reasons for examination? “The usual
request is either poor performance or intermittent lameness” Price reports. “But also and interestingly, that the rider ‘feels
something’ but nothing clinical can be diagnosed at veterinary inspection.”
“We have used the system to
measure the effects immediately after the shoeing process has been executed,
with some very interesting findings! This
has highlighted the effects (or in some cases not!) of recognized treatment
plans for specific conditions, such as rolled toe and raised heel.”
“We can accurately measure
differences in stride patterns and isolate it to particular segments of the
limb”
Martyn Elliot, a farrier in Nottinghamshire, has been using
the Equinalysis system since early 2006. “Most of the gait abnormalities can be
identified by playing the video slowly,” he explains. “But for complicated cases you can refer to
the biomechanical measurements for interpretation.”
“The big advantage to a
farrier using this equipment is they can cut out the middle man. They can analyze, identify the problem,
suggest a remedy, try it and reassess to see if it has had the desired effect.”
He describes a Pony Club
dressage horse that was referred to him by another farrier because of abnormal
wear of the shoes that he could not explain. The video showed that the horse was markedly
over-tracking - the hind foot would land three foot lengths in front of the
fore foot. By studying the video, Elliot
was able to see that the horse twisted the stifle in and the hock out just
before breakover, at the end of the weight-bearing
phase of the stride. So he shod the
horse with a squared toe with plenty of support at the quarters. Afterwards the horse moved much better. The rotation was much less marked and the overtracking was reduced to about one foot length.
Although the system was
originally conceived as a means of assessing the effect of shoeing on the
horse’s gait, it has other applications. It can be used to assess other interventions
such as manipulation, and can provide a record of the horse’s action.
“We are about to train a
chiropractor who wishes to measure the effects of treatment,” Haydn Price
explains. Indeed Martyn
Elliot has already measured a horse following manipulation.
Haydn Price sees a place for
the system as part of the pre-purchase examination. “Some vets would prefer to incorporate it as
part of the vetting procedure whilst others may prefer to use the facility
afterwards. Just remember that the
system does not diagnose and therefore can only be accurately used alongside
present veterinary practices. Equally
the information from the screening can assist in acting as benchmark in the
same way as x-rays or scans.”
“We are collecting data from
our business partners and from veterinary practices” he explains. “Whilst it is too soon to give statistical
information, some very interesting findings are now beginning to appear. For example, with Equinalysis,
I can prove that moving the front of the shoe back by 3mm results in a 6-degree
difference in knee flexion.”
Price concludes, “With Equinalysis we can optimize the trimming and shoeing so
that the horse can move in the most efficient way. This should limit the strain on the joints,
promote better performance and may delay the onset of degenerative joint
disease.”
For more details, visit www.equinalysis.com.
© 2006 Equine Science Update (www.equinescienceupdate.co.uk)
Reprinted with permission.
Legislative Update
American Horse Council Press Release
Contact: NLamoureux@horsecouncil.org
Unwanted Horse Coalition Folded into AHC
“The issue of ‘unwanted
horses’ has faced this industry for some time,” said Nicholson, President of
Keeneland Association. “It is an
important and challenging national issue that faces all breeds and all
activities in the horse world. Putting
this initiative under the umbrella of the AHC, which represents all segments of
the horse industry, is a natural fit.”
The Unwanted Horse Coalition
grew out of a workshop that the American Association of Equine Practitioners
organized as part of the 2005 AHC National Issues Forum in
That meeting, and a
subsequent summit in
Over the last 18 months, the
group developed a mission statement, began identifying long-term solutions for
improving the quality of life for unwanted horses, and considered an operating
plan that ultimately led to the suggestion that the AHC provide a permanent
administrative home for the group’s work.
“The need for a more formal
structure, funding and staff to accomplish the Coalition’s mission prompted
many of the members of the Coalition to suggest that it be affiliated with the
AHC,” explained Dr. Tom Lenz, who is a past President of the AAEP and served as
chairman of the group. “Many of these
associations already have a relationship with the Horse Council and feel
comfortable in getting the Council more involved.”
The mission of the Coalition
is to explore ways to reduce the number of horses that are unwanted each year
and to improve their welfare through education and the efforts of organizations
committed to the health, safety and responsible care of the horse. Owner education will be a focal point.
Advocacy in the legislative
arena is not part of the mission. In
fact, the Coalition will not involve itself in any federal or state legislation
dealing with slaughter or the processing of horses for human consumption.
“The horse industry has a
responsibility to its horses,” said Jay Hickey, President of the AHC. “All organizations and individuals, whether
they use their horses for breeding, sport, show, work, recreation or pleasure,
have a responsibility to ensure that everything is being done to minimize the
number of horses that might fall into this unwanted group.”
Several members of the
Coalition have already indicated they will continue to be involved with the
effort through the AHC and provide funding. The list includes the American Association of
Equine Practitioners, American Quarter Horse Association, National Horsemen’s
Benevolent and Protective Association, National Thoroughbred Racing
Association, Professional Rodeo Stock Contractors, The Jockey Club, and the
U.S. Trotting Association.
“We expect other
organizations to be added to these groups,” said Hickey. “Several have already indicated their interest
in staying involved in this effort.”
The Coalition will be hiring
a staff person to run the day-to-day activities of the Coalition and a web site
will be launched in the near future to provide horse owners with resources
about caring for horses and finding new homes for them.
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
Dry Conditions and Prussic
& Nitrate Poisoning
Beef
cattle producers and horse owners should be on the watch for two types of
poisoning often associated with dry conditions. The potential for nitrate and prussic acid
poisoning of livestock through grazing or consuming hay is most often
associated with stressful conditions, including drought. Usually prussic acid poisoning is not a
problem with properly cured hay, but livestock owners should be taking
precautions with their animals if they have an abundance of Johnson grass in
grazing pastures which create prussic acid risk, or have highly managed
pastures with nitrogen fertilizer applications. Unlike prussic acid, nitrates will not
dissipate through the normal hay curing process.
Both
conditions can cause death and should be taken very seriously. However, this does not necessarily mean that
this is a problem in your particular pasture. It is a condition to be aware of and depending
on risk factors in which forage tests may be merited. Symptoms of animals affected might include
staggering, gasping, salivation, trembling, and rapid pulse. Death would be the most acute result. Even as the outward signs are the same for
both nitrate and prussic acid poisoning, each affects cattle and horses in
different ways. Nitrate poisoning
inhibits the ability of blood to transport oxygen. Prussic acid inhibits the ability of cells to
take oxygen from the blood.
Nitrate
accumulation can occur in virtually any plant with the ability to grow rapidly
and use soil nitrogen efficiently. Small
grains, millet, bermudagrass, and fescue are forages common to the
Under
normal conditions, nitrate in the soil is absorbed by plant roots, transported
through the stems, and converted in leaves to proteins and other substances
that are useable by the animal. Nitrate
typically is used by the plant about as fast as it is absorbed from the soil. Any condition hindering plant growth can cause
nitrate accumulation, mostly in plant stems. Nitrate poisoning occurs when this excessive
nitrate is consumed and converted to nitrite faster than the animal can use it.
Free nitrite in the rumen is readily
absorbed into the bloodstream, where it destroys the blood’s ability to absorb
and carry oxygen.
Prussic
acid is usually attached to a larger sugar molecule and is part of the normal
growth process in problem plants. In
this form it is not harmful to the animal. Problems occur when environmental
conditions slow plant growth, such as during a drought, causing the sugar
molecules to accumulate in the plant. Accumulation
is mostly in younger leaves and new growth, and conditions that slow plant
growth like dry weather is the cause of poisoning. So be observant, look for these plant
situations, and take proper precautions to prevent drought-related livestock
deaths.
Educational programs conducted by the
A Bit of Humor
Defining Riders and
Their Horses
This Month: Hunter/Jumper
Competitor
The Rider:
The Hunter/Jumper Competitor is in an aqua polo shirt and those
breeches whose color could be compared to, um, well, okay, let’s say they’re
khaki. The polo is so that folks will
think they’re a jumper rider until they put on their shirt and stock tie. A baseball cap is mandatory after a ride, in
order to provide free advertising to that trainer’s stable for whom they shell
over a mere grand or so per month, and to hide “helmet head.”
The Horse:
Neverbeenraced is a prime example of an American Thoroughbred. The coat is deep bay, no markings, the
textbook TB head, and no unusual conformational characteristics. Perfect, just perfect. Overcame a near fatal flat in his Hunter/Jumper
career when he learned that the plants in the jumps are NOT real, and therefore
did not require him to stop and taste. Has learned to count strides all by himself, and asks in midair which lead his mistress would
like today.
Frequently Overheard in Conversation:
“Did you tell Neverbeenraced how many strides between fence four and
fence five - I can never remember!”
“Is my butt sticking out enough
when I post?”
“Oh no, I can’t jump 2’6”, my
trainer will KILL me!”
“I can’t wait to do jumpers
with Neverbeenraced - then we can wear one of those
tasseled ear covers!”
Next Month:
The Eventer
Ask The Vet
by Dr. Katie Hayes, DVM
We saw 2 cases of
Drought-Related Problems
The drought continues, which
causes more fungus on hay and weeds.
Therefore, every eye problem that we see where a piece of hay or weed
got in the eye and rubbed the cornea develops a fungal infection. These can turn bad in a few days and take 4
weeks or longer to heal, requiring special anti-fungal eye medications. So if your horse has an eye problem we need
to see it right away and check for fungus.
Aflatoxins, a type of fungal toxin, can infect corn or other
grains and are found in crops stressed by drought conditions. Aflatoxins are
poisonous by-products of fungi produced as the fungi grow in grains. Aflatoxins can
cause diarrhea, colic, anemia, immune suppression and liver damage. One fungus called Fusarium moniliforme that invades corn fields causes blind staggers or equine leukoencephalomalacia
(ELEM). Horses will show signs of
reduced response to stimuli, circling, aimless wandering, blindness,
excitability, head pressing, partial paralysis, and jaundice. Afterward the horses go down and die.
Ergot fungus can infect
grains and fescue grass. Ergot toxicity
can cause abortion in mares. Most feed
companies test for Ergot and Fusarium in grains
before mixing commercial feeds.
Alternate
Feed for Hay
Horses that don’t get plenty
of roughage (hay or grass) have more colic.
The horse requires fiber intake of at least 1% of their body weight per
day. So for a 1000 lb. horse that is
more than 10 lbs. of hay per day. 1
flake of hay weighs about 5 lbs. so 2-3 flakes in the am & pm or 5
flakes/day.
·
Hay cubes – can
be used as a supplement. If replacing
hay feed 10lbs of cubes/day
·
Alfalfa pellets –
these can be a supplement. Caution for
horses that bolt their grain when they dive in to eat. Eating the pellets or cubes too fast can be a
choking hazard.
·
Beet pulp – is a
by product of the sugar beet and can be used to supplement for some hay (5
lbs). It is better to soak it with water
before feeding, because it swells. It
can be fed mixed with 2 lbs/meal grain, but watch out for choking.
·
Horse Chow – made
by Purina, has a lot of alfalfa in it and horses don’t choke on it. Use it as a supplement to grain ration
(5lbs/day), (1 scoop am & pm) to provide fiber.
DO NOT FEED HAY WITH HAYGRAZER, SORGHUM, OR PURE
JOHNSON GRASS TO HORSES. It can cause paralysis of the bladder and
penis or cyanide nitrate poisoning and death.
Hay Sources
Coastal:
Wherever you can get it!
Hay
Alfalfa:
Hess Trucking $7/bale (
Mark Baker (Windom, TX
903-623-4073 or 903-271-4286)
Internet:
Hay Exchange (www.hayexchange.com)
HayNet (www.fsa.usda.gov/haynet)
Recipe of the Month
Seven-Layer Summer Salad Servings:
12
4 cups lettuce
or spinach, shredded
1-1/2 cups mild
Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
2 cups mushrooms,
sliced
1 small
red onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 cups plum
tomatoes, chopped
1 pkg (10
oz) frozen green peas, cooked and drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour
cream
1/4 cup basil,
chopped
4 slices bacon,
crisply cooked and crumbled
·
Layer ingredients in a 3-quart serving bowl in the
following order: lettuce or spinach, 1 cup of shredded cheese, mushrooms,
onion, tomatoes, and peas.
·
Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, and basil, then spread over top of salad. Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours or
overnight.
·
.Just before serving, sprinkle remaining cheese and
bacon on top.