HAT Chat Articles – July 2007
A word from our
President
“Rain,
rain, go away…come again some other day!” It seems everyone who was so thankful
for the welcome rain after last year’s drought is now singing this song, hoping
for and in need of a break from the wet weather. Many events have been
cancelled or postponed including our June Family Riding/Schooling night. The
temperatures have been tolerable, but every day I talk to someone who cannot
find ground dry enough for riding. Fortunate are the folks whose friends are
kind enough to share their covered arenas. Let’s hope for a few days of
sunshine to dry out the TQHA arena before HAT’s next Family Riding evening on
July 19th!
HAT’s
annual Youth Clinic was a really fun, relaxed day with kids ranging from early
grade school to high school! Everyone enjoyed watching the improvement as the
confidence grew along with the skill levels. It was hard to tell who had the
most fun and was most tired – the kids or the parents and grandparents! My
favorite comment of the day was the little girl who during the lunch break
exclaimed to her grandmother, “This is
the most fun day I’ve had in my whole life!” Thanks to all who attended,
brought kids & horses, or volunteered for the day! Be sure to check the
website for photos!
Did
you miss the June meeting? We partied hardy to celebrate the 5th
anniversary of the HAT Chat newsletter – much to the surprise of Editor Mike
Bernier – complete with balloons, healthy snacks, and cake! If that was a
“HAT-iversary”, what do you call a HAT indoor picnic? A “HAT-nic”, of course!
Come join us for the August meeting at the Grayson County Courthouse and bring
along a picnic supper. No matter if it’s too hot or (heaven forbid!) too wet to
ride, enjoy an evening of friends talking horse! As always, HATs are
acceptable, but not required - hope to see you soon!
Happy
trails,
HAT Youth Clinic Held June 9th
HAT held its 5th
annual Youth Clinic on June 9th at Loy Lake Arena in
In a break from previous
years, the annual Youth Scholarship was presented in the morning before the
clinic got underway. Congratulations go to this year’s recipient, Matt
McWhorter of Ivanhoe. Read more about him on page 3 of this issue.
In case you missed out,
photos from the clinic are available for viewing on the HAT website, www.hat-texoma.org.
Thanks to everyone who
volunteered their time, and especially to the families who brought their kids
and horses out to spend the day with us. We look forward to doing it again next
year!
June Riding/Schooling Day Rained Out
Thanks to record-breaking
rains, the Family Riding/Schooling Day scheduled for June 21st was
rained out. Our next riding date at the TQHA Arena will be July 19th,
weather permitting.
Next HAT Show September 8th
The next HAT open show will
be held on September 8th at Loy Lake Arena in
2007 HAT Scholarship Awarded at Youth Clinic
The Horseman’s Association of
Texoma (HAT) announced the recipient of its 2007 Youth Scholarship during the
annual Youth Clinic on June 9th at Loy Lake Arena in
Matt McWhorter, a graduating
senior at
In announcing this year’s
scholarship, HAT President and Scholarship Committee Chair Sandra Shiver
stated, “2007 saw a 16% increase in participation from 2006, with applications
received from throughout the Texoma area including both states, seven counties,
and twelve schools, both public and private.
“Presenting the 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 our sponsors for their
generous contributions, and all those who attended, volunteered, or
participated in our fund raising events over the past year. And a very special
thank you goes out to all the parents and grandparents who support their kids'
involvement with horses!”
To be considered for the
scholarship, students must submit an application packet which includes writing
an essay describing how their lives have benefited from working with horses.
The scholarship funds must be used to pay for tuition or expenses at an
accredited two- or four-year college or university.
We wish Matt well as he
continues his educational pursuits.
Matt McWhorter, 2007
HAT Youth Scholarship recipient, with Sandra Shiver, HAT President
State/Local
News
College Station, TX (June 12)
– Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical
Sciences (CVM) has entered into an agreement to create an Educational Alliance
with Cargill/Nutrena, Inc. that will benefit the college and enhance the
education of DVM students.
Representatives from both the
college and Cargill were on hand to sign the agreement in a ceremony held today
at the CVM.
“Cargill/Nutrena, Inc. is
pleased to assist in advancing the programs and educational opportunities for
veterinary medical students at
As a part of the Educational
Alliance, Cargill will work with the CVM to develop nutrition education
opportunities for veterinarians and clients. In addition, Cargill will provide
student scholarships, achievement awards, and will bring in leaders in the
agri-business industry as guest speakers for continuing education and classroom
programs.
“The
The Educational Alliance is
designed to enhance horse and livestock health through education of
veterinarians, veterinary medical students, faculty and horse/livestock owners
about current trends in nutrition management. The initial term for the alliance
is for two years.
Contact Information:
Angela G. Clendenin
Director, Communications & Public Relations
Ofc - (979) 862-2675
Cell - (979) 739-5718
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75 Horses Seized in
The Hunt County Sheriff’s
department executed a warrant to seize the horses from a ranch in Cash,
The future of the horses is
still to be determined. The horses will be moved to another location to be
cared for until a decision is made by the judge. The court date is pending, but
will be held within ten days of the seizure.
A veterinarian was brought
onsite to help assess the health status of the horses during the removal. The
horses are reportedly severely under-nourished with ribs and hip bones easily
identifiable. “Many of these horses are severely undernourished, a 1 or 2 on
the body scale chart,” said Jerry Finch of Habitat for Horses.
The owner of these horses could
face up to one year in the county jail and up to $4,000 for each count of
animal cruelty under the Texas Penal Code.
National
News
Rookie Hutchins Takes Home Adequan/USEF Open Reining National Championship;
Galbraith Sisters Dominate in the Youth Reining National Championship presented
by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
Lexington, KY (June 30) - The
2007 Adequan/USEF Open Reining National Championship boasted a small but
talented field, and there was a strong showing from the youths in the USEF
Youth Reining National Championship presented by Hagyard Equine Medical
Institute at the Kentucky Horse Park.
When the dust settled, Gabe
Hutchins and Juiced Up Doc were the clear winners bringing home the loot on a
score of 226. In his first year of FEI competition and his first try at the
CRI**** level, Hutchins stared down the best. He was second to go in the class
and after putting up a great score on the strength of excellent spins he waited
while some of the top reiners in the world tried to beat the standard he set.
“It’s really exciting to show
against these guys,” said Hutchins. “Some of them are Hall of Famers and
million dollar riders. It’s just an honor to be here and be a part of it. I’ve
shown this horse probably five times this year and he’s been real good for me.
I wasn’t nervous showing him but I was nervous waiting on the rest of those
guys to go.”
Matt Mills had two chances to
beat Hutchins’ score, but Shawn Flarida and Tim McQuay got the closest, tying
for second on 224.
Hutchins, 26, had plenty of
praise for Juiced Up Doc, a seven-year-old Quarter Horse owned by Lee Schild.
“This is a great show horse,”
said Hutchins. “This is by far the best horse I’ve ever shown. This horse is the
best show horse I’ve ever swung a leg over. He has over $120,000 in NRHA
earnings. He’s the real deal.”
Hutchins, who lives in
As a prelude to the Open
Reining National Championship, 26 youths competed for their own title at the
USEF Youth Reining National Championship presented by Hagyard Equine Medical
Institute in three age divisions; 13 & Under, 14-18 and 19-21. It was girl
power all the way as the girls dominated each division by winning champion and
reserve champion. And reining runs in the family of the Galbraiths as two out
of the three division championships were won by sisters - Carly and Melanie.
With a score of 211.5, Carly
Galbraith and her seven-year-old Quarter Horse mare Sweet Starbuck captured the
13 & Under division.
“I thought my ride went very
good. I was really happy with her and she did exactly what I asked,” said
Carly.
Her sister Melanie Galbraith
won the 14-18 division with a score of 219 riding her nine-year-old Quarter
Horse gelding Smart Snap.
Melanie has competed in the
Youth Reining Championship since its inception three years ago and she walked
away with the highest overall score in the competition- 219. With a big smile,
she admitted that she was very nervous about the competition.
“I usually don’t get this nervous
but I could feel the butterflies this morning,” laughed Melanie.
It never showed as she had a
determined look on her face throughout her ride, and with each maneuver the
crowd whistled and cheered.
Even though it was Kate
Stewart’s first time competing in the Youth Reining National Championships and
she was the first to go in the lineup today, she won the 19-21 division with a
score of 211. After her ride, Stewart said that she was “pleased in the end”
with her six-year-old Quarter Horse gelding Pica Peppy Doc.
For more information, please
contact USEF’s Director of Reining Programs, Courtney Barnett, at (859)
225-6919 or via email at cbarnett@usef.org.
As the National Governing Body (NGB) of Equestrian
Sport, the United States Equestrian Federation®, Inc. (USEF) is the regulatory
body for 28 breeds and disciplines, including our country's international teams
competing in the disciplines of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing,
para-equestrian, reining, show jumping and vaulting. With over 87,000 members,
it is the country's largest multi-breed organization and annually license more
than 2,800 competitions nationwide. The USEF governs all aspects of
competition, including education and licensing of all judges, stewards, and
technical delegates who officiate shows.
Legislative
Update
American Horse Council Study Finds Horse Show Industry Has Significant
Economic Impact
WASHINGTON, DC (June 28) -
For anyone that has participated in a horse show, be it at the national, state
or local level, there is no doubt that these activities generate a lot of
money. The American Horse Council’s Economic Impact of the Horse Industry on
the
Among horse owners, 481,238
are primarily involved in competition. That accounts for 10.33 percent of the
total number of people who participate in equestrian activities, be they horse
owners, employees or family members or volunteers.
To take a closer look at the
population of the showing segment of the horse industry, the Economic Impact
Study breaks down the number of horses by breed. There are more than one
million Quarter Horses being used specifically for showing purposes. Meanwhile,
336,992 Thoroughbreds and another 1.3 million horses belonging to “other”
breeds are involved in showing and competitions.
The owners of all of these
horses spend and generate a lot of money to stay in the show ring. The resulting
effect on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the showing industry alone is
$28.8 billion - $10.8 billion are direct effects and $18 billion are indirect
and induced effects.
We can break this economic
information down even further by specifying the effect by horse breed.
Thoroughbreds used for showing have a $2.2 billion direct effect and a $6
billion total effect (including indirect and induced effects) on the GDP.
Competition Quarter Horses have a $4 billion direct effect and $10.8 billion
total effect. The rest of the breeds have a $4.4 billion direct effect and
$11.9 billion total effect.
The revenues and expenses for
an individual show can vary widely based on location, size and number of
participants. However, the Economic Impact Study concluded that the average
show generates $158,724 in revenues and has $135,740 in general operating
costs. There are also federal, state and local taxes to be paid, which total an
average of $604. These numbers do not even include the revenues and expenses
related to any show that cannot be tracked by those organizing the event.
Thousands of employees are
required to keep all of the money flowing and these horse shows running. The
Economic Impact Study converts part-time and seasonal employees into a full-time
equivalent basis to accurately determine the number of jobs generated by the
horse industry. The showing industry generates 99,051 full-time equivalent
positions. Jobs associated with competition Thoroughbreds equal 27,107, Quarter
Horses 35,067 and “other” breeds 36,877.
When you add the number of
jobs generated directly by the industry and add indirect and induced
employment, those numbers go even higher. Indirect employment represents jobs
provided as a result of spending by industry providers and induced employment
represents jobs provided as a result of spending by industry employees. The
showing industry has a total effect on full-time equivalent employment of
380,416 jobs.
The American Horse Council’s
Economic Impact of the Horse Industry on the
The national and each
individual state study are available for purchase from the American Horse
Council at www.horsecouncil.org or
by phone at 202-296-4031.
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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.
Equine Science News
The Benefits of Soaking Hay
Soaking hay before feeding it to horses is common
practice to help reduce respiratory disease. But does it really help cut the amount
of dust inhaled by the horse. And for how long should the hay be soaked for the
optimum effect?
A recent study at the
Although all dust is unpleasant, from the point of view
of respiratory disease, the important dust is that which is small enough to
reach the small airways where it may cause inflammation. This is known as
respirable dust. These dust particles are generally considered to be 0.5 - 5 mm in diameter.
A battery operated sampling device attached to the
horse’s head collar allowed the respirable dust concentration (RDC) to be
measured within the air that the horse was actually breathing.
They found that simply immersing the hay in a bucket of
water more than halved the average and maximum RDC in the horse’s breathing
zone. Soaking the hay overnight (16 hours) did result in lower RDC but the
difference was not significant.
Clements and Pirie conclude that “there is probably
little advantage in terms of equine respiratory health in soaking hay for 16
hours compared with simple immersion.”
It is often thought that little can be done to improve
the respiratory environment when two stables share the same airspace. Now it
seems that this may not be correct. In a further study, Clements and Pirie
showed that improving the management of one stable had beneficial effects on
the neighbouring stable.
They found that changing the feed from hay to haylage,
and the bedding from straw to shavings, at the same time as improving the
ventilation, led to a fall in the RDC. This was apparent both in the stable
containing the horse and in the neighbouring (empty) stable within the same
airspace.
For more details see:
Respirable dust concentrations in equine stables. Part 2:
The benefits of soaking hay and optimising the environment in a neighbouring
stable.
JM Clements. RS Pirie.
Res Vet Sci (2007) doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2006.12.003
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Laryngeal Disease in Draft Horses
Laryngeal paralysis (idiopathic laryngeal hemiplegia,
ILH) is considered to be a problem mainly of taller horses.
The larynx is an important site of performance-limiting
abnormalities in the horse. It acts as a shutter to keep food material out of
the lower airway. When the horse breathes in, the arytenoid cartilages and the
attached vocal folds are pulled wide open (abducted) to allow the air to pass.
Any significant obstruction to airflow through the larynx may limit the horse’s
performance.
Between 2% and 10% of Thoroughbreds are affected. In
athletic animals the condition can have a significant effect on performance.
But what about draft breeds? As they work at slower
speeds the condition may go undetected and any effect on performance may be
small. However, the roaring noise that is often a sign of the condition, may
still be heard.
To investigate the extent of the problem in draft horses,
veterinarians working at the
Lead researcher Jeffrey E Brakenhoff DVM examined 183 of
the horses at the Show, at which some one thousand draft horses were entered.
Overall, 35% of draft horses were affected with ILH.
The researchers found that the different breeds of draft
horses were affected to differing extents. Most commonly affected were Belgians
(42%), followed by Percherons (31%). The condition was less common in Clydesdales,
of which 17% were affected.
In Belgians, the researchers found a significant
relationship between height and the risk of ILH. Of the Belgians with ILH, 83%
were 183cm (72 inches/18 hands) or taller. In contrast, only 48% of Belgians
with normal laryngeal function were taller than 183cm. Analysis of the records
showed that for every 10cm (4 inches/1 hand) increase in height there was a
nearly 4 fold increase in risk that the horse would be affected with ILH.
A similar association between height and ILH was found in
Percheron horses. However, an increase in height did not seem to increase the
risk of ILH in Clydesdales.
Draft horses with ILH were no more likely to perform
poorly in pulling competitions than unaffected horses. Neither did Brakenhoff
find evidence of exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in horses
competing in pulling competitions.
Horses with ILH tended to have higher amounts of mucus in
the airway. This may be because the affected larynx is less effective at
preventing dust or food debris entering the lower airway.
The researchers suggest that high prevalence of ILH in
draft horses is likely to be due to selection for characteristics associated
with ILH - such as horse height (at least in Belgians and Percherons)
For more details see:
The prevalence of laryngeal disease in a large population
of competition draft horses.
JE Brakenhoff, SJ Holcombe, JG Hauptman, HK Smith, FA
Nickels, JP Caron.
Veterinary Surgery (2006) 35, 579 - 583.
© 2007 Equine Science Update -- www.equinescienceupdate.co.uk
Reprinted with permission
Monthly
Poll
Last month we asked:
This month’s question: Have you
ever worked with an equine nutritionist or other specialist to develop a ration
for your horse?
To vote in our monthly poll,
go to www.hat-texoma.org and scroll down to “Monthly Poll” on the home page.
The results of this month’s question will be published in our next issue. Be
sure to stop by and cast your vote!
Extension
Service News
by Eddie Baggs,
CEA-Agriculture
The
Leaf Spray Method can be used now through summer. Any type of sprayer can be
used that can emit a coarse spray to a height of 8 feet. The products Remedy
and Reclaim can achieve a 76% - 100% kill. Use Remedy and Reclaim both at a
1/2% concentration (2 oz. in a 3 gallon sprayer; 9 oz. in a 14 gallon sprayer,
or 16 oz in a 25 gallon sprayer). Diesel can be added to this at 5% (19 oz, 3
qt, or 5 qt respectively) with an emulsifier. It is also helpful to add a dye
to mark the trees sprayed. Do not spray when light green growth is visible in
the top of the trees (wait until foliage hardens off in the summer), leaves are
wet, damage is evident on trees, or if there are desirable trees in close
proximity.
The
most economical and effective method is the Stem Spray Method, but it is
obviously a labor nightmare. Best results can also be achieved by doing it now
through summer. A backpack sprayer can be used with a small orifice nozzle. For
smooth bark mesquite that has a diameter less than 1.5 inches, you will mix
Remedy to a 15% concentration (19 oz in a gallon) mixed with 85% diesel. Smooth
bark mesquite with larger than a 1.5 inch diameter will need the mixture of
Remedy increased to 25% (1 quart in a gallon). All rough bark mesquite will
utilize a mixture of 25% (1 quart in a gallon). Spray the mixture lightly but
evenly on the plant’s stem up to 12 inches from the ground. Apply to all sides
but do not allow to run off.
I
start receiving calls after a few months of treatment with complaints of the
trees re-sprouting. Remember that these trees will show signs of death quickly
but should not be removed for quite a while to ensure that the chemical has the
chance to completely kill the root system; this make take up to 12 months.
Removal of trees too quickly will result in regrowth! Get more information
about the Brush Buster program and control of mesquite, cedar or prickly pear
from http://texnat.tamu.edu/BrushBusters.
Educational programs conducted by the
A Bit of Humor
Top Ten List of the
Scariest Things in a Horse’s Mind
“At any
moment it could whip up into our faces, covering our noses. We could suffocate.
And don’t try to tell us you’d do CPR.”
9. Barking
Dogs
“What?
You've never read Steven King’s CUJO?”
8. Puddles of
Water
“Quicksand.”
7. Trash Cans
“They’ve
been known to swallow horses and transport them into another dimension.”
6. Babies and
Little Kids
“Long
lost tribe of horse-eating pygmies.”
5. Plaid
Horse Blankets
“Hey,
when was the last time you wore plaid? It adds at least 100 lbs.”
4. Ropes and
Hoses on the Ground
“Dreaded
North American trail snakes.”
3. Ponies
“Cute,
clever, hardy...they want to take over the world”
2. Windy Days
“Two
words: impending tornado.”
And the number one scary
thing in the minds of horses?
1. Carts and
Wagons
“Look.
You put a human on our backs, and we can always buck them off. But hitching a
horse to a wheeled object? It’s just not right. No matter how fast the horse
trots, the dang cart is still running after him. Oh, the Horror!!!”
Ask The Vet
by Dr. Katie Hayes, DVM
With all the rain (which we
desperately needed) the mosquitoes are numerous which increases the chances of
getting
We saw 4
The new vaccine that we use
is Intervet PreveNile which is a live virus vaccine. It is a 1 shot, 1 time,
once a year vaccine. There is immunity in just 10 days. In their clinical
trials, when the PreveNile vaccinated horses were injected with the real West
Nile virus 23 days and 1 year later, they did not come down with
For those horses previously
vaccinated with the other
Founder Prevention
With all the rain, the grass
is green, growing, and high in sugar content. In May we saw a case of founder
2-3 times a week in fat horses on the pasture 24/7. Our treatment of removing
them from the pasture, putting them on hay and 1 cup of grain and a decreasing
Welcome Dr. Amanda Skogen
I have hired Amanda Skogen
DVM to work here and in our new clinic in
Dr. Amanda Skogen grew up in
Bonham, and I have known her since she was 14. She graduated from Oklahoma
State Vet school this year. She has extensive experience with equine veterinary
medicine having done Equine externships and worked summers at Equine clinics
such as Performance Equine in Whitesboro, Weems and Stephens and Dr. John
McCarroll in Aubrey, and Equine Medical Associates and Oak Ridge Equine in OKC.
Insect
Allergy
If your horse is rubbing all the hair off the top of
his tail, his butt and/or his mane, shoulder or ears, he does not have fungus
or lice. It is an allergy to the biting gnats, no-see-ums or Culicoides gnats.
Treatment is a long lasting cortisone shot and insect control (Swat, Calm Coat
repellent, Off with DEET or Icthammol) in the ears. Apply morning and evening
when the gnats feed. Having the horse in the barn with a fan at dawn and at
dusk when the insects bite helps a lot.
Recipe of the Month
Baked Beans with Smoked Sausage Servings: up to 24
|
2 cans |
(55 oz each) baked beans |
|
Optional: |
|
1 ring |
(1 lb) cooked smoked sausage, cubed |
|
shredded Cheddar cheese |
|
2 |
Jalapeno chiles, seeded and finely chopped |
|
tortilla chips |
|
1 tbsp |
ground cumin |
|
|
|
1 tbsp |
chili powder |
|
|
·
Preheat oven to
350° F. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Spoon mixture into an ungreased
4-quart casserole dish.
·
Bake uncovered 45
to 60 minutes or until thoroughly heated and bubbly.
·
If desired,
garnish with cheese and/or serve with chips.