HAT Chat Articles – February 2008
A word from our
President
What a great turnout for our
first HAT meeting of 2008! If you were unable to attend, you missed a good one!
Dr. Jane Elmore did a fabulous job presenting the history and story of the
With many more interesting
programs in store, HAT would love to have you at our meetings. Let’s make time to come together to share
ideas that will improve our life with our horses. After all, that is what HAT is all about!
There are also lots of HAT
activities coming up! Join us on March 1st
as we learn from a showmanship champion, preparing us for our spring and summer
shows in April and June. High school seniors, don’t
forget the scholarship application deadline is April 12th. The
recipient will be announced at our annual free (yes, free) Youth Clinic on May
10th. Mick
So we invite you to
participate and become involved in a way that best suits you!
Some love lasts…a lifetime. True love lasts…forever.
Happy Valentines Day!
Happy Trails,
Showmanship Clinic March 1
HAT will hold a Showmanship
Clinic on Saturday, March 1 at Crossfire Ranch Arena in
2008 Show Schedule Changes
HAT has made the following
changes to its 2008 show schedule:
·
The Spring Show
originally scheduled for April 12 has been moved to the following Saturday, April
19. It will still be held at Wayne Carter’s Crossfire Ranch Arena in
·
A fourth show has
been added to the schedule on Saturday, June 14. It will also be held at
Crossfire Ranch Arena.
A showbill and directions to
Crossfire Arena will be published in the March newsletter and posted on the HAT
website, www.hat-texoma.org.
Youth Scholarship Update
Attention high school seniors! Applications for the 2008 HAT Youth Scholarship are
now being accepted. An application form is included in this issue, and
additional copies can be downloaded from the HAT website, www.hat-texoma.org. The deadline for
applications is April 12 – don’t wait until the last minute!
State/Local
News
TSCRA Special Rangers Arrest Suspect In Saddle
and Equipment Theft Case
Stolen property valued at more than
$20,000
Nine
saddles have been recovered so far and four more are expected. The suspect also
allegedly stole a camcorder, chainsaw, generators and other equipment, Bradshaw
said.
The
stolen saddles were primarily sold at pawn shops and horse sales. A saddle shop
that had purchased saddles from Jones provided Bradshaw with a copy of his
driver's license. One of the horse sale facilities was able to provide two
license plate numbers corresponding to the two different cars Jones had driven
when taking saddles to the horse sale.
When
Bradshaw and
Jones
had one year left on his parole out of
Bradshaw
said the total value of stolen property from Bowie and Grayson counties is
expected to be between $23,000 and $24,000.
TSCRA
currently has 28 special rangers stationed strategically throughout
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Retired Racehorses To Participate in
More than 100 horses
currently being cared for by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will
take part in a study at
“We’re looking for some kind
of genetic trait that may make the difference,” said Jana Caldwell, a PhD
student in the Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences at
“It seems fitting that our
horses at the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation would find a way to give
back,” said Diana Pikulski, executive director of the
TRF.
The Equine Genetics
Laboratory will receive tissue samples from horses in a blind study who suffer
catastrophic breakdowns from a group of regulatory veterinarians throughout the
country. Researchers will use TRF horses – those with 30 or more starts and did
not sustain career-ending injuries.
“The TRF horses are all over
the country and have been exposed to all kinds of track conditions,” said
The TAMU team believes that
there should be a reason why some horses run 30-plus times and don’t break down
as opposed to horses who run 10 times and snap their leg. Among the various
reasons, genetic make-up could be one. No organized studies have been carried
out until now to study this aspect. Hence, the team is undertaking this work
with the long-term goal to identify genetic signatures that can help to predict
which horses might be at higher risk of breaking down on the track than others.
The team emphasizes that a
study of this magnitude and complexity will take time before any concrete
answers will be forthcoming. Nevertheless, the initial phase of the work
planned for the next couple of years will certainly improve our understanding
of the likely genetic causes than we have today.
The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation
is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization which
relies entirely on charitable donations to fund its various rescue,
rehabilitation, adoption and retirement programs. All contributions are tax
deductible. For more information, contact the TRF at (732) 957-0182 or info@trfinc.org.
You may also visit their website at www.trfinc.org.
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New Equestrian Campground Opening on
There is a new Equestrian
campground in
A joint venture of the
Trinity Trail Preservation Assn., the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at
Spotted Saddlehorse Stormin' Norman
checks out the daffodils at East Fork Park
If you want a sneak peak at
the facility, the Corps has arranged for equestrians to be able to camp there
March 13 and 14th in honor of the Grand Opening Celebration which
will be held March 14th at 12 noon. A barbeque lunch will be served
Friday to thank all those who have supported this project and who support
recreational amenities in
Wylie is northeast of
From north of Wylie on State
Highway 78, come south on SH 78 and turn right (west) on CR 389. When it T's at
CR 388 go straight across into the entrance of
The Trinity Trail
Preservation Organization is an all-volunteer equestrian organization whose
main purpose is to maintain the 12-mile long trail on the Corps of Engineers
land along
For more information, call
Membership Chairman Ruth Blom at 214-418-4106 or
contact her via the internet at frblom@tx.rr.com.
To join and get regular delivery of the monthly newsletter, send $25 to Trinity
Trail Preservation Association, c/o Pat Martin,
National
News
Churchill Downs Chosen For Barbaro Memorial
The 2006
On January 29, exactly one
year after their beloved colt and Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro was
euthanized, Roy and Gretchen Jackson announced their choice of Churchill Downs
as the place where he would be buried. The announcement was made at a press
conference held at the fabled racetrack’s
Barbaro was euthanized after
several emotional months of recovery following an injury that shattered his
rear leg in the opening strides of the 2006 Preakness. Although the surgery to
repair the damage was successful, the need to relieve pressure on the leg while
the injuries healed led to the development of laminitis in first one, and
eventually all four hooves. Despite the heroic efforts of the veterinarians and
staff at the
Now, the champion will become
the first horse to be buried at Churchill Downs. Plans call for his ashes to be
interred outside the track’s entrance gate in an elevated area enclosed by
brickwork. The memorial will also include a large bronze statue of Barbaro
commissioned by the
In making the decision, Roy
Jackson said Churchill Downs was the best place to honor the colt, who had won
the
“It became overwhelmingly
clear that this is where he should be,” said Gretchen Jackson. “We wrestled
with it for a while, but we’re really thrilled that they wanted him.”
“We think it’s a phenomenal
decision for them to make,” said Lynn Ashton, executive director of the
Ashton also said the museum
would host a temporary exhibit that would run through the summer of 2009, when
the statue is expected to be installed at the memorial. No choice has yet been
made regarding which artists would create the statue.
Gretchen Jackson added, “That
Derby was such a special day and race for us, and Churchill holds such
reverence, and he’s a part of that now. It’s very special. His legacy is far
bigger than us…and we’re fine with that.”
“The Kentucky Derby is about
memories,” said Steve Sexton, President of Churchill Downs. He noted that the
memories of Barbaro went well beyond those of past
“We just want to thank the
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Purina Mills Horse Owner Workshops (HOW) Return For 2008
Get back in the saddle again
by joining
You’ll hear the latest news
on horse health, nutrition, training and equipment; talk with local and
national equine experts; and the best part, you can connect with other horse
owners.
The HOW® event will provide
you with a wealth of knowledge and money-saving offers. And, new this year,
enroll in
For more information, visit
your local Purina Mills dealer, or visit the Purina Mills website at www.horse.purinamills.com.
Business
News
CEBS Announces Continuing Education Courses For
Spring 2008
Distance Learning Course offers
instruction in business basics and retail sales
(
Courses to be offered on-line
for continuing education credit in Spring 2008 include
“Business Basics for the Equine Business” and “Sales in the Equine Industry”. “Sales
in the Equine Industry” focuses on professional sales techniques in the equine
environment. Students in the course develop sales skills through application of
sales principles and realistic selling situations. Students currently enrolled
in “Sales in the Equine Industry” have the following to say about the course:
Saddle Manufacturer Sales Representative
Specialty Equine Products Manufacturing Company
President
Major Equine Products Company Sales Representative
“Business Basics for the
Equine Business” provides instruction in the basics of managing businesses that
provide products or services to the equine industry. Students will be
introduced to managerial decision-making and analysis in an equine environment,
and develop skills that facilitate application of management principles to
realistic business situations.
“The sales course is already
being well-received in the industry and we expect a full class enrollment this
spring in both courses,” said Clark Springfield, course instructor. “We
strongly urge interested persons to register as early as possible, not just to
receive the discount, but to ensure their place in the classes.”
Course fees are $695 per
person, and group discounts are available. The courses can be taken for
continuing education credit, and each course can either be taken individually
or as a part of a certification program. Upon successful completion of all five
Equine Entrepreneurship courses, the participant will be awarded a Certificate
in Equine Entrepreneurship from
For additional course
information and to enroll, visit http://agonline.tamu.edu/equine
or contact Clark Springfield, Equine Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator, at hcspringfield@ag.tamu.edu, or call
(979) 845-3805.
Equine Science News
A Growing Ivermectin Resistance Problem
Worm control routines that have been used successfully
for many years may no longer be appropriate. Further evidence that ivermectin
is becoming ineffective against the large horse roundworm was presented in a
recent report.
The study looked at the extent of Parascaris equorum (large roundworm) infection on a
Swedish stud farm. It was prompted by the death of a foal that on post mortem
examination was found to contain a massive burden of roundworms. This was
despite the foal having been treated regularly with ivermectin.
Dr. K. Lindgren of the Swedish Institute of Agricultural
and Environmental Engineering, and others, monitored the droppings of 15 foals
on a stud farm in
They first found eggs in the feces when the foals were
3-4 months old. Most foals started to excrete large numbers of eggs by the time
they were 4 months old. Egg production peaked a couple
of months later and then declined.
The adult roundworms live in the small intestine and may
grow up to 50cm (19-1/2 inches) in length. A heavy infection leads to failure
to thrive, and may cause intestinal impaction or rupture. Deaths have been
reported in foals up to 4 months of age. The female roundworms are prolific
egg-layers; on a single day, an infected foal can shed millions of eggs to
contaminate the environment.
Ivermectin appeared to have no effect on the egg
production. Manure samples were taken from the five foals with the highest egg
counts ten days after treatment. In four of the foals, the egg count actually
increased. However, later treatment with either fenbendazole or pyrantel was
effective at removing the worms.
The researchers also checked soil samples from the
various paddocks in which the foals were kept. The most infected pasture was a
permanent grass paddock used by mares and foals all summer. Previously, it has
been grazed by horses all year round. It had significantly higher egg counts (15
eggs/10grams of soil) than did a temporary soil paddock and two paddocks used
only in the summer.
Adult horses rarely excrete many small roundworm eggs.
The likely source of infection was pasture contaminated by foals in previous
years.
This study emphasizes that a single dewormer
cannot be assumed to control all species of worms in foals. Because foals may
be infected with both ivermectin-resistant Parascaris equorum and benzimidazole-resistant
cyathostomes, it may be necessary to use two different compounds to adequately
control the parasites.
For more details see
Parascaris equorum
in foals and their environment on a Swedish stud farm, with notes on treatment
failure of ivermectin.
K. Lindgren, Ö Ljungvall, O
Nilsson, B-L. Ljungström, C. Lindahl,
J. Höglund.
Veterinary Parasitology (2008)
151, 337-343.
© 2008 Equine Science Update
Reprinted with permission
Monthly
Poll
Last month we asked:
This month’s question: Are
you breeding any mares this year?
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
My Horse Is Gone! What To Do?
With
over 25,000 head of horses in
All
horse owners should have several things on hand if their horse is ever missing.
They are: a bill of sale or canceled check; registration papers with brands,
marks and scar locations; a veterinary certificate with recent Coggins test and
vaccinations; and 4 good photos showing brands, marks and scars updated yearly.
Your first report should be to the sheriff’s department (and livestock patrol)
and then to the city police (whatever the jurisdiction) and the state police. After
making these contacts and you are certain of theft remember, (sometimes a horse
will jump a fence or wander), then contact the Sheriff’s Posse, Department of
Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Cattle Raisers Association, U.S.
Marshall, and your neighbors. If you make fliers with your horse’s description,
use clear photos without yourself or your family members in the picture for
safety sake. Include identifying marks and a contact name and phone number but omit
your address. Make any award offered towards arrest and conviction. Check any
auctions that are in the area and post fliers there as well.
As
the days go on, keep in contact with the auction barns (a horse will bring
$200-700 regardless of condition), and law enforcement daily. Contact breed registries as well as equine and large animal
veterinarians, feed stores, horse magazines and newspapers. The placement of fliers
at these locations will also be important.
Simply
branding your horse in an obvious place may help avoid theft or at the very
least, aid in a swift recovery. Make sure that the brand is registered with the
county and the Cattle Raisers Association. While tattoos are also good, they
might get missed at an auction or private treaty sale where they may not be
looking in the mouth. Another good tip is to secure your property. Check
fences, gates, locks and provide lots of light to help spot anybody that should
not be on your property.
Mr.
H.D. Brittain, Livestock Thief Investigator with the
Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association will be speaking on this
topic at the “2008 Denton County Foal Clinic” to be held at the Advanced
Technology Complex in
Educational programs conducted by the
A Bit of Humor
Crazy (But True)
Horse Laws, Part 1
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In
·
In
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Donkeys are not
allowed to sleep in bathtubs in
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Blowing your nose
around horses is a no-no in
·
·
·
In
·
In
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Human females
weighing over 200 pounds, when wearing shorts, may not legally ride a horse in
·
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In
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It is illegal in
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It is against the
law in
Ask The Vet
by Dr. Katie Hayes, DVM
Impaction Colic
In December and January, we
have seen a lot of impaction colic due to the cold nights in the 20s and the
warmer days in the 50s. Impaction colic is caused by the horse eating coastal
With the cold nights and cold
mornings, the horse eats hay but does not drink enough water because it’s cold.
Also, when it’s 40 and raining, the pasture horse is cold and wet and does not
drink much cold water, and then eats hay on the round bale. Coarse hay with low
digestibility increases the risk of impaction colic, along with feeding round
bales. Times to keep a close eye on your horse’s behavior to monitor for colic
are after cold nights and after a new round bale is put out. Horses tend to
gorge themselves and drink little water when new hay is provided free choice.
This time of year it is
especially important for horses that show signs of abdominal discomfort to be
given a rectal examination by a veterinarian to check for an impaction.
Impactions, especially small colon impactions, are particularly difficult for
the horse to recover from on his own and usually require medical intervention.
For impaction colic we tube the horse 4-6 times a day with an electrolyte
solution of salt, light salt, and baking soda in 2
gallons of water for 2-3 days to get the horse unstopped. It takes 3-4 days if
the owner has treated the horse with Banamine and waited a day before calling
the vet who did a rectal and diagnosed the impaction and started treatment.
More difficult cases may require intravenous fluid therapy. A tube can be put
in the stomach and taped to the nose where electrolyte water can be put down
the tube at a rate of 1-3 gallons per hour to dissolve an impaction in 1-2
days.
To decrease the chances of
impaction colic, you can add a small amount of salt or electrolytes to your
horse’s feed. For this to be effective, they need a clean water source nearby.
Also, keeping a horse-safe heater in water troughs may encourage horses to
drink more on colder days.
Pregnant Mares
Pregnant Mare Pre-Foaling Vaccinations
It’s time to vaccinate those mares
foaling in February, March, and April. Rhino vaccinations are given to mares at
5, 7, and 9 months of gestation to help prevent abortions.
Most mares are entering their
third trimester of gestation where the foals grow at a rapid rate, so be sure
to start increasing your mare’s feed as needed. Remember, at this point she is
really eating for two! Make sure that you add a mineral supplement such as
Purina’s Born To Win (available at Denison Farm & Ranch) or Nutrena’s Gro and Win (available at Buck’s) which provide high
concentrations of the trace minerals such as copper for good bones and
cartilage to help prevent OCD in the developing fetus. Also, the mare needs to
be at a healthy weight; a score of 6-7 on a 9 point scale is optimal for a
healthy broodmare, especially if you plan to rebreed her.
Recipe of the Month
Sausage and Cheese Rotini Servings: 4
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3 cups |
rotini pasta, uncooked |
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1 lb |
Italian sausage links, cut into bite-sized pieces |
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1 can |
(15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained |
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1 cup |
chopped onions |
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1/4 cup |
balsamic vinaigrette dressing |
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3/4 cup |
shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided |
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Cook pasta as directed on package.
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Meanwhile, cook sausage in large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat
for 10 minutes or until sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Drain
sausage and return to skillet. Add tomatoes with their liquid, onions, and
dressing. Cook 5 minutes or until onions are crisp-tender, stirring
occasionally.
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Drain pasta. Toss with sausage mixture and 1/2 cup of cheese. Sprinkle
with remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.