HAT Chat Articles – May/June 2008
A word from our
President
What
would we do without technology and the wonderful world of computers? Yes, that
was quite tongue in cheek! Computers, cell phones, and PDA’s, now integrated
with many phone models, are so common place that without them one feels almost
panicked. Watching world horse show events, I remember joking how show horses
need to be de-sensitized to the many different ring tones as cell phones rang
throughout the arena stands! And by now, most horses are used to them because
nearly everyone has a cell phone. It is common place to see folks chatting or
texting away while they are on or around their horse. What does this have to do
with HAT? Technology hits the Texoma horse world with a computer crash that
seriously impacted publishing our newsletter. Even with data backup, the
printing and distribution was delayed. HAT begs your understanding and hope you
enjoy this combined May/June issue!
Of
course, I do remember the days without computers. Life took
a
slower pace. But wouldn’t it be nice to TiVo some real life events? Like the
beautiful day of HAT’s first show of the season…the weather was perfect, our
new signs made the arena easy to find, the competition was keen, and everyone
had a fun day! Exhibitors called to let me know how much they enjoy HAT shows
explaining that the volunteers who work the show and our attention to detail
make showing fun, pleasurable, and easy. My personal thank you goes to everyone who helped out before, during,
and after the show. I had a chance to assist a group of our exhibitors during
the tack and dress change between western and English classes, swapping horses,
saddles, boots, bridles, blankets, jackets, exhibitor numbers, and insuring
cool drinks for the horses. Everyone made it to their class on time, dressed,
and tacked up appropriately. Trust me when I tell you planning and working the
show seemed easy compared to that rush!
Life
keeps coming at us fast. May brought a fabulous turnout at our annual Youth
Clinic which began with the presentation of not one, but two HAT Youth Scholarships made possible by the hard work of
dedicated HAT members. May 24th starts off the Adult Horsemanship
series. A sincere Tip of the HAT to
Mick Clark who is our clinician at both events. You won’t want to miss the June
14th HAT Open Show, one of the three remaining shows to compete for
the
Personally,
my time with my horse is a reprieve from the fast pace of the rest of the
world. When she greets me with a nicker and soft nuzzle, and regards me with a
large liquid eye, time slows down and the questions of where I want to be and
what I want to do have been answered. Wishing you the same!
Happy
trails,
Summer Show June 14th
HAT will hold its second
horse show of the year on Saturday, June 14th at Crossfire Ranch
Arena in
If you missed our first show
in April, there’s still time for you to participate in our Year-End High Point
competition. To qualify, you must participate with the same horse in at least
three out of four shows, and enter at least one Halter and three Performance
classes at each show.
Crossfire Ranch is an excellent
facility, with ample parking, a large covered warmup area next to the huge
arena, great sound system, delicious food available for purchase, and a
friendly, inviting atmosphere. Be sure to bring the whole family out and join
us for another day of fun on June 14th at Crossfire Ranch!
August 9th Show Change
Due to the extensive and
complex construction schedule at
We apologize for any
inconvenience this may have caused.
State/Local
News
2008 HAT Scholarships Awarded at Youth Clinic
The Horseman’s Association of
Texoma (HAT) announced the recipients of its 2008 Higher Education Scholarships
during its annual Youth Clinic on May 10th at Loy Lake Arena in
Rachel Newman, a graduating
senior at Blessed Hope Christian School in
Rachel has been accepted at
Shea Cox, a graduating senior
at
Shea has been accepted at
In announcing this year’s
scholarships, HAT President and Scholarship Committee Chair Sandra Shiver
stated, “A milestone goal was reached this year when two Horseman’s Association
of Texoma Higher Education Scholarships were awarded to very deserving
graduating seniors. The fifth year of HAT’s scholarship program drew applicants
from two states and seven counties in the Texoma area. Each year the
competition gets tougher and choosing only one winner becomes more challenging.
Thanks to the efforts and hard work throughout the year, it was a thrill for
the selection committee and the club to present two scholarships.
“Thank you to all the
dedicated HAT members, our sponsors, and all who attended, volunteered, or participated
in our fund raising events over the past year. Thank you to the selection
committee members for devoting our combined efforts to select’s recipients.
Special thanks goes to a horse named Peeka Pep, a four year old red roan
stallion, whose stallion auction donation proceeds were designated by his
owners for our scholarship fund.
“HAT is proud of the many
talented students who applied for this year’s awards. It must be true that the
outside of a horse is good for the inside of a person. This was definitely
reflected in all of the essays!”
To be considered for the
scholarship, students must be graduating seniors at a Texoma-area high school,
and must submit an application packet which includes writing an essay
describing how their lives were influenced by their involvement with horses.
The scholarship funds must be used to pay for tuition or expenses at an
accredited two- or four-year college or university.
Rachel and Shea join an elite
group of outstanding students who have represented HAT by way of our
scholarship. We sincerely wish them success in attaining their educational and
life goals.
Rachel Newman (L) and
Shea Cox (R), 2008 HAT Scholarship recipients, with Sandra Shiver, HAT
President
Applications for the 2009 HAT Higher Education Scholarship
will be available later this year.
For more information, please visit the HAT website, www.hat-texoma.org.
National
News
Thoroughbred Charities Announces Eight Belles Memorial Fund
May 13, 2008, Midway, KY --
Thoroughbred Charities of America, (“TCA”), has announced the formation of the
Eight Belles Memorial Fund. Donations made in Eight Belles’ honor will go
specifically toward retraining of Thoroughbreds for secondary careers and research
into catastrophic breakdowns.
Following Eight Belles’
breakdown, donations began to pour into TCA with requests the funds go toward
charities to “help Thoroughbreds like Eight Belles”. Thoroughbred retraining
and research are 2 of the 5 sectors of TCA grant-giving, with the other three
being Education, Backstretch and Therapeutic Riding.
TCA is purely a fund raising
organization which raises money primarily through their industry-supported
Stallion Season and Art Auction, slated for December 5, 2008. Annually
accredited non-profits within the TCA mission are given grants for their
charity work for the Thoroughbred industry. TCA operates on a lean budget,
allowing over 96 cents of every dollar raised to go directly to the charities.
Liz Harris, Executive
Director of TCA acknowledges, “Many of the donations that have come in, were
actually cashed winning tickets that people didn’t want to spend on
themselves”.
To donate to the Eight Belles
Memorial Fund, please call 859-312-5531 or visit www.thoroughbredcharities.org.
Eight Belles at
Churchill Downs on
- - - - - - -
AVMA Takes Stance Against Double-Deck Trailers For Equine Transport
May 20, 2008 – The American
Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) opposes the use of double-deck trailers
for the transportation of equines because of safety concerns, according to a
new policy that the Executive Board approved in mid-April.
The policy follows recent
vehicular incidents involving equine transport that caught the attention of the
public and the press, including the rollover of a double-deck trailer in
The new AVMA policy, “Humane
transport of equines,” starts by stating:
“Studies published in
peer-reviewed journals and the professional experience of veterinarians
indicate that more equines are injured during transport in double-deck trailers
than in single-deck trailers. The AVMA supports the use of best practices when
transporting animals and therefore opposes the use of double-decked trailers to
transport equines. In addition, the AVMA encourages state and federal agencies
that govern the transport of equines to adopt rules, regulations, and
enforcement provisions that ensure equines are transported humanely.”
The policy also provides some
guidance on assessing the appropriateness of trailers for equine transport.
Previously, the AVMA has
voiced support of the Department of Agriculture's regulations for the transport
of equines to slaughter—which prohibit the use of double-deck trailers, among
other restrictions.
The Animal Welfare Committee,
which drafted the AVMA policy, did not limit the policy to transport of equines
to slaughter because committee members believe minimum standards for transport
should apply regardless of the destination of the equines. The American
Association of Equine Practitioners’ (AAEP) welfare committee and board
conveyed support of the AVMA policy.
Letter From
The Editor
To Our Readers:
As I have said in previous
years, June is always a special month for HAT Chat, since it marks the end of our publishing year. I usually
take this opportunity to talk a little about what we’ve accomplished over the
past twelve months, and about some of the ideas we have been considering for
the future. This time, however, I wanted to take a moment to talk about the
most important part of our monthly newsletters – you, our readers.
The past few weeks have been
the most difficult in the six years we have been publishing HAT Chat. As many of you know, we did not
publish a regular newsletter in May; this was the result of a completely
unexpected and extremely severe computer failure. We really wanted to get
information out in the May issue about two major HAT events taking place during
the month – our annual Youth Clinic on May 10th and our Adult
Horsemanship Clinic series starting on May 24th. We also wanted to
put out reminders about our upcoming Summer Open Show on June 14th.
But, unfortunately, none of that happened.
What did happen, though, is
that many of our members and readers stepped in and kept the information
flowing through word-of-mouth, postings on our Yahoo discussion group, printed
flyers, and (I’m sure) through private e-mails and phone calls. As a result, we
had a great turnout for our Youth Clinic; and, by the time you read this, our
Adult Horsemanship Clinic series will also be underway. I’ve also received many
notes of support and encouragement from our members and friends as we worked
through these problems, for which I am extremely grateful. Learning there are so
many folks out there who have found the efforts I have put into producing HAT Chat every month worthwhile, has been
very reassuring to me during these “dark times” and tells me there is a need
for this work to continue.
So, in response to all of
your encouragement and support, it is my great pleasure to present you with
this special May/June issue of HAT Chat.
This issue may look a little bit different here and there, but should still
have a lot of the things you have come to expect with each new month. Look for
our regular issue to return in July, the beginning of our seventh year!
So, what does the future hold
for this newsletter? For one thing, there’s certainly going to be a better
process in place for covering ourselves in the event of another disaster☺
Aside from that, the answer to the question really depends on you! Do you like what’s in each issue?
Is there anything new or different you would like to see? Do you want more
features, or more photos, or maybe something we haven’t offered yet? Tell us
what you’re interested in seeing, and we’ll do our best to bring it to you.
In the meantime, sit back and
enjoy this issue…the latest of many, many more to come in the months and years
ahead.
Regards,
Michael
J. Bernier
HAT
Chat Editor
Legislative
Update
Congress Passes Farm Bill With Provisions Beneficial To Horses
May 16, 2008,
The Food, Conservation, and
Energy Act of 2008 includes several provisions that benefit the horse industry.
Depreciation of Race
Horses Shortened
The tax portion of the bill
will amend the current depreciation schedule for race horses to make it uniform
at three years. Effective January 1, 2009 all race horses will be depreciated
over three years, regardless of their age when placed in service. Prior to then
race horses will continue to be depreciated over seven years if they are placed
in service before they turn two. This change to the tax code for race horses
will “sunset” after five years, ending at the end of 2013.
Last year Senators Mitch
McConnell (R-KY), Jim Bunning (R-KY) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) introduced the
Equine Equity Act (EEA), which proposed to put all racehorses in the three-year
category for depreciation purposes and make horses eligible for capital gains
tax treatment after being held for twelve months.
“The EEA was included in the
Senate version of the Farm Bill by an amendment offered by Senator McConnell,”
said Jay Hickey, president of the American Horse council. “Although the Equity
Act was not in the House-passed Farm Bill, the depreciation provision was
included in the final bill through the efforts of Senator McConnell, who
understood the inequity and worked overtime to ensure it was changed.”
With the passage of this
provision, horse owners will no longer have to decide whether to place their
horse in service at the end of its yearling year, and depreciate it over seven
years, or wait until the horse reaches 24 months and a day in order to use the three-year
depreciation schedule. This period is often only a few months. “Beginning in
2009, all race horses will be depreciated over three years regardless of when
placed in service. This amendment will end the inequitable situation of
depreciating race horses over seven years, a period that is about twice as long
as their actual racing time,” said Hickey.
The second tax provision in
the EEA, which would have shortened the capital gains holding period for horses
from two years to one year, was not included in the final conference version of
the Farm Bill passed by Congress.
Equine Farmers and
Ranchers Eligible for Emergency Loans
Another provision in the bill
makes horse breeders eligible for the first time for emergency federal loans
following a disaster. This change will include “equine farmers and ranchers”
within the group of producers eligible for these federal emergency loans.
“Horse breeders have not been eligible for these loans, which have been
available to other livestock producers for some time,” said Hickey. “Horse
breeders suffer losses from hurricanes, drought, ice, floods and other natural
disasters just like other livestock producers do. This provision will end the
disparate treatment of horses and horse breeders by making them eligible for
emergency loans under the same conditions and limits as other livestock
producers. Again, the horse industry owes thanks to Senator McConnell for his
efforts in passing this provision.”
Horses Specifically
Included as Livestock in Disaster Assistance Program
The Farm Bill also includes a
new permanent disaster assistance program that will provide relief funds to
farmers and ranchers who suffer losses in areas that are declared disaster
areas by USDA. This program is intended to make funds available sooner
following a disaster. Horses are specifically included within the definition of
livestock eligible for the program. “The inclusion of horses was pursuant to an
amendment offered by Senator Bunning to the Senate Farm Bill. The provision was
accepted by the Conference Committee,” said Hickey. “This is important to the
horse industry and we appreciate his efforts.”
The horse industry has been
working for these last two changes for some time. The industry is now treated
like other livestock producers with respect to federal emergency programs.
As the national association
representing all segments of 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.
Business
News
“Unity” Is Common Theme at Equine
More than 300 concerned
equine industry leaders attended the inaugural International Kentucky Equine
Summit April 27-28, with many lamenting the lack of unity within the industry,
pointing to the potential of the World Equestrian Games to bring the
United States Equestrian
Federation President David O’Connor said that people in horse sports suffer
from a “silo mentality” in which they compartmentalize their participation and
don't see themselves as part of the overall horse industry. He said that horse
organizations must unify to create a promotional resource.
He drew a parallel between
horse sports and track and field events. It’s difficult to promote javelin throwing,
O’Connor pointed out, unless it’s packaged as part of the overall sport of
track and field. Horse people should think of their participation as being part
of the overall sport instead of just their individual discipline, he stressed.
“None of us is big enough to
play on the world stage by ourselves,” said O’Connor. He emphasized that there
is a desire among many Americans to interact with horses and it’s the
responsibility of horse people to reach out to them.
“We must take the horse to
the public instead of waiting for the public to come to us,” he said. “We need
to get horses onto the Internet, onto TV, and into the mainstream media.”
His message was a common
theme shared among the 30 speakers on the “Equine Economy in the 21st Century”
program, one of three programs offered during the
Speakers came from all
corners of the equestrian community and beyond, yet their messages had several
similarities.
“We have the theme of unity,
and the theme of inclusiveness for the 2010 World Games,” said John Nicholson,
executive director of the
Appealing to another part of consciousness
is the focus of branding executed by Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. “Your brand is
in everything you do,” said Craig Dado, vice president of marketing for the
racetrack. “You need to commit to it, and you need to control it. Our plan was
to make
One event that knows its
market and what works is the All-American Quarter Horse Congress, held annually
in
Denny Hales, executive vice
president of the Ohio Quarter Horse Association, said “the goal of the Congress
is to be the mutual fund of the stock market - we do a lot of different things
to appeal to lots of different people. There is evolution and constant change
in this industry, and we need to embrace that rather than resist it.”
David Osborne, who is a
member of the
Senate Bill 196 “gave teeth”
to the development of a trails system, which allows for the government to enter
into agreements with private land owners, and provides liability relief for
land owners.
Jerry Fruth, president of the
U.S. Equine Trails Coalition, is a former polo player and champion endurance
rider. “There’s a horse population of nine million in this country, and roughly
half of them are recreational horses, which includes trail riding, endurance,
and hunting. [A quarter] of the horses in the
“David’s bill will have
tremendous impact,” he said. “In a few years, this will be the best state in
the nation to trail ride. People will come here from all over the country, and
spend a boat load of money while they are here.”
Department of Agricultural Economics
2125 TAMU
(979) 845-3805
Equine Science News
Shoeing For Heel Pain
Lameness is a major cause of horses ending their athletic careers early. Pain
in the palmar area of the foot (the heel region) accounts for up to a third of
long term forelimb lameness in the horse. Advanced diagnostic imaging systems
techniques such as MRI and nuclear scintigraphy have shown that a number of
conditions can be responsible for palmar foot pain.
One cause is thought to be pressure exerted on the navicular bone by the
deep digital flexor tendon. This is made worse by the low heel conformation and
broken hoof pastern axis seen in many horses with the condition.
Therapeutic farriery is often used as part of the management of such cases.
Shoes are applied with the aim of reducing the tension in the deep flexor
tendon.
Two specific types of shoes are commonly used: the egg bar shoe and the
wedge shoe.
Egg Bar Shoe
The egg bar shoe moves the centre of weight-bearing back and so reduces the
tension in the deep digital flexor tendon. The wedge shoe is also believed to
reduce the tension in the deep digital flexor tendon.
Wedge Shoe
But do they actually help? What effect do the shoes have on the way the horse
uses the foot?
Dr. Chris Rogers of
Healthy horses with normal foot conformation were used for the study. All
feet were correctly trimmed and balanced before each shoe was applied. The
researchers compared the effect of egg bar shoes, 6° wedge shoes, and plain
shoes.
The pressures under the foot were measured using a pressure-sensitive plate
set into a rubber walkway. It comprised an array of 4000 sensors, each about
0.39cm2 (1/4-inch squares). As a foot was set down on the plate and
lifted up again, the change in pressure at each of the sensors was recorded. By
analysing the recordings, the researchers were able to build up a picture of
the change in pressures under the shoe. They could also look at specific areas
of interest, such as heels, to measure changes in loading as a result of
different shoes.
Compared with the plain shoe, the egg bar shoe produced lower peak pressure
at the heel and across the whole foot. The 6° wedge shoe produced greater
pressures at the outside heel, and hastened breakover (the time from the
unloading of the heel to the unloading of the toe).
However, as there are many causes of foot pain, a set therapeutic trimming
and shoeing regimen will not suit all cases. They recommend that the response
be reviewed regularly and changed as necessary.
For more details see:
The effect of plain, egg bar, and 6-degree wedge shoes on the distribution
of pressure under the hoof of horses at the walk.
CW
NZ Vet J (2007) 55, 120-124
© 2008 Equine Science Update
Reprinted with permission
Upcoming Events
Housewarming For Roger
& Jenni Dougan
Many of you will remember our reporting on the tragic fire last August
that completely destroyed the home of long-time HAT members Roger and Jenni
Dougan of
In celebration of the completion of their new home, there will be a
housewarming party held on Sunday, June 22nd, from 3:00 to 6:00pm.
Everyone is invited to come out and see the new house. Food and refreshments
will be available (BYOB). Jenni is registered at Wal-Mart, and the house is
decorated in Western and rustic décor.
Roger and Jenni’s address is
Every year, Texas A&M and other local 4-H Horsemanship Clinics are
always popular and fast-paced events, and this year there’s a clinic coming up
almost every week in June!
Starting on June 6-7, a Texas A&M clinic will be held in
The following week, on June 14-15, another Texas A&M clinic will be
held in
Finally, on June 26-28, the Midnight Mustangs 4-H Club in
These clinics are a great way to learn a lot of very valuable
information as well as skills and techniques that can be used with any horse.
Trainer’s
Corner
Ritter’s Magic
by Colleen Russo
submitted by Jennifer Jones,
The sun shone brilliantly across the roof of Celina’s
By some strange magic it seems, Ritter transformed
several horse and rider pairs throughout the warm Saturday. His hands-on method
offered guidance ranging from the technicalities of the perfect half pass to
the exactness of the shoulder-in and leg yield. With Jennifer Jones-Cavness,
Legacy’s resident dressage instructor, on Gauke, a stunning Friesian gelding,
Ritter shared wisdom on how to improve the piaffe, a cadenced trot executed by
the horse in slow motion. For any trainer, teaching this would be a difficult
task, but Ritter seems to have a way of making the most complex movements sound
utterly simple. He breaks each movement down in such a manner that the rider
can concentrate on one portion of his body and the horse’s body at a time. He
emphasizes that a rider must hold themselves upright with the employment of calves,
knees, and abs; otherwise it is unreasonable to expect the horse to do the
same. When working with a nervous or confused horse he said, “spend more time
explaining and less time demanding,” that is, a rider only puzzles the horse
further if the horse does not understand what is asked of him. He continued to
explain that when trying to make a horse move a certain direction, the rider
should adjust his body weight and then apply calf pressure to push the horse
towards that weight, otherwise the rider is contradicting himself. By the end
of this grueling ride, both Cavness and Gauke were exhausted; and needless to
say, with good reason!
As I watched Sherry Kneipper struggle with her
handsome Thoroughbred, Truman, I learned several things from Ritter’s teaching.
Foremost, he explained to Kneipper, “If you have a stiff horse, give them a reason
not to be stiff. Supple the horse; make things more comfortable.” To fix
problems with stiffness, first discover the root of the problem. Find out
whether the tenseness is coming from the pole or haunches. Truman, noticeably
unhappy about working on his conformation, began to fuss, but he soon found
out: the longer he fussed, the longer he would have to work. Ritter, however;
was not unsympathetic to the horse’s plight. He understands when something is
physically challenging to a horse, but the animal should at least put forth an
obvious effort. With Truman, working on the same circle became
tedious; so Ritter continually moved him to different areas of the arena.
“Change is a reward for a horse,” he said, “if they’re struggling, try moving
them around as much as possible.” Employing her natural skill and the tools
Ritter offered, Kneipper achieved the perfect frame; creating, and most of all
maintaining the perfect head carriage. Ritter explained to Kneipper that a
horse should always be this submissive; so much so that the rider can do
whatever he wants: bend left, bend right, so on and so forth. Perhaps most
impressive in this lesson was the way Ritter explained things down to the most
minute detail. At the same time, Kneipper impressed her audience by having
patience and taking Ritter’s advice to heart; making positive adjustments in
her riding.
Widely known trainer and instructor in natural
horsemanship, Jack Lieser, along with his adorable Trakehner / Belgian /
Quarter Horse, Bounce, partook in a lesson with Dr. Ritter next. Almost
immediately, Ritter took notice of Bounce’s natural ability in lateral
movement. Lieser simply needed guidance in putting the horse’s haunches in the
correct position. On a twenty-meter circle, Lieser learned to adjust the
alignment of his body and therefore his horse’s body by moving his inside leg
slightly forward and his outside leg slightly back; thus moving the haunches in
on the circle and eliminating the problem. The same practice can be applied to
push the haunches out, only vice-versa. If a horse changes his body position,
the rider should look for a change in their own body first. While his lateral
movements were strong, Bounce and Lieser struggled to ride on a perfectly
straight line. Ritter compared the way Bounce would trot on a straight line to
the way a drunk man walks. Often times, as Ritter says, “The hardest thing is
to ride a straight line, no frills.” By controlling Bounce’s speed and
utilizing the lesson he learned on the twenty-meter circle, Lieser made riding
a straight line look as easy as it sounds.
Listening to Ritter is a lesson in itself. Everything
he says seems to carry a message with regard to classical horsemanship. During
one lesson, he shared words that I found particularly relevant, “All horses
tell you how they want to be ridden, it’s just how you decipher the message and
utilize what you know that counts.” The ultimate rider listens to their horse
all the time, reacting to everything the horse is telling them. Ritter believes
the most talented dressage rider should be one step ahead of his horse,
responding to the horse as things happen. An individual could be an
Olympic-level rider, but if they fail to listen to the horse’s subtle, or not
so subtle signals, all is lost. No matter the level of talent a rider has, it
will always be necessary to perfect, tweak, and adjust skills acquired in the
past. Ritter encourages his students to spend at least a portion of their
riding time on “research.” He tells them to look for the horse’s strengths and
weaknesses. Then, compile the gathered “research” in a “database” and create an
aids sequence designed to solve the problem. A rider may go through this
process numerous times. Ritter says, “Figure out what works and figure out what
doesn’t. As you practice, take note of everything, and you will make progress
that way, creating a sort of training program.” Ritter likens resolving issues
in riding dressage to taking medicine for an illness, “Once you recover from an
illness, you stop taking your medication. The same goes for dressage: once you
improve upon something, move on to something else so that you don’t overdo it.
If the issue recurs, try to correct it again, perhaps by using a different
technique; just as a sick person would take medication again if their illness
relapsed.”
Dr. Ritter understands the pure nature of horses in a
way that most people can not. His presence demands respect from horses, but at
the same time calms and reassures them. This is a gift riders everywhere surely
envy and can only attempt to emulate. Ritter’s greatest asset as a trainer and
instructor is his unwavering patience. He knows that to properly develop the
abilities of a dressage horse it takes time and positive feedback combined with
a can-do attitude. He seeks only to perfect the natural gait of the horse.
Sitting in the arena’s stands, Ritter’s small audience watched as the master
gently cooed this nervous mare or that skittish gelding. They immediately
calmed at the tone of his voice and touch of his hand. As Ritter explained to
one rider, “when a horse resists, wait, don’t push, allow the horse to take a
breath; talk to them.”
Ritter speaks the silent language of the horse; a
language felt, not necessarily heard, between horse and rider. This unique
ability is likely the foundation for Ritter’s long time success as a trainer
and instructor, and the very reason riders readily welcomed Dr. Thomas Ritter
to
Extension
Service News
by Eddie Baggs,
CEA-Agriculture
Animal Mortality Management
I
receive numerous calls every year concerning large animal carcass disposal.
Most of these calls come from the neighbors or a passerby that see exposed
decaying animal carcasses out in the open. This type of disposal can cause
environmental and health issues, this is why carcass disposal should be planned
in advance and in compliance with state rules and regulations.
The
The
owner or operator of the farm/ranch is responsible for carcass disposal in a
timely and sanitary manner. Under title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code
(TAC) this means that there can be no discharge or imminent threat of discharge
of decaying matter to waters of the state. There can be no creation or
maintenance of a nuisance and there can be no endangerment of public health and
welfare.
Disposal
options include on site burial, composting or sending the carcass to a
municipal solid waste landfill, rendering plant or commercial waste
incinerator. TCEQ rules allow animals to be burned when burning is the most
effective means to control the spread of a communicable disease. Be aware that
some diseases must be reported to the TAHC prior to disposal of the animal. If
you decide to bury the animal, the
burial site should not be located in an area with a high water table or with
very permeable soils. Setbacks by the TCEQ for burial are suggested at least
300 feet from the nearest drinking water well or creek, stream, pond, lake,
river and not in a flood plain and at least 200 feet from adjacent property
lines.
Common
sense should be used when disposing of dead animals and should always be done
in a manner that protects public health and safety, does not create a nuisance,
prevents the spread of disease, and prevents adverse affects on water quality.
The information given herein is for educational
purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with
understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by AgriLife
Extension is implied.
Educational programs conducted by the
A Bit of Humor
Horse
Jokes For Kids
Q: Why did the
boy stand behind the horse?
A: He thought he might get a
kick out of it!
Q: What is the difference
between a horse and a duck?
A: One goes quick and the
other goes quack!
Q: How do you lead a horse to
water?
A: With lots of carrots.
Q: What disease do horses
fear most?
A: Hay Fever!
Q: Why can’t horses dance?
A: Because they have 2 left
feet.
Q: When do vampires like
horse racing?
A: When it’s neck and neck.
Q: What does it mean if you
find a horse shoe?
A: Some poor horse is walking
around in his socks.
Q: A man rode into town on June
3rd, stayed a week, and rode out on June 3rd. How is this possible?
A: His horse’s name was June
3rd.
Q: How long should a horse’s
legs be?
A: Long enough to reach the
ground.
Q: What do you call pony with
a sore throat?
A: A little hoarse.
Q: What part of the horse has
the most hair?
A: The outside!
Q: What do you give a sick
horse?
A: Cough stirrup.
Q: What's a horse’s favorite
sport?
A: Stable Tennis
Q: Why did the horse take a
flake of hay to bed?
A: To feed his nightmares!
Q: What breeds of horses can
jump higher than a house?
A: All breeds. Houses don’t
jump.
Ask The Vet
by Dr. Katie Hayes, DVM
Fly Control
Solitude
Solitude is a new feed
through fly product that has been out on the market for horses for 1 year and has
been very effective. It is used on the 6666 Ranch where it is fed to all the
horses including pregnant mares, foals, and breeding stallions. It is very
safe. It is approved by the EPA and is used on celery crops for human
consumption. It is fed once per day on the feed and the drug is passed out in
the horse’s manure. When the fly lays its eggs on the manure, the larvae cannot
develop into flies because the product prevents the development of their
exoskeletons. So there are no new flies hatching! It takes a month for the old
flies to die off so in one month you will see a significant reduction in the
numbers of flies and no tail swishing and foot stomping by your horses.
Before starting solitude you
need to remove any manure piles because they do not have the Solitude product
in them and to be more effective pick up the manure out of the paddocks. Once
you start the Solitude the manure droppings will have the drug in them and
flies cannot hatch from them. The dose is ½ ounce (1 scoop) of the alfalfa based
product per each horse per day regardless of weight to get the dose of drug in
the manure of the horse. The cost is $12.50 per horse per month or 41 cents a
day. 1 pound will last 1 horse 1 month. The 20 lb bucket of Solitude is $250
which would treat 20 horses for 1 month or 10 horses for 2 months. This product
should be started now at the beginning of fly season and fed through November
(6 months) for effective no fly zone fly control. You can buy the product from
us or we can have it shipped to you. We have coupons for $5 & $20 rebates.
Fly Predators
Natural fly predators target
the pupa killing the immature flies before they hatch. Release 1000/ per animal
every 3-4 weeks. The company sends you boxes of fly predators to release. For
brochures and information:
Spalding Labs (866) 228-1209,
vet@spalding-labs.com
Fly Repellant Drops
Repellant products include
sprays and drops. For horses that receive daily hands on grooming and washing,
fly sprays are more effective. For horses out in the pasture, the fly drops are
the best where their residual repellant action can give some comfort and peace
to the horse. The fly drops are applied to the poll, withers, croup and back of
each leg. The drops are to be applied every two weeks. The product “War Paint”
is a roll on paste and can be applied once a week. We sell the drops for $10
for a package of 3, which is good for 6 weeks.
Tail Itch
The tail itch insects are
back. The culicoides gnat and No-See-Ums
that bite the horse’s mane and top of the tail, makes the horse itch his tail.
Time to start prevention now before the tail is rubbed out. Calm Coat &
Camphofenique, Swat, or Skin-So-Soft applied am & pm on the top of the tail
and mane as a gnat repellant. We also can give the horse a shot of Cortisone to
stop the itch and tail rubbing
Horseflies
Horseflies inflict painful
bites that bleed on the horse and can drive them crazy. They are difficult to
control because they breed in woods, marshes and around ponds and can fly for
miles for a blood meal. The permethrin based insecticide and repellent sprays
and fly drops help a little but don’t last but a day or two. The light colored
fly sheets seem to help prevent the horsefly from biting through the material.
Provide deep shady run in shelters for pastured horses to escape flies
Black Flies
Black flies (simulium or
buffalo gnats) bite the ears causing bleeding and scabbing. They breed near
streams or ponds. Control is by fly face masks that cover the ears. Also baby
oil, skin so soft oil, or petroleum jelly applied to the inside of the ears.
Recipe of the Month
Grilled Southwestern Style Cheeseburgers Servings: 4
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1 lb |
lean ground beef |
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1/2 cup |
barbecue sauce |
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1 can |
(4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, drained |
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4 slices |
Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers |
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4 |
hamburger buns, split |
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Heat coals or set gas grill for medium direct heat.
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Mix ground beef, barbecue sauce, and chiles. Form into four patties,
each about 1 inch thick.
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Grill patties covered about 4-6 inches from medium coals for 10-12
minutes, turning once, until meat is no longer pink in the center. About 1
minute before burgers are done, top each with a slice of cheese and continue to
grill until cheese is melted. Serve on buns.
Variations:
Ground turkey or chicken may be substituted for the ground beef. Increase
grilling time to 14-16 minutes.