GET
Equine
HEADSHAKING SYNDROME
SIDE
WAYS! Learn lateral work
EMOTIONAL
FREEDOM
HEAT
TECHNIQUE for horses
& COLD
EQUINE LONGEVITY
8
THERAPY
STEPS TO A LONG & ACTIVE LIFE
Which should you use and when?
holiday
TASTY
Horse
AGILITY
TREATS
HOOF BRUISES DISPLAY UNTIL JANUARY 28, 2014 VOLUME 9 ISSUE 6
$5.95 USA/Canada
December 2014/January 2015
Gentle THE
BARN
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Contents 32
59 FEATURES 10 GIVE YOUR HEAD A
26 FLAVORS TO SHAKE Equine Headshaking Syndrome CELEBRATE THE SEASON
can be extremely painful and debilitating. Here are some things you should know, and how to help your horse.
These tasty holiday treats will be a big hit around the barn, and the best part is they’re good for your horse!
42 EFT FOR HORSES
The Emotional Freedom Technique can help you and your horse release your old stories and resolve physical and behavioral challenges.
14 HEAT AND COLD
30 HOOF BRUISES It can look 45 BREATHE EASY Answers for THERAPY They’re the“go-tos” for soft alarming, but may not be a reason to worry. winter respiratory health.
tissue injuries. Find out which you should use, and when.
16 GET SIDEWAYS!
How to learn lateral work without tying yourself in knots.
32 THE GENTLE BARN How a
little girl’s dream to help animals developed into one of the largest rescue organizations for farm animals in North America.
20 HORSE AGILITY
This fun new 39 NATURAL SOLUTIONS sport challenges and benefits horse-human FOR SCRATCHES AND RAIN ROT When it comes to these two nasty partnerships of all ages and abilities! conditions, prevention is better than the cure!
22 ARTHRITIS: A HOLISTIC APPROACH – PART 2 Integrative options for preventing and treating this common condition.
25 PROBIOTICS 101 Keep your horse’s GI tract in balance with these probiotic basics.
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48 GETTING DOWN TO
BUSINESS Equestrian businesses are notorious for financial and accounting struggles. Here’s how to get yourself, and your finances, back on track.
52 IT’S PLAYTIME!
Did you know that toys can help promote herd play, assist with proper digestion and eating behaviors, and bring fun to your training?
53 INFRARED, NEAR OR FAR Near or far, infrared can bring wonderful benefits to your horse!
54 LONGEVITY AND YOUR EQUINE ATHLETE
Top 8 ways to help him enjoy a long and active life.
22 42 COLUMNS 8 Neighborhood news
DEPARTMENTS 6 Editorial
36 Holistic veterinary Q&A
29 Special advertising feature
40 To the rescue
35 Product picks
50 Herb blurb
46 Equine Wellness resource guide
59 Homeopathic column
51 Heads up
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57 Book review 58 Social media corner 60 Marketplace 61 Classifieds 62 Events
48 Equine Wellness
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a holistic approach – part 2
Integrative options for preventing and treating this common condition. By Jennifer Miller, DVM, CVSMT, CVA
We’ve
all heard the saying, “It is often easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.” While this might be true in some areas of life, joint health is not one of them. Striving to prevent arthritis in our horses should be the main goal. In Part 1 of this series (Oct-Nov 2014), we looked at some of the causes of arthritis and how it’s diagnosed. This time, we will cover preventative strategies and treatments.
EARLY PREVENTION Given their druthers, most horses would probably rather spend their days in the field eating grass than working for us. Therefore, it is our responsibility as owners and riders to make sure they are prepared for the tasks we ask them to do. Many horses, especially those destined for future competitions, are started and asked to compete at high levels years before they are mature. The level of stress and repetitive motion applied to their young joints can set them up for osteoarthritis as they age. In many countries, young horses are started under saddle and then turned back out into pasture for a year to mature and grow before really being started in a work program. Starting 22
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horses gently, then slowly increasing the amount of work they are asked to do, in accordance with their individual stages of maturity, will go a long way in preventing future joint disease.
FIVE TIPS FOR MAINTAINING SOUNDNESS When a horse is mature and in a steady work program, there are many things we as owners can do to help them stay sound. Here are the most important:
1
One of the biggest issues facing many horses today is their weight. As opposed to working equines of old, horses today are often overfed for the amount of work they are asked to do. Extra weight adds extra stress and strain to joints. I prefer to be able to easily palpate a horse’s ribs. Keeping your horse free of extra weight will reduce wear and tear on joints.
2
We must all strive to ride our horses in the most biomechanically correct way we are able. Horses are masters at not using their bodies in the healthiest ways when being ridden. Poor posture in people can lead to chronic back pain, and the same is true of horses. Back pain can then lead to undue stress on joints.
We must also evaluate our riding programs. Remember from the last article that consistent, repetitive motion is an insidious cause of arthritis. Our horses need to have their workouts varied. Circle after circle is not healthy. There should be some “cross-training” out and about on trails and in fields. The variation in footing between the indoor arena and outdoor areas will allow the joints to flex and extend in their full range of motion, keeping them healthy. It is our responsibility as owners and riders to make sure our riding does not contribute to undue joint stress.
3 4
Improper hoof care is a huge cause of joint instability and stress. The hoof is the only part of the horse that impacts the ground. It is the weight bearer and part of the shock absorber. Hoof care is beyond the scope of this article, but please work with a qualified hoof professional and your veterinarian to make sure your horse’s hooves are as healthy as possible.
PSGAGs and HAs
Two classes of injectable drugs are used systemically for both acute synovitis and osteoarthritis. Legend is an intravenouslyadministered hyaluronic acid. Adequan is an intramuscularly-administered polysulfated glucosaminioglycan. Pentosan is another PSGAG that is not yet approved by the FDA in the US. To simplify – hyaluronic acids are used more for synoviocyte health, while PSGAGs are used for cartilage health. Both HA and PSGAGs are available in oral form from a number of supplement companies. While there is no definitive research saying they help or don’t, it is my experience that many horses benefit from oral supplementation of these compounds, especially when the diet is adjusted.
Whole body inflammation contributes to joint inflammation. Inflammation not only causes pain, but inflammatory chemicals in the joints contribute to joint damage. Many times, inflammation begins in the gastrointestinal tract. While this may seem surprising, we are what we eat. Unless your horse is an upper level athlete, working at maximum capacity every day, he likely doesn’t need supplemental carbohydrates from grains. Continued on page 24.
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