How to recognize and prevent
CHOKE What to do if
COLIC STRIKES FEEDING THE GUT
Microbiome Saddle Placement:
EQUINE EDUCATION
The best courses for horse lovers
6
WAYS TO
stay calm amid life changes
is your horse in pain?
GAIT ABNORMALITIES Tips for developing your eye
VISUALIZATION exercises for riders VOLUME 13 ISSUE 1
DISPLAY UNTIL MARCH 26, 2018
HABITAT FOR
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FEATURES 10 COLIC PREVENTION
Colic is a scary situation. But there are ways to prevent it, and things you can do for your horse to make him comfortable while the situation is resolved.
14 LAMENESS IN YOUR EQUINE PARTNER When it comes to lameness in your horse, you need to know what to watch out for. Here are some tips to help develop your eye.
18 SIX WAYS FOR RIDERS
TO STAY CALM AMID LIFE CHANGES Life changes can upset
your balance and impact your ability to work effectively with your horses. But there are ways to maintain your calm and regain your stability, so you can continue riding at your personal best.
22 SADDLE PLACEMENT
– IS MY HORSE IN PAIN?
Correct saddle fit will make your horse happier and more comfortable, and may even help resolve some of those unwanted “cranky” behaviors!
4
24 FEEDING YOUR HORSE’S 38 TREELESS SADDLES
GUT MICROBIOME Keeping the equine microbiome healthy involves feeding an appropriate diet and, when necessary, adding a supplement that offers a variety of active prebiotic ingredients.
Treeless saddles offer a lot of advantages, but they don’t work for every horse or rider. Find out whether or not you should consider investing in one.
26 HABITAT FOR HORSES
Contrary to the name, choke does not refer to an obstruction in the trachea. It’s important to know the clinical signs of this condition, and what to do if it happens to your horse.
This one-of-a-kind horse rescue works with law enforcement to help equines who need it most – from those who are abused or neglected, to those caught up in the wake of disastrous hurricanes.
30 EQUINE NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS: HOW THEY’RE REGULATED While
supplements bring many benefits to our horses, we also need to ensure we can trust the products we’re using. This article explores the regulatory process in the U.S. and Canada, and what horse caretakers need to know.
34 VISUALIZATION
EXERCISES FOR RIDERS
How mental imagery can assist you in becoming a better and more relaxed rider.
44 CHOKE IN HORSES
48 ALTERNATIVES AND ADDITIONS TO YOUR HORSE’S FORAGE
Forage is a staple in every horse’s diet and the best sources are natural grasses and hay. You can turn to several alternatives if natural forage is in short supply, but it’s important to be aware of their pros and cons.
52 EQUINE EDUCATION FOR HORSE LOVERS
Horses need you! Learn how to be there for them – and make a career for yourself – by taking advantage of educational opportunities at a school, or from the comfort of your home.
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14 COLUMNS
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8 Neighborhood news
6 Editorial
33 Acupressure at-a-glance
21 Product picks
41 Dressage naturally
42 Equine Wellness resource guide
46 Green acres
57 Heads up
56 Minute horsemanship
58 Events
62 Herb blurb
59 Classifieds 60 Marketplace
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Photo courtesy of Cheryl Moore©
COLIC PREVENTION By Dan Moore, DVM
C
olic is, to say the least, a scary situation – and possibly a horseperson’s worst nightmare! Time is always limited for getting a handle on the problem before it’s critical and lifethreatening. There are many causes of colic. But there are also ways you can potentially avoid it, and things you can do for your horse to give him more comfort while the situation is hopefully resolved.
SYMPTOMS OF COLIC The clinical signs of colic can differ depending on what is causing the pain. They can vary from “he just doesn’t look right” and a sort of glassy stare, to lying down and rolling from one side 10
to the other, rolling over and over, getting up, lying down and rolling again. This can lead to a twisting of the gut (see sidebar on page 12). Biting and/or kicking at the belly are also common. Fortunately, it is generally obvious that the horse is hurting, so action can be taken. Bottom line – a horse with colic just can’t get comfortable – no matter what!
WHAT CAN CAUSE COLIC? Too much feed at one time, whether hay or grain, can cause either gas or impaction. Changing quickly from one type of grain or hay to another can also lead to colic. Having too little water available is another culprit. Another common but oftenoverlooked cause is allowing a horse that is hot from exertion
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to drink too much water, or to feed him too soon. Horses should always be cooled after riding or any other manner of work, before they’re watered or fed. Finally, parasites, especially round worms (ascarids) in young horses, can cause impaction by physically blocking the gut, not to mention all the other damage they can do as they migrate through various parts of the body. Fecal exams should be performed on a regular basis and deworming done based on results, not just a calendar rotation. (Editor’s note: Dr. Moore was ahead of the curve when he wrote about deworming from fecal exam results for Equine Wellness way back in March/April 2009, well before it became the commonly advocated practice it is today. Read about it here: equinewellnessmagazine.com/fecal-tests.) Continued on page 12.
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR COLIC
It’s difficult for me to discuss any health issue without a mention of a few homeopathic remedies, and colic is no exception. An overload or excess of anything can often be helped with a remedy called Nux vomica. It is my firstresponse favorite remedy for anything gut-related, and is great at what I call “energetically detoxing” as well as for other health situations, such as post-anesthesia. (It’s also especially good for people who have eaten or drunk too much!) Most homeopathic remedies are available as liquids, but I prefer the little BB-sized pellets packaged in lipsticksized tubes. Most health food stores and some big grocery chains carry them. Potencies of 30c or 30x are generally used by most people, unless they are trained otherwise. I am totally convinced that homeopathic remedies can never hurt and only help, in any case. We never leave home without our remedy box and there is always one at the barn. Another remedy to consider is Colocynthis, should the Nux not give comfort. It is especially helpful for cramps that could be characterized by kicking, rolling and looking or biting at the belly. Another is Colchicum, especially if neither of the previous remedies help. I usually give Nux a few times every ten minutes or so. I follow with Colocynthis and Colchicum, rotating each at ten-minute intervals. I also try to prevent rolling by walking the horse. This process often helps take his mind off the pain and gets the gut moving. Allow me to stress, however, that your local veterinarian should be called immediately when colic is suspected. You never know, at the onset, how severe the colic might be. I have never seen any of the above remedies interfere with the horse’s treatments – but as much as it bothers me, most veterinarians still think we are crazy using them. If your horse is better before the vet gets there though, you shouldn’t be surprised!
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