5
FUN
THINGS
TO DO WITH YOUR HORSE THIS WINTER
TIPS TO PROTECT HER
RESPIRATORY HEALTH WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
BAREBACK RIDING HOW TO PLAN YOUR HORSE’S
WINTER DIET VOLUME 13 ISSUE 6
Display until January 28, 2019
$5.95 USA/Canada
December 2018/January 2019
THE ULTIMATE
HOLIDAY
GIFT GUIDE ADVICE ON
WARMING UP & COOLING DOWN
FIRST AID
HOW TO BUILD A KIT FOR YOUR BARN & TRAILER
INSIDE: HOLIDAY HEMP TREAT RECIPE
THE
THOROUGHBRED
MAKEOVER
OVER 400 RETIRED RACEHORSES DEMONSTRATE THEIR TALENTS OFF-TRACK
EquineWellnessMagazine.com
Conte 32 38 FEATURES 10 LEARNING TO SPEAK YOUR HORSE’S LANGUAGE – A GUIDE TO BETTER COMMUNICATION
When clarity and compassion replace fear and frustration, you will achieve better communication – and a deeper bond – with your horse.
12 PLANNING YOUR HORSE’S WINTER DIET It’s time to think about
your horse’s dietary needs for the winter months. Here are a few tips to ensure he gets the nutrients he requires.
28 5 FUN THINGS TO DO
related activities to enjoy this holiday season!
KEEPER If your horse is a hard keeper, he’ll likely require special attention during the winter months. These tips will help keep him healthy.
32 THE THOROUGHBRED
58 BACK TO BASICS – A
MAKEOVER
This popular event helps transition retired horses into second careers – and in some cases, find them forever homes.
38 HOLIDAY HEMP TREAT
18 PROTECTING YOUR
RECIPE These delicious holiday hemp treats are healthy, easy to make, and your equine family member will love them.
during the winter, be sure to take steps to protect her respiratory health.
42 14 FIRST AID KIT ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR EQUINE Horses are notorious for
HORSE’S RESPIRATORY HEALTH If your horse is staying indoors
22 BAREBACK RIDING – IT’S ALL ABOUT BALANCE
Going for a bareback ride is a great way to improve your riding skills. But before you mount up, make sure you know how to do so safely.
throwing us curve balls. Having a wellstocked first aid kit can make all the difference in an emergency.
45 UNDERSTANDING
MYOFASCIAL RELEASE FOR HORSES Myofascial release is gaining
traction as an integral part of equine healthcare. Learn about fascia and its role in protecting your horse’s body. 4
Equine Wellness
52 FEEDING THE HARD
WITH YOUR HORSE THIS WINTER Here’s a flurry of horse-
GUIDE TO WARMING UP AND COOLING DOWN
Warming up and cooling down should be an integral part of your horse’s training routine, especially during the winter.
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28 COLUMNS
DEPARTMENTS
8 Neighborhood news
6 Editorial
16 Herb blurb
27 Product picks
26 Green acres
36 Holiday gift guide
48 Acupressure at-a-glance
41 Business profile: Omega Alpha
50 Saddle fit
51 Heads up
56 Equine chakras
57 Equine Wellness resource guide
62 To the rescue
63 Events
66 Rider fitness
64 Marketplace 65 Classifieds
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Equine Wellness
RESPIRATORY HEALTH
Protecting your horse’s
W
E HUMANS TEND TO STAY INDOORS DURING THE WINTER. IF YOUR HORSE IS DOING THE SAME, BE SURE TO TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT HER RESPIRATORY HEALTH. By Wendy Pearson, PhD While I am admittedly not a winter person, I have spent many years watching horses enjoying wintery weather. It seems there are some perks to being a horse in winter – you get to grow your own warm coat, your feet don’t seem to get cold, and your humans put you in a nice cozy stall with windows and doors between you and the grim weather. Unfortunately, it’s the inclination to stall our horses, however well-intentioned, that contributes to the abrupt increase in equine respiratory problems in winter.
HEAVES CAN RESULT FROM POOR AIR QUALITY Poor air quality inside barns can arise from increased levels of ammonia, dust and mold, as well as reduced ventilation. Not surprisingly, this can result in the onset of clinical upper and lower respiratory problems. Horses with “heaves”, for instance, may show no symptoms in the summer, but become very symptomatic once the cold weather hits and they’re confined to a stable. Also known as Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), heaves is the most common respiratory disease in horses. It is thought to be caused mainly by an allergy to dust and mold, and unfortunately, there is no cure. Once heaves is established, the best we can hope for is to control the clinical signs, which include increased respiratory rate, wheezing, coughing, nasal discharge, and reduced exercise tolerance. Heaves can become very severe in some horses, causing them to visibly struggle to get sufficient airflow – a symptom that is typically exacerbated by an indoor environment. It can also make horses vulnerable to secondary respiratory infections, which further contribute to compromised lung function. Continued on page 20 Equine Wellness
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