Check Out Our New And Improved Website: www.theequinereport.com Therapeutic Riding...................................20 4-H..............................................................22 Cattle Producers of Louisiana...............................................36
Q & A with Dr. Ty Theriot of B-Line Equine by Barbara Newtown
Ty Theriot, DVM, graduated this May from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine and right away joined Dr. Brendt Bonura’s mobile practice, B-Line Equine Veterinary Services. B-Line, located in Sunset, Louisiana, serves the Acadiana region of the state, from northwest of Opelousas to southeast of Lafayette.
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Tell me about your background with large animals. My parents have four acres in Carencro. When I was growing up, we had cows, horses, and pigs. I participated in the 4-H livestock shows.
Q & A with Dr. Ty Theriot of B-Line Equine............................... Cover The Last Month.................................. Cover
My parents didn’t rodeo, but they had horse experience. We had an arena, and friends would come over after school to practice. We didn’t raise cattle for market, until about four years ago. Before then, we conditioned roping calves, used them for practice, and then sold them to other ropers. Continued on page 32...
Lameness And Joint Medications.............5 Equine Insulin Resistance.........................6 Oil Helps Things Run Smoother by Dr. Kelly Hudspeth .............................13 10 Signs Your Horse Needs a Dental Exam...........................................13 Fall Vaccines For Your Horse..................16 Gastric (Stomach) Ulcers: A Pain in the Gut!......................................18
The Last Month
This is it. I’m not going to say that our last month of work was pretty. I got too intent on getting canter departs and contact, and I messed up both. Essentially what happened was I got so focused that I started forcing contact from my hands rather than allowing it to happen because I had a good seat. I’m not saying that we didn’t get results: we did. And I think mixed somewhere in that mess was some stuff that we both needed to learn, although I can’t put my finger on what that might be. But whatever it was, it was painful for Champagne, and it was unpleasant for me.
Other Worm Control Practices for Horses by Dr. John Byrd..........................50
Once again, our saving grace was my trainer Amanda, who let me reach the peak of frustration, then after a few days off, put me back on the lunge line and schooled me. Half an hour later, the source of the problem was clear, and guess what? It had nothing to do with Champagne. It had everything to do with me. So she talked me through a solution, and low and behold, we’re now getting beautiful, exquisitely soft gaits and transitions. Our contact isn’t perfect or necessarily consistent, but every day it gets better as Champagne gets stronger and more limber. Today when we rode, he felt sooooo good: the kind of ride that makes you want to cry. It was that magical. We’re still not perfect, but in my opinion, we are exactly where we need to be. And honestly, I am thrilled.
LSU Equine Hospital Renovates Horse Surgery Recovery Stall..................51
We have about two weeks left to set up a mock dressage ring and work on the finer points of corners and circles and so on, and that is actually exactly what I was hoping for. Continued on page 14...
Horsemen’s Laboratory............................34 Six Problems that can be due to worms (Part Two)..........................35
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2 The Louisiana Equine Report • November | December 2017
The Louisiana Equine Report • November | December 2017
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4 The Louisiana Equine Report • November | December 2017
Lameness and Joint Medications
By Benjamin Espy, DVM, DACT and Justin Harper, DVM, MS, DACVS, LA General Information As horse owners, you have been bombarded with numerous articles and advertisements that deal with the prevention and treatment of joint disease in horses. Although joint therapy has been primarily targeted at Thoroughbred and Quarter horses, there are even miniature horses that deal with the same sorts of problems. Breeding stallions and driving horses are especially prone to joint soreness. Traumatic joint disease in horses includes synovitis (inflammation of the fluidproducing membrane), capsulitis (inflammation of the fibrous joint capsule), articular cartilage and bone fragmentation, ligamentous tearing, and eventually osteoarthritis. In many cases, the disease process primarily involves soft tissue overuse and microtrauma to the bone surfaces, and therefore can be challenging to diagnose without diagnostic anesthesia. In addition to localizing pain to a certain joint with aide of diagnostic anesthesia, radiographs, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques and diagnostic arthroscopy have all be used to confirm causes of joint lameness. Trusting your veterinarian to decide when joint injections may be beneficial for your horse is prudent. There is no “gold standard” for the diagnoses of preliminary joint disease in the horse as radiographic changes are usually indicative of irreparable harm. Aggressive treatment in joint disease is indicated to decrease immediately soft tissue swelling and inflammation as well as to postpone the onset of permanent osteoarthritic changes. There is inherent difficulty in identifying joint pathology by any other means than subjective examination and lameness or “shortness of stride” reports from trainers. The goal of any systemic or intraarticular (medications put directly into the joint) therapy is to stop problems before they occur rather than wait for abnormal radiographs and then start aggressive therapy. Inflammatory and degradative enzymes that destroy normal joint environments can be altered by use of hyaluronic acid (HA) and corticosteroids injected into the joint. The combination of the two has been scientifically proven to have a more thorough and lasting effect than HA alone or corticosteroids alone. Select corticosteroids have been evaluated in the equine research model proving their efficacy and have shown certain corticosteroids to be protective to the joint environment, while others have been shown to the degradative or damaging to the joint. Medications introduced into joints by human physicians that specialize in sports medicine are becoming more commonplace. Previous generalizations and perpetuation of myths about damage to joint environments caused by corticosteroids are primarily unfounded. Typically, when there is mild soreness (joint capsulitis or synovitis) in a joint, and joint therapy is instituted 2 to 3 times per year, the environment inside the joint becomes more hospitable to cartilage, not destructive. Damage may occur from excess corticosteroid injections or when there is cartilage fragmentation and bone alterations in a joint , usually associated with lameness. This is why your veterinarian may require a radiograph before instituting joint therapy. Continued on page 46...
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Equine Insulin Resistance By Neely Walker, PhD.
Feeding your horse is one of the most important factors in maintaining its overall health and performance. When horses digest feed, carbohydrates produce glucose (sugar), which becomes the horse’s main source of energy. Once the body recognizes the increase in available glucose, insulin is produced to regulate the glucose concentration and use throughout the body. Insulin resistance (IR) occurs when the body is no longer sensitive to the actions of insulin. Therefore, a horse that is insulin resistant will require higher quantities of insulin to properly utilize the available glucose from digested feed. The cause of Insulin Resistance in horses is not fully understood and it is likely that multiple factors contribute to this condition including diet, obesity, age, activity level, and genetics. Modern feeding programs usually include high sugar/starch which causes an increase in glucose and the amount of insulin required to regulate it. Research has shown that horses that are fed a high sugar/ starch diet, compared to horses that are fed a high fiber/fat diet, were more likely to develop insulin resistance. Obese horses are more likely to become insulin resistant; however, even lean horses that can be classified as “easy keepers” can also develop this disorder. Horses over the age of 20 are prone to developing endocrine dysfunction and as a result also develop IR. The level of activity your horse has also plays a role in Insulin resistance development. Regular exercise will utilize the excess glucose, thus causing a reduction of insulin; therefore, active horses have a reduced chance of developing IR. Horses that are Insulin Resistant often have a body condition score of 6 or higher with irregular fat deposits, can be described as “easy keepers,” and may have bouts of unexplained sore hooves and laminitis. If you suspect your horse may be insulin resistant, it is important that you have your veterinarian diagnose it as soon as possible. If untreated, insulin resistance can lead to decreased pancreatic function and can potentially cause the development of type II diabetes. It is important to note that management practices utilized in the first 10 years of a horses’ life can predispose it to becoming insulin resistant. Prevention is always preferred. The following management techniques can help you treat and prevent insulin resistance.
“Hombre a Caballo” by Botero
• Avoid obesity (body condition score of 7 or higher) by adjusting your feeding protocol. • Limit grazing, especially in the spring and fall when cool grasses contain the most sugar. • Limit concentrates and feed grain high in sugar and starch (i.e. NO MOLASSAS); use only if needed. • Provide exercise and turn out time for your horse. Turn out should be done in a dry lot or an arena to reduce the chance of consuming high starch grasses. • Maintain adequate hoof care to help reduce future laminitis. • Ensure a proper diet that is specific to your horse. Many IR horses that are fed a restricted diet do not get all of the required nutrients. Work with your veterinarian or a nutritional consultant to determine if additional supplements are needed. Insulin resistance in horses can create a management challenge for owners and decrease overall performance. If you suspect your horse may be suffering with IR contact your veterinarian immediately. Maintaining a healthy balance between diet and exercise can help prevent insulin resistance in your horse. References: 1. Frank, N. 2006. Insulin Resistance in Horses. Endocrinology. Vol 52, pg 51-53. 2. Adams, M. 2009. Feeding the Insulin Resistant Horse. MFA Inc. FactSheet. 3. Treiber, K., Kronfeld, D., & R. Geor. 2006. Insulin Resistance in Equids: Possible Role in Laminitis. Journal of Nutrition. Vol. 136 no. 7 pg 2094s-2098s.
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The Louisiana Equine Report • November | December 2017
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8 The Louisiana Equine Report • November | December 2017
Oil Helps Things Run Smoother by Dr. Kelly Hudspeth, DVM
We oil our cars, our machines, and a lot of other stuff to keep them running smooth. What about our horses? For many of you who know me on a personal basis or visit the clinic, you know that I have developed a love of essential oils. For those who do not, this is how essential oils made it into my veterinary clinic. It did not really start in the clinic. It actually started with my feet. About two years ago, I walked in some really bad shoes up and down our gravel driveway and ended up with what felt like multiple stone bruises that night. The next day the pain in my feet had not subsided and to cut the story short, my sister, a pharmacist, told me about an oil she had used for her feet and I purchased it that day. I have been exposed to essential oils since 2007 but had always attended continuing education classes on acupuncture and did not ever research the oils. I had a few sitting around my house and intended to use them for air fresheners. I bought the oil she used and I applied the oil that night and the next morning – Happy Feet! It actually was pretty amazing and I had no anti-inflammatories on board so the oil got the credit. That is the beginning. I still did not know enough about oils to bring them into the clinic but I started reading about the use in animals. I am constantly looking for new technology or substances that improve health with no side effects. Also there are some things that conventional medicine simply has nothing to offer. For example, my daughter was about to embark on her senior year in high school rodeo, and although we had a seasoned roping horse for her to use, she decided to compete on her home grown soulmate that had developed definite issues in the roping box. Lelo had been Bethany’s all around horse for ten years. She started riding her as a three year old and had used her successfully in breakaway. But as time passed, Lelo would get anxious in the box after about 3-5 consecutive weeks of roping and it would end in front feet off the ground which is unnerving for the rider and parents. We had bought her an older horse for breakaway and she only used Lelo occasionally for roping. To try to get Lelo ready for the senior year, all the training techniques and possibilities of injury had been ruled out and we were searching for something to reduce anxiety. And I did not want a drug. She
was perfect at home in the practice pen – the problem only came up at the rodeos. I had already started looking “outside the box” (pardon the pun) and had moved from acupuncture needles to patches that were helping with anxiety. After the episode with my feet, I started researching anti-anxiety oils and essential oil use on horses. Another long story short, I found some and with the oils and patches combined, Bethany not only competed on Lelo her entire senior year, but also made it to the National finals and ended up 29th out of 179 breakaway ropers. She was two for two at the finals and fell short by nine spots to make it to the short go. She got to do it on her horse that she had owned since birth and grew up with.
Both of these two experiences opened up my love of essential oils not only for myself and family, but also for my animals. “My animals” refers to mine personally and my patients. The method I chose to use on Lelo was extremely simple and cost effective. I simply used my personal oil kit that was stocked with a lot of anti- anxiety oils already plus a variety of others. I opened a bottle of oil and offered it to Lelo as soon as she unloaded at the rodeo pen. By offering, I mean opened the bottle and put in front of her nose – not letting her touch it but very close so she could smell. If she immediately turned her head away, I put that oil up. If she smelled the oil, I left it there for her until she turned away. By turning away, I mean completely turning her head away from me and the oil. Then I would offer another oil until she had accepted five oils. Continued on page 15...
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HAY is for HOOVES! by: Mike Milazzo
Did you know that restricting forage (hay) is the MOST stressful thing you can do to your horse? And, as such, to his hooves? OK, so your horse is ‘footy’ and is developing or has developed a hard, cresty neck. Your horse is fat. He is exhibiting signs of **EMS at worst or Insulin Resistance (IR) at the least. We’re usually told to restrict hay, soak it down, keep the horse off grass and feed a no sugar, low carb (which can’t be true at all cause simple carbs turn to sugar in the body!) feed and then myriads of supplements are suggested of various kinds and types. Yo! ... that is the opposite of what the horse and its hooves actually needs! Food deprivation in humans has been well studied and shown to INCREASE fat. Studies in equine are less numerous but shows the same effects. When horses are deprived of food it can lead to pain throughout their bodies but, in particularly, in their gut. Pain causes cortisol to increase thereby causing more stress. Over long term, the hypothalamus-pituitaryadrenal axis is affected and the hormones are totally messed up in the body. Interestingly, researchers from Louisiana State University found that mares having enough hay during the day but deprived of hay overnight showed the greatest degree of IR. IR leads to Laminitic attacks causing more pain and the cycle continues going round and round and round. Restricting forage also results in loss of muscle mass. It is so common to propose forage restriction as an effective way to lose weight and the cresty necks and fat pockets. But it was shown that even though horses lost weight there were no changes in the body condition, the neck or even the girth circumference and fat pockets in the rum BUT ... instead, the longissimus dorsi muscle thickness was reduced. Continued on page 30..
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12 The Louisiana Equine Report • November | December 2017
10 Signs Your Horse Needs a
Dental Exam
The Equine Report is pleased to offer this article by arrangement with the American Association of Equine Practitioners. By Caroline Niederman, VMD.
Equine injuries such as wounds or soft tissue swellings are typically easy to recognize. Problems that aren’t visible to the eye, however, can go unnoticed. Take dental issues, for example. These often go undetected because the cheek teeth can’t be readily seen and are dangerous to examine without proper equipment. There are some subtle clinical signs, however, that can alert the owner about a dental or mouth problem, so it’s important he or she be on the lookout for those and schedule routine dental exams. A full examination requires sedating the horse, keeping his mouth open with a speculum and using a strong light source and a dental mirror to visualize all of the cheek teeth. It also involves manually checking for loose teeth or other issues. Some conditions are unique to either the growing or geriatric horse, while others can occur at any age. The following are the most commonly seen signs of dental problems and their possible causes. Dropping feed Sharp enamel points from normal chewing wear can cause a normally fastidious horse to change how he eats, resulting in dropped feed. Other causes might include loose or fractured teeth, periodontal disease, malocclusions, foreign bodies, and masses in the mouth. Many horses normally drop feed if they look around while eating or if they are fast eaters. Suddenly not eating either hay or grain In horses younger than 5, pain before, during, or after losing a baby tooth can make chewing unpleasant and difficult. In horses older than 20, loose teeth can make chewing difficult. Dropping clumps of hay (quidding) This can be secondary to pain from sharp enamel points in any age horse, for example, or in older horses it can be a result of a decreased chewing surface area. Eating with the head tilted to one side Mouth pain, such as from sharp enamel points on one side of the mouth might cause the horse to try to adjust his eating pattern by turning or tilting his head.
Losing weight This can potentially occur at any age due to a dental or mouth problem. The most common clinical cases of weight loss involve aged horses that are unable to eat long-stemmed hay because of diminished grinding capacity. Fussy with the bridle; resistant on one side more than another Pain within the mouth can cause the horse to react negatively when asked to work. Soft or hard asymmetric swellings Young horses can develop normal symmetric bony swellings, called eruption cysts, in response to the eruption (emergence) of the cheek teeth. If the swellings are asymmetric or the horse reacts with pain on palpation, then consider them abnormal. One-sided nasal discharge with an odor Up to four of the six upper cheek teeth comminicate with (are connected to) the sinuses within the horse’s head. Abscessation of any of these teeth can lead to a secondary sinus infection. Discharge from the infected sinus will drain out the nostril. It is usualy yellow and has an odor you might be able to smell as soon as you walk into the barn or stall. Mouth odor Mouth odor comes from food packed between the cheek teeth or fractured tooth fragments. A horse owner can detect these signs easily by routinely checking his or her horse’s head for any abnormalities and watching the animal eat. Regular dental examinations performed by a veterinarian will also alert the owner of any problems to be watching for. About the author: Carrie Niederman, VMD, owns Complete Equine Dental Maintenance, a mobile equine dental practice in Houston, Texas.
Salivating more than normal The horse’s body might increase saliva production in an attempt to lubricate something sharp or possibly make it easier to chew and swallow his feed, again in response to pain.
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Continued from cover...
The Last Month The way the Thoroughbred Makeover has it set up is that everyone does the training level test first, then has three minutes to show what else their horse is capable of besides walk, trot, canter. Then, if you make it to the finale, you do your freestyle test to music. I don’t have the highest hopes of making it into the finals, but I’m still going to put together a little test, just because how else am I going to show the world how awesome this horse is? I can’t even begin to describe what an incredible journey this has been for us. Remember, this was basically supposed to be my senior project to show my best work, and then to show that I was ready to go out into the real world as a professional. But the learning curve for both Champagne and I has been unreal. Champagne went from being this skinny, broken little thoroughbred to this unbelievable athlete. When we had the equine dentists out after six months, they didn’t hardly recognize him. We’ve gone through two saddles and at three half pads as we’ve adjusted for his growing frame and back, and we’ve switched from a regular snaffle to a French link snaffle, because his mouth has changed along with the rest of his body. But none of that came easily. We’ve battled tight hamstrings, pulled back and leg muscles, tight muscles, weak muscles, hot joints, cold joints, soft feet, flat feet, thrush feet, long toes, short toes, locked up poll, horrible teeth, nutrition issues, mounting issues, riding issues, lunging issues, trust issues, and the list goes on and on. Every step of the way it was a balancing act to figure out how much to push him and how much to baby him, because too much of one or the other would destroy any hope of him being sound enough to work, let alone sound enough to compete. I made piles of rice bags to heat in the microwave or freeze in the freezer for the bad days, and we ended up using a good number of muscle relaxants and bute on the worst days. It was about three hours a day, four to five days a week, for seven months, of physical therapy and massages and rehabilitation. So far, I’ve logged over 260 hours of hands on work. Then there were the hours of research and tack repairs and putting together supplements on top of all of that, and there’s no logbook for all of those hours. I can only describe it as physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting.
The biggest downside right now is that I had to put together a sale ad. It’s not like I’ll be heartbroken if he doesn’t sell right away: but this is part of my grad project too. My husband is in the military, and it’s not really fair to him or the horse to haul Champagne around the country when we can’t always be certain that I’ll be able to give him the time or care that he deserves. So I feel like it’s important to give Champagne a chance at the ever elusive “perfect” forever home. Besides, I think there’s someone out there who will be able to grow with him and love him the way that he deserves, and I think that’s an opportunity that’s just too good to pass up. There’s always the chance that we could get there and fail miserably. Champagne might pick up on my anxiety and leap over the barrier, or decide that one judge was particularly terrifying, or just decide that he’s had enough of me after seven and a half months and that since I’m wearing white breeches and a $100 show jacket that it’s time to buck me off. We might get the worst marks from the judges, telling us that we clearly did not put in the necessary time or effort and that we should never have even bothered coming to the competition. I don’t care. I do hope that there’s a chance for me to talk to the judges, if nothing else because this will be my first dressage competition ever (go big or go home, right?), and I want to talk to them about what they saw so that I can get better. But I also want to brag. I want to brag to the whole world that I have the most spectacular thoroughbred. Someone thought he was worthless and sold him to a kill pen. Look at him now. He wasn’t really up to cantering, and he had no idea what this trotting thing was. Look at him now. He was terrified of even flicking an ear around people because he was certain he would get spanked. Look at him now. He was skinny and improperly developed. Look at him now. Because when it comes down to it, what can I say that you can’t see for yourself?
But we’re here. It actually seems kind of surreal. I worked so hard to not get my hopes up because there was a good chance that Champagne would get injured or sick or something long before we ever got close to the Thoroughbred Makeover. But my fees are paid. We have a friend in the area letting us stay with her. We have an RV hookup on site reserved so that we have somewhere to hide and take naps during the day (a staple of my mental health). I even received my stall assignment a few days ago, which was super exciting. I’m setting up the last of the necessary appointments and compiling the last of the required documents. Every day we check off one more thing on the list, and I’m starting to get excited.
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Month 0Best Side
Month 7- Final Conformation
Continued from page 9...
Oil Helps Things Run Smoother by Dr. Kelly Hudspeth, DVM If needed, I would wait at least 20 minutes and repeat the process. I never did it more than twice. The response to the oils would vary from a quiet response of simply smelling it to a dramatic response of literally trying to eat it by taking it out of my hand. If you try this, be sure to hold on solid to the bottle!!! Afterward she would do anything from shake her head, stomp her feet, snort, or chew, to multiple yawns. Once she literally yawned 11 times in a row! Her eyes would also change. For horse people, you can tell by looking into your horse’s eye to get a hint of how they are feeling. I call the relaxed look a soft look. As a result of allowing her to basically choose her own oils, our horse went from anxious on arrival at the rodeo pen to relaxed. Sometimes she would actually yawn when she unloaded before the oils were introduced. I considered it to be similar to the “Pavlov’s Dog” behavior. Although we were also using patches that were applied before she loaded, the oils worked well with them.
Another important aspect of essential oil use is to get a therapeutic grade. Other grades may only contain 3% of the essential oil and be 97% synthetic products and still make a claim of pure on the label. So research the company. The bottles should be dark. Once the oil is applied, your skin should not be “oily”. Essential oils are absorbed really fast. I personally would never use anything less than 100% essential oil with my animals.
Some might worry that for a performance horse, too much relaxation would not be good. That was not the case for us. She had plenty of fire in the box, just not the negative kind.
Exploring the use of essential oils can be exciting and fun for you and your horse. Talk to your veterinarian for further information.
With all that being said, it is really important to research the essential oils before using them on your pets. There are numerous ways and techniques to use. They can be diffused, applied topically, given orally, and simply smelled out of the bottle which worked great for us. I have since used the oils topically also. Everyone at the clinic loves to get the oils out when we have a horse that is anxious over being in the stocks or getting blood drawn. Some horses respond great and others not so much. We have only had one occasion when the oils were not accepted by the horse at all. Because oils are not regulated and anyone can purchase these oils, you really need to educate yourself. There are some good books available, but my favorite so far, is the Animal Desk Reference on essential oils for animals. This book is written by a veterinarian, Dr. Melissa Shelton, DVM. The most important thing to remember is that you should read, read, read! Oils are expensive and range from $10.00 to over $100.00 a bottle with most falling in the $25.00 range. The good thing is there are virtually no side effects but you want to get good results.
Catahoula Veterinary Clinic: 2606 4th Street | Jena, LA 71343 318-339-9643 DISCLAIMER:
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this article are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this article is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various topics, included but not limited to health and other essential oil benefits. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this article.
The Louisiana Equine Report • November | December 2017
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Fall Vaccines for Your Horse By Elizabeth Davis, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM
This time of year we are all looking forward to cooler temperatures. As a horse owner, the best part about fall is knowing we won’t have to deal with as many insectrelated issues. Instead, we are starting to think about housing, nutrition and preventative health strategies for cooler weather. One important aspect of preventing disease is the use of seasonally appropriate vaccinations. The AAEP’s Vaccination Guidelines are integral to designing a vaccine plan for your horse. Talking with you veterinarian will help you make decisions that are specific to your horse, based on factors such as age, geographic location, use, transportation frequency and previous vaccinations. Owners need to understand the difference between core and risk-based inoculations. Core vaccines include Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis (EEE/WEE), west Nile virus (WNV), tetanus and rabies and should be administered to all horses at least annually following an initial two-tothree-dose series. The initial dosing series frequency is based on the horse’s age at the time your veterinarian administers the initial vaccine series. Ideally, the veterinarian administers core vaccine boosters in the early months of the year (spring in the Northern Hemisphere) so horses will have mounted a robust immune response by the time exposure to the pathogen is likely to occur. Transmission of insect-vectored diseases is linked to climate and season. This is why we want to vaccinate early in the year to allow the horse to produce antibodies that will provide protection later in the year when potential virus-carrying mosquitoes are in highest numbers. In geographic regions where mosquito populations persist well into the fall months, additional booster vaccinations against EEE/WEE and WNV are sometimes indicated in mid-to late summer. These later boosters will help the horse sustain high levels of protective immunity later in the year, helping ward off infection. Risk-based vaccines protect against a variety of diseases that can affect certain horses but are not necessarily a risk for all horses and are less likely to result in death. Risk-based diseases include viral respiratory pathogens such as equine influenza (EIV) and equine herpesviruses-1 and -4 (EHV-1/4), also termed rhinopneumonitis. horses that compete, travel and are exposed to horses from other farms are at a higher risk of coming into contact with these pathogens this is why they are classified among the risk-based vaccines. When horses are infected with these pathogens, they can develop clinical signs of respiratory disease such as lethargy, high fever, mucoid (mucousy) nasal discharge and coughing. Due to the severity of signs associated with viral respiratory disease, affected horses can be out of training for extended periods, from a few weeks to a month or more. Some horses that suffer from primary upper respiratory viral infection develop secondary bacterial infection of their lower airways, termed bronchopneumonia. Therefore, it is important to consider that performance horses might be exposed to viral respiratory pathogens and to implement proper precautions against disease, including good biosecurity and optimal vaccine protocols. Veterinarians generally administer fall vaccines in September to early October. In horses that have been vaccinated previously, these protocols typically include a booster vaccination with EIV and EHV-1/4. Collectively, they are designed to stimulate a specific immune response that will help prevent disease if a horse has viral exposure during the subsequent four to six months. Again, consider all factors that keep horses healthy, such as proper nutrition, other preventive care strategies and excellent biosecurity. Implementing a multi-pronged approach such as this can help prevent infectious diseases. Horses might need additional risk-based vaccines in the fall months, depending on location and activities, which is why it is always important to work with your veterinarian to determine optimal vaccine protocol. He or she knows your horse’s routine and is best suited to provide accurate information on what products to use. This article is reprinted with the permission of the American Association of Equine Practicioners.
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Equine Health
by Neely
Ed Twidwell: Extension Specialist & Neely Walker Equine Specialist LSU AgCente
Recovery of Pastures After Floods Flood events are cause for concern for horse owners on many levels. Once you have addressed and determined the level of health support your horse needs following a flood, the next concern you need to address is managing your pastures. Major flood events will vary in the degree of impact on pastures. This will depend on how the flood proceeded across the land, the soil types involved, water table levels and a range of other factors. In general, warm-season perennial species grown for pasture in Louisiana are pretty tolerant of flooding conditions. Bermudagrass has been reported to survive after submersion of 55 days while bahiagrass survived in a greenhouse trial after 84 days of submersion. Water cover by itself is not the only determinant of degree of pasture damage. A combination of factors including soil texture (drainage), speed of water flow, water quality and water depth all contribute to varying levels of pasture damage. However, the longer the pasture is under water, the greater the potential for water logging damage. Light textured soils that drain freely will allow a speedy pasture recovery. Heavy soils hold the water for a longer period after the flood has receded and extend the period of water logging. Providing the soil has not eroded, the quicker the water flow rates, the better the pasture recovery. The slower the water flows, the more sedimentation and the slower pasture recovery. Moving water appears to provide more oxygen and is often at a lower temperature than stagnant or slow-moving water. Stagnant water can rapidly heat up and can cause scalding and rapid decay of the pasture plants. Pastures that have cool, highly turbid and constantly flowing water covering them for several days will often make a faster recovery than pastures with stagnant, warm, low turbidity water covering them. Generally, the deeper the water over the pasture, the slower the flow rate and longer period of inundation. This means a greater chance of silt and mud deposition leading to a slower pasture recovery. When flood waters have receded, assess the damage and develop a plan for recovery. The biggest issue is that flood water and silt can be a source of pathogens. Livestock producers are strongly encouraged to work closely with their local veterinarian when determining which vaccination and feeding protocol to use to protect animals for possible health issues associated with grazing flooded pastures. Flood water and silt can also cause palatability issues with the forage grasses. It is probably a good idea to clip the pasture to remove topgrowth and allow the plants to regrow. Plants should not be clipped any lower than about 3 inches. Flooded plants may have weakened root systems and therefore may be slow to recover. When grazing flooded pastures this fall, graze lightly and try to leave at least 3 inches of topgrowth heading into the winter.
of these affected pastures during the early spring months of 2018 and apply the recommended amounts of fertilizer. This should aid in the regrowth of these affected pastures as they begin to green up in April or May of 2018. Another issue to be concerned about with flooding is the introduction of weeds to the pastures. Flooding can cause weed seeds to be transported from other areas and be deposited into pastures. Producers should monitor their pastures for weeds in 2018 and apply appropriate control measures when needed. Producers may want to contact their local Extension agent for assistance with weed identification and control measures. While many horse owners are concerned about hazardous waste, chemicals, and other toxic compounds; floodwaters will generally dilute hazardous material to a tolerable level and it is unlikely that the surviving forage will serve as a reservoir. However it is advised to: • Wait 2-4 weeks to allowing animals back onto a flooded pasture.
• Mow the surviving forage, leaving 3 inches of plant to regrow prior to grazing. • Allow pasture to completely dry- this will prevent horses from drinking from pools of water that may contain residual levels of toxins. • Provide clean drinking water. • Check pastures for foreign objects including fencing material, metal objects, chemical containers, or anything else that a horse can injure itself on. • Work with your veterinarian to determine proper pathogen and disease protection. • In extreme cases of hazardous waste or chemical spill, horses should not be returned to that pasture until owners can be sure that there is no longer a health threat.
Unfortunately there is no quick and easy fix to return pastures back to their original condition prior to the flood. However with proper planning and attention to details, a safe environment can be created to serve your horse’s forage needs. If you have any questions regarding safe grazing practices please contact your local veterinarian or extension agent.
Flooding may also have an impact on the fertility of the soil in the pasture, as some nutrients may have been leached. However, it is probably not advisable to apply fertilizer this fall, since the growth of these warm-season pastures will slow between now and mid-October. Livestock producers should take soil samples
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Gastric (Stomach) Ulcers: A Pain in the Gut! Frank M. Andrews, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM LVMA Equine Committee Professor and Director Equine Health Studies Program Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences School of Veterinary Medicine Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803 • Email: fandrews@lsu.edu
Gastric (stomach) ulcers are common in horses and can lead to decreased performance, vague clinical signs and may go undiagnosed for months. Stomach ulcers are caused by stomach acids. However, the anatomy of the stomach, diet, restricted feed intake, exercise, stress (stall or transport), and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs; i.e. Bute and Banamine) are risk factors for development of ulcers. Because many factors are involved in their cause, the term Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) was coined in 1999 to describe the condition of erosions and ulcerations occurring in the esophagus (food tube), nonglandular (1st part of the stomach), glandular stomach, and proximal duodenum (small intestine). All ages and breeds of horses are susceptible to ulcers and current treatment focuses on blocking stomach acid secretion and raising stomach pH. Drugs are needed to treat these conditions, however, a comprehensive approach including correcting the underlying cause, environmental management, and dietary manipulation is needed for successful prevention. Horses continuously make stomach acid and acid exposure is the primary cause of ulcers. Also, performance horses are typically fed diets high in grain which can cause or exacerbate ulcers. Stomach bacteria will ferment sugars and produce by-products, such as short-chain fatty acids (acetic, propionic and butyric acids), alcohol, and lactic acid which damages the stomach lining. Several species of bacteria (Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, E. coli) live in the stomach and contribute to ulcer formation. Stomach ulcers in horses are similar to the condition in people called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is caused by stomach acid splashing up and damaging the tender esophageal tissue leading to heartburn and ulcers. Several risk factors for stomach ulcers in horses have been identified. These include exercise (especially
high speeds), feeding, diet, stall confinement, and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Horses in training and racing are at high risk of developing ulcers. Compression of the stomach during running allowed acids from the lower part of the stomach to splash up onto the tender esophageal region of the stomach, a term called “acid splash”, and this leads to ulcers. Horses grazing at pasture have fewer ulcers. During grazing, there is a continuous flow of saliva and feedstuffs that buffers stomach acid and maintain stomach pH > 4 for a large portion of the day. Conversely, when feed is withheld from horses before competition, stomach acid decreases rapidly and ulcers occur. Studies have shown that stomach pH drops 6 h after feeding, thus horses should be fed hay continuously or every 5 to 6 h to buffer stomach acids. Diets that are high in grain can lead to ulcers, however, this can be counteracted by feeding alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay buffers stomach contents and prevents ulcers. This also goes along with stall confinement, as horses that are confined to a stall usually get high grain diets and have limited access to pasture. Mixing alfalfa hay with grass hay is also helpful in preventing ulcers, especially in those horses that get “hot” on alfalfa hay. Horses with chronic arthritis or lameness that are on NSAIDs (aspirin-like drugs) should be checked frequently, especially if they have vague clinical signs, or at least every 6 months to determine if they have ulcers. Phenylbutazone “Bute” or flunixin meglumine “Banamine” are typically given to control pain but can lead to stomach ulcers if used too long or too frequently. They increase acid secretion and decrease mucus protection in the stomach.
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Bacteria (Helicobacter spp.) has not been implicated in stomach ulcers in horses so the use of antibiotics is not indicated as in people with ulcers. However, check with your veterinarian on the use of antibiotics, as he or she may recommend them to treat an underlying infection in some other part of the horse, as ulcers may be secondary to other diseases. CLINICAL SIGNS (Symptoms) Clinical signs associated with stomach ulcers are often vague and include partial loss of appetite, mild colic, dull and/or rough hair coat, weight loss, poor performance, change in behavior, and halitosis (bad breath). Ulcers are more common in horses showing clinical signs. Of horses with a client complaint of conditions associated with stomach ulcers, or showing subtle signs of poor health, ulcers were identified in 88-92% compared to 3752% identified in horse’s not showing clinical signs. In addition to an increased prevalence of ulcers in clinically affected horses, the severity of ulceration is correlated with the severity of the symptoms. DIAGNOSIS Diagnosis of EGUS requires a thorough history, identification of risk factors, physical examination, and in some cases blood work. However, gastroscopy (endoscopy of the stomach) is the only sure way to diagnose stomach ulcers. An endoscope is a long tube (6-9 feet) attached to a bright light source with a camera at the end to see inside the stomach and view ulcers (Figure 1). Continued on page 19... Figure 1. Endoscopic view of the horse stomach. Note the severe Stomach ulcers in the lesser curvature of a horse with loss of appetite.
Continued from page 18... Figure 2. Endoscopic view of the same horse after GastroGard® paste treatment. Note the absence of ulcers in the lesser curvature.
When gastroscopy is not available and ulcers are strongly suspected, it may be worthwhile to start empirical treatment and observe for resolution of clinical signs. If the horse does not respond to treatment, further evaluation by your veterinarian is indicated. MANAGEMENT The mainstay of pharmacologic treatment of EGUS is to suppress hydrochloric acid (HCl) secretion and increase stomach pH. Because of the high recurrence rate, effective acid control should be followed by nutritional and dietary management strategies to prevent ulcer recurrence. Omeprazole Omeprazole paste (GastrogardÆ, Merial Limited, Duluth, GA) is FDA-approved to treat stomach ulcers in horses. There is also a preventative dose of omeprazole paste (UlcerGard®, Merial Limited, Duluth, GA). Consult your veterinarian on which product is best for your horse. Duration of Treatment It is difficult to predict how long stomach ulcer will take to heal, but the initial recommended treatment time for omeprazole paste is 28 days. Consult your veterinarian on the length of treatment that is best for your horse. In addition, management changes can help heal ulcers. For example, horses with stomach ulcers should be turned out to pasture and this will, in many cases, result in rapid healing. Treatment with omeprazole paste, in most cases, results if complete healing of stomach ulcers (Figure 2). Environmental, Nutritional and Dietary Management Pharmacologic therapy may be necessary to heal
stomach ulcers, but ulcers may return within several days if management changes are not instituted. Environmental, nutritional, and dietary management can be initiated during therapy to help facilitate ulcer healing and prevent ulcer recurrence. Adding alfalfa hay to the diet and pasture turn-out facilitate stomach buffering and saliva production, respectively. In addition, several supplements have been used with success to help maintain stomach health once ulcers are healed. These products contain natural ingredients such as sea buckthorn berry, pectin and lecithin, aloe vera, L-glutamine, Slippery Elm, and calcium carbonate. Seabuckthorn berries and Pulp Figure 3. Sea buckthorn berries (Hippophae rhamnoides) growing in Tibet. There is an increasing interest in the use of herbs and berries that have therapeutic application in man and animals. Berries and pulp from the seabuckthorn plant (Hippophae rhamnoides) are high in vitamins, trace minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and other bioactive substances (Figure 3). Adding 4 ounces of sea buckthorn berries (SeaBuckTM Complete, Seabuck LLC, Midvale, UT) will help with stomach health and has been shown to prevent an increase in number and severity of stomach ulcers. There are many supplements on the market containing pectin, lecithin and antacid (calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate). The author recently evaluated a supplement containing pectin, lecithin and antacids (Egusin® SLH and 250; Centaur Corporation, Oakland Park, KS). These products, when mixed with sweet feed (4 ounces, twice daily) and fed to horses led to fewer ulcers after 5 weeks of feeding. In addition, recently a supplement (SmartGut® Ultra) made by SmartPak, Inc., a proprietary mixture of sea buckthorn berries, pectin and lecithin, aloe
vera and glutamine reduced the number of ulcers after omeprazole treatment (https://www.smartpakequine.com/pdfs/SmartGut_ Ultra_Research_Summary.pdf). This product is ideal to use with and after omeprazole treatment to maintain stomach health. These natural products should not be used to treat stomach ulcers, but as an adjunct to maintain stomach health. In summary, stomach ulcers are common in horses and leads to vague clinical signs. Feeding more hay and less grain (Figure 3) will help maintain a healthy stomach. Always weight your grain before feeding to make sure you are feeding the correct amount. Remember, consult your veterinarian if you think your horse has stomach ulcers and for the best treatment options.
Figure 3: Recommendations for horses to prevent Stomach ulcers.
Reach more horse owners and potential buyers with the Louisiana Equine Report than any other Horse Publication in Louisiana and surrounding areas. Published every other month, i.e. Feb/Mar, April/May etc. Don’t Miss Out on this opportunity to SELL with advertising in the Louisiana Equine Report online classifieds. Email mike@laequinereport.com or call 225.229.8979 or 225.363.6773 today!!! Horses for Sale: Free (based on availability) All other items: Reasonable rates (Call or e-mail for pricing)
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From Here to There: Stiles & Gaps by Barbara Newtown
Farmers and ranchers have been building stiles and squeezing through gaps for as long as they’ve been putting up fences. Gates – especially gates that are big enough to let equipment through – sag and drag. And, if a gate get used often enough, someday someone will forget to fasten the latch or chain. The stile is an attractive solution.
If you can weld, try making this stile:
A stile:
Stiles are fine – but what if you’re carrying buckets or a saddle or an expensive camera? A clever gap is the answer. Here is a rotary gate, also known as a turnstile:
Stiles can be works of art:
A more modern turnstile, invented by Cloyce Hendersen:
Or rustic:
Continued on page 24...
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Continued on from 23...
From Here to There: Stiles & Gaps by Barbara Newtown
The previous design is effective with large animals. To control sheep, try this “kissing gate.” It swings on hinges and can fasten to either side:
A “squeeze” pass through:
Here’s another “kissing gate” that has more room for maneuvering a bike or cart and still prevents sheep from sneaking through:
A squeeze and stile combo:
Here is the “C Gate,” invented by Marlin Haberstroh. He sells the curved bars with attached metal brackets at fairs and at his business in Aurora, Colorado. “It’s a great way to enter or exit pens,” he says.
A classic fence line gap that confuses horses and cows:
[photo: thecgate.com] Continued on page 25...
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Continued on from 24...
From Here to There: Stiles & Gaps by Barbara Newtown You don’t have to be an inventor, a master carpenter, or a welder to create a stile. Primitive solutions work well, too:
Even easier:
And, if you are a horse and your person insists that you must cross from one field to another and there’s no regular gate in sight, the best way is over a coop, which is safe and solid. The slanted shape is much easier to jump than a vertical fence. (Be careful: when horses are first learning to jump, they may convince themselves that it is wrong to cross a fence line. They may do a “dirty quit” or a gigantic leap.)
Finally, a bit of high culture. Here is “On the Stile,” by Winslow Homer.
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Continued from page 10...
HAY is for HOOVES! by: Mike Milazzo
We all know the importance of having a muscled topline. So you have a footy horse with a hard, cresty neck. What to do? What to do? Feeding high quality hay is one of the best and easiest ways to ensure that your horse’s diet includes sufficient quantities of essential amino acids such as lysine and methionine, which are important for the growth of healthy hoof tissue. --www.horsejournals.com Lysine is important to hooves as it is most often the key to improving protein availability, especially in grass hay based diets. What are hooves made up of? Keratinized PROTEIN. So Lysine plays a major role in the health state of the horse hoof. Natural sources for Lysine include High lysine foods include, nuts, seeds, eggs, beans, and lentils. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, squash seed, chia seed, cashew nuts, walnuts and almonds all are great additions to the equine diet to provide ample Lysine. Methionine is absolutely necessary for the production of cystine, the amino acid that is needed to produce many important proteins. Through a process called transamination, the horse’s body converts dietary methionine into the cystine. Methionine is often cited as the second limiting amino acid in horse diets, after lysine. So when one sees cracking, crumbling, poor growing hoof walls, one can safely assume the body is lacking appropriate amounts of Methionine. Many types of nuts provide Methionine including Brazil nuts. Other examples of natural source for Methionine and soybeans. However, here in the US over 90% of the soybeans grown commercially are based from GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) seeds. The long term effects of GMO plants has not been studied while short term studies do show considerable detrimental effects from sterilization to tumors. It is best to find an alternative source for adequate Methionine or feed organic soybeans. Contrary to what is often believed, Alfalfa-grass blends are a good choice for horses because Alfalfa is protein-rich and will balance with the lower protein grass hay. Alfalfa also helps to soothe the stressed gut. A diet that includes FREE CHOICE hay will drastically reduce the stress the body has to contend with and will offer the nutrients that are not only helpful to the horses gut but to growing healthy, strong hooves, as well. Last, but not least, for this blog post, is the importance of GRAZING for the horse ... yes, GRASS. Horses are “designed” to eat grasses. Lots and lots of varieties of grasses. Pastures that are eons old without any chemical enhancers or fertilizers or riddled with pesticides and herbicides. When we pull a horse off grass for the sake of reducing weight, cresty neck, for the sake of EMS or IR, we are just stressing the body which will exacerbate any metabolic situation. We are depriving the horse of essential nutrients to heal and restore the hooves natural health. Avoiding metabolic LAMINITIS should be a primary focus of all horse owners. Feeding a diet that will increase the nutrients in the diet will help to decrease the chances of metabolic syndromes and the resulting ‘footiness’ or, flat out Laminitis. Feeding free choice hay, REDUCING or completely ELIMINATING cereal-based grains and adding such fresh foods as greens, nuts, seeds that are rich in Methionine and Lysine will not only help the horse to adjust to the natural, normal weight for that individual horse but also allow the body to grow those nice, strong, rock-crushing hooves that we ALL “dream about”. **EMS - The term Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is used to signify the condition in horses in which all three of the following exist: Insulin resistance (IR), Laminitis – may be severe, acute or low-grade and chronic, and regional fat deposition in the form of a “cresty” neck or enlarged fat pads.
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Continued from cover... Q & A with Dr. Ty Theriot of B-Line Equine by Barbara Newtown
I participated in middle school and high school rodeo competitions and local associations in calf roping and steer wrestling. I learned my skills from my dad and my good friends Jeremy Landry and Ken Bacque. Ken made it to the National Finals Rodeo in ’92. He passed several years ago. And I went for years to the roping clinic run by R. E. Josey, Martha Josey’s husband. That’s where I met Caleb Findley, who is now the stallion manager at Delta Equine. We’re good friends. Did you have a favorite horse? I got Hickory when I was about 7 years old. He didn’t have any calf roping experience, so we trained him ourselves. He took me through junior high and high school, and he was the best horse I could have had. I rode two or three other horses as backups, but Hickory was the best. He was a short, stocky sorrel, registered name Hickory Guitar Man, from the Doc Hickory line. I sold him to a junior high contestant, and he and that little horse made a great team. When you were growing up, was there a veterinarian who inspired you, or who was your mentor? We didn’t use a vet that often. We took care of our horses ourselves. I took care of wounds myself! But I’ve known Dr. Larry Findley, Caleb’s dad, since I was little. He was always there at Martha Josey’s. And Caleb and I high school rodeo’d together What aspect of equine medicine interests you the most? Lameness and sports medicine. Most of my patients are Western performance horses: barrel horses, reining horses. Since joining Dr. Bonura at B-Line, I’ve got to say my favorite call from a client is the emergency call. B-Line is ready to respond 24-7.
With a mobile practice, you don’t do major surgery. If a colic requires surgery, we are fortunate that we can refer our patients to several great equine hospitals in South Louisiana. But Dr. Bonura and I do perform small surgeries, such as castrations, hernia repairs, and enucleations, or eye removals. Is there a medicine that you think every horse owner should have in the barn? Definitely electrolytes. Horses lose electrolytes in their sweat and need to have them replenished. You can administer electrolytes in the feed or in the water. How did you meet Dr. Brendt Bonura? She got her DVM from LSU, too, but she’s been a veterinarian for about six years. I met her when I was doing “Out-Rotations” during my clinical year. [The Out-Rotation program at LSU is designed for veterinary students interested in ambulatory or mobile equine medicine.] Is your wife Chynna a horse person? Not really, but she loves animals. In fact, she started at LSU in the Animal Science program. Now she’s working in accounting. I hear you have a little daughter. Mackenzie is six months old. I can’t wait until she can hop in the truck with me and go out on a call! Thank you, Dr. Theriot!
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Horsemen’s Laboratory was started in 1992 by John W. Byrd, DVM to make it convenient for horse owners to check their horses for worm rather than just routinely deworming their horses. The fecal egg count test performed by Horsemen’s Laboratory will provide information that owners can use to determine if and when their horses need to be dewormed. This information will also help them decide which deworming medication they need to use by identifying the worm eggs produced by the adult worms in the horse’s digestive track. The Fecal egg count also gives the owner an estimate of how severe the worm infection is. For the first 15 years it was difficult to convince owners to test their horses. Then about 7-9 years ago researchers began to see worms that appeared to have developed resistance to some of the most common dewormers. These researchers began to change their recommendations for the best worm control and started recommending doing fecal egg count to determine which horses should be dewormed. It was felt that deworming all their horses every 6 weeks to 2 months was killing all the sensitive worm to the medication but there was a small population of worms that were resistant to the deworm that then mated with each other and their offspring were resistant to the medication as well. This caused the population of worms that were resistant to increase. Eventually the resistant population was larger than the sensitive population and the dewormer was no longer effective on that farm. Recent studies done have shown that on over 70% of the farms in some areas deworming medications once used are no longer effective at controlling certain worms. I began checking horses I was caring for in Orange county California for my own information in 1991 to see what percentage of horses actually had worm eggs in their stool to indicate they were infected. The reason I did this study was because the daily deworm came on the market and many of my clients started requesting I get it for their horses. The horses I was caring for were kept in clean box stalls nearly 24 hours a day except when they were being ridden, groomed or exercised. I found that only 1 out of 20 horses were passing any worm eggs and those positive horses had counts of less than 100 strongyle eggs/gm. I contacted several veterinarians who were known for their expertise in equine parasitology and ask them why no one had ever
started a laboratory to do fecal egg counts as a way of helping horse owners evaluate the effectiveness of their horses worm control program. They thought it was a good idea so after a couple of week of serious thought I decided to start Horsemen’s Laboratory to make convenient for horse owners to evaluate the effectiveness of their horses worm control program.
will give horse owners the same peace of mind that their horses are being protected from tapeworms that the fecal egg counts have given them that their horses are being protected from strongyles and round worms.
Horsemen’s Laboratory now has clients in all 50 states and Canada. We have processed over 70,000 fecal samples. Approximately 30-33% of the samples over the years have been positive with over 95% of the positive samples being positive for strongyles. Over 90% of the horses we check are over 4 years old. Therefore, we see very few samples positive for round worms. Strongyle eggs are by far the most common eggs found in the samples sent to Horsemen’s Laboratory. The egg counts vary from 25eggs/gm to 8000 eggs/gm of stool. Pinworm eggs are rarely found in a fecal egg count because the female lays her eggs around the rectal ring so they are not mixed into the stool sample. Tapeworm eggs are occasionally found in the stool sample. There has not been a good reliable test for tapeworms in the USA until just recently (last few weeks).
Horsemen’s Laboratory can also provide you information about the EquiSal test as well as Fecal egg counts.
Horsemen’s Laboratory has just introduced the Salivary Antibody Test for tapeworms. This is a test developed by Dr. Corrine Austin of Austin Davis Biologics in England that tests for antibodies against tapeworms in saliva of horses. Dr. Austin has been marketing the test England for 3 years to test for tapeworms in horses and has found that 26% need to be dewormed for tapeworms. Dr. Austin has done considerable research in developing this test and has proven its accuracy. I am excited to be able to provide the revolutionary new Equisal Test for tapeworms to horse owners in the USA. This test
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For more information about the new EquiSal Test you may visit equisal.co.uk
You may make arrangement to have your horse’s fecal egg count done and tested for tapeworms using the new EquiSal test by contacting Horsemen’s Laboratory through our website www.horsemenslab.com then go to our blog equinefealeggcount and shop in our store, or by calling 1 800 544 0599 or by emailing hlab@ horsemenslab.com
four-Six Problems That Can Be Due To Worms
John Byrd, DVM | Horsemen’s Laboratory (907 Westbrook Drive | Mahomet, Il 61853) Edited by: Dr. Frank M. Andrews | LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital (Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803) continued from the August/September 2017 Issue Problem #4: Ulcers Bots, Draschia megastoma and Habronema musccae are 3 classes of worms that can be responsible for ulcers in the stomach. Bot worms are the larval stage of the Bot fly. They look like a small honeybee and they fly around horses’ legs, gluing eggs to the hair on the horses’ front lower legs. When licked by the horse these eggs hatch and the larvae attach to the horse’s tongue. Then they burrow into the horses tongue and gums and find their way to the stomach where they attach to the mucosa (Fig 3). When large numbers of larvae attach, they do it in close proximity to each other and when they all release their attachment at one time a fairly superficial ulcer is revealed. These ulcers are generally not very severe.
Problem #5: Tail Rubbing The characteristic tail rubbing associated with worms is generally due to pinworms (Fig 4). The female pinworm partially exteriorizes itself and lays eggs around the rectal opening. The eggs stick to the skin with a substance similar to egg whites. This substance causes an itchy sensation causing the horse to rub its tail on feed tubs, posts and other objects causing self-inflicted superficial skin
irritation sometimes almost appearing as an ulcerated area. Fig 4. Pinworms in the manure of a horse. Note the slender tail area.
Fig 3. Bots in the stomach of a horse on endoscopic examination. Draschia megastoma (largemouth stomach worm) and Habronema musccae live in the stomach. Draschia megastoma can cause nodules in stomach that can be like an abscess that can rupture into the stomach or into the abdomen. Fortunately this is very rare. Habronema cause some irritation to the lining of the stomach. Stable and houseflies carry the larval stages of these 2 worms. When the flies feed on the horse’s skin, the larvae leave the flies and get into the wound and can cause severe skin ulcers that are commonly known as summer sores. Summer sores most often are seen in horses in the southern states and California. The ulcers are frequently seen in the corners of the eyes and lips, and in geldings and stallions, they form on the penis and sheath. Tapeworms sometimes appear to be responsible for ulcers in the area of the intestine where the small intestine connects to the large intestine. These ulcers seem to be due to tissue damage caused by the attachment of the worm’s mouthparts, especially when there are large numbers present. These ulcers have been observed during colic surgery and during necropsies. Most ulcers in the digestive tract of horses are not caused by worms, but by stress or some other disorder that affect the bacterial flora or cause chronic irritation to the gut.
Problem #6: Death Although death is uncommon in horses with parasites, it can occur when a high burden is present. As mentioned before, many adult milk or Ascarid worms in the small intestine can lead to obstruction and rupture of the small intestine, which can lead to death. The introduction of Ivermectin as a deworming medication has been a large factor in the decreased death rates from parasites in horses. It has nearly eliminated Strongyle vulgaris and other large Strongyles that were the major cause of death in horses from worms. As indicated previously, Strongyle larvae can cause severe damage to the arterial supply to the digestive tract. Blood clots, emboli, and aneurisms were the result of large Strongyle infections. The finding of these problems is seen much less today during colic surgery and necropsies. Small Strongyles now can cause death due to large excystation of small Strongyle larvae with development of the syndrome termed Larval Cyathostminosis. Most deaths in horses thought to be due to worms are due to other factors and worms are only one contributing factor. Horses that are suffering from inadequate nutrition, viral or bacterial infections, and other stress are much more likely to die from worm infections. Thus, the number of horses that die from worms is a very small (probably minuscule) number and owners should not read this article and become worried that their horses are going to die or even that worms are going to affect their performance. However, to keep from worrying about worms in your horses we recommend periodic fecal egg counts (FEC) as recommended by your veterinarian to establish the egg shedding of your horse and to evaluate the effectiveness of your horses deworming program and go enjoy your horse. To view Problems 1–6, visit our blog at www.equinefecaleggcount.com
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Pause and Give Thanks for Your Blessings! by Dave Foster
This is the month that the calendar allows us to pause, reflect As we look around us and reflect on what has and give thanks. happened this year, we We have Veteran’s Day where we give thanks for the service certainly can get caught of others who protect the USA and for us personally and up on our adversities we faced and rightfully so, Thanksgiving where we give thanks for our many blessings. however we don’t have For us in agriculture in Louisiana this is the time of year where to look far to see that our crops are harvested, (with the exception of sugar cane and our neighbors have fared worse than us. citrus) haying is complete and our marketing of the 2017 calf crop is all but complete. Our cow-calf producers have marketed their As we gather with friends and family this Thanksgiving, let us give thanks for our many blessings and may we in production calf crop, preg checked their cows and have planted ryegrass. agriculture be blessed by others who reap the benefit of our So now we wait to see what Ma Nature has in store for us as we bounty. finish out the year. Our ranchers who have fall-calving cows are checking baby calves and looking at the amount of hay/grazing May God bless agriculture! that they have to get through the winter. In the rest of the country cattle runs are at their peak. There are all sorts of factors that Contact us at CPL via our website, lacattle.org and/or phone they are dealing with. Availability of trucks, limited markets, 888-528-6999. less feed yards to accept placements, weather conditions just to name a few challenges. Feeder and calf prices have been under pressure for the cattle weighing over 600 lbs. even with “cheap” feed costs.
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2017 Event Schedule November 2017 Saturday, November 11 NBHA Barrel Racing Saturday & Sunday November 18 Jambalaya Classic Show December 2017 Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Team Roping Finals
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IMPACT OF WINNING A MILLION DOLLAR FUTURITY LASTS A LIFETIME When Open Me A Corona was born, he was ornery like his mama, but Montgomery and her husband, Jim, quickly began to notice his intelligence. Once he hit the racetrack for owners Charles Forbes, Jr. and Tommy Hays, DVM, something else was very evident. “He did not like to be outrun,” stated Montgomery. “He would give his all and come back exhausted.” Open Me A Corona was not the favorite in the 2012 LQHBA Breeders Futurity. He left the gates at 3-1 under David Alvarez and dazzled with a 102 speed index. “I was just ecstatic,” said Montgomery. “It was a thrill of a lifetime and rich reward for all the hard work, the sleepless nights of tending to a horse in the middle of the night, the many feedings in the pouring rain. It’s difficult to explain the feeling!” The joy was shared with the owners and of course, trainer Bobby Martinez. The LQHBA Louisiana Million will be contested on Saturday, December 16 at Evangeline Downs. This will mark its sixth year as a seven-figure championship, and the first with its new name. In this month’s LQHBA Insider, we visit with the five women and men on what breeding the winner of a million dollar futurity has meant to them. Open Me A Corona Natalie Montgomery, DVM has loved horses her entire life. Her father raised Thoroughbreds and she knew from an early age that she wanted to become a veterinarian. However, she will admit that she never anticipated that she would breed a Quarter Horse who would capture a million dollar futurity. But, she did just that with Open Me A Corona, who won the 2012 edition of the $1 million LQHBA Breeders Futurity; the first time the race had a seven-figure purse. “The beauty of Quarter Horse racing is that you never know where a runner will come from,” admits Montgomery. She bred her mare In the Open to Coronas Leaving You, whose stud career was just getting underway. “Open Me a Corona was an embryo transfer,” explained Montgomery. “She came out of a Paint mare, who was kind of nutty; she was short and squatty and couldn’t run a lick!”
“It takes a team to create a champion,” admits LQHBA board member Montgomery. “Winning a race of that caliber gives you a boost as a breeder.” And for the young girl who always loved horses! Ol Time Preacher Man In 2013, an exciting duel to the wire and agonizingly long photo finish declared Ol Time Preacher Man the winner. Jo Baya Foreman bred her mare, Jj Streakin Illusion to Heza Fast Dash, so the win as the breeder was doubly rewarding as Foreman owns a share of Heza Fast Dash, one of Louisiana’s top Quarter Horse stallions. Ol Time Preacher man was purchased at the 2012 LQHBA Yearling Sale by Steve Holland. Conditioned by Kenneth Roberts, Sr., he broke his maiden in the trials to the LQHBA Breeders Futurity and won the final under rider Danny Lavergne. Foreman has been a breeder in Louisiana since 1995, and is currently serving of the LQHBA board of directors. She and Joseph B. Irvine bred Vals Fortune, a millionaire winner of 20 of his 23 starts;named 2013 AQHA Champion 2-year-old. She had a multitude of proud moments watching him compete, and still gets chills thinking about Ol Time Preacher Man’s victory.
“It’s a wonderful memory,” said Foreman. “Just to get invited to ‘the dance’ is very exciting. For a breeder, it is extremely rewarding. I attribute a lot of our success to the Louisiana breeders program.” And she points out that it is not just a fleeting moment of fame. “After you have a horse run like that, everybody wants the next baby,” she stated. “We get calls early in the season and many more visits to the farm to see our weanlings before the sales.” Jj Streakin Illusion continues to produce progeny with championship potential. “My mare had one foal before Ol Time Preacher Man,” she said. “Kenny has his full brother in training right now!” Jls Dashn and Zoomn Jls Speed Horse Ranch in Opelousas, Louisiana, bred the 2014 champion, Jls Dashn and Zoomn. His dam, Shaken Thru Zoom only finished off the board once in her nine starts. She produced two foals that were stakes-placed, before the Soileau family bred her to Sir Runaway Dash. Darrel Soileau explained that they had to retire Shaken Thru Zoom due to bad feet. She produced two foals that were stakes-placed, before the Soileau family bred her to Sir Runaway Dash. “It was Daddy’s decision to breed her to Sir Runaway Dash,” explained Darrel. “We all argue with Daddy, but in the end, it turned out pretty well!” Trainer Brenda Foster took good care of him and our rider, Raul Ramirez, Jr. had confidence in him going into the final. He entered the gates as the fastest qualifier and post time favorite. “Raul told us he would get it done in the end,” recalled Darrel. The Soileau family has bred some other solid runners, most notably, Jls Mr Bigtime, who bankrolled $1,031,147 in his 35 lifetime starts. Darrel is hoping lightning might strike twice with Jls Dash N Fire, who will run in trials for the LQHBA Louisiana Million on November 17. Continued on page 47...
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Month 3 Check-up By Emily McAtee
Month 3 was moderately disastrous. Just before the last week of April, Champagne had his first creek crossing, which really went surprisingly well. His second creek crossing (back over the same creek) did not go so well. He banged up his leg and pulled his back, which wasn’t particularly strong in the first place. I spent a week stretching him back out and getting smooth motion again, thinking that I could go back to riding gently.
I’ve dropped the Scarlet Oil from the treatment routine as the open wound part of the equation has healed well. The thrush part I’m still treating with Tomorrow and Iodine, but it’s actually healing remarkably fast and well. Once the last of the thrushy split tissue heals, I think I can drop the Tomorrow from the treatment routine and only use the Iodine for a few more days after that before allowing it to heal up the rest of the way on its own. Thank goodness Champagne has remained sound on that hoof and has been healing quickly so that we could keep working. I’m not sure how much more time off I could handle. This week we’re kicking it up another notch and adding in more canter work, more stretching, higher poles, more transitions, changes in the size of the lunge circles, and so on. I’m still giving him massages to keep him comfortable so that he can get stronger faster. Theoretically by the end of this week he should be strong enough to take my weight again, and we can go back to riding. I can’t wait: a month of not riding is giving me the jitters. The optimistic side of me says that this has all been a great learning experience and I will definitely benefit from it further down the road. The pessimistic side of me says that I would have preferred fewer life lessons and more ride time.
(Banged up Leg, Without and With Scarlet Oil) Those hopes and dreams were crushed when the farrier came out and holding up his feet restrained Champagne’s back. So we spent a week on muscle relaxants, bute, turnout time or light lunging, and massages. This was then followed up by a week of normal lunge work, including work in walk, trot, canter, up and down hills, over poles, lengthening and shortening strides, etc.
By my calculations, I have now owned Champagne for 91 days. During that time I have recorded 96 hours of work, making an average of 1 hour 3 minutes 18 seconds of training per day. In reality, I have actually only recorded training for 63 days out of those 91, which means that on average training sessions go for 1 hour 31 minutes 26 seconds. Has all of the lunging, riding, massaging, hot rice bags, muscle relaxants, vet consultations, extra feed, farrier appointments, dental visits, physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion been worth it? Month 0
During that time, I saw some of the hoof peeling away on the lateral side of the left front heel and saw that there was some thrush underneath. I pulled out my hoof knife and decided to open it up to help deter the thrush and make it easier to treat. I didn’t quite comprehend how deep the thrush really went though, so opening it up landed me with a mostly open, thrushy wound. Confused about whether to treat it as an open wound or thrush, I called Amanda. We didn’t cover it, which was actually a wise decision (two or three hours of bandaging made it pretty soft and thrushy and icky), and treated it with a funky combination of: • Tomorrow (cephapirin benzathine) - technically meant for cow udders, but handy for treating thrush when it’s found in tight or deep spots, such as split bulbs • Iodine - good for sterilizing both thrush and open wounds, which was nice • Scarlet Oil - a pretty good antiseptic that also keeps the flesh supple enough to keep from cracking and bleeding in order to promote even healing of open wounds
Month 3 I don’t think he’ll ever bulk out the way a quarter horse would: his build is just a little too refined for that. But he looks and feels much better, so yes, I’d say this has been worth it. 13 Weeks Down. Approximately 20 to go. I think we can make it.
(Thrushy Open Wound, Undergoing Early Treatment)
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Lameness and Joint Medications By Benjamin Espy, DVM, DACT and Justin Harper, DVM, MS, DACVS, LA
The metabolism of the equine joint is different than in other species. They are not afflicted with “CharcotLike” arthropathy that occurs in humans with the development of arthritis from corticosteroid injections. It has been proven that corticosteroids and HA together allows the natural synovial lining of a joint to make a more favorable environment. Intraarticular Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Probably the most commonly used HA products are Hylartin-V, HyVisc, Legend or Hyalovet. All of these products are labeled for intraarticular use insuring purity and consistency with each individual manufacturer. MAP-5 is hyaluronic acid used in sperm extender and is not labeled for, but has been used in joint therapy. HA is normally synthesized by the synovial membrane. HA is responsible for the boundary lubrication of articular cartilage. Experimental evidence combined with anecdotal reports from equine practitioners that do sports medicine specialties, report that using the highest molecular weight (thickness) of HA provides the most benefit. Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycans (PSGAG’s) The most common example of this type of product is Adequan. This product is used only by intramuscular injection, however can also be used intraarticularly under strict aseptc environements and by combinging antibiotics with the injection.. These products are primarily used as the building blocks for successful cartilage reparation. This product is also usually used when cartilage damage is already present rather than in acute joint inflammation. Arteparon is the human equivalent to Adequan and the chemical structure of the two products is identical. Chondroitin sulfate is the most commonly used GAG in these products and is harvested from bovine lung and trachea. Oral Joint Supplementation Chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, MSM and various other GAG’s can be found in many oral supplements, none of which are regulated by the Federal Drug Administration.
glucosamine has biological activity, and various beneficial effects on cartilage cells. While this should be great news, it should be noted that these studies have generally been conducted with levels of glucosamine that can’t be reached when the substance is fed to horses. In fact, only 2 – 5% of the glucosamine that is fed to the horse actually is available for the horse, and, at the levels normally fed, it’s hard to see how it could have any effect at all on the horse (the test tube studies are usually conducted at concentrations from 200 – 2000 times higher than what can be reached by feeding the stuff). Even though one test tube study, done on cultured horse cartilage cells, did show beneficial effects, those effects still haven’t been shown to occur in living horses. Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a sugar molecule found in cartilage, bone, tendons, and ligaments. The CS fed to horses comes from animal sources (cow, chicken, pork, and even marine cartilage), so the actual makeup of the product fed to horses depends on where it comes from. Because of this, there is also variation in absorption, which is another reason for concern. It’s an open question whether any CS is absorbed at all. In humans, ingesting CS, doesn’t change blood levels; if blood levels don’t increase, it can’t have any direct effects on joints! Some people have suggested indirect effects, due to elevated levels in the intestine, or in the liver, but this is just speculation, and hasn’t been demonstrated. The fact that CS isn’t well absorbed also casts doubt on the relevance of all of the test tube studies; if it can’t get into the body, who cares what happens in the test tube? So far, there has only been one clinical experimental study in horses that looked at the effects of CS given in the muscle; no beneficial effects were noted. In addition, different CS compounds that come from different manufacturers act differently in test tube experiments. This, of course, means that you unless you know specifically what’s in the product you’re feeding to your horse, you can’t anticipate any positive result.
COMBINATION OF CHONDROITIN SULFATE AND GLUCOSAMINE While there’s a large amount of conflicting evidence, from many species, three clinical trials have looked Glucosamine is an sugar compound that is made in the at the combination of glucosamine hydrochloride and horses body. It’s incorporated into many of the horse’s CS specifically in horses. All of them have reported body’s molecules, including joint cartilage, however, beneficial effects on symptoms of joint disease; all of it is NOT necessary for the synthesis of cartilage them were funded by industry. The most recent study, (the body uses the sugar, glucose, to build cartilage). which did appear to be well-conducted, suggested that Small amounts of glucosamine can detected in the the combination offered some symptomatic relief in bloodstream of horses, but no deficiency has ever been lameness. reported, in any species. The glucosamine that you may buy for your horse comes mostly from the shells Intraarticular Corticosteroids of crustaceans. This class of drug gained much fame, or infamy, as A number of test-tube studies have shown that it is commonly used in racehorses with arthritis and
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has been blamed for many injuries post-injection. Research has proven that when used correctly, these medications are beneficial in the pathogenesis of joint disease. As we mentioned earlier, enzymes that are produced by diseased or inflamed joints are very destructive to normal cartilage. Joints that are inflamed must be treated with antiinflammatory medication, as well as HA in some instances, to allow them to return to their normal environment. Intraarticular corticosteroids allow the joint to start producing lubricating HA as inflamed joint tissues WILL NOT produce visous or thick, lubricating HA. It was once said that a “human on corticosteroids can walk to the autopsy room” but now most orthopedic surgeons use these products in the most famous athletes in the world. Horses are, by far, much harder on their joints than any human athlete. It only makes sense. Substantiation for a direct link between corticosteroid administration and arthritis has persistently been unable to prove by dozens of investigators. Most of the problems associated are attributed to poor technique (infection), poor selection of corticosteroid products, or irreversible damage resulting in a nonfunctional joint Nonsteroidal Medication (NSAID’s) Phenylbutazone (Bute), flunixin meglamine (Banamine), and ketoprofen (Ketofen) are the most common NSAID’s used in horses while aspirin and ibuprofen are the most commonly used NSAID’s in humans. These are very effective in eliminating discomfort and are usually the first line of therapy in minor musculoskeletal pain. These products work by affecting the inflammatory cascade and downregulating mediators produced in the inflammatory cycle The most common and severe side-effect of these agents include gastrointestinal ulceration and reductions in kidney perfusion. U formation is becoming more recognized as a common occurrence in all breeds of horses due to stress and NSAIDs definitely can contribute to this process Conclusion The desire through all of these articles has been to take a lot of the mystery out of veterinary medicine in a well-informed-owner approach. Your veterinarian will encourage intelligent questions. Do your own research. Take responsibility for the care of your athletic horse. We, as humans, have a lot to offer the athletic equine with therapy and medication that has been borrowed from the human medicine field, which has been designed specifically for use on the horse… Reviewed by original authors in 2016. The Equine Report is pleased to reprint this article with permission from The American Association of Equine Practicioners.
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IMPACT OF WINNING A MILLION DOLLAR FUTURITY LASTS A LIFETIME “He made 1,000 errors in his trial for the Laddie Futurity, before winning the final,” he said. “Kenny (Roberts) says he is coming along well.” “Our win with Jls Dashn and Zoomn was incredible for our family,” added Darrel. “I get pretty excited watching any 2-year-old race and just remembering that night!” Jess A Saint Located in Ventress, Louisiana, Jumonville Farms has an outstanding history of breeding champion racehorses. They were honored as AQHA 50-year Breeders in the 2015 ceremony at the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo. But J. E. Jumonville points out one very special reason for his pride in 2015 LQHBA Breeders Futurity champion Jess a Saint. “In all the years we have been breeding under my name or Jumonville Farms, he was the first foal that my wife, Bunny, had her name on,” he proudly stated. It was quite an interesting evolution! Inspired by a trip to California to attend the Vessels Sale, the Jumonvilles made a trip to Del Mar and a visit to the barn of Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. “We visited with Bob and were able to see Vindication, the winner of the Breeders Cup Juvenile,” said Jumonville. An injury derailed Vindication’s career and opportunity to run in the Kentucky Derby. Jumonville followed him as a stallion, and took interest in a mare he sired named Laughing Saint. “I paid $3,000 for her,” recalled Jumonville. “She was small and immature and despite posting some bullet works, never started as a racehorse.” J. E.’s son Dutcher, suggested breeding Laughing Saint to Jess Louisiana Blue, who has sired money earners in excess of $14 million for Jumonville Farms. Owned by Julio Rios and trained by Miguel Rodriguez, Jess a Saint broke his maiden in trials for the 2015 Laddie Futurity at Delta Downs. He was the tenth fastest qualifier to the LQHBA Breeders Futurity, but closed gamely from the far outside post with Raul Ramirez, Jr.in the irons.
J. E. and Bunny were in Seattle that evening and did not see the race, but Jumonville will never forget the phone call from his son. “Dad, he won; he got up in the last jump,” relayed Jumonville. Jumonville will celebrate his 75th birthday next month and reflected on what winning the million dollar championship meant to him and his family. “We have had success over the years with Grade 1 wins in the Rainbow at Ruidoso Downs; the Go Man Go and Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos,” he said. “But to be able to win a million dollar futurity with one of our homebreds in our home state was truly amazing!” TF Racee Runaway It was another noteworthy family collaboration, as a father-son teamed up with TF Racee Runaway in last year’s edition of the LQHBA Breeders Futurity at Evangeline Downs. Steve and Stephen Tate own and operate Tate Farms in Ville Platte, Louisiana. Their gelding, a son of the First Down Dash stallion Sir Runaway Dash, scored a neck victory under veteran jockey, John Hamilton. TF Racee Runaway was bred by Teddy L. Berry, who owned Racee Rainbows, an unraced 14-yearold daughter of the Streakin Six stallion Streakin La Jolla. “Teddy and I are good friends,” said Stephen Tate. “When he decided to get out of the business, we bought a lot of his mares, including Racee Rainbows. Trained by Lanny Keith, TF Racee Runaway was a finalist in the Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity (RG1) at Delta Downs as well as the LQHBA Sale Futurity (RG1) several months later at Fair Grounds. He won his LQHBA Futurity trial on October 28, and entered the final as the sixth fastest qualifier. “My dad and I have worked our whole lives for a win like this,” said Stephen Tate. “John has ridden him well all year long, and we appreciate the great job by Lanny.” Tate Farms was honored as the 2016 LQHBA leading owner and breeder, and TF Racee Runaway was named Champion 2-year-old gelding at the annual LQHBA banquet earlier this year. Stephen Tate took a minute to reflect upon the monumental win.
“But winning a million dollar futurity has boosted every part of our business.”
December 16 Will be a Big Night for One More Breeder The big night of racing on December 16 at Evangeline Downs is important on many levels, according to Tony Patterson, LQHBA executive director. “To run the only RG1 futurity in the country with a true $1,000,000 purse is a tremendous compliment to our breeders, owners and board of directors,” stated Patterson. “We take great pride that breeders awards will be paid to each of the ten finalists.” Lyle Guillory, LQHBA president, has worked tirelessly with state legislators to ensure that they understand how many jobs in Louisiana are created from breeding and owning racehorses. “The breeders play a pivotal role,” said Guillory. “They begin by matching a stallion to a mare, in hopes that a healthy foal will be born and take the many steps into becoming a racing champion. The road is not easy as breeders make a considerable investment of their time and money each season. We salute these men and women and truly appreciate their contribution to the Louisiana equine industry.” This year, the race will run with its new name: the LQHBA Louisiana Million. The winner will receive a check in the amount of $445,000 and share the victory with the team that made it all possible. Thanks to each of the breeders for continuing the excellence of Louisiana-bred Quarter Horses. We salute you! In next month’s Insider, we will visit with the owners, trainers and jockeys of our past winners. They each have special memories of their million dollar dream night! **********************
The LQHBA Insider is a monthly feature written by Martha Claussen for www.lqhba.com. She served as publicity director at Sam Houston Race Park for ten years. She continues to be active in writing, fan education and Quarter Horse racing publicity in Texas, Louisiana and other regions in North America.
“Over the last couple of years, we have bred and sold some nice stakes winners,” he acknowledged.
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Executive Actions on Immigration and the Horse Industry From The American Horse Council Newsroom:
Recently, President Trump issued several executive orders relating to increased immigration enforcement and border security. These actions will impact many employers, including those in the racing and showing segments of the horse industry, even those that rely on legal foreign workers. For many years horse farms, horse shows, trainers and others have had difficulty recruiting American workers. This has forced many to rely on foreign workers and utilize both the H-2B non-agricultural and H-2A agricultural temporary foreign worker programs to meet their labor needs even though these programs are often extremely burdensome to use. Additionally, many of the workers employed in the industry may lack legal status. Most foreign workers in the industry are directly responsible for the care of the horses upon which the entire horse industry is dependent. Without these workers to raise, train, and care for the industry’s horses, many other jobs held by Americans not only in the horse industry, but also supported by the horse industry will be in jeopardy. Generally speaking, increased enforcement, increased competition for legal workers and greater demand for H-2B and H-2A workers will make it more difficult for horse industry employers to fill many positions. Learn More President Trump’s new executive actions call for a wall along the southern border, increased detention and expedited removal of undocumented immigrants, and will enlist the local law enforcement in these efforts. There are still many questions regarding the magnitude of the impact President Trump’s actions will have. However, it is likely there will be an increase of audits and raids to identify and deport undocumented immigrants. It is also possible many workers will leave the country on their own and fewer will come due to increased enforcement. Many employers in industries like agriculture and the horse industry who have a large percentage of foreign workers will face increasing pressure to find legal workers and stiff competition for workers that are available. Already, the cap for H-2B visas for the first half of the fiscal year was reached on January 10th. There is a statutory cap on the total number of to H-2B visas issued each year. Currently, Congress has set the H-2B cap at 66,000 per fiscal year, with 33,000 for workers who begin employment in the first half of the fiscal year (October 1 – March 31) and 33,000 for workers who begin employment in the second half of the fiscal year (April 1 – September 30). Because the cap has already been reached, for many employers that means no H-2B workers will be available if they are needed in 2017. There is no cap on the H-2A agricultural visa program, but those workers can only be employed by horse breeding farms and cannot be utilized by trainers at race
tracks or horse shows. Simply put these executive orders, and existing problems with the H-2B program will make find workers for many positions in the horse industry much more difficult. What should members of the horse industry do? First, horse industry employers should be prepared for increased worksite enforcement and make certain all required paper work is in order. This means that employers should make sure all Form I-9s are complete and accurate. Second, the most immediate need for the horse industry is H-2B cap relief and restoring the returning worker exemption. If you, your business or members of your organization rely on H-2B workers, please contact your Senators and Representative and let them know that it is vital Congress reinstate the H-2B returning worker exemption. • Call your Senators and Representative today. If you do not know their direct numbers, you can reach them through the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 225-3121. Once connected to the office, ask to speak to the person who handles H-2B issues and tell him or her how important the H-2B program is to you. Ask them to work with their party leadership to restore the H-2B returning worker exemption at the earliest opportunity. • Tell them horse farms, trainers, horseshows, and others in the horse industry are often unable able to find Americans who are willing and able to take jobs as grooms, and stable attendants. • And despite substantial efforts to recruit American workers the industry has been forced to rely on foreign workers and the H-2B temporary worker program to meet their labor needs. • The cap for H-2B visas for the first half of the fiscal year was reached on January 10th. For many employers that means no H-2B workers will be available if they are needed in 2017. Or email them here: app.muster.com/take-action/1KBtiFGTnz/ There continues to be many questions regarding the impact of these executive actions and the possibility of more executive actions and immigration legislation. The AHC will continue to monitor this issue. Additionally, The AHC has worked for many years with a broad coalition of users to make both the H-2B and H-2A programs less burdensome and to ensure the programs are available to the horse industry. The AHC will continue this work and look for new opportunities to address the immigrant labor problem facing the industry.
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Other Worm Control Practices for Horses by Dr. John Byrd Recently Horsemen’s Laboratory was asked what other practices an owner can use to control worms in addition to deworming, especially for the worms that cause summer sores (Habronema). Since Habronema larvae are spread by stable flies and house flies, the best practice to help control them is to control the fly population in your horses’ environment. The Habronema larvae are passed in horse manure, when flies feed on the manure they actually take in the microscopic larvae. These larvae develop and when the flies feed on a horse’s wound or around the eyes, lips or other areas of the horse that are moist the larvae moves to the mouth parts of the fly then they get into the small wound that the fly makes as it feeds on the horse and burrow in to the tissue of the horse. Fly larvae (maggots) may also eat the Habronema larvae which will live in the fly until the fly becomes an adult. Once in the tissue it is thought the larvae causes considerable inflammation. Some believe that there is a severe allergic local reaction to the larvae that causes the severe inflammation that creates a deep ugly ulcer from ¼ inch to several inches in diameter. Some owners claim the fly predators help reduce the fly population a great deal around the stable. Other worms and practices that help control them: Pick up manure in stalls, paddocks and pastures as often as possible.
• Stalls at least every day and if possible 2 times a day. • Paddocks at least 1 time a day. • Pastures at least 2 times a week, best if more often in warm moist climates.
Be sure it is going to be hot and dry for several days when you mow or drag pastures and best to pick up manure before mowing or dragging. One should also strongly consider keeping horses off the pasture for 2-4 weeks. Since mowing and dragging pastures spreads the infective eggs and larvae over a much larger portion of pasture area making it hard for the horses to avoid eating them. • Do not turn new horses into pastures before getting a fecal egg count processed. • Do a fecal egg count after deworming before turning a new horse into your herd of horses to be sure there are not any adult worms still in the digestive tract producing eggs. • Do periodic fecal egg counts to determine if the horse is a low, medium, or high shedder of worm eggs. •Do periodic fecal egg counts to determine which horses and when they need to be dewormed. Cleaning pastures at first sounds like a big task, however, most horses seem to divide pastures into two distinct areas; lawns and roughs. There are also pasture vacuums now available to be pulled behind a tractor that will actually vacuum your pastures.
• Lawns are where the horses eat. • Roughs are where horses pass their manure.
Once the lawn and rough areas have been established you most likely will only have to pick up the rough area, as 90% of the worm eggs will be passed in those areas. Strongyle larvae general take 2-3 days (in the summer under ideal conditions 24 hours) to reach the infective stage and they do not leave the pile of manure they were passed in until they reach the infective stage. Following the routine we have described for keeping stalls, paddocks, and pastures cleaned will have a very positive affect on reducing the number of infective eggs and larvae that your horses are exposed to. As opposed to deworming that only kills the worms that are adults. In conclusion, picking up the manure piles on a routine schedule will reduce your horses’ exposure to a much higher number of worms than deworming. However, deworming is still an essential part of worm control. Therefore, following all the recommendations above will greatly reduce your horses’ risks of problems caused by worms that we described in an earlier article.
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LSU Equine Hospital Renovates Horse Surgery Recovery Stall The Equine Health Studies Program and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the School of Veterinary Medicine is renovating and updating their horse surgery recovery stalls. The equine recovery stalls were installed during the original construction of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in the early 70’s and although innovative and functional for their time they are in much need of renovation. The new renovated surgery recovery stalls will be “state-of-the-art” and will modernize and change the process by which horses are anesthetized, moved into the surgery room and recovered. The surgery recovery stall will be fitted with new antimicrobial resistant sealed non-slip padding on the floor and walls and will ensure a safe and secure recovery of horse patients undergoing surgery and other procedures requiring anesthesia (Figure 1). New 4000 lb capacity monorail system will be installed in each recovery stall that seamlessly connects the surgery suite with the recovery stall and provides a smooth ride for the horse, once anesthetized (Figure 2). In addition, the recovery stalls will be fitted with new doors with 3 large windows and a people escape door that will allow continuous monitoring of the patient while they are undergoing a “rope-assisted” recovery (Figure 3). The anticipated completion date of the project is November 1, 2017 and was provided by a generous donation from the Pfeiffer-Burt Estate. Ms. Pfeiffer-Burt was a friend of the LSU Veterinary School and the Equine Health Studies Program and also the person for which “the state-of-theart” lameness pavilion was named after. “Through this generous donation we will have a state-of-the-art modern, safe and biosecure area to anesthetize and recover horses before and after surgery. In addition, we want to thank Ms. Pfeiffer-Burt for her commitment to LSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine” says Dr. Frank M. Andrews, LVMA Equine Committee Professor and Director of the Equine Health Studies Program.
Figure 1. New horse surgery recovery and induction stalls showing soft antimicrobial padding.
Figure 2. Monorail system with hoist to allow horses to be smoothly transported from the recovery stall to the surgery suite.
Figure 3. Equine recovery stall door with 3 windows and a people escape door. All horses are recovered with rope-assist.
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52 The Louisiana Equine Report • November | December 2017
LA MOS CORONA SCORES UPSET VICTORY IN BILLY MONTGOMERY STAKES FILLY WINS STAKES AT ODDS OF 9-1 UNDER FLORIBERTO MALDONADO OPELOUSAS, LA – Manuel Alvarez’s La Mos Corona certainly picked a fine time to get her first career victory at Evangeline Downs on Wednesday night. The filly took the lead shortly after the start of the $30,000 Billy Montgomery Stakes and powered to a ¾-length victory in a time of 16.589 seconds for 330 yards over the sloppy track, which equals a speed index of 101. La Mos Corona had to withstand a stout challenge from Rcv Sheza Classydash, who broke well from the outside post in the field of eight, but had to settle for second. Sassy Chic 3341, a 17-1 longshot, managed to overcome a mediocre start and closed smartly to finish third. The even-money favorite, Punctuality, did not take a liking to the sloppy track and finished fourth. The win in the Billy Montgomery Stakes is the fourth career win for La Mos Corona in 15 lifetime starts. The $18,000 first-place purse increases her lifetime earnings to $83,177. La Mos Corona is a 3-year-old filly by Coronas Leaving You and she is out of the Heza Fast Dash mare, La Mos Chingono. She was bred in Louisiana by Oscar Rohne, trained by Orlando Orozco and was ridden to victory by Floriberto Maldonado. La Mos Corona paid $21.80 to win, $10 to place and $7.20 to show. Rcv Sheza Classydash returned $6 to place and $5 to show. Sassy Chic 3341 paid $7.60 to show. Live racing continues Thursday night at Evangeline Downs with an eight-race program. Post time will be 5:35 pm Central Time. For more information on the American Quarter Horse season at Evangeline Downs, visit the track’s website at www.evdracing.com. Evangeline Downs’ Twitter handle is @EVDRacing and the racetrack is also accessible on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvangelineDownsRacing. About Evangeline Downs Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel is owned by Boyd Gaming Corporation, a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Boyd Gaming press releases are available at www.prnewswire.com. Additional news and information can be found at www.boydgaming.com, or www.evangelinedowns.com.
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13Th annual
Newtown Farm ISR/ Oldenburg NA mare and foal inspection
The thirteenth annual Newtown Farm ISR/Oldenburg NA mare and foal inspection took place on Saturday, 16 September 2017, in Benton, Louisiana. It was the year of the fillies. Inspector Helmut Schrant assessed the six fillies presented this year—a more modest number of foals than in past inspections, but an array that still maintained the level of quality visitors have come to expect at the Newtown Farm inspection. Paperwork began over coffee and biscotti at 9:00 AM, while the actual inspection of animals began at 10:30AM. The day was sunny and mild and the setting green after a wetter-than-usual August in Louisiana. Once again the triangle was marked with the traditional pots of yellow chrysanthemums. Julie Norman again did the honors as official runner, and Barbara Newtown served once more as the official photographer. This inspection had been declared an unmounted meeting of the local Adult Pony Club, and as a consequence a knowledgeable gallery appreciated the judge’s generous explanations of his scoring. The Pony Clubbers conspired with Judge Helmut Schrant to celebrate the birthday of club member Haley Glick, who, at the end of the inspection was awarded an official score sheet and designation as a “Premium Mare”—followed by much whooping from the crowd. The inspected foals (actually equines, not humans) included four Oldenburg fillies by Balanchine* and one by Landkoenig, all bred at Newtown Farm. The sixth filly, the offspring of a Thoroughbred stallion and a Belgian draft nurse mare, was presented for a certificate of birth in anticipation of joining the breeding program of her owner, Hanna Gamble of Benton, Louisiana. Two daughters of Balanchine* were awarded premium plaques. High scorer of the day (at 8.1) was the elegant dark bay filly Harper Lee, out of Hermione -/*/- (by Coeur de Lion). Harper Lee is Hermione’s sixth premium foal in eight years—a remarkable record for a young mare. Also awarded premium status (at 8.0) was the colorful bay filly Zelda, out of the Dutch mare Zoe */-/- (by Juventus). As Zelda raced around the inspection field, she flashed her blaze face, her four long stockings, and her three generous belly spots like a painted pony on steroids. At noon, participants, spectators, and the judge all retired to the Newtown kitchen for lunch. Once again Barbara Newtown and her mother Priscilla Claflin had prepared a rich spread that included chicken salad, egg salad, pigs in blankets, croissants and whole wheat rolls, cut up veggies, and numerous kinds of cookies. The final piece-de-résistance was a moist, succulent tiramisu cake provided for Haley Glick’s birthday celebration by the other “Premium Mares” of the Pony Club. After much food, washed down with sodas and beer, we marked the ending of official business with the branding of the fillies. Then the judge joined the site hosts for more cold beer and for warm reminiscences of Helmut’s Oldenburg stallion Frohwind. The blood of this magnificent horse has flowed through all Newtown Farm offspring since we began breeding warmbloods in 1989. In fact, Harper Lee, this year’s high point filly, traces to that elegant sire in both halves of her pedigree.
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Louisiana Equine Report :
Mike @ 225.229.8979 | Email: mike@laequinereport.com | www.theequinereport.com