Innehållsförteckning för February 2018 från Practical Horseman

After walking my horse, Merlot, around the ring a few times recently, I picked up the trot. He felt pokey and a little like he was walking on eggshells. I continued to walk and trot him around for the next 15 minutes, but he got only marginally better so I ended our ride for the day. There was a time that I would have hopped off immediately and called the vet. But Merlot is almost 23 years old now, and he has some good days and some stiffer days. At those times, if he doesn’t work out of his arthritic creaks, I turn him back out, watch him for a few days and then try riding again. Needless to say, this issue with its senior-horse focus was of particular interest…

PH How did Danny & Ron’s Rescue get started? RD Danny and I were always going to animal shelters and greyhound kennels in Florida to try to find homes for dogs. Then when Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005, we became aware of the thousands of dogs that were pulled out of the floodwaters but then put in crates in warehouses. The state didn’t have the staff to take care of them. So we sent a horse trailer down and got the first 25–30 dogs. We ended up taking more than 600. That fall we loaded an extra trailer and brought dogs to Harrisburg for the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. We adopted out 50 dogs at that show. People were so generous in wanting to help. Horsepeople are animal lovers—I…

It’s an inconvenient truth for all of us: Aging is not for the faint of heart. The hard realities of aging and the need to stay in a disciplined program of good fitness are just as true for the horses we love as they are for ourselves. Most good show horses enjoy their jobs. But once they get to be 10 or 12 years old, the normal wear and tear on their bodies starts to catch up with them. As show hunters mature, we start stepping them down to the lower divisions, from classes with 4-foot fences to 3-foot-6 and all the way down to 2-foot-6. It’s nice for horses in their mid to late teens to have a second career and it gives us steady, experienced mounts who are…

Tasty is a perfect example of how a horse’s career can evolve. He was imported from Europe in 2007 and was successful as a Green Conformation Hunter at 3-foot-6 and 3-foot-9 and then as a 4-foot Working Conformation Hunter. Here he is ridden by trainer Hunt Tosh at the 2010 Devon Horse Show. His current owner, Rebekah Warren, bought the bay gelding the following season and rode him in the 3-foot-6 Amateur Owner division. He was then shown in the 3-foot-3 Junior Hunter. Rebekah’s daughter Charlotte is now riding Tasty in the 3-foot Adult Amateur division. “By now, this horse is part of the family,” Rebekah says. “He will always be with us.”…

Age is just a number and simply because your horse turns 15, 20 or even 25, doesn’t automatically mean he’s old. Instead of relying on the calendar, watch for these telltale signs that indicate it’s time to start thinking of and treating your horse as a senior citizen. ▪ Graying hair, particularly around the eyes and muzzle ▪ Deepening hollows above the eyes ▪ Slackening or drooping of the lower lip ▪ Elongation of incisors ▪ Difficulty eating ▪ Weight loss (or, less commonly, weight gain) ▪ Poor coat condition and/or delayed shedding ▪ Loss of muscle tone, particularly over the topline ▪ Loss of ligament and tendon strength, which could lead to lower, more sloping pasterns ▪ General stiffness and reduced overall flexibility ▪ Reduced energy level…

Both mares and stallions can remain reproductively sound well into their senior years—with some caveats. For instance, mare fertility typically starts to decline around age 15 and decreases with every passing year. Older maiden mares, in particular, will be harder to get in foal. In general, you may need to breed your mare during more heat cycles to get a confirmed pregnancy. Pregnancy loss also increases with age. For stallions, arthritis that prevents them from mounting a mare (or a breeding dummy) is a top factor limiting longevity in the breeding shed. However, semen production can also fall off with age. Owners of senior stallions will probably need to begin limiting their books, particularly for live covers. If you’re thinking of breeding an older horse, be sure to have your…

The FEI World Equestrian Games is important for many reasons beyond the fact that it includes eight world championships. The 2018 WEG is a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Countries have to earn their way to the most prestigious and publicized sporting event on earth. At the same time, equestrian sport has not always been confident of continued inclusion in the Olympics as those Games keep changing to attract a wider (and often younger) audience. Example: Skateboarding will be part of the program in Tokyo. Equestrian competition is expensive to put on and Olympic leaders at some point in the future may not be convinced that it has enough of a following to serve the purposes of the Games. It does, however, seem secure for 2024 (Paris) and 2028…

Steinkraus Remembered “A true Renaissance man,” was how those who knew him well often described consummate horseman William Steinkraus, who died in late November at age 92. The first American equestrian to win an individual gold medal in the Olympics, he had a wide range of interests and abilities—talents that he demonstrated as a musician, writer, editor, television commentator, master of equestrian governance and more. Steinkraus “knew something about everything,” said former U.S. Show Jumping Coach George Morris of his 1960 Olympic teammate, friend and mentor. As an equestrian, Steinkraus took an intellectual approach to show jumping that meshed well with his refined athleticism. He believed in what he called “rational riding,” which he described as “riding that depends on thought as well as feeling, on the brain as well…

If you think passage is a challenging movement, you’re right. And science just proved it. On the surface, passage is simply a very slow, very animated trot. Look deeper, though, and a host of biomechanical variables come into play. Identifying those variables was the goal of a recent study led by Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, Dipl. ACVSMR, MRCVS, Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair Emerita at Michigan State University and president of Sport Horse Science, LC, and Sarah Jane Hobbs, lead for the research and consultancy in equine surfaces team at the University of Central Lancashire in England. The passage study was part of a multiyear research project aimed at understanding the mechanics of collection and self-carriage, says Dr. Clayton. It involved the use of a 10-camera motion-analysis system to film…

Sleek and Toasty Layer The weather-resistant and breathable Pavia Waterproof Gilet from Horseware® features a snap-down collar that allows for two looks in one. The smooth and fitted garment is made of herringbone brushed polyester with a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer coating that adds durability. It has 90 percent ethically sourced white duck feather and 10 percent down padding as well as invisible secure-zip pockets. Machine-washable. Navy, stone or gray. Sizes extra-small–extra-extra-large; $180; www.horseware.com. Sheep Rejoice The STS Carbon Gel VENTO™ Open-Front Boots from Veredus® are part of its Save the Sheep line. The boot’s key feature is Techno Sheepskin™, a 100 percent cruelty-free, man-made synthetic fabric that lines the boots. The material can be washed easily and dried quickly and will not become matted or stiff. The boots also have…

Julie Curtin is a well-known hunter rider and trainer on the Southeast circuit. She started riding at age 5 and was a junior catch rider in the late 1980s for partners Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta, both successful trainers and judges from Camden, South Carolina. After college, she worked for Atlanta trainer Claudia Roland and then launched her own business in 2004. At her New Vintage Farm in Woodstock, Georgia, Julie’s program includes a mix of young horses in development and mature show horses for her amateur-owner and adult riders. She is a regular rider and trainer on the indoor and derby circuits with several U.S. Equestrian Federation and zone Horse of the Year and championship ribbons over the years. Her hunter and equitation clients have also been consistently successful…

The treadmill is a critical piece of equipment at New Vintage Farm. I bought one five years ago and found that with consistent use my horses became stronger through their core and hindquarters with a much more developed topline. Every horse in the barn now walks on the treadmill five days a week for 30 minutes. This type of conditioning lays a foundation of strength for a horse to more easily do his job. The idea is for the horse to push himself along rather than pull himself along. We preach leg to hand and everything is generated from the hind end. So the hind end is the starting point for engagement—in most horses it needs to get stronger and this is particularly true as horses age. We start with…

“I often hear horse owners say, ‘My [senior] horse doesn’t need any more vaccines. He’s had enough in his life,’” says Dr. Kivett. “This is completely wrong!” In fact, she adds, keeping up with a regular vaccination routine is even more important for older horses, who have decreased immune function and decreased immune response to vaccinations. That leaves them more susceptible than younger horses “to the diseases that we vaccinate against, like influenza, West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis,” she says. Some owners also have told her they’re less worried about vaccinating because if their horse gets one of the diseases, they’ll have the horse euthanized. “But dying of eastern equine encephalitis is a horrible way to go for a horse,” cautions Dr. Kivett. “And an emergency call and…

Q My 11-year-old gelding was recently diagnosed with navicular disease. The vet says it’s a fairly mild case but could get worse over time. What can I do to limit the progression of the disease and keep him as sound as possible? SANTIAGO GUTIERREZ-NIBEYRO, DVM, Diplomate ACVS, ACVSMR A Navicular disease is an incurable degenerative condition that has similarities to osteoarthritis in people. Over time, the navicular bone and soft-tissue structures around it deteriorate, causing pain in the sole region of the foot. Horses suffering from navicular are often described as “walking on eggshells.” Fortunately, there are several things you can do to slow the progression and reduce your horse’s discomfort. Most importantly, you must address the biomechanical abnormalities causing the disease. These are usually chronic foot imbalances resulting from…

Pratt Earns National Quiz Challenge Gold In her third appearance at a USHJA Horsemanship Quiz Challenge Nationals, Kiersten Pratt, 19, of Arlington, Illinois, won the overall gold medal in November during the event held at Lake Erie College in Painseville, Ohio. The 2017 championship title was especially sweet for her after earning a 2015 team gold medal and a 2016 individual bronze. Pratt also received the 2017 High Score Written Exam Award—her second in as many years. “It feels pretty incredible,” Pratt said. “It is nice to be recognized for all of the studying hours you put in. To finally win it is pretty amazing.” Quiz Challenge contestants completed three phases of the event: a written exam, a horsemanship/identification test and a hands-on practicum evaluation. In addition, finalists participated in…

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, David Marcus moved to Canada in 1996 and became a Canadian citizen in 2011. He and the Danish Warmblood gelding Chrevi’s Capital represented his new country in both the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France. The pair also competed on multiple Nations Cup teams and topped the North American League to qualify for the 2013 FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Göthenburg, Sweden. Throughout his career, David has won many Grands Prix, including CDIs at Dressage at Devon and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. He won the 2016 Adequan/USDF Intermediate II Dressage Horse of the Year award aboard Binjora. Recently, he was selected as the guest rider and judge for the KWPN Championships’ Pavo Cup in Ermelo, the Netherlands.…

There is an old saying, “Green plus green equals black and blue.” If you are a novice rider, you should always consider buying a seasoned horse—a horse who has the knowledge to cover up your mistakes. Learning is easier when your horse knows his job. Work with an established trainer whom you trust and look for a “Steady Eddie.” Search for the horse who has had consistency in his training, day in and day out, over many years; one who has a good heart, who is a doer. Be aware that buying a mature horse is not an investment. I always make it clear to the buyer that the value of a mature horse is going to decrease monetarily over time. But knowing that every time you get on him,…

While cancer can strike at any age, and horses are less affected than many other species, the risk does increase with age. “Gray horses are particularly prone to developing melanoma as they age and horses with pink skin (especially of the eyelids, lips and genitals) are prone to squamous cell carcinoma,” says Dr. Kivett. If you see any “areas of irregular skin or masses, call your veterinarian,” says Dr. Lehfeldt. “One of the benefits to having yearly health exams done by a veterinarian is to ensure these are identified early in the course so they can be treated sooner versus later.” Benign but Serious: Strangulating Lipoma While not cancerous, Drs. Kivett and Lehfeldt note that older horses can be at higher risk for another type of tumor—a condition called a…

“It’s wonderful to have major championships like this at home,” says McLain Ward, citing the support at Omaha, Nebraska, where he won the 2017 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final. For American athletes, he says, the home-crowd advantage for the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in North Carolina may be a plus. But is there really an advantage competing in a major championship at home? It would seem so since riders speak the language, they won’t encounter strange food (except possibly fried green tomatoes, a Southern staple), there’s no need to exchange money and the bulk of the fans will be from the U.S. That’s what George Morris thought when he was coaching the U.S. show-jumping team during the 2010 WEG at the Kentucky Horse Park. But he didn’t reckon…

□ HEAD TO sunny Tucson, Arizona, to watch hunters and jumpers compete during the HITS Arizona Winter Circuit, Feb. 1– March 12. The series features a $25,000 Grand Prix every Sunday; www.hitsshows.com. □ SUBMIT an entry by Feb. 9 for a chance to win an eight-day trip for two to Paris in April to see the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final. Earn bonus entries by sending a selfie during any of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League competitions—qualifiers for the championship in France; www.PracticalHorsemanMag.com/page/paris-travel-sweeps. □ SEE Arabians perform in a wide range of equestrian disciplines at the 63rd Annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, Feb. 15–25, in Scottsdale, AZ. Visitors can also take behind-the-scenes barn tours, attend seminars and demonstrations and enjoy family-friendly activities; www.scottsdaleshow.com. □ DEVELOP…