So,
I keep saying it and willing it to be true but Spring is definitely nearly here
and that IS a good thing but it brings its own issues if you own horses! So, with that in mind here are a few things
to be aware of NOW.
- Worms
- now is the time to do your first egg
count of the year. I did
mine a couple of weeks ago and they all showed 'no eggs in sample' so none of
them need worming:) I will be testing
for tapeworm in a couple more weeks using the saliva test and am planning on
using this on Tommy too this year - first time.
I do find this test a bit time
consuming but if it means not having to give them a wormer then that is a good
thing.
- Sweet
itch - in the last few days the weather has been warmer and I
have noticed a few midges about. This is
bad news if your horse or pony suffers from this nasty condition. Fidget suffered badly in the last few years
but I found a good rug was the best way to ease his discomfort.
- Laminitis
- as the lovely, tasty spring grass comes through this should be at the front
of everyone's minds. Restrict access to
the tasty, sugar filled new grass or your horse's health will suffer. Laminitis can strike horses and ponies alike
so don't assume your horse is safe.
- Grass
sickness - this horrific disease is nearly
always fatal. Know the signs so that you
can prevent your horse or pony suffering.
- Breathing problems - I also have to start watching Basil
more carefully now. His RAO
doesn't usually flare up until the end of May but as we haven't decided which
pollen (or pollens) affect him I have to keep an eye on him.
- Poisonous
plants - keep an eye out for these popping up in your field from
now on, they seem to spring up overnight and make sure you deal with them in
the correct way. Ragwort must be dug up
and burnt.
- Fitness
- many people start riding after the winter about now. I generally ride throughout the year, but if
you don't, make sure you allow enough time to get your horse or pony fit before
expecting them to go out for a 2 hour hack, complete a dressage test or go
jumping.
- Joys of spring - watch out for your horse being full of the
joys of spring. Many horses get an extra
spring in their step at this time of year and can get a bit silly and more
challenging to ride. Maybe have a lesson
or two to help your confidence with this.
- Feeding
- as the grass comes through and your horse's exercise pattern changes make
sure you re-assess his feeding. Although
he may be doing more work as the days get longer and drier he will also be
getting more calories through improved grass.
So, think before increasing his food.
Make any changes gradually!
Have you seen last week's video 'Shock Discovery' on my You Tube channel?
Horse Life and
Love. Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.
Until next time!
Jo
What
is it
Grass
Sickness is a disease which causes damage to the Autonomic
Nervous System. This system allows internal organs to function
properly, usually unconsciously controlled.
It controls the digestive system, the movement of blood by the heart,
some gland activities and much of the urino-genital system. It is the gut which is primarily affected by
Grass Sickness, it becomes paralysed! It
can affect horses, ponies and donkeys of all ages, breed or sex and usually
results in death.
Signs
There
are 3 forms recognised:
Acute
- Severe colic
- Muscle tremors
- Patchy sweating
- Excess salivation
- Difficulty swallowing - horse will drop food or it will come
down the nostrils
- Few droppings, hard and small often covered by mucus
- The stomach can fill with liquid which then may come out of
the nostrils
Sub-acute
Horses
are affected less severely but symptoms are mostly the same. There is less likely to be any nasal
discharge.
- Horse will lose weight rapidly
Chronic
Symptoms
develop more slowly and in some cases is only a mild colic.
- Weight loss - considerable
- Drooping eyelids
- Dry and crusty nose
- Patchy sweating
- Tucked up
Causes
NOT
KNOWN.
It
appears to be seasonal, most often seen between April and June. Most often in grazing animals. Horses new to a field are more likely to be
affected as the risk seems to decrease the longer the horse is on the same
pasture.
Clostridium
botulinum is currently thought to be
a key factor and a specific neurotoxin that it produces BUT there are more
factors involved and research is ongoing.
Diagnosis
CALL
THE VET immediately you notice these symptoms.
Treatment
Most
horses will die within a week. Horses
with the acute or sub-acute form will not recover and should not be allowed to
suffer. Horses with Chronic Grass
Sickness can survive. These are the
cases where treatment may be successful.
Supportive
treatment and nursing. Feeding through a
stomach tube if necessary, fluid therapy.
Prevention
A
vaccine is being trialled, but currently there is nothing available.
Equine
Grass Sickness Fund Website: http://www.grasssickness.org.uk
Have you seen this week's video 'Shock Discovery' on my You Tube channel?
Horse Life and
Love. Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram
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Until next time!
Jo
The weather is improving - finally some sunshine and dry days! The horses have started losing their coats now so I will be covered in hair for the next 2 months (me and everything else I touch).
I have started Basil up again and he is really keen. When I arrive to get him in he comes right up to the gate - which he doesn't do in the evening when it is tea time! He does love work, which is great. I have lunged him a few times now, just gently and he is being strangely well behaved :)
I have chosen a new bit to try ...
... and I will let you know how we get on with it. In some ways it is similar to his old one but obviously is not a Happy Mouth - because he kept chewing the plastic and making it sharp!
The boys have also been practising their camera poses this week!
More practise needed I think :)
Have you seen yesterday's video 'Shock Discovery' on my You Tube channel?
Horse Life and
Love. Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.
Until next time!
Jo
In
1562 the Royal Frederiksborg stud was set up in Denmark. The foundation stock included Andalusian's
and Neapolitan blood. They are
relatively rare now but have a loyal following!
History
The
stud was established by King Frederik II and the horses were used by the
courtiers for Haute Ecole which was popular at the time. Their stylish appearance and trainable
temperaments made them ideal. The stud was divided into colour groups to ensure
they produced well matched pairs for pulling carriages!
As
the demand grew for lighter and more active military horses the Frederiksborg
proved itself well suited. Their courage
and obedience were highly valued. They
were popular for parades due to their high stepping action and this also made
them popular for the royal carriages. In addition, the breed was a useful addition
on many farms.
In
Europe the breed was popular as a riding horse, their elegance and obedient
temperament coupled with their agility meant that they were used to influence
many breeds. Unfortunately the breed was
not controlled and so many horses were sold from the stud that it closed in
1839.
In
1923 official registration began, followed by efforts to re-establish the breed
in 1939. Today they are seen in Europe and the US but in small numbers!
Characteristics
Height: Average 15.3hh
Colour: Predominantly chestnut, often with flaxen
manes and tails.
Conformation: Face is convex, the neck is powerful and the shoulders
muscular. The chest and hindquarters
are powerful.
Temperament:
Kind, willing and hard working.
Used
for general riding, driving. Can make
dressage horses and showjumpers.
The
Frederiksborg Horse website: http://frederiksborg.com/website/
Have you seen last week's video 'Nearly Spring' on my
new You Tube channel?
Horse Life and Love. Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.
You can also follow me on Facebook and
Instagram for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.
Until next time!
Jo
What
is it
Wobbler
disease is characterised by poor coordination and weakness particularly of the
hindquarters.
Signs
- Poor co-ordination
- Weakness
- Clumsiness
- Unusual wear of front toes or sores to the front heels from over-reaching
- Reluctance to lie down
- May progress to exaggerated/drunken movements and crashing
into objects or obstacles eg: doorways
Causes
Compression
of the spinal cord causes injury to the nerves which are responsible for
sensing the position of the limbs. The
compression can be caused by:
- Trauma to the cervical vertebrae (often from a fall)
- Virus (herpes or rhinopneumonitis)
- Infection
- Incorrect or excessive bone growth
- Hypertrophy of the ligaments of the spinal canal
- Malformed or misaligned vertebrae
- Soft tissue inflammation around the vertebrae
- Inflammation of the spinal cord
- Inflammation in the joint capsule
Diagnosis
The
vet will do a neurological exam. They can
also take radiographs of the neck to pinpoint any problem areas. This can be followed by a myelogram which is
when dye is injected into the spinal canal before further radiographs are
taken. Unfortunately the horse will need
to have a general anaesthetic for this.
Treatment
Surgery
is often the only option. However, in
cases of young horses a change in diet can help.
Prevention
Preventing
trauma. Feeding youngsters
appropriately.
Did you see Wednesday's video 'Nearly Spring' on my You Tube channel?
Horse Life and
Love. Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.
Until next time!
Jo
Those
of you who follow my You Tube channel will know that I decided early this month
(but after I blogged my aims for February) to give Basil the month off.
I
noticed he had lost more weight than usual in January and that, on top of
Chesney's soft and sore feet, made me decide it was a good plan! The weather is usually horrible and I never
feel very inspired to ride at this time of year anyway.
I
slowly added to his feed, he now has almost half a scoop of the HiFi Senior
with his Healthy Hooves. He will be 16 years
old in May so I may change him on to this totally. I also started giving him soaked
sugarbeet. Chesney usually has this in
the winter but the sugars have made Basil a bit too fizzy in the past, however,
giving him February off meant I didn't need to worry about that.
He
is also having some oil added to his feed BUT he is not keen and tends to push
his food around the bowl. Basil has
always been a bit fussy as he won't eat food with Bute added (although he does
eat it with Ventipulmin). This means
that really I can't give him enough oil to make a big enough difference :(
I
have not noticed an increase in his weight - I have been weigh taping him every
week - but he has not lost any more
weight, so that is good.
Tommy
has spent more time galloping around in the field this month. As usual I have no idea why, he seems to just
do a few laps for fun. A few days ago I
arrived to find him up by the gate - stuck between the gate and electric fence
- he was not supposed to be there. The
fence was all still up so he must have jumped.
He had also managed to rip his rug quite well, even by Basil's
standards!
As
I said at the beginning of today's blog, Chesney's feet were quite soft and the
soles a bit sore at the start of
February. With a few weeks off from
running up and down when I ride Basil and having the special foot dressing on
them every day he has improved. He has also been getting extra
painkillers/anti-inflammatory drugs for his arthritis as he struggles more when
it is really muddy.
I
am planning to start riding again this weekend - perhaps a lunge first
though! Thank goodness I can now see a
few signs of Spring around and the mornings are getting lighter - HAPPY DAYS!
Have you seen yesterday's video 'Nearly Spring' on my You Tube channel?
Horse Life and
Love. Please check it out and SUBSCRIBE.
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter for updates on Chesney, Basil, Tommy and Daisy.
Until next time!
Jo
