Photo by David Classen/iStockPhoto.com

While investigating a 5,600-year-old village site in Kazakhstan, archaeologists determined that its Copper Age inhabitants were among the first cultures to tame horses. The evidence? The buried remnants of corral posts. Clearly, fences have been crucial to our shared relationship all along.

Unlike ancient horsemen who were limited to sticks and stones to enclose their horses, we benefit from a vast variety of traditional and modern materials from which to choose. Unfortunately, despite over 5,000 years of development, there’s still no ideal fence for every horsekeeping purpose. Each fence choice involves balancing safety concerns with aesthetics, cost, and upkeep.

Chances are you’ll employ a variety of materials and fence designs on your property for paddocks, arenas, and pasture fences—or even mix fence materials for a single enclosure. Choosing carefully will help maximize the safety, value, appeal, and utility of your fences. Before looking at the broad range of choices, let’s discuss safe fencing construction.

Safety
America’s West was tamed by blazing guns and barbed wire. Both remain murderous when used improperly. While barbed wire is relatively safe for huge pastures holding thick-skinned, placid cattle, the use of barbed wire for horse properties has caused untold tragedies. If you have any on your horse acreage, your first fencing priority is to remove it.

Building codes may ultimately determine fencing requirements for your land, but some general rules of thumb apply nearly everywhere. Field fences should be 54 to 60 inches above ground level. Err on the side of caution and go with a 5-feet minimum height where fences abut highways or anywhere that an escaped horse can flee your premises. Six feet is the safe minimum height for stall runs and paddocks.

At bottom, an opening of 8 to 12 inches will keep feet and legs from getting trapped, and also prevent foals from rolling under the fence. Fence openings should be either large enough that a hoof, leg, or even the head can’t become trapped, or very small (no more than 3 inches by 3 inches) to prevent a hoof from penetrating. To maintain tension, most wire fences, both fabric and high-tensile smooth wire, require triangular-shaped bracing at the corners and at intervals of about 1/8 mile. The acute angles formed by brace wires represent entrapment hazards if the horse can reach them; good design (such as boards used in corners to block access) can prevent injury, even death.

Visibility, especially with wire fencing, is too often overlooked. While a white plank fence of wood or PVC is easily seen by horses, wires can be almost invisible when a horse panics and runs—the time when the worth of a fence is truly tested. Improve visibility to wire fences by adding a top rail of wood; PVC; or durable white vinyl fence ribbon, either standard or electrified. This addition not only makes a wire fence more visible, it also deters horses from reaching over the fence to graze.

Regardless of fence material and design, one of your goals should be to present a smooth side to the horses. Do-it-yourselfers occasionally make the mistake of mounting boards on the outside of fence posts, which makes them easy for horses to knock loose. Further, the exposed posts can injure a horse that runs down the fence line. With cross-pasture fencing, you may not be able to avoid this exposure; in such cases, using an electric fence wire to create a psychological as well as a physical barrier offers a safe solution.

Corners also present problems, especially if you plan to pasture horses that don’t get along well. Any corner can create an entrapment situation where one horse is bullied. The problem is especially bad when the corner angle is acute (90 degrees or less). Some solutions include corners that curve. This requires placing wire fence barriers on the outside of the posts, but this is less of a problem in corners than it is along straight runs. Another solution is to affix planks across corners to block access.

Wood posts, field fence, a highly visible electric tape, and a twisted smooth-wire top line makes this an exceptionally safe fence.

Posts
The strength and integrity of a fence come from good fence posts, properly installed. Wire fences require tension, which means that corner assemblies and gate assemblies need to be braced against the pulling forces. Generally, when using wood posts, it’s best to use concrete to set corner assemblies and gate posts. Metal T-posts benefit from having sturdy wood corner and gate assemblies as well. These are an absolute requirement for high-tensile wire.

Wood is traditional and commonly used for fence posts. Whether you’re making a plank fence or just using wood posts, local availability and custom may determine your choices in woods. For instance, while hardwood fence materials tend to be readily available in the East, Southeast, and parts of the Midwest, softwoods predominate in the West. To deter decomposition, common softwoods that are resistant to rot and insect infestation include cedar, redwood, and cypress. Unfortunately, these woods are very expensive.

For this reason, horsemen often choose pressure-treated lumber (usually pinewood or fir); such lumber costs 1/3 to 1/5 of the above-mentioned varieties. With pressure treated lumber (or “PTL”), the manufacturer impregnates the wood with chemicals that resist rot, fungi, and insects. Look for treated lumber posts that are certified for in-ground use. Paint won’t bond to the material, so PTL fences are invariably natural.

With nutrients to optimize digestive balance, EQ8^TM Gut Health features live probiotics to enhance the functionality of the hindgut and provide an extra barrier of protection for the intestinal wall. Through the use of BioFuze^TM technology, specific only to Buckeye® Nutrition, live probiotics are evenly distributed in the feed and remain protected to become beneficially active in the horse’s digestive system.

“The BioFuze^TM technology that we use to add probiotics to EQ8^TM Gut Health is something that separates us from other companies,” said Amber Moffett, manager of research and development, Mars Horsecare US Inc. “We are the only ones that have the ability to add live probiotics.”
Buckeye® Nutrition’s system of utilizing the BioFuze^TM technology allows for the probiotics to be uniquely applied to the extruded particle. Because probiotics are heat sensitive, the BioFuze^TM technology ensures the viability of beneficial bacteria when it reaches the small intestine.

“We all know how critical digestion is for the performance of a horse, whether athletic or reproductive,” said Moffett. “The beauty of EQ8^TM Gut Health is that it has live probiotics as well as high fiber, high fat and digestible starch sources that allow the horse to eat smaller meals. This is the trifecta of a well-balanced diet for horses.”

EQ8^TM Gut Health utilizes cooked grains to ensure optimal starch digestion in the foregut. With the risk of excess starch reaching the large intestine minimized, the feed also minimizes any digestive imbalances that could lead to health issues such as loss of appetite, poor performance or recurrent colic. The feed is also scientifically formulated to support proper stall behavior and reduce excitability in the horse, whether in the show ring or out to pasture.

“If a horse doesn’t have a healthy digestive system, then they are not able to utilize the nutrients that we give them,” said Moffett.

Horse owners like EQ8^TM Gut Health because it helps their horses to feel better, look better and perform better. Allison Springer, 2012 Olympic Qualifier and Rolex Reserve Champion, feeds EQ8TM Gut Health to her horse, Arthur. As an Irish Sport Horse, a breed of horse known for its challenges in regulating its body weight, Arthur maintains his weight regularly and is able to perform.

“Since I started feeding EQ8^TM Gut Health, I have noticed significant improvement in Arthur’s health and overall attitude,” said Springer. “I know his digestive health had so much to do with our great season.”

Buckeye® Nutrition, with more than 100 years of developing equine nutrition products, takes feed safety seriously, implementing many programs mandated in human food manufacturing facilities. For more information about Buckeye® Nutrition, visit www.BuckeyeNutrition.com or call the Buckeye® Nutrition Care Line at (800) 898-9467.

There he goes again. Your horse is pawing incessantly at his stall floor, or he’s cribbing, emitting a stream of rhythmic grunts as he pulls on the door with his teeth. You’ve tried repeatedly to get him to stop, but the behavior persists.

Why is he doing this, and how can you get him to quit?

For years, we’ve called behaviors like these stall or stable “vices.” The first part of the name is right—with the exception of fence-walking, a horse doesn’t do these things unless he’s in a stall. But the “vice” part isn’t correct, according to modern research, which indicates these actually aren’t bad habits per se, but simply the reactions of horses that aren’t getting what they need.

And what’s that? A more natural environment, unavailable largely because of stable management practices that go against an equine’s basic needs.

Researchers have discovered that many of these behaviors typically develop early in a horse’s life, so your horse may have already had one when you bought him. But even if your horse is older, you can generally reduce and sometimes eliminate an unwanted behavior by addressing its cause, not its symptom.

I’m going to describe the behaviors in question, outline the traditional ways of treating them, then give you the latest thinking on ways of dealing with them that are more humane, and often more effective. (And even if your horse doesn’t have any of the behaviors, the back-to-nature approaches to management I’ll give you will assure he doesn’t develop any—plus improve his overall quality of life.)

Vices? No, Coping Strategies
Stall vices are more accurately called stereotypic behaviors, that is, repetitive, apparently functionless behaviors that fall into two categories. These are locomotor (which include stall- and fence-walking, weaving, pawing, stall-kicking, and head-bobbing) and oral (cribbing, wind- sucking, wood-chewing, and tongue-lolling).

Stereotypic behaviors have never been observed in horses who live as Mother Nature intended—outdoors in a herd, grazing or foraging 40 to 60 percent of the time.

By contrast, five to 10 percent of domestic horses develop them.

Which ones? Studies indicate horses with limited social interaction and turnout, inadequate roughage (such as hay and/or pasture), and large, infrequent grain meals (two to three per day, rather than having roughage always available) are much more prone to develop the habits that have traditionally been called vices.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the two categories of equine stereotypic behaviors.

Gotta Move: Locomotor Behaviors
In the list below, you’ll learn what these behaviors look like, when they typically start, what specifically causes them, and what we used to do about them. Then, in the box “Slowing the Locomotion” (page 3), I’ll give you the latest thinking on how to deal with all of these “gotta move” behaviors.

Stall- and fence-walking
What it is: Rapid walking (pacing) inside a stall or along a fence.

When it starts: At about 18 months or older.

Causes: Anticipation of a meal and/or a need for equine companionship. Feeding large, infrequent grain meals and inadequate roughage can upset a horse’s digestion, and also creates long periods between meals, which can result in a hungry, lonely, and/or frustrated horse that intensely anticipates his next feeding. Because horses are herd animals, they feel most content and secure when surrounded by other, familiar horses. Enclosing them in a stall or paddock can make them feel isolated from the herd. The resulting frustration causes them to attempt “escape” by resorting to stall- and fence-walking (or weaving).

Harm to horse: Possible chronic injuries (joint wear, tendon strains, muscle damage) that can lead to lameness; fatigue (a horse can wear himself out before he’s ridden or performs).

Harm to the environment: Damaged stall flooring from constant movement; trenches along fence edges.

Old “cure”: Make a horse wait to be fed to “teach” him patience. (This just intensifies the behavior.) Give him stall toys. (They typically don’t work because they don’t address what the horse is craving. He’s not bored—he wants to escape so he can be with other horses.) Tie him up. (This stops the movement, but you’ll likely wind up trading one stereotypic behavior for another, as a tied horse will often begin to weave.)

Weaving
What it is: Walking in place, picking up both the hind and front feet, usually at the opening to a stall.

When it starts: Usually when a horse is first confined for any length of time.

Causes: Same as for stall- and fence- walking.

Harm to horse: Chronic weavers can actually wear their bare feet down to the point that their soles bleed. Other possible effects include chronic injuries (joint wear, tendon strains, muscle damage) that can lead to lameness, and fatigue.

Harm to the environment: Damaged stall flooring.

Old “cure”: Same as for stall- and fence- walking.

Are you proficient in the art of attaboy? Do you consistently reinforce the behavior and responses you want in your horse, in order to get more of them?

If so, you’re taking advantage of the most powerful training tool there is. But if you’re like many well-meaning riders, you may not be using rewards consciously or often enough to gain their full benefit in shaping your horse’s behavior.

In this article, we’re going to help you understand why you should use rewards to maximum benefit, and how to go about it. We’ve gathered insights and tips from a range of equine experts. They’ll explain the difference between the various types of behavior reinforcements, and tell you why reinforcement trumps punishment as a behavior modifier.

They’ll also provide specific examples of the kinds of rewards they’ve found most appreciated by horses, including some innovative strategies that may surprise you.

Armed with this information, you can put together your own super-high- gain “equine incentive program.”

Positive? Negative? Huh?
For starters, let’s clear up some confusion. Many people think negative reinforcement means punishment, whereas positive reinforcement means reward.

Not so, explains Robert M. Miller, DVM, in his new book Natural Horsemanship Explained: From Heart to Hands. “Both negative reinforcement (the removing of discomfort, such as leg or rein pressure) and positive reinforcement (the adding of comfort, such as pleasurable stroking) are rewards,” notes Dr. Miller. “Most learned behaviors in horses are the result of reinforcement—a reward that is given consistently after a behavior occurs until the behavior becomes a conditioned response.”

Both positive reinforcement (adding a good thing) and negative reinforcement (removing an unpleasant one) are more effective in molding your horse’s behavior than punishment is. That’s because training horses is much like raising children: It’s better to explain clearly what you want, then reward the tiniest positive effort, than to demand obedience and then punish resistance. Though punishment has a place (as when your horse shows aggressive behavior toward you), it’s not a good training tool in general (see “The Carrot vs. The Stick,” page X).

Some traditional trainers use negative reinforcement exclusively and get good results, though it might be argued that the best traditional trainers use both negative and positive reinforcement. Most natural-horsemanship-oriented trainers routinely use a combination of both types of rewards.

In negative reinforcement, the “reward” is usually the cessation of the pressure you applied to ask for a response. For it to be effective, however, the cessation must come immediately after your horse responds. When your horse takes that first step backward in response to rein pressure, a brief, instantaneous softening of the reins tells him, “That’s right!”

But if you keep the pressure on all the way through the back-up, releasing it only after your horse has stopped, he won’t get a clear association between his response and the reward. That means he’ll never learn to be light to your rein cue.

Clinician John Lyons says timing is indeed the key to specificity.

“If I said to you, ‘That was a phenomenal paragraph you wrote awhile back,’ without being more specific, you wouldn’t know what I was praising you for,” he explains. “Similarly, your release of rein or leg pressure must be perfectly timed. When it is, it’s a clear ‘yes!’ to a specific thing your horse has done.”

Reining champion and clinician Stacy Westfall says it’s the sensitive, multiple, well-timed releases of pressure that make it OK to seek top performance from your horse.

“So many people are afraid to apply the pressure needed to ask their horses to do something,” she observes. “But there should be a ‘conversation’ of pressure and release during any maneuver—a spin, for example. Ask, horse responds, release a little...then ask, horse responds, release a little. You’ll have varying degrees of pressure throughout a maneuver, and it all works if your softenings and releases are properly timed to reinforce the responses you want.”

Need help finding your favorite H&R article from 2012? This complete list of 2012 articles should help.

Al Dunning’s How’s My Riding?
"Sitting Pretty,” Practice Pen, Jan., pg. 32
“Hard-Working Pair,” Practice Pen, Feb., pg. 32
“Trail-Course Prep,” Practice Pen, March, pg. 32
“Al Says, ‘Relax’” Practice Pen, May, pg. 46
“Small-Fry Horsemanship,” Practice Pen, June, pg. 28
“Rail Work,” Practice Pen, July, pg. 38
“Fence Work,” Practice Pen, Sept., pg. 40
“Reining Prep,” Practice Pen, Oct., pg. 40
“Schooling Session,” Practice Pen, Nov., pg. 34
"Sit Up in the Saddle," Practice Pen, Dec., pg. 34

Barns, Property Maintenance
“Melt Ice Safely,” Your Horse, Your Life, Jan., pg. 18
Stable Gear: “Stall Fronts,” Jan., pg. 64
“Savvy Storage,” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 20
“Spring-Clean Your Barn,” Your Horse, Your Life, March, pg. 20
“Messy Job Made Easy,” Your Horse, Your Life, March, pg. 20
Special Advertising Section: “Barn & Ranch Makeover,” March, pg. 57
Stable Gear: “Barn Carts and Caddies,” April, pg. 78
“Nip It in the Mud,” May, pg. 80
“How to Handle a Hay Shortage,” June, pg. 56
“Three-Pronged Fly Control,” Your Horse, Your Life, June, pg. 30
“Small Size, Big Benefits,” Your Horse, Your Life, June, pg. 28
“Tack Theft—Now What?” July, pg. 68
Stable Gear: “Barn Fly Control,” July, pg. 78
“Winter-Prep Steps to Take Now,” Your Horse, Your Life, Sept., pg. 26
“Easier Hay Soaking,” Your Horse, Your Life, Oct., pg. 24
Stable Gear: “Winter Water Options,” Oct., pg. 70
“While You Wait,” Your Horse, Your Life, Nov., pg. 20

Behavior
“Sore Back; Foal Eats Manure,” Whole Horse Q&A, March, pg. 14
“Hematoma; Saddling Woes,” Whole Horse Q&A, April, pg. 14
“Rearing to Go—In A Bad Way,” Problem Solvers, June, pg. 88
“Club Foot; Sometimes Spooky,” Whole Horse Q&A, July, pg. 20
“Trailering Fears; Bowed Tendon,” Whole Horse Q&A, Aug., pg. 12
“Pasture Predator?” Your Horse, Your Life, Aug., pg. 19
“Clinician On Call,” Aug., pg. 43
“Keeping Kelly,” Aug., pg. 62
“Trailering Fears; Bowed Tendon,” Whole Horse Q&A, Aug., pg. 12
“Popped Splint; Trail Fears,” Whole Horse Q&A, Sept., pg. 14
“Barn Sour; Shoe Boil,” Whole Horse Q&A, Oct., pg. 15
“Eye Discharge; Pulling Back,” Whole Horse Q&A, Nov., pg. 12

Bob Avila’s Winning Insights
“Breeding Time Machine,” Practice Pen, Jan., pg. 30
“How Not to Lose,” Practice Pen, Feb., pg. 30
“Don’t Skip the Basics,” Practice Pen, March, pg. 30
“Tire Kickers,” Practice Pen, April, pg. 33
“Industry Update,” Practice Pen, May, pg. 38
“Horse Divorce,” Practice Pen, June, pg. 45
“What You Need to Succeed,” Practice Pen, July, pg. 36
“Know When to Quit,” Practice Pen, Aug., pg. 32
“Neck-Reining: Part 1: Introduce the Concept,” Practice Pen, Sept., pg. 34
“Neck-Reining: Part 2: Introduce the Curb Bit,” Practice Pen, Oct., pg. 32
“Neck-Reining: Part 3: The Romal Advantage,” Practice Pen, Nov., pg. 28
"Rules of Engagement," Practice Pen, Dec. pg. 26

Breed, Show Associations
“Did You Know? Surprising Facts About 10 Breeds,” Jan., pg. 50
“Once More, for the Memories,” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 18
“New National AQHA Championship for YOU!” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 18
“Important USEF Drug-Rule Changes,” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 18
Gallop Poll: “If Wishes Were Reiners,” Your Horse, Your Life, Feb., pg. 18
Have You Tried: “Entry-Level Reining,” Practice Pen, Feb., pg. 38
“New Show Options for All Breeds,” Your Horse, Your Life, March, pg. 18
“Happy Birthday, APHA!” Your Horse, Your Life, April, pg. 18
“PtHA, AQHA Innovations,” Your Horse, Your Life, May, pg. 20
“Inudstry Update,” Practice Pen, May, pg. 38
Have You Tried: “Saddle-Log Programs,” Practice Pen, May, pg. 48
“Save Big at AQHA Novice Championships,” Your Horse, Your Life, pg. 24
“Painted ‘n Pretty,” Your Horse, Your Life, pg. 24
“Genetic Test for Appaloosas Now Available,” Your Horse, Your Life, June, pg. 26
“Arabians Slide to Paychecks,” Your Horse, Your Life, July, pg. 24
“AQHA Video Delux,” Your Horse, Your Life, Sept., pg. 20
“Find a Trainer, Help a Youth,” Your Horse, Your Life, Sept., pg. 20
“Philanthropy at Pinto World,” Your Horse, Your Life, Oct., pg. 22
“Numbers Up at Quarter Horse Shows,” Your Horse, Your Life, Nov., pg. 18
“ACTHA Rides Benefit Service Members,” Your Horse, Your Life, Nov., pg. 18
"Not Too Common: Grullas," Your Horse, Your Life, Dec., pg. 16

Chip Cook knew something was wrong the moment he looked out his kitchen window. Star, his wife’s 20-something Thoroughbred mare, was lying very still in a large mud puddle in the pasture.

“Her legs were stuck out stiff and parallel to the ground,” Cook says. “Honestly, I thought she was dead, and as I walked out there I was thinking of the best way to break the news to my wife.”

When Cook reached the mare, however, he found she was alive, but exhausted. “The mud puddle is about 10 feet around and about two feet deep,” he says. “It’s been there for years, and the horses regularly lie down in it to cool off or get a good layer of dirt on to protect themselves from bugs.”

This time, apparently, Star had gotten down into the mud but was unable to get up. “She has arthritis, so her mobility is limited, and we’d just gotten a rain so the sides of the puddle were very slick,” Cook says. “I could see that she had been thrashing, trying to get up, but she’d pretty much given up by the time I got there.”

Cook, a firefighter and part-time farrier, had stopped at home between shoeing appointments last summer just to grab a quick lunch and get a respite from the heat wave that was gripping the Suffolk, Virginia, area. But now he faced a major change of plans.

He encouraged Star to try to get up again, but it was clear she could not, so he ran back into the house and got on the phone: “My first call was the veterinarian, then my wife and finally a few firefighter and horse-minded friends I hoped could come over and help us figure out what to do.”

As part of his firefighter training, Cook had taken a Large Animal Technical Rescue course, and although he’d never had to participate in a rescue, regular reviews of the material had kept it fresh in his mind. He was standing out in the mud puddle considering the options for a rescue strategy when the help began arriving, including Tiffany Omler, DVM, of Coastal Equine Veterinary Service.

Stable, but stuck
“I really didn’t know what to expect when I headed over,” says Omler. “Sometimes, if an older horse has been down for a long time, things can be pretty bad. They can be dehydrated and even in shock.”

Even if a horse is not physically injured, the fear and stress of being trapped can cause circulatory shock, a failure of the cardiovascular system that leads to many potential complications as the organs and tissues are deprived of oxygen. Once shock begins, it can trigger a cascade of events that can quickly lead to death.

Exactly how long Star had been down wasn’t known, but it could have been anywhere up to the seven and a half hours since she’d been seen at breakfast, at 6 that morning.

Omler waded cautiously into the puddle to check Star’s vital signs and do a physical exam as best as she could. Fortunately, she found no signs of shock: “Her heart and respiratory rates were normal and her gums were a healthy pink color.” Feeling the mare’s legs, Omler also found no obvious injuries or fractures, nor did she see any evidence of colic-like pain or muscle cramping, which could indicate tying up.

Star’s good physical condition, says Omler, was probably due in part to where she was stuck: “It was an extremely hot and humid day, but she was in a puddle of water. I’m pretty sure that is what kept her from dangerously overheating.”

Another stroke of luck lay in the position of Star’s head: “She was too exhausted to even hold her head up, but fortunately, it was resting on the edge of the puddle,” says Omler. “Had she been positioned differently, her nose could have ended up in an area deep enough for her to drown.”

Although Star wasn’t in a physiological crisis, Omler decided some medication might still be helpful. “With her arthritis, an anti-inflammatory like bute made sense to keep any pain or stiffness under control,” she says. “I also gave her the corticosteroid dexamethasone, which can be very helpful in cases like this where the entire body is stressed. If she had been dehydrated, we would have needed to give her fluids first, but that wasn’t necessary.” Once Star’s medical needs had been tended to, the focus turned toward how to get her out of the puddle. Omler suggested first rolling the mare onto her other side. “A lot of times when horses are down on one side for a while, simply flipping them over works,” she says. “I think they just exhaust a certain set of muscles and rolling them provides a fresh start, so to speak.”

Working carefully, Cook and his friends attached ropes to the mare’s legs and gently pulled her over. The group stood back and anxiously watched what Star would do, but she only lay still, making no attempt to rise. “She was pretty well done trying,” says Omler. “If anything we may have made the situation worse, because her legs were now pointed toward a steeper side of the puddle.”

Plan B was to physically pull Star from the puddle. “Pulling a horse can be very dangerous for the horse and the human,” says Omler. “It’s not something just anyone can attempt. You have to have proper training and equipment. Thankfully, this entire group had it.”

Cook retrieved rescue gear from his truck, and carefully they threaded the heavy-duty straps around Star’s barrel and between her front legs so the mare could be pulled straight forward. “You can’t pull horses by the tail or the legs or the neck,” says Cook. “The only safe way to do it is to pull them by the body.”

A group of firefighters and horsemen lined up along the rope and, at the count of three, pulled together. The recent rain, however, had made the ground around the puddle slippery, and they could get no traction. “It quickly became clear that we weren’t going to be able to do it,” says Cook.

The wet conditions also ruled out the use of Cook’s truck to pull the mare out. “It was just too soft to get the truck close enough to her,” says Cook. “A tractor could have done it, but we don’t have one.” The group pondered the situation for several minutes, trying to think of any other means they might have to pull Star from the mud. Then Omler had an idea: “What about Ed?”

A mighty pull
Ed is the 15-year-old Belgian who shares Star’s pasture. Throughout the commotion, he had been keeping his distance and grazing, “pretty much uninterested in what was going on,” says Cook.

Cook thought the big horse might have just the skills they needed. “I have a part-time carriage business during the holiday season,” he says. “During the summer, Ed’s just a fun trail mount, but in the winter, he spends his weekends pulling wagons.” Maybe he could drag Star from the puddle.

Cook went to the barn to retrieve Ed’s harness while Omler rechecked the mare’s vital signs. They were still strong and Star was relaxed, despite her exhaustion. “I’m not sure if she knew we were trying to help her,” says Omler. “But she was very cooperative.”

Once the big horse was harnessed, Cook led him to the puddle and attached the straps that were around Star. Everyone stood back as Cook asked Ed to walk forward. “He moved right out, but he’s used to a wagon immediately rolling behind him,” says Cook. “When he felt tension on the rope, he got confused and stopped.”

Pulling a rolling cart and dragging something with resistance are two different skills, and Ed had never done the latter. Cook asked him to pull a second time, and once again, the big horse stopped when he felt the tension in the line.

“He was just sort of baffled, so I kept encouraging him,” says Cook. Finally, after a few false starts, Ed seemed to get the idea. He hunkered down and pulled against the weight of Star. After four powerful strides, the mare was lying on solid ground. “It was really smooth and easy once Ed figured it out,” Cook adds. “It worked just like it was supposed to.”

Star was quickly unhooked from Ed and the harness straps removed from her body. The mare lay still for about 90 seconds then, in one swift motion, climbed to her feet. “She was maybe a little shaky at first,” says Omler, “but she was standing on all four limbs
with no obvious injuries.”

Seconds later Star---ever the alpha mare---lunged toward Ed with her ears pinned. “That might have seemed a little ungrateful,” says Cook, “but it was nice to know she was feeling good enough to boss him around like normal.”

Omler once again checked Star’s vital signs and found them strong. A thick layer of mud on her coat was the only evidence of her ordeal. Since the mare’s head and eyes were also crusted with dirt, says Omler, “I clean-ed them off and checked her corneas for scratches. But her eyes seemed fine as well.”

By the time the veterinarian was finished with the exam, both Star and Ed were back to grazing as if nothing had happened, and Omler went on her way. “I told them to continue the bute for a day or two, if she seemed like she needed it, and call me if she developed any problems,” she says. “Then I drove home and marveled at how well everything had worked out.”

Cook was similarly thankful for their good fortune: “If I hadn’t come home for lunch that day, or if I had not had the rescue training and harness on hand, or if she had gotten injured struggling…. I’m sorry this happened, but if it had to, everything turned out just the way you’d want it to.”

And everyone, of course, gives full credit to Ed for the role he played that day. Says Cook, “It’s a great story and I’m glad he gets to be the hero of it.”

As for the mud puddle, it’s still there, but Cook reports that Star no longer goes anywhere near it.

However, under saddle, spooking behavior can seriously jeopardize your safety, as well as that of your horse. Stay safe by teaching your horse not to spook, and by taking the correct actions when your horse spooks on the trail.

Photo by Daniel Deweese

First, evaluate your horse. Does he occasionally spook when startled, is he green and inexperienced, or is he a genuinely spooky horse? A spooky horse is one that’s naturally more sensitive and worried than others. He tends to see “monsters” around every corner.

Next, look at your own attitude. Your thoughts, fears, and anxieties will transfer to your horse, increasing the likelihood that he’ll spook. If you’re afraid your horse is going to spook, he probably will!

The good news: With enough time and confidence-building riding, even the most jumpy horse can become a solid, reliable trail mount. However, it does take dedication on your part.

“If you have a spooky horse, you need vast amounts of patience and time to improve him through miles of riding,” notes top trainer/clinician Lynn Palm. “If you don’t have what it takes to work with him correctly, you and your horse may not be suited to each other. Be realistic.”

To work on your trail horse’s jitters, be proactive, and form a plan before you hit the trail. Know the trails you’re going to take, know whether they include potentially scary places, and know what gaits the other riders expect to take.

If you have a young or genuinely spooky horse, let your riding buddies know that you’ll need to work with him and make training progress, not just get from Point A to Point B.

On the trail, keep your eyes and ears open. Be aware of things that could potentially be a problem. The farther ahead you look, the more prepared you’ll be. Listen, as well: Sounds can also provoke a spook. Traffic, dogs barking, children playing, a flapping tarp -- any of these can be frightening to your horse if he isn’t accustomed to them or if they’re sudden.

Then follow Palm’s four-step strategy for spook prevention and control:

1. warm up
2. recognize pre-spook signs
3. face the scary object
4. dismount if necessary.

Step #1: Warm Up
“Most of the time, horses are spooky because they’re too fresh,” says Palm. “Don’t just saddle your horse and go. Take time to warm him up.” (Note that this warm-up session will also warm you up, so you’ll be better prepared for your trail ride.)

At home, warm up your horse in an arena with good footing. Away from home, find a level area near the trailers or the facility’s barn area. You need enough room to longe your horse, and walk, trot, and lope/canter him in both directions.

Photo by Daniel Deweese

The length of warm-up depends on your individual horse. Palm recommends at least 10 to 15 minutes of longeing or riding. This will give you enough time to see how your horse is going and judge his responses to you and the surroundings.

Consider longeing your horse before you mount up, so you can watch him from the ground. If you need longeing help, consult a reliable trainer or certified riding instructor in your area. Be sure you’re able to control both your horse and the circle size.

When longeing your horse, create a “surprise” by suddenly clapping your hands. Then gauge your horse’s reaction. Acceptable behaviors include acting playful, head-shaking, accelerating, and even bucking and kicking. As long as he’s listening and responding to your commands, he’s releasing that energy in a safe, non-spooky way.

However, if your horse responds with explosive reactions, this is a clear sign he’s not ready to be ridden on the trail. Continue to warm him up until he’s less reactive before you head out to ride.

Step #2: Recognize Pre-Spook Signs
Horses are hardwired to run from danger, not stay and fight. Because of this ingrained tendency, horses prefer to immediately get away from something they find frightening or uncertain.

You can often observe this behavior in pastured horses. When the horses detect a potential threat, they’ll initially run away from it. Then, after going a short distance, they’ll turn and look back to reevaluate. They’ll often approach the “spooky” thing for a closer look.

Unfortunately, horses may also try this tactic under saddle. Be alert to your horse’s body language for signs that he’s primed to spook. Here are a few of the most common pre-spook signs:

• Pricked ears and elevated head carriage. Ears pricked sharply forward (or moving rapidly forward and back), a high head, and tense neck are all signs your horse is focused on something other than you.
• Respiration rate. Rapid breathing is another noticeable pre-spook sign. If your horse’s breathing suddenly quickens, and/or he’s snorting or blowing, he’s likely anxious about something.
• Signs of avoidance. Pay attention to any signs of avoidance, such as hesitating, slowing down/trying to stop, veering off to the side, or trying to turn around.

If you detect any of these signs, stop, and take control before your horse spooks, bolts, or tries to run away. Read on for how to do so.



Photo by Daniel Deweese

Step #3: Face the Scary Object
If you notice the signs of a potential spook, take action before your horse does.
If you wait until he reacts or spooks, he’ll be in charge instead of you, and you’ll lose control.

To stay in control, stop your horse, and keep him facing the scary object. Ask him to stand still and look at the object; you don’t want him to turn and flee. If you can keep in control at this point, your horse is on his way toward accepting the object and overcoming his fear or uncertainty without spooking.

Don’t grip with your legs or overuse the reins, as this will only stimulate your horse more. Keep your legs close to his sides without clamping down, and maintain light rein contact.

If your horse moves around, guide him back to the object, and ask him to stand and face it once again. As his concern lessens, he’ll turn his head away. As soon as he does so, straighten his head, and cue him with your legs and seat to walk forward a few steps. Then stop him. Don’t wait for him to stop on his own.

As you bring your horse to a stop closer to the object, have him stand and look once again. He’ll likely swing his head back and forth to get a better look. Let him. Stroke his neck.

When your horse relaxes a little, speak to him in a soft voice, move forward again a few steps, then ask him to stop. Always ask him to stop before he takes charge and stops on his own. You want him to trust you and respond to your cues.

You might end up doing the stop/walk forward/stand-look routine a number of times before your horse will stand close to the object of his concern. Get close enough to let him smell the obstacle if he wants to.

Then move your horse so that he’s parallel to the scary object. Walk a few steps so that the object is at his hip or behind him, and stop again. His ears will probably be flicking back and forth, or remain upright, but if he can accept the obstacle behind him without spooking, you’ve succeeded.

If you return home the on the same trail, prepare for another “object lesson” at the same place.

“You have to start all over again when approaching from the other way, because the obstacle will appear different to your horse from the other direction,” says Palm.

Step #4: Dismount
If you’re a confident, experienced rider, you’ll often be able to help your horse through a potential spook from the saddle, as just described.

But if you’re nervous or afraid your horse may spook or bolt, dismount, and perform the same routine from the ground so you feel safe and your horse won’t pick up on your anxiety. You’ll be safer on the ground, and you’ll still help your horse deal with his insecurities.

---



Lynn Palm

Cynthia McFarland is a full-time freelance writer who writes regularly for national horse publications and is the author of eight books. Horse-crazy since childhood, she owns a small farm in north central Florida. She enjoys trail riding on her Paint Horse gelding, Ben.

Lynn Palm has shown more than 34 Quarter Horse world and reserve champions, competing in both English and Western disciplines. She’s won a record four AQHA Superhorse titles and was the first rider to win the prestigious Superhorse title twice on the same horse, Rugged Lark. In 2000, Palm was named Horsewoman of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation and the AQHA. In 2003, Equine Affaire gave her its Exceptional Equestrian Educator award.

Different horses, different problems—but all have conditions that affect their breathing and limit their careers. In this article two leading veterinarians explain how some common problems in the upper and lower airways can lead to poor performance and noisy respiration.

Every cell in your horse’s body (including those of the muscles that power performance) depends on the oxygen he takes in with each breath. So the more you ask of him, the harder his respiratory system works and the more significant these problems ­become.

Restricted Airflow
Abnormalities in the upper airway can restrict the flow of air and sometimes produce odd noises. Roaring is by far the most common of these noises in sporthorses, says Eric Parente, DVM, who specializes in performance evaluations and upper-respiratory surgery at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center. Your horse makes a high-pitched, raspy sound when he inhales, especially when he draws deep breaths at the canter or gallop. The noise is typically louder with effort, fatigue or when your horse is flexed at the poll (which restricts his airway like a kink in a hose), and it may worsen over time.

Laryngeal hemiplegia (paralysis on one side of the larynx) causes roaring. During exercise your horse normally expands his airway to draw in more air by pulling back the two arytenoid cartilages at the opening of the larynx. In this condition, one of the two cartilages doesn’t move or may even sag into the airway as he breathes in. The vocal cord just behind it, which would normally be pulled flat, stays in the airway and vibrates. Usually, it’s the left cartilage, and the root cause is nerve damage. As the nerve supplying the muscle that moves the arytenoid degenerates, the muscle weakens and atrophies.

If the narrowed airway restricts airflow enough, your horse tires more quickly and takes longer to recover because he can’t deliver enough oxygen to his muscles in hard work. How big a problem this exercise intolerance is depends on the degree of ­restriction and the work he does.

• In dressage, your horse may tire in collected work, when his airway is more restricted, and this may limit him at the upper levels.
• An event horse may be limited in cross country, which calls for maximum effort over an extended time. Fatigue will set in—and as it does, his airway will become even more restricted. But the same horse may do well in jumper competition, where peak ­efforts come in short bursts.
• Even without exercise intolerance, roaring is a problem in the hunter ring, where the noise is considered an unsoundness and will keep your horse out of the ribbons.

Other sounds—gurgling, fluttering, ­rasping—appear with some less-common problems that may also affect performance. They include

• epiglottic entrapment. Loose folds of mucous membrane surround the opening to the larynx. In this condition the membrane slips over the epiglottis and traps it so it can’t move to cover the opening when your horse swallows. Besides noisy breathing and poor performance, coughing during exercise is a sign, Dr. Parente says. Inflammation, cysts, abscesses and growths that involve the epiglottis can produce similar signs.
• displaced soft palate. Except when your horse swallows, the soft palate should stay flat on the floor of the pharynx, under the epiglottis. Sometimes, though, it flips over the epiglottis and partly blocks the nasal passages as the horse exhales. Often this happens only in intense work or when your horse is tightly flexed at the poll.
  ]]> http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/illnesses_injuries/respiratory-problems-help-your-horse-breathe-easy/feed/ 0 http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/nutrition/hay/hay-substitutes/ http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/nutrition/hay/hay-substitutes/#comments Mon, 06 Aug 2012 21:38:41 +0000 jpreble http://www.equisearch.com/?p=60892
  
  Lacking quality or quantity? Hay shortage is one reason to consider alternative forages.

  How's your hay supply? This time of year, if you find yourself short, stocking up on hay can be an expensive—but necessary—endeavor. Good-quality hay is likely the cornerstone of your feeding program, not an optional luxury.

  But there may be options for stretching your hay with a hay supplement. If you face a regional hay shortage or the hay quality in your area isn’t reliable; or if you have a senior horse that has difficulty chewing hay, you may be considering hay substitutes as an option.

  We spoke to Josie Coverdale, forage utilization expert and assistant professor of equine nutrition; and Dennis Sigler, Extension horse specialist and professor of equine science, at Texas A&M University for their advice on using hay substitutes.

  Here, they’ll explain your horse’s general forage needs, and in the descriptions below, we’ll compare six alternative forages: hay pellets, hay cubes, bagged hay, beet pulp, soy hulls, and complete feed.

  Forage 411
  Horses were born to graze, and the experts agree that most horses do best when they’re fed a high-forage diet. “Except for gestating and lactating broodmares, young growing horses, and hard-working horses, most horses can meet all their nutritional needs with good-quality forage alone,” says Sigler.

  But forages do more than provide your horse with energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Forages also maintain his intestinal tract integrity and satisfy his need to chew.

  Advertisement

  How much forage does your horse need? “As a general rule of thumb, your horse needs 1 to 2 percent of his body weight in forage daily, assuming he’s at a healthy body condition,” says Sigler. “For a 1,000-pound horse, that would be 10 to 20 pounds of forage.”

  The Long and Short of It
  When considering alternatives to hay, Coverdale and Sigler advise horse owners to proceed carefully. Hay and pasture provide your horse with long-stem roughage—something Coverdale says most alternative forages lack in comparison.

  The term “long-stem” refers to the forage fibers’ actual length. Longer fibers take more time to digest, which is ideal for the horse’s system.

  “Food needs to travel through the twists and turns of your horse’s digestive system slowly enough for intestinal tract microbes to do their job: maintaining healthy pH levels and breaking down food to be absorbed into the body,” says Coverdale. She explains that long-stem forages have the needed bulk to slow the rate of passage.

  “When food moves too rapidly through the digestive system, starches and sugars that should have been digested in the small intestine can make their way into the hindgut,” Coverdale explains further, “which can increase the risk of colic and founder.” The Texas A&M experts agree that hay or pasture should always be your first choice because of the digestive benefits they provide your horse. These forages also take longer to chew because of their long fibers, meaning your horse will be less likely to develop the pesky boredom-related vices that sometimes result when a horse’s natural grazing behavior is altered.

  Both Sigler and Coverdale recommend using alternative forages as a supplement to stretch your hay supply—not as a total replacement. A notable exception, says Sigler, would be older horses with worn-down teeth who are unable to properly chew long-stem forage, or horses who have had gut resections or other surgery. For these horses, quality hay alternatives often become the best way to meet the horse’s total forage needs.

  However, there may be situations where a hay substitute can offer important benefits. For example, a California boarding stable uses hay cubes for its large-scale operation because it provides a more reliable source with known quality. And exhibitors who travel the show circuits may find bagged products a more reliable option when they aren’t sure about the quality or quantity of hay available at the show grounds.

  Consider the pros and cons of forage substitutes in the following chart to help you explore your choices, and, as always, check with your veterinarian to formulate a plan for your horses.

  ]]> http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/nutrition/hay/hay-substitutes/feed/ 0 http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/barn-fire-2/ http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/barn-fire-2/#comments Mon, 25 Jun 2012 21:42:00 +0000 Stacey Nedrow-Wigmore http://www.equisearch.com/?p=58949
  
  A 2011 fire destroyed eventer Boyd Martin's barn at True Prospect Farm in Pennsylvania. Six horses died.
  © Amy K. Dragoo

  Around midday on January 19, 2012, breeder and trainer Julie Winkel looked out from her office at Maplewood Stables in Reno, Nevada, and saw a thick haze of smoke to the south. The wind was strong and the area had seen little rain or snow, so she was on alert for wildfires and realized that this one could blow her way. She immediately called her barn staff and told them to get ready to evacuate the 150-acre property.

  “Within five minutes, we saw the fire coming over the hill,” Julie says, “and within half an hour my house had burned to the ground.” But Julie, her staff and her horses were safe. Thanks to good planning, quick action and support from the Reno horse community, 50 horses were evacuated from the property.

  If fire breaks out at your horse’s barn, will he be so lucky? Barn fires spread so fast that there’s often not enough time to halter horses and lead them to safety. “Firefighters tell us that many times by the time they get to the fire, the barn is totally quiet because the animals are overcome by smoke,” says Rebecca Gimenez, who trains firefighters for emergencies involving horses. Planning and prevention are essential, fire and safety pros like Rebecca say, and in this article they explain how you can keep your horse from becoming a casualty statistic. Even if you board him at someone else’s barn, there are steps you can take.

  Advertisement

  Fire Facts
  There were more than 200 fires in U.S. and Canadian horse barns last year, ­according to the log kept by barn-fire expert Laurie Loveman on her website, www.firesafetyinbarns.com. Among them was the Memorial Day-weekend blaze that killed six horses and destroyed eventing trainer Boyd Martin’s barn at True Prospect Farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Boyd’s Olympic prospect Neville Bardos was trapped inside until Boyd and True Prospect owner Phillip Dutton dragged him, burned and choking, out of the burning barn. Four other horses also made it out.

  The first months of 2012 brought more disastrous stable fires. Twenty-two horses died in January when flames destroyed an indoor arena with attached stabling at Heritage Acres in Lafayette Township, New Jersey. By the time the predawn fire was discovered, the metal doors were too hot to touch—rescue was impossible. In February a fire killed 27 Thoroughbreds—yearlings, 2-year-olds and stallions—at Campbell Stables in Grass Lake, Michigan. Firefighters arrived to find the barn engulfed in flames; the horses trapped inside had no chance.

  Like most barn fires, these fires started accidentally. A typical horse barn is stuffed with everything a fire needs, including plenty of fuel (hay, bedding, wood timbers) and, often, materials such as gasoline and aerosol cans that act as accelerants, speeding the spread of flames. All it takes is a spark to set it off.

  Electrical problems—faulty wiring or misuse of electrical equipment—are the most common cause, Laurie says. Lightning strikes, sparks or heat from machines and equipment and heat buildup in stored hay or straw can start a fire. So can careless acts like smoking in or near a barn. The wildfire that swept through Maplewood started accidentally when an elderly man living several miles to the south put hot fireplace ashes outside. Fanned by near-hurricane-force winds, it ripped across more than six square miles and destroyed 29 homes before firefighters brought it under control.

  Once fire starts in a barn, it can spread incredibly fast. “Most barns are fully involved within seven to ten minutes from the initial outbreak of flames and on the ground within fifteen to twenty minutes,” says Rebecca. The True Prospect fire followed a common sequence. Chester County fire officials say it started accidentally at ground level, traveled up into the hayloft and from there quickly raced through the structure.

  To give your horse a chance against a threat like that, his home should be designed, built and run in ways that minimize fire risk.

  When Fire Breaks Out

  Keep your priorities—and your cool. “You may have just five to seven minutes from the time the fire is noticed to the time the barn is fully involved and it’s too hot and dangerous to enter,” Rebecca Gimenez says. 1. Tell people to leave the building and call the fire department at once. “Calling the fire department is the first thing you must do,” says Rebecca. “Let them get on the way to the location.” 2. Get horses out if you can do so without risking human lives. Making that call is tricky, Laurie Loveman says, because fires in barns move fast and grow geometrically—so a barn that appears one minute to be safe to enter could in the next minute be totally engulfed. If there is good to fair visibility in the barn and the fire is confined to one area, “I would say that you can take a chance on getting horses out if they are halter-broke and easy to lead and you have enough help to do it fast,” she says. 3. Use fire extinguishers and hoses only if you can do so safely. “If the fire is in the smolder stage or early flame, a fire extinguisher may be able to put it out—but it’s important to know how to use the extinguisher first,” Rebecca says. (Used improperly, a fire extinguisher can actually spread the flames.) Never fight a fire that is already large and spreading or if it could spread to block your escape route. 4. Know when to get out. “The second you find yourself coughing or your eyes watering to the point that you are almost incapacitated, leave the barn and stay out. If you are in trouble, chances are your horses have already died from smoke inhalation,” Laurie says. As fire spreads to the upper level of a barn the center aisle becomes a deadly trap, Rebecca adds: “The roof trusses burn through, and then the roof will fall on you.” 5. Step aside when the fire crew arrives and let the pros handle it. If you want to help, locate the fire crew’s incident commander and ask what you can do. Don’t try to be a hero. “Even properly protected firefighters know when it’s too late to save a life,” Laurie says.

  ]]> http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/barn-fire-2/feed/ 0