Welcome to Woody's Horse Hotline

Free Roadside Assistance for Horse People!

From Northwest Horse Source, April 29, 2010.

A new emergency service is being launched for people travelling with their horses. Free to join, this is a network of equestrian people who are prepared to "come to the rescue" for other members stranded with their horses.

Vice-versa, equestrian people can now access a network of people to call on for assistance when they are out and about with their horses and run into trouble.

Free membership is easy - simply complete the registration form online. Each month, an updated contact list of other participants will be distributed to members.

The website is www.emergencyequineassistance.com

After a "rescue", members can rate their rescue experience and provide feedback.

For more information, visit the website or contact Maryanne Fraser at emergencyequine@gmail.com

 

Horse Keeping At Home? Choices?

Keeping your horses on your own property (at “home”) can be very rewarding and can save money over boarding costs. Just make sure that everything is suitable for the horse, their safety and well-being should be first on your list of considerations. This is part of being a responsible horse owner.

There are three basic choices for horse keeping areas: Paddock, Pasture, Barn

A Paddock is defined as a small outside shelter with a small grassy area or maybe no grass at all (just concrete or dirt). This is fine for short periods of time but, horses require daily exercise and can’t get much of that in a small, confined area. Horses need to stretch their legs by being ridden daily or doing arena work (walking). Fresh air is good for them and sights and sounds are stimulating to horses and helps their health and well-being.  An exercise area of at least 1/8 acre is the minimum size for a paddock .

The Pasture is typically a fenced in area with high quality grass and room to run. You can create a nice pasture with a little patience, hard work and research (check with your local Ag. Dept. for detailed information on creating a healthy pasture). Pastured horses have better options; they can move around more and ultimately are known to have less leg problems, less colic and better overall health and behavior. For pasture areas, allow at least once acre per horse for the best environment.

Of course there is also the Horse Barn, which can be pre-fab or custom built with stalls and hay storage. Horses stay cleaner in stalls, they don’t get as dusty or muddy and other horses can’t injure them. However, it is not healthy for horses to be inside 24/7 – they get bored and can develop bad habits (like cribbing), and respiratory problems (more often due to lack of ventilation). For horses to be in the best of health, they must get enough exercise – at least 30 minutes per day either walking or riding.

So, the choice is yours: paddock or pasture or barn or any combination of the above – simply bring your horses’ home and enjoy them!

Considerations for your horse barn and horse stalls

When designing your horse barn, there are several things to consider in the location, layout and design to make it not only functional but “friendly” for both you and your horse(s).

First, the Building Site requires careful consideration as this cannot be changed once the barn is erected. A well-drained building site, fairly flat, near a pasture or exercise area with southern exposure is best. Your local agriculture department can be of assistance in this area – they can help you in finding out if the area you “picked” has a tendency to puddle in the spring or if there is too much run-off from rain for the stability of a barn on that plot of land. Make sure that the site is easily accessible for a truck or car and horse trailer. There is always the option to rehab an existing building you already have rather than building new – garage, shed, cow barn, etc.

Next, you should consider the Ventilation in the barn. This is very important since horses produce heat and moisture, especially in the winter. Proper ventilation is also important to help prevent respiratory concerns from ammonia fumes and dust inside the barn. Cool, fresh air entering the barn will remove excess moisture and keep air clean and healthy. So, plan for windows that can be opened, sliding barn end doors that can be left open and fans in the barn (especially necessary in larger barns to “move” the air).

Remember to plan your Alley Width so that it is convenient for both you and the horses. A minimum 10’ wide, central alley is most convenient for feeding, cleaning stalls and moving horses. A surface of concrete, clay or asphalt works well (although asphalt can be slippery). You can also put rubber aisleway pavers down to add cushion and non-slip surfacing.

The layout of your Stall Design/Size would be next in your thought process. Stalls must be large enough for horse to turn around in and for them to lie down and get up without getting cast – 10’ x 10’ or 12’ x 12’ are average. Horse stalls need to give the horse room to exercise and humans room when in the stall with the horse.

Also think about your Stall Flooring. A well-drained earthen floor is comfortable for horses – clay works best. You need insure there are no rocks as they can cause foot problems (bruises) for horses. Earthen floors require periodic leveling due to horses pawing. There is also the option of wood floors but, they need to be strong enough to carry horses weight and the board must be close together to prevent buckling or breaking. On top of any floor option, you can use rubber stall mats to “even out” the floor, provide cushion for horses leg joints and save on bedding costs while making cleaning easier. Bedding from straw (wheat, oat, rye or barley) or wood shavings are the most absorbent – use 10 to 15 pounds per stall per day.

Consider your Feed Storage/Water Access in your barn and stall designs as well. With the safety and convenience for both horse and humans in mind design your barn with easy to access and maintain water outlets (in the aisleway works well) and adequate feed storage (that will help to keep hay from getting wet). Using aisleway access feeders and waterers in stalls helps with convenience by allowing easy access without having to enter the stalls. Make sure the feeders and waterers are of adequate size and located no higher than your horse can access easily.

Don’t forget about your Tack Storage in your design. Plan for a cool, dry place, free of dust to help extend the life of your tack. A separate room with a door and a small outside window for ventilation works great. Having tack “racks” or hooks of some sort and saddle trees helps to keep tack organized and “open” for air to circulate around it, keeping it dry and fresh.

Lastly, think about Lighting inside and outside your barn. This is important for both humans and horses safety and well-being. Consider having lights in the center alley, all outside entrances, service areas, above horse stalls, and in storage and wash areas. Switches should be located near exit doors for safety and convenience. Use of dust free / enclosed fixtures in center of each stall is nice for viewing your horse (to check on a sick horse or pregnant mare). An average of 100 watts for 1000 to 1500 square feet of area is sufficient. The use of reflectors will improve illumination area.

 

 

Looking for Horse Treats

I have always wondered if there was a place to find "special" treats, not just the ordinary horse treats.

Well, I think I've found one.

Take a look: http://pinkponybakery.com/

Pretzels, Oatmeal Cookies, Peppermint Brownies - nope this isn't for us, it's all for our special equine friends and companions! Awesome idea!

21 Polo Horses Dead - April 19, 2009

Finally, a lawsuit has been filed regarding the deaths of these horses, the 21 Polo Ponies that died due to fatal vitamin injections. See this article for the details:

Polo Ponies Lawsuit Filed

Positive Coggins Test on horse?

THE BITTER BATTLE (by Marjorie - published with permission)

It was January of 2005.  I had been looking for a horse of my own.  My husband found himself a registered paint mare, Patches and my daughter a registered paint gelding, Warrior.

I found a smaller mare on the internet for $500.  She was a bay, very pretty little thing, 5 years old.

I called and made an appointment to go see her.  When I arrived I saw 2 horses standing near the gate, one came right up to me and let me touch his face.  He really caught my eye and my heart.  The mare I had come to see wouldn't even come near me or the gate.   Their names were Brownie (mare) & Tigger (gelding).

We walked back to the car and I talked with the owner.  I was really interested in the gelding and not the mare I had seen on the internet.  She said she wasn't sure if they wanted to get rid of him but that if I did take them both she'd give me a deal.  I took them both.  Brownie was born May 4th 1999 and Tigger was born April 19, 1997.

Because of snow storms I arrived sometime in February 2005 to pick them up.  I was walking from the trailer with a halter & lead and the women asked "You don't think you're going to lead them in do you?"  I was dumbfounded and didn't know what to say but realized that they must have had no training whatsoever by her response.  I finally said "I thought I might."

Instead we backed the trailer up to a small enclosure the owners had put them in before our arrival.  The 2 horses were very upset and nervous.  We did manage to get a halter on the gelding and managed to just pull him into the trailer.  We thought the mare would follow him in but no such luck.  We finally got her in without a halter on but did get her haltered after she was inside.  The guy I had hired to haul them said to me "I hope you got a good deal on these two."  It took about 2 hours to get them loaded.

Upon our arrival home we opened the rear of the trailer and got the mare out.  She bolted.  The gelding was much better behaved but still a bit nervous.  The hauler was kind enough to help getting her back.  I was worried we'd never catch her as wild as she was.

The two horses settled in very nicely.  I tied them both up and spent lots of time brushing and just talking to them.  I had my grandkids pet their heads and talk to them.  We were finally able to walk right up to Tigger.  Brownie was another story though, she was horrified of people.  

I used to take Tigger for walks down the long driveway, letting him graze here and there.  We formed a real bond and he ended up trusting me.  I saddled him up and my daughter sat on his back for a few moments until a car drove in and we were unsure how he would act around it, so she got off.  

I had a trainer out to start working with Brownie.   The trainer could get up to her in the pasture with time.  I then changed Brownie's name to Sassy because she still didn't want any part of people.  

I had decided to send Tigger off to a trainer and because of it I had to have a coggins test done.   I hadn't had horses since the 1970's so I didn't know horses were supposed to have coggins before a purchase.  Back then we never did this test.  I was told by the previous owners that the horses had never left the farm so they never had coggins testing done on them.

I arrived home from work on Thursday afternoon for lunch and my husband was sitting on the swing on our front porch.  I knew something was terribly wrong by the look on his face.  He told me the news.....Tiggers test was positive for EIA.   I cried.  I was shaking; I didn't know what to do.  I skipped work and went out to see Tigger.  He was a healthy, beautiful horse.  How could he have this disease?          We received a call immediately from the State Vets that they needed to come out to test the other horses and see if any others were positive also.  The farm & entire herd was quarantined.  We made the appointment and the week wait for the results was the longest week of my life.  I kept thinking...who would it be that was also positive.  I kept thinking it maybe the registered paint named Warrior.  I never thought it would be anyone else.           

The day finally came and it was Sassy, Tiggers sister.  I think the next few days I was in a trance.  I don't remember much of anything.  I spent as much time with the horses as I could. Tigger and I grew closer and closer.  I had someone come out and photograph us together.  It was a wonderful time for us.  

I had several phone calls from the state veterinarians telling me what I had to do next.  The farm was quarantined and the horses couldn't leave and none could be brought in.  We were supposed to get a sign stating the quarantine but it never happened.  The law stated we had to have 300 yards to keep positive horses from others and no matter how hard we tried the most we could come up with was about 275 yards.  It wasn't enough, the state wouldn't budge.   I started posting in a group I belonged to and I ended up being scrutinized for keeping the horses alive.  I received nasty emails but I also received comforting emails.  I asked many, many questions of the state vets that remain to this day unanswered.  Questions like what are the statistics this day of EIA positive horses?  How many horses have actually died from the disease and not the test?  Where are the records kept of actual cases in Wisconsin?  Why haven't the internet sites been upgraded from years ago with current info?  To this day my questions have been unanswered.  I was told they don't have the records.  How can they not have the records? Why wasn't anyone ever sent out to test the blood of my horses and use it for studies to see just maybe if there would be something that could be done.  

I never did receive the results, the actual papers of the coggins test from any of the tests until I called several times and insisted on getting them.  I couldn't understand why I didn't get them.  I had asked for a re-test on Tigger but the vets said they ran both tests, the eliza and the AGID.

I searched all over the internet for something or someone that could help me.  I emailed many people.  Meanwhile, the state vets had to come out and freeze brand the horses, a certain mark for death.  It was quite the ordeal.  They tranquilized both horses, shaved the hair on their necks and branded them.  I began spending a lot of time with the two horses.  During this time I'd talk to them, cry, brush them, it seemed almost as if they knew something was horribly wrong.  They became gentler.

One time the other horses were too close and I was terrified and had to get them away quickly, after being with the two for 6 months and not having the disease passed on to them, I suddenly was worried about it.  I had so many mixed emotions my head was spinning.

I found a place in Florida that could help me. They wrote my local vet a letter stating so and that if he would authorize the health certificate they would take the two horses.  It's a sanctuary for all the EIA positive horses.  Its almost like a stables, or leasing farm but the horses can't leave.  The sponsors are allowed to come in and care for and also ride the horse they sponsor.  It looked like a wonderful place.  My vet wouldn't okay it but only because the state vets would not allow the move.  It was getting colder now and there were no flies anymore.  I couldn't understand why they wouldn't let me transport them now since there were no flies.  I was told it was too risky.  

After three long hard months of phone calls, emails, and shed tears, I just couldn't take it any more, the worry, the tears, the emotional trauma was just too much.  All I wanted was that first ride on Tigger but it never happened.
  
I made a few phone calls to figure out how to do this.  I asked for prices of everything.  I called the local vet and asked the cost of euthanasia.  If I went with that I had to have someone out to haul them away.  I called about that too.  The cost was more than I could afford since it was double for the 2 horses.  The people that were going to pick up the bodies were the same people I ended up driving the horses to.  Sadly it was a mink ranch.  I talked to them several times before making my decision.  I cried over the phone to them.  They were very understanding and sympathetic.  They told me I could bring them and since it was two they would not charge me anything.  This is the only reason I chose this route.  

We set up the appointment to bring the horses to the plant on August 5th 2005.  My husband and I went and loaded the horses up the evening before.  I was devastated.  I couldn't believe I was going to leave the horses in the trailer overnight I felt guilty.  They were very frightened, I gave them some hay and feed in the mangers of the horse trailer, I also gave them each a bucket of water.  We weren't sure how or if they would load the next morning so we didn't want to take the chance.  The state vets would be out to make sure we actually went through with it.  During this entire ordeal I thought often about running off with them.  I just wanted to take them and disappear.  After all, how many people pulling horse trailers ever really got stopped?  I don't think I slept at all that evening.  I got up and went out by the horses very early; our appointment wasn't until 10a.m. but I wanted to make sure they were okay.  I gave them some grain and offered them more water.  I had left the side windows open for ventilation.  When I arrived their heads popped out and they neighed to me.  I couldn't hold the tears back, I talked to them and I can't even remember what I was saying anymore.  I had to get pictures before we left, pictures of their "last ride".  

The state vet soon arrived and so we were on our way.  I made snide remarks the entire way whenever I saw another horse.   All I could think of was that I was not allowed to transport them to a sanctuary that housed some EIA positive horses that were still living at the age of 34 but I could transport them to the rendering plant.  I just didn't understand.  

We arrived at the plant early and some young ladies scurried around getting their horses away because I did tell them they needed to be 300 yards away.  They told me I was early; at this point I really didn't care about anything.  I drove down the hay field to a small corral where some cows were.  I got Tigger out first.  He was very nervous; I talked with him for a second after tying him up and gave him a hug.  Then I got Sassy, the man at the plant said not to tie them up near each other.  He didn't want one to see the other go through whatever it was that was about to happen.  So I tied Sassy up behind the big truck and said goodbye to her.  I told the guy "please don't do anything until I'm gone."  He said he'd wait until he couldn't see my vehicle anymore.  I got in my car and drove away so fast.  I did look in the mirror and all I could see was Sassy looking at me drive off as if to say "aren't you forgetting something?"  I cried so hard I could hardly see.  

It felt like only seconds until I got back to the farm.  I opened the trailer and began to clean up the mess from the overnight stay.  When I was finished I went to the pasture where they had lived just for a look.  It was sad not seeing them there grazing.  All that was left was a half eaten round bale of hay, their empty feed dishes, and the water tank.  I never wanted to leave the farm that day but when I finally did I never wanted to return.

The other horses were tested once again and once again the week wait seemed like an eternity.  The results finally came in and the others were negative.  We had purchased some land to move away from the sad memories of this place.  We planned on doing it on the weekend but I couldn't wait, I wanted to get the other survivors out of their as soon as possible.  At least we still had three healthy horses.  

Shortly after August 5th I received a response from one of the persons I had emailed.  This is what he had to say, if any of the results of the last three came back positive.


I hope that your next round of Coggins tests will all be negative. If a test is positive, my lab would be interested to work with your local vet to see if we can get a blood draw to isolate a resentative strain of EIAV from your area.  We have few virus isolates to study, because positive horses are put down so quickly.          

          Sincerely, Ron Montelaro


Someday it is my dream to open a rescue for those EIA horses in Wisconsin like the one in Florida so that others don't have to go through what I did.  Someday, someone will have more fight than I had and keep their horse alive so someone can do some testing.  After all, there will never be a cure or even a treatment without running some kind of test or research on a live horse with the disease.

I'm told that my horses may have never died or gotten sick from this disease and may have never given it away to another horse, since they were housed with three others and never passed it on.  This means the two were more than likely born with the disease and were inaparent carriers, meaning they never would have passed it along to another horse.  We will never know for sure.

Three Legged Horse

This is a story that will bring up all of your emotions (so have come kleenex ready) - it also offers encouragement to all of us that we too can make it through the toughest obsticles in our lives.

An inspiration to many....

Winter Horse Care Tips - In Three Parts

Part 3: Hoof Care / Blanketing / Bathing

Your horse's hooves and their care are especially important in the winter due to the unavoidable slippery conditions. If you ride in the winter, be sure to pull horses shoes and trim regularly, long toes are clumsy and can make for an uncomfortable ride. Using a non-stick spray (like you would use for cooking) on the hooves top and bottom helps to prevent snow from sticking and makes it easier to walk.

If possible let your horse's coat grow out, don't clip.  Horses are designed to be "in the outdoors" with no problems. They do best with the natural protection of their coat.  A horse's winter hair coat is more insulating than most blankets - but not if it's wet. A wet horse can lead to hypothermia so,  if your horses get wet outside take a few minutes and attend to them.  Towel dry - remember legs and dry against hair grain to really get all the moisture that is by the skin. Then curry, quickly - then cover with a blanket - wool is good to absorb moisture and provide warmth. Take off after about an hour and they will be ready to do it all over again!  Horses also can't stay as warm if they are dirty or muddy, their coat can "fluff" to keep them as warm.  If they are muddy you can brush through the mud so hair can "fluff" and insulate more efficiently.  Just because we are cold, doesn't mean our horses are.

If you must blanket your horse, there are a few points to consider. Blankets should cover horses neck as well as their body, just like humans they want to be "warm all over".  A good rule is to blanket senior and unhealthy horses since they don't have the ability to handle the cold as well as younger, more fit horses. Stalled horses might need blankets due to inactivity.  Also, if you clip you should blanket. Use a  medium weight with fleece under for above freezing temperatures and add a cover for below freezing.  Cotton is too cool and will not warm your horse or keep them warm, especially if they are clipped.  Remove blankets during the day - brush and check for irritation from blanket and make any necessary adjustments.

 

Well, that's all for this three part series. I hope it was helpful as well as entertaining.

Check back often for more article, tips, tricks and ideas.

Winter Horse Care Tips - In Three Parts

Part 2: Feeding & Watering

Before the cold weather really sets in, you should make sure to get your horse a dental checkup - horses need to chew well to get all the nutrients out of their food especially in the winter.  Eating and digesting is part of what keeps horses warm in winter, especially if they are outside. Food is energy and energy creates warmth so keep hay available 24/7 to help your horses maintain their warmth from digesting.  If your horses are in stalls rather than outside and you choose to use hay nets, be sure to keep them low so that the hay dust isn't a problem for your horse's respiratory system.

Remember, winter coats can hide ribs so keep an eye on your horses - increase feed immediately if you start to see weight loss - increase hay portion not grain - timothy hay, orchard grass and long stem hay are great for keeping the gut working, generating heat and keeping weight on. It is much harder for horses to gain weight in winter so, try to maintain their weight with an abundance of hay all season.  Also, keep an eye on pasture mates as some can get possessive of their food and won't let others eat - make sure that each horse has their fair share of the available food.

Keep water always available in stalls and in the pasture. When horses don't or can't drink enough, they can have problems with impaction colic and other concerns.  To help with keeping outside water troughs from freezing, put a large ball in it (like a soccer ball or basket ball).  This will help to easily break up any thin layer of ice that might build up when the horse pushes the ball to get a drink. Experience shows that rubber water troughs are tough and won't crack easily like inexpensive plastic ones so you can easily break up frozen water and refill.  Be careful of frozen water buckets in stalls, check them often and refill with fresh water as needed. If your horse isn't consuming enough water, to help work the hay they have eaten, put a salt block out where they can easily access it and this will help keep up their water consumption.

 

Part 3 will cover Hoof Care / Blanketing / Bathing so be sure to check back.

Winter Horse Care Tips - In Three Parts

 

Part 1: Pasture and Shelter

Pasture time for your horse is important all season long even when it's snowy and cold. We might not like the cold but, horses are wild animals and they don't mind being outside.  Horses thrive best in temperatures ranging from 14 degrees to 77 degrees.  They will also huddle together for warmth if necessary.

Watch out for glazed over paddock and icy patches by the pasture shelter and frozen water buckets.  For ice patches, put something with some "grit" on it to make it easier for walking and try spreading some alfalfa meat on ice to help melt it. Dirt, fireplace ashes or burn pit ashes work great for some extra traction.  Keep water always accessible, breaking up frozen tops on water buckets or troughs can be done in just a few minutes, sometimes a ball in the water can help keep the top from freezing.

A shelter or run in shed works great in the pasture or paddock to protect horses from wind, snow and rain. This shelter should have clean bedding and water. Dry hay should also be provided in the shelter even if there is hay in the pasture. Remember to keep an eye on your horses - some will try to "dominate" the shelter and deny access to other horses. You need to make sure everyone has access to shelter, food and water. 

A shelter is ok for most days but in severe weather conditions, a closed barn is better for protection of your horses. If you choose to "stall" your horse there are a few things to keep in mind.  Your barn shouldn't be much warmer than the outside air temperature that your horses will be turned out in. Don't totally seal your barn, air flow is good for horses (and humans working in the barn too). Make sure your barn has good ventilation but no cold drafts so as not to cause respiratory problems in your horses.. Make sure to have clean shavings/bedding in stalls daily along with clean water and hay.  If horses must be in stalls, provide entertainment for them like a jolly ball or horse pac-a-fier toy.  Let horses out every day if weather permits. 

 

Part 2 will cover feeding & watering so be sure to check back.