Let's Play A Game! (Or Oy Vey...)

I got this ad in my inbox this morning. Thought it would be great to look into, afterall, who doesn't like to check out other horse publications? (Sorry Juli!!)

Sipping my morning Tub O' Joe (yeah- one of THOSE mornings already,) I had to look three times to make sure my eyes were not messing with me (which they have been known to do.) Anyone else spy what I think I saw?

Edit:

Ok- I am awake (sort of) now. Client horses have been seen, humidity has been dealt with (by me tanking up on fluids and hiding now in the AC,) and I took a moment to take a peek at the online magazine.

I feel pretty luke warm about it. Nothing really reached out and grabbed me, and nothing inspired me. Actually, because I do tend to be technically challenged at times, I found it more of a pain in the rump to try to read than picking up an actual magazine. That aside though, the contents were.... uninspiring to say the least. I'd give it maybe a hoof and a half rating. Too much slick advertising, not enough information or "grit" in the contents to encourage me to seek the publication out in the future.

The Hoof Tips section? I could take it or leave it, really. Nothing in there that we have not been over (countless times, and in much more detail,) here on this blog and many others. Just my opinion, but if you are going to have a section like that, you need to really delve into information in an understandable fashion for horse owners!

Did anyone else take a look at it? What are your thoughts?

Got Word This Morning....

EEE has been busy this month, as this week it claimed the lives of three horses- two of whom we knew. In fact, one of them was trimmed Monday (and died Wednesday,) and the other was trimmed Tuesday (and died Thursday.) On Tuesday, a foal with in a few miles of the two horses we saw this week was put to rest from EEE.

Vaccinate, folks. And then give a booster in two weeks if you are not sure of the status on your horse.
Thanks to JeffersEquine for the images!

Two the two ponies we knew, RIP.


Low Country residents, avoid skeeters. We humans get contract this crap too.

For horses, watch for:
- Mood swings- normally mild tempered animals can become aggressive, restless, and irritable
- Extremely high fever
- Depression
- Lethargy
- Difficulty walking. Circling in the paddock or stall. Head Pressing. Head tilt. (Neurological signs.)
- Death follows in two to four days. Mortality rate 70 to 90%. Signs/ symptoms show up within 3 to 10 after being bitten by infected mosquito(es).


Fly spray. (Mosquito Halt. JeffersEquine.com has this in stock as well.) Fans to chase bugs away from the horses. Remove any standing water if you possibly can. Dump and refresh water sources for your horse daily. That Skeeter Zapper machine thingy is made by Rush-Hampton, and covers about three acres. One of our clients has one, and LOVES it.

Knew I hated skeeters for a reason...

What Does This Ad Say To You? (PSA!!)

"I have several years of experience in trimming horses and working horses, I will trim any horse not matter the disposition of the horse. I am willing to travel if it is where I can get a couple of horse in the same location. I dont mind having to work with your horses a little in order to trim them but there again I am a farrier. Will trim all horses for $20."


Now, before someone out there says anything, NO, I am NOT trying to keep this Dude from making a living. What Dude here has failed to take into account though, is the following:

1) Pricing lower than the "Other Guy" will get you business to start with, BUT it also hurts you in the long run. Not only do YOU not make as much to support your family, and pay your bills, but it also detracts from those of us who DO charge the industry standard for our efforts. If you detract too much from some of these other fellows, well, *cough cough*... just sayin' here... some of those "Other Fellows" will get cantankerous about it. Me? Get cranky over something like this? Not so much. Actually, I rather enjoy folks like this who are all gang busters and out to trim all the horses they can lay hands on. Why? Because it all comes back to us in the long run anyways- at increased fees to the owner (unfortunately) because we have to repair what YOU have mucked up.

2) The attitude of "working with the horses a little" to get them trimmed. Dude, this WILL get you hurt in the long run. Trust me. Been there- Done that. Save yourself the pain, and teach the owners if need be, how to present the horse in a SAFE manner for work. Or better yet, make some veterinary connections, and advise the owners to have the vet out to administer a cocktail. Better living through chemistry at times is The Way To Go.

3) Ever heard the saying; "You Get What You Pay For"? I do believe that trimming (all horses) for $20 is a BIG indicator of that. In fact, I have already heard about the work of this particular person, and all I can say is "Thank You." Because you are going to feed my family by continuing to provide your brand of "service".

I am not trying to cut someone down here- this is apparently a younger Dude with 'Tude, and we have all been there, done that too. However, OWNERS, You Need To Be Penny Wise! Paying less in the beginning may seem like a good idea, but do your homework. Find out WHO he apprenticed with. Find out references- preferably at least one from an equine veterinarian, and FOLLOW UP ON THEM. Take a few moments online, to research hoof pictures- there are THOUSANDS of them out there. Ask questions of others. All that will cost you is TIME, and that education may just help your horse stay sounder in the long run. (Not to mention helping your bank account!)

Next- to those who will jump up and down and spank me for admitting we charge MORE to repair damage done by either the Owner's greed / stupidity, and/ or shoddy work from the person before us. Go for it. Spank away. Or try to- because here is The Deal. If you spend a bit of your TIME, and learn about proper hoof care, WE DON'T HAVE TO CHARGE EXTRA. If you line yourself up with a high quality hoof care provider in the first place, and DO NOT hop from one hoof care provider to another (as often as some people change underwear,) your WALLET will thank you. Your REPUTATION will thank you. Your HORSE'S HOOVES will thank you. It takes us Extra Time to repair shoddy work. There are times it takes the use of skills Dude up there has only dreamed of, to repair damage using things such as Equithane, Equi-cast, and others. Or rebuilding bar tissue to promote growth. Or rebuilding wall to stabilize the heel. That skill and time spent by us are what will have your horse sound and healthy again. Don't want to pay above the standard price? Fine- don't let someone muck up your horse.

And Thus Ends Todays PSA.

Georgia Readers- Warning From Our Vet

The phone just rang, with a call from our equine vet. (Yes! We now have an equine vet in the area! WHOOOHOOO!!! This is a load off a lot of minds out there in this area, let me tell you...) We have several cases now reported in the Effingham/ Bulloch/ Chatham County area that have tested POSITIVE for EEE. (He saw another one today.) Please, vaccinate. If you administer the vaccine's yourself, exercise caution as well- clean the area thoroughly with a scrub and an alcohol wipe (or three) to prevent the other thing we have been hearing about- which is site reactions that are leading to abscesses. (I think I saw a blog on one of those somewhere. Anyone else see that? Poor horse- sure hope he/ she is recovering well!) JeffersEquine.com has a decent deal on single shots of EEE/ WEE/ Tetnaus for like $7.25.

Practice Mosquito Control- a good fly spray that I use is MOSQUITO HALT. Even with all the sweating, and during the rains, it lasted 36 hours. Empty all buckets- aim for no standing water to allow for skeeter hookups. No skeeter booty calls can help reduce the population around your barn and house (since this is something people can get too.) I hear there is a Skeeter Zapper machine that rocks too- anyone remember the name of that thing?

Which brings up a good question: what do you vaccinate for yearly? Do you do the deed, or do you get it done by your vet?

(Oh- anyone in this area, if you need a good horse vet, email me and I'll HAPPILY provide his contact info!)

Just for giggles here is a tidbit from GADNR: Gator warnings have been issued. The gators are stirred up, moving to new territory, and they are seeking booty calls of their own. What does that mean for us here? Means we deal with horny, cranky, displaced gators until sometime in July...

Lots going on here. Since Saturday, we have seen 21 or 22 horses, in 100* plus weather. What is left of my grey matter is fried. Dear Husband is nursing cracked ribs and muscle/ cartilage damage to the sternum, and my legs are begging to quit for a day. (14 or 15 of those 21 or 22 animals? PONIES!! Really SHORT ponies!! My hamstrings are TOAST, right alongside my brain....)

Sonny Bunz is pouting. He wants inside in the AC. Rock Star Pony is right there with him, begging, with big sorry eyes... Rotten horses.

Right. I am shot. Fried. Toast. Cooked. Time for me to rest, and get ready for tomorrow.

Happy Hoofin' Y'all~
~MM

Since It IS So Hot Outside...

And all of my desire to do anything productive INSIDE has gone missing, I finally took a moment to play a version of Chelsi's "Dreamhorse" game from a week or so ago.

I searched my state, with no specifics on breeds.. just so I could look at the pictures....
There were some purty ones, that goes with out saying. But this one fellow here made my little heart go pitter patter...

CUPIDS BLACK PEARL
Dream Horse ID: 1390816

(Don't Look, Sonny! Your Momma is drooling over a spotted man....)

Every time I see a black and white Appy, my heart makes me do a double take. This handsome fellow made me look more than twice!

Then there was this cute little number:

Hustle Mye Heart
Dreamhorse ID: 1399169

Hmmmm... I am seeing a theme here with the spots...


Which lead me over to here:

DREAMRISEN
ID: 1357339

Hmmmm.. not so much, thanks. The spots are cute, but.. dude... he is N/N?

That seems to have taken some of the wind from my shopping sails... maybe we will try this again another day....

~MM

Did Someone Fast-Forward To August?

This is what we are hearing all about today, and will hear about for the next few ... oh, I suppose MONTHS....

"

..HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

A HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING.

A VERY HOT AND HUMID AIRMASS WILL BE IN PLACE TODAY DUE TO A
STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED
STATES. HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON WILL RANGE FROM AROUND
100 DEGREES WELL INLAND...TO THE MID AND UPPER 90S CLOSER TO THE
COAST. AT THE BEACHES...HIGHS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 80S TO NEAR
90. THESE HOT TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH HIGH LEVELS OF HUMIDITY
WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES BETWEEN 105 TO 110 DEGREES...WITH
THE HIGHEST HEAT INDICES LIKELY OCCURRING BETWEEN 2 PM AND 6 PM."

Currently, it is: 102*

Onehundredtwostinkingmeltingdegrees.

If I say it real fast like that, it seems to hurt less. Doesn't help the sweaty-ness,
though.

I have a nice strong fan set up for the horses, in the shade.
Are they using it?

Oh, no.

Instead, they seem to be happy enough to stand out in the direct sun. Sweating. Making me feel like a HORRIBLE horse Mom, for not bringing them into the house.

*sigh*

They have been hosed off today once already, and they'll be hosed off again a bit later on towards evening. Their water tanks are getting dumped and washed twice a day now, and they are going through about double the water.

I have contemplated taking them to the lake to swim with us, but... with my luck big ol Sonny Bunz would get stuck in the wet wet sandy bottom. Snickers would most likely be OK- at least I might stand a chance of pulling him out myself if he got stuck...

Johnny Reb has been feeling pretty gosh darn perky lately, and this morning, while everyone slept, took himself on his scooter (aka: Goldie, the Trike) to the park to walk.
When Dear Husband told me that, I almost choked on my coffee.

But, at least he is perking up and getting more "with it" every day. He is stronger than an Ox, and his physical therapist is thrilled with his progress. His neurologist can not believe his recovery thus far- apparently no one expected him to recover this well, this soon.

Silly people- they have no Faith!

I'll have a horse related post up for y'all soon- I promise. With this heat, being outside is too dangerous, so I may as well swim the Little Mens early and wear them down some, pop in a movie, and write, right?

Y'all take care out there, and stay safe as summer settles in!

~MM

Not Horse Related- American Soilder Related

This is a plea for help. Not for horses- but for some of our troops stationed in a really crappy place right now. This particular man and the men who work with him would love to have some help from those of us at home. While they draw supplies from the ARMY, they happen to be in one of "those" places where supplies that bring them a tad more comfort are just not to be had- unless a care package arrives from state side.

As we sip our morning brew from such places as Starbucks, or Green Mountain Coffee Beans, or what have you, and enjoy our showers, pizza deliveries, and online time, this particular group of men is out "taking care of business" so that OUR lives may continue. Somehow that "balance" seems a bit off to me- they trade their lives- sometimes in the literal sense- so that OUR lives may continue on as we did before.

What do you all say to making a Care Package? Send these brave men a bit of home, comfort, sun screen, lotion, TOILET PAPER, or anything else on the list? Let them know- really KNOW- that we DO care, and we DO support them in their efforts to keep us- at HOME- safe.

How many are on board for this?


This is a direct quote from an email that we got today- from someone quite a few folks around know and think incredibly highly of:

"Well guys, its been rough... Living out in southern afghanistan isnt a vacation by any means. The sand is like baby powder, the sun is like a "freakin laser beam" the them damn taliban dudes keep trying to kill us...




I am however very disgruntled with my location. I get messages from other friends that are living the good life and im cleaning sand and dirt out of places i would rather not discuss. One buddy is @ salerno and has green bean coffee (kinda like starbucks), and a mall type store, hell even a college center. Another is @ bagram and rubs it in my face that he just had a full body massage and gets pizza hut delivery. That place is better than most stateside places! He also has green beans coffee, BK, and freakin internet and sat TV in his room!


I am in the infantry, so i understand that somebody has to do the work that a war requires, but damn people, I want some toilet paper! I would be VERY grateful if some of you could get me on some of those care package lists and send me and my fellow soldiers here some licky's and chewies. Whatever I get will be spread around.

My mom is sending me a blanket and some soap. My wife is sending things also, but like I said, all we have is what we get sent. We have no other way of getting anything else than what the army provides...........

SHIP TO:

Brandwein, Louis
1-501st ABN C Co.
FOB Kushamond
APO AE 09311

ADDITIONAL REQUESTS:

Drink flavorings in the tube or packet....all they usually have is bottled water.

Hard candies of any kind....just don't send anything that would melt (ie: chocolate)

Tuna fish in the foil pouch......this is like having "Gold"....very hot item to have....

shampoo, soap, toothpaste, SKIN LOTION, hand sanitizer, baby wipes or handi wipes, sun tan lotion,toilet paper!!, gum and mints.

Books and Mags, of course nothing considered risque or porn,

Blank audio/video CD's...many of the troops have lap tops but have no access to CD's to burn pics or music.

Never enough baby wipes.

Canned items are discouraged- the cans dent and add weight. Try for foil packets whenever you can.


This bit below from a Dad of a Service Member in Afghanistan as well:
"I have sent everything via USPS. From Atlanta to my daughter's hands it is running about 6 to 7 days. When you send your package you will have to fill out a short customs form. The form has the recipients info , the sender's info and a brief description of what your sending. There is also a small block that asks for a alternate recipient. In this block I always list "Chaplain". In the event that your package does NOT find its way to the intended recipient, it would be given to the Chaplain in the general area for distribution. Otherwise it gets tossed into some black hole somewhere. I was told it would not be returned. Have not had any issues yet with my daughter NOT getting any of her packages."


This next bit from someone who has been there- a few times:

"If you send any really good food...don't list it as such on the customs form..as it will not make it to the person. And don't list the tobacco products either....again, some *** will see it on the box and the box will get "damaged" and all the contents "lost".

If you feel the need to put something on there to describe it put something like "health food" or "natural laxatives" "


This from the guys in the Unit:
"Shaving cream
Slim Jims
Wash cloths
Guns & Ammo!
Notebooks
Pens
Black dude bump shave fighter... My brother said thanks for that one
Monsters/Red Bull drinks"


So- who's in with us here?

Now Here's One I'd L-O-V-E To Attend!!

Equine Soundness Inc. presents:
Seminar with Dr. Robert Bowker
in South Carolina

Please join us for an exciting presentation of the latest research in hoof anatomy and function with implications for laminitis, founder and navicular syndrome.

Robert Bowker, DVM PhD, will come to Hopkins (next to Columbia), South Carolina in August to present his research
and findings.

Dr. Bowker, a College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University researcher has compiled a new picture of equine foot physiology. This ideal suggests vascular systems in horse hooves function in much the same way that air or gel filled running shoes do. "Moving liquids are the best way to dissipate energy. [...] That is why some of the major running shoe manufacturers market products that contain liquid in their soles."

Bowker's hypotheses suggests a negative pressure is actually created by the outward movement of the hoof cartilage. This movement creates a vacuum action that sucks blood from beneath the coffin bone into the rear portion of the hoof. "As the blood moves to the rear of the hoof, it dissipates the energy caused by its impact on the ground, much like fluid-filled running shoes do," he said. So the next time you go running in your gel Nike's imagine your running shoes are the shock absorbing mechanism in your horse's hoof!

---

Topics:

1. Introduction: overview-"thinking outside of the box"
2. Morphologies of Good and Bad footed horses: energy dissipation
3. Radiographic examination of the foot
4. Feral horses: are they the gold standard
5. Movement of domestic horses
6. Hoof wall of adult horse; adaptive capabilities
7. Foal hoof wall: does it all grow from the coronet?
8. Frog anatomy
9. Innervation of the foot: sensory perception
10. Coffin bone morphology: adaptive capabilities
11. Perfusion of the foot
12. Navicular syndrome
13. Wet lab

---

Dates and Times :

August 21 2 PM - 6 PM

August 22 9 AM - 5 PM

August 23 9 AM - 5 PM

Location:

The Club House at Defender Industries

9031 Garners Ferry Road

Hopkins SC 29061

(Garners Ferry Road is also known as Hwy. 76/378 on the East side of Columbia towards Sumter)

Food and Drinks:

We will provide lunch on Saturday and Sunday, as well as coffee, tea and water throughout the days.

Travel:

Airport is Columbia, SC - Airport Code is CAE
The Charlotte, NC airport (airport code CLT) may have a few more flight options, it is a two hour drive, all Interstate.

Lodging:

There are quite a few hotels within 10 minutes from the venue:

Candlewood Suites 921 Atlas Road

Holiday Inn Express 7329 Garners Ferry Road

Sleep Inn 200 East Exchange Blvd.

Comfort Inn and Suites 7337 Garners Ferry Road

Days Inn Suites 7300 Garners Ferry Road

La Quinta Inn 7333 Garners Ferry Road

Super 8 Motel 5719 Fairfield Road

Fee:

Tickets are $250.00 on a first come, first serve basis,
there will be only a limited number of tickets available.

Your payment will serve as registration.
We will contact you once we have received payment.

Lameness and Rehab Seminar in Ocala FL June 13

DON’T FORGET THIS SATURDAY JUNE 13^TH

LAMENESS AND PODIATRY SEMINAR

WITH FEATURED SPEAKER

Dr. Steve O’Grady

Please call to R.S.V.P.

(WE NEED TO HAVE AN ACCURATE HEAD COUNT FOR LUNCH)

The Sanctuary Equine Sports Therapy & Rehabilitation Center
Brenda McDuffee, General Manager
5590 NW Hwy 225
Ocala, Florida 34482
(352) 369-HEAL (4325)
SanctuaryESTRC@aol.com
www.sanctuaryequinerehab.com

Sonny Bunz... and The Rock Star Pony

(Edit: This is not Rock Star Pony- Dear Husband found the pic, and loved it. My bad for not clearing that up! I'd love to give credit where credit is due, so anyone who knows the photographer, let us know!)

Both the equine boys here are ready to suit up again. Since the gills are not growing fast enough, they have decided that Scuba Gear is in order. Sonny was NOT happy to see the ducks move back into HIS PADDOCK late this week, and he has been moping ever since.

Why is he moping? Because Sonny is a NAPPER. He likes to sprawl out, and SLEEP. With it being so wet- again- his nappy time has been non-existent. Poor pony gets cranky. So, this morning, I loaded up the shelter with as much hay as I could stuff in there, so he could have somewhere that was somewhat dry for the big baby to take a nappy.

2009 Freshly Cut and Baled Alicia Grass Hay for my rotten red man, and his tiny sidekick.

And since this is a pretty random post, here is a shot of how Dear Husband trims teeny tiny horses. Kinda cool, huh?

Stay dry y'all....

~MM

The Long Awaited For Hoof Post!

The subject of previous post, where we did a "Pop Quiz" of sorts, to see what everyone else could spot. I am going to try and go through things point by point here, and cover everyone's guesses.

This is a post- trim view. Thought you all might like to see the difference. Also, this was the second trim on this mare, by Dear Husband, at a four week interval.

Once Upon An Equine- you asked some good questions. However, they were not applicable to this particular case. The owner of these ponies has an excellent education in equine care and feeding, so the quality of their diet is not the issue. While all of the ponies are a bit on the round side, it is not to the point of being a health hazard. I'll get into more of the rest of your questions in a moment. For now, everyone take a look at the below picture and explanations.

BLUE ARROW: Shows orientation of that particular ring.
RED ARROW: Heel height and orientation of growth.
YELLOW ARROW: Shows slight indentation in hoof wall at the hairline.
GREEN ARROW: Shows orientation of growth from hairline down.
ORANGE ARROW: Shows orientation of growth from FLARE.

Now- Yes, this is a laminitic hoof. Are the growth rings an indicator of this? Not really. While rings are often present in a laminitic hoof, they are NOT the main indicator of laminits. The true indicator will be the stretched white line. Rings occur for many reasons- metabolic changes, unbalanced hooves, weather changes- all are factors in the formation of growth rings. Rings present in the toe area, similar to this, are also stress, or pressure related. If the toe is not trimmed properly, the pressure that happens from growth and movement will create pressure rings.

Mikey- you wondered about Ringbone as well. I didn't feel any of the tell tale calcified areas, and I think that disturbance in the hair line we can see in this photo is both my photography skills and the issues that still remain in the hoof.

Kate- you said that the heel growth looks much faster than the toe growth. Now this is liable to seem like I am picking on you... I'm not, but it might seem that way. Think about the mechanics of growth for a moment. Look at your finger nails. Can one portion of your nail grow faster than another? Or is it an optical illusion, due to wear on the nail? Now, think about how your horse moves. Go outside and watch him for a moment- I'll wait....

OK- a sound, healthy horse moves freely and lands heel first comfortably. A horse that is compromised is not going to move like that. A compromised horse is going to move to protect itself from further insult. Which causes different wear patterns in the hoof. Thus causing an optical illusion of accelerated growth in one portion of the hoof.

Lisa- your turn! You said it looks like Founder, and you thought that she had foundered before int he past. Which brings up a good point: Once Foundered, and left UNTREATED/ UNCORRECTED, it is always Founder. (Again- Founder being a rotation in the coffin bone.) So yes, you are right there- this little mare had Founder (with slight rotation) in the past, and has been dealing with it uncorrected for a period of time.

Jackie- You spotted the "bulgy" toe. (I love that!) The bulgy look is Flare. Good eye Jackie, as it honestly can be difficult to see flare at times, and much much easier to actively FEEL it in a hoof.

Melanie- You asked if this was an example of a clubbed hoof. While it LOOKS odd, this is NOT what we would consider a club foot. This would be a metabolic disturbance that resulted in rotation, which caused altered movement, resulting in improper balance and unhealthy wear patterns. In due time (I'd estimate about 4 months of 4 week interval trimmings,) this hoof will look much more normal, and within 9 months it will be a brand new hoof.

Why the frequent trimming schedule?
* Accelerated growth occurs when the hoof is trying to heal itself, and if left untended, we would see the current issues perpetuated.

Now this little gem, a solar view of the same hoof, shows the stretched white line, the bacterial/ micro-organism infection in the white line, AND a seepage of said infection. (By the red arrow.) Is this critical? Well, it sure isn't GOOD, but it is not the end of the line for this mare, either.

Treatment for this varies, depending on what school of thought your hoof care provider follows. Most would do a hoof resection. Our approach is a good bit different. A resection MAY loom in the future for this mare, but currently we are advising antibiotic treatments, cleaning and washing of the infected area, and allowing as much air to the area as possible.

There are two good treatments that we have used in the past:
Clean Trax
and
White Lightning

Both work well for clearing up any issues a hoof may have.

OK- fire away with some more questions! In the meantime,

Happy Hoofin!
~MM