Buckaroo Texan Blog

Attending a horsemanship clinic in October in Texas is like attending a clinic in March.  You have to be prepared for any kind of weather.  This past weekend was an example, in the other extreme of the roping clinic I did a few weeks ago.

This clinic started with warm windy weather as we arrived and settled in for the night.  I feed my horses and gave them Essentials in their feed.  As usual before a outing, I had fed these two horses essentials for several days to enhance their immune system and to be sure the stomach had plenty of probiotics for easier digestion under stress. 

Friday morning we woke up to lots of wind and very warm temperatures, climbing well into the 90’s by afternoon.  I gave the horses essentials and XanGo juice in their feed.  I also added a bit of magnesium supplement and Eleviv.    These products work to reduce inflammation, and support natural vigor and balance. We got thru the day with the horses feeling great.  My more nervous horse, Rojo, who has had metabolic issues in the past, got thru the day with his body well supported nutritionally to keep his nerves, muscles and all systems in good working order.    He was able to stay focused and handle the situations well.  

 Friday night a norther with rain moved in, howling rain, thunder, lots of lightning and a 40 degree temperature drop made for a miserable morning for the horses.  Saturday morning found the horses wet and shivering.  I gave them hay to warm them up and waited for the rain to let up to feed them grain and supplements.    The workouts later in the day proved good for both horses.  They warmed up, dried off, ate well and enjoyed their lessons.  Rojo has a harder time staying with me in these conditions, but came thru.  Knowing his past, I was very glad to have paid close attention to his nutritional needs before this event. 

(Photo by Carol Akers)Sunday was very cool with misty rain and light showers. Rain gear was in order.  The ground was not as slick as Saturday so we rode out in the pasture.  It was a  misty October day that was refreshing to man and beast alike after the brutal heat of the summer.   I loaded the horses a couple hours before leaving to let them dry off in the trailer before heading home.  The weather was closing in with more rain, so I wanted the horses to be mostly dry in the stock type trailer I have for the 4 hour trip home.  The horses had a few carrots when I stopped for fuel.   They were glad to be home and have hay and their grain when we arrived home mid evening.    Just paying attention to a few small details for the horses and myself probably prevented colic or colds for any of us.

Guest Post By:  Dr. Madalyn Ward, Fischer, Texas

With many parts of the country experiencing extreme and unusual
weather this spring, it seems to be a good time to talk about the best
types of horse feed and supplements to help horses cope with this kind
of unexpected weather. Horses seem to be dealing either with hot dry
weather or cold damp conditions. Both of these extremes can definitely
affect your horse’s health. Luckily, you can prevent health problems
by having a flexible feeding program tailored to weather conditions.

 Horse Feed for Hot Dry Weather :

To help your horse cope with hot dry weather, you need to ensure that
he stays hydrated, avoids colic, and has access to enough high quality
green foods. Here are steps you can take to keep your horse healthy
and comfortable in hot drought-like conditions:

 Offer Electrolytes: Horses keep cool by sweating and their need
for salt and electrolytes is related to the amount they sweat. Sweat
evaporates quickly in low humidity, often leaving a salty residue on
dry skin. Electrolytes are important under these conditions. It’s
important to give your horse electrolytes before dehydration occurs.
Salt blocks and loose salt will meet the needs of most horses at rest,
but if your horse is going to be working or stressed in any way it is
a good idea to give a good commercial electrolyte beforehand.

Boost Gut Health: Feeding pre- and probiotics daily will support
the healthy bacteria in your horse’s gut and this will keep the
digestive tract functioning well during hot weather. Acidophilus and
bifidus from Simplexity Health work well, as does KLPP from KAM.
Pre-Pro from Arenus/Equilite is also a good supplement that promotes
gut health.

 Reduce Hay and Increase Cooling Foods: Normally I am a fan of free
choice hay but during very hot weather it may be necessary to cut back
on hay to decrease the heat generated by its fermentation in your
horse’s gut. Cutting back on grass hay and adding a flake of alfalfa
will give your horse the calories and fiber he needs without producing
as much heat during digestion. Other cooling foods can be fed in
moderation, including apples, watermelons, citrus fruits, blue-green
algae, wheat and barley grass.

Water: Horses need to be able to drink deeply during the heat. I
prefer using five-gallon buckets or troughs rather than automatic
watering systems since these systems don’t allow me to monitor a
horse’s water intake. Plus, some horses like to take deep drinks
rather than sip their water, and most automatic water systems force
horses to sip water. Keep the water as cool as possible as this will
help your horse cool down when he drinks and also encourage him to
drink more.

Horse Feed for Cool Damp Weather
If your horse is coping with unexpectedly cool damp weather, he will
need extra care and feeding. Damp weather tends to produce lush grass,
which can lead to a horse who is overweight and underworked. The end
result could include colic, hoof soreness, or laminitis. To avoid
these problems, here are some changes you can make to your horse’s
management program.

Manage Lush Pastures: If your horse is overweight or prone to
laminitis, monitor him closely for any symptoms. At the first sign of
trouble, such as an increase in the digital pulse, pull your horse off
pasture and restrict access to grass. Cut back on the amount you feed
and add extra probiotics to re-establish the healthy bacteria in the
intestines. You may also want to slightly increase the amount of
mineral supplements you feed to help with glucose metabolism.

Balance the Gut: Any extreme change in weather can affect your
horse’s gut health, which in turn affects your horse’s overall health.
To keep your horse’s gut balanced, support the digestive tract by
feeding prebiotics and probiotics on a daily basis. Examples of
prebiotics include KAM KLPP and PrePro. Probiotics include acidophilus
and bifidus. Some horses also need digestive enzymes to ensure that
feed is properly digested before it reaches the large intestine.
Simplexity Health’s Essentials provide a convenient source of
probiotics, enzymes, and chlorophyll-rich food.

 Add Antioxidants: If you plan to work your performance horse under
adverse weather conditions, you will want to supplement his diet with
antioxidants. Extreme weather creates added stress in working horses,
which tends to generate free radicals. Unless the free radicals are
eliminated from your horse’s system with antioxidants, he can become
stiff and sore. Natural antioxidant sources include wheat sprouts and
coenzyme Q10 (Simplexity), mangosteen juice, and noni juice.

 A Little Flexibility Goes a Long Way
Being flexible when it comes to horse feed and supplements can go a
long way toward keeping your horse healthy and happy in unusual
weather conditions. You have probably noticed that the basics of
keeping your horse healthy are similar regardless of whether you are
coping with hot dry conditions or damp cool weather. That’s because a
solid nutritional foundation doesn’t really change. Adapting to
circumstances is more a matter of tweaking the feeding program rather
than making drastic changes.

GUEST POST BY MADALYN WARD, DVM

Bald spots, tails with mohawks, and assorted lumps and bumps … all
of these symptoms can be signs of an itchy horse. Unfortunately, all
the symptoms of horse itch are usually worse in the summer, when bugs,
humidity, and heat all contribute to the problem.

Does your horse itch? If so, then you know it is very difficult to
watch your horse rub himself on every post, tree, and shrub. An itchy
horse feels bad, and watching an itchy horse in action can make you
feel even worse. So what can you do as a responsible horse owner to
help your itchy horse feel better?

5 Steps to Alleviate Horse Itch
Horse itch can be one of the most difficult health problems to cure,
especially if symptoms are already full-blown during the middle of the
summer. The situation gets even more complicated if you want to avoid
constantly spraying your horse with chemical sprays. Luckily, there
are 5 steps you can take to alleviate the symptoms right now, while at
the same time supporting your horse’s immune system so that symptoms
will be much improved next summer.

Horse Itch Solution #1: Relieve Stress
When a horse is itching madly, his system is totally stressed, which
means his immune system can’t work effectively. To restore his immune
system to full functioning, you need to first take care of his stress.
Herbal supplements that relax his whole system work well. Two
supplements that seem especially helpful are RelaxBlend from Equilite
and Eleviv from XanGo. Both of these supplements keep
inflammation at a minimum, plus they keep your horse mentally cool and
calm. Other calming herbs to consider adding to your horse’s daily
regimen include hops and lobelia.

Horse Itch Solution #2: Topical Solutions
If you horse itches all over, topical solutions applied daily are a
good bet for giving your horse immediate relief. For instance, DRAW
Formula is a multi-mineral liquid that you can sponge all over your
horse to relieve the itch. Simply dilute DRAW with water and apply daily.
Spraying your horse with a mix of Avon Skin So Soft, water, and apple cider vinegar also helps keep the flies away. If your horse has specific itchy spots,
you can apply ichthammol or Hyper-Cal to individual areas.

Horse Itch Solution #3: Fly Sheet and Leg Coverings
While this option seems obvious, many horse owners overlook this
simple solution. Covering your horse with a mesh fly sheet with
head/neck attachment will help if your horse’s itchiness is caused by
fly or insect bites. Many vendors now also offer mesh leg coverings,
since flies tend to gather around your horse’s legs. While covering
him in this way may scare off his pasture mates, your horse will feel
much more comfortable. In addition, you won’t need to spray him
constantly with chemical fly sprays.

Horse Itch Solution #4: Feed Supplements
Another solution for itchy horses reacting to fly and insect bites is
to add supplements to his feed. Substances like garlic and apple cider
vinegar both work well. Equilite’s Garlic Plus C works well for many horses,
and most horses find it palatable. This combination includes garlic and Vitamin
C, plus chinese herbs, astragalus, and schisandra with a touch of
zinc. As a bonus, it also works well on other skin conditions like
fungus.

Horse Itch Solution #5: Build a Nutritional Foundation
For the most part, a horse has itchy skin because his immune system is
not strong enough to overcome environmental factors, such as insects
or allergens. One way to support your horse’s immune system right now,
plus prepare his immune system for next summer, is to start him on a
foundational nutritional program now. Good options include blue-green
algae, probiotics, enzymes, and antioxidants like wheat sprouts and
coenzyme Q10.

One combination that works well is the Simplexity Essentials mixed
with XanGo mangosteen juice. Feed a lower maintenance dose this summer
and through the winter. Just before next summer, increase the dose to
combat the heat, humidity, insects, and allergens. For instance, you
might mix 750 ml of mangosteen juice with 7 packets of Essentials.
Feed an ounce per day of this mixture as a maintenance dose. Starting
in the spring, increase the dosage to three ounces daily. You may not
see much difference this summer or this winter, but next spring you
will definitely see a major difference in your horse. He will itch
much less, and have a much stronger immune system.

Solving the Horse Itch Problem Takes Patience
Watching an itchy horse in action is one of the worst things a horse
owner can bear. However, if you are diligent in supporting your
horse’s entire immune system as well as alleviating symptoms in the
short term, you should see permanent results in six to nine months. As
with everything in holistic horse care, progress is slow when compared
with conventional medicine. However, solutions are also more permanent
and lasting than those offered by allopathic medicine. My advice?
Stick with a holistic program and be patient … you will see positive
results!

My 4 year old Quarter Horse gelding, Rojo, is a nervous type of personality.   He is the youngest in his herd of geldings and does not have a lot of confidence around other horses moving at fast paces while riding.
Our training times are generally just him and me.   I
generally have to haul him somewhere to be able to ride with other horses around. By using the buckaroo way I have developed ways to help the nervousness in horses.

1. Building confidence in a young horse starts with total respect of his handler.  He needs to be able to see me as more important than any distraction going on.   This can be something that you think is perfect until you take your horse somewhere.  You can’t believe how your horse is
acting!  He never does this at home!    That is a sign that your relationship is not as strong as you thought.   Whether leading on the ground or in the saddle you must have full respect of your horse at all times and any place.   Clinics are a good place to work this out.  Mostly this will involve  you learning how to get that respect.   Most of us need help on how to get this respect so we can fully enjoy our horses.

2.  Before you saddle up, do a pre-flight check on your horse with acupressure.    The following points are generally beneficial for horses that are overly reactive, high energy, easily spooked or fearful.     GV 24, Bl 15, Ht 7, Pe6 and Pe 7.    These points are described further in several books
on horse acupressure.  My favorite is “Equine
Acupressure” by Nancy Zidonis, Amy Snow and Marie Soderberg.    Have you ever watched a good horseman rub a
horse or even just touch a horse in the area on their forehead just below the poll?   Notice how the horse seems to let down, relax, and then focus on the person doing the rubbing or touching.  This is GV24.   Bl 15 is located 4
inches off the spine behind the withers, and also, has a calming effect.   Pe6 and Pe7 are located on the inside of the foreleg just above the knee joint.   Pe 7 is closest to the knee and Pe6 is above it 2 to 3 inches.  Ht 7 is located
on the lateral side of the foreleg, at the rear side of the knee and slightly above it.  Playing with these points a little before saddling and starting your lesson can help to settle your horses mind and balance his energy.
3.  On a horse that is having   difficultly  daily with being overly reactive, I will give 1 to 3 capsules of Eleviv before saddling.   This is a natural supplement to just let his body relax and let his mind think instead of react.   I have had some good results with Rojo by having him on a
program of 1 capsule of Eleviv before every ride for a month, then just giving him the supplement every few days, then giving him the supplement when I put him in a new stressful situation.  I am not a young rider and I don’t always react in advance to be there for these high energy youngsters, so I take a few extra of the Eleviv for me too.  Nothing turns fun into disaster faster than nervous rider on a nervous horse.   The experience is funny later as long as you don’t have a big wreck.
4.  Once you have determined you have a fearful, overly reactive horse in some situations, be sure to look at your horse’s nutrition program.  For Rojo he gets probiotics, algae and enzymes with his feed several times a week and
daily, if I have hauled him to a new place to ride that has lots of activity going on.   Also, I have found these stressful situations will cause  inflammation in horses.  To counter the inflammation causes  I will give them mangosteen juice several times a week and plenty for me too.  Rojo does well on 1 to 2 ounces.   On days that are nonstop for me I will drink 6 to 8 a day straight out of my own bottle.    It  relieves me of soreness the next day and helps me really sleep well.
These steps I have described are ways to support you and your horse so that nervousness and anxiety can be controlled, so you and your horse can think and learn together.   Happy Trails-   Jeannie

My training is in the Buckaroo Way and I offer consultation services to those who believe in partnership of horse and rider.

 I had heard about horses tying up but I had never seen it and hope I never do again.
It was a pretty afternoon between rain and snow spells and a balmy 63 degrees when I got in from work.  I saddled and worked Rojo, my coming 4 year old colt,  in the round pen, after he had been off from riding for many weeks due to the extreme winter weather.  We did our basic groundwork and he seemed really nice and smooth with only one little playful kickup during our warmup.  He loped out both ways smooth and his transitions were nice.
I mounted up and went for a nice ride.  He seemed to be getting tired and running out of gas which is not like him after about 10 minutes of riding, he just didn’t seem right..  It was getting dark when I asked for a few nice bends and called it a ride and dismounted.

  The Signs of  Horses Tying Up   

Just moments after dismounting I noticed:
1.  Tremors-   he was shaking all over.
2. He was sweating some, which is understandable with his long winter hair and the warm afternoon.  I started to lead him back to the barn and
3.  He seemed to be having trouble walking, he did not want to move his hind end and he was tight and trembling in his flanks and seemed tight over his loin..  

All sorts of things were running thru my head, but I knew something was not right.   I went to the house and got him some Xango, to reverse any inflammation issues, 
 grabbed my acupressure  book and cell phone.

 Back at the barn I got him unsaddled.  The western buckaroo needs to be prepared to handle a lot of medical emergencies since  we are generally far from veterinary services.

Natural Treatment  for Horses Tying Up
1. I  gave him mangosteen juice with a syringe and then called my holistic veterinarian.  She said he was tying up, and even though I had never witnessed tying up before, I agreed right away because this was the first thing that went through my mind. .    He had some relief  by the time I got her on the phone after giving him  the XanGo.  It is a super antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties.  

2. She had me give him 4 doses of arnica, every 15 minutes  for muscle pain.

3.   I gave him have some well moistened feed with salt or electrolytes

4. Let him stand, not force him to move until the symptoms let up.

5. While waiting between doses of arnica, I refered to my acupressure book for points to work on a horse that is tying up.  I worked 5 different points and could see several really good releases in the tightness and cramping as I worked.  Rojo could really stay with me and realize I was helping his pain. 

FOLLOW UP to TYING UP:

1. Rojo would need a week of rest and let things get rebalanced and then go back into work.
2. Check Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium and Calcium amounts available. .  Some horses need more than others, Extreme weather changes cause stress in young growing horses, they can be  prone to Tying Up.
3. Chiropractic acupressure to help rebalance energy flow in the whole body and help the muscles heal and relieve the soreness.  Check points as a pre-ride loosening and toning while the weather is still in extreme patterns.
4. Re-evaluate riding schedule, slow down the warm-up and gradually increase the riding time, make sure the horse is moving free.

It was a mild case of tying up and Rojo came out of it very quick and was moving fine in just a few hours.  I appreciate my holistic equine vet being available most anytime day or night. 
My training is in the Buckaroo Way and I offer consultation services to those who believe in partnership of horse and rider.