The truth about Laminitis
Well we all know what happens when we feed our horse right? Ofcourse we do.... our horse will get laminitis,
at which point we all dread feeding that one last carrot or molassed mineral lick...we panick everyime
our horse goes out in the spring...is there too much grass?? am i working him enough??maybe we should cut
down the hay/feed/treats/grazing....hell,lets just keep him stabled and he can live on ryvita crackers!
The serious caring horse owner has much to fear from this loathsome condition...but lets put it into
perspective shall we?
Laminitis is caused by an interruption in the blood supply to the hoof..causing the breakdown of precious
interlocking hoof fibres,in severve cases this can cause the pedal bone to rotate in the hoof capsule and
drop,sometimes protruding through the sole itself. Now the causes of this can be vast....it'd would be
easy to blame diet but realistically studies show that only a percentage of laminitis cases are dietry
related. Some horses afflicted with the condition have suffered some illness,or trauma to the foot,
concussion or a side affect of other drug treatment....its also not unusual to see mares who've
recently foaled afflicted with it..and yes ofcourse,small ponies on good grazing and overwieght horses
who's owners consider an hours hack to be ''hard work'' .
The myths will continue i'm sure,as science discovers more and more about this painful codition, but
facts we can rely on remain clear: overfeeding can directly cause laminitis,as can poor field management.
Unfortunately alot of fatal cases in britain can be directly traced to the owners ignorance of a horse's
nutritional needs.
Symptoms include: a rocking back on the heels to relieve pressure from the painful toe area
small short pottery steps and a reluctance to move
lameness in one or both front feet
an awkward stance and obvious signs of discomfort,sweating etc
spending long periods lying down to relieve pain
looking in very 'good' codition..ie,fat!
a strong digital pulse in one or both front fetlocks
Treatments can range from vetinary prescriptions of painkilers and anti-inflammatory drugs to
remedial shoeing and ACP..commonly used to sedate horses foe something unpleasant like clipping but used in this case to thin the
blood and thus restore normal blood supply to the affected hoof( a bit like asprin). Some people box rest
on shavings only on vet advice....and yet i've seen some cases encouraged to move gently to help blood
supply... hydrotherapy spas also come in handy for this kind of condition.
Prevention in this case is definately more effective than cure...a controlled diet and plenty of
exercise together with well managed grazing and a keen eye can all help to prevent most tragic of
conditions..dont be fooled...as common as this condition is many horses are lost each year to it..
the tragedy can be extremely painful for both horse and owner so be vigilant and treat it seriously
your horse's health could depend on it!
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Draw Reins- the original controversial training aid
Well.....where do we begin on this topic?? Lets start with mechanics.
The use of draw reins can be avery effective method of encouraging outline and shape,though we also
know they can cause severe overflexion of the poll and potentially disasterous consequences when
mis-used. The key is the right hands on the end... personally i've seen novice riders in their masses
flock to the use of draw reins because they can't get their horse in an outline..more disturbingly is the
number of children i see riding in them,the question i ask is how on earth are we supposed to develop
riders with feel if they don't ever get the chance to discover it?? Speaking from experience i've
witnessed the worst that draw reins can do,young horses hopping with bridle lameness through damaged
nerves at the poll,older horses ruined in the back and useless in the hindlegs,horses so against the
hand you wouldn't want to ever ride them without draw reins for fear of your safety..and those that
go so miserably they just shut down and no longer care about their discomfort. I've ridden many myself
that have taken twice as long as normal to 'come right' in the contact and move freely again and i always
pity them. But time is a luxury that nowadays we just don't have.
On the other hand in experienced hands,draw reins are of absolute benefit in training. Riders with
enough feel can encourage outline and throughness and release of pressure at the right times to encourage
freedom of the horses back and acceptance of the contact...draw reins are also a very usefull tool when
hitting particular problems in training...for example a horse that runs through the bridle when learning
changes can be corrected before running turns into 'flat out across the school bucking and hoping the
turn into 'm' corner isn't as sharp as it looks.' My own opinion is that draw reins are just another tool
to use.....i try not to ride in them if i can help it but will use them when necessary.
In conclusion draw reins are the same as any other tool or gadget...in the right hands they only
help training...and in the wrong they are potentially damaging,sometimes permanently. I certainly don't
think novice,in-experienced or unfeeling riders should ride in them,just like spurs and double bridles,
and i don't think calling them 'running reins' removes them from what they actually are or the stigma
that can go with them.
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Long suffering Partners
For those of you who don't already know about juggling a relationship with equine abitions it can
be summed up in a few short words...ehem... hell on earth. For the long suffering partner,each equine
event turns into another,from the 'sorry hun i've got a show on your mum's birthday' to 'hurry up
darling i need that chequebook for the farrier'.. each event encroaches on their time,or more accurately,
the relationship time..otherwise known as ''us'' time.
The key to all of this is fairly simple.... balance must reign. So every time you ensist your partner
attend a full day at the local showground outdoors in mid january you must then balance it with
something equally pleasant(well,for them anyway)...like a night of spoiling them with good food,hot bath,
half dressed massage(if so inclined) or just a cinema trip to see the movie they've been gagging to see
the last Star Wars came out. I think sometimes we see the order of priorities in our life change,
sometimes we put things ahead in the order that we shouldn't..eg: if your order goes like this....
Love of my life,equine companion,dog,all friends and family,me... you've almost got it right... if
however its more like this: equine companion,dog,trainer,vet,farrier,yard staff,friends and family,
love of my life,me... you may be drifting slightly from what's really important.
Now we've all been out with someone silly enough to make us choose between them and the horse,
and how quickly they discover how far down the list they are when you storm out and grab your
yard boots on the way out the door..all this shows us is one very clear truth...they are not the one!
Now you may be thinking but then how do you know who IS the one because you know you'll never
give up the horse...the answer is simple...when 'the one' threatens you with them or the horse you dont
storm out vowing never to see them again,you actually forgive them for the mistake and consider your
priorities....you may even promise yourself to make more time for them,because after all,you know they
have to love you AND the horse.
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The Half-Halt, by M.A.Odgers
Sigh. The half -halt is perhaps the most important aid in any riding discipline,it is the essential tool
required to re-balance yor horse. As you have (hopefully) figured out by now,dressage is all about
achieving balance with your horse. Therefore,one uses the half-halt constantly--nonstop,in fact--
at all gaits,gaits within gaits,through transitions,in lateral movements,and leading your horse from
his stable tothe field (the in-hand half-halt).
So,here we can only explain how most of us give a half-halt,which is,ofcourse,the incorrect way,but
simple in its execution. This is how you will respond when your first,second or third(but not last)
trainer screams at yoe from across the arena: " give a half-halt,NOW!" You will jerk back sharply on
the reins.Simple,but wrong! The correct hal-halt is given through the seat and back first. Only after
the half-halt is given through the seat and back,do you jerk back sharply on the reins.
It takes years and years to really understand this concept. Unfortunately,the correct half-halt is
essential to training your horse. This is one of dressage's dirty little secrets. The inability of most
riders to properly execute the half-halt is why most of us remain mired in prelim for decades. It's not
that your horse lacks dressage suitability,and its not because your trainer is not a good trainer.
It is because you can't do a correct half-halt.
The problem is that you actually believe you are performing a half-halt when you jerk back sharply on
the reins. You believe this because your first,second or third(but not last) trainer keeps telling you
to half-halt. You surmise,therefore,that you are giving a half-halt but,in reality,you are not. This
explains the many times your first.second(but not last) trainer crumbles onto the Geltrack and pounds
her fists in utter frustration and despair,mumbling "half-halt,half-halt,half-halt" in a demented
chant. This is because you still haven't actually performed the half-halt. Understa
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