Table of contents for Dressage Today Extra Volume 25 in Practical Horseman

It is always advisable to know your horse’s specific vital signs when he is healthy, relaxed and at rest, as “normal” can vary slightly from horse to horse. The chart reflects normal ranges for horses and ponies. Pulse 30 – 45 beats per minute Respiration 8 – 16 breaths per minute Temperature 95.5 – 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit Mucous Membranes: Moist and pink in color Capillary Refill Time (CRT): 1 – 2 seconds Gut Sounds: Active gut sounds in four quadrants, two on each side of the flanks…

• Stand on a stool when putting a saddle on your horse or when putting it away on an elevated rack in the tack room. Holding something heavy when your arms are raised risks injury because that’s a weak position, in contrast to doing it with arms parallel to the ground. • Look at your equipment and take note of how heavy it can be as a subtle reminder to be careful when moving it. • Mount using a mounting block. If you get a leg up or mount from the ground, you may end up using your shoulders to boost yourself. • Instead of carrying full water buckets, use a wheelbarrow or fill empty buckets with a hose while they’re hanging in the stall.…

Like other athletes, equestrians must cope with the physical problems that often crop up while they are pursuing their sport. But many physicians don’t understand what riding entails and therefore cannot give good guidance about when and how to get back in the saddle after an injury. However, if a patient at the Union County Orthopedic Group in New Jersey asks, “When can I start riding again?” her physician is ready with a response: “We’re going to send you to Dr. Betesh.” Naomi Betesh, DO, a member of the practice, understands the patient’s concerns because she, too, is involved with horses. A casual rider in her youth, the mother of three went back to the sport three years ago at age 42, when she started taking lessons and bought her…

Idon’t understand why someone rides without a helmet,” says Dr. Naomi Betesh. At the same time, she warns, “Helmets don’t protect from all brain injuries. Sometimes people think, ‘I’m wearing a helmet,’ so they do things they wouldn’t otherwise do.” Betesh, who is board-certified in traumatic brain injury, emphasizes, “When you have a fall, you do not have the judgment to decide whether to get back on your horse. You are not in a position to make that decision. It is better to stay on the ground and be checked out. Studies with children show that a second concussion within a certain amount of time is cumulative. You can wind up with a worse brain injury even if you had two small concussions.” The brain needs a chance to heal…