Table of contents for Spring 2021 in Equus

Argentine researchers have successfully edited the genes in an equine embryo, raising the possibility of producing horses with custom-designed DNA. “To our knowledge,” they wrote in the paper announcing their work, “edited horse embryos had not been reported until now.” Working at Kheiron Biotech S.A. and FLENI, a nonprofit neuroscience research organization, the team used a technique called clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) to make genetic alterations in cells that were then used to generate edited cloned embryos. CRISPR technology is based on the natural ability of bacteria to use ribonucleic acid (RNA) to recognize and delete specific DNA sequences in viruses that attack them. This targeted deletion destroys the virus, protecting the bacteria from infection. Two scientists, Emmanuelle Charpentier, PhD, and Jennifer A. Doudna, PhD, proved in…

The sight of a starving horse---all hipbones and withers---usually sparks an immediate and nearly overwhelming urge: We want to get that horse a bucket of grain. Immediately. But if you have ever rescued and cared for a malnourished horse, you know all too well the perils that come with re-introducing food too quickly or without proper preparation. Whether caused by chronic illness, neglect or outright abandonment, starvation affects a horse’s body in complex and sometimes surprising ways. The last thing an emaciated horse needs is a big helping of calorie-dense sweet feed, all at once. Instead, the process of safely restoring his diet will be gradual and precisely structured to avoid potentially fatal consequences. Of course, it’s possible to spend a lifetime working with horses and never encounter one who…

Susan Fanelli hadn’t seen Pete (not his real name) in 15 years when she got the call that he was in trouble. The Welsh Pony stallion was one of 47 neglected horses seized by authorities in South Carolina last spring. He was 19 years old and nearly starved to death. “A friend who knew I had a connection to him called and told me that there was going to be a seizure by the local law enforcement authorities,” says Fanelli, who had worked with Pete early in his training. “I made some calls to folks I know and they were able to coordinate getting me photographs.” What she saw in those images broke her heart. “He was a [Body Condition Score] 1,” she says. “If you’ve never seen or felt…

This story begins with the Civil War---its causes and its aftermath. In 1877, after serving two terms as president, Ulysses S. Grant and his family embarked on a diplomatic tour of the world, meeting the leaders of many nations. On one stop, he visted the “Iron Chancellor” of Germany, Otto von Bismarck. “You are so happily placed in America that you need fear no wars,” opined the mousta-chioed Bismarck when the two men sat down together---for in Bismarck’s view, Germany was a country beset on all sides by rivals. “What seems so sad to me about your last great war was that you were fighting your own people.” “But it had to be done,” Grant replied. “Yes,” said Bismarck. “You had to save the Union just as we had to…

Rex McDonald’s last show, August 15, 1913 at the fairgrounds in Mexico, Missouri. It was a tour-de-force get-of-sire class, with every entrant a son or daughter of the great coal-black champion. From foreground to rear: Rex McDonald with his last owner Ben Middleton, up; Golden McDonald (Cason McDonald), Tom Bass up; Miss Cliff(Miss Denmark D), D.E. Holman up; Madison McDonald, James Bufford up; Rex Arbuckle, M. Middleton up; the Stuart Colt, L.B. Barnet up. Tom Bass had a hand in training most of these horses. It takes many shows to forge a champion. Here we see Tom Bass (far right) at the Mexico fairgrounds on an unidentified three-gaited (walk-trot-canter) horse. I can find no picture of Tom Bass, not even the most casual snapshot such as this, in which he…

After a wildfire nearly claimed their home last year, Donna and Tony Kamstra looked for ways to return to normal. And part of that process for Donna was competing in team penning again. “The biggest thing was that she just had to get back to work with Sadie,” says Donna’s trainer of 11 years, Kevin Semmel of KS Training Performance Horses. “Donna was chomping at the bit to get back to riding and do what she loves to do.” The core elements of team penning are a herd of cows, three horses and riders and one pen. According to the American Quarter Horse Association website, the sport is “a timed event in which a team of three riders must sort three specifically numbered head of cattle from a herd and…

CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL Q: When describing equine conformation faults, people often use expressions that bring to mind other animals. Which of the following terms does not describe an undesirable physical trait in a horse? a. cow-hocked b. pigeon-toed c. pig-bellied d. ewe-necked For the answer, turn to page 10. POP QUIZ ANSWER C. A cow-hocked horse has hocks that tip inward towards each other; a pigeon-toed horse has toes that point toward each other; an ewe-necked horse has a neck with a slightly concave topline; and although it may seem an apt description for some horses, “pig-bellied” is not term commonly used in describing equine conformation.…

Researchers in California are investigating the potential causes of an unusual and devastating gait defect they’ve termed “sidewinder” syndrome. “Sidewinder isn’t the diagnosis but a description of how the horse moves, which is sometimes called ‘crab-walking’ or ‘drifting,’” explains Monica Aleman, PhD, at the University of California, Davis. “It’s a very distinct and dramatic gait. It looks as if the horse can’t stop their hindquarters. Their thoracic (front) limbs are usually planted in the ground, but their rear end continues, so the horse swings around in a circle.” Some horses lean against a fence or wall for stability, says Aleman, and others might “dog sit” to compensate for the lack of control. “It’s very upsetting to the horse and to the humans watching,” she adds: “It can be physically dangerous…

Developed decades ago by Don Henneke, PhD, as part of his doctoral research, the BCS scale ranges from 1 (poor) to 9 (obese) and offers an objective method of estimating a horse’s body-fat levels. Horses are scored based on visual and hands-on appraisal of six body areas where fat tends to accumulate in a predictable pattern. Here are the physical attributes of each score, described using the language in Henneke’s original research. Score: 1 (Poor) • Extreme emaciation.• Spinous processes, ribs, tailhead, and hooks and pins are prominent.• Bone structure of withers, shoulder and neck is easily noticeable.• No fatty tissue can be felt. Score: 2 (Very thin) • Emaciated.• Thin layer of fat over base of spinous processes.• Transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae feel rounded.• Spinous processes, ribs, tailhead,…

Reading is an almost magical process in which deciphering lines and squiggles reveals a rich world of narrative and meaning. For children who have difficulty with reading, however, the doors to that world are largely closed. Addressing struggles with literacy typically conjures images of tutors and flashcards, but at Rise Canyon Ranch—an equine-assisted therapy facility in Southern California—it looks a little different. Here, in the middle of an arena dappled dusty gold by the California sun, a child quietly ponders a book. A horse wanders over and inquisitively noses the pages. The girl reads to her captive audience. Even when she stumbles over a difficult word, the horse listens without judgment. There’s no pressure, just the horse’s soft gaze and steady presence. The girl reads on. Though the transformation that…

1. No sharp corners at points of pressure on lips or tongue. 2. Upper shanks bent outward to accommodate the thickness of the horse’s lips. 3. Mouthpiece slightly thicker than the traditional Weymouth, and the whole bit slightly heavier. 4. Tongue relief rather narrow, so that the bit is carried on top of the tongue and does not drop onto the bars. 5. Port just high enough to brush the roof of the horse’s mouth. Because the connection between shanks and mouthpiece is fixed and does not swivel, when the reins pull the lower shanks backward, the port tips forward to the same degree, brushing the roof of the horse’s mouth. This causes the horse to want to keep his mouth slightly open and prevents him from “taking the bit…

Note that there is not a set tail, nor any heavy shoe, nor a martingale or tie-down on any horse shown in this article. They are all ridden in a double bridle, but their mouths are not tied shut with a dropped or even a tight noseband. Riders typically carry a hickory “wand,” which is not used like a dressage whip but, in the manner of Robichon de la Guérinière, it was carried upright or across the body like a scepter and used to touch the horse upon the shoulders in order to assist him in turning and for lateral work. Sharp or long spurs are not seen. Saddles with “cutback” heads had not yet come into wide use; riders ordinarily sat in the British manner, with their buttagainst the…

Every few months such comments ---or ones of similar sentiments ---will be left on EQUUS social media after we’ve posted an article reporting on new research. Sometimes the comments are paired with an expression of frustration that a research institution is “wasting” money by funding studies into a topic that the person commenting feels no longer needs to be examined. As both a journalist and a horse person, I find these comments to be disheartening to read. This happened most recently in response to an article about research exploring the link between cresty necks, insulin resistance and laminitis (“To Predict Laminitis Risk Look at a Horse’s Neck,” Medical Front, EQUUS 499), but I’ve also seen it pop up as a reaction to studies on colic or behavior or hoof care,…

Several years ago, my husband and I decided to get back into horses. We purchased a wonderful mare named Kiowa who was perfect for our needs. She’s been a blessing in our lives and is a true member of the family. Though we’re lucky to board her only about a mile from our home, I always dreamed of raising our children on horse property. I value the life lessons that animals naturally provide, and I wanted my children to learn about taking care of a creature who’s dependent on them. Most of all, I wanted to allow my children the opportunity to develop the same type of special bond with animals that my heart has treasured from a young age. After a few years of owning Kiowa, we finally decided…

New research from Canada has revealed a troubling side effect of uncontrolled respiratory disease in horses–changes in the pulmonary arteries that could lead to heart failure. Thickening of the pulmonary arteries and the associated increase in blood pressure is known as pulmonary hypertension. It’s a well-documented finding in people with severe asthma but until this study had not been detected in horses. Severe equine asthma, previously known as recurrent airway obstruction, is characterized by airway inflammation, coughing and labored breathing. Commonly called heaves, the condition is triggered by dust, mold and other environmental factors, but when a horse is managed to reduce exposure to these irritants the clinical signs usually subside. At the beginning of the University of Montreal study, the researchers took post-mortem lung samples from 18 horses at…

Editor’s note: When last we left Bobbie Jo and her husband Kenny, their New Mexico ranch construction project was entering its final stages. But a few complications developed along the way that she will soon share with EQUUS readers. In the meantime, we pick up her story at the beginning of winter 2019. Final installments of this series, planned for later this year, will include details about the equine and human accommodations that she and Kenny built in Pie Town, New Mexico. On New Year’s Day 2019, Kenny and I watched the snow wafting down, frosting the trees, the nearby mountains and the horses’ thick winter coats. Tall bunches of golden grama grass poked through the freshly fallen snow, lending texture and contrast to the winter landscape. Our Icelandic mare Gloria…

The effects of weighted shoes were well known in the 19th century. Knowledgeable people objected to them. John Dimon mentored industry mogul and harness fancier Robert Bonner in the principles and practice of horseshoeing (see “The First American ‘Sport Horse’ Breed,” EQUUS 502) and said in 1892: “My experience and observation has been that [any] horse that carries a high rate of speed … seldom, if ever, was known to make a successful campaigner shod with short toes and high heels, or the reverse, or both, and encumbered by hobbles, side-weights, toe weights, heel weights, calks of all kinds of lengths, shapes, and sizes, set on at as many var ious angles, or any artificial appliances; [because all of them] are sure and certain to keep a horse from being…

The rack is a flashy and potentially very speedy gait. It is sometimes called the “single-foot” because while executing it—as the accompanying sequence images show—the horse supports and propels himself by means of only one foot at a time (except in the moment when he changes from the left side to the right, when he is briefly supported by two feet). Sequence images of an American Saddlebred horse racking. A commonly held but incorrect belief is that in order to rack, the horse must hollow its back. As these images show, racking “round” is not only possible, but desirable. Another common misconception is that the rack is the same as a pace, but the pace is a gait in which the left and right pairs of legs work in perfect…

Moss Rose with Cyrus Clark up. This was Clark and Potts’ chief saddle stallion when Tom Bass first came to work for them. By the very beautiful Montrose, Moss Rose is conformed similarly to Golden McDonald, and like him blends Denmark’s Thoroughbred sireline with many crosses to imported Janus (the Quarter Horse foundation sire) as well as to Black Hawk and Justin Morgan. Golden McDonald (also called Cason McDonald), foaled 1907. This handsome stallion with flashy chestnut coloration and blond mane and tail is the type of gaited horse that was favored throughout the South before the Civil War (compare to the foundational Quarter Horse Young Roebuck in EQUUS 473, “America’s Major Horse Breeds Emerge”). The hindquarters are very powerful, and the back is short, broad and strong—suitable for carrying…