Índice para March 2015 em Equus

Straight toward a better ride I want to thank physical therapist John Macy for sharing “Straighten Up and Ride Right” (EQUUS 447). He has given me the long-wanted explanation of why so many of us ride out of balance. For the past 26 years I have ridden with a lowered right shoulder. Two-pointing over uneven terrain on competitive trail rides always seemed awkward for me. You would think as an athletic person that I could have figured out the reason for the lowered shoulder, but it took this article to help me. Macy explains our physical asymmetry in an incredibly simple and clear way, and he has given me the tools to correct myself. Already, I am finding his four-point correction suggestion feeling normal and comfortable. He was very right…

a loss and so humiliated he couldn’t speak, he just nodded. “OK,” I said. “Give me a rope and 20 minutes.” Their curiosity piqued, the press contingent agreed to wait for me. First I removed the stable halter and let the blood-stained shank drop to the ground lest the horse associate them with his recent fear. Then I fashioned a makeshift halter and lead from the rope and led him over a little hill out of sight. In my wake I heard a few snide remarks about women babying horses. I ignored them and proceeded to become a friend to a lovely Thoroughbred who really did need one at that time. I talked to him softly while I cleaned the blood from his mouth and dirt from his pretty white…

Equus Issue 450 (ISSN 0149-0672/USPS 501-430) Copyright 2015, Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Published monthly by Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc., an Active Interest Media company. The known office of publication is at 5720 Flatiron Parkway Boulder, CO 80301. Periodicals postage paid at Boulder, CO and at additional mailing offices. Subscription Rate: $24 per year (12 issues). Add $12 per year for Canadian subscriptions and $24 per year for international subscriptions. Postmaster: Send address changes to Equus, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL32142-0235.. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40612608, Canadian GST Number 12345 2781 RT0001. Canada returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 Canada. Reprints: Contact Wright’s Reprints to purchase quality custom reprints or e-prints of articles appearing in this publication…

Imp, my Trakehner gelding, had been a generous gift from a friend about five years ago. He was 19 then, and in addition to being a sweet and handsome guy, he was a talented and experienced upper-level dressage horse. He was also safe and sane under saddle, and his new job was to be my schoolmaster. I moved Imp into a training barn, and all went well. He did have his quirks---he didn’t always get along with his pasturemates, he often demanded to be brought in well before his outside time was up, and he tended to have strong opinions about just about everything. But he was a dream to ride. Then, just months later, Imp suddenly turned up head-bobbing lame. The veterinarian diagnosed a tear in his sesamoid ligament.…

Gain your peace of mind with a helmet that is stylish as well as safe. Now available in plum, the Contender (suggested retail, $64.99), from Lami-Cell, offers an ABS outer shell molded as a single piece, with seven large vents to maximize airflow. The low-profile design provides added support for the back of the skull and neck, and a dial-fit system adjusts to accommodate head sizes from toddlers to adults. Available in S to L, in plum, navy, black or brown. Call 800-223-2102 or visit www.partrade.net. For a traditional look that maximizes safety, the One K Racer Skull Cap (suggested retail, $224.95) is made with an injection-molded polycarbonate and ABS composite shell, stainless steel mesh and a padded harness lined with synthetic suede. Other features include a washable, moisture-wicking, antimicrobial…

MANAGEMENT Keeping a muzzle on Q:My overweight, easy-keeper gelding should wear a muzzle most of the year. The problem is that he is very crafty at getting the muzzle off his head. He has used a hook and the fence to catch and rip off muzzles, destroying them in the process. His latest scheme is having his herdmate grab onto the muzzle with his teeth and pull it off. What can I put on the muzzle to deter his buddy? Is there something that would taste bad but not be harmful to the skin or the horse if he ate it? Any help would be appreciated as I don’t want my guy to founder or colic. Amy Swing Newark, Delaware A:Muzzles that limit or prevent grazing are important to protect…

antigen---substance, often a protein, that the body’s immune system recognizes as foreign and reacts to by producing an antibody. body condition score (BCS)---a designation, based on a nine-point numeric scale, indicating the amount of fat on a horse’s body. A BCS is assigned after a visual and hands-on appraisal. carotid artery---main artery running along the horse’s windpipe at the underside of the neck. It supplies blood to the head. Coggins test---laboratory blood test for the presence of antibodies against the equine infectious anemia (EIA) virus. conjunctiva---membrane lining the inside of the eyelid and covering the exposed surface (“white”) of the eyeball around the cornea. dexamethasone---synthetic corticosteroid that mimics the function of cortisol, a hormone released by the adrenals. eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE, encephalomyelitis)---brain and spinal-cord inflammation in horses, caused by…

Definition: adrenaline-producing tumors that grow in the cells of the sympathetic nervous system (which helps to monitor and control the internal organs) Signs: Although EAPGs can occur anywhere along the sympathetic nervous system, in horses the tumors are more likely to become apparent when they develop in the orbit, the cavity in the skull that holds the eyeball and related tissues. They are reported to be the most common tumor of the equine orbit. The most common sign is exophthalmia, the protrusion of the eyeball outward from the socket. Bleeding or other discharge from the nose may be present. Vision is not commonly affected in earlier stages of the disease, unless the tumor affects the optic nerve. Once the protrusion is pronounced, the horse may develop chronic inflammation of the…

TO MONITOR VITAL SIGNS Product: VetCheq Monitoring and Diagnostic System Description: Placed against a horse’s leg in a specialized wrap boot, VetCheq is an electronic device with noninvasive sensors that continuously monitor pulse, blood pressure, respiration, hydration and blood volume. The data can be stored and downloaded later or shared in real time via Bluetooth, cellular or Wi-Ficonnections to smartphones, tablets or computers. In addition, VetCheq can send alerts when a horse’s physiological data reach certain thresholds. Price: $2,000 Source: PonyUp Technologies, Inc; www.ponyuptechnologies.com FOR A WARM GRIP Product: Perfect Fit 3 Season Glove Description: Made of stretchable softshell fabric, Perfect Fit riding gloves are designed to provide lightweight warmth. The gloves feature double-stitched seams, reinforced friction points and adjustable wrist closures. A synthetic suede palm allows for a secure…

I’d wanted a horse of my own since I was 3 years old, when my grandmother gave me a Breyer Appaloosa stallion. I remember that moment so clearly. It was as if a lightning bolt had struck me with horse-craziness, and I haven’t been the same since. Fifty-five years later, I’ve still got that toy. I became the kid who bugged her parents for a horse at every opportunity. But it was never to be. As my parents never stopped saying, horses are expensive. Horses are a lot of work. Horses can be dangerous. Over time, I became convinced that I didn’t have a horse because I didn’t deserve one. I tried taking lessons as an adult, but I was frustrated by judgmental instructors who had learned the basics when…