Table of contents for Winter 2019 in Equus

When history comes to life Thank you for including the beautiful picture of the stallion Leo in “The End of the Open Range” (Conformation Insights, EQUUS 499). My first horse (which I did not get until I was 20 years old) was a Leo great-granddaughter and she looked exactly like him. Her name was Val’s Robin and she was a daughter of Rod Tag, granddaughter of Leo Tag and great-granddaughter of Leo. She was kind and intelligent, just as you describe Leo-bred horses in your caption, but she definitely was an alpha mare (I think that’s why I got her for $400). I could tell so many stories of her intelligence over the 23 years I owned her. After I had her for a year, she knew I was her…

I’m an avid trail rider, and during hunting season I want to make sure my horse and I are identifiable from a distance, even if we get separated. I wear an orange safety vest myself, but I also want to make sure my horse is protected. I purchased a few yards of safety orange mesh fabric and made a quarter-sheet for him to wear on the trails. The sheet keeps flies off his rump and makes him visible to hunters. —Cheryl Johnson, Northfield, Minnesota Send your suggestions for inexpensive horse-care substitutes as well as hints for saving effort and time to Hands On, EQUUS, P.O. Box 7510, Falls Church, Virginia, 22040; email: EQLetters@aimmedia.com. Senders of published items will receive selected EQUUS merchandise.…

STUDY: SOME HORSES HAVE A TASTE FOR SAND A study from Finland suggests that some horses develop sand colic not because they accidentally ingest dirt with their meals but because they actually like to eat soil. University of Helsinki researchers conducted an online survey of owners whose horses had been radiographed at some point to check for accumulated sand. Each respondent was asked a variety of questions including which clinical signs prompted a call to the veterinarian, how much sand had accumulated in the horse’s gut and how the horse was managed at that time. Data from a total of 447 surveys were used in the final study. The researchers discovered that, in many cases, the veterinarian was called in because the owner suspected that sand had accumulated in the…

The yellow school bus chugs along down the dirt road, followed by puffs of dust that turn a hazy amber in the balmy South Carolina air. Its young occupants press their eager faces into the window glass and mouth hello to the menagerie of animals they see en route to the barn. Hello goats! Hello cows! Hello birds! The bus pulls to a stop in front of the weathered wood stables of Georgetown Equestrian Center, home to Hugs for Horses Therapeutic Riding Program, and the children—ages 3 to 5—clamber out and make their way to the barn. Waiting to mount up, the children chatter with excitement at the prospect of riding their favorite horse—sometimes Sally, sometimes Nestle, sometimes Liam. For some, the name of their favorite “Hugs” horse is one…

Thieves are often attracted to shows because a large number of valuable horses, trailers and tack are concentrated in a busy area, and it can be all too easy for a stranger to slip in amidst the activity and walk off with something when no one is looking. • Do some research before you go. Contact the event organizers to ask what security measures will be in place. Find out who checks for proof of ownership when people arrive. Ask if the paperwork, with pictures and microchip numbers, is checked against the horses in each trailer. Ask if the same check is done on trailers leaving with horses. Also see who secures the grounds at night and how is it done. You may be stunned to learn that many events…

Whether it’s just a few mouthfuls of feed sitting in the bottom of your horse’s bucket or a whole ration untouched, discovering that your horse has suddenly lost his appetite is troubling ---and it should be. A horse doesn’t refuse to eat without a reason, and that reason could be serious and even life-threatening. If your horse has lost his appetite and is showing any signs of illness or distress---such as a fever, discolored gums or elevated heart rate---it’s cause for an immediate call to your veterinarian. Likewise, if you notice half-chewed feed or other evidence of tooth or oral issues, arrange for a dental checkup. If, however, your horse seems physically fine, your first instinct may be to change his grain and whip up something “more interesting” in the…

Sarah brought her new horse home in December. Westley, an 8-year-old Thoroughbred cross, was wellbehaved and showed real potential as the pair spent the winter months training in the indoor arena. It was only when warmer weather arrived that their troubles began. The first time Westley flipped his nose up, jerking the reins from her hands, Sarah thought he had been bothered by an insect she didn’t see. But then he did it again. And again. Within minutes, Westley was having a full-on meltdown: tossing his head up and down frantically, snorting, and rubbing his nose on his front legs. He became so agitated that he was unsafe to ride. Sarah hopped off and wondered what had happened to her easygoing horse. It would require weeks of veterinary visits before…

Captain Richard King was an experienced riverboat pilot long before he married. He helped Union general and later President Zachary Taylor during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and this taught him how to conceal munitions on shipboard. During the Civil War he became a Confederate officer who arranged for the shipment of Southern cotton to Mexican ports. After becoming a rancher, he invested both in railroads and in port improvements for the shipment of goods in and out of Brownsville and Corpus Christi. The U.S.S. Signal on the Rio Grande River, 1863: King captained this type of heavy stern-wheeler used for munitions transport. A steamboat loaded with bales of Southern cotton: Ships like this would depart from Gulf ports in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, travel by night along the Texas Gulf…

TIPS FOR SNOWY TURNOUT On a cold winter day, your instinct may be to leave your horse inside a cozy barn, but turnout is key to maintaining his health in the winter. Inactivity contributes to impaction colic and exacerbates arthritis, and fresh air is crucial to respiratory health. The good news is your horse can most likely cope with snowy conditions just fine and, if he can’t, there are ways to help him. A fit, healthy horse can navigate even deep snow, but it will be tiring. As horses walk through snow, they will naturally “plow” paths to resources like hay, water and shelter. If you turn them out while it’s still snowing, this process will go more quickly. An elderly or arthritic horse may have trouble coping with deep…

Have a question about your horse’s health, care or training? Our experts offer solutions for a range of equine-management problems. Write to EQUUS Consultants, P.O. Box 7510, Falls Church, Virginia 22040; email: EQLetters@aimmedia.com. Send photos when helpful. DENTAL HEALTH What to do about wolf teeth Q: Is it still routine to remove a horse’s wolf teeth, even if they aren’t bothering him at all? Steven BurrowsStockton, California A: The answer to this question is both yes and no. It is important to understand that the wolf teeth themselves almost never actually bother the horse but, in some limited cases, they can interfere with performance. For some background, the wolf teeth are the horse’s first premolars. They sit directly in front of and in contact with the second premolar teeth but…

Here’s a question I wish more horse owners would think about seriously: Which items on your farm are likely to attract thieves? Your horses? Your tack? Your vehicles? Your hay? The answer, of course, is “all of the above” and more. We’ve all heard about the “classic” scenario, where someone cuts through a pasture fence and leads the horses away. That’s dreadful enough, but it’s just one of many types of theft I hear about these days. As founder of Stolen Horse International, a nonprofit group that offers resources to help people recover horses who have been lost, stolen or gone missing for any reason, I’ve learned one universal truth: If it’s on your farm, and it can be sold for money, someone will try to steal it. Recovering missing…

A number of different types of signs, posted on entry gates, barn doors and other prominent locations, may help to deter thieves from targeting your farm. Here are three that may be especially helpful: • No Trespassing. Even just setting foot onto private property without the owner’s permission is illegal, and intruders may be charged with a felony or misdemeanor, depending on the state and the circumstances, even if nothing is damaged or stolen. State laws vary, but you will almost always have more legal recourse if you post written notification that trespassing on your farm is unwelcome. Check with your state law enforcement agency for specific details about the required wording, design and placement of No Trespassing signs on your property. • Warning: Video surveillance. If you invest in…

Managing a horse with trigeminal-mediated headshaking can be frustrating. The problem occurs in horses of virtually all breeds, disciplines, ages and genders. Researchers have determined that an oversensitivity of the trigeminal nerve is the likely cause of neuropathic pain in an affected horse’s face, triggering the evasive behavior. But they still don’t understand why the nerve misfires. Until more is learned about this dysfunction—and, of course, ways to prevent it—there will be no “cure” for this type of headshaking. In the meantime, it’s important to determine whether something else is causing the behavior. If a horse starts headshaking, ask your veterinarian to examine him for tooth abscesses, guttural pouch infections, tumors or other issues that might cause pain or discomfort in or around the head. It’s also a good idea…

One of King’s top priorities was eliminating competition for his cattle. Both in terms of water and forage, this meant getting rid of thousands of head of mustangs that ran free throughout southwest Texas from the early 1600s until about 1920. “Hunting Mustangs,” a sketch by James Pike made in about 1853 and reprinted in his book The Scout and Ranger, Being the Personal Adventures of Corporal Pike of the Fourth Ohio Cavalry. “For myself,” Pike wrote, “I noosed a beautiful strawberry-roan mare, with a white croup covered with black spots, but she was fat and strong and snapped my lariat, carrying away the larger portion of the rope.” Many Anglo cowboys thought little of mustangs. In 1919 Robert Hamilton Williams, sometime Texas Ranger, recalled that “Whilst cattle-driving we often…

King Ranch cowboys on Quarter Horses push a herd of cattle at the Tranquitas Dam lake during the 1930s. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the King Ranch like almost all Texas ranches produced longhorns. Robert Kleberg, Sr., brought in Shorthorns and Brahmans and experimented with crossing all three breeds. This photo is interesting because it shows cattle that represent all the crosses. By the 1940s there were few pure longhorns left. Note the humped, mostly Brahman steer to right of center in this photo. The bull Monkey, calved in 1920 and bred by Robert J. Kleberg, Sr. A beautiful individual 3/8ths Brahman and 5/8ths Shorthorn, he is today considered the foundation bull for the Santa Gertrudis breed. Robert J. Kleberg, Jr., continued his father’s work with this bloodline…

Recovering a stolen horse can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. One thing you need to consider ahead of time is how you would identify your horse to law enforcement and prove your ownership in the case of a dispute. The best time to protect yourself is long before you need to do so. Here are some steps you can take now to make the process easier: • Photograph your horse. Get multiple videos and still pictures: Remove all tack and get a full body view of your horse from each side, in his winter and summer coats, and when he’s clean and dirty. Also get close-ups of any brands, tattoos, scars, markings, whorls or other distinguishing features. Get a few photos that include yourself, with a background that is…

The character of the land itself has fundamentally shaped both history and enterprise on the King Ranch. Property boundaries are artificial; much more relevant to all who live on the land---humans, plants and animals ---are the ecological zones dictated by geography and climate. The larger the spread, the more this becomes true, and the King Ranch is a premier example: Its four Texas divisions located between Corpus Christi and Brownsville cover some 825,000 acres, more ground than the state of Rhode Island. The climate is humid subtropical becoming more arid inland and supporting a variety of ecological zones. A large part of this ground was once an ocean of rippling grass, broken by streamlets and patches of parched scrubland, known as the “Mustang Desert.” This installment will focus on the…

The Armstrong Ranch is surrounded by King Ranch properties and the Armstrong and Kleberg families were good friends. The Armstrong and King archives provide an excellent idea of the types of horses that were being used before the King Ranch decided to breed Quarter Horses. Guests at the Armstrong Ranch about to head out for a pleasurable trail ride in 1904. The gentleman at left is mounted on a Morgan or Morgan-Standardbred cross, the sort of horse who might also have been employed to pull wagons on the ranch. The lady bestrides a more elegant Thoroughbred or Morgan-Thorough bred cross. A teenaged girl mounted on a Billy, with her six-foot-tall father for scale. Note the lightning marks running up the gelding’s hind legs, the long sloping hindquarters, the wedge-shaped head…

MOOD ENHANCEMENT ▶ Product: Perfect Harmony EQ ▶ Description: This liquid top dressing is formulated to address hormone-related agitation, aggressiveness and sullenness in mares, stallions and geldings. Hormone imbalances can affect the health and behavior of horses to varying degrees, and Perfect Harmony EQ is designed to balance hormone function and moderate a horse’s response to his environment. According to the manufacturer the easy-to-feed liquid contains no ingredients prohibited by regulating organizations. ▶ Price: suggested retail, 16 ounces, $109; 32 ounces, $199; 64 ounces, $360 ▶ Source: perfectproductseq.com/prod-ucts/perfect-harmony-eq TRAIL TOPPER ▶ Product: Sierra ASTM/SEIcertified Western helmet ▶ Description: This Troxel riding helmet features a rugged leather and nylon covering with a low profile and a casual, sporty style for the schooling ring or out on the trail. Meshcovered vents, a…

It was a pictureperfect Saturday afternoon at the boarding stable where I worked. Sunny and warm with a bright blue, cloud-free sky. It was the kind of day when troubles seem far away. I was just about halfway through my morning chores when an owner arrived and asked me to accompany her to the pasture to fetch her gelding. Always glad for a break from cleaning stalls, I was more than happy to go along. As we walked out to the pasture, we had plenty of time to chat and catch up. The horses were relaxed and grazing when finally we reached them. Then, just as the owner was haltering her horse we heard a roaring noise in the distance that neither of us recognized. The horses went to high…