By
Administrator on August 23rd, 2010
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Below is an excerpt from an article written by Joanne Meszoly for EQUUS magazine, and reprinted on discoverhorses.com. Important information to protect your horses.
The following trees have no place in horsekeeping areas because of their toxicity or potential for causing digestive distress. They are listed in order of the risk they pose to horses, starting with the most hazardous:
Yew (taxus sp.)
Oleander (nerium oleander)
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Cherry trees and relatives (prunus sp.)
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Cherry trees and relatives (prunus sp.)
Black Walnut (juglans nigra)
Black Locust (robinia pseudoacacia)
Horse Chestnut, Buckeyes (aesculus hippocastanum)
Oak trees, acorns(quercus sp.)
Russian olive, also known as oleaster (elaegnus angustifolia)
For more information on toxic trees, including detailed descriptions and photographs, visit the Colorado State University website.
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on July 15th, 2010
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Tips from MyHorse.com:
Ride in the early morning hours
-Avoid pushing your horse past his conditioning
-Offer water and electrolytes frequently
-Make sure your horse is not overweight
-Provide a well-ventilated trailer
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on July 2nd, 2010
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Hello,
I am helping with a large horse rescue in the Abilene, TX area…
A horse-breeder near Abilene is ‘going out of business’ and is selling his herd (100 mares with foals, pregnant mares, mares and a few stallions) to a killer-buyer. The horses that we can’t save will be shipped to Mexico where they will be killed for meat in a very brutal and inhumane way!
Because the killer-buyer knows that Lynnette (Lunnette Hummel with Dancing Hooves Rescue) is working on homes for these horses, he is not sending a truck to Mexico this week (thank God for that small favor). Soooooo hopefully, we have one week (until July 6th) to save as many of these horses as we can!!!
We believe the killer-buyer will want about $300 per horse or mare/foal combo (less probably if we can take more horses). We have one person that has paid for their horse and we need funding for the rest. We currently have $3000 in donations. We are told that there are 15-20 mare/foal combos that we are trying to save first. If the foals cannot be saved they will be shot at the killer-buyers ranch because they will not survive transport to Mexico (yes this is legal). If we get enough donations, we have people willing to give permanent homes to some of these horses! An adoption application will need to be filled out (attached) for anyone willing to adopt or foster so that we can keep track of these horses.
If you can help, please let me know in what capacity! Can you adopt, foster, provide transport, provide a holding facility in the Abilene area (or near) for horses until they can be moved to a more permanent location?
Our biggest need currently is donations. Here is the link to donate: We have people willing to take horses if their fees can be covered. However, unless we get more donations we will not be able to rescue all of the mares and foals.
Paypal donations can be sent to Lynnette Hummel with
Dancing Hooves Rescue at https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=AWM6LXFZXRCDE
Secondly, we need people willing to transport horses on short notice. Heidi Allbritton and I have agreed to drive from Houston (we have a 4-horse trailer) and Monique from Dripping Springs has a 3-horse trailer and has been so kind to help us.
Shari Frederich has graciously offered us 3 separate pastures (about 60 acres) to put horses on temporarily until they can be moved to their permanent locations. She is located in Goldthwaite. Shari has also offered those of us transporting or picking up horses a place to stay overnight at her home if needed.
We will also need donations of hay, feed, feed buckets, halters and lead-ropes. If any of you know of a large organization that would be willing to help, please let us know.
As Lynnette mentioned earlier, we were told that these are ‘cow’ bred (ranch-type horses used to team-pen, sort, work cattle, etc…) and Foundation bred Quarter Horses. He also said that they are halter-broke- but we are taking his word for it- we are not sure if any are broke to ride. We still think there are 15-20 mare and foal combos and possibly some pregnant mares. The rest we suspect are mares and maybe 6-8 stallions and possibly a few geldings.
Thank you all so much for your help and please crosspost to all of your riding groups, trail riding clubs, stables and barns, 4-H groups, veterinarians, rodeo associations, etc…. or post in your feed stores or horsey-related places like Tractor Supply!
God Bless,
Holly Fedor
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on June 17th, 2010
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From MyHorse.com, some very valuable information about the importance of wearing a helmet while riding. Whether you are an English rider, Dressage or Western, wearing a helmet while horse back riding WILL save your life! Check out our Troxel helmets!
The Equestrian Medical Safety Association (EMSA) states that head injuries account for approximately 60% of deaths resulting from equestrian accidents. Approximately 12,000 equestrians visited emergency departments for head injuries in the US in 2007 (Source: NEISS data 2007). Now, equine digestive health product SUCCEED®, and helmet advocate Jeri Bryant have teamed up to launch an online helmet awareness campaign – www.riders4helmets.com. The campaign is designed to educate equestrians on the benefits of wearing helmets.
By creating awareness of how wearing a properly fitted ASTM/SEI-certified helmet can not only reduce the severity of head injuries sustained while riding but also help prevent death, the website aims to reduce the incidence of head injury.
“After donating helmet awareness t-shirts to the SUCCEED eBay store, I realized we could take things a step further. I am proud of the support already being pledged to the campaign,” said Bryant.
The riders4helmets campaign has already received the official endorsement of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), United States Eventing Association (USEA), American Riding Instructors Association (ARIA), Equestrian Aid Foundation (EAF) as well as leading equestrians.
The www.riders4helmets.com campaign website homepage is a blog that will be updated frequently with news regarding the campaign. Articles already posted on the website include features on helmet certification, a dressage riders perspective, and, questions for an equine law practitioner. The website also features statistics and other equestrian helmet related information, a forum where site visitors can share their helmet-related stories and questions, and a photo gallery of campaign supporters.
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on June 2nd, 2010
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From MyHorse.com:
Regardless of whether you plan to breed your mare, her heat cycles will affect her–and subsequently you.
In order to better understand and care for your mare, you need to understand her heat cycles. The last thing a horse owner wants is for heat cycles to interfere with riding and training and horse safety. Horse health care is extremely vital with a cycling mare, so these horse tips from the horse experts will help you and your mare stay healthy, safe and productive
When a mare is in heat:
***Avoid approaching the mare from behind.
***Begin grooming at the neck and shoulders before working back to the sensitive flanks.
***Ovulation can produce pain, so give the mare some Banamine if her irritability is extreme.
***Try to interrupt the heat-cycle symptoms only during work or riding sessions. Don’t pick at her.
***Consider focus-type lessons, such as ground poles and changes of speed and direction.
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on May 27th, 2010
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Great info from MyHorse.com:
Every now and then, your horse will bash into something, hit his hipbone, or bang his knee. Most of the time, these are minor injuries that will go away on their own.
A lump or bump is caused by trauma to an area that causes underlying swelling and possibly a broken blood vessel under the skin, called a hematoma. On people, these are signified by their color, and are called bruises.
If your horse comes in from pasture with a bump or a lump, first inspect it. He may have a little broken skin, but as long as there’s no puncture wound, it is probably just a bruise. Apply a cold compress, such as an ice pack or ice bandage if possible, for 15 minutes to reduce the swelling. Repeat the process every couple of hours. If the swelling is around a tendon area and is accompanied by any kind of serious lameness, best to contact your veterinarian.
Simple bruises usually resolve on their own. Just keep an eye on it and use the compresses for the first day. If the lump persists or doesn’t shrink, check in with your equine medical professional.
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on May 5th, 2010
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From MyHorse.com:
1. Eastern Encephalomyelitis
2. Western Encephalomyelitis
3. Rhinopneumonitis
4. Influenza
5. Tetanus
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on April 28th, 2010
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Interesting and informative info from MyHorse.com:
Get a head start on pasture management to create a healthy pasture for your horses. Testing soil and fighting weeds are among the tips of from Carey Williams, Ph.D, equine extension specialist at Rutgers University, to create that healthy spring pasture.
• Test your soil to see what nutrients it’s lacking, and fertilize to make up for any deficiencies. A soil test kit should be available from your local cooperative extension office.
• Avoid slow-release fertilizers meant for turf or lawns. “Nitrogen fertilizer is toxic, and horses should not be allowed to graze pastures until rain has completely removed all of the fertilizer from the leaf surfaces and leached nitrogen from the soil,” Dr. Williams says. “Generally, it takes about half an inch of rainfall to dissolve the nitrogen fertilizer and carry it into the soil.” However, slow-release fertilizers continually deliver nitrogen to the grass, making it unsafe for grazing.
• Wait for the ground to thaw before dragging your pasture or adding a layer of compost. Otherwise, you risk damaging dormant grasses with machinery. If the ground is still frozen, compost will rest on top of the ground like mulch rather than dressing the soil as intended. Also, due to frozen ground, you risk having your compost wash away in springtime rains.
• Replenish dwindling pasture by overseeding (replanting seed over the existing grass). If you didn’t overseed your pasture in the fall, you can do so now. However, you should keep horses off newly planted pastures until the grass is established, usually six to eight months. “When overseeding, consider a grass species that will compliment your field and growing conditions depending on the climate where your farm is located,” Dr. Williams says.
• Start fighting weeds as soon as they appear in spring, before they get a chance to spread. Pull weeds by hand or use an herbicide to eliminate them. “Bare areas in pastures provide a perfect environment for weed seed germination and weed establishment,” Dr. Williams says. “The best defense against weeds is to maintain a thick, healthy growth of pasture grasses that can compete with weed seedlings.”
For more information on pasture management, contact your cooperative extension office in your county or contact the state’s land grant institution.
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on April 6th, 2010
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For those interested, please contact Lynda Sommers or Stephanie Geddie (info below), to participate in this exciting and enjoyable event.
Affiliate Contact information:
Name:Lynda Sommers
Email: Lynsommers@yahoo.com
Phone.:863-990-8777 or
Email: truewest@twlakes.net
Phone: 931-752-8272
Details:
Ride Name: Maury Magic Riders CTC
Ride Date: 06/19/2010
Affiliate Contact information:
Name: Stephanie Geddie
Email: sgeddie@peoplepc.com or info@maurymagicriders.com
Phone no.: 931-279-0758
Have FUN!
ACTHA’s Mission:
To provide an enjoyable venue showcasing the wonderful attributes of the great American trail horse, granting them the recognition they so richly deserve.
To maintain a registry open to all breeds and a point designation system which will stay with each horse for its lifetime, thereby adding to their value and distinction
To enable the humane treatment of horses in need.
American Competitive Trail Horse Association
www.ACTHA.us
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!
By
Administrator on March 23rd, 2010
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From MyHorse.com, it is suggested that West Nile vaccine is not a vaccine to skip! Taking care of neurological problems that result from West Nile virus in a horse is considerably more expensive than the vaccine.
Symptoms of West Nile virus include:
**Ataxia (unsteadiness)
**Fever
**Depression
Prevention of West Nile virus includes:
**Vaccinate in the spring prior to mosquito season
**Unvaccinated horses should get two doses three to six weeks apart, then annual boosters
**Vaccinate mares prior to breeding and again four to six weeks prior to foaling
Please visit us at www.savvysportsaddle.com for a look at our Bob Marshall treeless saddles, as well as a wealth of other products for horse riders, horse owners, and horse lovers of all disciplines! Great equestrian products at great prices!