August’s Trail of the Month: Tahoe Rim Trail
For horse owners who like to trailer out, the hot summer months are a great time for a high elevation trail, where the air is cooler and the views are spectacular. For our local area, nothing beats the Tahoe Rim Trail for the best in views & fresh mountain air! There are several segments to choose from, depending on your riding ability and time, so reading up on your choices before you head out is a great idea. The Tahoe Rim Trail Association has a page devoted to equestrian use of the trail system, with a description of the sections and their length. Check outwww.tahoerimtrail.org or click the link here to take you directly to the equestrian page.
Training for the Trail: our assignment from Linda
“Be one with the group” Horses are pack animals and they get very scared for themselves as well as for others in the herd when one horse takes off on his/her own. Do yourself and your riding partners a favor and stay together as a group on the trail. That said, ride with a horse’s length between you and the horse in front of you. Give room for horses to stop unexpectedly or back up. A backing horse could kick the horse behind which could lead to a buck… not much fun on the trail. Mind the gap, as they say in the UK…. it’s true for horses too!
July’s Trail of the Month: Neighborhood Adventure
For barn friends who want a ride in the ‘hood with a little adventure… The JLyles Loop (aka Jane’s backyard) is a nice quickie, but add “Moon to 7-11″ and link it to the Sylvester Return and you’ve got a good 1.5 hour trek. Where is all this? You’ll need to check in with a barn local for details.
Any time you take your horse out of the gate it is a learning experience for both of you. Be sure to pay attention to what is happening in your environment and stay relaxed for your horse!
Summer is in full swing!
Don’t be fooled by the cooler temps in the last week…. summer is definitely in full swing in Northern Nevada! Just to make sure that you’re getting the most from the warm summer nights, we’ve updated the event calendar to include many of the “must attend” events and festivals that are happening before the leaves begin to change. Click on the links for more information… and have a great rest of your summer! 
New Bolton Center’s Ten Horse Health Tips for Hot Weather
It’s still hot here…how is it where you are? The common sense care of horses means that you are probably riding less to spare your horse, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be spending a lot of time with your horse, making sure he has everything he needs to stay as cool as possible.
Hot weather doesn’t just make a normal horse sweat; the heat can play havoc with your horse’s health. It can result in dehydration, lethargy and general malaise. Severe heat stress may result in diarrhea and even colic.
As if you didn’t have enough to worry about!
Janet Johnston DVM, an equine practioner board-certified in surgery and internal medicine, and an emergency critical care veterinarian atUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center, suggests the following ten tips to keep your horse comfortable and safe in the August heat.
You probably already know these things, but please read them over again, and take any action you need to, for the sake of your horse.
1. Choose your turnout times. If your horse has a stall, but is turned out for part of the day, provide turnout during the cooler hours. Overnight is ideal, but if that’s not possible, as early as possible during the day is best.
2. Give him shade. If he lives outdoors, or must be out during the day, provide relief from the sun. A run-in shed is best. Trees are a source of shade as well, but as the sun moves, so will the shade. Make sure that no matter what time of day it is, the available trees are really offering shade.
3. Move that air. Fans are a great way to help keep the air moving in the barn, but use them wisely. Your horse will benefit most if the fan is pulling the hot air out of the stall, not pushing air into the stall. And always ensure that cords and plugs can’t be reach by your horse.
4. Mist it. If you are lucky enough to have a system to mist your horse, use it. As the moisture is absorbed from your horse’s skin, it will take away some of the heat as well. Frequent mistings are far more effective than a single dousing with the hose.
5. Lead him to water. Make sure your horse has plenty of fresh, cool water. A bucket hanging on a fence will get warm, too warm to be appealing to your horse. Left long enough it will also become stagnant and unhealthy. If you are providing clean, cool water and your horse doesn’t seem to be drinking, encourage him by providing a salt block, or even misting hay with salt water.
6. Electrolytes. If your horse is sweating a great deal, water laced with electrolytes can help keep his body in balance. Whenever you offer electrolytes, however, be sure to offer fresh water as well. Too many electrolytes can be harmful.
7. Slow down the work. Don’t think that because your horse has been working intensely at 1 pm every day that he can take the heat when the temperature tops 90 degrees. If you’ve got to work him in the heat, lighten the work or break it up into a couple of short sessions. This is especially important when the humidity is high, contributing to the poor quality of the air he is breathing.
8. Stick to a schedule. Within the parameters of keeping him cool, try to stay as close as possible to his normal schedule. Too much change at one time can be an invitation to colic.
9. White out! Horses, especially white horses, can suffer from sunburn. Even those with white socks and blazes, pink noses or even hairless patches from scarring can be problematic. Using a fly scrim can help; applying sunblock to small, particularly vulnerable areas can also be effective. Staying out of the sun’s harmful rays will, of course, be best. (Also be aware: if a horse has excessive sunburn it could indicate a rare, underlying liver disease)
10. Clipping horses with longer hair coats is important … especially those with Cushings disease. While some coat can provide protection from the sun and insulation, a long, thick coat tends to hold heat in and make it difficult for the horse to cool down.
Thanks to Dr. Johnston for those important reminders!
I’m sure you have your favorite suggestions to add to these. Please click on the comments button and let us all know how you and your horse are coping with the heat where you are!
by Fran Jurga | 20 July 2010 | The Jurga Report at Equisearch.com
Follow @FranJurga on Twitter.com for more horse health news!
June’s Trail of the Month: Fort Churchill
Now that you and your horse are well into the fitness program that you began last month, it’s time to tune up your equine communication skills. While the Arena is a key place to do specific work, the Trail is an invaluable classroom for both horse and rider. Beginning in June, Linda will highlight a favorite local trail as well as an assignment for that ride. The Trail of the Month for June is Fort Churchill.
Hoof Care & Grooming
Hoof care is crucial in the desert summers. Always use a hoof dressing as part of your grooming routine. Linda recommends bacon grease (!) but says Rainmaker is a good substitute that’s not likely to call in the dogs. Click this link to place your order today.
Speaking of grooming, be sure that you’ve removed your horse’s winter coat. With the temps now approaching the 80′s, they no longer need that extra fur.
FOCUS ON FITNESS
Spring is the perfect time to improve your (and your horse’s) health. Here are a few ways you can tweak your choices to a heathier life:
- ride your horse around the block
– bake a tray of brownies with thousands of calories that you don’t need… OR…
- bake a batch of horse cookies and take them to your pal
In 15 minutes you could:
– eat another brownie (that you still don’t need)… OR…
– groom your horse and burn all those brownie calories
- hit the drive thru and super-size it… OR…
– share some carrots and an apple with your best horse friend
In 24 minutes you could:
