MAY 2010 THE RIDER /55


EquiMania! Draws Rising Stars and TV Stars


Equine Guelph’s interactive display, Equi- Mania!, entertained and educated large crowds of young horse lovers at the Can-Am All Breeds Equine Emporium in London. March 19 – 21, the equine expo packed in spectators eager to shop at the trade show, watch the entertainment and take in world renowned clinicians. With so much to explore in EquiMania!; kids were returning often throughout the day to play the “Danger Detective” game, braid tails, wrap legs, create crafts and many more activities including learning about how the inside of a horse functions. Many adults were just as fasci- nated by the award winning displays including a new addition illustrating to horse owners the importance of water to aid in the digestion of fiber. Simulated tubes gave a vivid demonstra- tion of how food travels through the intestines. One father was towed back to EquiMania! at the end of the day so his 6 year old son could sit once more upon “Shorty Legs”, which he announced was his favorite part of the whole day! Another EquiMania! visitor, Amanda Mar- shall from popular TV series, Heartland also enjoyed a turn in the saddle.


Breeds Emporium, was very pleased to have EquiMania! return. After a very successful event, Ross stopped by Equine Guelph to present a cheque, donating funds to the educational pro- grams. Ross says “I am pleased to give this cheque to Equine Guelph. Part of Can-Am’s mandate is to give back to the horse industry. We are very fortunate to be in a province where we have Equine Guelph at the University of Guelph.”


ket winner: Maureen Dougan of London, Ontario. Those entering the draw signed up to receive Equine Guelph’s bimonthly E-news informing horse enthusiasts of upcoming events and workshops. One can also sign up on-line at www.EquineGuelph.ca.


Equine Guelph congratulates Bucas Blan-


Healthy hooves make a happy horse


By Kate Romanenko


Horse lovers everywhere would agree that the horse is a performing animal so hoof condi- tion is extremely important. As caretakers it is our responsibility to keep their hooves healthy and comfortable.


Our equine friends are flight animals, born to roam, with feet able to withstand weight and travel only hours after birth. However, the statis- tics on the number of domestic hooves living with some type of lameness, or being put down because of it are staggering.


regrowth of hoof that is being exfoliated.


Besides receiving a well balanced trim (which allows the foot to move as it should) on a regular basis, the cost of healthy hoof care can be virtually free. To achieve good hoof condition there are 3 simple requirements.


Ross Millar, president of Can-Am All say Thank You.


EquiMania! and Equine Guelph will appear next at the premier of Canada’s Outdoor Equine Expo at University of Guelph’s Arkell Research Station in Guelph, ON from June 4-7. From there, EquiMania! will travel to Ken- tucky for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, September 25 to October 10. To All Our 2010 EquiMania! Sponsors we


1. Movement. Constant movement provides blood flow to nourish the foot and allows for nat- ural exfoliation of dead hoof horn.


2. Water. In any form, whether it’s mud, snow or morning dew, this provides moisture for flexibili- ty. Hoof dressings actually rot the hoof capsule so I do not recommend using them. 3. Healthy Diet. This will aid in sufficient


If these requirements are met, your horse will have strong comfortable good looking hooves. Signs of unhealthy hooves are cracks, splits, thrush, hoof rot, contraction, flares and bruising, just to mention a few. Causes of these conditions are too lengthy to mention in this arti- cle, however these conditions may be helped and in most cases eliminated. Many times we try to remedy the problem rather than eliminate the causes of it. THe horses in nature wander 15-20 miles per day, go down to the river or pond to drink and play (as well as soak their feet) and forage on all sorts of vegetation, yet never require a farrier. Many of us are not able to pro- vide the ideal wild living environment, but we can provide natural conditions that will give the horse the opportunity for a long healthy life and the freedom it deserves. So next time you lift your horse’s feet, just spend a minute and take a closer look — you might see something you’ve missed before.


Kate Romanenko, Nature’s Barefoot Hoofcare Specialist, (705) 374-5456, www.natureshoof- care.com, email: kate@natureshoofcare.com


System Tack & Equipment is Open for Business


System Tack & Equipment is now open for business and if you think the name sounds familiar, you’re right. It’s a new division of the successful System Fencing, Stalls and Equipment that has been servic- ing the horse industry for over 23 years from its Rockwood, Ontario home.


After their 4500 square foot showroom in their new location had been set up to display their lines of fencing, stalls, and other equine barn and farm equipment, Dwayne Job,


President of System Fencing Limit- ed, saw an opportunity to provide even more complete service to their customers. “We want to be a one- stop shop for everything you need equine,” said Job. “If you wheel it, shovel it, wear it, or use it in any other way in your stable, we’ll have it. If not, we’ll get it for you.” It’s the partnership of equine products that makes a visit to System Tack just a little different than other tack stores: it’s like going through your barn with a shopping list in


your hand, starting with the barn itself - the stalls, the doors, the floors - and finishing up your trip with all the supplies you would need to run your stable every day.


The System Tack product lines include everything from horse health supplies, dewormers and herbal sup- plements to English and Western boots and clothing. “We’re offering everyday, functional, high quality working lines of equipment and sup- plies,” says Job, “the kind of gear you’d use everyday in your stable.”


Good Habits and Open Communication Key To Controlling Strangles


Information submitted by Brenda McArthur, Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue


www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/live- stock/horses/facts/prot_strangles.htm


Southern Ontario has been experiencing “a moderate upswing in diagnosed cases of Strangles” this winter, according to Dr. Melissa McKee of McKee-Pownall Equine Service.


Strangles is a highly contagious infection of horses and equids such as ponies, donkeys and minis. It is caused by the bacterium, Streptococ- cus equi. In a nut shell it is strep throat in horses. Operating a horse rescue, Brenda McArthur has dealt with strangles first hand. She describes it as “a very ugly infection, but not as scary as everyone believes. She suggests it can be dealt with and contained better by follow- ing the suggestions included here. Mostly, it comes down to being edu- cated about it, acquiring some good habits and sharing information. Strangles is known to be very contagious and difficult to control. The reason is two-fold. Firstly, Strangles is spread through the dis- charge of an infected horse’s nose and glands and horses touch other horses, pails etc. But even more cru- cial is the fact that this bacteria is carried through direct and indirect contact. So, if a person touches an infected horse, then goes to another farm and touches a horse, tack, stall, hay or anything horses are exposed to, Strangles can be transmitted to that facility. Even tires on their vehi- cle can bring strangles onto a farm (so you may want to park closer to the road).


The second reason strangles seems to travel so well is the social stigma. Horse people have such a


fear of what will happen if everyone knows they have a case of Strangles, that they keep it secret. Ironically, this is how it spreads. When a horse owner doesn’t tell others their horse has been exposed, visitors unwitting- ly carry the bacteria to other loca- tions. Some farm owners, under- standably, have adopted a rue allow- ing only vaccinated horses on their property, which is great start. Unfor- tunately, focussing on the horses alone will not stop infection. But, there are habits you can adopt which will help to limit contamination. Keep all areas of your barn dis- infected at all times, do regular bleaching of buckets, walkways, fencing etc. You can keep hand san- itizer in the barn for everyone to use as they enter and leave. When you return from visiting another barn, auction or anywhere there is horses or have been horses, disinfect your hands and boots before you go to your barn. This is a very good prac- tice for any animal or farm. As a precaution, new horses should be kept separate for 2 to 3 weeks before bringing into your communal barn. At the first sign of any nasal discharge, or if a horse seems lethar- gic, has lost an appetite and is stand- ing off on their own carrying their head low, bring them in and take their temperature, check under their jaw for hard swelling. If both are normal, you might separate the horse for a week or so and watch them just to be sure. If there is nasal discharge visible, you need to quarantine him and keep all visitors out of the barn. Keep the infected horse in his stall and don’t remove anything from the stall unless it goes directly into bleach. Limit visitors. The fewer number of people allowed in the barn, the smaller the chance of spreading the infection.


When entering the stall of an infected horse, wear rubber boots and use rubber gloves at all times. When leaving the stall, spray your boots with a bleach solution and change your clothing right away. Some horses do not show nasal dis- charge but their glands swell like very large hard balls under their chin. If this is apparent, quarantine the ani- mal right away. You can help by keeping the nose clear of mucus, and applying hot compresses on the glands to encourage them to burst which is when healing can begin. The discharge is very contagious so I syringe the area out with peroxide, Anivac solutions etc. for the first 2 days, Then I keep it clean but I don’t aggravate it anymore than necessary- just let it heal.


The use of antibiotics is contro- versial, some veterinarians use them and some don’t. It has been said that the use of antibiotics can prolong the infection. My rule of thumb is if a horse appears very unwell and lethar- gic, I put them on antibiotics right away for ten days. If the horse appears alert, but just has the symp- toms, I don’t give antibiotics and let the infection take its course. Consult your vet.


Open up the stall door in the demo barn and you’ll find everything you need for your dream stall, then walk across the interlocking rubber-matted floor to a stall full of Big D blankets and fly sheets for your horse. Another barn aisleway is car- peted so you can try on your new Ariat boots in comfort. Go through the steel frame dutch doors, past the ring condi- tioner and fencing display, right into the riding equipment where there are Circle Y Western saddles or the Santa Cruz English line, bridles, International hel- mets, Professional Choice saddle pads and Pink Equine bridles and accessories, clip- pers, SSG gloves, Silverline halters, Pure Form and Select Supplement and many other familiar brands of everyday equip- ment.


Unlike other retail stores, System Tack has the room to display a good


selection of larger items as well, such as tack trunks, mounting blocks and feed pail racks, in addition to the established line of fencing supplies.


The Grand Opening for System Tack & Equipment will be May 7 & 8, 2010 featuring 20 to 50% discount off selected products and will be held in conjunction with the exciting return of product demo days. Suppliers will be on hand for demo’s, advice and product knowledge. BBQ will be on so come out for the day and enjoy our new store and food. System Tack is located in the Sys- tem Fencing, Stalls & Equipment ware- house and showroom, at the corner of the 5th line Nassagaweya and Highway 7 half way between Acton and Rockwood. Call 519-856-9959 or 1-800-461-3362 for more information or visit www.system- fence.com


The Lindsay Agricultural Society presents the 2nd Annual


All About Horses


June 5-6, 2010


Contaminated pasture areas should be rested for four weeks, since the organism will be killed by the natural antibacterial effects of drying and of ultraviolet light. Any barn or horse can get stran- gles considering that even vaccina- tion isn’t 100% guaranteed. So, rather than keeping secrets and attempting to handle this infection individually, we need to work togeth- er and support each other. Responsi- ble horse owners who educate them- selves, follow protocol, and commu- nicate openly are the keys to success- fully handling Strangles.


The Lindsay Agricultural Society is hosting the 2nd Annual All About Horses June 5th and 6th, 2010 an educational inspirational, an entertaining event to celebrate the horse at the Lindsay Fairgrounds. A variety of heavy and light horse demonstrations, draft horse field demonstrations, stallion alley, parade of champions, exhibits, equine simulator, educational seminars, as well as a trade show. Be sure to mark your calendars for this exciting equine event.


The kick off to this event is a Horse Pull and Barbeque on Friday June 4th at 7:00p.m.


For more info contact: bev@lindsayex.com 705-324-5551 • www.lindsayex.com/aah


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