THE HORSE GAZETTE health


it’s vital to know your equine’s vitals We bought a new


the way of the horse By Eleanor Blazer © 2011 horse.


all-encompassing word used to describe respiratory infections horses usually get after being transported. Whether the illness is caused by strangles, influ- enza, equine viral rhinopneu- monitis or pleuropneumonia the symptoms are basically the same: elevated temperature, in- creased respiration rate, conges- tion, coughing, nasal discharge, depressed attitude and loss of appetite.


horse’s normal temperature ranges from 99 to 101 F. A healthy horse’s temperature can vary by as much as 3 degrees and should be evaluated in consideration to recent exercise, ambient temperature, and the condition of the horse, includ- ing whether or not he has been clipped or is wearing a blanket or sheet. A foal’s temperature generally averages 101 de- grees.


plastic digital thermometers which work very well and usu- ally “beep” when they are done. The old mercury type thermom- eter also works well—if you remember to “shake down”


Most tack stores sell


normal equine vital signs and knowing how to take them will help catch a sickness early. Vi- tal signs are temperature, pulse and respiration rate. Temperature - A


Being familiar with


“shipping fever” home. Shipping fever is an


We also brought


the mercury before taking the horse’s temperature. The most accurate


way to establish the tempera- ture is rectally. Tie a clothespin to


one end of a 12-inch string and the thermometer to the other. Lubricate the ther-


mometer with Vaseline, move the horse’s tail to one side and while you stand slightly off to the side, gently insert the thermometer into the rectum. Angle the thermometer slightly toward the ground. Attach the clothespin to the hair on the dock of the tail. A digital thermom-


eter is easy to read, the mercury thermometer takes a bit more practice; you have to roll it with your fingers until you can see the strip of mercury. The thermometer


reading should fall within the normal range or slightly higher. A temperature of 105 or 106 is very high and demands imme- diate attention. If the reading is very high, you may want to try again as a “double check” for accuracy.


shake down the mercury ther- mometer. Clean the thermome- ter thoroughly before returning it to its case. Pulse - An adult


horse at rest will have a pulse When you are done,


eter will usually be ready to read within a minute, but a mercury thermometer should be left for at least 3 minutes. The digital thermom-


rate ranging from 30 to 40 beats per minute. Foals will have a pulse rate ranging from 70 to 120, yearlings from 45 to 60 and two-year-olds from 40 to 50.


10 minutes of loping please visit - www.horsecoursesonline. com/videos/heart_rate_sounds. html.


horse at rest with a pulse rate higher than the highest indicat- ed for the age of the horse, you can consider the horse to be in distress. Consider veterinary attention.


exercised will have a higher pulse rate. The important thing to note then is the recovery time—how fast does the horse return to normal? A healthy, well-conditioned horse should after strenuous exercise return to near normal within 15 min- utes, depending on the ambient temperature. If it is a very hot day, the horse may take longer to cool down, so his pulse will remain elevated for a longer period of time. Awareness and observation of conditions should help you make deci- sions.


stethoscope, place it on the horse’s girth area just behind the left elbow. You will hear the heart beat—it takes two sounds, lub then dub, to count as a single heart beat. If you don’t have a stethoscope, I rec- ommend you get one so you are very accurate. The stethoscope will also come in handy when listening to gut sounds. To hear the pulse rate


of a horse as he recovers from If you are using a A horse having just Anytime you see a


and press firmly against the artery. Count each surge of blood through the artery for 15 seconds, and then you can multiply by 4 to determine the number of beats per minute. You should practice


pulse with your fingers, you can locate the artery just under the left inner side of the jawbone toward the front. Other conve- nient locations are at the back of the fetlock joint (digital pulse) or just below the elbow on the inside of the forearm. Use your index finger


To find the horse’s


hand on the side of the rib cage and count the number of breathes taken in one minute. The average watch with a second hand will do the tim- ing very nicely. Another way to find the rate is to stand back from the horse and count the in and out motions of the rib cage, or the opening and closing of the nostrils. Count and time in the same manner - two actions for one count. The respiration rate


will climb with stress, excite- ment or exercise. And as with the pulse rate, the recovery time is an important factor in determining the horse’s actual condition.


locating the digital pulse. A bounding digital pulse can be a sign of laminitis or an abscess. Become familiar with what is normal. A bounding digital pulse will feel harder and firmer. Practice until you can locate it. Respiration – 16


at rest will have a respiration rate just a bit lower than half his pulse rate. A horse with a pulse rate of 32 should have an approximate respiration rate of 16.


cycles per minute is an average respiration rate. A healthy adult horse


210-365-3336


Kathy Gordon, Realtor


is the number of times a horse inhales and exhales each min- ute. (That’s two actions for one beat.)


termine the rate is to place your


Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Donates 2010 Proceeds to Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus


– Katy, TX – Pin Oak Charity Horse Show volunteers and Rick Terry, executive vice pres- ident of the show’s title sponsor BBVA Compass, donned hard- hats for an advance tour of the new Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. The group was there to present a $50,000 do- nation to fund the cancer center infusion waiting area, which will be named after the 66-year- old charity horse show. The gift was received by Dr. Charles Hankins, chief medical officer for Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus. Along with the check, Pin Oak donated two equestrian paintings that will hang in the waiting area, and plans to provide books for the patient library. “Pin Oak has been


involved with Texas Children’s Hospital since 1948 when the show began raising money to build the original facility that opened in 1954,” says Pin Oak President Lynn Walsh. “Now, a brand-new generation of Pin Oak riders and sponsors are working to build the West


November 22, 2010


mitment to donate $300,000 to Texas Children’s West Campus over five years. This donation puts the show within $65,000 of that goal. West Campus, Texas Children’s first community hospital, is located on 55 acres


Campus, which is very close to our show location at Great Southwest Equestrian Center on Mason Road.” Pon Oak made a com-


at Interstate 10 and Barker Cy- press. The outpatient facility is scheduled to open in December 2010, offering a comprehensive array of pediatric sub-specialty services. The inpatient facility and 24/7 dedicated pediatric emergency center are slated to open in spring 2011 and will include surgical suites, 48 intermediate and acute-care pa- tient beds, advanced imagining


services including MRI and CT scans, and a neurophysiology sleep laboratory. Show dates for the


66th


ity Horse Show for 2011 are March 23 – April 5. Visit www.pinoak.org for more information.


annual Pin Oak Char- The best way to de- The respiration rate


$49,000. Spring Branch, 5.5-acre horse property with pad cleared for barn & riding/training arena. Acreage is groomed to park-like appearance adorned with majestic oaks & miles of Hill Country views. Seller Finance available. MLS 171808.


$209,000. Country home on 5 level acres tucked in the hills of the Devil’s Backbone minutes from Canyon Lake. 3/2/2 carport, 1,888 sq. ft., 2 fireplaces, screened porch and land perfect for horses or livestock. MLS 169896


$144,900. Canyon Lake, 7.98 acres minutes from Potters Creek Park. Private water well and electricity on site. Huge Oaks, wet weather creek and hill country views. Horses & livestock welcome. MLS 166045.


CALL TODAY!


Your Hill Country Realtor KathyGordonRealtor@yahoo.com 830-964-2811


scope, place it on the horse’s windpipe to listen to his breathing. If you hear strange sounds—something which sounds restricted, rough or


If you have a stetho-


new filly was getting sick was a slight cough. Instead of ignor- ing it we took her temperature, which was 102.9. Within 12 hours it was 103.9 and she was congested. With early care she quickly recovered. Her train- ing to become a show horse starts soon.


raspy—the windpipe may be blocked by mucous or the horse may have allergies or heaves. Have the horse examined by a veterinarian. The first clue that our


about caring for horses take the online course “Stable Man- agement” taught by Eleanor Blazer. Earn certification or work toward a Bachelor of Sci- ence degree in equine studies. Go to www.horsecourseson- line.com for more information. Visit Eleanor’s web site at www.thewayofhorses.com.


* For information


Touring the facility (from left) were staffers Amanda Dougherty and Roxanne Cook from Pin Oak, West Campus Chief Medical Officer Dr. Charles Hankins, Pin Oak President Lynn Walsh, Ex- ecutive Vice President Rick Terry of BBVA Compass, Elly Ber- man and Linda Graham from Pin Oak’s executive board.


San Antonio Stock Show internationally recognized for 2010 ncha show


The San Antonio


Stock Show & Rodeo recently won an award and international recognition for its 2010 NCHA Show.


The San Antonio


Stock Show & Rodeo has re- ceived a first place Agricultural Award of Excellence from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) headquartered in Springfield, MO. The 2010 NCHA Cutting show featured an expanded schedule including the presti- gious Mercuria/NCHA World Series of Cutting, which show- cases the world’s best cutters in a spectator-friendly format. Cutters enjoyed $65,000 in added money and an exciting finals go-round in the stock show’s new Exposition Cen- ter.


IAFE has a total of


15 Agriculture Award catego- ries for Fairs and Expos, each divided into 5 divisions by


Visit us at: www.HorseGazette.com


attendance. The entries are evaluated and judged by a team of industry leaders. These in- dividuals are selected from the membership of IAFE, which has over 3,000 members from around the globe. The awards were


presented during the Agri- culture Awards breakfast on November 30, 2010, during the


120th Annual IAFE Convention


held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo can take great pride in knowing that their event has been selected for this presti- gious honor. These awards are sponsored by John Deere, who is an avid supporter of the Fair and Expo industry around the world.


www.WrenwoodStables.com Quality Warmbloods for Sale


210-508-1112 Page 21


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