DECEMBER 2013 THE RIDER /53


WHAT’S UP DOC From the desk of Dr. Laura Frost


HALTON EQUINE VETERINARY SERVICES How to Prepare


Your Horse for the Winter


By Dr. Laura Frost, Halton Equine Veterinary Services


help your horse stay healthy over the colder months. The following is a guide only and details should always be discussed with your vet- erinarian as each facility and herd are unique. 1. Know your horse’s weight going into the colder months.You can either calculate the body weight or use a girth weight tape, but also take note on the fat coverage over the crest and tail head area. Don’t be fooled with the longer winter coat- place your hands onto the ribcage and other body parts to be sure. 2. Monitor manure for size and con-


There are many ways you can


sistency.Add regular white table salt (not cobalt/ blue).A good start- ing amount is one ounce twice a day mixed well with other feed. Free choice is usually not suffi- cient. 3. Consider frost free taps and heat- ed water hoses for the barn. 4. Review your plumbing prior to the winter. 5. Have some sort of light source in your fields for emergencies and care during the darker hours. 6. Ensure there is protection from the elements either by adequate trees or run in sheds if the horse is out 24/7. 7. Deworm for tapeworms and bots after a hard frost but also know what your horse’s parasite load is prior to deworming through a fecal


tive eyes to strong wind. Some horses can develop corneal ulcers just from the wind. 12.Consider a CBC/Profile and Wellness Exam by your veterinari- an. 13.Walk your fence line to ensure it is in good repair and free of debris such as fallen branches and that electrical fences if used are work- ing. 14.Consider either removing shoes or have your farrier apply snow pads to avoid packing of snow in the foot. 15.If your horse is wearing a blan- ket, make sure to check his/her body weight regularly to monitor body condition. Ensure the blanket is fitted properly and in good repair and waterproofed.


egg count. 8. Make sure you have access to the paddock with either a tractor or truck for emergencies. 9. Horses cannot stay hydrated by eating snow. Have a heated water source. 10. Horses need to eat constantly to stay warm. Consider a slow feeder (there are several types) to avoid horses becoming obese or for those that have a history of colic. 11. Consider fly mask with UV protection for horses with sensi-


16.Body clipping may be consid- ered to allow a quicker cool down following exercise. Clipping will make it a necessity to wear a blan- ket. 17.Constant access to forage (hay) will help keep your horse warm. 18.If there is any horse movement at your barn (non closed herd) then always consider vaccinating for influenza and rhinopneumonitis every 6 months in the fall and spring.There is only one vaccine that is licensed for once a year use and this is only true if the primary series included 3 initial injections. Have a safe and healthy winter sea- son! Please feel free to contact us with ideas you may have for future blogs. Enjoy! Laura Frost BSc DVM


Halton Equine Veterinary Services 905-659-4387 www.hevs.ca


Laura Frost BSc., DVM


Have a question or topic of inter- est? Send us a message on Face- book to Halton Equine Veterinary Services. Visit www.hevs.ca


Photo Courtesy of Patrick Forster The Power of Assessment Through Equi-Bow assess a horse provides the


aspects of being in an equine partnership is knowing your companion. Usually this comes down to knowing your horse’s per- sonality, its likes and dis- likes, but what about its physical body? This is where the assessment part of Equi-Bow becomes so important. Knowing how to


By Heather Rigg One of


the key


ence it would make if hav- ing this understanding could drastically improve the training of the horse and increase its perfor- mance. How would it be if someone going to buy a


flexing at the poll and not somewhere else? Everyone strives for the best with their horse but sometimes they can’t tell when it has been achieved. Sometimes they haven’t been taught how to recognize it. Imagine the differ-


the changeable. And with their own equine partner, a horse-person would be able to tell if a certain body part was not moving as it was designed and make more knowledgeable decisions to help.


tendon and ligament has a specific action in the body and is intended to move in a certain direction. Due to the flexibility of these ele- ments, the horse’s body can easily adapt and often


Every bone, muscle,


movement is not noticed until something goes wrong. The most important


aspect of the horse’s struc- ture is the hoof as it pro- vides the base on which they stand. Like any sup- port system, it is essential that it is balanced to pro- vide the alignment of the skeleton so that the mus- cles can function without interference. This allows the horse to move freely and feel comfortable within its own body leading to a happy and confident horse. It is easy to forget that


through the cloak of human eyes.


titioner, knowing how to properly assess a horse is crucial and provides the foundation of a session. It’s about learning to see when the horse is using itself cor- rectly and what that even looks like. It’s about learn- ing to see from the horse’s perspective


and not


the horse is not using its back as it should? How do you know if the horse is


How can you tell if www.themorningfeed.com


foundation for knowing when something is right or wrong. By gaining a deeper understanding of anatomy and learning what proper posture and movement looks like, lovers of horses are in a much better posi- tion to help. As an Equi-Bow prac-


horse was more aware of its underlying structure and able to see all of the poten- tial - the good, the bad and


move in a less than optimal manner. Horses are very good with coping and most of the time this sub-optimal


compensating in its body and what is causing it. The mystery of the horse slowly begins to unravel like a ball


and what optimal move- ment in a horse looks like, imbalances can quickly be addressed. It becomes eas- ier to see where a horse is


all of the horse’s body works together and not in individual sections. The hoof works with the can- non bone, the canon bone with the shoulder, the shoulder with the neck and the neck with the head. If one component is out of balance than the rest of the body will com- pensate to maintain its overall function. By learning anatomy


cess of learning and using the tools of Equi-Bow is so effective. It teaches stu- dents to take into consider- ation every aspect of the


of yarn until all that’s left is the truth. This is why the pro-


horse when doing an assessment. Equi-Bow is not just a technique but a way of living in unison with these beautiful ani- mals.


If interested in more infor-


mation please contact Equi-Bow Canada at info@equi-bowcanada.com or 905-659-7223. If want- ing to contact Heather Rigg directly, please email her at h.rigg@hotmail.com.


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