38/ JUNE 2018 THE RIDER


Equine Wellness: Health and Nutrition with Jean Klosowicz, Superior Equine Health and Nutrition Inc.


out to pasture, it is extremely im- portant


chases hay and/or turns horses


horse diet is forage. Whether it is pasture, hay, haylage, cubes or other fibre sources, the majority of any equine diet consists of this very important food source. For- ages contain a wide range of vi- tamins and minerals, proteins, and other nutrients, depending on soil, fertilizing and growing conditions. However not all for- ages are created equal and vary considerably by both seeded and invasive species, and maturity, thereby affecting quality. If you are the one that pur-


The foundation of any


“green” does not mean it’s healthy for horses. Sometimes the “grass is greener on the other side” and “greener pastures” take on a whole different mean- ing when they are invaded by plants that are toxic, high in sug- ars, and/or ones that can cause mechanical injury (ie. burdocks). For the sake of the horse’s health and life, it is up to us to ascertain what forage is “safe” for our equines. One could assume that horses will have “instinct” as to what is poisonous or not, and therefore not eat the plant. How- ever that is not always the case – we have domesticated horses to the extent that this instinct may not always be accurate. So it truly is up to managers


plants/grasses/legumes are good and which ones are not so. Gen-


and horse owners to be able to distinguish


which


50 Shades of Green to understand that


ml (see the section under Weeds)


quality of pasture if your horse gets turned out. Fresh young grass will have a deeper shade of grass green, yet it may be too rich for many horses with meta- bolic conditions or excess weight. A walkabout will help you take a closer look and in- spect any weeds that may be present that could do more harm than good. If that is the case, take measures immediately to fence off the affected area, turn to re- sources to properly identify them and eradicate appropriately. Re- member that many weeds such as chicory and dandelion are high in NSC’s and are very ap- petizing for many horses, includ- ing the ones that are toxic (horsetails).


with identification and symp- toms of poisoning are found on- line: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/en glish/livestock/horses/forages.ht


Resources to help you out


erally speaking, a nice hay will have a “grass green” colour and as it matures, that colour will lighten all the way to a “straw green” shade. Weeds and other suspicious plants tend to have a dark green colour to them and can be spotted somewhat easily in the hay. Legumes such as clover and alfalfa, too can take on a darker green colour and if dried properly within the grasses, will be safe. However, excessive moisture can quickly make legumes toxic due to my- cotoxins and molds. Equally important is the


http://www.horsedvm.com/toxi- cfinder.php (toxic plant finder, identification and resource)


plants is very challenging how- ever, another way around it (at the very least) is to be very famil- iar with the ones that are “highly” toxic – like the ones that can kill a horse within an hour. Also, if you go through the ones that are most common in your region and familiarize yourself with the clas- sic symptoms of poisoning, then you can consider these being the cause of any distress. Classic symptoms may include colic, lethargy, paralysis, foaming at the mouth, etc. Repeated exposure to the toxic plants in hays and pas- tures over time may cause irre- versible damage and even death. Fifty Shades of Green may be good in a paint store, but may be not so good in forage... know the difference and keep your horse safe.


Cheers! Large Animal Rescue Course in Demand


Guelph, ON - In emergencies with life and death situations where most people would flee, how is it that firefighters, para- medics and other first responders stay calm and methodical? Train- ing and the right equipment are two of their most important tools. Equine Guelph’s Large Ani-


mal Emergency Rescue program has been presented at six venues already since the start of 2018 with the same message. This training is critical for first respon- ders faced with emergencies deal- ing with large animals. For the animal’s owner, it is valuable knowledge to stop a highly emo- tional situation from turning into catastrophic one. Since 2014 Equine Guelph


has made significant progress in establishing a Large Animal Res- cue program in Ontario with its qualified team of instructors. Over 360 people have attended training events including fire fighters, first responders, pre-ser- vice, law enforcement, animal control officers, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, emer- gency animal response teams, horse owners, livestock producers and associations. “The Large Animal Rescue


Awareness Course was very edu- cational and informative,” says Chuck Lobsinger, Fire Chief at South Bruce Fire Rescue Service. “All the firefighters that partici- pated gained valuable knowledge and experience using Equine Guelph’s training aids and equip- ment. Very positive feedback was received from all participants. I would recommend every fire de- partment to have personnel take this type of training.” Participants from this latest


Fit is Everything.


training in Large Animal Rescue Awareness Level Course, at Mild- may Fire Department (South Bruce) April 21 – 22 also said the hands on portion taking step by step walkthroughs of the rescues were really helpful. Feedback also relayed valuable lessons were learned in the overall ap- proach to instances involving large animals including animal behaviour, anatomy and best practices for large animal manip-


Sometimes identification of


Jean Klosowicz, Equine Nutrition Consultant & Educator Superior Equine Health and Nu- trition Inc. Bruce Mines, ON www.superiorequinenutrition.com www.feedmyhorse.ca fb: @SuperiorEquine


information purposes only and are not intended to replace the ad- vice of a veterinarian, or provide a diagnosis for your horse.


All articles are for general


ulation techniques such as for- ward and rear assists, sideways drags, sling arrangements and how to work safely in confined spaces. There are plenty of “rescue”


videos out there showing danger- ous methods of pulling animals out of situations which result in tragic loss and further injury. In her anatomy lesson, Gayle Ecker director of Equine Guelph em- phasizes, “tails, legs, heads and necks are not appropriate han- dles!” Equine Guelph demon- strates techniques and best practices for rescuing large ani- mals that promote positive out- comes and safety for all. This includes proper use of specialized equipment and positioning of webbing around the body of the animal to lift or drag it to safety. Rob Wells of Rob Wells


Trucking in Mildmay kindly pro- vided a 53’ livestock trailer and bays for training. “I was pleased to supply a 53’ livestock trailer and have my son Devin explain the capabilities of the equipment and safety aspects of hauling ani- mals,” said Wells. “I would also look forward to helping out at fu- ture offerings as it is so important to have both livestock haulers and first responders learn to work to- gether in the event of an emer- gency.” Sponsorship for the Large


Animal Rescue Awareness Level Course delivered by Equine Guelph in Mildmay, ON was kindly provided by the Nuclear Waste Management Organiza- tion.


“The Nuclear Waste Man-


agement Organization and the Municipality of South Bruce are pleased to support the Bruce County Fire School,” said Rela- tionship Manager, Paul Austin. “The training is an investment in not only building awareness, but also the skills and knowledge that are key to supporting community well-being now and in the future. Agriculture has a huge presence in our community and the Large Animal Rescue Awareness course helps prepare our first responders for the unique needs of our com- munities.”


People who have attended


training alongside firefighters have said it was interesting to see how things are done and they gained insight on what they could do if they were ever involved in an emergency situation. The inci- dent command system is one of the standard approaches covered and it gives a clear understanding of roles and working together ef- fectively. All large animal incidents re-


gardless of cause or scope, pres- ent a risk of injury to responders. The way to improve the odds of a favorable and safe outcome for both animals and responders is through proper training of best practices and how to use rescue equipment. Equine Guelph thanks the hosts, supporters and partici- pants of these important work- shops. For more information or to bring a course to your location visit TheHorsePortal.ca and con- tact Dr. Susan Raymond at slray- mon@uoguelph.ca Story by: Jackie Bellamy-Zions


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