38/ AUGUST 2018 THE RIDER


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


Proactive Approach To Good Horse Health


solution to mitigating such hard- ships.


So what are some things


that horse owners can do to keep their horses in good health and minimize vet calls in the mean- time?


With the Veterinarian Assis-


tance Program in a state of hold until the new Provincial Govern- ment decides it’s fate, many horse owners and livestock pro- ducers are already affected. Some veterinarians have raised their callout fees and instituted


1. Regular Horse Health Checks throughout the year can confirm good or compromised horse health quickly and easily. Sim- ple practices of checking respi- ration rates, heart rates, mucous membranes, digital pulses, tem- perature, etc. can catch any changes in health. If you are a


mation on doing Horse Health Checks visit the Equine Guelph website. Also, check out the videos on youtube for more info.


2. A Well Stocked First Aid Kit loaded with the essentials needed to treat wounds, scratches, and injuries. Also have a good first aid book for Equines or preferably hands on training to learn about proper procedures. Injuries can happen anytime, so be sure to have your kit accessible and stocked. Most owners opt for portable kits to take with them to horse shows or if the horse is away from the barn. Connected with the first aid kit is the necessary medica- tions on hand specific for your horse. Don’t wait to the last minute to get these restocked. In many cases, leaving a guide in the barn to medication use can help others if you happen to be away. This way you will be able to maintain consistency in ad- ministering medications.


substantial travel fees in the meantime until a final decision is made, probably in September. For many horse/livestock own- ers it will mean financial hard- ship, and for horses it may mean compromised welfare without the assistance of the Program. A proactive approach may be the


horse owner, take the time to practice these skills and tech- niques before something ill actu- ally happens. And if it does, you will then be able to relay the cor- rect information and status to the vet with more detail when you make that call. For more infor-


3. Good Nutrition goes a long way to meeting the nutritional needs of all horses and therefore maintaining good health. Horse owners are too accustomed to “waiting” for symptoms to show up before making any improve- ments to the feeding program. Tell-tale signs of poor nutrition include problems with hooves, hair, coat, mane, behaviour, weight gain/loss, muscle wast- ing, poor topline, etc. Working


with a nutrition specialist helps to make sure the foundation of nu- trition has a solid footprint in your horse’s healthcare. Also, Body Condition Scoring is a valuable tool to use when assess- ing your horse’s weight. When evaluating your horse’s nutrition, keep track of the BCS as you make changes to the diet. When the score is too low or too high, a veterinarian’s intervention is ad- visable.


4. Regular Farrier Work by an “experienced and knowledge- able” Hoof Care Professional can go along way to maintaining good horse health. Such farriers often have basic knowledge about nutrition and how it affects the hoof health. When lameness oc- curs they are sometimes able to decipher if it is related to the hoof or another area of the horse. While they cannot make diagno- sis as such, they are able to work together with the veterinarian to solve many lameness and health issues and treat appropriately.


5. Other members of your health team besides a veterinarian may include massage therapists and chiropractors. These specialists are very well trained in their


fields and can make significant improvements in muscular and skeletal disorders. Veterinarians play a vital


part in our horse’s health care, and while previous provincial governments have supported the VAP Program, the current gov- ernment may not. I would en- courage you to speak with your Vet to see how you will be im-


gether to support our Veterinari- ans and keep costs down for


pacted by cuts to the provincially sponsored travel program. Don’t forget to lobby your MPP and Minister Greg Rickford by email for support of the Program as soon as possible (before Septem- ber). We all need to work to-


everyone.


Jean Klosowicz Equine Nutrition Consultant & Educator


Superior Equine Health & Nutri- tion Inc. 338 Hwy 638, Bruce Mines, ON P0R 1C0 cell: 705.260.0293, email: su- periorequine@gmail.com facebook: @SuperiorEquine


All articles are for general


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


A sponsorship agreement


has been reached between Equi- stro and the Canadian Road Horse Association for 2018 with an intention to extend to 2019. The partnership will specifically focus on the Green Roadster Classic, a series of classes for registered Standardbred horses competing in their first or second year in the show ring, culminat- ing each November at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Often considered to be the


most exciting classes at a horse show, Standardbred road horse classes showcase the trotting speed and brilliance of the breed. Many of the horses competing in the Equistro Green Roadster


Canadian Road Horse Association pens partnership with Equistro to support Green Roadster Classic cists.


Classic are embarking on their second career after having spent time as race horses. Like all ath- letes these horses require supple- ments and support to reach their greatest potential. The partner- ship with Equistro appropriately aligns these equine athletes with a brand of products to support them in their show ring careers. Established in 2001 to en-


courage the expansion of the road horse division with more horses and exhibitors, it has become one of the signature initiatives of the Canadian Road Horse Associa- tion. The support of Equistro will continue to foster those efforts. Dedicated to horses since


1986, Equistro is a premium line of


Fit is Everything.


specifically designed to serve the needs of the equine athlete. With a primary goal to help horses deal with the challenges of heavy training, frequent travelling and staying on top of the game every time they compete. Equistro products have been


formulated by equine veterinari- ans, nutritionists and pharma-


supplements Vetoquinol For more information on


equine welfare and Equistro products please visit: www.barn- chats.ca Look for Equistro signage,


and product information at fairs and horse shows throughout On- tario and Quebec where Stan- dardbred road horses are competing. For additional information


about showing Standardbred Road Horses, upcoming shows and how you can become in- volved, visit www.roadhorse.ca


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