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Study: Swimming Can Improve Horses' Glucose, Insulin Levels

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Study: Swimming Can Improve Horses' Glucose, Insulin Levels

Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse

When insulin’s up, surf’s up? While you might not send your horse surfing, researchers have learned that swimming can help regulate his insulin levels.

Both blood glucose and blood insulin values improved in Thoroughbreds training on a daily swimming routine, making this low-intensity exercise program a good way to help manage insulin regulation, said Paolo Baragli, DVM, PhD, and Micaela Sgorbini, DVM, PhD, researchers in the University of Pisa Department of Veterinary Sciences, in Italy.

“With swimming, we can maintain adequate levels of glucose uptake (and even improve it) without having negative outcomes related to the hoof impact on the ground,” he said.

In their study, Baragli, Sgorbini, and their fellow researchers worked 12 Thoroughbred geldings gradually up to a daily swimming session of 60 minutes in an equine pool. They compared insulin and glucose levels before and after a full month of the routine. To do so, they tested plasma insulin and glucose concentrations at multiple intervals (5, 15, 25, 35, 45, and 60 minutes) after an intravenous injection of glucose, at the start and the end of the training month. They also monitored the horses’ heart rates and blood lactate levels during exercise.

They found significantly higher blood glucose levels before the training period than afterward—an indication that the swimming helped the horses’ cells take up the glucose, they said. Meanwhile, blood insulin levels at 45 and 60 minutes post-glucose injection were much higher before the training period compared to after. That means the horses managed their insulin response to glucose better after a month of swimming sessions.

While traditional training on the ground might have similar effects on glucose and insulin values, swimming offers additional options, the researchers said.

“Swimming pool training is very useful for horses that have recovered from surgical treatment of orthopedic problems that need to train aerobically without forcing their skeletal apparatus once it has recovered,” Sgorbini added. “In this perspective, I suggest training horses in swimming pools under the supervision of veterinarians or trainers with an expertise in this field.”

Baragli added, “Only a veterinarian can decide if and when a horse can replace ground exercise with swimming. If a horse is lame, you first must have a proper diagnosis because there some kinds of lameness are contraindicated for swimming (such as most muscle, ligament, and tendon pathologies).”

Based on their study results, the team believes swimming could have particular benefits for horses with insulin dysregulation issues. “When insulin is dysregulated, such as with equine metabolic syndrome, affected horses don’t need training per se, but simply exercise (as is the case with human obesity) to lose weight and to reduce insulin resistance,” Sgorbini said.

But even healthy horses can benefit from a swimming program, he continued. “I'm primarily a researcher in horse behavior and welfare,” Baragli said. “So I see a welfare perspective here, as well. I believe that, when possible, swimming could be a greater opportunity to vary the monotony of certain training programs without losing stamina, thus allowing us to train not only the body but even the mind. That's a very interesting application, I believe.”

Swimming pools are ideal because they provide for better control of timing and circumstances, he said. But even natural bodies of water make good swimming areas for horses, provided they’re safe (from strong currents and underwater obstacles, for example). “Also keep in mind that, like with humans, salt water can sustain the body better than fresh water can,” Baragli said.

The study, “How swimming affects plasma insulin and glucose concentration in Thoroughbreds: A pilot study,” was published in the Veterinary Journal.

About the Author

Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA

Christa Lesté-Lasserre is a freelance writer based in France. A native of Dallas, Texas, Lesté-Lasserre grew up riding Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, and Shetland Ponies. She holds a master’s degree in English, specializing in creative writing, from the University of Mississippi in Oxford and earned a bachelor’s in journalism and creative writing with a minor in sciences from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She currently keeps her two Trakehners at home near Paris. Follow Lesté-Lasserre on Twitter @christalestelas.

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EHV Confirmed in Connecticut Horse

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EHV Confirmed in Connecticut Horse

In many horses, fever is the only sign of EHV-1 infection, which can go undetected.

Photo: Kevin Thompson/The Horse

A horse in Bethany, Connecticut, has tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) and tests on additional horses are pending, the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) reported Dec. 11.

“Clinical signs were seen on Dec. 5 in a private facility,” the EDCC statement said. “One horse was confirmed positive at Cornell University (in Ithaca, New York) on Dec. 10. Currently a 4-year old Quarter Horse mare was confirmed positive, and tests on a 20-year old, a 14-year old, and a 26- year old Quarter Horse geldings are pending. Signs include 102-104°F fevers, mild inappetence, and hindlimb ataxia with dribbling urine. All horses, which were vaccinated, are alive and receiving treatment.

“Potentially 30-35 horses have been exposed and currently 20 horses are in quarantine established by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture,” the EDCC said.

Health Alert: Equine Herpesvirus

Herpesvirus is highly contagious among horses and can cause a variety of ailments in equids, including rhinopneumonitis (a respiratory disease usually found in young horses), abortion in broodmares, and myeloencephalopathy (the neurologic form). In many horses, fever is the only sign of EHV-1 infection, which can go undetected.

In addition to fever, other common signs of EHV-1 infection in young horses include cough, decreased appetite, depression, and a nasal discharge. Pregnant mares typically show no signs of infection before they abort, and abortions usually occur late in gestation (around eight months), but can be earlier. Abortions can occur anywhere from two weeks to several months following infection with EHV-1.

Horses with the neurologic form usually have a fever at the onset of the disease and might show signs of a respiratory infection. A few days later, neurologic signs such as ataxia (incoordination), weakness or paralysis of the fore- and hind limbs, urine retention and dribbling, loss of tail tone, and recumbency (inability to rise) develop.

About the Author

Erica Larson, News Editor

Erica Larson, news editor, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

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Narrow Escape: Caring for Equine Barn Fire Survivors

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Narrow Escape: Caring for Equine Barn Fire Survivors

Horses that survive barn fires could sustain serious injuries ranging from burns to smoke-related respiratory issues, many of which have long-term debilitating consequences.

Photo: iStock

Just because a horse survives a barn fire doesn't mean he's out of harm's way

In March 2016, Grateful Pride was in training at the South Florida Trotting Center, in Lake Worth, Florida, when fire swept through his barn. Amid the flames and the smoke and the chaos, the 2-year-old Standardbred broke out of his stall and galloped to another barn on the Trotting Center campus.

“He was evidently looking for a safe place to go,” recalls Grateful Pride’s trainer, Jeff Stout. “He’s a smart horse. Really, he saved himself.”

All told, grooms, farm managers, and trainers were able to rescue 11 horses from the blazing barn before the building’s roof caved in. The 12 horses still inside died.

Scott Swerdlin, DVM, MRCVS, president of Palm Beach Equine Clinic, in Wellington, Florida, says Grateful Pride was lucky to survive not only the blaze but also the complicated recovery process. In his more than 30 years of practice, Swerdlin has treated several fire survivors, including two injured in a high-profile barn fire at the Gulfstream Polo Club in 2013 that claimed eight Thoroughbreds.

“Only about 40% of horses involved in barn fires survive,” he says. “And of those, only 15% make full recoveries—that is, that they can return to the work they did before the fire.” Recovery can take more than a year, he adds, and become very expensive.

Even post-recovery, says Swerdlin, many still bear the scars of the experience; they’ve sustained serious injuries ranging from burns to smoke-related respiratory issues, many of which have long-term debilitating consequences. But burns top the list of most common barn fire injuries among survivors, says Swerdlin’s colleague, Bryan Dubynsky, DVM.

Battling the Burn

Burns are categorized as first-, second-, third-, and fourth-degree, depending on the layers of skin and tissue affected. First-degree burns damage the first layer of skin, causing superficial skin and hair loss but no blistering. These burns generally heal quickly and with minimal treatment. Burns that involve the first and second layers of skin are categorized as superficial partial-thickness burns. Those that injure deeper skin layers are second-degree deep partial-thickness burns. Second-degree burns are generally not life-threatening, but they require cleaning and more involved treatment, especially when blisters break.

Third-degree or full-thickness burns injure all layers of the skin and the tissue beneath. Finally, fourth-degree burns penetrate all skin layers and damage muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, blood vessels, and bones. Both third- and fourth-degree burns can be life-threatening.

In addition to its depth, a burn’s severity depends on how much flesh is affected. Dubynsky says most barn fire survivors sustain burn injuries over the back, withers, and croup. And that’s exactly where Grateful Pride’s burns were.

“Grateful Pride had a burn down the center of his back 6 inches wide and 12 inches long,” Stout recalls. “It was not a deep burn, but I cannot imagine that kind of pain.”

Generally, veterinarians treat burn victims immediately with intravenously administered fluids to prevent dehydration. “Horses that are burned lose a huge amount of fluid,” Dubynsky says.

That’s because healthy skin regulates both the body’s surface temperature and its fluid retention. When a horse sustains a burn injury to the skin, he might lose that regulation mechanism. The horse can also lose fluids simply due to skin damage.

Practitioners also administer analgesics to manage pain, antibiotics to ward off infection, and salve to promote healing. They might also prescribe hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which delivers pure oxygen to promote wound healing and treat respiratory issues. But such treatment is expensive (anywhere from $300-1,000 per session), Swerdlin says.

“If you have access to it and if you can afford it, it can have value,” he says.

Stout says Grateful Pride’s treatment was less complicated.

“Every day we treated his back, gave him Bute (phenylbutazone) for pain, and put salve on him to treat the wounds,” he says.

Clearing the Lungs

Horses that survive barn fires breathe in smoke, toxins, and even carbon particles that fill the air during the fire. The resulting smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide exposure put them at risk for respiratory complications immediately after the fire as well as long-term.

But unless a horse develops pneumonia or has a lung abscess, the animal’s respiratory system usually recovers well from insult, says Swerdlin.

“The lung lining generally regenerates really quickly,” he says.

Even so, veterinarians might administer oral or intravenous antibiotics to fend off the possibility of infection.

At the same time, veterinarians might use nebulizers to help clear and medicate horses’ lungs, says Rose Nolen-Walston, DVM, associate professor of large animal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center, in Kennett Square.

Tracheal washes are one way to detect pulmonary pathogens in fire survivors (though this horse is having one for other reasons).

Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/TheHorse.com

Nebulizers use oxygen, compressed air, or ultrasonic power to break up solutions into small aerosol droplets and deliver them to a horse’s airways via a mask. Nolen-Walston says owners can use nebulizers to administer preparations ranging from simple saline solution, which loosens particles in the lungs, to decongestants and bronchodilators such as clenbuterol.

Veterinarians also rely on bronchodilators if the horse has pneumonia, a condition fire survivors are particularly susceptible to, says Nolen-Walston.

Grateful Pride received nebulizer treatment to improve his breathing, which was labored following the fire.

“There’s no way of telling if the horse had long-range lung damage from the fire, and we don’t know how long he was in the barn before he made the decision to escape,” Stout says. “So we gave him the nebulizer treatments, and little by little he began to improve—there’s no downside to this treatment.”

Even so, when the horse returned to harness racing a month after the fire, Stout was not convinced that his respiratory system was sound.

“It seemed that his breathing was just not right,” Stout says.

So Grateful Pride took a trailer ride up to New Bolton Center for an evaluation and a tracheal wash, a procedure in which the veterinarian uses a fiber-optic endoscope and catheter and fluid to collect respiratory secretions. The practitioner places a sample in a growth plate and observes it to detect and identify pulmonary pathogens.

“Some things you can see immediately (in the sample), such as if there is carbon or something else in the horses’ lungs,” Stout says. But there was no foreign debris in the sample and nothing grew in the culture, so there was no infection. “What they found was that the horse had allergies that were complicating his breathing. Whether those allergies are related to the fire we don’t know, but now they’re making up a (medication) especially for him that will treat his allergies.”

Boosting Appetite

Other side effects of fire and smoke exposure are not as obvious as burn wounds and labored breathing. For example, barn fire survivors might refuse to eat because their throats are sore from heat exposure, and their healing burns—no matter how superficial—are painful. As a result, they lose weight, some more quickly than others.

Nolen-Walston says veterinarians battle appetite loss by making sure horses get a diet that will be palatable or even tempting to them.

Barn fire survivors might refuse to eat because their throats are sore from heat exposure, and their healing burns—no matter how superficial—are painful.

Photo: iStock

“That means good-quality hay and an appropriate amount of grain,” she says. “Also, if horses have pretty bad burns, they may need more protein in their feed.”

This can help the horse regenerate skin, repair damaged muscle, and build muscle where it might have been lost due to injury or inactivity.

Owners might soak hay in water to soften it and reduce dust that could irritate healing facial burns or respiratory injuries.

As always, feeding regimens should be matched to the individual horse’s needs.

“For example, if the horse is a performance horse that has already been on a high-protein feed, you might want to back off on adding additional protein to the diet,” Nolen-Walston says.

Healing the Skin

Skin injuries can be really itchy as they heal. Nolen-Walston says a combination of topical treatment and pain management can help promote healing by reducing the horse’s urge to scratch.

“Horses are usually pretty good about this,” Nolen-Walston says, “But if they are especially itchy, we cover them in silver sulfadiazine cream, which is an antibiotic, and we can also give them a painkiller that includes an opioid like morphine.”

“Healing can produce thick scarring, like leather, that makes it impossible for the horse to wear a saddle. ”

Dr. Bryan Dubynsky

Though veterinarians have remarkable tools at their disposal to help wounds heal, they cannot overcome the fact that some horses’ skin will be so damaged that they’ll never return to the work they did before the fire.

“Healing can produce thick scarring, like leather, that makes it impossible for the horse to wear a saddle,” Dubynsky says. “At that point, horses may not ever return to their use as performance, polo, or racing horses.”

Stout says Grateful Pride was fortunate. The horse did return to racing.

“We hand-walked him for a few weeks, and little by little he improved,” Stout recalls. “Eventually, we put a harness that we had padded on him and entered him in a race.”

Even though Grateful Pride was able to return to the work he did before the fire, Stout believes he continues to display long-term effects from the event.

Grateful Pride's painful back burns healed nicely, but trainer Jeff Stout says the horse is still sensitive in that area.

Photo: Courtesy Jeff Stout

“For example, he’s very sensitive at the places where his skin was burned,” Stout says. “I think the horse will always be sensitive, even though the burns have healed.”

Stout also believes that not all of Grateful Pride’s scars are physical.

“He was a good patient, but it took us 15 minutes to get him back into his stall for the first time (after the fire),” Stout says. “It’s as though he was conflicted between the stall being a place of safety and a place of danger. It took 10 days before he would go in more easily.”

Taking Steps to Prevent Blazes

It is impossible to talk about barn fire survival without discussing barn fire prevention.

Swerdlin says he’s learned from his work responding to barn fires with fire marshals that faulty wiring is to blame for most of these events. Incorrectly installed wires can fail to produce the electrical amperage load necessary to power the building safely.

“In the last fire we had, the barn had a refrigerator, a water cooler, and a hot water heater all plugged into the same outlet,” he says.

14 More Considerations for Preventing Horse Barn Fires

Add to that the box fans that many owners and barn managers hang at every stall, heating devices placed near hay storage areas, and bare wiring accessible to rodents and other vermin, and barn operators have a fire waiting to happen.

Swerdlin recommends replacing all old electrical systems in barns with new systems installed—and inspected annually—by a licensed professional electrician. He also recommends that all electric junction boxes be made of metal and that all wiring be encased in metal conduit to prevent rodents from chewing and subsequently shorting and sparking bare wires.

Finally, he advises barn operators to ditch box fans in favor of installing large ceiling fans to provide better circulation and cooling.

Ultimately, Swerdlin believes that unless owners and barn operators are taking these measures to prevent barn fires, horses will continue to be at risk of injury or death from fire sweeping through their barns.

“I think we’re going to see more barn fires because it’s getting hotter and people are putting in more fans to keep their horses cool and more devices to keep themselves comfortable,” Swerdlin says. “But people have to be pre-emptive—barn fire survival is heartbreaking and hard to treat and could be prevented.”

About the Author

Pat Raia

Pat Raia is a veteran journalist who enjoys covering equine welfare, industry, and news. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her Tennessee Walking Horse, Sonny.

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Poll Recap: Groundwork Practice

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Poll Recap: Groundwork Practice

Of the 452 respondents, 367 (81%) said groundwork is a regular part of their routine with their horses.

Photo: iStock

If you had to choose between spending your time in the saddle or working with your horse on the ground, what would you choose? Most of us would probably opt for time in the saddle, but groundwork can be an important part of your horse’s routine and benefit you, as well.

In last week’s online poll, we asked our readers if groundwork is a regular part of their routine with their horses. More than 450 people responded, and we’ve tallied the results!

Of the 452 respondents, 367 (81%) said yes, groundwork was a regular part of their routine with their horses, while the remaining 85 respondents (19%) said it was not.

Poll Results

Photo: TheHorse.com

Additionally, more than 70 people commented about the groundwork they practice with their horses:

Many respondents said groundwork is a regular part of their routine with their horse:

“I still maintain groundwork with my three horses who are 15, 18, 19.”

“All sessions start with groundwork. It lets horse know it’s time to go to work and pay attention.”

“I work two to three days each week on ground work, with two to three days trail riding.”

“Yes, horses benefit from it greatly, Clinton Anderson's method is the one I use.”

“Every time before I saddle up.”

“Yes! If you can't control the horse on the ground, you'll be worse off in the saddle.”

“My horse and I do groundwork daily along with riding.”

“Even if I don't have time to ride, I round pen my two mares a lot, together and separately.”

“I have to do groundwork or my horse is so stiff.”

“Groundwork starts most sessions with horses, sets the mood, reminds of manners, and health check.”

“Absolutely! I need to know where his brain is before I put a foot in the stirrup.”

“I always do a few minutes of basic groundwork, it gets them focusing on me and more relaxed.”

“Ten to 20 minutes of longeing prior to riding. It gives me and horse time to see how the horse feels.”

“I often do a pre-ride check with ground work with young horses.”

“Always. That way I can be sure we are on the same page before I ride.”

“Very important and helpful. I take them for hand walks away from the herd with positive results.”

“Groundwork gets the horse's attention in preparation for riding. It is an essential part of my routine.”

“Groundwork is so important. From longeing and long-lining to leading practice, we do it all often.”

Some said they utilize groundwork, but not in their regular routine:

“I use ground work mostly in early training birth to 3 years very little after that.”

“I do ground work as needed, depending on the horse's mood, energy level and distractibility.”

“No, except for a short time to get a rescue to not be afraid of picking up feet for trims.”

“Used groundwork in past and on cold windy days, but mainly she just takes care of me on short rides. Both of us are aged.”

“Ground work on days we don’t ride. Keeps everyone tuned up.”

“Since my horse is broke and knows his job I usually rotate and do ground work one day and ride the other.”

Several respondents shared what they see as benefits of groundwork:

“I find it is a way to create predictability and focus with my horse before moving on.”

“It helps to get their attention and focus before riding.”

“It keeps their mind busy and is a nice alternative to riding and helps to train for ridden exercise.”

“It helps me take a good look at their movements and attitude.”

“I use ground work for respect and teaching, before mounting”

“Groundwork is great for relationship building and the horse’s mental health, at liberty is fun too.”

“Daily ground work is essential for communication and trust building.”

“An opportunity to check gaits, work off energy, and establish relationship.”

A few people mentioned the type of groundwork they do with their horses:

“Frequent longeing; some work in hand and ground-driving on wet days”

“Not always traditional lunging, but definitely handling and manners at all times.”

“I use the Clinton Anderson method. It's great.”

“Very beneficial for all horses; we use gait transitions, change of direction, and backing.”

“Stretching, lateral work, coming, and sending and some fun stuff”

Learn more about how smart and safe groundwork can help build the foundation for a confident, well-behaved horse in thehere.

Photo: TheHorse.com

Others left general comments:

“Groundwork is the foundation for everything and can be done even when there is no time to ride!”

“Whenever you handle, you should do some type of training! Use it or loose it!”

“It’s the very foundations of a great riding skills, a fabulous horse, and bonding!”

“When he is in his surcingle or is saddled and in the pen, his mind is in ‘work mode.’”

“If the horse doesn't respect you on the ground, it won't respect you while you're on it! Keep it fun.”

“It is really a base of communication and relation with the horse.”

“I make sure my horses can and will do everything on the ground first.”

“Rehabbing a suspensory injury and have had eight months on the ground with my horse!”

“Groundwork is essential. Many problems under saddle are preventable/fixable on the ground!”

“I have three OTTBs who can get a little high, so groundwork is essential.”

“Done correctly this is just as important as under saddle and you can see what they're doing.”

You can also find more information on tips for selecting a round pen at TheHorse.com.

This week, we want to know: in the case of an emergency, such as a natural disaster, are you confident your horse would load into a strange trailer? TheHorse.com/polls!

The results of our weekly polls are published in The Sign up for our e-newsletters on our homepage and look for a new poll on TheHorse.com.

About the Author

Jennifer Whittle, TheHorse.com Web Producer

Jennifer Whittle, TheHorse.com Web Producer, is a lifelong horse owner who competes with her Appaloosas in Western performance events. She is a University of Kentucky graduate and holds a bachelor’s degree in Community Communications and Leadership Development, and master’s degree in Career, Technical, and Leadership Education. She currently lives on a small farm in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

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Is Time the Best Treatment for Some Equine Sarcoids?

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Is Time the Best Treatment for Some Equine Sarcoids?

Researchers determined that 83% of the 35 sarcoid cases with information on whether they’d received treatment had resolved spontaneously.

Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse

Sarcoids are unsightly but benign skin tumors that present a real treatment challenge for owners and veterinarians. Despite years of research and a wide variety of treatments, few methods have proven successful in eliminating sarcoids. But what if we just leave them alone?

In a long-term study, Swiss researchers found that nearly half the small sarcoid tumors detected on their 3-year-old study horses regressed on their own over several years. Many others resolved with minimally invasive treatment methods.

“Our longitudinal study showed that it’s difficult to pronounce a prognosis on sarcoids,” said Fanny Berruex, DrMedVet., of the Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Agroscope, and the University of Bern Veterinary School. “However, the good news is that we found that 62% of the cases in our study had resolved within five years and, actually, most of those had resolved spontaneously, without any treatment at all.”

Berruex presented her work at the 2017 Swiss Equine Research Day, held earlier this year in Avenches.

Picking up on a previous sarcoid study in Franche-Montagne horses, the official breed of the Swiss National Stud, by Mirjam Mele in 2004, Berruex and colleagues followed up on the study horses five years later. They noted that 61 horses in the prior study had been diagnosed with sarcoids at the time; in the newer study, which included a questionnaire and a clinical exam, only 23 of the horses still had sarcoids after half a decade.

Of the 23 with sarcoids, six had received treatment (surgery or medicine). Two of those horses showed partial regression, while only four had a more advanced stage of sarcoid disease, with larger, more aggressively growing tumors, she said.

Among the 17 that were not treated, six had experienced a partial regression, eight were worse, and three stayed the same.

Meanwhile, 38 of the horses had become free of sarcoids, Berruex said. Six of those had been treated and 29 had not been treated. (For three horses, the researchers could not obtain information about whether they had been treated.) In their study, 83% of the 35 resolved cases (with known information) had resolved spontaneously.

“This contradicts the idea that spontaneous resolution of sarcoids is rare,” she said. “It actually may be more common then we thought, particularly when dealing with small sarcoids representing mild manifestations of disease in young horses.”

Depending upon the sarcoid's location, however, it might not be practical to leave it without treatment. Work with your veterinarian to determine the best treatment option for your horse's sarcoids.

About the Author

Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA

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BLM Beginning Second Year of Conger Horse Gather, Study

New Post has been published on http://lovehorses.net/blm-beginning-second-year-of-conger-horse-gather-study/

BLM Beginning Second Year of Conger Horse Gather, Study

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Fillmore Field Office is planning to begin the second year of research wild horse gathers in the Conger Herd Management Area (HMA), located west of Delta, Utah, on Nov. 28.

“This gather is in year two of a research study that is being conducted on wild horse behavior and ecology, said BLM West Desert District Wild Horse Specialist Trent Staheli. “It will examine the behavioral effects of gelding, population dynamics, fertility, reproductive rate, recruitment rate, age-specific survival and mortality, habitat selection, movements, and habitat range among other things.”

The researchers are working with the United States Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center and Colorado State University to study elements at both the individual and population levels within the Conger Herd Management Area.

The public is welcome to observe daily operations through BLM-escorted tours provided that animal, staff, and observer safety are not jeopardized and gather operations are not disrupted. Observers must provide their own transportation, water, and food. Public restrooms will not be available. The BLM recommends weather appropriate footwear and neutral-colored clothing. Binoculars and high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles are-strongly recommended.

Those interested in participating should meet at the Border Inn Gas Station at the junction of Hwy 6 and 50 on the Utah-Nevada state line, 88.6 miles west of Delta, Utah, where tours will depart at 6:30 a.m. MST. Daily adjustments to this schedule and specific details will be recorded daily on the BLM gather hotline at 801/539-4050.

Visitors and observers to the gather area should be aware that low-flying helicopters will be used as part of the operation. Use of flying unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) near the Conger Mountain ranges north of Highway 6 and 50 will be prohibited during the gather. Brief road closures might also be needed to allow for horse movement during gather operations.

All horses gathered will be shipped to the Delta Wild Horse Facility. The facility will remain closed Nov. 27 through Dec. 18 to allow the researchers to study the horses before they are returned to the range.

Gather updates and information will be posted at go.usa.gov/xnB4g. Updates are also available via Twitter by following @BLMUtah or searching #CongerGather.

An environmental assessment is available via the BLM’s planning documents website at goo.gl/pNIggw. More information on the population control research project is available from the BLM’s Fillmore Field Office at 435/743-3100.

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Horses Saved From Vermont Barn Blaze

New Post has been published on http://lovehorses.net/horses-saved-from-vermont-barn-blaze/

Horses Saved From Vermont Barn Blaze

More than 35 horses are safe after their barn in Vermont was destroyed by fire.

Lieutenant Steve Burke, of the Milton Fire Department, said crews responded to a call about a barn blaze in Milton on the morning of Nov. 25. Upon arrival, firefighters found the L-shaped structure fully involved in fire.

“There were 40 horses in their (stalls) at the time, and some of the stalls were on fire,” Burke said.

Even so, the property owner, neighbors, and fire crews were able to evacuate the animals from the burning building.

“All the horses were saved,” Burke said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation

About the Author

Pat Raia

Pat Raia is a veteran journalist who enjoys covering equine welfare, industry, and news. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her Tennessee Walking Horse, Sonny.

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Saddle Fit Conference to Take Place in December 2018

New Post has been published on http://lovehorses.net/saddle-fit-conference-to-take-place-in-december-2018/

Saddle Fit Conference to Take Place in December 2018

Building on the resounding success of the previous two international conferences in 2012 and 2014, the Saddle Research Trust (SRT) has confirmed the date for the next global gathering of leading researchers to discuss the complex relationship between horse, saddle, and rider.

The conference will be held Dec. 8, 2018, at Nottingham University’s De Vere Conference Centre, in the U.K., and is set to feature influential speakers from across the globe.

Entitled “Horse, Rider, Saddlery interactions: Welfare and Performance,” the program will focus on the latest research, from new techniques in equine pain recognition to rider posture and equine biomechanics, offering a unique insight to progress in key areas. Speakers that have already confirmed their attendance include world-renowned veterinarian, author, and researcher Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, Dipl. ACVSMR, MRCVS, and leading equine orthopedic expert Sue Dyson, MA, Vet MB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS.

The public conference, which is supported by World Horse Welfare and Wow Saddles, has a capacity for up to 550 delegates. For the first time, the conference will be followed by a gala awards dinner with a host of celebrity guests. Tickets for the evening dinner are available to purchase separately.

Early bird conference tickets are on sale now, with half-price savings available until Dec. 31, 2017. Tickets can be purchased securely via Eventbrite: eventbrite.co.uk/e/saddle-research-trust-international-conference-2018-tickets-37036147113.

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Poll Recap: Holiday Horse Care

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Poll Recap: Holiday Horse Care

Of the 783 respondents, 316 (40%) said they stay home during the holidays to care for their horses.

Photo: Photos.com

For many people, the holiday season is a busy time of year. From holiday shopping to family gatherings and celebrations, there’s always some place you have to be. But when you do have to travel during the holidays, who takes care of your horses?

We posed this question to our readers in last week’s online poll. More than 775 people responded, and we’ve tallied the results!

Of the 783 respondents, 316 (40%) said they stay home during the holidays to care for their horses. Another 178 individuals (23%) said they board their horses where someone else cares for them, and 152 respondents (19%) have friends or family members that provide horse care. Some 113 people (14%) hire a horse-sitter while they travel, and the remaining 24 respondents (3%) had other means of horse care during holiday travel.

Additionally, more than 40 people commented about their holiday horse care plans:

Many respondents said they do not travel during the holidays, so they stay home and care for their own horses:

“I stay home and enjoy the holidays with my ponies. It's safer than traveling.”

“I have animals, I never get to leave!”

“I take care of my own, plus I 'critter-sit' for a friend.”

“I stay home, but I do care for my neighbor's horses when she goes off.”

“I don't go anywhere, always care for my own horses.”

“I have horses so I never go anywhere. I care for them myself 365 days a year.”

“We don't take vacations, ever. Too many critters to care for.”

Several said they rely on friends, family members, and/or neighbors:

“The neighbor's kid is a Godsend. I pay him well.”

“Luckily most traveling isn't overnight, but friends and family will feed horses for us if necessary.”

“I keep my horse at my family's farm, so we take turns caring for all our horses.”

“If I leave, my husband stays and takes care of the horses.”

“If we go out of town I have had neighbor help and I return the favor for their horses when they travel.”

“My friend whose horse is at my place watches them while we travel.”

Some respondents mentioned that they have farm staff that care for their horses while they’re traveling:

“Farm employees continue care when I'm not on site.”

“We have two full-time employees.”

“I have a trustworthy staff and an awesome assistant manager whom I trust implicitly while I am away.”

“I have an employee who cares for my horses.”

A few said their horse is boarded or kept at another facility where someone provides care:

“Horses are boarded, but if I travel friends or a paid sitter provide meds and exercise.”

“Mine are at a facility. I still have a horse friend cover for me daily.”

“I take my riding horse to my trainer's barn and my retired horse to a friend's boarding barn.”

And others left general comments:

“We have horses; therefore, we don't travel.”

“I take them with me.”

“Who can afford to travel when they own horses?”

“It’s safer to stay home on holidays and less expensive.”

“I can only go away when blanketing season is over and my non-horsey parents come and stay on my farm.”

“I usually end up staying home and taking care of other peoples' horses.”

“I'm very picky about who takes care of my babies! If my friend can't, I don't leave!”

“I never leave my horses with anyone.”

“We take our horses on holiday with us. A friend cares for horses at home, and we have hired help when needed.”

“I usually hire vet techs from the local college”

You can find download a free horse care and contact form to leave with your horse sitter at TheHorse.com!

This week, we want to know: Does your horse have an annual eye exam from your veterinarian? TheHorse.com/polls!

The results of our weekly polls are published in The Horse Health E-Newsletter, which offers news on diseases, veterinary research, health events, and in-depth articles on common equine health conditions and what you can do to recognize, avoid, or treat them. Sign up for our e-newsletters on our homepage and look for a new poll on TheHorse.com.

About the Author

Jennifer Whittle, TheHorse.com Web Producer

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Heritable Heart Traits Can Help Endurance Horses Succeed

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Heritable Heart Traits Can Help Endurance Horses Succeed

An “athletic” heart is a heritable characteristic that’s favorable good endurance performance, researcher have confirmed.

Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse

When it comes to breeding good endurance horses, many traits aren’t heritable or have little to do with performance. But French researchers said one feature does matter: the heart.

“An ‘athletic’ heart is a heritable characteristic that’s favorable for performance in endurance,” said Céline Robert, PhD, DVM, professor and researcher at the National Veterinary School of Maisons-Alfort and researcher at the French National Agricultural Research Institute in Jouy-en-Josas, France.

Unlike Thoroughbred racehorses, Arabian and Arabian-cross endurance horses start training at around age 4 or 5 and reach high-level (160-kilometer) races starting at about 8 years old. “If you have to invest eight years of training and maintenance into a horse before you know if you’ve got a champion, you want to be sure you’re starting off with the right horse,” Robert said.

But success doesn’t always pass down through the genes. That’s why Roberts and her fellow researchers set out to determine what genetic factors affect performance and how heritable they are.

They found that most measurable traits—whether related to morphology, gaits, or cardiology—have little to do with success on endurance rides. And that’s consistent with her 2014 findings, which were limited to morphology alone.

“Few traits are related to performance, and few of those have strong heritability,” she said.

However, several heart parameters did appear to affect performance and were also more or less heritable. The most significant were related to the size of the left ventricle and the volume of blood ejection.

“The larger a horse’s heart is, the more blood it can contain, the more powerfully it can contract, and the better the horse performs,” Robert said during her presentation at the 2017 French Equine Research Day, held earlier this year in Paris.

In their ongoing GenEndurance project, the scientists measured 79 traits in several hundred competing endurance horses. Those included five “direct” measurements (height, weight, body length, girth, and skin thickness), 43 morphological measurements (angles, bone lengths, etc.), 20 gait measurements, and 11 cardiac readings. Their analyses aimed to determine how those traits related to performance (distance, times, and rankings in races) and how heritable they were.

Heritability is a trait’s likelihood of being passed down to offspring. It’s rated between 0 and 1. Anything over 0.4 is considered high heritability; below 0.2 is low; and between 0.2 and 0.4 is moderate.

Of the 79 traits, 18 appeared to be at least weakly correlated with performance, of which seven had a strong correlation, Robert said. Weak correlations included wither height—which is actually strongly heritable at 0.72—and barrel depth. The latter is probably related to better respiration, she added.

Stronger correlations included total body surface area, which would contribute to better cooling. This is particularly useful in endurance, she said, “a sport where a major challenge is eliminating the heat produced by muscular effort.”

But generally, morphology and gait characteristics were weakly or not at all correlated with performance. Stride speed at a walk did appear to have some relationship with performance, however, and is a moderately heritable trait.

Half of the cardiac measurements seemed related to performance. And they’re also fairly heritable. Left ventricular internal area in diastole (0.42), aortic diameter (0.36), left ventricular internal diameter (0.29), and stroke volume (0.34) all showed strong or very close to strong heritability levels. Veterinarians can measure these parameters in live horses if owners would like to evaluate their own horses.

“These cardiac capacities improve with training, but they also seem to have genetic origins, as the heritability of these measurements appears elevated,” Robert said. “This reinforces what has already been determined in previous studies showing that cardiac recovery time is an important and heritable performance criterion.”

About the Author

Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA

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NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance Reaccredits Del Mar

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NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance Reaccredits Del Mar

Mopotism walks through the paddock before working out to exercise in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Oct. 27, 2017, in Del Mar, California.

Photo: Alex Evers/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders Cup/Getty Images

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced Oct. 30 that the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, host site for Friday and Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships, has earned reaccreditation from the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance.

Del Mar’s 2017 Bing Crosby Meet opens Nov. 1 and continues through Nov. 26. It is highlighted by the 34th Breeders’ Cup World Championships, a two-day global event consisting of 13 Grade 1 Thoroughbred races with purses and awards totaling more than $28 million.

Del Mar’s reaccreditation was the culmination of a process that began with the track’s completion of an extensive written application and continued as the track hosted several meetings with Alliance officials. An on-site review included inspections of all facets of the racing operations. Interviews were conducted with track executives, racetrack personnel, jockeys, owners, trainers, veterinarians, stewards, and regulators.

The inspection team included racetrack operations consultant Jim Gates, the former general manager of Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Kentucky; veterinary and regulatory consultant Ron Jensen, DVM, the former equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board; security and integrity consultant Mike Kilpack, past-chairman of the Organization of Racetrack Investigators; Steve Koch, NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance executive director; and veterinary and regulatory consultant Greg Taylor, DVM, official veterinarian at Woodbine, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Alliance certification standards address a list of safety and integrity concerns within six broad areas: injury reporting and prevention; creating a safer racing environment; uniform medication and testing; jockey health and welfare; aftercare and transition of retired racehorses; and wagering security.

“Safety is the most important thing we do at Del Mar,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club President and CEO Joe Harper. “Making sure our horses and riders are in a safe and secure environment to compete is paramount to us—and a priority for all in this business. We’re proud and delighted to be recognized again by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance for our hard work and extensive efforts in that regard.”

Del Mar is one of 23 racing facilities fully accredited by the Alliance that together host 90% of graded stakes and generate 75% of North American pari-mutuel handle. The others are Aqueduct Racetrack, Arlington Park, Belmont Park, Canterbury Park, Churchill Downs, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack, Golden Gate Fields, Gulfstream Park, Indiana Grand, Kentucky Downs, Keeneland, Laurel Park, Los Alamitos Race Course, Monmouth Park, Pimlico Race Course, Santa Anita Park, Saratoga Race Course, Suffolk Downs, Sunland Park, Turfway Park, and Woodbine.

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Wisconsin, Ontario Horses Test Positive for EEE, WNV

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Wisconsin, Ontario Horses Test Positive for EEE, WNV

Both EEE and WNV are transmitted to horses via bites from infected mosquitoes.

Photo: iStock

The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) has reported that horses in Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada, have tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV).

Wisconsin—On Oct. 30 the EDCC reported that the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) confirmed that an unvaccinated 17-year-old Appaloosa-cross mare from Marathon County had tested positive for EEE. She became recumbent (unable to rise) on Oct. 20.

“The attending veterinarian saw the mare on Oct. 20,” the EDCC statement said. “He reported that she had been high-stepping and star-gazing prior to recumbency. In recumbency, he reported that she was twitching and acting delirious. The veterinarian sampled and treated her with anti-inflammatories and steroids; he said she got up and was showing neurologic signs, but is recovering.”

The EDCC said this is Wisconsin’s 24th case of EEE reported this year.

Also on Oct. 30, the EDCC said the WDATCP also confirmed WNV in an unvaccinated 7-year-old Quarter Horse mare from Clark County.

Health Alert: EEE, WEE, VEE

“She showed minor neurologic signs on Oct. 21 (lip droop, slight incoordination),” the EDCC said. “She went down on Oct. 22 but got back up. On Oct. 23 she went down again and a local veterinarian was called. He sampled and treated her, but she died a couple of days later.”

The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratory, Ames, Iowa, performed the laboratory diagnostic tests. This is Wisconsin’s 22nd equine WNV case of 2017, the EDCC said.

Ontario—Meanwhile, in Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) confirmed a case of EEE in a 19-year-old mixed-breed mare unvaccinated against EEE the week of Oct. 23, the EDCC reported Oct. 31.

The mare, which was 11 months pregnant, resided in the District of Muskoka.

“Neurological signs began as muscle tremors and hind end weakness and progressed rapidly to recumbency,” the EDCC said. “The mare was euthanized.”

This is Ontario’s second confirmed EEE case in a horse for 2017.

Further, the EDCC reported Oct. 31 that, since Oct. 19, three equine WNV cases have been reported to the OMAFRA. The affected horses are from Frontenac County, Oxford County, and the Regional Municipality of Halton.

Health Alert: West Nile Virus

“The horses included a gelding, a filly, and a mare with ages ranging from 2 to 11 years,” the EDCC said. “Clinical signs ranged from hind end weakness, muscle fasciculations, and hyperesthesia to ataxia. All three are recovering under veterinary supervision. One horse was unvaccinated, one had not been vaccinated for three years, and one 4-year-old had been vaccinated yearly since it was two. The total number of cases reported in Ontario in 2017 is 21.”

A viral disease, EEE affects the central nervous system and is transmitted to horses by infected mosquitoes. Clinical signs of EEE include moderate to high fever, depression, lack of appetite, cranial nerve deficits (facial paralysis, tongue weakness, difficulty swallowing), behavioral changes (aggression, self-mutilation, or drowsiness), gait abnormalities, or severe central nervous system signs, such as head-pressing, circling, blindness, and seizures. The course of EEE can be swift, with death occurring two to three days after onset of clinical signs despite intensive care; fatality rates reach 75-80% among horses. Horses that survive might have long-lasting impairments and neurologic problems.

Clinical signs for WNV, also transmitted by bites from infected mosquitoes, include flulike signs, where the horse seems mildly anorexic and depressed; fine and coarse muscle and skin fasciculation; hyperesthesia; changes in mentation (mentality), when horses look like they are daydreaming or "just not with it"; occasional somnolence (drowsiness); propulsive walking (driving or pushing forward, often without control); and "spinal" signs, including asymmetrical weakness. Some horses show asymmetrical or symmetrical ataxia. Equine mortality rate can be as high as 30-40%.

Horse owners should also consult their private practicing veterinarian to determine an appropriate disease prevention plan for their horses. Vaccines have proven to be a very effective prevention tool against EEE and WNV. Horses that have been vaccinated in past years will need an annual booster shot; in areas with a prolonged mosquito season, veterinarians might recommend two boosters annually—one in the spring and another in the fall. However, if an owner did not vaccinate their animal in previous years, the horse will need the two-shot vaccination series within a three- to six-week period.

In addition to vaccinations, horse owners also need to reduce the mosquito populations and their possible breeding areas. Recommendations include removing stagnant water sources, keeping animals inside during the bugs’ feeding times, which are typically early in the morning and evening, and applying mosquito repellents approved for equine use.

About the Author

Erica Larson, News Editor

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Will Blanketing Compromise My Horse's Coat?

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Will Blanketing Compromise My Horse's Coat?

Blankets “flatten” the coat, causing it to lose insulating ability. So, once you start blanketing, expect to be on blanket duty all season

Photo: iStock

Q. I'm going to be adopting an off-the-track Thoroughbred soon. I live in middle Tennessee about 20 miles from the Tennessee/Kentucky border. I understand that blanketing in the winter has been addressed on the website, but my question is a little more specific: I was only planning on blanketing when the temperature drops under 20 degrees Fahrenheit and in extreme weather. Will this compromise my horse's winter coat enough that I would need to blanket more, or will the insulating capacity of its winter coat be okay?

Kellie Mariah, via e-mail

A. When horses wear blankets and sheets all the time, it can tend to “flatten” the coat, causing it to lose insulating ability. That doesn’t mean that blanketing this year also means blanketing next year, but once you start blanketing, expect to be on blanket duty all season long.

Blanketing only for a few days when a cold snap hits will not be a huge problem, but if the cold persists over a week it is probably a better idea to keep a blanket on—especially a waterproof blanket—since the insulating properties of the horse's coat have been diminished.

About the Author

Carey A. Williams, PhD

Carey A. Williams, PhD, is an Associate Extension Specialist and Associate Professor at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

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Is Your Horse Safe From Equine Infectious Anemia?

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Is Your Horse Safe From Equine Infectious Anemia?

All horses travelling across state lines must be tested for EIA and have a negative result within 12 months of transport.

Photo: Erica Larson, News Editor

Domestic horses depend on their owners to keep them healthy and safe from infectious disease. One disease owners should keep on their radars is equine infectious anemia (EIA), which can destroy red blood cells and cause weakness, anemia, and death.

“EIA is an infectious viral disease,” said Michelle Coleman, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, assistant professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, in College Station. “The most common mode of transmission of EIA is by the transfer of virus-infected blood-feeding insects, such as horse flies. It can also be transmitted through the use of blood-contaminated syringes, surgical equipment, or the transfusion of infected blood or blood products. Although uncommon, transmission can also occur through the placenta in infected mares.”

There is no treatment or safe and effective vaccine, available for this disease, so horses that positive for EIA must be isolated from other horses or euthanized. Some horses infected with EIA also do not show any signs of illness or disease, so it is important to constantly maintain good hygiene and disinfection principles, such as controlling insects in the horse’s environment.

All horses travelling across state lines must be tested for EIA and have a negative result within 12 months of transport. Furthermore, all horses sold, traded, donated, or entering a sale or auction must test negative for the disease. Fortunately, regulatory control of EIA has made this disease relatively uncommon in the United States.

Despite the disease becoming less common, Coleman reminded horse owners to be aware of EIA and routinely test all horses. With proper hygiene and effective health routines, horses across the nation can be kept safe from EIA.

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N.C. Horse Owners Urged to Vaccinate After EEE Cases

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N.C. Horse Owners Urged to Vaccinate After EEE Cases

Vaccines have proven to be a very effective prevention tool against EEE.

Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently confirmed the fifth and sixth equine cases of Eastern equine encephalitis in that state for 2017.

The cases were discovered in a 6-year-old pony mare in Bladen County and a 5-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding in Camden County. Neither horse had a vaccination history.

“EEE is a mosquito-borne disease that causes inflammation or swelling of the brain and spinal cord in equine and is usually fatal,” North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a Nov. 1 statement. “The disease is preventable by vaccination. If you haven’t already had your horses, mules and donkeys vaccinated, contact your veterinarian to make sure your animals are protected.”

There were nine recorded cases of EEE in horses in North Carolina in 2016.

“As long as mosquitoes are active, the threat remains,” said State Veterinarian Doug Meckes, DVM.

Health Alert: EEE, WEE, VEE

Horse owners should also consult their private practicing veterinarian to determine an appropriate disease prevention plan for their horses. Vaccines have proven to be a very effective prevention tool against EEE. Horses that have been vaccinated in past years will need an annual booster shot; in areas with a prolonged mosquito season, veterinarians might recommend two boosters annually—one in the spring and another in the fall. However, if an owner did not vaccinate their animal in previous years, the horse will need the two-shot vaccination series within a three- to six-week period.

“If your horses or other equine animals exhibit any symptoms of EEE, contact your veterinarian immediately,” Meckes said.

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Pasture Management 101: Drought, Excess Rain, and Erosion

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Pasture Management 101: Drought, Excess Rain, and Erosion

During times of drought, manage horses to reduce grazing time or provided additional forage to reduce grazing pressure.

Photo: Photos.com

Since pasture development and renovation can be expensive endeavors, owners can and should take steps to ensure that fields continue to thrive. Environmental factors, in particular, can impact pasture quality.

For example, during times of drought, grasses might become dormant or die altogether, allowing weeds (sometimes toxic) to take their place. Overgrazing can make this even worse.

“Owners should be cautious if horses are hungry as they may increase consumption of weeds or toxic plants and thus alternative safe forage sources should be provided in those instances,” said Jennie Ivey, MS, PhD, assistant professor and extension equine specialist at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.

During times of drought, manage horses to reduce grazing time or provided additional forage to reduce grazing pressure.

On the other hand, if periods of excessive rainfall make pastures wet and muddy, horses avoid turning horses out on pasture to avoid tearing up the existing grass stand. Also, poor pasture management can also result in free-standing water where there is no plant life to absorb water from the soil. The standing water can provide a breeding ground for biting insects, which can transmit various potentially deadly diseases to horses.

Both Ivey and Dewitt Simerly, a district conservationist with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources and Conservation Service, recommend implementing a rotational grazing system and managing manure in pastures, as horses will not eat where they defecate.

Other horse behaviors can also make the pasture management challenging. Horses will, for example, often spot-graze. This makes it difficult to keep an established stand in certain areas and to keep other areas from becoming overgrown.

If pastures are not correctly managed, they become at risk for soil erosion loss. Soil erosion can cause poor pasture quality due to a lack of nutrients present in the top soil, due to increased run off. Most often, soil erosion is seen in high traffic areas such as along fence lines and near feeding and watering areas but it can also be seen throughout the pasture in areas of spot grazing where little to no pasture grasses are present.

Using rotational grazing, managing manure, and minimizing high-traffic areas will protect your pasture overgrazing and prevent weeds growth and soil erosion.

About the Author

Hope Ellis-Ashburn, MS

Hope Ellis-Ashburn, MS, lives with her husband and daughter near Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the family raises Black Angus cattle and hay on her husband’s family’s farm, which has been in operation for over a century. She is a former Extension agent, a current high school teacher, and has owned horses for more than 30 years. She currently owns a half-Arabian mare named Sally. She began writing freelance articles three years ago, authored The Story of Kimbrook Arabians, and posts a range of horse-related content weekly on her blog, Red Horse on a Red Hill.

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