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April 9, 2014

Now that the season has finally changed and warmer days are close at hand, let's start gearing up for what the spring and summer has to offer- more time to horse around!  This issue will give you great information about things to keep in mind so your horses stay healthy and happy this spring!  We are also beginning our series exploring specific areas key to your horses athleticism. 
Grazing the Day Away!

 

After months of barren ground or snow covered fields, we are slowly starting to see the gorgeous signs of spring in New England once again.  The horses are shedding and eagerly awaiting any chance they have to nibble some delicious green grass. Below we provide very helpful guidelines for the slow controlled introduction to keep our horses safe and healthy.  

Horses that always live outside have the benefit of mother nature's slow introduction to grass as it grows through the first weeks of spring. Horses living in stalls with only partial day turnout have to be more strictly controlled in their introduction to pasture to prevent the serious trouble that can occur with too much fresh grass too quickly. We've all read the stories of horses escaping and gorging themselves on grass all night only to suffer laminitis and colic in the days to come. So what can you do to protect your horse from the potential hazards of too much grass too quickly?

 

Here are guidelines to assist  you in coming up with a pasture introduction plan:

 

Horses on 2-12 hours a day of pasture:

If you have limited pasture but still want your horse to reap the benefits of daily turnout you probably fall into this category.  Most horses in a boarding situation with access to grass will be in this group.  Take care to closely follow a pre-determined time scale of introduction for these horses.  Begin with 20 min of grazing a day, adding 20 min every 2-4 days until the horses is up to his regular daily turnout time. You can also use a grazing muzzle (see below) if you need to introduce pasture more rapidly. With a grazing muzzle you can add 20 min per day of turnout until on full turnout. Once on full turn out keep muzzle on for about a week then alternate every other day for a week then it should be safe to remove the grazing muzzle.

 

Horses living out 24/7,  a field big enough for constant grazing  all season: 

These horses normally do fine by themselves.  Nature gives its own slow introduction to new grass and horses graze as the grass grows and adapt on a day- to- day basis.  These situations are far more common in geographical areas like in the western US where grazing lands are plentiful. If your grass begins to come up very quickly you may want to use a grazing muzzle for a week or two to slow your horse's grass consumption during this period of rapid grass growth.

The most important thing to remember is that grass is a great source of calories for your horse. For the hard keeper thoroughbred-type, this is a great way to bulk them up after a long winter. For the rest of us with hearty warmbloods or chubby ponies we have to watch these horses very carefully. In addition to the introduction guidelines above, we recommend the easy keepers or over conditioned horses use a grazing muzzle to slow their intake of grass and thus calories.  While you may think this is cruel you are really doing your horse a huge favor. They can still eat grass normally it simply reduces the amount of grass they eat in a given time.

 


Grazing and grass introduction is especially important for horses with a history of laminitis, Equine Metabolic Syndrome, Cushing's disease, or the "Easy Keeper".  If your horse has any of these issues please make sure you discuss a plan with Dr. Nostrant or Dr. Harrison before introducing pasture this spring.  Refer to the  SIDE BAR  for common symptoms that point to possible metabolic issues.

 

If you have any questions about your horse and grazing contact us today or feel free to ask us the next time we are out to see you!

 

Our Horses are Athletes Too 

 
Erin Renfroe and Decordova galloping to their 3rd place finish of Advanced at Pine Top Horse Trials 2014

Football players have them, baseball players can't    perform   without

them, and every Olympic athlete travels with at least one, if not a whole team of them. Who are these indispensable people? Sport Medicine physicians, the doctors who specialize in treating elite athletes. They closely monitor the athlete's     performance

and addresses concerns that may be limiting performance. North Bridge Equine Associates employs two doctors that focus on this same area of medicine- just for horses, not humans! In addition to keeping horses in overall good health, Dr. Nostrant and Dr. Harrison have excellent skills and training in specific areas of Equine Sports Medicine to keep you equine athlete performing their best. The biggest difference between those human doctors and our veterinarians is that we have to figure out where our patients are sore without the help of the patient "speaking" to them.

 

Dr. Nostrant and Dr. Harrison both have extensive training and experience in evaluating and treating the equine athlete. Our doctors focus on evaluating the whole athlete and customizing a plan to keep your equine athlete at peak performance and pain free. The core of this plan is the performance exam. This is the crucial, non-verbal discussion between veterinarian and horse to determine the source of pain or soreness and where help is most needed. There are many things that the owner can verbally explain that is critical to helping discover the source of the performance problem. The rider knows their horse best and what you feel when you ride can provide crucial information.

 

Before the veterinarian watches the horse move, he or she will perform a thorough palpation of the horse. Very subtle clues are derived from the initial palpation. The horse's subtle reaction, or lack of reaction can give clues as the source of the horse's pain. Using this information, the horse can be evaluated in hand, on the lunge, or ridden. The horse's movement will be carefully evaluated for symmetry, fluidity and balance. Flexion tests are helpful to localize the source of discomfort and can be performed either in hand or under saddle. At times, the problem can be so subtle, a horse may be asked to do the particular movement that the rider feels has become different. Other times the issue is obvious and the in-hand evaluation is sufficient to localize the source of pain. Based on the findings of the palpation and the moving exam the veterinarian may either propose a customized treatment plan or if the horse is lame the veterinarian proceed to blocks or diagnostic anesthesia in order to specifically isolate the injured or painful structure. Often in subtle performance problems blocking may not be possible as there is not an obvious lameness that can be resolved with blocking. 

 

The following series will concentrate on the most common structures that are treated in a typical equine

athlete. Next month our article will highlight the hock, made up of 6 bones and 4 joints, this complex structure is a source of tremendous power as well as a common source of pain for most equine competitors. Spring is an excellent time to have your horse evaluated and potentially treated to minimize downtime during the height of show season.

 If you have concerns about your horse's performance or if you want a baseline so deficits in your horse's performance can be more easily seen by in the future, contact us today.  

 

We are offering a 20% discount on performance exams scheduled in April and May. Make your appointment in these months and tell us you read this article to receive your discount! Cheers to happy, healthy, sound equine partners in 2014!

 
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Do you suspect your horse might have a metabolic disorder?
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If your horse has any of the symptoms listed below please discuss these signs with Dr. Nostrant or Dr. Harrison when we see you for spring shots. Testing for metabolic diseases has become more precise and easier to do so don't hesitate. 

 
Signs of potential Metabolic Syndromes:

- "Easy keeper", Over-            conditioned, or just              overweight

- Cresty neck

- Fat pads on either side of   the tail head and upper rib   area

-Difficulty shedding a  winter  coat/ never sheds  out long  guard hairs

-Past incidence of laminitis

 
If you can dream it, you can do it!
Congratulations to Maggie Stefanowicz of Millis, MA and her pony Sugar and Spice, aka Sofi on qualifying for Pony Finals in Kentucky this year! Best of luck to this talented pair!
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North Bridge Equine Associates 
Ph: 978-337-1260| email:  [email protected] |address: 1487 Monument St
Concord, MA 01742


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