5
SIGNS IT’S TIME FOR A
DENTAL EXAM
TIPS FOR FEEDING YOUR HORSE SEASONALLY
THE ULTIMATE AT-HOME GUIDE
TO EQUINE ASSISTED THERAPY
Display until March 23, 2020 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1
$5.95 USA/Canada
Jan/Feb/Mar 2020
ADVICE ON IMPROVING
COVER
HOOF QUALITY
INTRO TO
DRIVING HOW TO IMPROVE HER
mental health — NATURALLY EquineWellnessMagazine.com
CONTENTS
Departments
January/February/March 2020
6 Editorial 8 Neighborhood news 19 Saddle fit 25 Product picks 34 Herb blurb 35 Heads up 45 Business Profile — Kemin 52 Acupressure at-a-glance 53 From the NASC 60 To the rescue 61 Equine Wellness resource guide
62 Rider fitness 63 Events 64 Marketplace 65 Classifieds 66 Newsworthy
Features 10
10
W hat horses can teach us
about mindfulness
A practical guide to the benefits of greater self-awareness and mindfulness in the barn and beyond.
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H EALTH WATCH When should I have my horse’s teeth checked? Some easy-to-recognize signs that it’s time to schedule a dental appointment for your equine companion.
Saving America’s wild burros
An inside look at the current circumstances surrounding wild burros in the US, and how organizations are working to manage the overpopulation of these animals.
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Columns
Equine Wellness
20
S EASONAL 5 myths about winter horse care
These winter horse care myths are more common than you might think! Here’s what caretakers really need to know to keep their equine companions healthy and comfortable this season.
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H EALTHY HOOVES 3 straightforward ways to improve hoof quality
How diet, environment and podiatry play a role in healing the troubled hoof.
26
E ATING WELL Feeding your horse for hormonal balance What and how you feed your horse can either increase or decrease his stress levels, and affect how his body functions.
30
M IND, BODY, SPIRIT A homeopathic approach to mental health issues in horses
Just like humans, horses can suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD and other mental health problems. In many cases, homeopathic remedies offer a natural way to help them cope and heal.
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36
N ON-TOXIC LIVING Ammonia in your barn — what you need to know
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Ammonia is the second leading cause of severe respiratory disease in horses. Here’s how to prevent it from affecting your own equine companions — and you.
38
N ATURAL SUPPLEMENTS Top sources of Omega-3 fatty acids for horses A look at the role of Omega-3s in the equine diet, and how to determine the best source for your horse.
S ELF-CARE How acupressure can improve rider comfort Over time, riders experience aches and pains that result from performing repetitive movements on horseback. Acupressure can help restore rider comfort and improve performance.
56
N ATURAL HORSEMANSHIP Driving horses — an introduction A step-by-step guide to training a driving horse.
42
L IFESTYLE 10 ways horse caregivers can avoid burnout
Some tips and tricks to help horse enthusiasts avoid the reality of caregiver burnout.
46
A LTERNATIVE APPROACHES PEMF therapy for your horse’s health and performance
42
Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is used by horse caretakers, trainers and groomers to enhance health and performance in equines.
Social Media Tips, contests and more! /EquineWellnessMagazine News, events, and tips! @ EquineWellness Tips, pet photos, and more! EquineWellness
Equine Wellness
5
HEALTH WATCH
When should I have
my horse’s teeth checked?
By Erin Zamzow, DVM
SOME EASY-TO-RECOGNIZE SIGNS THAT IT’S TIME TO SCHEDULE A DENTAL APPOINTMENT FOR YOUR EQUINE COMPANION.
Ever wonder how often you should get your horse’s teeth checked? This question very much depends on the horse and what will be expected of her by the humans in her life. The general timetable I recommend is: • One conformation exam between six months and one year of age • A checkup between 1.5 and 2.5 years to check for wolf teeth and do a “baby float” and equilibration as needed 14
Equine Wellness
• Examination and floats every six months between two and five years of age. After five, a horse should have a dental checkup if it’s been a year since she’s had dental work done, or if it’s been less than a year but she’s exhibiting signs of discomfort or dysfunction when she chews or has a bit in her mouth. Horses in their 20s and 30s may need checkups more often if they have uneven wear or periodontal disease.
DENTAL CHANGES THROUGH A HORSE’S LIFESPAN Because a horse’s teeth change so quickly in the first five years of his life, it’s best to start early with dental examinations and make a plan based on his individual needs. Any time between six months and a year of age is a great time to have a basic dental conformation exam done by your equine dental-savvy veterinarian. Checkups and touch-up work should then be scheduled every six months until the horse turns five, if possible. A pronounced over-jet or under-jet (also referred to as “parrot mouth” or “sow mouth”) to either the incisors or molar arcades should be addressed early on in the growing horse to prevent uneven wear patterns from getting worse as he ages. In the first 2.5 years of life, all the teeth in a horse’s mouth are deciduous or “baby” teeth that will be shed and replaced with adult teeth. Typically, this process continues until the horse turns 4.5; she will lose 24 teeth in those two years. The three back teeth in the molar arcades (the true molars) erupt as adult teeth at one, two and three years of age, respectively. These erupting teeth can come in at odd angles since the baby teeth may not come off evenly, and create pain and/or unsymmetrical tooth occlusion. Erupting canine teeth in male horses (between four and six years of age) are another source of discomfort as the sharp tip of the tooth pushes on the gums for weeks before it erupts. Watch for these bumps between the incisors and molar arcades and be gentle putting the bit in and out to lessen his discomfort during this process. (Note: a touch of clove oil or anbesol liquid on the gums can help ease the pain of erupting canine teeth.) The canines are not to be confused with the “wolf teeth”, which are the first premolars (see sidebar on page 16). The canines are unique in that they do not continue to erupt through the horse’s
Wolf
Canine
Equine Wellness
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