CONTENTS May/June/July 2021
Departments
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6 Editorial 10 Rider
awareness
11 From the NASC 27 Product picks 37 Seasonal musthaves
41 Product profile — Cavallo
44 Acupressure at-a-glance
45 Classifieds 45 Marketplace
Features 32
A chieve success in the show ring with Animal Communication Animal Communication helped address the cause of this horse’s anxiety and helped him and his rider thrive.
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Columns
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There are several herbs that can be utilized as a natural way to boost your horse’s immunity, and many of them also offer additional health benefits!
EATING WELL Nutrigenomics: the future of feeding horses Did you know that what your horse eats effects his genes? With a better understanding of nutrigenomics, we can be better equipped to meet the nutritional needs of our equine companions.
C aring for your
horse on the road Learn how the stress of travel affects your horse physically and mentally and what to do to keep him comfortable.
OLISTIC HEALTH H Herbs for equine immunity
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H EALTHY HOOVES Preventing heel bulb injuries in horses What are heel bulb injuries and how can you protect your horse from this common issue?
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NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP
Teaching your horse to side pass
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There are many benefits to teaching your horse how to side pass effectively. This guide will help you master the move!
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IET AND NUTRITION D A speciesappropriate approach to equine gut disease
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IFESTYLE L What to pack for a horse show
ON-TOXIC LIVING N Natural bug control for horses Want to ditch the bugs and the chemicals this season? Give these natural bug control options a try!
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N EED TO KNOW EOTRH: the equine dental syndrome you’ve probably never heard of EOTRH is a relatively new disease that impacts the teeth of horses. Here’s what we know so far.
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LEARNING CURVE
Tips for when your horse comes home from the trainer
Getting your horse show ready doesn’t have to involve harsh shampoos and shine sprays. Check out these professional grooming tips for getting the perfect look, naturally.
This comprehensive checklist will help ensure you don’t forget anything important when you’re packing for your next horse show.
Making sure your horse has a more species-appropriate lifestyle can decrease her risk of developing equine gut disease.
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R EWIND Natural grooming tips for a show ready horse
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B ARN AND FARM How to improve ventilation in your arena Better ventilation in your arena means better health for you and your horses. Here are some popular ventilation solutions to consider.
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AFETY FIRST S Reassessing your barn and paddock for equine health Are your barn and paddock set up to promote the health and safety of your horses? Performing a semi-annual assessment of these space can help ensure this is the case.
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E MOTIONAL WELL-BEING Adding a donkey to your equine herd As long as their unique needs are met, donkeys and horses can coexist peacefully — and even help each other thrive!
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EWSWORTHY N The Virtual Tevis Cup Riders and non-riders from across the globe united in 2020 to participate in the firstever Virtual Tevis Cup endurance event.
Sending your horse to a trainer is a great way to break him safely and effectively, or teach him some advanced skills. Here’s what to expect upon his return!
Social Media Tips, contests and more! /EquineWellnessMagazine News, events, and tips! @ EquineWellness Tips, horse photos, and more! EquineWellness
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HOLISTIC HEALTH
Herbs for equine immunity Several herbs can be utilized as a natural way to boost your horse’s immunity, and many also offer additional health benefits! By Jessica Putnam, BVMedSci(Hons), BVM BVS(Hons), MRCVS
Herbal remedies have been around for many thousands of years and continue to be used widely in both human and animal medicine. The use of herbal extracts from plant sources (leaves, roots or flowers) is deemed an “alternative” medicine; however, when used carefully, they may be a useful adjunct to other pharmacological (drug) therapy. Care must be taken to avoid reactions between some herbs and common drugs used for our equine patients. It is important to note that reliable scientific research into the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicines/ supplements is limited, especially in equine species. Evidence to support the use of herbs is often anecdotal, or based on single studies, and therefore any conclusions about their use should be interpreted with caution. Here is an overview of some herbs with evidence to support their use for optimising equine immunity; however, the herbs listed may also have other wider health benefits. Antioxidants, 8
Equine Wellness
for instance, reduce stress on immune cells — herbs with antioxidant effects include ginseng, ginger, garlic, flaxseed, echinacea, evening primrose, lavender, rose hip, aloe vera, cranberry, yucca and milk thistle.
GINSENG
In addition to the antioxidant properties outlined above, ginseng can also stimulate lymphocyte function. Lymphocytes are white blood cells which produce antibodies to fight infection by attacking invading bacteria, viruses and toxins. Lymphocytes can also destroy unhealthy or abnormal cells which, for example, have been taken over by a virus or become cancerous. It should be noted that there are limited equine-specific studies published on the benefits of ginseng, and research is largely taken from human and laboratory animal studies. One equine study, however, demonstrated an increased antibody response to vaccination when ginseng was fed at 35mg per kg bodyweight
for two weeks prior to and two weeks after equine herpesvirus-1 vaccination. Care should be taken using ginseng in horses that are already receiving non-steroidal anti-inflammatories e.g. phenylbutazone (“bute”) as they can react with each other.
GINGER
Ginger contains substances that regulate energy balance within cells, and therefore promote normal cell functioning — in particular, immune cells involved in identifying and destroying cancerous cells. Ginger also has antioxidant effects. Ginger should be used cautiously in horses or ponies who are prone to gastric ulcers due to the potentially caustic effect of ginger on the gastrointestinal tract.
GARLIC
Garlic contains the components allicin and ajoene which have been shown to have anti-bacterial, anti-viral, antifungal and antiparasitic properties — hence garlic’s role in supporting the
immune system. It also has antioxidants and other immunomodulating effects. Despite its health benefits, garlic should not be fed ad libitum nor to excess in equine species, as it may cause adverse effects on their red blood cells resulting in anemia.
ROSE HIP
Rose hip powder fed at 210 grams daily can increase the level of serum vitamin C, which is a known antioxidant and can therefore indirectly support immune system function.
FLAXSEED
Although flaxseed is known to have antioxidant benefits, its use in horses receiving anti-ulcer supplementation or anti-ulcer medication should be avoided, as these horses may be at an increased risk of flaxseed-induced cyanide poisoning. This is due to the stomach’s reduced ability to inactivate potentially toxic cyanide enzymes which may be present in the seeds.
ECHINACEA
This herb has been shown to effectively stimulate the equine immune system in a number of different ways. Echinacea stimulates cell-signalling molecules which allow for a co-ordinated immune response. This includes stimulating the signalling pathways which allow white blood cells to leave the bloodstream and enter any affected tissues. Echinacea improves the ability of these neutrophils to consume and destroy foreign particles, therefore improving a horse’s defence against opportunistic pathogens. Echinacea also improves lymphocyte function. Echinacea should be fed at a dose of 1000mg per day for at least five to six weeks and is most useful if fed in the early stages of illness or infection.
ALOE VERA
A WORD OF WARNING FOR COMPETITORS Herbal medicines are tested to assured medicine standards to ensure their quality, whereas herbs sold as herbal supplements do not have to undergo the same testing and therefore their quality may vary. Care must be taken when feeding herbal extracts to horses who are competing under competition rules, such as Fédération Equestre Internationale, as detection time and withdrawal periods for many herbal supplements or herbal medications is unknown.
Aloe vera is another herb with antioxidant properties, but it must not be fed to pregnant mares as it may stimulate contraction of the uterus and increase the risk of losing a foal.
CRANBERRY
Cranberry is rich in vitamin C, and therefore another useful antioxidant.
YUCCA
Yucca has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, and as well as antioxidant benefits, has the potential to increase antibody levels as it contains high levels of a component called saponins.
MILK THISTLE
Milk thistle is most commonly known in the equine world for its antiinflammatory benefits for horses with liver disease; however, its antioxidant properties will also help to support a healthy immune system.
EVENING PRIMROSE
The essential oil of primrose contains essential fatty acids which are converted into hormones by cell enzymes. These hormones have important roles across many body systems, including maintaining immune system function. Primrose oil also contains several potent antioxidants.
LAVENDER
Lavender may have some antibacterial effect when used topically, e.g. on the skin. It is also believed to have some antioxidant properties. Studies into the effect of lavender in horses are limited.
Jessica Putnam rode her first pony at the age of three. Her continuing love for horses sparked her interest in becoming a vet. She graduated from the Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. Jess has worked in equine veterinary practices in Lancashire and North Yorkshire ever since, including an internship at Rainbow Equine Hospital. She enjoys all aspects of her role in clinical practice, including ambulatory and hospital work, and also has a passion for client communication and education — she regularly runs owner education workshops at her practice in North Yorkshire.
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