Trade Zone

November 14, 2009 - The Third Trimester

cdawahare — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:45:56 GMT

Trade Zone: The Third Trimester - Click Here to Download PDF

By Heather Smith Thomas

Each phase of gestation has its risks, and the good news for owners who have pregnant mares in the barn this winter is that most losses will have already happened by now, so they’re out of the woods in some respects. Most equine pregnancy loss occurs during the first trimester, particularly during the first 60 days of gestation; after that, the placenta is developing and producing a hormone called progesterone to safeguard the pregnancy. But even though some of the riskier days are behind, it is important that mare owners remain vigilant and monitor the pregnant mare throughout all of gestation, noting any changes in her attitude or demeanor, and any health problems. Important things to look for, especially during the second half of pregnancy, include weight loss or depression, sudden increase in abdominal size, vaginal discharge, periodic mild colic, and sudden udder development or premature lactation.

A mare’s gestation is roughly 11 months, which doesn’t fall into a neat category of thirds as other species’ gestation lengths do (i.e., humans and cattle at nine months). Defining the last trimester as the final third of pregnancy may be a misnomer, because it may entail 3 1/2 to four months in a mare. “In the French literature, a trimester is three months,” said Dr. Ahmed Tibary, a theriogenologist and professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “The last trimester would, therefore, be just the last three months of pregnancy in the mare (the ninth, 10th, and 11th month), rather than the final third,” he explained.

All discussions of nomenclature aside, this final trimester is the time the fetus is growing fastest and the mare’s abdomen generally becomes larger. Tibary says this is also when a lot of the changes in the mare take place to prepare for the safe arrival of a healthy foal.

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Archives:
Ready to Run - October 31, 2009
Feeding For the Ages - September 19, 2009
Transportation Tips - September 5, 2009
Disease Control Yearly Planner - August 8, 2009
Foot Flops & Fixes - July 25, 2009
Get Ready - June 26, 2009
Therapy For Thoroughbreds - May 5, 2009
Dirt or Synthetic - Which is Safer? - April 25, 2009
AAEP: Focus on Horse Health News - March 21, 2009
Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008

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October 31, 2009 - Ready to Run

cdawahare — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:02:27 GMT

Trade Zone: Transportation Tips - Click Here to Download PDF

By Dr. Nancy S. Loving

On the surface it might seem that what it takes for a Thoroughbred to run is the correct age and careful training preparation, along with an inborn talent for speed or stamina. Yet, many elements affect a horse’s health and soundness, with even the smallest details having a significant impact on how well a Thoroughbred can reach its genetic performance potential. Some of the most basic management strategies have everything to do with a horse’s health and soundness, how well his body metabolizes the offered nutrition, and how well his cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal structures respond to exercise and training. Let’s take a look at some details that contribute to preparing a horse to be ready to run.

Soundness is Premium
Dr. Foster Northrop, vice chair of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Racing Task Force, concentrates his Louisville, Ky.-based practice on the racing Thoroughbred. “Soundness and attitude are absolute indicators,” he said. “If these are good, a horse should be able to run to his ability.”

Another veterinarian familiar with racetrack medicine, Dr. Gary Norwood of McKinney, Texas, is a member of the AAEP Racing Task Force and serves as a spokesman for the AAEP On Call program during televised races. He recommends several parameters to determine if a horse is ready to run: “A horse’s appetite, attitude, and alertness are important, in addition to how well he maintains weight. Fitness and soundness should be assessed based on performance at workouts.”

Also focusing his practice interests on Thoroughbred is Dr. Scott Hay of Teigland Franklin & Brokken, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who is the AAEP board representative for the Racing Task Force and also a spokesman for the AAEP On Call program. “Probably our main concern, from a veterinarian’s viewpoint for ensuring that a horse is ready to run, is soundness,” he said. “The trainer is primarily responsible for cardiovascular ‘fitness,’ and we rarely have much input on that part of the horse.

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Archives:
Feeding For the Ages - September 19, 2009
Transportation Tips - September 5, 2009
Disease Control Yearly Planner - August 8, 2009
Foot Flops & Fixes - July 25, 2009
Get Ready - June 26, 2009
Therapy For Thoroughbreds - May 5, 2009
Dirt or Synthetic - Which is Safer? - April 25, 2009
AAEP: Focus on Horse Health News - March 21, 2009
Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008

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September 19, 2009 - Feeding For the Ages

cdawahare — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:37:32 GMT

Trade Zone: Transportation Tips - Click Here to Download PDF

By Jeannie Blancq Putney

You are what you eat. This is probably truer for young Thoroughbred racehorses than it is for many other creatures. Unfortunately, many misconceptions exist about what is and isn’t good for the growing Thoroughbred. One thing is certain—paying attention to what your growing horse is ingesting will only make for a better athlete along the way and may help prevent deficiencies that can cause developmental abnormalities.

Research on equine nutrition is abundant, but one of the best places to start is with the National Research Council 2007. Now in its sixth revised edition, the NRC’s Nutrient Requirements of Horses offers reference material for feeding various classes of horses. The NRC breaks horses into five age groups for nutritional purposes: weanling (4-to-6 months old), yearling (12 months), long yearling (18 months with classifications of sedentary, light, or moderate exercise), 2-year-olds in-training (with four variations of exercise intensity, including light, moderate, heavy, and very heavy), and mature exercising horse (with the same four variations of exercise intensity). The NRC does not include a 3-year-old category, because it classifies horses as mature at the age of 24 months.

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Archives:
Transportation Tips - September 5, 2009
Disease Control Yearly Planner - August 8, 2009
Foot Flops & Fixes - July 25, 2009
Get Ready - June 26, 2009
Therapy For Thoroughbreds - May 5, 2009
Dirt or Synthetic - Which is Safer? - April 25, 2009
AAEP: Focus on Horse Health News - March 21, 2009
Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008

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September 5, 2009: Transportation Tips

cdawahare — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:12:58 GMT

Trade Zone: Transportation Tips - Click Here to Download PDF

By Dr. Nancy Loving

These days horses are part of an increasingly mobile population, traveling between barns and tracks, throughout the nation and internationally. Travel can be stressful to even the most seasoned competitor, and you, as the owner or trainer, can take steps to minimize the physiological impact of transport on your horse. With that in mind, let’s examine some helpful guidance from those versed in the understanding and business of equine transport.

Dr. Des Leadon, the international director for the American Association of Equine Practitioners, is a leading authority on transport stress in horses. Leadon’s
work in Ireland has been instrumental in improving the health of horses in transit around the globe, particularly in regard to the respiratory tract. He reported, “The Irish Equine Centre has had an ongoing interest in transport research for the last 25 years. We have looked at stall design with air transport companies, aircraft manufacturers, and with aero engineers. We have studied airflow, temperature gradients, and environmental contamination within road transport vehicles and in aircraft carrying horses. It makes surprisingly little difference whether the vehicle has wings or wheels. We have looked at many possible modifications—these made little or no difference.”

Leadon proposes that managing the transit environment and a horse’s general health are key elements to delivering a horse to its destination in as good a condition
as possible.

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Archives:
Disease Control Yearly Planner - August 8, 2009
Foot Flops & Fixes - July 25, 2009
Get Ready - June 26, 2009
Therapy For Thoroughbreds - May 5, 2009
Dirt or Synthetic - Which is Safer? - April 25, 2009
AAEP: Focus on Horse Health News - March 21, 2009
Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008

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August 8, 2009: Disease Control Yearly Planner

cdawahare — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:16:03 GMT

Trade Zone: Disease Control Yearly Planner - Click Here to Download PDF

By Dr. Nancy Loving

To perform to the utmost capacity, a horse must be healthy and sound throughout the year. The smallest details of farm management often have the greatest impact on a horse’s general wellness, and such strategies provide a critical template for minimizing the risk for contracting disease. By being proactive and implementing disease-reducing programs based on risk, season, and climate, a horse owner can make a major difference in controlling horse health on a farm.

Contagious Disease issues
As winter thaws and the days lengthen into spring, owners are preparing and conditioning horses for competitions and events that take them off the property. This places them in proximity to other horses, with increased likelihood of exposure to disease. Spring immunizations are an essential part of any disease control program, particularly against mosquito-borne viruses (West Nile virus and other types of encephalitis) and contagious respiratory viruses (influenza and rhinopneumonitis due to equine herpesvirus). Annually, owners should vaccinate against tetanus and rabies in endemic areas.

In addition to the incentive to travel more with your horse in the spring, there is more activity around the farm as well. Dr. Josie Traub-Dargatz, a professor of
equine medicine at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, has been instrumental in developing prevention and recognition programs to protect against contagious equine diseases. Traub-Dargatz recommends segregating new arrivals and monitoring for disease as critical elements of disease control on a property. She stresses that additional biosecurity efforts should include disinfection of all equipment that might have been contaminated with disease-causing agents. One such example (and only one of many possibilities) would be the inside of a horse trailer, particularly one in which horses from other farms have been hauled.

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Archives:
Foot Flops & Fixes - July 25, 2009
Get Ready - June 26, 2009
Therapy For Thoroughbreds - May 5, 2009
Dirt or Synthetic - Which is Safer? - April 25, 2009
AAEP: Focus on Horse Health News - March 21, 2009
Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008

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July 25, 2009: Foot Flops and Fixes

cdawahare — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:19:38 GMT

Trade Zone: Get Ready - Click Here to Download PDF

By Christy West

What do Quality Road, Big Brown, Tiznow, and E Dubai have in common? They're all major stakes winners with at least one other commonality-hoof problems that affected their careers. They're certainly not alone; hoof problems strike Thoroughbreds, from Triple Crown contenders to claimers, resulting in lameness, high farrier bills, and lost training days, races, and purses.

We'd all like to avoid sore heels, quarter cracks, sole bruises, wall separations, interference injuries, and other hoof problems in our racehorses. But as these big runners with top-of-the-line care illustrate, sometimes these obstacles are just facts of life for horses whose job is hurtling their 1,000-plus pounds (plus a jockey) down the track at 35-40 miles per hour.

Luckily, there is good news: With vigilance, good horsemanship, and care from experienced professionals, most hoof problems can be prevented or managed so horses can train and race to their full potential.

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Archives:
Get Ready - June 26, 2009
Therapy For Thoroughbreds - May 5, 2009
Dirt or Synthetic - Which is Safer? - April 25, 2009
AAEP: Focus on Horse Health News - March 21, 2009
Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008

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June 26, 2009: Get Ready

cdawahare — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:35:20 GMT

Trade Zone: Get Ready - Click Here to Download PDF

By John Padgham

It’s mid-June and a yearling colt grazes in a rolling pasture of bluegrass, his only company a few fellow yearlings, a soft breeze; his only concern the
occasional fly buzzing around his head. Little does this long, gangly colt know, but his world will soon be turned upside down.

Midsummer to late fall is the time for major Thoroughbred yearling sales. The question is how does that furry, pot-bellied, stilt-legged colt in the pasture get to
be the sleek, muscular yearling that will fetch top dollar in the sale ring? Roger Daly of Roger Daly Horses has been engineering this type of transformation
for 30 years, prepping sale yearlings at his barn in Aubrey, Texas. Last year Daly and his crew sales prepped 429 yearlings. North Texas is home to many large horse
operations and equine services, and it is ideal because of its sandy soil and moderate climate.

WHAT ARE BUYERS LOOKING FOR?
To understand how to prepare a yearling for auction, we must first know the traits that ultimately make that yearling a desirable prospect, or, in other words,
what buyers will look for in the days prior to and during the sale.

Daly stated buyers will evaluate pedigree and the performance of the sire and dam and their offspring. “They’ll start looking there and have certain individuals
picked out that fit their criteria, particularly for their part of the country,” he said. Buyers will also evaluate how the horse is put together, how the horse travels, and how the horse stands. A horse that keeps a level head, has a sleek coat, and is “fit, but not fat” will draw attention.

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Archives:
Therapy For Thoroughbreds - May 5, 2009
Dirt or Synthetic - Which is Safer? - April 25, 2009
AAEP: Focus on Horse Health News - March 21, 2009
Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008

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May 5, 2009: Therapy for Thoroughbreds

cdawahare — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:58:39 GMT

Trade Zone: Therapy for Thoroughbreds - Click Here to Download PDF

By Karen Briggs
Photos by Anne M. Eberhardt

Perhaps Shakespeare said it best: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

The Thoroughbred world, in particular,has been slow to accept the idea that "alternative," or "complementary" therapies might be more than just hocus-pocus. But increasingly, trainers and owners are opening up to the idea that conventional veterinary medicine may not be the only way of dealing with the complex health issues of today's equine athletes. Modalities such as chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, and herbal treatments, may hold answers for conditions with which the veterinary community has had little or no success.

Horsepeople aren't the only ones interested. So are an increasing number of veterinarians, who have become frustrated with a school of thought that treats the symptoms and manages the causes, often with invasive medications. Some are gravitating toward a more holistic view-one that emphasizes the wellness of the whole horse, physical, emotional, and mental.

"Complementary therapies take the whole horse into consideration," said Dr. John Harthorn, who maintains a private practice in Avelia, Pa., and works almost exclusively on racing Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds. "I try to establish a state of balance in each horse I treat. When a horse is unbalanced externally, it compromises his ability to move forward and be athletic, and it also expresses itself internally, most notably through the liver and the lungs. When one facet is out of balance, things tend to snowball, health-wise. And when that happens, horses start to run cheaper and cheaper because they can't use themselves to their full potential.

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Archives:
Dirt or Synthetic - Which is Safer? - April 25, 2009
AAEP: Focus on Horse Health News - March 21, 2009
Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008

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April 25, 2009: Dirt or Synthetic: Which Is Safer?

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:09:00 GMT

The Thoroughbred industry’s biggest call to action has been to improve racehorse safety. At $10-million apiece, are synthetic tracks the answer?

The loss of Barbaro and Eight Belles attracted unprecedented media attention to Thoroughbred racing. Since then, virtually every aspect of the industry has been publicly scrutinized, including safety.

Without a doubt, the most important development in the past five years in terms of maximizing racehorse safety has been the installation of synthetic racetracks at select locations throughout North America.

In December 2007, The Blood-Horse published a special report on synthetic surfaces that examined the new racing surfaces. The key question at that time was, “Are synthetic surfaces safer?”

While this question was important in 2007, it has become even more so over the past year. This article provides up-to-date analysis of the synthetic vs. dirt debate and attempts to answer the question, “Dirt or synthetic, which is safer?”

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Archives:

AAEP: Focus on Horse Health News - March 21, 2009
Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008
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March 21, 2009: AAEP Focus on Horse Health News

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:09:16 GMT

Every year veterinarians flock to the Kester News Hour at the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Convention for reports on research that are too brief or too new to be included in the scientific program. For the past two years the session has been anchored by Dr. Scott Palmer of the New Jersey Equine Clinic and a past president of the AAEP (presenting on lameness/surgery); Dr. Margo Macpherson of the University of Florida (presenting on reproduction); and Dr. Bonnie Rush of Kansas State University (presenting on medicine). Following are synopses of some of the studies discussed during the fast-paced news broadcast, held Dec. 7, 2008, in San Diego, Calif.

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ARCHIVES:

Infectious Disease at the AAEP Convention - February 21, 2009
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008
Controlling Parasites in Mature Horses - October 4, 2008
Colic Update - September 20, 2008
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February 21, 2009: Infectious Disease Topics at the AAEP Convention

Blood-Horse Staff — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:44:14 GMT

Trade Zone: Infectious Disease Topics at the AAEP Convention - Click Here to Download PDF

Among topics discussed at the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioner’s Convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., were a number of practical topics that equine veterinarians could take home and apply to their clients’ horses. Convention organizers devoted an entire morning to the Medicine:Infectious Diseases session, and here are a few of the take-home messages. For more information from the convention, visit #13036 at TheHorse.com, The Blood-Horse’s sister publication.

We’re all familiar with the medical/veterinary axiom: First, do no harm. A recent Colorado State University study extended this principle to biosecurity for ambulatory veterinarians: First, don’t bring any diseases into a patient’s stall,
and don’t take any out to spread to other patients. For this study, researchers investigated the durability of four types of disposable overboots to see which held up to typical ambulatory practice walking and, thus, might provide the best protective barrier to avoid spreading disease. Dr. Josie L. Traub-Dargatz, professor of veterinary clinical sciences at CSU, presented the results.

“Personal protective equipment is an important component of a complete biosecurity program,” said Traub-Dargatz. “Boots need to be affordable, durable, waterproof, readily available, and easy to put on and take off, or people won’t use them. Options (for footwear) include disposables or reusable boots you disinfect; for the latter you need tohave a way to make up disinfectant, a container for the disinfectant, and a scrub brush. Most ambulatory practices don’t carry all this stuff, which leaves disposables.”

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ARCHIVES:
When Foaling Goes Wrong - December 6, 2008
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008
Controlling Parasites in Mature Horses - October 4, 2008
Colic Update - September 20, 2008
Racehorse Transportation - September 6, 2008
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December 6th, 2008: When Foaling Goes Wrong

cdawahare — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:52:08 GMT

Trade Zone: When Foaling Goes Wrong - Click Here to Download PDF

There is something magical about foaling time that involves more than just observing the start of a new life—special though that might be. In addition, it often is the fruition of months, even years, of planning and anticipation on the part of the owner. As we stare in wonder at a wobbly foal, we often see more—a stakes winner on the racetrack or a steeplechaser soaring over fences.

The anticipation reaches its apex when the mare goes into labor and a tiny hoof makes its appearance, then another, then the nose, the neck, shoulders, and, in a rush, the rest of the body.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always that simple and straightforward. Sometimes things go wrong and a potentially wondrous event turns into a nightmare. To read the entire article, download the full PDF.

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ARCHIVES:
Feeding the Pregnant Mare - November 15, 2008
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008
Controlling Parasites in Mature Horses - October 4, 2008
Colic Update - September 20, 2008
Racehorse Transportation - September 6, 2008
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November 15th, 2008: Feeding the Pregnant Mare

cdawahare — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:01:05 GMT

Trade Zone: Feeding the Pregnant Mare - Click Here to Download PDF

By Heather Smith Thomas

Traditional wisdom for feeding mares is that nutritional requirements in early pregnancy are not much different than requirements for body maintenance, and that the greatest need for additional nutrients is during the last trimester (final 110 days), when the fetus is growing fastest. This is generally true, in terms of the pregnant mare's energy requirements, but recent research has shown that it's very important to make sure she has optimal nutrition, especially in terms of vitamins and minerals, throughout the entire pregnancy to ensure proper health and growth of the conceptus from the beginning.

During the past two decades, we've learned more about fine-tuning our feeding of pregnant mares, and research is still ongoing. Dr. Stephen Duren, an equine nutritionist for Performance Horse Nutrition in Weiser, Idaho, said conscientious horse breeders have always tried to optimize health and development of the unborn foal, but the Thoroughbred industry has been under more pressure recently, in light of breakdowns at the track, to determine if we can do more nutritionally to prepare young horses for the racetrack. Download PDF

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ARCHIVES:
Broodmare Vaccinations - November 1, 2008
Transport Stress in Horses - October 18, 2008
Controlling Parasites in Mature Horses - October 4, 2008
Colic Update - September 20, 2008
Racehorse Transportation - September 6, 2008
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