Lazy B Ranch

04/23/2023

*** WORMING PART 3 - REDWORM ***

I first posted this in 2019, but after reading a LOT of worrying comments recently about how people don’t worm their horses at all, as they do worm egg counts, I thought it was time to do a little encysted redworm refresher!

1. Redworm can kill your horse.

2. Encysted small redworm are NOT DETECTABLE in worm egg counts.

3. The larvae of small redworm, “encyst” or burrow into the gut wall. These can cause fatal consequences when they re-emerge.

4. Redworm appear as tiny pieces of thread in your horse’s droppings. They are very short and thin, and can be hard to see. They are white if they haven’t yet fed, and red if they have fed.

5. A horse can appear completely normal and healthy whilst carrying a large redworm burden. However, weight loss and diarrhoea may be early indicators; don’t ignore these signs.

6. Most wormers DO NOT target encysted redworm. Only TWO do: Fenbendazole and Moxidectin.

7. Lots of combination wormers contain IVERMectin. This WILL NOT have any effect on encysted redworm. The only wormer that contains MOXIDectin, is EQUEST. The Pramox (blue) version will treat tapeworm at the same time. Don’t use Pramox if you have treated separately for tapeworm, or used a saliva or blood test for tapeworm. Use the normal Equest (green) if this is the case.

8. Redworm are eaten by the horse during grazing. The larvae start to burrow into the gut wall as temperatures drop. Treating for encysted redworm whilst temperatures are warm, is not the optimal time, as the larvae may well not have started to encyst. Treating after a few hard frosts, also reduces the level of reinfection from larvae already on the fields.

9. The larvae stay in the gut wall during the winter, and are then triggered to emerge from the gut wall as the temperatures warm up in the Spring. If the horse has not been treated for redworm during this redworm “hibernation” stage, he/she is at risk of developing CYATHOSTOMINOSIS.

10. Cyathostominosis has a mortality (death) rate of up to 50%. It presents as colitis; profuse diarrhoea and colic. Contact your vet immediately if you see these symptoms in your horse at any time of year, but it is more likely to be due to redworm if this occurs in the Spring.

11. Ensure you have treated for encysted redworm before temperatures start to increase as Spring arrives, incase of a large encysted redworm burden that may suddenly emerge.

12. There is a very new blood test for all stages of redworm, including encysted. I have not yet used this, but worth discussing with your vet. I would not be recommending this route for high risk redworm horses ie horses in herds with no poo picking, or rescue cases.

13. 5 day Panacur Guard (Fenbendazole) is the only other wormer that can treat the encysted stage of redworm. There was widespread resistance to this wormer, and a huge move towards everyone using Moxidectin for encysted redworm. It is my wormer of choice for very sick or poor horses, due to its milder action over 5 days. However, there is some evidence that it may cause more damage to the gut than Moxidectin, so more research is definitely required!

14. Poo picking daily is perfect pasture management, but does not mean that your horse is worm free! You still need to egg count/blood test for all worms and/or worm.

15. Herbal wormers do not work.

16. Worm egg counts do not detect encysted redworms (or tapeworm/bots/pinworm). I realise I am repeating myself, but this is something that lots of people still do not realise.

17. Do not UNDERDOSE when worming, as this will aid resistance. If in doubt, add 50kg to the weigh tape weight of your horse. Wormers are very safe with regards to toxic doses.

This is not an exhaustive review of redworm, and I may add to the list if I think of anything else, but I hope this is of some use! Worming regimes and what worm egg counts detect, seems to cause lots of confusion amongst horse owners, and even yard owners.

Blood tests currently used for tapeworm, and just being introduced for redworm, measure antibody levels to the worm. The saliva test also measures antibodies. The concern here would be false positives. This means the test coming back as positive when your horse has been clear of the worm in question for months. Antibody levels remain high for months following successful treatment for the worm being tested for. However, a negative obviously means the horse has been clear for a good few months. Still a lot of research to go I think!

EDIT: obviously the blood test for encysted redworm is not new now, but I still haven’t used it, as we know how inaccurate ELISAs can be, and redworm can, and will, kill.

Happy reading!

Feel free to share, as this is really something that all horse owners should know!

And it’s a good time to worm for encysted redworm, around about NOW!

04/23/2023

04/09/2023

This!

03/21/2023

🔴RevitaVet can be used on existing problems as well as a daily preventive maintenance device!🐴

02/26/2023

Good info

In horses, guttural pouches can be the source of various bacterial and fungal infections. A veterinarian explains how empyema, chondroids, mycosis, and other conditions can afflict these structures.

02/06/2023

01/18/2023

Good to know

LETS TALK ABOUT ULCERS AND ALFALFA!!!!

Thought this was neat and worth sharing🤔

Alfalfa and horses with ulcers
Research from Texas A&M University shows that feeding alfalfa to horses with the potential to be high performers either prevents or is therapeutic in treating stomach ulcers.

Something in alfalfa hay tends to buffer acid production, said Dr. Pete Gibbs, Extension horse specialist. Feeding grain, confinement, exercise and overall environmental stress factors are thought to cause ulcers, he said. Studies have shown that horses will heal if provided less acidic diets.

In the research, 24 quarter horses from 12-16 months old were separated into two treatment groups. One group was fed Bermuda grass hay and the other fed alfalfa hay to meet the daily roughage needs. The yearlings received forced exercise during the study. The horses were examined internally with an endoscope at the beginning and end of two 28-day trials.

It's commonly thought that horses turned out on pastures are better off than those that are confined. However, if grass hay is the only hay they are fed, horses can still get gastric ulcers, he said.

In this study, ulcer scores increased when alfalfa was removed from the horses diets, and they were turned out on pasture. Under the ulcer-scoring system, 0 signified no ulcers, with severity increasing to level 4.

Further work is needed to look at horses with varying degrees of ulceration to better determine the full extent to which alfalfa or alfalfa-based products might help from a feeding management standpoint.

Based on what we know right now, for horses that are kept in confinement, eating feed and getting forced exercise, it makes sense to consider some alfalfa as part of their diet, he said.

Until further research is done, he recommends, horses weighing between 1,000-1,300 pounds should be fed about 1 pound of alfalfa after a grain meal.

Follow this link: http://agnews.tamu.edu/showstory.php?id=224

12/27/2022

The 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲 is a very large muscle that extends from its tip, which you can see, to the hyoid apparatus and its attacement to the ramus of the mandible at the back.

It is the most sensitive part of your horse's mouth and the most prone to injury.

The tongue is vital for swallowing and influencing the hyoid apparatus

Like any other muscle, restriction or tension within it can induce a muscular chain reaction. Chronic pain in the TMJ, loss of weight, head shaking, resisting pressure from the reins, hollow back, and aggressive behavior just to name a few.

The sensitivity of the tongue is a very important consideration when fitting a bit. An ill-fitting or harsh bit or excessive pressure on the bit from your hands can cause pain and discomfort. In some cases it can result in tension throughout the body and poor performance.

Same goes for stud chains in the mouth or under the chin.
Bemer cuffs are great to help ease pain and repair damage in this area by simply placing under the halter.

12/26/2022

How does your horse stay warm in the winter?

*Please read the whole post before jumping to conclusions - by no means am I telling you not to blanket - every horse is different!*

Thermoregulation is a process that allows mammals to maintain their core body temperature. Due to fluctuations in the ambient temperature, horses will use physiological and behavioral adaptations for heat production or heat dissipation in order to maintain their core body temperature within a narrow range. Focusing on the cold climates (as we are sitting at [feels like] -29°F right now), there are a few physiological adaptations the horse may use including shivering, vasoconstriction, and adaptations to the hair coat including piloerection and hair coat length. Commonly observed behavioral adaptations include facing away from the wind, using solar radiation, or increasing consumption of fiber, often fed in the form of hay, for fermentation.

However, most of these physiological processes come at a cost due to something known as the lower critical temperature (LCT). The LCT is the ambient temperature below which an animal will require additional metabolic heat production to maintain their core temperature. The further below the LCT the ambient temperature gets, the more energy the horse needs to expend to maintain their core body temperature. The LCT changes based on age, precipitation, season, and hair coat length among other variables, but the LCT for horses with a dry, winter coat has most commonly been reported between 5°F (in cold climates) and 41°F (in mild climates). We often use 18°F as a benchmark.

So what does all of this mean? Well most horses do a great job at thermoregulation when given the tools they need. Below 5°F, and especially when precipitation is observed, it is recommended that horses have access to a 3-sided shelter with a roof as well as additional hay to help heat their internal furnace via fermentation and provide additional calories in the process.

It is also important to note that some horses may do better with some assistance such as hard keepers, underweight horses, aged horses who might have trouble consuming adequate forage, horses with an improper hair coat, etc. So just because one horse is fat, happy, and unbothered by the cold, it doesn’t mean every horse is!

So as the temperatures fall, see what your horse is doing to respond! It is pretty neat to see all the things they are naturally designed to do to conserve heat and stay warm! And if you have any questions on whether your horse may need assistance, I recommend reaching out to your veterinarian for guidance!

12/07/2022

I use it daily.
I have a mare that is not fond of loading.
It has really helped her relax and step right up

🔴 The Poll Cap™ addresses these common ailments and problematic areas:
-Stiffness
-Headaches
-Stress
-Teeth grinding
-Behavioral problems
-Head tension & head tilting
-TMJ
-Frontal sinuses
-Poll area
-1st and 2nd cervical vertebrae

12/06/2022

I’ve been using these products on my clients horses and my personal horses getting great results. Contact me if you have any questions or would like me to do a demo

.com

🎄🎁Christmas shopping?🎁🎄 Check out the hock saver set!

11/10/2022

Great pictures

11/03/2022

🔴The Tendon/Shin Saver addresses these common ailments:
•Sore shins
•Suspensory & other ligaments
•Deep and superficial flexor tendons
•Bowed tendons
•Splints
•Gaskins
•And more!

07/29/2022

This is great to know. I have fed BP in the past.

"I also had my own unfortunate experience with a feed. In less than a month my horses were all having health problems. Two had gas colic, one ran a temperature of 106 (depressed immune system), and my laminitic mare lost weight. Testing of this feed at Equi-analytical Laboratories in Ithaca, N.Y showed it contained 600 ppm aluminum and over 500 ppm iron (500 ppm is toxic to horses). As beet pulp was the main ingredient I researched its iron and aluminum content. The Equi-analytical library showed beet pulp contains high iron. I also found that aluminum sulfate is used as a press agent to remove sugar from beets. Thus beet pulp is the source of elevated levels of iron and aluminum. Beet pulp is used as an ingredient in some senior and performance feeds because of its high digestibility. In my opinion, the high iron and aluminum content makes it a poor choice for horses. Other horse feeds contain soybean hulls to increase digestibility. Since soybeans are processed by acid washing in tanks that often are made of aluminum, soy products in horse feed may also contribute to the aluminum content. The other minerals were not present at the levels specified in the "Guaranteed Analysis". Moreover, the ratios were all off."
- Dr. Susan Cook

05/05/2022

Did you know?

In a natural environment, horses will typically eat about 18 hours per day.

While “meal feeding” is the common practice among horse owners, it’s important to take into consideration the amount of time between meals when there is no access to long stem forage.

At 6 hours, reddening of the stomach lining occurs, and at 18 hours, full blown bleeding lesions are present (ulcers).

Let’s say you throw hay at 7pm and it’s gone by 10pm, then it’s given again at 7am. That’s 9 hours per night, every night, of an empty stomach. Reddening can occur at 6 hours. Imagine you applied an abrasive/irritating lotion to a spot on your arm every night for a year. Over time that spot would worsen from a minor surface burn to a painful open wound.

It’s recommended that horses never go more than 4 hours without long stem forage passing through the gut. In the situation where free choice access isn’t a viable option, try utilizing slow feeders to help slow down consumption and drag out the time between feedings.

05/05/2022

💫 Part Three – Teeth and their Influence on Ridden Work and Posture 💫

Anatomy is depicted in colour, shapes and layers. It is indeed all of these but it is so interwoven, so connected that it is simply not…simple! There’s a head-spinning plethora of bits, their function and their magical claims but little about what might be right for YOUR horse. And then I stopped and thought, never mind the bit what would be useful for owners to understand about teeth, the impact that they have on ridden work and the well-being of the horse? If the teeth aren’t right, nothing will be right! So I veered off-piste to write about teeth and their impact on ridden work. Grab a glass of something and nestle down to a little reading! Here we go…

⭐️ The hyoid, tongue, TMJ, poll and ears are intimately connected; any dysfunction or asymmetry at these locations can have body-wide implications. But what about teeth? ⭐️

In order to provide the jaws and teeth – which are large and powerful – with room, the bones of the skull need to be of a large and strong surface. Achieved through bone deposition alone would result in the head being far too heavy for the equine’s body, therefore clever nature has widened, strengthened and lightened the skull by air-filled cavities called sinuses. The sinuses accommodate some of the maxillary premolar and molar tooth roots (upper cheek teeth), aid passage of the facial nerves, and extend around (below and above) the horse’s eyes and end around the facial crest. There are six pairs of sinuses.

Teeth are the hardest structures in the body and the equines unique dental structure is essential for the ingestion and chewing of its feed. The horses jaw moves in a rather rough triangular chewing pattern, with the lower jaw sliding along the upper teeth.

At birth, or the day after, the vet should perform a ‘well-baby’ 😍 cursory and digital examination of the foals’ mouth to check for the following:

- Any severe overbite and underbite that may impede nursing or predispose him to any dental abnormalities as he matures
- That the palate is formed correctly thus allowing him to swallow without difficulty

Like humans, horses can experience a variety of dental problems, some of which are hereditary or genetic, while others can be a consequence of general wear and tear of the teeth, disease or an accident.

🤔 Why should we consider the mouth and teeth? Because any problems in the horse’s mouth will manifest themselves when the horse is ridden. And here is why:

Occlusion is how the horses teeth come together when they close their jaw. Otherwise known as their bite. Just like you. What influences occlusion? Teeth, nerves, muscles and bones. Just like you. Posture can influence occlusion, likewise occlusion can influence posture. Just like you. Here are some examples:

✨ a ramp (Fig 2) will prevent rostral-caudal (forward and back) motion as well as prevent straightness and acceptance of the bit.
✨ wolf teeth are situated just in front of the first premolar and can cause a lot of pain if sharp; when contact is taken on the reins, the bit pushes back the soft tissue and this can become trapped between the bit and the wolf tooth. In severe cases the horse may have a violent reaction to this pain, throwing its head or even rearing
✨ When a horse is wearing a bridle, there is pressure on the cheeks; any sharp areas on the front of the first premolars or along the outside edge of the upper rows of molars will cause discomfort which may result in an unsteady head-carriage or the horse being very one-sided.
✨ Hooks can result in cheek lesions which in turn can affect concentration, head carriage and movement of the TMJ.
✨ Waves – a wave shaped pattern that leads to an uneven bite and a defected chewing cycle. Inability to relax jaw when in ridden work / using a bit.
✨ Hooks and ramps can also lead to food-packing

Equines react to pain as individually as you and I. Pain is pain. Fact. Whether equine or human, it should never be ignored…nor laughed at!

The role of chewing and salivary glands are a primary step in the digestive process and are responsible for the production of saliva. The buccal glands form two rows along the dorsal (upper) and ventral (lower) borders of the buccinator muscle (fig 3); other minor salivary glands are located in the lips, tongue and soft palate.

Saliva keeps the mouth moist and comfortable. It assists with tasting and lubricates as the horse chews and swallows. The enzymes found in saliva are specific proteins responsible for sparking chemical reactions in the body that help begin the digestive process.

Salivation during work? Yes! 🙌 A coating of salivation around the lips. Think of it as ‘lipstick!’ ‘Lipstick’ is an indication of a relaxed mouth. A mouth that is moist will be a comfortable mouth. However, excessive salivation may be a sign of:

- Horses with lesions on their tongues often drool excessively
- Dental issues can result in horses slobbering
- Abscesses in the mouth may cause a horse to drool
- A foreign body lodged in a tooth will also cause them to drool more than usual
- Gastric ulcers tend to make a horse drool more
- Excessive salivation – dripping – observed in the ridden horse is an indication that the horse is having difficulty swallowing its own saliva. This is usually related to type of bitting and/or bridle fit and/or rider (e.g. Rolkur)

✨ A horse/pony ridden correctly should have no problem with swallowing ✨

The equines head speaks volumes and influences much; it is ‘information city.’ Listen to your horse. If you clamp a jaw shut, tie a head down, use a harsh and/or ill-fitting bit besides silencing your horse, you are masking a small problem that in time will manifest itself to a larger, global one!

The global effect of pain = tension = pain → the whole biomechanical chain becomes compromised → compensatory patterns emerge → posture and function alter → tension; strain; injury, reduced performance; altered behaviour etc.

“What is right is often forgotten by what is convenient.” Bodie Thoene.

Dental checks should be done by a trained, qualified equine dentist! Some owners opt for yearly dental checks, but personally I prefer every 6 to 8 months to head-off anything untoward arising but it will depend upon your horse/pony’s needs and the advice of your dentist.

💫 Good dental health is essential to your horses well-being, health, behaviour and performance 💫

# classical training









riding training
therapy
sport
sports therapy
massage therapy
physiotherapy
movement
racing

04/01/2022

10/07/2021

This is why you don’t leave your halter hanging down when you leave with your horse.
I have always coached my kids the throw it in the trailer or tie it back up
These little hero’s could have been seriously hurt
But thank the Lord the horse was staying calm

09/23/2021

Saving this one! Horse Whorls Guide!

HORSE WHORLS GUIDE by Noche Miller.

Whorls is a time-honored method of judging a horse’s temperament & personality.

As superstition, there is science to back it up. Hair & brain are formed from the same fetal cell layer. Because they form at the same it makes sense that as a fetus develops the hair growing over the brain, & body, can shows signs of what is going on underneath.

If it’s HIGH, above eye level, the horse will be very smart, energetic, & outgoing.

To the RIGHT, our right as we face them, shows a right brained horse, reactive, emotional, nervous, defensive.

BELOW EYE LEVEL should be an introvert, sometimes considered lazy or stubborn they are smart, easily bored, & can be distrustful.

A whorl on the LEFT SIDE IF THE FACE, again our left, means a left-brain horse. One who is confident & willful. The farther a whorl is from center the more pronounced the effect will be.

In the CENTER is the most common and doesn’t tell us a whole lot. With that type of whorl we need to look at the shape of the head, ear, eyes, all the other clues we are given.

When we get 2 or more whorls it gets more complicated. They can show tendencies from 2 different brain types. Whorls that are stacked, 1 above the other, show a horse that is an introvert & an extrovert.

Side by side whorls will be right brain, reactive & hot, as well as left brain, unreactive and confident.

Charlotte Cannon in Swirlology, says that “Many Grand Prix horses, dressage, jumping & eventers have high, side-by-side double swirls. These double swirls seems to give the ability to hyper focus. These horses are challenging & gritty & not back down from a challenge.

The side-by-side swirls give horses access to both sides of its brain in a flash, ‘wickedly fast thinker’ is a description often given to them.”

The more whorls the more interesting the horse, the people who have horses with 3 or 4 or more whorls have loved them.
Whorls can be in unexpected places on the face. Some have them on the sides of their jaws, cheeks & temples. Where there is a whorl there is some point of focus.

One on the cheek according to tradition & folklore is a sign of debt & ruin. Many with this whorl who have teeth issues. There is usually good reason for superstitions. Is it possible that without modern equine dentistry that the dental issues caused these horses to be bad keepers bringing debt & ruin to owners?

It’s not only the hair on a horse’s heads that can tell us about the horse but whorls found anywhere on the body.
Whorls should be nearly perfectly even from one side to the other. Whorls on the flanks, chest & crest of the neck are the most common. Whorls can be anywhere.

Sometimes they will have a random whorl on the side of their neck, the girth area, or withers. Whorls on the sides of the withers are known as a coffin whorl because, according to superstition, the rider of a horse with such a whorl will die in the saddle. If we look at things objectively we can find logical reasons why a horse with a whorl on its withers would be uncomfortable under saddle & cause them to be randomly explosive.

When whorls aren’t even from side to side a horse will often tend to curve towards the side with the whorl & have trouble flexing in the direction away from it. They will prefer leads in the direction of the whorl & have other imbalances. Sometimes instead of an obvious reaction they will simply be unpredictable, spooky or reactive. This is because they are unbalanced instead of any desire to cause trouble or be purposefully obstinate.

Horses are individuals. With thought & effort we can find the best ways to work with them no matter what whorls they have. A whorl is’nt a way to see if a horse is ‘bad’ instead, checking whorls is one way for us to gather clues. Those clues can help us figure out a horse’s temperament & suitability for both us & whatever discipline we want to pursue.

09/18/2021

Let's talk muscles💪

The Serratus Ventralis muscle is an integral part of the equine thoracic sling. It is divided into two regions, cervical & thoracic. The primary role of serratus ventralis is supporting the trunk, however it also raises the neck, raises the thorax and even aids with inspiration!
This means if you have dysfunction of the serratus ventralis then you may have issues like:

🔹Shortened forelimb stride
🔹Reduced ROM of the neck
🔹Issues with respiration
🔹Affected forelimb stance
🔹Girthiness (thoracic portion)
🔹Wither/shoulder sensitivity

With 60% of the horse's weight being supported by the forelimbs, it is essential that the thoracic sling muscles are functioning optimally. Serratus ventralis is the strongest muscle of attachment of the forelimb and is not to be overlooked! (Looking at you, jumpers!)

07/06/2021

06/18/2021

Great week at work.
I love when horses respond to bodywork