Friesian Horse Club Of Southern California

01/03/2025

How exciting! Best of luck!

Sepke van de Meerbos (Tiede 501 x Bikkel 470) owned by Lisa and Kai Zijlstra and Hilbran fan North Ster ( Wybern 464 x Spike 450) owned by Roger & Dana Hartley will perform the final testing for Stallion Approval on January 4, 2025. Spectators are welcome! If you are in the area, please join us at DG Bar Ranch in Hanford, CA at 1:30 PST!

Best of luck to these stallions and their owners!

01/01/2025

Happy New Year!

12/31/2024

2024 Christmas Party at the Spaghetti Factory. A lot of fun was had by all!

12/13/2024

From the 2024 stallion viewings, we have one special stallion in North America referred to Presentation Days. Ster Stallion “Vuitton MFF” (Teun 505 Sport AAA x Tsjalle 454 Sport Elite Pref AAA) owned and bred by Miley Friesians.

Congratulations to Vuitton MFF and his owner/breeder!

11/24/2024

To replace a good horse!
The best horses are built over years of hauling, hard work, tough times, good times, bad times, big spooks, little spooks, their mistakes, our mistakes and continual love and care.

No, your breaker can not turn your young prospect into your old faithful in 30, 60, 90, or even 365 days. It takes years.

I’m plagued with the problem of trying to impress on people how long it truly takes to build that dream partner. There’s not a smooth paved path. Your green horse will embarrass you, frustrate you, and maybe even hurt you. For some of you, buying a $20,000-$30,000 horse is going to be worth it and SAVE you money. Even that more finished horse will take a year or more to sync up with.

Cheap rate for horse training is $1,000 a month.
1 year of training: $12,000
2 years of training: $24,000

Many of you won’t believe this but your dream horse is on the other side of two years of training. In reality, it’s likely around two years of training and two years of seasoning (hauling them to town). Will that horse still make mistakes? Yes, they all make mistakes until the day they die. But that horses mistakes probably won’t put you in serious danger and that horse will probably pack your grandkids around.

If you’re trying to decide between a $3,500 prospect or a $15,000 proven horse. My advice is to do an internal inventory and figure out what you want. Buying that prospect is like the first roll on the Jumanji board. You’re entered up, get ready for a journey of ups and downs (possibly quite literally!) If you’re buying that finished horse decide what you really want, get ready for a lot of shopping and painfully overpriced sh💩tters. Take a friend or a trainer on this journey with you and try to double your budget (that’s right, 30k). Be smart and buy something OVER 8 years old. Don’t buy that pretty 5 year old they only want 20k for. He isn’t old enough to be proven for you. Lots of horse traders are trying to flip horses, anything under 8 is likely twice as green as he looks in the video. Maturity, both mental and physical will be key when looking for a safe horse.

If you want a project and a challenge I’m not hating, that’s what I want in a horse too, so I buy young ones. If you need a safe one, bring lots of money and quit thinking you need a 6 year old. You probably don’t have what it takes to mentally support that 6 year old through new situations.

The biggest reason I bring this up is because as folks retire their old faithful they are so far removed from when that horse was green and did dumb stuff. They forgot how tough those two years were back when he was 4-6. They only remember the amazing horse he was when he matured. The 3 year old they just bought is YEARS from filling that horses shoes when it comes to training level and safety level. I see people hate on trainers because the trainer couldn’t make their young horse, “finished” in 90 days. It’s honestly the biggest reason I like taking colts for 30 or 60 days. The expectation is shockingly lower than when I take one for 90 days. It’s weird what people expect from a 90 day start. Most people should commit to sending their young horse out for a full year. Two years would be even better.

Green horses do green horse things, don’t blame others for the challenge you bought yourself. Accept the challenge or pay the price for one further along. No matter which path you choose with horses, it’s going to cost you.

(I didn’t write this one I’m not sure who did, however every word of it rings true)

Edit, author Craig Moore

11/23/2024

TO BLANKET OR NOT TO BLANKET?? 🤔

The short answer is usually “No,” but let's look at why that is and under what circumstances blanketing may be preferred or necessary.

The question of whether horses should be blanketed during winter is complex and involves considerations of thermoregulation, coat characteristics, and management practices. Horses possess a natural ability to regulate their body temperature through their coat, which provides insulation and protection against cold weather. The density and insulative value of a horse's coat increase with weight, making it an effective barrier against winter conditions. Clipping the coat, which is common among competitive horses, compromises this natural insulation, potentially necessitating the use of blankets to maintain warmth. Horses that lack adequate fat stores, such as senior horses or those that are underweight, may also need a blanket.

Research indicates that in colder climates, horses can adapt to lower temperatures if they have an adequate coat and shelter. For instance, research has demonstrated that horses without blankets often preferred to seek shelter rather than rely on artificial insulation from a blanket. This suggests that providing shelter (natural or man-made) may be more beneficial than relying solely on blankets, especially in regions with variable winter weather. Moreover, the effectiveness of blankets can be limited; they do not replicate the insulative properties of a horse's natural coat and may not provide sufficient warmth in extreme conditions.

HOW DO HORSES STAY WARM?
Horses have developed very efficient ways to stay warm, even in extremely cold temperatures. Your horse’s coat consists of two types of hair: longer, stiffer guard hairs and a soft, fluffy undercoat. The guard hairs protect the soft hairs from dirt and water, shed rain, and collect moisture from sweat that could damage the undercoat. The softer, fluffier hairs of the undercoat trap warm air and act as insulation around your horse. Natural oils coat the hair to ensure it is water-resistant. Each hair connects to a muscle called the piloerector muscle, which allows the hairs to either stand up or lay flat. When they stand up, warm air is trapped between them, just above the surface of the skin. When they lie down, warm air is released from between them, cooling the area above the skin's surface.

IS NUTRITION A FACTOR?
Yes, it absolutely is! Besides the hair coat, given the right nutrition, horses will start to put on a layer of fat in late summer and early fall in preparation for colder weather to come. Some horses that lack fat storage may require a blanket. Nutrition and forage consumption also play a role during cold weather. It is important that your horse gets enough forage to eat. The fermentation of hay in the horse’s hindgut produces an incredible amount of heat. Horses also move around more in colder weather as a means to generate more heat.

HOW COLD IS TOO COLD?
In the absence of wind and moisture, horses tolerate temperatures at or slightly below 0° F. If horses have adequate nutrition and access to a shelter, they can tolerate temperatures as low as -40° F without a blanket. But horses are most comfortable at temperatures between 18° F and 59° F, depending on their coat. However, certain conditions do change your horse’s ability to keep warm. Rain and wind are the two most important. Rain will flatten the hair coat and prevent the undercoat from providing that layer of warm air. Wind will blow the warm air from the surface of the skin. Snow is less of a problem. In fact, snow will collect on your horse’s coat and act as a layer of insulation. Keep in mind if you do choose to blanket your horse, the blanket's effectiveness can be influenced by factors such as airflow and moisture, which can diminish its insulating properties.

While blanketing can be beneficial for horses, in some circumstances, it is not universally necessary for all horses. The decision to blanket should consider the horse's coat condition, their fat stores, the environmental conditions, and the availability of shelter. Effective management practices that prioritize the horse's natural thermoregulation capabilities may reduce the need for extensive use of blankets.

📷 Portraits by Tiffany

11/23/2024

While there are several different types of colic, impaction colic is the type most often seen during winter months. Decreased water consumption is assessed to be the number one factor contributing to impaction colic. In simple terms, impaction colic is caused by a blockage that forms in the large co...

11/16/2024

We are getting calls, emails, messages, texts, appointments, you name it and people are reaching out about their horses and the fact that their noses look like this and they are coughing and not eating well. Everyone wants the quick fix and the magic antibiotic that is going to make it all go away and there isn’t one. This is viral and while I do not know which virus it is because so far no one has wanted to pay for swabs and blood to determine, if possible, what virus half the horses if not more in the area have, it is still a virus and it is not susceptible to antibiotics.

These horses have high fevers and they are not eating well but still picking at their feed. Their noses are crusty and gross and they are coughing. God gave them an immune system just like He gave you one and it does not hurt them to allow it to work. The average horse does not need antibiotics, let their immune system work. Take their temperature at least twice a day. Make sure you are giving them palatable easy to consume and eat feed and not some thick stemmy alfalfa that takes 30 minutes to chew up one bite. If their fever is high, give some banamine paste or some bute to help them feel better so they will eat and move around more.

Now, while this is viral there are groups of horses that I think might benefit from a visit to the veterinarian to help with secondary bacterial infection due to their immune system being busy trying to overcome the virus. These are the horses that you should bring in and have checked and blood work run on and considered for antibiotics-

geriatric horses- if you have a 25+ old horse that is thin and it is now cold, they are going to need some help if they get too sick. If they are in good condition and still eating, let it run its course but if they are thin and stop eating, they need attention and you need to bring them to the vet.

young foals- if you have a young horse that stops eating and has a high temperature, they are probably going to need some help. They are like babies and their immune system is still growing and sometimes it needs some help. If your young horse has a high fever and stops eating, seek veterinary care.

pregnant mares- all the above applies to your pregnant mares. If they are still eating and handling things ok, let it run its course. If they go off feed and have a high fever, seek veterinary care.

performance horses that are currently performing- being an athlete is hard and these horses travel a lot and if you are hauling them all over, they are exposed to a lot more than the horse that stays home and chances are their immune system is a bit run down. High fever and no eating, seek veterinary care.

any horse that has stopped eating and has a high temperature- they might need some extra help.

I am personally not a fan of blanketing your horses and a horse with a fever is going to feel worse with a blanket on after it gets all wet and sweaty. If you have a stall to help them with added protection, great, if not just make sure they have food in front of them at all times to pick at as they make most of their heat from the digestive process. It seems to be taking about 10-14 days for horses to get over this so be patient and make sure you are taking their temperature, giving banamine when necessary and keeping palatable feed in front of them.

11/08/2024

What an amazing opportunity to buy one these beautiful and well cared for carriages!

10/22/2024

Our club hosted a Sunday Funday trail ride and potluck at Hidden Valley wildlife Preserve in Norco. It was a Friesian and friends event! We had 9 of us representing our club. 8 riders , 6 Friesian’s ,a pony and an Andalusian. It was a great day riding, talking, laughing and eating! Thank you to all that help make it happen! Can’t wait to do it again!

10/21/2024

As the weather changes it can wreak havoc on our horses. For such large animals they are quite sensitive. This is some great information to have , just in case.

10 things veterinarians want horse owners to know about Banamine.
1)Banamine is a brand name. Flunixin meglumine is the drug name but many people refer to it by the popular brand name “Banamine” made by Merck. This medication is available in injectable liquid and oral paste formulations.
2)Flunixin is classified as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug which can be shortened to “NSAID.” NSAIDs reduce inflammation, pain, and fever by decreasing certain biochemical reactions in the body. Other drugs that are also classified as NSAIDs include phenylbutazone (Bute), firocoxib (Equioxx®, Previcoxx®).
3)Flunixin treats pain. By far the most common implication for the use of flunixin in horses is analgesia, or pain control. Flunixin provides good pain control for visceral (in the belly) and ocular (eye) pain. It is often used in cases of colic (abdominal pain) to make the horse more comfortable which reduces the risk of harm to the horse and handlers. It is important to note that flunixin does not cure the cause of colic; it temporarily relieves signs by providing pain relief.
4)Flunixin can reduce fever. A normal horse’s temperature is between 98.5 and 100.9°F. Like humans, horses can develop a fever secondary to an infection or illness. Many febrile horses will not eat or drink well when they have a fever but their appetite improves once the fever decreases. Flunixin can be used to reduce the horse's temperature often making them feel better. On a cautionary note, we often recommend owners take a temperature BEFORE giving flunixin as this can also a mask a fever.
5)Flunixin lasts 12 hours in the horse’s body. Some owners with a sick horse give a full dose of flunixin and then redose the horse a few hours later when he/she became uncomfortable again. This practice is not recommended for two reasons. First, overdosing can increase the risk of adverse effects including kidney damage and gastric ulcers. Second, if a horse's clinical signs do not resolve with a full dose, an examination by your veterinarian is likely warranted sooner rather than later and administering a second dose may delay treatment.
6)Flunixin can cause gastrointestinal and kidney damage. The same pathways that are down-regulated by flunixin to reduce pain and inflammation also partially protect the kidneys and stomach. At a normal dose the risk of these side effects is reduced. However, patients treated with an overdose or long term dosing are at an increased risk for renal (kidney) damage, gastric ulcers, and hind gut (colon) ulcers .
7)“Stacking” NSAIDs is not recommended. As previously stated, other drugs commonly used in horses that are also classified as NSAIDs include bute, Equioxx and Previcoxx). It is important to note that giving either of these medications together or in combination with flunixin can cause the same adverse effects as overdosing. For this reason,we do not recommend “stacking” NSAIDs or administering two of these drugs together. Many geriatric patients receive Equioxx or Previcoxx daily for pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. If this is the case, we recommend discontinuing that medication before starting another NSAID an allowing enough time for the body to clear the first drug completely.
8)Flunixin does not cause sedation or cure colic. Although we often use flunixin in colic cases, it is for the purpose of pain control. Alleviating the signs of colic by controlling pain is safer for the horse and handler when a horse is being treated and gives the horse’s body time to respond to treatment (ie oral fluids, IV fluids, motility agents). We often recommend removing hay/grain from a horse that has been administered flunixin for signs of colic until he/she can be examined by a veterinarian. In some cases, once the horse FEELS better he/she will try to continue eating and make the colic worse. If you think your horse may be colicking, we recommend calling your regular veterinarian and following her/his recommendations on medications and feeding.
9)Flunixin should NOT be given in the muscle (IM). Oddly enough, Banamine is still labeled for IM use in horses on the bottle but I strongly recommend against this practice. In rare cases, IM administration of flunixin (or phenylbutazone) has been known to cause a secondary condition called “Clostridial myositis” which can be fatal. The medication irritates the surrounding muscle tissue and bacterial spores can take advantage of the inflamed environment and cause a massive release of toxins. This disease is extremely painful and the treatment can be quite gruesome but horses that are not diagnosed and treated promptly may die from toxic overload. For this reason, we recommend only injecting flunixin in the vein (IV) or squirting the injectable fluid or paste in the mouth.
10)Flunixin injectable solution can be administered by mouth. The injectable formulation of flunixin can be administered by mouth at the same dose as IV use. Oral administration (either injectable solution or paste) takes about 20-30 min to reach full effect compared to 5-10 min with an IV injection. Oral administration does not take significantly longer than IM injection to reach peak absorption and is much safer for the horse.
Lastly always call your veterinarian if you suspect your horse appears off in any way before administering any medication.