Boston Equine

07/05/2023

My account got hacked please don’t give the hackers money, info. Codes!

06/19/2023

BUTTERCUPS
Many horse owners ask about blisters, sores and scabs that they see on their horse's lips, gums, noses and lower legs at this time of year.

If you have buttercups in your grazing fields, then these might be the reason for those sores (but not exclusively*).

Symptoms include the horse developing blistering in and around the mouth and/or what looks like sunburn on their nose or mud-fever scabs on their lower legs (this is seen a lot in horses with white hair and pink skin, however it is not exclusive to these types).

Buttercups contain a glycoside (a chemical compound found in plants) called 'Ranunculin' which, when the plant is broken down through eating or being disturbed (e.g. when crushed/bruised when trodden on), this compound breaks down to form a toxin called 'Protoanemonin'. It is this toxin which, when coming in to contact with mucous membranes (tongue, gums), lips and skin causes the blisters and sores.

Buttercups are actually very bitter to the taste and given the choice, horses will avoid eating the plant itself, however if ingested it can sometimes cause diarrhoea, excess salivation and colic.

Buttercups are prolific growers and are seen on pastures which have been over-grazed, are horse-sick or the grass is sparse (i.e. areas of bare mud where grass is struggling to grow due to previous damage such as poaching) and can thrive because horses prefer not to eat them so they are avoided and left to grow.

The presence of buttercups often indicates the need for improvements to soil structure and drainage, and harrowing the field during April to October can help to improve grass growth, aerate the soil and break-up the growth of the buttercups. They are very hard to eradicate completely and pasture health and management is key - they seed when they are in flower, so they need to be treated before the flowers appear.

An interesting fact is that Buttercups are 'heliotropic' which means that they follow the sun across the sky throughout the day (like Sunflowers do).

If your horse, pony or donkey shows any of these symptoms mentioned, always contact your vet.

*Note: A sunburnt-looking nose can also be caused by ingestion of St. John's Wort or a sign of liver disease in horses, which can cause photosensitisation (when the animal becomes abnormally reactive to ultraviolet light) which can be caused by ingesting toxic plants, amongst other causes.

You can call us on: 0131 664 5606 or email us at: [email protected].

06/18/2023

BUTTERCUPS 🌼

Whilst buttercups are very pretty and yellow fields look lovely as you drive through the countryside, they are a horse owner's major annoyance!!

Buttercups are a w**d, and thrive in over-grazed pastures. The leaves and stems contain something called proteoanemonin, a toxic oil. Fortunately, horses generally have no interest in eating them as they are very bitter, and are very clever at eating around them. However, once the paddock becomes overgrazed, buttercups thrive and spread, and before you know it, the entire paddock is buttercups. Horses will only tend to eat them if the paddock is overgrazed and there is nothing else to eat.

Clinical signs associated with eating them include:
Blisters on lips (common)
Face swelling
Drooling/excessive salivation
Mild colic (very rare)
Diarrhoea (very rare)

What should you do if your paddock is overrun with buttercups?

Overgrazing is the main problem so move your horse to new paddocks before this happens. Seed your paddocks, particularly the bare spots, with varieties of grass that thrive well in your area. Buttercup seeds germinate in the Autumn so maintaining your paddocks well during the summer and preventing overgrazing will help prevent the problem the following season - although with hot weather and no rain, this can be difficult. Spraying fields in early Spring before buttercups bloom can be helpful, but ensure horses are not on the paddock during and after treatment. Contact your local farmer to maintain your paddocks and minimise buttercups overwhelming the paddocks. Proper pasture management involves rotational grazing, fertilisation and reseeding to keep your paddocks healthy and your horse healthy!

In the meantime, move your horse to fresh pasture or provide supplementary hay in the field, to ensure they do not need to eat it, for lack of anything else to eat.

06/18/2023

I have them and cat fish in mine.

06/15/2023

Many residents own and ride horses along our more serene roadways. Please be courteous and cautious when you encounter them, and follow the law.

p.s. There is no pooper-scooper law for horses or draft animals.
Drive with care.

06/09/2023

06/03/2023

Shivers (part two)

Often there is a lot of confusion whether your horse has stringhalt or shivers, and as always, its best before you begin any searches to seek out veterinary attention for a correct diagnosis

I am only giving my view on my interactions with these disorders in my everyday work, usually we have just as many answers that lead to more questions

For me when I ask for a lift in the hind leg the difference is apparent as with string halt the limb usually snaps up vertical yet with shivers there will be a lift up then out (abduction) and there will be a hovering and in more progressed cases the classic shivering of the limb, shivers can be unilateral (one leg) or bi lateral (both legs) and can affect the tail, we often associate it with what is called hyper flexion but in some cases we can see hyper extension (where the limb goes backwards and very straight) horses with shivers often have difficulty in backing up and turning.

Often a horse can become panicky as the sharp lift and abduction can unbalance the horse and I find it can take a few minutes for them lower their leg. I also find they are more short striding in the hind end than a horse that has no shivers

It has been around for a long time and affects mostly certain breeds, is it genetic?? There is no definitive answer but I would guess as the gene pool got smaller at certain times in history (I.e war) then replenishing the quantity of horses back into work would of maybe been a priority over quality and as we still used the heavier type for working with or the habit of crossing a heavier horse with a finer breed for a more amiable pleasure horse may have some relevance as to why it effects those certain breeds today

Finding the cause is like dropping a pin in the ocean and trying to find it, there are many thoughts, opinions and reasons as to why and all are valid, I was always brought up to believe shivers neuromuscular and stringhalt mechanical, studies have shown there could be a link to a certain part of the equine brain regulating muscle activity, another study showed horses with shivers had a significant change in muscle fibre and while normal horses developed these fibre through exercise horses with shivers lacked the ability to contract meaning they were mostly always active, I often wonder if somewhere there is a neurological issue Aswell especially if a horse has had a fall or trauma and shunted the head and neck but again this is my own thoughts but whatever the reason the questions an owner wants to know are is my horse in pain?? Will it get worse?? And what can I do to help???

We can't ask the horse if it's in pain, but we can learn to read the subtle signs if the horse is uncomfortable often its other areas which have to compensate and these will be the areas to watch out for you will often see strain through the torso and neck as the horse tries to rebalance, the tail is often held erect so tail, sacrum, sacroiliac joint all might come under strain (I often tape up the lumbar area to offer more relief after I have gone home) shoeing can be difficult and often owners opt out of shoes for their horses to make life easier for the horse and footcare provider, one client lets her horse support itself against the stable wall when her horses feet are being dealt with but the less stress in any situation is better for these horses, in later stages as the muscles become wasted and the horse weakens it probably will become uncomfortable and if they struggle to walk without tipping onto the other leg losing balance I would imagine mental health for the horse would degenerate

It is classed as a progressive disorder but most of my clients' horses are still out working and being ridden, and they seem to stay at each stage for a long time even some have gone many years without any signs of worsening most of the ones I deal with are either draft or warmblood types

How can you as the owner help?? Well first do lots and lots of research as often what we know today may change tomorrow, I always say the owner becomes the expert of their horse's disorder or injury as when we come home you hit the research button. Personally, the fitter you keep the horse again the more the rest of the body will not fall into a dysfunctional compensatory pattern or at least staving off a more rapid break down, its important you have a caring understanding professional team dealing with your horse as they will approach the situation calmly giving the horse confidence and time to adjust. Plenty of turnout, a diet of high fat and low starch and testing your horse to see if it is vit e deficient is also advised, as always exercise, plenty of turnout and a good diet is the key in maintaining a healthy body to help be at its best to cope with other things. Please note these things will not omit shivers but it may help in the maintaining a comfortable level, a good bodyworker who will help the owner with homework to continue in helping the body stay at its optimum health, I often will be up in that groin relieving any negative effects from groin to lumbar to psoas, the poll is often another area where I see that compensation pattern developing

Can the front limbs be affected?? In rare cases yes but mostly I have not come across it in my work the face and neck can also be affected but again I have not come across it, I would also say I only have come across hyper flexion not hyper extension

Your first port of call is as always, your vet there are many other things which can be mistaken (its why I wrote these posts to differentiate between shivers and stringhalt) remember the leg action is the result of something else

Handle your horse with patience allow time for the horse to adjust and staying calm and not panicking will help the horse only have to concentrate on what it is doing, saying safe and being aware the horse can quickly bring the leg to the outside

Again, I wanted to give you my viewpoint of real-life work dealing with certain cases, and I hope the discussion that you may have may help someone else no one is wrong each comment has a viewpoint that is as valid as mine

05/30/2023

Recent studies conducted by the Institute of Heart-Math provide a clue to explain the two-way ′′healing′′ that occurs when we're close to horses.
According to researchers, the heart has an electromagnetic field larger than the brain: a magnetometer can measure the energy field of the heart that radiates from 2.4 meters to 3 meters around the human body.
While this is certainly significant, perhaps more impressive than the electromagnetic field projected by the heart of a horse is five times larger than that of a human being (imagine an electromagnetic sphere around the horse) and it can influence straight into our own heart rate.
Horses are also likely to have what science has identified as a "coherent′′ heart rate (heart rate pattern) that explains why we can feel better when we're close to them. Studies have found a coherent heart pattern or HRV to be a solid measure of well-being and consistent with emotional states of calm and joy-that is, we exhibit such patterns when we feel positive emotions.
A coherent heart pattern is indicative of a system that can recover and adapt to stressful situations very efficiently. Many times, we just need to be in the presence of horses to feel a sense of well-being and peace.
In fact, research shows that people experience many physiological benefits by interacting with horses, including lower blood pressure and heart rate, higher beta-endorphins (neurotransmitters acting as pain suppressors), decreased stress levels, decreased feelings of anger, hostility, tension and anxiety, better social working; and greater feelings of empowerment, confidence, patience and self-efficacy.

By: Alejandro Pascual Puig
CEO en E&C CONSULTING CEO en E&C CONSULTING
The artist is Valerie Eric. The copyright holder is Sarah Barnes, HeartMath certified practitioner. The image was inspired following a riding lesson on heart connection.

05/30/2023

DID YOU KNOW...?
Your saddle size is measured by the length of your thigh, not on what size you wear or what weight you are.

Saddle fit is important for riders too: if you aren't balanced in the saddle the equine athlete cannot perform to their potential because your seat simply is not as effective.

05/23/2023

At this time of year we are out working in the garden, tending plants and mowing the lawn, but did you know that lawn grass cuttings should never be fed to horses. Please remember never put cuttings into any area where horses are grazing.

Unfortunately, grass cuttings are potentially very dangerous for horses to eat and sadly many have died as a result of people putting lawn mowings over the fence into horse pastures.

5 Good Reasons not to feed cutting to horses:

COLIC: A horse may gorge itself on piles of clippings. The large amount of grass can cause excessive fermentation in the hind gut. This can lead to colic or laminitis.
CHOKE: Horses tend to gobble down grass clippings quickly. Unlike grazing on grass out of the pasture and slowly chewing it, clippings require little effort or chewing to swallow. There is a potential risk that the clippings can get lodged in the esophagus.
MOLD: Piled up grass clippings can quickly grow mold, especially in hot and humid environments. Mold can also lead to colic.
BOTULISM: Dense piles of grass do not allow for air to circulate through grass clippings. This is an invitation for the deadly botulism toxin to develop.
POISONOUS PLANTS: Horses unknowingly eat toxic w**ds and plants they normally would avoid when they get mixed in with the mower clippings.

05/22/2023

Motivation Monday…..

05/21/2023

05/12/2023

That's the size of a horses heart next to a human heart

05/06/2023

05/03/2023

LONG AND LOW COMES FIRST

In this essay, I want to champion the cause of working a horse long and low.

From time to time I get asked to wax lyrically on the subject of the relationship between working a horse long and low and true collection. A few clinics back a student said to me she had a recent revelation about working a horse in a long and low posture and its importance in the development of collection. So this has prompted me to write here to clarify what I believe is the relationship between the two postures.

A lot has been written about what is true collection and I don’t want to dedicate any space rehashing what is already easily found on the internet and explained by people more expert than me. But what I do want to discuss is the relationship between long and low and collection because it seems pretty common that people come to my clinics with horses exhibiting false collection or a training frame simply because they have not been taught to prepare their horse by working long and low for a year or two.

Training a horse to elongate its frame, stretch its muscles along its top line and lower its neck while working freely forward (long and low) has been a cornerstone of classical dressage for eons. In more recent decades, some modern dressage trainers have branched off in their philosophy to embrace the principle of working horses in an artificially shortened frame to impose “roundness” on horses. Traditionally this type of training rarely worked because horses did not have the conformational robustness to withstand the excessive strain this put on their bodies. But modern breeding of Warmbloods has created super athletes whose body’s laugh at the physical restrictions that hyperflexion imposes. There are horses out there winning at the highest levels of dressage that do not exhibit true collection because their genetics allow them to perform the most difficult movements without correct training.

So here is my take on why working a horse long and low for months or years is so important in the development of collection. Please excuse the very simplified treatment of this topic.

Collection is a curling of a horse’s body into a coil. The frame contracts and the hindquarters coil under a horse and the weight shifts backward with the hindquarters doing most of the carrying and pushing forward. The degree that this happens will vary depending on the degree of collection. (I should say at this point for people unfamiliar with collection in dressage that collection is not one thing. There is a sliding scale of collection that moves towards every increasing engagement of the hindquarters as the ex*****on of certain movements requires.)

For the frame to coil, the muscles along the horse’s top line need to NOT contract. Notice I said “NOT contract” rather than relax because there is a subtle difference regarding muscle tone in a relaxed muscle and an un-contracted muscle. On the path to collection, there is a conflict between the muscles of a horse’s top line and its undercarriage (to put it simply). When one set contracts or tightens the other doesn’t and visa versa. In normal posture during riding, the top line of most horses is more contracted than the undercarriage. This creates a hollow back, raised neck, tight poll, and hindquarters that don’t really step under and engage well. But as we move towards collection the muscles of the top line contract less and the antagonistic muscles underneath the frame dominate the posture. This means the horse has a rounder back and the hindquarters can engage more.

This is where working in a long and low frame becomes important. It teaches horses to not contract the top line and to relax the hindquarters and neck. The extension of the frame encourages a horse to turn off those muscles in the top line that inhibit true collection later on.

The other important thing long and low allows is the strengthening of those muscles it is going to need later for collection. Collection requires a considerable degree of muscle exertion and an unfit horse cannot be expected to carry a collected posture for very long. It’s like asking a couch potato to do 20 pushups. It takes correct riding and correct use of muscles over a long time to develop the kind of muscle strength and fitness required without undue strain on a horse. If a rider tries to collect a horse without proper preparation it will inevitably evade being correct resulting in false collection. On the other hand, a strong and fit horse is more likely to offer true collection because the exertion will be minimal for short periods.

So long and low becomes the precursor to collection. Once a horse is moving freely forward and developed a correct long and low posture the only thing needed to turn it into collection is softness to the reins and an elevation of the base of the neck. These are the elements that produce the shifting of weight towards the back half of the horse and a rounding of the neck. In essence, they cause the frame of the horse to contract like a coil ready to spring forward. In theory, it is that simple. In practice, it takes a bloody long time of slow and progressive work.

So if you come to one of my clinics seeking help working your horse in a correct frame, there is every likelihood my attention will be focused on how to help your horse first work in a relaxed long and low posture for the next year or more.

Photo: Erik Herbermann working his horse in long and low. Notice the degree of stretching and the elevation of the horse’s back through relaxed muscles of the top line. This is a little lower than I would normally want to work a horse, but as long as it is not overdone it is a good training exercise to build muscle and mental relaxation.

05/02/2023

If you study on this method of tying a horse, you’ll see that it has a few useful applications in real life.

‘Tying off’ at a distance from the horse can work anywhere from a fence line, to a manger or hitching rail, to in and outside the trailer.

It’s the best method I know of when I’ve a horse who unties himself, or otherwise chews his rope. They don’t seem to fuss with a rope much, once the knot and trailing end are out of the way, as Lyric proves here.

As a safety feature, we can also tie securely without those endless loops of chain-linking the tail end through, to thwart a rope eater. This way, we can make our quick release knot and leave it as is, so that it actually IS a quick release knot, should the need arise.

With a really long lead rope, I can tie off at the next ring inside the horse trailer, even outside the slant divider, if I’m not sure if a horse will pull back with me up near his head. It’s also a safer method when we’re tying any sort of horse to a post, if we think he’ll maybe pull back. Just remember, that when tying to a rail fence, we want to tie to the post, itself, and never to a rail that can pull off and cause injury.

Thought some of you might like to see how this works. I use tying off to the side quite a bit, as it keeps the knot away from the horse’s teeth… and me away from those front feet, if they’re at all questionable.

Lyric would like to point out that she is not at all a risk; she just got suckered into the modelling job! Cheers for now, Lee.

04/25/2023

𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘩, 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴

Checking a horse's bridle fit is as important as checking his or her bit fit and saddle and girth fit. It is something diligent riders and especially horse pros should be quite fanatical about as it acutely affects a horse's health.

It is important to do your due diligence and check and adjust nosebands, flashes and browbands carefully, making sure that no strap is uncomfortably tight, buckles do not push into joints (TMJ) or nerves - or are too close to the eyes - and that the poll strap does not push against the horse's ears (and of course check bit fit).

Bridle leather should be cleaned, conditioned ans checked for cracks or unraveled stitching that can irritate the skin, routinely.

No tack should be adjusted so tightly that it prevents the horse from moving its jaw and tongue comfortably, presses on its gullet or the base of his/her ears. Some horses require custom sized bridles or browbands and nosebands.

Regarding nosebands, you must be able to slide two stacked fingers between the leather and the nasal bone easily. The ISES recommends a gap of 1.5 to 2cm and you can purchase a "noseband taper gauge" online to help you if need be. Do not go by tools alone however, do what is comfortable for your individual horse based on conformation, history, preferences.

A quick look at what cranial nerves control reveals how important their health is and why properly fitted tack is paramount.

There are twelve pairs of cranial nerves. They have a role in:

▶️ Balance
▶️ Sensory and motor control of viscera including heart, lungs, and bowel
▶️ Heart rate
▶️ Gastro-Intestinal peristalsis
▶️ Hearing
▶️ Smell
▶️ Vision
▶️ Eye movement
▶️ Neck muscles that move the head
▶️ Sensation from the face
▶️ Motor to the muscles for biting, chewing
▶️ Facial expression
▶️ Taste from the anterior 2/3rds of the tonque
▶️ Taste from the posterior 1/3rd of the tonque
▶️ Tearing (lacrimal gland)
▶️ Salivation from the parotid gland as well as not from the parotid gland (different nerves)
▶️ Sensation and some motor to the pharynx
▶️ Swallowing (motor to the muscles of the soft palate, pharynx and larynx)
▶️ Vocalization (motor to the muscles of the soft palate, pharynx and larynx)
▶️ Tongue movement

Artist Diane Schell created this useful illustration showing the 12 pairs of cranial nerves and where they are in relationship to bridles potential pressure point. Thank you Diane.

Source: HorseAdvice.com and the Merck Veterinary Manual and an in-depth online article from Tuft university which is unfortunately no longer available (http://www.tufts.edu/vet/sports/neuro2.html)

PS: There is an important nerve Diane did not highlight in red. It comes out on the side of the lower jaw. If you look at the skulls we posted earlier this week, you can see it quite clearly on both side. It is a general sensory nerve for the skin of chin, and lower lip.

Image © Diane Schell

3/12/2013 - VETERINARIAN Massimo Da Re Follows up with More Insights on CRANIAL Nerves, the Brain and Limbic System

The head of all vertebrates is one of the most important parts for the life of the individual: It is home to the brain that has the delicate task to process the information that comes from the body and from the outside world and return to the various parts of the body with essential indications for life.

The brain encodes what the sense organs perceive and organize the existence of the individual. The brain also reads the feelings of the heart which is the true center of life.

In the head are located vital organs: hearing, smell, sight, taste, touch. ( and breath)

Think for a moment about your horse, observe how important its highly mobile ears, his large nostrils, his very expressive eyes are for its essence.

Finally the mouth. The horse lives with his mouth: eats, vocalizes, works, relates to the outside world. It contains more than 4 billion nerve endings and is closely associated with a portion of the brain called Limbic System, responsible for the control of emotions and learning: think about this before acting with your hands on your horse's mouth.

There are no horses "deaf" or "hard" in the mouth, pain receptors can not be deleted nor go out: horses fight oral pain in different forms: some rear, others pull on the reins, while others seem to be resigned and have a heavy mouth.

Study well this beautiful and useful image and use the equipment on your horse with awareness and respect : avoid too tight nose-bands, make sure briddle and bit fit well.

Be careful with the halter, especially if it is made in rope or fabric that are too thin: they can lead to excessive pressure on the nerves of the face; always remove the halter when the horse is free, in stall or outside in the field. Be gentle with your hands, both when you lead the horse and when you ride.

The subject is vast and deserves full days of discussions!

Thank you Massimo! and Tellington TTouch Cavalli Italia.

𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/inhandlessonswithmanolo

FOR EQUINE WELLNESS PROS

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/improvedhorseperformance

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/equinewellnesscourse2013

©ProudHorse Connections .2013

04/23/2023

Pros & Cons Explained

04/17/2023

16 things about donkeys:

1. They are stronger than a horse of the same size
2. They can see all 4 legs at the same time
3. They can vary in size, from 26 inches to 68 inches tall
4. Their bray can carry up to 60 miles in the desert
5. They have an efficient digestive system, using 95% of what they eat.
6. They don't like to be in the rain for long periods of time because their coat isn't waterproof.
7. They have been used as draft animals for at least 5,000 years and they are still a lifeline for families in parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.
8. They can live into their 50s
9. A blind donkey often bonds with a sighted donkey who will act as a guide.
10. They can have a calming influence on other animals
11. They are highly intelligent with a keen sense of curiosity
12. They are not stubborn but can be reluctant to do anything that could be dangerous - they think things through before deciding what to do
13. They are extremely agile and can traverse difficult terrain
14. They are social and form strong bonds - you will often see pairs of best friends within a herd
15. They are different from horses in their physiology, communication, thinking and behavior - they do their best with other donkeys as companions.
16. According to legend, Jesus told God how generous the donkey had been carrying him to Jerusalem and offering to help. After hearing of the donkey's good deeds, God blessed the animal and placed his cross on the backs of all donkeys to mark them as holy.

04/15/2023