The Corral
Equine News and Reviews
What To Do About Colic
Colic is a catch-all reference to "abdominal pain," which can have a variety of symptoms and arise from , a myriad of causes.Some of the more common types of the ailment include spasmodic colic (intermittent cramps arising from overexcitement or nervousness), sand colic (from unintentionally consuming sand) entertitis (an inflamation of the intestines often caused by parasites or toxins), constipation (from lack of water or exercise), and flatulent colic (excessive gas arising from highly fermentable feeds). Never attempt to treat colic on your own," Storey's Barn Guide to to Horse Health Care + First Aid advises. "Colic is serious business. Improper treatment can lead to death, so a horse showing obvious signs of gastrointestinal distress should be examined by a vet. Saddle Up…
Equine Acupuncture
The practice of acupuncture is founded on a knowledge of energy flows, or chi. Where there is tension and blockage in the flow, pain and illness erupt. Like a 911 call to the body's internal EMTs, "needling" is done to stimulate a specific energy meridien and bring forth a curative life force. Saddle up...
Acupuncture Reduces Pain for Horses. In horses, acupuncture may be used for pain management in colic surgery cases. It is also useful for treating chronic pain in horses. Horses get sore muscles, especially back muscles that are stressed from the saddle. Saddle Up…
Go Slow On Diet Changes When grasses start greening up in the spring, you might be tempted to turn your horse loose in the pasture to chow down on the new grass. But be aware that any sudden change in your horse's diet could cause health problems.
Saddle up...
Equine Limb Fractures
Prior to the 2006 Preakness Stakes, horses that broke a leg were considered beyond repair and routinely destroyed. But then came Barbaro, the thoroughbred favored to win the Preakness that year, which shattered its right hind limb in several places and underwent five hours of surgery. Its story offered hope that perhaps not all fractured limbs are beyond repair. Saddle up...
Circle Training. Start on a twenty-meter circle. A circle of this size will create definite length ben without overburdening the novice horse. As a rule the size of the circle on which the horse can effectively begin correct length bend depends on the horse's size and athletic ability. Saddle up…
Pinch Test
The pinch test is a handy way to test a horse's hydration level by assessing the skin's turgor, or normal state of distention and resiliency. Dehydration, or the loss of body fluids, is a dangerous condition that can easily go undetected in horses. It is not easily recognized until the animal has lost 5% or more of its body weight. A loss or 12 to 15% of body weight in water is life threatening. Saddle up…
Horse Chips
Researchers at Ohio State University created the first DNA gene chip that contains thousands of the genes for a horse. It houses more than 3,200 expressed horse genes on a sliver of glass about the size of a postage stamp. When the researchers began developing this chip, only 200 horse genes were known. Saddle up...
Feed More Forage
Don't take hay for granted. It could be the most critical element in your animal's diet. That's because the horse evolved as a grazer. It has a very small stomach and can't take in a lot of feed at one time... Saddle up...
Legends
The Legends series of books by the magazine Western Horseman, now numbering eight volumes, collects biographical sketches of horses acclaimed for their speed, formation, or sire or production record by the American Quarter Horse Association. Book Stall Review: Legends
Protecting Horses in Extreme Weather
Provide warm water at least twice a day or use a water-heating unit if the horses drink from a common water source in a field. Make sure the heating units are working properly and no stray voltage is leaking into the water. Saddle up...
Returning to Lightness
"Lightness is not an alternative approach," writes horse trainer Mark Russell in the opening chapter of his book Lessons in Lightness. "Nor is it a 'style' or a clinician's way to deliver fast results." Russell traces his horse training lineage to the late riding master Nuno Oliveira, who in turn was a student of the 18th century theories of Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere and Francois Baucher in the 19th century. They share a common belief in the importance of relaxation and suppleness in training to achieve lightness as opposed to the more precision-based style common to most competitive riding. Book Stall Review
Immune Problems in a Four-Day-Old Foal
The nutrition a foal receives in the first few days of its life are key in developing the immune protection the animal will need at the start of its life, but sometimes that immune protection can be too much of a good thing. Saddle up...
The Curious Case of Casting
Unless you have seen a horse that has cast itself in a stall, you might not believe it could happen. The horse lies up against a wall and is unable to get its feet underneath it to stand up... Saddle up...
The Color of Horses. Originally published in 1974, this important equine reference describes the coloring characteristics of 34 breeds of horses. Not every breed or color of horse is covered, of course, but the coloration information is well-documented and informative, and the paintings presented in this large-format volume are impressive. Saddle Up…
Choosing Bits
Before selecting a bit, find out what the horse used previously. If it is available, allow it to hang straight and measure the mouthpiece (do not include the rings in the measurement). Also measure the size of the horse’s mouth by placing a wooden dowel in the mouth where the bit should sit and marking the dowel about half an inch beyond the mouth on either side. Smaller horses usually have a smaller mouth and will need a smaller bit, but this isn't always true. .Saddle up...
Folks
Grayce grew up on horses. By the age of seven she was riding alone. At 18, she drove stage teams for her uncle up to mines in the Ochoco Mountains. She’d ride up from Prineville, stay overnight at the stage station, and return the next day. One day up, one day back, day after day. It was great work. “My mother wanted me to be a lady. That was always a bad word with me. I just wanted to be me,” Grayce explained. For a time, she lived with her mother in Portland, working at a dimestore. But soon as she could arrange it, Grayce was back in Prineville. There were two problems with city life. First, there were no horses. ("Horses were my first love.") Second, she didn't like the people.
"I don't like people," she said. "I like folks."
"What's the difference?" I asked... Saddle up...
More U.S. Horses Abandoned and Neglected
With skyrocketing horsekeeping costs, the number of abandoned and neglected horses is on the rise in the U.S. Slaughter plant closures and a booming horse population have also contributed to more unwanted horses in the United States, according to panelists at Montana State University’s fourth annual equine conference. Saddle up...
A Horse By Any Other Name
"Horse" in English, derives from the Anglo-Saxon term hors, which refers to swiftness. In French, the term is cheval, in Italian cavallo, and Turkish, at. Other words for horse include paard (Dutch), hevonen (Finnish), pferd (German), kuda (Indonesian), uma (Japanese), equus (Latin), hest (Norwegian), cavalo (Portugese) and farasi (Swahili). Miller's Horse
Miller's Horse
Intriguing Horse Facts
Horsepacking
Despite its risks, horsepacking is one of the best ways to visit some of America's most remote wilderness areas. Four hooves can cover more territory than two feet, and with pack animals carrying tents and supplies, riders reach camp with energy to fish and explore. Saddle up...
Horse People
Dick Francis, Jane Smiley, Diane Ackerman and Gretel Ehrlich are among the 43 artists and writers who contributed to this anthology celebrating horses and their owners. The Book Stall
Horse Lovers Who Love Too Much
Some folks love horses so much that they sometimes buy more horses than their pasture can handle. The outcome isn't good for the horses or the vegetation, according to Bok Sowell, associate professor of animal and range sciences at Montana State University. Overgrazing can lead to increased parasite loads and a pasture overcome by weeds. If horses start eating sandy soil, they may suffer impaction which can lead to colic.