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Glucosamine Studies On Horses

By Thomas Morva

“Healthy as a horse” implies that horses have a good resistance to many diseases. But being athletic in nature they are trained for long hours and made to run long distances. Such activity schedules and accidents can lead to joint inflammation and degeneration of cartilage, a condition termed as osteoarthritis. Cartilage can be broken to an extent where bones rub each other causing severe pain to the horses.

Generally horses over the age of 15 are more prone to arthritis as the cartilage begins to wear out faster than it is produced at that age. These horses also suffer from weakened tendons and ligaments that become more elastic and results in instability.

To treat arthritis in horses, glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate are commonly used. Glucosamine sulfate is extracted from crustacean shells and chondroitin from bovine cartilage. They are generally added to horse’s daily diet. Chondroitin sulfate is believed to block certain enzymes that result in the breakdown of cartilage.

Recent studies conducted in Toronto, Canada have shown that glucosamine sulfate and its supplements have improved the arthritic joints in horses suffering from arthritis.

In a study conducted by the veterinary orthopedic society horses between the age 5 and 15 diagnosed with arthritis were given glucosamine and chondroitin for two months. After two months the horses were examined and they showed significant improvement.

In 1997, a study on degenerative joint disease in horses was conducted. Horses with cartilage breakdown of the hock, fetlock, pastern and cannon bone were selected for this study. They were administered glucosamine and chondroitin for six weeks. The researchers could see a significant improvement in the horses within the first two weeks.

Arthritis is treatable if detected early. The horse must be regularly examined by a veterinarian to check for signs of arthritis or other ailments.

Glucosamine [http://www.e-Glucosamine.com] provides detailed information on Glucosamine, Glucosamine Chondroitin, Glucosamine Sulfate, Liquid Glucosamine and more. Glucosamine is affiliated with Hip Joint Pain [http://www.e-JointPain.com].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Morva
http://EzineArticles.com/?Glucosamine-Studies-On-Horses&id=405451

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Keeping a Horse on a Budget

by Tim

A Surviving a recession or credit crunch is difficult enough, but when you have horses and ponies which rely on you for food, shelter and medical attention, every little bit helps. It’s a sad fact that many horses and ponies are given up or abandoned every week, as owners struggle to cope with the current economic climate, and there are currently many horses for sale. Sara Tuppen from the Horse Refuge in Wittersham Kent, knows all about looking after horses when money is scarce, having to rely solely on donations to keep over 40 rescued horses in good health.

She believes there are a few points which could help make owning a horse on a budget a little easier: 1. Many horses can live quite happily outside for most of the year, as long as there’s food, water and shelter available. If this is a suitable option for your horse, it could reduce the cost of stabling considerably.

2. Removing shoes is an easy way to keep costs down. If not ridden regularly, or on rocky ground, many horses will not need shoes.

3. Sharing your horse is a great way to cut (even halve!) costs, and provides a cheaper introduction to horse ownership for someone else.

4. In many cases you can get free stabling and occasionally hay and bedding in return for chores. Mucking out, grooming, maintenance etc. are all jobs which could save you money for a little hard work!

5. Vets bills are an unknown factor but still have to be considered. If money’s a little tight, you may find a lot of Vets will allow you to spread the cost, and pay in instalments.

6. Many people can make lifestyle changes! It’s not all about finding ways to keep your horse more cheaply, see if you can do it for yourself!

7. Wherever possible, horse owners can often club together to buy feed and bedding in bulk, reducing the overall price and passing on savings to all.

8. As a last resort, you can look into getting your horse a foster home, even as a companion. There are many ways in which The Horse Refuge can help.

If you would like any more information, or would like to donate, please call Sara on 01797 270555 or visit http://www.horserefuge.org If you’re in a position to loan, or even buy a horse or pony, there are many horses for sale at http://www.horseandponydirectory.com

Surviving a recession or credit crunch is difficult enough, but when you have horses and ponies which rely on you for food, shelter and medical attention, every little bit helps.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Keeping-a-Horse-on-a-Budget/1200640

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Undigested food particles in manure…

by asbservices2

So what does it mean to float a horse’s teeth? I’m sure you’ve heard this a time or two (if you haven’t, sooner or later you will from another horse owner or from your vet), and if you’re like me, you imagined for the longest time what this could possibly mean and wondered what it involved.

To float a horse’s teeth certainly sounds funny, too. Floating means to smooth or contour your horse’s teeth with a file (called a “float”). Unlike your own teeth, your horse’s teeth keep growing. At times, your horse’s teeth may develop sharp edges, making it difficult for her to chew food, hold a bit, or simply have pain and discomfort inside her mouth.

An adult horse may have between 36-44 permanent teeth. And just like humans, your horse gets two sets of teeth in her lifetime. Your horse starts out with temporary baby teeth and by age five, will most likely have her full set of permanent teeth. The horse’s front teeth cut hay and grass, while the top and bottom cheek teeth grind the forage between the flat surfaces in a sideways motion. This grinding action breaks down the food into a pulp before swallowing which helps it to be digested better.

If your horse is unable to grind down food all the way due to uneven teeth surfaces, the unchewed food will not be digested as well. Most often, points develop on the upper cheek teeth toward the outside of the mouth next to your horse’s cheek. And on the bottom cheek teeth toward the inside of the mouth next to your horse’s tongue. These points can then cut into the cheek and tongue making your horse uncomfortable.

Though it may seem tedious and like a burden, you know having routine dentist check-ups contribute to the overall good health of your own teeth. Well, your horse is no different and deserves some of the same attention to her teeth as you give to yours. Confined horses or those that do not have the ability to graze all day are more prone to teeth overgrowth, as they are not naturally grinding their teeth all day to keep them smooth. Also, just like you, your horse can have other dental problems. A horse can have excessively worn teeth, loose or broken teeth, or infected gums.

One sign that your horse’s teeth may need to be floated is if she is consistently dropping food from her mouth and you start seeing signs of weight loss. Your horse may also exhibit behavior like head-tossing or opening her mouth frequently.

Possible horse dental problem indicators: • Drops food from her mouth • Exhibits difficulty in chewing • Excessive salivation • Loss of weight • Undigested food particles in manure • Head-tossing • Excessive bit chewing • Resisting having the bridle put on • Difficult handling while riding • Mouth odor • Blood in the mouth • Face swelling • Nasal discharge

Because horses are adaptable creatures, even if they are having discomfort, some do not show any signs of dental problems. So don’t assume that if there are no symptoms, there are no problems. Sharp teeth edges can hurt the inside of your horse’s mouth causing pain and creating sores on her tongue or cheeks. Your horse may show resistance when riding due to added pain from the bit pressing against the sores. The vet or equine dentist will carefully file all your horse’s teeth that need smoothing to achieve a flat grinding surface between the upper and lower teeth.

Having your horse’s teeth floated is well worth it so she digests her food better, is in better spirits, and makes riding more enjoyable for you both. How often floating is necessary varies quite a bit from one horse to another. Some horses seem to have slower-growing teeth and may require floating only once every several years while others may require floating every few months.

Even if your horse does not require her teeth to be floated often, it is still a good idea to have her teeth and gums examined once a year. The procedure the vet typically uses to float your horse’s teeth is to first sedate your horse to make her relaxed. A special halter is put on with a rope thrown over a ceiling rafter or the equivalent in order to hold your horse’s head up. A mouth speculum is used to keep your horse’s mouth open. The vet will then either manually file your horse’s teeth using a rasp in a back and forth motion to flatten the high points, or may use a power tool. The whole procedure is quick and painless – taking about 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

If you’re like me, you cringe at the thought of someone filing away on your teeth with a rasp. You can imagine the shooting pain from the nerves in your teeth. Personally, the dentist can’t give me enough Novocain to make me feel comfortable before poking around or drilling in my mouth. Unlike us, a horse’s nerves end close to the gumline, so there is no nerve where the tooth is being worked on, and therefore does not feel any nerve pain. We humans should be so lucky.

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Thoroughbred Horse Racing and Their Various Forms

Author: James Murray

The most popular form of horse racing in the whole world is Thoroughbred horse racing and got so popular that some horse racing fans do not know of any other form of horse racing. Thoroughbred horse racing is also known as the “sport of kings” by some horse racing fans. A thoroughbred horse owner would hire a trainer to condition and train his horse for only one form of horse race, because a good trainer will know that there are training regimens for every type of horse race.

Sometimes an owner will opt to enter his horse in races that are similar to what the horse is being trained for. Thoroughbred horse racing comes in a number of different forms.

a) Maiden races, this type of thoroughbred horse racing places untested horses against one another and it is the debut of all these race horses. Some horse racing fans like this type of thoroughbred horse racing to be more exciting because of the fact that all the horses involved have not raced before. The whole career of a race horse in their maiden race often determines their future success and shows the world just what a race horse is capable of doing. In maiden races, thoroughbreds of varying ages participate. In this type of thoroughbred horse racing, in order to even the odds, horses carry similar weights and no handicapped penalties are involved.

b) Allowance racing, this type of thoroughbred horse racing involves horses that have already raced in their maiden race but are not ready for the grand stakes races. Usually, this type of thoroughbred horse racing involves racing for a purse that is higher then the purse involved in maiden races and owners use this type of race to train their horses.

c) Grand stakes racing, this type of thoroughbred horse racing is the most popular form with horse racing fans since it will involve a lot of money. Horse racing fans like this form of thoroughbred horse racing so they can wager money on their favorite race horse. The “grand stakes” in this race the reputation of the horse is on the line and also the amount of money involved. A grand stakes race winner usually becomes a celebrity among race horses. In this type of thoroughbred horse racing, the dreams of countless horse racing fans are also at stake because wagering in this type of thoroughbred horse racing can cost a lot of money. Some horse racing fans like to put their hopes and dreams on only one horse and that is the reason why thoroughbred horse racing will remain supported by horse racing fans all over the world today.

d) Handicap race, this type of thoroughbred horse racing is the evenest of all horse races, theoretically. The reason is that all the horses racing in this event have been handicapped according to their past performances in other horse races. More horse racing fans wager at this type of thoroughbred horse racing and the reason is that all of the odds are even. Theoretically, any horse has a chance to be a winner in a handicap race.

Although thoroughbred horse racing gains popularity because of the money involved, there are horseracing fans who see it as a great test of spirit. There are horses which have the potential to be great and real winners. However, if that horse did not have the will to win, then the potential would forever be useless. Thoroughbred horse racing is not just a game, it is a reflection of life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/thoroughbred-horse-racing-and-their-various-forms-199580.html

About the Author: James Murray is a successful writer and online gambling expert providing valuable tips and advice for those interested in gambling and online gambling strategies. His numerous articles found on the Internet ,provide useful and factual gambling information and insight. Some of his websites are http://www.casinospokerrooms.com , http://www.bingosbingos.com , http://www.top-sportsbook.ca.

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Basic Horse Care

Author:Fran Black

Horses are amazingly beautiful and sensitive creatures. Horses require not only understanding and patience to have a horse as a pet, it also requires a whole lot of care.

Herd Mentality: Observe horses in the herd system, each horse’s welfare in the wild depends upon an instinctive submission to the discipline of the herd. The instinct is for immediate action. To the horse, action is survival. When horses live in an herd environment, they often take turns sleeping and standing guard for any predators. When the leader of the herd signals danger they take flight. Learning respect and ascending to authority starts on the first day of life for the foals, there is a distinct pecking order in herds of horses. It is important to keep a quiet profile around horses. Horses naturally do not like unnecessary noise because in the wild their survival depends on detection of predators with their hearing. Extraneous noise interferes with this predator detection. This predator detection is tightly coupled with a horse’s flight reflex. Due to these survival genetics, horses have a physiological wiring in their brains that predisposes them to prefer quietness and to become bothered by unnecessary noise. Many horses can get startled easily from abrupt noises and this could result in injury to the horse, the rider, or people around the horse. Talk to your horse in a quiet, reassuring voice.

Relationship With Horses: A horse will love you if, first and foremost, you treat it fairly, and secondly, if you allow yourself to develop a relationship with it in the same way you would a human partner. There are too many who will look after the horse’s material needs but put nothing back into the partnership itself. The horse born in captivity will identify with an alternative provider and companion, resulting in a healthy relationship from the beginning. A healthy relationship with your horse requires: trust, coupled with respect, fondness with compliance, and a desire to please.

Check Your Horse: Examine your horse every day and especially prior to riding the horse. Carefully examine the horse’s legs and back for any unusual heat or lumps. Make sure that the horse’s eyes are alert and not glazy. Listen for any excessive noise or gurgling sounds coming from your horse’s stomach. Catching problems before they become serious is critical to keeping a show horse sound and alive. Exercise caution and discretion when around stallions and mares when they are in heat. They are dealing with hormones on an order of magnitude that you probably can not comprehend. Stallions typically bite and some may be easily triggered into violent behavior.

Grooming Horses: Keep your horse clean. Keep your horse’s entire coat free from dirt, mud, sand, and sweat. Brush your horse every day. Pick out your horse’s feet every day. Wash out any sweat residue from the saddle pad or girth every day. Wash out any dirt or sand residue, as from the riding arena, on your horses legs every day. A number of different problems can result if a horse’s coat is not kept clean.

Barn Care: Keep your horse’s stall clean. Make sure that your horse’s stall is cleaned every day. Be sure that any wetness is removed with the manure. Replace the removed bedding with fresh, clean, dry bedding. Water should be dumped from buckets every day without exception. Unhealthy dirt and bacteria can build up in a bucket if it is not cleaned on a daily basis. Clean water is essential to maintaining a healthy horse. Make sure your horse always has clean, fresh water available.

Training A Horse: The intelligence of the horse increases rapidly with education. An intelligent trainer can make an intelligent horse. A kind but firm trainer will result in a disciplined but pleasing horse.

Horse Feed: Feed your horse(s) at the same times every day. A horse may get upset and colic or injure themselves by kicking the stall or pawing, if not fed when feeding is expected. You should not make radical changes in a horse’s feed program. If you must make a change in the feed program, make the change gradually. Drastic changes in a horse’s feed program can cause the horse to colic and in some cases, may die. Your horse’s stomach is a highly sensitive bio-reactor that maintains a delicate balance of the organisms that digest food in your horse’s digestive track. Visitors should not feed a horse that you do not own without the owner’s permission; no carrots, no apples, no treats, nothing. The horse could potentially, get sick if they have an allergy or sickness.

Pay attention to everything that goes into your horse; that means all feed, all hay, all water, all treats, all supplements, all pills, and all shots. This knowledge could save your horse’s life in an emergency situation. Post this information on your horse’s stall door so that it is available to a vet if you are not around in an emergency. Make sure that your horse gets high-quality feed and hay. Your horse’s health and soundness depends on the nutrition that you provide for them. Take good care of your horse. A rider without a horse is no rider at all.

Vet Care: Make sure that you have a good equine veterinarian. A good vet will save you money in the long run and may save your horse’s life some day. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Make sure your horse has all the vaccinations that are normal for your geographical location. All horses should be on a good worming program to control intestinal parasites. A horse should be wormed by a vet at least twice a year.

Horse Flies: In the summer spray your horse trailer down with fly spray about 10 minutes before you load the horses. The flies should leave, and your horses will be without those pesky flies! Cooling Horses: Never spray a hot, sweaty horse with cold water immediately after working the horse. This can cause muscle spasms and binding, or shock that can lead to death. Wait until the horse is breathing regularly, and use warm water if it is available. If a horse has heat shock, consult your vet and the vet may instruct you to cold hose the horse, even if still hot and sweaty. Never put a horse in a stall or confined area while sweaty or while they are still breathing heavily. This can result in shock and/or colic that can lead to death. Walk the horse until the horse is cooled out and the breathing is normal. Shoeing: Horses’ hooves generally grow approximately 1 cm in a month, and take nearly a year to grow from the coronet band to the ground.

Horse’s hooves need to be trimmed regularly (about every 6-8 weeks). Shoeing a horse does not hurt them. If you were to grow out your finger nail, you could put an earring/pin through it without causing discomfort; however, if you pushed the pin through the part of your nail that is attached to the soft tissue of your finger, it would hurt. When horse shoes are nailed in, they are nailed at an angle so which the horse doesn’t feel it. Make sure that you have a good farrier, especially if you show your horse over jumps. The concussion from landing from jumps amplifies any problems in a horse’s shoeing. If a horse gets sore feet or legs from bad angles or bad shoeing, the horse can not just take his shoes off, sit back on a couch, and rub their feet, or find another pair of shoes like you can. Bad shoeing can result in your horse becoming lame due to a number of problems including: bowed tendons, popped splints, or shoulder/back soreness or spasms. Bad shoeing can ruin a good horse, so don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish where shoeing is concerned. A laid-up horse is far more expensive to maintain than a good farrier. And remember not all horses need to have shoes, only if they are competing, walking on hard/rocky surfaces, or have hoof problems.

Sleeping: Horses do lay down to sleep, but only if they feel completely comfortable in their environment. It is not enough to provide a dry stable, food and water. Horses will often sleep standing up by locking their knees. Horses are one of the few animals that can put one half of their body asleep while the other half is wide awake.

Emotionally and mentally, all horses need to feel they have and be comfortable in their own space! To fully enjoy a horse’s finer qualities you must treat them with both kindness and quality care. In the end, a happy horse will mean a nicer ride and a happier rider.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/basic-horse-care-27128.html

About the Author: Rob Daniels has been an equestrian rider for 25 years. He has studied various disciplines additional articles are available at: Riding Stable – http://www.riding-stable.com and Horse Stall http://www.horse-stall.net

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How To Condition A Barrel Horse For Competition

Author: Ron Petracek

Barrel racing is a tough sport on both rider and horse. Barrel horses are athletes that need to be in really good condition when running barrels. A horse that is not in good condition and started on barrels may get sore and associate the pain with running barrels. This can lead to problems that are hard to correct.

If you plan on starting a horse on barrels or are getting a seasoned horse back into shape, start on their conditioning before putting them on the barrel pattern. Long trotting and slow loping are the best two ways to get a horse in top condition. These gaits will build up muscle and lung capacity allowing the horse to perform better and not be gasping for air after a run. Part of getting your horse into shape is building his lung capacity and stamina.

Having an exercise program for your horse is the best way to monitor what exercise your horse is getting. This makes it easier to add or take away parts of the program according to his condition and needs. Find a good, safe place to exercise your horse. An arena is good because of the cushion of the dirt or sand, but can become very boring for both you and your horse. If you have a large pasture you can do most of the exercising there. Dirt roads without rocks are good for this because the scenery isn’t so repetitive. Make sure that you don’t exercise your horse on ground that is too hard, like on roadways, cement or icy ground. Always put protective boots on your horse’s legs before riding to protect his legs from injury.

To get your barrel horse in condition you should work up to riding him six to eight miles three or four days a week. These days should consist of warming up with a walk, long trotting and slow loping. In the beginning you should do more walking and slowly take the walking time and add it to the trotting and loping segments. After walking a half of a mile, alternate long trotting and slow loping for a half of a mile. Do this for a week and then add another half of a mile. It can take months to reach the full six to eight miles, but getting a horse in top condition takes time and patience.

Of course, if your horse is in good shape before starting the program you may increase the mileage faster. On the days you aren’t following the exercise program you should your horse lightly or exercise him in a round pen. Allow your horse at least one day off a week to rest and relax. Turn him out in a pasture to run freely or lay around. This allows his muscles to still work, but at his own, natural pace. This also allows him to relax and not become bored with the exercise program.

After following this program for about 90 days you should see a vast improvement in your horse’s condition and stamina. He is almost at his peak performance at this point. Now you can add a sprint to your exercise program on one day of the week. Start out with a walk and trot to get his muscles warmed up and stretched. Ask your horse for a sprint for about 250 yards. Ask for as much speed as he will give you, allowing him to run as fast as he can. Slowly bring him down to a lope, trot and then a walk. Walk him until his breathing is even and he is cooled down. This does not need to be done more than once a week. If you are running your horse at a barrel race almost every weekend, you can skip this part of the workout.

Once you start competing regularly this rigorous exercise program can be cut down to a maintenance program. If you are competing almost every weekend you can shorten the exercise down to 45 minutes of walking, trotting and loping three to four days a week. Always be sure and give your horse at least one day off a week and don’t ride him hard every single day. Horses get bored with routine and can start to misbehave.

Remember to not work him too hard the day of or the day just before a competition. Want to discuss your favorite horse event? Stop by our resource links below and join our community. We would love to see you there.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-condition-a-barrel-horse-for-competition-409361.html

About the Author: Ron Petracek was raised in Souther Idaho,with a black morgan as his adventure companion. His Love for horses has expanded into the largest equine classified network on the internet to date with horse articles,classifieds and social networking. Amazing Equine Network System – Buy Sell or trade anything equine related. Get More Horse Classified coverage and distribution with less cost and work. Amazing Horse Forum

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