Optimising the Care and Management of Your Equine Athlete- Part 3

Follow this 5 part blog over the next few weeks for expert advice,  research and essential tips on care and management of your competition horse.

Part 3- Environmental Factors

Susan Stover, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, is the director of the J. D. Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She is an internationally recognized expert in the field of racehorse injuries and has spent a number of years studying the reasons for death and injuries among racehorses in order to develop prevention strategies.

Significant progress has been made in discovering the causes of catastrophic injury in racehorses and we now have a better understanding of the events leading to bone fracture along with better techniques to detect stress fractures in live horses. Stover and her team have identified race surface and exercise factors that place horses at increased risk for catastrophic injury and have provided horseshoe recommendations to prevent suspensory apparatus injury.

Performance horses incur a wide variety of athletic injuries that are unique to their particular athletic pursuit. Stover and her research team are working hard to discover risk factors, preventive measures, and effective treatments for these athletes.

Injuries to structures that support the fetlock and digit (suspensory ligament, superficial and deep digital flexor tendons) are the primary causes of performance limitations in show jumpers, dressage horses, and eventing horses. The likelihood of injury to these structures increases with increasing limb loads, as might occur with harder surfaces or higher or more difficult jumps. High limb loads induce extremes of carpal (knee), fetlock, and coffin joint hyperextension and can cause damage to the supporting tendons and ligaments.

While several factors affect limb loads and limb biomechanics, a key factor that can be managed for injury prevention is the arena surface that horses are performing on. There is some evidence to support the association of surface with injury and the role of surface in limb biomechanics. Unfavorable ground conditions (soft or heavy ground) were associated with failure to complete the Grand National event. In a study of hoof landing in elite jumping horses, differences were observed between sand and turf surfaces. Differences were also found in hind-limb fetlock motion and hoof slide of racehorses between a dirt and a synthetic track surface, and forelimb dynamics in horses between turf and synthetic surfaces.

In elite dressage horses, fetlock hyperextension was greater on the synthetic surface than the dirt surface (note the opposite result to that found in racehorses).

Surface characteristics affect maximum limb loads, loading rates, and hoof accelerations. Forces associated with these loads and accelerations spread up the limb, with higher loads and forces causing greater joint extensions and higher tendon and ligament strains. Superficial digital flexor tendon strains differed in horses traveling on asphalt, sand and synthetic surfaces. Epidemiological evidence for racehorses on flat surfaces indicates that racetracks and race surfaces appear to affect risk for racehorse injury. Although the results of different studies are somewhat inconsistent relative to which types of surfaces have the greatest risk for injury, two larger scale studies found that injury risk in racehorses was higher for dirt surfaces than for synthetic surfaces.

In a recent study with elite dressage horses, fetlock joint and hoof motion were compared between dirt and synthetic dressage arena surfaces. We found that fetlock hyperextension was greater on the synthetic surface than the dirt surface (note the opposite result to that found in racehorses). In addition, the synthetic surface had a higher load rate than the dirt surface (note the opposite result to that found in some racehorse surfaces). We found that the hoof of dressage horses at an extended trot interacts with surfaces very differently than galloping racehorses.

Not all dirt and synthetic surfaces would produce the same result, however, because surfaces vary markedly in their physical characteristics. The research study also measured the physical characteristics of the surfaces because this information is most useful in designing new surfaces for injury prevention. Thus, there is a need to customize surfaces for individual horse occupations.

Given the high relevance and broad interest in arena surfaces and the large financial investment associated with ring installation, the equine community would greatly benefit from footing recommendations based on science, with the long-term goal of establishing mixtures and management ideal for each discipline. This work could significantly impact wastage in the industry and reduce the need for medications to alleviate pain and inflammation in the performance horse.

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Reprinted from The Horse Report (Spring 2014) with permission from the Center for Equine Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (UC Davis). 

Conditioning and Fitness

Follow this 5 part blog over the next few weeks for expert advice,  research and essential tips on care and management of your competition horse.

Part 1- Nutrition
Part 2- Conditioning and fitness
Part 3- Environmental Factors
Part 4- Podiatry
Part 5- Complementary Medicine

Part 2- Conditioning and Fitness

Numerous scientific studies support fitness as a preventative for musculoskeletal injury. Fitness is a measure of the horse's ability to deliver oxygen to working tissues under extremes of exercise. Some of this energy is delivered through aerobic or well-oxygenated conditions.

 When that energy is consumed, the horse must be able to create energy without oxygen, or under anaerobic conditions. The mechanisms are different and truly fit horses are able to perform well because they can deliver energy to their tissues efficiently under both circumstances.

 Fitness is also the adaptation of bones and soft tissues to loads they must carry during competition. A horse is not truly fit until these adaptive changes are complete.

Cardiopulmonary and muscular fitness precede tendon, ligament, and bone fitness in early training. Across disciplines, horses in the first few weeks of intensive exercise are more likely to be injured than those that have been in training for 60 days or more.

 In order for bones, tendons, and ligaments to adjust to strain and load, they must be pushed gradually to endure the level of exercise expected in competition. In the past, horses were "spared" from heavy work and used lightly until show time. That thinking has changed as we have learned how the musculoskeletal system adapts to work. The trick is to achieve fitness without adding to repetitive-use injury. Once a horse has achieved fitness, it takes less work to maintain than what is intuitive and there is a great need to establish evidence-based best practices for fitness training within each equestrian discipline.

Exercise induces mild inflammation, which creates increased blood flow and stimulates musculoskeletal adaptation. 

This process often happens in the recovery or rest phase after work, as does the repletion of glycogen (sugar reserves) within muscle. Unfit horses tend to injure soft tissue structures that fatigue when workload exceeds the horse's capacity to deliver oxygen and sugar to the vital muscular structures supporting the limb, or if their bones and ligaments are not sufficiently adapted to carry the added load. For example, a jumper landing on the far side of a fence transmits load to the structures that support the fetlock joint: the superficial digital flexor tendon, the deep digital flexor tendon, and the suspensory ligament. The amount of fetlock drop that occurs in the landing determines the amount of strain to those structures and thus risk for injury. When horses are fit, they are more likely to endure movements without their joints exceeding their normal ranges of motion. However, fit horses can injure bones and joints when they are pushed outside of the normal physiologic range and are less likely to suffer soft-tissue injury.

Footing plays a large role in preventing lameness and achieving fitness, and current thinking suggests that working the horse on multiple surfaces improves adaptability of the musculoskeletal system. Many horses train on one surface and then go to a show with different footing and ground surface characteristics, which affect deceleration of the foot and dispersion of load. Interestingly, the warm-up ring footing is often different then the show-ring footing, which adds another variable. Imagine training for a marathon on the road and then competing in sand. Research is currently underway to identify qualities of footing that are ideal for the different equestrian disciplines. The shoe-footing interface is also an important area of future research.

Several parameters can help guide training programs in both human and equine athletes. Heart rate, during and after work, is one of the most sensitive indicators of fitness. Horses differ from human athletes in several regards when it comes to fitness and delivery of oxygen to muscles. Being flight animals, they are highly adapted for speed to escape predators. 

Horses are able to contract their spleens at the onset of intense exercise and literally double their oxygen delivery to cells via increased red cell volume. 

Horses have a greater muscle mass per kilogram of body weight and have two times the oxygen delivery system per kilogram of body weight.

 Lastly, the pulmonary function of the horse is compromised in the upper gaits because respiration is synchronized with stride at the canter and the gallop. This affects ability to gather oxygen and increases the horse's reliance on internal mechanisms for enhanced delivery.

In humans, a lower resting heart rate and respiratory rate are associated with fitness; this is not necessarily the case in horses. As horses become more fit through base cardiovascular training, they are able to move at higher speeds with lower heart rates, and their heart rate will come back to normal more quickly after exercise. 

This is known as cardiac recovery.

This index is used in endurance riding and eventing to ensure that the horses are fit to proceed and that they are not overloading their capacity. Dehydration, elevated temperature, lameness, and excitement are all factors that can influence heart rate and should be considered if the horse's heart rate is unusually elevated during or after work in a relatively fit horse. 

Heart rate variability, which is the variation of time between heart beats, can be a more sensitive means of separating excitement from heart rate elevations associated with decompensation and requires the use of continuous electrical monitoring of the heart via and electrocardiogram.

Many riders carry heart rate monitors that attach to the tack and provide feedback to the rider's watch. This is a similar idea as Fitbit, with biofeedback being used to modify activity levels with an ideal goal in mind. Although methods of training vary dramatically and no one method is correlated with success, a common thought is that horses will benefit from initial core training, followed by interval training that is gradually escalated to the full work necessary to be successful in the show ring. Base training will often elevate the horse into the 120-150 beats per minute rate. Maximal heart rate for a racehorse in full gallop is 240 beats per minute. Racehorses are commonly timed at the gallop, whereas hunters, jumpers, and dressage horses are not.

Future research in the area of baseline heart rates of the different disciplines under different gaits could prove useful to fine-tune conditioning plans. In this day and age of smart phones and applications, it seems that establishing such a database would be a reasonable undertaking. The outside factors such as environmental conditions and the presence or absence of lameness would skew this data, so inclusion criteria would have to be set.

For horses suffering from injuries that must be rested, auxiliary forms of exercise such as swimming or underwater treadmill are very appealing because they offer maintenance of cardiovascular fitness, with decreased loading of the limbs. These horses will still require a ramping up of load on bones, tendons, ligaments and muscle once healing has occurred but will not need the additional time to reestablish cardiovascular fitness.

There is much interest in human and veterinary fields regarding the use of biomarkers to screen training. Stallside labs to assess excessive bone remodeling or cartilage repair or tendon or ligament strain are not far on the horizon. The enzyme lactate is used in laboratory situations to assess fitness and anaerobic metabolism. MRI tendon mapping, which is currently being investigated at UC Davis, has shown us that changes start to occur in the extracellular matrix of soft tissues before any detectable lesion is visible on MRI. If we could find changes at this level, there would be far less wastage of horses in the equine industry.

Ideally, a panel test to monitor athletes during the ramping-up phase of work would be a great tool. Extensive research is currently underway to identify targets to be measured. These tools could also be used to develop best practices for the recovery phase of work, which is the essential rest period that the body needs to repair any damage induced by exercise. The rest period is vital, and horses that are worked without such breaks will eventually succumb to overtraining.

Subscribe to make sure you don't miss Part 3- Environmental Factors

Thank you
Stacey
Hartpury Saddlery Shop
www.hartpurysaddleryshop.co.uk

Maximising enjoyment for you and your horse

Reprinted from The Horse Report (Spring 2014) with permission from the Center for Equine Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (UC Davis). 

Optimising the Care and Management of Your Equine Athlete

Follow this 5 part blog over the next few weeks for expert advice,  research and essential tips on care and management of your competition horse.

Part 1- Nutrition
Part 2- Conditioning and fitness
Part 3- Environmental Factors
Part 4- Podiatry
Part 5- Complementary Medicine

Part 1 Nutrition

Clair Thunes, PhD, teaches equine nutrition and equine exercise physiology in the UC Davis Department of Animal Science and has competed in a number of sport disciplines including eventing, show jumping, and dressage. She is also an independent equine nutritionist and owner of Summit Equine Nutrition, LLC. She offers the following perspective on optimizing nutrition for equine athletes.

Today's performance horses lead lives that are very different from their wild ancestors. Yet physiologically, they are not so different: modern horses still have a digestive tract where more than 50% of its volume is given over to the fermentation of forages and that still secretes acid and bile 24 hours a day because it expects almost continuous grazing rather than infrequent meals.

An equine diet should have a foundation in forage, regardless of whether the horse is a retired pasture ornament or an Olympic-level show jumper.

Photo: Photos.com

Horses evolved eating grasses that for the most part were high in complex carbohydrates, requiring fermentation by hindgut bacteria. The relationship between these bacteria and the horse is mutually beneficial because the horse absorbs the byproducts of the fermentation processes as an energy source. Therefore, maintaining the health of the microbial population is a vital component of nutritional management. The bacterial population requires that adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates be provided in the diet and that the diet stay relatively static with only gradual changes.

An appropriate feeding program for any horse takes into consideration the horse's digestive anatomy and physiology. Ideally, the primary diet should have a foundation in forage, regardless of whether the horse is a retired pasture ornament or an Olympic-level show jumper. Performance horses might need more calories in their diet than can be met from forage alone; as a result, the temptation is to feed increasingly high levels of calorie-dense feeds. The focus of the ration can easily become these supplemental energy sources, with less and less attention paid to the ration's forage components.

Because many supplemental feeds fed to performance horses are fortified, this can create a perception that the forage is nothing but filler. However, the majority of horses should be consuming a minimum of 1.5% of their body weight per day as forage, or approximately 18 pounds a day for a horse weighing 1,250 pounds. Thus, in most cases the forage portion of the diet provides the majority of the calories, protein, and minerals (such as calcium and phosphorous), making it far more than just filler.

Careful selection of forages can mitigate a number of problems observed in equine athletes. For most performance horses, this forage will be hay. Undesirable hay bellies, which are caused by consuming large amounts of indigestible, poor-quality forage, are best fixed not by reducing the amount of hay fed but rather by switching to a hay that is more easily digestible. Conversely, feeding a lower-quality hay to horses that typically need calorie intakes restricted will allow a greater amount of hay to be consumed without the risk of weight gain. With careful hay selection, the amount of hay fed can be maximized for each horse, thus honoring the digestive physiology and reducing the risk of conditions such as equine gastric ulcer syndrome and stable vices like wood chewing.

The purpose of concentrate feeds and supplements should be to provide what is missing in the forage portion of the ration. For nearly all forages, this means a source of trace minerals, certain vitamins and fatty acids. For many horses competing at the entry levels of their disciplines, feeding a nutrient-dense, low-calorie ration balancer with a small serving size in combination with hay will provide nearly all of the necessary additional nutrients.

For horses unable to maintain condition on forage and a ration balancer, a more calorie-dense feed should be added to the ration. There is a tendency within certain disciplines for horses to be maintained with too much condition, which results from overfeeding. There are two major consequences of these practices:

1. Extra condition adds unnecessary wear and tear on joints and soft tissues and can result in soundness issues; and
2. Extra condition could produce negative behaviors.

Horses that are overfed calories can become exuberant, and when this is not given an appropriate outlet (such as turnout), undesirable behaviors under saddle can result. This is particularly troublesome in the show arena and can lead to the pursuit of calming supplements and other measures to create a more tractable mount. In most cases, the simplest and most appropriate solution would be to feed a more appropriate diet.

For those struggling to keep weight off their easy keepers, or those who feed commercial feeds in quantities less than the manufacturer-recommended amounts, a suboptimal diet can result. Horses might appear to be in good condition when, in fact, they are suffering from a level of malnourishment. For example, manganese is needed for the creation of chondroitin sulfate and copper for the formation of collagen, the foundation of tendons and ligaments. Without careful attention to the diet, these deficiencies can potentially go unnoticed. The long-term impact of suboptimal diets is not well-documented in horses; however, the harder a horse works and the greater demands made on metabolism and physiology, the more likely nutrient deficiencies will negatively impact both health and performance.

Fat sources have become a common ingredient in many performance horse feeds. Because fats are very energy-dense (2.25 times more calories than an equal weight of carbohydrate), they are an effective way of adding large amounts of supplemental energy to a ration. Fat also does not raise blood glucose and insulin the way high-starch intakes do, which is an important consideration when dealing with horses that are sensitive to nonstructural carbohydrates, such as those with polysaccharide storage myopathy or insulin resistance.

Fat is susceptible to rancidity and when a high-fat diet is fed to a horse, the horse is at a higher risk of developing cellular oxidative damage. Feeding vitamin E, a natural antioxidant, alongside a fat (usually at 1,000-2,000 IU per half-cup of oil) can help offset that oxidative damage. Additionally, high-fat feeds that have been stored in hot environments or that are not fresh could have higher levels of rancidity, so ensuring that the feeds purchased are fresh is important.

There is also much anecdotal evidence that horses fed fat instead of grains are less excitable. Research has shown that there might in fact be merit to these claims, with dressage horses fed high-fat diets being less easy to startle and having lower resting cortisol (a measure of stress) than when fed a diet higher in starch. Other research has confirmed that foals fed high fat and fiber diets cantered less often and for less time than those fed calories from starch and sugar. More is not always better though. When fed in excess, fat has the potential to disrupt hindgut fermentation and absorption of some minerals and vitamins. As always, the key is in finding the correct balance.

Performance horse managers are constantly on the lookout for inflammation, especially of the joints, but they also have to battle other inflammatory conditions such as hives and laminitis. As all of these conditions can keep a horse out of the competitive arena, there is a lot of interest in nutritional aids in the form of nutrients with potentially anti-inflammatory properties such as various joint supplements, omega-3 fatty acids, and, most recently, resveratrol and turmeric. However, potentially anti-inflammatory supplements could violate anti-doping regulations.

Flax provides a good source of omega-3 fatty acids at approximately four times more omega-3 than omega-6.

Photo: The Horse Staff

Unlike plants, horses and other mammals are unable to create omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, so these nutrients must be provided in the diet. Good-quality fresh pasture provides approximately three times more omega-3 fatty acid than omega-6. The amount of omega fatty acids is lower in hay as they are not heat stable. Flax provides a good source of omega-3 fatty acids at approximately four times more omega-3 than omega-6. Flax can be fed whole or is available for purchase in ground, stabilized forms. Unless stabilized, the fatty acids will oxidize once ground. Grains and oils tend to provide larger amounts of omega-6 than omega-3. Corn oil, for example, provides approximately 45 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acid.

The relative amount of omega-3 to omega-6 in the diet could have important implications for inflammation within the body. The ratio in good quality grass pasture is about 3:1 omega-3 to omega-6. High-grain diets will throw the ratio the other way, and this has the potential to be pro-inflammatory versus anti-inflammatory. Research conducted at UC Davis revealed a 60% drop in biomarkers of inflammation after supplementation with a product containing an omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of 4:1. Competition exists between omega-6 and -3 fatty acids at the cellular level; therefore, the dietary fatty acid composition has the potential to impact a number of important cellular level functions relevant to performance.

Approximately 15 to 25 g per day of supplemental omega-3 fatty acid is often recommended for a 1,100-pound horse; a cup of ground flax provides about 22.5 g. The National Research Council (NRC) requirement for omega-6 is 0.5% of dry matter intake, or about 5.5 g per day for a 1,200-pound horse eating 2% of body weight in feed.

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Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects sensitive cell membrane components from oxidative damage. Currently, the NRC recommends a minimum daily intake of 1.6 to 2 IU/kg body weight per day for working horses, or about 1,000 IU per day for a 1,200-pound horse. There is research showing that levels above this could improve performance in some horses, especially those doing rigorous speed or endurance work or suffering from neuromuscular disorders. Horses who fail to develop an adequate topline despite normal development and soundness might also benefit from additional vitamin E supplementation.

Common over-the-counter vitamin E supplements will often contain selenium. The margin of safety for selenium is far below that of vitamin E, so it is important that vitamin E is supplemented alone unless a selenium deficiency is detected. Consult with your veterinarian before initiating a combination supplement.

A diet of good-quality fresh pasture provides significantly more vitamin E than the above recommendation. However, due to oxidation processes, naturally occurring vitamin E in pasture declines dramatically during curing for hay as well as in other feed ingredients that undergo processing. Losses in hay can be so great that stored forage should not be relied upon as an adequate source for performance horses. While better-quality commercial feeds provide a source of vitamin E, in some instances separate vitamin E supplementation may be justified, especially for horses in intense work and those showing signs of muscle soreness or prone to recurrent tying-up.

For maximum absorption, vitamin E should be supplemented in the natural ?-tocopherol form. Water-soluble versions exist, which are the most absorbable and are recommended for horses with neuromuscular conditions.

Vitamin E appears to play a role in a number of neuromuscular diseases including equine degenerative myeloencephalophathy, equine motor neuron disease, and muscle atrophy conditions. Further work is needed to better understand its role in these conditions.

So where does all of the above information leave us as far as making sound nutritional decisions for our horses? A good initial rule of thumb is to always remember how the horse's digestive anatomy and physiology work and to design a feeding program that honors this. This means starting with forage and selecting the right forage for the individual horse. All hay must be clean and free of weeds, molds, and dust. Select the hay that allows you to feed the greatest amount possible while still maintaining a desirable body condition. Keep in mind that access to fresh green pasture is not ideal for all horses. Consult with your veterinarian regarding individual restrictions.

Hay should be tested whenever possible, especially when several months' worth are purchased at one time. Compared with the cost of hay, testing is a very modest investment starting at around $30 for information about the calorie, protein, carbohydrate fractions, macro- and trace mineral content. Make sure that the lab chosen to run the analysis provides equine-based information. When an analysis is not viable, a thorough visual assessment can give some nutritional information. Hay with a greater proportion of leaves relative to stems is higher quality and will have a higher calorie and protein content versus a stemmy hay with lower leaf content.

Alfalfa is a higher-calorie hay than grass hay, making it less desirable for easy keepers but a good choice for harder keepers. It can be included up to about 30% of the total forage. Above that amount, protein and calcium intakes become excessive.

Once the hay is selected, nutrients not present in hay in adequate amounts need to be provided by some additional means. If the horse is able to maintain condition solely on hay, then a broad-spectrum supplement providing approximately 50 mg of copper and 200 mg of zinc (this is half of the NRC requirement for a 1,100-pound horse at rest) or a ration-balancing feed (look for feeds with a 1- to 2-pound serving size per 1,000 pounds of body weight) should to be added to provide necessary trace minerals. The benefit of the ration-balancing feed is that it will also provide a source of quality protein that could be lacking in some grass hays. For some very easy keepers, even the limited calories provided by a ration balancer might be too many, making a supplement a better option.

For horses needing additional calories to maintain condition, a performance or senior feed will be a better option. It is very important to pay attention to the feeding directions and select a feed that you can feed at the recommended amount. This is particularly important for senior feeds that are "complete" feeds, meaning that they provide all of the necessary forage as well and therefore have very large serving sizes, upwards of 15 pounds per day in some cases. Read the labels to determine the serving size for your horse's needs and purchase accordingly. Also look at the label to determine whether the feed is providing calories from fat (% crude fat) or starch. Feeds with a low percentage of crude fiber tend to have a higher starch content. Look at the ingredient list to see whether the feed includes beet pulp, soy or almond hulls—desirable sources of fermentable fiber—and do not shy away from wheat middlings and wheat mill run, which provide the same calorie content as many grains but with half the starch.

Beyond this, be sure to provide a source of salt and consider adding supplemental sources of omega-3 and vitamin E. Many horses do not consume enough salt from a block to meet their minimum sodium requirement, which is equivalent to a 2-pound block of salt a month for a horse weighing 1,100 pounds living in cool weather and doing no work. Therefore, it is advisable to add 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of white salt to the daily feed in addition to having access to a block. An additional electrolyte might be needed during hard work and/or hot weather.

Elite human athletes have come to realize that, while they might think they know how to eat properly for their chosen sport, there are real benefits to working with a nutrition professional with the expertise to fine-tune their diet for maximum performance ability. This is where working with an independent equine nutritionist can really make a difference. They can create a diet based on the forage and help with correct product selection, thus ensuring that your horse is getting everything needed while at the same time honoring digestive anatomy and physiology.

Given the large amount of money spent on feeds and supplements every month, consulting with an independent equine nutrition professional is a sound investment, with most offering a range of services priced from about $100 for an hour-long phone consultation, to $200-$300 for an in-depth ration analysis. A good independent equine nutritionist will be basing their recommendations on the available science, not the need to sell certain products.

There is still much work to be done when it comes to research in sport horse nutrition:

• Studying the effectiveness of potentially anti-inflammatory nutrients in horses such as quercitin, resveratrol, and turmeric.
• Quantifying whether mimicking natural eating habits in stabled horses lowers stress.
• Making a commitment to support general sport horse nutrition research.

Advancing our knowledge in these areas will help provide nutritionists and veterinarians with the tools they need to make sound feeding recommendations and to improve both the welfare and performance of sport horses.

Subscribe to make sure you don't miss Part 2- Conditioning and fitness 

Thank you
Stacey
Hartpury Saddlery Shop
www.hartpurysaddleryshop.co.uk

Maximising enjoyment for you and your horse

Reprinted from The Horse Report (Spring 2014) with permission from the Center for Equine Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (UC Davis). 

Hartpury Spring Fair

Hartpury Collage Spring Fair 2014

What a great event (Hartpury Spring Fair) run by Hartpury Collage students (March 26th 2014)

With demonstrations from by top class young eventer, Georgie Spence, 

Licensed Two Star Parelli professional, Kim Rayner 

and the Mounted Games Association, there was lots to entertain and 

great top training tips too .


From a stall holders perspective I could not have been more impressed, 

Tables, electric, cables, were provided (some last minute) all 

with a great view of all the action. A stall holders dream as many will tell 

you show days can be a hard work.


A successful evening was had by all with a few hundred pounds raised for

 the air ambulance and a super turnout.

We even managed a picture in the citizen too ! 

Well done, and maybe some budding future event managers in the team.

Thank you for a great evening

Hartpury Saddlery

www.hartpurysaddleryshop.co.uk

Hartpury horses score straight tens

Hartpury horses score straight tens in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ style dressage in aid of charity

Hartpury horses’ ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ dressage routines recently wowed the judges as the college’s students raised money for charity at an Easter themed show.  

The event, which ran throughout the day, was organised by Hartpury’s Level 3 Extended Diploma Horse Management students as part of their event management unit.

It gave the college’s 160 Further Education equine students, including those without their own horse, the chance to compete in dressage at preliminary or novice level as well as showjumping and in-hand showing (running next to the horse, not riding). They also took part in an equine-related quiz.

Students will also be raising money for Redwings Horse Sanctuary with a cake sale and there will be a St Patrick’s Day theme for the event. 

Tom Hallam, Hartpury’s  Head of Equine (for Further Education), said: “The event gave our students the opportunity to learn about event management and the organisation and running of a show, whilst also giving all of our equine students the chance to have a day full of fun as well as raising some money for charity. The ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ panel of dressage judges was the highlight of the day as well as some amazing fancy dress human and equine costumes!.”

Students took part in dressage to music and the quiz in the morning before showjumping and in-hand showing in the afternoon.

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Maximising enjoyment for you and your horse

Nettex Fly Repellent wins ‘Best in Test’ & 'Best Value

Nettex Fly Repellent has won ‘Best in Test’ in the 2013 in the Your Horse tests. Compared to other fly products Nettex Fly Repellent was the judges favourite. As Your Horse commented;

"...this lasted the longest and was deffinitely the most effective. It contains DEET, a common chemical ingredient which is effective at repelling but not killing insects. Nettex adds moisturisers and conditioners to reduce evaporation, and they obviously do the trick because even in hot weather we didn't need ro reapply any more - just once in the morning before turnout. It had a light and lemony scent and left the horse's coat looking clean and shiny. This was definitely our favourite and we'll be using it again."

Plus Nettex Fly Repellent Wipes won 'Best Value' in the July 2013 issue of Horse & Rider who said;

"Each wipe contains enough product to cover a fairly large horse, despite being quite small. The effects are strong enough to provide instant relief from flies without irritating the skin - it was gentle enough for riders to use on themeselves too. They come in a handy container that seals to keep them moist. A great product."

Nettex fly repellent available in two sizes 250ml and 500ml

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Wow-Real Talent

Lean Logistics Eventing Team's video.

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Pasture management for horse fields

                               Every now and then, your fields need rejuvenating. You can do that by completely seeding
                                after ploughing the fields or by reseeding the existing grassland.
                                  Following are some tips and advice on grassland maintenance for your fields, separated i                               into maintenance and fertilising.

                                Maintenance of the fields
                               The following points are important for keeping your fields in good condition:

                              1. Seeding / re-seeding of the fields                                  Try to renew your grass every 10-15 years, by completely redoing the fields or, at least,                                    by re-seeding. After ploughing and rolling and before seeding the new grass, you

should carry out a repair fertilising. This is very important. You need a soil analysis to find out the deficiencies of the soil. After adding the required ingredients, you can go ahead with the seeding. Use grass seed for horse pasture and not for cattle pasture.
If you decide to re-seed, then the grass seeds need to go onto the existing grassland. The best time for seeding is autumn or spring. Summer is less suitable.

2. The grass seed mixture: suitable for horses

There are some standard seed mixes commercially available for horse fields in England. It consists of perennial ryegrass (3 to 4 varieties), meadow fescue, Timothy (2 varieties), creeping red fescue and smooth stalked meadow grass. You need around 14 kg per acre.
Ryegrass is less suitable for horses as it grows very fast and overgrows the finer grasses, which horses prefer. Ryegrass also contains a high level of protein, which is good for cows (milk production), but not required for horses. Horses need a more structure rich type of grass.
Creeping red fescue is one of the best grasses for horse fields and it is recommended to put a mix together yourself without any ryegrass. A standard mix should contain creeping red fescue (4 kg/acre), crested dogstail (2 kg/acre), Timothy (1 kg/acre), smooth stalked meadow grass (1 kg/acre) and cocksfoot (0.5 kg/acre). Ideally you would add some herbs and wildflowers. Pavo has developed grass seed for horses.
3. Grazing and topping

It is recommended to top the fields every now and then between periods of grazing. This will maintain the good quality of the fields.

4. Remove droppings from the fields

Every horse owner knows this, but it is not always done: droppings should be removed every day. Especially to prevent worm contamination, but also to avoid the rough vegetation appearing in the latrines (areas used by horses for both urinating and manuring).

5. Pasture maintenance

It is recommended to top the fields every now and then to get rid of the rough vegetation and to harrow the fields at least once a year.

Fertilising the fields

In general, fertilising the fields is not getting the attention it deserves. It is an exception that the owner of the fields takes soil samples to find out what the state of the soil is and to put a fertilisation plan together. However, it is important for the quality of the fields and the health of the horse to provide the soil with the correct fertiliser. Below are a few tips and advice.

Limit the amount of organic manuresOrganic manure, from animals, has an excellent fertilising value. The benefit is that organic manure releases the effective ingredients slowly, so that the fields benefit for the whole grazing season. In general, 10 cubic meters is sufficient for 2.5 acres. The reason is the high percentage of potassium in organic manure. Too high a percentage of potassium in the soil prevents grasses from absorbing magnesium and other minerals which are important for horses.
Provide a steady level of nitrogen

A lot of field owners spread an artificial fertiliser in the spring. The fertiliser used normally contains Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potassium. The nitrogen releases within a few days and causes the grass to grow very quickly. As a result the grass contains high levels of protein, not wanted for horses!!
A few years ago aspecial fertiliser for horse fields came on to the market, which contains a special nitrogen combination, which releases the nitrogen slowly (normally 2 to 3 months). This type of nitrogen is called ENTEC-nitrogen and is manufactured by BASF. The benefits are that the grass grows well, but the protein levels stay low. It also does not dissolve easily in rainwater, so it does not flush away and is better for the environment.

Phosphorus supplement in spring

Phosphorus is important for the initial growth of the roots, which the young grass uses to collect the nutrients from the soil. Weeds and unwanted grasses find it difficult to grow in a good phosphate environment.
Also, phosphorus is an important building block for the development of the bones in a horse. The phosphorus present in the soil is difficult to obtain by the young grass, so it is important that the fertiliser contains phosphorus: for the grass root development and for the healthy bone growth of the horse.

Magnesium is often overlooked

Magnesium is an important building block for the development of green leaves. Also, the magnesium requirement of horses is quite high. In general, the levels of magnesium in the soil are low or the potassium levels are high, so it is difficult to absorb magnesium. Therefore it is important to add magnesium to horse fields.

Agricultural salt on a horse field?

Sodium plays an important role in the attractive taste of grass. It does not increase the growth, but makes the grass attractive to horses. Horses who work a lot need a lot of sodium (salt). By spreading a limited amount of agricultural salt on horse fields you improve the taste and give the horses a bit of extra salt.

Spreading lime in the autumn

Most soil samples of horse fields show a very low pH value. The soil is acidic. In an acidic field, it is more difficult for plants to absorb nutrients. You can repair an acidic field by spreading lime from September to November. The pH of the soil will then be neutral again in spring when the grass starts to grow.

Summery

• Grassland renovation: seed or re-seed every 10-15 years
• Use a grass seed mix suitable for horses
• Top the fields between periods of grazing
• Remove droppings from the fields
• Organic fertiliser (animal manure) is excellent for the field, but limit the amount
• Use a fertiliser with slow releasing nitrogen which keeps the protein level low
• Pay attention to the magnesium and sodium levels in the fields
• Control the pH value of the fields by spreading lime in the autumn

Hartpury Saddlery offer Henrys horse and pony grass seed mixture & suregrow fertilisers For more info Call.  01452 700 800

Dressage back at Royal Windsor Horse show

Dressage back at Royal Windsor Horse show

We love this show here at Hartpury Saddlery and attend every year, We are thrilled by the news, and wanted to share with you guys.

Royal Windsor Horse Show (RWHS) is implementing a raft of changes for 2014 — including free admission on Wednesday, 2 new 3-star dressage classes and a return to evening sessions.

Visitors will be able to attend the show free with the introduction of “Windsor Wednesday” on 14 May.

Organisers hope free entry will encourage a new audience.

This year RWHS also introduces new international 3-star showjumping and dressage classes, with prize-money boosted to £250,000 — up from £87,000 from last year. It will be the only UK event to host international competition in 4 disciplines— jumping, driving, endurance and dressage.

“The only way for Windsor to go was to take it up a notch by introducing international competitions,” said organiser Simon Brooks-Ward.

“We expect to attract some top international riders. This year we are 3-star, but we would like to maintain the growing success and achieve 5-star status one day.”

Ticket prices — from £16 on Thursday to £25 on Saturday/Sunday — are slightly up from last year but are to include evening sessions this year.

The last international dressage competition held at Windsor was the European Championships in 2009. This year a CDI3* FEI dressage grand prix and CDI3* FEI freestyle will be included in the royal show.

15 competitors will be invited to take part — 5 from the UK and 10 from abroad.

Richard Davison told H&H it was “exciting news” for dressage in Britain.

“The facilities are fantastic, so it’s a great showcase for the sport and a good experience for up-and-coming horses and riders,” he said. “Obviously it will take time to grow on the international calendar, but the more 3-stars we have in the country the better.”

On Wednesday, there will be an advanced medium freestyle dressage championship, places for which are determined at the winter championships at Hartpury.

Organisers hope to attract top showjumpers too, with the CSI3* King’s Cup — worth £53,000 — on Saturday and CSI3* Alltech grand prix for the Kingdom of Bahrain Trophy, worth £35,000, on Sunday.

Originally published on horseandhound.co.uk 21st February 2014