Eucerin Oil Control Sun Gel-Cream SPF 50+

When you’re on vacation, there’s little time to wait for your sunscreen to dry before you blast off to the barn or beach. This dry-touch facial sunblock for oily, acne-prone skin ensures you don’t have to delay, so dirt is less likely to stick to it. An added bonus? It’s extra water- and sweat-resistant.

Available for $19.58 on caretobeauty.com.

Blundstone Chelsea No. 550

Iconic for a reason, Blundstone boots mold to your feet and wear like iron; they’re made of durable, double-stitched leather. The Chelsea No. 550 boot offers outstanding, lightweight shock absorption. Pull tabs make sure you can get them on quickly and easily.

Available for $209.95 on blundstone.com.

Hydaway Collapsible Travel Bottle

A collapsible water bottle ensures you stay hydrated without weighing you down. Collapses to a 1.5-inch disc and holds 17 ounces of water when expanded (a 25-ounce option is also available). Dishwasher safe, it’s made of food-grade silicone and BPA-free plastic. Available in a variety of colors.

Available for $29.95 on shop.myhydaway.com.

Helmet Brims Horseback Riding Standard Brim Sun Visor

The Helmet Brims Riding Sun Visor blocks both the sun and the rain without blocking your vision. Lightweight and easy to fit onto your helmet using velcro and elastic, this visor is made with Australian shade cloth that ensures high sun protection while also being exceptionally durable and offering a bit of visibility. Various trim color options.

Available for $46.95 from ridingwarehouse.com.

Carmex Weather Guard Stick with SPF 30

Whether you’re in the rain or in the wind, Carmex Weather Guard Stick with SPF 30 is the perfect moisturizing lip balm. Offering both UVA and UVB protection, this cocoa butter-infused balm is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes.

4-count available for $9.99 on amazon.com.

Body Glide Anti-Chafe Stick

Keep your thighs and backside chafe-free no matter how long you spend in the saddle with Body Glide Anti Chafe Stick. Sweat- and water-resistant, this easy-to-apply balm creates an invisible barrier to protect skin from rubbing, chafing, pinching, and other irritants.

Available from $5.49 to $16.99 on bodyglide.com.

Ariat VentTEK Stretch Shirt

Wear-tested and ready to ride, the button-front shirt offers UV protection and VentTEK side panels for air flow. Its moisture-wicking technology is designed for optimal comfort in any weather, ensuring you look good no matter how long you ride.

Available for $58.95 on ariat.com.

Acavallo Ortho-Pubis Seat Savers

It’s not always your seat bones that get sore when you’re spending hours on end in the saddle. Acavallo Ortho-Pubis Seat Savers reduce pressure around the pubic bones, ensuring more even weight distribution and a comfortable, safer seat. Available in western, dressage and jumping options.

Price varies by model; purchase on acavallo.com.

This article about trail and marathon riding essentials appeared in the January/February 2025  issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Trail and Marathon Riding Essentials appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Get to Know the Cecum

What is the cecum? This large, comma-shaped pouch is located at the junction of the small and large intestines; it takes up a large portion of the right side of a horse’s abdomen.

The organ is a blind pouch, meaning that the entrance and exit to the organ sit dorsally (to the back, nearer the anus); if gastrointestinal motility is in any way compromised, material passing through the intestine may settle to the bottom of the organ instead of being pushed through it, increasing the likelihood of material buildup and an impaction.

Between 4 and 5 feet long, the cecum acts as a storage area; it can hold roughly 8 gallons of material and water. It’s often referred to as part of the large intestine (along with the colon, into which it empties). The cecum assists in three things:

◆ Storage. The cecum stores electrolytes and water.

◆ Digestion. Bacteria in the cecum help ferment food passing into it from the small intestine.

◆ Fermentation. Enzymes in the cecum break down food.

With the ability to hold this much material and liquid, it’s easy to see why any slowdown of material moving through in this area could be significant. While a cecal impaction is not the most common cause of colic in horses, the mortality rate from such an impaction is shockingly high: between 25 and 57 percent.

These deaths are mainly attributed to cecal rupture, which can come on rapidly with minimal signs of onset. A horse’s digestive tract can still function (thought not as effectively) as a cecal impaction builds, so signs of impending impaction are easy to overlook.

Presentation of Cecal Impactions

Like other types of colic, early intervention is key to a favorable outcome. Cecal impactions can be particularly tricky to diagnose, as they often present very mildly. An affected horse may look slightly uncomfortable, trot around, or lie down with minimal fanfare; he may find relief with just a small dose of pain medication.

However, as the impaction grows, so does the horse’s pain. A horse with a cecal impaction may exhibit the following signs, but not necessarily over a consistent time period:

◆ Reduced manure output

◆ Pawing

◆ Pacing, rolling or stretching out

◆ Reduced intestinal sounds

◆ Increased heart rate

◆ Pale gums

◆ Sweating

It’s important to also remember that none of these signs may be pronounced.

“A lot of owners see ‘colic’ and think [the horse] has twisted his intestine,” explains Ann Andrews, DVM, of Park Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. “Then when they see their horse acting a bit more normal, if uncomfortable, they think they’re in the clear—but they may not be. Owners expect a violent, thrashing colic, but a cecal impaction may appear very mild.”

These mild signs in and of themselves don’t mean the issue isn’t important or doesn’t necessitate follow-up attention.

Cause: Dehydration

“A few things can cause a cecal impaction, but the most common is dehydration,” says Andrews.

Horses that live in hot, humid environments are more susceptible to this condition as they sweat, sometimes profusely, to cool themselves down. The ability to get out of direct sunlight, whether that means in a stall under fans, in a run-in shed, or in shade from trees, will prevent the horse from experiencing a spike in body temperature and an overabundance of sweat production, which could deplete his body’s store of electrolytes.

Additionally, it’s critical that you ensure your horse has fresh water, and that the water he has access to isn’t hot, says Andrews. This may mean extra work filling and refilling buckets and troughs, or making sure there are multiple areas from which your horse can drink (an automatic waterer and a trough, for example).

The even bigger part of having access to water is ensuring that the horse is actually drinking, Andrews says, though she notes that this can be hard if he lives in a herd.

The majority a horse’s water absorption (98 percent!) occurs in the cecum and distal colon, according to Andrews. This means that if a horse is dehydrated, his body tries to remove even more water from the material that is in the large intestine, causing the fecal matter to dry out and get firmer, making it difficult for it to pass around the pelvic flexure. She notes that this area is often where horses end up getting impactions.

Cause: Parasites

A horse with a heavy worm burden may also be susceptible to a cecal impaction. Tapeworms in particular appear to put horses at risk, as they tend to gather around the narrow junction between the large and small intestine, blocking the passage of food into the cecum. Tapeworm attachment at this junction can also irritate the intestine, leading to spasmodic colic.

Routine fecal egg counts, usually performed by your veterinarian, can help identify which parasites are affecting your horse and how heavy of a load he’s carrying. A deworming strategy created in conjunction with your vet can ensure that your horse is not negatively affected by a high worm load.

Cause: Age-Related Issues

Older horses with cancerous polyps in their gastrointestinal tracts may have slowed motility in the large intestine.

“Food and matter that sits in the cecum encourages the body to keep trying to pull out water,” says Andrews. At some point, there is no more water to pull.

Additionally, older horses with poor dentition, either from lack of routine care or because they no longer have teeth to chew their food well, are also candidates for cecal impactions.

“Their feed is not as broken up as it should be, and these larger balls of feed and matter can fluff up in the intestine,” she cautions.

Older horses may benefit from feed that is soaked or from a less-coarse feed that is more readily broken down in the digestive tract. Ongoing, quality dental care is critical during a horse’s golden years.

Treatment of a Cecal Impaction

There is no specific age or breed of horse that is most at-risk of a cecal impaction.

“I have seen cecal impactions across the board,” says Andrews. “They occur in a variety of ages [of horse], for a variety of reasons.” Early detection is key to the horse’s health.

Like other types of colic, cecal impactions can be treated medically or surgically based on the horse’s clinical signs, results of a physical exam, rectal palpation, health history, bloodwork results, and the horse’s response to medical management. Andrews will often ultrasound a horse’s abdomen to help determine if the horse is experiencing a cecal impaction.

Administration of fluids, both intravenously and orally, is the first line of defense to try to soften the mass in the horse’s cecum. Laxatives and pain relievers may also be administered.

Surgery, or euthanasia if surgery is not an option, must be considered if the impaction remains unchanged or enlarges, or if pain escalates, as this indicates that rupture is often imminent. Once the horse’s cecum ruptures, he may briefly appear more comfortable as he bleeds internally, which eventually causes death from blood loss or septicemia.

Because of this possible outcome, it’s important to know if surgery is an option—for a cecal impaction or other problem—long before the need arises, according to Andrews.

“If I can’t manage a cecal impaction medically, I don’t waste a lot of time before getting them on the table if surgery is an option, mainly so I can try to preserve the integrity of the GI tract,” she says.

Owners who know their horses well are cherished by their horse’s care team and offer solid ground for the veterinarian-client-patient relationship to flourish.

“I value the owners who look at their horses every day,” says Andrews. “When they say, ‘Something’s not right,’ I know that something truly isn’t right. Long-term, I know their horses as well as they do, and it helps me catch things really early and begin treatment.”

This article about cecal impaction colic appeared in the October 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post An Overview of Cecal Impaction Colic appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Though “routine,” each of these practices—and many others—invite the spread of disease, potentially between hundreds of horses.

Though horses are often in the company of others and don’t become ill, what happens when a horse comes down with an infectious disease? How are horse owners alerted, especially if their horse may have been in contact with the sick horse? How do they know what information is real and what has been blown out of proportion? Most importantly, how do owners learn how to keep their horses safe?

These questions and others were the impetus behind the creation of the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC). Similar to how the Weather Channel broadcasts weather alerts, the EDCC alerts horse owners to infectious diseases that are reported in North America.

The Cutting Show in Utah

In 2011, a cutting horse show in Ogden, Utah, experienced a significant equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) outbreak. With no means of organized information dissemination, rumors about the situation escalated rapidly, causing a state of near panic in some owners.

In total, over 2,000 horses were potentially exposed to the disease on 242 premises in 19 states. At the outbreak’s conclusion, 90 horses tested positive for the EHV-1 or equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), another name for the neurologic disease associated with an EHV infection. Fifty-four of the 90 had been at the Ogden event. Thirteen horses died or were euthanized.

During the outbreak, Facebook and X (then called Twitter) lit up with rumors, causing heightened anxiety over horse health and spurring the cancellation of equine events across the country, even though most events had no connection with any horses that attended the Ogden event.

Seventeen of the confirmed EHV-1 and EHM cases were in California; show organizers opted to cancel 142 of the 530 sanctioned shows that were to be held in the state that year. The economic impact of those cancellations was significant and would be felt for years.

Creating the Equine Disease Communications Center

It became clear that a unified industry response plan to disease outbreaks was needed—one that not only allowed for the dissemination of legitimate data, but that also provided vetted information on how to prevent disease transmission and how to handle disease outbreaks.

The American Horse Council, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), and the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) all collaborated to fundraise and launch the Equine Disease Communications Center, which went live in 2015.

Nathaniel “Nat” White, DVM, DACVS, professor emeritus of equine surgery at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Va., and director of the EDCC, organized the working model and gave the EDCC its moniker. In 2023, White won the Equine Industry Vision Award for this work at the American Horse Publications Equine Media Conference in Tempe, Ariz.

According to White, it was anything but a one-man show. State veterinarians, veterinary practices, horse-owner organizations (like breed and discipline associations), and individual donors helped—and continue to do so.

“Similar to the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], the EDCC seeks information about disease outbreaks, posts messages, and informs the equine industry about confirmed diseases, their location, and if there are potential risks to other horses,” White explains.

How It Works

Unlike a phone number or website where anyone can submit leads on suspected illness, the EDCC allows only specific people to report disease: an attending veterinarian or a state or federal official.

The veterinarian or official submits a confirmed or suspected disease through the EDCC website, which records the information in the database. The database then generates an alert, which is posted to the EDCC website and Facebook page.

Anyone who has become an alert subscriber via the EDCC website is also emailed. The reported disease is linked to an EDCC disease page, which has information describing the disease, the diagnosis and the treatment, says White. Downloadable disease fact sheets are also available.

All information regarding disease outbreak mitigation and how to handle an affected horse is reviewed for accuracy by the AAEP Infectious Disease Committee, which is populated by subject matter experts.

Reportable Diseases

Though the veterinarian or official can report a confirmed case of any equine disease to the EDCC, reporting of infectious diseases is of the most importance, says Katie Flynn, BVMS, the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s senior staff veterinarian. A confirmed “reportable” disease is submitted to the EDCC by the state veterinarian, who is made aware of a confirmed diagnosis by the testing laboratory.

A reportable disease is one that is deemed to have a potential for significant impact on the equine industry, both on the health of the United States equine population and economically. When a reportable disease is diagnosed, the veterinarian or laboratory employee is required to report the disease to state or national veterinary health officials.

The list of reportable disease varies by state and may include:

◆ Equine Herpesvirus-1 neurologic (Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy)

◆ Equine Herpesvirus -1 abortion

◆ Equine influenza, Streptococcus equi (strangles)

◆ Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)

◆ West Nile virus (WNV)

◆ Equine infectious anemia (EIA)

◆ Equine piroplasmosis (EP)

◆ Equine viral arteritis (EVA)

◆ Rabies

◆ Vesicular stomatitis (VS)

Many veterinarians, state horse councils and other horse-health organizations rely on the EDCC to inform horse owners of disease outbreaks. The alerts are posted in real time—the same day they are reported.

However, this doesn’t mean that the alert comes out the day the horse becomes ill; the alert is posted the day the veterinarian receives positive confirmation that the horse is ill with a specific disease.

The alert system can provide information about disease risk to horses at a specific location or at the location where the horses intend to travel, like to a horse show or trail ride.

“As the Equine Health and Biosecurity Veterinarian for the USEF, I encourage all horse show managers to visit this site frequently to keep informed of disease occurrences in the area,” says Flynn. “[This way] they can be prepared to implement stricter biosecurity measures, such as requiring shorter-dated health certificates or mandating temperature-taking for horses at their event.”

The EDCC alert system isn’t just for equine event managers or those who travel with their horses.

“This is also a beneficial tool for boarding facility managers,” says Flynn. “If a disease is detected in the geographic area of their facility, they can implement enhanced biosecurity measures, such as requiring every horse to have its temperature taken twice daily to quickly identify and isolate any potential sick horses to protect the rest of the herd.”

But Is It Working?

Though the EDCC is working as intended (as a warning system that can help prevent the spread of infectious equine diseases), more reporting of diseases is necessary. Submission of any disease to the EDCC is voluntary—whether it’s considered reportable or not.

“Reporting to the EDCC is voluntary, but strongly encouraged as a means for increasing awareness of equine infection diseases in the U.S.,” says Flynn. “Horse owners want to know if there is disease in the area that could put their horse at risk, so it’s important for horse owners to support and encourage reporting of equine infectious diseases cases by their veterinarian to the EDCC.”

The EDCC is a unique resource that serves to protect horses and the horse industry. All horse owners should sign up for EDCC alerts so they can be informed and aware of possible infectious disease in their area.

“Vigilance is necessary to ensure we’re adequately prepared for the storm—horse health, weather, or otherwise,” says White.

You can do your part by promoting the EDCC “as the trusted, accurate and verified disease alerts and biosecurity information,” says Flynn.

There is no fee associated with the use of the EDCC. However, donations to keep the service going are welcomed—and necessary.

Learn more at equinediseasecc.org.

This article about the Equine Disease Communications Center appeared in the September 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post How the Equine Disease Communications Center is Changing the Game appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Hoof abscesses are caused by bacteria entering the hoof through a sole bruise/puncture or a diseased white line. White blood cells build up to combat the bacteria, creating painful pressure around a pocket of fluid.

Treatment involves encouraging the abscess to pop, then keeping the area clean while the abscess’s track through the hoof heals.

If you’ve ever dealt with an abscess, you may still have nightmares about toting hot water to the barn in winter and asking your fidgety horse to please stand in a bucket for just a few minutes longer. But you can banish abscess apprehension using tools you may already own.

To Soak Or Not To Soak

Soaking a horse’s foot is one of the oldest remedies to draw out an abscess; many people swear that soaking the hoof in water will soften the hoof, offering a path of least resistance to the pocket of pus looking for a way out of the hoof capsule. However, getting a horse to stand—quietly—in a 5-gallon bucket of warm water for up to 30 minutes can be nearly an act of Congress.

If the abscess is trending toward the sole of the hoof, standing the horse in a shallow rubber feed pan may work—and make him less fidgety, since he has more room to place his foot on the bottom of the pan. If the abscess needs to work its way out through the coronary band, however, a shallow pan won’t be an option, as it will be impossible to get the water up high enough to cover the area.

Supplement the Soak

While water alone will soften the hoof to encourage an abscess to burst, there are additives that can be used to offer even more drawing power. These can include:

◆ Epsom salts: Easily purchased at the local grocery store, Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) offer both inflammation relief and antimicrobial benefits. Adding a cup to the soaking water will help draw out the infection in the horse’s hoof.

◆ Bleach: You’d be hard pressed to find a household without at least one gallon of bleach, and there are plenty of equine- and farm-related applications for it. Best for abscesses is the 5.25 percent household bleach, which destroys bacteria, viruses and mold.

◆ Apple cider vinegar: Adding a ¼ cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of warm water will allow the acidity in the apple cider vinegar to draw out infection.

◆ Baking soda: Adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) per quart/liter of warm water has also been known to draw out an abscess. With disinfectant, antibacterial and antifungal properties, baking soda can be used in conjunction with Epsom salts in soaking water.

◆ Povidone-iodine (Betadine): Adding 2 ounces of povidone-iodine, possibly in conjunction with 1 cup of Epsom salts, to water that reaches just over the horse’s coronary band can help draw out an abscess.

Non-Bucket Options

If you can’t seem to get your horse to stand in a 5-gallon bucket, but would still like to soak his hoof, there are other options.

◆ Muck tubs: Some horses are more likely to stand with both their feet in a larger bucket, like a muck tub.

◆ Hoof soaking boots: Made of nylon, hoof soaking boots go on over your horse’s hoof like a sock and contain an interior bag you can change out to keep everything hygenic. A foam pad at the bottom offers support and protects the bag from being worn through by the horse’s hoof. Fill the bag with water and any additive you choose, place the horse’s leg in the boot, and close it with the straps provided.

◆ Ice boots: Often used after strenuous exercise, these tall, up-to-the-knee boots can also be used to soak abscesses.

◆ Plastic bags: If you’d rather repurpose something you already have on hand, try using a heavy plastic bag (like the kind some supplements come in) or some IV bags (ask your vet to save a few for you if you have none on hand). Applying a soaking bag to the horse’s foot allows him to move around instead of having to stand still while soaking. Duct tape on top of the bag around the ankle will keep it secure, and you can cut the whole thing off with bandage scissors when done.

A word of caution: If you’re strapping anything around your horse’s leg, it’s worthwhile to get him used to having something on his foot before adding water.

Poultice Power

Whether you choose to soak or not, all horses with abscesses benefit from a pack or poultice applied to the affected hoof to act as a longer-term drawing agent.

Commercial pads that already contain drawing agents can be a timesaver. One of the most popular is Animalintex, a cotton wool pad that contains tragacanth gum and boric acid; it’s available in both sheets and hoof-shaped pads. You can wet it with hot or cold water, apply to the hoof, and wrap the whole thing with Vetrap followed by duct tape.

Poultice Alternatives

You can also use cotton 4×4 pads, cotton wool, gauze or diapers to pack the hoof if no poultice pads are handy. The following are often added to the packing material and placed against the sole of the hoof to act as drawing agents before securing on the hoof.

◆ Baking soda: Add water to baking soda to make a paste and slather the sole of the hoof with the mixture; some people choose to add Epsom salts to the mixture as well.

◆ Linseed: Damp, warm cooked linseeds that are boiled and made into a mash can be packed into the hoof and wrapped.

◆ Epsom salts and Vaseline: Combine both ingredients to make a gel that sticks to the bottom of the hoof.

◆ Manuka honey: the antibacterial properties of honey are well documented; it draws out toxins, as well as cleans and prevents infection and encourages healing once the abscess track is open.

◆ Sugardine: Combine ¼ cup sugar with 3 tablespoons of povidone-iodine solution until it makes a thick, granular paste to slather on the bottom of the hoof. Sugar absorbs the moisture in which bacteria thrives; the povidone-iodine helps kill any bacteria that is present.

◆ Ichthammol: Stinky and incredibly sticky, this old-school remedy for drawing an abscess is still one of the best.

◆ Cabbage leaves: Cabbage leaves boiled in Epsom salt water to make them pliable is a lesser-used home remedy that draws out infection and eases pain. The leaves can also be chopped, boiled and packed into the hoof sole.

◆ Sauerkraut: No time to boil your own cabbage leaves? Packing the hoof with sauerkraut has also been said to work; the sauerkraut’s acidity makes it hard for bacteria to survive.

Wrapping

Once you’ve picked your drawing agent and slathered it on, you can create your own wrapping using heavy-duty plastic bags (like the ones some supplements come in), Vetrap, and duct tape, or you can purchase a pre-made boot to hold the dressing in place.

These boots offer a variety of fasteners depending on the brand; they may have zippers or Velcro straps. The best boot for your horse will be one that is easy to get on and stays on—some horses are Houdinis about removing things.

Key Takeaway

Abscesses can be painful for the horse and frustrating for his owner, but with perseverance and a bit of ingenuity, they will (hopefully) resolve rapidly. If at any time you’re concerned that the abscess is not resolving or that your horse’s pain is unmanageable, reach out to your vet for guidance.

This article about hoof abscess treatment options appeared in the September 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Hoof Abscess Treatment Options appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

An original American breed, the Sugarbush Harlequin Draft is a composite breed hailing from both the Appaloosa and the Percheron.

The opposite of “random” breeding, the American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft was the well thought-out brainchild of Everett Smith, who sought to create a versatile horse that was well-built, smart, easily trainable, good- moving, kind and agile.

The Beginning of a Breed

Born at the end of the Great Depression, Smith witnessed the country’s transition from draft horsepower to mechanized horsepower as World War II ended. Though the jobs of many draft horses became obsolete, some draft horse fans transitioned them from corn field to carriage in an attempt to keep them relevant.

In love with the original mode of horsepower, Smith owned The Sugarbush Hitch Company in Willow Wood, Ohio, where he used purebred Percherons to pull his carriages and wagons. Dedicated to breeding the best Percherons he could, it wasn’t until he met Mike Muir that Smith began to reconsider his breeding strategy.

Muir was selectively breeding for a heavy warmblood Appaloosa sport horse he called the Stonewall Sport Horse, and Smith was intrigued with the idea that flashier horses might bring in more business.

In 1998, Smith used artificial insemination to breed a Percheron mare, Sugarbush Felina del Noche, to Muir’s Stonewall Rascal, who was 3/4 Percheron. The next year, the first Sugarbush Harlequin Draft horse was born and named Sugarbush Harley Quinne.

The 7/8 Percheron colt boasted a loud, leopard-spotted coat and embodied everything Smith had sought: he was patient, kind, athletic, beautifully conformed and had an incredible coat pattern.

Smith then bred Felina to another of Muir’s stallions, Stonewall Domino, and produced Sugarbush O Rosamunde. The beginning of an incredible breed was born, with Felina del Noche as matriarch.

Smith continued to carefully choose breeding stock to retain the loud coat patterns and quality draft horse conformation, and soon people began requesting his company—and his horses—by name. The Sugarbush breed was born.

The American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft Association

As the breed began to grow in popularity, it became apparent that the American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft needed an association that would oversee the purity of breed’s lineage.

In 2013, a group of passionate Sugarbush Harlequin breeders and enthusiasts gathered to create the American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft Association (ASHDA). Governed by a Board of Directors, the ASHDA is dedicated to diversifying the breed’s gene pool to limit the risk of genetic defects while maintaining the qualities and characteristics that have made the breed so beloved.

The Board ensures that each horse accepted into the Association meets a breed standard and adheres to strict genetic and conformational requirements.

A Versatile Horse

Though Smith’s personal passion was driving, the breed he created excels in any arena. Sugarbush Harlequin drafts are fantastic riding and driving horses. They compete in eventing, dressage, foxhunting and myriad other events, and are incredible lesson mounts and therapy horses.

The breed is gentle enough to give courage to the most timid rider and sturdy enough for the stoutest of riders to feel safe.

American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft Fast Facts

As the American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft is a new breed, the ASHDA Board of Directors is quite specific in what genetics they want to see.

To be registered with the ASHDA, all horses must be approved by the ASHDA Board of Directors. To ensure that a healthy, conformationally correct and quality animal is promoted and reproduces, the ASHDA has taken a proactive stance on genetic defects, requiring testing for all breeding stock animals in addition to the pedigree assessment and conformation analysis.

◆ Height: Typically 15.2 to 16 hands

◆ Color: Any base, with leopard pattern preferred. Solid-colored horses are acceptable. Unacceptable colors include pinto-type, excessive white markings, frame overo, tobiano, splash, and dominant white.

◆ Conformation: The chest should be wide and deep; hips should be wide with a rounded croup. The tail should be attached high, and the horse should have short, heavily muscled gaskins. Feathering is apparent but is not as long or thick as in other draft breeds.

◆ Movement: American Sugarbush Harlequin Drafts should have suspension and extension, with no pacing or gaited movement.

This article about the American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft appeared in the July 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Breed Portrait: American Sugarbush Harlequin Draft Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Good horse owners try to do the best they can for their horses—often to a fault. But what happens when a good owner finds themselves in a potentially perilous financial situation when their horse has an emergency?

In the past, some of these horses would have been relinquished to adoption or rescue organizations or even sent through auctions out of sheer desperation as the owner tried to give the horse a shot at getting the care they could not afford.

Now, however, thanks to a grant program jointly administered by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), The Foundation for the Horse (AAEP’s charitable arm), and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), owners have other options to get their horses the care they need.

The Vet Direct Safety Net Program was created with one goal in mind: To help keep owned horses in homes. The program does this by providing owners with a stipend of up to $600 to assist with a horse’s emergent welfare need. The funds are available on a per-horse—not per-owner—basis, allowing owners to receive even more assistance should they find themselves with multiple horses in need.

Timing is Everything

Lizz Ficara of Louisville, Ky., has always taken impeccable care of her horses. In 2023, Ficara had major back surgery that prevented her from working as an equine dental tech. Like most horses, Ficara’s Quarter Horse gelding, Tony, had incredible timing (sarcasm intended) and needed emergent medical care while she was out of work and funds were short. But for Ficara, foregoing his care wasn’t an option.

She began searching for programs or grants she could apply for to help offset the medical bills her horse was about to incur. During one conversation, the Vet Direct Safety Net program was mentioned, and she began coordinating efforts between the program and her veterinarian so funding would be available to her horse—and to other horses in similar situations.

Medical Attention Needed

While Ficara was out of work, Tony had developed open, oozing sores on three of his four pasterns. He had significant granulation tissue that was incredibly painful and itchy. After trying to resolve it herself with myriad salves and creams, Ficara called her vet, as Tony was clearly uncomfortable and the wounds were not healing.

Sarah Grigoleit, DVM, of Kentucky Equine Hospital in Simpsonville, Ky., diagnosed Tony with significant suspected summer sores on three of his four legs. A parasitic disease linked to the life cycles of stomach worms, summer sores are caused by larvae deposited in areas where they cannot complete their life cycle (often around the nose, lips or genitals), causing inflammation and ulceration where they are laid—in Tony’s case, on his legs.

Unfortunately, summer sores are notoriously stubborn to heal. Treatment often requires a veterinarian to debride the wound multiple times, as well as administer ivermectin, corticosteroids and topical products. In addition, Tony had to have his legs wrapped to keep them as clean as possible.

Getting the Funding

In total, Tony received three months of at-home treatment for his legs, including bi-weekly granulation debridement treatment that was essential to his healing and well-being. All the vet visits added up in a hurry, and Ficara was thankful for the financial breathing room Vet Direct funding offered her.

“The program funding was not hard to access,” says Ficara. “The only caveat was that my vet—or someone with her clinic—had to be a current AAEP member. As long as one vet is a member, the whole clinic has access to Vet Direct funds for their clients.”

Though veterinarians are often enrolled in the program first and then offer it to their clients in need, in this case, Ficara reached out to the Vet Direct team directly and encouraged her vet clinic to become enrolled.

Her persistence and insistence that the program could assist not only horse owners but the clinic itself by helping to offset open invoices will no doubt have positive ramifications for years to come.

Today, Tony is summer sore-free and enjoying his life, and Ficara is looking forward to the day when she’s comfortable enough to ride again.

“I am deeply thankful for the Vet Direct Safety Net Program,” she says. “The funding applied toward my invoices was incredible and allowed me a bit of peace of mind during an already stressful time. We all love our horses and want to do the best for them. The Vet Direct program allowed me to continue to offer Tony the type of care he was used to receiving even though I was in a tough spot financially.”

Further Reading
◆ How Equine Safety Net Programs Are Making a Difference
◆ Horse Safety Net Programs Helping Horses and Owners in Need

This article about the Vet Direct Safety Net Program appeared in the May 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post How the Vet Direct Safety Net Program is Helping Horse Owners appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

What is Botulism in Horses?

A disease caused by a neurotoxin released from Clostridium botulinum bacteria, botulism neurotoxin is one of the most lethal natural substances. Botulism attacks the nervous system of infected mammals, binding to nerves and impairing their function. In extreme cases, the cardiac and respiratory systems can be affected, rending the animal unable to breathe or maintain a regular cardiac rhythm.

Though there are seven types of botulism—A, B, Ca, Cb, D, E, F and G—the one of most concern to horse health is type B, which causes more than 80 percent of equine botulism cases.

Botulism is a naturally occurring toxin found in the environment that is harmful to mammals.

“Horses are exquisitely sensitive to botulism,” says Rachel Blakey, VMD, of Maryland Equine Center in Reisterstown, Md. “The amount of botulism that can kill a horse may not impair a mouse; horses are simply that susceptible.”

Botulism bacteria are very hardy and live without oxygen and sunlight. They can be found in the soil, in the sediment of lakes and streams, and in the intestinal tracts of mammals.

How Botulism is Transmitted in Horses

A horse can get botulism in three ways, though ingestion of the preformed bacteria is the most common.

1. By eating hay or feed that has botulism toxin already in it (ingestion of preformed bacteria). This is the means most often associated with feed-based poisonings, like the contaminated alfalfa cubes that killed 45 horses in late 2022.

Animals that are accidentally baled into hay can release the toxin from their intestinal tract when they begin to decay, contaminating the hay that surrounds them. Large round bales are particularly susceptible to botulism contamination because their mass allows for more room for contamination than small square bales.

2. By ingesting feed, hay or other organic matter that contain botulism bacteria, which then multiply in the intestinal tract and release neurotoxins (transmission in this manner is most common in foals).

Botulism bacteria favors dark, moist environments, like piles of wet feed or tree roots that aren’t exposed to sunlight. In these environmental conditions, botulism is not accessible. However, when a tree falls over and a horse chews on the roots or when the pile of feed is discovered and ingested, the bacteria can become harmful as it multiplies in the intestinal tract and releases the neurotoxin.

Botulism in foals is also called “shaker foal syndrome” or “barker foal syndrome,” as the foal’s vocal cords are paralyzed, making them sound as if they’re barking when they vocalize.

3. By the introduction of bacteria through wounds. Wounds that encapsulate bacteria while healing provide an anaerobic environment where the bacteria flourish.

It’s important to note that botulism is not a disease that spreads between horses. If one horse on the property gets botulism, he is not “contagious”; in other words, he cannot give botulism to other horses via nasal secretions, shared tack, or in any of the other ways equine viral diseases spread.

Clinical Signs of Botulism

The extent to which a horse is affected by the botulism toxin depends on how much they have ingested, says Blakey. No matter if the illness comes on rapidly or more gradually, the initial symptom is always the same: muscle weakness.

The first muscles in horses that lose tone (meaning they are not able to hold themselves as needed to function properly) include the eyelids, tongue, tail and anus. This means that a horse with botulism will have problems eating, chewing and swallowing, and his muscles will fatigue quickly; he may drool or have upper eyelids that droop.

A horse with botulism will also experience muscle tremors. Progressive paralysis occurs in more severe cases, often affecting the horse’s ability to stand; it can also affect a horse’s respiratory and cardiac systems, causing death.

The biggest predictor of whether a horse will survive a bout of botulism is if he can stand.

“If a horse can stay up, they often survive,” says Blakey. “Sixty percent of horses that go down, but can rise, survive.” A horse that is recumbent and unable to rise without assistance has a poorer prognosis.

So how does a vet determine if a horse has botulism and not another issue with similar clinical signs, such as equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM)?

“The very first thing I ask when I see any signs like this is, ‘Is your horse vaccinated against botulism?’” says Blakey. Knowing if a horse has been vaccinated against botulism allows her to immediately rule out botulism as the cause of illness, saving time (and money!) while drilling down to a diagnosis.

Time is of the essence in botulism treatment, but treatment can be delayed as horse owners and veterinarians work to determine exactly what is happening with the horse’s health. Some horses may lie down more as their muscles fatigue, which can be misdiagnosed as colic, says Blakey.

One telltale sign that the horse has botulism and not another disease is that the muscle weakness the horse is experiencing is symmetrical, says Blakey. Horses with botulism have flaccid, floppy muscles, while horses with tetanus have hard, rigid muscles.

Additionally, one of the biggest things to rule out is trauma, says Blakey.

Treatment and Prevention

Early recognition and prompt treatment is imperative in giving a horse the best chance at a full recovery. If botulism toxicity is suspected, the horse can be treated with plasma containing an antitoxin, which binds to free toxin molecules in the blood, preventing them from attaching to nerve cells. This treatment is not cheap (often running between $1,500 and $3,000), and the antitoxin cannot reverse the effects of the toxin that has already bound to nerve cells.

Eventually the toxin degrades, however. If the horse survives, all muscular deficits he experienced while the disease was active will fade; botulism has no lasting effects on a horse. However, muscling and physical aptitude may take weeks or months to return to normal as new nerve endings grow.

The best preventative measure for ensuring a horse doesn’t contract botulism? Vaccination.

“The botulism vaccine is very effective,” says Blakey. “I insist all my broodmares be vaccinated, so I haven’t seen a shaker [foal] in years,” says Blakey. “And I encourage everyone to vaccinate for botulism. The cost of the vaccine is a pittance compared to the cost of antitoxin treatment for affected horses. I also push hard for those who feed round bales to vaccinate their horses again.”

There is no downside to botulism vaccination and there is not a population of horses that could not benefit from the protection. While there is a chance that the horse may become sore around the injection site (as with any vaccination), the minor soreness is a minimal price to pay for the safeguard from the toxin the vaccination provides.

Are Vaccinations Effective for Everything? There are multiple types of botulism that can affect horses, including types A, B and C, though type A is uncommon. Equine botulism vaccines are effective against type B, but don’t provide protection against the other types. Though a botulism vaccine is not considered a “core vaccine” by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (meaning these vaccines should be given to every horse, no matter where they reside), there are specific populations of horses that should be vaccinated against the disease: ◆ Broodmares ◆ Horses that live in areas of the United States where botulism is endemic: The disease is most prevalent in California, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, though it can occur in any state. ◆ Horses that eat from round bales Botulism vaccination begins with three doses given at four-week intervals, with boosters given annually. After the initial series, pregnant mares should be vaccinated yearly (two to four weeks before foaling). Foals in high-risk situations can start the series of botulism vaccines as early as two weeks old. Foals born to unvaccinated mares or those that have not ingested enough quality colostrum from the mare (failure of passive transfer) can have botulism vaccination initiated early in life. Botulism protection provided by the mare’s colostrum generally wanes by about 5 months of age, and vaccination should be considered at this time.

Key Takeaway

“Botulism is a normal part of our environment,” says Blakey. “It’s not some weird threat, and it doesn’t happen because a horse owner isn’t ‘clean.’”

However, like many other equine-related health concerns, good husbandry can minimize the incidence of disease. This includes not feeding moldy hay or grain or hay that has been baled with a high moisture content, plus keeping pastures and barns free from dead rodents and animals.

If horses live in an area where botulism occurs or if they’re fed round bales, vaccination is the most-recommended route of prevention.

This article about botulism in horses appeared in the March 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Botulism in Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

What is Vesicular Stomatitis?

Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a viral disease that primarily affects horses and cattle, though it can also affect pigs, sheep, goats, llamas and alpacas. It’s not a new disease; it’s been referenced in texts as far back as the mid-1800s.

VS is found only in the Western Hemisphere; it’s considered an endemic disease of the Americas, occurring in the warmer regions of North, Central and South America. Even though it’s old, there is no vaccination that can protect horses from contracting the disease.

Horses affected by VS may have a fever or salivate excessively and go off their feed. However, the most tell-tale sign of the disease is blister-like lesions (vesicles) on areas of the horse’s body that have minimal hair, like around the mouth, nostrils, coronary bands, sheath or teats.

Blisters can also form in the mouth and on the tongue. When these blisters break, they leave behind raw, exposed, painful skin. Horses with VS will often be reluctant to eat or move.

Age or Underlying Conditions

While often quite painful, most horses heal in a few weeks with nothing more than supportive care, which can include the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories to treat pain.

However, older horses or those with an underlying condition may have a more difficult time recovering from a VS infection; these are the horses Pelzel-McCluskey is particularly concerned about.

For these horses, she recommends conferring with the horse’s treating veterinarian about the possibility of feeding a beet pulp instead of hay or grain, or considering the administration of intravenous fluids. Oral lesions can cause enough pain to stop a horse from eating or drinking enough to keep him healthy, putting him at risk of dehydration or colic.

Even horses that become significantly lame from lesions on their coronet bands often heal with no complications other than a defect demarcation in the hoof wall when it grows out.

Why Is Vesicular Stomatitis Concerning?

It’s been established that VS isn’t particularly deadly, and it’s only found in a small geographic area relative to the size of the world.

Why then, is it a disease horse owners need to worry about? Because the impact on the economy—both within the United States and abroad—can be substantial. VS is an international trade issue, explains Pelzel-McCluskey.

The lesions common in VS infections look disturbingly similar to the lesions caused by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which can affect sheep, goats, pigs and cows (FMD does not affect horses, cats or dogs). FMD spreads rapidly, and just one case can shut down international trade completely and have massive economic consequences. FMD is one of the most-feared livestock diseases: In some countries, a FMD diagnosis carries a slaughter mandate.

This means that livestock owners in countries where animals can contract FMD (which doesn’t include the United States; FMD was eradicated here in 1929) will do anything it takes to not have animals present with something that even looks like the dreaded disease—which includes VS.

Mandatory Reporting

Like most things in life, open lines of communication are key. All VS cases are “reportable,” meaning that a veterinarian is required to report suspected cases to state and federal animal health officials, who then have to notify trade partners if cases are confirmed.

To ensure that international trade of livestock continues (even if there is a VS outbreak), the U.S. agrees to quarantine all horses affected by VS and report all VS situations to countries with which they trade. If these pieces are in place, equine trade can continue even in the face of an outbreak.

If these things are not adhered to, however, international trade can come to an immediate halt. This causes huge economic impacts, as horses cannot be imported or exported for showing, racing or sales. Shipping of frozen or cooled semen can continue, though some countries may require a stallion test negative before the semen will be accepted for importation.

While there are no exact figures available, it’s estimated that 30,000 horse are shipped by air each year, the majority internationally. So, while you personally might not be sending your horse to an overseas competition, you may have contact with someone who will be around horses that plan to travel abroad—and they may unintentionally spread the disease.

How Vesicular Stomatitis is Transmitted

There are three main VS insect vectors: black flies, sand flies and biting midges, explains Pelzel-McCluskey.

“Both the black flies and the Culicoides [midges] drive most of the VS outbreaks in the United States, though there may be some other insects that can spread the disease as well,” she says.

Interestingly, if a VS-carrying insect bites a horse where he has hair, the horse will not develop the outward lesions associated with VS, but he will create antibodies to the virus. The lesions develop only if an infected insect bites a horse where he has little hair cover.

While this seems like the stars must align for the disease to spread, it can also be transmitted from horse to horse via direct contact or on items that have had contact with the ruptured lesions of an infected animal, like buckets, shared troughs and feed bins; even eating out of the same round bale or sharing communal salt blocks can spread the disease, says Pelzel-McCluskey.

Stopping the Spread

VS can spread rapidly, so quarantining affected horses is imperative. The virus can remain active for seven to 10 days once lesions appear on the horse; quarantine lasts for “14 days from the onset of lesions in the last infected animal on the premise.”

Local geography affects how VS vectors move and lay their eggs: black flies like flowing water, while Culicoides prefer damp, muddy areas like those around water troughs and riverbanks.

Black flies’ preference for moving water explains how infected insects can often end up miles from original outbreaks. VS most often enters the United States from Mexico.

“We have a series of historically expected cases because of the way water moves,” explains Pelzel-McCluskey. “It’s often seen in the Southwestern United States and the Rocky Mountain area.”

While it would be expected for VS to appear only in the late spring and summer when biting insects are at their peak, it’s not unusual to have VS outbreaks in the dead of winter in Colorado or Wyoming, according to Pelzel-McCluskey.

These outbreaks are almost always the result of Culicoides, which can withstand cooler weather than black flies. These insects become inactive in cold weather, but one warm day—even in the dead of winter—can reinvigorate them. Culicoides lay their eggs in wet areas, like around water troughs and on riverbanks, the very places livestock go when the weather warms.

Additional Prevention Tips Keep bedding dry Feed horses in individual feeders Clean and disinfect horse trailers, equipment, waterers and other equine equipment regularly Eliminate muddy areas in fields and on ground Keep manure piles as far as possible from fields and stables Investigate the use of parasitic wasps or guinea hens to keep insect populations in check

How to Handle an Outbreak

Controlling a VS outbreak must be a multi-pronged approach, says Pelzel-McCluskey.

• First, the owner must isolate a VS-infected animal to minimize disease spread in the horse’s home herd. Additionally, the farm itself must be quarantined to limit the movement of possibly infected animals.
• Second, an aggressive vector control program to reduce the fly population must begin.
  “Owners need to remove manure and standing water,” says Pelzel-McCluskey. “They also need to get rid of tall weeds where insects tend to hide.”
• Third, fly-control measures need to be implemented or ramped up. This includes daily application of fly spray to horses (including all particularly vulnerable areas like under the belly, sheath or teats and on the face) and the implementation of tools like parasitic wasps that feed on fly larvae, fans (to keep air flowing), or equine fly gear.If you choose to use things like fly sheets, fly masks or fly boots, it’s critical that they cover areas that are most at risk, including muzzles (think fly masks with nose coverings), bellies (fly sheets with bellybands may help) or ears (fly masks with ear coverings).

“Think hard about biosecurity and vector mitigation for disease reasons,” says Pelzel-McCluskey. Both play a part in halting the spread of VS. “The horse doesn’t need to be living in a screened stall,” she clarifies. “We have so many infectious diseases that can be prevented by good biosecurity practices and vector control. No one can do it all, but you do want to have a [fly-control] program in place.”

Additionally, owners who implement new fly-control measures should keep a close eye on whether those measures are working. If they are not working at all or don’t seem to be working well, consider trying another, says Pelzel-McCluskey.

Key Takeaway

Pelzel-McCluskey advises horse owners and caretakers to take vesicular stomatitis seriously.

“It’s not just your individual horse that is affected by the disease,” she says. “Good care means you’re improving the lives of all horses on the property,” which has a ripple effect into the entire population of horses worldwide.

This article about vesicular stomatitis appeared in the January/February 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post An Overview of Vesicular Stomatitis appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Discover the transmission, progression, treatment and possible complications of one of the oldest equine diseases in the world.

An Age-Old Disease

“Strangles was one of the first equine diseases to be described in 1251,” says Katie Flynn, BVMS, Senior Staff Veterinarian-Equine Health & Biosecurity for the United States Equestrian Federation and former Kentucky State Veterinarian.

Though nearly 775 years have passed, it still affects equines globally and remains one of the most diagnosed equine diseases in the world.

“In the United States, strangles is considered endemic, meaning it’s detected regularly in the horse population,” says Flynn.

If you’ve ever had strep throat, you can commiserate with a horse that has strangles; both infections cause enlarged lymph nodes in the head and neck. Strangles can affect horses of any breed or age, but older horses typically show more mild signs.

How Strangles Is Transmitted Among Horses

The Streptococcus equi bacteria that cause strangles are primarily transmitted through nose-to-nose contact with another horse, but the bacteria can also be transferred through feed, water, buckets, stall walls, veterinary instruments, clothes, grooming and barn tools, tack, and trailers.

Nearly any surface can harbor S. equi for a time, which is why strict biosecurity protocols for ill horses are imperative.

“Whatever you touch has the potential to be contaminated, and if not cleaned and disinfected, can transfer the bacteria to a new horse directly or via someone else’s hand to a new horse,” says Flynn.

Before panic ensues, it’s important to understand that S. equi can stay active in water buckets and moist areas for four to six weeks, but the bacteria can only survive for about one to three days in drier areas such as on fencing or in soil, says Flynn.

“Because the organism typically dies quickly in a sunny, dry environment, the usual source of infection is an infected horse,” she explains.

Similar to tracing the transmission of Covid-19, determining when exactly a horse got sick—and from whom—can be nearly impossible. The time between a horse’s exposure to the bacteria and the onset of clinical signs can be anywhere from three to 14 days, says Flynn.

Progression of Strangles in Horses

Though most horse owners associate a snotty nose as the first indication that a horse may have strangles (or another bacterial or viral disease), the first sign that something is amiss can actually occur 24 to 48 hours before in the form of a raised temperature.

If the fever is caught before a horse develops a snotty nose, a strangles outbreak can be minimized if that horse is immediately isolated from all other horses. It’s important to remember that an elevated temperature is when it goes up from that particular horse’s baseline, and not solely when the temp rises above the standard 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

“If there’s a jump, even if it’s still within the ‘normal’ range, the horse should be moved to an isolation area,” says Ashley Boyle, DVM, DACVIM, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine New Bolton Center.

As the disease progresses, so too will the horse’s clinical signs; his temperature will rise, often alarmingly. Thick, yellow nasal discharge is often seen, and the horse may have swollen lymph nodes under his jaw and around his throat latch.

“When the infection involves lymph nodes above the airway, horses adopt an extended neck posture and may cough,” says Flynn. Other signs of illness can include poor appetite, foul-smelling breath, lethargy and loss of condition.

A vet caring for a horse that is suspected of having strangles will perform a nasopharyngeal swab or a nasopharyngeal wash on the horse. The nasopharyngeal swab is extremely similar to a Covid test: A piece of cotton is passed up the nose, rubbed around the nasal passages, and sent for testing. A nasal wash is like a neti pot for horses; the vet will run a thin tube up the horse’s nose, flush sterile saline into the tube and catch what runs out the other nostril. This fluid is then tested. 

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is the test most used to detect strangles; it detects S. equi bacterial DNA. Culturing the secretions is also a possibility, though this is not as rapid or as sensitive a form of testing.

Some vets will perform a blood test to measure serum antibody levels, but this test is not useful in detecting current infection.

“However, paired serum samples taken two weeks apart can be useful in recognizing recent exposure,” says Flynn.

Treatment of Strangles

There is not much that can be done for a horse with strangles except supportive care while the infection runs its course.

This may involve administering anti-inflammatories to lower body temperature or feeding the horse wet feed or hay from the ground. Feeding in this manner will make the food easier for the horse to swallow, as well as encourage abscesses to drain. A hot compress placed on abscesses can encourage them to burst.

Some vets administer antibiotics to strangles-exposed horses as soon as they have an elevated temperature to prevent abscess formation. This practice is controversial, as the antibiotics may allow the horse to be re-infected with strangles the next time he is exposed.

Strangles bacteria can hide in a horse’s guttural pouches, which are sacs of air located on either side of the horse’s head. These pouches are designed to cool the brain, ensuring that the blood near the brain is below the horse’s core body temperature, especially during exercise.

A horse with strangles will need to have his guttural pouches scoped before he is considered free from the disease. Scoping involves threading a long, flexible rod with a camera up through the horse’s nose and examining the pouches. This flexible rod can also be used to administer antibiotics into the pouches if strangles bacteria is discovered.

A small basket can also be placed on the end of the rod to remove chondroids (dried pus) that may be found in the guttural pouches. A horse must be free of bacteria and chondroids, as well as have multiple negative nasal washes or nasal swabs, to be considered “clear” from the disease.

Strangles Vaccine There are two types of strangles vaccines available: intramuscular (IM) injection, which is given like a traditional vaccine, and intranasal, which is misted up the nasal passage and provides mucosal protection, as well. It’s important to remember that vaccine administration does not mean the horse will not get sick; it simply means that the horse will have less-severe disease presentation. “I do not recommend that every horse get the strangles vaccine,” said Boyle. The vaccine is really only needed by competition or trail horses that are regularly exposed to unfamiliar horses or for horses that live with horses that regularly travel, she notes. Horses that have been exposed to a strangles outbreak should wait at least one year before they’re vaccinated with either the intranasal or intramuscular vaccine. Some horse’s immune systems can be overstimulated by the vaccine and the animal might develop purpura, says Boyle. Purpura hemorrhagica is swelling of the blood vessels in the head, neck and abdomen. Most cases are mild and are treated with antibiotics and corticosteroids. It’s important that horse owners understand that vaccination alone is not effective, says Katie Flynn, BVMS, Senior Staff Veterinarian-Equine Health & Biosecurity for the U.S. Equestrian Federation. “Vaccination may be an effective method of disease control in individual [horses] and herds when used in conjunction with a biosecurity plan.”

Complications

“Equine strangles is a disease with a high morbidity rate, meaning many horses on a premises may become ill with the disease,” explains Flynn. “But approximately 98 percent of horses recover after several weeks in the acute phase of disease. Death due to strangles is not common.

“Inflammation associated with lymph node abscess formation and rupture may cause obstruction of the upper respiratory tract, hence the name strangles,” she adds. Damage to the nerves near the abscess may result in the horse having difficulty breathing; further damage can make it difficult for the horse to eat.

One of the scariest complications of strangles is its bastardization, where abscesses may occur in multiple sites, including the brain, abdomen and mammary glands. Additionally, cases of S. equi pneumonia have been known to occur.

Should Anyone Be Notified If Your Horse Has Strangles?

Strangles is considered a “reportable” disease in most states, meaning that the state veterinarian must be made aware of a positive test result (this is the responsibility of the testing laboratory or the veterinarian, not the horse owner).

From there, the disease is classified as either “reportable actionable” or “reportable monitored,” according to Flynn.

“In the majority of states, strangles is ‘reportable monitored,’ meaning no regulatory action is taken by state officials, but they do monitor the detections to determine if there is an increase or decrease in prevalence or a change in geographic distribution,” she says. “Very few states take regulatory action such as quarantine, testing and required biosecurity measures.”

There are multiple reasons why strangles may not be “reportable actionable” in a state. This can range from lack of state regulatory resources to do things like implement quarantine, the challenges associated with releasing a quarantine (and the testing that must take place to do so) or the state’s equine industry may not have requested or does not support enforceable action for the disease, says Flynn.

The fact that the disease is not deemed “actionable” in many states should not in any way indicate that the disease is not serious, says Flynn.

“Strangles can pose significant risk to the individual equine, the herd, and the national equine population if proper biosecurity protocols are not followed.”

Containing an Outbreak

There are three keys to containing a strangles outbreak, says Boyle. These are taking temperatures, isolating and separating.

The ability to detect a sick horse by any deviation from his “normal” temperature will give farm owners 24- to 48-hour advance notice that the horse may have strangles. Once the horse is identified, if he’s immediately moved (isolated) and separated from not only his neighbors, but also from staff who may interact with multiple horses, the likelihood of minimal farm impact increases.

The isolation area need not be fancy, Boyle stresses—it just needs to be effective.

“Even if it’s a shed that’s got a gate to separate them, it’s better than nothing,” she says. “Even better would be to have a paddock as a barrier in between affected and unaffected horses.

“I deal with farms all the time that say, ‘Well, everyone is exposed because I had one horse test positive,’” says Boyle. “This truly isn’t the case. Every horse may be minimally exposed, but I have successfully minimized outbreaks by immediately isolating the horse. The ‘everyone is exposed’ mentality is not the way to go—you’ll deal with a much longer outbreak and have more horses with complications that may also turn into potential carriers afterward. What you do up front [to isolate and separate] can really limit the outbreak.”

In addition to being proactive about isolating horses that are sick or that may become sick, all other traditional biosecurity measures should be in place: not sharing buckets, tack or equipment; handling the ill horse last (and preferably by just one staff member), and paying scrupulous attention to details like ensuring hose ends aren’t dipped from bucket to bucket.

Key Takeaway

Though not often deadly, strangles presents a unique set of issues related to the ease with which it’s transmitted and the delay in symptom onset. Keen attention should be paid to all horses that travel off the farm and daily temperature-taking should be incorporated into every horse’s daily health check.

This article about strangles appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post An Overview of Strangles in Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Standing sedation is the type most often used on the farm for calming a horse while keeping him upright.

“Basically, we’re taking the edge off,” says Magdalena Niedermeyer, DVM, of Burnt Fork Veterinary Clinic in Stevensville, Mont. “The horse is still standing, but he seems drunk. Sedation is not anesthesia, so if a horse really doesn’t like something, he can still tell you while sedated.”

Horses are often given a mixture of drugs instead of just one to ensure they are not a threat to themselves or those around them during the procedure. The type and amount of each drug used will depend on the horse’s size, state of mind at time of sedation, and how long the horse will need to remain sedated. Horses that are more anxious at the time of delivery may require more drugs than a horse that is calm.

How Equine Sedation is Administered

There are multiple ways to sedate a horse, but the bottom line is that the more quickly the drug gets into the horse’s bloodstream, the more rapidly he will become sedated.

Often the drug and administration route are chosen by a veterinarian; vets will often discourage horse owners from administering injectable sedation on their own. While this is because a good portion of horse owners don’t know how to administer drugs properly, it’s also related to the type of drugs being used.

Be aware that many drugs that sedate horses are powerful, and if inadvertently given outside of the vein or into an artery, they could have harmful effects. Additionally, if human contact occurs, some drugs could impose serious health risks, including death.

Sedation can be administered in the following ways, from most rapid to least rapid.

Intravenously (IV)

• Effects within minutes.

“IV sedation is the quickest sedation used by veterinarians for procedures such as joint injections, dental examinations, minor surgeries, and other standing procedures, in addition to emergency situations or colic,” says Holly Helbig, DVM, Equine Technical Services Veterinarian with Zoetis.

Intramuscularly (IM)

• Effects within 5 to 15 minutes.

IM sedation goes directly into the muscle and does not require the administrator to locate and administer through a vein.

Sublingual (under the tongue)

• Effects within 40 minutes.

“Sublingual administration requires the medication be placed under the tongue so it can be absorbed through the oral mucous membranes, directly into the bloodstream,” explains Helbig. “It is very effective because it bypasses the digestive system.”

Oral

• Effects within 40 minutes.

“When medication is labeled to be given orally, it’s designed to be placed in the back of the mouth and swallowed, like a deworming paste,” says Helbig. “It is then absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and into the bloodstream.”

It’s important care still be taken when handling a sedated horse, no matter how the drugs were administered. A sedated horse is conscious, meaning he can still react to sound and movement.

It’s critical that everyone around the horse pay close attention and not be lulled into a false sense of security that he will ignore most things going on around him. Loud noises, like the banging of feed bins or clanging of stall doors, could elicit a forceful reaction, and possibly endanger those around the horse.

How Do Horses Act Under Sedation?

A sedated horse is easy to spot: He will often stand with his legs splayed out, looking like he’s trying to catch his balance. His head will droop, sometimes to the floor.

“Typically, when the poll [drops] below the level of the withers is when the horse is in the correct plane of sedation for work to be performed,” says Helbig. “While the horse is settling into sedation, he may abruptly ‘catch’ himself with a leg, or buckle or cross his legs (ataxia and incoordination). This is normal—don’t try to hold up the horse or wake him by patting his head or neck.”  This will delay the onset of action and prevent the horse from achieving the maximum plane of sedation. 

“Depending on the environment [including heat, humidity, sun or shade], the horse may also sweat over his neck, shoulder, flanks or around the ears. This is also normal and transient,” says Helbig.

Though it’s not entirely clear why a horse may sweat from sedation, it’s not a cause for concern, she says.

“It is believed that the sedation stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing an inability to thermoregulate. Vasoconstriction caused by these drugs also increases body temperature, [and] that triggers sweating.”

If asked to walk, the horse often looks like he’s drunk, moving his legs in an uncoordinated manner, unable to walk in a straight line. Though this can be disconcerting to see, a horse rarely falls, even while holding still.

“Even if they are unsteady, they can usually reposition and correct their balance themselves,” says Niedermeyer.

Helbig agrees.

“The same passive-stay apparatus that allows horses to sleep standing up allows us to sedate horses and keep them on their feet,” she says. “The apparatus has three main components: Patellar locking, the reciprocal mechanism, and the check apparatus, which are an arrangement of muscles, tendons and ligaments that, when activated, allow the horse to lock their limbs standing with virtually no muscular effort.”

How Long Does Equine Sedation Last?

“The duration of effect [of sedation] varies by the type of sedation and route of administration,” explains Helbig. “It can range from 20 minutes to a couple of hours. Some types of sedation are fast-acting and metabolized quickly, while sedation given IM or orally will have a much slower onset than medications given IV. A higher dose of sedation will likely result in a deeper level of sedation and a longer time the horse will be sedated. Your veterinarian will be able to give you an approximate amount of time for this to occur based on the type of sedation used and the dose.”

Sedated horses can be unstable. Typically after a procedure, two people (one at the head and one at the tail as an anchor) help safely guide the horse back to a clean, quiet stall to wake up, says Helbig. If a stall is not available, being alone in a ring or flat paddock is also acceptable.

The horse should not be offered hay, grain or water as he recovers; his muscles are still relaxed from the sedative, putting him at risk of aspiration or choke.

A horse coming out of sedation will begin moving his ears, chewing and licking his lips, and begin looking for food as the sedation begins to wear off, says Helbig. He will often urinate as well.

“There isn’t much owners can do for the horse [coming out of sedation] besides allow time for the medication to be metabolized, so it’s best to leave him alone until you see him starting to look around and interacting with his environment,” she says.

Key Takeaway

Equine sedation is crucial to various forms of veterinary care. Multiple methods of sedation are available to horses, and the type of administration—as well as the amount of medication used—varies based on procedure and the horse itself. The sedation process for horses is quite similar to the process in humans, though of course, we are dealing with a much larger animal which requires careful administration and precautions.

This article about equine sedation appeared in the October 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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