Equine Strengthening Exercises and Pitfalls to Avoid

Wait!  Come back!!  Even though your horse is currently sound and healthy, many of the topics in this blog are still applicable to you and your riding partner!!

My purpose in writing this blog is to broaden the minds of my readers into better understanding what modalities are available as it pertains to building a stronger and sounder equine partner.  Just because your horse is currently sound, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be pursuing additional exercises outside of the saddle to help preserve soundness and prevent lameness.  From basic hill work to raised trot poles and the EquiCore system, many of the modalities below will help you to build the strongest horse possible.  The stronger your riding partner, the lower the risk of injury while on the trail or in the arena. 

Stretching

Please oh please don’t extend your horse’s leg out in front of them without providing ample support to the knee!  In doing so, the knee becomes hyperextended, and you could injure the small collection of carpal bones that comprise the horse’s knee.  Instead, hold the limb behind the knee and ask for forward stretch from the knee, not the hoof or the fetlock.  There are no muscles below the knee so why try to stretch what isn’t there?  This is one of the most common mistakes I see when clients are trying to stretch their horse’s limb, when in reality, this stretch is really geared toward stretching the muscles of the shoulder and upper limb.  

Beginning Carrot Stretch

Personally, I am a huge fan of carrot stretches.  These are so helpful for helping to alleviate muscle tension in the horse’s neck while also bringing flexibility through the bones, muscles, and ligaments of the neck.  There is also the added bonus of abdominal strengthening once your horse builds up flexibility and starts really getting deep into their stretches.  I stand with my back towards the horse’s shoulder and ask the horse to stretch around the front of my body back towards the levels of the stifle, hock and hoof, aiming to hold a stretch at each zone for a minimum of five seconds.  Some horses will try to cheat and move their haunches away to avoid stretching through the neck and thorax.  Standing with the horse against a wall can help eliminate this form of cheating.  Personally, I use carrot stretches five days a week, asking my mare to stretch both directions multiple times, multiple zones.  After a few weeks of consistent stretching, you’ll be amazed at the increased range of motion. 

Advanced Carrot Stretch

Sure Foot Pads®

Once your horse becomes proficient at the carrot stretches, Sue Foot pads are a fantastic way to increase the intensity of the exercise.  The pads come in varying densities.  The harder the pad, the higher the stability, the softer the pad, the higher the dynamic instability.  This is the same concept as performing yoga or pushups on a Bosu ball.  By increasing the instability of the surface the horse is standing on, we increase the workload of the tiny, stabilizing muscles of the limb while also applying small amounts of stress to the ligaments supporting the joints of the lower limb.  Both processes work to increase the strength of the soft tissue structures supporting the limb which then decreases the risk of injury in a performance setting.  I will also use the soft, squishy Sure Foot pads in my patients suffering from chronic foot pain like laminitis.  By providing them a soft surface to stand on during farrier appointments and follow up exams, I improve the quality of their experience while also increasing their overall comfort.  I do not recommend these pads for use in horses recovering from acute soft tissue injuries as the dynamic instability of the exercise can potentially worsen the injury. 

www.surefootequine.com

Raised Trot Poles and Hill work

Assuming your horse is sound, raised trot poles and riding up hills will help to engage the muscles of the back and haunches.  Keep in mind that you’re not using trot poles to increase the length of the stride, but instead, you’re aiming to increase the height of the step taken over the pole.  As such, increasing the distance between your poles will be counter productive as it will result in a hollowing of the horse’s back and excessive extension of the lumbosacral joint.  Aim for a slower trot with a higher step over the pole. 

As for riding hills, many horses want to traverse hills with their head held high and their back in extension (hollowed out).  (We are after all asking them to carry us on their backs while climbing hundreds if not thousands of feet in altitude.  Why would they want to work harder than necessary?)  A horse will build better musculature climbing hills if asked to climb at a slightly slower pace with their head in a very slight frame (versus giraffe pose).  Same can be said for descending hills and mountains. 

http://www.equicoreconcepts.com

The Equi-Core System

If you have spent any time in my truck, you have heard me reference the Equi-Core system at least once a day.  Seriously, I should earn a commission with the number of sales my recommendations have resulted in! This system consists of one to two, wide, flat resistance bands that go around the horse’s haunches and under their belly.  You can use one band at a time to isolate an area of work, or both bands simultaneously.  The benefit of this system (above all other training systems out there) is that it never contacts the horse’s mouth.  The mere presence of a loose band around the haunches can instantly increase the level of engagement of the horse’s pelvic muscles. 

By engaging the pelvic muscles, we tilt the pelvis towards the forelimbs which brings the hind limbs further under the horse’s belly, elongates the muscles of the back and engages the abdominal muscles, all without having to be a Grand Prix dressage rider!  The bands can be used at certain portions of a training ride or throughout the entire ride.  They can be used on a trail ride or during a beginner’s riding lesson to build topline musculature in the horse, without the rider having to do a thing.  You’ll want to introduce the bands slowly, one at a time, so your horse doesn’t feel trapped by them, and you’ll want to slowly increase the amount of time your horse spends in them so he doesn’t get sore.  After several weeks working in the Equi-Core system, you should see an increase in topline and gluteal musculature. 

How to Keep Donkeys and Mules Healthy

Donkeys and mules are readily recognizable by their distinguished large ears. These equids frequently have the reputation of requiring less veterinary attention. Although they are certainly more stoic (and perhaps smarter!) than horses, they still need—and deserve—the same preventative veterinary care and routine farrier work.

Image by Marzena P. from Pixabay

The long-eared can fall into a few categories, so here are the basic definitions:

Donkey: Like the horse, the donkey is in the Equidae family. The donkey is derived from the African wild ass and was likely domesticated about 5000-6000 years ago in Africa. Male donkeys are called jacks, female donkeys are called jennys.

Mule: mare/jack cross. Mules are sterile.

Hinny: stallion/jenny cross. Hinnys are sterile.

Image by Ralphs_Fotos from Pixabay

Donkeys and mules are thrifty, able to work hard and survive in barren conditions. Donkeys in particular are adapted to digest fiber of poor nutritional quality and they have lower daily intake requirements to maintain body weight. This heartiness is especially problematic in our non-working donkeys, as they tend to be easy keepers prone to obesity and related conditions, such as laminitis.

The stoicism of the donkey also means that health issues are frequently not observed as quickly as in horses. Donkeys can become extremely ill when health conditions cause them to stop eating, leading to high levels of fat mobilization within the bloodstream, or hyperlipidemia. Hyperlipidemia can be fatal unless treated aggressively. Signs of illness or pain in a donkey can be easily overlooked. Typically, the first sign of a problem is decreased water or food intake, but signs can also be as subtle as less interest in the surrounding environment and decreased social behavior with other donkeys. In addition, donkeys and mules can suffer from all the same ailments as horses, including colic, respiratory disease, hoof abscesses, and gastric ulcers.

Image by Christine Sponchia from Pixabay

Other considerations

While they have the reputation for being stubborn, frequently this behavior is due to a donkey taking time to assess a new situation. Donkeys are less likely to panic than horses, and more likely to protest- fight instead of flight! They also form strong bonds with other donkeys, so for travel or hospitalization, a donkey companion is a great way to minimize additional stress.

free day womens burro race” by ken ratcliff is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Recommended veterinary care for donkeys and mules includes the recommended yearly core vaccinations (rabies, tetanus, eastern and western encephalitis, and West Nile) as well as routine veterinary dental care and targeted deworming. Although most donkeys in our community are non-athletes, many Colorado donkeys participate in burro racing, the official sport of Colorado! This is a great way to bond with your donkey and help keep him fit. Whether your donkey or mule is a backyard companion or burro racing champion, don’t forget to ensure he has access to the same care as your horses!

Hang on now Doc, is my horse really that chunky?

Sometimes when we as horseman see our horses on a routine basis, it can be easy to overlook that thickened, cresty neck or the fat pads that have developed on either side of their tail head.  We recognize that it has been quite a while since we’ve been able to palpate any evidence of their ribs, but what other physical indicators do we use as veterinarians to assess the body condition of our patients?  With the significant increase in metabolic laminitis cases seen on a national level, now more than ever, it is important to ensure our horses remain a healthy weight. 

As a veterinarian, the first indication that I may be dealing with a horse in metabolic crisis is not their enlarged abdominal girth but instead is the thickened, hardened appearance to their crest.  The crest is the region directly under the horse’s mane along the topside of their neck.  A normal crest palpates soft, fluctuant, and homogenous to the surrounding tissue and muscle.  The crest on a horse in metabolic crisis becomes hardened, like the density of cauliflower.  The crest can also become wider and more visually pronounced in severe cases.  As the metabolic disease process progresses, horses can develop regional adiposity, also known as the accumulation of fat pads throughout their body.  These pads of adipose tissue most commonly develop behind the shoulder blades on either side of the withers and on either side of the tail head.  In severe cases, adipose pads can develop along either side of the thoracolumbar spine and in the girth region.    A horse of a healthy weight has no evidence of regional adiposity, with rib coverage that allows for palpation of each individual rib but not the visual distinction of each rib. 

Body condition scoring in horses is commonly done using the Henneke System.  This scoring system was developed in 1983 and has been accepted throughout the international equine industry as a standardized means to assess adiposity in horses.  The scores range from 1 to 9 with a score of 1 being associated with extreme emaciation and a score of 9 correlating to extreme obesity.  Below is an outline of the individual scores:

Poor: Grade 1 – Extreme emaciation; no presence of fatty tissue, all bony prominences including withers, shoulder blade, dorsal spinous processes, ribs, pelvis and sacrum are all clearly visible.

Very Thin: Grade 2 – Emaciated; slight tissue cover over bony prominences but withers, shoulder blade, dorsal spinous processes, ribs, pelvis and sacrum are all clearly visible.

Thin: Grade 3 – Slight accumulation of adipose tissue; bony prominences are no longer clearly discernible; some fill over withers, shoulders and throughout the neck, ribs still visible.

Moderately Thin: Grade 4 – Ridge of spine and withers are still visibly pronounced, ribs still visible, some accumulation of adipose tissue over the shoulders and through the neck and tail head region. 

Moderate: Grade 5 – Spine and ribs cannot be visibly differentiated although ribs can be palpated, tail head is soft and squishy; withers, shoulders and neck are smooth and rounded.

Moderately Fleshy: Grade 6 – slight crease down the spine, tail head is still soft and squishy, regions of adipose accumulation are present on either side of the withers and through the crest, most ribs can still be palpated but not all of them.

Fleshy: Grade 7 – a crease is present along the spine, the ribs have fat filling between them, tail head is still soft, regions of adipose accumulation are pronounced through the crest and on either side of the withers. 

Fat: Grade 8 – a definite crease is present along the spine (aka. “drainage ditch”), it is difficult to feel any ribs, soft adipose tissue surrounds the tail head, the neck/crest is quite enlarged and there is adipose accumulation on the inner aspects of the hind limbs as well as behind the shoulder blades.

Extremely Fat: Grade 9 – the “drainage ditch” collects water when it rains, there is bulging adipose accumulation on top of the ribs, behind the shoulders, through the crest and on either side of the tail head.  Accumulated abdominal fat is also present on the underside of the flank. 

To confirm your horse is in optimal health, it is important to be able to accurately grade your horse’s body condition.  An ideal range is between 4-6, depending on the breed and usage of your horse.  If your horse falls outside of this range, it is important to discuss the nutritional components of your horse’s diet with your veterinarian to decrease the risks associated with equine obesity and ensure your horse isn’t deficient in necessary nutrients. 

Fecal Egg Counts and Deworming

As spring begins to show its face in beautiful flowers and new grasses, the parasite life cycle is renewed.  Warmer weather encourages larval maturation from fecal contamination in pastures. As these larvae mature they make the progression up the blade of grass and await consumption by a new host.  As your horse grazes on the fresh spring grass, transmission occurs. This is a very simple representation of a parasite life cycle. 

Fecal egg counts (FEC) have been a hot topic for many years now, and they remain the best way to monitor and treat for parasite infestation in our equine partners.  Performing a FEC gives us an understanding of what your horse is shedding at that time, and is a likely representation of what they are dealing with internally.  Understanding this, we selectively prescribe dewormer for that particular horse and their individual issues.  Two or three weeks later, we recheck FEC to be sure that the dewormer did what we needed it to do! 

In Colorado, it is not uncommon for a horse to show no signs of parasites in an FEC. Our unique environment of generally dry and freezing conditions helps to reduce the transmission of parasites in general, and many horses lack substantial grazing opportunities. But they certainly still do occur. 

Since responsible deworming of your horse is a bit more involved than it used to be, each case and circumstance can be unique.  If you have questions about your particular horse, the environmental conditions, or their potential for exposure, you should have a discussion with your veterinarian. 

Is your horse current on his rabies vaccination?

Rabies is caused by a virus that infects mammals and is spread through the saliva/bites by infected animals. The virus exists in several wild animal reservoirs, most commonly bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes. After the virus is transmitted via bite, it replicates in the muscle at the site of the bite, and then travels to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The virus continues to replicate in the central nervous system and then spreads through the rest of the body, including the salivary glands, which then allows transmission to other susceptible animals.

Is rabies a problem in Colorado?

In 2019, there were 173 lab-confirmed cases of animal rabies in Colorado, including canine, feline, and camelid cases. So far in 2020, Colorado has seen 71 lab-confirmed cases of rabies, including in a dog, goat, sheep, and bull. It is important to remember that because rabies is endemic in bat, skunk, and raccoon populations, these numbers don’t accurately represent the true prevalence of this disease.

What does rabies look like in horses?

While mention of rabies conjures images of a frenzied animal frothing at the mouth, clinical signs in the horse can be extremely variable, so many people may be potentially exposed before a diagnosis is made. Non-specific signs of rabies in horses can range from colic and lameness to fever and depression. There is no available testing to diagnose rabies in the live horse. When examining an un-vaccinated horse exhibiting bizarre behavior or neurologic signs, your veterinarian must consider rabies as a potential diagnosis. Signs in an infected horse progress rapidly, usually leading to death within 5-7 days. Rabies is always fatal in an unvaccinated horse.

The rabies vaccine is a core vaccine for horses, according to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). A core vaccine is one that is essential for every horse, regardless of the horse’s lifestyle. Rabies is a FATAL disease but it is preventable through annual vaccination by your veterinarian. Because human infection is also fatal, rabies vaccination in domestic animals is a matter of public health. Any person who may have potential exposure to rabies should immediately contact their health provider.

Protect your horse- and yourself! Be sure to keep your horse’s rabies vaccination current, and don’t forget to vaccinate your barn cats and dogs!

Should You Microchip Your Horse?

Microchips: an easy, indisputable way to definitively identify a horse. In situations such as evacuations due to natural disasters or horse theft, it’s easy to see how microchip identification is invaluable. Other forms of identification are more subjective than a unique microchip number- markings change with time, tattoos become more difficult to read, and brands can be altered.

A microchip can also serve as proof of ownership, deter fraud in the sale of a horse, and identify at-risk horses at auction. But did you know the microchipping is also replacing older identification methods in breed registries? Did you know that many competitive organizations now require microchips?

Since 2013, the FEI has required microchips for competing horses. As of 2017, the Jockey Club requires microchipping for registration of Thoroughbred foals. The USEF and USHJA have required microchips since 2019. The AQHA is encouraging microchipping through the AQHA Microchip Pilot Project. The European Union has required microchips for foals since 2009. RPSI, Norwegian Fjord, and Oldenburg breed registries require microchipping.

The process of getting your horse microchipped is simple. First your veterinarian will scan your horse for an existing chip. Providing a chip is not found, your veterinarian will clean and prep the location for microchip placement. The standard location for placement is on the left side of the neck, halfway between the poll and the withers, within the nuchal ligament of the neck. The microchip is then scanned before placement to make sure the chip is read correctly. Each chip has a 15-digit unique number. The chip is inserted into the site and scanned again after placement to ensure it is read properly. Most horses tolerate this quick procedure very well, although the site can numbed with an anesthetic prior to chip placement if desired. Please contact us if you are interested in getting your horse microchipped. This procedure can be easily added to your horse’s next preventative care visit.

See the following links for more information on microchipping and show requirements:

https://files.usef.org/assets/WU5vkmldZDg/microchipping-faqs.pdf

https://equinemicrochiplookup.org/

https://www.aqha.com/-/aqha-microchip-pilot-project

https://www.ushja.org/competition/rules-and-proposals/microchipping-101

How does the smoky air affect my horse?

While the current wildfires are at some distance from us, we have not been spared from widespread smoke and poor air quality over the last few weeks. Just as poor air quality can be an irritant for us, it can also affect your horse. Unhealthy air contains irritants that can affect our eyes and nasal passages and may have a greater impact on those – both human and equine – with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

Smoke is composed of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, soot, nitrogen oxide, particulates, and trace minerals, as well as the primary source being burned (wood, vegetation, plastic, etc). The smoke from wildfires is high in particulate matter, which is problematic because of its extremely small size. Particulate matter easily travels to the smallest airways of the lungs, causing irritation and damage. For humans and horses, it can cause coughing, nasal discharge, and increased respiratory effort. It can also interfere with the normal defense mechanisms of the respiratory tract, decreasing immune function and the ability of the lungs to clear routinely encountered foreign materials. Horses with pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as heaves and allergies, are more sensitive to poor air quality.

How do I know if it’s safe for my horse to work?

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is the Environmental Protection Agency’s daily grade of air quality. The AQI accounts for five major pollutants: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Air rated as “good” has an AQI <50. Today, August 17, 2020, Golden has an AQI of 57 (moderate), stating that air quality is acceptable, although there may be a risk for those who are more sensitive to air pollution.

Although there are currently no recommendations specifically for horses based on AQI, there are guidelines available for human athletes. The guidelines suggest removing sensitive human athletes from outdoor competition when AQI is >100 and removing all athletes from outdoor competition when AQI > 200.

What can you do to help your horse?

Be conscious of the air quality index and conditions. Go to https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/ to find the AQI in your area.

Limit exercise when smoke is visible.

Ensure adequate clean water is always available to your horse.

Limit exposure to additional dust- consider soaking hay prior to feeding.

Seek veterinary attention if your horse is showing any signs of respiratory difficulty or distress.

Core Vaccines

***This blog was originally written in January of 2020, and as of today, March 24th, 2020, times have changed significantly.  With Covid-19 causing the issues that it is, we feel it necessary to add the following statement.

Governor Polis on 3/20/2020, in Colorado Executive order 2020 009, made veterinarians part of the list of essential workforce to continue with “necessary procedures.”  For the safety and welfare of horses, the Mobile Veterinary Services vaccination schedule will continue as planned.  If delayed 3 or more months, depending on conditions, our horses will become susceptible to deadly diseases.  

As always, at MVS, we strive for clear client communication.  We will keep everyone informed to the best of our abilities as to the orders placed on us as veterinarians.  Please feel free to call with individual questions that you may have. ***

There is a long list of vaccines available to give our horses.  Owners and even veterinarians can get bogged down in the details, and that’s just based on the vaccines available. 

Then we start to talk about schedules for each group of horses.  Groups like Adult horses vaccinated in the past, Adult horses with no known or no history of vaccines, Foals (of vaccinated mares), Foals (of unvaccinated mares), oh yeah, and the broodmares!  Whew, I think that covers the horse population!!!

Really quickly a discussion of “just vaccines,” gets complicated.  Mobile Veterinary Services will always fall back on, “talk with your veterinarian to make a plan for YOUR herd and their individual needs.”  Here, we would like to discuss “core vaccines.”

What is a core vaccine? 

As defined by the AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) a core vaccine “protects against diseases that are endemic to a region, are virulent/highly contagious, pose a risk of severe disease, those having potential public health significance, and/ or are required by law.  Core vaccines have clearly demonstrable efficacy and safety, with a high enough level of patient benefit and low enough level of risk to justify their use in ALL equids.”  It’s a mouthful, but what does it mean?  In the end, it means that they are safe, low risk, and designed and developed to protect horses and humans alike. 

These are the Core Vaccines recognized by the AAEP:

Tetanus:  Should be given annually.  If there is a question as to the status of a horse, they should receive a 2-dose series (4- 6 weeks apart).  Colts should receive a 3 shot series beginning around 6 months of age, second dose 1 month later, and another dose at 1 year old. 

EEE/WEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis/ Western Equine Encephalitis):  Just like the Tetanus, it should be given annually, and they should go through an initial 3 dose series.  Conveniently, tetanus is often in a combination vaccine with these two. 

West Nile Virus:  As with the two above, West Nile should be given annually.  This is often in combination with WEE/EEE and Tetanus and can be given to colts and fillies in one shot on the same 3 dose schedule. 

Rabies:  Rabies is 100% fatal, in ALL species.  All youngsters should receive 2 vaccines starting around 6 months old (second one about 1 month later).  Then, every horse, every year should receive a booster. 

Every horse should receive at least these vaccines, every year.

It is important that these vaccines are handled correctly and managed at the appropriate temperature and environment to ensure that the vaccine is an effective and SAFE one.  This is the biggest reason that we recommend that you receive your vaccines from a licensed veterinarian.   If you ever have questions about your herd’s (no matter how big or small) vaccination protocol, please feel free to reach out to MVS!

Equioxx use and Probiotics

The use of probiotics and their relationship to a healthy gut has been researched and discussed in both human and equine medicine with new information coming out regularly demonstrating the positive effects probiotics have on gut health. Current human-based research is looking into the disruptions in the natural gut flora (good microbes) that occur with the use of both prescription and OTC medications. An important term being used in that research is “dysbiosis.” 

Continue reading