Horse Management 1

what is a young horse (less than one year)

what is a young horse (less than one year)

foal

what is a female horse (<3-4 years old)

filly

what is a male horse (<3-4 years old)

colt

female > 4years old

mare

intact male > 4years old (5yr TB)

stallion

castrated male

gelding

stallion with retained testicles

cryptorchid

what are other names for cryptorchid

ridgling, rig, or a high flanker

equine rehabilitation therapist

trained professionals use exercises, massages, and other techniques to help horses regain strength and mobility after an injury or surgery

equine-assisted therapist

master’s degree-qualified, licensed professionals combine activities involving horses and psychotherapy in treatment plans to help patients work through many conditions

equine nutritionist

professionals use knowledge of the horse’s digestive system, activity level, health, and dietary needs to create feeding plans that promote wellness and prevent future health issues

horse trainer

trainers get horses used to wearing saddles and bridles understanding commands and being comfortable with human contact

riding instructor

riding instructors provide guidance to students on proper form and how to effectively communicate with horses

farm or ranch manager

managers maintain facilities and equipment, advise owners on horse husbandry/sales/purchase, maintain a budget/manage finances, and hire/supervise/train staff members. Top skills include horse husbandry, business knowledge, and communication

equine association or organization staff member

there are many associations and organizations that need staff members with horse knowledge as well as knowledge of finance, communications, PR, executive leadership and more

equine insurance agent

purchasing a horse is a financial investment. Equine insurance agents help clients protect both the animal and themselves by assisting them in choosing an appropriate plan. While some agents focus exclusively on horses, others also offer farm property and equipment insurance

Equine product sales representative

call potential buyers over the phone or visit locations in an assigned territory to market feed, supplements, saddles, bridles, and grooming equipment,

show manager

show managers multi-task to plan and run competitions including setting a budget, and following rules set by relevant governing bodies, hiring/training staff, reserving facilities, boking judges, publicizing events and much more

what is the world horse population

60 million

what country has the largest percentage of horses

South America (25%)

how many horses and mules in the united states were there in the early 1900s

25 million

how many horses and mules in the united states were there in the 1960s

3 million

how many horses and mules in the united states were there in the 2000s

9 million

what are most horses used for

72% personal use/pleasure specifically 43% recreation and 29% show

what percentage of horses are used for rodeo, polo, ranching

18%

what percentage of horses are used for racing

10%

breed

group of horses with a common ancestry that resemble one another and pass similar traits to their offspring

examples of draft breeds

Percheron, Belgian, Clydesdale, and shire

examples of light breeds

quarter horse, thoroughbred, standardbred, Arabian, appaloosa, and morgan

where did draft breeds originate

europe

what is the height of draft breeds

14.2 to 19 hands

what is the weight of draft breeds

1400 to 2000 lbs

where did light breeds originate

Europe, Asia, north and south Americas

what is the height of light breeds

14.2 to 17.2 hands

what is the weight of light breeds

900 to 1400 lbs

where did ponies originate

europe, asia, north, and south americas

what is the height of ponies

less than 14.2 hands

what is the weight of ponies

300 to 900 lbs

examples of ponies

shetland, hackney, welsh, and ponies of america

height of miniature horses

less than 34 to 38 inches

life span of miniature horses

25 to 35 years

what is different about donkey versus horses

they have long ears, short, upright mane

male donkey

jack

female donkey

jennet

what is the purpose of donkeys

work

what is the world population of donkeys

42.8 million

what is the population of donkeys in the U.S.

52,000

what is a stallion x jennet cross

hinny

what is a mare x jack cross

mule and they are usually sterile

characteristics of Hinnies and mules

horse size/body shape with a shorter, thicker head, longer ears, braying voice, and no chestnuts on hindlegs

water requirement for horses

twice daily if not constantly available. the average 1000 lb horse will drink 10-12 gallons/day

housing management goals for horses

protect from weather extremes, provide ventilation/airflow, be clean and dry, be safe and well-maintained, have space for exercise

barns for horses

box stalls 12 × 8 or 10 × 10

flooring for horses

well-drained, solid-footing surface with some give when horses lie down

three-sided shed

face south away from the prevailing wind, located on an elevated well-drained site, accessible for feeding and manure handling

manure management

manure should be picked up regularly from the horse’s stall (daily) or paddock

how much manure and urine per day does a 1000 lbs horse produce

~50 lbs

how many tons of waste and soiled bedding should a horse produce per year

9-12 tons

how many liters does the horse stomach hold

8-15 liters

what percentage of the digestive capacity is made up of the stomach

10%

what of the total digestive capacity is made up of the cecum and large intestine

60%

what percent of fiber is digested in the cecum and large intestines

80%

what percentage of the total digestive capacity is made up of the small intestines

30%

what percentage of protein and soluble carbohydrates are digested in the small intestines

60-70%

continuous grazer strategy

evolved to use speed as a major survival mechanism. They sleep standing up and consume small amounts frequently and moving from place to place between grazing

how long do horses graze per day

20 hours

what percentage should a horse have daily in roughage on a dry matter basis

0.75 to 1%

what are the different body condition scores

emaciated, very thin, thin, moderately thin, moderate, moderate to fleshy, fleshy, fat, obese

how many horse operations feed some form of grain

90%

if grain exceeds___ of body weight the grain should be fed in at least three equal portions spaced throughout the day

1%

how much pasture should there be per horse

1-2 acres per horse, horses graze unevenly

pasture management

for re-growth leave about 1/3 of grass uneaten. Subdivide pasture so horses graze a paddock for no more than 7 days. Leave about 2 grass and allow it to grow to 8 before it is grazed again

what are supplemental feeds

hay, silage, grain, protein, pelleted, and minerals

preventive health plan

hoof care, parasite control, dental care, vaccination, biosecurity protocol, and veterinary care if ill or injured

how often should you float teeth

at least yearly

how often should a farrier visit

6-8 weeks

what are the goals of deworming

to limit parasite infections so horses remain healthy, to control parasite egg shedding, and to avoid further development of anthelmintic resistance

vaccination

no vaccine is 100% effective in preventing disease, claims granted by the USDA: prevention, control, shedding, vaccination without good management will not prevent infectious disease, horses within a population vary in degree and duration of protective response after vaccination, protection is not immediate

why does something become a core vaccine

all horses at risk, public health significance, a highly infectious organism that poses a risk of severe disease, high mortality rates, and or no effective treatment, vaccine demonstrated efficacy and safety, or required by law

what are the core vaccinates

eastern and western equine encephalomyelitis, tetanus, west nile virus, rabies

tetanus transmission and pathophysiology

anaerobic bacteria enter the body through puncture wounds, surgical incisions, or exposed tissues, such as the umbilicus of foals and the reproductive tract of the postpartum mare. Bacteria release a neurotoxin that causes spasmodic, tonic contractions, of the voluntary muscles by interfering with the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters from presynaptic nerve endings

clinical signs of tetanus

neuromuscular, localized muscle stiffness (jaw, neck, and hindleg), rigid raised tail, stiff gait, generalized stiffness, hyperesthesia, sawhorse stance, prolapsed 3rd eyelid

treatment of tetanus

supportive care, anti-toxin, antibiotics

transmission and pathophysiology of west nile virus

the virus is transferred by mosquitoes ( horses and humans are dead-end hosts) virus causes encephalitis, 33% of horse cases are fatal, 40% of survivors have residual effects

clinical signs

fever, impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular gait weakness, paralysis, convulsions, death

eastern and western equine encephalomyelitis transmission and pathophysiology

virus is transferred by mosquitoes from birds and rodents to horses and humans, horses and humans are dead end hosts

what percent of EEE cases are fatal

90%

what percent of WEE cases are fatal

20-50%

what are clinical signs of EEE and WEE

asymptomatic, fever, impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular gait, weakness, paralysis, convulsions, death

what is the average of human cases of EEE reported annually in the United States

11

rabies transmission and pathophysiology

virus enters through bites (raccoon, fox, shunk, or bat) virus migrates up nerves (over days to months) to the brain where it causes rapid, progressive, fatal encephalitis, fatal within 1 to 5 days after the first symptoms

what is the clinical sign of rabies

neurologic

why are there risk-based vaccines

they vary regionally from population to population within an area or between individual horses within a given population

what are the risk-based vaccines

Equine herpesvirus, equine influenza, botulism, strangles, Potomac horse fever, equine viral arteritis, rotaviral diarrhea, and anthrax

how is equine infectious anemia transmitted

a retrovirus transmitted via blood-sucking insects (horse flies, deer flies, and mosquitoes) contaminated needles, or in utero from mare to foal

what does equine infectious anemia do

it reproduces in white blood cells and the horse’s immune system may attack and destroy the horse’s red blood cells. Most infected horses show no symptoms but they are carriers that remain contagious for life

how many new cases of equine infectious anemia are there in the US per year

90 to 1600 and it is associated with warm wet regions

prevention of equine infectious anemia

there is no cure and no vaccine for EIAV

clinical signs of equine infectious anemia

fever, sweating, depression, weakness, anorexia, rapid weight loss, rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, yellow pale or spotted mucous membranes, edema (swollen legs, lower chest, and abdomen), bleeding from nose, colic, abortion

diagnosis of equine infectious anemia

identify antibodies in the blood, the agar gel immunodiffusion method is the gold standard and is commonly known as the Coggins test