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Tie-downs
Ever have a need for a tie-down on your horse? That's a noseband that has a strap which passes between the front legs and attaches to the cinch, and the purpose is to prevent a horse from lifting his head high enough to evade the bit.
You'll see them lots on barrel racers and rope horses, many of those riders set them up to allow the horse to brace against them during the fast stops or hard turns required of them.
The tie-down strap should pass through the center ring on the breast plate or through a neck strap if you ride without a breast plate. Failure to do so could result in a wreck if the horse were to get a front leg over the strap.
The tie-down should be adjusted so that it can be pulled up into the horse's throat when he is standing with his head at a comfortable position. Much looser than that and it isn't serving much purpose, much tighter and it may be interfering with your horse's movement.
Tie-downs are not permitted in most show rings, including western pleasure, reining and trail. They are used in roping, gymkhana, team penning and on trail rides. Any time you are swimming your horse (such as crossing a river), make sure you unhook the tie-down - more than one horse has drowned from this mistake.
It is also recommended to unhook it before allowing the horse to put his head down to eat or drink, for the same reason.
In English, you have the standing martingale, which passes through a leather neck strap instead of a breast plate. A standing martingale may only be used in certain classes over fences at some shows, so make sure you read the rule books before attending!
If you have tips or questions on equipment care, purchases, fit, or anything else to do with equestrian equipment, please mail them to kristi@hiway16.com |
If you are new to Northern B.C. Horse, check out all the previous issues on the Archive page.
Kristi is building a great knowledge base about horses, with the emphasis on our area of the world.
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Spring Vaccinations
Spring vaccinations are an important part of our horse's well being. Depending on what you use your horse for, you'll want to consider a variety of vaccines.
Most people in the northern BC area start their vaccinations anywhere from late February to mid-May, depending on when they plan on taking their horses away from home.
I personally vaccinate my horses mid-March, so their immunities have built up by early April, which is when our clinics often start.
One of the most important vaccinations for any horse to get is for tetanus. Tetanus is a bacteria that lives in the soil, and can easily be transferred to a horse via wounds, such as a puncture in the sole, or a deep cut on the leg or body. Tetanus is most prevalent in punctures as the wound closes over on the surface before it heals inside. This traps the tetanus organisms which then thrive in the anaerobic (no oxygen) conditions.
Because any horse can get tetanus, even if it never leaves the home, most vets recommend that all horses be vaccinated annually for it. If your horse travels, to shows, organized trail rides and other places where other horses will be congregating, there are more vaccinations he should receive.
These include influenza (yup, the flu!), and encephalomyelitis, which is also known as sleeping sickness. There are two strains of encephalomyelitis that we routinely vaccinate against, eastern and western, known as WEE and EEE.
There is also a Venezuelan strain, but that is not as likely to affect our northern BC horses unless they are exposed to a horse from down south (US-Mexico border states such as TX, AZ, NM and CA).
We mentioned in the December 13 issue that pregnant mares need to be vaccinated for rhinopneumonitis. That is the EHV-1 strain that causes abortion in mares, while the EHV-4 strain is just a respiratory disease, much like the flu.
Rhino vaccinations for EHV-4 should be repeated every 3 months throughout the year for show horses and for young horses, as their immunity fades quickly.
It is important to realize (and I learned this one the hard way a couple of years ago!) that even vaccinating your horses is not a fail-safe method of keeping them healthy. The drug companies manufacture vaccines on the presumption that certain strains will be surfacing, but if the strains that come around are different than those they made vaccines for, your horse may still get sick, though probably not AS sick as he would have been if left unvaccinated. Next week, we'll continue talking about vaccinations.
If you have tips or questions you'd like to share with other local equestrians, please mail them to kristi@hiway16.com |
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Winter riding - safely
Getting excited about climbing on your horse now that the weather has turned nice? We'll just pretend that these last couple of cold days haven't happened - it sure is beautiful in the afternoons!
Before you ride, you might want to do a quick check list. First, I'd check your horse's feet. If he has shoes, they probably should be pulled (unless of course he needs them), and he may be needing a trim. Ice and snow can create all sorts of problems, including snow balling up in the horse's feet, and slipping which may cause injury to soft tissue.
Long hooves can also create stress on the soft tissue, which like his muscles (and his rider!) , probably isn't very elastic from standing around all winter.
Is your horse usually a frisky sort? The last few months of non-existent riding time may have left him feeling extra silly, which can be dangerous. Consider lungeing him for a while before riding him, to take the kinks out. Do be careful though, lungeing on ice can do more harm than good if he slips. I've found good luck lungeing in the snow, though, as long as the area is free of sticks, rocks, etc.
You might prefer bareback, or you might opt for a saddle. Either way, here are a few things to think about: - you might be warmer bareback, but do beware of static electricity which can transfer shocks to your horse as you ride - you are more at risk of falling off bareback, especially if your horse gets excited, and remounting can be a chore! - wearing bulky snow boots while riding in a saddle puts you at risk for catching your feet in a stirrup Consider using a hackamore or bosal if your horse can be ridden in one, to save him putting a cold metal bit in his mouth (or warm the bridle first by carrying it inside your jacket while you groom, etc).
When you do go to ride, take into consideration a few other things. One, dress for it! While you may think you'll be warm enough, if you are heading out for a leisurely trail ride you may find your feet and hands just don't have enough layers on.
Take care where you ride. If possible, avoid the roads to prevent mishaps with vehicles. Know the pathways you are riding so you don't find hidden surprises in the deeper snow.
And make sure someone is with you or knows where you are going, "just in case". Happy trails!
If you have tips or questions you'd like to share with other local equestrians, please mail them to kristi@hiway16.com |
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Western, English, Penning or Trail riding, all equine sports have a voice on Northern B.C. Horse.
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