Tying-Up: How to Identify, Manage, and Prevent this Condition in your Horse

By: Darlene M. Cox

darlc5@aol.com

Now that warm weather has returned, we are all chomping at the bit to get our horses back into shape and ready to take on the many trail rides of the season. In our eagerness to return to the trails, we may skip a step or two in the conditioning process for our horses or perhaps speed up the process, working them a little longer and harder than what may be prudent.

Overworked horses may experience a condition called "tying up", which is also known by a host of other names, such as: azoturia, rhabdomyolysis, exertional myopathy, and Monday morning sickness. While the science of this condition is not fully understood, it basically boils down to the horse having an all-over-the-body muscle cramp caused by toxins that build up in the muscles.

Exercise is the predisposing factor to the onset of tying-up and muscle degeneration resultant from high levels of lactic acid and low oxygen in the muscle tissues. Feeding a high-carbohydrate diet during training down times (i.e., feeding the same amount to your horse at leisure as when working) will put your horse at risk of tying up. There are other mitigating factors that may figure into susceptibility, and these include: electrolyte balance, vitamins, and stress levels.

Most occurrences of tying up are fairly mild, but sometimes the condition can lead to severe kidney problems or death. It is important that veterinary intervention be obtained immediately to avoid resultant muscle/kidney damage. It is important that you be able to recognize the signs of tying-up, which may present similar to those of colic with the exception that tying-up will always occur after a horse has been worked.

The most common signs of your horse tying-up are:

• Notable discomfort - flared nostrils, anxiousness, pawing ground, sweating, pale gums
• Short-strides/muscle stiffness, particularly in the hind quarters
• Bunching up/cramping up of muscles across the croup and hindquarters
• Elevated pulse/respiration
• Dark colored urine, or straining to urinate several times

What you should do if you believe your horse is tying-up:

• Call your veterinarian immediately and provide him with a synopsis of vital signs: pulse, respiration, etc. Describe to him what your horse is experiencing.
• Blanket your horse to prevent chills, which will exacerbate the muscle cramping
• Offer your horse water and encourage him to drink. Water will flush his kidneys of the toxins built up in his muscles.

What you should not do if you suspect your horse of tying-up:

• Do not move your horse, as any movement will further damage his muscles
• Do not allow your horse to lie down
• Do not administer any pain or other meds to your horse without veterinarian approval

What to do to prevent your horse from tying-up:

• Feed a low carbohydrate/high fat diet
• When not working your horse adjust the amount of grain fed.
• Warm-up your horse before exercise, and then cool him down afterwards. 10-15 minutes of walking before and after should adequately warm-up/cool down your horse.
• Do not over-exercise your horse.

Responsible horse ownership dictates that we are ever vigilant and knowledgeable about what conditions may afflict our horses. Recognizing the signs above and knowing how to react will potentially save the life of your horse.

Happy trails!

Open Wide and Say, "Ahhhhh" : A Guide To Equine Dental Health Care

By: Darlene M. Cox

darlc5@aol.com

The one aspect of horse health care that is most widely overlooked by horsemen is dental health care. Some horse owners may have owned horses for many years and never once thought about having their horses' teeth examined. If you wait until there are obvious signs that a dental problem may exist, your horse has already had to endure a long period of pain. However, regular dental care (twice yearly) and examinations will prevent painful dental conditions and should be high on the list of what responsible horse owners provide our horses.
Dental examinations can be performed by veterinarians, equine dentists, or farriers who have also received training in equine dentistry. While costs for such dental services may vary between regions or occupations, the cost should be somewhere between $30 - $80.
When examining your horse's mouth, the dental professional will look for tell-tale signs of dental problems such as:

• Molars that may be cracked or have sharp or jagged edges that have rubbed/cut the cheek and tongue
  
• Trapped pieces of grain (in the cracks) that could develop into an abscess
  
• Wolf teeth that will interfere with the seating of the bit along the bars of the mouth
  
• Deciduous (baby/milk) teeth that may not allow proper eruption of permanent teeth
  
• Tooth misalignments that interfere with proper chewing or seating of the bit
  
• Inflammation and periodontal disease of the gums

If a problem is determined to exist, the dental professional will "float" your horse's teeth, which means a speculum will be inserted into the mouth to hold it open and a rasp will be introduced to file down the jagged edge, smooth out a crack, or even up a misalignment. Not all dental professionals will use a speculum; however, it is best if they do because the horse's tongue can best be maneuvered away from the rasp.
Dental health care should begin at foal age and continue throughout the geriatric years. Following is a developmental guide of your horse's mouth and what a dental professional may encounter upon examination:

• 0 - 2 Years
  Examinations of a foal's mouth will ensure that his teeth are erupting (coming in) properly. As the foal ages and progresses to his yearling and 2nd year, the equine professional will ensure that his 24 deciduous (baby or milk) teeth have properly come in and will remove his wolf teeth (pointy little teeth that come in just in front of the cheek teeth).
  
• 2 - 3 Years
  Permanent teeth begin to come in at 2-3 years of age. This is also the time when the cheek teeth come in. The deciduous teeth will be shed as the permanent teeth erupt.
  
• 4 - 5 Years
  By the age of 5 years, all permanent teeth should be in. Canine teeth will erupt in male horses between the ages of 4 - 5 years. The canine teeth may need to be trimmed to ensure that the bit will fit well and comfortably in your horse's mouth. The dental professional will check for impactions (teeth that do not erupt entirely) that may lead to abscesses.
  
• 6 Years and Beyond
  Sharp/jagged edges or points begin to be an issue in horses that have reached their 6th year and up. Untreated teeth may lead to tooth decay, inflammatory gum disease, and early permanent tooth loss.

Implementing a twice-annual dental care plan into your regimen of equine health care for your horse will allow him to have a lifetime of no serious dental abnormalities or problems. It is just one additional small way that we can provide the best care for our beloved horses.

Happy trails!

Bridling: How to Achieve this Simple Task

By: Darlene M. Cox

darlc5@aol.com

Throughout my many years of being in and among various horsemen, I have noticed how some riders will make the simple task of bridling into a complex and, often times, aggravating experience for both horse and rider, with the end result being a hanked-off rider and a horse with banged-up teeth after having a bit forced into his mouth. Each time I've seen this happen, I've told myself it doesn't have to be this way. Teaching a horse to drop its head and willingly accept a bit and the entire bridling experience is as simple as allotting some training time prior to heading out on the trail. Bridling should be done with fluid movement and be a steady and smooth process. The mouth and head of a horse are very sensitive. Many horses will adversely react to roughness or an overly invasive and timely production of getting the bridle set. Following are some training tips that I have utilized in training my horses to be bridled:

• The first step is to teach your horse to drop his head. I have utilized one of two methods to do this. The first is to place my hand on his poll (area just behind his ears and top of his neck) and apply gentle pressure. Applying too much pressure will be met with resistance and your horse trying to raise his head up. Gentle pressure will induce him to drop his head.
  Initially, when he drops his head release the pressure and reward him with a pat. Continue with gentle pressure at the poll until he stands with his head dropped.
  The second method I have used to affect the lowering of his head is to apply pressure to his forehead with my finger. Follow the same steps until you get the end of result of his standing with head dropped.
  
• After your horse drops his head have your bridle ready, holding the poll straps with one hand and the bit with other, with the reins draped over (not wrapped) your forearm. Along with the bit have a horse treat in hand. Standing to the side of your horse's head, hold the bridle in form (poll portion up and bit approaching mouth). Do not allow your horse to have the treat unless he takes the bit. He will come to associate accepting the bit with receiving a treat.
  
• Gently set the bit along the bars behind your horse's teeth before you move the poll portion of the bridle upward. Once the bit is comfortably positioned, move on to correctly place the poll straps behind the ears and buckle the chin strap loosely.
  
• Adjust/check the curb strap/chain, if you ride with one. You should be able to insert two fingers between the strap/chain and chin.

The process for removing the bridle is just as important as installing it.

• Remove the reins from around the horse's neck and drape (not wrap) them over your forearm.
• Ask your horse to once again drop his head by implementing one of the above methods.
• Standing by the side of your horse's head, undo the chin strap. Place one hand on the poll straps and position the other on the bit. Remove the poll straps over the ears and proceed using a downward angle that matches the pitch of your horse's face. Once your hand reaches just below the eyes, gently remove the bit, making sure you don't rattle the metal against your horse's teeth.

Perfecting the art of bridling before you ride will make the experience much more pleasant for you and your horse. Practice bridling and unbridling any time you are grooming or working with your horse. The time you take to teach your horse to drop his head and become comfortable with bridling will make the process go much smoother when you are ready to hit the trails.

Happy trails!