HORSE NATION
horsing around the worldFantasy Farm Friday: East Texas Equine Masterpiece 3 May 2024, 8:23 pm
If we could, we would…dish out the $2,700,000 for this property!
The opportunities are endless with this one! It would serve its purpose as a main residence lending itself to many second options such as a wedding venue, training facility, recreation park, or hunting camp.
Sitting on 89+ acres are lush pastures with top of the line fencing.
Accompanying the 89+ acres is a 12 stall horse barn designed to run a top-notch breeding facility.
Aside from the breeding set up, there also are ample riding areas and storage space.
This property features a 2,780 square foot apartment along with a second residence for barn help or guests! Unfortunately, the living spaces were not shown in the photos. But, hey! Who needs living quarters with an equestrian set up like this?
You can get more information and the full listing here. All photos are from HorseProperties.net.
#goriding Grams of the Week 3 May 2024, 1:33 pm
Another week of horse life, rounded up in your images.
Join the conversation! Follow us on Instagram at @go_riding and tag your public photos with #goriding2024. We’ll share our favorites daily.
Did You Know? Kentucky Derby Trivia 3 May 2024, 1:21 pm
So, in addition to making sure you know all you need to know about the field of horses from our 2024 Kentucky Derby Field Preview & Poll, we’re also here to ensure you will have plenty of fun facts to offer up at your Derby party. After all, what good is a horse person without some solid horse trivia?
How many fillies have won the Kentucky Derby?
Three:
Regret in 1913
Genuine Risk in 1980
Winning Colors in 1988
How many Triple Crown winners are there?
13
Who was the most recent Triple Crown winner?
Justify in 2018, breaking “The Curse of Apollo”
Who holds the track record for the Kentucky Derby?
Secretariat in 1973 with a time of 1:59. He was one of only two horses to run it under two minutes.
Who ran it the slowest?
Stone Street in 1908 with a time of 2:15
There are 20 post positions in the Kentucky Derby. Which has never produced a winner?
Post position #17
Which has produced the most winners?
Post position #5
How long is the Kentucky Derby?
One and a quarter miles
What is the flower of the Kentucky Derby?
Rose
What is the drink of the Kentucky Derby?
Mint Julep
How old are the horses running in the Kentucky Derby?
Three years old
When is the Kentucky Derby run every year?
The first Saturday in May (except in 2020, when it was run in September due to Covid)
What track hosts the Kentucky Derby?
Churchill Downs
How much does the winner of the Kentucky Derby receive?
$3,100,000
The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown. What are the other two?
Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes
How long is a furlong?
⅛ mile
How many grey horses have won the Kentucky Derby?
Eight:
Determine in 1954
Decidedly in 1962
Spectacular Bid in 1979
Gato Del Sol in 1982
Winning Colors in 1988
Silver Charm in 1997
Monarchos in 2001
Giacomo in 2005
What are the longest odds a horse has won the Kentucky Derby with?
91-1, Donerail in 1913
80-1, Rich Strike in 2022
What is the highest sale price of a contender in the 2024 Kentucky Derby?
Sierra Leone was purchased for 2.3 million as a yearling
What is the lowest sale price of a contender in the 2024 Kentucky Derby?
West Saratoga purchased for $11 000 as a yearling
On average how many Thoroughbreds are born yearly?
20,000
Now you know! What other interesting trivia about the race do you know? Let us know in the Facebook comments!
2024 Kentucky Derby Field Preview & Poll 3 May 2024, 9:20 am
As the resident horse person, you know you’ll be grilled about who your Derby pick is, so make sure you’re informed! Here’s the ultimate quick guide to the 2024 Kentucky Derby field.
1. DORNACH, 20-1
- (Good Magic – Puca, by Big Brown)
- Bay colt
- Born April 22, 2021
- Trainer: Danny Gargan
- Jockey: Luis Saez
- Owner: West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding,Two Eight Racing & Pine Racing Stables
- Bred in Kentucky by Grandview Equine
- 6 starts, 3 wins, 2 seconds, and earnings of $552,275
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2)
2023
- Won the Remsen Stakes (G2)
- Finished 2nd in the Sapling Stakes
Dornoch’s pedigree really drives home his spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. His sire Good Magic finished second to Justify in the 2018 Kentucky Derby. His dam sire, Big Brown, won the Kentucky Derby in 2008 and just last year his full brother Mage was victorious in the Kentucky Derby. Dornoch will have to overcome the rail post position but his closing running style may suit this rail gate just fine. His last start he had a wide trip on the final turn and lacked drive to close on the leaders, so he will be looking to repeat his Fountain of Youth performance.
2. SIERRA LEONE, 3-1
- Gun Runner – Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon
- Dark bay colt
- Born March 31, 2021
- Trainer: Chad Brown
- Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
- Owner: Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Rocket Ship Racing
- Bred in Kentucky by Debby Oxley
- 4 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, and earnings of $918,000
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Blue Grass Stakes (G1)
- Won the Risen Star Stakes (G2)
2023
- Finished 2nd in the Remsen Stakes (G2)
Sierra Leone comes into the Derby as the second choice in the odds for good reason. He has been undefeated so far in 2024 and comes to the Derby fresh off a demanding performance in the Blue Grass stakes. He has a deep closer running style that usually suits the Derby best after the front runners set blistering fractions. The main concern for this colt is whether or not he can overcome the starting gate troubles that he encountered in the Blue Grass Stakes, which ultimately delayed the start of that race. Trainer Chad Brown seeks his first Kentucky Derby win with his two chances this year in Sierra Leone and Domestic Product after coming within inches of victory in past years.
3. MYSTIK DAN, 20-1
- Goldencents – Ma’am , by Colonel John
- Bay colt
- Born March 4, 2021
- Trainer: Kenny McPeek
- Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
- Owner: Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing & Valley View Farm
- Bred in Kentucky by Lance Gasaway, Daniel Hamby & 4G Racing
- 6 starts, 2 wins, 1 seconds, 1 third, and earnings of $641,360
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Southwest Stakes (G3)
- Finished 3rd in the Arkansas Derby (G1)
Mystik Dan is one of the only horses with mud experience and has a driving away win on the muddy track in the Southwest Stakes. He came out of the Southwest and went to the Arkansas Derby, where he was able to close late for third. Mystik Dan’s pedigree does point to him being more suited for the classic mile distance races. He is also one of the only horses to have a win at Churchill Downs.
4. CATCHING FREEDOM, 8-1
- Constitution – Catch My Drift, by Pioneerof the Nile
- Bay colt
- Born March 8, 2021
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Flavien Prat
- Owner: Albaugh Family Stables
- Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm
- 5 starts, 3 wins, 1 third, and earnings of $877,350
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Louisiana Derby (G2)
- Won the Smarty Jones Stakes
- Finished 3rd in the Risen Star Stakes (G2)
Catching Freedom has a deep closer running style with a strong stretch run that he put on full display in his last to first victory in the Louisiana Derby. His pedigree shows strong promise for the mile and a quarter distance, with his sire Constitution siring multiple distance runners and his dam sire Pioneerof the Nile being a Kentucky Derby placer himself and sire of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Catching Freedom has been catching the eyes of many in the last couple weeks with his impressive efforts in the morning works. This is definitely a top contender.
5. CATALYTIC, 30-1
- Catalina Cruiser – One Show Only, by Distorted Humor
- Bay colt
- Born March 21, 2021
- Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
- Jockey: Jose Ortiz
- Owner: Tami Bobo, Julie Davies, and George G. Isaacs
- Bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III
- 3 starts, 1 win, 2 seconds, and earnings of $216,825
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Finished 2nd in the Florida Derby (G1)
Catalytic is on the more inexperienced end of the field, with only three starts. He was able to gain his Kentucky Derby points in the Florida Derby while following the dominating performance of Fierceness on that day. He would be looking to improve a fair bit from his last effort.
6. JUST STEEL, 20-1
- Justify – Irish Lights, by Fastnet Rock
- Bay colt
- Born March 9, 2021
- Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
- Jockey: Keith Asmussen
- Owner: BC Stables
- Bred in Kentucky by Summerhill Farm
- 11 starts, 2 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, and earnings of $724,545
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Finished 2nd in the Arkansas Derby (G1)
- Finished 2nd in the Southwest Stakes (G3)
- Finished 2nd in the Smarty Jones Stakes
2023
- Won the Ed Brown Stakes
Just Steel comes into the Kentucky Derby as the most seasoned contender with 11 starts. While the son of Triple Crown winner Justify has had a winless three-year-old season, he has always been in the money. Eight-eight year old trainer D Wayne Lukas looks for his 5th career win in the Kentucky Derby with hard knocking Just Steel. He will be piloted by Keith Asmussen, son of fellow Hall Of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Keith only started riding full time in 2022 as more of a fever dream, which has now come full circle as he finds himself with his first Kentucky Oaks and Derby mount.
7. HONOR MARIE, 20-1
- Honor Code – Dame Marie, by Smart Strike
- Bay colt
- Born May 4, 2021
- Trainer: Whit Beckman
- Jockey: Ben Curtis
- Owner: Ribble Farms, Michael H. Eiserman, Earl I. Silver, Kenneth E. Fishbein, and Dave Fishbein
- Bred in Kentucky by Royce Pulliam
- 5 starts, 2 wins, 2 seconds, and earnings of $526,175
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
Finished 2nd in the Louisiana Derby (G2)
2023
Won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2)
Honor Marie was outrun two starts out in the Risen Star to be 5th with fellow Kentucky Derby contenders Sierra Leone, Track Phantom and Catching Freedom beating him that day. He came back to run second to hard closing Catching Freedom in the Louisiana Derby. He does carry a lot of stamina and a deep closing running style that his connections think will bid well for the derby. Honor Maries worst efforts have been on a muddy track which is something to note if inclement weather leaves us with an off track at post time.
8. JUST A TOUCH, 10-1
- Justify – Touching Beauty, by Tapit
- Bay colt
- Born May 5, 2021
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Florent Geroux
- Owner: Qatar Racing, Resolute Racing and Marc Detampel
- Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation
- 3 starts, 1 win, 2 seconds, and earnings of $281,700
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Finished 2nd in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1)
- Finished 2nd in the Gotham Stakes (G3)
Just a Touch was unraced at two and just began his career this year as a three year old, which shows with his light race record. This type of record used to be filed under the “Curse of Apollo,” in which no horse unraced at two had won the Kentucky Derby since Apollo in 1882. That is until it was broken by Just a Touch’s sire, Justify, in 2018 on his way to becoming the 13th Triple Crown winner. While Just A Touch has yet to win at three, he has gathered his Derby points with some very game second place finishes and his trainer Brad Cox really feels he is on the improve coming into the Kentucky Derby.
9. ENCINO, Scratched
- Nyquist – Glittering Jewel, by Bernardini
- Dark bay colt
- Born March 14, 2021
- Trainer: Brad Cox
- Jockey: Axel Concepcion
- Owner: Godolphin
- Bred in Kentucky by Godolphin
- 4 starts, 3 wins, 1 second, and earnings of $378,315
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Lexington Stakes (G3)
- Won the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes
10. T O PASSWORD, 30-1
- Copano Rickey – T O Rachel, by King Kamehameha
- Bay colt
- Born May 20, 2021
- Trainer: Daisuke Takayanagi
- Jockey: Kazushi Kimura
- Owner: Tomoya Ozasa
- Bred in Japan by Yanagawa Bokujo
- 2 starts, 2 wins, and earnings of $163,339
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Fukuryu Stakes
TO Password ships in from Japan after winning the Fukuryu Stakes on the Japanese road to the Kentucky Derby. He comes into the race the least experienced but still undefeated, with only two starts under his belt and off of a big trip. He will likely go off as the longest shot on the odds board.
11. FOREVER YOUNG, 10-1
- Real Steel – Forever Darling, by Congrats
- Bay colt
- February 24, 2021
- Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi
- Jockey: Ryusei Sakai
- Owner: Susumu Fujita
- Bred in Japan by Northern Racing
- 5 starts, 5 wins, and earnings of $2,049,451
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the UAE Derby (G2)
- Won the Saudi Derby (G3)
2023
- Won the Zennippon Nisai Yushun
- Won the JBC Nisai Yushun
Forever Young is the other contender for Japan and he comes into the Kentucky Derby as one of two undefeated horses in the field, but with far more experience. Forever Young is world traveled with wins in Japan, Saudi Arabia and Dubai. While a UAE Derby winner has yet to ship into Kentucky and win, this is a very strong contender and should not be discounted. All of Forever Young’s chart notes list “Driven to win, Easily,” and this horse could very well give Japan their first Kentucky Derby win. However, their main concern will be how he handles kickback from the other contenders if he cannot make the lead early.
12. TRACK PHANTOM, 20-1
- Quality Road – Miss Sunset, by Into Mischief
- Bay colt
- Born February 17, 2021
- Trainer: Steve Asmussen
- Jockey: Joel Rosario
- Owner: L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom, and Breeze Easy
- Bred in Kentucky by Breeze Easy
- 7 starts, 3 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, and earnings of $405,000
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Lecomte Stakes (G3)
- Finished 2nd in the Risen Star Stakes (G2)
2023
- Won the Gun Runner Stakes
Track Phantom showed a ton of promise in his late two year old year and early three year old seasons, but his form seems to have plateaued. He comes into the Kentucky Derby off a lackluster performance to be fourth in the Louisiana Derby last out. Prior to that he ran second to Sierra Leone in the Risen Star. With his front running style and recent struggles to handle the added distance of the prep races, it bears into question if he can get the job done here.
13. WEST SARATOGA, 50-1
- Exaggerator – Mo Wicked, by Uncle Mo
- Gray or roan colt
- Born March 19, 2021
- Trainer: Larry Demeritte
- Jockey: Jesus Castanon
- Owner: Harry L. Veruchi
- Bred in Kentucky by Two Hearts Farm II
- 10 starts, 2 wins, 5 seconds, 1 third, and earnings of $460,140
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Finished 2nd in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3)
- Finished 2nd in the Pasco Stakes
- Finished 3rd in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3)
2023
- Won the Iroquois Stakes (G3)
West Saratoga is the only grey horse running in the 150th Kentucky Derby. He comes in off a very game second place finish in the Jeff Ruby Steaks after being forced to travel wide the entire race. While he has never won running two turns, he has always hit the board. He has more experience than most of the contenders with 10 starts and is sired by Preakness winner Exaggerator who has the lowest breeding fee of any sire in the field at $5000.
14. ENDLESSLY, 30-1
- Oscar Performance – Dream Fuhrever, by Langfuhr
- Bay colt
- Born March 25, 2021
- Trainer: Michael McCarthy
- Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
- Owner: Amerman Racing
- Bred in Kentucky by Mrs. Jerry Amerman
- 6 starts, 5 wins, and earnings of $707,200
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3)
- Won the El Camino Real Derby
2023
- Won the Zuma Beach Stakes (G3T)
- Won the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Stakes (G3T)
Endlessly comes into the Kentucky Derby with no dirt surface experience — he gathered all of his points on synthetic surfaces and ran mainly on turf as a two year old. He runs with a classic turf style of staying behind horses in cover and then swinging out into the clear to run on by. His last start in the Jeff Ruby Steaks showed a very tactical trip where he rated comfortably and ran home four lengths clear. While he has no dirt experience, he cannot be discounted. In 2011 the winner of the Kentucky Derby was Animal Kingdom, who also had never ran on dirt and won off the same prep race.
15. DOMESTIC PRODUCT, 30-1
- Practical Joke – Goods and Services, by Paynter
- Dark bay colt
- Born February 22, 2021
- Trainer: Chad Brown
- Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
- Owner: Klaravich Stables
- Bred in Kentucky by Klaravich Stables
- 5 starts, 2 wins, 1 second, and earnings of $314,200
- Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Tampa Bay Derby (G3)
- Finished 2nd in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3)
Domestic Product comes in off an impressive win in the Tampa Bay Derby where he struggled with traffic to prevail in the stretch duel by a neck. He showed a lot of game in that last prep, which should boost his confidence coming into the Kentucky Derby. His last race before that was in the Holy Bull where he prevailed for second over odds on favorite Fierceness. While his mid pack stalking style has worked for him in the past, it has always been accomplished with a slow pace setter out front. The real question for Domestic Product is can he handle staying with a fast pace out front and the added distance of a mile and a quarter.
16. GRAND MO THE FIRST, 50-1
- Uncle Mo – Lilies So Fair, by Giant’s Causeway
- Dark bay colt
- Born February 6, 2021
- Trainer: Victor Barboza Jr.
- Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo
- Owner: Granpollo Stables
- Bred in Kentucky by John D. Gunther
- 6 starts, 2 wins, 4 thirds, and earnings of $214,650
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Finished 3rd in the Florida Derby (G1)
- Finished 3rd in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3)
- Finished 3rd in the Swale Stakes
2023
- Finished 3rd in the Zuma Beach (G3T)
Grand Mo The First gained his qualifying points off multiple minor placings, but has always found a way to get his piece. On paper he does appear to be rather outclassed in this field from a speed rating perspective. He will be looking to produce the best effort of his career to be a factor here.
17. FIERCENESS, 5-2
- City of Light – Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty
- Bay colt
- Born March 28, 2021
- Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- Jockey: John Velazquez
- Owner: Repole Stable
- Bred in Kentucky by Repole Stable
- 5 starts, 3 wins, 1 third, and earnings of $1,703,850
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Florida Derby (G1)
- Finished 3rd in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3)
2023
- Won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1)
Fierceness comes into the Kentucky Derby the heavy favorite after a dominating victory in the Florida Derby, but he has had a couple notable bobbles in his career. His trainer Todd Pletcher stated after a troubled trip in the Holy Bull, “If he doesn’t get away well, he doesn’t get into the race the same way.” The number 17 post position might prove tricky for his front running style, and we can expect for him to be sent hard from the gate for the lead and to be clear of traffic. The number 17 post position does also hold its own superstitions, in 149 runnings of the Kentucky Derby, no horse has won from post 17.
18. STRONGHOLD, 20-1
- Ghostzapper – Spectator, by Jimmy Creed
- Bay colt
- Born January 24, 2021
- Trainer: Philip D’Amato
- Jockey: Antonio Fresu
- Owner: Eric Waller & Sharon Waller
- Bred in Kentucky by Eric Waller & Sharon Waller
- 6 starts, 3 wins, 3 seconds, and earnings of $827,200
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Santa Anita Derby (G1)
- Won the Sunland Park Derby (G3)
2023
- Finished 2nd in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2)
- Finished 2nd in the Bob Hope Stakes (G3)
Stronghold is the most traveled contender of the Kentucky Derby. He has ran at a different track in each of his six starts and has never finished worse than second. He is also one of the few with experience running at Churchill Downs, having broke his maiden here. Stronghold has defied his prominent sprinter based pedigree to be able to stretch out to the more classic distances and hold his own. He comes in off the win in the Santa Anita Derby which is the one prep to produce the most Kentucky Derby winners in recent years. Stronghold is also a fourth generation homebred for the Waller family and only their second graded stakes champion.
19. RESILIENCE, 20-1
- Into Mischief – Meadowsweet, by Smart Strike
- Bay colt
- Born March 24, 2021
- Trainer: Bill Mott
- Jockey: Junior Alvarado
- Owner: Emily Bushnell & Ric Waldman
- Bred in Kentucky by Pam & Martin Wygod
- 6 starts, 2 wins, 1 second, 1 third, and earnings of $494,630
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2)
Resilience finished fourth in the Risen Star against other Kentucky Derby contenders, including Sierra Leone, Track Phantom and Catching Freedom, but his rider felt he had a troubled trip. Next race out in the Wood Memorial they opted to add blinkers to Resilience and he ran away with the win confidently from off the pace. He seems to be improving the more races he runs and the more distance is handed to him. Look for him to improve in the Derby coming off his last prep win.
20. SOCIETY MAN, 50-1
- Good Magic – You Cheated, by Colonel John
- Chestnut gelding
- Born April 19, 2021
- Trainer: Danny Gargan
- Jockey: Frankie Dettori
- Owner: West Paces Racing, Danny Gargan & GMP Stables
- Bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock
- 5 starts, 1 win, 1 second, 1 third, and earnings of $196,705
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Finished 2nd in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2)
Society Man is the only gelding in the field of the 150th Kentucky Derby. He comes in off a second place finish in the Wood Memorial at odds of 106-1. While being more of a closer in other races, they decided to try a stalking trip in the Wood Memorial, which he executed well to get up for second. Society Man is showing great improvement in form coming into the Derby but he will need to put in a strong effort here to make an impact.
21. EPIC RIDE, 30-1
- Blame – Pick a Time, by Gio Ponti
- Bay colt
- Born May 17, 2021
- Trainer: John Ennis
- Jockey: Adam Beschizza
- Owner: Welch Racing
- Bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III
- 5 starts, 2 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, and earnings of $253,166
Stakes Wins/Places
2024
- Won the Leonatus Stakes
- Finished 2nd in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes
- Finished 3rd in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1)
Epic Ride comes in off the Also Eligible list following the scratch of Encino. He comes in off a third place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes behind Sierra Leone and Just A Touch. Epic Ride’s pedigree says he should be able to go the mile and quarter, but if he has the speed will be the main question.
Also Eligible: 22. Mugatu, 30-1
- Blofeld – Union Way, by Union Rags
- Chestnut colt
- Born April 17, 2021
- Trainer: Jeff Engler
- Jockey: Joe Talamo
- Owner: Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells
- Bred in Kentucky by JSM Equine
- 12 starts, 1 win, 1 second, 3 thirds, and earnings of $80,570
So who do YOU think will come out on top this year? Cast your vote below.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.What To Expect Once You’ve Made the Hardest Decision 2 May 2024, 10:00 am
Making the decision to have a beloved horse humanely euthanized can be one of the hardest decisions a horse owner can make. However, it is one most of us know we will be faced with at one point or another. But what happens after that decision is made?
Canva/CC
I worked as a tech for my equine veterinarian for a couple of years. I’ll never forget the first time I assisted in helping a horse cross the proverbial rainbow bridge. As far as euthanasias go, it was about as peaceful and easy (for lack of a better word) as one could ask for. The patient was a gentle Quarter Horse in his mid-20s. The family had owned him for years and knew him inside and out. He was spoiled and loved. He had been colicking, but being the stoic older gentleman he was, he wasn’t thrashing in his stall, kicking, or panicking. Instead he would lay down and maybe roll a bit, but mostly he looked uncomfortable, was giving the Flehmen response (you know, the lip curl), and wasn’t interested in his feed (atypical for this horse).
The owner called us as soon as she observed the symptoms. She gave us his vitals, let us know how long it had been going on, and administered banamine. This wasn’t her first rodeo. My boss and I drove to the barn as quickly as we could and my boss assessed the horse. He had limited gut motility and a rectal exam indicated that there was a blockage somewhere in the intestines — a twist, an impaction, or perhaps a strangulating lipoma. We were in the field, so determining the exact cause of the blockage was unrealistic. The owner had had horses for years. She knew that the choices were limited. Due to his age, she did not consider this horse a surgery candidate, and we agreed. My boss, always one to give the horse the best chance possible, administered more pain medication and fluids in the hopes that the volume of the fluid would aid in untwisting the intestines if that, indeed, was the case. None of us was hopeful. This was a hail Mary and we all knew that the outcome would be clear shortly.
Unfortunately, this did not resolve the colic and the owner made the decision to let her horse pass peacefully. The day was temperate and the sky was clear. The horse was able to walk to the field that was closest to where he would be buried, next to the other horses that had passed before him. A hawk soared above us. The horse lay down because he was tired and uncomfortable. We let him, and in that position he was laid to rest.
* * *
Last night, I was talking to a a friend who, not long ago, had to choose to euthanize one of her horses. Through the course of the discussion it became clear that although we, as horse owners, have an abstract understanding that one day we will have to make the decision to end our horse’s suffering, many of us do not know what to expect once the decision is made. It’s not the most enjoyable topic to discuss, but it’s absolutely a necessary one. We should know what the process looks like and what to expect during and after a euthanasia.
Based on my experience as a Veterinary Assistant, here is a break down of what you can expect when the vet comes out to lay your horse to rest:*
If possible, either you or the vet/vet tech will lead the horse to clear, relatively flat and dry place (sometimes this isn’t possible if the situation is catastrophic and emergent; in these cases, a place that is safest for everyone involved will be found).
The vet will administer a heavy sedative intravenously. If your horse does not handle needles well, you may be given the option to administer oral sedation ahead of time. (Note: Not all veterinarians sedate prior to euthanasia. It is my opinion that sedation is necessary in order to keep from creating a dangerous situation or traumatizing the owners of the horse. I will not allow my personal horses to be euthanized without sedation first, if at all possible.)
The vet will wait to make sure the sedation has taken full effect. This is usually a good time to say a final goodbye, give a horse a final pat.
The vet will intravenously inject the horse with the euthanasia. Usually it is a blue or pink liquid with pentobarbital sodium as the active ingredient. Be warned: the syringe and needle are large. The injection won’t look like the shots you’re used to seeing your horse get or even an IV of banamine. For full sized horses, we would inject two 60 mL syringes (think large dosing syringes). I believe this was more than technically was necessary, but my boss always wanted to make sure nothing unexpected happened.
Assuming the horse has been standing, either the assistant or the veterinarian will take the horse by the halter and help the horse fall to the ground once it starts to sway. In my experience, this happens within 30 seconds of the dose of euthanasia being delivered. This is often the most traumatic part for horse owners. We’re used to seeing our horses standing on all fours or laying down of their own accord. When horses go down with euthanasia, they usually fall to the side. Some skilled vets or techs can maneuver the horse so that it sits back and then lays to the side more gently (I was never taught this technique), but when a horse goes down the visual can be hard for the owners.
Once the horse is down, the tech may hold the horse’s head and/or neck. This is due to the muscle spasms that can occur that cause the horse’s head to come up. Those spasms are not felt by the horse, but can be traumatic for the owner to see Sometimes the horse will gasp a little. Again, these are spasms. The horse is unaware of any of this. I always placed a towel of the horse’s face/eyes while the final breaths were being taken so that the owner didn’t need to see horse’s eye as he finished breathing. Often I would try to close the horse’s mouth so that it didn’t appear to be gaping, but this is only for the sake of the owner.
The vet will monitor the horse’s heartbeat until it can no longer be detected. This can take up to seven minutes, but in my experience it usually took less — especially with older or sick horses whose bodies were already shutting down.
Once a heartbeat is no longer detected, the vet will check capillary refill and ensure that the eyes are fixed, dilated, and non-responsive (that was usually my job).
We would cut and braid a piece of the horse’s mane and tail to give to the owner. Many owners had already done this if the euthanasia was planned, but most vets want to make sure the owner has a memento in case they don’t think about it at the time of the horse’s passing.
*To be clear, this is based on how my boss did it. Every veterinarian does it differently, and the circumstances will vary based on whether or not the euthanasia was planned, the horse’s location, and the emotional state of the owner.
Most of the time, the owners were present throughout this process. Once in a while they weren’t. I think my boss knew her clients well enough to know whether or not they could handle seeing the horse go down.
Once the horse has passed, there are multiple options for what to do with the body. Some owners, if they have the land and the equipment, will bury them on the farm (not all jurisdictions allow for this). If there is not the option of burying your horse on your property, haul out options include having the horse cremated, having a necropsy done (most major veterinary schools will do this for a fee), or general disposal based on what is allowed by your area. Most vets can recommend cremation and hauling services. Calling them is the responsibility of the horse’s owner. My recommendation to horse owners is not to be present when the horse’s body is hauled away. Maneuvering a horse’s body onto or into a truck once it has passed is not a pretty sight and is not the way you want to remember your horse.
* * *
In my time working with the vet, I assisted in a number of euthanasias. Doing so definitely is one of the harder parts of the job, but I also am incredibly grateful to have worked for a veterinarian who truly loves horses and always did an excellent job when it came time euthanize. My former boss is not known to be overly compassionate to humans, but her love for animals is unparalleled. Therefore, she made a point to make their final moments as peaceful as possible.
Thursday Video: I Feel Seen 2 May 2024, 8:29 am
It’s me. I’m the equestrians in this reel.
So, the level to which I relate to this reel is, well, unreal. Literally I was on the phone with a friend last night, lunging my horse, squinting at her left front to see if she was still short striding. The answer is, yes, of course she was… but only if you squint and look at her from a certain angle. Good thing I scratched this weekend. Meanwhile, the tendinitis in my right arm kept me from holding the lunge whip how I liked, my back hurts, and as I walked out of the barn, my left knee cracked. Just another day in paradise…
Happy Thursday, Horse Nation. Hang in there, stock up on your ibuprofen and liniment, and go riding (if you and your horse are sound enough!).
Reader Photo Challenge: Horses in Halters 2 May 2024, 8:16 am
Enjoy these 12 photos of horses in their halters!
This week we asked to see horses in their halters. Enjoy these 12 photos of exactly that!
Photo by Amanda Lynn
Photo by Shana Canre
Photo courtesy of Heather Fountain
Photo by Dina Kaplan Flesher
Photo by Kathi Crites
Photo by Frank Miller Photography
Photo by Kaitlyn Bright
Photo by Kayla Jean Molenaar
Photo by Layne Shaffer
Photo by Caitlin Demura Photography
Photo by Anne Zahradnik
Photo courtesy of Bonnie Ann
Keep an eye out for next week’s photo challenge! We announce challenge subjects on Monday around the end of the day on both Instagram and Facebook.
Wednesday Video: The Shanghai Juss International Equestrian Center 1 May 2024, 4:01 pm
Here’s an awesome between-the-ears tour of an incredible venue.
The first weekend of May isn’t just a Derby weekend. It also marks the highly anticipated return of the Longines Global Champions Tour to China. The third stop of the 2024 season will take place from May 3rd – 5th at the Shanghai Juss International Equestrian Centre , along the Huangpu River.
The Shanghai Juss International Equestrian Centre is a purpose-built stadium that covers an area of 34,000 square meters and spans a sprawling 84,600 square meters over five floors. It’s located in the city’s EXPO Cultural Park, is China’s first permanent professional equestrian venue, and has some really incredibly amenities. According to Longines, “At the center of the venue is an Olympic sized main arena with over 4,000 seats in addition to a media center, live broadcasting center, horse clinic, and more. The venue also features an indoor arena and permanent stables. In addition to competition areas, the Shanghai Juss International Equestrian Centre is home to the International Equestrian Academy, featuring 8,000 square meters for teaching, meeting, and exhibition as well as the International Horse Art Centre. The venue is also home to the International Jockey Club which features fine dining, a library, beauty centre, kids centre, and recreation facilities.”
The venue will host the top show jumpers and horses from across the globe. Needless to say, it’s pretty freaking rad. Check out this between-the-ears view from Instagrammer @edwinatopsalexander:
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Thoroughbred Logic, Presented by Kentucky Performance Products: Crafting a “Thoroughbred-Forward” Team 1 May 2024, 3:23 pm
“[W]hen the owner, trainer, and barn staff are Thoroughbred-forward, that’s fantastic. But it is even better if the team that surrounds the horse … [is] willing to pitch in to the process.”
Welcome to the next installment of Thoroughbred Logic. In this weekly series, Anthropologist and trainer Aubrey Graham, of Kivu Sport Horses, offers insight and training experience when it comes to working with Thoroughbreds (although much will apply to all breeds). This week ride along as Aubrey shares her logic on the importance of surrounding yourself (and your horses) with a Thoroughbred-forward community.
Thoroughbreds take a community. They also craft one.
I have written on practitioners here-and-there in the past, but these past two weeks have given me plenty of moments to be reminded why I absolutely love the Thoroughbred-forward individuals and experts in my life.
Chilly morning, “wild” Thoroughbreds. Photo by author.
So what does it mean to be “Thoroughbred-Forward?” This fluffy concept is one that is hard to nail down to any succinct definition. That said, I use it to indicate people that embody a combination of patience, boundaries, and the willingness to train at all points. It is about creating correct answers for the horse and not micromanaging them as they try to sort it out. And it is about accepting that their experiences and training are part of a process that takes a while as they transition off the track.
Tricia Ann Albrecht and I reward Mike’s Little Diva at a Thoroughbred Logic Clinic in Ithaca, New York earlier this year. Photo by Daniel Cameron.
This Thoroughbred-forwardness is perhaps easiest to see in the inverse — when places and people are, in fact, not Thoroughbred Forward. The horses get compared (often unfavorably and, I’d argue, unfairly) to the Quarter Horses or the Warmbloods who have been in the sport world their whole lives. In such non-TB-forward spaces, their post-track fast feet on the cross ties, or their green-ness undersaddle are seen as a negative rather than part of a process to be appreciated and step by step trained towards a new career and lifestyle.
Unsurprisingly, the process of taking a horse from the track to a comfort level in boarding barns and in their particular discipline provides ample opportunities to positively shape the resulting horse. It is not just about the owner. It is not just about the trainer (thought both are critical). It starts with the barn help. In my barn, those who clean stalls (thank you!) also have horse knowledge. Better yet, they learn their way around Thoroughbreds as they pick around their feet, ask them gently to move out of the way, and can firmly tell Forrest (Don’t Noc It) to knock it off and get out of the doorway.
Koops being handsome, but also a cute nosey annoyance when stall cleaning. Photo by author.
Handlers who turn out know to be patient with the new TB kids coming in and out of the stalls. They walk one or two to the fields confidently on a loose lead, expecting quiet compliance. But they are also patient should today be a day of a critter that is more pogo-stick than horse. Pause, laugh at them, correct the behavior and carry on on a loose lead. Yes, a sense of humor is required.
And when the owner, trainer, and barn staff are Thoroughbred-forward, that’s fantastic. But it is even better if the team that surrounds the horse — the community of vets, farriers, body workers, dentists etc. also are willing to pitch in to the process.
Dr. Diane Febles skillfully works on the new semi-feral Thoroughbred, Sailor. Photo by author.
Is it your farrier’s job to train your horse to stand on the crossties? No. But it is super helpful when they recognize the nerves of the horse and move slowly, creating a set of small moments from which to learn and have positive experiences so that it is easier the next time, and even then easier the time after that.
Is it your vet’s job to make sure that your horse can jog for flexions without becoming a kite? Nope. But it is helpful when they are willing to accommodate the horse, factor in the chill, the new environment and be able to still look for soundness or lameness when the feet do make contact with the ground.
Uno (Hold Em Paul) requires creative farrier work, and I’m so grateful for my team who is able to take the time to get it right and keep him running. Reverse heart bars by Eric Gilleland. Photo by author.
Two weeks ago, I had a horse come into the barn who has highlighted all of this. The five-year-old Thoroughbred who goes by the name of Sailor (he’s not Jockey Club registered) is somewhat unhandled. What I know of his story is slim, but I gather that for most of his life he has hung out in a field with other horses, dodging human interaction. A contact managed to get him out of that field and to her farm, and eventually from her farm to mine (thanks, Sally).
This has meant that Sailor has had a whole bunch of assumed “firsts” in these past two weeks. First time walking in and out of stalls like mine. First encounter with a pig. First hoof trim in probably quite a while. First dental in years. First turnout and having to be caught in a new place. First crosstieing… first learning of how to be hosed down… all the things. Sure, some of these things may have happened at other points in his life, but best at this point to assume it is all new and go from there.
Sailor in the early stages of lunge training. Photo by author.
And in this, I have been so impressed with the team. My awesome barn helpers are careful in his stall, but also take time to make the experience positive with extra neck scratches and slow movements. My amazing dentist (thanks, Diane) patiently was willing to go slow, remain efficient and teach him how to handle getting his teeth floated. My farrier (thanks, Eric) was willing to trim his feet in the stall, slowly slowly allowing the handling of his hooves and legs to be a positive experience.
Let me point out that they don’t have to do this. They didn’t have to take the time and the risk to move slowly, to create positive experiences. But they were willing to try and to pitch in to his training. My barn help and stall cleaners don’t have to slow their bodies down, making all interactions productive and kind. But they do.
Tuesday barn help extraordinaire, Ashley Clarkin, taking some extra time with Sailor in the field. Photo by author.
In this crazy community that these horses have inspired, there is a huge willingness to try. Unsurprisingly, I suppose, that the concept of “try” is also one of my favorite qualities embodied in the Thoroughbreds themselves. So while these horses don’t necessarily have the agency to craft a community directly, when you find Thoroughbred-forwards folks, there’s no doubt about the quality of fit. And when the level of try of the person and the horses match, in a way, the level of community these horses need seems to be exactly what they are able to build.
Talk about try. Uno was on the hunt for the flags at the last Big Cheese Eventing Horse Trial. Photo by Rachel McGinnis.
Go ride folks, and here’s hoping that the community that your horse inspires is one that brings out all the try and all the best people.
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The Idea of Order: Things You’d Rather NOT Hear From Your Vet… 1 May 2024, 7:13 am
I could actually write a book of these…
Presented by:
Milona DG and I. Photo (c) Q2 Photography.
The Kisatchie: Wild Horses of Louisiana 30 Apr 2024, 2:38 pm
Candace Wade takes a look at the Kisatchie horses and speaks with Amy Hanchey of Pegasus Equine Guardian Association. Learn more about the history and plight of these beautiful horses.
Photo by Kisa Kavass
WHO: The Kisatchie aka Peason Ridge aka Fort Polk (aka Fort Johnson) aka “globally rare” (by academics) aka “trespass horses” (by U.S. Army and Judge in a case to eliminate the horses from the area) are the unique herd in the Kisatchie National Forest of Vernon Parish.
WHAT/WHERE: I quote Dr. Sponenberg, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, Pathology and Genetics, Technical Panel Chair, American Rare Breeds Conservancy, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, VPI and Su, Blacksburg, VA Dept. of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine Virginia Tech, and Dr. Gus Cothran, professor emeritus at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVM) (whew!) regarding the origin of the horses.
The horses seem to date back to the horses brought to Colombia and Venezuela during the period of Colonial Spain pre-Louisianna Purchase. Possibly from the Spanish Barb and Barb horses from North Africa. “These crosses produced some of the most highly prized horses of the era. The classical Baroque style of the Spanish Barb . . . displayed by their natural carriage, intelligence, and sensible temperament.” This genetic pool is considered “a very rare source of genetic diversity. Genetic diversity represents health and an ability to adapt to a changing environment.” Note: These horses are not Mustangs.
WHEN: Horses seem to have thrived in the Kisatchie from mid-1700 to the present. The U.S. Army occupied the land in question in the form of Ft. Polk in 1941. Name was changed to Ft. Johnson in 2023. Yes, Virginia, the horses were there first. The Army promoted the elimination of the Kisatchie horses in early 2000s. In 2016 an Environmental Assessment led to the removal of 360+ horses between 2018-2020. The survival of the Kisatchie horses is unsure.
WHY: The Kisatchie horses are genetically unique, “globally rare.” They are a living piece of the history of North America.
Photo by Kisa Kavass
Q and A with Amy Hanchey of Pegasus Equine Guardian Association:
C: What is the Pegasus Equine Guardian Association?
A: PEGA started as an advocacy organization promoting the protection of the Kisatchie horses. We diversified into a Rescue initiative. We are a rescue – rehome — and preserve organization.
We work with leading wild horse organizations, animal welfare organizations, as well as equine geneticists to further educate the public on the importance of protecting wild horse populations in the wild as opposed to funneling them into the flooded domestic horse population.
Our day to day is less romantic.’ Boots on the ground’ work include caring for the horses at our sanctuary locations. Fence fixing, hauling hay and in times of drought, hauling water. We engage in public outreach. All has been challenging due to lack of vital funds. Our priority is keeping the horses that were removed and placed in our sanctuary locations healthy.
Photo by Kisa Kavass
C: Are the horses in danger of extinction?
A: Yes. The genetic analysis shows they have unique DNA that puts them in this category. Geneticists claim that the horses had no close connection with other local American breeds. Only about 3 to 5 percent of horses in the wild have those unique genetics, associated with Colonial Spanish lines.
The direness of the ongoing loss of genetic diversity in domesticated and feral horses cannot be understated. The need to conserve the remaining unique genetic characteristics among domesticated and feral horse populations is essential. Once a strain dies off, the genetically unique characteristics associated with that strain and related phenotypes are gone forever…”– Amicus Brief filed to the Court by Dr Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, PhD, ACT (Honorary) | Professor, Pathology and Genetics |Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
Until our involvement, the public was not aware of the existence of the horses much less that they are genetically unique. The horses have become a draw. Our 2018 survey showed that over 95% of those who participated we like to see a designated area in the national forest for Louisiana’s Wild Horses at Fort Polk in Kisatchie National Forest.
Photo by Kisa Kavass
C: What needs to be done to help the horses?
A: The horses must be officially designated as Heritage Horses. Funding must be secured to preserve them and to care for the horses that have been removed. Land is needed to accommodate future round ups by the army. Talks with the Base Commander at Fort Johonson to encourage alternatives to future removals. We have had the support of LT General Russel Honore (Ret).
C: What can readers do to support the horses?
A: Follow our pages on social media, share our content, sponsor a horse, donate, becoming a volunteer, and engage public officials to encourage them to act for preservation — to present a bill to the state legislature to designate the Kisatchie horses as Heritage Horses.
You can get more information from PEGA, the Pegasus Equine Guardian Association.
Photo by Kisa Kavass
2024 U.S. Open Polo Championship 30 Apr 2024, 12:03 pm
Check out the full recap of the sold out 2024 Open Polo Championships at the National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida with Dr. Gregory Beroza, aka HorseDoc ‘Talking Horses,’ produced by WuzUpDoc Media.
On Sunday, April 21st the 2024 U.S. Open Polo Championship was played at the United States Polo Association’s National Polo Center before a sold out crowd. This is the most important polo tournament of the Triple Crown series of high-goal tournaments called the Gauntlet of Polo.
The most exciting part of the match was watching the two best rated 10-Goal father and son compete against one another for winning honors. Adolfo Cambiaso, ranked the #1 polo player in the world, initially led Team Valiente to a win in the series’ first C.V. Whitney Cup, played against Team Dolfina, with a final score of 12-10.
Team Valiente’s 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso. ©David Lominska
Team Valiente members & game Stats. ©USPA
Poroto Cambiaso, the protégé and son, led Team La Dolfina to a subsequent win the in the USPA Gold Cup, played against Team Valiente, with a final score of 12-9. These battles were intense and the third rival matchup in the U.S. Open Polo Championship was a fiercely competitive battle down to the final minutes of play.
La Dolfina’s 10-goaler Poroto Cambiaso. ©David Lominska
La Dolfina began the final sixth chukker (seven minutes) of play with its first lead of the game (8-7). La Dolfina’s Rufino Merlos, the youngest player on the field with his recent 17th birthday, led his team to its ninth goal (9-7) after taking a perfect backhand mid-field pass from teammate Tomas Panello, which was set-up by teammate Poroto Cambiaso.
La Dolfina’s 3-goaler Rufino Merlos ©David Lominska
Ruffino ran down the center of the field to score undefended. Panello scored the final goal of the game in the last minutes of play, making Team La Dolfina the winner at 10-7 goals, with Panello leading his team scoring by six of their 10 goals.
U.S. Open Polo Champs La Dolfina on podium. ©David Lominska
The 2024 U.S. Open Polo Championship Finale can be viewed in its entirety here:
HorseDoc produced a 21-minute YouTube video and podcasat featuring highlights and interviews from the U.S. Open Polo Championship Finale, with credits and appreciation to the United States Polo Association and photographer David Lominska for sharing content:
Wellington, Florida is home to the United States Polo Association and its Museum of Polo & Hall of Fame. It is the epicenter of high-goal polo in the United States and hosts most of its major polo activities. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, were on site to create a Neflix documentary about the polo action and more (you can read more about it in last week’s Horse Nation piece, “Celebrity Equestrians: Prince Harry’s ‘Secret’ Netflix Project”). Prince Harry competed in a fundraising benefit polo match at the Grand Champions Polo Club. The 2024 Sentebale Royal Salute Challenge took place on April 16th. The 3-way round robin was won by Prince Harry’s team, which included his 10-goal world champion teammate Adolfo Cambiaso. The winning trophy was presented by the Duchess of Sussex.
The Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Harry & Meghan Markle at the benefit polo awards ceremony at GCPC. (c)GBeroza
Dr. Gregory A. Beroza, DVM, DACVS, DABVP has been a practicing veterinarian and consultant for 42 years; and HorseDoc® ‘Talking Horses’® media host, author, and consultant since 2007. Dr. Beroza is a multimedia host and broadcasts his productions, including a new Podcast, via his WuzUpDoc Media website: www.WuzUpDoc.com. He can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and other social media sources.
Thanks to ‘HorseDoc’ Sponsors: Alex Nichols Agency; BMB IT Solutions, Chestnut Vale Feed, Cosequin Joint Health Supplement, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Great American Insurance-Equine Division; Hopscotch Air Taxi; Jaguar; JSR Farriers-Equine Transport; Land Rover; Nutrena; Oheka Castle Hotel & Estate; Ramard Nutraceuticals; Range Rover; Supporting Strategies; Ultravet Medical Devices
Tuesday Video: Trick Roping in Heels 30 Apr 2024, 9:22 am
This gal makes trick roping pretty darned glamorous!
Just when you thought trick roping was hard enough, this performer adds some extra flare by doing it in heels! Worth mentioning is that the heels are not small either. Those babies are enough to break an ankle with just one wrong step!
Grab your rope and go riding, Horse Nation!
‘Oh Crap’ Monday: Lost Shoe 29 Apr 2024, 9:26 am
Monday already is the crappiest day of the week…
…so it only makes sense that we make things official. Here’s our latest “oh crap” moment.
If you have horses with shoes, you definitely have horses with lost shoes. It’s a fact of life. Most of us do our darndest to find the lost shoe so that it can’t inflict any more issues on our accident-prone-always-trying-to-die beasts. Sometimes, that search is in vain. Other times, you can find the shoe pretty readily. And on rare occasions, you find it in the least likely of places.
That’s clearly the case here. I have so many questions. What led to the horse losing (more like ejecting in anger) the shoe with this amount of velocity? Where were the horse’s feet when this shoe shot off? Like… holy heck. I feel that there’s more than one “oh crap” moment involved here.
I guess if anything is worth doing, it’s worth doing all the freaking way. SMDH.
Go forth and tackle your Monday, Horse Nation.
Have an “Oh Crap” moment to share? Email your photo/video and a brief explanation of what is going down to deann@horsenation.com. Instagram users, tag your moments with #OhCrapMonday (your photos need to be set to public or we won’t see them!).
Mythbuster Monday: Hay Nets Can Wear Down a Horse’s Teeth 29 Apr 2024, 9:11 am
On Mythbuster Monday, we tackle a variety of equestrian myths to either bust or confirm. Today’s discussion: Can hay nets wear down a horse’s teeth?
It’s Mythbuster Monday, where Horse Nation dives into different equestrian myths and provides research-based evidence to either bust or confirm those myths. Today’s topic: Can hay nets wear down a horse’s teeth? Does it depend of the surface material? How often does a horse have to eat from the net to see effects? Read further to find out!
Myth: Hay nets wear down a horse’s teeth
Myth or Fact: Fact (if used incorrectly)
Canva/CC
Hay nets have been around for a significant amount of time. They were originally made to keep hay off the ground and reduce waste. Traditionally, the holes were large so they did not limit the intake of the horse. However, recently, new designs known as slow feeders have become popular.
But, can they cause a horse’s teeth to wear down?
Canva/CC
According to an article published by the Hay Pillow, yes. This is due to pilot error. Hay nets will cause a horse’s teeth to wear down if the horse cannot pull the hay out of the net with his lips. If the hay is stuffed too tightly into the bag, the horse is forced to pull it out with his teeth, rather than his lips, and the scraping of the teeth across the abrasive material of the hay net will eventually wear down the teeth.
The article goes on to discuss the three most common reasons a horse will use his teeth instead of his lips. The first is that the mesh opening where hay is extracted is too small. Secondly, the horse’s caretaker is filling the net too tight, and third, the horse’s owner is filling the hay bag with compressed bales or densely baled hay.
Canva/CC
Another article by Listen to Your Horse interviewed veterinarian Bob Peters of McKinlay and Peters Equine Hospital. Dr. Peters stated that he’s been seeing an increase in wear and tear on horse’s teeth who eat from slow feeding hay nets. He provides the information that when the slow feeder hay net openings are too small, they repeatedly get stuck between the horses teeth and begin to wear them down. His recommendation is to use hay nets that have at least one to two inch openings.
Canva/CC
An article by The Horse discusses how the benefits of slow feeding hay nets outweigh the risks. However, the number one risk they name in the article is teeth damage. With slow feeding hay nets, there is telltale wearing of the enamel, mainly on the upper incisors. There is also risk in the hay net cords hooking on loose, isolated, or decaying teeth. This is more common in younger horses with loose baby teeth and older horses with decaying teeth. It is recommended to only use cord-based hay nets with horses after their incisors have come in and to get a dental check on older horses before using.
Canva/CC
After diving into the research, hay nets can wear down a horse’s teeth if they are not used correctly. This is especially true with young horses (under five) and older horses (over 20). To minimize issues, make sure to use hay nets that have at least a one to two inch opening.
Do you have an equine myth you’d like us to tackle? If so, send it our way! Email your suggestions to deann@horsenation.com. Put Mythbuster Monday in your subject line.
SmartPak Monday Morning Feed: 3 Ways To Keep Your Barn Fly-Free 29 Apr 2024, 8:47 am
We won’t lie. Fly season is rough. But there are things you can do to keep your barn fly free and minimize your equine pals’ irritation with the pesky insects.
1. Fight Different Flies with Different Solutions
To defeat the enemy, we must first know the enemy, and while we all hate barns overrun with flies, do we even know which flies we’re fighting? Everyone has heard of stable flies and house flies, but there’s more than just those two species to consider when it comes to protecting our horses over the summer.
Biting flies like mosquitoes, black flies, midges, horse flies, and deer flies are known to feed on animal blood. Nonbiting flies feed on bodily secretions, from sweat to ‘eye gunk’ (or mucous), to the blood and tissue around open wounds. Which ones do you have at your barn? All of them? Only some of them?
If we don’t know which bugs are bugging us, then we’re probably not using the right solution to get rid of them.
2. Don’t Overlook Smaller Breeding Grounds
We all know the most common culprit is the manure pile, but did you know that the feed room, water buckets and troughs, and even the pond in the back field can be a welcoming area to common pests, too?
Unless we’re emptying the standing water from the buckets in every stall, the troughs in every pasture, and somehow draining the pond out back, you’re not getting rid of the problem. And if we can’t get rid of the water on our properties, we do like everyone staying hydrated, after all, are we really going to scrub each of those buckets and troughs every day? (The pond already feels like a lost cause, there)
There’s an easier way to keep all these smaller breeding areas from becoming big breeding areas, and we’re going to talk about it.
3. Make the Biggest Problem More Manageable
So we agree, the most common culprit for bug breeding grounds is anywhere manure sits, right? But that’s not just the muck pile, it’s also the manure that sits in stalls, pastures, trails, and arenas. Any of these areas left un-mucked can make for an ideal environment for fly eggs and larvae to grow into full adult flies. And not only are there already ton of these spots across our properties, but every day our horses are adding more.
Short of having a team of poop-scoopers available around the clock and a manure-removal service stopping by daily, what can you do? It can feel overwhelming, all the issues buzzing around in your mind. So where are the solutions? You can address all the smaller issues in the barn and across your property, and it will help, but until you tackle the biggest (and smelliest), the pests will persist.
Here Are Three Ways You Can Fight Flies:
1. Prevent flies from developing before they can bother your horse.
Fly Stoppers
are tiny, beneficial bugs. They stop adult pest flies from developing by feeding upon and breeding within the pupal stages of manure-breeding flies, making them an ideal choice for environmentally friendly fly control in stables. For the best fly control in your barn, release the Fly Stoppers in those breeding hot spots discussed above, such as manure piles and near standing water.
Learn more about Fly Stoppers.
2. Use sprays to protect your horse from swishing and stomping.
Fly sprays and repellents can work in a few different ways. Most commonly, they can act as insecticides, which means that they’re able to kill insects. The other big solution we know of, sprays can repel insects. This means that they’ll discourage flies from landing on your horse but won’t actually kill them.
Insecticides use permethrin, pyrethroids, and/or pyrethrins. Repelling insects often requires peppermint, geraniol, and citronella.
Check 0ut some of the best-selling fly sprays here.
3. Help feed your horse’s own personal no-fly zone.
There are two main types of insect control supplements you can add directly to your horse’s grain: EPA-approved insect growth regulators, which help reduce the population and insect defense supplements, which make your horse unappealing to biting bugs.
If you and your barn mates are ready to band together and feed all the horses on the property on an insect growth regulator. If everyone in your barn isn’t on board, pick an insect defense supplement to feed that can help give your horse his own personal no-fly zone.
Learn more about insect control supplements.
You’re not alone in the battle against the bugs. Our friends at SmartPak can help you fight the flies on every front.
Go SmartPak and go riding!
#goriding Grams of the Week 26 Apr 2024, 9:09 am
Another week (or two!) of horse life, rounded up in your images.
Join the conversation! Follow us on Instagram at @go_riding and tag your public photos with #goriding2024. We’ll share our favorites daily.
Spring Turnout Tips for Sugar-Sensitive Horses, by Kentucky Performance Products 26 Apr 2024, 8:59 am
Spring is here! Although the warmer temperatures may be welcome milestones for equestrians, spring grass can pose problems for sugar sensitive horses. Here are some tips for keeping those horses healthy while the grass is at its greenest.
Adobe Stock/ba11istic
It is that time of the year—the cold, gray winter is transforming into a warm, sunny spring and the grass is starting to grow! For normal horses, the spring grass is a lovely change from hay, but for sugar-sensitive horses it is a dangerous time of year.
Things to know about spring grass
Sugar levels in the leaves of grasses increase dramatically during the spring growing season when days are sunny and warm, and the nights are cool.
Why? Because grass does not grow on cool nights (40° degrees or below), so high concentrations of sugar remain in the leaves instead of being used to fuel growth of stems and roots.
Warm Days (60° or above) + Cool Nights (40° or below) = High sugar levels in grass that can cause laminitis in sensitive horses.
Grazing Strategies
- Stop grazing completely when days are warm and nights are cold (40° F or less).
- Limit intake with a muzzle and graze early in the morning when days and nights are warm.
- Stop grazing when grasses are under stress.
- Utilize a dry lot for horses that can’t be turned out at all.
- Overgrazing stresses grasses and increases sugar levels. Keep pastures between four to eight inches in height to reduce overgrazing stress.- Overgrazed 0-4 inches- Optimal 4-8 inches- Too tall 8+ inches
Supplements recommended for sugar-sensitive horses
A blend of polyphenols and amino acids that support normal metabolic function and healthy insulin levels. Ask your vet if InsulinWise is right for your horse.
Low-sugar, low-calorie vitamin and mineral pellet that fills the nutrient gaps in a diet composed mostly of mature hay or hay cubes. Horses and ponies love Micro-Phase and you will too.
About Kentucky Performance Products, LLC:
Challenge: Winter weight loss.
Solution: Equi-Jewel® high-fat rice bran.
Equi-Jewel® rice bran
Fight back against a winter energy crisis that can cause your horse to lose weight.
Equi-Jewel® is a high-fat, low-starch and -sugar formula developed to safely meet the energy needs of your horse.
Whether you have a hard keeper that needs extra calories to maintain his weight in cold weather, or a top performance horse that needs cool energy to perform at her peak, Equi-Jewel can meet your horse’s needs.
The fat found in rice bran is an extraordinary source of dietary energy. In fact, fat contains more than two times the energy that carbohydrates and proteins do, thereby fueling horses more efficiently. Fat is considered a “cool” feedstuff because it does not cause the hormone spikes that lead to excitability. Avoid a winter energy crisis in your hard keeper and start supplementing with Equi-Jewel today.
The horse that matters to you matters to us®. KPPusa.com
Fantasy Farm Friday: 48 Acres Outside of Denver 26 Apr 2024, 8:43 am
For only $4.75 million… no problem.
“I guess he’d rather be in ColoradoHe’d rather spend his time out where the sky looks like a pearl after a rain…”
~John Denver
I know I’d rather be in Colorado — especially with a horse facility like this one. Set on over 48 acres, this six-bedroom and five-bathroom home is only 45 minutes outside of Denver. And the entire set up is an equestrian’s dream.
The main home is a stunning custom ranch-style that has been tastefully updated from top to bottom. It has a large open floor plan that flows seamlessly from the kitchen to the dining and family room, all tied together with a beautiful fireplace.
The main floor set up is incredibly convenient, with the main bedroom and an ensuite five-piece bath, laundry, and powder bathroom set up. Plus, there are two additional bedrooms that share a 3/4 bath.
Downstairs is a fully finished walkout basement with three more bedrooms and two additional bathrooms. The wraparound deck provides excellent views of the equestrian facilities from the top of the hill.
The equestrian facilities are top-notch as well. The 180′ x 300′ outdoor arena boasts unobstructed views of the foothills. There are two barns, with 21 box stalls split between them. This also includes two heated tack rooms, two wash racks, and a welcoming rider lounge and viewing area overlooking the indoor arena.
The indoor arena is attached to the lower barn and has mirrors providing a perfect training environment regardless of the weather.
Turnout options are ample with diverse options of large pastures with loafing sheds providing for all day turnout. Additionally, 12 individual footed paddock-style turnouts offer options for any and every horse.
Revel in the breathtaking panoramic views, creating an unparalleled paradise for equestrians of any discipline.
You can get more information and the full listing here. All photos are from HorseProperties.net.
Celebrity Equestrians: Prince Harry’s “Secret” Netflix Project 26 Apr 2024, 7:36 am
The docuseries, which will feature polo, will “pull the curtain back on the grit and passion of the sport.”
Do the writers of Eventing Nation have an oracle they’re consulting for articles? That’s the question now that we’ve learned Netflix is set to debut a new two-part series featuring Prince Harry and Nacho Figueras in a show dedicated to professional polo in Wellington, Florida.
It will be “shot primarily at the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida, at The USPA National Polo Center,” per Sussex.com. Archewell Productions, in partnership with Boardwalk Pictures, “will provide viewers with unprecedented access to the world of professional polo. Known primarily for its aesthetic and social scene, the series will pull the curtain back on the grit and passion of the sport, capturing players and all it takes to compete at the highest level.”
Prince Harry is known for being an avid polo player, along with the rest of the royal family. He often competes in charity matches similar to the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, where he was spotted with film crews recently, and in 2022, he competed on Figueras’ team in Santa Barbara.
The series is not without criticism, though, with many calling the project a “last ditch effort” to make Prince Harry and Meghan Markle relatable to audiences.
Netflix probably hopes this show will be just as much of a success as their Drive to Survive, which features another kind of horsepower in an even more expensive sport. That show, despite its high ratings on the streaming platform, has also been heavily criticized by F1 drivers and F1 fans for utilizing heavy editing techniques that force a narrative. So, basically, it’s a standard reality show.
As a fan of polo and one who has interviewed people on the Wellington circuit, I have high hopes for this series. I hope it truly shows the more down-to-earth elements of the sport and steers away from the glamour, glitz, and caviar dreams. Other critics wonder if the show will actually go behind the scenes, noting that polo is well-known for being a little on the wild side. Harry certainly isn’t afraid to divulge, as evidenced by his book, Spare.
Only time will tell. Meanwhile, we can start taking bets on whether or not the show will be called “Ride to Survive.”
Miloš Balać will be the series’ showrunner, and executive producers include Harry, Meghan Markle, Chanel Pysnik, Andrew Fried, Sarina Roma, Dane Lillegar, Balać, and Ian Samplin. The project is being produced as part of Harry and Meghan’s five-year $100 million deal with Netflix under their Archwell Productions banner.
Go riding.
Amanda Uechi Ronan is an author, equestrian and wannabe race car driver. Follow her on Instagram @amanda_uechi_ronan.