Horse Gestation

Archive for October, 2008

Released October 30, 2008

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi State University will auction about 40 horses, including some of the last foals of Triple-Crown descendant Minister Slew, on Nov. 15 to raise money to support MSU’s equine research.

The sale at the Mississippi Horse Park, which is located on Poorhouse Road south of Starkville, will begin at 1 p.m. after a sponsored lunch for sale participants. Buyers can begin viewing stock at 10 a.m., and horses under saddle will be displayed between 10:30 and 11 a.m.

The majority of the horses are registered with the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Paint Horse Association, the Tennessee Walking Horse Association or the Jockey Club. Included in this year’s sale are about 30 weanlings, several yearlings, two 2-year-olds under saddle and several pony colts. Six horses are the offspring of Minister Slew, the grandson of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Minister Slew was one of MSU’s top stallions until his death last summer.

The Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and MSU’s Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences will host the fourth annual sale.

Distant sites with live video and bidding privileges are planned at the Panola County Extension Office in Batesville, the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond and the Forrest County Extension office in Hattiesburg. Participants must contact those offices ahead of time to confirm availability.

For more information on the sale, contact Peter Ryan in MSU’s Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at (662) 325-2938. Additional details on the sale and a sale catalog are available at http://msucares.com/livestock/equine.

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http://msucares.com/news/releases/08/081030sale.html

Contact: Peter Ryan, (662) 325-2938

In general, pasture content of storage carbohydrates including non-structural carbohydrates is highest in the spring, lowest in midsummer, and intermediate in the fall. Most nutritionists refer to the storage carbohydrates as water-soluble carbohydrates which include glucose, fructose, sucrose, and fructans. Fructans have been implicated as a cause of laminitis. The theory is that fructans, which can only be digested by fermentation in the hind gut of the horse, when at high enough levels, create the same problem as undigested starch reaching the hind gut. This, however, is only a theory and has not been scientifically documented. For example, there is limited information on the quantities of pasture fructan or other water-soluble carbohydrates required to cause significant changes in hind gut function that may increase the risk of laminitis. To specifically answer your question, if you are grazing a cool-season grass such as fescue, bluegrass, orchardgrass, ryegrass, etc., the most active period of growth (most photosynthesis) will produce higher levels of water-soluble carbohydrates. As you have pointed out, weather/temperature (environmental) conditions can change the most active periods of growth. There are also daily fluctuations that coincide with patterns of energy storage and utilization. Pasture water-soluble carbohydrate tends to rise during the morning, reach a maximum in the afternoon, and decline overnight. If you have horses that are prone to laminitis, there is some rationale for restricted access to pasture, particularly during the portion of the growing season when you would see the greatest rate of growth of the particular pasture grass.

If he is at the desired weight, you could remove the grazing muzzle while he is turned out. However, to limit weight gain, you should limit the amount of time the horse is turned out without the muzzle on. If you notice weight being put back on, you should increase the time spent wearing the muzzle. You will probably want to use the muzzle again in the spring because grazing the lush spring pastures will put weight on in a hurry.

Having a more severe bit is not always the answer. First, try to get him to back off the bit while standing. Put a little bit of pressure on his mouth and wait for a response. If he drops his head or relaxes his jaw a little, release the pressure and pet him. Continue to practice this exercise until he will quickly release the pressure you put on his mouth. Secondly, put light pressure on his mouth and get him to drop his head and back up. When he releases the pressure and backs away from it while standing, you can try the same exercise at a walk. Each time you speed up, the horse will take a hold of you again. When he starts to pull, stop and back him up until he releases the pressure. It will take a couple of months before he will walk, trot, and lope without pulling on you. If he absolutely will not get as light as you desire, you might try a longer-shanked version of the bit you are using. The next step up in pressure would be a broken mouthpiece bit with a keeper in the middle to restrict the movement. This bit will give you more leverage and will put some pressure on the tongue. You can progressively move toward more severe bits to get a response, but don't substitute a more severe bit for a progressive training program.

It is very difficult to ascertain what may be causing the condition you are describing without seeing the horse and knowing more about the overall management of the horse. One obvious possibility as to the cause is that the horse may have genetically poor quality feet; however, if the feet are growing and maintaining well while barefooted, that may not be the case. There could be many things with the shoeing that could be problematic, beginning with the nails being placed too low or being driven into the wall too close to the edge. Moisture certainly could be a problem. The shoeing interval may need to be shortened. You don't specify if shoes with clips are being used. Clips can help in many instances, but many eventers do not like to use clips. Glueing shoes on can be very beneficial if done properly. Many equine athletes use glue-on shoes, including race horses, jumping horses, eventers, dressage horses, etc.