Most herbicides used in roadside spraying do have grazing and harvest restrictions. Contact your local township or county to inquire about what product(s) was sprayed, when it was sprayed, and then read the herbicide label to determine if/how long the grazing/harvest restriction is. Once the grazing/harvest restriction time period has passed, it is safe to harvest/graze along the roadside.
Ideally, a horse herd (pastured or stabled together) should be on the same deworming program/schedule. Young growing horses may need to be dewormed more frequently, as they have less resistance to internal parasites than the older horses.
Rotating your pasture with other livestock species, removing manure piles in small paddocks, dragging manure piles in large pastures, and ensuring that the pasture is not over grazed (always at least 4 inches of forage stand) will all help in keeping your pasture parasite load low.
The latest recommendation is that horse owners have a fecal egg count test performed to determine the horse's parasite load. If a fecal test shows that the horses have few parasites, then skipping a deworming is recommended. This not only helps with decreasing the chemicals entering your horse's body, but it also can help decrease the chances of resistance build-up that we are beginning to see with some dewormers. A discussion with your veterinarian would be most helpful.
Some regions of the country deworm about every two months; others deworm every three to four months - it all depends on climate and exposure. Our suggestion is to weigh each horse (typically we use a horse weight tape that you can often find at a feed store) prior to deworming. Many people just give a tube of dewormer and never realize that they are not giving enough to cover the horse's weight. Give a couple hundred pounds more than the weight tape indicates, as most weight tapes are about 10% off. Most of these dewormers have a large safety margin. The best thing you can do is include your veterinarian in your management system.
For more information on internal parasite control for horses, go to: http://www.extension.org/pages/Management_and_control_of_internal_parasi....
Overall it sounds as though your mare's crack is minimal, however any crack can grow in size due to the pressures of everyday activity or exercise of the horse. Keeping the hoof lubricated is great, but it is always good to consult with a veterinarian or farrier for evaluation and possible treatment. The severity of the problem and which procedure is used to repair the crack will determine the amount of time it takes to completely grow out and what can be done while it is growing out.
It is also important to determine if it is a true quarter crack, starting at coronet band and moving down, or if it is a sand crack that starts from the bottom of the foot and moves up. It is certainly possible to repair a crack and put the horse back in training or competition. Depending on the procedure, many times it is best to allow the horse to rest for 24-48 hours to allow the repair to cure and the horse to be comfortable with the fix. If the crack was in the side of the hoof (quarter), then the heel is floated (not touching the ground or shoe) to remove pressure and stress on the crack. Removing the pressure and stress on the crack when the horse moves will enhance the effectiveness and longevity of the repair. So for a toe crack, if the hoof wall is touching the ground, a farrier may choose to shorten the hoof just below the crack to remove the pressure and prevent the crack from extending upward.
It will take several months to a year for the crack to grow out, depending on how high up on the hoof it appeared. If it goes up the entire length of the hoof to the coronary band, it will likely take a year for the crack to grow completely out. A normal, healthy horse will grow a complete hoof in 12 months.
Your mare likely has a condition called anhydrosis – the absence of the ability to sweat – which is a big problem in all disciplines in southern climates. Supplementation with an electrolyte replacement after the horse has worked hard will help. Unfortunately, not much is known about how to prevent the condition.
There is only one supplement that is proven to help decrease the severity and incidence of anhydrosis called "One AC."
These horses can still be ridden; just be careful not to overdo it. You should ride early in the morning and later in the evening when temperatures are cooler. If you are too hot and miserable to enjoy the ride, she probably will be as well.
It is extremely critical that you take care in the cooling out process and monitor your horse’s vital signs - these horses can't lower their body temperature (by sweating) and can have temperatures reach critical heat stress levels. Lots of shade and ventilation are necessary when cooling anhydrotic horses out. Hosing under the belly, chest and between the legs is also crucial along with scraping the water off after hosing to promote evaporation. Sometimes this condition will get better, but it might never get back to normal. Work with your veterinarian to develop a plan for your mare.
Released January 27, 2012
SAN FRANCISCO - The National Park Service did not properly study how horses and mules affect California's Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, a federal judge ruled.
The environmental group High Sierra Hikers Association challenged the agency's management plan for the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in a 2009 federal lawsuit, saying the plan did not make detailed findings about the environmental impacts of stock animals.
--continued on Courthouse News Service, http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/01/27/43411.htm
