Safe Equine Fencing Review

Every year we see and treat horses that are injured in their pastures. We would like to take this time to review some safety tips for horse fencing.

Fencing review:   Horse fencing is not a “one size fits all” product and your individual needs and preferences should be considered when building fencing. There are many fencing options available today made from a variety of materials in many shapes, sizes and colors. While we are not going to mention all fencing types we will comment on some of the more popular fencing options.

 With all types of fencing we recommend routine maintenance and visual inspection. All fencing should be either professionally installed or installed using manufacturer’s recommendations.  We recommend never using metal posts as they are a serious laceration hazard. Care should be taken to acclimate your horses to new fencing and never just put them into a new paddock without showing the fencing to them.

 High Tensile Fences:High Tensile Fencing should never be used for horses of any kind. One of the many problems with this type of fencing is visibility in that horses can have a hard time seeing the fencing even though there are many strands of it. Common horse injuries with this type of fencing happen when a horse gets its leg through the fence. Since the fencing is so tight the horse often severely cuts its leg when it pulls it back through the fence. It reminds me of a cheese slicer in that it is common for the fence to go to bone and peel everything away from the bone. These are very serious injuries that can be avoided by never using High Tensile Fencing with horses.  Another common injury that we see with High Tensile Fencing is that horses can get it wrapped around one of their legs. This can also be very catastrophic as the caught horse often panics and makes the injury much worse. High Tensile Fencing should never be used for horses.

 Barbed Wire Fences:Barbed Wire Fencing should never be used for horse fencing. One of the many problems with this type of fencing is visibility in that horses can have a hard time seeing the fencing even though there are many strands of it. Common horse injuries with this type of fencing happen when a horse gets its leg through the fence. Since the fencing is tight the horse often severely cuts its leg when it pulls it back through the fence. These cuts are often magnified by the “barbs” that do a lot more tissue damage to the legs. These are very serious injuries that can be avoided by never using Barbed Wire Fencing with horses.  Another common injury that we see with Barbed Wire Fencing is that horses can get it wrapped around one of their legs. This can also be very catastrophic as the caught horse often panics and makes the injury much worse. Barbed Wire Fencing is sometimes used along the top of other fencing products to keep the horses from reaching over the top of the fence to reach the greener grass on the other side. Barbed wire on the top of fencing can be the cause of cuts and lacerations to the face, head, and neck of horses.

 Electric Fences:Electric Fences can be very versatile and much easier on the pocketbook than some of the other types of fencing. Visibility is a common problem with electric fences. Strands of wire either smooth or barbed should never be used as it is hard for horses to see. Braided or coated electric fence is much easier for the horses to see.  Never use metal posts with electric fencing even if you use the safety caps. Coated fencing can cause lacerations if the coating becomes stripped from the wire.

 Wooden Fences:Wood fencing is very durable and has great visibility. Wood and Board fencing can be a problem if you have a horse that cribs or likes to chew wood. Wood fencing can also cause a problem if your horse becomes board and leans on the fence.  In general wood fencing is very safe and sturdy.

 PVC Fences:PVC fencing looks great but is not recommended for equine fencing. It is very visible but is not very sturdy. If a horse runs into it or leans on it will bend and then break. When PVC fencing breaks it usually splinters and can cause puncture wounds.

 Wire Mesh Fences:Wire Mesh Fencing can be very safe and visible. It has low maintenance and can be very durable.  Problems can occur when the fencing becomes loose from stretching and sagging. Feet and leg injuries can occur if a horse gets its leg through the fence. It is recommended to put a board or strand of electric on the top of the fence to keep horses from reaching over and leaning on the fence.

 Flexible Fencing:Flexible Fencing is the type of fencing that we have installed at Fowlerville Road. We picked this fencing as it is very durable and has great visibility. This type of fencing is very sturdy and yet is forgiving. This type of fencing has 3 wires that are coated inside of the fencing. The fencing should be kept tight and have a yearly inspection to look for bare or exposed wires.

 As always if you have any questions about fencing please feel free to call the office at 585 243-5560.

Don't Skip the Pre-Purchase Exam

Owning a horse can be a huge investment in time, money and emotion.  Unfortunately, horses seldom come with a money-back guarantee.  That’s why it is so important to investigate the horse’s overall health and condition through a pre-purchase exam conducted by an equine veterinarian.  Whether you want a horse as a family pet, a pleasure mount, a breeding animal, or a high performance athlete, you stand the best chance of getting one that meets your needs by investing in a pre-purchase exam.

Pre-purchase examinations may vary, depending on the intended use of the horse and the veterinarian who is doing the examination.  Deciding exactly what should be included in the purchase examination requires good communication between you and your veterinarian.  The following guidelines will help ensure a custom-tailored exam:

• Choose a veterinarian who is familiar with the breed, sport or use for which the horse is being purchased.
• Explain to your veterinarian your expectations and primary uses for the horse, including short- and long-term goals (e.g., showing, then breeding).
• Ask your veterinarian to outline the procedures that he or she feels should be included in the exam and why.
• Establish the costs for these procedures.
• Be present during the purchase exam.  The seller or agent should also be present.
• Discuss with your veterinarian his or her findings in private.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions or request further information about your veterinarian’s findings in private.

The veterinarian’s job is not to pass or fail an animal.  Rather, it is to provide you with information regarding any existing medical problems and to discuss those problems with you so that you can make an informed purchase decision.  Your veterinarian can advise you about the horse’s current physical condition, but he or she cannot predict the future.  The decision to buy is yours alone to make.  However your veterinarian can be a valuable partner in the process of providing you with objective, health-related information.

Reprinted with permission from the American Association of Equine Practitioners. 

Learn to Recognize your Horse’s Dental Problems

Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs, such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all.  This is because some horses simply adapt to their discomfort.  For this reason, periodic dental examinations are essential to your horse’s health. 

            It is important to catch dental problems early.  If a horse starts behaving abnormally, dental problems should be considered as a potential cause.  Waiting too long may increase the difficulty of remedying certain conditions or may even make remedy impossible.  Look for the following indicators of dental problems from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to know when to seek veterinary attention for your horse:

1. Loss of feed from mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing, or excessive salivation.
2. Loss of body condition.
3. Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure.
4. Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing, tongue lolling, fighting the bit, or resisting bridling.
5. Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop, even bucking.
6. Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth.
7. Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw or mouth tissues.

Oral exams should be an essential part of an annual physical examination by a veterinarian.  Every dental exam provides the opportunity to perform routine preventative dental maintenance. Mature horses should get a thorough dental exam at least once a year, and horses 2 –5 years old should be examined twice yearly.

Early and regular examination of your horse's mouth will decrease the chances of broken teeth, requiring extractions. or pain and oral ulcers.  

Additional information is available on the AAEP’s website www.aaep.org/horseowner.

Sections reprinted with permission from the American Association of Equine Practitioners. 

Flu/Rhino Season

“Equine herpes outbreak quarantines Florida show grounds” February/March 2013

“Gloucester, Cape May county farms (NJ)quarantined after reports of horse herpes, ag department reports” February 22, 2013

“Single EHV-1 Case Reported in Tennessee” March 7, 2013

“EHV-1 Confirmed at Illinois Boarding Stable” March 6, 2013

“Utah EHV-1: Case Count Stands at Seven” March 6, 2013

“Neurologic EHV-1 Identified in Quebec Horse” February 28, 2013

The start of spring show season also brings with it the start of Flu/Rhino season.  And this year, we are seeing a HUGE increase in the prevalence of wild type EHV-1 or neurologic type EHV-1 cases across the country.  Most of these cases I’ve posted above have not been connected and are thought to be random outbreaks, though they are working on typing the viruses to make sure. 

Equine Herpes Virus types 1 and 4 are what are commonly vaccinated against in horses as “rhino or rhinopneumonitis.”   Foals are typically infected by the virus in the first few months of life, and develop a variable immunity to the virus, assisted by the antibodies they receive from their dam’s colostrum, and by vaccinations.  This immunity keeps the virus from causing disease (normally a respiratory disease that varies in severity from sub-clinical to severe and is characterized by fever, lethargy, anorexia, nasal discharge, and cough), but does not prevent infection.  The virus becomes a part of the horse’s respiratory tract, and may be shed normally and in increasing levels during stress. 

This can make EHV difficult to prevent even in closed herds and farms as a stressful event such as severe weather changes, shipping, introducing new animals, or showing, can increase shedding of the virus and cause disease.  Vaccination for Equine Herpes Virus at regular intervals will help booster the horse’s immune system and keep the virus in check during periods of stress. 

Equine Herpes Virus type 1 can also mutate and become “wild type EHV-1” or “neuroEHV-1” which can cause Equine Herpes Myelitis.  This is a disease that causes an inflammation of the nervous system and spinal cord secondary to inflammation of the blood vessels. This strain of the virus is what we are currently seeing outbreaks of across the country.  Unfortunately there are no vaccines specific for wild type EHV-1, as there a number of different mutations that may occur.  Regular vaccination for EHV can help decrease the amount of virus that is being shed by the body, and will booster the animals overall immune response to the herpes viruses.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners states:

            “All available vaccines make no label claim to prevent the myeloencephalitic form of EHV-1 (EHM) infection. Vaccines may assist in limiting the spread of outbreaks of EHM by limiting nasal shedding EHV-1 and dissemination of infection. For this reason some experts hold the opinion that there may be an advantage to vaccinating in the face of an outbreak, but in advance of EHV-1 infection occurring in the group of horses to be vaccinated. The vaccines with the greatest ability to limit nasal shedding include the 2 high-antigen load, inactivated vaccines licensed for control of abortion (Pneumabort-K^®: Pfizer; & Prodigy^® Merck), a MLV vaccine (Rhinomune^®, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica) and an inactivated vaccine, (Calvenza^®, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica).”

We are offering the Calvenza Influenza/Rhinopneumonitis vaccine for our clients this year.  We highly recommend vaccinating all animals who will be shipping, showing, or having regular contact with new animals.  This includes trail riding, fox hunting, and any stabling situation where contact with new horses may occur.

Vaccination and instituting basic bio-security procedures such as quarantining if possible and monitoring temperatures on any new arrivals, or post shipping/showing are the best possible methods of prevention and early identification of Equine Herpes Virus (neurologic or respiratory form).  Obviously avoiding contact with horses which have come from areas with known outbreaks decreases the risk of infection as well.

Any horses which are showing potential neurologic signs (dragging a toe, stumbling, difficulty getting up or down, apparent difficulty urinating, or dribbling urine) or which are found to have a temperature of 103 or greater, should be brought to the attention of your veterinarian.  Early identification of this potentially fatal and reportable disease is key in increasing the success of supportive care and treatment. 

To Blanket or Not to Blanket,

That is the Question.

This is a question many people start asking themselves as fall rolls around. The cooler weather rolls in, you start putting on an extra layer yourself before going out to do chores or ride, and you wonder if your horse needs an extra layer as well.

Most horses naturally grow a fluffy winter coat as the days begin getting shorter, after shedding out their summer coat, and blanketing a horse too early or too heavily may leave you piling the layers on to a chilly horse when the weather gets really cold. The average horse has in its digestive system a 24-36 gallon fermentation vat (the hindgut – cecum and large intestine). This is where the majority of their feed digestion takes place. This fermentation produces large quantities of energy in the form of heat, which helps to keep them warm even in the coldest weather.

But he just looks cold! Even with their insulating coat and personal internal heater, some horses just like people just don’t like the cold. Very young horses and older horses can be particularly susceptible to the cold, as they are using more energy to grow or maintain body condition. Horses with increased energy demands, such as high levels of work, growth, or age, can often benefit from a blanket to decrease the energy they put towards keeping themselves warm.
Clipped horses in the winter should always have some type of blanket or sheet, depending on the amount of clipping, as you have removed their natural protection from the weather.

So if you’ve decided to blanket, when to start? And what type?
Guidelines for body clipped horses and hard keepers:

40-50 degrees

• A lightweight turnout sheet
• Protection from wind and rain

20-40 degrees

• A midweight blanket
• Warmth
• Blocks wind and rain 
• Good for almost all winter weather

 Teens and below

• Heavy weight blanket
• Extreme cold
• Or horses not adjusted to cold weather (shipped from the south in the winter)

Healthy young adult to adult horses with normal haircoat:

20-40 degrees

• Consider a lightweight blanket or sheet for turn out if stabled for long periods in a warm >45degree barn

Teens and below

• Light to midweight blanket for turnout if not adjusted to temperature (stabled in warm barn or normally wears stable sheet)

Don’t forget if you decide to blanket, to regularly remove the blanket and check for wear spots, any rubs on the horse, and make sure the straps are in good condition.