Right Over My Head INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Transcription

1 Spanish Barb Horse Association Spring/Si immer i 2015 Discover the Horse that Discovered America Right Over My Head By Jane Dobrott Do you remember the article that Kathleen Bellemare wrote about the propensity for Spanish Barbs to Founder? See Insulin Resistance Primer for Barb Lovers, 2013 Newsletter. Founder starts out as a condition known as laminitis, an inflammation of tissues in the hoof that can eventually cause the coffin bone to rotate downward and potentially render an affected horse lame for life, (founder). I read the article but for some reason it went right over my head! I didn t apply it to my horses who were livin the life on eight thousand acres of native grass. Unfortunately, I now have a big reason to pay attention. I didn t consider it a possibility that my Barbs could founder under those circumstances. Yeah, they were porky but I just said to myself, It s their slow metabolic rate and we ve had really good rains this summer and fall. Kathleen is now my idol, the queen of Founder, the righter of wrongs, the answer to prayer that I didn t even know I needed, the magician of laminitis rehab.* Just after Thanksgiving Kathleen came to the ranch to look at our gelding, Compadre, as a possible horse for her daughter. She came equipped to do a bit of ground work, bringing her 3 foot stick and string and 22 foot rope. She worked both Compadre and Orejano, our other gelding who is for sale. I remember saying, Oh, my gosh, they are so fat! when I saw them. Quick-eyed Kathleen, whose mental wheels were already processing the laminitis scenario, spotted Orejano s lameness immediately. I was off in la la land. Apparently I have taken up residence there. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Right Over My Head 1 SBHA Officers, Directors, and Contacts 2 Join/Renew SBHA Membership 3 A Long Journey 4 Ted T.R. Hughes 4 Anza Days Celebration 6 Kathleen, having picked up Orejano s feet, felt a bit of heat there as well. She held her counsel as she didn t want to offend. I received her after she returned home. In it she suggested that Orejano and Compadre be brought back to ranch H.Q. and put in the Jenny Craig corral, one of Heidi Colling s euphemisms. She suggested we get the vet out to take a look at them for laminitis. It was good news/bad news after the vet took x- rays. Compadre had not developed Laminitis but Orejano s coffin bone had been pushed downward by the inflammation in his front hooves. He was actually putting his heels down first when walking in an effort to relieve the discomfort. The vet pronounced that he would never be ridden again, a very painful and discouraging diagnosis and one that made me regret that I had not been paying attention. In my defense I have to say that living in Hillsboro with a chronic disease does make it hard to check on the horses in an eight thousand acre pasture back at the ranch. Before I could work up a complete case of GUILT, Kathleen, who has re-habilitated two equines with laminitis, (a mini-horse and Whipper, her Spanish Barb), volunteered to take both horses and work her

2 Page 2 President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Registrar SBHA Officers Marjorie Dixon Kathleen Bellmare Maggie Engler Sheila Segein Heidi Collings SBHA Board of Directors Marjorie Dixon Kathleen Bellmare Maggie Engler Heidi Collings Sheila Segein Duv Cardenas Beth Ann Mendivil SBHA Contacts Information Info@SpanishBarb.com Registrar Heidi Collings Registrar@SpanishBarb.com Newsletter Duv Cardenas LimerockRanch@yahoo.com Website Design Maureen Kirk-Detberner MKirk@FastWinn.com Visit the Website! magic with them. She considered that Compadre was one high carb meal away from laminitis himself and knowing that Steve, my husband, is too busy to take on the task of rehabing, offered to do it. Kathleen consulted with an animal nutritionist who specializes in rehabilitation of Laminitic horses and through diet and proper hoof trimming, actually saw a misplaced coffin bone and high blood sugar return to normal in her mini horse who was in bad shape. Fortunately she has kept Whipper from becoming a severe case by applying the same principles. Orejano has been on the same regime only a short time but is now stable with no digital pulse felt at the pastern which had previously indicated the inflammation in his hoof laminae. He is eating a balanced diet that is comprised of about 5.5% sugar and starch, and given an herb (Jiao Gulan), which is known to increase circulation in horse extremities. He is wearing protective, gel boots on his front hooves that have increased the pumping of blood through the hoof thereby lessoning the inflammation as well as cushioning the sole and causing him to put weight on the entire hoof as he walks. My dear friend Kathleen*, ever diligent, even taped hand warmer packets to all four of Orejano s hoof walls to increase circulation to the hooves and to combat the lower temperatures in Cedar Crest, where she lives. I think she has a pillow with Go the extra mile in needlepoint on her couch. *Disclaimer:Kathleen objects to my effusive praise, so I had to stop the process which would have nominated her for sainthood, Kathleen, the patron saint of Laminae. Kathleen s recipe for results: Get the excess weight off. Watch for the first sign, a cresty neck. Feed no food above 12% carbohydrate content, and for a horse that is already heavy or borderline, less than 10%. She takes samples from bales of hay nd

3 Page 3 and gets it analyzed, and supplements with a custom made mineral mix to balance the deficiencies and excesses in the hay. Orejano is presently eating 5.5 % carbohydrate content, Timothy hay, Bermuda hay and beet pulp. Fill up the dieting horse with soaked beet pulp to banish that empty feeling. Beet pulp has a low glycemic index. Kathleen feeds the horses beet pulp for lunch to keep them happy during the day and it also keeps blood sugar levels stable. Use gel Soft Ride boots to allow the horse to cushion the sole so the horse can walk about comfortably, thus increasing circulation which will allow the laminae to heal. Allow the horse to move around at his own, comfortable pace. I was so relieved to find that Orejano s situation could be reversed. The bottom line is this; it takes a lot of work, time and attention to rehab a laminitic horse but by keeping your thrifty Barb horse a little on the thin side and by not feeding hay high in carbs (sugar) and starch, grain or supplements/treats with molasses or carrots or apples, it can be avoided. She owns and personally operates a licensed Equine Retirement Ranch in New Mexico and does extensive rehabilitation, lay-ups for performance horses, and founder recovery with incredible success, all based on the building blocks of patience, care, and a nutritional foundation. Heather is an active speaker in the community, regularly requested to speak and educate consumers, dog and horse owners, farriers, and even veterinarians. Heather s website is For a solid nutritional foundation for optimized health and performance consult I found a site, thelaminitissite.org that looks like a good source on the subject. I haven t read everything on it but it is probably a good bet that it is necessary reading for Spanish Barb owners. Kathleen s consultant: Heather Zorn is a certified animal nutritionist, with an animal sciences education background and a Master s degree in Equine Science. She works with both canine and equine clients across the US, from the West Coast to the East Coast. Heather is highly involved in consulting for both performance and show horses, as well as horses suffering from metabolic disorders (Insulin Resistance and Cushing s). Her canine clients range from agility, AKC champions, service dogs and many family companions. It s time to Join/Renew your SBHA Membership!!! Simply click the Join SBHA button at and follow the instructions. You don't have to own a Spanish Barb to join the SBHA. Your support through membership contributes to the conservation and restoration of this rare breed.

4 Page 4 A Long Journey By Remi Heathfield Bellemare (Age 9) I have high regard of these olden days, when the Spanish ships roamed bringing the Spanish Barbs To the Americas they say, the foul smelling ships sailed, loaded with each a few horses Some escaped, some were stolen with their mares a foalin The learned to live on squash and leaves, they didn t have beans, but the horses survived through those pathetic times They didn t tell lies of those times, when their ancestors sailed the ocean blue. The young poet, Remi, on Minnie and mom, Kathleen, on Whipper. Ted T.R. Hughes T.R. passed away on March 17, He was a life long supporter of the SBHA. He both owned and bred Barbs from the inception of the organization. What peaked his interest in our Horses of History was their relationship with the Plains Indians, particularly the Northern Cheyenne Comminity, to whom T. R. was devoted. T.R. provided his stallion, Sun, for traditional ceremonies. Sun became one of five lines that formed the foundation for the organization s breeding efforts. T.R. was known for his sense of humor and his generous efforts to promote Spanish Barbs. T.R. and his wife Kay bred many fine Barbs during the last 20 years and they can truly be considered foundation supporters of the SBHA.

5 Page 5

6 Page 6 Anza Days Celebration Photographs and information provided by Beth Ann Mendivil On October 18, 2014, Anza Days, a celebration of the Spanish Settlers leaving to settle San Francisco, was held in Tubac, Arizona. Event Coordinators always ask for the Spanish Barbs to come and returning visitors look forward to the Spanish Barbs. This year Dikki was there with her two barbs, Yolanda and Ignacio. Jerry & Marjorie brought Miranda and her colt. Kathleen White brought Fabiana. Alfredo and Beth brought Alejandro and Lorenzo. People came by all day and were very impressed with the horses and enjoyed to petting them and taking pictures. It was a family day as Alejandro, two of his kids, and a granddaughter were there. Also, the horses, Lorenzo and Ignacio, are 1/2 brothers. This was Katy White s first time at a Barb event with her new Barb, Fabiana, and they both had a great time! SBHA volunteers had a table with information and lots of photographs for visitors to look at. Postcards with SBHA information were distributed to those interested. The volunteers reported it was tiring, but they could talk all day to people because those people are fascinated with the story of the Barbs.

7 Page 7

8 for newsletter submissions or advertising: Newsletter Advertising Rates Full Page = $35 ½ Page = $20 ¼ Page = $15 1/8 Page or Business Card = $10 Newsletter Submission Deadlines Spring/Summer Deadline: January 15th Fall Winter Deadline: July 15th 2015 SBHA Annual Meeting Save the Date!!! July 25 & 26, Winds Equestrian Complex - Mountainair, New Mexico Spanish Barb Horse Association PO Box 30 Mule Creek, NM 88051