Pony Express March 2005

Transcription

1 Pony Express March 2005 Lancefield & District Pony Club Inc (TBA) P.O. Box 90 Lancefield Vic 3764 Central Zone Issue Newsletter COMMITTEE MEMBERS D.C. Amanda COULTER President: Ian PATERSON Vice President; First Aid; Uniform & Equipment Genevieve LANE Secretary: Terry MACE weish@hotkey.net.au Treasurer/Newsletter: Narelle MACE weish@hotkey.net.au Canteen Manager: Members: Anne LEIRSCH David RAYNER Some PCAV rules are now available on the PCAV web site free of charge. Go to: The following helmets are now acceptable AS/NZ3838 EN1384 ASTMF1163 April Birthdays Stacey Rhodes (2 nd ) Penelope Liersch (16 th ) Happy Birthday Hats on during the break. Gates will be locked from 9.30 lunch break. Club Items for sale Members Badge $ 8.00 Syllabus of instruction $ 8.00 Medical Armband $10.00 B Instructors Notes $30.00 Club ties $18.00 NZ Manual No 3 $42.50 Dressage Book $ 5.00 NZ Manual No 2 $42.50 Games Book $ 5.00 H/mast/ship Aust Rider $17.00 Horse Trials Book $ 5.00 K Test Book $ 5.00 PCAV Ring Binders $ 7.50 Club Jumpers $65.00 Medical Emergency BE COVERED Riding horses can be dangerous, at times accidents occur that may result in an ambulance being called. The committee urge all families to ensure they have ambulance coverage either through Ambulance subscription or private health insurance. Please cover your families. AMBULANCE SUBSCRIPTION Ph Vale Robyn Poletti 19 Mar 2005 After a long and hard battle with cancer, Robyn has sadly passed away. Robyn contributed to many of the Lancefield Pony Club activities over the years that her girls have ridden pony club. The friends and members of the L&DPC extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family of John, Lexi, Claire, Georgia and Julia. And to Jane and Nellie Whalan on the loss of your sister and Aunt. A Memorial service will be held on Thursday 24 th March 2005, at 2.30pm Anglican Church Lancefield

2 Assembly at am Gear Check From am April Rally Timetable Blue Dressage Jumping X Country Theory Activities Red X Country Dressage Jumping Activities Theory Purple Theory Activities Dressage Jumping X Country Green Activities X Country Theory Dressage Jumping Yellow Jumping Theory Activities X Country Dressage Blue Group Red Group Purple Julia Poletti Jessica Mace Penelope Liersch Brigette Pattinson Aliesha Anchen Nicole Anchen Nellie Whalan Monique Winning Jane Hynes Jenna Lyon Anna Lane Alexandra Pattinson Merryn Van Weenan Amy Rayner Stacey Fyfe Emma Green Stacey Rhodes Laura Phelps Alice Backwell Lucy Lingard-Smith Green Group Yellow Group Canteen Duty Edwina Backwell Sarah Paterson Coulter & Liersch Meg De Jong Rosie Coulter Lyon & Fyfe Samantha Noble Alexandra Morgan Lane & Whalan Hugo Coulter Hannah Newman Jack Morgan Jessica Pajalic Instructors Jamie Paterson Kayla Barbic Dressage Leigh Dunstan Jordan Lamaison X Country Larni Craven Jumping Paul Crowder Theory Hollie Sheehan Games Kim Noble PURPLE GROUP DO NOT MOUNT you can if you wish work with a gear checker to learn what is required. You will be gear checked prior to your next class. Every person on the club grounds must sign into our attendance book on arrival. This will be situated in the club rooms near the notice board. RALLY ROSTER To help this club run smoother on rally days and insure that the work of setting and packing up is not left to a minority, parents and children are requested to set up/pack up for their rotation. So here is how it works for this rally: BLUE GROUP RED GROUP PURPLE GROUP Dressage OUT Extra X Country OUT Extra X Country IN Activities - IN GREEN GROUP Activities OUT Jumps - IN YELLOW GROUP Jumps - OUT Dressage - IN

3 Notice of AGM rd April Approx L&DPC Grounds Lancefield President to open Minutes of 2004 AGM Reports: Presidents, DC, Secretary, Treasurers, Canteen, Fundraiser, Equipment Officer, Newsletter, and First Aid Election of committee and office bearers The following nominations were received by the close date: President (1) Mark Fyfe & Ian Paterson Vice President (1) Secretary (1) Terry Mace Treasurer (1) Narelle Mace Committee (6) Genevieve Lane Anne Liersch David Rayner Kim Noble Alison Van Weenan Clare De Jong Cathy Phelps Photo s Last rally Rick Van Weenan took time out to photograph each of the club members, groups and ponies. On the notice board will be a thumbnail print out of the photo s taken. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of any of the photo s please write your name, contact phone number, photo required and number of copies. The 2005 membership photo which appeared on the previous newsletter and is on display in the club room is available also. The cost is $2.00 per photo, all proceeds go to the L&DPC. Thank you to Rick for being generous and taking the photo s. Relay for Life th th 12 & 13 March 2005 Lancefield park The relay for life was held over the very hot weekend in March. Robyn s and Carol s team was well supported by family and friends including Pony Club members. Thank you, to all who donated, sponsored and bought raffle tickers. Your donations and the club raffle raised $ for the fight against cancer. The major prize of the quilt, by Rhonda Wain of Woodend, and was won by Nik Darragh. The Lancefield Relay raise over $70,000. Again thank you to all for your generous support. CONGRATULATIONS & BOO s Wow Kids I am impressed. I did a walk up and down the stalls prior to your arrival last rally to check the state of the stalls, there was some horse poop and chains down but I know that wasn t you. After the rally I did another walk and every bay was clean and all chains up. THANKYOU. BUT I did have to pick up 2 empty cans. Please check your stall and area, might not be your can/rubbish but pick up please. The BOO this month is just to make you all aware that sometime over the holidays to March rally approx. 20 of our 44 gallon drums disappeared leaving around 10 elderly others which managed to rearrange themselves nicely. The remaining loyal drums are headed to the scrap heap as they are unsafe to be used for any purpose except scrap metal. If anyone sees L&DPC s 20 roving drums lets us know and we shall secure their return in short order. Narelle

4 The following articles are reprinted Courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research, Inc Delaney Ferry Road Versailles, KY Getting Inside the Horse s Head Why do horses behave the way they do? What s the best way to figure out what they re thinking and what they re going to do? And what does this have to do with equine performance and feeding management? Some of the answers lie in the instincts and reactions that are essential to a horse s basic makeup. Horses are prey animals. Built into every modern horse s mind is the ancient fear of being attacked by a predator. This fact colors the way equines see their world. To a horse, any strange or unexpected sight, sound, smell, or sensation may initially be interpreted as a warning of an approaching predator. This instinct has a profound effect on equine behavior. The horse s immediate reaction to real or perceived danger is to get away as fast as possible. Distancing himself from danger might involve anything from a quick jump sideways or backwards to an all-out panicky gallop. A horse gets used to his stall, pasture, and other things that make up his daily environment. Anything that changes even slightly in appearance is seen as a possible threat. A wheelbarrow parked in a different place, a fallen tree limb in the pasture, a barrel that s tipped over instead of standing up, or a jacket draped over the fence must be approached slowly and then thoroughly investigated before the horse will disregard the monster. Things that seem all right at home (tractors, bicycles, banners, flower boxes) might be extra-scary at a horse show or trail ride where the surroundings are unfamiliar. Young horses are especially prone to spooking at sights or actions that the owner thinks of as simply part of the daily routine. To someone grooming a horse, ducking under the horse s neck seems to be a quick way to get to the other side, but the horse knows only that a shape suddenly disappeared from its left eye and then instantly materialized beside its right eye. Translation: something frightening just happened! Likewise, while older horses don t mind having a blanket flipped over their backs, the same motion might send a young horse into a frenzy. Trainers working with young or inexperienced horses must try to determine whether a misbehaving animal is reacting to a threatening situation or being truly disobedient. Punishing a frightened horse links the person to the scary stimulus, destroying trust. What does this have to do with feeding management? Horses relax when their schedules and surroundings are familiar. Therefore, owners should establish a feeding routine and stick with it as much as possible. This includes time of feeding, amount and type of feed offered, and location of hay piles in the stall or field. Changes should be made gradually over a period of several days. Horses should be allowed to eat with minimal disturbance. For a horse, there s safety in numbers; being alone is uncomfortable. In a herd of horses, many eyes and ears are alert to danger. A lone horse is under a certain amount of stress because it does not have the safety provided by its herd mates. Management strategies must be planned to accommodate this need for security. Although they can eventually adjust to being alone, most horses don t like to be out of sight of at least one other equine. Both in the pasture and in the stall, horses are calmer if they can see, hear, or smell a familiar animal. Horses kept in a herd may be reluctant to leave their group. A horse that is easy to ride in a ring with other horses is likely to resist leaving the ring to go out on the trail by himself. Because he s uneasy by himself, he may be jumpy, inattentive, and even dangerous to ride. Stalled horses that are cut off from the group may react by stall walking, kicking, or frequent vocalizations. Solitary horses may benefit from having a companion animal in the field or stall. If another horse or pony is out of the question, goats are traditional favorites, and many horses get along well with llamas. As young horses become more experienced in their work, most learn to relax and perform well, both on their own and in a group. What does this have to do with feeding management? Horses that feel isolated may be too nervous to eat. If possible, house horses so they can see each other. In barns where hay nets are hung just outside the stall doors, horses can easily keep track of their neighbors. The herd defines the status of an individual horse. Within a wild band or a group of pasture mates, each horse occupies a specific place in the hierarchy, dominating animals of lesser status and acting submissive to those with greater status. Horses can bite, kick, or use other obviously aggressive gestures, but much of their interaction is through subtle body language. A flick of an ear, swing of a head, or shift in weight means, Stay out of my space. Humans influence horses by assuming a position of high status within the power structure. Horses learn ground manners not moving into a handler s space, moving away when asked to do so by reacting to vocal and physical cues from the people who work with them. Horses develop a trusting relationship with their riders, eventually gaining security from humans as well as from other horses. What does this have to do with feeding management? When groups of horses are fed grain in ground or fence feeders, the feeders should be spread far enough apart to allow access by timid horses. Hay should be fed in several locations in the field so that a dominant horse can t guard the entire supply.

5 Access to water can also be blocked by a highstatus horse. Horses that are old or unsound often lose status within the herd and therefore may not have access to feed, hay, water, and shelter. Older horses that begin to lose weight may be in this situation. Feeding these horses separately or moving them to another herd or field may be necessary. Deworming What s so important about deworming horses? It s fairly safe to say that most horses have some population of internal parasites at almost any time. Especially in areas where horses have been pastured for many years, some veterinarians feel that it is virtually impossible to prevent exposure as horses graze. At best, routine deworming keeps the number of worms at a level that is minimally harmful. Dewormers are widely available, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive compared to other equine health products. Deworming should be included in any program of equine management. My horses look healthy. Will a few worms hurt them? Parasites can easily keep horses from growing and performing to their best potential, and in some cases they create conditions capable of killing a horse. A heavy parasite load prevents the proper uptake of nutrients from the digestive tract, and horses may show diarrhea, anemia, weight loss, coughing, pot belly, and poor coat condition. Worms can cause ulceration or rupture of the cecum, and colic can result from blockage or tissue damage in the gastrointestinal tract. How can I find out for sure whether my horses have worms? An examination of the manure can give limited information about which types of worms are present in the digestive tract. Because parasites in some life stages do not produce eggs, the presence of eggs in the feces shows only that the horse has an infestation of mature worms. If a horse is allowed to graze or eat hay off the ground, he is almost certain to have some level of parasite infestation. A veterinarian can provide information about how to collect and test manure as well as which parasites are most common in a certain region. What s involved in deworming? Until about 20 years ago, the standard way of deworming was the administration of an anthelmintic preparation via stomach tube once or twice a year. With the development of new products, it is easy to deworm more frequently. Two programs, daily and periodic, are commonly used. For daily deworming, pyrantel tartrate pellets (Strongid C and Continuex are common brand names) are added to a horse s daily grain ration. Pyrantel tartrate controls many types of parasites but is not effective against bot larvae. Therefore an ivermectin paste is also needed, usually in the spring and fall, for full protection. Periodic use of oral paste dewormers works well for most horses. A common schedule is to deworm every two months, rotating among drug classes as follows: February and August benzimidazole paste (Panacur, Equicide, Equizole, SafeGuard are common brand names). This drug is very effective against large and small strongyles, pinworms, and roundworms. April and October ivermectin paste (Zimecterin, Rotectin 1, Eqvalan are common brand names). Ivermectin is almost 100% effective against large and small strongyles, pinworms, and roundworms. June and December In June, pyrantel pamoate paste (Strongid P is a common brand name) administered at twice the recommended dose for the horse s weight. This drug is highly effective against small strongyles and roundworms, and fairly effective against large strongyles and pinworms. The double dose is safe and is necessary to eliminate tapeworms. In December, give the recommended (not double) dose of pyrantel pamoate. This schedule takes into account seasonal variations caused by the life cycles of different parasites, and will give most horses reasonable protection. Another option for periodic deworming is moxidectin (Quest is the brand name). This product is administered orally every three months. For use in equines older than four months, this drug is effective against large and small strongyles, pinworms, roundworms, and bot larvae. Foals, elderly horses, and herds that share limited pasture space may need more frequent parasite control. A local veterinarian can suggest changes that may be advisable in specific areas. What else can be done to limit exposure of horses to parasites? Pasture management is an important part of parasite control. Rotating pastures, chain harrowing to break up manure piles, and picking up manure in small paddocks will decrease exposure of grazing horses to parasite eggs. Horses in an overstocked pasture are at an increased risk. What do feed dealers need to know about deworming programs? No feeding regimen can be completely successful if horses are not able to take advantage of the nutrition provided by hay and grain. Proper and timely deworming is an integral part of any careful management scheme and will allow horses of all ages to benefit maximally from nutrient-rich feeds. NOTE: This information is provided for educational purposes only. Kentucky Equine Research does not endorse any particular type or brand of deworming product. Owners are advised to consult a local veterinarian for suggestions on an appropriate parasite control program.

6 Arthritis, a Pain in the Joint What is arthritis? Simply stated, arthritis is inflammation in a joint. Sudden severe joint inflammation with pain, heat, and stiffness is referred to as acute arthritis. Longterm joint inflammation is termed chronic arthritis. Osteoarthritis refers to a condition that involves progressive degeneration of the joint cartilage, enlargement of the bone margins, and changes in the membrane surrounding the joint capsule. This condition is more common in older individuals, and is marked by pain and stiffness associated with activity. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition in humans, does not seem to be a problem in equines. What causes arthritis? Acute arthritis can be caused by injury or by bacterial or viral infection. Chronic arthritis is often osteoarthritis that results from the cumulative effects of day-to-day activity and stress. Old injuries, joint infections, and years of training and performance can all lead to the development of joint pain and stiffness. Poor conformation, hoof deformities, and problems with trimming or shoeing are other contributing factors. Probably there is some genetic influence also. The chronic type of arthritis is what most horse owners think of when they see older horses that move stiffly: How s old Blaze getting along? Oh, he s kind of slow getting up after he lies down, and he s definitely off when he moves around; guess he s got some arthritis. He s 24, you know, but I still ride him a little bit, and he can throw in some pretty good bucks on a cold, windy morning. How is arthritis diagnosed? While arthritis is quite common in older horses, it can occur well before what we think of as old age. It is important to identify the cause of any stiffness or lameness regardless of the age of the horse because early treatment can often allow the horse to continue a productive, comfortable career. Prompt attention to minor lameness or injury also helps to minimize unsoundness as the horse ages. After taking a history of the problem, a veterinarian can continue the diagnostic process by using one or more of an array of techniques to gain information about the condition of the bones, cartilage, and fluid that make up a particular joint. An examination for lameness may be quite involved, but the process is necessary in order for a practitioner to pinpoint and treat one or more conditions while eliminating other possibilities. Watching the horse move is the usual first step in diagnosis. The horse may be ridden, longed, or led. Mild lameness is often most easily seen when the horse is trotting, working on a hard surface, or moving through a turn. A hands-on physical examination can detect swelling, heat, and tenderness. Comparing the affected limb to its normal mate helps to point out any variations that may indicate a problem in a certain area. A flexion test is useful in determining which joints are stiff or painful. The veterinarian holds the horse s leg tightly flexed for a minute or so, after which the horse is immediately trotted on a firm surface. Subtle lameness often becomes more visible after this procedure. Once a particular leg is identified, nerve blocks can be performed to isolate the affected joint. The veterinarian begins by anesthetising the lowest joints in the hoof or leg and progressing upward until the lameness disappears. When the horse moves sound, suspicion falls on the most recently blocked joint. Radiography, nuclear scintigraphy, arthroscopy, synovial fluid analysis, and ultrasound can reveal detailed information about the condition of the bone, cartilage, and joint capsule. These procedures are helpful in making an exact diagnosis and directing the course of treatment, but may not be necessary or financially feasible in every case. What is involved in treatment? Early treatment is extremely important and often has excellent results. Many cases of joint pain and inflammation can be successfully treated with a combination of rest and medication. The veterinarian may choose from among nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (bute and Banamine) to reduce pain and inflammation; MSM, a sulfur derivative with antiinflammatory properties; or injectable products like hyaluronic acid or polysulfated glycosaminoglycans to increase viscosity of joint fluid and inhibit cartilage degeneration. Many horse owners have testified to the effectiveness of products containing glucosamine and chondroitin. Treatments like massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic have also provided relief to some horses. The limited research conducted on some products and treatments has failed to yield firm guidelines for their effectiveness or use. A veterinarian s assessment and recommendations should be the guide for treatment of an arthritic horse. What management practices can help a horse with arthritis? Common sense dictates some steps that can help an arthritic horse stay comfortable. Prompt veterinary care of minor lameness can sometimes minimize joint ailments in the horse s later years. While hard work may be beyond the capability of horses with chronic arthritis, stall rest often makes the problem worse. Horses that are turned out with a small group of pasture mates will move around enough to eliminate some stiffness. Many arthritic horses benefit from light riding or driving on a regular basis if owners allow time for gradual warm up and cool down periods. Providing balanced nutrition is important, as is keeping the horse from becoming overweight, and regular farrier visits are imperative to minimize strain to the legs and feet. Are new treatments being developed? Several promising arthritis treatments are on the horizon. Scientists are presently looking into: Ways to interrupt the actions of chemicals released by diseased joints. These substances cause inflammation and prevent repair of cartilage.

7 Blood analysis that will detect the earliest signs of joint degeneration, allowing treatment to begin before damage progresses. A method of resurfacing joint cartilage with harvested or laboratory-grown tissue. Engineering gene sequences that can be injected into injured joints to prevent the development of osteoarthritis. Some of these techniques have been developed in humans or other animals and are being adapted for equine application. These waves of the future hold the promise of extending a horse s years of comfort and use.

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