HORSES, horses, horses( Continued From Page 37) horse dry and blanket him,( 3) apply hot water bottles or heated blankets or cloths to the swollen and hardened muscles, and( 4) secure professional help as quickly as possible.
0 Founder( laminitis)— Pending the arrival of the veterinarian, pull the shoes if the horse is shod, and stand the animal in a cold water bath or apply cold bran poultices( preferably using ice water in either).
0 Bleeders— Hemorrhage in the nasal cavity occurs in certain families of race horses. When observed, cease exercise, apply ice packs to the muzzle to help clot the blood, and call the veterinarian.
0 Mercury poisoning— Mercury poisoning from consuming grains treated with fungicides in not uncommon. While professional help is on the way, drench the horse with an antidote of a dozen egg whites.
FIRST AID SUPPLIES
First Aid supplies should be conveniently available, but stored where neither children nor animals have access to them. The following items are rather basic; but the horseman is admonished to seek the counsel and advise of his local veterinarian relative to these and additional supplies:
Thermometer, Disinfectants, Scapel, Screwworm preparation, Blanket, Splints, Germicidal soap, Plastic ice bag, Boric Acid, Hot water bottle, Potassium Iodide, Hoof knife, Bucket, Scissors, Sterile absorbent cotton, Clippers, Bandages, Linament, Adhesive tape, Eyedropper, Physiologic saline,( sterile solution), Metal syringe, Stomach tube, Tourniquet, Epsom salts.
Common sense should always prevail when administering First Aid; and the horseman should realize his limitations and consult a professional when he is unsure of himself or his ability.
horse talk
Recently, it was my pleasure to make major addresses before two important light horse groups; the
APRIL 1964
Alberta Light Horse Association, and the California Thoroughbred Farm Managers’ Association. Here are some of the things that I said to them.
The evolution of the horse— his incredible transition from a denizen of the swamp to a creature of the prairie, from Foxterrier size to
14 hands, from four toes to one— extended over a period of 58 million years. Yet, man hunted him a mere 25,000 years ago, domesticated him 5,000 years ago, and returned him to the new World 500 years ago.
When New Stone Age man domesticated horses, he accepted responsibility for their care from that remote day forward. He created a " horse welfare state” for his equine friends. From the standpoint of Homo sapiens, this has been good; for Equus caballus, it has been bad. Man hasn’ t lived up to his part of the contract. Here’ s why.
In the wild state, and as nature intended, the horse gleaned feeds grown on unleached soils, bedded down on new sites each night, roamed over natural footing for exercise, and lived in bands of 30 to
40 mares headed by a stallion leader. But man changed all this.
Today, in altogether too many cases, the caretaker inflicts upon the horse an inadequate diet, exposes him to body discharges, and limits his exercise to a stall or paddock. It’ s small wonder, therefore, that more troubles now beset horses than in the wild state. Unsoundnesses, diseases and parasites are more commonplace, and foal crops now average 50 per cent instead of the 90 per cent which characterized the wild horse and the mustang. And that’ s not all! Horse owners are—
• Spending millions for concoctions and unbalanced and deficient rations.
• Keeping a stallion for each 7.3 foals produced.
• Getting 1.2 per cent return on breeding establishments.
0 Retiring an appalling number of horses from tracks, shows, and other uses due to unsoundnesses.
0 Losing through inefficiency and deaths millions of dollars due to diseases and parasites.
HORSE FEEDING FACTS Horsemen should also ponder these facts:
1. During the past 25 years, the following progress has been made in meat animals— Feed required per pound of gain reduced ________ 1416
Rate of gain increased------ 21 % But no such progress has been made in horses!
2. Horses inherit certain genetic possibilities for reproduction, growth, body form, speed, and endurance. But maximum genetic potential cannot be achieved unless the environment is proper— and the most important factor in the environment is the feed.
3. Grass hay and farm grains are inadequate in nutrients.
4. Horses differ from other farm animals because they are kept for recreation, sport and work; they are fed for a longer life of usefulness; they have a smaller digestive tract; they should not carry surplus body weight; and they are fed for nerve, mettle, animation, and character of muscle.
5. Feeds should be purchased on a quality basis; the ration should contain the necessary energy, protein( quality and quantity), minerals, vitamins and unknowns; and the feed should be prepared properly. HORSE BUSINESS
Horse business is big business, as evidenced by the following:
Estimated expenditures per year per horse for— Feed ___ $ 274 Shoes and drugs _______ 100 Saddles, trailers and other equipment ______ 100 Clothes.... __________ 150
Total.................... $ 624
Thus, 1.8 million horses make for an estimated total expenditure of $ 1,123,200,000 annually for the above items; and this is exclusive of land, buildings and farm equipment, labor, race tracks and show rings, and numerous other items.
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