February 12, 2025
There is nothing like storm mode to get things done. By the time this story goes to press, it will just be a memory of another full moon. But this is my time to hustle about, and nag the help about supplies. This storm will take us into the weekend and the Monday is a holiday, the feed suppliers will be closed. I don’t want to get too smug, BUT this time the supplies are here, I have gas on hand for the generator, water buckets full for the flusher and I even have storm chips in the cupboard. It is almost too good to be true, what did I forget? That will be tomorrows worry.
Horse health is always on my mind; our spring health clinic is on the horizon. It is scheduled for Saturday April 5th. It is presented by Dr. Tammy Muirhead and the AVC Equine Club. I have offered this educational opportunity for a little more than 40 years. It is free, education is free at the Sanctuary. Of course we do take donations, my directors tell me I need to say that!!.
I am most fortunate that the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Group and Derek Mathers make this clinic possible by supplying the medication and vaccines. Dr. Tammy and the Equine Club donate their time. Deworming is important. My “Whether they need it or not list”; states that you should deworm twice a year. If you think your animal is clear of parasites, it may be more economical to do a fecal test.
Grandpa always dewormed the mares a month before foaling, he claimed that it made for healthier foals if they did not have parasites. The herd will receive their treatment at this clinic. The whys, the whats and the hows, will be explained in depth. It is so different now. The medication comes in a fancy tube, you adjust it for the weight of the animal and then squirt it into their mouth. So easy one shot does the job. We used to deworm with garlic and Artemisia (wormwood). A handful a day for 5 days. The worms would be expelled and appear in the manure. It was pretty dramatic. I am pretty sure it did not dispel the larvae, we know now that the life cycle of most the parasites is 21 days. The chemicals, are very potent, they dissolve the egg, the larvae and the worm. There are no wrigglers in the horse buns now.
There is new research regarding Vitamin E for horses Vitamin E is essential for horses, it supports normal nerve and muscle function. Vitamin E is available in pasture and good forage. Processed feed usually has a balanced ration and contains Vit E. There is always a question to ask. Where was the research done? The Universities in the South do a lot of nutritional research for animals. That does change the results. Is the forage the same that we can get here? Does the soil have a lot of nutritional value to share with plants? A blood test will tell if your Vitamin E levels are adequate. I would think that if you are feeding a good selenium supplement, the horse will have more than adequate Vitamin E. Both Selenium and Vitamin E support good muscle health. And you certainly need that in a performance horse.
At our Spring Clinic we vaccinate all the horses. The how and the where to inject is stressed. Injection technique is an important skill to learn. Sometimes we have to administer antibiotics twice a day, so learn to do it right. In this day of viruses all around, I encourage everyone to vaccinate, there are five way vaccines, which cover viruses in our area. In my opinion the most important are Tetanus and Rhino.
If your horse is in training, especially young stock, the flu can set training back at least six weeks and sometimes longer. If the lungs are compromised, there goes the speed, gone forever. So do not start them back into training too soon. Patience is a valued practice in horse keeping. Vaccinate in the spring and boost according to directions. If I had my way, competitors at racing and shows should have to show proof of vaccination. It is a protection for everyone.
I had a lovely visit from Krista Cole, Krista is still a Trailblazer, she trains a string of Thoroughbreds at Woodbine in Ontario with a lot of success. I love it when my children come back to their horse beginnings. It is on my list to go to Spruce Meadows Masters this fall; I hope to meet up with a few more Trailblazers that have moved to the west.
We will have our own “Old Home Week” doing the horse, at the most wonderful venue in the world. It is storming and my gal has the herd cozied up in the stable. They were happy to come in. Of course their mangers and feed buckets are full, they should be very happy. Now we will ride out the storm.
In this time of tight money, be generous and kind. I try to buy local, then Maritime, then Canadian. We shall overcome.
Love and hugs from Yogi and the herd.