No Horse is Physically (Skeletally) Mature Before 5.5 to 6 Years Old

Our Mouse, coming up on physical maturity.
Almost ready to start at 7 years old. - See more at: http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-horse-is-physically-skeletally-mature-before-5-5-to-6-years-old/#sthash.mVz9Vu4s.dpuf

Our Mouse, coming up on physical maturity.
Almost ready to start at 7 years old. - See more at: http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-horse-is-physically-skeletally-mature-before-5-5-to-6-years-old/#sthash.mVz9Vu4s.dpuf

Mouse, coming up on physical maturity.
Almost ready to start at 7 years old. 

Our Mouse, coming up on physical maturity.
Almost ready to start at 7 years old. - See more at: http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-horse-is-physically-skeletally-mature-before-5-5-to-6-years-old/#sthash.mVz9Vu4s.dpuf

Below are a few key quotes from the article (but I encourage you to take the time to read the entire paper). It teaches that no horse, of any breed, in any country, at any time in history either now or in the past, has ever been physically (skeletally) mature before it is six years old (plus or minus a few months), including every healthy, domestically-raised male and most female horses on the planet. Gaited horses (Tennessee Walkers, American Saddlebreds, etc) can require up to 8 years to fully mature skeletally.

The Link to the article:
http://www.equinestudies.org/ranger_2008/ranger_piece_2008_pdf1.pdf

This article is written by Dr. Deb Bennett Ph.D. Dr. Bennett is a 1984 graduate of the University of Kansas, and until 1992 was with the Smithsonian Institution. She is considered by many to be an authority on the classification, evolution, anatomy, and biomechanics of fossil and living horses.

“Believe it or not many vets are totally unaware, as many members of the general public are also unaware, that horses have more than one “growth plate”, that there are multiple ossification centers pertaining to every bone of the body outside of the skull, and that the schedule of growth-plate closure (which begins around the time of birth and extends until the sixth year, and is coordinated with the eruption schedule of the teeth) has been well known to veterinarians, paleontologists, zooarchaeologists, and mammalogists since the early 19th century.”

“There is no such thing [as a] slow-maturing breed. The Quarter Horse is not an ‘early maturing’ breed – and neither is the Arabian a ‘slow maturing’ breed. As far as their skeletons go, they are the same. This information comes, I know, as a shock to many people who think starting their colt or filly under saddle at age two is what they ought to be doing. “

It’s about more than just growth plates:

“While growth in cannon bone length stops with the fusion of both growth plates at around 1 ½ years of age, increase in cannon bone girth does not taper off until close to 5 years of age, and essentially the same can be said for the girth of any other limb element, with those bones located higher up in the body maturing later.”

It is the spine, not the limbs, that the horse primarily uses to govern overall coordination of the limbs

“Most of the growth plates above the distal radius in a three year old horse are unfused, including, most importantly, those of the animal’s spine. It is the spine of the horse that governs the overall coordination of the limbs and the animal’s running “style”. It is the spine, not the limbs, that the animal primarily uses to compensate for potholes, slick spots, and other irregularities in the race track [or any track]. The higher the speed and the greater the physical effort, the more important it is that the animal have all of its joints mature and in good working order. While catastrophic failures are uncommon, more subtle distal limb disease and chronic pain and dysfunction in two and three year old racehorses are commonly diagnosed and are major causes for the “wastage” of young Thoroughbreds.”

“The demand for all-out speed from any animal that is not skeletally mature is a recipe for disaster.”

“What people often don’t realize is that there is a “growth plate” on either end of every bone behind the skull, and in the case of some bones (like the pelvis or vertebrae, which have many “corners”) there are multiple growth plates.”

“The lateness of vertebral “closure” is most significant for two reasons. One: in no limb are there 32 growth plates! Two: the growth plates in the limbs are (more or less) oriented perpendicular to the stress of the load passing through them, while those of the vertebral chain are oriented parallel to weight placed upon the horse’s back. Bottom line: you can sprain a horse’s back (i.e. displace the vertebral physes – see Figs. 5 and 8) a lot more easily than you can displace those located in the limbs.”

“So do you then have to wait [to start your horse] until all these growth plates convert to bone? No. But the longer you wait, the safer you’ll be. Owners and trainers need to realize there’s an easy-to-remember general schedule of fusion – and then make their decision as to when to ride the horse based on that rather than on the external appearance of the horse. For there are some breeds of horse – the Quarter Horse is the premier among these – which have been bred in such a manner as to look mature long before they actually are mature. This puts these horses in jeopardy from people who are either ignorant of the closure schedule, or more interested in their own schedule (for futurities or other competition) than they are in the welfare of the animal.”

“Bottom line: if you are one of those who equates “starting” with “riding”, then I guess you better not start your horse until he’s four. That would be the old, traditional, worldwide view: introduce the horse to equipment (all kinds of equipment and situations, with the handler on the ground) when he’s two, add crawling on and off of him at three, saddle him to begin riding him and teaching him to guide at four, start teaching him maneuvers or the basics of whatever job he’s going to do – cavalletti or stops or racing or something beyond trailing cattle – at five, and he’s on the payroll at six. The old Spanish way of bitting reflected this also, because the horse’s teeth aren’t mature (the tushes haven’t fully come in, nor all of the permanent cheek teeth either) until he’s six. This is what I’d do if it were my own horse.”

http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-horse-is-physically-skeletally-mature-before-5-5-to-6-years-old/ 

Below is the link to the best article I’ve ever read on this subject. It teaches that no horse, of any breed, in any country, at any time in history either now or in the past, has ever been physically (skeletally) mature before it is six years old (plus or minus a few months), including every healthy, domestically-raised male and most female horses on the planet. Gaited horses (Tennessee Walkers, American Saddlebreds, etc) can require up to 8 years to fully mature skeletally. Our Mouse (above) is a rescued Saddlebred.

The Link to the article:
http://www.equinestudies.org/ranger_2008/ranger_piece_2008_pdf1.pdf

This article is written by Dr. Deb Bennett Ph.D. Dr. Bennett is a 1984 graduate of the University of Kansas, and until 1992 was with the Smithsonian Institution. She is considered by many to be an authority on the classification, evolution, anatomy, and biomechanics of fossil and living horses.

Below are a few key quotes from the article (but I encourage you to take the time to read the entire paper).

“Believe it or not many vets are totally unaware, as many members of the general public are also unaware, that horses have more than one “growth plate”, that there are multiple ossification centers pertaining to every bone of the body outside of the skull, and that the schedule of growth-plate closure (which begins around the time of birth and extends until the sixth year, and is coordinated with the eruption schedule of the teeth) has been well known to veterinarians, paleontologists, zooarchaeologists, and mammalogists since the early 19th century.”

“There is no such thing [as a] slow-maturing breed. The Quarter Horse is not an ‘early maturing’ breed – and neither is the Arabian a ‘slow maturing’ breed. As far as their skeletons go, they are the same. This information comes, I know, as a shock to many people who think starting their colt or filly under saddle at age two is what they ought to be doing. “

It’s about more than just growth plates:

“While growth in cannon bone length stops with the fusion of both growth plates at around 1 ½ years of age, increase in cannon bone girth does not taper off until close to 5 years of age, and essentially the same can be said for the girth of any other limb element, with those bones located higher up in the body maturing later.”

It is the spine, not the limbs, that the horse primarily uses to govern overall coordination of the limbs

“Most of the growth plates above the distal radius in a three year old horse are unfused, including, most importantly, those of the animal’s spine. It is the spine of the horse that governs the overall coordination of the limbs and the animal’s running “style”. It is the spine, not the limbs, that the animal primarily uses to compensate for potholes, slick spots, and other irregularities in the race track [or any track]. The higher the speed and the greater the physical effort, the more important it is that the animal have all of its joints mature and in good working order. While catastrophic failures are uncommon, more subtle distal limb disease and chronic pain and dysfunction in two and three year old racehorses are commonly diagnosed and are major causes for the “wastage” of young Thoroughbreds.”

“The demand for all-out speed from any animal that is not skeletally mature is a recipe for disaster.”

“What people often don’t realize is that there is a “growth plate” on either end of every bone behind the skull, and in the case of some bones (like the pelvis or vertebrae, which have many “corners”) there are multiple growth plates.”

“The lateness of vertebral “closure” is most significant for two reasons. One: in no limb are there 32 growth plates! Two: the growth plates in the limbs are (more or less) oriented perpendicular to the stress of the load passing through them, while those of the vertebral chain are oriented parallel to weight placed upon the horse’s back. Bottom line: you can sprain a horse’s back (i.e. displace the vertebral physes – see Figs. 5 and 8) a lot more easily than you can displace those located in the limbs.”

“So do you then have to wait [to start your horse] until all these growth plates convert to bone? No. But the longer you wait, the safer you’ll be. Owners and trainers need to realize there’s an easy-to-remember general schedule of fusion – and then make their decision as to when to ride the horse based on that rather than on the external appearance of the horse. For there are some breeds of horse – the Quarter Horse is the premier among these – which have been bred in such a manner as to look mature long before they actually are mature. This puts these horses in jeopardy from people who are either ignorant of the closure schedule, or more interested in their own schedule (for futurities or other competition) than they are in the welfare of the animal.”

“Bottom line: if you are one of those who equates “starting” with “riding”, then I guess you better not start your horse until he’s four. That would be the old, traditional, worldwide view: introduce the horse to equipment (all kinds of equipment and situations, with the handler on the ground) when he’s two, add crawling on and off of him at three, saddle him to begin riding him and teaching him to guide at four, start teaching him maneuvers or the basics of whatever job he’s going to do – cavalletti or stops or racing or something beyond trailing cattle – at five, and he’s on the payroll at six. The old Spanish way of bitting reflected this also, because the horse’s teeth aren’t mature (the tushes haven’t fully come in, nor all of the permanent cheek teeth either) until he’s six. This is what I’d do if it were my own horse.”
- See more at: http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/no-horse-is-physically-skeletally-mature-before-5-5-to-6-years-old/#sthash.mVz9Vu4s.dpuf

Photosensitivity in your Paint Horse

One condition that is often overlooked in healthcare for your paint horse is photo-sensitization. Photo-sensitization is a common problem in horses with pink or non -pigmented skin, such as paint horses, but can occur in any horse. The horse’s skin reacts to natural sunlight when photodynamic substances have accumulated in and traveled through the bloodstream. These hotodynamic substances are activated via ultraviolet light exposure and cause the horse to exhibit a severe hyper-allergenic immune reaction.

 

Certain plants, such as alsike clover, ragwort, St. John's Wort and buckwheat contain chemicals that contribute to photosensitization. Therefore, horses eating these forages may experience minor reactions. Horses with liver disease cannot adequately filter chlorophyll; therefore, this group may also be more susceptible to photo-sensitization reactions.

Obvious signs of photo-sensitization are usually ob-served on areas with little or no pigmentation (white legs and muzzles). In minor conditions, these areas will be slightly swollen with urticaria (hives) and may be pruritic (itching). It is important to note that true photo-sensitization is more severe than general sunburns. A horse with sunburn would have minor reddening of the skin and some scabbing. A horse experiencing photo-sensitization will have more severe dermatitis characterized by scabbing, ulcerative sores and dermal vasculitis. In more severe cases extreme cyanosis (blue or purple coloration of the skin) is followed by swelling, blistering, and skin cracking appears to resemble a chemical burn. Skin will appear to “leak” serum, or a yellowish fluid.

The most effective prevention against photo-sensitization is to keep susceptible horses away from high-legume pastures in fall and spring. Other prevention measures include keeping horses out of natural sunlight and in dark areas until any pharmaceuticals have been eliminated from their system. Treatments include administration of corticosteroids, pharmaceutical pain management, and topical applications. Topically, areas of affected skin can be treated with sun block products, and/or cooling salves such as diaper rash ointment (used for humans) which is comprised predominantly of zinc oxide.

Thank you to Dr. Kimberly I. Tumlin for this article.

http://www.kyphc.org/sites/default/files/Summer2011newsletter%5B1%5D.pdf 

Keeping Horses Barefoot: a Healthy Horse From the Ground Up

The Dressage World takes a look at how to have a more sound horse:

by Sarah Warne for Eurodressage
Hooked on the more natural form of horse foot health, well known US dressage competitor and trainer Shannon Peters made the move to barefoot or performance trimming for the health and long term soundess of her horses.

The Barefoot Hoof--A thing of beauty

 “My motivation to try barefoot trimming started because one of my FEI horses was chronically sore footed in normal shoes,” Shannon told Eurodressage. “However, we found that he would be perfectly sound each time we took him barefoot.”

What began with one problem horse evolved from there and today Shannon has almost all of her horses enjoying the benefits of barefoot and most of her student's horses as well. "It was my idea to try it in the beginning, my farrier at the time did not suggest it and it was definitely not the norm for performance horses," she admitted. "I switched over to a qualified barefoot trimmer Sossity Gargiulo and her husband Mario.”
Shannon advises that there is truly a difference in a “barefoot trim” and the "pasture trim" that most farriers use and that horse lovers must be sure to find a farrier who can perform the right one. “I believe barefoot trimming is good for all horses. Even horses with bad hooves -- mine being one of them -- can perform well if the foot is given enough time to heal.”

Wondering why the technique is so rare among competition horses, Shannon believes there is a misconception about one’s ability to train and compete horses barefoot. “I have several horses that may have needed to work in boots initially, when they first came out of the shoes," she explained. "On these horses I use Easboot Gloves, but they all eventually have been able to train and compete without the extra protection, even the GP horses.”

Peters hopes that this more natural shoeing method gets more popular for “our horses sake” and she believes the growth in barefoot shoeing will come from an increase in rider awareness and knowledge of the subject. “If people learn that there are ways to make their horses more sound, increase the longevity of their partners, and have happier and healthier partners, I can’t see why barefoot trimming won’t continue to grow in competitive dressage,” she stated.

Certain that it has improved all of her horses' hooves, Shannon believes that the method restores the symmetry of the hoof, among many other noticable improvements. “The natural blood pumping mechanism of the foot starts to work properly again, legs tighten up, and the horses are just, in general, more sound. Also their self-carriage improves, as well as straightness, willingness to move forward; the list goes on.”
With 12 of her horses working barefoot, Shannon has now been using this method for three years and does not see any change to her alternative shoeing approach in the near future. “I don't see that changing. I have so far had no reason to put shoes back on my horses. All of the horses have trained better, are more fit, balanced, and sound, than ever before."
As for negative side effects, Shannon is convinced there are “none whatsoever," and while the practice is also less expensive, that is not her motivation to go barefoot. “I would pay twice the amount for the health of my horses.”

Going Against the Grain, Barefoot Trimming
Dedicating several years researching hoof problems in horses, Dr Melanie Quick has spent almost 40 years working with horses and as an equine lameness veterinarian, animal chiropractor, acupuncturist, farrier and trimmer, Melanie knows all about the benefits of barefoot. “I have spent the last 8 years intensively researching the pros and cons of the various trimming methods,” says Dr Quick. “I was confident within 6 months of starting barefoot trimming that it could achieve profound results with the correct application. However, there was a lot of research I had to do to figure out why there seemed to be a variability in the results achieved on the larger horses. I have been happy that I’ve solved these issues in the last couple of years, and now I need to write a book on it!”
 For the complete article:
http://www.eurodressage.com/equestrian/2013/02/09/keeping-horses-barefoot-healthy-horse-ground

What We Feed Our Horses--a world perspective.

Horse owners are used to offering their horses feed stuffs that are typical to their locale. Few probably think little about the unusual treats that horse owners the world over might give their horses. Here’s a sampling of some curious equine cuisine.

Apples are passé. Check out the other fruits and fruit by-products that equids the world over enjoy.

In Germany, pears are fed to horses much as apples are fed in other parts of the world. They are juicy, sweet treats. Pears are grown in abundance in Germany, so there are always plenty for the horses. In addition to devouring the entire fruit, some horses are given pear pomace, which is left over from the manufacture of pear schnapps, a distilled alcoholic beverage. The pomace, or solid remains of the fruit after being pressed to derive juice, includes skins, pulp, seeds, and stems. Pear pomace is low in protein and high in crude fiber (20-30%), and can be mixed into feed at a rate of 1-2 lb/100 lb (1-2 kg/100 kg) body weight.

Various regions in France have at their disposal an almost limitless supply of grape pomace due to the country’s voluminous wine production. “Two types of grape pomace are typically available, that which includes seeds, skins, and stems, and that which includes only the lees or residual yeast following fermentation. Grape pomace is usually used in conjunction with a more typical forage like hay or chaff, as it contains little protein or energy, Kathleen Crandell, longtime nutritionist at Kentucky Equine Research. Horses generally find grape pomace palatable, though care should be taken to avoid feeding if it is moldy or has an excessive amount of residual alcohol.

Once described as a “leathery berry,” bananas are known the world over as a rich source of potassium. They are composed of approximately 75% water and 25% dry matter. Many horses will devour bananas, peeled or not. According to Crandell, bananas are high in energy and rich in phospholipids, which can assist in preventing acid damage to the stomach and ulcer formation. “At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, seven countries were found to be feeding bananas to the equine athletes. Bananas have been known to find their way into many endurance horses’ competition diets,” said Crandell.

Dates are used in the Middle East as a quick pick-me-up for tired horses, and at one time they were known to be a major portion of the diet of Bedouin horses. Because they have been a staple food in that region for thousands of years, dates are plentiful. Composed of approximately 65% sugar, dates are incredibly sweet, and it’s this sweetness that lures horses. Dates have about 10% fiber. They are also fairly high in potassium. They are best fed pitted, as the seeds are indigestible and can accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to colic, cautions Crandell. Like dates, dried figs are also fed to horses in some parts of the world. Figs are one of the richest plant sources of calcium and fiber. Certain dried figs are chock-full of copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin K, and have smaller amounts of many other nutrients.

Except for carrots, vegetables are not usually offered to horses, even as treats, but in some regions, they are perfectly acceptable and useful dietary components. Noted German equine nutritionists Helmut Meyer and Manfred Coenen in their book Pferdefütterung mention the widespread use of turnips and fodder beets when horses were used for hard work and manpower was less expensive. The primary drawbacks of using these vegetables were storing them and preparing them to be fed. Turnips and beets had to be scrubbed thoroughly so excessive dirt was not introduced into the gastrointestinal tract. As for nutritive value, they are highly digestible because of their fiber content. They are also rich in starch and sugar with moderate to high levels of certain B vitamins. Even though they are energy-dense feedstuffs because of their high starch and sugar content, turnips and beets are full of water so it takes many of them to get calories into the horse. They were, however, useful in keeping horses hydrated. These roots take up pollutants readily, so with the current pollution problems in Europe, there are concerns with feeding root fodder to horses now.Turnips were fed because they were so easy to cultivate, but the long-term feeding of the root can have adverse effects on thyroid function. Turnips are not terribly palatable to horses because of the typically strong mustard flavor. They should never be fed to mares or foals, but if worked into the diet of a working horse very gradually, the horse can eat up to 1 lb/100 lb (1 kg/100 kg) body weight per day. “Of the different types of fodder beets used in the past, sugar beets are probably the only ones still used routinely. While they can be fed straight from the field with considerably high sugar content, more commonly the by-product of sugar beets processing, known as beet pulp, is what is being used,” remarked Crandell.

Potatoes are often fed to horses in parts of Europe, especially those countries that grow an abundance such as Holland. Typically fed in the winter as a source of energy, potatoes, like turnips and beets, should be cleaned thououghly. If fed raw, they should not be fed at more than 2 lb/100 lb (2 kg/100 kg) body weight. They should not be offered to broodmares and foals. The preferred method of feeding is following cooking, which increases palatability and digestibility. Heavy, hard-working draft horses were often fed up to 55 lb (25 kg) of potatoes per day. Though potatoes were once fed to working horses with regularity in the United States, use has fallen out of favor because of readily available cereal grains. Horses should never be fed green potatoes or potato plant leaves as they are high in solanine, a glycoalkaloid poison.Though probably less of a vegetable and more of a root, cassava is a starch-laden staple in the diets of humans in many countries around the world.

Also known as yucca root, the root has the potential to form cyanide if not handled properly and should never be fed raw unless it has been dried or soaked, or it can be cooked. There are two types: sweet and bitter, the bitter being much higher in the cyanogenic glycosides. According to Crandell, “When used for horses, it is best to feed the sweet variety ground and mixed into feed because the bitter is not very palatable. The root is high in starch, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C but low in protein. Cassava is used in some foreign horse feeds as a starch source to lower the cost as it can be less expensive than grains.”

In Spain, carob pods are sometimes fed to horses as treats. Carob pods are long, dark pods that contain seeds. In Roger Wolter’s book Alimentation du Cheval, more information is provided on the nutritional content of the carob pod. With 40-45% dry matter sugar, it’s comparable to molasses, which makes it incredibly appealing to horses and can be fed safely up to 9 lb (4 kg) per day. The seeds should be removed because they are hard and essentially indigestible. The pods are dried, ground, and preferably mixed with other feed to force the horse to eat more slowly and chew well. There is some concern that if eaten greedily without being thoroughly chewed horses may choke on balled-up pod fragments. Carob also contains gel-forming fibers like pectins that have a binding effect on the contents of the intestinal tract.Large, flat beans called habas are also fed in Spain. These look similar to lima beans but are much plumper. Habas are given to boost protein and energy in the diet. They have a complete amino acid profile making them a high-quality protein source. Habas contain a trypsin inhibitor and need to be cooked or heat-treated to denature the enzyme before feeding if fed a significant quantity. These beans are rich in phosphorus and poor in calcium, so that has to be taken into consideration when

large amounts are fed. 

Corn silage is occasionally fed in northern European countries. Silage is the fermented, high-moisture fodder made from ensiling chopped whole corn plants, including the ears. Though it is typically fed to ruminants such as cattle, corn silage is used as a forage and grain source for horses in the winter when the animals are in the pastures. In many instances, corn silage is the sole source of forage. Corn silage is most often used by those very experienced with handling silage and knowledgeable about what spoiled silage looks and smells like.

Fish meal is considered the highest quality protein source for any animal, so some South American feed manufacturers add it to horse feed if the price permits. Fish is fed in other parts of the world as well. Long ago in Iceland, salt herring was fed to supply vitamin A to the horses during the long, cold winters when there was no fresh forage. Horsemen probably didn’t realize that they were also giving their horses the vital omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil at the same time, but they surely noticed the difference in their horses’ coats.

Honey is used throughout the world as a palatable energy source. It is usually fed right before exercise to supply energy because high-fructose honey is absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream than sugar. The French endurance team surprised many riders when they were first seen feeding a pound of honey at each checkpoint during international endurance races. Since then, it is becoming more commonplace among elite equine endurance athletes.

Day-old bread is often fed to horses in Spain and other European countries. “When I lived in Spain, the bread sold there would get stale the day after baking it. I would save the stale bread and take it to the stables to give it to the horses, and they loved it!” said Crandell. She doesn’t have the same luck with typical store-bought bread in the United States. “I have tried to feed my horses bread here in the United States, and they won't eat it. I am sure there is a limit to the amount of bread you should feed a horse because the gluten in the bread may cause an impaction, but in Spain we never fed enough to make it an issue. We used it as a treat,” said Crandell. Grape pomace, turnips, corn silage, and stale bread? Who would have thought? While it is interesting to know how horses are managed nutritionally in various parts of the world, past and present, it is always best to work with a qualified equine nutritionist to devise a ration that’s right for your horse.

http://www.ker.com/library/equinews/v15n1/v15n134.pdf