dr. david ramey | Horse Racing Free Tips

Ramey: Your Horse Probably Doesn’t Need A Blanket, And Here’s Why

So, I was walking up to this barn, and I see a client strolling down the aisle, shaking her head, obviously concerned about something. “What's the matter?” I asked.

“I had my horse talk to the psychic,” she said.

This is the sort of instance where you can easily blow a doctor/client relationship by saying something like, “Oh, geez, what an utter and complete waste of time and money!”

Being somewhat wizened to client psychology at this point, instead, I wondered, “What did she say?”

“Well,” my client offered, “my horse hates the color red.”

Perplexed, for among other reasons, because I know that horses are mostly colorblind, I asked, (somewhat reluctantly, because I knew that some answer would be forthcoming), “Why is this a problem?”

Turns out that the horse had red leg bandages, in which his legs could be wrapped at night. Worse: he had a matching red blanket. The poor beast was covered in red. Fortunately, there was a solution.

“I'm going to have to go out and buy blue leg wraps and a blue blanket this afternoon,” she said. “It's the only way he'll be happy.”

At once nodding sympathetically, and pinching my forearm as hard as I could so as to maintain my composure, I offered her some obviously needed support. I held up pretty well until she said, “Doctor Ramey, I never knew horses were so materialistic.”

“Neither did I,” I said, moving quickly towards a quiet spot where I could lie down and hold my sides.

Actually, the whole idea of blanketing horses is mostly pretty silly. Horses originated in some of the coldest parts of the world: the Central Asian steppes. If they hadn't figured how to stay warm, they would have frozen out long before we started riding them. See — they've got a nice coat of dense hair to provide insulation, in addition to their body mass.

The body mass of a horse actually makes it fairly hard for them to get rid of heat. In fact, getting rid of body heat is the main problem for most large-bodied animals. Horses have less body surface relative to their size than do smaller animals. So, for example, if you're an elephant (not making any weight comments, I'm talking about the animal), you've got a very big body with relatively little surface area exposed from which you can radiate heat. On the other hand, if you're a canary, well, cold weather is a big problem.

(Does anyone sell canary blankets?)

GRAPHIC EXAMPLE: When I worked at Iowa State University, after I graduated from veterinary school, a horse died in the barns at about 10 p.m. It was 22 degrees below zero outside. All horses that died in the clinic had to have a post-mortem exam. Unfortunately, the pathology lab was closed, so to keep the horse in a state where a good post-mortem exam could be performed, we moved him from inside the barn to outside. About 12 hours later, we did the exam, and the horse was still quite warm inside. What I'm saying is that if dead horses can stay warm in 22 below weather, live horses can SURE do it.

Horses also generate a lot of heat, mostly through digestive activity. So if, for example, you're feeding hay to your horse in the winter…

WAIT – You are feeding hay to your horse in the winter, right? I mean, if not, your horse will have a lot worse problems than getting cold.

… then he's going to be generating a lot of heat on his own. Hay, or any feed, adds fuel to your horse's internal fire, as it were.

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Now, if you live in Finland, and it's January, and you've body clipped your horse, and you insist on keeping your horses outside all of the time, by all means go ahead and blanket him. But the idea that horses might ever get cold in the warmer climes – say Southern California – is fairly hard to understand, at least from a horse physiology standpoint.

It's not that blanketing is necessarily benign, either. One of the things bad things that blankets do is compress the horse's hair coat. With a blanket on, they can't fluff up their hair and help insulate themselves. In addition, if it gets wet under the blanket – as it can in a winter storm, or, when a horse is sweating under the blanket – the blanket keeps the water from evaporating, making the horse even colder. (As you probably know, cold and wet is a pretty miserable thing to be.)

So, mostly, there's not really any reason to blanket your horse.

However, blanketing certainly does do a couple of things. It may help keep some dirt off of your horse, which can be helpful if you're at a show. Maybe it'll save you some grooming time. If you've decided that the perfect time to body clip your horse is just before the latest blast of arctic air comes your way, putting a blanket on him probably won't hurt. Blankets certainly adorn horses in a delightful color of your choice, which not only allows you to express your latent interior design talents, but it allows you do so without much embarrassment for your horse, since horses are mostly colorblind. However, blanketing does NOT do anything to limit the growth of the coat – coat growth is controlled mostly by day length (as the days get shorter, the coat gets longer, and vice versa).

I've seen catalogs that try to sell you on the fact that not only does your horse need blanketing, he needs a different blanket for just about every conceivable temperature range. I haven't seen the slightly chilly, light westerly breeze, 60% humidity model being marketed yet, but I'm sure it's coming. What I'm saying is that if you are bound and determined to blanket your horse, at least don't see how many of the darn things you can own. They take up a lot of storage space, too.

All this said, my experience has been that no matter the facts, a lot of people are going to blanket their horses anyway because, well, just because. And, mostly, that's fine – it certainly doesn't hurt them, unless they get their legs wrapped up in it (it happens). And I won't criticize you at all, because I know you're doing it because you love your horse.

When it comes to blanketing your horses, it's mostly for you, not for them. And that's OK. Just don't forget to take his blanket off when the forecasted high temperature is 75 degrees F the next day.

Dr. David Ramey is a vocal advocate for the application of science to medicine, and—as such—for the welfare of the horse. Thus, he has been a frequent critic of practices that lack good science, such as the diverse therapies collectively known as “alternative” medicine, needless nutritional supplementation, or conventional therapies that lack scientific support.

This article original appeared on Dr. Ramey's website, doctorramey.com and is reprinted here with permission.

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Ramey: ‘Performance Horse Needs’ Are More About Us Than Them

I get that some horses cost more to buy than others. In fact, I wrote about it – CLICK HERE to read “On the Value of Horses.”

Over my career, I've been fortunate enough to see and to take care of some pretty great horses. I have a picture that I took of Secretariat in my family room, taken when I worked at Claiborne Farms for a couple of days as a senior veterinary student. I'm still taking care of Richard Spooner's great horse, Robinson (and his best friend Nanny II, the goat). Cristallo, the number one jumping horse in the world in 2012, retired last year. And I've also taken care of too-many-horses-to-mention that you have never heard of, but that meant the world to their owners.

Still, my experience is that if one is lucky enough to own or care for a very valuable horse (value, based on how much it would cost to buy the horse), it tends to make people go a bit crazy. That's OK in a sense – it's important to take care of things that are valuable. But some people who have or keep valuable horses seem to think that also means that they have do all sorts of special things for these horses. And I think that's too bad, because it sets those people up to be taken advantage of. So, based on my experiences, as well as a whole bunch of acquired knowledge and information, I'm here to let you in on the differences between the needs of high-level performance horses and all of the other horses.

What performance horses need in the same amounts as most other horses

Just about anything you can think of. Horses are horses, even if people are willing to pay more for one horse than another. What they do usually doesn't change what they need. For example, requirements for vitamins and minerals don't go up in performance horses (or with any form of exercise). I suppose that heavily working horses may need to drink more than your average backyard pleasure horse – particularly if they sweat a lot – but since exactly no one should ever withhold water from their horses, this is rarely a problem. Healthy performance horses need good foot care, occasional vaccination against some important diseases, the occasional dewormer (check the feces first), and their teeth should get looked at from time to time – and really, that's about it.In a way, you can think of performance horses like performance automotive vehicles. Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and the like, all run on gas, have engine coolants, and lubricating oil. Sure, performance cars have bigger engines, but all cars run on the same stuff.
But owners of high performance vehicles – like owners of performance horses – don't just stop at what the car needs. Fancy car owners like to make sure that the cars are waxed, and that they have GPS systems, and leather interiors, and tinted windows and maybe some fuzzy dice hanging from the rear-view mirror. Maybe some engine cleaner additive, or special oil additive, too. However, all of that stuff means as much to the car as most of the “necessary” stuff that people spend money on does to performance horses. And none of it means anything if the cars don't get what they really need.

What performance horses may need more of than other horses

Calories. This may seem a bit obvious, but if a horse works really hard, he's going to need more calories than a horse that doesn't work really hard. Exercise takes calories; more calories means more food. How do you know if a performance horse needs more food? Simple – he'll be skinny. Ideal body condition for a horse means that you can feel his ribs, but you can't see them. If your performance horse's sides look like a washboard, he needs more food.By the way, not all performance horses need extra calories. Some show horses that are deemed performance horses really don't work that hard at all. Many of these horses are fat – you couldn't feel their ribs if you got a running start. Like I said, they may need more calories – some folks really overdo it. Fat individuals tend not to perform well – ever see a hefty competitive high jumper in a track and field competition?
Petting and brushing – It just kills me to see folks that don't give their performance horses time and attention. To me, the biggest part of the enjoyment of horses is just hanging out with them. It makes me sad to see folks so caught up in the performance part of horse owning that they forget to give their horses some attention (NOTE: there are plenty of exceptions). It may be convenient to have boots polished, saddles oiled, and a horse that's ready to mount on arrival, and handed off on dismount, but that's really missing out on most of the fun that owning a horse can be. A bit more horse bonding might be good for both performance horse andrider.

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What performance horses probably need less of than other horses

Riding– Horses have amazing memories. You can train them to be ridden, turn them out in a field for a year, and then come back and jump right on. They won't have forgotten a thing.People, on the other hand, seem to benefit from endless repetition. Thus, many horses get jumped/spun/run/slid/piaffed/etc. incessantly in the course of their training. It might be good for the rider; it's probably bad for the horse. All of this riding stresses their limbs in the same way: over and over. Limbs which are repetitively stressed and not given the time to recover respond in the same way that paper clips do if you keep bending it back and forth; they break.
In my opinion, performance horses would hold up a lot better if people would keep their riding and training sessions shorter, and train the horses less often, especially when it comes to movements that stress their legs. For example, in racing horses, injuries largely result from an inability of the biological repair process to keep up with the rate of damage accumulation. The amount of damage accumulation is directly related to the amount of high speed exercise (the number of times that the horse has worked and raced). I think a lot of performance horses are like that.

People used to ask me the secret to keeping Robinson sound. They would ask me how many injections I did, what secret formulas I used, that sort of thing. I had to confess that it wasn't me. I shared his secret, though: “He doesn't get ridden that much, and then it's mostly on trails.”

Robinson's 31 now, and, as far as I know, he doesn't have an arthritic joint in his body.

Injections– I don't think that there is any other athletic species that gets stuff injected into them as often as do performance horses. And it's not just injections; dentistry, surgery, deworming, supplements, etc. are way overdone, too. There's sure no evidence that all of this stuff is good for the horse (CLICK HERE to read about the waste of time and money that is often described as “maintenance” of normal joints). Plus, there is certainly the potential for harm; many of the drugs that get injected into horse joints have the potential to hurt the joint in the long run.In general, a lot of the things that are done to horses in the name of performance share a few things: 1) They aren't proven to be of benefit, 2) They cost the owner a good bit of money, and 3) They increase someone's bottom line. I saw the records from a performance horse the other day that, in one month's time, had had his coffin joints, his fetlocks, his hocks, his stifles, and his sacroiliac joints injected, all with no diagnosis of any problem. I've seen entire barns get their “hocks done.” Can you imagine lining up a team of high school basketball players to get all of their knees injected? In the horse world, this sort of thing happens.

“Specialists” – This gets back to the story that I told at the onset. Horses are horses, and veterinarians are trained to take care of them. Sure, there are veterinarians who specialize in things like surgery, but that's different. There's generally no need for self-proclaimed “specialists” (even if they do come with some sort of obscure “certification”). In fact, in my experience, one big problem with specialists is that they have to try to do things to justify their designation. So, for example, if you enlist the help of a “specialist” who is known for treating horse joints (or backs, or jaws, or whatever), chances are that your horse is going to need his joints treated. Just sayin' – if the only tool that you have is a hammer, pretty soon everything starts to look like a nail (CLICK HEREto read my article about that).
Fretting over – There's a ranch that I've worked at for a long time that boards, and also takes layups and retirees. The horses live in pretty good sized corrals, and they get to see and hang out with their neighbors. Periodically, a really nice performance horse will get to rest there for a few months, and the owners are genuinely amazed at what happens to their horse(s).”He's like a different horse,” they'll say.
And I'll say, “That's because everyone's not making him nuts.”

To myself, of course.

Performance horses are horses. They love getting fed, they tolerate getting brushed, and most seem to really like human interaction. But I think that it's very important that they get to be horses. Sure, performance horses are valuable, but so is the 26-year-old school horse who safely carries a 4-year-old. At the end of the day, there's really not much difference, and even though one may cost more than another, it's hard to say which one is more valuable. And they pretty much all need the same things, plus a good, healthy dose of TLC.

Dr. David Ramey is a 1983 graduate of the Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation, Dr. Ramey completed an internship in Equine Medicine and Surgery at Iowa State University. He entered private equine practice in Southern California in 1984, and set up his own ambulatory clinical practice, Ramey Equine, in 1987. Dr. Ramey's practice specializes in the care and treatment of sport and pleasure horses. He cares for a diverse group of horses, from top level hunters and jumpers, to pleasure horses and miniature horses.

In addition to being a full-time practitioner, Dr. Ramey is also an internationally recognized researcher, author, lecturer, and blogger. He has written 13 books, 5 book chapters, and has had over 70 papers published in professional journals. He has lectured on various topics in universities, expos, and conventions around the United States, as well as Canada, Australia, and the UK. He has presented at the annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) convention 10 times.

Dr. Ramey is a vocal advocate for the application of science to medicine, and—as such—for the welfare of the horse. Thus, he has been a frequent critic of practices that lack good science, such as the diverse therapies collectively known as “alternative” medicine, needless nutritional supplementation, or conventional therapies that lack scientific support.

This article original appeared on Dr. Ramey's website, doctorramey.com and is reprinted here with permission.

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Reporting Neglect Cases Can Be A Thorny Prospect — Even For Equine Veterinarians

Horse abuse or neglect is an emotionally charged topic for many people. First of all, one person's definition of abuse or neglect may be extraordinarily different from another's. Horse people have a huge variety of opinions, and now with animal rights organizations bringing their views of horses to the mainstream, many non-horse people are forming their own opinions. In the vast majority of instances, people mean well, but lack the knowledge and experience to understand the horse's circumstances. Often involved in the situation are veterinarians and law enforcement officials. The best thing for all parties involved is education and knowledge.

Dr. David Ramey, an equine veterinarian based in Chatsworth, Calif., feels it is first important to separate abuse from neglect.

“Abuse – which is a direct action – is pretty rare when compared to neglect. Neglect is probably most commonly due to lack of economic resources,” he said. “Of course, none of that considers practices that may be considered abusive, e.g., 'soring' Tennessee Walking Horses. Even in the field of 'abusive,' you'll find a lot of opinion, e.g., some may consider racing Thoroughbreds as abuse.”

Dr. Alina Vale, the newly-appointed chair of the AAEP's Welfare & Public Policy Advisory Council and an official veterinarian for the California Horse Racing Board, is passionate about promoting the humane use of horses and consults for various equine organizations to improve equine welfare and public perception.

Vale said that in some states, veterinarians are required to report abuse or neglect to state authorities, while in others they are not “mandated reporters.” Even if there aren't laws requiring vets to do so, they have a professional obligation to report it. Up until recently, Kentucky was the only state where vets couldn't report a suspected neglect situation, but that is no longer the case. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) maintains a state map detailing veterinary reporting.

Many states provide veterinarians immunity for liability if they report in good faith, but choosing to report a case can still potentially cause a problem for veterinarians.

“The equestrian community is not that big,” said Ramey, “and reporting cases might be considered by some as 'ratting' on someone (e.g., a prominent breeder or trainer).”

In addition, Vale points out that some veterinarians may be frustrated if they have reported other cases in the past and they feel there wasn't adequate action taken. There can be lots of reasons a horse doesn't immediately get removed from what a neighbor or veterinarian feels is a neglectful situation.

When law enforcement is called to investigate a potential neglect case, many times officers do not have much in the way of basic horse husbandry skills. Training programs for animal control and police officers in animal care are few and far between, and it's even less likely an officer outside of a few key geographic regions will have gotten training on dealing with horses or livestock. They may look at a large moldy pile of hay and think the horse has plenty of food or see muddy, stagnant water and not realize a horse isn't likely to drink it.

This is a big area where veterinarians can make a positive impact. Ramey recommends veterinarians introduce themselves to local law enforcement and express their willingness to help.

“My experience has been that animal welfare authorities really appreciate the help, and that many of the authorities don't have a lot of horse experience,” he said. “They really want to do right by the horses.”

Vale points out that the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has compiled resources to help veterinarians and law enforcement work together to address equine welfare in their community: https://aaep.org/owner-guidelines/equine-welfare.

“The AAEP encourages its members to proactively establish a relationship with local law enforcement to prevent equine abuse and neglect and form a strong team when faced with a case,” she said.

Similarly, if civilians suspect abuse or neglect, they should contact law enforcement or animal control. The National Link Coalition maintains a state map detailing contact information for agencies to call. Vale emphasizes that you should not trespass or put yourself at risk.

If, on the other hand, you as a horse owner have been accused of neglect, Ramey recommends that you be open and willing to help law enforcement. Don't be defensive or angry.

“While there are exceptions, most of the time when reports are made, it is because of someone's genuine concern,” he said. “Everyone will be happy if it's assured that horses about which concern has been expressed are actually well-cared for. If there are problems, be open about that, as well, because authorities may be able to help there, too.”

Ramey stresses that law enforcement officials would much rather have horses be kept at their homes than be taken away, and they usually will work with owners who need help. Not all jurisdictions have facilities available to them to house seized horses, and the expense to the local government for a seized horse is considerably more than a seized dog or cat. Similarly, Vale says that depending on the situation, veterinarians may agree that client education and monitoring is an appropriate first step.

“If law enforcement is called, a horse owner may be interviewed about their horses before the horses and environment are examined,” says Vale. “Steps will include a physical examination and photographs (and possibly video) of each horse, and the fencing, shelter, food and water will be inspected. Blood and fecal samples may be collected from the horses. Any medical records related to the complaint should be shared, such as wound treatments or a diagnostic workup for a thin horse. A feeding schedule and/or feed bill may be requested.

“This will likely be an emotional situation for a horse owner, however, just because a concerned citizen made a report does not mean the horse owner is guilty of abuse or neglect. It is important to discuss the situation with the regular veterinarian. There may be cases where the horse owner needs to have a difficult conversation and consider what is in a horse's best interest. This may include finding a new home for a horse (if the owner is suffering from caregiver burden due to time, financial, physical limitations, or other constraints) or considering humane euthanasia. Depending on the situation, a horse owner may contact an attorney for legal advice.”

According to Vale, fortunately the pandemic has not seemed to cause an increase in neglect cases.

“We reached out to some Thoroughbred aftercare organizations in early summer, and they weren't noticing a problem,” she said. “They were still able to rehome horses.”

Both Ramey and Vale say that the AAEP has devoted a lot of energy to the subject of equine welfare and maintains a trove of detailed information on the organization's website.

And if you, or you know, a horse owner in need, a resource to check out would be the Vet Direct Safety Program from the Foundation for the Horse, the ASPCA and AAEP. Learn more at https://aaep.org/news/innovative-vet-direct-safety-net-program-help-horse-owners-need.

Stephanie J. Ruff, M.S., has been a freelance writer specializing in the horse industry for over 20 years, and was the recipient of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Darley Award for Outstanding Female Journalist in 2017. She blogs about her riding and writing life at www.theridingwriter.wordpress.com and lives in Florida with two horses, two dogs and two cats.

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