Horse Care | Horse Racing Free Tips

Horse Lovers Can Now Pay To Sleep In A Stable

A hotel in the United Kingdom is allowing horse lovers to spend the night in a barn designed to cater to overnight, two-legged guests. Dubbed the “Stable Stays” experience, equine enthusiasts can spend the night with either a Friesian horse or a Shetland pony for $250.

The accommodations are anything but rustic: the sleeping stall is outfitted with a double bed and a bunk bed, as well as with a mini fridge, microwave, shower and toilet. The stall beside it, where the horse lives, is partially separated by a transparent divider so guests can keep an eye on their four-legged friend all night.

Guests are encouraged to feed and groom the horse with whom they will be spending the night; if they are reluctant to get in the stall with the horse, they can brush or feed it from the bunk bed. The hotel reminds guests that horses don't sleep in the same manner people do, for multiple hours in a stretch; they are up and down during the night, which may be hard for some people to get a good night's sleep.

Thoroughbred Incentive Program Horse Show, Youth Ambassador Application Deadlines Approaching

The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) reminds relevant parties that horse show applications are due September 30 and Youth Ambassador Program applications are due October 1.

Horse shows, horse trials, and other events interested in offering T.I.P. awards in 2021 must apply during the application period even if the information or show dates are tentative. Shows that offered awards in 2020 and shows that were approved for awards but canceled in 2020 still need to re-apply for 2021 dates. More information and the online application are available at tjctip.com/About/HSIGI.

“Offering T.I.P. awards is a great way of increasing participation from Thoroughbreds and their riders at horse shows, and we encourage applications from all interested groups in anticipation of a more typical horse show schedule in 2021,” said Kristin Werner, senior counsel of The Jockey Club and coordinator for T.I.P. “Similarly, our Youth Ambassador Program has proven to be an excellent opportunity for individuals to develop leadership skills while promoting the versatility of the Thoroughbred breed.”

Introduced in 2016, the T.I.P. Youth Ambassador Program selects about a dozen youth ambassadors on an annual basis to positively represent T.I.P. and the Thoroughbred breed.

The goal of the T.I.P. Youth Ambassador Program is to promote participation in T.I.P. with the mission to encourage retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers in racing or breeding. A youth ambassador's role is to positively represent T.I.P. and the Thoroughbred breed at his or her local barn, shows, competitions, or any other activities in which he or she may participate.

T.I.P. Youth Ambassadors must meet the following criteria:

· Be 18 years old or younger as of January 1, 2021

· Reside in the U.S. or Canada

· Own or lease a Thoroughbred with a T.I.P. number

· Participate in T.I.P. shows or programs

The Youth Ambassador Program application can be found on the T.I.P. website at tjctip.com/About/TBYPAM.

Created and announced in October 2011, T.I.P. recognizes and rewards the versatility of the Thoroughbred through sponsorship of Thoroughbred classes and high point awards at sanctioned horse shows, year-end performance awards, a recreational riding program, and non-competition awards. Additional information about T.I.P. is available at tjctip.com and on the T.I.P. Facebook page at facebook.com/tjctip.

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Tips For Top-Notch Hoof Care

Certified Journeyman Farrier Sean Elliott shoes horses that compete in a myriad of disciplines. He offers tips to promote hoof health and notes some things to avoid. Sean says the top three things healthy hooves need are good nutrition, a dry environment and balance.

Proper nutrition will give a horse the building blocks he needs to have quality feet. Sean recommends good hay, clean water and a ration balancer, and he discourages owners and caretakers from adding supplements just to use them if they claim they can make a difference in hoof quality. He reminds horse owners and caretakers to treat each horse like an individual and that feeding programs aren't one size fits all.

First and foremost, horses shouldn't stand for extended periods of time in mud or wet conditions, Sean says. He also recommends that horses not be bathed daily, which can strip hooves of oil essential to keeping them healthy. Sean also isn't a fan of topical hoof treatments, noting that a dry environment is more essential than anything that could be applied to the hooves.

Hooves should be seen by a qualified farrier every four to six weeks to ensure that the hoof capsule is placed correctly underneath the horse's leg. Routine trims will also deal with issues like long toes and flares in the hoof wall. Sean notes that a good farrier must have a grasp of equine anatomy and conformation, as well as understand the biomechanics of how hooves handle concussion.

Each hoof should be trimmed to be in balance and not to create hooves that look like they match one another. Shoes should be shaped to the foot and not the foot shaped to the shoe, Sean says.

Hooves can crack because the toe is too long, the heel is underrun or because the horse has been standing in a too-wet environment. Though most cracks aren't a big deal, ones that go all the way through the hoof capsule or all the way up to the hairline require an intervention by a farrier.

Contracted heels are also a common issue and are most often caused by improper hoof balance, which can affect blood flow and hoof expansion. Abscess can be startling to see as the horse tends to become suddenly, severely lame. Sean suggests that genetics may predispose a horse to abscesses and thin soles can exacerbate the problem. Abscesses are most common during spring and wet winter months, when moisture softens the hoof and the foot becomes bruised, which can lead to an abscess.

Study: Too-Tight Nosebands Can Lead To Nasal Bone Damage In Horses

A new study X-rayed the heads of 144 horses and found many showed bony changes where the noseband typically sits. Though the scientists stress that their study doesn't provide evidence of a link between the noseband, its tightness and the lesions, they do feel that the lesions warrant further investigation on welfare grounds.

The use of too-tight nosebands is concerning to veterinarians, scientists and other equine welfare advocates who worry that the device, if used too tightly, causes distress and applies too much pressure to the tissues in the horse's head, potentially injuring both the tissue and the bone beneath it.

The study used 144 mature Warmblood horses, all used in the Mexican Army and based in Mexico City. Each horse began his career in training for dressage, showjumping and eventing. Noseband tightness is not routinely checked with any type of gauge. The horses were evaluated both physically and with an X-ray. The physical exam looked for lesions, pain on palpation or white hairs where the noseband or curb chain rest.

A week later, X-rays were taken and assessed by veterinarian diagnostic imaging specialists who knew nothing about the horses they were studying. The X-rays were examined for bone remodeling, radiographic opacity and soft tissue thickness in the areas where the noseband meets the lower jaw and nasal bones. They reported bone thickening in the nasal bones of 6.9 percent and 8.3 percent of the horses, and bone thinning in 33.3 percent and 56.9 percent of horses. The radiologists found increased bone deposition in 18.8 percent and 32.6 percent of the lower jaws of horses.

The scientists conclude that these results are the first evidence of bone lesions in the areas typically subjected to pressure from restricted nosebands. They note that this deformation of bone for competitive advantage is difficult to justify on ethical grounds.

Read the full study here.