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Think Like A Horse - Horse Health and Medical
Rick Gore Horsemanship
Rick Gore Horsemanship
Horse's love it when their owner's understand them.
Horsemanship is about the horse teaching you about yourself.
Horsemanship is about the horse teaching you about yourself.
Horse Health:
I decided to add this page since my other pages are getting long. I will try and put things related to health and welfare of horses on this page.
Vet Care Today:
Knowledge about the horse has come a long way. One of the best large animal Veterinarian schools in the country is at University of California at Davis (UCD).From the days of working on horses on a barrel and plywood, we have 
now gone to full hospitals with operating rooms, water and pool therapy. If you have a medical question about horses, UCD is the place to be. I am fortunate to be close to this facility where technology his so advanced. For good information and reading about horse medicine, this is place to find it. Remember knowledge of the horse is the best gift you can give to your horse.
Impaction Colic:
This PDF file has some great information on Colic In horses and is from the leading Vet Hospital's in California.
The link below is one of the better articles on colic and impaction I have seen. Some time horses that won't pass can be loaded into a trailer, this response will encourage a bowel movement and may help get things going. If I notice a horse is not drinking or has sweated more than normal (foaming or salt marks on hair) I will dip my dry hay in water before feeding. This removes dust and wets the hay, which helps in getting a little more water and not so dry food into the horse.
Impaction link:Http://www.equestrianlife.com/wiki/Impaction
Good Colic Information Additional Colic Information
I still see lots of confusion on colic and causes. I try and make it simple. Natural care of horses is the best way to prevent colic. Natural means not stalled, not fed twice a day, not forced to drink nasty dirty water, grain and supplements in moderation. The reverse causes colic. The things I see contributing to colic is dirty and nasty infested water that is not cleaned. Fish in water buckets crate nasty water. DO NOT PUT FISH in your water buckets. Keeping blankets or rugs on horses causes them to sweat and raises their body temp that removes moisture and contributes to colic. Feeding dry hay in solid flakes causes horse to swallow clumps and not chewing or digesting food before swallowing. Starving horses all day and only feeding twice a day causes horses to eat fast and gorge their food; this interferes with digestion before swallowing. A produces 12 gallons of saliva a day, when fed only twice a day they produce much less and that contributes to colic.
Natural grazing, feeding loose grass hay all day, called free choice or free access hay is better. This way a horse is closer to it's natural feeding habit, they are starved and can eat a little bit all day called GRAZING, which is what a horse is designed to do. If I fed you once a day you would stuff yourself, you would be really hungry and eat more and eat faster, not good for you and very bad for a horse.
Lots of fresh clean water, loose grass hay, small amounts of grain or supplements (better half amount twice a day than once a day), open areas to move and walk and nibble and graze since exercise helps in digestion. To me it is simple, yet most do just the opposite of what I say here since it is easier and faster for them and their horse has to pay for their laziness.
Feeding Grains and Supplements:
This is a commonly confused area of horse care. Horses do best with varied diets, no big changes, no fast changes, slow is better, no trying to put weight on fast, no trying to take weight off fast, slow and steady. Horses do best on grass hay period. Any other foods fed can be problematic if over done. A horse's stomach is only so big, so has it gets full it empties so more food can be taken in. In the wild, horse are not fed they graze 22 hours a day and eat small amounts of grass. Natural grass has moisture, so water is not as critical since moisture and water being obtained while the horse grazes. Much like humans, if we each foods high in moisture or water, we do not need as much water, if we eat dry or foods lacking water, we need to drink more water. So feeding horses dry pre cut hay or grass is much drier than fresh natural grass.
So how to grains and supplements fit into this? Most grains are dry. So feeding dry hay, dry grain and making a horse drink dirty water all contributes and raises the chance of colic. That does not make grains bad. I only feed oats/rolled oats, rice bran and small amounts of cracked corn. I DO NOT feed these every day. How often do I feed this, It Depends. My thin horses get more than my fat horse.
How much do you feed? It depends. I never feed big amounts. It is better to feed on cup three times a day then three cups once or two cups twice a day. The more it is spread out, the better it is for the horse. Always feed grain AFTER HAY. If you feed grain first and feed hay, the stomach fills up with grain, then the hay forces it out of the stomach before digested and it is wasted and increases the chance of colic. So Grain is always fed after hay. This is not done since it takes longer, most people throw out hay and leave and if they feed grain the horse will each grain first. Lazy or short cuts are NEVER good for the horse.
I feed grain as a supplement, maybe every three days or every other day if it is cold out or less grass out or if I work the horses more or if they are sick or not feeling well and I think they are fighting an infection. If there is lots of grass in pasture and no other issues, they get grain as a treat maybe twice a week. They only get small amounts, maybe a cup or two. When people try and feed lots or catch up or double the amount or think they are helping, they cause problems.
So here is my basic feed and food care for my horses. Kept in open pasture, NO stalls or locked up. Always have lots of fresh CLEAN water available. A salt block and horse mineral block in pasture in the shade (out of sun) is always available. Carrots and Apples, fiber and moisture foods, when ever I see them. Grain (rice bran, oats, corn) small amounts total amount of all three 2 cups or less, a few times a week unless the horse is healing from injury or sickness or cold or wet or working hard.
The key is NEVER change fast or big, slow changes in diet and grains after hay so the grain is not pushed out of stomach before digestion.
CAUTION: Feeding too much grain can cause all kind of problems; feeding too little grain can cause NO problems. Seems pretty simple to me.
Foal Rejection and Stall Vices:
This is an article from University Of California, Davis, a leading Vet School on horses. It discusses Equine Behavior - Stall Vices and Foal Rejection. It is a PDF so it might take a minute to load but worth the read.
Removing Bot Eggs:
When removing bot eggs off the legs of horses be careful where you do this. The bot egg (The little yellow dots or specks normally on the legs) need to be ingested to produce the worm. So removing these eggs in the grass, in the stall where feeding occurs or over hay helps the eggs get into the horse. This is bad. So when removing or scraping bot eggs off your horse, do it in area where feeding is not an issue. Especially don't do while your horse is eating since the odds are some hay will fall and the horse will eat it along with some bot eggs and your horse gets worms. Bot eggs should be removed to prevent the horse from ingesting the eggs, which will give them worms.
Cryptorchid:
producing male hormones that create stallion behavior. The word means: (Crypt = hidden, Orchid = testes). I got a question from a reader that said she bought a gelding and found out later it was a stallion. After smiling and shaking my head a bit, I started thinking that maybe she was fooled because of a Cryptorchid. All breeds of horses can have this but it is more common in Quarter Horses, Saddlebred's, Percheron's and ponies. Some testes that have not dropped are still fertile. If both do not drop then they are normally fertile, however if only does not drop then it is normally sterile. Sometime the hidden one will drop when given the anesthetic to cut the one that has dropped off. Some vets can feel or find the undropped testicle and can pull it down when cutting the one off. So some just have the one gelded and if the other one cannot be found or does not drop then they know the horse may be fertile. Another test can be done to see if the horse is fertile and if he is not, then it does not matter that the horse still has one testicle. However, just because a horse is not fertile does not mean that he will not still think he is a Stud and will still get hormones that could cause Stud like behavior. Why should you care about this? If some backyard Vet does the castration of your colt, he may or may not tell you about this. A castration is easy and can be done locally if both testes have dropped. However, in the case of a Cryptorchid, surgery is normally required. Since this procedure is more expensive, some people may be dishonest (dishonest horse people? - tell me it is not so) and just have the dropped testes cut off and never mention the Cryptorchid. Something to be aware of when you think you have a gelding and he acts like a stallion.
Why do horses get Swayed Backs
This can be caused by lots of things such as poor nutrition, lack of exercise, lack of muscle, poor foot care, age, conformation, poor saddle or pad, over weight rider, having lots of babies, being ridden too early before bones are fully grown and developed. I would say most common cause is lack of exercise = lack of muscle and age. Much like older people get bent over, slouched and don't stand as straight or tall as they get older, same concept.
Recommended Vaccinations:
TETANUS TOXOID; When a wound such as a deep puncture is contaminated, toxins from the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani, which thrives in the equine environment, cause lockjaw and general muscle spasms, usually resulting in death. Vaccinate yearly. Give a booster vaccination at the time of penetrating injury or surgery if most recent dose was more than six months earlier. Broodmares should receive a vaccination four to six weeks before foaling.
RABIES; Invasion of the central nervous system by a virus that is fatal if untreated; it also transmits to other animals--including humans. Recommended yearly, especially in areas where rabid wildlife is reported or areas considered to be endemic.
WEST NILE VIRAL ENCEPHALMYELITIS; A mosquito-born encephalitis that can be deadly to horses and has been reported in all but a few states. Vaccination recommended very six months.
Two West Nile Virus vaccines are now available; consult your veterinarian about the best choice for your horse. If you're vaccinating your horse against WNV for the first time, he'll require a booster after the initial injection.
INFLUENZA; Acute, contagious, viral respiratory-tract inflammation; occurs in isolated cases or in epidemics. Your veterinarian can recommend which form of the vaccine is suitable for your horse. Intranasal Vaccine every six months; add booster two to four weeks before anticipated exposure, such as a show or a long haul.
Intranasal vaccine gives a good immune response when properly applied but can be tricky to administer. If your horse is fussy about substances sprayed up his nostrils, consider using the injectable form. Injectable Vaccine every six months; add a booster two to four weeks before anticipated exposure.
RHINOPNEUMONITIS; Caused by a herpes virus, a contagious infection of the respiratory tract; often induces abortion in pregnant mares. Optional - every six months. Rhinopneumonitis and Influenza vaccines are sometimes administered in a single combined dose. If your mare is bred, consult your veterinarian about a Rhino vaccination schedule to safeguard her pregnancy.
Some Additional Vaccines:
EE/WEE/VEE; Eastern Western Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis, aka Sleeping Sickness, is a vector-borne viral disease causing inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Vaccinate yearly, in spring (before insect season). Where Encephalomyelitis is common and/or where there are two annual mosquito "blooms," give a booster EEE/WEE/VEE vaccination every six months about a month before the onset of the mosquito season.
Strangles (also equine distemper) "See below"
Strangles / Vaccines Information Links:
Here is a good site with information about Strangles. Be aware this company makes the vaccine so they are somewhat bias, however it appears to provide good information:
http://www.cyberhorse.net.au/csl/strangles.htm
Additional information on Strangles: Click Here
This is another link to UC Davis Vet School site with lots of other info on Strangles.
The link below has a good chart for Vaccines, schedules, etc.
http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/CEH/docs/horsereport/pubs-HR23-1-bkm-sec.pdf
EPM - Opossum Disease:
Cl
inical signs are almost always asymmetrical (not the same on both sides of the horse).
- Lack of coordination and weakness which worsens when going up or down slopes or when head is elevated - Muscle atrophy, most noticeable along the top line or in the large muscles of the hindquarters, but can sometimes involve the muscles of the face or front limbs
- Paralysis of muscles of the eyes, face or mouth, evident by drooping eyes, ears or lips
- Difficulty swallowing
- Seizures or collapse
- Abnormal sweating
- Loss of sensation along the face, neck or body
- Head tilt with poor balance; horse may assume a splay-footed stance or lean against stall walls for support
- Three things seem to influence progression of the disease: - The extent of the infection (i.e. the number of organisms ingested)
- How long the horse harbors the parasite prior to treatment
- The point(s) in the brain or spinal cord where the organism localizes and the damage occurs.
Pigeon Fever:
This is a common disease in horses and is commonly confused that pigeons carry it or pass it. This is not true, but many believe it. If you read the snake bite section on this page you will see a link to a video where a chest abscess is cut.
**SEE VIDEO OF AN ABSCESS BEING CUT **WARNING GRAPHIC
Click Here to View Abscess Video
Pigeon Fever Article link
Sheath Cleaning & Bean Removal:
There are some personal cleaning that needs to be done with horses. A gelding or stallion needs to have his sheath cleaned. The sheath is the hole or skin where the penis is pulled back in. You can clean this with just water, but Excalibur is specifically made for cleaning out your horse's sheath. Some people use Ivory Soap (unscented) and warm water. Using warm water sometimes helps a horse drop or relax so you can have more access to the penis. Another tip is to use an old sock, slide your hand in the sock (like a soft glove) or you can use a latex glove and then just rub and soften up the build up of dirt and other debris in the sheath. Make sure you rinse very well and do not use baby oil or other things to clean this area or you will get swelling and irritation that will require a vet visit. Most horses can do with a cleaning at least twice a year. Depending on the horse may require more, but cleaning when not needed is better than never cleaning. Once a month is way too much, some bacteria is needed up there so too much cleaning is as bad as too little. Watch a video on Sheath Cleaning: Click Here
Not only is it important to clean the sheath and shaft for debris, it is also necessary to check for a "bean". A bean is smegma that accumulates and forms a bean looking wax bead. This is normally found around the urethra and has to be searched out. The surrounding pictures will show you what a bean looks like and how to locate it and remove it. When the horse drops you have to roll the skin back from around the urethra and locate the bean, normally on the top area of the urethra. Remember, don't just try and get this the first time. Do lots of desensitizing with your horse and this area. Your horse has to be very comfortable with you digging around and being gentle in this area, so lots of touching and rubbing long before you try for the bean. This is not a fun job but it is required for the health of your horse. The white/yellowish bean is what you will want to remove. In the last, black and white picture show how the urethra is in the center of rolled skin so that is where the bean will be hidden. If you are still unsure, most vets will do this and clean the sheath for a fee when they sedate the horse for teeth floating. NOTE: If you click on the pictures they will take you to other links that explain this.
NOTE: The pictures are on my Horsemanship Tips Page under Sheath Cleaning.
Hey, Mr. Gore. Just wanted to give you a quick thank you for your videos on cleaning a male horse's sheath and finding and removing the bean. (I know, I know, you probably don't get many emails from women thanking you for these particular videos, but I'm sending you one today).
I'm waiting on my round pen :) and am just spending time with my boy, and have been working on desensitizing that area so that I can take proper care of him as per your videos. Had it not been for your teaching, I would have never known that needed to be done.
I got my horse back in April, I am a new horse owner, and haven't been around horses since I was 15 (22 years ago) and had never heard of a "bean" in my life. But I found your YouTube videos and your site and have been trying to learn all that I can. He's my horse, my responsibility, and there are things that I'm going to have to take care of, and this is one of them. (Horse ownership is not for the faint of heart, or the squeamish. There's nothing like poking through fresh horse poo looking for worms, or checking your horse's personal parts for a smegma ball to make you learn real quick it's not all pink fluffy furry!!)
So, after watching your videos, I did check for the bean, and didn't see anything. But, because I was nervous of hurting him, and because his "degree" of drop had progressed a little too far, I wasn't fully able to look, and just didn't realize it. I've kept trying to work around that area a little at a time because I know I'm going to have to and I want him to be used to me touching him everywhere. (I've even pulled ticks right off his hiney hole--yes, I was afraid of being kicked, but they needed off and he can't do it for himself, so I just worked around his back end, and very carefully and gently took them off--didn't get kicked either).
This morning, I was outside with him (still waiting for that farrier) and he's very relaxed with me and drops all the time - which in my book is a compliment--that he's relaxed with me - so I thought I'll practice looking for the bean, and he'll just be that much more used to his mom being around there. His sheath is in bad need of a cleaning - but I want to just take my time and not freak him out, don't want to get kicked either. So, I rub his belly a little and he begins to drop, I see the urethra and just gently work that area back a little, and oh, my goodness gracious, I SEE THE BEAN. Take my time, don't focus just on that, and in just a minute or two, he let me remove it. I've attached a photo, and in case you can't see it, THAT'S A QUARTER BESIDE THE BEAN. Now, tell me he won't feel better with that gone!!! (I know I'd feel better)
He was a little more relaxed in his drop today (nice and droopy) and I realized that things will move a little more freely than I thought and I saw something. But, I was looking for a little white wax "green bean seed" and this was dark in color (his sheath is dark as well) and for a second I thought it was just what the inside of that area looked like. But, I rolled it back a little farther and caught my breath. It was indeed a bean, and I was appalled at how large it was. I couldn't remove it on the first try. I tried and he would draw up, so I would back up and just go back to rubbing his back, flanks, hips, and belly, and he'd drop again. It took about 3 or 4 tries to get it out, and it was a little more each time, and that's what I want stressed to those women out there.
They may have to check more than once, learn the degrees of drop on their horse (as odd as that sounds) and how that will make a difference when they're checking, they need to know to be patient getting it out, they need to know that they MUST check, I can't imagine how that felt stuck in there all this time. If I can do it, a woman who hasn't been around horses in 22 years, and am such an ignorant beginner that sometimes I feel sorry for my horse, then there's no reason why all the other women horse owners out there who probably consider themselves experts can't spend a little time and get their horse used to being messed with in their personal area and take care of business.
Maybe I'm way off here, but I feel like it absolutely strengthened our relationship and made that trust just a little deeper. He trusted me enough to help him, I trusted that he wouldn't kick me, I know he feels better, he knows I helped him to feel better, and that's a great big horsey pat on the back in my book. Thanks again, had I not seen those videos, I would have never known horses made "beans", and he might have had some physical problems as a result.
So, thank you again, it was pretty gross, and as a mom to 5 little boys, I've seen a lot of gross things, but if it needs done, I want to take care of it, and thank you for showing the way. So, if I can do it, women everywhere need to be checking their horses and getting rid of that bean!! :) Have a great day.
Sincerely, ///END
I sent a thank you note and wanted to post this so maybe others can learn. I can only imagine how many horses have this size of a bean blocking their urine flow and causing pain and discomfort. And I always get asked, who does this in the wild? In the wild there are no geldings and horses breed, I think during the breeding process the bean is either removed or when combined with the female bacteria the bean does not develop. Regardless, it needs to be done for the health of the horse.
Signs of late-stage pregnancy in Mares:
- About 2 weeks before foaling, the mare's belly move from a hanging position to a position that fills out her flank area.
- When she has about 1 week to go, you will notice her udder increasing, some mares you won't depending on how many foals they have had.
- About 4 days before, the foal would have moved back into the position to be born.
- About 24 to 48 hours before birthing, the mare's teats will become waxy. This is to stop the milk from squirting out. As the mare gets closer, the 'caps' will fall off allowing the milk to trickle out.
- Before a mare delivers the hips will get very lose and relaxed
- The mare may paw, sweat and pin ears more
- Other signs are enlarged udders with drops of colostrums (the first milk the foal receives), frequent urination, swelling of the vulva and sweating
Floating Teeth:
This is another one of those personal choices. Horses in the wild or who are left out and graze all day do not need this as often as stalled horses that only get fed twice a day. All day grazing gradually files the teeth down so the points do not get as bad as fast. The trend tends to be get them done once a year. I think this is too much unless needed. The problem is some vets will say they need it to get business and others will be honest, hard to know unless you know first.
Nowadays vets normally give a sedative and do the teeth, called floating or to float the teeth. In the old days you would do your own horse with a file and just grind down the points or tips so the horse can chew better. The tips and points prevent the upper and lower teeth from getting good contact to mash the grass and hay.
If the horse is not showing pain and not losing weight, I say stay out of it. We humans always want to think we have to help the horse too much. Horses that are in pasture and graze all the time may not need floating for several years or until they get older. This floating teeth thing makes people feel better, make vet's a lot of money and are done far too often when not needed. Horses that are stalled and fed twice a day may need it more since it is not natural for horse just to eat twice a day. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I hear lots of people say "if grain falls out of a horse's mouth then their teeth need floating", Horse Pucky! Horses don't eat grain in the wild, they each grass, they eat hay, all horses drop grain when they eat it, horse don't close their mouth when they eat and they hang their head down when they eat so gravity makes things fall out of their mouth. A horse's mouth is not made for grain they are made for Hay, grass or long straw food. Ask a retired Vet if horse's need teeth floating every year, they will tell you no, but most people think they do, people feel better and when people want it and are willing to pay for it, the Vet will do it. Never ask a Barber if you need a haircut, don't ask a Farrier if your horse needs shoes, don't ask a trainer if your horse needs training and don't ask a Vet if your horse's teeth need floating. :)
Snakebite:
If you ride in a area where snakes are plentiful you may want to carry some pieces of cut garden hose with you. If you trailer out a lot and you may want to keep some hose in your trailer tack room 
in case your horse or someone else's horse gets bit. Horses like dogs normally get bit in the face when investigating a snake. When this area swells, it cuts off the air supply. By inserting some hose into the nostrils, you can save your horse until you get to a vet. Remember a horse can't breathe through their mouth, so if they lose their nose airway they will die. You can secure the hose with duct tape or other medical tape.These are some good links to more info about horse bites:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMzvUW6XO-o (Warning: Don't watch while eating, this show the how much pressure, fluid, infection and heat can build up in a (abscess) from a snake bite)
http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/health/first_aid/snakebite051103/
http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/0100reptilian.shtml
http://www.ehow.com/how_2090049_treat-snakebite-horse.html
Proud Cut Geldings:
This is term that refers to a gelding that still acts like or behaves like a Stallion (Stud). Some of these behaviors can be herding, snaking, mounting mares, chasing or charging other geldings and just a very dominate disposition. Some say this is caused by not having all the testicular tissue removed by the person that gelded the horse. I think it also has to do with how old the horse was when he was gelded. The longer a horse remains a Stud, the more traits he will keep after he is finally cut. Testosterone is produced and this can be an additional factor for this behavior. Some people say this behavior can be caused by an over active adrenal gland. No matter the cause, this is not horse's fault and is all instinctive behavior.
Shipping Fever:
This refers to sickness that is caused by shipping a horse. This is a respiratory illness that comes from tying the horse's head high and not allowing the horse to lower his head on long trips. If dust or other foreign objects get into the horses airway, a horse needs to be able to lower his head and expel the object. If the head is tied high, he cannot do that. Combine that the stress of travel and being trapped, with long trips, no stops or breaks for the horse and you got yourself a sick horse. Stress is a powerful immune killer. Extended stress suppresses the immune system in horses and humans. Shipping fever (Pleuropneumonia) can be prevented by allowing the horse to be able to lower his head during shipping or while loaded in a trailer, lots of breaks and rest stops and making trips as less stressful as possible. Signs of sickness can be coughing, discharge from the nose, pawing, kicking, fever, sweating and loss of appetite and no water intake.
** Here is a good health link for horses:www.myhorsematters.com
Rain Rot:
Help your horse's hair dry faster. Fluff the wet hair by rubbing against the
grain. This will cause it to air dry and help it dry faster. It will also help prevent rain rot or rain scald. Rot happens when the 
hair stays wet too long and never dries. If there is a break in the rain, brush the hair to remove mud and distribute natural oils. Most horses stay dry under their belly, so a dry brush should be used there first, so you don't wet it and chill the horse. If you use your hands to rub and fluff all the hair you will decrease drying time and increase air exposure to the hair. This will also allow the hair to dry deep in the winter fur and help prevent rot and help your horse to stay warmer if the temp drops. I have heard that using Listerine on the rot will help it clear up, I have not confirmed this, but have heard this from several people. The photo to the right is some severe rain rot, the photo to the left is more common, more of a hear loss. Using a blow dryer works well and sacks the horse out to noise and warm wind. This is just one more thing that the horse will learn not to be fearful of and it will warm him, dry his coat and help prevent rot. Mud scald or mud fever is like this as well, here is a good link for treatment of Mud Fever: Click Here
Intramuscular Injection:
How and where injections in the neck must be given. The correct place is important to avoid important structures such as arteries, vertebra and nerves. A method to identify this area is to:
- Place your hand flat on the horse's neck just behind the halter
- Slide your hand down the neck towards the shoulder blade
- Stop when you reach the front of the shoulder blade
- Spread apart your index finger from your middle finger
- Between your fingers is a good place to give the injection.
The injection should be given in the last 1/3 of the neck, in the middle 1/3, halfway between the top of the mane and the bottom of the neck. A triangle is created by the front of the shoulder, the bottom of the crest and the top of the vertebrae. (See diagram) See this video on how to give injections: Click Here for How to Give an IM Shot
Subcutaneous Injection:
This means injecting under the skin. It is done by picking up a loose fold of skin from the neck or shoulder. Take care not to inject into your fingers or that you push the needle in so much that it comes out on the other side of the skin fold.
Colic Help:
Euthanasia:
illness may require euthanasia for humane reasons. The humane killing of a horse is best performed by a lethal injection by a veterinarian.
destruction by gunshot is necessary. 
water, trails, or campsites and preferably out of sight for aesthetic reason.
What's a War Bridle:
I put this here since this can be used to control some horses when dealing with medical issues.
This is a way to control a horse when no bridle or bit is available or if you want to use a bitless bridle. If your headstall
ever 
breaks or gets torn off by a tree branch or fence or if you ever end up face to face with a horse lose horse, this is a good way to gain control over a horse. It can also be used for a little extra control if a horse is hurt or needs medical attention. It can be very harsh so I do not recommend it to anyone that is too rough
or relies on force too much. The Indians (native Americans) would ride 
in these bridles for extra control. This bridle can also be used to lay down a horse in a crisis. Here is a good video of how a variation of the war bridle can be used.
Twitching:
Although I am not a fan of this, since like a lot things, if done appropriately, can be helpful and when abused do more damage. So I post this with mixed emotions. I can only hope that if you are reading my site, you are trying to learn more about horses and will not abuse them. Twitching strangely enough lowers the heart rate during an unpleasant procedure. A twitched horse's heart rate increases 8%. Horses not twitched during an unpleasant procedure experience a heart rate increase of 22%. The experts say that twitching causes an endorphin release that makes unpleasant experiences less stressful. In Australia, for example, the handlers who load horses into racing stalls used to be allowed a twitch, but that was outlawed some years ago. In fact, most Aussie's think Americans are barbaric for still using this procedure. I stress the phrase, when done or used appropriately. Done properly, twitching can defuse what could be a dangerous situation for a horse. The physical aspect of a twitch is to stimulate the body to release endorphins. This is kind of like giving the horse opium (it gets them stoned or buzzed). It is a powerful relaxant and occurs naturally. One theory is some predators know this and use this to their benefit. When lions grab a zebra, one usually latches onto the nose. That isn't to shut off the air (that's done by the one at the throat), but to release endorphins. It is a natural preparation for death. A twitch has to be controlled, which means it has to be able to be released and tightened as the situation develops. The most common twitches are neck, ear, nose and gum line. The neck twitch is done with the hand and is used to simulate a horse bite. You will see a mommy horse disciplining their young by biting and holding them by the neck area. I have also seen older geldings do this to other horses to teach them. This neck grab will sometime calm a horse and distract him enough that you can mess with an injury or give a shot. The ear twitch is not good or effective and I think, tends to cause a horse to be ear shy. The nose twitch seems to be the one of choice and it can be applied with the hand, rope or chain. Obviously I don't like the stupid chain idea, but somewhere, a brilliant horse idiot came up with this revelation and decided that if a hand or rope worked then a chain would work better. "NEWS FLASH" - Chains and horses are BAD! So back to the hand, by squeezing the nose endorphins are released and the horse is relaxed and preoccupied with you squeezing his nose, so he is less likely to react to you cleaning an injury or giving him a shot. The gum line seems to be used by Farriers mostly. It may work but once again, there is a propensity for abuse or over use. A twitch is a last resort before using a tranquilizer or other drug. It should not be the first (easy) choice and should be used by EXCEPTION and not routine. (IMHO)
Stomach Ulcers:
I get a few questions on Stomach Ulcers. I think the best thing we can do to prevent ulcers is to keep a horse in an environment that is close to their natural living conditions. Ensuring constant forage and or grass hay is always available. This keeps the horse's system constantly moving and working. Pasture is best, but if stalled this helps as well. Horses are NOT designed to eat like humans. However, many people treat their horse like they would like and normally this is not good for the horse. They are not human, they are a horse. In pasture or by keeping food always available (free choice/free access), the horse's stomach is never empty. Since it is believed that stomach acids produce ulcers, by keeping food moving through the stomach, this does not allow acid to build up or stay in the stomach alone. Of course reducing stress by not keeping the horse alone, blindfolded (fly masks), caged (stalled), uncomfortable (blanketed, hot and sweaty), pampered (over grained/fed sweet feed), also helps.
I like to feed a little before Trailering and immediately after I arrive. This gets something in the horse's stomach for the trip, which can be stressful and fearful. Then by feeding after I unload, I get the system moving and working again to remove any extra acids produced by the trailer trip. I do NOT feed while trailering. A trailer is stuffy and or windy, this blows hay and dust which gets in the horse's eyes and respiratory system, this can make a trip more harmful and more stressful. The same goes for shaving. The problem is most people never ride in their trailer to see how hard it is on the horse. Test it yourself, throw some hay and shavings in the trailer and get in and stand where you horse would be. Have someone take a short trip on a highway, you will be surprised and your horse will thank you.
Proper Horse Weight:
Here is a good link with pictures and explanation about what to look for in a horse that is too thin and too fat. Click here to see proper weight of horses.
Here I am going to talk about good and bad and my opinion about different things I have seen given to horses. I will discuss each topic and then share what I think is good or bad about it. With all feed, moderation and small amounts over a longer period of time is best for the horse. You never want a horse to be stuffed, full or fed a lot of any one thing, expect maybe grass hay. The slow way is the fast way with horse, this is very true when it comes to putting weight back on a horse that is underweight.
Hay: Grass hay is best (rye, oat, orchard, grass, timothy, fescue). Alfalfa is not grass hay, but can be good in moderation and not as a primary feed. Alfalfa and Clover are classified as legumes. The more variety of hay you give horses - the better. Changing hay should be done slowly. That means don't feed alfalfa for a week and then the next day feed oat for few days and then feed rye for a week and then back to alfalfa. This is too drastic of a change for the horse's system. It is better to feed a little of each hay or if you are going to switch from one type to another, do it over a few days, so you would slowly add a little new hay each day and then slowly feed less of the old hay each day, until the switch is made. Throwing some carrots or apples in the hay is a nice way for the horse to find treats while eating the hay. Again, moderation, not an entire bag of carrots or an entire bag of apples, a little is better than a lot.
Beet Pulp: Is sugar beets that has had the sugar removed. It his high in fiber and works good for horses. However, feeding large amounts is NOT good for many reasons. Small amounts 3 times a day is much better than one large amount once a day. Make sure you soak it 15 minutes before feeding. It absorbs water and swells up, so you don't want this happening in the gut. Here is some good info on Click here for info on Beet Pulp for Horse.
Cracked corn: Good supplement in small amounts, a half cup once or twice a day is plenty. Too much corn is not good and has too many starches. Some say corn is not good at all for horses and can sour in the gut, but in small amounts I think it is fine and healthy for the horse. Horses have been eating corn for many years.
Sweet Feed: This is ok for a treat but not for food. Too many people feed this as a grain supplement, this is not good, it has too much sugar and fillers. Horses like it but it is not that good for them. So small amounts are ok for a treat only, but not as a food source.
Are Apples seeds Poisonous? This is another myth out there. Apples are NOT going to hurt a horse unless you are feeding them two or three cups of just apple seeds. It takes one cup of apple seeds to poison a human, so unless you are feeding your horse just cups of seeds, it is nothing to worry about. So even if you feed your horse an entire tree of apples, you would still not get enough seeds to hurt them. As for Crabapples some horses eat them, some don't, they don't appear to be bad and I have not seen a horse die after eating one.
Probiotics: Again in moderation. Lots of people out there want to over do things with horse. Less is more in most all things with horses. Too much of anything is not good for the horse. There is some stuff called "ProBios" that is a paste and comes in a tube. It's Probiotics. I have heard it works well for a horse that gets a belly ache or mild colic. Keeping some in the trailer is not a bad idea, just pay attention to the expiration date.
Calming gels or Calming supplements: Not good and they are over used and they do not work for what they are used for. Horses are active and need exercise to move, play and run. Keeping a horse locked up and then calling it hyper or over active is foolish and then these same fools will give calming aide and think they are doing good. These are cheats, they set you and the horse up to fail, do not give them and beware of those that use them, for they do not know what they are doing.
Bute: This is a pain killer anti-inflammatory and should be used very rarely. This drug is way over used and given to horses way too much. Since this blocks pain, a horse does not know that it should not run since it does not feel the pain. Pain is good for the horse to know to slow down and do less. When Bute is used too much it sets the horse up to fail and allows the horse to do more damage and prevents healing. So like many things in horses, the things people try and prevent, they end up causing. Giving bute too often is hard on the horses stomach and can cause bleeding of the stomach, yet many people give this to horses like candy and wrongly think they are helping the horse.
Salt or Mineral Block: This should be a must for a horse to have access to anytime they want. This provides needed minerals for the horse to stay healthy. Without it many other issues can occur. Ensure your horse always has access to a salt, selenium and mineral block to promote good health and a good immune system. Some horses will lick dirt or eat tree bark to supplement their diet. All normal horse behavior and should not be alarming. A lot of horse feed is low in sodium and chloride so having a salt block available is good for the horse. Make sure you use blocks that are made for Horses NOT cattle.
Rice Bran: This is one of my favorites. Good fiber, low in sugar, low in carbohydrates and packed with vitamins. Like all things, moderation, small amounts twice or three times a day. Remember this is given as a supplement, not as a primary food source. If I could give my horse only one thing other than hay, it would be rice bran or oats.
Apples, Carrots, Watermelon: All good natural food sources and horses love them. All have sugar so feeding them all the time is not good, moderation as a treat. My guys get one most every day, watermelons mainly in the summer. Some horses eat the rind, some don't. I just throw a whole melon in the pasture and let them bust it open and eat what they want. The seeds will not hurt them. Again, you would not feed all three all day as a food, only feed as a treat or supplement in moderation.
Sugar cubes, Peppermints, Candy: I don't care what you hear this is not good for your horse. It is processed sugar and sticks to teeth. It will rot teeth and cause dental issues. Do not feed them to horses and don't allow other to feed them. Yes horses eat them and they like them, but they are NOT good for horses.
Beer or other Carbonated Drinks: Same as above - not good, can cause colic, un-natural, rot teeth and NOT good for the horse. Do not feed any of these to horses.
Old lettuce or Vegetables: NO - if you won't eat it, don't give it to horses and this is not natural food that horses would find if grazing. It is not made for a horse and should NOT be fed to horses.
Corn Oil: Another over used supplement that is NOT good for horses. Corn Oil is high in omega 6, which is pro-inflammatory. So although many will say it will make the coat shinny and puts on weight fast (fast is always bad with hoses), it is over used and you will see people putting as much as 2 or 3 cups on the food, that is absolutely foolish. A small amount like a table spoon is much less likely to do damage, but two cups would be like me giving you a cup of vitamin C tablets each day. Trying to use this cheat to put on weight on a horse fast is NOT good for the horse.
Oats or Rolled Oats: This is a good safe supplement for horses. It is good for the horse and will not hurt the horse. It puts on weight, gives energy, digests well and does not have any bad side effects. Some will say it makes a horse hot. These are the same people that will give a horse "calming" supplements, they are scared of their horse, they are not horsemen and they look for gimmicks to compensate for their lack of riding or handling ability. They are everywhere so watch for the gimmick horse people, they thrive at barns.
Cribbing Confused: Cribbing is very different than eating or licking bark or dirt. Some trees my horses will strip every bit of bark off, unfortunately it kills the tree so that is not good. Some trees I will break branches off and my horses eat the leaves and branches and others they will only eat the leaves. This is not cribbing. I have heard people call this cribbing when they see a horse eating bark or chewing on a tree. Bark and leaves is a natural supplement that horses instinctively eat sometime.
Cooked Oat meal: This is a good warm feed when cold, once or twice a week would be fine, you could mix some flax seed or fiber in, again not big servings, better to give a cup or two in morning and a cup or two at night, than to give 3 or 4 cups at one feeding. Less is more, not a lot, so a cup cooked not a cup dry and then cooked.
Free Choice Hay: This is a feeding method that is best for horses and simulates grazing and continuous feeding. Free Choice or free access is having hay available for the horse at all hours. This eliminates the need to feed twice a day and prevents a horse from getting so hungry that he eats fast and does not chew or digest his food. Keeping hay available at all times allows a horse to eat slow and graze throughout the day. Remember a horse only sleeps about two hours a day, that leaves a lot of awake time for grazing, eating and occupying time, so this will also decrease the chance that your horse will develop cribbing or other harmful vices.
Shots Boost Immunity for Health: Get your horse seen by a vet at least once a year, preferably twice a year for their shots. This helps keep a horse's immune system working and helps build up immunities for other issues. This also gives a vet a chance to find or notice other issues with your horse.
Fresh Clean Water: Last but probably most important is fresh clean water. I can't mention this enough. This is the easiest thing to do and seems to be the most neglected thing that is not maintained. Fill the water bucket every day, forget those auto-fillers, they will break and make you lazy. Check the water every day and clean at least once a week. By seeing the water everyday you can tell how much your horses drink, you will find dead animals that have drown in the water buckets, you will spend time in the area and may notice other issues. When cleaning the buckets each week use Bleach, I discuss this on my Horseman Tips page.
Like most horses questions, It depends. You have to see the horse poop daily to establish a normal look or what is normal. Too runny is not good and too dry is not good. A good rule of thumb is it should be in balls and should be moist enough to break open when it hits the ground. If the balls don't break when they hit the ground, then maybe the horse is not drinking enough, could be a little dehydrated or could be running a temperature or have something else going on. If it is too runny, the horse is losing too much water so something else like virus may be going on or the horse could have just changed diet, could be nervous or stressed, might have ate some rich grass that contains a lot of moisture or something else. Most all horse poop in horse trailers are runny - why?
I think the key is knowing what is normal and being aware of changes. That could be changes in environment, changes in new horses or new stresses, changes in feed, working conditions, weather conditions, diet, recent worming medicine, recent shots or immunizations, loss of buddy horse or other friend, etc. Many things can cause a change in your horse's fecal consistency. Making sure it is temporary and knowing when it changes and then connecting it too what may have caused it, will help you stay on top it and know when you need to get a Vet involved or let it run it's course. Obviously any blood, worms or foreign material is cause for concern.
You always want to make sure the horse has a good supply of fresh clean water, grass hay and a salt and mineral block for nutrients and then monitor changes in behavior, temperature, disposition, signs of discomfort or changes and then maybe connect those changes to the change in poop. So I hope you can see a trend in all horse questions that may seem simple but in reality has many variables and it always comes back to It Depends?
I am not a fan of too much of anything. I don't like people taking shortcuts to get benefits with horses. Unless some thing is made for horses and has proven positive results and NO negative benefits or risk, then I don't promote it or use it. When asked if you should feed garlic to horses, my first response is do they eat it in the wild? Do they have access to it in the wild? If the answer is NO then my gut is NO.
There appears to be lots of research and evidence on WHY NOT to feed garlic to horses and very little other than feelings or beliefs on why to do it. I DO NOT feed my horses garlic. I have attached some links below and took some excerpts from each link to hopefully educate you to make an informed decision. To me, if you feed garlic you are taking an unnecessary risk and putting your horse's health in jeopardy.
There is evidence to suggest that garlic can be harmful to your horse, specifically that it causes hemolytic anemia, anemia which results when red blood cells rupture.
The toxic element in allium (a family of plants including both garlic and onions) is well known to be a chemical called N-propyl disulfide. By altering an enzyme present within the red blood cell, it depletes the cell of a chemical known as phosphate dehydrogenase (PD), whose job is to protect the cell from natural oxidative damage. "Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association," the toxic dose in horses turned out to be considerably less than the 5 grams per kilogram of body weight reported in cows. Until these suspicions are investigated and repudiated, how much risk are you willing to take?
However feed with care as it is being discovered that there are dangers in feeding too much garlic as it can cause anemia in horses. There is a toxic element in Garlic called N-propyl disulfide which can change an enzyme within a horse's red blood cells, it depletes the cell of a chemical known as phosphate dehydrogenase - whose task is to protect the blood cells from damage caused by oxidation
Paradoxically, garlic in its pure form can't be deemed completely safe. It's possible that the herbs suspected antimicrobial proper-ties may with long-term use damage the beneficial hindgut bacteria vital to a horse's digestive system. This could allow unfavorable bacteria to flourish, creating imbalances in the digestibility of forage and in the overall health of the gastrointestinal tract.
It's up to the horse owner to decide if she wants to try garlic. But my horse has enough problems without giving her something that could cause harm and has no scientific research to prove its value.
By the end of the 71-day supplementation period, horses offered garlic developed signs of heinz body anemia, as characterized by the presence of heinz bodies in their red blood cells, decreased red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and increased billirubin.
Care needs to be taken in feeding garlic to horses as too much garlic may cause aneamia. Do not use garlic if a horse has been scouring chronically, and use caution if you are feeding garlic to nursing mares as it may flavour/taint the milk and upset the foal's digestive system.
Poison Information: Horse Report Poisons
Here is a good link to research if you suspect your horse has been poisoned.