Revolution In The Horse Industry
Does your horse
consistently win? Surpass your expectations? Look forward to
competition?
Does he do it, or can he do it, without drugs,
medications and painkillers?
Why medicate, mask and
marginalize your horse’s performance and actually put him at
risk? There is good news for the horse industry. There are
other ways to have that ultimate performance horse. Keep your
horse sound, effective, performing in ultimate condition and keep
him performing longer with shorter recovery rates from the high
levels of the physical challenges and stress required of today’s
performance horse. Take a step back and become a vigilant
observer. Listen and watch horses, their owners and riders as
they are asked to perform. Do you see the difference in the
horses that are allowed to move freely and willingly in
competition and those that are robotic? The horse is like a
well-oiled, well-tuned machine when in the hands of a caring,
considerate and great operator. This machine can also become
ineffective when the wiring and components break down. Each
part of the machine must be working in harmony to run
efficiently. The fastest, mechanically perfect car won’t go
anywhere without gas; and without oil, the engine is surely to
blow. If your truck has a flat tire and you use the new “spare
tire” that comes with it until you can get to a garage, you cannot
continue to run a mismatched tire, which is a different size than
the other 3. Your gas mileage will go down, turning and braking
becomes inefficient and even dangerous. Compare that with the
horse with a shoe that doesn’t fit right. After all, we can change a
tire or take off our shoes. The horse is stuck with the ones we
put on them. Over time performance is compromised and the
horse will start to show symptoms of discomfort and can even
suffer long-term damage. Too often, these symptoms could be
misinterpreted and covered up with medication to inhibit pain
during performance. For those trainers and owners who
understand the horse’s mind and the psychology of the mindbody connection, the horse has an ally. These individuals take a
whole horse approach to training, healthcare and building
athletes that can compete in demanding equine events. They
understand that drugs affect the relationship between the body
and mind and this knowledge enables them to recognize and
prevent physical and behavioral issues and act in the best
interest of the horse. They know that there is a source, cause
and symptomatic criteria for problems and they go to the source
before beginning any treatment or therapy. Find the source, find
the cause from the symptoms, and an appropriate treatment plan
can be put in place. Horses all have their own language and by
spending a few minutes reading the horse, their signs can very
often allow preventative measures before treatment is necessary.
Drugs in the horse industry have always been accepted to
some extent, with each season bringing on a broader spectrum of
drug use. There are times when drugs are absolutely appropriate
and used under the right circumstances, humane. However,
broadening the scope of accepted drugs in the horse industry to
encompass drugs just to make a horse appear or perform in a
manner that is not natural is extremely dangerous. It sits right
up there with expanding drug use to school children to keep
them quiet and in a stupor because they seem to be hyperactive.
There are truly legitimate circumstances when drugs are critical
for treatment, but it is a sad day when drugs are considered
appropriate just to manipulate the horse’s appearance, such as
deadening tails. I won’t even go into the disastrous
consequences from that ridiculous concept. Are the
competitors manipulating judges or is it just the opposite? So,
when does the integrity of the horse outweigh the integrity (or
lack of) of the competition? Is there no barrier that cannot be
breached if the judges or public decide the “appearance” of the
horse is more important that the horse itself. Unnecessary
drugging of horses for no other reason than improper training,
undue stress factors on young horses not given adequate
recovery time, behavior and other excuses has gone too far.
Many abnormalities and even death can result in taking the high
road of constant drugs and the many medications that are on the
rise as accepted in the horse industry. Many underlying health
problems are caused directly by mismanagement. This article
does not address the positive and valuable use of medications
and drugs for horses. Your veterinarian is the first line of defense
for your horse and can give you that information. A good
veterinarian that has true compassion for the horse and supports
the integrity of horse health is the horse’s strongest ally, as are
the professional therapists and support team (equine dentists,
farriers, etc.). Because the word holistic, herbal, and natural
seem to imply safe, it is crucial that you work with a trained
professional. Most therapies have the ability to change the
physical, mental and emotional state, that is why they are so
successful, but it is an intelligent choice to work with a
knowledgeable and trained therapist. Individuals who attempt to
treat their horses often don’t know the complexities of sideeffects, yes, there may be some, and contraindications.
Therapeutic Massage, for example, is a wonderful adjunct to any
therapy, but there are conditions, which prevent its use.
Holistic and conventional therapy is a critical combination for
preventative and maintenance healthcare for the horse. Whether
the horse is a top money winner and top competitor or a little
girl’s dream, the horse is a gift to mankind. From the time the
first human sat astride the horse, a bond has been forged that
has crossed centuries and cultures. The horse has been given
into our care and it is our responsibility to take that responsibility
with honor and integrity. This is not a free pass to put the horse
in harm’s way for our vanity and petty fads. The
REVOLUTION of which I speak is actually a change of
perspective. The horse is a valuable commodity, a competitor’s
ally, and some little girls dream. An educated, considerate and
caring horse owner is the horse’s very best friend. The
following is an article written by Stephanie Womack. Stephanie is
our barrel horse trainer here at Twin Kreek Ranch in Marietta,
OK. We breed, raise and train performance horses. Our horses
are bred for disposition, good minds, athletic ability and
versatility. Stephanie has been successfully campaigning several
of our horses and with only 15 runs to his credit, one of the
geldings is not only performing great, but running right up there
with the top competitors. We are extremely proud of Stephanie,
what she is doing with our horses and the fact that all our horses
are basically on this same program as the one outlined below. As
therapist, Stephanie and I both agree that the making of a good
horse and the making of a great horse, depends on the horse,
yes, but also in this winning program. For more information
about Stephanie and an in-depth look at her program and the
program here at Twin Kreek Ranch, email us at
petspeak@swbell.net or
STEPHWOMACK@peoplepc.com.
Success in the horse industry
is not just related to how your horse is bred, but also, to the way
you take care of your horse companion. In my opinion there are
two types of horses: Just a horse, and Wow! What a horse!! This
does not always note world champions, but it does note horses
that their owners take very good care of them and provide the
best for them to feel look and perform at their top level. No! Not
all horses are world champions, but they will be more
cooperative for you if this is how you treat them. You will know
that they give you 100% every time. My program consists of
a team that I work with, they are: a veterinarian, a farrier, an
equine dentist and the natural therapies we practice. With my
team and I, we work together to help the horses reach their
potential. One is as important as the other and they all are
experts in their field of study. To properly care for your horse(s),
you need to make a team for yourself and become more
knowledgeable in the area of horsemanship.
In my program, I
start addressing a horse’s ability by looking at the things I can
change to better their physical and emotional lifestyle with the
agreement of my team. My program is one of prevention rather
than fixing problems. First item that I will look at is their
nutritional intake. I believe that the horse’s body and ours, too,
were made to live off of the land and not digest man-made
preservatives or additives. The horse’s digestive system works
best when they can easily breakdown their food and it can be
quickly turned to energy. The longer food takes to digest and
breakdown in the body, the longer the body has to wait to
receive the benefits. I personally feed an extruded feed that is
made to be more easily digestible and nutrients are more readily
available to the horse because of the extrusion process.
I also like to add a supplement that will increase joint and
ligament support and promote overall health. The supplement
that I like to use is half bee pollen and half joint protection
formula. The bee pollen is beneficial that it enhances immunity,
has healing properties, and decreases respiratory problems. It,
also, increases the power to concentrate and increases brain
function. Bee pollen is full of vitamins such as: vitamin B and
vitamin E and amino acids. The joint support system includes
glucosamine and powerful enzymes to maintain normal joint
health. In my feeding process, I like to have all my horses on
Apple Cider Vinegar. This product has proven itself in many
realms of the equine industry to be beneficial in healing wounds,
helping by relieving arthritic problems, calming nerves,
conditioning their coats and stimulates digestion in colic
situations.
After I get them on my preventive feeding
program, I will address their physical well being—such as: teeth,
feet, and body condition. The mouth and feet of a horse are two
areas that you never want to overlook. The mouth should be
ulcer free and teeth floated and smooth with no sharp edges. The
hinge of the jaw should glide smoothly left and right and they
should be able to open wide. An equine dentist is a major player
on the team of preventive heath in my program. I recommend
having an equine dentist check your horse’s teeth every six
months. If there is an issue that needs addressing then they can
fix it at that time, before it becomes a problem. This goes for
the feet. You need to find a good farrier that will trim or shoe
your horse to his body angles. The foot should be level right to
left and front to back. The foot is a very important part of the
horse’s body. If the foot is not level or does not have correct size
shoes on it; it can not handle the weight of the horse properly,
therefore causing the horse to overcompensate and a problem
forms. Lameness, unwillingness to perform, body structure
changes, and many more things occur when the mouth and feet
are overlooked. The daily routine of my horses is very
important to my program. I feed twice a day and I give good
clean coastal hay with their feed. I keep plenty of fresh water
available. They get exercise everyday, whether it be lounging,
pleasure riding or working on certain techniques that they need
to develop. Then they get to run free in the pasture and enjoy
the rest of the day as horses. I believe that free time in the
pasture, or a good sized lot, is a priority to keep the mind of a
horse free and full of life. They like to run, play, enjoy the
sunshine and roll in the dirt just like we enjoy changing up our
routine to do something pleasurable for ourselves. The more
the mind is willing, the more our horse will help us in reaching
our goals. Also, I check their body’s everyday to make sure there
are no new scratches or bumps that need to be addressed. I like
to help keep my horses feeling great with some massage,
acupressure work and relevant therapies. If I find a soreness or
lameness issue, then I do bodywork and some alternative
therapies that will fix the issue. By checking my horses daily, I
decrease the chance of missing one of these issues and therefore
letting it get in the way of their performance. Knowing the horse
anatomy and how their body should operate normally, are a
must, because knowledge gives you the upper hand on winning
and having your horse perform at the top of their game.
During competition, I also have a routine that I like to follow.
Sometimes time does not allow for this routine to be completely
followed every time. However I change it to benefit the horse
that I am working on and do what is necessary to make them
comfortable and do their best. In my competition routine, I make
sure I park where my horse will be safe and not get hurt or hurt
some one else. Depending on the length of the drive, I like to
stretch my horse’s legs by hand walking them for a few minutes
and then offering them water. I make sure I know the order of
events and decide on how much time that I will need to get my
horse properly ready for their event. I like to saddle early and do
a light warm-up, then come back to the trailer and stretch and
address any soreness issues that would not work themselves out
during the warm-up. Depending on the horse, I will go back a do
a longer warm-up to help them focus and then get geared up for
our run. Not all horses need a long warm-up. It is unnecessary to
over warm-up your horse. You are wasting them and not allowing
them to perform their best. If, after a proper warm-up, I have a
horse that gets a little edgy and is not able to stay calm, then I
will give an herbal calmer made of chamomile. This is not a drug.
It is a flower and works great in the body, because it is natural
and easy for the body to break down. The horse then goes out
and does there best for me. I cool them out by hand walking and
re-stretching their larger muscle groups and then I water and
feed and/or hay them. My horses are rewarded; when we get
home, with pasture time for a day or at least 24 hours, then we
get back into our daily exercise routine.
I do not believe it is
necessary to drug the horse to get them to run their best with
my program. They are getting every thing that the body needs
and there are no extras that the body has to fight to break down
and use. We think drugging horses to make them run faster or
stay calm is beneficial, however it is proven that it only hurts the
horse in the long run. They will over work their body, therefore
causing strained ligaments or muscles or torn ligaments or
muscles. Also, their systems were not made to have drugs; it is
hard for a horse to digest them. Some drugs that are used
prevalently in the competition world are so touchy that with just
one dose; that you have done for hundreds of runs, could cause
detrimental problems in the body, such as: founder, bleeding,
heart attacks, strokes and, of course, death. I do not want to
take the chance on my Wow! What a horse!!. I believe in them
and they trust and believe that I do all that I can for them
without harming them. My horses love their job, because
they feel good inside and out. I know they give me 100%,
because I give them my 100% all of the time. Sometimes I know
we run out of time or money and we can get in a hurry to have a
world champion; so we get focused on us and forget the proper
needs of our horse(s). This is when we start cutting corners and
our program begins to fail our horses and us. We can not let this
happen; if we want the Wow! What a horse!
NOTE:
Stephanie’s cover of her program is really just the tip of the
iceberg. And, Stephanie works closely with her veterinarian.
Although he practices Conventional Veterinary Medicine, he is her
trusted guide and resource and plays a crucial role in the
wellbeing and health of her horses. Jim Knorr, Trainer, Twin
Kreek Ranch. Jim also has a very good training program and his
belief that reading the horse is your most valuable resource.
Each horse is different and even though his training routine can
be pretty basic, his ability to individualize it for each horse has
given his horses the basic training they need to prepare them for
any equine event. It is imperative to NOT interpret bad behavior
and poor performance before going back to the source and
cause. Again, the equine dentist, farrier, veterinarian, therapists
are a team. X-rays and other lab work can only be done by a
veterinarian and can uncover existing problems and make sure
they are addressed. From a training aspect, tack, travel and
housing are all crucial parts of the equation.
Submited by:
Bennie Jean Kuehnle