HORSE MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER AND MORE!!!
*******************************************************************
Topics in this issue:
1) Feature: Recreational Show Horses at Risk for Stomach Ulcers
2) Rally and rating tips: Hints for taking your C3 rating test
3) Questions and answers: D rally questions, betadine and study questions
4) Fun and educational websites: Merck vet manual, art,
5) Featured rule: Formal Inspection and Presentation of Mount
6) Horsey Humor: The horse's dictionary
7) Free item exchange

*******************************************************************
Feature: Recreational Show Horses at Risk for Stomach Ulcers
*******************************************************************

The following article was sent out on the USEF newsletter, September 8th,
2005.

New Study Shows Recreational Show Horses at Risk for Stomach Ulcers
By Rose Raus

New research shows that stomach ulcers can occur within five days in horses
exposed to recreational show conditions and activities. The study, reported
in the September 1 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical
Association (JAVMA), indicated that seven out of 10 horses developed ulcers
when exposed to normal situations related to weekend show travel. These
included transportation, twice daily feeding, light exercise and stall
confinement.

Researchers and veterinarians have historically associated stomach ulcers
with high-performance or racehorses. This new study shows just how easily
horses can develop stomach ulcers in association with less-strenuous,
recreational activities such as weekend horseshows or events.

³The research demonstrated that conditions representing typical activities
of the recreationally used horse are associated with an increased incidence
of gastric ulcers within a short time period,² said Dr. Scott McClure, DVM,
PhD, author of the study. ³The findings reported should increase awareness
that gastric ulcers affect a greater population of horses than previously
thought.²

The study included a total of 20 horses determined to be ulcer-free. Ten of
the horses were exposed to conditions over the next five days that simulated
a weekend horse show. This included four hours of transport to a secondary
facility, three days of light training (thirty minutes of longeing twice per
day), twice daily feeding, stall confinement and a four-hour trip back to
the home facility. The other ten horses remained together in a paddock at
the home location as a control group. All 20 horses underwent a second
endoscopy on day five. Results showed that seven out of ten horses
transported off-site had developed stomach ulcers within only five days.
Furthermore, two of the control horses developed ulcers, possibly due to the
change in herd dynamics after the first group was transported away.
The research highlights just how easily horses can get stomach ulcers and
the opportunity for proactive prevention. Until recently, there was little
horse owners could do to effectively prevent stomach ulcers in their horses.
But now, ulcers can be prevented with UlcergardTM from Merial. Ulcergard is
the first and only FDA-approved product scientifically proven to prevent
stomach ulcers in horses. Available through veterinarians, Ulcergard is a
once-daily (four daily doses per tube), cinnamon-flavored oral paste that
prevents ulcers in horses exposed to stressful conditions including, but not
limited to, confinement, training, travel and competition.  

Stormy's note: This article is of special interest to me because of the
questions and answers that have been coming up on this newsletter about the
possible link between cribbing and stomach ulcers. The author may be
promoting a certain ulcer preventing product, but if you feel that your own
horse may suffer from ulcers, there are many other horse management,
training, and dietary changes you could implement to help this problem
before you'd have to go to expensive drugs. Thanks to April Smith for
passing this along.

*******************************************************************
Rally and rating tips: Hints for taking your C3 rating test
*******************************************************************

The following is a continuation of some of the great information I gleaned
from Nancy McKnight of the Oregon region. For more information about Nancy
and the C3 rating, see last month's issue. Although it is written
specifically for C3 candidates, all levels can benefit from this advice, it
just becomes critical at the C3 and higher levels.

HINTS FOR TAKING YOUR C3 RATING TEST
by Nancy McKnight

Much of the examiner's impression will be based on the quality of your oral
answers to both your unmounted and mounted phases of the test. Therefore
you should make definite efforts to anticipate and organize your responses
to various questions.

STEPS TO GOOD ORAL RESPONSES TO EXAMINER'S QUESTIONS....
1. ANTICIPATE THE QUESTIONS
* read the standards and formulate probable questions
* listen carefully to the exact question - if there are parts you do not
understand, ask for clarification

2. GATHER THE PERTINENT INFORMATION AND ORGANIZE IT TO CREATE ANSWERS
* write down the facts, emphasizing the terms and vocabulary needed to
give complete answers to specific questions
* organize the information to present concise and correct answers to
specific questions
* have back-up information to support opinions and ideas
* keep in mind the sources for your information

3. TAKE COMMAND OF YOUR ANSWERS AND SPEAK WITH CONVICTION
* try to use complete sentences
* repeat a portion of the question in your answer ..."The conformation
of my horse is..." and then go on with your ideas, facts, and opinions
* speak directly to the examiner with eye contact and in a clear voice
* always ask if the examiner would like more detail (if you are prepared
to give it!)

4. PRACTICE GIVING YOUR ANSWERS ORALLY
* mothers or friends are good for this purpose...
* DON'T memorize the answer, practice varying your answer. This is not a
drama, so you don't want your information to sound like someone else's
script.

5. FOR MOUNTED FEED-BACK
Warm-up - Have a plan!!! Know your horse's requirements. Use correct
terms which describe what you need to accomplish. Analyze how you were able
to carry out your plan. "To stretch and make muscles supple I ....", "To
make the horse pay attention in a relaxed way I .... ", "To get forward
movement without rushing I ...", "To engage my horse's hindquarters I ....",
"To get my own body relaxed, supple and steady I ...." etc. "Because my
horse is (green, inclined to get too forward, lazy, is easily distracted -
whatever) I need to concentrate on ______ during warm-up. Because I am
still working on my (leg position, quiet hands, my bobbing head, whatever) I
did ______ during warm-up.
Answer in complete sentences when possible.
Ask for clarification if you do not understand the question.
Use the correct terms to show you understand the principles involved.
Read the Standards to determine what the examiner is looking for.
Verbally analyze your riding and your horse on a daily basis.
Concentrate on your efforts without blaming the horse.

*******************************************************************
Questions and answers
*******************************************************************

Hi Stormy

I had a HM newsletter question... which newsletter had the great sample
questions for D level members at rallies?

Thanks,
Lori Moreno, Deer Creek Pony Club parent

Hi Lori,

The questions that they're most likely to get at a D rally for the written
test are covered in the D level study guide on the www.ponyclub.org website.
From the website click on the "forms" link and from there click on "D study
guide (written test)". Since the D rally coming up in our region will be
run as a mini-Eventing rally, it would also be helpful for the Pony Clubbers
to look over the "Eventing Study Guide" also found under the "forms" link.

For other questions that may be asked during D level tests refer back to
these past issues of the Horse Management Newsletter:

D1 sample questions: May 2004 issue
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HorseManagementNewsletter/message/14

D2 sample questions: April 2004 issue
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HorseManagementNewsletter/message/13

D3 sample questions: March 2004 issue
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HorseManagementNewsletter/message/12

Have fun!
Stormy

*******************************************

Hi Stormy,

Please remind me about adding soap to betadine to convert it to a scrub for
Rally purposes.

Saragail Standish, DC, 49er Pony Club

Hi Saragail,

If you have betadine solution instead of betadine scrub in your equine first
aid kit and you want to make it into something that will satisfy the
³antimicrobial/antiseptic scrub² item then all you need to do is add some
liquid soap to the betadine solution. Add enough so that after itıs mixed,
you can squirt some out and get it to make some foamy bubbles if you were to
wash with it. You wouldnıt need more than one part soap to 4 parts betadine
solution. If your betadine solution bottle is already full, Iıd suggest
squirting about half of it into a second bottle and mixing that with the
liquid soap, that way if you do need betadine solution (great for diluting
and flushing puncture wounds) youıll still have some on hand. The only
problem you may run into at a rally if you have made your own betadine scrub
is that if itıs not in its original bottle with the current expiration date
it could be considered to not have an expiration date. Current expiration
dates are required on all medications; although it could certainly be argued
that the antimicrobial/antiseptic scrub isnıt a medication, itıs a cleanser.
My best advice is to take the expiration date from the original bottle and
write it in permanent ink on the new bottle, or if you have access to a vet
who would write up the scrub bottle contents with an expiration date that
would be even better.

Stay clean,
Stormy

*******************************************************************
Fun and educational websites
*******************************************************************

For those of us who want the most technical information about horse health
care and ailments, now the entire Merck Veterinary Manual is available for
free online! The Merck Vet Manual is what veterinarians use in vet school
and beyond. Find it here and search for whatever might be on your mind:

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp

************************************

Beautiful Equine Art site

http://www.galeriepleinaire.com/prints.html

********************************************************************
Featured rule: Formal Inspection and Presentation of Mount
********************************************************************

2002 Horse Management Handbook page 37 section 27: Formal Inspection and
Presentation of Mount

All riders will report for formal inspection wearing chin strap and helmet
in place, as if to ride. Spurs (optional) may be put on in the stable area
and worn to the inspection site. Girths should be adjusted for riding.
Stirrup bars should be down and stirrups run up. ALL riders will stand at
the mount's head on the near (left) side, with reins in right hand below the
bit and the slack in the left. The rider should be on the same side as the
Judge, which will necessitate changing sides as the Judge does.

********************************************************************
Horsey humor: The Horse Dictionary
********************************************************************

The Horse Dictionary

Arena: Place where humans can take the fun out of forward motion.
Bit: Means by which a rider's every motion is transmitted to the extremely
sensitive tissues of the mouth.
Bucking: Counterirritant.
Crossties: Gymnastic apparatus.
Dressage: Process by which some riders can eventually be taught to respect
the bit.
Fence: Barrier that protects good grazing.
Grain: Sole virtue of domestication.
Hitching rail: Means by which to test one's strength.
Horse trailer: Mobile cave bear den.
Jump: An opportunity for self-expression.
Latch: Type of puzzle.
Longeing: Procedure for keeping a prospective rider at bay.
Owner: Human assigned responsibility for one's feeding. 
Rider: Owner overstepping its bounds.
Farrier: Disposable surrogate owner useful for acting out aggression without
compromising food supply.
Trainer: Owner with mob connections. 
Veterinarian: Flightless albino vulture.

Submitted by Margaret Juergensmeyer

More horse funnies here:
http://www.equerry.com/html/fun/eq_humor.htm

********************************************************************
Free item exchange
********************************************************************

**FREE**FREE**FREE**

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Submit your free horse-related items or services here. If you or your club
has items they are willing to pass along to a new family, this is a great
place to list them. Listings can come from any part of the country, or even
overseas!

Free items may include but are not limited to:

riding clothes
rally equipment
horse-related games and toys
tack and training equipment
blankets, wraps, halters
books or magazines
horse-related artwork
and of course...horses and ponies!

The recipient may be expected to handle any shipping costs.

Please provide a phone and/or email contact with each listing. Items will
be listed in the next HM Newsletter and will not be renewed unless an
additional email is sent asking for the listing to be continued.

So...clean out your tackroom and make room for more stuff!

To submit your items, simply reply to this email or write to:
stormy@... .

********************************************************************
Call for submissions
********************************************************************

Help make this newsletter the best it can be. Do you have any issues you'd
like to see addressed here? How about ideas for recommended products, books,
or videos? Want to submit your own article, or a question for the questions
and answers section? Send them to: stormy@... and I'll keep a log
of topics and articles for upcoming issues.