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Robin Crawford

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22.01.2022 Mindset Motivation Mirror, mirror on the wall As I am sitting here in the plane on my way to Newcastle, my mind wonders back to a couple of days ago when we bo...ught a new horse for my daughter. The part that stood out for me was after my daughter rode the horse the owner, a young woman made the comment that she would be very happy to sell the horse to us because she had seen my daughter ride at a competition and she particularly liked the fact that she had patted her horse after she came out of her showjumping round even though the horse had pulled a rail. In her words, ' that doesn't happen very often'. It made me stop and think and sadly I have to agree with her. I am wondering have horses become a sporting instrument, comparable with tennis rackets, cricket bats and soccer balls? Are we misusing their kind temperament and taking it for granted that they perform for us in whatever discipline we have chosen. Where is the line that makes it clear to the rider what is ok to expect of their horse and when are we asking too much. In tennis, there is a severe penalty for smashing the tennis racket into the ground, at horse competitions we often see riders ' getting stuck' into their horse after they leave the arena without any penalties. In fact, no one seems to care. I guess seeing world cup riders riding their horses at competitions with clear spur marks on both sides makes it ok for other riders to do the same. Before our sport can improve we first we have to make sure that it is "un-cool" to behave badly in the warm-up arena. My intention is not to point the finger at anyone, we all have off days and do things we regret afterward. I remember one particular time when I was around 19 years old. I punished my horse for something that wasn't his fault and I am very thankful that an older rider came up to me and threatened to drag me off the horse. He gave me such a big lecture in front of everyone and made it very clear that what I did was not acceptable. This was a huge lesson and one that stuck with me forever. I am very grateful to him for speaking up. I think especially our younger riders need these role models who keep them accountable. I feel that the real value we get from horse riding is the feedback we get from our horses. Let's be honest for a moment, in most cases, horses do exactly what we ask them to do. Ok, we don't actually ask them to pull a rail or spook in the dressage arena but really the key to success is in the preparation. If my preparation has been lazy it will show up in competitions and the rail down or the spook is often a direct consequence to the work we do at home or the lack of it. Too many riders expect their horse to perform at a competition or at pony club even though they still have trouble getting that performance at home. It is all about preparation and education. If all you do at home is jump, don't expect your horse to canter softly in between fences at a competition. Unless you school your horse and improve it's flatwork don't complain about the rails you get, rather say thank you for the fact that your horse is jumping at all! Young horses need to be taken out slowly and gently so they have time to get used to the atmosphere at a show. If your horse is not used to flags, sideshows and lots of other horses around them, maybe just take them the first time without the pressure of competing and let them have a look. If your horse is not ready and gets spooked you might get nervous as a result and then it is a bad experience for both. Just give your horse some extra time and you are better off for it later down the track. We have to take responsibility and point the finger at yourself when things go wrong. After all, think of all the times that your horse has saved you in a sticky situation by being extremely honest and trying it's heart out. Riders who truly understand the value of horses feedback and are prepared to listen to it will grow not only as a rider but also as a person. In particular, our young riders can learn so much about themselves and how to control their emotions by listening more closely to their horses. If you can't control yourself what makes you think you can control your horse. The fact that hoses are so forgiving makes them the best schoolmasters. Lessons, like being tolerant, self observant and dealing with ups and downs in general, are vitally important for every person to live a happy and successful life. As parents, we need to make sure that we don't use ponies as baby sitters and toys, that are there for our children's entertainment but teach them responsibility and respect towards the animal. If the pony doesn't go well instead of blaming the pony tell your kids why the pony didn't go well and what they can do to improve the outcome next time. You get out what you put in what a great lesson. Leading by example is vital for coaches, riders and parents. Let's have a look at some of the things we can all do to have a better relationship with our horses and other people around us: When you see something that is not ok speak up but do it kindly instead of yelling and screaming. No one likes being yelled at and we generally don't learn from that anyway Let's bring back judges to the warm-up ring. This happens at every international competition so I can't see why we don't do it at smaller competitions as well. Lead by example in particular if you are a parent, rider or a coach When you have a bad day do yourself and your horse a favour. Don't ride! Be a role model to others Point out to inexperienced riders how to communicate with their horses to get better feedback Ask yourself constantly " what can I do better next time" and say thank you when you make a mistake We all came into the sport because we love horses. Let's remember, no matter which discipline you are competing and on what level you are riding, a rider without a horse is only a spectator. Take a moment to appreciate your horse Remember why you started riding in the first place Love and appreciate your horse the way you want your horse to love and appreciate you We are so blessed to be able to work with an animal so graceful and kind-hearted as the horse and I am sure you agree that every one of us, as a result, is better of for it. Happy riding Tanja Mitton

19.01.2022 Abcessing. Don't dig holes in the hoof. Put a poultice on, wrap it up and let them move. The hoof is a sealed box,but it has a soft closure around the coronary... band and heels,movement builds pressure, which creates pain but also provides force with which it enables the hoof to squeeze the pus up through between the laminae and then out through the coronary band or heels ,usually happens a few hours after the fetlock swells, which provides downward pressure against the build up of pressure by the hoof, which bursts open the coronary band or heels. This is normal. If you dig you weaken this process and run the risk of creating an underun abcess, which can go on for months. Allow movement as it's needed for pressure to build,lack of movement means swelling inflammation goes down,giving relief but it will build again and then the whole process has to restart,ending up prolonging the whole process. Antibiotics and antinflammatories should be avoided as these generally prolong the process. Obviously in extreme cases follow your vets advice,but most self resolve. But after you have the problem resolved ask why it has occurred and make the necessary changes. See more

18.01.2022 No wonder poor Percy was lame. He’s blown a massive abscess. Epsom salts are just magic for poulticing.

18.01.2022 You just never know where the object is within the hoof.

15.01.2022 DID YOU KNOW... -for every 1 centimeter of extra toe length- this results in an extra 50 kilograms of force acting on the tendons -1 degree drop in sole angle ...where the DDFT inserts into the coffin bone (affected by Palmar Angle) can lead to a 4% increase in the pressure exerted by the DDFT on the Navicular bone (Credit Dr Renate Weller) These simple facts highlight how important it is to keep your horses on tight shoeing schedule and receive correct trimming/shoeing to give them a long and successful career.

11.01.2022 Trimming my besties today.

11.01.2022 I have had good success with a length of car Tyre tube. Cut about 50-60cm long put the hoof into it about halfway. Put the thrush soaking mix in, you won’t need much. Then fold up the dangling end agains the leg and bandage in place. A tied up horse seems quite happy with this - especially with food and you can do all feet simultaneously.

09.01.2022 Not very nice. But a good reminder to keep on top of thrush, the cracks and crannies become a great hide away for all sorts of problems.

06.01.2022 Foundered hoof with coffin bone damage vs healthy with a nicely connected coffin bone. Interesting dissection day today www.successwithhorses.com

03.01.2022 Windpuffs: Windpuffs are soft, fluid-filled swellings toward the back of the fetlock joint, resulting from inflamed deep digital tendon sheaths. Most commonly, ...these puffy enlargements are symptomless blemishesold and cold, the result of years of hard work. In some instances, however, the horse might be lame from recent injury to the tendon sheath, with marked heat and pain in the area, when you flex the joint or palpate the swelling. Many horses have windpuffs, especially in the rear legs, with no associated lameness. Fox Run Equine Center www.foxrunequine.com (724) 727-3481 Experienced. Dedicated. Focused on the horse.

03.01.2022 I have had good success with Hoof Armor with the thin soled horses.

01.01.2022 Pastern Dermatitis By Brian S. Burks, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, Board Certified in Equine Practice Pastern dermatitis is often called a variety of names such as grease ...heel mud fever dew poisoning or scratches. This is a syndrome or cutaneous reaction pattern that has many causes and is often multi-factorial. The dermatitis may be preceded by mechanical injury; chronic moisture, frictional injury from bedding or tack; ectoparasites and other microorganisms. This gives rise to an inflammatory response in the skin, noted by scales, crusts, loss of hair, erosion and ulceration. The skin may eventually become fibrotic or form exuberant masses of granulation or scar tissue. Thickened skin is the result with excessive keratin. This syndrome has been described in horses for centuries, and may be responsible for one of the top 10 equine dermatoses. It occurs in all breed and sexes. Draft horses commonly have chronic dermatitis. Clinical signs of pastern dermatitis are varied and may depend upon the etiology. Most often this occurs on the bilateral hindlimbs, though one limb only is sometimes affected. It occurs on the back of the pastern, but may progress upward affecting the skin of the cannon bone. Early lesions have mild scaling with redness and alopecia. Fissures may form, along with plaque lesions and verrucous masses. There may be varying degrees of erosion and ulceration, greasiness, malodor, and exudate. In more advanced cases, there is thick, adherent scale and crusting which is painful to remove. There is serosanguinous or suppurative discharge. Distal limb edema, cellulitis, and lameness may occur. It may also be itchy. Causes of pastern dermatitis are numerous. Categorization may help facilitate a treatment plan. 1. Factors related to the development of pastern dermatitis a. Feathering around the fetlock b. Poor hoof condition c. Moist conditions, abrasion from plants, or soil irritants d. Poor stable hygiene 2. Factors that initiate dermatitis a. Parasitic- chorioptes and other mites, causing intense itch. This causes exudation and self-inflicted trauma. b. Infectious c. Immune mediated- allergic hypersensitivity from contact or photoactivation in white pasterns. This may lead to severe vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) d. Iatrogenic- topical blistering agents, urine/fecal scald or wire injury. 3. Factors that maintain dermatitis a. Bacterial b. Environmental- over vigorous bathing, application of various liniments, insect bites Diagnosis involves obtaining various samples. Blood may be taken to rule out hepatic involvement which causes photosensitization. Scrapings or biopsies may be taken to look for ectoparasites and cultures to look for bacterial or fungal causes. Biopsies will determine if vasculitis is present, neoplastic disease, or keratinization disorders. Treatment aims to return the skin to normal and eliminate the predisposing causes. There is no one size fits all treatment. The scales and crusts must be debrided, along with excess hair. Washing with chlorhexidine and application of silvadene or various topical corticosteroids is often helpful. The environment should be kept clean and dry. Treatment for the removal of ectoparasites may include pyrethrins, lime sulfur or fipronil products. In some cases antibiotics for several weeks may be necessary. Systemic steroids may be necessary to lessen the inflammation or to treat vasculitis. There is also a lotion containing various herbs, cod liver oil, and mountain water from Iceland that helps to heal the skin SDS Horse Lotion. Fox Run Equine Center provides this product in the eastern USA. I have found that washing with chlorhexidine solution and application of a light layer of silvadene or SDS Horse Lotion cures most cases of pastern dermatitis. Still, there are those cases that are refractory to treatment. Prevention relies on avoidance of any predisposing causes such as recurrent wetting. Cleansing and thorough drying are also helpful. Some cases will take years for recovery and some horses will be left with thickening of the skin and alopecia. Recurrence of the disorder is common. Dr. Brian Burks, Dipl. ABVP is the owner/veterinarian at Fox Run Equine Center, a 24-hour medical-surgical center near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Equine Practice). This certifies him as an expert in all categories of equine practice. He enjoys the diagnostic and treatment challenges of internal medicine, neonatology, surgery, and ophthalmology. www.foxrunequine.com 724-727-3481 Fox Run Equine Center

01.01.2022 Carol Layton is a great source of researched information on what to feed our horses.