Category Horses

There is currently no evidence to suggest that the Coronavirus can be transmitted from humans to pets and that companion animals can spread it but there is a bit more to it than that. Read on to learn more.

Did Coronavirus originate in animals?

The Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause disease in animals. In total, seven viruses have crossed to humans. In 2002, SARS-CoV – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – jumped from Civet cats to humans in China and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – MERS – was transmitted from Dromedary Camels to humans in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Both MERS and SARS are far more serious than Coronavirus or Covid-19. There are other Coronaviruses currently in the animal population that have not yet passed to humans.

Has the actual source been identified?

The outbreak source has been pinpointed to what is a called a ‘wet market’ in Wuhan in China. This market sells both dead and live animals including fish and birds. Hygiene standards are suspect because live animals are being kept, slaughtered and butchered on-site. The original source is thought to have been bats which infected live chickens sold at the market. Bats were the species responsible for Ebola and other diseases including HIV and rabies. Scientists studying the viruses’ genetic code have almost certainly linked Covid-19 to bats despite some crazy conspiracy theories in circulation which contest that the virus escaped from a secret Chinese laboratory.

What about the reported sole dog case in Hong Kong?

On the 5th March, news media reported that a lone dog in Hong Kong appears to have a mild infection from the Coronavirus and the reports maintain that this was likely to have been passed from a human to the dog. The dog has been put into quarantine. The World Organisation for Animal Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have both issued advisory statements saying that there is no evidence that companion animals can transmit the virus amongst their own species but the government in Hong Kong has stated that humans sick with the virus may want to consider putting their pets into quarantine.

There has been recent coverage in the media about the Coronavirus and the racing industry, what are the implications of this?

The world-famous Cheltenham Festival is looming and the BHA – British Horse Racing Authority – has been leading a high profile initiative to inform trainers and racecourses about the implications of the disease because of the possible disruption to large scale sporting fixtures which also include the Grand National in April. Spectators have already been banned from racecourse meetings in the United Arab Emirates but this has nothing to do with Corvid-19 amongst the equine population. The government may ban all large sporting events in the UK to prevent the spread of the disease in humans.

If the Covid-19 virus originated in animals, could my horse infect me?

Coronaviruses are common in both domestic and wild animal species including cattle and horses and cats and dogs. Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can create a range of respiratory type symptoms such as cough, sore throat and a runny nose so the common cold effectively or, more severe pneumonia type symptoms. The viruses get their name from the crown-like spikes on their surface – ‘corona’ in Latin means ‘crown’.

It is not that common for the viruses to spread from animals to humans and usually there is a reservoir host such as bats so transmission is not therefore direct. In previous transmissions – MERS and SARS – there were intermediate hosts namely camels and civet cats. At the moment, animal scientists and experts don’t feel there is any likelihood of infection of Covid-19 in companion animals. It is a question of understanding that these viruses can cause illness in a species but this can be mild and not transmissible to others. Scientists believe that Covid-19 cannot be passed by companion animals to humans, but can it go the other way? The issue of the sick dog in Hong Kong has raised the spectre that humans can pass Covid-19 to their pets but Covid-19 is present in the animal population anyway.

Could I vaccinate my horse against Covid-19?

There are currently no vaccines available for Covid-19 in either the human or animal population and the World Health Organisation envisages it will take between a year to eighteen months to create a human vaccine. Corvid-19 has already mutated which makes it much more difficult to create an effective vaccine.

Take veterinary advice

Speak to your vet for the latest information about protecting your horse. The flu virus should be of much more concern to horse owners and sporting protocols have all changed their requirement with regard to competition horses depending on the discipline. There are possible complications looming from the Equine Herpes Virus so this also a situation to watch. The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket obtains and collates data on outbreaks of equine disease and can provide up-to-date advice on all of these diseases. They also have a lot of useful information about strangles and the containment of this particular disease via their SES initiative – Surveillance of Equine Strangles. Their website and Facebook page provide regular updates.

There is currently no evidence to suggest that the Coronavirus can be transmitted from humans to pets and that companion animals can spread it but there is a bit more to it than that. Read on to learn more.

Did Coronavirus originate in animals?

The Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause disease in animals. In total, seven viruses have crossed to humans. In 2002, SARS-CoV – Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – jumped from Civet cats to humans in China and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome – MERS – was transmitted from Dromedary Camels to humans in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Both MERS and SARS are far more serious than Coronavirus or Covid-19. There are other Coronaviruses currently in the animal population that have not yet passed to humans.

Has the actual source been identified?

The outbreak source has been pinpointed to what is a called a ‘wet market’ in Wuhan in China. This market sells both dead and live animals including fish and birds. Hygiene standards are suspect because live animals are being kept, slaughtered and butchered on-site. The original source is thought to have been bats which infected live chickens sold at the market. Bats were the species responsible for Ebola and other diseases including HIV and rabies. Scientists studying the viruses’ genetic code have almost certainly linked Covid-19 to bats despite some crazy conspiracy theories in circulation which contest that the virus escaped from a secret Chinese laboratory.

What about the reported sole dog case in Hong Kong?

On the 5th March, news media reported that a lone dog in Hong Kong appears to have a mild infection from the Coronavirus and the reports maintain that this was likely to have been passed from a human to the dog. The dog has been put into quarantine. The World Organisation for Animal Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have both issued advisory statements saying that there is no evidence that companion animals can transmit the virus amongst their own species but the government in Hong Kong has stated that humans sick with the virus may want to consider putting their pets into quarantine.

There has been recent coverage in the media about the Coronavirus and the racing industry, what are the implications of this?

The world-famous Cheltenham Festival is looming and the BHA – British Horse Racing Authority – has been leading a high profile initiative to inform trainers and racecourses about the implications of the disease because of the possible disruption to large scale sporting fixtures which also include the Grand National in April. Spectators have already been banned from racecourse meetings in the United Arab Emirates but this has nothing to do with Corvid-19 amongst the equine population. The government may ban all large sporting events in the UK to prevent the spread of the disease in humans.

If the Covid-19 virus originated in animals, could my horse infect me?

Coronaviruses are common in both domestic and wild animal species including cattle and horses and cats and dogs. Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can create a range of respiratory type symptoms such as cough, sore throat and a runny nose so the common cold effectively or, more severe pneumonia type symptoms. The viruses get their name from the crown-like spikes on their surface – ‘corona’ in Latin means ‘crown’.

It is not that common for the viruses to spread from animals to humans and usually there is a reservoir host such as bats so transmission is not therefore direct. In previous transmissions – MERS and SARS – there were intermediate hosts namely camels and civet cats. At the moment, animal scientists and experts don’t feel there is any likelihood of infection of Covid-19 in companion animals. It is a question of understanding that these viruses can cause illness in a species but this can be mild and not transmissible to others. Scientists believe that Covid-19 cannot be passed by companion animals to humans, but can it go the other way? The issue of the sick dog in Hong Kong has raised the spectre that humans can pass Covid-19 to their pets but Covid-19 is present in the animal population anyway.

Could I vaccinate my horse against Covid-19?

There are currently no vaccines available for Covid-19 in either the human or animal population and the World Health Organisation envisages it will take between a year to eighteen months to create a human vaccine. Corvid-19 has already mutated which makes it much more difficult to create an effective vaccine.

Take veterinary advice

Speak to your vet for the latest information about protecting your horse. The flu virus should be of much more concern to horse owners and sporting protocols have all changed their requirement with regard to competition horses depending on the discipline. There are possible complications looming from the Equine Herpes Virus so this also a situation to watch. The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket obtains and collates data on outbreaks of equine disease and can provide up-to-date advice on all of these diseases. They also have a lot of useful information about strangles and the containment of this particular disease via their SES initiative – Surveillance of Equine Strangles. Their website and Facebook page provide regular updates.

The mention of the word ‘sarcoid’ invokes some quite strong reactions from horse owners. At purchase, a sarcoid is something that doesn’t trouble some buyers and will cause others to walk away. If the horse is vetted, sarcoids will usually be noted on the vet certificate and then excluded by the insurance company.

Sarcoids, some key facts

Sarcoids are skin tumours and develop on horses mainly around the head, in the axilla – essentially the armpit – and the groin area so between the hind legs up underneath the tail. They can also develop in wounds where they can be mistaken for proud flesh.

– Sarcoids are called fibrosarcoma and are locally invasive and do not spread to other organs

– Sarcoids are the most common skin tumours in horses accounting for 40% of equine cancers

– Sarcoids affect mares and geldings and all breeds and ages

– Sarcoids do not self-cure and will often multiply

Causes of sarcoids

Sarcoids are caused by the bovine papillomavirus or BPV, however, not all horses exposed to the virus develop sarcoids so the ones that do are thought to have a pre-disposing genetic susceptibility.

The susceptibility does not reduce so horses which have already had sarcoids may get them again; this is because the virus becomes embedded in the DNA of infected skin cells.

Can sarcoids be spread from horse to another by direct transmission?

It is possible although there is no definitive scientific conclusion that sarcoids will pass via direct horse to horse contact or be spread by flies.

The diagnosis of a sarcoid

Sarcoids can present in a range of different ways as there are several types with different levels of aggressive behaviour. Before any treatment can be considered, the vet needs to identify which type of sarcoid the horse has. Inappropriate treatment can make the sarcoid worse and it can return in an even more aggressive form making subsequent treatments much more difficult.

The vet will not usually carry out a biopsy as all sarcoids present in a similar way under the microscope and biopsy can make sarcoids more aggressive.

Different types of sarcoid

Verrucose – these are slow-growing flat, scaly tumours and look like small scars or ringworm, these are the least aggressive sarcoid type

Nodular – these are clearly defined, well-demarcated lumps which are covered by normal skin. Nodular sarcoids are prone to ulceration and have a medium growth rate

Fibroblastic – fibroblastic tumours are aggressive sarcoids which grow rapidly and are locally invasive into the tissues underneath the skin. They often appear in clusters and are variable in size and shape because they grow rapidly

Occult sarcoids appear as roughly circular hairless areas or even appear as skin which has an altered hair quality. Sometimes the only change may be a difference in the coat colour

Mixed sarcoids – mixed sarcoids are a combination of verrucose, nodular and fibroblastic and it is not unusual to for horses to develop clusters of mixed sarcoid types

Treatment options

There is no one prescribed treatment for sarcoids and what the vet recommends will depend on the identification and appearance of that particular sarcoid. Other factors which will determine the appropriate treatment option include:-

– The location of the sarcoid

– The extent of the sarcoid

– Treatment cost

– The horse’s temperament

Medical interventions include injecting the immune stimulant Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine directly into the sarcoid. There are also injectable chemotherapy drugs which act by interfering with the DNA copying process in the cells.

There is a topical cream option known as ‘Liverpool cream’ has it was pioneered by a well-known vet at the University of Liverpool. This cream has to be applied by a vet so may require several visits to the affected horse at set intervals.

There is a photodynamic treatment which involves applying a chemical to the surface of the tumour and then exposing it to a certain type of light which activates the chemical to kill the tumour cells.

Surgical interventions include excision or removal, cryosurgery (freezing off) or laser surgery. Sometimes surgery has to be combined with another therapy.

Benign neglect is also a possibility – do nothing slowly – and vets differ in their opinions on this; much will depend upon the size and type of the sarcoid and where it is located.

Sarcoids present at purchase

The presence of a sarcoid is not usually a reason to fail a horse on a five-stage vetting but any insurer will exclude the costs of future sarcoid treatment from insurance cover. A horse which develops a sarcoid will usually have those costs covered under a vets fees policy but payments will only be made for 12 months before sarcoids are then excluded from the cover.

How much the treatment costs will depend entirely on the type of treatment and the number of sarcoids but will run into thousands of pounds over the course of months and years.

Sarcoids typically invoke an extreme response from horse owners, some just don’t care whereas others are very adverse to having a horse with a sarcoid; a lot can depend on prior experience and knowledge. A horse presented for sale with a sarcoid may typically have a discounted price but not always.

Horses as a species cope well with very cold temperatures providing that they have a shelter – this doesn’t have to be the stable – and are well fed with lots of forage.

Grass kept horses

Some horses even old horses do surprisingly well living out in cold conditions but they must have access to shelter and ad-lib forage.

One of the biggest challenges with grass kept horses is keeping an adequate supply of running water. Pipe-fed troughs will often freeze up during the winter so it is better to use either buckets or hand-filled troughs, this way you can also monitor how much the horses are drinking.

Stabled horses

Stabled horses can suffer from lack of movement which inevitably can predispose to impaction colic as successful gut motility depends on mobility – the horse moving around. Try and walk the horse in hand or turn out into a lunge pen or use a horse walker if available – any movement is better than nothing.

Stable bandages can work well instead of an extra rug and are particularly useful for older horses to help with stiffness.

Waters can freeze at night so put an apple or a ball into water buckets, this may not stop the freezing but generally reduces the amount of ice so the horse can push his way through it. Use lukewarm water to top up the water buckets last thing at night as this can delay the freezing process.

Feed small wet or sloppy feeds to help with gut movement and soak the hay; both of these will increase the horse’s water intake. Soaked hay is also useful for horses with problematic respiratory issues who benefit from being out in the field as this will reduce hay dust and irritation. Feed values should be cut right back to reduce the risk of tying up, bad behaviour and colic. There are lots of grass nuts or soaked fibre pellets on the market which have a low calorie value and can be fed almost ad-lib, like hay in a bucket.

Some horses are very bad drinkers and dislike cold water. You can offer tepid or lukewarm water but any water left in a cold stable will quickly reduce in temperature. Warm water with a splash of apple juice is very popular with some horses who will drink a half or a full bucket of this when offered. Leaving an apple bobbing in the water can encourage horses to get their noses wet and also alleviate boredom with long periods in the stable during icy weather.

Snow and ice

Horses often like snow and will play happily in it, you can also ride on a snow-covered surface if the snow is light and powdery and the surface underneath is not frozen. Smear Vaseline into the horse’s hooves in a thick layer as this helps to stop the snow balling up inside the feet.

The main enemy in very cold temperatures is usually ice rather than snow. Light powdery snow is rarely that slippery and turnout and some ridden work can often carry on with care. However, after a few days, the surface of the snow will become poached up and then with cold overnight temperatures, starts to freeze presenting a dangerous hazard for both horses and humans.

You can create walkways across the yard to allow you to muck out and do yard duties with a reduced risk of slipping over. Lay rock salt or grit or muck out a line of bedding around the yard for people and horses to walk on. It does make a mess when the snow melts and require quite a lot of clearing up but it will allow you to move around reasonably safely in very cold conditions. Non-slip footwear is essential.

Horses that can be moved and handled safely will benefit from going out into a sand pen, indoor school or going on a horse walker.

Snow melt

Warmer temperatures will usually create large amounts of slush and water. Slush can be as hazardous as ice so it is sometimes as well to wait for the thaw to finish before you resume normal exercise and turning out particularly as lying snow when it melts will make the ground conditions very wet in grazing fields.

Turning out and riding after a period in the stable

Riding or turning out a horse which has been cooped up in its stable for long periods is something of a challenge; the main concern is avoiding injury to both the horse and the rider or handler.

Each horse is different. Some horses can be ridden safely straight after a period of time spent in the stable whereas others most definitely cannot. It can be helpful to turn out a horse before it is ridden for rider safety but this can increase the chance of injuries due to exuberant behaviour in the field.

Lungeing a horse can present a useful compromise, exercise can be reasonably controlled without the freedom of the field but it doesn’t put the rider at any risk. Horses can still be quite naughty on the lunge so it will require a competent handler with gloves and hat.

Power cuts

Winter storms can involve a combination of high winds and heavy snow which may cause power cuts so it is as well to be prepared for a loss of lighting.

Keep a powerful flash lamp in your feed room which can operate as a hand-held torch and also has an integral stand so it can be propped up. A cord attached to the torch is also useful so the torch can be hung from a nail on a beam.

Miners lamps or head torches are also very useful in this situation as they allow you to keep both hands free to work.

Old horses

Old horses need more proactive management in cold temperatures. The most common cause of weight loss is usually lack of long fibre so feed as much hay as possible rather than increasing short feed. Stable bandages can help with stiff legs and some people use an anti-inflammatory like bute for old horses that have to be kept in for a few days to help promote their mobility in the stable. Like all horses in this situation, they will benefit from being walked in hand if possible.

Working hunter classes are great for lots of different riders, they are the ultimate performance class and are something that appeals to riders with sports horses, not just the showing fraternity. If you fancy trying out workers this year, here are the key things you will need to know.

Class types

At small shows, classes may be divided into pony workers and horse classes, there could even be a working cob class. At county level, the split tends to be between pony and horse with different worker classes for native ponies and show ponies. The horses are usually split between lightweight, heavyweight and novice or restricted. At county level, the classes can be qualifiers for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) or the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS).

Format

Riders are required to jump a course of rustic fences. The performance is marked before the horse’s conformation and ride are assessed, marks for both sections are added together to produce the final result.

In some large classes, the judge will often only bring forward those horses who have jumped the course clear. The jumping section carries 60% of the 100 marks and the remaining 40 marks are split between style and presence and, ride and conformation. Check in the rules and the show schedule whether or not there is a ride judge who will also ride the horse.

Eligibility

In general terms, mares, geldings and stallions over the age of four are all eligible to compete but the specific society running the class may then have their own rules and some restrictions which would bar certain ponies and horses.

The NPS (National Pony Society) that runs native WHP classes, has classes based on breed heights. Under BSHA (British Show Horse Association) rules, restricted working hunters must not have qualified for RIHS or HOYS in that current year as a working hunter. Novice workers are not to have won a first prize over £35 or a total of £250. Always check with the rules of the governing body who are running the class and/or the organising show.

Grade A showjumpers and advanced event horses are not usually eligible to enter working hunter classes.

Tack and turnout

Turnout is fairly standard regardless of the size of the show holding the class. Hats need to be either a correctly secured skull cap or hat that meets current safety standards. A skull cap with a smart velvet or silk hat cover is perfectly acceptable.

Classic tweed jackets are correct attire regardless of the type of class and the size of the show; solid colour jackets in black or navy are not the correct dress but that tradition can vary for ponies. Usually, native ponies are shown with riders wearing tweed regardless of age but classes run under BSPS rules often favour riders in navy or black jackets.

Jodhpurs are normally canary or more commonly beige, never white, with long black leather boots or jodhpur boots for children on ponies. Either a stock or tie is acceptable usually matched with a pale coloured shirt perhaps blue or yellow.

Sometimes body protectors may be compulsory so check the rules carefully; they are a requirement in working hunter pony classes run by the British Show Pony Society.

Tack for the horse should be plain so no fancy browbands. A wide range of bits, nosebands and martingales are permitted but always double-check the rulebook before you go into the ring.

There can be no change of tack between the jumping phase and the rest of the assessment so the tack the horse jumps in must remain on it for the rest of the class. The only exception to this is protective jumping boots like brushing boots which can be worn for the jumping but must be removed for the ridden judging. There are quite specific rules about the types of brushing boots which may be worn and what type of closures they can have.

Sometimes it can be helpful to have a spare pair of stirrups in the ring for the ride judge if the regular jockey is very short or small.

Horses are usually shown with a plaited mane and tail the exception to this being cob workers and native working hunter pony classes.

Preparation

Some centres have full working hunter courses you can school over. In competition, the fences may often be dressed with a lot of greenery and pieces of brush which the horse will need to get used. Courses normally feature water trays and narrow styles.

Showing clinics can help riders prepare their horses with help from experienced judges and competitors. Going on foot and watching classes or grooming for a rider can be very informative.

Like all successful competitive outings with horses, the key lies in the preparation. Horses and ponies need to be familiar with jumping worker courses; just because they have show jumped doesn’t mean they will automatically jump rustic fences well – they can be very different.

If you are competing at a high level then the judge will need to ride your horse. Prepare for this by asking other riders to get on board so your horse is going happily and well for a number of different people.

The mention of the word ‘sarcoid’ invokes some quite strong reactions from horse owners. At purchase, a sarcoid is something that doesn’t trouble some buyers and will cause others to walk away. If the horse is vetted, sarcoids will usually be noted on the vet certificate and then excluded by the insurance company.

Sarcoids, some key facts

Sarcoids are skin tumours and develop on horses mainly around the head, in the axilla – essentially the armpit – and the groin area so between the hind legs up underneath the tail. They can also develop in wounds where they can be mistaken for proud flesh.

– Sarcoids are called fibrosarcoma and are locally invasive and do not spread to other organs

– Sarcoids are the most common skin tumours in horses accounting for 40% of equine cancers

– Sarcoids affect mares and geldings and all breeds and ages

– Sarcoids do not self-cure and will often multiply

Causes of sarcoids

Sarcoids are caused by the bovine papillomavirus or BPV, however, not all horses exposed to the virus develop sarcoids so the ones that do are thought to have a pre-disposing genetic susceptibility.

The susceptibility does not reduce so horses which have already had sarcoids may get them again; this is because the virus becomes embedded in the DNA of infected skin cells.

Can sarcoids be spread from horse to another by direct transmission?

It is possible although there is no definitive scientific conclusion that sarcoids will pass via direct horse to horse contact or be spread by flies.

The diagnosis of a sarcoid

Sarcoids can present in a range of different ways as there are several types with different levels of aggressive behaviour. Before any treatment can be considered, the vet needs to identify which type of sarcoid the horse has. Inappropriate treatment can make the sarcoid worse and it can return in an even more aggressive form making subsequent treatments much more difficult.

The vet will not usually carry out a biopsy as all sarcoids present in a similar way under the microscope and biopsy can make sarcoids more aggressive.

Different types of sarcoid

Verrucose – these are slow-growing flat, scaly tumours and look like small scars or ringworm, these are the least aggressive sarcoid type

Nodular – these are clearly defined, well-demarcated lumps which are covered by normal skin. Nodular sarcoids are prone to ulceration and have a medium growth rate

Fibroblastic – fibroblastic tumours are aggressive sarcoids which grow rapidly and are locally invasive into the tissues underneath the skin. They often appear in clusters and are variable in size and shape because they grow rapidly

Occult sarcoids appear as roughly circular hairless areas or even appear as skin which has an altered hair quality. Sometimes the only change may be a difference in the coat colour

Mixed sarcoids – mixed sarcoids are a combination of verrucose, nodular and fibroblastic and it is not unusual to for horses to develop clusters of mixed sarcoid types

Treatment options

There is no one prescribed treatment for sarcoids and what the vet recommends will depend on the identification and appearance of that particular sarcoid. Other factors which will determine the appropriate treatment option include:-

– The location of the sarcoid

– The extent of the sarcoid

– Treatment cost

– The horse’s temperament

Medical interventions include injecting the immune stimulant Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine directly into the sarcoid. There are also injectable chemotherapy drugs which act by interfering with the DNA copying process in the cells.

There is a topical cream option known as ‘Liverpool cream’ has it was pioneered by a well-known vet at the University of Liverpool. This cream has to be applied by a vet so may require several visits to the affected horse at set intervals.

There is a photodynamic treatment which involves applying a chemical to the surface of the tumour and then exposing it to a certain type of light which activates the chemical to kill the tumour cells.

Surgical interventions include excision or removal, cryosurgery (freezing off) or laser surgery. Sometimes surgery has to be combined with another therapy.

Benign neglect is also a possibility – do nothing slowly – and vets differ in their opinions on this; much will depend upon the size and type of the sarcoid and where it is located.

Sarcoids present at purchase

The presence of a sarcoid is not usually a reason to fail a horse on a five-stage vetting but any insurer will exclude the costs of future sarcoid treatment from insurance cover. A horse which develops a sarcoid will usually have those costs covered under a vets fees policy but payments will only be made for 12 months before sarcoids are then excluded from the cover.

How much the treatment costs will depend entirely on the type of treatment and the number of sarcoids but will run into thousands of pounds over the course of months and years.

Sarcoids typically invoke an extreme response from horse owners, some just don’t care whereas others are very adverse to having a horse with a sarcoid; a lot can depend on prior experience and knowledge. A horse presented for sale with a sarcoid may typically have a discounted price but not always.

Horsey folk don’t need to be told it has been the wettest December on record as they know from the state of their fields and the condition of their horses’ feet how wet the ground has been. Trying to avoid hoof abscesses is a number one priority this winter for most horse owners but is there anything you can really do or is an abscess just inevitable?

It is true to say that even the best looked after horses can pick up an abscess but there are things owners can do to help look after their horses’ feet in these current very wet conditions. This can diminish the likelihood of an abscess and also protect against other issues like bruising caused by a soft sole or thrush, particularly in the frog.

Here are some simple steps which might just keep your horse the right side of the line.

– Keep your horse’s feet as dry as possible, that can mean keeping them out of the fields but there are other health implications. Horses are designed to move around and stable kept horses are much more likely to succumb to impaction colic than their grass-kept counterparts. Horses out 24/7 need to be given access to drier areas whether that is new grazing that has not become poached or a field shelter with a dry base in it

– Make sure that stable kept horses have clean dry bedding

– Keep up-to-date with shoeing and trimming as a lax farriery routine can be a contributory factor

– Keep the feet clean by spraying with iodine once a day

– Pick the feet out regularly

– Boost hoof nutrition with an appropriate dietary supplement for horses with a poor quality horn that is prone to cracks

– Use topical treatments to help strengthen hoof horn but make sure that what you are applying doesn’t interfere with the ability of the horse’s hooves to breathe and function properly

Signs of a hoof abscess

Hoof abscesses can present differently, the first you may know of it could be a hopping lame horse or there could be a mild, more intermittent lameness. The degree of lameness is dictated by the pain; if the abscess is ripe and ready to burst then the horse can be very lame and maybe even non-weight bearing on that foot often described as ‘fracture lame’.

Often, there will be heat in the affected foot spreading up the leg, there may also be filling to the affected leg and almost always, there is a digital pulse present.

Sometimes abscesses can take a while to build so the horse can be mildly lame with no obvious cause or just intermittently lame and then sound again as the pus runs around inside the foot.

The only real confirmation of an abscess is when it has burst so trying to bring it to a head can hasten the process.

How to manage a potential abscess

The vet or farrier can visit and use hoof testers to see if they can pinpoint where the infection is sitting’. If the abscess is ready to burst, a horse will usually react violently to hoof testers and the farrier may be able to pare away the sole to relieve pressure and burst the abscess.

However, some abscesses can be frustrating when the pus moves around so the horse may show no reaction to hoof testers even though the foot and maybe even the leg is warm or hot to the touch and there is a digital pulse present.

Tubbing the foot in warm water with a handful of Epsom Salts can encourage the pus to collect at a specific point. If the abscess bursts itself then it will usually find its way out through the softest point which could be the bulbs of the heel, the top or side of the frog or the coronary band. If the farrier can identify the area after a few days of hot tubbing and hot poultices then he may be able to cut away some sole and allow the abscess to drain out through the bottom of the foot.

A combination of hot tubbing, hot poulticing and waiting is usually the only option. The horse can be turned out during this time providing it is safe to do so as movement can usually help the pus to build. Keeping a poultice on the foot in very wet and muddy conditions can be a real challenge though.

Managing the abscess when it has burst

Keep the foot clean and keep hot tubbing and hot poulticing to encourage all the infection to drain out. This may be the time to keep the horse in the stable as there will either be an open wound at the heel or coronary band or the farrier will have cut away some sole to open up a drainage point. Whatever the exit point, it must be kept clean to prevent reinfection.

Hot poulticing can be followed by dry poulticing and then the exit point will need to be covered with a clean dry dressing until it has healed.

It is usually easier to poultice the foot when the shoe is missing and most farriers will remove the shoe when they are looking for an abscess and leave it off.

Can a hoof abscess be confused with anything else?

It is important to rule out other possibilities and the two other likely candidates are a bruise to the sole which can also be very painful and is a common cause of lameness and a fracture. A fracture to the pedal bone is diagnosed based on the presentation of the horse and usually an X-ray. Horses with pedal bone fractures can be very lame or mildly lame, it all depends on which part of the pedal bone they have damaged.

Essential equipment to manage an abscess

– Self stick veterinary bandages commonly known as vetwrap which are used to keep dressings and poultices in place

– Poultices such as Animalintex

– Wadding or veterinary dressing which is basically a layer of cotton wool sandwiched between two layers of gauze. This can be bought on a long roll and cut into smaller pieces to use as a clean dressing or pad to go over the top of a poultice, it can also be cut into sections to clean the foot and dry it after hot tubbing

– Duct tape which should be cut into strips and goes over the top of the vetwrap to act as a waterproof layer

Working hunter classes are great for lots of different riders, they are the ultimate performance class and are something that appeals to riders with sports horses, not just the showing fraternity. If you fancy trying out workers this year, here are the key things you will need to know.

Class types

At small shows, classes may be divided into pony workers and horse classes, there could even be a working cob class. At county level, the split tends to be between pony and horse with different worker classes for native ponies and show ponies. The horses are usually split between lightweight, heavyweight and novice or restricted. At county level, the classes can be qualifiers for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) or the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS).

Format

Riders are required to jump a course of rustic fences. The performance is marked before the horse’s conformation and ride are assessed, marks for both sections are added together to produce the final result.

In some large classes, the judge will often only bring forward those horses who have jumped the course clear. The jumping section carries 60% of the 100 marks and the remaining 40 marks are split between style and presence and, ride and conformation. Check in the rules and the show schedule whether or not there is a ride judge who will also ride the horse.

Eligibility

In general terms, mares, geldings and stallions over the age of four are all eligible to compete but the specific society running the class may then have their own rules and some restrictions which would bar certain ponies and horses.

The NPS (National Pony Society) that runs native WHP classes, has classes based on breed heights. Under BSHA (British Show Horse Association) rules, restricted working hunters must not have qualified for RIHS or HOYS in that current year as a working hunter. Novice workers are not to have won a first prize over £35 or a total of £250. Always check with the rules of the governing body who are running the class and/or the organising show.

Grade A showjumpers and advanced event horses are not usually eligible to enter working hunter classes.

Tack and turnout

Turnout is fairly standard regardless of the size of the show holding the class. Hats need to be either a correctly secured skull cap or hat that meets current safety standards. A skull cap with a smart velvet or silk hat cover is perfectly acceptable.

Classic tweed jackets are correct attire regardless of the type of class and the size of the show; solid colour jackets in black or navy are not the correct dress but that tradition can vary for ponies. Usually, native ponies are shown with riders wearing tweed regardless of age but classes run under BSPS rules often favour riders in navy or black jackets.

Jodhpurs are normally canary or more commonly beige, never white, with long black leather boots or jodhpur boots for children on ponies. Either a stock or tie is acceptable usually matched with a pale coloured shirt perhaps blue or yellow.

Sometimes body protectors may be compulsory so check the rules carefully; they are a requirement in working hunter pony classes run by the British Show Pony Society.

Tack for the horse should be plain so no fancy browbands. A wide range of bits, nosebands and martingales are permitted but always double-check the rulebook before you go into the ring.

There can be no change of tack between the jumping phase and the rest of the assessment so the tack the horse jumps in must remain on it for the rest of the class. The only exception to this is protective jumping boots like brushing boots which can be worn for the jumping but must be removed for the ridden judging. There are quite specific rules about the types of brushing boots which may be worn and what type of closures they can have.

Sometimes it can be helpful to have a spare pair of stirrups in the ring for the ride judge if the regular jockey is very short or small.

Horses are usually shown with a plaited mane and tail the exception to this being cob workers and native working hunter pony classes.

Preparation

Some centres have full working hunter courses you can school over. In competition, the fences may often be dressed with a lot of greenery and pieces of brush which the horse will need to get used. Courses normally feature water trays and narrow styles.

Showing clinics can help riders prepare their horses with help from experienced judges and competitors. Going on foot and watching classes or grooming for a rider can be very informative.

Like all successful competitive outings with horses, the key lies in the preparation. Horses and ponies need to be familiar with jumping worker courses; just because they have show jumped doesn’t mean they will automatically jump rustic fences well – they can be very different.

If you are competing at a high level then the judge will need to ride your horse. Prepare for this by asking other riders to get on board so your horse is going happily and well for a number of different people.

2020 saw many of us unexpectedly struggling for either time, money or both, and the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to go on to have a large impact on many of our lives for a long time to come.

Regardless of the reasons, even for horse and pony owners those that plan everything carefully and never take risks, the time might come when it is no longer possible for them to take care of their horse or pony themselves.

Whether this is due to a lack of time, money, or physical ability, knowing what to do next and how to ensure the horse or pony is cared for can be really hard.

With this in mind, this article will provide a range of some of the options that may be available to you if you can no longer care for your horse or pony yourself. Read on to learn more.

Selling

The first thing to consider is of course selling your horse or pony, which might well be the easiest and generally best option. This tends to be the case for riding horses that are reasonably manageable, and of the sort of age that makes them fairly desirable to buyers, being not too old and not too young.

If you are considering selling, it is a good idea to advertise and begin to put out feelers early on, so that you have plenty of time then to assess prospective buyers and make a choice you’re totally happy with.

Gifting

You can of course always give your horse or pony away to someone who is able to care for them and that is willing to take them on, and just as is the case with selling, you should choose who you offer them to carefully.

Some riding schools will accept gifted horses or ponies that can be used within the riding school, often including horses and ponies that are a little older than are generally desirable to buyers.

Shared ownership

If you simply don’t have the time and/or money to be able to take care of everything for your horse anymore but have some resources and don’t want to say goodbye to them either, consider exploring shared ownership.

Under an arrangement of this type you might sell a “share” in your horse to someone else, and then split the costs and work involved in caring for them along a mutually agreed divide, as well as the benefits like riding time and ability to compete on them if you wish.

Arrangements like this can work out really well if you and the other party involved get on and are on the same page, but they can also be complex. It is wise for one party to retain the majority share of the horse and have final say, and it is also important to have a legal contract drawn up outlining the rights and responsibilities on both sides, plus what would happen if either party wanted to sell, or was no longer able to keep up their side of the agreement.

Long-term or permanent loan

If you are no longer willing or able to care for and/or pay for your horse and are ready to let them move on to someone else but still want to know what happens to them and be able to step in in the future – such as if the person who takes them on is in turn looking to move on – long term or permanent loan might be the way to go.

This essentially means you pass your horse or pony’s care, management and responsibility onto someone else in full, but that said person cannot then sell the horse (and does not pay you a price for them) but must instead return it to you if in the future they need to give them up.

Loan-to-buy

A loan-to-buy agreement can be a compromise if you know someone that would love to own your horse and that you’d be really happy to pass them on to, but that doesn’t have the funds available to actually buy them outright.

Loan-to-buy generally means that the other party takes your horse on under a loan agreement or as if you had sold them, but pays you the purchase price in instalments over time.

If you proceed with someone under such an arrangement, it is important to have a legal contract drawn up reflecting the full terms, and also to ensure that you and the other party are both happy that they can meet the payments as well as covering the cost of the care of the horse too.

Companion horses

Horses that aren’t of value as riding horses or for other useful purposes can sometimes be loaned or given as companions, to serve as a stablemate to another horse and provide them with some company.

The person requiring the companion will generally cover their full care costs in perpetuity, and whether or not the agreement is a loan (and so ownership remains with you) or a gift or a sale depends on what you agree with the other party.

Equine retirement homes or full permanent livery

If you have the funds but not the time to care for your horse, you might consider putting them on full permanent livery somewhere, and so have all of their care taken care of for you for the long term.

For older horses, there are also dedicated equine retirement homes in some parts of the country that operate in the same way as permanent livery, but do bear in mind that full livery or any type can be very expensive.

Asking for assistance from a charity or rehoming organisation

Various animal charities and horse and pony-specific charities might well be able to offer advice or help if you’re running out of options and don’t know what to do for the best due to a lack of time or money or both.

Such networks may be able to help to provide short-term assistance that enables you to keep your horse, put you in touch with people locally who can help, or help you with rehoming.

Some charities will also accept surrendered horses or ponies if you have exhausted all other options, but places are not guaranteed and this really should only serve as a very last resort.

Horsey folk don’t need to be told it has been the wettest December on record as they know from the state of their fields and the condition of their horses’ feet how wet the ground has been. Trying to avoid hoof abscesses is a number one priority this winter for most horse owners but is there anything you can really do or is an abscess just inevitable?

It is true to say that even the best looked after horses can pick up an abscess but there are things owners can do to help look after their horses’ feet in these current very wet conditions. This can diminish the likelihood of an abscess and also protect against other issues like bruising caused by a soft sole or thrush, particularly in the frog.

Here are some simple steps which might just keep your horse the right side of the line.

– Keep your horse’s feet as dry as possible, that can mean keeping them out of the fields but there are other health implications. Horses are designed to move around and stable kept horses are much more likely to succumb to impaction colic than their grass-kept counterparts. Horses out 24/7 need to be given access to drier areas whether that is new grazing that has not become poached or a field shelter with a dry base in it

– Make sure that stable kept horses have clean dry bedding

– Keep up-to-date with shoeing and trimming as a lax farriery routine can be a contributory factor

– Keep the feet clean by spraying with iodine once a day

– Pick the feet out regularly

– Boost hoof nutrition with an appropriate dietary supplement for horses with a poor quality horn that is prone to cracks

– Use topical treatments to help strengthen hoof horn but make sure that what you are applying doesn’t interfere with the ability of the horse’s hooves to breathe and function properly

Signs of a hoof abscess

Hoof abscesses can present differently, the first you may know of it could be a hopping lame horse or there could be a mild, more intermittent lameness. The degree of lameness is dictated by the pain; if the abscess is ripe and ready to burst then the horse can be very lame and maybe even non-weight bearing on that foot often described as ‘fracture lame’.

Often, there will be heat in the affected foot spreading up the leg, there may also be filling to the affected leg and almost always, there is a digital pulse present.

Sometimes abscesses can take a while to build so the horse can be mildly lame with no obvious cause or just intermittently lame and then sound again as the pus runs around inside the foot.

The only real confirmation of an abscess is when it has burst so trying to bring it to a head can hasten the process.

How to manage a potential abscess

The vet or farrier can visit and use hoof testers to see if they can pinpoint where the infection is sitting’. If the abscess is ready to burst, a horse will usually react violently to hoof testers and the farrier may be able to pare away the sole to relieve pressure and burst the abscess.

However, some abscesses can be frustrating when the pus moves around so the horse may show no reaction to hoof testers even though the foot and maybe even the leg is warm or hot to the touch and there is a digital pulse present.

Tubbing the foot in warm water with a handful of Epsom Salts can encourage the pus to collect at a specific point. If the abscess bursts itself then it will usually find its way out through the softest point which could be the bulbs of the heel, the top or side of the frog or the coronary band. If the farrier can identify the area after a few days of hot tubbing and hot poultices then he may be able to cut away some sole and allow the abscess to drain out through the bottom of the foot.

A combination of hot tubbing, hot poulticing and waiting is usually the only option. The horse can be turned out during this time providing it is safe to do so as movement can usually help the pus to build. Keeping a poultice on the foot in very wet and muddy conditions can be a real challenge though.

Managing the abscess when it has burst

Keep the foot clean and keep hot tubbing and hot poulticing to encourage all the infection to drain out. This may be the time to keep the horse in the stable as there will either be an open wound at the heel or coronary band or the farrier will have cut away some sole to open up a drainage point. Whatever the exit point, it must be kept clean to prevent reinfection.

Hot poulticing can be followed by dry poulticing and then the exit point will need to be covered with a clean dry dressing until it has healed.

It is usually easier to poultice the foot when the shoe is missing and most farriers will remove the shoe when they are looking for an abscess and leave it off.

Can a hoof abscess be confused with anything else?

It is important to rule out other possibilities and the two other likely candidates are a bruise to the sole which can also be very painful and is a common cause of lameness and a fracture. A fracture to the pedal bone is diagnosed based on the presentation of the horse and usually an X-ray. Horses with pedal bone fractures can be very lame or mildly lame, it all depends on which part of the pedal bone they have damaged.

Essential equipment to manage an abscess

– Self stick veterinary bandages commonly known as vetwrap which are used to keep dressings and poultices in place

– Poultices such as Animalintex

– Wadding or veterinary dressing which is basically a layer of cotton wool sandwiched between two layers of gauze. This can be bought on a long roll and cut into smaller pieces to use as a clean dressing or pad to go over the top of a poultice, it can also be cut into sections to clean the foot and dry it after hot tubbing

– Duct tape which should be cut into strips and goes over the top of the vetwrap to act as a waterproof layer