Sentinel from Blue Seal Is the Next Generation in Equine Nutrition  

Blue Seal Feeds has been a leader in equine products since 1868.  Decades of experience combined with the latest research in equine nutrition helps Blue Seal continually craft better ways to help owners care for their horse. Blue Seal horse feeds are made from only the highest quality ingredients, following strict manufacturing standards. Blue Seal horse feeds are fixed formula; they are consistent bag after bag maintaining optimal digestive health and function.  

Blue Seal manufacturers a complete line of equine products including textured, pelleted and pressure cooked (extruded) horse feeds, supplements (Winning Touch®) and treats (Rounders®).  Blue Seal's nutritionists, equine specialists and territory sales managers can assist horse owners when choosing a nutrition program for their horse.  Blue Seal offers hay testing services as well as an on the farm ration balancing computer program.

Blue Seal has manufactured 100 percent pressure cooked (extruded) horse feeds for almost twenty years and recently launched a new line of horse feeds called Sentinel™.    This innovative line of advanced horse feeds is the new generation in equine nutrition.  Sentinel brand products are cutting-edge Nutrient Release Formula feeds that feature all natural low starch and sugar ingredients including soybean hulls, beet pulp, rice bran and flaxseed, plus vitamins and minerals that deliver significantly more nutrient utilization than any other feed.  Pressure cooking forms highly digestibly nuggets that release the full nutritional power of their wholesome components. The process provides maximum breakdown through enhanced enzyme activity that starts as soon as your horse takes its first bite, safely delivering unmatched nutrition naturally.    

The veterinarian-recommended Sentinel line includes five formulas specifically designed for a lifetime of health and performance including Safe Start Formula, Performance LS Formula, Grow & Excel Formula, LifeTime Formula and Senior Formula.  Find the best formula for your horse at www.sentinelfeed.com.
           

Clean Stalls Equal Healthy Horses

Clean stalls are healthy stalls and a key factor in attracting and keeping clients and reliable staff.  Poorly maintained dirty stalls are home to pathogens that cause infection and disease. Wet bedding is a primary cause of thrush, a hoof disease.

If you can smell ammonia there is urine-saturated bedding, which causes respiratory problems by forming ammonium hydroxide, a caustic base, in the lungs and bronchial tubes.  Daily removal of urine-saturated bedding is necessary to maintain peak respiratory function.  Eliminating moist manure is an effective fly reduction strategy. Dusty stalls can cause allergy and respiratory problems. 

The primary purpose of bedding is absorption of urine so choose an absorbant bedding and spread it three inches deep over rubber mats or four inches over packed clay or crushed limestone floors. Remove the wet spot daily.

The best stall cleaning method produces the healthiest, most aesthetically pleasing stall for the lowest cost in the shortest time.  Hand picking is tedious and time consuming. The manual method takes its toll on the body and can cause tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic back pain.

Automatic sifting is an efficient and economical stall cleaning method with an almost perfect end result.  The Brockwood Stall Shi*fter was developed in 1997 by Harry Hopkins, a retired field engineer.  The Stall Shi*fter is an electrically operated manure and bedding sifter that removes every piece of manure larger than a kernel of corn.  It was designed for use with fine shavings, peat moss, sawdust and wood pellet bedding. The Stall Shi*fter reduces cleaning time by up to 65 percents and reduces bedding use by up to 50 percent. 
Use of the Stall Shi*fter converts physical movement from palms down, shaking a manure fork, to palms up, scooping with a shovel, which significantly reduces the aggravation and soreness of elbows and wrists.

For more information visit www.brockwoodfarm.com

Natural Healing for Skin Disorders from Dr. Rose's Remedies

Dr. Rose DiLeva is a conventionally trained veterinarian who began her journey at the University of Pennsylvania. Since opening her veterinary practice in Chadds Ford, Pa., Dr. Rose has continued her training in alternative modalities. She is certified in Acupuncture and and Chiropractic treatments. Recognizing the need for a natural, safe alternative to steroids to help the plethora of skin issues she saw, she developed Dr. Rose's Remedies and the Healing Salve and Spray product line.

The salve and spray are two variations of the same all-natural product, and both heal innumerable skin ailments. The products are perfectly safe if the animal licks them (or even if your kids touch them).  The ingredients are all natural and most are well known for their healing properties. Neither product contains any artificial colorings or preservatives, and both are steroid and gluten free. Both products are antiviral, antifungal, and antiseptic, as well as anti-hemorrhagic and anti-inflammatory. They also cool and nourish the skin and heal burns, lacerations and surgical incisions. Both the Salve and the Spray help with hot spots, rain rot, interdigital dermatitis and insect bites.
The uses for these products are truly endless! Dr. Rose's Remedies are a must in every first aid kit, travel or show kit, grooming kit and vet's office. Check out www.drrosesremedies.com and if your vet or feed store does not carry Dr. Rose's Remedies, call them at (610) 558-4610. After you try it you'll ask yourself how you ever lived without this amazing, versatile product!

Natural Solutions to Equine Health Concerns Come From Emerald Valley

Emerald Valley Natural Health products offer the best in equine health.  The company's mission is to educate the equine community to the many benefits of keeping horses happy and healthy the natural way.  Their customers include backyard horse owners, elite equestrian athletes and veterinarians.

Emerald Valley products care for your horses, naturally. Emerald Valley manufactures natural vitamin/mineral supplements, natural low sugar/low starch feeds made without genetically modified ingredients, and a complete range of herbal infusions.  These products, which include BTB Plus, BTB Hoof, Ultimate, Evitex, Serenus, BTB Wind, and Immuzim, are unique in that the water used is NOT tap water, but purified water. This water contains no potential, harmful minerals, salts & chemical preservatives (i.e. fluoride, chlorine etc.), or bacteria. The products, which are alternatives to conventional medicines without the side effects, are manufactured under a strict quality code.

The advantages of the aqueous infusion over the tincture/liquid extract are many, but a significant benefit includes the retention of "holistic" properties from "the growing plant" to the "liquid in the bottle." Other major benefits are their use long-term and the fact that being water based, they contribute to a much higher and faster rate of absorption than either alcohol based tinctures/liquid extracts or solids, including powders.

Among the most popular products are Evitex®, which supports pituitary health and helps with normal shedding, drinking and urination, normal sweating, maintain muscle tone and weight, fatty deposits and founder related to pituitary health.  Another is Formula4Feet, which provides unique benefits for both horses with poor hoof horn quality and those at risk of laminitis.

Emerald Valley offers great customer service to horse owners, veterinarians and farriers.  For a natural solution to your specific problem, give them a call at 1-888-638-8262 or visit www.emeraldvalleyequine.com.

Clitheroe's Garlic Granules Boost Immunity, Control Flies

Clitheroe's Garlic Granules help equines in a number of ways.  While achieving beneficial effects on the digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems, it also acts as a natural fly repellant.  It inhibits bacteria, fungi and viruses and boosts immunity. It helps clear mucus from the respiratory tract and promotes sweating.  It thins the blood, detoxifies and has anti-parasitic effects.  Garlic's antioxidant action is the focus of cancer research.

Pure, carefully processed garlic is the most widely used herb fed to horses. The cloves used to make Clitheroe's Garlic Granules are dried and chopped in a unique process that retains garlic's beneficial properties.

Feedmark uses nothing in the formulation of this product that contravenes competition rules.

Feedmark USA is a family owned company, established in 1998, in Ocala, FL with an unparalleled reputation for excellent product quality and outstanding customer service. All of our supplements are formulated with the most advanced production techniques and quality assurance procedures.

Feedmark USA offer seventeen (17) equine supplements uniquely formulated for probiotic, respiratory health, skin and coat, joint support, healthy hoofs, laminitis, electrolytes, calmative and muscle/joint pain. Other top sellers include Clarity, used to maintain respiratory health; ExtraFlex HA, the ultimate in joint health; Prolamin, for laminitis prone horses; Replenish, for electrolyte replacement; Settelex, the anti-cribbing/windsucking antacid; SteadyUp, the Original Natural calmative; and ZeroBute, to soothe sore muscles and joints.

All products are available at feed and tack shops throughout the US and online equestrian retailers. Please logon to our website for a list of available points of purchase at: www.feedmarkusa.com. If not available in your area, please call (352) 620-0805 or email usoffice@feedmark.com.

Franklin Williams is the Source for Equine Bandages

The founders of The Franklin-Williams Company saw a need for effective bandages for veterinary use in treating equine leg injuries or following surgery.  The company owners realized vets had no option but to cobble together bandages from a variety of materials -- a time consuming process resulting in a "make-do" end product.

Working closely with leading equine veterinarians, The Franklin-Williams Company, founded in 1993, developed bandage products designed specifically for equine use. The company's sole focus is the development and manufacture of the highest quality bandage products for the horse athlete.

Franklin Williams has developed 25 equine bandage products, including individual ready-to-use sterile and non-sterile bandages, bulk rolls and a trauma kit for emergency use. A major component of their products is medical grade cotton, grown and processed in the USA and controlled for weight and bioburden. Their products are used by hospitals, clinics, schools of veterinary medicine, and equine practices across the USA.

Among the most popular products are:

• SteriRoll, composed of heavy medical grade cotton with a soft, non-woven outer covering.  The bandages are sterilized by gamma radiation, and provide excellent padding and absorbency. 
• RediRoll incorporates SteriRoll's design and high quality construction for use when a non-sterile bandage is called for.
• CombiRoll is a bulk cotton combine roll preferred by veterinarians for use following injury or surgery.  It conforms well to the contour of the leg with a uniform layer of cotton.
• EquiWrap is the only trauma kit specifically designed for emergency treatment of cuts and abrasions on the leg of the horse.  It is designed to help horse owners administer first aid until the vet arrives.

To purchase products, call 1-800-556-5517 or see your veterinary products distributor.   For more information, visit www.franklinwilliams.com or phone (859) 259-0515.

The Salve—New Product from a 125 Year Old Family Recipe

The Salve is an amazing new wound care product targeted to the livestock and horse market.  The formula for The Salve has been in the company owners' family for over 125 years and was developed by their great-great-great grandmother.  She would gather local herbs that were known to promote healing and make The Salve on an old cook stove in her kitchen.

The first batches of  The Salve were made to treat foundry workers in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.  The workers used the ointment to soothe burns, draw out metal splinters and prevent infection.  The effectiveness and usefulness of The Salve quickly spread by word of mouth and farmers began using The Salve on livestock and horses.  The ointment was routinely use for general wound and skin care and was found to soothe and heal "scratches", mud cracks and skin irritations such as insect bites, sweet itch and tail rub.   As a hoof conditioner it prevented drying and cracking.  It became known for its effectiveness in drawing out imbedded objects such as wood splinters and in its ability to heal wounds quickly while preventing and eliminating proud flesh.  

The Salve continues to be made by hand by the fourth, fifth and sixth generation descendants of the originator of the formula.  The herbs are harvested, and using the original wrought iron utensils, processed and packaged.   Gram's Salve Inc, the mother company of  The Salve, is privileged to offer this product to the public for the first time and is confident that The Salve will become a staple in the treatment and care of their horses and livestock.  Ask for it at your local tack store or visit WWW.THESALVE.COM.

Heavey Horse?  Steam Your Hay!

Hay steamers from Happy Horse Products are the ideal solution for horses with dust allergies, or respiratory conditions, or for owners wishing to protect their horse's lungs to help keep them at peak performance.

Steaming hay reduces the threat posed by mould and fungal spores, among which are aspergillus.  "Aspergillus is one of the main causes of RAO, EIPH, immune suppression and poor performance in racehorses. This heat sensitive fungus is reduced by steaming with the Happy Horse Steamer", said Professor Thomas C. Buckley, Head of Microbiology at the Irish Equine Centre, one of the world's foremost equine veterinary research laboratories.. "The Happy Horse Steamer, when used properly as per manufacturers' instruction, is very effective at reducing mold counts, in particular Aspergillus in hay to be used for performance horses."

The Happy Horse Hay Steamer won the BETA Innovation Award for feed and supplements at the 2007 BETA Trade Fair.  Happy Horse created the original line of hay steamers, with the first models made by the designer behind the company in 1997. Since then, the company has further refined and enhanced the concept to develop the range of Happy Horse Hay Steamers available  today.

Each steamer introduces steam which penetrates the hay at approximately 212 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring that fungal spores, bacteria and dust mites are killed off and all potentially airborne dust particles are sufficiently dampened down and neutralised.  Steaming the hay ensures that the vitamin and mineral content of the hay is retained, so your horses are able to get full nutrition from their hay.
Four models are available: The Bale Buster, The Professional, The Stable Mate and the Traveller.  Happy Horse Products Hay Steamers are the healthy, easy and environmentally friendly way to prepare your hay.

To learn more or buy – phone-(434)262-8262 or www.happyhorseproducts.us   

Roasted Grains Make Feed Safer, Tastier, More Cost Efficient

The roasting of grains is an advancement in equine nutrition that yields amazing digestibility and product safety.  Roasted grains are very tasty, making a feed that is rich in nutrients but short on taste much more palatable.  Roasting makes plant starch more digestible and gives a higher calorie yield from a smaller amount of grain.  During roasting, the bonds between amino acids are broken, which is the first stage in digestion, making feed instantly digestible.

The heating process reduces mycotoxins and aflatoxins by destroying the molds and fungi that produce them.   The roasting temperature of 2600 degrees Fahrenheit reduces these to harmless levels, giving the feed an almost indefinite shelf life.

Open flame or live roasting has been in use for over thirty years in the dairy, hog and poultry feed industries, where losing a large number of animals or endangering the human food chain could cause huge financial loss.  Virginia Equine Research has applied it to equine feed, going beyond FDA accepted standards of safety to a zero tolerance for molds and toxins at any measurable level.

To achieve this, each grain is tumbled independently through an open flame until the internal temperature reaches 285 degrees, a level which kills salmonella, e-coli, botulism and the protozoa responsible for EPM.  This process makes starches more digestible while preserving enzymes.  It eliminates moisture, reducing feeding requirements by 30 to 50 percent.  It burns foreign plant matter and removes pathogens and dirt.  The feed smells and tastes better, permitting a full complement of vitamins and minerals without adding molasses.  Fat percentages increase, and vitamins are preserved even in stored feed.

For the same price as any national brand, your horse can get better nutrition and safer feed in a smaller ration.  For a FREE consultation, contact Virginia Equine Research at (540) 253-9987 or visit www.vaequineresearch.com.

Environmentally Safe Trap Kills Biting Flies

Want to control biting flies without chemical sprays, messy baits or electricity! The Epps Biting Fly Trap uses a system of a deflector sheets, water and common dishwashing liquid. The Trap is environmentally sound, avoiding the use of toxic chemicals, which also have the potential to kill beneficial insects.

The Epps Biting Fly Trap uses the flies' natural behavior patterns. Biting flies are attracted to potential hosts -- large objects whose color contrasts to their surroundings – which they then circle before landing to bite.

The EPPS Biting Fly Trap provides a large, contrasting surface area with transparent panels which simulate the areas flies would normally circle before feeding. Flies try to fly through the deflectors, which they hit, ricocheting into the soapy water below where they drown. Common dishwashing soap breaks the surface tension of the water so the flies drown faster. The trap covers an average of 20 acres and studies have shown the Epps kills one pound of biting flies per day!

The Trap works best in open, sunlit pastures, and is easy to see from a distance. Horses generally do not bother the EPPS Trap after becoming accustomed to its presence, though the trap should be out of the reach of livestock.

Maintenance is easy-- just scoop out the dead flies every other day with an aquarium net, add water and soap if needed and change the water every two weeks. Over 5000 farms and ranches have experienced biting fly relief.

EPPS Biting Fly Trap is available through Horseline Products in Henderson, TN. For more information or to purchase the trap, visit  www.horselineproducts.com  or call (800) 208-4846. Check out the testimonials page to see how users like the product and watch the video of the trap in action.

Fly Parasites Offer Organic, Effective Fly Control

Sustainable fly control uses beneficial insects to seek and kill immature flies.  These beneficial insects are safe for humans and horses, nearly invisible and do not encourage resistance. IPM Laboratories produces fly parasites, tiny parasitic wasps that kill fly pupae before they can hatch into adult flies.

Effective fly control minimizes egg laying and maggot growth, and keeps conditions favorable for the development of fly predator populations.  Keeping bedding dry and changing often, and keeping stables well ventilated will help reduce moisture and minimize the flies' egg laying.  Horse manure mixed with hay and urine is ideal for egg laying and larval development.  A single female fly can lay at least 500 eggs, which continue to hatch even after the adults are dead. 

Often called beneficials, tiny parasitic wasps work day and night making food of fly pupae.  As small as a gnat, the parasitic wasp deposits her own eggs inside the fly's pupal case, killing the developing fly in the process.  The developing wasp larva then feeds on the remains of the killed fly, pupates and turns into a new wasp adult. The young adult parasite then chews its way out of the fly's pupal case, mates and resumes the hunt for new fly pupae to kill.  Parasitic wasps do not sting humans or animals, are nearly invisible and do not upset horses or humans. They remain on or near manure searching for fly pupae in which to lay their eggs.

Using biocontrol is easy – just sprinkle the parasites on and near manure piles, in stalls and in and near garbage compactors.  Introduce parasites weekly or biweekly from approximately May 15 to October 1 in the northeastern US. 
IPM Laboratories grows fly parasites suited to the eastern US climate and is the only producer of fly parasites east of Texas. 
For in depth information, visit www.ipmlabs.com/cs8b.php or www.ipmlabs.com/ss2.php. 

Rider Fitness supports a Happy, Healthy Equine Athlete with Isagenix

Whether you are a recreational rider or training to compete at the Olympic level, being an athlete places special demands on your body. Our horses require a routine to meet their athletic and nutritional needs, and so do we!  We have to be properly fueled, fit, and mentally focused. The better we prepare ourselves, the better we can perform with our equine partners.

Isagenix, recognized as the "world leader in nutritional cleansing," helps  get you there safely,  naturally  and affordably. Founded in 2002 in Chandler, AZ  with a commitment to improve world health, this international health and wellness company developed a state-of-the-art product line based on the ancient philosophy of "cleansing the body" of toxins and impurities -- through nutrition.  This simple, easy to follow program is designed to cleanse the body at the cellular level. It is unique in that no other product on the market today addresses the "whole" body. Removing toxins and  putting  in all natural, superb nutrition  can enable you to lose weight, build muscle, stamina, endurance and support your immune system.

Signature products include the incomparable Cleanse For Life, an aloe based fruit drink that enables your body to naturally cleanse itself; Ionix Supreme, a Adaptogenic formula that help the body adapt to stress, can improve energy, mental clarity and promote better sleep; and the organic Isalean Protein Shake – a delicious creamy vanilla or chocolate, nutrient and mineral dense formula that packs in the nutrition without the calories. A custom designed program includes personal coaching for best results!  And it even includes delicious, sin-free chocolates!

Isagenix products are available wholesale or retail through its independent associates.  Visit the web site, www.eventmom.isagenix.com  today and unlock your body's true potential to trim down, shape up and support your equine athlete. Business opportunity inquiries welcome!  (802) 747-8079.

FORTITUDETM Critical Care for Foals and Weanlings Experiencing Digestive Stress and Diarrhea

Kauffman's Animal Health, a leader in the equine and animal health industry for over 30 years, has formulated FORTITUDETM Critical Care, a premium digestive supplement, for foals and weanlings experiencing digestive stress and diarrhea. Horses are constantly challenged by a host of pathogenic bacteria that enter the gastrointestinal tract. Foals and weanlings are particularly susceptible to the ill effects of these pathogens. Furthermore, foals and weanlings seem to lack the same digestive capacity of mature horses and may not utilize the feedstuffs they consume as efficiently.

FORTITUDETM Critical Care enhances both aspects of digestive function – increase digestive efficiency and improve protection of the gut against harmful effects of bacterial and viral pathogens.

FORTITUDETM Critical Care provides optimal balance of the microflora of the equine gastrointestinal tract by using the highest quality direct-fed microbials. Active, dry-cell yeast, beneficial bacteria, fructooligosaccharide (FOS), mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) and digestive enzymes have been uniquely combined with our dried egg yolk technology to create a multi-faceted product designed to stabilize the equine digestive tract and provide protection against specific harmful bacterial and viral pathogens that lead to digestive upset.

FORTITUDETM Critical Care is available in an easy-to-use powder for use with the oral dose syringe included in the canister or top-dressed over daily feed for young horses. For more information on FORTITUDETM Critical Care or any of Kauffman's products, visit www.KA-HI.com or call 1-800-332-5244.

Founded in 1978, Kauffman's Animal Health, Inc. is a family-owned and operated business that manufactures, packages, and markets a complete line of nutritional supplements, feed premixes, and specialty nutrition products for the equine, canine, poultry, and livestock industries. Initially focused on protein, vitamin, and mineral supplements for horses, our business has expanded to include electrolyte, hoof, joint, and digestion supplements for horses; a variety of direct-fed microbials (DFM or probiotics) for livestock; and nutritional supplements for dogs. 

Explore the Value Behind the Feed's Price Tag

"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives." – William A. Foster

When shopping for the ideal feed for your equine companion, what is it that you shop for?  Nutrition?  Probably.  Price?  Definitely.  But what separates one 14% sweet feed from the other?  Let's take a look at the value behind the price tag. . .
Research:  We are a founding member of Cooperative Research Farms, an international cooperative that provides information and concepts for product development.   This is accomplished through peer reviewed research, information exchange, and partnerships in the feed industry.  

Safety:  All of our mills are Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point certified.  The entire  feed production system is analyzed for potential human or animal hazards.  It is a systematic, preventative approach to food safety.  Our Gettysburg plant has no rumensin in the mill, to prevent possible contamination of equine feeds. 

Traceability:  We practice incoming ingredient testing and lab analysis of finished feeds and retain samples of each finished product.  Records are kept of incoming ingredients as well as outgoing finished products. 
Consistency:  A state of the art blender allows spraying of liquid components for consistent wet ingredient application.  We never purchase rejected loads of poor quality or contaminated ingredients.

Quality Assurance:  Each mill is FCI and AFIA safe food/safe feed certified, and FDA audited.  Gettysburg, PA mill averages a 98+ audit score annually. Biosecurity, sanitation and pest control standards are in practice at all mills.

Customer Service:  Our feed representatives are the most trained in the industry.  We stand behind every bag of feed with a quality guarantee.  We supply information you need, such as the ingredients, carbohydrate levels, or calories in our feed.  

Have you guessed who?  It's Southern States Cooperative.  Surprised?  If you aren't our customer, maybe it's time to compare.  We proudly manufacture Southern States, Legends, and Triple Crown brand horse feeds. 

A Natural Way to Soothe Digestive Distress

The stress of hauling, competing, stall rest or breeding can lead to problems with the GI tract, symptoms of which can include poor appetite, colic, weight loss, poor coat quality, sour attitude, lethargy or abnormal behavior.
Natural Plan Stomach Soother™ is an all natural treatment for stomach distress and digestive disturbances made from the highest quality Hawaiian papaya.  Papaya contains papain, a natural appetite stimulant that soothes the digestive tract and calms inflammatory bowel disorders.  It also contains Vitamin A which maintains healthy eyesight and immunity, protects the GI tract and builds strong teeth and bones.  It does not test and can be used long or short term.  Horses love the sweet taste. 

A majority of performance horses are believed to be suffering to some degree from ulcers, which can cause symptoms ranging from slight discomfort to life-threatening bleeding. Natural Plan Stomach Soother is effective in horses who display ulcer and pre-ulcer symptoms.  Tim Ritchey, trainer of 2005 Preakness and Belmont winner Afleet Alex, said, "It relieved an ulcer that traditional pharmaceuticals could not resolve.  Natural Plan Stomach Soother works, the horses like the taste, and it has the added benefit of being all-natural."

Available in 32 oz. bottles and two ounce single packets, it costs under $1 a dose.  Bottles are available in two, four, and six bottle sets or in a case of 12.  Natural Plan Stomach Soother is manufactured in the US using American grown products by Healthmate Products, a small, family owned company based in Highland Park, IL.  Its focus on customer service includes the opportunity to "Get on the Plan," a convenient service where the product is delivered regularly and automatically.

Natural Plan Stomach Soother also works for dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and parrots.  For more information, visit www.stomachsoother.com.

Grain versus Fiber Diets in Horses

Since horses became domesticated, we have supplemented their pasture and hay with grain based diets to provide supplemental calories, protein, vitamins and minerals.  These feeds are primarily composed of oats, but barley, corn and wheat are also used. 

Until 30 to 40 years ago, there were no specific nutrition requirements for horses and equine diets were merely extensions of cattle feeds.  Even now, the amount of information on equine nutrition is small compared to other species.  The newest National Research Council recommendations were published in 2007; the previous recommendations for horses were published in 1989, a 16 year gap.

Much of the newest research is centered on a horse's tolerance or requirement for soluble carbohydrates, starch plus sugar.  Research has proven that the traditional grain based ration, very high in soluble carbohydrates, has contributed to specific health problems such as an increased risk of colic, ulcers and in some cases, cribbing.  However, horses with higher workloads do require some additional soluble carbohydrates to provide the type of energy required, so what is the answer? 

High fat, fiber based rations have the ability to regulate soluble carbohydrates to that of a horse's natural diet of pasture and hay while still providing the same calories of grain based diets.  The key is selecting a feed, such as Triple Crown Low Starch, that uses quality fiber ingredients like shredded beet pulp and soy hulls which replaces the calories that grain provides with a high fat level of at least 6 to 10%.  Molasses does not have a significant impact on total soluble carbohydrates, so switching from a sweet feed to a pelleted feed will not decrease soluble carbohydrates if the ingredients are still grain based.

High fiber, high fat complete feeds can provide the same nutrients as grain based diets without the potential side effects for most horses.  In addition, because they are complete, they can also help provide additional fiber if hay is questionable or short in supply. 
For more information, please call 800-267-7198 or visit www.triplecrownfeed.com.

Well Horse Herbal Products Are the Best of 2009

Well-Horse is a young company dedicated to the creation and development of equine organic products. Founder, Coco Fernandez, is a Master Farrier with a successful equine orthopedics  service on California's Central Coast.

Well-Horse produces two products to help heal the entire horse.  Both were selected as 2009 best products of the year by the experts at Horse Journal.  Well-Horse Antibacterial Resin accelerates healing on open wounds, skin fungus, scratches, dew poisoning, rain rot, ringworm, hot spots and more. Thrush Off kills thrush on contact and heals damaged tissue on the foot, in addition to abscesses, white line and more.

Well-Horse regenerates tissue on wounds by promoting the formation of new collagen and kills fungal and bacterial micro-agents on contact, without burning or irritating the skin. It works fast and well on scratches, dew poisoning, rain rot, ringworm, poison oak, poison ivy and more. Well-Horse is organic and non toxic, so it's safe to use with your children's 4-H projects. It forms a protective barrier and speeds healing, works in all climates and does not require excessive daily applications to heal!

"Thrush Off" topped all herbal products for elimination of thrush. It kills thrush on contact and heals damaged tissue. Thrush Off acts as an antibiotic, is non-toxic, non-caustic and heals sensitive or live tissue. Use Thrush Off daily for treatment/prevention of thrush, abscesses, quarter cracks, white line disease, etc

Purchase Well Horse and Thrush Off in all knowledgeable tack and feed stores nationwide. Samples, stories and locations to buy can be found at www.well-horse.com or call (419) 295-0474.

           
Making Sense of Your Imaging Options

When it comes to lameness, there is an alphabet soup of imaging modalities to help diagnose the condition. But what is the difference between a CT and an MRI? Why opt for a bone scan when you already have a digital radiograph of your horse's cannon bone?

Elizabeth J Davidson, DVM, Assistant Professor at New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and board-certified veterinary surgeon, is one of the Sports Medicine Department's go-to vets for diagnosis and treatment of lameness issues. "We see the gamut at New Bolton," says Dr. Davidson, "from the simplest to the most complex cases. Because we have all of the imaging technologies in one place, and the specialists to use them and read the results, we have great ability to get right to the issue, and come up with the best course of treatment in a timely, efficient manner." Knowing which modality is most appropriate in a given situation is key to that capability.

Radiograph

This is not your daddy's X-ray! Today's technology offers those black and white skeletal images digitally, in real time. At New Bolton, where digital radiography has been in use since 2003, once the images are on the computer, the PACS system of reading them allows a broad range of manipulation techniques and the maximum amount of detail. "This is the kind of capability that can reveal subtle or difficult views," explains Dr. Davidson. "An oblique fracture of the coffin bone, for example, might be missed on equipment that is not as sophisticated as what we have here."

CT Scan

CT stands for Computerized Tomography, a radiation technology similar to the more traditional radiograph. Unlike a digital radiograph, however, the CT scan provides a series of cross-section images that provide a kind of three-dimensional view. It is more suited for bones and dense soft tissue diagnoses. Since 2008, the first veterinary portable CT machine has been in use at New Bolton. "We have done things with this piece of equipment," says Midge Leitch VMD, Clinician in Radiology and board-certified veterinary surgeon, "that no one could have anticipated." For example, if screws are required in a comminuted fracture, an image of the bone can be produced in real time, while the animal is on the operating table under anesthesia, to assist veterinarians in placement of the screws.

MRI

The initials stand for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. An MRI provides the highest level of contrast between different types and conditions of soft tissues. Very simply put, the technology uses high-powered magnets to bounce protons off of the tissue, sending signals to the computer which then generates images of that issue. Each image represents a microthin slice of tissue. "Proximal suspensory disease is an example of the kind of thing that might not show up with a CT scan," says Dr. Davidson, "but would be caught with an MRI." The body part to be studied must fit into the opening of the machine and with closed MRI machines that space is very limited. Because New Bolton has one of the few large scale open MRIs, with part of the apparatus above and part below the subject, the opportunity to study a wider array of body parts exists while the animal is under general anesthesia.  Standing MRI units are also of value if an animal is sensitive to anesthesia, but these provide studies limited to the hoof area.

Dr. Leitch says, "An MRI can provide images in areas which are inaccessible to other technologies can't. Images of lesions in the deep digital flexor tendon, where it is encased in the hoof capsule, for example, are now accessible."

Ultrasound

Ultrasound or ultrasonography, creates an image of tissue through interpretation of echoes created by bouncing sound waves off of the tissue. It is often used as a first choice, prior to the MRI, and is most valuable in situations where a view of the soft tissue, unimpeded by bone or other dense matter such as the hoof capsule, is needed. The advantage of the ultrasound is that is quick, requires no anesthesia and is comparatively inexpensive. "This is a common choice," says Dr. Davidson, "when looking at tendons or ligaments in the leg. We have an enormous amount of experience here and can get an answer about most lesions, especially in the metacarpal region, with ultrasound."  Areas above the knee or below the fetlock are less common places for use of ultrasound technology, but are frequently diagnosed at New Bolton Center. "If there is swelling in the pastern or shoulder, ultrasound examination of the area may provide the necessary information."

Nuclear Scintigraphy

Also referred to as nuclear medicine imaging or bone scans, nuclear scintigraphy uses a special camera to view the distribution of radioactive isotopes, administered intravenously, to evaluate the health of or changes in bone. Because lesions impact the structure of bone, those structural changes can often reveal the presence of the lesion before the lesion itself can be identified. Classic example of a valuable use of nuclear scintigraphy would be a stress fracture in the tibia. "Nothing may appear on a radiograph, but there will be a "hot spot" on the tibia which will show up with a bone scan."

Interpreting the images

The equipment is only part of the picture, says Dr. Davidson. "At New Bolton Center, we not only have state-of-the-art equipment, but we have individual doctors and technicians who specialize in each of those modalities. Understanding the images and having the experience to understand what they are telling us is one of the most valuable tools that we have."