Pedigree & History

Interesting when you look into a horses pedigree and the story it tells of it's history. 

25 Greatest American THOROUGHBRED Racehorses

1. Man o'War (1917-1947) 
2. Secretariate (1970-1989)
3. Citation (1945-1970)
4. Kelso (1957-1983)
5. Count Fleet (1949-1973)
6. Dr. Fager (1964-1976)
7. NATIVE DANCER (1950-1967)
8. Forego (1970-1997)
9. Seattle Slew (1974-2002)
10. Spectacular Bid (1976-2003)
11. TOM FOOL (1949-1976)
12. Affirmed (1975-2001)
13. War Admiral (1934-1959)
14. BUCKPASSER (1963-1978)
15. Colin (1905-1932)
16. Damascus (1964-1995)
17. Round Table (1954-1987)
18. Cigar (1990 - )
19. Bold Ruler (1954-1971)
20. Swaps (1952-1972)
21. Equipoise (1928-1938)
22. Phar Lap (1926-1932)
23. John Henry (1975-2007)
24. NASHUA (1952-1982)
25. Seabiscuit (1933 - 1947)

Additionally,  Man o'War sired: Seabiscuit & War Admiral, BUCKPASSERS Sire was TOM FOOL and Grandsire Man o'War, Kelso's Grandsire was Man o'War and Roses' (not shown on list) Great Grandsire was Colin. 

Great Names for STANDARDBREDS 

• AMBERCROMBIE
• ADIOS 
• BRET HANOVER 
• ON THE ROAD AGAIN (Horse Hall of Fame Inductee & Horse of the Year) 
• SILENT MAJORITY (Horse Hall of Fame Inductee)
• MEADOW SKIPPER (66 Million Earning Sire to Ralph Hanover & Most Happy Fella)  

Standardbred ADIOS

Standardbred BRET HANOVER

Transporting Your Horse (Safely)

I read an article about two women transporting their dressage horses, when the unexpected happened. Someone rear-ended their horse trailer causing it to disconnect from the hitch, pass them then sideswiped their truck. You can read the entire story by clicking on this link: The Horse Journal 

The end result - the truck spun out, while the trailer flipped and hit the ditch. In the end the horses survived (thank God), although sore and banged up - nothing was broken or scraped causing either their life. The two woman attribute this to two things: one, their leather halter as they snapped when necessary, two, their leg wraps - protecting from cuts, gauges and absorbing impact. They recommend exercising caution. 

I'm going to invest in shipping boots, and a leather, or break-away halter. In our case a head bumper or helmet as well,  as our TB is quite tall and even in easy, short trips can bump his head - hard enough and this can cause him to stumble or fall and tied can create a dangerous scenario. 

Front Boot/Leg Wrap

Rear Boot/Leg Wrap

Bumper Guard/Helmet (Attaches/Adjust to any Halter)

Break-Away Halter, Leather Top

Padded, Leather Transport Halter

Additionally, keeping an EQUINE TRAVEL EMERGENCY KIT including:

• Spare Tire - for both the trailer tire and vehicle
• Tire Iron - for both the trailer tire and vehicle 
• Tire Guage
• Jumper Cables
• Cell phone or CB Radio
• Duct Tape
• Electrical Tape
• Flash light with batteries 
• Emergency Flares
• Sharp Knife
• Wheel Chocks
• Sponge & Bucket
• Water: 20 Gallons/horse
• Extra fuses, lightbulbs
• Fire extinguisher (also good for tire and chemical fires)
• WD-40, Spray Lubricant
• Tool Kit
• Work Gloves
• Extra Halter w/Lead
• Spare Belts or Hoses
• Tow strap or Chain
• Shovel
• Kitty Litter or Salt/Gravel
• Red Flag to attach to antennae 
• Horse Blankets 
• Human Blankets
• Candle(s) & Lighter/Matches
• Food and Water 
• Gauze, Wraps, Self-Sticking Bandages
• Towels/Blankets
• Wound Coagulant like 'Wonder Dust'
• Disinfectant 
• Six inch Garden Hose 
• Bute 

Equally as important is a:  TRAIL RIDE EMERGENCY KIT

Horse Boarding Facilities

Came across an article written regarding Horse Boarding Facilities, it's well written and breaks down the things to consider when deciding to run/operate a private or commercial facility.

I'm not interested in investing into this sort of business - but for anyone who might be, it's good to read into it and do as much research as possible first.

The article is by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and is called: Commercial Horse Boarding Stable Industry. 

Book on Horse Handling Facilities

Critical Temperature

As a result of reading a very informative post by a website called igrow explaining the deaths of the livestock, cows, horses & sheep, in the recent blizzard in South Dakota on October 4, 2013. A very well written explaination on critical temperature and the stress the unpredictable environment can cause on a cow or horse - lead me to want to share and save the information for future reference.

The website has a handy chart ( that I have converted from Fahrenheit to Celius), along with a PDF document regarding calves, that can be found at: https://igrow.org/livestock/beef/spring-storms-and-cold-stress/ PDF document (link) on Cold Stress and Newborn Calves

The following is explained:

COLD STRESS: wet conditions alone or combined with wind create temperature effects.
A wet coat reduces insulation that the hair and hide provide and increase the rate of heat loss from the body. The TYPE of coat (summer/winter) also affects the animals critical temperature.
CRITICAL TEMPERATURE is the temperature at which the animal must increase its metabolism, or burn its own energy to maintain its body temperature. The further the effective temperature is below the critical temperature, the more energy the animal must use to maintain its body temperature.

°C - Celcius CANADA

°F - Fahrenheit US 

I don't know how to read the chart exactly, but understand the top portion. Recently, we experienced a fast, drastic change - going from +20 degrees Celcius to -11 degrees Celcius. The horses were wet and shivering as the snow was heavy and sloppy. There was a cold wind accompanying it and their coats weren't quite grown in. They are lucky to have access to plenty of good quality hay, shelter and fresh water. As a precaution we put their blankets on - mainly to keep them dry. 

Another helpful resources/sits is the South Dakota State University website 

Blanketing - BREED vs NEED

As a result of reading an article supposedly written by the Colorado 'State' University (CSU), I became concerned thinking I've been doing more harm than good blanketing our horse(s) It's said that:

"Blanketing Horses is one of the worse things that you can do to a horse in the winter"

That's a pretty bold statement that immediately had me worried, as I continued to read a flag went up here and there that led me to doubt the credibility of the article. One of the statements being:

"Not even snow or rain stops their thermostats from doing their job. Any time a horse that is outside and has a long coat is shivering it's because the horse has opted to shiver to warm itself, instead of using the option of moving"

This didn't make any sense to me. One, two things directly affect horses abilities to stay or BE warm -, RAIN and WIND. Two, whether or not the horse has DECIDED to stand and shiver or move around is not my main concern, both require energy and if its a long lasting cold streak EITHER can lead to weight loss if done in excess to stay warm.

The other thing that bothered me was, while reading this article regarding thermo heating research conducted by using equipment at the CSU (apparently), there was absolutely NO mention of REGION or BREED?

If I listened, or 'believed everything I read' my horse would be the one to suffer for it  - not me while I sit inside my heated house, in my wool sweater under my feather duvet. If left to the elements as a horse ‘should’ be, then nature in turn might take its course, being that  in nature only the strong survive. 

HORSES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO GROW A WINTER COAT, but throughout the winter exceptions and additional care may be required for TB's, Senior horses and very young horses.... AND blanketing TOO SOON can slow down the hair growth process. I'm not saying growing a natural winter coat isn't important - I just want to point out that in SOME CASES BLANKETS MAY BE NECESSARY. In regards to MOTHER NATURE and IN THE WILD -  in my opinion, in Canada the Quarter Horses, WB's and DRAFT'S or Crosses are better prepared or equipped for winter. If our Thoroughbred was given the choice, I would be willing to bet he wouldn't choose to migrate to Canada given that his breed is a descendant of the Arabian and their origin's go back to the desert. But he can't migrate, because he's in a paddock and I suppose I shouldn't worry about that either – he chose to be there, I didn't put him there? YES I DID and therefore, he is my responsibility and in reality he is not wild, he's domesticated. 


You can visibly see on other breeds of horse, such as the Noriker a Cold-blooded Horse, that they are better suited for colder temperatures - they are thicker in frame, have a thicker mane/tale and feathering around their feet. 

NORIKER (Cold-blooded Draft Horse)

I'll blanket when necessary, it's work and I understand that - but it's my responsibility to the horse I chose to buy. If I didn't want a 'Hard Keeper' I could have chosen a Quarter horse, Warm-blood or a Draft-X. But I didn't. It isn't the end of the world, NOT BLANKETING and I don't judge those who decide not to. But, it is a risk I would like to avoid, I prefer preventative maintenance and although it's still maintenance (work) to me it's well worth it. A horse that is naturally thinner due to breed who has a hard time keeping weight on should have additional aides in helping them stay warm and keep weight. If they end up losing weight shivering, or running around to stay warm then end up sick and lose their appetite they've already lost half the battle to recover. Or, it is going to be harder on them then on another heavier set horse. What if they're sick without an appetite and they just don't have the energy to shiver/move.. they develop pneumonia, colic or a  RESPIRATORY CONDITION?

I know I'm a little worked up about this, it's misleading information that claims to come from a very reliable, accredited Equine Institute -  the only one that will be affected by it when owners believe it to be true - are the horses. Beside's, I find it somewhat impolite that the article makes a comment as if to assume I enjoy doing additional chores? I don't blanket to please myself, I blanket to assist and aide in the well being of a dependent animal. I do however, feel better when they’re taken care of as I’m sure they do as well. Here's what it said:

"It turns out that blanketing is done more for pleasing the human, than to fill a need of a horse"

That to me is the co-worker saying "quit working so hard you're making me look bad" or possibly feeling a bit guilty. I think we should think about our intent and approach : If your horse doesn't need it and someone else's horse does, what difference does it make to you personally?

NATURAL HARDINESS

The breeding of a horse or pony plays a significant part in how its body manages in different weather conditions. Horses and ponies that are native to Britain have evolved with a hardiness which makes them able to cope with quite severe Winter weather without ill effect. Originally all equines in Britain were small ponies. They lived as wild animals and the amount of food available to them in Winter limited how big the species could grow. Anything too big would have lost weight, become susceptible to the elements and would have been unlikely to survive a long or hard Winter.

As humans developed bigger and stronger equines for our own purposes, larger ponies and horses had to rely on people to provide them with extra food in the Winter and/or shelter to help them to preserve their energy reserves. A thin equine will feel the cold and use up stored fat to maintain its bodily warmth, thereby losing more weight. Horses in work will need even more food as they will also be using up energy to carry out their tasks.

Breeds from warmer countries, such as Thoroughbreds and Arabs, are well able to cope with our hot summers, but are not equipped for British Winters. They do not use their nutritional energy as efficiently, do not tend to store so much fat and do not grow such a thick winter coat. Many owners of warm or hot blooded horses tend to stable their equines overnight to shelter them from the weather. Even in a stable, most of the finer breeds will need a rug and plenty of food. There is no reason, however, why even a pure bred Arab or Thoroughbred cannot live out all year round with appropriate care. By providing a field shelter, a good quality Winter rug and a well thought out diet, the balance between energy intake and energy output should be manageable throughout the colder months.

SOURCE: http://www.redwings.org.uk/welfare-horse-care-advice-horses-in-winter.php

Not only is this article, that turned out to be a HOAX, misleading - but a lot of accredited, published articles are based in a completely different state, region, territory, continent or country. Therefore the guidelines regarding temperature are listed in Fahrenheit (°F) when CANADA uses Celsius (°C). It's not always easy to read AND weather or climate can vary substantially from province-to-province or state-to-state - even more so in a different country. I'm not positive this is always taken into consideration, but should be - along with the breed specific needs of the horse.

Big jump from - 18 & -40 C, or 0 and -40 F

For example: the article above ‘Natural Hardiness' is based out of Britain. Winter in the UK is defined as lasting from December to February. The season is generally cool, wet and windy. Temperatures at night 'RARELY' drop below -10° C. That's a substantial difference from Canada where the winters are longer, the temperatures often drop to -28° and it's not uncommon for them to go as low as -50°, (with the windchill) for a period of time in extreme conditions.


It is said that a horse's internal body temperature drops or starts to change and they begin to feel slightly uncomfortable below 20 ° F (-6° C). We don't blanket our horse(s) unless it's -24° C or more (with windchill) and they're only blanketed while it is abnormally cold out. We recently made an exception and layered, putting on a fleece sheet covered by a waterproof rain sheet as the temperature DRASTICALLY changed. It went from + 20° C to -11° C in a period of LESS than 24 hours. Not only were they unable to grow a 'coat' in this short period of time, but it was WET & WINDY. And we weren't positive they would share their shelters, or who may be left out in the cold. To avoid RESPIRATORY ILLNESS , anyone catching a cold or pneumonia we blanketed them.  In their paddocks, they are free fed, good quality hay and have access to a shelter they 'can' share. 

Here is a chart for England:  


ALL FACTORS should be taken into consideration before going based on one article or opinion. At the end of the day, you know your horse better than anyone else. I know mine wouldn't be comfortable from experience, which is why I had lingering questions I needed to answer - before I stopped blanketing him altogether.  Such as: 

• What is the breed of horse

• Where do you live and what is the climate like (can the weather change quickly)

• Can your horse grow an adequate winter coat - naturally

• Do you ride a lot and therefore groom often (this can strip the natural oils from the horses coat that help the hair repel water) 

• Is your horse in a paddock | pasture - does it have room to run freely

• Does your horse have access to a windbreak or shelter - will this keep your horse dry

• Does your horse have companions to huddle with, a hear, a paddock mate, or are they solo

• Do you increase your horse's feed to help with internal heating and to maintain weight

• Does your horse have any health conditions - heaves, respiratory condition(s), worms or parasites

• Is your horse exceptionally you (under 9 months old) or old

Two factors play a major part in disrupting your horse(s) ability to stay warm - wind & rain (or wet snow). WIND, separates the hairs - breaking the seal and whisking the heat away from the body. RAIN, or wet snow, conducts heat away from the horse and forces the hair to lay flat - enabling the coat to lock in heat.

In the still (no wind) air and sunny paddock or pasture - the winter coat absorbs heat from the SUN and the horses body traps it next to the skin. Is it SUNNY where you live, with minimal wind? 

If you think of horses as BREEDS similar to DOGS you will notice that certain breeds of dog aren't adept to winter or cold climates. Similarly, some to hot or warmer climates - this is because they were bred by humans for a particular purpose. Living outdoors throughout the year in the existing weather conditions MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. Bulldog breeds DO NOT do well in heat, their muzzles make it difficult for them to breath and they can struggle with panting to cool off - result being, they can EASILY overheat and succumb to heat exhaustion. If I had to guess what breed of dog a thoroughbred horse would be comparable to - it would have to be a Greyhound:

Thoroughbred Horse

Greyhound Dog

WOULD YOU LEAVE A GREYHOUND OUT IN THE COLD?

Knowing the history of your Horse is important too. Thoroughbreds aren't raised the same way other breeds of horse are because of their purpose - racing. From a young age they are weaned and separated from other horses to prevent injuries. This carries on throughout their racing career. They are often kept indoors, in a stall, fed high energy feed and blanketed following a race or in poorer temperature. I doubt they had a fair chance, starting out, to develop the coat, or the coping skills to deal with a harsher winter. It's possible some lack social skills, which could, leave them 'out in the cold' not in the shelter. I'm not sure, but wouldn't be surprised if this could be said for the Greyhound as well. They were certainly bred for speed, not necessarily to stay warm in cold conditions. 

If you do or did decide that blanketing your hard keeper, or elderly/young horse is the better way to go then you should most definitely READ UP ON PROPERLY FITTING YOUR HORSE FOR A BLANKET as well as any RISKS OR HAZARDS associated with blanketing, such as:

• Blanket/Sheet getting caught on objects

• Another horse getting caught up in your horses blanket (straps)while kicking

• The blanket straps getting caught up in your horses legs

• A poor fitting blanket can cause rubs, sores and tender spots on your horse

• The WRONG TYPE of blanket used for the wrong purpose can be a hazard - eg. a fleece sheet for turnout when it's going to rain WITHOUT a rain sheet. A wet sheet or blanket is worse for your horse then the sheet or blanket itself.

• Overheating - should the temperature suddenly improve can lead to sweating which in turn can cause the horse to catch a chill, which isn't good either.
• Poor blanketing practice , put on too often, not taken off - can lead to your horse not developing/growing a winter coat
• Coats should be checked regularly, for rips/tears, and to assure the weather resistant/water proof still repel water - AS WELL AS checking your horse
• Blankets shouldn't be left on for days without removing or grooming your horse - this is a great opportunity to check for skin irritations or 'RAIN ROT' 

• Know that you have options to layering sheets to accommodate different temperatures.

• TURN OUTS are intended for outdoor use and SHOULD BE weather resistant

Temperature in Fahrenheit (°F)

WHEN IN DOUBT ALWAYS SPEAK TO YOUR VET, TRAINER, OR SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE!  

During the winter all horses should have: 

• Access to a shelter or wind break

• CLEAN water (should be between 7°C and 18°C to avoid impacted-iduced colic)

• Adequate forage (Hay) as this helps their internal thermo heating

• Check-ups, done by you - to make sure they're growing a winter coat, that they aren't loosing weight or excessively shivering. To assure they are drinking water and have a healthy appetite and aren't developing an illness 

I will add that in the last month our colt (who just turned 5 months old October 31, 2013) has coughed up mucus on two separate occasions as well as exhibited signs of being 'depressed'. This is believed to be due to weaning, but could be an indication that his immune system is slightly weaker. Our Mare developed MASTITIS after we separated her from her foal (high temperature, lethargic  loss of appetite, wouldn't really move - she was overall dull and un-alert). Additionally, we once left a fly sheet on our TB gelding in the summer. It was a  'cool' day, had rained  and when we arrived he was shaking so bad (chilled) we were convinced he was going to collapse from exhaustion.

These factors along with the drastic changes in weather play a significant roll in our decisions to blanket and when to do so. We ALWAYS allow for them to grow as much of a WINTER COAT as possible and do not clip, but a clipped horse would 
require blanketing. 

Lastly, the horses that are referred to as 'WILD HORSES', are not technically wild. They are FERAL HORSES. Therefore,the Wild horses we have here are of domesticated descent and even still, only the strong ones will survive. Whereas real WILD horses are genetically suited to their environment and adapted to specific climates and regions.  Check out pictures of a wild horse - the Przewalski's Horse or a descendant of a wild horse - the Heck Horse. See how different the look when you compare them to a Thoroughbred or Standardbred horse? 

Helpful Resource regarding the cold season: WINTERIZE YOUR HORSE

Hope you found some of this information helpful, I sure did. I've learnt a lot researching this topic - the horses teach us a lot as well. Listening to them I don't think you can go wrong. 

WORST CASE SCENARIO 

I originally posted this October 29 as a result of  'coming across a HOAX post that was circulating around social media' AND because around the 26 of October we had a surprise blizzard. I was not aware that, two weeks prior to this post tragedy had occurred just South of us. 

I FEEL HORRIBLE for the loss of ANY Animal ~ BUT, that being said I DO WANT TO POINT OUT.. that a week and a half maybe two weeks prior to my post South Dakota experienced an EARLY BLIZZARD I came across a news report indicating, it was believed or expected, up to 100,000 cattle, horses and sheep(I believe the count is currently around 25,000)  perished. South Dakota is closer to Saskatchewan or Manitoba, but only 17 hours away from Alberta - it's diagonally across from us on the other side of Montana, below North Dakota. Now I do realize and completely understand that it is impossible to blanket 200 head of cow or move them in such a large group - BUT, perhaps it is possible that this is exactly the type or situation where blanketing a horse may be the difference between life and death - at least o shot at giving it a chance. From what I understand it would have taken a lot of work on the owners part and if left too late may not have been possible with the wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour. But, if a Rain Sheet was thrown on in advance and a shelter available or even a wind break - the horses might have stayed put and went into an almost sleeping state where they stand and conserve their energy. I know it takes more work on the part of the owner - but I don't think this would have been a case were the blanket would have done more damage then good, like overheating the horse.  

Although MUCH MORE SEVERE in WIND GUSTS, their surprise storm had close similarities to ours. The had a temperature of 21° C the day before, we had 20° C, their cattle did not have their winter coats, neither did our two horse and foal, the THEY HAD SEVERE RAIN, we did not - but our snow was set and soaked the horses, They had gusts of winds up to 70 miles an hour, ours were 20 km's an hour gusts. 

The MAJOR FACTOR: the cattle and horses were trapped, they didn't not have shelter being on summer pasture and they did not have access to forage to generate and maintain the energy needed to stay warm and unfortunately sercame to hypothermia and exhaustion. Our horses had a shelter and plenty of hay - were just weren't 100 % positive they would be able to SHARE, therefore USE the shelter...  SO BLANKETED THEM

For those cows, horses and sheep that did survive - It's not over yet. According to articles published by igrow.org there is a period of 7 -14 days were the STRESSED experienced by the storm can still be fatal. Ranchers are warned not to transport the animals, or vaccinate them as their immune systems will be low as well as wean or an other stressful routine that would normally be done. It is best to wait until later assuring they are well and not going to develop a respiratory infection. Here's what it says: 

Prolonged stress placed on animals, especially younger animals, due to weather events results in increased cortisol levels in the animals’ bloodstream, which can have profound effects on the immune system. Prolonged stressful events, such as the blizzard experienced over the weekend, are more significant than short-term events. o    Respiratory diseases in cattle generally have an “incubation period” of 7-14 days. Therefore, ranchers might expect that cattle affected by the blizzard could break with these illnesses over the next two weeks.o    Weaned calves may be more susceptible to coccidiosis as well. This condition will present as bloody stools, along with dehydration and depression in more severely affected calves. Prompt identification of affected calves and treatment with individual or feed-based medications is important.
§  Ranchers should consult with their veterinarian whether feed- or water-grade antibiotics, especially in weaned calves, would be appropriate for any of these conditions.
o    Long-term stress can have the effect of shifting the immune system towards production of antibodies and away from cell-mediated responses. In practical terms, this means that the body has less of an ability to respond to diseases caused by viruses. In growing cattle, respiratory diseases are often caused or started by Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR, or “red-nose”), Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV), and Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV).

Some more helpful advice - to prepare for pending weather related disasters as well in advance as possible: 

• Develop an evacuation plan for weather emergencies. This plan should include emergency contacts, maps, and contingency plans

Additional Information on the South Dakota Blizzard by clicking on this link: resources/references and media coverage

A PUBLIC post I found | I covered the names and images of the people who commented

USA chart (2008) - vaccinating your foal.

Handling Your Foal

Atticus is now 1 month old. I cannot believe how fast he is growing and developing. I am really starting to see the downside to him being an only foal and Ella being separated from a herd. I understand it's for their safety and best - BUT I also now realize that Atticus doesn't really have anyone to play with.

We didn't IMPRINT him (a process I've read about where within the first few hours of life the foal is separated from the mother and exposed to certain things/situations in order to desensitises them for later on in life - e.g. handing their legs, feet, mouth, ears etc and or exposing them to blankets, bags, or different things that might generally spook a horse). First of all I'm not sure anyone was around within the first few hours, our guess is that he was born in-between 2:00 am and 4:00 am and the facility owner found in in the morning while checking on the horses around 6:00 am (standing and dry) secondly I don't live on the property therefore have a time constricted schedule and to be honest don't know enough about foals let alone a process such as this. However, the first day he was handled by the Vet and the Vet's Assistance during his and Ella's examination. Up until then I really didn't know how Ella would even react, was she an over protective Mum? Would the foal be incredibly scared? After watching the Vet I determined she was aggressively protective and the foal remained calm providing Mum was fine.After that they were left alone (although monitored and fed) for two days and then not disrupted again until the following Sunday night (the foal was born early Friday morning) when they were brought into the barn due to a Severe Thunderstorm warning. Baby followed close behind Mum and I left them alone in the indoor stall (again, not entirely sure how comfortable Ella was and how she would react and certainly didn't want to upset her in the tight confines of the stall and risk her stepping on/trampling the foal).

A few days later we starting occasionally touching him, getting him used to us (we'd talk to him) let him smell us an gently nibble on our sleeve end or shirt bottom (realizing he's teething and not to spook him) then I started taking off any light sweater I had on and would drape it over his back, one day it rained and we were unable to relocated them in time - therefore the Mare and foal were pretty wet, we took the opportunity to towel dry him and then drape the towel over his back and let him walk around with it until it fell off.

As of late, this handling and interacting with the foal (although I limit it to our daily routine/chores, my husband tends to spend a bit more time with the foal) I've notice he's become a LOT more comfortable with us, so much so that is as though he views us a herd members (horses) and try's to play or gets overly excited when we (mainly me) come into the paddock. These actions come across as charging directly at him and then skidding to a halt, rearing up and extending his front legs as if boxing to swinging his hind end around or spinning to buck, kick out at me/us. He hasn't quite bucked, although he has kicked out slightly while trotting beside me and lightly connected with the bucket I was carrying. This to me is slightly unsettling, I realize he's playing AND doesn't have play mates BUT this can become very dangerous, very quickly - especially at the rate he's growing. Can you imagine a 900 - 1100 lb horse doing this and then expecting yourself to be assertive yet CALM?!? 

So my job now is to quickly learn an effective way to discourage this behaviour without breaking his trust, causing him to become fearful OR head shy! Tricky. Don't get me wrong, I am very impressed with his progress, he approaches us, he's fine with us touching him, rubbing down his legs, even picking up his front feet, he's ok with blankets on him, didn't give us too much trouble the first time he wore his halter. I'm glad he is healthy, happy and active - I just take it seriously and realize we have a huge responsibility to our foal, which is making sure he grows up polite, respectful and with minimal vices as possible.

If you have any tips, suggestions or ideas - please do not hesitate in sharing. He's teaching me a lot already, although I'm positive he's learning body language and effective communication himself, I am better able now, to recognize dominance or aggressive body language when I'm watching him play or watching his Mum with the other pasture horses. Such as, pinning ears, ex hauling loud and fast through nostrils (like a snort), low head and fast quick movements (these are mainly from his Mum) to arching of the neck accompanied with a prance or slow trot that almost gives the appearance of being taller (raised tail, ears forward) this I've learnt from the foal.

Feed

Now that it's been a few days past 3 weeks, Atticus's little teeth are coming in. We've noticed him sampling grass, hay and his mum's feed - only a matter of time before he starts eating his own.

I just found a brand of food, while doing some research, that is suitable for all types of horses up to 12 months of age. Apparently it helps reduce weaning stress and promote steady growth - I guess Masterfeeds AND Proform both produce it (oddly enough using the same foal picture - unless they're the same company) I am going to pick some up this weekend and look into how soon we can start feeding him some and whether or not we need to soak it.

The above product FRISKY FOAL features: 

• dehydrated alfalfa and molasses
• low carbohydrate, low glycemic
• high level of trace minerals from organic sources
• high level of protein and lysine
• added yeast
• highly fortified formulation
• contains added b-vitamins

ADDITIONALLY 

• foals cannot separate the ingredients - consistent with each bite
• more bio-available resulting in higher uptake of trace elements
• improve growth
• improve immunity
• allows flexibility of feeding rates

Right now we are feeding his mum 3 cups of SOAKED BEET PULP mixed with 2 cups of Proforms Step 1 - Broodmare feed. We feed Eli 3 cups of SOAKED BEET PULP with 1 cup of oats and a table spoon of flax seed. We were feeding him a cereal type feed that wound him up as I think he converted it into sugar, thinking about picking him up some Hoffman's Horse Rations (it contains NO grain) 

Apparently between 2 - 3 months the mare will need double the amount of feed and protein as she will hit her peak, so her feed should be increased during this time. Also, between 8 - 10 weeks the foal should start giving the foal additional feed. From 4 months on gradually and over time the foals additional feed (grain/forage etc) should be increased while the mare's should be decreased - this is to assist with weaning, providing the foal with necessary nutrients but also to help stop the mare from producing milk. 

 Weanlings, and yearlings benefit from a diet of 14 - 16 percent protein, their diet should never contain less than 30 % roughage and they should ALWAYS have access to fresh water and room for exercise and development.

Here are FOAL FEEDING GUIDELINES from the American Association of Equine Practitioners website:

1. Provide high quality roughage (hay and pasture) free choice
2. Supplement with high quality grain/feed for Weanlings
3. Start by feeding one percent of a foal's body weight per day (one pound for each 100, or one pound per month of age) 
4. Weigh and adjust the feed ration based on growth and fitness (a weight tape can help) 
5. Foals have small stomachs, split rations to 2 - 3 times a day
6. Make sure feeds contain proper balance of vitamins, minerals, energy and protein
7. Use a creep feeder or feed the foal separate from other horses (mare) 
8. Remove unwanted portions between feedings
9. Provide unlimited, fresh, clean water
10. Provide opportunity for abundance exercise 

Fly's!?!?

Trying to make a home-made fly recipe that's all natural but keeps the bugs away. This is what I came up with:

• 1 garlic clove (not bulb) diced
• 1 cup of vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of Tea Tree Oil
• 2 teaspoons of Eucalypti Oil 
• Add to spray bottle, fill up to top with water

I put all the ingredients together and shook really well, even though there were small chunks of garlic in there I wasn't concerned - the smell was still present and the pieces didn't make it through the spray nozzle. 

Once the mixture was made I brought it with to the barn, tested it out on our horse and noticed that surprisingly the scent did in fact resemble bug spray - the other thing I noticed was that it seemed to repel flies, but it wasn't all that effective on the mosquito's. I think I am missing citronella oil, but I can't find that stuff anywhere - just the oil that you fill those tiki torches with (not the same stuff) 

If you are going to make your own bug spray, be sure not to use products that are not safe for your horse, careful mixing products and certainly be cautious should your horse have allergies or react to the spray - best to try it on a small area first and check frequently for welts, swelling or heat (I am not a vet and perhaps vet advice is recommended).   

DO NOT GET IN HORSE'S EYE'S, EARS or MOUTH (not to be ingested) 

Anyhow, if you find something that is works, repels mosquito's fly's, deer fly's and all those other little biting buts - do share. 

De-Worming

Picked-up some veterinarian issued de-wormer from the vet clinic for little Atticus, while I was there I grabbed a tube of EQVALAN (1.87% Ivermectin) for Ella. Both were de-wormed once we got to the barn - this way we had time to hang around and monitor them to make sure they didn't have any adverse affects.

Surprisingly Atticus took it well, helps A LOT that he's teething and more than willing to chew on a knuckle or two - so while Jesse volunteered to let Atticus chew on his knuckle (he doesn't have teeth yet) I squirted the tube into the back corner of his mouth. He smacked his lips a bit and it was all gone.

I thought for sure Ella would immediately spit hers back out, but I learned something while watching the Facility owner administer BUTE to Eli when we were treating his foot for a potential abscess.

If you let them lift there heads real high in the air (they want to prevent you from having access to their mouth) and then squirt it in the space where they have no teeth, keep your hand under their chin with your arm extended (preventing them from lowering their head) and wait a few moments - their natural instinct is to swallow, or at least it's harder for them to drop their head and spit it out.

Ella's 16.1 HH and when extending her neck and head pretty tall, fortunately I'm tall myself - so this is what I did, worked out well.

Atticus's poopy bum (Scours)

For lack of a better term - Atticus got scours (diarrhea) from Foal Heat, which apparently happens between 7 & 10 days of age. Foal heat is the first heat cycle the mare goes into since becoming pregnant with the foal. As all of this is new to me, I did a bit of research for home remedies, instructions on treating scours as well as the signs. I also spoke to the woman that sold us Ella as she has two foals herself and she was able to advise me and give us some tips.

It's important to make sure that the diarrhea is actually caused from Foal Heat and not from a virus or infection that indicates the foal is sick and needs treatment. A foal suffering from scours due to Foal Heat will still nurse, be active and will not have a temperature or appear sick, from what I understand - some things to look/watch for are:

• A nursing foal will produce a yellowish pasty manure, a sick foal with diarrhea will produce a yellow/brown water manure
• Watch to be sure the foal is nursing and active (you can check the mare and if her udder is very full and dripping milk, it's an indication the foals not nursing and may have lost it's appetite due to illness
• Check temperature, it should be between - 99º and 101.5º F. 
• If you're not sure whether your foal has diarrhea, skin scald is a tell tale sign (loss of hair on bum) 

If you not sure, or certain, contact your vet, illness in a young foal can be fatal and if sick the foal may need antibiotics, or iv to re hydrate etc.

If you have in fact determined the foal has scours do to Foal Heat some treatments are:

• Clean the area with soap and warm water, dry with a soft towel
• Apply petroleum jelly or Preparation
• Repeat, 2 to 3 times a day

We didn't have petroleum jelly on hand, so what we did was clean the area and then treat it with baby oil, not only did it clean up his rear, but it provided moisture to sooth the scald and a slick coating to prevent or help to prevent manure from sticking to his bum. Below you can see the before (left hand side) and after (right hand side) photos. 

Before 

After

for more information visit this websites: American Association of Equine Practitioners

Waiting to leave work..

Waiting to leave work right now, Severe Thunderstorm warning in effect for Southern Alberta.. 

Sun's shining right now, but that's here in Calgary - was off at 2:30 but my ride wasn't here - looked at the window at 2:45 there they were... Come outside and they're gone. It's now 3:12 - the downside to car pooling. 

I want to get to the barn do I can get Mum and Foal into the barn ..  

Weaning a Foal

Found some great information on a Horse Site, have to start noting upcoming tasks we are to do with Atticus at the right times and at the right age. I'm going to consult our training and the facility owner with the weaning of the foal, halter breaking and hoof trimming.



But an interesting part I just read is that there are two methods to weaning a foal:

• Gradual Separation: moving the Mare & Foal into neighboring paddocks where a fence separates them and the foal is unable to feed on her milk
• Abrupt Separation: moving the Mare & Foal as far apart as possible out of eye and earshot of each other

Weaning is usually done between 4 and 6 months, providing the foal is healthy and able to eat on it's own and drink water and that the Mare is healthy and the foal isn't taking away to much from her.. some people wean as late as 9 months if the Mare's healthy and the foals good.

Another great suggestion made is to turn out the foal with other foals who are being weaned or weaned if possible.

information collected from The Horse Health Zone

Another great source to help with the transition and lesson stressed caused is Low-Stress Foal Weaning 

Story of ATTICUS

Signed, Atticus Kent. Turned his spaceship into a living horse and was later known as Superman! 

The original story of SUPERMAN was that Kal-El was born to Jor-El (a scientist) and his wife Lara Lor-Van, when their planet of Krypton was about to be destroyed they saved their son Kal-El by sending him to the planet Earth. Kansan Josephus Kent found Kal-El and presented him to his wife as their own where they soon after named him Atticus Kent. 

Similar to either the Kal-El reference from wikia: http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Kal-El_(Earth-1863) and the Wikipedia reference for Man of Steel (Superman film): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_of_Steel_(film) Atticus was taught the values from his adoptive parents of equality among people.

In the original story after his mothers funeral, his father Josephus told him the truth of his origin. When Atticus learned of his spacecraft he unearthed and it received a holographic message from his real parents Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van where he discovered his true mission was to:

Live among the Native Americans in the Western American plains as they are the good people in contrast to the more advanced who south to threaten the aborigines' 
existence

He then forged his spaceship into a living horse and rode out..

Another Atticus, was Atticus Finch from the novel 'To Kill A Mocking Bird' the character was known to be a knowledgable, kind, fair and ethical Father that taught others to live with morals and by principals. Noble. 

New Superman movie MAN OF STEEL is suppose to come out June 14, 2013 ( LOVE Henry Cavill )