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Bot Flies & Horses
What Is A Bot Fly? Bot flies are parasitic insects whose larvae grow inside the flesh and guts of animals. They are also commonly referred to as warble flies. Bot flies sometimes use mediums to deposit their eggs onto a 'host' (i. e. a horse). Some of these mediums can be mosquitoes, ticks and the common houseflies. This is a mechanism that the bot fly uses as most animal hosts can usually tell when the bot fly approaches. This happens when the female bot fly pins down the smaller fly and rotates it into a position that allows for the bot fly to deposit her eggs under the wings of the small fly. In the case of the smaller fly, it will probably land on an animal at which point the eggs will drop onto their skin and dig, effectively implanting in a mammals body. The warmth of the animal encourages the hatching of the eggs to start. Host animals can also accidentally ingest the larvae, which ends up in their guts when they lick an area that has been bitten by botfly that will usually leave its eggs at that spot. Why Are Bot Flies Dangerous To Horses? Bot flies are more common in the summer when it’s hot. One of their most common effects in horses includes irritation once they are deposited on the animals’ inner legs and on their knees. This irritation sometimes happens in the mouth or nose of the horse when they ingest the larvae or when the larvae eggs are laid in the area around their mouth. Another danger that is caused by bot flies on horses is ulcers. These can either be on the mouth or in the digestive system walls; small intestines and stomach lining. This is often as a result of erosion of the skin around those surfaces as the larvae attach themselves on those walls. Attachment of the bot flies larvae on stomach walls of the horse will in addition cause the animals a lot of pain due to the ulcers. This also translates in poor eating habits by the horse resulting in overall deterioration of their health. Moreover, the horse might become anaemic, suffer blockage in the intestines or even suffers oesophageal paralysis. How To Prevent Bot Flies Going by the severity of bot flies, and the effect to the health of a horse - as a horse owner you should take precaution to avoid this from happening. This can be done through constantly grooming your horse and always be on the lookout for the larvae. They can seen as small yellow eggs sitting in the horses coat. Washing the horse's legs with hot water will cause the larvae to hatch and then you can apply an insecticide to eliminate them. Make sure you consult your veterinarian before giving the horse any internal insecticide or using an external insecticide is also advisable. Or you can also simply use a scissor and cut them off if there are only a few. Proper disposal of manure far from the stables will also reduce flies from being in the stables and lower the risk of being used as conduits for the eggs. Removing the manure can also kill the larvae in it effectively breaking the cycle before they mature into the bot flies.
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5 Facts About The Buckskin Horse
A Buckskin horse is described as a tanned yellow horse with black points. Tan or gold coloured coat with black mane, tail and lower legs. Many people think this is a desirable and attractive colour on horses. You might have heard about the colour Dun - that is often associated with the Buckskin. There is a misconcenption that dun is a shade of the Buckskin, but that is actually not the care. Here are 5 interesting facts about the buckskin horse that you probably didn't know: 1) THE BUCKSKIN HORSE IS NOT A BREED The Buckskin horse is sometimes referred to as a breed, but the buckskin is actually only a common hair coat colour and not a breed. The buckskin can be found in many different breeds, since its a common colour, for example in Quarter horses, Paints and crossbreeds etc. 2) BUCKSKIN COLOR AND DUN COLOR ARE NOT THE SAME Buckskin horses are often confused with dun colored horses, but they are not the same. The colours are very similar but there´s one clear feature to keep them apart. The Duns have a dorsal stripe over the back, and usually also leg stripes. Those features can only occur on a dun coloured horse, and never in a straight buckskin. 3) BREEDING A BUCKSKIN CAN BE TRICKY A Buckskin colour is produced when a horse that carries the dominant cream gene (cremello, palomino, buckskin or smoky black fur) breeds with a horse that carries the bay gene. 4) THE BUCKSKIN COLOUR ORIGINATED FROM 'SORRAIA' The Buckskin is thought to have originated from the spanish breed Sorraia. Most Buckskins are of Spanish origins, European pony origin or of Americas Norfolk Trotter origin. 5) THERE ARE MULTIPLE SHADES OF BUCKSKIN COLOURS There are many different shades of Buckskin, including Cream Buckskin, Silver Buckskin, Standard Buckskin, Golden Buckskin, Burnt/Sooty Buckskin, Brown Buckskin and Smoky Black Buckskin.
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Horse Agistment Prices
Horse agistment prices The horse agistment prices vary depending on the various aspects such as the size of the paddock and the amenities available in the agistment facility. The prices for the large paddocks which is shared by several individuals is much cheaper as compared to the smaller individual paddocks. The individuals in the shared paddocks might end up paying slightly less than those individuals in the individual paddocks all of them are cost sharing. The agistment costs are inclusive of the daily cleaning of the paddock, daily training of the horse, cleaning of the rugs, fly masks, riding blankets, regular cleaning of the horse and saddles. Horse agistment Prices The average price charged for horses in a large sharing paddocks is about $25 or less while the individuals in the individuals paddocks is about $30 For individuals who want their horses to stay in a much more sophisticated accommodation they might consider the private paddock which is very spacious and consists of about four acres of land. Any horse owner who goes for this option will have to part with a sum of about seventy dollars or every other week. In a month individuals in the shared paddocks will spend an average of a hundred dollars on agistment fees while those horse owners with horses in the individual paddocks will have spent a hundred and twenty dollars on the same. For individuals with a tight budget the shared paddock might be an ideal choice as it lets you put back the extra twenty dollars you could have used in the individual paddock back in your pocket. For the individuals who want their horses to live luxuriously on the private paddocks the total monthly expenses spent on agistment fees will be two hundred and eighty dollars. These prices vary depending on the agistment facility and where it is located. Some facility are very cheap and affordable while some cost a small fortune. The amount paid per week or on monthly basis might be inclusive of the accommodation and all the other activities such as feeding, cleaning and training or it might be exclusive depending on the facility. Some agistment facilities offer comprehensive services at a rate that will not leave a hug dent in your bank balance while some offer few services at a very high rate. The location at times play part in determining the cost charged, the facilities adjacent the main outlets or at the heart of the city might have higher prices as opposed to those that are many miles away from the towns.
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Wobblers In Horses
What Is Wobblers? If you notice that your horse is becoming quite clumsy or lacking coordination in the gaits there might be a hidden issue. It may not necessarily mean that he/she is becoming lame but symptoms can show in other ways. There might be many medical conditions that might exhibit these signs and symptoms such as the EPM (Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis) which is the major cause of the neurologic conditions experienced by majority of horses in North America. The best action is to first consult your veterinarian to conduct a thorough diagnosis to determine if the horse is suffering from EPM or it is the Wobbler syndrome. More often than not when individuals suspect it is EPM it turns out to be wobblers. Statistics show that among the equine population only about one percent of them is diagnosed with EPM. How Horses Get WobblersWobblers or wobbles gets its name from what it does to the gait of the horses. It causes them to lose coordination hence becoming wobbly as a result of the lost stability. This condition can be described as the lack of self-awareness and limb functioning in horses. The horses are not aware where their feet are and hence do not have control or coordination of how they are moving. In extreme cases the horse will keep bumping into items or they will find it impossible to stand. The disease is usually measured on a scale of one to five to determine the intensity or how far it has advanced in an animal. A majority of times the horses start becoming noticeable at stage two where it is evident that they are abnormally clumsy then after a while the condition advances to the third, fourth or fifth level. It is very possible for a horse to be totally fine today then tomorrow appear to be a total disaster. The disease manifestation is mostly evident in the hind limbs but at times it might be on all fours. The manifestation mostly occurs equally on the left and right sides at similar degrees. The main cause of the disease is the compression of the spinal cord which kills the nerves that help in limb coordination. Treatment The diagnosis of the wobbles does not mean the end for your horse. There are various surgical and non-surgical treatment procedures to restore the limb coordination in your horse. In young horses the diet modification will help in correcting the condition. The administration of vitamin E supplements might also help but if they fail you might have to result to surgical treatments.
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Agisting
Agisting a horse is the term used to describe the agreement made by a majority of horse owners in order to allow them to keep their horses at the residence or land that belongs to another individual. This is a common practice amongst many horse owners. An agistment agreement is very important and used in similar situations involving other agricultural animals. Such agreements are very essential and valuable to both the horse owner and the property owners as anything is bound to happen when dealing with live animals. Disputes might emerge over issues such as the horse agistment fees charged and it might be difficult to decide who is in the wrong. This is why the Livestock Laws Act of 1994 was made in order to ensure that both parties involved in the agreement are protected by the law. Today it is therefore easier to clear up any cases involving agistment disputes.Agistment Agreements This is a contract between a horse owner and the owner of the piece of land where they intend to keep their horse. This is a legally binding agreement that includes elements such as what will be fed to the horse, the pasture or cattle land used, the rates charged during a certain period of time, the profits accrued from owning such a property and other extra expenses that will be incurred during the animals stay at that land. The owner of the property who is commonly referred to as the bailee is responsible for looking after the animals that are entrusted to them. Any damages or injury that might occur on the animal as a result of minor accidents that show they could have been avoided all together if the bailee was keener will also be charged on the bailee. Should discputes occur - The land owner today has a right to keep the horses at their property until the horse owners completely clear the agistment fees that they owe the bailee. The lien on the horses can be created by the bailee as soon as fourteen days have passed and the horse owner has not paid their arrears in agistment fees as agreed upon. After three months the bailee has a right to claim the money owed to them by the horse owners. The two parties have an option of either making the agistment contract verbally or in written form. The lien aspect is however not valid in situations where the agreement has been written down including what happens if a payment is default.
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Guide to 1200 Denier Horse Rugs
⋙ CHECKOUT OUR TOP SELLING WINTER HORSE RUGS FOR SALE HERE ⋘ Background 1200 Denier Material The 1200 Denier material is the term used to describe the thickness of the threads that have been specifically used in the weaving of the yarns used in making this material recognised as denier. The weight of the overall fabric is measured using grams per square metre (GSM). The higher the value of the denier figure given the thicker the threads used in the weaving hence the stronger the material is. The 1200 denier material can be manufactured in the USA or at times they can import it from other nations. This is an example of a quality 1200 Denier Rug, Click on the picture to view the listing in full:The denier material has been used in the construction of different types of horse rugs and most especially those that are used during the winter season. The width, fabric weight and thickness make the 1200denier the most ideal material to be used in making winter horse rugs. The 1200denier is often times used in combination with other materials such as nylon, polyester or PVS in the construction of long lasting and durable horse rugs. The imperial Vinyl is an example of a horse rug that has been constructed using 1200 denier Polyester together with a coating of PVC. The horse rug are sealed using heat and the patterns are imprinted on the fabric buy the use of a silk screen to generate designs containing vibrant and strong hues. This fabric is suitable to washed using soap containing mild solvents, water in addition to a soft cloth made of cotton. Rather than being used on the horse rugs the material is ideal to be used on tote bags, banners, luggage bags, theatre productions and sports gear. The 1200denier material is also popular for its water resistance characteristic while at the same time it is a breathable material. The 1200denier is therefore ideal to be used on the horse rugs that have extra details such as chest buckles that can be easily released, bindings that are reflective and droppings at the rear to fully wrap the tail flaps. This type of horse rug is very good in promoting of hygiene as it creates an aero-mesh lining. This type of lining is very sturdy but very soft and comfortable on the skin of the horse. The meshes in between the fabric facilitates for breathing spaces between the horses coat and the rug. Due to the breathing spaces it will not rot or become infested with mold which occurs in cotton and other materials.
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How To Measure The Gullet Size On A Western Saddle
The gullet size on Western saddles can be confusing, basically measurements go 2" larger than normal english saddles. (So a 16" western is up to an 18" English equivalent). Bars = gullet size. Full QH bars is a wide gullet.Generally the size refers to the seat. Occasionally there are shorter skirts on them but they're all around the same length.Main thing with fitting a western saddle is the gullet size & whether your horse would suit a full QH bar (wide shoulders) or a semi-QH bar (anything less than wide, really). The fit is very different to English saddles. To make it more confusing - there are alot of western saddle brands out there and they are all slightly different in fit. We are currently offering 10% off all our western saddle range with discount code BLOG10.
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How Much Banamine To Give A Horse Orally
Banamine Paste is used to lessen pain and inflammation in a horse, usually related to musculoskeletal issues. There are risks related to giving horses IM shots, hence some people choose to give banamine to horses orally. The paste can sometimes also start working faster when given orally (around 30 minutes). The anti-inflammatory effects makes it a common use for treatment of colic horses. DAILY DOSAGE Once Per Day Dosage - 0.5mg flunixin per lb horse body weight. One 30g syringe of Banamine equals 1500 mg flunixin. One syringe will treat a 1000-lb horse once daily for three days, or three 1000-lb horses one time. (500mg flunixin per dose) Word of Advice: - Wash you horses mouth out afterwards or give them some wet feed to that the paste doesn't stay in their mouth (and cause ulcers etc) -If your horse is not fond of the paste, try to give them a whole apple first that will keep their mouth open for a couple of seconds (and you can sneak the paste in) - Make sure you always speak to your vet before giving your horse banamine paste
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How To Cinch A Western Saddle
If you are new to western riding, all the horse gear that comes with the discipline can be confusing. Especially if you are used to standard english saddles. An english saddle has an easy adjustable girth while a western saddle comes with a cinch. A latigo is usually used in the process to ensure that the cinch is well anchored. In this blog, you will learn more about how best you can be able to cinch a western saddle. How To Cinch A Western Saddle This guide will help you to understand that the kind of rigging on your saddle will help to determine how you will cinch. Sometimes you may use a cinch together with a buckle or make a cinch knot. The Following Are The Steps Cinch Strap And A Latigo First, make sure you place a saddle pad on the horse and then a western saddle on top. Ensure that you stand on the left side of the horse. Then you should hold the stirrup on the left and ensure you hook it gently over the horn of the saddle. This is very important because it helps to ensure that there is nothing on your way to disturb your process. Horses are flight animals and too many straps flapping can easily frighten a young horse. The next step is to slowly grab the cinch under your horse, locate the cinch and hold it in your hands. Make sure that you examine the cinch very carefully to ensure that it is not twisted at all. There is a latigo made of leather which is usually found tied to the cinch. You should ensure that you locate it and hold it. Then after ensuring that it is not twisted, and ensure that you pass its tip through the ring found in the anterior part of the saddle making sure it goes in from outside going inside and then direct it such that it gets to the left side of the ring usually near the front shoulder of the horse. The next step is to add more wraps as above depending on the length of the latigo. Cinch Knot Make sure you pass the one loose end of the latigo making it pass through the ring and finally across the wraps Get the latigo end in the right and pass it through the ring and then towards the ring on the left. After making the horizontal loop get the latigo end and let it pass through it and then pull the end of the latigo downwards. This helps to fasten it. Find the innermost loop of the latigo and let it pass through the cinch gently and then follow with the others to make the cinch stronger. Cinch Buckles Ensure you make the loops as they pass through the ring Ensure that the cinch buckle’s tongue is well hooked to a hole in the latigo. Ensure that latigo layer at the top is pulled down to make sure that the tongue is Well placed in the ring on the cinch.
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