Spring 2024

Equus

An annual index turns EQUUS issues into a valuable reference library

Equus1 min read
Equus
CONTENT DIRECTOR Laurie Prinz CONTENT MANAGER Christine Barakat CONTENT SPECIALIST Laurel Scott CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Deb Bennett, PhD; Laura Hillenbrand CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Eliza R.L. McGraw; Tom Moates DIRECTOR OF ART AND PRODUCTION Philip Cooper E
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Rescued Hearts
Nestled amongst 165 acres of woodland near Union, Missouri, the Humane Society of Missouri’s (HSMO) Longmeadow Rescue Ranch is a haven for hundreds of abused and neglected horses, cows, goats, pigs, ducks and other farm animals. The ranch is one of t
Equus7 min read
Medical Front
Weight tapes have always entailed a tradeoff: They’re portable and easy to use, yet they aren’t especially accurate. But a new study from Scotland shows that—used properly—a weight tape can be very helpful for managing a horse’s weight and protecting
Equus12 min read
Your Nsaid Questions Answered
There’s a reason why nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are found in horse barns across America. Phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine and other frequently prescribed NSAIDs are well understood, easy on the wallet and effective. Indeed, rare
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Our Experts
Ryan Carpenter, DVM, MS, DACVS, is a surgeon at Equine Medical Center in Cypress, California, where he specializes in arthroscopic, orthopedic and soft tissue procedures. Carpenter received his veterinary degree from the University of California, Dav
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Healing Processes
Pain, swelling, redness and heat; healing chemicals are drawn to the injured area. Damaged tissues are removed, new blood supply and temporary tissue forms. Inflammation starts to subside as stronger tissue replaces temporary tissues. ■
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Nsaid Medicine Chest
NSAIDs commonly prescribed for horses include • Phenylbutazone• Flunixin meglumine• Firocoxib (brand name Equioxx)• Naproxen sodium• Ketoprofen• Diclofenac (topical and oral) ■
Equus1 min read
Do’s And Don’ts Of Administering Nsaids To Horses
DON’T exceed the prescribed dose of an NSAID. DO monitor horses receiving NSAID treatments for colic, diarrhea or other signs of adverse effects. DON’T administer an NSAID more frequently than directed by your veterinarian. DO talk to your veterinari
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Understanding Cox-1 And Cox-2
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) aid healing and reduce discomfort by inhibiting the body’s inflammatory processes. So called non-selective NSAIDs (such as phenylbutazone, naproxen sodium and flunixin meglumine) are associated with an i
Equus6 min read
Get Rid Of Rainrot The Right Way
If spring comes, can rainrot be far behind? When you’ve got horses, it pays to be prepared for this relentless, all-too-common, crusty skin affliction. By the end of winter, your horse’s skin, whether insulated by a long, shaggy haircoat or bundled u
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When Infection Gets Dangerous
Rainrot can persist and recur if environmental triggers such as prolonged exposure to rain aren’t addressed. Eventually, the infection can become chronic and even can lead to a cascade of painful secondary infections like Staphylococcal folliculitis
Equus11 min read
A Few Good Horses
The first thing I needed was a few good horses. The phrase “good horse” means different things to different people, but essentially, a good horse is one suited to the job being asked of it. Horses come in a lot of shapes and sizes; I wanted Pony Expr
Equus13 min readHorses
The Surprising Truth About american Saddlebreds
In the western world, the ancestry or pedigree of horses is traditionally reckoned by the sireline—also known as the “top line”—of the pedigree, and secondarily by the male ancestors of the dam. But modern science tells us that the mare has the great
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The Clark Chief Family
This chart shows the relationships within the Clark Chief family. Not all of Bourbon Chief’s sons are shown; the chart is constructed to reflect broodmares whose photos are obtainable and who are the dams or damside ancestors of sporthorseadapted sir
Equus1 min readHorses
Charming King
Charming King, foaled in 1909, tacked up for a pleasure hack on the grounds of his owner’s estate. I fully concur with Saddlebred historian Emily Ellen Scharf’s description of Charming King as a horse of “balanced and symmetrical perfection, who comp
Equus2 min read
In Quest Of Great Old Broodmares
There are no photos of Lute Boyd, but this color rendition of Lute Boyd’s son Harrison Chief 1872 gives an idea of what she must have looked like. Harrison Chief is important in his own right, because he is the sire of Bourbon Chief, who in turn is t
Equus2 min readHorses
Saddlebred “Sporthorse” Performers Of A Century Ago
Here are Tom Bass’ three champion High School horses. We see Miss Rex in collected trot and the other two horses in passage, all correctly collected, deeply engaged, and very expressive in their movement. Miss Rex is by Rex Denmark and thus a descend
Equus2 min read
On Talent Alone
The Saddlebredgeldingcalled Allegro was once part of the U.S. Olympic Team jumper squad. His rider is Dan Marks, VMD, who has been kind enough to supply the accompanying photo, taken at Madison Square Garden in 1958. Dan tells me that Allegro “strugg
Equus3 min readHorses
More Good Performance Mares
Ware’s Sensation, foaled in 1919, is by King Phelps by Bourbon King and thus another descendant of Annie C. She is out of Rexie Madison by Rex Peavine, who is out of Daisy 2nd, another foundational Saddlebred mare that we will look at in our next ins
Equus2 min read
Form And Function
A picture is worth a thousand words in explaining the bone structure that underlies the ability to freely turn the head, which is found not only in Saddlebreds but in some Thoroughbreds, Arabians and warmbloods. In skull A, the plate of bone that for
Equus5 min readHorses
And Brains To Boot
The mare shown here is Milady Minton by Crouch’s Chief, a descendant of Clark Chief and thus yet another descendant of Annie C. She is out of Bessie Wetherlite by Monte Mark by Monte Cristo by Montrose, with tail-female harking back to Washington Den
Equus1 min readHorses
Two From The Present Day
Flight Time Gold 1984, multi-champion and sire of sporthorse champions, has been approved by several verbands. The Dutch have been particularly interested in him as a sire of Friesians suitable for competitive driving and for ride-drive mounts. He is
Equus6 min read
Consultants
Have a question about your horse’s health, care or training? Our experts offer solutions for a range of equine-management problems. Write to EQUUS Consultants, P.O. Box 7510, Falls Church, Virginia 22040; email: EQLetters@equinenetwork.com. Send phot
Equus1 min read
This Month’s Experts
Janet Jones, PhD, applies brain research to the training of horses and riders. She earned her doctorate in cognitive science from the University of California, Los Angeles and taught the neuroscience of perception, language, memory and thought for 23
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First-aid Kit Refresher
In the wake of Luna’s escape and return, I evaluated and updated my barn first-aid kit. Here’s what it now includes: • flunixin meglumine (Banamine), phenylbutazone, pills or paste• Wraps/bandages (cotton roll, elastic bandages/medical wrap, gauze)•
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Luna’s Odyssey
When my friend Kirsten Lotter arrived on a Saturday afternoon last spring, we were looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Kirsten had hauled her Arabian/Saddlebred mare Stella Luna BF the nearly 800 miles from her place in Manor, Texas, to the ranch
Equus2 min read
Lessons Learned
Luna’s disappearance from a paddock on our ranch gave me a new appreciation for some horsekeeping basics that are easy to forget or let slide: • Maintain a well-stocked equine first-aid kit. Luna’s owner, Kirsten—a nurse by profession—always carries
Equus2 min read
Sweet Like A Red Mare
When I bought my mare Audie, many people at my boarding barn assumed I was trying to duplicate my previous horse, Sugar, who died at age 30 in 2022. On paper at least, Audie and Sugar had a lot in common. They were both chestnut mares with a lot of c

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