Posts Tagged ‘Horse Care’

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Abandoned pony thrives under care of Bedfordshire student

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

The Horse Trust rehoming update: Abandoned pony thrives under care of Bedfordshire student

Abandoned pony Bess is coming on in “leaps and bounds” under the care of Wilstead resident Katy Izzard, 21, after the pony was rehomed by Buckinghamshire charity The Horse Trust last year.

The Horse Trust, which runs a sanctuary for rescued and retired working horses in Speen, Buckinghamshire, took in 12hh black mare Bess on Boxing Day 2009 when she was found abandoned in a snow-covered field. After doing initial rehabilitation work with Bess, staff at the charity started looking for a new home for her.

University of Bedfordshire student Katy decided to offer Bess a home last July as she was looking for a companion for her horse Storm. She said that Bess has flourished over the last year.

“Its been really rewarding to see Bess grow in confidence and become more affectionate,” said Katy. “When I initially took her in, she would stay where she was when I came into the field. Now she always comes up to me and likes having a cuddle. I have to warn people not to wear nice clothes when they visit as Bess now likes to rub against people!”

Bess has also developed a firm friendship with Katy’s gelding Storm, which is helping Katy train Bess to cope better with being stabled.

“Bess and Storm are inseparable – they go mad if they’re not with each other,” said Katy. “When the farrier was doing Storm’s feet recently, Bess tried to come into the stable so she wouldn’t be separated from him.”

“I’m trying to get her used to being stabled now, in case we get another cold winter like last year. She’s coming in for half an hour at a time to get her used to it. Her stable is next door to Storm’s and there’s a partition where they can see each other. If Storm is already in his stable, then she’s happy to stay in her stable much longer,” said Katy.

Liane Crowther, Training Manager at The Horse Trust, who manages the charity’s rehoming scheme, said one of the charity’s grooms had visited Bess a couple of months ago and had seen first hand how well she was getting on.

“We are so pleased to hear about the progress Bess has made,” said Liane. “It sounds like Katy has put a lot of time and effort into helping Bess overcome some of the fears she has, and that she is coming on in leaps and bounds. We look forward to hearing more updates in the future.”

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Ragwort Awareness Week

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Ragwort Awareness Week (RAW) July 11 – 17th 2011

This year RAW is running July 11 – 17 (the same week as last year) and the BHS are repeating their nationwide survey. This is really important as they need to gather as much data as possible to hopefully effect better enforcement or a change in the law. I’m sure most of you will agree that ragwort seems to be on the increase (it is what the welfare department get the most calls about during the summer months) but they don’t yet have any hard evidence to support this. With cost cutting going on all over the place it will be a hard fight to get ragwort control enforced and, if it isn’t, even more horses will suffer a painful death.

All the BHS are asking is that people report any ragwort they see (via the survey) during RAW. The survey only takes a couple of minutes and can be done online via the BHS website. The survey itself won’t go live on the website until the 10th July and will be accessible from the front page. All respondents will be entered into a prize draw to win one of two Mark Todd Jackets.

Key Results of 2010 Survey
77.3% involved land that animals were grazing on or near
35.8% of cases, ragwort covered at least half of the land
10000+ horses grazing on ragwort infested pasture
Approx 20,000 cattle or sheep grazing on ragwort infested pasture

Full list of counties/ Local Authority areas in order of number of ragwort reports.

1. Hampshire
2. Surrey
3 = Cheshire
3 = Lincolnshire
3 = Cambridgeshire
4. Leicestershire
5. Nottinghamshire
6 = North Yorkshire
6 = Hereford and Worcester
6 = Kent
7. Greater Manchester
8. Staffordshire
9. Hertfordshire
10. Bedfordshire
11=Oxfordshire
12 = Sussex
12 = Dorset
12 = West Sussex
13. Gloucestershire
14 = Shropshire
14 = West Midlands
14 =Northamptonshire
14 =Warwickshire
14 =Clwyd
15. Devon
16. Norfolk
17 = Lancashire
17 = West Yorkshire
17 =Strathclyde
17 = Essex
17 = Berkshire
17 = Somerset
18. Derbyshire
19 = South Yorkshire
19 =Wiltshire
20. East Sussex
21. Buckinghamshire
22. Avon
23. Dunfries and Galloway
24 = County Durham
24 = Cornwall
25. Tayside
26. Cumbria
27. Isle of Wight
28 =Northumberland
28 =Merseyside
28 =Outer London
28 =Humberside
28 =Gwynedd
28 =Dyfed
28 =Gwent
29 = Central Scotland
29 = Fife
29 =Lothian
29 = Tyne and Wear
29 = Highlands
29 =Mid Glamorgan
30. West Glamorgan
31. Borders
32 =Grampian
32 =Inner London
33 =Orkney
33 = Islands
34 =Down
34 =Powys

No reports were received for areas not listed.

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Equine Periodontal Disease

Monday, March 14th, 2011

Research funded by The Horse Trust shows link between bacteria and equine periodontal disease

The potential role of bacteria in the development of periodontal disease in horses has been shown in research funded by The Horse Trust.

The research, which was carried out by Alistair Cox at the University of Edinburgh, is also the first study to describe the microscopic anatomy of equine periodontal disease. Cox plans to submit the research to a veterinary journal.

Equine periodontal disease is a common condition in horses affecting around 60 percent of horses over the age of 15 years (1). The disease is painful and can have a big impact on a horse’s quality of life, affecting the animal’s ability to eat and its performance.

Although bacteria are known to be a cause of periodontal disease in humans, cats and dogs, their significance in relation to the disease in horses is less clear. Mechanical factors, such as food being packed between the horse’s teeth due to abnormal growth and spaces was considered to be the primary cause.

For the research, Cox examined the skulls of 22 horses that had been submitted for post mortem examination. Although none of the horses had received treatment for periodontal disease, 16 had some form of periodontal disease.

“This research, funded by The Horse Trust, highlights how common periodontal disease is in horses. Yet many horses don’t receive treatment so are likely to be suffering in silence. I would advise all horse owners to get their vet or equine dentist to regularly check their horse to see if it is developing the condition,” said Cox.

Cox identified bacteria, including spirochaetes, that were associated with the presence of periodontal disease. Spirochaetes are known to be important in human and canine periodontal disease, but this is the first study to identify spirochaetes associated with equine periodontal disease.

“This study shows that bacteria may be more important than was previously thought in the development of equine periodontal disease. More research is needed to understand whether bacteria or mechanical factors are the main cause of the disease. Once we have a better understanding of why and how the disease develops, we can do more to prevent horses from developing this painful condition,” said Cox.

The Horse Trust-funded research also found a significant association between the age of the horse and periodontal disease. Skulls were examined from horses ranging from 4 to over 20 years of age. The older horses were found to be more likely to have periodontal disease and a more advanced form of the condition.

Cox examined the skulls under the microscope and under x-ray. He found various histological features associated with equine periodontal disease(2), but did not find any statistically significant radiographic features (3).

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A Metropolitan Police horse | Horse Care

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Metropolitan Police horse receives respite care at The Horse Trust before 2012 Olympics

A Metropolitan Police horse on Friday arrived at The Horse Trust where he will receive respite care to ensure he is in good health for the London 2012 Olympics.

Gwain, an 18hh grey gelding, is coming to The Horse Trust for a year’s respite because he suffers from intermittent lameness caused by navicular syndrome. It is hoped that his condition will improve by next year so he can return to the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch to help police the London 2012 Olympics.

Jon Taylor, a Sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch, said the period of respite should result in an improvement in Gwain’s condition.

“I’m thrilled that he’s going to such a fantastic place for his convalescence,” said Jon. “As Gwain is a big horse and spends most of his time working on roads carrying weight, it aggravates his navicular condition. Being turned out in the fields on soft ground should make a big difference.”

14-year-old Gwain, a three-quarter Irish Draught, has been involved in high-profile police work for the Metropolitan Mounted Branch during his eight years service, such as crowd control at public demonstrations, football matches and concerts, counter terrorist patrols at iconic London sites and crime patrols in many London boroughs.

According to Jon, Gwain always remains calm even during volatile and violent situations, such as recent student tuition fees demonstrations, last year’s G20 demonstrations and the Chelsea-Cardiff FA Cup match in February 2010, which was described by some senior police officers as the worst football violence since the seventies.

“Gwain is fearless in volatile situations and reassures the younger and less confident horses. I can rely on him if situations deteriorate as he always stands his ground and exudes confidence,” said Jon.

Gwain is often used for ceremonial duties and is regularly used in the “Grey Escorts” that precede and follow the Royal Carriages and Household Cavalry during state occasions. Gwain is also popular with the general public, who often take photos of him, according to Jon.

“Gwain is a real show stopper. His handsome Roman nose, his size and his kind disposition have made him a great favourite with London’s visitors and residents. People are always taking his photo – he’s possibly one of the most photographed horses in the world,” said Jon.

Jeanette Allen, Chief Executive Officer of The Horse Trust, said Gwain’s need for respite shows that The Horse Trust’s founding goal of providing respite for working horses is still as relevant today as it was in 1866, when the charity was founded.

“We are delighted to welcome Gwain to The Horse Trust and hope the year’s respite will help him recover from his ongoing health problems,” said Jeanette Allen, Chief Executive Officer of The Horse Trust.

“The Horse Trust was founded 125 years ago with the aim of providing respite care for the broken-down horses of the London cab trade. The role of the horse as a working animal has changed radically since then, but Gwain’s arrival shows the continuing need for respite that today’s working horses have,” said Jeanette.

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Horse Care Buckinghamshire | Abandoned Horses in Buckinghamshire

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Horse Care Buckinghamshire | Abandoned Horses in Buckinghamshire

The Horse Trust has noticed a dramatic increase in the number of horses being abandoned across Buckinghamshire.

In 2010, the Buckinghamshire charity took on seven abandoned horses. In the previous five years (between 2004 and 2009), it did not take on any abandoned horses.

Other equine welfare charities are experiencing the same problem. On Friday, Redwings announced a 400% increase in the number of horses reported as abandoned in December 2010, compared with December 2009.

The Horse Trust regularly receives calls to its equine welfare helpline from owners increasingly desperate due to the combination of the credit crunch, government cuts and the increasing cost of hay.

“Until recently, there wasn’t a problem with horses being abandoned in Buckinghamshire,” said Liane Crowther, Welfare and Education Officer at The Horse Trust. “But now it seems that the economic climate and the spiralling cost of hay is pushing owners to desperate lengths. Many owners keep their horse on a shoestring budget, so simply can’t afford the increased cost of feeding and looking after their much loved horse.”

One recent abandonment case taken in by The Horse Trust is Shetland pony Piglet, who was found abandoned by the police at a busy roadside in Chalfont St Peter.

Piglet was brought to The Horse Trust’s sanctuary in Speen, Buckinghamshire when an owner could not be traced. When Piglet arrived at the sanctuary, he was suffering from a number of veterinary problems including an infected eye, severe malnutrition, high worm burden and overgrown feet.

“When Piglet arrived he was in a bad state and hadn’t received the care he needed for some time. It looks like his owner hadn’t been feeding him properly or paying for farrier or veterinary treatments for a number of months. It’s sad to think how long he suffered before he was abandoned,” said Liane.

Staff at The Horse Trust are now nurturing Piglet back to health and have provided urgently needed farrier and veterinary treatment, including a referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist. Piglet’s overall health has improved, but sadly his eye will be removed as the infection is not responding to treatment.

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