In this Stallside episode, we sit down with Dr. Daniel Devis to explore his approach to equine sport horse medicine, rehabilitation, and alternative therapies including acupuncture, regenerative medicine, and laser therapy. Dr. Devis shares practical insights into his methods, discussing how he blends traditional sport horse medicine with cutting-edge techniques to optimize recovery, well-being, and performance.

Read more: Rood & Riddle Stallside Podcast: Sport Horse Medicine & Innovative Therapies with Dr Daniel Devis

By Kentucky Equine Research Staff

Many people are familiar with melatonin as a sleep aid, but horse owners also may be aware of its role in mare cyclicity and reproduction. Few of us, however, know that melatonin, a neurotransmitter, may affect a horse’s temperament.

In the past, melatonin has been related to aggression in some species. For example, studies show that Syrian hamsters with high melatonin levels demonstrated more aggressive behavior than those with lower melatonin levels. One human study also found that participants administered melatonin exhibited more aggression in specific situations than those receiving a placebo.

To evaluate the effect of melatonin on temperament in horses, Korean researchers recruited 32 horses, all residing in a single riding facility in Korea for a minimum of five years.^* The horses were put through a series of tests by three different handlers to determine the following attributes and to assign a score from 0 to 5 with 0-1 being low, 2-3 medium, and 4-5 high:

• Docility—the time it takes to catch the horse in an unfamiliar situation;
• Affinity—the time it takes to become familiar with strangers;
• Dominance—the act of gaining the upper hand with other horses over feed; and
• Trainability—the time it takes to achieve a training goal.

The overall temperament was an average of the four scores, and those scores were compared to melatonin levels collected between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.

No significant relationship between melatonin and any of the four temperament measures was identified, suggesting that melatonin cannot be used as a biomarker for horse temperament.

“However, melatonin levels were significantly lower in cold-blooded horses than in Thoroughbreds, which are considered hot-blooded. Those horses actively in a training program had higher melatonin levels than fully trained horses used for competition and riding lessons,” explained Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., a Kentucky Equine Research nutrition advisor.

Having a test available to potentially identify “safe” horses would be valuable to the equine industry, especially when purchasing horses for inexperienced riders or using horses as therapy partners. This could be used in combination with an evaluation from an experienced horse handler.

In addition to regular handling and training, diet and management strategies can help improve behavior-related issues in horses.

“Consider increasing turnout time with herdmates, maximizing forage availability, and supplying a concentrate feed that matches the horse’s energy needs. Some horses that tend to be hyperreactive may benefit from a feed higher in fiber and fat and lower in nonstructural carbohydrates when additional calories are needed beyond high-quality forage and a ration balancer,” advised Whitehouse.

Reprinted courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research. Kentucky Equine Research is an international equine nutrition, research, and consultation company serving horse owners and the feed industry. Our goals are to advance the industry's knowledge of equine nutrition and exercise physiology, apply that knowledge to produce healthier, more athletic horses, and support the nutritional care of all horses throughout their lives. Learn more at https://ker.com.

There a more informative articles in our section on Health & Education.

Quality horse stall fans and fresh water aids in horse comfort and heatstroke prevention.

As summer temperatures continue to rise, make sure you’re taking precautions to avoid heatstroke in horses and keep horses comfortable overall. Two important actions to take include installing barn fans and providing horses access to ample fresh, clean water -- always.

Preston Hickman, DVM, Wichita Equine and Sports Medicine, detailed heatstroke in horses and commons signs horse owners need to know:

“Heatstroke resembles a horse tying up and or in shock but can resemble a horse with exhaustion when they collapse. An exhausted horse might be distressed and anxious. He might have a high heart and respiratory rate that does not decrease with rest, and his skin might feel hot and dry. Some horses become stiff and experience pain due to muscle cell damage, which can be detected by observing red or brown urine (hemoglobin and/or myoglobin uria). Horses affected this badly might go down or develop other, often life-threatening conditions such as laminitis, kidney failure or diarrhea.”

Signs of heat stroke in horses include:

• Temperature as high as 105 to 107 F
• Rapid breathing, rapid pulse
• Stumbling, weakness, depression
• Refusal to eat or work
• Dry skin and dehydration
• In severe cases, a horse may collapse or go into convulsions or a coma

BARN FANS | There are many reasons to keep your horse’s temperature under control ranging from heat stroke prevention mentioned above, as well as performance enhancement, fly control and more. When selecting your next barn fan, here are a few things to consider.

Be safe! Choose horse stall fans with an enclosed motor. This will keep dust and debris out and the fan operating as expected. More so, an enclosed motor barn fan helps prevent barn fire risk for your animals. While box fans are commonly found in horse barns, they present greater fire risk as dust and hay can more easily reach the motor, which can potentially cause a fire.

Keep barn fans clean to keep fresh air circulating in your barn. Choose a waterproof model for easy cleaning.
Keep all barn fans pointing in the same direction, with the natural flow of air to maximize circulation.
With a powder-coated mounting bracket and aluminum blades, this premium 18" indoor or outdoor fan stands up in humidity, rain and fog and ranks high among agricultural fans with its increased longevity and corrosion resistance. With a fully enclosed motor, this direct-drive waterproof outdoor fan is maintenance-free and can easily be sprayed down to remove dirt and dust build-up to help ensure both safety and function.

FRESH WATER | The most important nutrient horses receive, and especially during warmer weather, is water. Always make sure horses have access to ample amounts of fresh water. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, “An idle 1,100-pound horse in a cool environment will drink 6 to 10 gallons of water per day. That amount may increase to 15 gallons per day in a hot environment. Work horses require 10 to 18 gallons of water per day on average but could require much more in hot weather.”

The amount of fresh water available to your horse, and the source from which it originates, is critical. During warmer weather especially, water sources such as ponds and troughs can quickly generate dangerous algae. While most algae are harmless, certain types can increase horse colic risk, such as blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria. Automatic horse waterers can conveniently offer horses ample fresh and safe water when it’s needed the most

Visit Valley Vet to learn more.

Read more: Summer Safety: Barn Fans & Automatic Horse Waterers

By Kentucky Equine Research Staff

Competitive horses often present to veterinarians with concerns about upper respiratory noise and poor performance. Researchers determined the prevalence of upper airway obstruction by retroactively reviewing medical records of barrel racing horses subjected to overground endoscopy. Upper airway obstruction was common, and over half of those horses were diagnosed with multiple causes of obstruction.

Upper airway obstructions involve structures located in the region of the soft palate and larynx at the back of the throat and include conditions such as:

• Pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia;
• Nasopharyngeal collapse;
• Palatal instability;
• Intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate;
• Medial deviation of the aryepiglottic fold;
• Recurrent laryngeal neuropathy;
• Vocal fold collapse;
• Ventromedial luxation of the apex of the corniculate process of the arytenoid; and
• Cricotracheal ligament collapse.

“Any of these conditions can have detrimental effects on ventilation and gas exchange, resulting in poor performance,” said Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., of Kentucky Equine Research.

Barrel racing is an anaerobic event that involves sprinting through a cloverleaf pattern at high speed, typically in less than twenty seconds. According to veterinary experts, barrel racing horses are frequently referred for airway evaluations with complaints of roaring and gurgling.^*

To improve their understanding of upper airway abnormalities in barrel racing horses, the researchers reviewed the videos obtained during overground endoscopy. This procedure is performed by placing a portable endoscope into the airways of horses and then evaluating the upper airway structures during rest and exercise. In total, 164 Quarter Horses involved in barrel racing underwent overground endoscopy.

No abnormalities were identified in 15% of the evaluated horses during exercise, which means most of the horses were diagnosed with upper airway obstruction. Over half of the horses with abnormalities (56%) had more than one upper airway obstruction, with a total of 279 observed obstructions during exercise. In the 140 horses with upper airway obstructions, the most common abnormalities were nasopharyngeal collapse (49%), pharyngeal instability (42%), and intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (39%). This means that abnormalities of the soft palate and pharyngeal walls occurred more commonly than those involving the larynx.

While airway obstructions are traditionally believed to occur at high speed, the upper airway obstructions noted in this review showed that 55% occurred at low-speed, low-intensity work rather than during the high-speed, high-intensity portion of the exam (only 22%). Specifically, intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate was 19 times more prevalent during low-speed exercise. Some horses experienced upper airway obstruction during both low- and high-speed exercise.

“The researchers noted that finding more upper airway obstructions during low-speed, low-intensity exercise was unexpected. They suggested that dynamic upper airway obstructions are not simply due to extreme airway pressures experienced during high-speed exercise or muscle weakness. They proposed it could instead be due to muscular tension or increased contraction of the upper airway secondary to situational stressors or an anticipatory effect of exercise,” explained Whitehouse.

When abnormalities were observed during high-speed exercise, it was primarily during the final straight-line sprint to the finish rather than when turning around the barrels.

“The final sprint is when airway pressure changes are likely the greatest. Also, airway muscle fatigue may be a contributing factor at this point in the competition,” Whitehouse added.

Finding a high prevalence of dorsal displacement of the soft palate brings to light a recent study suggesting that upper airway abnormalities could be a result of asthma. That study suggested looking for evidence of equine asthma rather than focusing on the soft palate exclusively when faced with horses presenting for upper respiratory noise or poor performance.^**

For equine asthma, allergen avoidance and using medications such as bronchodilators and corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs in conjunction with high-quality marine-derived omega-3 supplement are the treatments of choice based on the most recent guidelines.^***

“EO-3 and other antioxidant products developed by Kentucky Equine Research are recommended for horses exhibiting poor performance. Providing these nutrients can help reduce the negative impact of oxidative stress created by intense exercise and demanding competition schedules. Consider adding EO-3, Nano-E, and Nano-Q10 to your feeding program to support health and performance,” Whitehouse recommended.

Reprinted courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research. Kentucky Equine Research is an international equine nutrition, research, and consultation company serving horse owners and the feed industry. Our goals are to advance the industry's knowledge of equine nutrition and exercise physiology, apply that knowledge to produce healthier, more athletic horses, and support the nutritional care of all horses throughout their lives. Learn more at https://ker.com.

There a more informative articles in our section on Health & Education.

The daughter of an equestrian and team roper -- and granddaughter of a 4-H horsemanship leader and farrier -- 3-year-old Payton was simply born into the horse world. Smiling ear-to-ear pictured upon her pony, Taco, with a blue ribbon on his bridle, it’s easy to see the family passion runs deep. She’s a horse girl through and through.

For parents with children who dream of getting a horse one day, or maybe already have horses and would like to help start their kids off on the right hoof with horseback riding, where does one begin?

Ashley Wheeler -- ranch rider, former collegiate equestrian, wife and mom of Payton -- explains three key factors that helped to encourage young Payton’s love for and involvement with horses.

1: It’s her decision.

“She loves her pony, Taco -- a little Palomino pony with stocking legs and blue eyes. She goes to horse shows with us, and she goes out with us when my husband ropes. She’s playing in the arena when we ride.

We make sure that it is her choice and her decision to be involved in horses. Of course, my husband and I want her to be involved in horses, but we know that it’s her choice, and it has to be a decision that she makes.

If she wants to ride when she gets home every day, she wants to. But if she says she doesn't want to ride today, then we're not going to force it. So, anytime she shows the interest, we support it fully, but we're never going to say, ‘Hey, we have to ride.’

I've seen kids that have been forced to ride, and as soon as they can stop, they do. We want to encourage them to be involved, whether it's showing or barrels -- whatever -- but it needs to be their idea. And while that's kind of frustrating, at the same time, it is awesome when you see her be excited about it.”

2: Horse care is a priority.

“We have a similar approach to my dad's, when I was a little kid. ‘We have these animals, and it's our job to take care of them.’ That's definitely something that was important to my parents [both horsemen] when growing up. Payton continues to get more and more involved in the horses as she gets older. She’s even started helping me clean stalls now. She understands that if it's hot outside, we need to go check the water for the horses, or that Taco is hungry, and we need to go feed him breakfast.”

3: She has a kid-safe pony or horse.

“I see a lot of people wanting to get a young horse for their young kids, so they can ‘grow together.’ But I think there is nothing better than a ‘been there, done that’ safe, older horse for a kid. I believe these horses know it’s a reward for being good for their earlier parts in life. They get to be brushed on and have bows put into their mane.”

Find everything needed to support your young rider’s love for horses, including tack, horse riding helmets and more at ValleyVet.com.

Read more: Start Horseback Riding off on the Right Hoof

This safety video brought to you by Certified Horsemanship Association (www.cha.horse)

Fred and Stan will demonstrate an easy and safe method of putting up a Highline for your horse.

Read more: Highlining with Fred Bruce and Stan Loewen

CHA Master Instructor and Clinician Mitzi Summers explains the hows and whys of long lining or double lunging a horse in this educational video by the Certified Horsemanship Association

For more information on the largest certifying body of riding instructors and barn managers in North America, Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA.horse. To find a certified equine professional or accredited equine facility near you, visit www.CHA.horse

By Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D.

Researchers from Poland set out to determine the effect of music played in the barn, on the emotional state of race horses. Many horse owners have found that music has an apparent calming effect on fear, aggression, and overall stress. Race horses, in particular, have demands of increased cardiac activity and speed that may be improved through music exposure.

Forty 3-year-old Arabian horses were placed in a barn where they listened to specifically composed music [i] for five hours each day. Their emotional state was assessed by measuring heart rates at rest, saddling, and warm-up walking. Racing performance and number of wins were also recorded. At the end of each month, for three months, data were compared to a control group of horses subjected to the same activity, without having listened to music.

Results

The music positively impacted the emotional state and performance of treated horses, compared to the control group. What was so remarkable was that the effect was noticeable throughout every activity, even during the heightened excitement of being ridden at a gallop.

Even more noteworthy was the positive influence the music had after the second and third months, improving with each subsequent month, exhibited by the number of races won. Beyond three months, however, the impact leveled off, presumably because the horses became accustomed to the music.

Implications for your horses

Horses are individuals and respond to stress in a variety of ways. This study offers one approach toward helping your horse calm down and better respond to performance demands.

But all horses, not just athletes, can benefit from a relaxed, stress-free environment.

Increased amount of stall confinement, often seen with the onset of winter weather, can agitate many horses. Soft music, such as was used in this study (see endnote for more information), can be a useful tool in helping your horse cope with being indoors, as well as veterinary and farrier visits, travel, and other stressors.

Study

Stachurska, A., Janczarek, I., Wilk, I., and Kedzierski, W., 2015. Does music influence emotional state in race horses? Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 35(5), 650-656.

[i] Composed by Janet Marlow of Pet Acoustics, a specialist in music for animals. Her music can be purchased at www.petacoustics.com

This article originally appeared on Getty Equine Nutrition and is published here with permission.

Find more informative articles in our section on Health & Education.