Shenka's Hoof and Horse

Felin worked hard at her second horseshow! I can’t say enough great things about her! She is willing to work hard for her riders and takes such good care of th...em! She is really finding her stride in the jumper ring and becoming bolder to the fences. This is a mare with a wonderful personality, wonderful uphill gaits, a super cute jump, and a great work ethic. She is looking for a partner! If you are looking for a sound compact mare who is sound of body and mind do yourself a favour and check her out! She is 10, standing around 15hh, and getting better every day

This is a picture of alsike clover. We are seeing a lot more alsike in our clients pasture this year and it is something to look out for. What is alsike clove...r?Alsike clover is found most frequently in the farming areas of northern Canada, but has been included in a number of commonly used pasture mixes. It grows up to 15-30 in in height with a small diameter pink/white flower, which forms at the ends of secondary branches from the main stem. The leaves of the alsike are serrated and have NO V watermark. It should be differentiated from red clover, which has a large flower, hairy stem and leaves with a white inverted "V" on the leaf similar to the white clovers. What can happen if your horse ingests large amounts of alsike clover? The more common and acute condition related to alsike clover ingestion is photosensitization characterized by "reddening of the skin under the influence of sunlight, followed by swelling and serous discharge," resulting in crusty areas, especially in the pink-skinned areas of the face (eg. blaze). Horses that are not outside during the day, blanketed while outside, or have minimum exposure to ultraviolet light may not show the hair loss and crusty inflamed skin typical of photosensitization. In these cases, a slight swelling of the skin may be the only noticeable sign. Close observation of the gums and under the tongue may reveal small red spots or ulcers. Diarrhea or colic may also be experienced. The longer-term consequence of alsike clover consumption is "big liver syndrome", appearing as a progressive destruction of the liver. It appears this is related to the accumulation of a yet unidentified toxin. Signs of this more severe form include progressive weight loss, loss of appetite, depression, jaundice, colic, recumbency, and potentially death. If the poisoning is recognized early, horses will recover if they are removed from the alsike and kept out of the sun until the liver enzyme profile returns to normal. Your veterinarian can evaluate liver function and provide comprehensive treatment in more severe cases. The best method of preventing the disease is to avoid exposure to this clover. #alsikeclover #dvs #delaneyvetservices

We have an opening for training board in July and August! We offer young horse starting, training refreshing/fitness for the already broke horse, working throu...gh problems with your horse, and even putting on trail riding miles. We offer lots of space, exposure to riding in open field environments, and work with young horses along side of older experienced horses to create low stress exposure to new activities. Contact us today for more information or to book your spot!

In my previous post about the stomatognathic system I have made a reference to horses standing posture. I said that when a horse stands at rest it is called a ...neutral stance. Meaning all legs are square and canon bones are perpendicular to the ground. Often clients will ask how I know about problems the horse may have before I have walked in the stall or touched it . There is an art to collecting information from the body long before you make contact . This post is about the art of collecting some of this information and using it to help understand what your horses fascial lines are doing. How their body maybe compensating or restricted by simply observing them . By understanding some of what is going on in your horses body you can help, prevent injury and help them come back to a more balanced physical state . These will be just some examples, please remember that there are other things to consider and theses observations are just starting points. When you collect information from a horses body you must always consider their foot care, their dental care, their food and their movement and their tack. Confirmation , previous injury are also important to remember . Think about us as humans trying to alleviate tension patterns in our body. We do this by sitting with our feet up ,cocking a hip , leaning forward and generally trying to find a more comfortable position to sit , lie down or stand. Horses are more limited , as they only lie down for short periods of time. This means they need to put their body in different positions in order to relieve tension patterns with in their body while standing. Think about how your horse stands in its stall at liberty. Look at their foot placements and Weight distribution. When horses engage their stay apparatus obviously one hind one hind leg will fall out, but the horse should still maintain a square position. When I come up to barn doors and paddock doors, I see horses stand in all sorts of strange peculiar ways. They are trying to alleviate tension and find a comfortable position. There is a lot we can learn from simply observing them. I have drawn simple rectangles and have placed hoof imprints in them. The placement and orientation of the foot will tell you which way it’s facing. The darker the print the more weight it bares. Click on each image to get the information. I have only done a few of the most common things I see to give you a concept. Each horse is different and each case has other factors but it’s a good starting point as horses are particularly good at hiding their issues. All Rights Reserved 2019 Tamara Elkayam