Howdy Folks, Included is the Weekly Pile of Information for the week of June 1, 2014, Extension's Equine related educational information & announcements for Rockingham & Guilford Counties. To have something included in the Weekly Pile, please follow these simple guidelines. - Information included needs to be educational in nature &/or directly related to Rockingham or Guilford Counties. - provided information is a resource to the citizens of Rockingham/Guilford Counties. - provided information does not require extra time or effort to be listed. - Listings for Swap Shop will not list pricing details. - Please E-mail information to me by Wednesday each Week. - Please keep ads or events as short as possible – with NO FORMATTING, NO unnecessary Capitalization’s and NO ATTACHED DOCUMENTS. (If sent in that way, it may not be included) - Please include contact information - Phone, Email and alike. - PLEASE PUT WEEKLY PILE IN SUBJECT LINE when you send into me. - The Weekly Pile is not for listings for Commercial type properties or products. If I forgot to include anything in this email it was probably an oversight on my part, but please let me know! If you have a question or ideas that you would like covered in the Weekly Pile, please let me know and I will try to include. As Always, I would like to hear your comments about the Weekly Pile or the Extension Horse Program in Rockingham or Guilford Counties! I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Included in The Pile this Week: 1. Pre-Travel Vehicle and Trailer Check for Hauling Horses 2. Considerations When Hauling a Horse 3. Blanketing and Wrapping Horses for Transport 4. You Asked 5. Trail Riding Safety for Horse and Rider: Planning Your Ride 6. First Aid on the Trail for Horse and Rider 7. Common Ectoparasites in Horses 8. Insect Pests of Horses 9. Piedmont Pot O Gold Classic Horse Show on June 7 at Piedmont Saddle Club. 10. HAY DIRECTORY 11. Swap Shop 12. Take A Load Off ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. Pre-Travel Vehicle and Trailer Check for Hauling Horses Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky Be Prepared In addition to preparing the trailer for the horse's comfort, it is also important to consider the maintenance of all equipment. - Prior to each trip, check the following: - Trailer lights and turn signals - Trailer brakes - Trailer hitch--is it secure? - Trailer safety cables - Spare trailer and truck tires and tools to change a tire, including tire jack - Trailer and truck tires - Trailer floorboards. These checks should be done before you leave home. Finding out that something is wrong on the trip can be inconvenient and even disastrous. Before you depart, make sure that your health papers are in order. Also, know the path of your trip, which routes might be best, how to avoid construction areas, where the rest stops are located, and how long it will take to get there. Most trips taken with horses are for recreation, and therefore, advance planning can help reduce the stress of the trip and make it more enjoyable. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2. Considerations When Hauling a Horse Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky Driving If you are going to take the horse yourself, how well you drive will certainly affect how well your horses travel. Many horses are poor travelers because of the way their owners drive. It is necessary to drive differently when traveling down the road pulling a horse trailer. You need to watch how you stop and start, change lanes, turn corners, and back up. Remember, your horses are in the trailer standing up. Before hauling your first horse, take an empty trailer out a few times for a practice drive. This will give you practice in negotiating traffic and road obstacles. For longer trips, you may opt to have your horse transported by a commercial hauler as well. The Trailer There are many styles of trailers available. You need to select the one that works for you. While there are more slant load trailers available, the two-horse side by side or the stock trailer may work well for the horses you have to haul. In most trailers, the horses are tied. Make sure your horse has enough length of lead to allow adequate movement, with its head and neck for balance--but not too long a lead, as it can get tangled. The lead should be attached either with a quick release knot or quick release snap so the horse can be untied quickly in case of emergency. The Trip How long should you go between stops? How often should you unload? What about feed and water? These are all good questions. Where are you going and how long will the trip be? In general, most commercial trucking companies will stop every three to four hours. This is a good time for the driver to take a break and allows the horse some time to rest. During these stops you don't need to unload, but you can water the horse and replenish the hay supply. When traveling for long periods of time, it is a good idea to fill several hay nets so that when you stop, you can easily and quickly replace the empty hay net with a full one. Bringing your own water drawn from the horse's usual water source will reduce time spent searching for water while traveling and provide a more palatable drink of water for your horse. It is also a good time to check to see if the blanket and the leg wraps are still positioned correctly. A stop should be 30 to 60 minutes in length. This will allow time for the horses to urinate if they need to; many won't urinate while the trailer is moving. Make sure that while you are stopped, the trailer is as open as weather will allow, and park in the shade if you can. A trailer can get very hot while parked if there is little or no air moving through it. In general, a horse should not be hauled more than 18 hours without being unloaded and given a extended rest period. When traveling great distances, plan your stops, and make sure the overnight location you choose is safe for unloading and loading. Allow both your horse and driver to get sufficient rest before continuing the trip. Horses can get very excited or hot and may become more difficult to handle in a strange place. If you need to unload during the trip, make sure you have control of the horse and the area is safe and secure. Feed and Water Feeding on the trip is important, and most horses will be contented travelers if they have a full hay net. As was previously mentioned, your horses need to be watered frequently on the trip. Watering every three to four hours is a good rule to follow. Of course, hotter weather may dictate more frequent watering. You may need to bring water from the horse's usual water source or have your horse accustomed to flavored water (use Kool-Aid or some other flavoring agent) if you think they won't drink the available water because of the taste. Hydration during long trips will help reduce health problems such as colic. Bedding Should you use bedding in the trailer? Having some bedding such as straw or shavings will certainly help keep your horse comfortable. It will provide some cushion and can absorb urine. After the trip, remember to clean out the trailer and allow it to dry, which will help preserve the trailer's floorboards. Health Papers The need for health papers and Coggins tests varies depending upon your travel destination. When traveling out of state, horses should have a negative Coggins test drawn within six months of travel and have a valid health certificate certified by a veterinarian within 30 days of travel. Generally, the expected destination is also listed on the horse's health certificate. It is a good practice to check with your veterinarian and find out what the health regulations are in the states in which you will be traveling. Make sure all your paper work is correct and up to date before traveling, and don't forget to take these important papers with you. State veterinarians and regulators may preform random health security checks and will generally be present at horse shows and events to verify that all paper work is in order. Failure to have such paper work may result in not being allowed to unload your horse, being sent home, and being ticketed or fined. It may also be helpful to check with the organizers of events or managers of facilities to see if they have specific health requirements that may differ from state requirements. Some event managers may require a more current Coggins test or other specific health requirements. In addition, if you are traveling to another country, check to see what the federal regulations are for transporting horses. Keep the Air Moving Ventilation is important when trailering horses. In most situations, all the vents and windows should be open during warm months to keep horses from getting too hot in the trailer. Even in winter months, don't close up the trailer completely. Horses need fresh air moving through the trailer at all times. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3. Blanketing and Wrapping Horses for Transport Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky The need for a blanket will depend on the weather conditions, type of trailer, and ventilation available. In a well-ventilated trailer on a warm day, you won't need to blanket your horse. In some cases, having a heavy blanket on the horse in a poorly ventilated trailer can cause horses to sweat and become overheated, even in cold weather.