Dealing with Snake Bites

As the tempurature starts to get warmer, snakes are starting to come out of their hiding places.  In North Carolina, its a good possibility that you may have to deal with a snake encounter at sometime or another.  Its a good idea to know what to do if a bite ever occurs.


Over 90% of snake bites occur on the face, primarily on the nose, in pastures or fields while the horse is grazing.  Nose bites also occur when the horse gets curious to the sound, sight, and smell of the snake.  The second most common bite occurs on the lower limbs.  Horses can be bitten on the chest, abdomen, upper legs, or other locations on the body while laying down, but this is a rare occurance.  If bitten by a poisonous snake, nose bites are the most serious because of the swelling of the nose and the inability of the horse to efficiently breathe out of its mouth.

http://www.arkcountrystore.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/horse-snakebite.jpg

Now that you know the target areas, what do you do if your horse is bitten?  KEEP CALM.  There will be time for you to panic later, but right now you need to focus on keeping yourself and your horse calm.  You should keep your horse from moving or becoming excited.  Less moving prevents further absorption and circulation of the venom, as well as limiting increasing respiratory rate.  If you are at home, lead the horse into a small corral or stall and keep him/her calm while you call for help.  If you have to travel a distance for help, get off your horse and slowly lead him/her. For venomous snake bites, immediately call your veterinarian.  Treatment is aimed at making sure the horse is able to breathe adequately.  While waiting for help to arrive, cut off garden hoses or syringe cases can be placed a distance up the horse's nostrils to open up the airways.  As you can imagine, some horses may not tkae to this well.  If the horse is bitten on the leg, apply a wide tourniquet proximal to the bite to slow the toxin's spread.  Wash the bite area with Betadine and water, but never cut the bite area or try to suction the venom out, especially by mouth.  

Sometimes in the heat of the moment, it is hard to identify what kind of snake you are dealing with.  It is important to try and identify whether the snake is venomous or not.  Not all snakes that bite are poisonous.  The general rule of thumb is snakes with elliptical pupils are poisonous and those with round pupils are not.  Poisonous snakes have a triangular shaped-head that is generally larger than their body.  Non-poisonous snakes taper to a head that is normally the same size as their body.  Common snakes of North Carolina can be identified here: http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC/snakes/snakes.html

Preventing Thrush During Wet Conditons

During cool and wet spring months like we have had this year it can become a challenge to control mud and wet conditions in feeding areas, pastures, and sometimes even in stalls. It is important to keep the mud to a minimum when possible to protect your horses hooves from developing thrush. This disease can be caused by anaerobic bacterium that creates a fungal infection when trapped in moisture. It enters the hooves by way of cracks in the hoof wall and eats away at hoof tissue, particularly the frog area. It is mostly commonly recognized by a pungent odor and black discharge seeping from the hoof.

Prevention is always the best medicine and is most commonly created by keeping areas free of standing mud and moisture. This can be aided by grading that allows for proper drainage, installing geotextile filter fabric that creates a way for rain to drain through the rock and not create mud, and keeping an overall cleanliness in heavy horse-use areas. Regular hoof picking during times of wet and damp conditions can also aid in the prevention of thrush.

The treatment of thrush once it occurs may require daily attention, including trimming the hoof, cleaning hoof cracks with a rag and hydrogen peroxide, or a fungicidal medication. If you suspect that you have the presence of thrush it is always a good idea to involve the professional assistance of your local veterinarian to determine your best means of treatment and future prevention. But remember that cleanliness and proper drainage from heavy horse-use areas and regular hoof picking and assessment of hoof health can go a long way in preventing thrush.

For further and more detailed information on thrush you can visit the following link:

http://www.healthyhoof.com/articles/Thrush/Thrush.html

A Look Inside the Horse.....

This is a Youtube video of a very in depth look at the inter workings of a race horse. While some of the video is graphic, it is one of the best I have found.

A Look Inside the Horse

Springtime Trailer Safety Checkup – Keep Things Safe from the Start!

According to the calendar, spring is here.  I’m not sure Mother Nature has gotten that memo with the cooler and wetter weather that we have been experiencing.  I’m sure we’ll be glad that we had the drizzly days to add to the water table when it turns off hot and dry in the summer.  Even though the weather has not been ideal for trail riding, I know folks are hitting the trails.  And if you haven’t started yet, I’m sure you will be soon.  So here are a few things to keep in mind as you hit the trails this spring.

Before hauling your horse anywhere, it is important to prepare the trailer for the horse’s comfort and evaluate the equipment and perform any maintenance that may be needed.  Most horse trailers aren’t used all that much in the winter, so it’s important to perform a spring safety check on the horse trailer before putting your four hoofed friend on the road.   

Make sure that you inspect your horse trailer closely before taking your equine companion on their first trip. Take a close visual inspection of the trailer prior to hooking it up for the first time. Be sure there are no signs of rodent damage, corrosion to the safety chains or hitch mechanism, or loose wires hanging down under the trailer. Have your horse trailer inspected and have any necessary repairs made.

Prior to each trip, check the following:

-        Trailer lights and turn signals

-        Trailer brakes - working and adjusted properly

-        Trailer hitch--is it secure?

-        Trailer safety Cables/Chains

-        Spare trailer and truck tires and tools to change a tire, including tire jack

-        Trailer and truck tires - Check the air pressure in each tire, also check tread depth and any signs of abnormal wear 

-        Trailer floorboards - Lift the mats and check the floor very closely

-        Be sure there are no sharp edges or loose equipment that could injure your horse

Take the trailer for an empty “test drive” before loading the animals and hitting the road. This test drive will give you one more opportunity to be sure everything is working properly.

Check these items before you hit the road.  Breaking down on the road or finding something that is broken while on your trip can be frustrating and potentially dangerous.   

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.

Here’s an additional article on Trail Riding Etiquette:

http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id183/id183.pdf