Horse Fencing Considerations

Driving around the countryside, a person will see all kinds of things used for fencing to keep horses enclosed in a pasture or paddock.  Those things range from pristine wood rail or wood plank fences to old pallets turned on end tied together with hay string.  Another common sight is horses in the same pasture as cattle or other livestock where the pasture is fenced with steel "T" posts and barbed wire.  While the main job of a fence is to keep the horses in the pasture and off the road, there are a few things to consider about fencing when dealing with horses.

A "perfect" fence for horses is one that is highly visible, secure enough to contain a horse that runs into it without causing injury or fence damage, have some "give" to minimize injury on impact, is high enough to discourage jumping, and solid enough to discourage testing its strength.  There should be no openings that could trap a head or hoof, and would have no sharp edges or projections to cause injury when a horse leans, scratches, or falls onto the fence.  The "perfect" fence should be inexpensive to build, easy to maintain, and should last at least 20 or more years.  The "perfect" fence has all these qualities and ............… it should look good!

How many people have the perfect fence?  I don't know of any that meet all these criteria, so most fences contain some degree of compromise.  A couple of publications do a really good job of explaining what to consider when building a fence for horses.  Those are “Fences for Horses” from NC State University and "Fence Planning for Horses" from Penn State University.  

The first item to consider when building a horse fence is safety of the horses and the people that are working with them.  The main problem with the pallet fence and the barbed wire is the potential for injury.  Pallets have many places where a horse could get a hoof stuck and barbed wire has all these pointy things that can cause injury, especially if the wire breaks and wraps around the horse.  Rounded corners are nice, and we need to consider where to put water troughs and tanks. 

The next big question is how much fence is affordable.  Not only do we need to consider the cost of construction, we have to consider maintenance costs.  Skimping on construction to save money can lead to even more money being spent on maintaining the fence and on vet bills if the lesser fence leads to an injured horse.

A fence should be durable.  How long a fence lasts depends on the type of material is is built with, maintenance, weather, and the horses it contains.  A fence also has to be functional.  It should centralize access to barns, working areas, and feed storage.  Walking and vehicle gates have to be carefully located, with these considerations improving efficiency while reducing labor and operating expenses. 

The last thing to consider is appearance.  Horse owners should want their fences to look good, and rightly so.  Often, the first impression of a person coming onto the farm is the appearance of the fences and the barns.  That first impression can make a big difference in whether or not someone buys a horse for a good price for the seller, or if that potential buyer pays a lower price or just walks away.  Good, functional fences show pride in ownership, increased value, and indicate professionalism. 

Consider using different types of fencing in different locations around the farm. While real horsemen appreciate utilitarian, functional fences, many people like driving up and seeing attractive fences and paddocks along the road and driveway.  Place the eye-appealing, yet safe, functional fences in those areas more accessible to the public even though that type of fence might be a bit more expensive, and put the more functional, good, safe, and not quite so expensive fences on the rest of the farm.

The most critical and time consuming part of constructing fences is the time spent planning - before the first post is purchased and driven into the ground.  Plan the fencing to help make  chores and routines more efficient.  Consider making rounded corners where feasible, and avoid corners with sharp angles where a horse may become trapped by a more dominant horse.   Those considerations can help reduce injuries.  Remember that horses will lean on fences, reach over fences, chew on fences, run into fences, and generally do a lot of things to test them, especially if the grass really is greener on the other side.  A well planned fencing system that is carefully laid out, is made of good materials, and has something that makes it highly visible (strips of cloth tied to high tensile wire really does help) to the horse will provide years of service and will enhance the value of the horse farm.

For more of the details on the information presented in this article on planning and constructing horse fences, download the two publications listed above by clicking on these links: 

pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/ub037.pdf

content.ces.ncsu.edu/20180.pdf

Preparing Your Horse for Breeding and Foaling

The natural time period when a mare is receptive to a stallion usually begins around April making the natural foaling season start around late February or March. When planning for a breeding or foaling season preparation is one of the most important factors.

When planning a breeding season for an open or maiden mare several factors need to be taken into consideration:

• The mare’s health should be evaluated and if she is in need of vaccinations or deworming, a plan to do so should be discussed with a veterinarian. If the mare will be leaving her home to be taken to the stallion, the stress of the new environment can lower her immune resistance and having the proper protection against diseases and parasites can decrease her chances of an issue later on.
• If the mare has never had a foal or has had issues with breeding in the past, a breeding soundness exam can be performed so the owner and anyone else involved will know the reproductive status and if any special considerations need to be taken with the mare to ensure a healthy and viable pregnancy.  

Once a mare is in foal, a few of the things that should be evaluated are the mare’s body condition score, her current health status, the foaling date and what supplies you have on hand.

• A mare in foal should be a minimum body condition score of 5.5 or 6 before the foal is due. If the mare is in good body condition during pregnancy she will not be in a negative energy balance once the foal is born and will not have to go through the difficulties of trying to add weight to herself during lactation.
• The vaccine status should be evaluated and if any boosters are required they can be given 4-6 weeks prior to foaling to offer an increase of antibodies to the foal through the colostrum.
• The average gestation length in horses is 340 days. The foaling date is important to know because all of the preparations you will be making during your mare’s gestation depend on the stage she is in her pregnancy. It is imperative to keep good records so the breeding dates, foaling dates and vaccination/ deworming dates are accurate.
• If you know a mare could be foaling soon, check your supplies and give yourself enough time to get anything your kit may be missing. Extra frozen colostrum, IgG kits and tetanus antitoxin are always good supplies to have just in case. 

For the original article click the link below:

http://www.extension.org/pages/29353/preparation-for-the-breeding-season#.VCAVa_ldWSo

By: Deanna Wagner

Common Hoof Problems

As a horse owner, you can expect to see common hoof problems such as hoof cracks or thrush.  Some hoof problems are easily preventable and others are not resulting from an accident or poor conformation for example.  The key is understanding common hoof problems and how to manage your horse to lessen the chance of a problem occurring.  

To reduce hoof problems, follow these recommendations:

1. Regular trimming or shoeing
2. Maintain good hoof balance
3. Maintain the correct hoof pastern angle, break over, and medial-lateral balance
4. Give heel support if needed
5. Use appropriate shoeing for different weather and footing conditions
6. Use appropriate treatment if disease process occurs.

Poor shoeing or trimming. Long toes can results in strain on flexor tendons, the navicular bone, and collapsed heels. If the horse is "too upright" it can cause trauma to the coffin bone. An imbalanced hoof can cause stress on the collateral ligaments and joints.

Hoof cracks. Horizontal cracks or blowouts are usually caused by an injury to the coronary band or a blow to the hoof wall. Horizontal cracks or blowouts do not usually case lameness. Grass cracks are usually seen in long, unshod horses, and can be corrected with trimming and shoeing. Sand cracks results from injury to the coronary band or white line disease that breaks out at the coronary band. Sand cracks can be a cause of lameness. Treatment for sand cracks includes determining the cause and removing it, floating, and/or fixation or patching. It usually takes nine to twelve months for the hoof to grow out.

Thrush. Thrush is a foul-smelling black exudate usually found around the frog that is associated with wet, soiled conditions. Thrush can invade sensitive tissue and cause lameness. Keeping stalls or barn clean and dry can help eliminate thrush.

Solar abscess. Solar Abscess is an infection in the sole of the hoof that can lead to acute or severe lameness. Solar Abscess can be caused by trauma, bruising, or a foreign body. Treatments include removal of the foreign body (if possible), soaking the hoof in warm water and Epsom salt, and keeping the hoof bandaged, clean and dry.

Hot nail or street nail. A hot nail is a horseshoe nail that is driven into the sensitive structures of the hoof wall. Hot nails will usually cause lameness. Treatments include flushing nail hole with antiseptic, packing the hole or bandaging the foot, and Tetanus booster. A street nail is any foreign object that enters the foot. This is an emergency, and your veterinarian should be called immediately. Treatment depends on what hoof structure is affected.

Laminitis. Laminitis is inflammation of the sensitive laminae. Founder is rotation (coffin bone rotates downward inside hoof capsule) and/or sinking (coffin bone sinks downward) of the coffin bone. There are several causes of laminitis. Treatments include regular shoeing or trimming, maintaining short toes, using heel wedges, and frog and sole support.

Navicular. Disease process involving the navicular bone, bursa, ligamentous, or soft tissue structures. Horses will usually land their toe first due to pain in the heels. Causes of navicular include hereditary predisposition (Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds), faulty conformation, hoof imbalance, and exercise on hard surfaces. Treatments include shoeing, maintaining a short toe, elevating the heels and good break over, and pads.

Finally, in the winter, special care should be taken if your horse lives outside or is turned out. If your horse is normally barefoot, leave the shoes off in the winter (horses usually slip less when barefoot). Horses that are prone to sole bruising may need shoes. If your horse is shod through the winter, have snow pads placed under the shoes and small cogs or nails placed at the heels. Winter weather can dry out the hoof wall, so a hoof moisturizer may be needed.

Resource: Mary Boyce, DVM, University of Minnesota

Link to Original Article: http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/health/common-hoof-problems/

Selecting Winter Hay

It’s now September and even though we’ll probably still have some warm (or even hot) days, winter is not that far away.  With winter, comes the need to feed horses hay since the summer pastures will be a thing of the past.  Now is certainly the time to start getting your winter hay supply secured if you have not done so already.  But, what do you need to look for when buying hay for your horses. 

Visual Analysis:  This is simply looking at the hay.  This can tell you a lot about the hay but cannot give you the true nutritive value of the hay.  

•  Color: Dark green usually indicates high vitamin and protein content while browning of  hay many indicate loss of nutrients.  However, color alone is a relatively poor measure of quality.
• Aroma: If there is a musty or moldy smell, that could indicate the hay was not cured or stored properly.  Mold typically appears as grayish-white dust – don’t confuse this with just plain dust – or as a flaky substance in tightly packed sections of the bale.
•  Foreign Material: Anything in the bale that is not the forage you’re wanting to purchase is considered foreign material.  This can change the nutritive value and some things can be      dangerous.  Look for weeds, insects and trash.
• Texture: Stem size and flexibility will indicate how palatable the hay is to the animals.  Small, flexible stems are desired.

Chemical Analysis:  This is the only true indicator of the nutritional value of the hay.  Your Extension office can help you take a hay sample to have the analysis done. 

For additional information about buying hay, please take a look at these publications:

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AnimalSciences/pubs/id146.pdf

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forages/publications/id-190.htm

http://onslow.ces.ncsu.edu/files/library/67/%20Selecting%20and%20Testing%20Forages%20On-Line.pdf

Be Aware of The Potential Threat From Foxtail in Hay

        

 

We have had some extreme weather the last few seasons. This has set up favorable conditions for a number of weed species to invade our pastures and hay fields.  A series of wet winters and dry summers have contributed to the thinning of desirable forages and opened up holes for opportunistic weeds to fill in.  While I am a subscriber to the theory “if it’s green and they eat it, it’s not a weed”, I’ll have to concede, there are some of these invaders we could sure live without. 

Foxtail (sp. Seteria) is certainly one of them.  While there is no known toxic agent in this weed, the seeds have a barbed awn which is a physical irritant to animals who may eat the seed heads.  These seeds and awns can become imbedded in the soft tissues of the mouth, lips and gums.  Horses may develop ulcers or blisters on the lips and mouth and may eat slowly, refuse to eat at all or show other signs of irritation.

Most horses will not eat the seed heads of the standing plant in the pasture, so the greatest threat is from Foxtail in hay.  Not all horses are sensitive to the seeds and awns of the Foxtail plant.  Inspect your hay for the presence of Foxtail and be aware of the problems it may cause.  If you know your hay contains Foxtail, check your horse's mouth periodically.  The seeds and awns can be removed from the  gums and lips with a wet cloth or water hose, but may require sedation and therefore a visit from your vet. 

If you notice an invasion of Foxtail in your pastures, keeping your pastures clipped to prevent seeding will help solve the problem two ways.  First, there will be no seed heads for your horse to eat – the plant itself causes no irritation, just the seedhead.  Second, Foxtail is an annual plant so it has to produce seed to keep showing up in your pasture.  Mowing to prevent seed production is the best way to get Foxtail under control since there are no selective herbicides to kill it in a stand of grass. 

Just like with all weeds, the thicker and healthier the stand of grass you are intending to grow, the less room there is for weeds.   Most toxic weeds are not appealing to the horse who is not bored or chronically hungry.  By keeping your pastures healthy, you give your horse something to nibble on all day long which keeps him from scouting out and eating things he wouldn’t otherwise.  Besides that, good pasture management helps prevent erosion and enhances the beauty of your property.  Minimizing the bare ground and mud will also cut back on grooming time so you'll have more time to do what you really want - RIDE!

by Marti Day

Extension Area Specialized Agent

Agriculture - Dairy, Horses and Row Crops

Chatham County