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Delaware Equine NewsVol. 13 No. 1 www.delawareequinecouncil.org February/March 2014
Meet Dr. Christina Abramowicz
On December 28, 2013, the Delaware Equine Counciland Rhonda Owens-Whitehouse were happy to host Dr.Christina Abramowicz (Dr. A) for a demonstration of veteri-nary acupuncture and chiropractic medicine.
Dr. A provided a brief background on the subject ofacupuncture. She worked with Domino, a lovely draft mare,owned by Stan and Laurie Vonasek, for her demonstrationon how horses have a number of sensitive areas and trig-ger points which can be ‘scanned’ by a veterinarian runninga firm object similar to a pen cap over these points. Anyareas which are sensitive can correspond to a local issuein or near that particular muscle, or an area further awayincluding inside the horse’s body.
Domino had several points which were reactive, so Dr. Acombined that information with other exam findings alongwith a history that Laurie provided to determine a treatmentplan. As part of the acupuncture treatment, several needleswere placed in Domino’s back and legs (see pictures), in-cluding a few just above her hooves. Domino responded bylicking her lips and lowering her head as the needles wereinserted.
Dr. A explained that the Chinese began treating horseswith acupuncture about 3,000 years ago. As researchersdiscover more about acupuncture today, they are learningthat it stimulates the body by releasing endorphins andother natural hormones. This creates a powerful healing ef-fect for the horses and animals. Acupuncture can be usedfor everything from lameness and poor performance tocolic, heaves and laminitis.
Following Domino’s acupuncture session, Dr. A dis-cussed chiropractic medicine and why it was important.Just like humans, horses get restrictions around their joints
that prevent them from being able to move and bend.Proper chiropractic care removes those restrictions andhelps a horse feel better and use their bodies properly. Dr.A also explained that clearing restrictions is important be-cause the cartilage will wear away if the joint is not able tomove freely. (Continued on page 4)
Delaware Equine Council’s
Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner
Remember to mark March 22, 2014, on your calendarfor this year’s awards dinner. Once again the dinner willbe held at the Harrington Moose Lodge. The doors openat 6 pm with dinner served at 6:30pm. (See completedetails on page 3)
We are proud to be awarding scholarships to deserv-ing students enrolled in a Delaware university agricul-ture program or an equine studies program at a U.S.university. Since the inception of this scholarship pro-gram, we have awarded approximately $25,000 to date.
Our sincere thanks go to all our sponsors and contrib-utors for their continued support. You are the key ele-ment in making the program a success. We hope to seeyou at this year’s event. Tickets are $30 per person.Purchase a table of eight (8) at a discounted price of$225 or a table of six (6) at a discounted price of $170.Deadline for ticket sales is March 15. Tickets can bepurchased at Chick’s Saddlery & Western Wear in Har-rington, from any DEC board member or you can con-tact Mark Stevens at [email protected].
(Continued on page 8)
Above left: Dr. A brings Domino’s head down and lines her up so that she can adjust the joint between Dom-
ino’s neck and skull. Next (center), Dr. A checks the joints in Domino’s back. Then (right), Domino stands re-
laxed with needles in her back and legs, while Dr. A explains the ‘Three Mile’ point below the knee.
Pictures courtesy of Pam Nebel
Page 2 www.delawareequinecouncil.org February/March 2014
President’s MessageAs the winter weather is certainly
upon us, many of us are experienc-ing frozen water troughs in themorning hours. Be sure to keepthem thawed out either with floatingheaters or closely monitoring theicy surfaces and breaking them upby hand etc. It is imperative thatyour horse(s) drink enough water during the winter season tohelp eliminate the risk of colic. I have been told that adding alittle molasses to a warm bucket of water is sometimes goodencouragement to drink.
Just a reminder that DEC memberships increased effectiveJanuary 1, 2014. If you have not renewed your membershipyet, please note the increased costs as follows: $35 Com-mercial ($350 lifetime), $25 Organizational ($250 lifetime),$20 Individual ($200 lifetime), $10 Youth. Thanks to all of ourmembers who have already renewed and have also takenadvantage of the lifetime membership option. We sincerelyappreciate your continued support.
Our annual Scholarship Awards Dinner will be held onMarch 22, 2014, at the Harrington Moose Lodge. Please seeflyer on page 3. If you would like to make a silent/live auctiondonation, please contact Stan at 302-684-3966 or Kathy at302-670-7358. We look forward to seeing you there
Stan Vonacek
2014 Delaware Equine Council Officers:President, Stan Vonasek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302-684-3966Vice President, Ken Horeis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302-270-2648Secretary, Kathy Watson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302-670-7358Treasurer, Kim Schwartz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302-399-3466
2014 Delaware Equine Council Directors:Connie Lundquist . . 302-339-3155Pam Nebel . . . . . . . 240-994-2220 . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] Wayne Nebel. . . . . . 240-778-3241 . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] Parris . . . . . 302-846-2189 . . . . . . [email protected] Dan Watson . . . . . . 302-698-9507 . [email protected] Woodall. . . 937-689-7794. [email protected]
Professional Photographerscapturing RACES, FACES & PLACES since 1984
246 Deakyneville Rd.Townsend, DE 19734
Mary Lyons302-757-3599 [email protected]
www.hoofprintsinc.com
Gambler’s Choice Equestrian Center
John P. Melnick238 Grey Fox LaneDover, DE 19904302.270.0184 cell
302.653.0777 office302.389.8330 fax
NOTES FROM YOUR EDITOR
Dearest Members,I'm thinking SPRING thoughts! Hopefully Puxatony Philis wrong and spring comes much sooner then 6 weeks.It has been about a year since I became the editor ofthe Equine Council's newsletter. It has been amazingto see what our local horse community is up to andwhat amazing things are happening with the localyouth organizations. As many of you know, I have re-cently had a baby and am working at finishing my doc-torate of education degree. My time is constantlyrunning away from me, so I am going to hand the reinsover to Wendy Lippincott. She is the proud owner andoperator of Dusty Chaps Farm in Felton, DE. I knowthat Wendy will do an wonderful job keeping thenewsletter going and on time. Please feel free to con-tact her with articles and suggestions. I will see all ofyou at the awards banquet!
Happy riding, Kimberly Chick, Editor [email protected]
Delmarva Equine ClinicJanice Sosnowski, DVM
Michelle Egli, DVM
1008 South Governors Avenue
Dover, DE 19904
Practice limited to horses
P 302-735-4735 • F 302-526-2749
www.delmarva-equine.com
February/March 2014 www.delawareequinecouncil.org Page 3
Page 4 www.delawareequinecouncil.org February/March 2014
2014 Platinum Sponsor ($1,000)for DEC Scholarship Program
Thanks to
VETERINARY ALTERNATIVE CARE, LLC
Christina Abramowicz, DVM
Visit www.VetAltCare.com
(302) [email protected]
Abramowicz (Continued from page 1)Adjusting Domino, Dr. A first checked each joint individually, using her hands
to ‘motion palpate’ and determine if each joint was free. When a restriction was
found she was able to release it with a slight push in just the right way.
Domino had been shifting around after her acupuncture needles had been re-
moved, but quickly settled in again as Dr. A did chiropractic on her. Domino
licked her lips and chewed after most of the adjustments were made, and she
visibly relaxed.
There are several signs that indicate a horse may need adjusting. A few of
these signs are not standing square most the time, including when grazing; un-
usual or variable lameness, along with heel pain and stumbling; difficulty bend-
ing or performing lateral work; back pain or cinch pain; and poorly developed
muscles or an uneven top line.
The demonstration wrapped up with a Q&A session. Following this, Dr.
Christina Dayton-Wall, who also does chiropractic work, assisted Dr. A in
doing a ‘Psoas Stretch’ on Domino to treat her back pain and muscle
spasms
Laurie Vonasek was able to ride Domino a few days after the demo.
She was pleased with how Domino moved much more fluidly and had
more energy after her treatments.
Dr. Abramowicz is a Delaware native and has recently returned to the
area. She serves Delaware and parts of Maryland. By focusing on
acupuncture, chiropractic, and other alternative medicine, Dr. A is able to
provide a comprehensive approach and greatly help her patients. Her business,
Veterinary Alternative Care, is on the web at www.vetaltcare.com. You can also
follow her business on Facebook to get more information and articles on horse
care, along with information on other species she treats such as dogs and cats.
The Delaware Equine Council along with Rhonda Owens-Whitehouse and
Stan and Laurie Vonasek wishes to thank Dr. A very much for taking the time to
share her expertise with the group. Domino thanks you too!
Above: The acupuncture needles inDomino’s back.
Below: A different type of needle isused just above the hock.
Pictures courtesy of Pam Nebel
* * * NOTICE * * *TO ALL EQUESTRIANS:
When riding at State/County/Public Facilities,
PLEASE park courteously and remember to always
clean up after your horses.
Take the time to set the example for others to follow.
TO ALL DELMARVA HORSE OWNERS:
Please make sure to winterize your horses well
during any snow storm. It is very important to
make sure your horses have access to fresh
thawed water and hay. Another helpful hint to keep
your horse(s) hydrated as the temperature drops,
is to add some electrolytes to a warm bran mash
Farm & Feed Supply
Carrying a full lineof premiumhorse feeds!
Plus DE, NY & PA Hay Cubes • Alfalfa
Wheat Straw • Shavings & Pelleted Bedding
For Weekly Delivery: Frank Chick, Jr. - 302-270-4432
US 13 • Harrington / Open: Tues-Sat 1-6 • Sun 11-5
DEC Committees: Do you support the mission of theDelaware Equine Council? If so, become involved with a com-mittee.The committee chairs are as follows:
Stan Vonasek - Scholarships • Mary Everhart - TrailsPam Nebel - Membership, Sales & Promotional Items
Wayne Nebel - Public Relations Kimberly Chick - Newsletter Editor
~ Welcome New Members ~Dr. Christina M. Dayton, DVM (All Creatures
Veterinary Service)
DE State Police Mounted Patrol Unit
Delmarva Search and Rescue
Kayla Rex Hailey Siegel
Marissa Conti Kimberly Hildreth
Robert Patterson Amy Patterson
February/March 2014 www.delawareequinecouncil.org Page 5
�� FREE WORKSHOP ��CARE OF THE AGING PET
DATE: Sat., March 1, 2014 • TIME: 10 am-12:00 noon
LOCATION: Delaware Hospice Center
100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963
Delaware Hospice’s Family Support Center will hold a
workshop on the “Care of the Aging Pet” by Christina
Dayton-Wall DVM, and “Coping with Pet Loss” by
Laurie Vonasek, RN, MSN.
Often our best friend is a horse, dog, cat, goat or pig.
When our pet friends are faced with the struggles of
aging or a life-limiting illness, we often question how to
provide the best care and comfort. This workshop will
provide insight on the care of the aging pet, how to
make your pet comfortable, hospice for pets, euthana-
sia, along with healthy grieving and memorializing your
pet. If you have questions about this workshop, please
contact Laurie Vonasek at 302-684-3966.
Registration is requested as seating is limited. Regis-
ter for the workshop by calling Michelle August at 800-
838-9800 or email: [email protected] by
Thursday, February 27.
Sam Mitchell Jr.Manager
www.SouthernStates.com
Middletown Service900 North Broad StreetMiddletown, Delaware [email protected]
Ph:Fax:VMX:
(302) 378-9841(302) 378-9657(800) 485-1691
Page 6 www.delawareequinecouncil.org February/March 2014
Changing Fates Equine Rescueof Delaware, Inc.
Karen SpeakeLisa BoyceRobin Weinkam
29473 West Elliotts Dam RdLaurel, DE 19956 www.changingfates.rescuegroups.org
302-344-2002302-236-0881410-858-7058
HELPING HORSE PROGAM IS A PHONE CALL AWAYSussex County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .302-856-6361Kent County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .302-698-3006New Castle County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .302-998-2282
Feeding the overweight horse can be tough, but winter
poses an even greater challenge with managing a delicate
balance between providing enough energy to stay warm,
yet not so much he is unable to shed those unwanted
pounds.
When considering the feeding program for your over-
weight horse, first take into consideration the forage type,
quantity and frequency he is being fed. The overweight
horse benefits most from grass hay over legume hay due
to it’s reduced calorie content. Most overweight horses do
best on grass hay with a ration balancer to provide bal-
anced levels of necessary vitamins, minerals and amino
acids.
Consider how frequently he has access to his forage. Is
he limit fed or allowed free access anytime of the day or
night? Generally speaking, limit feeding the overweight
horse is one half of a critical equation to helping him shed
those pounds. Forage should make up the bulk of any
horse’s ration and the overweight horse is no exception.
His forage ration should be between 1.0-1.75 lb. hay per
100 lb. body weight, per day. For a 1,000 lb. horse, this
would range from 10-17.5 lb. of hay each day.
Next, consider his living arrangement: Is he kept by him-
self or does he share feed with herd-members? If possi-
ble, put him in isolation from other members of the herd to
help control his intake. Overweight horses may be consid-
ered ‘survivors’ in the wild as they oftentimes bully their
way into their herd-member’s food supply, but as domesti-
cated animals, they need not exhibit this behavior when a
consistent, good quality supply of food is provided. Isolat-
ing him from those he can bully will keep his portion size to
what you fed him.
Next, take into consideration how he is managed: Is he
kept in a stall, coat clipped in a heated barn? Is he turned
out on a regular basis? Does he live outside with access
to a run-in or loafing shed? How he is managed can play
into how to help him lose weight, yet stay warm during the
oftentimes brutal winter months. Horses that are most fre-
quently stalled benefit from turnout, safe footing permitted.
Those turned out full-time should be monitored for the
need of a blanket should weather conditions deteriorate
enough to warrant; moisture penetrating the thick winter
coat as well as a biting winter wind can cut through the
toughest of their protections.
Finally, consider his activity level. Winter in most parts of
the United States bring snow, ice and/or frozen footing
which can pose a challenge for horse owners. Good foot-
ing is essential for reducing the occurrence of injury during
exercise and this is no less important than in the winter
months. Here are a few suggestions for exercising your
overweight horse when the footing is less than ideal.
1. Hand walking – up or down the driveway, on a trail or
around an arena is good for him and a great time to
bond.
2. Pasture turnout – solid footing permitting, turn him out
for time to romp in the snow and work off some energy.
3. Time on the lunge line - provides better control over
his activity level than turnout and he can work faster
than a hand walk.
4. Trailer to a near-by indoor arena (if there is one close
by) for lunge-work, saddle time or just some quiet
hand walking.
Helping your overweight horse lose during the winter can
be a delicate balance, but with some effort and creativity
Overweight Horses: Winter ManagementArticle courtesy of The Feed Room
In ShopOr Portable
STEEL, ALUMINUM & STAINLESS STEEL• Structural •�Piping • Sheetmetal
O: (302) 698-9507C: (302) 670-9990
1804 Morgans Choice Rd.Wyoming, DE 19934
A.S.M.E., A.W.S. & MD. STATE HWY. CERTIFIED
WELDING, LLC
February/March 2014 www.delawareequinecouncil.org Page 7
Hayand
Straw
Del-Ridge Farms
302-542-5172
Located on Northbound LaneUS Rt. 13, 1 mile north of
Greenwood, Delawareacross from Beracah Homes
Holler-n-Hooves 4-HBy Christie Little, President
Holler-n-Hooves 4-H has plenty going on... “Exercises for the Rider,”“Overnight Sleepover with Your Horse”, “Gun Safety & Mounted Shoot-ing”, “De-stress for the Show Ring”, “How to Present a ProfessionalPicture In and Out of the Ring”, “One Trick or Two Pony”, “De-Spookwith Natural Horsemanship”, “A Day of Excellence (Reining, Dressage,Western and English, Hunter Over Fences)” and of course, the 4-H fa-vorites: Horse Bowl, Horse Judging, Clean & Groom and the Fair!
More specifically, Holler-n-Hooves 4-H members will be taking anEquine First Aid Course whereby members will learn about normalhorse behavior and vitals to improve their ability to recognize abnormalsigns (for example: daily water consumption, stool production/consis-tency, etc), to be made aware of signs of pain (both obvious and hid-den), general care of common wounds including leg and eye injuries,bandaging, common routes of administering medications, use of stetho-scope to evaluate gut sounds & heart rate and more. Local veterinari-ans including Dr. Christian Dayton-Wall, Dr. Audrey Adkins, Dr. TanisMacDonald, Dr. Emily Galloway and Dr. Sharon Little will be instructorsfor the course. Other equine professionals will be on hand to teachequine safety when trailer loading and more!
Members will be using a first aid kit put together by our club officers.These kits will include a stethoscope thermometer, bandage scissorshemostats, bandage material, disinfectants, antibacterial ointment andmuch more. The kit will be in a sturdy tool box that will allow it to beused at home or in the trailer. The price of the kits is less than buying everything yourself, and they are a great addition toanyone's barn. These kits will be on sale to anyone that wishes to complete their barn and keep their animals safe. Thesales of these kits to others will help members earn their own kit. They will be on sale through members by mid-February
On April 17th, Holler-n-Hooves will join "Gals that Give" at the Duncan Center for an evening of good friends and goodfood! Tickets are $25 and can be purchased from Club members in February This is a chance to spend an evening en-joying learning about 4-H and networking with folks that care.
Keep your eyes and ears open for future Holler-N-Hooves activities!
DO YOU HAVE......A small enclosed cargo trailer you would like to see put to
good use? Holler-n-Hooves 4-H is a non-profit organizationthat is looking for a trailer to hold their training material andsupplies. The Club travels to different locations for meetingsand various training clinics. They also promote DelawareHorse 4-H at local events in addition to doing communityservice. At the present time, they are raising money by sell-ing Equine First Aid Kits. The proceeds will help supply localhorse rescues with their own First Aid Kit. If you have atrailer to donate or sell to the 4-H Club at a reasonable cost,please call 302-398-9518 or email at [email protected] you!
Equine Forst Aid Kits — inside & out
Carrot Apple Pate
2 carrots diced1 apple sliced1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup bran1/4 cup waterhay cubes soaked
thoroughlyhandful of horsefeed pellets
handful of raisins
Place apples, honey (or molasses), branand water into blender. Add carrots slowlyand blend until pureed. Mixture should bepasty; add more bran if necessary. Spreadliberally onto each soaked hay cube and topwith one raisin and a sprinkle of pellets.
From The Original Book of Horse Treats
Harrington RacewayHarrington Raceway
www.harringtonraceway.com
Page 8 www.delawareequinecouncil.org February/March 2014
HOWELL WALLACE
WWW.VALOUR-FARMS.COM
1950 VANDYKE-GREENSPRING ROAD — SMYRNA, DELAWARE 19977302-653-4066 / FAX 302-653-4328
EMAIL [email protected]
VALOURF A R M S
1950 VANDYKE-GREENSPRING ROAD — SMYRNA, DELAWARE 19977302-653-4066 / FAX 302-653-4328EMAIL: [email protected]
HOWELL WALLACE
WWW.VALOUR-FARMS.COM
Scholarship Awards (Continued from page 1)Consider submitting an application for next year’s
awards. You can find the application and criteria on-line
at www.delawareequinecouncil.org or in our in 2014
Delaware Equine Industry Directory, which is available at
various businesses, including Tractor Supply, Southern
States and Chick’s. The directory will also be able at the
scholarship dinner
Diagnosis & Feed Managemenr
for Equine Cushing’s Disease By Kentucky Equine Research Staff December 26, 2013
Guidelines for detecting equine Cushing’s disease
(piuitary pars intermedia dysfunction) have been up-
dated and refined, allowing veterinarians to give an ear-
lier and more reliable diagnosis for this malady. The
changes were made by the Equine Endocrinology
Group (EEG), which is made up of veterinarians and re-
searchers with experience in the field of equine en-
docrinology.
Horses that have equine Cushing’s disease can be
managed best on a diet that produces a low glycemic re-
sponse, limiting or slowing the rate at which glucose en-
ters the bloodstream.
Horses with equine Cushing’s disease show character-
istic signs such as a long nonshedding hair coat, exces-
sive thirst, frequent urination, and a lowered resistance to
disease. Clinical diagnosis has been based on the rest-
ing level of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or re-
sults of dexamethasone suppression testing. In early
stages of the disease, horses showing signs of Cushing’s
do not always have test results that confirm the illness,
leaving owners unsure of how to manage horses.
The revised guidelines still recommend use of the
ACTH test. In place of the dexamethasone suppression
test, however, the EEG recommends the thyrotropin-re-
leasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test instead. This
simple test requires two blood samples and an injection,
and can be done wherever the horse is kept. It is espe-
cially helpful in making a diagnosis early in the course of
the disease when ACTH levels may not yet be abnormal.
Cutoff values for the TRH test have been established
only for the months of December through June, so the
test must be administered during that period of the year.
Horses that have equine Cushing’s disease can be
managed best on a diet that produces a low glycemic re-
sponse, limiting or slowing the rate at which glucose en-
ters the bloodstream. Owners of insulin resistant horses
should avoid unlimited grazing, feed little or no grain, and
base the diet on low-carbohydrate hay and a ration bal-
ancer pellet. Vegetable oil, rinsed beet pulp, or rice bran
are safer ways to provide extra energy for thin horses
with Cushing’s disease. Senior feeds often contain high-
carbohydrate ingredients and should not be used.
302-398-7223
February/March 2014 www.delawareequinecouncil.org Page 9
Fun Mule & Horse Game ShowSaturday March 8, 2014
Registration: 8:30 a.m.Show: 10:00 a.m.
ALL day
Kitchen will be serving
Presented by:
Will follow game show (dinner, dessert, drink, no alcohol)
Show Chairpersons: Anna Nordberg 302-542-1415 or
Delbert Mills 302-670-8624
Please call with any questions. / Any donations are welcome!
First State Coon Hunter’s Club
Location: Wicked R - 2621 Sandy Bend Rd, Camden Wyoming, Delaware
First & Second Place: Prize Money & Overall Trophies
BBQ Dinner & Barn Dance
50/50 Drawing, Silent Auction & Other Attractions.
Thanks to• Steve Shirey of Site One for hosting our Webpage ...
www.delawareequinecouncil.org.• Doug Kerr for maintaining our website.• Chickʼs Saddlery & Western Wear for the layout and
printing of our newsletter.
IDYLWILD FARM& FAIR HILL FORGE
410-754-9141• Matt Taimuty, CJFAmerican Farrier’s Assn. Journeyman
• Training• Bed & Breakfast• Instruction by
Mary Wanless, Certified“Ride With Your Mind” Coach
www.idylwildfarm.com
~ Equine Calendar of Events ~MarchMarch 8: Fun Mule & Horse Game Show, First State Coon
Hunter's Club at Wicked R, 2621 Sandy Bend Road,Camden Wyoming, DE. Kitchen serving all day, BBQ Din-ner and Barn Dance will follow game show. 50/50 draw-ing, silent auction and other attractions. Contact: AnnaNordberg (302-542-1415) or Delbert Mills (302-670-8624).
March 22: Delaware Equine Council Scholarship Awards Din-ner, 6 pm to 10 pm, Harrington Moose Lodge, 1628 SDuPont Highway, Harrington, DE $30 per person. Silentand live auctions, door prizes and raffles, DJ and dancing,cash bar. Contact: Kathy Watson (302-670-7358) or StanVonasek.(302-684-3966).
March 23: Delmarva Search and Rescue Scavenger Huntsponsored by the Search and Rescue Mounted Unit,10:00 am to 2:00 pm, Blackbird State Forest, Townsend,DE. $25 per person. Proceeds go to advanced trainingfor DMVSAR's Mounted Unit. Contact:Vicky at 410-490-4001 or Tina at 302-233-0690.
� Next DEC Meeting �Our next meeting will be Monday, February 17 at 7 p.m.
at the Moose Lodge in Harrington. We would love to haveyou join us.
Page 10 www.delawareequinecouncil.org February/March 2014
Steward FarmsG. Arthur and Diane StewardHay and Straw Sales
333 Cedar Grove Church Rd.Harrington, DE 19952Call: (302) 284-0514 or (410) 482-6154
Steward FarmsG. Arthur and Diane StewardHay and Straw Sales
333 Cedar Grove Church Rd.Harrington, DE 19952Call: (302) 284-0514 or (410) 482-6154
D i s c o u n tD i s c o u n t & S a d d l e r yS a d d l e r y★★★Since 1975Since 1975
Everything for Horse & Rider!Online
24/7
U.S. 13 • Across from the FairgroundsHarrington, DE 19952
Open Tues-Sat 10-6 • Sun 11-5
302-398-4630 • 800-444-2441www.chicksaddlery.comwww.chicksaddlery.com
Happy View FarmAnn Hobbs Noon
Horsebackriding Lessons
**Specialize in Teaching Kids••English**Western**Trail & Beach Rides**
37335 Dirickson Creek Rd.
Frankford, DE 19945
302-537-7418
Find us on Facebook!
Ruth Hudson
Hudson Farm SupplyOwner
FEED, SEED, FERTILIZER, FARM & HOME SUPPLIES
213 Harrington Avenue
Harrington, DE 19952
Store: 302-398-3654
Targeted Deworming By Dr. Michelle Egli
In the past, the easiest thing about owning a horse has
been setting up a deworming program. Most people would
buy all the products at the beginning of the year and paste
their horses every 8- 12 weeks. If one began to look pot
bellied, was thin, or had a poor coat, the veterinarian was
called to run a fecal. Unfortunately for us, this system isn’t
working so well any more.
Over the last 25 years, we have not had any new de-
worming agents brought onto the market. The worms have
adapted to the products that we are using and are becom-
ing resistant to every class of dewormer available to us.
Some farms in Kentucky have even found that the worms
are resistant to every dewormer so that they have to use
combinations of drugs to kill the worms on their farms.
It is important to set up a targeted deworming program.
The first step in setting up this program is to have a fecal
egg count done on all of the horses on the property. A
fecal egg count is a test that counts all of the worm eggs in
1 gram of manure. As you can imagine, it is a fairly labori-
ous, time-intensive process, but it gives us a quantitative
analysis of the number of worms that the horse is harbor-
ing so that we can compare numbers rather than just “a
few” or “a lot.” Comparing actual numbers gives us a
much better idea of how well our deworming program is
working.
A parasite that survives what should be a lethal dose of
dewormer lives on to produce offspring that are also im-
mune to this medication. These offspring then go on to
produce more resistant worms, and the problem escalates
exponentially. To make matters worse, once a population
of worms are resistant to a particular drug, they can stay
resistant for at least 30 years. As you can see, we need to
change our parasite control programs to minimize the de-
velopment of resistance in the first place. We can no
longer go down the barn aisle and pop a tube of paste into
every horse in the barn.
In an average horse population, only 20% of the horses
will harbor most of the worms. Over 50% of horses will de-
velop a natural resistance to parasite infestation. This is
most common in healthy, young adult to middle-aged
horses. Small numbers of worms may actually stimulate a
horse’s immune system to resist a larger infestation.
Worms are able to survive the winter in a horse, but re-
search has shown that they reproduce very slowly, if at all,
during the winter months. As no eggs are being deposited
on the pastures during this time for the horses to pick up, it
is not usually necessary to deworm during the winter
months in this part of the country. This may not be true in
parts of the country where there is never a killing frost.
(Continued on page 11)
February/March 2014 www.delawareequinecouncil.org Page 11
Horsemanship Clinic
HeartlandEquestrian Center
All Disciplines Welcome!
July 4-6, 2014
RAY HUNT STYLENatural Horsemanship • Communication
& Harmony with Your Equine PartnerTwo Sessions:
Call or email Marisa Conti302-535-9040 [email protected]
to register or with questions
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★ AM - Groundwork / Problem Solving★ PM - Horsemanship Under Saddle
Buster Mclaury
• Wellness Exams and Vaccines• Dentistry and Chiropractic care
Christina Dayton-Wall DVM 302-258-8160
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Deworming (Continued from page 10)Targeted deworming takes a 2 pronged approach to
parasite control. First, determine which horses are shed-
ding large numbers of eggs. High shedders tend to re-
main high shedders and low shedders tend to remain low
shedders. Second, determine if there is any resistance to
the dewormers on the farm.
The first step is to do a fecal egg count on all horses on
the farm. Deworm only those horses with a fecal egg
count over 200 EPG (eggs per gram). The next step is to
repeat the fecal egg count 2 weeks after deworming. The
egg count should be reduced by 90%. For instance, if a
horse had 1000 EPG initially, the count should drop to
less than 100 EPG. If egg count reduction is less than
80%, the worms are resistant to that dewormer, and it is
useless on your farm.
Once all of the horses have had a fecal egg count
done, they can be classified into three groups: low shed-
der - <200 EPG, medium shedder - 200-500 EPG, high
shedder - 500 EPG. Initially, all of the horses should
have fecal egg counts done every 2-3 months during the
first year of the program so that the pattern of egg shed-
ding and dewormer resistance can be documented. Any
horse that has a fecal egg count in the medium or high
shedder category should be dewormed when the results
come back and then checked again 2 weeks later. It may
seem like a lot of checking, but after the first year, the
high, medium and low shedders will have been positively
identified. The low shedders will only need to be de-
wormed 2 times a year and will only need fecal egg
counts yearly. They will get their first worming with a
broad-spectrum product that also kills tapeworms in the
spring and their second in the late fall after the last frost
to kill any bots that they’ve acquired. Horses that are al-
ways negative should still be dewormed twice yearly be-
cause bots, tapeworms, and pinworms are usually not
identified on stool samples. The high and medium shed-
ders will be dewormed 4-6 times per year and will have
fecal egg counts performed twice yearly to check for re-
sistance.
Foals and young horses have not developed resistance
to worms yet and require more intensive deworming.
Start deworming these horses at three months of age and
check fecal egg counts afterward to determine if any re-
sistance is present. If no resistance is noted, deworm the
youngsters every 8 weeks until they reach 18 months of
age. At that time they can be switched over to the adult
program.
American
Mustang & Burro
AssociationP.O. Box 608
Greenwood, DE 19950
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