A horses stable environment plays an integral role in their general health, wellbeing and, by association, their athletic performance. But while most people are aware of the implications of stable dust on a horses respiratory tract, stable ammonia a noxious gas is frequently forgotten when taking care of a horse on a day to day basis.Urea, a protein breakdown product, is eliminated from the body in urine. Ammonia gas is formed when bacteria which produce an enzyme called urease break down the urea in this urine. Bacterial numbers subsequently increase and the process perpetuates. Ammonia-producing bacteria live on the stable floor as well as underneath and in between rubber matting. Considering that horses can produce 15-30ml of urine per kg of bodyweight per day (for a 500kg horse, thats 7.5-15 litres of urine per day), bacteria are rarely without a surface material.What is ammonia?Ammonia (NH3) is a caustic gas. Caustic means strongly alkaline (as opposed to strongly acidic). Ammonia is well recognised as sufficiently alkaline to be a strong irritant, even in small doses and at relatively low concentrations. Exposure to ammonia irritates vulnerable tissues, such as the skin, eyes, nasal passages, sinuses, the respiratory tree and the lungs. It can have an unsavoury affect on both your horses health and also your own.Identifying ammoniaIn a non-equine environment, humans can rapidly detect the smell of ammonia at relatively low concentrations. When sniffed, ammonia fumes cause a startle-type reflex that is our instinctive response to noxious gases on receptors attached to our eyes and respiratory passages. This reaction triggers an alarm from a region of the brain called the amygdala, which protects us by instantly making us pull away from things our brain registers as potentially harmful.However, in the stable environment we subconsciously associate the smell of ammonia with our horse, so were less reactive to it. Coupled with the length of time we spend with our horse, our nasal receptors response to the smell of ammonia subsides over time so that we become less aware of ammonia exposure and inhalation.Ammonia and human healthThis has obvious implications for our own health. Humans can smell ammonia at concentrations of 30 parts per million (ppm). Concentrations of 50ppm result in nasal and eye irritation, while at 1,000ppm there may be severe lung dysfunction. Concentrations of 1,500ppm can result in death.Work carried out by Dr Karen Hayes revealed that in a well-managed stable environment, concentrations of ammonia ranged from 80-450ppm within 12in from the stable floor. Concentrations were 10-50ppm 5ft from the floor, and 0-15ppm in the aisles between stables. Ammonia levels will undoubtedly be higher in less well-managed stables and those whose stables are not cleaned out daily.Ammonia and horse healthConcentrations of ammonia in the stable environment can inevitably be irritating for horses but, fortunately, lethal concentrations are rarely reached. However, respiratory tract irritation may exacerbate underlying health conditions such as asthma (formerly known as COPD or RAO) with obvious implications on health and athletic performance.Vets regularly see allergic airway disease, with some cases being quite challenging to control, and while the primary cause of these is certainly not ammonia, ammonia can inevitably exacerbate the clinical signs noted. Ammonia can also attract flies, whose presence will irritate horses, as well as causing insect bite hypersensitivity in some individuals.Ammonia exposureThe effects of ammonia exposure in people can range from short-lived reversible discomfort to serious health effects that are chronic, irreversible and sometimes even life-threatening. Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in the air causes immediate burning of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract, and it can result in blindness and lung damage as well as death. Inhalation of lower concentrations of ammonia can cause coughing as well as nose and throat irritation.How to control ammonia in the stableWhile we cant reduce the amount of urine a normal horse produces, management is based on stable hygiene and cleanliness:Urine-soaked bedding, as well as soiled bedding, should be completely removed twice daily. Ideally, owners should avoid deep litter beds, too.Stables should be fully cleaned out, power washed and disinfected regularly. The stable floor should also be carefully considered.For many owners, the type of flooring may be out of their control if they keep their horse at a livery yard. However, if you have the scope to design your own stable floor, select a completely impervious material to ensure that the edges are sealed, meaning the urine wont leak through to the surface below.A lack of permeability also gives the bedding used the best opportunity to absorb as much urine as possible. Such flooring will also be easy to clean.Rubber matting and ventilationUnfortunately, though, the majority of us arent in a position to select our own stable flooring and so we can only do our best with the resources available. If you use rubber matting, for example, try to ensure that there arent large gaps between the mats which will allow both bedding and urine to seep in between and under the matting, perpetuating ammonia production.Consult the provider of the matting to ensure the best fit for your stable. Regular cleaning of mats (including in between and the underside) should also be a part of your regime.A lot of stables arent very well ventilated. Improving ventilation has many health benefits, including reducing stable ammonia levels, but as the buildings structure will probably need significant alteration this may not be possible. By being better informed about this noxious gas and the negative impacts it can have on human and horse health, we can make better decisions about how we manage our horses and hopefully reduce ammonia levels in the stable.Profuse nasal dischargeJack, a 12-year-old cob, initially presented to me at Oakhill Veterinary Centre in March. He had had a cough for four days and a pus-like nasal discharge for the last 24 hours. A number of other horses on Jacks stable block were also affected. He had no previous history of respiratory tract issues.When I examined him, I found Jack to have a normal breathing rate and temperature. He coughed multiple times during his exam and the nasal discharge was profuse. Based on his history and the clinical signs, I diagnosed a virus with a secondary bacterial infection.I sent a sample of the nasal discharge to the lab for evaluation to decide on the best antibiotics to use, and Jack was started on a course of broad-spectrum anti microbials and anti-inflammatories. After three days his owner reported that the nasal discharge had stopped, although Jacks cough was still ongoing.Clinical signs got worseHowever, five days later the nasal discharge returned. Respiratory tract endoscopy (camera visualisation) showed mucus covering the inside of Jacks nasa passages, pharynx and trachea. His respiratory tract was also inflamed. I took a sample from his trachea and lower airway, and the results indicated moderate lower airway inflammation.This time no bacteria were isolated so a working diagnosis of asthma was made. Oral medication was prescribed: clenbuterol to relieve airway spasm and to open Jacks airways, plus steroids to reduce airway inflammation.Jacks clinical signs were worse when he was stabled, so his owner was advised to give him as much turnout as possible, to groom him outdoors, and to lay down new bedding when he was outside his stable, again to minimise stable dust inhalation. Jacks owner elected to bed him on dust-extracted shavings and to give him soaked hay. Jack showed a 50% improvement with his nasal discharge; however, his cough was ongoing and so the veterinary team decided to switch to nebulised medications.Ammonia was an exacerbating factorJack showed further improvement with these, but his clinical signs were still not resolved. At this point, we re-evaluated his stable environment and advised his owner to vacuum the stable thoroughly to remove all cobwebs, and also to remove his relatively deep bed in its entirety.The stable was then cleaned, power-washed and disinfected including in between and beneath the rubber matting. There were significant gaps between the rubber mats which were allowing urine-soaked bedding to penetrate between them and subsequently beneath the mats. This meant that ammonia-producing bacteria were able to proliferate, with the resulting ammonia potentially exacerbating the clinical signs of asthma.Given these concerns, Jacks owner made the decision to buy new, better-fitting rubber mats for his stable, and also to keep him on a smaller bed to make thorough daily cleaning much easier. Jacks symptoms resolved and we were able to taper him off his nebulised medications. Once the ammonia levels in his stable were addressed, Jack showed a huge improvement in his clinical signs, indicating that ammonia was likely an exacerbating factor for his asthma.Related contentWhy is my horse coughing?Equine asthma explainedHow to choose the best bedding for your horseRespiratory disease in horsesThe post Why stable ammonia poses a health risk to you and your horse appeared first on Your Horse.

We are in the final countdown to the start of the equestrian events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the excitement is mounting with every moment.The three Olympic disciplines of Dressage, Eventing and Jumping will take centre stage in the beautiful gardens of the Palace of Versailles from July 26 to August 6, so here are some things you might like to know when marking your calendar and making your plan to follow it from start to finish, whether you are traveling to the French capital or watching the action from afar.The VenueInitially built as a simple hunting lodge, the magnificent Chteau de Versailles was home to the court of Louis XIV in 1682 and became the epicentre of French royalty. In 1883 it became a national museum open to the public and it was the first French site to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1979.The Paris 2024 equestrian events will play out over its 2,000 acres of parkland, and a temporary outdoor arena, flanked by several stands, has been created on the Etoile Royale esplanade to the west of the Grand Canal at the heart of the palaces gardens. The Eventing cross-country course will take competitors across the Canal and along both sides of it, with the Chteau providing the most stunning backdrop.Despite challenging weather conditions works on site are well up to speed with all major infrastructure in place including field of play, warm-up, training arenas and stable tents. Right now internal fit-out is underway including stable boxes, the veterinary clinic, the media centre and the judges tower. The main cross-country obstacle features such as water jumps, banks and ditches have been completed for some time, and other obstacles will be brought in as pre-constructed portable jumps and positioned by the course designer in the coming weeks. It wont be long until all the facilities are buzzing with even more activity when the horses begin to arrive on 24 July.EventingEventing will stand alone in that the entire competition will run, without interruption, on consecutive days between 26 and 29 of July. It will begin with the First Horse Inspection on Friday 26 July at 09.30, and the following day 65 horse-and-rider combinations will line out in the Dressage phase, also starting at 09.30 local time.Cross country is bound to attract a massive audience on Sunday, July 28 as the sound of galloping hooves will thunder out across the royal turf beginning at 10.30 in the morning and running right through to 15.00.And on Monday July 29, following the Second Horse Inspection at 08.00, both the Team and Individual medals will be awarded following the final Jumping phase back in the arena. The Team medals will be decided in the round that begins at 11.00, and at 15.00 the top-25 will battle it out for the Individual title.The Dressage Test for Eventing will be the 2024 Olympic Games 5* test (short), the cross country course will be a maximum of 5,800 metres long with a maximum time of 10 minutes. And the height of fences in the final Jumping phase will be 1.25m for the Team competition and 1.30m for the Individuals.Officials for Eventing will include:Technical Delegate Marcin Konarski (POL)Ground Jury President Christina Klingspor (SWE)Ground Jury Member Xavier Le Sauce (FRA)Ground Jury Member Robert Stevenson (USA)Assistant Technical Delegate Gaston Bileitczuk (FRA)Course Designer Pierre le Goupil (FRA)A total of 16 Teams and 48 athletes will compete for the Team medals including the hosts from France along with Germany, New Zealand, Great Britain, USA, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan and Italy. Team athletes also compete for the Individual medals.An additional 17 Individual quota places are allocated through the FEI Olympic Groups and the overall FEI Olympic ranking. The regional distribution covers North Western Europe, South Western Europe, Central & Eastern Europe, Central Asia, North America, Central & South America, Africa and the Middle East, South East Asia and Oceania.DressageThe first Horse Inspection for Dressage will be held on Sunday July 28 at 08.00, and at 11.00 on Tuesday morning July 20, the first 30 horse-and-rider combinations will compete in the Grand Prix while the remaining 30 will do their tests on Wednesday the 31.The top ten ranked Teams in the Grand Prix, including those tied for tenth place, will qualify for the FEI Grand Prix Special which will begin at 10.00 on August 3 and will decide the Team medals.The second Dressage Horse Inspection will take place at 08.00 on August 4 and will be followed at 10.00 by the Grand Prix Freestyle. This is the Individual Final Competition which is open to 18 combinations qualified from the FEI Grand Prix. The Individual medal ceremony is scheduled for 13.30 on Sunday afternoon. There will be a total of 15 Teams and 45 athletes along with 15 Individual competitors. The qualified Teams are France, Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, USA, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Finland.Another 15 countries will be represented by Individuals. Places are allocated through FEI Olympic Groups, qualification events and the FEI Olympic Ranking list.JumpingThe Jumping horses arrive on July 30 and their First Horse Inspection takes place the next day, followed by an evening Training session from 17.15 to 20.00.The Team Qualifier on Thursday August 1 begins at 11.00 and is open to 20 teams consisting of three athletes per team with all three scores counting. The Team Final, which kicks off on Friday August 2 at 14.00, is open to the ten best placed teams in Thursdays competition including those tied for tenth place. Teams that withdraw before the start on Friday will not be replaced, and all teams taking part in the Team Final re-start with zero penalties.The contest for the Individual medals will take place over two days beginning on Monday August 5 with 75 starters from which the top-30 will go through to the Individual Final on Tuesday August 6, running in reverse order of classification and all starting again on a zero scoreline. The Final competition, which will begin at 10.00, will be conducted under Jumping Rules Art. 238.2.2, with one round against the clock with a jump-off in case of a tie on penalties for first place and will bring the equestrian events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to a close. The 20 qualified Teams are France, Sweden, Netherlands, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Israel, Poland, USA, Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Japan and Brazil. Another 15 countries will be represented by Individuals and again places are allocated through FEI Olympic Groups, qualification events and the FEI Olympic Ranking list. Monday, July 8 is the deadline for Definite Entries. By then we will have the full list of horses and athletes in all disciplines, including those on the reserve lists. The full Paris 2024 timetable for equestrian sports can be found here.

If you enjoy hacking, its likely that youll be faced with a gate to open and close at some point so that you and your horse can continue on your chosen route. Of course, dismounting and opening it on foot is an option, but nothing ruins a good ride (or wastes time) quite like having to walk a long way to find something to stand on so that you can remount because your horse wont stand still while you open the gate on board.Whats the secret to training a fidgety horse to stand while you open a gate or remount? Your Horse asked its #Hack1000Miles community for their top tips and this is what they said:1 Persistence is keyDo every gate you ever come to. Dont be afraid to get off. Be over the top with positive praise when the horse stands still, Matt Turner.2 Do the ground workI teach my horses to draw their quarters in when mounting. Sideways softness is key either for mounted gate opening or parking up to mount [off a bank or something similar], Lisa Dixon.3 Build trust on the groundUse voice commands and start them in the stable. When I open a gate while onboard, I teach my horse to push the gate open. Then you wont need to remount, Kay Conway.4 Use treats as a rewardOne when they stand at the gate and another when you get back on. This has worked for all of mine, including an ex-racer. I can mount from anywhere now, Amanda Hamley.5 Teach them to haltReward them for standing still while you do up the girth, clip on an air jacket etc. If they happen to move before youre ready, reposition and ask them to wait until youre ready, Sue Squirrell.Clicker training and treats work. Plus teaching them to move their hind quarters over towards you if theyre not straight. Keep relaxed once youre on and halt until you ask them to move away, Jen Birtchnell.6 Try TrecI cant remount from the ground so I went to a Trec clinic which is fantastic for teaching you and your steed to tackle obstacles such as gates. I practice at home in the arena with the gate while mounted, Lou P.7 Hack with a friendGo out with someone who can open the gate mounted, Jane Ballinger.8 Be patientWe teach horses to yield to pressure but when we want to mount, we actually want them to come into the pressure as it makes it all much easier. Rethinking this is useful I think, Maertina Diehl.9 Sometimes walking is betterIt can be frustrating as sometimes its a long walk but a bit of a walk is better than a tug on the horses back, Martina Diehl.10 Change your leather lengthI lower my stirrup for about two holes if I have to mount from the ground, Wera Arnz.Further reading#Hack1000Miles: 10 tips to help you go for longer, more regular hacksShould you hack out on a contact? 5 reasons why you should and when you shouldntIs your horse nervous of water? Tips to get them through puddles out hackingThe post 10 tips for training your horse to open gates out hacking appeared first on Your Horse.

Over 10 years after I bought a pony to teach my future children how to ride, he is finally teaching my first child.To be fair to him, I bought him as a yearling, and he was in no way ready to be ridden by children. He needed years to grow up, go through training, put on his big pony pants, and be a respectable equine citizen.And then he spent a few years doing nothing, because I was having my litter of children.I was actually worried that he wasnt going to be able to be the pony I wanted him to be. He went to a lease home for about a year to be a lesson pony, and they were happy with him there. But then their needs changed, and they sent him back. I sent him out to my trainer at the time for an evaluation, as I wasnt sure what hed been doing, and I had another family interested in leasing him.My trainer thought he was awful.The Naughty Pony winning photography awards. She couldnt catch him in the field. Then he broke away from her in the crossties and ran around her farm. She was having trouble handling on him on the ground. She said she would not consider him safe for a child. But, she did say he was pretty good to ride, so I guess theres that.It was confusing because everyone else thought he was suitable for kids. His first trainer thought hed be a perfect kids pony. Everyone who rode him at my house thought he was gentle. The lease home loved him. So what happened?I just had my twins when this all happened, so I wasnt in any condition to figure it out. I just brought him home, and he existed.The nice thing about horses is that, if needed, they can just exist. You can go through major life changes, need some time, and the horse will just continue to exist. If you board, sure, thats expensive, and of course you still need to take care of them, but they dont care if they arent being worked. Theyll just live their horse lives, basking in the glory of being alive. They really dont care if they are on a break.Of course, you might care because your bank account is slowly draining and you arent even getting anything fun out of it.A few weeks ago, my daughter asked me if she could ride Pony. Shes 5 years old now, which is a suitable age to start riding. I had been delaying doing anything primarily because it wasnt in my routine to bring her out to ride. Its so easy to fall into a routine, and once youre in it, its way too much work to change it.It wasnt new for her to ask. Shed been asking for years, but I had plenty of excuses. I have no suitable tack for Pony. Who would watch the boys? Shes not strong enough yet. I dont have time. They werent made up excuses, they were all very true. But I could have still done something.So when she asked this time, I decided I was going to do it. I basically decided on a whim one day, before I was going down to feed the horses. I invited everyone along. We went down. Everyone behaved themselves. I put a halter on Pony, found a helmet, and led Bridgette around bareback. She just grabbed mane and held on, and she loved it.She wanted to keep riding. I fashioned together a Frankenstein set of pony tack. A bridle was created from attaching old reins to a halter. I had an old cheap kids saddle, but I was sure it would be too big for her. I ordered a new synthetic saddle online, which Im now going to send back, so she started using the old saddle.The whole set up is gross and weird, but it works. I dont want to invest in new tack if she doesnt stick with it.But I hope she does keep up with it. I want to invest in something nice for her. I want her to be enthused about having a saddle pad collection, or matching her outfit to her ponys. Teaching her to ride is almost as good as riding myself. Her lessons are now my favorite part of the day. I hadnt even realized how much I would love sharing horses with her.Being out there makes we want to be out there even more. Its made me realize how much Ive been missing. Plus I need to clean up my arena, its become filled with weeds.Since Ive also been working with Pony near daily, I havent noticed any of the behaviors that my trainer was complaining about. I dont find him difficult to handle. He was head shy for two days, and now hes not. He was living his best feral life, but hes quickly come back to being civilized. Check out the video I made of yesterdays ride, and tell me thats not a pony meant to be teaching kids to ride.Its taken a long time to get to this point, but now that its started, its working out perfectly. We will see where this journey takes us.And if she ends up not liking it, Ive got two more waiting in the wings.The post Teaching My Daughter to Ride appeared first on An Equestrian Life.