Lexington, KY (November 21, 2024) The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) are thrilled to announce that the 2025 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan are scheduled for October 30 November 2, at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Wilmington, OH. Based on consistent feedback from competitors over the years regarding the unpredictable nature of the November weather,[...]Read MoreThe post WEC Wilmington Set to Host 2025 US Dressage Finals Presented by Adequan appeared first on World Equestrian Center.

The Mars Badminton Horse Trials have announced that ClipMyHorse.TV will become the exclusive streaming partner for the event from 2025 in a multi-year partnership which will replace Badminton TV.ClipMyHorse.TV is the worlds largest video platform for equestrian sports and breeding and streams over 2,000 events from around the world each year. It already has the rights to show the CCI5* events in Kentucky and Maryland as well as the FEI World Championships and the dressage and showjumping Grand Prix.We are thrilled to be partnering with ClipMyHorse.TV who will enhance the Badminton TV experience, said Badminton Horse Trials event director Jane Tuckwell.Eventing fans worldwide will have the ability to follow the action via a Badminton season pass for 21.99 or theClipMyHorse.TVPremium Subscription.Multi language commentary, live stream rewind and jump back functions are among the user enhancements to the coverage to have been announced so far.The best streaming experienceIt isClipMyHorse.TVs mission to promote equestrian sports by making it as easily accessible as possible, creating the best streaming experience on all devices. Through this new partnership,ClipMyHorse.TVPremium Members will also be able to access Badminton TV content, said Markus Detering, managing director of ClipMyHorse.TV.Badminton TV was launched as a native live streaming platform in 2022.Those people who are existing subscribers to Badminton TV will be contacted directly and advised how to activate their ClipMyHorse.TV account.The BBC will continue to broadcast a Sunday highlights programme.The Mars Badminton Horse Trials, which was won this year by New Zealand rider Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier, takes place in the grounds of Badminton House in Gloucestershire. It is one of seven CCI5* eventing competitions which take place around the world each year.In 2025, Mars Badminton Horse Trials will take place from Thursday 7 May Sunday 11 May.Further readingCharity cycling challenge featuring Piggy March gets underway today at Blair CastleBEVA president highlights issue of antimicrobial resistance in EVJMother who fundraises in memory of her showjumper daughter receives cheque from John WhitakerThe post Badminton Horse Trials reveals new streaming provider appeared first on Your Horse.

Table of ContentsToggleWhat is White Line Disease?Signs of White Line DiseaseHow to Treat White Line DiseaseChallenges of TreatmentEnvironmental Considerations and PreventionCan Nutrition Help?Its often what you cant see that leads to trouble, and thats definitely the case with white line disease. Understanding the nature of this condition, its signs, and effective treatment options will help horse owners to ensure the long-term health of their equine companions.Treatment is highly successful when this condition is caught in the early stages. Unfortunately, white line disease is often not detected promptly. This may lead to serious problemssometimes even to the point of coffin bone rotation. However, most horses with white line disease arent lame unless the condition is allowed to progress to this stage.The name white line disease is a bit misleading, since not all cases involve the actual white line of the hoof, which is where the sole joins the wall. When identified early and treated effectively, many cases are generally restricted to the stratum mediumthe middle and thickest of the hoofs three layers.The white line is the groove around the edge of the underside of the horses hoof. Fungus can permeate this area if feet are not trimmed regularly or conditions are too wet. Photo by fotomolka/Adobe StockWhat is White Line Disease?Technically, white line disease is not a disease, but rather a fungal infection of the equine hoof wall.Infection develops when opportunistic fungi routinely present in the environment find an opening in the hoof wall. Once in the hoof, the fungi work their way up, digesting the keratin until a cavity is created beneath the wall.Although the sensitive tissue of the hoof isnt involved, the hoof wall separation caused by white line disease can have major consequences.If left untreated, hoof integrity can be compromised to the point that the coffin bone pulls away from the hoof capsule and rotates. Although this is not exactly the same rotation that occurs with laminitis, it can still result in lameness.Signs of White Line DiseaseWhite line disease can affect horses of any breed, age, and discipline, infecting one or more feet at the same time. The following signs are associated with the condition and indicate a problem is brewing: Cracks or separation in the hoof at the toe, heel, along the wall or along the white line Debris packed deeply into the hoof wall Chalky, grayish-white powder visible between the hoofs sole and wall Rotten fruit odor Significant flaring or dishing of the foot Hollow sound when outside of hoof is lightly tapped with a hammerAfter operating his own farrier business for 11 years in Ohio, Jason Maki has been the full-time farrier at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Large Animal Hospital in College Station, Texas, since 2008.Maki points out the puzzling conundrum that horses receiving exceptional hoof care and living in well-managed barns can still get white line disease, as can backyard horses on inconsistent hoof care schedules.Sometimes a hoof that is dishing and flared is a sign of separation under the wall caused by white line disease, says Maki.He adds that hooves that become dished and flared because theyre allowed to get too long between trims may become more susceptible to this condition.Maki agrees with the study published by Michael Wildenstein, Certified Journeyman Farrier, of Cornell University that identified fungal infection being to blame for white line disease. He notes that while specific fungi may be the primary cause of action, they cant cause harm unless they get inside the foot.Essentially, there has to be a break or a micro crack in the hoof wall that allows the fungi to set up shop, he explains. The fungi are ingesting the hoof and create a pocket. The longer theyre present in the hoof, the more they will undermine it.The presence of grayish powder in any separation between sole and wall seems to be definitive of white line disease.The powder is disintegrating hoof wall, says Maki, adding that if you see this when cleaning your horses hooves, you should contact your farrier promptly.How to Treat White Line DiseaseWildensteins study revealed that the anerobic fungi responsible for white line disease can be effectively treated with a chlorine dioxide solution.The basic protocol for treating white line disease is to debride the affected area, removing the damaged hoof wall to expose the infected portion of the hoof to air and then treating the area with chlorine dioxide. Because chlorine dioxide makes fungi and bacteria vulnerable to oxygen, this helps destroy them.The basic protocol for treating white line disease is to debride the infected area. You follow the tract (cavity) as far as it extends and cut it out until the gray powder is not visible and you have good attachment to the hoof wall, says Maki. Photo by Jason Mak, CJFMaki points out that simply squirting a chlorine dioxide product up into the cavity isnt enough. The infected portion of hoof wall must be removed.You follow the tract (cavity) as far as it extends and cut it out until the gray powder is not visible and you have good attachment to the hoof wall, says Maki.He is one of many farriers who have had great success treating the condition with a chlorine dioxide (ClO2) product. Maki personally swears by White Lightningequine hoof treatment.In my experience, debridement followed by White Lightning is the silver bullet for treating white line disease, says Maki. The chlorine dioxide gas infiltrates the hoof, gets into the nooks and crannies, and kills the fungi. If I even suspect white line disease, I use this to treat it.Challenges of TreatmentWhen caught early, your farrier can usually treat white line disease effectively at home. More complicated cases can require your veterinarian and farrier working together.Depending on how extensive white line disease is, or if the horse is lame, youll want to get your veterinarian involved, says Maki. White line disease shows up on a radiograph as bright white, so it gives you a good idea of the extent of erosion and also shows any rotation.When white line disease isnt found and treated early, the farrier may have to cut away a significant portion of hoof wall to totally expose the affected area.When white line disease isnt found and treated early, your farrier may have to cut away a significant portion of hoof wall to expose the entire affected area to help kill the anaerobic fungi. Photo by Mark Milster, CjfYou want to take only what you have to and leave enough wall to treat the hoof. If you have a deep white line tract but still have good attachment of the hoof wall, the hoof is less likely to splay, says Maki, noting that the tricky part can be providing enough stability that the cure doesnt become a problem.Maki explains that if extensive sections of hoof wall have to be cut away, steps must be taken to stabilize the foot until new wall grows in. This may involve special shoeing techniques.You need to make sure the horse has good mechanical support of the hoof capsule, he notes. Managing extensive white line disease without a shoe or cast is problematic. Ive found bar shoes, heart bar shoes, sole support, and clips to be useful for adding stability to the hoof and minimizing the chance of mechanical rotation due to instability.Maki has found bar shoes, heart bar shoes, sole support, and clips to be a good way to manage extensive white line disease by adding stability and minimizing the chance of rotation. Photo by Jason Mak, CJFEnvironmental Considerations and PreventionWhile the fungi to blame for white line disease are present in many environments, Maki has dealt with more cases when horses live in regions where the weather is warm and wet without extended periods of freezing temperatures.While he says theres no definitive answer as to whether some horses are simply more susceptible to white line disease, environmental conditions play a role.Horses cant be expected to have optimal hoof health if their feet are constantly exposed to moisture. When feet never get the chance to dry out, continuous moisture can compromise the hooves by softening and weakening them. This makes hooves more vulnerable to cracking and separation, which can allow in fungi and bacteria.The goal is to keep hooves as dry as possible. This may mean waiting to turn out until the grass is dry and not turning out during wet weather.Maki reminds horse owners that basic routine hoof care with short cycles between farrier visits is crucial for protecting horses against white line disease. He emphasizes that its always best to keep horses on a regular farrier schedule, even during times of the year when their hooves arent growing quickly.Can Nutrition Help?Although supplements specifically targeted for hooves cant be considered a preventative, Certified Journeyman Farrier Jason Maki thinks these may possibly lessen susceptibility to white line disease by making feet stronger.As he explains, when hooves have good horn quality, there is less breakdown in the connective layers, thus limiting the opportunities for opportunistic fungi and bacteria to invade the hooves.White Line Disease In SummaryWhite line disease poses a serious risk to horses, requiring vigilant monitoring and prompt treatment to prevent severe consequences. Though it can affect any horse, early detection and proper hoof care significantly enhance treatment success. By adhering to a proactive care routine and consulting with experienced farriers and veterinarians, horse owners can effectively safeguard their horses against this condition.Further Reading on Hoof Health Helping Your Horse Have Healthy Hooves Nutrition for Hoof Health5 Serious Hoof ConditionsKeeping Your Horse BarefootThis article appeared in the August 2023 issue of Horse Illustratedmagazine.Click here to subscribe!The post An Overview of White Line Disease appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

21 November 2024 The GCL Super Cup Semi-Final delivered an unforgettable rollercoaster of drama and emotion, setting the stage for Sunday’s hotly anticipated Final. In this electrifying knockout round and pivotal second day of the GC Riyadh Playoffs, the competition was halved, narrowing the field in the heart-stopping GCL Super Cup Final. With the stakes higher than ever, favourites...

Key Aspect Details Nutrition Protein: Essential amino acids like lysine, methionine, and tryptophan. Use supplements such as Pavo ProteinPlus or Purina SuperSport. Energy: Higher energy intake needed based on breed, age, and activity level. Roughage: Hay plus supplements like Pavo FibreBeet or Pavo WeightLift. Training Regimen Warm-Up and Cool-Down: 15-minute walk before and after training. Exercises: Walking and serpentines, transitions, hill work, polework, and bounces. Variety: Alternate intense exercises and lighter activities to prevent overuse injuries. Conditioning Benefits: Early exercise strengthens musculoskeletal system and provides athletic preparation. Balance: Avoid over or under exercising considering age, breed, and development. Muscle Recovery Nutritional Support: Use products like Pavo Eplus for vitamins and antioxidants. Rest: Ensure adequate rest to prevent sore muscles and aid recovery. Conclusion Patience and a strategic approach in nutrition, training, and recovery are essential for building strong and healthy horses. Tailor exercises to individual needs for optimal results. Building Muscle in Young Horses: A Guide for Novice Trainers Building muscle in young horses is a pivotal part of their development journey, essential for those on a path to athletic prowess. This task demands a careful blend of nutrition, structured training, and diligent management to nurture their potential without inviting injury. Buckle up as we dive into the essentials for novice trainers aiming to optimize muscle growth for young horses. The Role of Nutrition in Muscle Development The backbone of any muscle-building endeavor is nutrition. Without a steady supply of essential nutrients, even the best training plans can falter. Young horses, in particular, need optimal amino acids intake as these are the building blocks of their growing muscles. Fun fact: Horses can only synthesize 12 of the 22 amino acids needed for muscle development, with the remaining 10 being gifted by their diet. Who knew? Key Nutritional Components Protein: Your horses diet should be rich in proteins, especially essential amino acids like lysine, methionine, and tryptophan. Consider supplements such as Pavo ProteinPlus or Purina SuperSport to fill potential nutritional voids. Energy: Growing equine athletes demand higher energy intake, influenced by breed, age, and activity level. Roughage: A staple like hay is wonderful, but sport horses often need extra supplementation, like Pavo FibreBeet or Pavo WeightLift, to meet their protein and energy needs. Embarking on a Training Regimen Training is the engine that powers muscle development in young horses. A consistent and varied approach ensures balanced growth and prevention of monotony. Heres a closer look at essential training tips and exercises to sprinkle into your regimen. Warm-Up and Cool-Down Essentials The golden rule: No training session should start without a proper warm-up, ideally a peaceful 15-minute walk to get those muscles ready for action, and should never end without a soothing cool-down to ease muscle recovery. Specific Exercises for Muscle Building Walking and Serpentines: This routine enhances lateral suppleness and works muscles from the poll to the tail, crucial for developing overall musculature (FEI.org). Transitions: Exercises like trot-walk-trot and trot-canter-trot build hind end muscle and perfect the top line (Amelia Newcomb Dressage). Hill Work: Walking uphill or trotting downhill for rear muscle development, starting with gentle slopes and progressively tackling steeper terrain. Polework and Bounces: For jumpers, incorporating raised poles and cavaletti promotes hindquarter strengthwithout stressing joints too much (Finish Line Horse Products). Variety and Gradual Progression Variety is indispensable for fostering motivation while warding off overuse injuries. Spice things up by alternating between intense exercises and lighter activities, gifting your horse frequent moments of respite. Conditioning: The Phase of Strengthening Evidence suggests that incorporating the right amount of exercise early in a horse's life reaps immense benefits for their musculoskeletal system. Indeed, balanced exercise prepares muscles, bones, heart, and lungs for a future brimming with athletic triumphs. Benefits of Early Exercise Engaging in structured activities from a tender age can reinforce bone strength and tendon resistance. Youngsters, when raised in outdoor pastures, latch onto the double delight of natural and structured workouts as seen here. Striking the Right Balance Striking the optimum balance in exercise is crucial. Too little can stunt growth, while too much can invite unwanted injuries. Monitoring factors like age, breed, and unique development helps arrive at the happy medium. The Importance of Muscle Recovery and Care Recovery is as pivotal as the training itself. Providing your horse with ample recovery will ensure their muscles stay healthy and primed for action. Nutritional Support for Recovery Support muscle recovery with supplements like Pavo Eplus, rich in vitamin E, selenium, and antioxidants, to preserve supple muscles and prevent soreness. Explore such options at the Everyday Horse Vitamins & Supplements collection. The Role of Rest in Muscle Recovery Sufficient rest is your horse's best friend. Over zealous training can lead to sore muscles led by built-up waste. Secure appropriate rest breaks for optimal recovery. Conclusion: The Journey to Strong, Healthy Horses Building muscle in young horses is a meticulous and rewarding journey that calls for patience, fervor, and a robust strategy. With the right fusion of nutrition, varied training, and proper muscle recovery floating on the horizon, novice trainers can smoothly sculpt their young horses for athletic success. Horses, like humans, have unique constitutions, and tailoring exercises to meet their specific needs is vital. With the right step forward, you arm them with the strength and stamina needed to chase dreamsand perhaps even enjoyably trot past them! Explore more about gears for young equine athletes like the Horse Riding Boot Collection to get started on the right foot, or hoof in this case!

The amount and timing of exercise can affect a horses risk of developing squamous ulcers. | Adobe stockRather than repeatedly treating horses for equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) and spending a lot of money on medication, veterinarians and horse owners should focus on preventing the condition using better management practices. This was a key message from Ben Sykes, BVMS, MS, MBA, Dipl. ACVIM, PhD, FHEA, a veterinarian and gastrointestinal disease researcher based in New South Wales, Australia, during his presentation at the 2024 National Alliance of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Sept. 25-28 in Saratoga, New York.Anytime we discuss EGUS its important to appreciate that squamous and glandular disease are two completely different diseases, said Sykes. A horse may have only one type of ulcer, or if theyre particularly unlucky, they can have both simultaneously. Squamous ulcers occur in the upper third of the stomach while glandular ulcers form in the lower region.Sykes highlighted three factors that remain crucial when preventing squamous disease:Roughage: amount and timing;Nonstructural carbohydrates: amount per meal; andExercise: amount and timing.Optimizing Feed for Ulcer Prevention in HorsesWe want a nice, firm ball made of long-stem roughage (floating in the stomachs gastric fluid), said Sykes. And we want this ball to have structural integrity as well as strong buffering capacity. The simplest way to get that is to offer free-choice hay and, in some cases, to tweak how we offer the feed to optimize the grazing period. The aim is about 1.5% dry matter per day, which is about 2% body weight on an as-fed basis.Sykes noted that study results on the protective effect of pasture in horses with a history of squamous disease vary dramatically. He suggested this could be because of pasture type. For example, in one study researchers showed that horses with pasture access were three times less likely to have squamous disease than stabled horses, but that was a dry pasture. Authors of other studies have, counterintuitively, demonstrated no protective effect of pasture turnout, especially on fields with high levels of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) and soft, watery grasses.We dont give our horses at risk of ulcers sweet feed, and pasture can be like sweet feed in terms of NSCs, said Sykes. In the stomach, some pastures with high NSCs can make sugar soup that is not protective like a ball of roughage. It may, in fact, increase the risk of squamous ulcers due to the contributions of fermenting NSCs damaging the mucosa.In terms of feed timing, Sykes said offering alfalfa hay before exercising the horse is most beneficial. This optimizes the roughage ball for protection before the highest risk period for damage to the squamous mucosa (i.e., exercise).Monitoring a Horses NSC IntakeWhile the amount of NSC a horse eats contributes to squamous disease, Sykes suggested its probably an overstated risk factor for most riding horses.The majority of riding horses eating modern, well-formulated diets dont eat enough NSCs for it to be a major driver of disease, said Sykes. Its usually only the super-high performance horses or those without well-formulated diets. For most horses we need to worry less about this and focus more on roughage.Still, horses should not consume more than 1 gram of NSC/kilogram (of body weight)/meal, and ideally you should aim to feed less than 0.5 g NSC/kg/meal.Adding beet pulp to the diet might also be useful. Feeding beet pulp reduced the risk of squamous ulcers fivefold in one study, said Sykes. This is a cheap and easy management change with apparent benefits.Reducing the Horses Exercise DurationDuring exercise, horses contract their abdominal muscles, effectively lifting the acid level onto the area of the squamous mucosa, said Sykes. Its the durationof exercise at the trot or above, not intensity, that is the primary driver for squamous ulcer risk. As a recommendation, aim for an average of less than 30 to 40 minutes per day. Thats still quite a lot.As a solution, Sykes recommended a faster cooldown, noting that the sooner the horse slows to a walk, the sooner the acid in the stomach settles to its normal location.Ideally, riders should not exercise their horses first thing in the morning when no ball of forage exists in the stomach to prevent stomach acid splashing. Instead, its preferable to exercise after the horse has spent some time grazing or eating hay to reinforce its roughage ball.If you must exercise in the morning, do it after the horse has eaten a significant roughage-based meal.This meal should include hay, not short-stem substitutes like cubes and pellets, said Sykes. Cubes and pellets form soup, not a roughage ball, and soup doesnt stop acid from splashing around. Horses also chew two to three times less when eating cubes and pellets than when eating hay. Less chewing equals less saliva, leading to less natural buffering. This, in effect, gives a double negative of less buffering and no roughage ball, leaving acidic stomach contents free to splash around despite alfalfas modest direct buffering capacity.He added that alfalfa makes the ideal hay for horses with squamous ulcers, but grass hay serves as a sufficient alternative when alfalfa is unavailable.Managing Horses That Have Glandular DiseaseSykes noted that the list of actionable steps for preventing glandular ulcers is much shorter, simply because researchers dont know as much about this disease as squamous.Its a stress-based disease, so our focus is on behavioral aspects of management, he said. Diet has not been shown to be a causative factor for glandular ulcers, but it might be a therapeutic target. Some studies have shown that glandular ulcers can be improved by reducing carbohydrates and including alfalfa hay. And there may also be some benefit in adding oils, specifically marine-derived omega-3s.Sykes said in his opinion, the No. 1 way to prevent glandular ulcers is to provide sufficient rest days. He recommended scheduling two to three days of rest per week and removing confounding stressors such as orthopedic disease, poor saddle fit, and other causes of chronic pain.If glandular disease is a disease of stress, then it makes sense that other causes of pain can contribute to glandular disease, Sykes said.Additional research-supported ways of preventing glandular disease include minimizing handlers and trainers, offering a regular routine, massaging or grooming the horse, and playing relaxing music.Enriching the horses environment should help prevent glandular ulcers, said Sykes. Every horse needs a friend to groom and cuddle, and the worst thing weve done for horses is take a herd animal and make it live in isolation. Some European countries are legislating that horses must have an equid companion, which is a great step forward.Take-Home MessageBy focusing on these items, we theoretically should be able to manage squamous ulcers out of most riding horse populations, said Sykes.He did point out to practitioners that its hard to offer everything to every owner. To be successful, we need to pick what each owner can do, but we can make an important difference with relatively simple interventions.