Q: I shoe my horse on a six-week cycle, typically, and have been somewhat unsure of what to do when his appointment with the farrier comes up right before a ride. Any thoughts?
A: This is a good question and one that comes up often enough. If you are going to a ride and you are due to have your horse reshod within the immediate period before a ride (seven to 10 days) then you face two possible problems/complications:
-- Either you leave the feet as they are and ride with possibly worn, thin shoes that will, at best, provide less support and, at worst, may break, become loose and pull off or generally hinder the horse's performance and your chances of finishing the ride.
-- Or you reshoe and then ride and risk problems from tight nails or any other problems associated with the actual shoeing, thin soles from recent trimming, and any possible problems from angle changes.
Most farriers, especially performance farriers who understand the demands placed on an endurance horse, are very conscientious about not changing angles, taking too much sole or making any drastic alterations to the foot. It benefits you to talk to your farrier and explain to him/her what you expect and do with your horse and to provide the farrier with any feedback that you can as it relates to the feet, shoes and your horse's motion.
Discuss your ride schedule with the farrier so that he or she can trim and shoe your horse with an eye to the next shoeing date and your ride plans.
All that being said, I feel that the answer to your question comes from knowing your horse and, in this case, from knowing its foot growth patterns. If you have a good-footed horse with plenty of sole and balanced feet with standard angles, then you may well be fine with a trimming or shoeing right before a ride. Nothing is really going to change much.
If your horse is turned out or turned in, however, and tends to land on one side of the foot and grow out the opposite side resulting in poorer motion the longer and more uneven the foot becomes, then you may have to trim and/or shoe closer to a ride date.
If your horse has naturally thin soles and is sometimes tender after a trim then you might want to wait until after a ride for a blacksmith appointment. Sometimes it is appropriate to have a farrier simply adjust and tighten nails on a horse that is towards the end of its shoeing cycle but still looking good.
There is no one answer to this question since all horses are different. If you are still in doubt, bring up this question with the ride vets at the check-in. Have them inspect the shoes and give you an opinion as to the amount of shoe left, the fit and overall condition of the feet. This information should help you decide to ride or reshoe.
Q: I have been reading about all the recent infectious disease problems, specifically about the viral Herpes outbreak that took place in Florida in January. Six horses died and 12 others had to receive lengthy and costly treatment. I got to thinking that at an endurance ride we trailer our horses in from all over, camp closely together, go out on an open trail through the country, letting our horses drink from ponds, streams and other water sources and then head home. How much risk is there for disease exposure for my endurance horses? What measures are in place at rides to address this issue and what are we doing to make sure that we do not infect someone else's horses living near the ride site or near trails?
A: Whew! Are you sure you don't work for the state veterinary office, because you ask many of the same questions that are being discussed at the state level in disaster planning sessions sparked by the recent herpes outbreaks, among other things.
We do know that many of these infectious disease outbreaks involving equine herpes (EHV-1), Equine Influenza, Equine Rhinopneumonitis, Strangles (Strep. Equi infection) and other organisms tend to occur where horses under stress come together. There is perhaps no more stressful event for horses than trailering, especially for long distances. Trailering adversely affects air quality and weakens the immune system. So endurance horses show up stressed, they compete over difficult terrain in difficult, stressful weather conditions and then they are trailered home and stressed some more. Maybe the first question is: why haven't we seen an infectious disease outbreak at a major ride before now?
Hopefully one of the reasons is that riders keep their horses well-vaccinated on an appropriate schedule determined by your veterinarian based on where you live, how your horses are managed and the particulars about your competitive ride program. Many new drugs, such as Zylexis, are also available to help boost the immune system and reduce the risk of picking up an infectious agent during the stress of travel and competition. Discuss this drug and other "protection programs" with your veterinarian.
A note on Zylexis and other immunostimulants from the AERC Veterary Committee: The current drug rule does not prohibit the use of immunostimulants or vaccines prior to competition and the revised drug rule will likely also not prohibit the use of immunostimulants or vaccines. However, the AERC Veterinary Committee recommends caution in the use of these products prior to competition because of the potential side effects that may detrimentally affect the horse's health during competition. More information is needed to advocate the use of immunostimulants prior to competition.
More attention probably needs to be paid to potentially stressed and sick horses at the check-in. Temperatures can be taken which may show a horse that looks fine but is hours away from becoming sick. Riders should try to make somewhat individualistic stabling areas for their horses and any horse noted to be sneezing, coughing, or exhibiting respiratory signs should be further isolated. Diarrhea would also warrant isolation. Attention to identifying these potentially sick horses in camp will be the best defense against contaminating the environment (water and pasture/grass) surrounding the ride.
While endurance rides have been historically healthy places (from an infectious disease standpoint) for horses to be, that could change tomorrow so it is worthwhile considering the topic of an infectious disease outbreak at a ride. Vaccinate and boost the immunity of any stressed horses.
It is also important to be able to identify a potentially sick horse. Have your veterinarian go over the clinical signs associated with these potential diseases and be on the lookout. I remember a very disappointed rider being sent home before the PanAm Championships a few years ago because his horse developed nasal discharge and a cough but, as corny as it sounds, prevention is still the best means we have of protecting our horses and our sport.
