THOROGOLD STABLES NEWSLETTER

September 2, 2002:

Welcome to the new boarders. We want your horses and you to feel very safe and comfortable here so keep us informed of any concerns you might have.

Winter is coming and so we need to be even more aware of keeping the doors shut for heat purposes as well as keeping the rodents out of tack, etc. Please take one last look before exiting the barn to check that all doors shut and all lights off. I like to leave the main sliding barn doors open for ventilation (this lessens the likelihood of respiratory problems for the horses).

We are still working on the watering for the arena. I applied a polymer product that is supposed to release water slowly. Please do be careful and watch for slick spots. In the outdoor arena, I hauled in sand, and am having the stall cleaners put the bedding (minus manure) which I think will help with making the footing softer.

.If you would like any other types of food items carried, let me know; however, please be sure to either put the money or an IOU in the can.

Let me know if you are interested in lessons from Pat Kabasa-USDF silver medallist who has trained & shown successfully through Intemediare I.-she comes monthly to Moscow.

If you want to use the hotwalker, let me know first so that I can be there to get your horse accustomed to it. If you want your horse put on instead of or in addition to turnout we can do that for the normal turnout fee. Let me know if you do want your horse to go on any kind of turnout schedule this winter or for special times when you might be out of town. Turnout is $2.00 and your horse will be typically out from 2 hrs. to as much as all day (1.00 for the lower barn horses in that small dry lot).

Still working on small trail course by outdoor arena but it’s a slow go. Also, will be trying to get a few jumps on the "walk about" area that goes around the perimeter of the property.

Thank you all for being so good about cleaning up after your horses. We will be installing rings in the horse box stalls. When it is busy, please groom and tack up in the stall to help with congestion and possible injuries in the breezeway.

As a reminder, don’t borrow things (especially horses) without speaking with the owner first and under no circumstances is anyone to handle someone else’s horse without their permission.

Sometime after the first hard freeze, we will be worming again and a product with Ivermectin is recommended. There are some worm products in the tackroom for purchase or if you want me to worm your horse, let me know.

WEST NILE
 
 

We’ve all been hearing a great deal about West Nile, which appeared in the U.S. in 1999. This is a mosquito borne flavivirus that causes encephalitis. Mosquitoes obtain the virus from birds and pass it along to other birds, humans, and other animals. The virus tends to follow closely with migratory patterns of birds. Humans and other animals do not have a high enough viremia to transmit the virus to other humans or animals, thus they are considered "dead-end" hosts.

Clinical Symtoms:

Horses: listlessness, stumbling, incoordination, and weakness of the limbs, partial paralysis, and death. Usually there is not a fever. It is likely that most horses recover from the infection without showing any signs of illness; however, 32% of infected horses in the U.S. were euthanized or died from the infection.

Birds: The virus has been detected in at least 110 species of birds; however, it affects the Corvids (crows, magpies, ravens, and jays), the most severe, causing illness and death.

Cats and dogs: West Nile does not appear to cause extensive illness in dogs or cats.

Other animals may be exposed to the virus but do not seem to become ill from it.

Vaccination: The first time immunization takes two doses 3 to 6 weeks apart. An annual booster is required every year thereafter. The state veterinarian’s office recommends vaccinating all horses even though the immunity will not take effect for another few weeks.

Websites for further information:

Center for Disease Control;http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/

USDA APHIS-http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/wnv/

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment-http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/zoonosis/zoonosis.asp

Colorado Department of Agribulture-http://www.ag.state.co.us/animals/Animal_Diseases/Andislinks.html

American Veterinary Medical Assocation-http://www.avma.org

Information on Mosquito Control-http://npic.orst.edu/wnv/

Insect Repellent Safety-http://www.epa.gov/pesticides;citizens/insectrp.htm or http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/skeeters.htm

Animal Clinic and most of the Vets in the area recommend the vaccinations and we have vaccinated all our horses. The expectation is that the disease will likely reach Idaho this coming Spring or sooner. If you’re interested in me getting vaccine for you, please let me know.

Check the Bulletin Board for upcoming events and especially our PLAY DAY! We’ve had a couple Play Days and we’ve all had a lot of fun and it’s great exposure for the horses.
 
 

HAPPY RIDING & DON’T FORGET TO HUG YOUR HORSE