Page 1 of 12 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Letter from the Prez…. Be Observant, Be Aware It's cliche now write and read articles about not being distracted by your phone/tablet or other electronic device, so that you pay attention to your kids, your driving, a concert or even your job. Few of us are on our phones riding down the trail or waiting in line for the vet. But sometimes we do not have our entire minds on the job at hand. We can all do better and being more observant and being very aware of our surroundings. As distance riders we have the awesome responsibility of keeping a 1,000 lb. equine safe and healthy for miles and miles. We are so conscientious about it that the founders of our sport added veterinarians as judges many decades ago as part of the ride process to diminish the risk of injury, sickness and even death to the horses and mules participating in endurance and competitive trail. AND it is the primary job of the rider, always, from beginning to middle to end, to keep your horse safe and healthy. While riding we would notice a depression on the trail full of dead leaves, and weave around it because it might be a hole to avoid stepping in to avoid injuring to our mount. Riders also need to pay attention in camp. When you are vetting in, is the horse in front on you swishing its tail and there are no flies? Perhaps you should move back away from that horse. Is your horse acting up because the horse you just rode 15 miles with went off the their trailer? Is the scribe concentrating on writing on your card, and not noticing that your horse is about to swing it’s butt over in agitation? Please warn the scribe and the vet, and get your horse under control. Pay attention to the task at hand, right in front of you, and not to your crew who is folding your horse blanket incorrectly. If your horse is a kicker, do you have a red ribbon in it’s tail, even when you vet in? When you set up your buckets at the vet area, are they too close to someone else? How crowded is the vet area, did a group of riders just come to vet out and finish their ride? Can you wait patiently while they do that, but not stand in the trot out area? When you come into camp after riding a loop, does your horse look bright eyed? Or tired? Did your horse pee, poop? Did it eat in camp? It’s often tiny, little things that help out the most and we are most thankful for. Helping put away potluck supplies after awards and supper, offering to bring unused awards to the ride manager’s trailer, delivering sack lunches to the vets and volunteers, standing in for the timer if they need to use the restroom, giving a hand putting up or taking down a pop-up canopy, and even noticing what campsite the ride manager is in, not only so that if there is an emergency you know where they might be, but also so you don’t online book the campsites close to the vet area or ride office before the ride manager has a chance to make the booking themselves. Thanks for being more aware, Theresa UMECRA President +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Make sure your email address for UMECRA is correct. Every month, we get bounces from 20+ people whose email addresses are no longer valid. It is your responsibility to ensure your email address is correct. Not receiving email messages from [email protected]? Check your SPAM folder and mark us as “not SPAM”. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Looking for new places to ride in your area and beyond? Check out http://trailmeister.com/ May/June 2017 UPPER MIDWEST ENDURANCE AND COMPETITIVE RIDES ASSOCIATION
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UPPER MIDWEST ENDURANCE AND COMPETITIVE RIDES … · Sep 23-24 Run for the Ridge Fairfax, MN Sep 23-24 Salamonie Stomp Andrews, IN Sep 30 Metro Park Express Ride Milford, MI Oct 6-8
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Letter from the Prez…. Be Observant, Be Aware It's cliche now write and read articles about not being distracted by your phone/tablet or other electronic device, so that you pay attention to your kids, your driving, a concert or even your job. Few of us are on our phones riding down the trail or waiting in line for the vet. But sometimes we do not have our entire minds on the job at hand. We can all do better and being more observant and being very aware of our surroundings. As distance riders we have the awesome responsibility of keeping a 1,000 lb. equine safe and healthy for miles and miles. We are so conscientious about it that the founders of our sport added veterinarians as judges many decades ago as part of the ride process to diminish the risk of injury, sickness and even death to the horses and mules participating in endurance and competitive trail. AND it is the primary job of the rider, always, from beginning to middle to end, to keep your horse safe and healthy. While riding we would notice a depression on the trail full of dead leaves, and weave around it because it might be a hole to avoid stepping in to avoid injuring to our mount. Riders also need to pay attention in camp. When you are vetting in, is the horse in front on you swishing its tail and there are no flies? Perhaps you should move back away from that horse. Is your horse acting up because the horse you just rode 15 miles with went off the their trailer? Is the scribe concentrating on writing on your card, and not noticing that your horse is about to swing it’s butt over in agitation? Please warn the scribe and the vet, and get your horse under control. Pay attention to the task at hand, right in front of you, and not to your crew who is folding your horse blanket incorrectly. If your horse is a kicker, do you have a red ribbon in it’s tail, even when you vet in?
When you set up your buckets at the vet area, are they too close to someone else? How crowded is the vet area, did a group of riders just come to vet out and finish their ride? Can you wait patiently while they do that, but not stand in the trot out area? When you come into camp after riding a loop, does your horse look bright eyed? Or tired? Did your horse pee, poop? Did it eat in camp? It’s often tiny, little things that help out the most and we are most thankful for. Helping put away potluck supplies after awards and supper, offering to bring unused awards to the ride manager’s trailer, delivering sack lunches to the vets and volunteers, standing in for the timer if they need to use the restroom, giving a hand putting up or taking down a pop-up canopy, and even noticing what campsite the ride manager is in, not only so that if there is an emergency you know where they might be, but also so you don’t online book the campsites close to the vet area or ride office before the ride manager has a chance to make the booking themselves. Thanks for being more aware, Theresa UMECRA President
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Make sure your email address for UMECRA is correct. Every
month, we get bounces from 20+ people whose email
addresses are no longer valid. It is your responsibility to
ensure your email address is correct. Not receiving email
Protecting Horses from Ticks By University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment Jun 26, 2014 Ticks might be tough opponents, but there are things you can do to reduce pasture infestations and protect horses. Ticks have been active this spring and early summer despite a harsh winter and will be around until August. The lone star tick and the American dog tick are the most troublesome species in Kentucky. Lone star tick bites are very irritating and tick feeding wounds can become infected. Check with your veterinarian about tick-borne disease incidence in your area. Protecting horses from ticks can be challenging. They usually pick up ticks while grazing in overgrown pastures, next to woods, or while being ridden through tick-infested areas. There are no shortcuts or magic tricks, but it helps to use the tick’s perspective when developing a management strategy. Ticks spend most of their lives on the ground, digesting a blood meal, molting to the next developmental stage, or waiting for a host. Dry air and direct sunlight are their enemies. Ticks survive in brushy, overgrowth that provides increased humidity, protection from direct sunlight, and shelter for animals that are important hosts. Small mammals and deer help to support tick populations and move them around. Horses with access to scrubby overgrowth or along woods or tree lines are very likely to pick up ticks. Pasture Management Habitat management is the best way to manage tick-infested pastures and grazing areas. Mow and remove brush as practical to eliminate the protection ticks need to survive while they aren't on hosts. When possible, use temporary fencing to keep horses out of areas that cannot be cleared. Habitat management is the best
long-term route to reducing tick problems. In addition, cleared areas discourage wildlife that can reintroduce ticks and might provide improved grazing areas. In severe cases, you might need to apply an insecticide spray to pasture margins along wooded or overgrowth areas to knock back tick numbers. Remove as much scrub vegetation as possible, and use sufficient water to treat the foliage thoroughly. Follow grazing restrictions and keep horses out of treated areas as required by the label. Protection and Removal Wipe-on and spray-on products containing cypermethrin or permethrin can provide several hours of protection during rides in infested areas. Dust, dirt, perspiration, and water shorten protection time, making reapplication a necessity. Horses pick up as they move through infested areas, so treat their legs and underbellies. Check horses regularly for ticks during your ride and thoroughly when finished. Ticks tend to move upward and find places to attach where the hair coat is thin. Chest and areas where fore and hind legs join the body are common attachment sites. Often, it is easier to feel ticks than see them. Scratch with your fingertips to find small bumps that indicate the smaller, immature stages. Use tweezers to hold the tick as close to the skin as possible and remove it with a steady straight pull. Treat the bite site with an appropriate antiseptic ointment. Ticks are tough opponents but horses can be protected and pasture infestations can be reduced. Lee Townsend, PhD, an entomologist within the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, provided this information.
Page 11 of 12
How Much Food and Water do
My Horses Need if I Evacuate?
No one wants to think of a natural disaster hitting their homes, but it's something everyone must consider to have the best chance of surviving these potentially deadly events. And while it might be easy to pack up your dog or cat should you need to evacuate, it's considerably harder when you've got horses in your care.
In many instances and for many reasons, owners choose to shelter in place with their animals or leave horses behind to weather disasters with food and water until the storms clear. But how much food and water will your horse need? Here are some tips on leaving food for horses should you need to evacuate without them.
Water When a disaster strikes you have no way of knowing how long your horses will need to fend for themselves or how long you'll be without power, especially if you live in a rural area. So fill as many large troughs as you can, aiming to have at least two to three weeks worth of water available for horses.
A horse can live several days without food, but will not last long without water. Estimate that each horse will drink 30 to 40 liters per day, and bear in mind that if temperatures are high, they'll likely drink more. So, for each horse that would be 420 to 840 liters for two to three weeks. For reference, a typical water trough holds roughly 565 liters.
Depending on the disaster, water troughs could be blown over if strong winds are present (such as if a hurricane or tornado blows through). Therefore, choose large, heavy troughs that can sustain wind gusts; secure them in place as best you can; and fill several extra in case some blow over when horses drink the water level down.
Grain Horses typically do not regulate their grain or
supplement intake, and leaving them with free-choice grain could result in a medical emergency while you're gone. So, lock the grain in the feed room, and leave your horses with the foundation of their diet: forage.
Taking Your Horses with You?
If you choose to evacuate with your horses, equate the preparation process to packing for a long-distance show or trail ride. Bring with you all the things you would normally pack when traveling with horses: buckets for water and food, hay nets, electrolytes (especially if it is hot), etc. But overall, the same general food and water rules apply if you do evacuate your horses:
Pack as many gallons of water as you physically can from home to make sure your horses stay hydrated. Depending on the disaster, the water might not be available or safe for drinking purposes.
Pack several days worth (at least 1.5% body weight per day) of good-quality forage.
Provide your horses' normal grain, supplement rations, and medications, if needed.
Pack a salt and mineral block, if needed. If possible, pack a portable fencing system, as
there might not be a proper enclosure for your horse when you arrive at your destination. A portable electric fencing system with a solar-powered control (assuming you won’t have electricity) is easy to set up and store.
By Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS
www.thehorse.com
Page 12 of 12
UMECRA Newsletter c/o Peggy Pasillas 9928 Rich Valley Blvd Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077
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