Hurricane Katrina has halted mail deliver to many areas in Louisiana and Mississippi. Needless to say, it has affected delivery of the American Quarter Horse Journal, the American Quarter Horse Racing Journal and America’s Horse.
For those people living in the three-digit Zip Code ranges of 369, 393, 394, 395, 396, 700, 701 and 704, your magazines will be held at the AQHA headquarters in Amarillo, Texas. You may call the circulation department at (806) 372-1163 to have your magazines temporarily delivered to another address. Or when you are able to accept mail again, please call that number and alert the circulation department.
Vesicular Stomatitis Postpones Region Two Experience
For its first year, AQHA’s Regional Experiences have been phenomenal. From test rides to AQHA Professional Horsemen and Team Wrangler clinics, each Experience offered everything from education to competition.
The last Experience for 2005 was to be in Rapid City, South Dakota, at the end of this month but vesicular stomatitis cases reported in the northern United States has caused it to be postponed until spring 2006.
The Region Two Experience Committee met via conference call on August 31 to discuss the Experience and how it has been affected by VS cases. For these reasons and AQHA’s continued concern for the safety and welfare of the American Quarter Horse, the decision was made to postpone the Experience.
“Our first and foremost priority is always the American Quarter Horses that compete in AQHA events,” AQHA Executive Vice President Bill Brewer said. “We feel that the committee made the correct decision in this situation. We look forward to planning the Experience for next spring, and I know it will be a success.”
For up-to-date information about the Region Two Experience, including dates, show entry and clinic schedules, please contact Larry Larson at (605) 393-0900 or visit www.aqha.com/association/experience/two.html.
VS is an Ugly Thing
Jan Falstad of The Billings (Montana) Gazette recently wrote how vesicular stomatitis has affected the Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota regions. (There’s also a photo of what it looks like on an infected horse.)
“Right before the Montana State Fair, and at the height of horse show season, the nose on Sheila Buschette's Paint gelding swelled up like a beluga whale and her job came to a screeching halt.
"’It's 100 percent shut everything down. The horses I have in training there, my lessons,’ she said. ‘Even the areas that don't have VS are afraid to move.’
“Vesicular stomatitis returned to Montana for the first time in 23 years in the middle of show time in Montana. Officially, 61 Montana horses and some mules and cows have VS. Most of the cases are in Yellowstone County, and it has spread to Carbon and Rosebud counties.”
Falstad writes that not only did VS affect the AQHA Region Two Experience, it has postponed horse sales, cancelled horse shows and county fairs, and restricted livestock shipments.
“Every Labor Day, the town of Culbertson, population 716, nearly doubles in size with horse lovers who travel from neighboring states and even from Florida to enjoy the annual trail ride. This year's ride was going to be bigger than ever because it's the event's 40th anniversary.
“However, VS canceled one of the town's biggest tourist draws.
"’We didn't want to,’ said Tana Berwick, secretary of the Culbertson Saddle Club. ‘But sitting down and thinking, if just one horse shows up with VS, all those horses have to stay at that one spot.’
For more information on VS, click here.
Ulcers in the Colon Can Trigger Colic
Recent research suggested that 63 percent of performance horses have colonic ulceration while 54 percent have both gastric and colonic ulcers. And, according to one veterinarian, these ulcers can cause colic.
This research was the highlight of a speech by Frank Andrews, D.V.M., at a recent meeting of the 2005 American Association of Equine Practitioners Practice Management Seminar: Focus on Equine Colic. The research comes from Franklin Pelligrini, D.V.M., on the frequency and importance of colonic ulcers in horses
“Ulcers in the colon can be a significant cause of colic for many horses,” said Andrews, who is a professor and section chief of large animal medicine at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. “Dr. Pellegrini’s research reveals just how many horses may be affected, but the trouble is that medications designed to work on stomach ulcers just don’t provide relief or treatment in the colon.”
This suggests that an entirely different method of treatment is necessary to help with colonic ulcers, he added.
Andrews suggested that horse owners and their veterinarians consider implementing methods to decrease stress and avoid use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). He also recognized probiotics and digestive aids as important tools in helping the many performance horses that may have colon pain.
Polar lipids were among the nutrients that Andrews presented as helping with overall digestive health. These components of oat oil help transport nutrients into the blood stream and support a healthy gut lining. Soluble oat fiber — which supports the immune system — amino acids and yeast extracts were also discussed as important nutrients.
“There isn’t a certain way to treat colonic ulcers at this time,” Andrews said. “The best option for horse owners may be to prevent ulceration by reducing stress, assuring hydration and utilizing proper nutrients to support the health of the entire digestive tract, including the colon.”
— Tonya Ratliff-Garrison
Finally, August is done. On to September.
It was quite a busy month for us around here at AQHA in August. We had four Regional Experiences, the Youth World and the Bayer Select. Needless to say, most of us were on the road for the majority of the month, including moi.
There are tons of stories and photos from the events online. Please check them out when you have the time. They are well worth looking at.
But now it’s time to play major catch up on what’s been happening while I’ve been gone. So, sit back, put your feet up, place your laptop or keyboard on your lap and read on.
Good Asset Euthanized
The Quarter Horse world has lost another great stallion. The 16-year-old Good Asset was put down August 30 after a brief illness caused by an inoperable liver abscess.
“There was no hope for his survival, according to the surgeons at Kansas State University,” said Carol McWhirter, who owned the stallion along with her huband, Dan. “We brought him home to spend his last few days comfortably in his own stall and buried him under an oak tree next to The Invester.”
The 16-year-old stallion was by Zippos Mr Goodbar and out of Miss Rebel Rita by Top Rebel. He was an earner of 51 AQHA points, with the majority in western pleasure. He was the 1992 Lone Star Futurity Circuit champion, a finalist at the 1992 All American Quarter Horse Congress junior western pleaure, the 1992 Dixie National junior hunter under saddle reserve champion and the 1993 Tulsa Holiday Circuit junior western pleasure champion.
Standing at the McWhirters’ ranch in Doniphan, Nebraska, Good Asset sired more than 25 performance horses who went on to top-10 finishes at Congress and the AQHA World Show. As of the end of 2004, 144 of his get had earned AQHA performance ROMs, 38 of which earned Superiors.
“Good Asset is a proven producer of stallions and mares that have also earned reputations as producers,” Dan said “That’s a unique trait in the industry at this time and one that we’re very proud of.”
Two Major Dispersal Sales Coming Up
This fall will see the dispersal of herds owned by two well-known farms.
Scott and Kathy McCutcheon will sell their horses at a sale on their Whitesboro, Texas, ranch on October 14. Featured in the sale are their stallions Marthas Mega Jac and Inwhizable. I recently watched Marthas Mega Jac at the USEF Reining Championship in Lexington, Kentucky, last month and the 14-year-old stallion is still going strong. He marked well at the event and put on a fine performance.
For more on the sale, go online to www.horseauctions.com.
AQHA and NSBA leading sire Invitation Only will be part of David James’ dispersal sale November 11 and 12 at The Heritage Place in Oklahoma City.
James is selling his entire herd, which includes about 50 broodmares, recipient mares, yearlings and weanlings. Saying it’s time for him to slow down, James wants to concentrate on his roping and thought while the stallion was still in his prime, it was a good time to disperse and give the opportunity for someone to step up into a top breeding situation.
For more on the sale, go online to www.nationalequinesales.com.
Database Set Up for Stranded Horses and Pets
In response to a request from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams, www.TheHorse.com has created a database for citizens to report stranded animals in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. This list will be used by the VMATs to direct their searches for large and small animals for rescue.
Owners forced to leave pets or livestock in hurricane-stricken areas can visit www.TheHorse.com and fill out the available form. These submissions will be reviewed by staff and then posted ASAP on the Web site, where VMATs will access them. Click here to view posted pets and horses.
Be as complete as possible about the location, number, and types of animals left stranded and include current contact information. Also, remember, most street signs are gone. To help rescuers find pets and livestock, give thorough directions, including crossroads or 911 identifying markers, and GPS coordinates if possible.
Click here to make donations to the VMATs.
Speaking of the Hurricane Victims …
The Jennings family, owners of The Last Captive, are going to auction off a breeding to The Last Captive at Professional Auction Service's sale in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday. All proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross to benefit the hurricane victims.
TheHorse.com also has an excellent online story on how you can help those affected by the hurricane. Several organizations are offering ways to contribute financially (or with goods and services) to the relief effort. TheHorse.com put together a compilation of places to donate.
The NCHA Web site also states that several cutting competitions in the South have been cancelled because of the hurricane. They are encouraging competitors to contact show management before heading out. Although this notice comes from NCHA, this is good advice for anyone heading to horse shows in the South for the remainder of this year and probably even next year.
Will Gas Prices Encourage More Riding?
It appears the answer may be yes. There are two reports out this past week of people doing just that.
In Eastern Ontario, Canada, a mail carrier has taken to the saddle to deliver the mail. Carriers frequently use their own vehicles to deliver mail in rural Ontario and are paid for gas. But, Canada Post employee Diana Bayer of Smiths Falls has traded in her gasoline-powered SUV for her horse. She claims her gas allowance is insufficient to cover her costs.
The Associated Press reports that a North Dakota man has taken rising gas prices into his own hands.
“Tired of feeling all that pain at the pump, Jim Jundt was so determined to rein in his spending on gasoline that he got out of bed early and rode his 14-year-old Quarter Horse mare to work.
“Jundt lives 15 miles south of Minot and works as a mechanic at Goodyear Tire & Auto Service in the city. He said he and his co-workers had been talking about rising fuel prices, and he joked that he would ride his horse to work if gasoline ever hit $3 a gallon. His co-workers laughed, but when the price at the pump soared to $3.20 last week, Jundt headed for the barn.
“He said he was only five minutes late riding his mare, Patty, to work. While he worked, Patty waited patiently, eating hay out of the back of a truck.”
And, finally, The Cadillac (Michigan) News reports that a dentist decided to leave her Olds Bravada in the garage and ride her 17-year-old Quarter Horse to work.
"’It felt powerful not to drive today and use gas,’ she said.
“Only kids on a school bus run gave the doctor and her four-legged ride, Gypsy, a second look as they made their way to the office. But it wasn't a trip Piziks made to garner attention.”
Piziks' horse made the four-mile trek in 40 minutes. Her bike gets her to the office in 15 minutes and the Bravada makes the journey in five minutes.
‘Saddle Up’ for ‘The Q Life’
“The Q Life,” a new racing lifestyle television program, joins the Saddle Up Sunday block of programming on TVG Network beginning Sunday.
“The Q Life” showcases American Quarter Horse farms and ranches, including a look at top sires and performers on the racetrack. The Q Life also includes recaps of American Quarter Horse racing’s major events, previews of upcoming events and a look back at historic moments in American Quarter Horse Racing.
Saddle Up Sunday is a two-hour block of television. “The Q Life” airs every-other Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Eastern/8:30 a.m. Pacific. Also featured during the Saddle Up Sunday block is “America’s Horse,” the American Quarter Horse Association’s award-winning weekly television show. “America’s Horse” airs at 10 a.m. Eastern/7 a.m. Pacific Sunday mornings. Premiere episodes of “The Q Life” air Sunday evening at 10 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Pacific in TVG’s block of racing programs including “The Quarters.”
TVG has been an AQHA television partner, covering major American Quarter Horse racing events like the All American Futurity, MBNA America Challenge Championships, Champion of Champions, Los Alamitos Million and racing champion announcements. “America’s Horse” became the first regularly scheduled non-racing, equestrian lifestyle program for the network.
TVG is available in 39 million homes through Dish (Channel 405) and DirecTV (Channel 602) satellite systems and some cable networks. Learn more about TVG at www.tvg.com.
For a Saddle Up Sunday programming schedule, click here.
