Please Visit our Advertisers Please click here to ask medical questions. Rufus doesn't know much about veterinary issues...he has to call a vet too! "Dear Rufus" updated 12/31/04

Dear Rufus,
I have a 8 month old colt that keeps eating the tail off my 2 year old filly what can i do to prevent this he is a real mouthy little guy? - Rebecca, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Dear Rebecca,
If you can’t separate the colt from the filly try one of the following:

1. Try mixing cayenne pepper and shampoo…makes for a ratty looking tail - but it should stop the chewing. And when you want to - rinse it out and you'll have a cleaner (but red tinted) tail. Mix about 1/8 cup shampoo with 2 T. pepper
2. Spray Bitter Apple on the filly’s tail (from vet or TS, at about $8) twice a day. 3.
There is also a product made by Eqyss called McNasty

If all fails, you can put the little guy in with a kicker - I don't recommend, but the best way for a youngster to learn is by another horse! - Rufus

Dear Rufus,
There is a horse at our barn and she wears about three layers of blankets, (I have no idea what kind). The weather here in Colorado has been pretty warm. Just yesterday it was about 70 degrees outside and she still had on her blankets. Do you have any idea about when they should come off or what kind of weather she should wear them in? We were just a bit worried about her getting too hot. – Buffy, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Dear Buffy,
It seem to be real hard for humans to figure that out. Sometimes we can stay warmer without a blanket then with one, when our hair fuzzes up we stay warmer. You didn’t mention if the horse had been body clipped because of being shown. Once you shave away our hair, we do need extra protection.

Of course it could be that the horse’s human is always cold so he/she figures that the horse needs to be protected. I’ve seen little humans bundled up to where they’re sweating and then shivering because they’re not dressed warmly enough. All this because the adult human “thinks” the little human should be dressed as warmly or as sparsely as the adult. – Rufus

Dear Rufus,
I have had my horse for 4 years now and in that time I have sent her for a month of training. The guy that I had train her rode her but let her do whatever she wanted the whole time. I rode her at first but she had a bad attitude and whenever I try to make her trot or gallop she rears me off. What can I do to teach her to gallop without rearing? – Bobbi, submitted the horsegazette.com.

Dear Bobbi,
Hopefully you’ll never take your horse to that trainer again. Rearing is one of the most dangerous habits a horse can have. If you want to try and fix the problem you’ll need some very competent help – this is not something that a novice or inexperienced rider should try to deal with by themselves.

You horse can be rearing because of stubbornness, laziness, too severe of a bit, physical pain, a rough rider/trainer or you might be asking for a greater degree of collection too soon.

First make sure the horse is not in pain. The saddle might be pinching, the bit severe or teeth problems.
If you’re not an experienced rider, you may want to take your horse to a reputable trainer to try and cure the rearing problem. If you can’t afford another trainer, you might try circling tightly with the inside rein pulled low and tight and use plenty of leg to maintain a forward impulsion. If you miss that window of opportunity and the horse does rear up do not pull on the reins and lean forward putting your arms around his/her neck. You want to eliminate the possibility of the horse going over backwards on you, and pulling on the reins could do just that.

I knew a horse once that would be working well and all of a sudden rear up. The human didn’t know when or when the horse would rear – they could be working in the round pen or working nicely in the arena. The horse was checked over for pain and saddle fit, but nothing was found. Because the horse couldn’t be cured and no one knew when the horse would choose to rear or why, the horse was given to a ranch where the horse would be able to run free for the rest of her life. Good luck. - Rufus

Dear Rufus,
I have a 7-month-old paint/pinto colt (he is the only horse we own so he is alone, looking for a friend).  This is my first horse ever, and I was told by the owner that having a young horse would be great because I would be his one and only owner.  I have purchased and read many books on how to train him, however when my husband and I try to do some of the exercises the horse reacts differently than they discuss in the books. 
My question is to gain control and respect they say to work him around a round pen (slow at first I know because he is young) kicking is normal until he settles but what about when he stops turns and faces you with his little ears pinned and looks like he is about to charge like a raging bull?  Will he charge and if so what do we do to control him without getting killed?  John Lyons “Bringing up Baby” has step by step training techniques but does not tell you all the things the horse could do in order to control us.  He is a very big baby and quite intimidating. 
Could you give me guidance or direct me toward information that could help me gain respect?  I absolutely am in seventh heaven with this horse (I have wanted one since I was 10—lets just say I am much older now) he found a great home when I bought him.  He is not gelded yet should I wait for training efforts until he is gelded and calmer.  But then what about normal grooming and cleaning his feet, which is necessity. How do I do this without respect from him?  Thank you ahead of time for any information you provide to me.  Donna, submitted via horsegazette.com

Dear Donna,
Many times humans will lean towards spoiling young horses especially if they’re not experienced horse people - or with no other horses around the young horse will think you are his playmate - in both cases it is dangerous for the human. It is in the best interest of your colt and for your safety that you go to someone with experience to train both your colt in ground manners and to show you how to continue with his ground training.

As for gelding (cringe), you should wait until both testicles drop, if they don’t drop by the time your colt is a yearling, consult your vet. - Rufus

Dear Rufus,
I have a yearling colt that went through my fence last week. Fortunately he wasn’t hurt, but I had a hard time catching him. When I did, he pulled away and I wasn’t able to catch him again. I had to herd him back to the pasture. My problem is, now I can’t get him to lead. Every time I put a lead on him he pulls away like he did that night. I have tried giving him a little slack and pulling towards his haunches and that works to stop him, but he immediately runs a different direction and I don’t have enough time to get my heals dug in again and he pulls the lead away again. He is easy to handle when I have him tied up, but refuses to lead. I’m at my witts end as I have this colt for sale right now and can’t believe that one night of getting away with it would make him do this continuously. He has always been a little bit of a troublemaker, but I’ve had him halter broke since he was 3 months old. Please help. – Kate, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Dear Kate,
Your colt has learned that pulling away is his way to escape. The threat of no escape from a situation in which we feel threatened is extremely scary to us horses! Escape from a trap is our way of survival, and by humans eliminating this strategy leads us to panic in many cases.

My getting a lead on your colt and digging in your heals – in other words, increasing the force that he needs to exert in order to escape will do nothing to convince him that there is no need to panic. The risk of injury to you and your colt greatly increases when using force.
You might need to start from scratch and associate pleasant things with being lead – such as offering him treats, petting, brushing and making a fuss over him. - Rufus

Dear Rufus,
My horse seems to be stumbling and tripping all the time. It’s embarrassing when we’re at a show and he messes up, and he does it at evey show! It doesn’t matter if the arena at the show is wet, dry, smooth, rough, deep or shallow, he always stips or stumbles. We compete in Western Pleasure even though I think he’d make a good English horse too. I would be too afraid he’s trip and I’d fall out of the English Saddle!
My shoer says that there’s nothing wrong with him and I even had another shoer check him out and said there is nothing wrong. My vet also says there’s nothing wrong with him - what should I do? - Iris, submitted via www.horsegazette.com.

Dear Iris, Iris,
You didn’t say whether your horse trips or stumbles if he’s doing anything other than showing. Does he trip on trail rides or when doing any other type of activity? Maybe he’s bored with showing, or maybe he wasn’t meant to be a show horse, maybe he’s weak and needs to develop his muscles and suppleness - or maybe he is basically just plain old lazy. There’s also another possibility you may not want to read - maybe it’s due to sloppy riding?
Just like humans, horses aren’t all natural born athletes for the specific sport their human enjoys. You might try working cavaletti exercises which are designed to supple, strengthen and improve coordination. You need to sharpen your horses concentration, lack of concentration can also cause clumsiness. Try exercises involving turns, circles and transitions.
A good place to start is with your horse. Plan different activities with him and see when he trips less or seems to be paying attention to you and work from there. - Rufus

Dear Rufus,
Where are you? We’ve missed you in the paper! – Keli, Austin, TX

Dear Keli,
I’ve been out grazing or hanging out in the barn if it’s raining. I’ve taken a nice little vacation.
It’s nice to know I’ve been missed! A lot of the questions that were sent to me, I forwarded to the veterinarians for “Can You Help?” I don’t know anything about medical stuff – that’s why my human calls the (shutter) vet when I’m not feeling well! – Signed, Rufus

Dear Rufus,
What do you think of the West Nile Virus? Do horses know about it? – Keli, Austin, TX

Dear Keli,
I know about West Nile Virus because my human has had the vet (shutter) give me 3 shots! I understand that mosquitoes will bite us and that’s how we get the WNV.
A long time ago I was stabled with a horse that I don’t think would get WNV even if she didn’t get her shots. Her skin was very sensitive and her human had to install automatic fly spray in her stall, mosquito netting on her stall, spray her when she went outside, and she had to wear fly masks and sheets all the time. If the human didn’t do all of those things to keep flies and mosquitoes away from the mare – the mare would go crazy. She’d buck, kick, run around and even try biting at the insects! - Signed, Rufus

Dear Rufus, I’m wanting to sink about $7-$10,000 into my horse trailer to change my current tack room into a small living quarters. How should I do this? – Karen, Houston, TX.

Dear Karen, I’m afraid I’m not going to be much help to you. I think horse owners should spend their money on making us comfortable!

How about some nice air ride shocks for the trailer? Horse owners are riding in their nice comfortable truck or RV with cushy seats and good suspension and don’t feel the bumps like we feel them in the back!

What about installing fans, heaters and air conditioning in the back of the trailer too? Just like you riding in your RV or Truck, we’d like to be comfortable in the back in the winter with heat instead of blankets, hoods and leg wraps. It’s either too hot or too cold. It’s nice to have the breeze blowing through the trailer when it’s hot. Notice I said a breeze, not a tornado! Slow down and put some screens up to cover the windows, it hurts when bugs hit us in the face and eyes! If it’s chilly outside, let us dry off if we’ve been sweating, it’s not real comfortable being blown dry by a chilling wind.

Humans like riding in convertibles and letting their hair blow in the wind. We’d much prefer our tails blowing in the wind rather than those horrible tail wraps!

Personally I would like a stereo system in the back of my trailer. Oh and also one of those little televisions with a VCR player, that way I can watch some of my favorite shows like Roy Rogers, The Lone Ranger, and Mr. Ed. My list is huge, but I’ll wait until Christmas to list the rest! - Rufus

Dear Rufus, I have a yearling that will not leave me alone and it is driving me nuts. If I’m out feeding she is nibbling at my shirt or jeans, or picks up whatever I set down. It could be a hammer, bucket, wrench, gloves, it doesn’t matter - whatever I have she wants. If it’s a tool it can be real scarey as she’s tossing her head around and has let go of a couple. I have tried to lock her in a stall when I’m out working on something but she will buck, kick and scream until I let her out. I get scared that she will hurt herself or I get so tired of all the noise that I let her out. She’s kinda scarey. I am sure she knows the difference between putting her in her stall when it’s night or when there is a storm, but if I am just trying to get her our of my hair she is a real pain! What can I do? - Bill, Austin, TX.

Dear Bill, Get yourself a tool belt so you don’t have to set any tools down! Then go out and buy or make your yearling some toys like a cone, ball, or even an old coat of yours (remove all strings, buttons, or zippers). Act like the ball or cone is something you’re working with or take the coat out and set it down when you start working on something. She can still fun - safely! - Rufus

Dear Rufus, I went someplace to see if I wanted to board my horse the other day. I was shocked to see some of the horses that were in the barn that were owned by the manager or owner of the stable, and the overall condition of the facility!

There was a stallion that was in a dark stall with no turnout, and it looked as though he’d been trying to eat his way out the the stall for years.The stall was clean and he had food, it’s just that the poor thing couldn’t see outside much and had no place to run. I felt so sorry for him!

There was a mare or gelding, I couldn’t tell which that had been kicked or something and there was a sore on her leg that didn’t look like it had been doctored at all.

I saw a donkey that looked like it had elves shoes on! His or her hooves were curled up on the back feet, but the front hooves looked okay. Why would someone just trim the front hooves?

It was terrible! The place was trashed - it looked like a dump. Maybe a little more organized than a dump, but it was a HUGE collection of junk and trash - there were piles of metal, old refrigerators, freezers...you name it, they had it. The stalls were clean and the turn out areas were clean of any of the trash, but if a horse ever got loose I’m sure there’d be problems and a horse would get hurt. None of the animals looked underweight and everyone had hay and water and some sort of shelter. But the place was horrible, no grazing and so much trash! This place was an accident waiting to happen! Is there a place in the state of Texas where I can report this horrible facility? - signed, Furious.

Dear Furious, Being a horse, I wouldn’t want to live in that type of situation. You have three options, and I don’t think you’re going to like the first two at all

First, you could try calling the Sheriff’s Department of that county, but I doubt you’d get any satisfaction. The truth of the matter, and you wrote it yourself, the horses had hay, water, and shelter. Also, a vet could have seen the mare or gelding and you just don’t know it, and maybe the donkey’s back hooves are just so bad that they can’t be corrected without causing pain. They could have rescued the donkey from some other situation, so your second option is to just forget about it. If you did get someone out there to look the manager or owner could tell them that the mare or gelding is under a vet’s care and that the donkey was rescued. You have to be able to proove neglect, and I don’t think in either of these cases you can.

You may not like my answer, but the way you described everything, it doesn’t sound like there’s much you can do. It’s not mandatory for horse owners to provide stalls with runs, green pastures for grazing, and stalls with plenty of light that can’t be chewed. The manager or owner has provided hay, water and shelter for the animals, and you stated that none of them were underweight. You also said the trash wasn’t in the stalls or horse areas, but outside those areas, so that’s not in the animal’s day-to-day living space. (I’ve seen horses get hurt in a pasture free from anything except green coastal!)

Even if you could find a law enforcement officer that would go to the property if you filed a complaint, I don’t think there would be anything that could be done. The animals don’t look abused, emaciated, or neglected. You can’t force someone to have the type of horse environment that you would have. That brings me to your third option - you can choose not to board your horse in that type of environment. - Rufus

Dear Rufus, I have a friend who for the past 17 years has bred various mares. Over the years she has had about 9-15 mares each breeding season of various breeds. She gets giddy when breeding season comes around because she loves shopping for stallions for her mares. She researches pedigrees of the various breeds, looks at show records, goes out to see each stallion or requests videos, and if possible, she wants to see pictures of foals the stallion has produced before. For most people the anticipation builds until the foals are born, with her, she loses interest after the mare is bred. She takes very good care of her mares while in foal, she just loses interest in the foal! She starts figuring out how to write the ads or is working up flyers to sell the foals - the ads are written to where she can just ad the sex and color - she even has each foal priced before it's born! When she gets calls on her foals, she's always too fussy, asking why the buyers are interested, what type of place with the foal live, and what are their plans for the foal. How can I tell her she's missing out on half the fun of all her research? She has made good money on every foal she's sold, but she doesn't enjoy the foals in between the time they're born and sold! Kris, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Dear Kris, It sounds like your friend's definition of fun is researching, looking at various stallions and then selling the foals. She's taking the time to make sure her foals are well bred and useable - that's fun to her, and a big plus in the horse industry. There's a buyer for every horse - unfortunately sometimes the buyer is buying for a trip to the meat packer. Humans should take lessons from your friend! The human female should check performance records, family history and if he's sired human children previously - check out their disposition! My human's friend, Emily is always complaining about how she's unhappy with her husband's performance, dislikes his family, and is always trying to sell or give away her kids. Whatever the reason (fun or business), your friend is trying to breed the best possible horses she can so they'll have good homes and have a useful life. - Rufus

Dear Rufus, A friend of mine told me about a horse or color of horse named Grullo. It's supposed to be a very unusual color. Do you have any information on these kids of horses? - Thank you, Oscar, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Dear Oscar, Yes there is the grullo (male) and grulla (female). It's a slate gray-dun color characterized by a smoky black face, points and dorsal stripe. It's a diluted black horse. They can range from a light gunmetal silver (sometimes looks iridescent to silver), to slate gray, blue to faded blue-black. If you have an interest in color genetics, I can recommend the following reading: "Horse Color Explained, A Breeders Perspective" by Jeanette Gower (1999); "Breeding for Colour" by E. North (1992); "Equine Colour Genetics" by D.P. Sponenberg (1996), and "Horse Genetics" by A. Bowling (1996). - Rufus

Dear Rufus, What to the letters for Dressage judges mean? - Carylon, Houston, TX, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Dear Carylon, I discussed with with my stablemates and we didn’t have any idea. So we had to do a little research. “L” - Learner Judge. These judges can only judge schooling shows through the 2nd level only. “R” - Recorded Judge. These judges are qualified to judge recognized shows through the 2nd level. “S” - Senior Judge. The Senior judge can judge recogized shows through the 4th level. “C” - FEI Candidate is a qualifying judge. “I” - FEI International can judge selection trials. “O” - FEI Official - These are the only judges than can judge for the Olympic and World competitions. - Rufus

Dear Rufus,
I have a nice mare and I want to breed here to my friend’s stallion but my parents won’t let me. My mare is in good shape and she’s only 7 years old, and the best part is that I can breed her to their stallion for free! By the time the foal is ready to ride I’ll have my replacement for the mare, and I’ll only be 14. - signed Sue, via www.horsegazette.com.

Dear Sue, You’re looking and a small paddock and not the entire pasture. A free breeding is great, but there other expenses involved such as getting your mare vet checked to make sure she’s in good breeding health, then there’s the expense of taking the mare to the stallion and the breeding may be free but what about mare care while she’s being courted by the stallion? You’ve also got to look at the mare care and foal watch. If you’re looking at this foal being ready to train when you’re 14 then I’m assuming you’re approximately 11 now, so there would be 1 year while the mare is pregnant and 2 years for the foal to grow up and you start it’s under saddle work. Provided of course that the mare and stallion aren’t Arabians or a breed that takes a little longer to mature. That’s 3-4 years of feed and care that your parents will have to pay for since at your age, I’m sure you don’t have a job.

Another thing to take into consideration, what is the breeding of your mare and the breeding of the stallion? If they’re the same breed, would the cross be a good one performance and conformationally? If the mare and stallion are different breeds, would the foal be a good cross to sell or for your future riding plans?

At 11, it’s tough to say what your interests will be at 14. You may not (God forbid) even like horses by the time you’re that old! I remember a long time ago I saw a horse - at least I think it was a horse, at a horse show. It was the most pathetic thing I have ever seen, it looked like a Heinz 57 cross. Appaloosa (coloring), Mule (head), Thoroughbred (legs), Warmblood (height), Arabian (a little sparce mane & tail) with the best Quarter Horse butt I’d seen. They say there’s a horse for everyone, and I was told this horse’s owner spent hours grooming, riding, and just spending time with this mare. I felt sorry for both horse and owner UNTIL I saw this horse compete. She was the most graceful, fluid horse I have ever seen, and she could jump the moon!

That horse was very lucky to have an owner who saw the talent and heart beneath the exterior, but other horses aren’t so lucky.

You didn’t mention the reasons your parents won’t allow your mare to be bred to your friend’s stallion. I don’t think you’re telling Good Ol’ Rufus the entire story. By the time you’re 14 your mare will only be 10 or 11 and you’re already thinking about replacing her? She’s still be quite young - I’d sure like to be 11 years old again! - Rufus.

Dear Rufus, Does the temperature outside affect how a horse acts? Explain. - Katie, submitted via www.horsegazette.com.

Dear Katie, It sure does! Think about it, in the summer when it’s hot and humid would you want to run around the house about 50 times in the afternoon? How about walking 15-30 miles in the heat of the day?

In the summer, especially in Texas, we like to just hang out under a nice shade tree and doze off. Just as humans like to go swimming some of us horses like to go swimming in the summer or just have a nice shower to cool down in the afternoon to wash the sweat off.

When the temperature changes and it’s cooler we feel pretty darn good. If it’s windy and a cool that’s when I’m feeling and at my best - my owner would disagree with you though! (She’s no fun at all.)

Over the next few months think about how you feel when you go outside and how it affects how you act or feel. It’s the same with horses. A beautiful fall or spring day brings out the foals in us all! - Rufus

Dear Rufus, I’m pretty sure you have been asked this before, but if you have, I can’t remember your answer. I board my horse at a big stable, there are probably about 75-100 horses living there I think, alot anyways. That means that there are a lot of owners there too. I’m 14 and I have a 12 yr. old QH mare named Trudy. That’s not her real name - I don’t want anyone to know I’m writing to you. Anyways, Trudy and I just hang out together. I’m taking western and english lessons but I’m not doing it to show I’m just learning. There are all of these older people that keep asking me when I’m going to show. Rufus, I’m not interested in showing, I just want to learn how to ride and hang out. Is that wrong? - Kim, (not my real name), Austin, TX

Dear Kim, If you’re happy with what you’re doing, keep on doing it! It’s tough because you can’t tell the “older people” to get lost and leave you alone. You can think that, but don’t tell them that! Just continue enjoying your horse and most of all, have fun! - Rufus

Dear Rufus, I am thinking of buying a horse that has Queensland Itch. I don't know much about this and would like some information please. - Signed, Rowena, submitted via www.horsegazette.com.

Dear Rowena, First of all you should contact your veterinarian to verify that it is indeed Queensland Itch, also called Sweet Itch or Summer Itch. It is a skin condition caused by a hypersensitivity to bites of tiny flies (Culicoides). The flies usually attack the horse along the base of the tail, rump, back, withers, crest, poll and ears. Small bumps or pimples may be seen at the site of the bite. These cause intense irritation and are very itchy and the horse often will rub these spots for hours against overhanging branches, fences and other objects. This prolonged rubbing can result in crusting, hair loss, scaling, and might produce open, weeping, ulcerated areas that can become infected. It's not uncommon for horses to rub off their mane and upper tail hair, which causes a vicious circle. No mane or tail to fight the flies means more bites! I am not aware of any cure. The best defense is to protect your horse from the flies by using a fly sheet and mask, use fly repellents, stabling the horse from 4 pm until 8am during summer months, and possibly fitting a fine fly screen on your horse's stall to protect him while inside. Along with highly skilled warfare against flies, you should contact your veterinarian as antihistamines or corticosteroids may help your horse. This topic makes my skin itch! I'm going out for a good roll in the grass! Better yet, I think I'll go find my human and make her scratch and brush me! - Rufus

Dear R.Y.,
The first term was easy; a Splinter Bar is the bar that a team of horses is attached to that pulls a carriage.  A Loller, (I had to do some research on this one), is a horse that lets his tongue hang out. – Rufus

Dear Barbary Barb,
During a normal day, we drink about 9-12 gallons of water per day.  During hot weather or during exercise the water intake could double due to water loss by sweating.  So when you’re riding your gelding he should be offered water frequently helping to prevent overheating, although you didn’t mention this was a problem.

Water intake can vary in frequency depending on the temperature, availability of water, source of water, bodyweight, and even breed.    In wild horse herds, the availability of water has an effect on the number of visits made each day.  When the water source is a good distance from grazing, herds will make only one visit, but when it’s readily available they drink small amounts several times a day.

If you’re concerned that your gelding needs more water, you may try dunking his hay in water, watering down his feed, or if he has a sweet tooth, ad a few drops of peppermint essence. But remember this, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink!” – Signed, Rufus

Dear Rufus,
I just purchased a new horse a few months back and I don’t know if it’s just that it’s my first mare (I’ve always had and currently have 2 geldings).  My problem is that I don’t like her and I don’t think she likes me like my geldings.  She is a beautiful mare and when I rode her when I looked at her to buy and she was nice. It’s not that she isn’t nice now, we’ve never have a problem, she does whatever I ask her to do and she seems very smart, but she doesn’t seem to like me and doesn’t enjoy my working her.  What can I do?  I know that it takes time to bond, but we just don’t seem to hit it off. - signed, crazyjhorse, submitted on www.horsegazette.com.

Dear Crazyjhorse,

Humans sometimes don’t think about our point of view, they think we’re “just horses.”  Just as humans like or dislike their surroundings, and can like or dislike and not get along with other humans, it’s the same with horses.  Your relationships with horses can be as personal and individual as it is with other humans, whether good or bad.

Horses can be timid, nervous, sulky, extrovert, introvert, mean, sweet, leaders, followers, just like humans.  A horse’s temperament can change when he/she is moved from one barn to another, from one owner to another, or from one job to another.

Not every horse and owner will fall into a great relationship.  It takes time, and sometimes it never happens.  Just because you and the horse have no obvious problems when you ask the horse clearly and he/she understands, that doesn’t mean the horse will be willing and anxious to please you.

If you’re unhappy that the mare doesn’t seem to have bonded with you, maybe you should consider selling her or she might bond or show affection with another member of your family.   Then again, she might just have an indifferent personality. - Rufus

Dear Horsewoman,
 I’d have to agree with you, your friend’s horse is very smart.  His human is either too lazy to teach his horse to not set back or doesn’t mind buying new reins all the time.  If your friend would use a strong halter and lead, instead of the reins the horse wouldn’t be loose all the time and might give up trying to break free.
I have to admit, I find it humorous when a horse gets the better of his or her human where neither horse nor human gets hurt, and it doesn’t appear  like the horse is doing any more than freeing himself and eating!   Sounds like the smartest thing you can do is buy stock in a leather company! –  Rufus.

My neighbor, however, owned three horses also, and she never gives them water to drink, very little hay to eat, and never spends any time with them. One of the horses died in December due to starvation, and the other 2 are not far behind. Complains have been filed, she has been investigated and left with a warning.  Complaints still are being phoned in, and yet the Sheriff’s department does nothing.  I took photographs of these poor horses, for proof of their health, and still nothing.  What can I do to save these last two horses from starvation?   Posted via www.horsegazette.com by SL.

Dear SL,
Abuse laws vary from state to state and enforcement varies from county to county within that state.  Many times it’s the lack of equine knowledge of the officer responding to the call and they can be taken-in by a sob story by the horse owner.

A report was made on 2 horses in Grey Forest just out side of San Antonio a few years back.  The horses had no water and the ground was dry around the water bucket.  The humans who called the Sheriff’s Department pulled the skin of the horses and there was very little elasticity, (the skin did not readily fall back into place).  When the officer came, the owner also showed up.  The owner tried to tell the officer that he had just filled the water buckets the night before.  One of the humans who had reported the dehydrated horses told the officer that something had to be done as the man was not telling him the truth (better than called the owner an all out liar).  First of all the ground around the bucket was dry and dusty, there was dry dirt in the bucket, and the elasticity test was shown to the officer.

The outcome of the call…unknown, the horses were moved so they could not be viewed from the road without going onto private property behind a locked gate.

Many horse rescue facilities and concerned horse lovers must continue to push officials to act quickly regarding abuse to horses, along with other animals who depend upon humans for their care and survival.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could take animals abusers and make them live through some of the atrocities they’ve put their animals through?  That won’t happen to humans.  There’s something called human rights.  No one would make a human go without water or food for days.  If so, there is legal action taken quickly.  Not so for animals.  Sometimes the animals are left with the owner, sometimes the animals are seized, and in some cases the offender must pay a small fine.

What about our rights as animals?  There are very few organizations that stick up for our rights, and some of those are self-serving and over enthusiastic.  Those types of organizations do not help with animal rights, they tend to make normal animals lovers avoid organization who may be able to help us because they think all animal rights groups are over zealous.

You must find an attorney, judge, law enforcement officer, or an equine rescue organization – what is important is finding someone who has knowledge of horses.  Call television stations, make sure you have case number, pictures and all pertinent information.  Some television stations will go out and air a story making the county officials look bad because they took no action.  Not only does this make the offending department look bad, it normally increases the telephone calls to complain about their lack of action.

On behalf of my equine friends, I wish you every success in your endeavor and quickly get them moved to a better home where they can receive the care they deserve.– Rufus

From Jennifer Williams, President of Lone Star Horse Rescue
Animal cruelty and neglect laws in any state currently do not cover all instances of what we, as loving horse owners, might think of as neglect or abuse. For instance, lack of attention, worming, vaccinations, riding/exercise, etc. are not considered abuse/neglect per the laws of Texas. However, horses which are not fed or watered are considered neglect, according to the Texas Statues Health and Safety Code, Title 10. Health and Safety of Animals, Chapter 821. Treatment and disposition of animals.  Subchapter A. Treatment of Animals are considered neglected if they are “unreasonably deprived of necessary food, care, or shelter”.

For the horses in your area, if calls to the sheriff’s department are not getting these animals any help or relief, I would suggest you contact an equine rescue organization who may be able to work with the sheriff’s department to help the animals.  Sometimes the sheriff’s departments are overworked with ‘human problems’ and are not able to help animals as well as they would like. An equine rescue organization may be able to help provide man power to the sheriff’s department in the form of housing, feeding, and caring for any animals they seize.

Dear Rufus,
I’ve been riding all my life but never owned horses. I’ve got 16 acres now and am getting ready to fence. Is barbed wire ok, or should I go with something else?  I’ve seen just about every kind of fence in the ware and wire seems to be the most prevalent. Thanks for the help. – Signed, Bryan (www.horsegazette.com)

Dear Bryan,
There are different types of fencing for pastures and paddocks.  There’s wood fencing – your horse or horses will probably like wood the best, they’ll love chewing on it!  They’ll also like the amount of time you’ll spend in their pasture with them every couple of years painting and repairing the wood.

Okay, all joking aside – barbed wire is not okay!  Barbed wire was not created for the safety of us horses!  If you cannot afford equine safe wood, pipe, or polyvinyl fencing for your pastures, go with a smooth wire.  If you’re still thinking about barbed wire, talk to a couple equine veterinarians and let them tell you some horror stories when horses and barbed wire collide! - Signed, Rufus

Dear Chad,
You don’t need to ride your mare every day for her to lose weight.  Exercising 3 times a week will help her figure slim down.  Build up the time you work her slowly, in other words, don’t start out by taking her on a 20 mile cross country ride.

There’s a person at our barn who only rides once every two weeks or so even though she comes out to the barn regularly.  Every Saturday she rides, cleans stalls and anything else she can get her hands on then wonders why she’s sore.  Don’t to that to your mare, if you can’t ride her regularly, maybe you can find a horse crazy student who will ride your horse for free or a small fee. - Signed, Rufus

Dear Rufus,
What are the latest thoughts on heaves treatment? My 10-year-old gelding has been coughing since September and we have tried cortisone injections and powdered cortisone meds and clenbutrol.  What are the best ideas?  He is a wonderful and gentle kids’ horse and I want him better; I also after down his hay and bed him on paper, to avoid dust there. -  Thanks,  Robyn

Dear Robyn,
Since I have never been afflicted with coughing, I had my human talk with Dr. Louis Arguelles of the Alamo Area Veterinary Clinic and here’s what he had to say regarding your problem.

There are many causes for coughing in horses and without a thorough exam it can be difficult to determine the cause.  A cough lasting this long that is not producing a nasal discharge or causing a fever really sounds like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).  This condition in horses is similar to asthma in humans.  The mechanism of this condition is an allergic response to something in the horse’s environment causing a narrowing in the small air passages in the lungs.  Most horses experiencing COPD will have a long lasting heaving-like cough, in fact the common term for the condition is “heaves”.

The best way to clear the condition is elimination of the offensive allergen or moving the horse to a environment in which the allergen is non- existent. This condition was once thought to be limited to horses who were stalled because many allergens are floating in the dust found in stalls.  Moving the stalled COPD horses out to pasture many times cleared up the problem.  When moving a horse is not feasible, controlling dust by moistening the bedding and soaking the fed hay in water can help.  More recently a pasture component of the condition has been reported and its incidence seems to be more of a seasonal occurrence.

We use a tracheal wash to confirm the diagnosis of COPED.   Treatment of COPD can be a frustrating and expensive proposition.  By far the most effective way of treating other than changing environment is allergy testing.  A large area on the side of the neck is clipped, and up to 120 allergens are injected in small amounts intradermally (within the skin) to see which ones trigger a reaction.  Once the offensive allergens are identified, a regimen of injections containing that allergen are injected to control the horses allergic response.  This testing and treatment program can be quite expensive.  Most of our clients choose a regimen of corticosteroids and environment management to eliminate the problem.

Thanks Dr. Louie, and Robyn and hope your gelding is better soon!- Signed, Rufus

Dear Rufus,
I love horses, but I am not able to be around them because of the money involved. I was thinking about volunteering to work for free in other people’s stables, but I don’t know anybody who has horses.  If you know anybody or have any suggestions for me, I would really appreciate it if you listed me the names and phone numbers. - Signed Julie, via www.horsegazette.com

Dear Julie,
Since I don’t know your location, it’s a little difficult to give you names and phone numbers of stables.  You can start by looking in the Yellow Pages of your local telephone book under, Stables and Horses.  Most feed and tack stores have bulletin boards where you could post that you are looking to trade work for riding lessons or the use of a horse, if you already know how to ride.

If you don’t know much about the care and maintenance of a horse, you might try volunteering to help out at a horse rescue facility or a therapeutic riding center.

You might also search the internet for stables or non-profit horse organizations in your area. - Signed, Rufus

Dear Rufus,
I recently purchased a 9-year-old mare and her 3-year-old filly from an individual. They have been in the pasture with no other horses and little human contact since the filly was born. The filly hadn't had a halter on until I put one on her about 2 weeks ago, and she is not learning to walk on a lead line with me. They both come when I call them, eager for attention and treats. The filly has kicked me once; I was shooing her away from a bucket in the back of my truck. When I did this, she turned and kicked at me as she left. I yelled at her, "bag girl" but am not comfortable as she passes me and she knows this. Sometimes she lays her ears back on her way by, but hasn't kicked at me again. Is she telling me I am not ahead of her in the herd, and if so, how do we turn this around? Help, she is sweet and I think she will be a great horse one-day.   - Laurie, submitted via www.horsegazette.com.

Dear Laurie,
Actions speak louder than words, and yes, she feels she is dominant over you.  We horses exhibit aggressive behavior around food and a kick is a challenge or used in self-defense.  In this case, she was challenging you. You can turn this around in a couple different ways.

If you don't have a round pen try this in a large paddock, not the small confines of a stall. You will need 2 long whips - not to cause pain, but to be used as extensions of your hands and arms.

Put some feed and water in the paddock, but do not allow your horse to eat the food or drink. Move away from the food and water, if your filly starts walking towards it, chase her away and stare directly into her eyes.  It's the same way aggressive/dominant horses chase away the less aggressive horses.

If you have a round pen, you can either use the 2 whips as extensions of your hands and arms to keep the filly moving or you can use a lunge line or rope.

Bring you filly into the round pen and move toward her rear - avoid her kick zone!  If she moves forward keep pressing her to continue around the pen. If she doesn't move forward press her either by throwing the lunge line/rope at her rear or by tapping her rear with one of the whips. When she moves forward you must continue to press her. She must think you are the aggressor - keep your eyes on her inside eye, and always keep out of her kick zone.

Continue pressing her around the pen 5-10 times one way and then the other. Then stop pushing your filly and walk away, breaking eye contact by looking down and away from her.

If your filly turns and faces you, that's a good sign.  At this point it's too soon to expect her to walk up to you. If she faces you, walk towards her rear quarters again to push her forward and make eye contact again.

Eventually your filly should follow you around. If she stops or something other than you catches her attention, start to push her around the pen again.

I heard talk around the barn a while back.  One of the humans was having problems with her mate; he would sit down at the table and start eating before everyone got to the table.  No matter how many times she told him to wait for the rest of the herd, he would start eating.  Now she didn't take him out in the round pen with whips, she was a little more subtle than that.  One night she placed the main course on the table and he dug in, it was laced with Cheyenne pepper, then she put the real main course on the table when everyone else was ready to eat.  Another time she put the food on the table and it had about 5 tablespoons of salt in it, and then she put the non-salted food on the table.    Eventually this dominant male got the message and he now waits for everyone to be seated at the table before he starts eating.  Like this human, you must show your filly who the "real" boss is!  Signed, Rufus