Faecal Egg Counts

Hi everyone,

For the past year I have been using worm egg counts  (faecal egg counts) as part of Trooper's worming programme. The egg counts can be used to monitor the worm activity in your horse and therefore limit the amount of chemicals that need to be used. There some types of worms that worm egg counts do not detect, these are the encysted redworms, tapeworm and bots; it is important that horses are still treated for these.

The results of a worm egg count are often given in eggs per gram (epg) or strongyles per gram. A reading of 200 epg or less is considered a low reading, it is thought that a horse's own immune system can cope with this level of worms on it's own without the need for additional chemical treatments in most cases. For readings over 200epg treatment is usually recommended. The treatment recommended often depends on how high the reading is, if the horse needs treating for other worms, if they are in foal and numerous other factors.

The faecal egg counts can also be used to check if the wormers are working as they should be. Different chemicals are supposed to last in the horses system for different lengths of time. Unfortunately, resistance is starting to develop in a similar way seen with antibiotics. Limiting the use of unnecessary chemicals with egg counts can help to prevent resistance developing.

Trooper has not had much problem with worm activity while I have been carrying out the egg counts. His initial reading was 50epg (a low reading) all subsequent readings have been clear. He was treated over the winter with an Equest Pramox combination treatment and had a tapeworm treatment about 6 months prior to this. There are a large number of horses in Trooper's field and dung is not collected (which can increase the chance of infection), however as the field is large he would not normally have to graze near dung so this would help to prevent him becoming reinfected.

If you have any further questions into worm egg counts, please do ask.

Love Laura
xxxx

Trooper Update (Happy 2014!)

Hi everyone,

Happy New Year! Sorry about the lack of posts on Trooper lately. It is hard with him being in Cheshire with my Mum and me being Wales.

Trooper is doing really well, he is being schooled a few times a week. When I rode him over Christmas he felt really nice and wasn't stiff. He does feel slightly different in trot on one rein compared to the other. My Mum is working on this with her teacher at the moment as they think he has built up muscle differently in his hind quarters after his tendon injury. He will be 25 years old this year!!

I got him a mobility Horselyx for Christmas which he loves! It has Glucosamine, MSM and Omega Oils in it which is great! It also has antioxidants, biotin and zinc. He did keep trying to bite it though which made me think he was going to knock his teeth out! As he puts on weight easily he is just having the lick on special occasions, especially when he wont stand still! He is having 3/4 of a scoop of Happy Hood in his feed twice a day with an apple and carrot. He is out in the field during the day and in at night. At night he has 2 hay-nets that are double wrapped to slow down the length of time it takes for him to eat them!

In the field he is often with Bobby Mac (pictured below) who is at least 30 years old! They stay out of trouble from the other horses but like to play together. Trooper still likes to be first in from the field and is usually at the gate by around 2pm (after going out at about 8am). He keeps his head collar on in the field now so if he is at the gate people can easily put him in the stable as he tries to barge out and gets in trouble!

Here are some photos that speak for themselves! Please excuse the quality, they were taken on my phone.

I am not going to make any promises but I am going to try and write a post at least once a month this year. I have had a lot less time to write posts as I am out of the house from 8 am until 6.30 pm Mon-Fri. Guest posts are still welcome as I enjoy reading what you have to offer and it helps to keep new content on my blog.

I think my next post will be on his worming programme over the last year. I have learnt a lot about worming in my current job so hopefully I will be able to offer some tips!

Love Laura
xxxx

Guest post; Getting the right insurance for your box or trailer

Horsebox insurance – it’s not the most exciting thing to spend cash on, and frankly it can seem complicated to work out what level of cover you need.  But like it or not, if you have a horsebox or trailer and something goes wrong, you’ll be glad you took 10 minutes to sort out the right policy. 

A box or trailer might be one of the most expensive items you own and it is also vulnerable to thieves and damage.  Whether you’re at home in the yard or out competing, horseboxes can be an easy target for opportunistic thieves or can simply get in the way of other people, machinery or horses resulting in damage.   If the worst does happen, having insurance means you’ll have no worries about replacement – and most importantly, you’ll be back on the road again and into the competition ring, quickly.

So where do you start?  Spend a few moments thinking about how you use your horsebox and what situations could arise. Speaking to an insurance expert, who is familiar with horses, could also help you to consider other situations where you might need cover.

Your box or trailer is especially vulnerable when you’re at a show.  It could be targeted by thieves taking advantage of you needing to rush off to pick up your numbers (or pick up your trophy!)  And most of the time it’s not just horses that you put in your box or trailer. Tack and other equipment doesn’t come cheap but is often transported in the back and can be damaged during transit or stolen when you’re parked.  Have you ever thought about how icy cold weather could damage your tack if it’s being transported in the back of an unheated trailer?   Or does your horse hate travelling, spooking easily and kicking out? Making sure everything is covered is important or you could be faced with a hefty bill.

And it’s not just insurance for theft or accident that you might want to consider.  Breaking down is bad enough, but if you have one or more horses up behind it becomes a truly stressful experience.  Opting for breakdown assistance cover can give you peace of mind that your horses will be safe if this does happen to you.  But make sure you check that you are guaranteed to have recovery from someone who understands horses and has experience moving them.  Unloading and reloading at the side of a motorway is not the time to discover that your recovery company doesn't understand the techniques to keep your horses as calm and stress free as possible.

Of course horse ownership is not cheap and you could be tempted to skimp on insurance and just hope you get away with it.  Instead of taking that risk why not consider some things that you could do to help reduce costs, without reducing the level of cover?  Simple things like restricting your mileage, fitting extra security devices like an immobiliser and limiting the number of drivers to one or two can all help to bring down premiums.  And shop around, don’t call just one company, but look at quotes from several or use a broker to do the hard work for you – it could save serious money, both short term and in the long term if you have to make a claim.

Author bio

With 25 years of experience, the Easy 2 Insure team pride themselves on finding customers the best level of cover at the most competitive price from a range of reputable insurance providers.  The team specialises in a number of insurance fields, including equine cover.  They have been working with horse owners for years and understand how complex horse ownership can be.  Their aim is to provide customers with the peace of mind that comes with having cover individually tailored to meet their demands and needs. http://www.easy2insure.co.uk/

Blenheim International Horse Trials Competition

Fidelity Blenheim International Horse Trials are happening between the 12^th and 15^th September 2013 at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. The event is now in its twenty-second year and attracts some of the top event riders around. Taking place at Blenheim Palace, the event will be split into three sections; dressage, cross country and show jumping.

Sponsors Fidelity launched a competition to win tickets to the event through Twitter or Instagram activity. The top prize winner stands to receive a pair of tickets to the event, £200 to spend on Ariat equestrian equipment and a year’s subscription to Eventing magazine. Nine runners up will each win a pair of tickets.

Find out more about the competition, including how to enter, here –

https://www.fidelity.co.uk/static/blenheim/

@FidBlenheim

Fulfilling a Fantasy: What You Need to Know as a Prospective Horse Owner

Besides being a princess, owning a horse is every little girl’s fantasy. Many of us, however, fail to see this as a credible option and as a result, our dreams remain unfulfilled.

Speaking from personal experience, I can confirm that I fall into this trap, and dashed my daughter’s dreams of owning a horse. However, having gazed longingly into her ‘puppy dog’ eyes for a number of weeks, I realised that some of the limitations weren’t as restrictive as I had first imagined.

Here are the key areas to consider when deciding whether or not you can afford your dream horse.

Cost of care:

Keeping and caring for a horse undoubtedly comes at a huge financial cost and it would be unwise of me to misinform you of the true cost of owning your dream horse.

Quality of care is a huge factor in deciding whether you should own a horse or not. If you cannot provide care then you should never consider horse ownership. If, however, you have time to provide your horse with love, care and affection then you’d be an ideal horse owner.

However, love is simply not enough for horses and they do require significant financial investment. Luckily, this guide produced by the British Horse Society makes a list of costs and fees so you can plan your budget and see whether it’s affordable.

Space:

There are various rules and regulations about horse ownership but very few of these are surprising in any capacity; for the most part, they are pretty straightforward. The Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and their Hybrids sets out all of the guidelines for horse owners and provides a really handy guide to ownership. The focus of the document is mainly on care and space provision. This is the worry of most prospective horse owners and it is one that is highly understandable.

As well as a grazing area, you should put great consideration into your horse’s shelter. The size, scale and quality of these vary hugely, so try checking out somewhere like Vale Stables to see the range of horse shelters on offer.

Time:

Taking care of a horse is a time consuming but ultimately rewarding job. It does take a great deal of time to look after your horse but the results are heart-warming. Looking after a horse is similar to looking after a child; it may be time consuming and tiring but the rewards are great!

Owning a horse really is a dream that can become a reality. We all face restrictions in our lives, and it may be the case that after reading this you still feel that owning a horse is not right for you. It is still ok to think that though, and your time may come in the future.

However, hopefully after reading this guide you’ve realised that owning a horse is an opportunity and a delight rather than a burdensome chore. So, examine the option carefully and see if you can make your dream a reality.

Ellie is a freelance journalist who writes in a number of areas. Currently, she is writing on the behalf of Broadfield Stables and enjoys writing about equine matters and follows showjumping events.