EPICenter News

Little Bucklodge Branch Loop Trail Opens

Join us for a FREE guided trail ride on the newest trail in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve on Saturday. October 16. The Little Bucklodge Branch Loop joins the Breezy Loop Trail off Bucklodge Road in Boyds.

See the beautifully groomed and marked trails that are part of the EPIC trail system while you meet new friends. Afterward, join us for complementary refreshments. Several ride levels will be offered, including walk; walk-trot; walk-trot, some canter; and fast. (Levels may be split or combined as needed.)

The ride will meet at the Potomac Pony Club field at the corner of Bucklodge and Moore Roads. Please plan to be there no later than 9:15 a.m. to check in. Ride to leave at 10 a.m. and will last one to two hours depending on the group speed. ASTM/SEI-approved helmets and proof of negative Coggins required.

RSVP required. E-mail your name, phone number and desired group to Traci Donatelli by October 13 (click on her name to send an e-mail). Rain date is Sunday, October 17.

Naomi Manders Honored by Maryland Horse Council

EPIC board member Naomi Manders was presented with the Anne & Gilbert Pumphrey Memorial Award in recognition of and grateful appreciation for her dedication to the equestrian trails of Montgomery County & Maryland at the Maryland Horse Council’s 4th Annual BBQ Picnic, September 18, 2010, in Fair Hill, Maryland. The EPIC board is grateful for all of Naomi’s contributions.

4th Annual Green Cup of Polo Update

By Neil Agate

On June 27, 2010, the Capitol Polo Club, just outside Washington D.C. in Poolesville, Maryland, hosted the 4th Annual Green Cup of Polo. The Green Cup is a charity polo match to raise funds and awareness for several environmental and alternate energy nonprofits. The event this year raised funds for Equestrian Partners in Conservation, the American Council on Renewable Energy and the Cousteau Family’s EarthEcho International.

The event, which is one of the only certified green sporting events on the East Coast, not only raised funds for these environmental causes but also showcased “eco” best practices and several green vendors. Visitors were able to see everything from Under Armor’s new line of green clothing (each shirt is made from three recycled plastic water bottles) to EcoloBlue who demonstrated its Atmospheric Water Generator that creates clean drinkable water from the air.

Extra electric fans, ice-cold water and shortened chukkers helped everyone survive the hot summer temperatures of the day. Despite the weather, about 1,000 people showed up to support the environment and enjoyed two action-packed polo matches and several other equestrian demonstrations. The first match pitted two local teams of Capitol Polo Club members and exposed many of the spectators to their first polo match.

A tradition at the Green Cup has been the celebrity polo match played on a small field set up in front of the grandstand. This year’s event didn’t disappoint as Afghan Ambassador Sayed Jawad led his team of local celebrities against a team of equally matched on-air celebrities from Washington-area radio and television stations.

In the main event, The Green Cup, the Solena Team (Robert Do, Marcos Bignoli, Charlie Muldoon and Dr. Jim Lewis) took on Citibank/Beck (Sunny Khan, Juan Carlos Gonzales, Mathias Vial and Kareem El Hibri). Through the first half the teams evenly traded goals and went into the extended halftime break tied at three goals apiece. In the second half, however, Vial got the hot mallet and led the Citibank/Beck Team to an 8 to 6 victory.

To read more about the Green Cup of Polo, visit www.greencuppolo.com.

Featured EPIC Business Member: The Surrey

Photos and story by Traci Donatelli

How far do you have to drive to get to a McDonalds? Starbucks? Chances are, chain stores exist within five minutes of where you live, work or drive. While convenient and familiar, their proliferation is a very real threat to the unique character of our neighborhoods. How can a family business compete with the kind of structure and buying power offered by large corporations? One equine business that’s taken on that challenge is The Surrey — a Montgomery county landmark for more than half a century.

Local horsewoman Alyne “Lyn” Finley Carroll opened The Surrey in Potomac in 1953. Lyn quickly built it into a highly successful saddlery and continued working there on a daily basis until her death in 2003 at age 91 (several months after The Surrey’s 50^th anniversary and a day after arguing with her nurse as to whether or not a second margarita would affect her blood pressure). Her niece, Lyne Morgan, who began working summers at The Surrey at age13, took over the business shortly thereafter. She can still remember a time when people could ride up to the Surrey and hitch their horses outside the store.

In more recent years, The Surrey has faced serious financial difficulties due to Internet competition, increased rent in the Potomac Village and the recession. Last year, Lyne made the difficult decision to close the doors on the Potomac location. Fortunately for area residents, she was able to find a more affordable location closer to the heart of horse country, and The Surrey was reborn at the corner of Darnestown and Seneca Roads in Darnestown last October.

The new location has forced Lyne to make some concessions, but there are certain things about The Surrey that won’t ever change: The consignment section (everything but helmets) is still there, as well as the many unique equestrian-themed gifts. The Surrey offers embroidery, custom boots, special orders and even fitting and reflocking saddles. And unlike websites and catalogs, you can actually feel the leather and the fabrics and try things on. It’s also a great place to run into your horsy friends you may not see otherwise.

The Surrey has also recently become mobile. Look for the trailer at local shows and events such as Loch Moy and the Hunt Races. Lyne continues to support local groups and be an integral part of the community. Her face is as easily recognizable as is the smile with which she greets each customer.

While making room for progress in our community, it’s important to retain those things that make us unique. Support the local family businesses that make our equestrian lives so much richer. Next time you’re at The Surrey, be sure to ask for a 10% discount on purchases just for being an EPIC member!

Click here for more information about The Surrey. Want your business written up in this space? Become an EPIC Business Member today!

President’s Message

What did you think the last time you saw an NRA window decal? Many people associate the NRA with assault weapons or Second Amendment rights. But the NRA is also a major conservation organization, investing millions of volunteer hours and dollars to protect wildlife and wildlife habitat. Along with groups like the Wild Turkey Federation, Ducks Unlimited, Quail Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Wildlife Forever, Trout Unlimited, Wildlife Management Institute and scores of other national groups, all with thousands of local chapters or affiliates and countless individual members, the NRA partners with public land and other government agencies charged with land and habitat protection, as well as with private landowners. In the course of doing so, these groups build an enormous amount of good will, political and otherwise, which translates directly into assuring that future generations of hunters and anglers will have access to land and wildlife critical to their outdoor recreation of choice.

Hunters and anglers come in all shapes and sizes, and represent a broad spectrum of demographics, but on this they agree … their future depends on having a strong collective voice. Through their volunteerism and by paying their membership dues they can sleep at night fairly confident that their outdoor activity of choice will have a future.

Equestrian life in Montgomery County is pretty good, exceptional in fact, thanks largely to the existence of the Agricultural Reserve, the Park system’s extensive natural-surface trail system and the generosity of landowners willing to make their land available for equestrian use. But there are no guarantees that future residential development or changes in the zoning laws don’t threaten our equestrian future.

When was the last time you mourned the loss of a trail or found yourself having to drive farther and farther to visit your boarded horse, or found yourself stuck on an impassable trail because of lack of maintenance (or lost because of lack of signage)? But even more importantly, when was the last time you thought about your equestrian future? Will the trails you enjoy today still be here tomorrow? Will we lose horse farms and boarding stables to suburban sprawl? Will opportunities to ride or compete become fewer and fewer?

There’s only one way for equestrians to enjoy the comfort — and opportunities — that hunters and anglers get by joining their respective advocacy groups, and that is to support the only equestrian advocacy network in Montgomery County, Equestrian Partners in Conservation. Become a loyal member today, display your EPIC sticker proudly and sleep better tonight knowing that your equestrian future is that much more secure.

Trail Emergency! Wounds

By Javier Donatelli, DVM

There are many objects for your horse to hurt himself on during a trail ride: rocks, barbed wire or sharp tree branches, to name just a few. It’s helpful to know what to do while waiting for your veterinarian to arrive if your horse cuts himself while away from home.

Assess the Wound
• Where is the wound located? An open wound over any joint, sensitive blood vessel or on the back part of your horse’s leg from his knee or hock down to the hoof (flexor area) can be very serious. If a joint, tendon or tendon sheath is affected, the injury could cause permanent damage or even be life-threatening.

• Is it bleeding? Wounds may just ooze or bleed profusely. A puncture wound that doesn’t bleed much or at all may be just as dangerous as one that bleeds profusely, because of the risk of tetanus. Your vet may want to give a tetanus booster.

For a bleeding wound, is it from an artery or from a vein? Arterial blood is bright red and pumps out of the wound with the frequency of your horse’s heart. Blood from a vein is distinguished by its dark red color.

• Can you see bone, ligaments or tendons? These structures are usually white in color. Lameness or unconventional movement in a limb or joint may indicate a fracture. Avoid touching the wound more than necessary, to decrease the chance of infection.

What to Do
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, call (or have a friend call) a veterinarian immediately. However, if an artery has been nicked and the wound is spurting blood, you need to control the bleeding first.

This can be achieved by applying direct pressure to the wound using a shirt or other soft material until the vet arrives. If the bleeding cannot be brought under control with pressure, consider applying a tourniquet. A tourniquet can be made with the shirt, belt, a leather stirrup strap, a rein or even a polo bandage.

Before applying a tourniquet, it is important to know how to properly use one, because done incorrectly, it can cause secondary damage. Ideally, a tourniquet should be applied 4 inches above the wound. Tighten it just enough to stop the bleeding. The pressure on the tourniquet should be released for 1–2 minutes every 10 to 15 minutes to allow blood to flow to the rest of the extremity. Do not move your horse; wait for the vet to arrive.

If the wound is serious but not bleeding profusely, clean it with plain water (if available) and cover with a bandage or any clean fabric you might have. Hand-walk your horse to the trailhead or farm and call your veterinarian.

Javier Donatelli, DVM, of Poolesville, Maryland, runs a private equine veterinary practice, Javier Donatelli Equine Veterinarian, LLC. He specializes in lameness, dentistry and general medicine. He has done extensive work for many local horse rescues, and he is an EPIC Business Member. Dr. Donatelli can be reached at javdonatelli@hotmail.com or by phone at (301) 330-5035 (office) or (240) 676-1990 (cell).

EPICenter News

New EPIC Trail to Open

An extension of the Breezy Loop Trail is set to open later this year. Named the Little Bucklodge Branch Loop, Mark and Kim Kabbes have been very busy clearing debris and trees and smoothing out the paths. They will be marking the trails in the coming months. It is shaping up to be one of our best trails yet! Keep an eye on our website, Facebook page and future issues of this newsletter for more information on where it will be located and when it will officially open. We are working on setting dates for an EPIC trail ride to celebrate its opening, and we hope that you’ll join us!

Horses or Houses?

In the end we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.–Baba Dioum, Sengalese ecologist, Speech 1968

This year the Potomac Hunt Club is celebrating it’s 100^th anniversary. On March 14, it hosted a land preservation and stewardship forum to help educate members and friends on the great treasure that is the Agricultural Reserve and what we need to do to keep things green for future generations. EPIC was present along with Montgomery Countryside Alliance (MCA), Sugarloaf Citizens Association (SCA), Maryland Environmental Trust, Trail Riders of Today (TROT), Potomac Bridle and Hiking Trails Association (PBHTA) and others. EPIC’s own chairman, Mike Rubin, spoke to the crowd of close to 100.

Created in 1981 by the County Council to preserve agriculture, the Agricultural Reserve covers 93,000 acres. There are about 12,000 acres of open land that have been preserved through private conservation easements and the sale of development rights to private land trusts, Montgomery County and the State of Maryland. Roy Hanson, chairman of the Montgomery County Planning Board and the man behind the creation of the Agricultural Reserve in 1981, discussed how the cultural heritage that this region represents is important because it says something about what we value and defines who we are as a county and is our legacy. The population in the Ag Reserve has increased 100 percent since its establishment, and our goal is to reduce the number of rooftops that are added either by buying more land or by receiving more donations of easements. For more information on land conservation go to www.epicmontgomery.org.

Your Stories Needed!

Have you tried to build an indoor arena or horse barn recently only to encounter problems with zoning laws or building codes? If so, the Maryland Horse Council wants to hear from you. EPIC attended a meeting March 18 sponsored by MHC on its new “Save the Horse Farms” initiative. While this plan is state-based, MHC is looking for county coordinators to help gather information on specific problems land owners are having in running or creating their horse farms in order to help change legislation that, in many counties, is out of date. MHC also needs help researching specific county zoning laws. Any anecdotal experiences you’ve had that indicate there is a barrier to the survival of horse farms in Montgomery County would be of great interest, as this project is designed to help horse farms thrive in Montgomery County and other counties in Maryland. Once the research is complete, MHC will issue a report along with model county laws that can be applied anywhere. County citizens can then take this information to county councils for adoption. For more information and to fill out a questionnaire, click here.

Maryland Horse Census on the Way

Though you probably  just mailed back your National Census form, there’s another on the way. The 2010 Maryland Horse Census is mailing next week to more than 21,000 Maryland equid owners. The census is a count of all horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys located in Maryland, regardless of ownership or use.

Maryland’s horse industry is vital, and this survey is the only reliable measure of the size and economic impact of the industry for public and private decision-making processes. This census will show how the industry has changed in the eight years since the first one was completed. The results will reveal the scope and economic importance of the Maryland equine industry, including identifying the number of horses owned for recreational, show, racing and therapeutic purposes; the amount of land used for equine-related activities; and strategies for attracting and retaining more equine and equine-related business and jobs in the state. Most importantly, the census will give horse industry leaders as well as public and private decision makers the current, accurate data they need to promote the industry and make informed decisions.

All of the major sectors of the equine industry will be included in the census. The questionnaire will ask for numbers of equids by breed, use, location and type of operation, and expenses, sales and assets associated with equine operations. The Maryland Horse Industry Board assures owners that this census is not part of any licensing, testing or other regulatory activity and that all responses are confidential.

A final report will be made available to the public in January 2011. Anyone receiving a census may request a copy of the published report on the form.

If you have not received a census by May 1, call (800) 675-0295 to request one. EPIC strongly recommends that all horse owners complete one. For more information visit www.marylandhorseindustry.org/census.shtml.

EPIC Barn Spotlight: Chasin Dreams Farm

By Traci Bryant Donatelli

In 2004, Denise Chasin was massaging horses for a living when she mentioned to her long-time friend Marianne Alexander that she might like to volunteer in Marianne’s Personal Ponies, Ltd., an international 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides small UK Shetland ponies to children with disabilities or illnesses. A few days later, Marianne called Denise about a Shetland who was weeks away from giving birth. The owner was leaving the country, and the mare needed a home right away. With no breeding/birthing experience and against her husband’s better judgment, Denise soon found herself in West Virginia loading a small, gray, very-pregnant Shetland named Neatherly onto her trailer.

Six years and a much bigger barn later, Denise has built a successful Personal Ponies breeding program at her Barnesville farm, in the heart of Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve. Neatherly currently keeps company with a 3-year-old stallion named Lord Braiden Bressay (Braiden for short) who is first generation off the Shetland Islands (an archipelago in Scotland, off the northeast coast) and three other mares. In January, Denise became National Director of Personal Ponies, Ltd., which now has volunteers in every state with over 1,800 ponies placed around the country, including Hawaii. The program is based on the belief that a pony can magically change the life of a child.

Shetlands have temperaments uniquely suited to fill this role. These tiny ponies (generally 28–38 inches tall) were originally bred to haul peat and do farm work. In the late 19th century they were used extensively in the coal mines of Scotland and Wales and in the mines of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Their patient, quiet and kind ways were ideal for pulling coal cars through narrow mine shafts. With their thick manes and furry coats, they are not as flashy as the American Shetland ponies (who have Hackney in their lineage), but what they lack in pizzazz, they make up for in heart. Most of these ponies are too small to ride, but many are taught to drive.

Personal Ponies doesn’t have any eligibility rules, and, Denise says, “You don’t have to convince us that you are worthy or that your special child is sick enough or disabled enough to qualify. If you have a child who is ‘differently able’ and you believe that a very special new best friend might make a difference in your child’s life, then we want to help.”

Ponies are provided on loan to families for long-term or lifetime use on the condition that they be cared for and loved, and once they’re outgrown, they go on to touch another child’s life. The ponies dedicate their lives to this mission, and they are placed in pairs to ensure they have constant companionship. Families and facilities are carefully screened, new owners are educated on pony care and those who cannot provide a suitable home or care for the ponies can visit the ponies at Chasin Dreams.

The breeding ponies at Chasin Dreams serve as equine ambassadors for all types of visitors—from 4-H and Girl Scout troops to children with autism, cancer or other ailments. After years of studying various types of education, Denise believes that children learn best when they’re given the freedom to pursue their own curiosity at their own pace. Therefore, there is no agenda, no lesson plan and no forced interaction. Denise lets each child decide how he or she would like to interact with the ponies. In fact, three years ago she founded an alternative school in Dickerson called FreedomHill Cooperative based on these principles. She’s witnessed children who have never spoken carry on long conversations with her ponies, and she fondly remembers a 6-year-old girl who told her that one of the ponies was her first friend; her mother confirmed that he truly was.

This somewhat radical approach, however, makes it difficult to obtain program funding along the more traditional routes. There are no quantitative results – no rubrics, no outcomes. The change that occurs inside the heart and mind of a small child is not always measurable with such methods. But after watching these kids open up and blossom with these ponies, one can’t deny its transformative powers and effectiveness.

Like all other Personal Ponies volunteers, Denise receives no compensation for her time, and she raises the ponies largely at her own expense. She takes her ponies to community outreach events throughout the year and almost every weekend during the summer. Personal Ponies has visited nursing homes, nursery schools, camps, cancer centers, special-needs programs and even joined Circle of Hope Therapeutic Riding Center, based in Barnesville, in welcoming groups from Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospitals. If there are children who could benefit from Personal Ponies and they can’t come to her, Denise will bring the ponies to them.

To find out more about Personal Ponies and how you can help as a volunteer or donor, visit the Chasin Dreams website at www.chasindreamsfarm.com or call Denise at (301) 349-2161.

Want to find out how to become an EPIC Barn Member? Visit our Membership page.

President’s Message

I don’t know about you, but now that this crazy winter is behind us, I can’t wait to hit the trails aboard my mare Sequin, seeking new paths I have yet to explore. EPIC is blazing trails of its own, and I am excited to fill you in on some of the new things happening with our organization.

Breezy Loop (trail head at the Pony Club field on Bucklodge Road) will soon gain an additional two-mile loop to be named Little Bucklodge Branch Loop. Bookmark our website www.epicmontgomery.org or join us on Facebook for trail-opening announcements, news, events and much more.

I’d like to welcome two enthusiastic people who are behind many of EPIC’s changes: Traci Bryant Donatelli joins us as a part-time employee. Since coming on board, she has been working hard coordinating everything at EPIC. Stacey Nedrow-Wigmore works on a contract basis to maintain the EPIC Web site, establish social networking pages and publish our now-quarterly newsletter. With Traci and Stacey’s assistance, this year promises to be great for riding EPIC trails, bringing our members together and expanding our advocacy work on behalf of the equestrian community.

While we’re on the subject of membership, if you haven’t yet become a member of EPIC, please consider joining. We have a number of membership levels for individuals, barns and businesses, each offering valuable benefits, including the upkeep, protection and expansion of the EPIC trail system you use.

We hope to see you at one or more of our upcoming EPIC trail rides where you can meet new people while becoming acquainted with the beauty and excellent riding opportunities in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve. See our calendar for specific dates.

Finally, do let us know of any problems you encounter on the EPIC trail system by noting the number on the closest trail marker and e-mailing us at info@epicmontgomery.org.

Happy trails!

David Tobin
President, EPIC

Trail Emergency! A Nail in His Hoof

By Javier Donatelli, DVM

You’re out for a trail ride with friends on a beautiful, sunny spring day. One minute everything is fine, suddenly your horse comes up very lame, not wanting to put any weight on his hind foot, except occasionally resting his toe. Your riding partners don’t see anything obvious, so you hop off to investigate further. When you pick up your horse’s affected hoof, you are horrified to find a rusty nail sticking out of his sole.

While a hoof puncture can happen in the pasture or barn just as easily as on a trail, being away from the barn complicates the situation because it’s harder for your vet to reach your horse. Even if she can get to you, her ability to X-ray the hoof to see the track of the nail before it’s removed—the preferred diagnostic method—is compromised due to lack of electricity.

To handle this potential emergency, follow these steps:

1. First and most importantly, DON’T pull out the nail. Note exactly where it’s located, what angle it entered the sole and how deep it penetrated. If you have access to a camera (standard on most cell phones), take a photo of the bottom of his hoof showing the exact location of the embedded nail.
2. Call your veterinarian. Ideally, you want to wait for your vet to reach you so she can remove the nail herself, allowing her to discern whether or not it has damaged any critical structures, such as the navicular bone, a tendon or joint.
3. If your vet cannot reach you on the trail, you will need to pull out the nail before you can walk your horse home. Most nails can be easily pulled out by hand. As you remove it, again carefully note the angle of entry and how deep it penetrated the sole.
4. After removing the nail, but before putting your horse’s hoof on the ground, use the camera to take another photo while you hold the nail parallel to
   

   If you must remove a nail from your horse's hoof, use a camera to note where it was located.

   your horse’s sole with the tip pointing toward the location of penetration and indicating the depth with your fingers (see photo right).

5. If you have access to a wrap, such as a polo bandage, wrap it around your horse’s hoof and sole to keep the nail hole as clean as possible.
6. Lead your horse back to the barn on foot. Do not ride.

Once your vet arrives, here’s what to expect:

1. She will use a sharp hoof knife to dig around the nail hole to expose the track to the air. This helps decrease the chance your horse contracts tetanus, a neurological infection caused by deadly Clostridium tetani, anaerobic bacteria that live in the soil and may have contaminated the nail.
2. If your vet determines that the puncture is uncomplicated, that is, it did not puncture any critical structures, she will treat the injury like she would an abscess: She may soak the affected hoof in hot water and Epsom salts, apply an ointment, such as ichthammol, to draw out any infection and then wrap the hoof to keep it clean.
3. Finally, she will administer a wide-spectrum antibiotic to stave off infection as well as an anti-inflammatory to decrease pain and inflammation. She will also give your horse a tetanus booster.

Complications from a nail puncture can range from something as simple as abscess or as severe as a career-ending injury if it has pierced one of the sensitive structures in the hoof. If your vet determines that one of these structures has been affected, she will refer your horse to a veterinary hospital for immediate and aggressive treatment.

Javier Donatelli, DVM, of Poolesville, Maryland, runs a private equine veterinary practice, Javier Donatelli Equine Veterinarian LLC. He specializes in lameness, dentistry and general medicine. He has done extensive work for many local horse rescues, and he is an EPIC Business Member. Dr. Donatelli can be reached at javdonatelli@hotmail.com or by phone at (301) 330-5035 (office) or (240) 676-1990 (cell).

Watch for Turtles on EPIC’s Newest Trail

The Turtle Trail is EPIC’s latest addition to the Breezy Loop Trail. The Turtle Trail trailhead can be accessed at the Potomac Pony Club grounds at 19301 Bucklodge Road across from Moore Road in Boyds, MD.

The Turtle Trail signposts are marked alphabetically from “A” to “H” in the bottom right corner of each sign patch so as not to confuse the rider with the Breezy Loop sign patches which are numerically marked.

The Turtle Trail is so named because of its proximity to the site of a box turtle habitat relocation effort by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and landowner  (and EPIC co-founder) Mike Rubin. Part of the environmental mitigation program related to the Intercounty Connector (ICC) was the relocation and study of box turtles. As their habitat along the path of the ICC is being destroyed, the HSUS was tasked 2 ½ years ago with capturing and moving as many of these creatures as possible. The plan was to move the population to a new, safe locale and then sequester them for a period of time, then release. Two large pens were constructed, turtles placed therein, and now, two years later, they’ve been released with GPS locators implanted.

Please be careful not to step on a turtle as you ride through. (Box turtles like to rest in the middle of trails!)

Turtle Trail adds a quiet, shady 15 minutes more to your Breezy Loop ride.

There are a few log jumps along the way. This trail lies on low ground so it  may be closed in the rainy season.

Vet Rich Forfa on Bowed Tendon

Tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon structures and is the result of a physical weight bearing strain overload by the soft tissue support of the lower limbs of horses.

A “bowed” tendon is a term used to describe an injury to a tendon which may manifest a bowed appearance.

Bowed tendons most commonly occur in the front legs. The injury can occur due to fetlock overextension when a horse’s weight is on one leg. Poor foot conformation, long toes or low heels, improper conditioning of the horse, working an unfit or fatigued horse, and poor, uneven or slippery ground surfaces, can all contribute to tendon strain. Horses with less demanding exercise regimes are less likely to develop a tendon injury.The superficial digital flexor tendon is the most commonly affected and the middle or mid-cannon location is most common. Also the deep digital flexor tendon, check ligament or suspensory ligament can be injured alone or in combination.  The diagnosis of tendonitis can be made by a physical examination and an adequate medical history. Signs of an acute tendon injury are swelling, heat, and pain on palpation of the affected area. If the injury is minor, swelling may not be obvious and the degree of lameness may be minor or subtle. In cases of a greater severity the horse will be moderately to severely lame with greater tendon swelling.

Ultrasound examination is used to document the extent of the injury, to form a prognosis and to follow healing after treatment. A scale and grading system is used to describe the severity of the lesion, which can be followed by serial ultrasound exams. Tendon injuries are serious so if one is suspected the horse needs to be examined by your veterinarian.

Initial acute treatments would be cold water or ice water applications for the first 24 hours, anti-inflammatory medications and support wraps applied in a proper manner. Stall rest is critical to obtaining the best success.

Other therapies are extracorporeal shock wave, stem cell therapy injection, I-Rap injections, and purified protein derivative injections into the lesion on the affected tendon. All these therapies reduce the effects caused by hemorrhage, inflammatory cells and chemical mediators which can complicate the tendon’s healing.

Rehabilitation includes an initial period of extended stall rest dependent upon severity of the injury to the tendon followed by controlled exercise such as hand walking on a lead or walking under tack.  Every effort should be made to prevent re-injury to the tendon.  Do not be in a hurry!  Follow up ultrasound scans made by your veterinarian can document when your horse will be ready to resume his normal work program.

Prognosis for return to the same level of work depends on the severity of the original injury. If disruption to the fibers of the tendon was minimal and the tendon healed rapidly the prognosis is better of working at the same level. With more severe the injury the more aggressive therapies are recommended. About 70% of horses can be expected to recover completely and return to the same level of work, the others usually can recover to be sound and work at a less strenuous level.

Proper trimming and shoeing by a good farrier, conditioning your horse so it is fit for the work it does and examining the legs after a hard work can go a long way to preventing tendon injuries.

Rich Forfa, DVM, Dip.ABVP

Monocacy Equine Veterinary Associates
P.O. Box 155
Beallsville, MD 20839
www.monocacyequine.com

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