Gai Evans - Human & Animal

31/01/2024

6:20pm 29th Jan 2024 Check out Ex Kirrily over in Western Qld. It’s structure is actually improving and its behaving a lot like the previous inland NT/WA low did. Heaps of rainfall remains close to the centre. Good storm activity stretches SE from the system as moisture is funnelled that way. Unfortunately for other parts there is only relatively isolated activity. This means you’ll have to get quite lucky to have a shot at a cooling shower or thunderstorm. We are anticipating this to increase in the days ahead for northern and eastern Qld.

https://weatheriq.com.au/sign-up

14/01/2023

14/01/2023

The World is going to end if you don’t support me!

14/01/2023

The World is going to end tonight if you don’t support me!

07/12/2022

Scattered showers and possible thunderstorms over the far north of the state. Isolated to scattered showers about the east coast. Isolated gusty thunderstorms with little rainfall over the western interior. Some could become severe with damaging winds the main threat. Mostly sunny elsewhere. Light to moderate east to southeasterly winds, tending fresh about exposed parts of the southeast coast. Dangerous surf conditions continuing along parts of the southern Queensland coast gradually easing this afternoon. Temperatures near or below average, tending well below average in southeastern and central districts.

-Peter-

27/03/2019

Many horses are pushed beyond the limits of their physical development.
Be mindful.

Original artwork credit Naomi Tavian

16/10/2018

Did you realise that your horses kidneys move?
That with each breath, they move approximately the length of a vertebral segment?
That in a single day, with your horse breathing normally, they will move on average 1.6km?

Why? Because they are connected to the diaphragm (as well as other things) via fascia and ligaments.
Look where they are located.. right under the back of your saddle. Poor saddle fit, unbalanced riders (any rider really but unbalanced is worse) will put pressure on this area and because where they are innervated from this can cause the restriction.

A classic sign of kidney restriction is the fidgety horse, that won't stand still. They are reactive and sore to pressure over the tops of the last ribs and it's firm, no give.
Combine that with restrictions at TH 15, 16, 17 and 18, and a change in pelvis angle.. and you will have issue with movement and attitude.

That sore back may have nothing to do with the muscles....
Something else to think about....

Photo: Merck Veterinary Manual (not motivated enough to draw my own tonight sorry).

04/09/2018

You need to wrap your horse?s legs to protect and cover an injured area; provide warmth to stiff/old tendons, ligaments, or fetlocks; control acute-injury swelling and movement; and to protect his legs while trailering hauling.

18/08/2018

👣Hoof Health - Nutrition For Healthy Hooves🐴😬
🗣 You may have heard the phrase "NO HOOF, NO HORSE” which highlights how crucial the health and the strength of the hoof is for horse soundness.
🔎 That said for a horse, the hooves are low on their list of priorities. The nutrients provided in the diet are first used for survival. Supplying first the vital organs like the ❤️heart, liver, kidneys and lungs then if sufficient key nutrients remain, the hoof tissue is then supplied. Unhealthy hooves are a good indication of inadequate levels of nutrients supplied in the diet.
❣️They rely on a nutrient-rich blood supply to ensure proper growth and strength. Some of the key nutrients for hoof health include:

🌾Protein
Over 90% of the hoof wall is protein.
Keratin is an extremely strong protein and is the major component in skin, mane and tail, hooves, and teeth as is the case for us with our skin, hair and nails.
Many of the amino acids that are needed for keratin are never deficient; horses can manufacture them from other amino acids.
Two that are required from the diet is methionine and lysine as they cannot be manufactured from other amino acids.
They are both of great importance in the strengthening of the hoof structure.
▪️Lysine deficiency is common in horses that are fed diets high in cereal grains, and can result in a restriction of growth.
▪️Methionine is often the second limiting amino acid, and is unique in that it is a sulfur-containing amino acid. Sulfur is critical to hoof quality because the main protein in hooves, keratin, is very high in sulfur.

🔸 Omega 3 fatty acids
Important for the shine and slick looking surface brought about from a network of fats and waxes. They are essential in in the diet to maintain the “glue” holding the hoof together. They keep the environmental moisture out but critical tissue moisture in.

▫️ Calcium
Supports the enzymatic reaction that produces the disulfide bonds which link the keratin proteins in the hoof.

🔰 Zinc is necessary for healthy skin, hair, and hooves, while Copper increases hoof wall strength.

✴️ Vitamin A assists in maintaining the integrity of epithelial cell walls, and is needed for healthy skin and keratin. It is synthesized in the horse’s intestine from beta-carotene, which is abundant in fresh forage. Freshly cut hay also contains some Vitamin A, but this level decreases after hay is baled.

🔹 Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin, previously known as Vitamin H and works to improve tissue growth. It is needed for the production of keratin. Although Biotin can be produced by the bacteria in the horse’s hindgut, but may not be produced in sufficient amounts and absorption can be variable.

✅ Other aspects that affect the quality and integrity of the hoof wall is genetics and hoof care/trimming.

👌🏻 Healthy hooves are built from the inside out.
🌱 Make the centre point of your horse's diet a grassy hay or fresh pasture (if available).
Provide quality vitamins, minerals and Omega 3 supplementation which will fill in nutritional gaps and help to ensure overall health, while maintaining excellent hoof quality.

❓Any questions? Please ask in the comments below👇🏻👍🏻

🖊Written by Bryan Meggitt (BMedSc. GCrtMedSc.)
Manager and Co-founder of CEN - Complete Equine Nutrition
👨🏻‍🔬Bryan is a scientist and equine nutrition educator through the nutrition principles of Dr Juliet Getty and Dr Eleanor Kellon.
Bryan is passionate about improving equine health through proper natural nutrition according to nature and science.
He believes a horse should be fed according to their natural physiology, to achieve optimum health and enhance performance.
Article link: https://www.equinefeeds.com.au/healthyhooves/
More articles at the CEN Website: https://www.equinefeeds.com.au/blog/

CEN Healthy Equine Products:
🔹 CEN Complete Formula Feed has a very strong and balanced Vitamin and Mineral profile in a healthy fibre based feed + pre and probiotics.
💎 CEN Oil helps the horses body absorb key Vitamins A,D,E and K due to their fat solubility. High in quality plant based Omega 3 it is the perfect addition to all hay based diets.
🔸 CEN XtraBalance keeps the gut microbiome in check to ensure better absorption of nutrients, manufacture of vitamins including biotin, stronger immune system and removal of mycotoxins.
🇦🇺 More information through the CEN Store: https://www.equinefeeds.com.au/censtore/

17/08/2018

In my early days as a horse trainer, I took in everything from cow horses, reiners, cutters, polo horses, jumpers and all-around horses. In all those events, one manoeuver that plays a key role is the rollback. While watching the horses compete in their various disciplines, I saw a lot of horses being turned around in a dysfunctional manner, and I came to realize the rollback is not a one piece manoeuver. When you dissect it, it’s actually a series of manoeuvers:
1) Stop
2) Rock back on the hindquarters
3) Flexion in the direction of travel
4) A little more than a quarter of a turn with the horse pivoting on the outside hind and then transferring to the inside hind for departure.
5) Lead departure
If any of those pieces isn’t functional, the overall manoeuver will be dysfunctional to some degree or downright awful depending on the situation. If the horse runs through the stop and sticks his head in the air, you’ll have no preparation for your turn. Or, if he stops deep behind, you won’t be able to flex him in the direction of travel and his ribcage will be really straight, which will result in a dysfunctional turn.

When you realize your horse isn’t performing correctly, it’s your job to get him back on track and find the piece of the puzzle that’s not in alignment. Then you work on that piece before you come back to the manoeuver again. So for example, going back to the rollback, if you can’t flex your horse’s head and neck in the direction of travel, you won’t be able to get him to lead through the turn with his nose. If you can’t control his hindquarters with your outside leg, you can’t position his inside hind leg for the turn. If you lean to the inside, then you inhibit the horse’s ability by getting in his way. You have to dissect the manoeuver to figure out where your problem is. Once you find the problem, focus on that area on its own until you and your horse are performing it well. Then you can put all the individual parts together to perform the manoeuver in its entirety. When each part is well, then you’ll be able to execute the overall manoeuver.
Ian Francis -
To be outstanding horse trainer - you need feel, timing, balance and patience- you also need a little imagination.