So, You Think You Love Horses?

Some Reflections on the Nature of Horses and Man

• Endophytic Tall Fescue (Lolium arundinaceum)

  [Toxic Plant to Horses] Tall fescue is a grass species that by itself is no problem. However, it is subject to being colonized by an endophytic, symbiotic fungus species that in turn produces a toxin that affects grazing animals. In mares multiple gestational and parturitional functions are affected. Pregnant mares should never be allowed to gaze on pastures containing endophytic tall fescue.

• Endurance Riding

  [Equine Competition] A cross country ride in which the competitors are required to complete the ride in a specific time period. Generally, there are check points along the course at which judges check the horse's pulse and respirations for adequate conditioning to proceed. In warmer weather riders carry a sponge on a line and drop it into streams to sponge their mounts. Anyone having a well-exercised mount might consider participating in the lower level competitions. It makes for a good ride, does not require continual cantering and basically to complete the course in time is to win and not that terribly difficult to do. Needless to say, higher level competitions can be grueling, taxing to a horse and best left to individuals who specialize in these events.

• Engagement of the Hindlimbs

  [Equine Movement] Engagement of the hindlimbs refers to a horse keeping the hindlimbs under its body and shifting its balance so that more of its body weight is carried in the hindquarters. We humans, being bipeds, do not consider this but a horse is configured somewhat like a bridge. Its weight is suspected between its fore legs and hind legs. When one of a horse's hind legs is trailing during movement all its rear body weight, which its most of the body weight, is carried by the other leg. That does not allow for a lot of maneuverability. What engagement of the hindlimbs means is to train the horse to keep the hindblimbs under its body and supporting the body weight in preparation for some other movement, often a pivot. With a signal for impulsion the horse is able better to spring out of this engagement. This is particularly important in Western riding, for example in a cutting horse, or in dressage.

• English

  
  

  Typical English Saddle and Girth

  
  [Riding Style] A style of riding first practiced in the British isles among hunters and often used in contrast to Western riding in North America. English riding equipment and the manner of riding is distinct from other riding styles. An individual horse may be taught any style of riding but those practicing various styles often tend to favor certain breeds.

• Equidae

  [Equine Taxonomy] Equidae is the taxonomic family name in the classification of animals comprising horses, asses and zebras. Members of the family share a basic body contour, are grass eating and have a single-sheathed hoof on which they walk.

• Equine Encephomyelopathies

  [Veterinary Medicine] The equine encephomyelopathies are a class of similar diseases caused by arboviruses and spread by mosquitoes from reservoir species, often birds or rodents. The principle types in the U.S. are Eastern, Western and Venezuelan equine encephalitis. Human beings can rarely acquire these diseases as well. They are vaccine preventable but once the infection is acquired they have a high mortality.

• Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)

  [Veterinary Medicine] Equine infectious anemia is caused by the equine infectious anemia retrovirus and transmitted by bloodsucking insects commonly, biting flies from horse to horse. The disease exists in acute, subacute and chronic forms. Some horse have few symptoms but are carriers. In others there is high fever, anemia from breakdown of red blood cells, lethargy, and swelling of the lower abdomen and legs. For infection control infected horses must be quarantined and many are still euthanizing. A hopeful development is the "Chinese Live Attenuated EIA vaccine."

• Equine Piroplasmosis (Babesiosis)

  [Veterinary Medicine] Equine Piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease caused by the protozoan parasite, Babesia caballi or Babesia equi.. At this point in time, it mainly occurs in animals imported from endemic areas since the particular horse parasite has not gained a permanent foothold in the U.S. It can can be detected by seeing the organism as a ring-like structure within horses' red blood cells. The organism can be killed by certain antimicrobials. Babesiosis in many ways behaves like Lyme disease and a human form of the disease exists but it is caused by different Babesiosis species than the equine form..

• Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM)

  [Veterinary Medicine] Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is caused by the parasite Sarcocystis neurona and often transmitted by the contamination of feed or water from the feces of wild animals, particularly opossums. The common symptoms of EPM are neurological and include ataxia, general weakness with muscle spasticity. Reflexs are lost and the horse may be unable to lift its tail when defecating. There is a confirmatory blood test and treatment is available. We had an affected horse that was treated, completely recovered and returned to full activity.

• Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU)

  [Veterinary Medicine] Equine recurrent uveitis, also called moon blindness, recurrent iridocyclitis or periodic ophthalmia, is an acute and remittent ocular disease that begins in the uveal tract but in time involves all eye structures. Its pathogenesis is incompletely understood but the mechanism likely has an autoimmune basis, perhaps with infectious triggers. It is treatable, but not curable at this time. It is not contagious. Either a single eye or both can be affected and surprisingly belonging to certain breeds or living in certain regions seem to increase risk.

• Equine Reflex Hypertonia (Springhalt)

  [Veterinary Medicine] Equine Reflex Hypertonia is an acquired neuromuscular condition that causes a gait abnormality, producing an involuntary, exaggerated upward movement of one or both of the hindlimbs. It is worse in cold weather. The horse is not in pain, but this can be an issue when ridden. In extreme cases it might be treated surgically, but surgery is often not successful.

• Equitation

  [Horse Showing and Riding Term] The art of correct and skilled riding on the part of the rider without regard to the training of the horse. This is often applied to jumping classes at horse shows. Often it takes only a glance of a practiced eye to initially size up a rider's basic abilities.

• Equitation Position (Also Dressage Seat)

  The Dutch dressage rider Marlies van Baalen in the dressage seat
  (Public Domain Wikipedia Commons)

  
  
  [Dressage] The Equitation position is one of three principle seat positions in riding. In the equitation position the rider exhibits the correct upper body posture: body slightly back in the saddle as opposed to a forward (hunter's) seat and with the chest open, shoulders down and the reins properly and completely held. For a time, and this is the honest to God truth, the Italian Cavalry School, was instructing its officers to jump while in the equitation position. I have no idea why, but it is no surprise that the exercise was dropped because of the large number of resulting injuries.

• Eventing

  [Equestrian Disciple and Competition] Eventing consists of three riding disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. The sport was previously known as combined training and is one of the Olympic equestrian categories. It requires a good all around rider and gifted horse.

• Extention

  [Equine Gaits] Extension is the act of a horse deliberately lengthening the distance that its steps during a particular gait. The gait is then referred to as a extended walk, extended trot, etc. This can be seen most graphically during dressage competitions. The opposite of extension is called collection. In most riding situations riders do not care how extended or collected their horses are. An excited horse may naturally go into an extended gait, particularly if the rider keeps a firm pressure on the bit but not so much as to shift to a slower gait.