Horse Knowledge Flashcards
How are opossums and horses related?
Opossums give EPM (Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis) to horses by their feces. Horses eat and drink where feces have been. Can be treated.
EPM effects central nervous system - a disease of the brain and or spinal cord caused by a protozoan organism
How are frogs and horses related?
The frog which is part of the hoof reduce and absorb impact and pump blood up the legs.
(Second heart)
How are canines and horses related?
Canine teeth, located behind the incisors, typically in males, used for fighting in the wild.
How are wolves and horses related?
Wolf teeth which are unnecessary teeth in front of premolars where the bit goes. Should be removed prior to training a horse.
How are parrots and horses related?
Parrot mouth- overbite- upper incisors protrude past lower incisors
Snaffle bit
Puts direct pressure on the mouth. supposed to be rode with two hands (There should be no wrinkles in the mouth) Used in young horses for immediate release in training.
Leverage bits should not be used in young horses.
Curb bit
Indirect pressure on the chin, poll and mouth. Has a curb chain or curb strap and has shanks.
Examples: leverage bit or shank bit
The more breaks in a mouthpiece the more bend. The longer the shank the more brakes.
Hackamore bit
Nose pressure, chin And a little bit of the poll 
The more brakes in a mouthpiece what else is there more of
There’s more bend in the horses body
What does a shank on a bit do and where is it
The shorter the shank, the milder the bit. Shorter shanks magnify the rein cues less than with long shanks. Longshanks are usually more severe as it takes less rein to put more pressure on the mouth.
A long shank increases the leverage and the pressure on the curb groove and the bars of the mouth.
What parts make up the majority of bits?
The mouthpiece, the cheeks, the purchase, the shanks, and the rings.
Explain the mouth piece of the bit.
Explain the cheeks of the bit.
Cheek pieces are used to categorize horse bit types.
A curb bit is made up of the shanks and the purchase. The shanks are from the mouthpiece down and the purchase is from the mouthpiece app.
Explain the purchase of the bit.
The purchase of the bit is from the mouthpiece up on a curb bit.
Explain the shank of the bit.
The shank is from the mouthpiece down.
The bit shank is the side piece or cheek piece of a curb bit. The bit shank allows leverage to be added to the pressure of the rider’s hands on the bit.
Explain the rings of the bit.
What is equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4)
or equine rhinopneumonitis
A DNA virus that usually causes respiratory disease. Highly contagious and symptoms include nasal draining, fever and cough. Most commonly seen in weaned foals and yearlings. Older horses are more likely to transmit the virus without showing signs of infection.
What is equine influenza virus (EIV)
A highly contagious respiratory disease. It is caused by two subtypes of influenza A. Equine influenza spreads easily through contact with infected horses and contact with infected clothing, equipment, brushes, and tack. A cough is the most notable sign of equine influenza. Signs can include high fever, watery nasal drainage, lethargy, loss of appetite, weakness and dry cough. Abrupt onset of signs usually last less than three days.
What is strangles?
A bacterial disease (caused by the bacteria streptococcus equi) that is highly contagious among equids. Lymph nodes can become enlarged and affect breathing. The lymph nodes swell and develop abscesses around the throat. Horses are often seen positioning their head down low and in an extended position to relieve throat and lymph node pain. Initially the nasal drainage is clear then becomes cloudy and white. After the abscesses have ruptured the drainage from the nasal passages becomes thick, white to yellow.
There are different vaccines to help protect against strangles, but they do not fully protect every horse from infection. My horses are vaccinated yearly.
Lance the abscess or give time to drain. Supportive care.
Name three different wormers
Quest, ivermectin, and safeguard.
I change wormers every time I worm my horse, so the worms don’t build resistance.
How often do you deworm your horse?
Typically horses are dewormed every eight weeks. But I live in a dry climate and my horses are not let out into the pasture so I am able to deworm them every 12 weeks.
What is thrush and What does it look like?
What causes thrush and how do you treat it?
Thrush is a bacterial and or fungal infection around the frog of the hoof. It has a foul smell and a black discharge.
Causes: dirty and muddy living conditions
Steps you can take to avoid your horse getting thrush include regular turn out and exercise for self cleaning of the hoof, cleaning the horses feet regularly and keeping horse stalls clean and dry
If thrush eats away at the frog long enough, it will get down into the sensitive tissue leading to temporary or permanent lameness.
I treat thrush with a 50/50 combo of bleach and water.
What is EIA?
EIA stands for equine infectious anemia. A potentially fatal blood-borne infectious viral disease. The immune system may attack and destroy red blood cells leading to anemia.
There is not a vaccine or treatment for the disease and the horse becomes a life long carrier. The horse has to be permanently isolated and quarantined or euthanized.
Transmission is by blood feeding flies such as horses flies and deer flies.
Prevention: reduce exposure to biting flies through management practices. Keeping horse clean, Fly spray, fly traps and fly predators.
What are the four core vaccines?
- Rabies
- West Nile
- Eastern equine encephalomyelitis/
Western equine encephalomyelitis - Tetanus
What other vaccines does your horse receive besides the 4 core vaccines?
Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis
Strangles
Rhino-flu -which is a combination of rhinopneumonitis (EHV 4) and influenza
One hand is how many inches?
4 inches
What does HH stand for?
HH stands for hands high. Example is 14.3 HH.
How many hands high is a 59 inch horse?
14.3HH
How many inches is a 15.2 hands high horse?
62 inches
What is tetanus toxoid?
A highly fatal bacterial disease caused by clostridium tetanu causes muscle spasms.
Also called lock jaw.
The bacteria typically enter through a wound.
The inability to open the jaw called “lockjaw” may occur.
Preventable disease as it is one of the core vaccines
What is (EEE) eastern equine encephalomyelitis (encephalitis)?
Also known as sleeping sickness causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms include impaired vision, aimless wondering, head pressing, circling, staggering gait, paralysis, seizures and death. There is not a cure. Can only give supportive care.
Mosquitoes transmit the virus from infected birds and has a high mortality rate.
Prevention: It is one of the five core vaccines, and should be received annually
What is west Nile virus?
A mosquito borne virus from wild birds that causes inflammation of the brain.
Symptoms- incoordination, hind in weakness, muscle tremors, teeth grinding, head pressing, behavior, changes, down and unable to rise
No treatment, supportive care
Prevention: one of the five core vaccines that is received annually.
What is navicular disease?
Inflammation of the navicular bone and its surrounding tissues. Typically in the front feet of a horse. Can lead to disabling lameness of a horse.
It is believed to be genetic, but can also be related to confirmation of the distal limbs.
It is a degenerative disease therefore, there is not a cure.
What is laminitis?
Inflammation of the laminae of the foot. If not treated can cause permanent damage and is painful. Can affect one or all feet, but is most common in the front feet.
Causes: sudden access to excessive amounts of lush forage, digestive upset from abrupt change in diet, high fever or illness, or severe colic
Risk factors: overweight and feeding large amounts of carbohydrate rich meals and heavy breeds.
What is founder?
More severe stage of laminitis due to blood supply being cut off to laminae it causes the coffin bone to rotate, sink downward and eventually penetrate the sole.
Causes: sudden access to excessive amounts of lush forage, digestive upset from abrupt change in diet, high fever or illness, or severe colic
Risk factors: overweight and feeding large amounts of carbohydrate rich meals and heavy breeds.
What is VEWT?
Venezuelan, Eastern, and Western Equine Encephalitis and tetanus
Vaccines my horses receive annually
What test is used to check for EIA?
The Coggins test named after Dr. Leroy Coggins
What paperwork do you need to travel with especially crossing the state line?
Coggins test result and a health certificate if crossing the state line.
Coggins test result will say that your horse is negative for equine infectious anemia, and the health certificate says that your horse has had an examination by a veterinarian and your horse is healthy to travel. The health certificate is good for 30 days.
Which side of the horse is the near side of the horse?
The left side is the near
side of the horse.
Which side of the horse is the off side of the horse?
The right side of the horse is the off side of the horse.
What is a parasite?
A parasite is a living organism that lives on other living organisms.
