28 October 2021 - Flipbook - Page 86
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HORSEWEEK
FARMWEEK
DECEMBER 09 2021
EQUINE MANAGEMENT NOTES
FOSTER MARE AND ORPHAN FOAL SERVICE: NI Horse Board Administrator Chris Bogle;
pictured with Judy Maxwell, Baileys Horse Feeds Ireland Representative and NIHB Director;
and Hugh McCusker, NIHB Chairman at the Launch of the 2022 Foster Mare and Orphan Foal
service that has been revamped with support from Baileys Horse Feeds. (FW49-501NN)
NIHB and Baileys Horse
Feeds collaborate on Mare
and Foal Scheme for 2022
T
HE prospect of losing
your mare or foal is
something none of us
want to think about
and, with the 2021
breeding season drawing to
a close, the Northern Ireland
Horse Board are revamping
their Foster Mare and Orphan
Foal service for 2022.
Running in conjunction
with Baileys Horse Feeds,
the Foster Mare and Orphan
Foal service will operate
free of charge to breeders
throughout Ireland. Offering
the service 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, the
Northern
Ireland
Horse
Board feel that in some small
way this may help breeders
needing urgent help at a
crucial time.
In addition to putting you
in contact with breeders
offering a foster mare or
having an orphan foal,
breeders will be able to get
on the spot nutritional advice
from the team at Baileys
Horse Feeds.
With a wealth of knowledge
and experience, it’s hardly
surprising that Baileys are
so effective and so well
respected. Their team of
agents,
representatives
and nutritionists offer no
obligation, practical advice
and to help you explore all
your feeding options. Judy
Maxwell, Baileys Horse Feeds
representative in Ireland,
has spearheaded the new
concept and is delighted to
be on hand to help breeders
through this difficult period,
with some reassuring and
practical advice backed by
supplementary feeds that are
constantly reviewed against
the latest scientific research
into feed technology and
equine nutrition.
There will be various ways
that you will be able to
register your need for either
a Foster Mare or Orphan foal.
WEBSITE
Just go on to the NIHB
website: www.nihorseboard.
org FOSTER ALERT and
see if there is a mare or foal
available, or leave your own
details onto the web page for
another breeder to contact
you.
CALL
You can call the NIHB office
on Tel: 028 3834 3355, from
ROI (048) during office hours
Monday to Friday 9am until
1pm.
ROUND THE CLOCK SERVICE: Judy Maxwell, Baileys Horse
Feeds (second from right) discusses the newly relaunched
Northern Ireland Horse Board Foster Mare and Orphan Foal
service with, from left, Barbara Hanna, breeder; Bree Rutledge,
Horse Week; and Finola Mulholland, breeder. (FW49-502NN)
ASSESS THE RISKS: Horse riding is a high risk activity, but handling horses from the
ground is also dangerous. (FW49-500NN)
Staying safe during vet visits
By Dr Andrea Emerson BVSc MRCVS, CAFRE Veterinary Lecturer
LAUNCH: Launching the 2022 Foster Mare and Orphan Foal
Scheme organised by the Northern Ireland Horse Board were,
from left, Sam Smyth, NIHB Vice Chairman; Tom McGuigan,
NIHB Director; and breeders, Barbara Hanna and David Lyons.
(FW49-503NN)
Out of Hours - call or text
Judy on 0044 7884 065531.
Email
Emailing them at
office@gmail.com or
nihb.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The NIHB can be contacted
365 days a year via their
Facebook page - just search
for: ‘@nihorseboard’.
The NIHB ask that all
owners make arrangements
between
themselves
regarding the care of mares
and foals: “Like most things,
the more widely known about
and used the system is, the
more successful this service
will be.
It’s worth mentioning that
mares stop producing milk
quite quickly if not suckled
and therefore will only be
available for a few days. The
more this service is widely
used, the more chance a
mare may be available or a
foal found. We would also
ask veterinary surgeons and
practices to keep our details
available
for
potentially
distressed clients,” said an
NIHB spokesperson.
SAFETY around horses requires both
common sense and experience. Horse
riding is a high risk activity, but handling
horses from the ground can be just as
dangerous for the unwary. By identifying
the risks and hazards in advance of your
vet visit, potential accidents or injuries can
prevented or minimised.
ASSESS THE RISKS
A principle of UK law is that if a risk is
foreseeable, there is a duty to eliminate or
reduce it so far as reasonably practicable.
Before your vet arrives, you should
perform a risk assessment to identify
possible hazards around the yard.
This includes:
- anything that could cause a slip or trip,
such as loose wires or misaligned flooring
- moving vehicles
- any particularly aggressive horses
After identifying the hazards, you can
identify who may be harmed and how.
Set out steps to address the risks, such as
clearing a working space so that it is free
from hazards or verbally communicating
to point out potential hazards. If you
need further information on performing
a risk assessment, the HSE has provided
guidance, which can be found at http://
www.hse.gov.uk/ pubns/ indg163.htm.
When your vet arrives, it is of paramount
importance to discuss with them any
concerns you have about the handling of
the horse. Always warn your vet if your
animal is young or unhandled. Similarly,
alert them if your horse has any quirks or
vices, such as biting/ kicking/ rearing. If
your horse is particularly needle shy, you
should work on desensitising your horse
by practising with an empty syringe, so
they become accustomed to having it on
their neck without a reaction. You may also
want to practise picking up your horse’s
feet, each in turn, so that it does not react
to the vet.
When handling your horse for the vet, be
aware that you have a very important job.
You are protecting yourself, your horse and
the vet from harm. No matter how sensible
and quiet your horse normally is, horses
can react suddenly and unexpectedly.
Indeed, horses under sedation can show
uncharacteristic aggression and can kick
or bite without warning. Your job relies on
good handling techniques and awareness.
TIPS
Here are some tips to think about when
holding a horse for the vet:
- Use a working area that is free of hazards
- Apply fly spray during summer months
to prevent the horse from becoming
irritated
- Keep your attention on the task at hand,
put mobile phones away!
- Communicate with the vet and ask
where they want you to stand and how to
hold the horse
- Keep a good grip on the lead rope, so
that you can readily control the horse if it
reacts suddenly
- Wear appropriate footwear/ gloves/
coats
- Talk to the horse to provide some verbal
reassurance
- If you have reason to reprimand the
horse, always tell the vet before you do
so in case the animal jumps or reacts
suddenly
- Always stay on the same side of the
horse as the vet while they are working, so
that you can turn the horse’s head towards
you and the hind end will turn away from
both of you
- Make sure the horse’s headcollar fits and
the lead rope is in good condition
- Consider wearing a riding hat when
undertaking high risk procedures or when
dealing with young or unhandled horses
If your vet is taking x-rays at your yard, it
is important to have as few people around
as possible. Anyone under the age of 18 or
pregnant women should not be present
when x-rays are being taken. Your vet will
give you a lead apron to wear and it is
important that this fits comfortably, so you
are not restricted in your role as handler.
In case of emergency, always have a
human first aid kit readily available, so
you can quickly react to any unfortunate
situations. If such a situation arises, make
sure to keep records of what happened and
how.
Remember to always use common sense
around horses and ask your vet if you are
unsure. Hopefully your vet visits will be a
positive experience for all!