A Holistic Approach to Horse Rescue, Part 3

Emotional rehabilitation, re-homing and long term care

by Hannah Evergreen, DVM

In the first two parts of this series, we discussed both the immediate needs of rescue horses and the physical rehabilitation needs for the first few months after rescue. Here, we will explore the emotional needs of rescue horses and what comes after rehabilitation: long term care and re-homing.

All rescue horses have unique emotional needs, some simple and some severe. Common emotional issues I see with rescue horses include post-starvation food aggression, insecurity and trust issues (e.g., difficult to catch, sensitive to being touched), and lack of basic boundaries/training. It can be difficult to tell early on what the horse’s true personality will be as evidence of emotional problems tends to surface later, as the horse gains weight and strength. These issues must be thoroughly addressed as they come up for complete rehabilitation of the horse and to give the horse the best chance of finding a new home and staying in that home long-term.

Training Decisions

At this stage in rehabilitation, the horse is at a normal weight, the physical needs have been addressed, and long-term conditions have been diagnosed and are being treated. Rescue horses at this stage range from completely sound and healthy to sound for light riding to non-ridable. It is important at this stage to have made this determination so the emotional rehabilitation and training can help the horse reach its potential, whatever that may be. For example, if a horse has a saddling issue but is not ridable, it would be silly to spend a month working on desensitizing the horse to the saddle. On the other hand, if the horse is in its early twenties and sound for light riding but has never had any formal training, it may be a more difficult decision whether or not to pursue saddle training. In these situations I recommend an evaluation by a professional trainer to find out more about the horse’s personality and the probability for the horse being suitable for a beginner or intermediate rider with training. Most rescue horses require 2-3 months training by a professional or advanced rider to help them on their way.

This may be a good opportunity for you to brush up on your natural horsemanship skills or other gentle, appropriate training methods. The most important thing in this stage is to go slowly, be consistent, and take the time the horse needs to work out these issues from the start. If a horse is rushed through a program without complete emotional rehabilitation, the issues will surely crop up later.

Adoption Prospects

Once the horse has been rehabilitated as much as possible, it is time to find a permanent home. Most horse rescue organizations advertise on Petfinder.com, on their rescue websites, etc. It is very helpful to the rescue group if you assist them in getting the word out about the horse you are fostering, as well as other horses that are available for adoption. It is ideal to have a home lined up by the time the horse has been rehabilitated, but the reality is that it can take months to find a “forever home.” Keep in mind that some emotional damage from neglect is permanent. Once this has been determined, it should be discussed openly with prospective adopters and these horses should be placed into qualified homes only.

The act of rescuing a horse commits you to caring for that horse or making sure it is being cared for, for the rest of its life. Rescue organizations repeatedly follow up on each horse that has been adopted to ensure it doesn’t end up in a neglect situation again. Because of this, it is easy for rescue organizations to fill up quickly and then be unable to help other horses in need. We are in a time of crisis with too many horses and not enough homes or recourses to properly care for them all.

How You Can Help

Promoting the adoption of rescue horses rather than breeding more is essential. While some breeding may be done responsibly, it quickly becomes a slippery slope for me to decide what is or isn’t responsible breeding. Because of this, I have made the ethical decision as a veterinarian to eliminate breeding and reproduction from my equine practice, and instead help horse rescue organizations. I urge you to be part of the solution and consider fostering or adopting a rescue horse if you are looking for a rewarding rehabilitation project, new companion, or riding partner.

Holistic Horse Rescue Part 2

Healing the rescue horse's whole body is a slow but necessary process

by Hannah Evergreen, DVM

Last month we discussed the immediate needs of a rescue horse, including re-feeding syndrome, nutrition, and parasite and lice control. This month we will take a step back and look holistically at the whole horse. Once the horse has stabilized and is gaining weight, you can start to relax. The horse is not out of the woods yet, however. The horse's body has undergone extreme stress and will need a deeper level of rehabilitation for complete healing to occur. Physical rehabilitation along with detoxification and immune support are keys in this stage.

Physical Rehabilitation

Hoof Care: Many rescue horses have not had proper hoof care in the past and can be difficult to handle for their first trim. If a trim is stressful, wait until the horse has stabilized (2-4+ weeks) as this stress can be problematic early on. Be sure to work with a farrier (and a trainer if needed) who is sensitive to the emotional needs of the horse and willing to go slowly, thinking of each trimming session as a training session until the horse is calm and relaxed for trims.

Resorting to ropes only leads to long term behavioral and emotional problems. Occasionally, sedation should be used to help relax the horse and make a much-needed trim safe for all involved. Rescue horses often need to have their hooves trimmed every three to six weeks for a few months to help reestablish balance and correct pathology from neglect.

Bodywork: Start light exercise at the walk and slowly increase the distance/time and add in a few minutes of trot over the next two to three months. It is important to take it slow due to muscle damage and loss from starvation. Once the horse is at a 4.5/9 or above body condition score (BCS), you can start increasing the trot and adding in canter work, etc., depending on the physical capabilities of the horse.

Having massage work done once or twice a month during this process is very helpful to improve the suppleness of the muscles, address any ongoing problems, and to increase circulation and detoxify the muscles. Chiropractic work is also helpful monthly, as starvation and stress can cause significant subluxations. For painful problems or simply to help the horse recover more completely, acupuncture is also helpful during this process. Work with a veterinarian who is certified in acupuncture and chiropractic to help formulate the best plan for each individual horse. When musculoskeletal problems are not addressed early on, they can turn into long-standing conditions that affect the horse’s quality of life, long term health, and adoptability.

Dental Care: Once the horse has reached a BCS of 3.5/9 or above and has had blood work run showing normal CBC and chemistry levels, she is ready for dental care. Be sure to have a dental exam done by a veterinarian on intake. In cases of extreme dental disease, where the horse cannot eat with out intervention, dental care may be required right away. In severe cases, changes should be made slowly, with dental floats performed by a veterinarian every 3-6 months until the mouth has been re-equilibrated. Soaked hay and beet pulp/hay pellet mashes can be fed during the process so the horse can more comfortably chew her food.

Detoxification and Immune Support

After the stress of neglect and starvation, as well as the chemical lice and parasite treatments, the rescue horse will benefit from a detoxification program. Allowing toxins to build up can affect the horse’s long term health and speed of recovery. I recommend starting the horse on either Dynamite’s Herbal Tonic for one month, or for more sensitive horses, Wendals Herbs Liver Mix for one to three months. These herbal formulas will help support and cleanse the horse’s liver, which is her natural detoxifier. Immune support is also helpful early on in many cases. Horses that have been starved or neglected are often immune suppressed. They can be exposed to viral infections by being rescued and moved to a new location or hospital setting, or they may have an underlying infection prior to rescue. At-risk horses should be put on a vitamin C and/or an echinacea supplement such as Equilite’s GarlicC or Equinacea.

Stay tuned next month for a discussion on the emotional rehabilitation of rescue horses, long term care, and re-homing.

More information on horse rescue and resources can be found at the Northwest Equine Stewardship Center website, www.nwesc.org.

A Holistic Approach to Horse Rescue, Part 1

Treating the immediate needs of neglected horses with a holistic approach

by Hannah Evergreen, DVM www.evergreenholisticvet.com

Five years ago, many rescue horses were geriatric, lame, sick or otherwise not "useful" to their owners. When a young, sound horse came in through a rescue, it was easily placed into an adoptive home. Now, we are seeing greater numbers of sound, young, even well-trained horses end up in neglect situations; they are staying in rescue organizations for months, even years, before finding adoptive homes.

The first thing that needs to be done when a horse is rescued is an intake exam by a veterinarian. A blood sample should be taken for a routine CBC/Chemistry screen, and a fecal sample should be taken for ova and parasite float. These samples help the veterinarian determine the best treatment plan for each individual horse. The veterinarian will also assign a body condition score (BCS) to the horse (a 1-9 scale for objective determination of how fat or thin the horse is) check teeth, look for lice, and diagnose any other immediate medical conditions. The potentially toxic de-wormers, insecticides, antibiotics or other medications are unavoidable in most cases. Limiting their use and using natural treatments to detoxify and support the horse during this treatment period and to maintain the horse afterward are part of the holistic physical rehabilitation process.

The rescue horse should be immediately quarantined for at least one month, during which time feeding, parasite control and addressing immediate medical needs are essential. This quarantine is both to prevent the rescue horse from spreading disease, lice, and parasites to other horses in your barn, and also to prevent the rescue horse from getting viral infections or other diseases horses in your barn may be carrying. Rescue horses are at high risk of disease because they are often immune-suppressed due to emaciation or other illnesses. Don’t forget to disinfect your trailer after hauling a rescue horse.

Nutrition

All rescue horses are at risk of colic from diet changes, so changes should be made slowly, over a one- to two-week period. Probiotics should be given to help maintain beneficial bacteria in the horse’s GI tract and to decrease the risk of colic. Horses that score a 1 or 2 BCS are considered emaciated (ideal BCS is 4.5-5.5) and are at risk of re-feeding syndrome, which occurs when the horses’ metabolism suddenly changes from weight loss to weight gain. Severe metabolic disturbances and organ dysfunction can occur that can quickly lead to death.

At-risk horses must be fed small, frequent meals of grass hay only, slowly increasing to free choice grass hay. Salt blocks or loose salt and vitamin-mineral supplements can be given from the start, as this can help decrease the risk of re-feeding syndrome. Higher concentrate feeds can be added in only after the risk of re-feeding syndrome has passed. The ideal weight gain diet at this point in rehabilitation consists of forage first, low carbohydrate nutrition: free choice high quality grass hay or pasture, up to 30% alfalfa, beet pulp/hay pellet mash (soak all pelleted feeds), fat source (such as 1 cup vegetable oil), and a good quality vitamin-mineral supplement. Other concentrate feeds can be added in to make the mash more palatable. Be sure to work with your veterinarian to formulate the appropriate diet for your rescue horse.

Lice

These pesky external parasites are easily spread and seem to be on the rise in the Pacific Northwest. They are species specific, so you and your non-horse animals don’t have to worry, but you can spread the lice to other horses by not following strict quarantine protocol. There are three main treatment options for lice, the first being the most effective: Permethryn Horse Lice Duster, Carbaryl lice duster, or Fipronil (Frontline). Lice dusters should be used at seven- to ten-day intervals for a minimum of three treatments. All exposed horses should be treated on the same day and stalls should be stripped and disinfected. Blankets, halters, and tack should also be disinfected. Wear a mask, gloves, and long sleeves and avoid inhaling powders. Natural treatments such as tea tree baths and body clipping (weather permitting) can help in mild cases, but are not strong enough to treat most rescue horses.

Worms

Rescue horses often have heavy parasite loads because of neglect/lack of routine deworming and immune suppression. There is risk of colic (impactions, colitis) when a horse with a heavy parasite load is dewormed, so wait one to two weeks for the horses to be out of the immediate risk of colic from re-feeding syndrome, food change, and the stress of moving.

Horses that are loaded with adult and encysted parasites require extensive treatment before they can be put on a routine or natural deworming program. Consult with your vet about the best program for your horse. Since a negative fecal float does not guarantee the horse is parasite-free, rescue horses with few or no parasites seen but questionable backgrounds should be dewormed with Ivermectin, then a Panacur power pack two to four weeks later to help prevent unknowingly exposing your pastures to heavy parasite loads. A recheck fecal float should be done in two to three months. Wait until the horses are through this initial deworming before turning them out on your pastures. It is best to use a small pasture or sacrifice area that can be disinfected or rested after quarantine. Picking manure up daily and composting are also essential to decreasing parasite loads.

The first month of rescue horse rehabilitation is the most critical and requires experience and knowledge to be successful. First-hand experience can be gained by volunteering at local horse rescues or fostering horses for rescue organizations.

Horses and Youth

by Dr. Hannah Evergreen, guest columnist

Editor's note: Filling in for Nicole Lanphear this month, we have Dr. Hannah Evergreen, a veterinarian with a holistic practice in Western Washington. Dr. Evergreen shares her experience of watching kids grow up in the company of horses, one of the most natural, healthy ways you can guide young people toward a responsible future of caring for the people, creatures, and world around them.

Horses stole my heart from the moment I laid eyes on them as a child. This attraction quickly led to riding lessons and shortly after, a horse of my own. I experienced first hand the importance and benefits of horses for children. Horses have changed my life forever and have shaped me into the person I am today. Over the years I have also watched horses teach the same important lessons that I learned to the many young people involved with them. In particular, I've seen the deep impact that horses have on children by teaching them life skills.

Important Lessons Learned: Assertiveness, Responsibility, Compassion.
Horses teach children assertiveness and leadership. Assertiveness is the ability to appropriately and confidently take charge and express opinions in a situation. Horses rely on their humans to be an assertive leader and reward this behavior by being compliant and well behaved. Horses give children immediate feedback and reward when they are being assertive to help teach this important life skill. This has helped many a shy child come out of their shell and raise their self-esteem. Learning assertiveness through horses also teaches children how to control their anger and aggression; those of us who have learned this lesson as a child (or an adult) have found that anger puts us right back to square one with our horses and makes us have to re-establish trust all over again.

Horses teach children responsibility. When children are put in charge of the daily chores of their horse’s care, they are rewarded with and motivated by riding and companionship. We all know that it’s not easy caring for a horse. There are consistent, structured chores every day, no matter what…cleaning out the stall and paddock, feeding, watering, grooming, exercising, and training. Horses rely on their people to make sure their needs are met. They are also quick to point out to children if their needs are not being met…kicking and whinnying in the barn when they are hungry, knocking over buckets when they are thirsty, finding the perfect piles of manure to roll in when their stalls aren’t cleaned. Horses leave no room for excuses.

Children should also be encouraged to keep detailed records of de-worming, vaccinations, dental floats, yearly veterinary exams, and farrier care. 4-H and the U.S. Pony Club are helpful programs that time and time again teach children responsibility and record keeping. Children who become successful horse owners develop an ingrained sense of responsibility by the time they are adults; this stays with them and helps them throughout their lives.

Horses teach compassion. Learning to love and care for an animal teaches children compassion for all life. I believe horses have an extra special ability to heal people, and this innate quality seems to soften the hearts of those they encounter. Children are especially sensitive to this, and those children raised with the bond of a horse develop a strong sense of unconditional love for all life. Gandhi taught us that “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

Building Community
Assertiveness, responsibility, and compassion guided me through many years of school to become a veterinarian and still guide me today. Seeing the importance of these skills in my life reminds me constantly of the importance of passing these skills on to younger generations through horses. Now that I have fulfilled my dream of becoming a veterinarian, I feel a great responsibility to give back to the youth of our community, in turn.

Community service is part of my holistic approach as a veterinarian, and that includes educating young people. I was involved in horse 4-H throughout my childhood, so naturally I enjoy doing talks and demonstrations for the local 4-H clubs. Doing talks for horse rescue groups has also been a good way for me to influence young people in our community. I have fond memories of riding along with my vet as a child, so, in turn, I also have an extra seat in my truck for kids (and adults) with a strong interest in veterinary medicine to ride along with me as I go about my daily farm calls.

It’s only natural for those of us touched by horses to want to share what we’ve learned with the next generation. I know the young people of today will follow in our footsteps and do the same. Horses have kept this cycle going throughout the generations by teaching us these important life skills in a way that no other can teach. There are many ways to share horses with children, such as teaching riding lessons or supporting local 4-H, Pony Clubs, and horse camps.

Sometimes, all that it takes is offering a lead-line ride to an eager child on your trusty horse to get them hooked. Once they're hooked, you’ve changed that child for the better for the rest of his or her life.

Dr. Hannah Evergreen is a 2004 graduate from Oregon State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. She has loved, cared for, ridden and trained horses for most of her life; horses are her passion. Before becoming a veterinarian, she gained experienced as a veterinary assistant and a farrier. After graduation from veterinary school, Dr. Hannah worked as an associate veterinarian, then started her own mobile practice based out of Monroe, WA. Learn more about Evergreen Holistic Veterinary at www.evergreenholisticvet.com.