April 2018 6 Arizona REAL COUNTRY the magazine Mike Barna Publisher mbarna@963realcountry.com (602) 622-3695 Erika Smith Royal Editor erika963realcountry@gmail.com Misty Voitovski Creative Director Contributing Writers Desiree’Byrne, Kimmie Dillon, Charlie LeSueur, Jim Olson, Robert Piekow, Katelyn Reinhart, Alan Rockman, Bob Roloff, Buddy Uldrikson, JolynYoung Arizona Real Country is owned and published by Barna Broadcasting LLC. No person, organization or party can copy or reproduce the content on our website and/or magazine or any part of this publication without a written consent from the editor’s panel and the author of the content, as applicable. The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work. Ask the Vet TRAILER BREAK Q: How often do you need to stop and offer your horse water during a long-distance trailer ride? And how often should horses be allowed off the trailer to stretch their legs? A: As you suspect, trailering is not only stressful for horses but requires quite a bit of energy expenditure to maintain balance during stops, starts, turns, and even just going straight. Experts such as in the resource I consulted—Guidelines for Horse Transport by Road & Air, edited by Catherine A. Kohn—suggest riding in a trailer uses as many calories as walking and twice as many as resting! Since weight loss, dehydration, and fatigue are real concerns then, what advice do these same experts give regarding feeding, watering, and resting? Their guidelines are to haul not more than 12 hours at a time; no more than 8 hours in one stretch is preferable. Then, your horse needs 8 (or 12) hours of rest OFF the trailer. Of course, you’ll want to check on your horse more often than that--ideally every four hours--by stopping for 30 minutes without unloading. Try to bring your own hay, grain, and even water for the duration of the trip. Hay should be soaked to reduce dust, grain should be limited, and water should be offered every four hours (when you stop to check on your horse). Handy tip: a water caddy is an excellent method of encouraging horses to drink on the road by providing water from home they’re used to. Follow Arizona Real Country for news, events, giveaways and more! 801 W. Wickenburg Way Wickenburg, AZ 85390 (602) 622-3695 ArizonaRealCountry.com A CALM TRIP Q: I am trailering my horse this week and am considering giving him some Ace to help calm him this time. His last trailer experience (when I got him) was not good and he ended up rearing up multiple times which resulted in a big gash that needed stitches on his head. Is giving Ace a good idea? If so, how much should I give? He’s a 16’1 thoroughbred gelding (5 years old). Also keep in mind his manners still aren’t the greatest yet and he can be very pushy. A: A small dose of acepromazine can significantly reduce anxiety in a horse without making them too drowsy to ship safely. I work with a lot of young racehorses and the handlers often give them a shot about 45 minutes before loading them up. Not only are they quieter and less reactive to startling events, I can give them a much lower dose of other tranquilizers if we need to perform a procedure. The appropriate dose for your horse will depend on whether you will give it orally or inject it in the vein or muscle. Acepromazine is a prescription drug so I have to recommend you speak to your regular veterinarian about how much to give him. Hopefully the memory of his bad experience will fade and he can get over his anxiety about shipping soon. MOVING OUT OF STATE Q : What type of documents do I need when moving my horse from state to state? A: Most states require a negative current Coggins (equine infectious anemia) test and health certificates prior to border entrance. A few states also require brand inspections, which you can schedule. We have entered the age of apps and electronic Coggins and health certificate forms, some of which allow veterinarians to take horses’ photos rather than drawing their markings. You can keep these digital forms in your inbox for easy access. Though 30-day health certificates are required for long-distance travel through several states, many regions now allow six-month “Go Passes” good for travel to neighboring states. ONE MORE THING: DON’T FORGET A RECOVERY PERIOD ONCE THE TRIP IS COMPLETE. For short trips (less than three hours), turnout in a paddock or hand walking once you get there may be sufficient. But for longer trips, consider giving your horse up to three days to get back to normal before asking for any work.