b'LOW-STRESS HORSE HUSBANDRYthe horse trot around you can be enoughThe Result? Good Quality of Life and less on minimizing poor welfare of a deterrent; the horse realizes he getsHeleski recommends moving beyondconditions, Foster says. a break from the work when he movesmanaging and training a horse appropri- If you were to poll horse owners, how-toward the trailer.ately to providing him with overall qualityever, you would receive a variety of re-Beyond the stress of loading, travelingof life. Shes seen an evolution fromsponses regarding what they believe gives with horses away from home for competi- simply meeting the horses basic needstheir horses good quality of life. Even tions, trail rides, or other events can betoward a holistic approach to horse care. with a common set of welfare guidelines, nerve-wracking for everyone involved;This change in outlook, Foster says,figuring out how to apply the principles trigger stacking, which is when multipleis evident in the shift in welfare stan- to individual animals is a challenge, stressors take place simultaneously ordard protocols from the 1979 Farmsays Foster. Horses also fall into an closely together, can occur with trailering,Animal Welfare Councils Five Freedomsinteresting intersection between livestock when other horses are calling and in newmodel (freedom from hunger and thirst;and companion animals, and objective environments with foreign sights andfreedom from discomfort; freedom frominformation comparing different welfare sounds.pain, injury, or disease; freedom to ex- practices in horses is lacking.Maybe with one thing by itself, thepress normal behavior; and freedom fromSome best practices (i.e., 24/7 turnout horse would be fine, but as these thingsfear and distress) to the Five Opportuni- vs. stalled part of the day) are situation-build, its not unusual to see horses ex- ties to Thrive model (Vicino and Miller,dependent. Management and handling plode, says Heleski.2013; opportunity for a well-balancedpractices can set up the situation to give Practicing skills beforehand, introduc- diet; opportunity to self-maintain; op- the horse an opportunity to thrive, but ing one stressor at a time, might easeportunity for optimal health; opportunityevery individual is different, and their his-tension on the big day. She recommendsto express species-specific behaviors; andtory also plays a role, says Foster. An ani-practicing trailer loading on a calm day,opportunities for choice and control). mals welfare status is assessed by looking going to the showgrounds to school beforeThese efforts have gone beyondfor positive and negative welfare indica-the competition, or embarking on a trailercompliance and focused more on positivetors, which involves evaluating the horses ride with a quiet, experienced horse. physical and emotional animal welfarehealth, emotional state, and behavior.hHer CycleYour ScheduleOvaMed is a synthetic progestin and is indicated for the suppression of estrus in mares. OvaMed is the first FDA-approved generic alternative to Regu-Mate.Proven effectiveEasy to administerEasy on the budgetWin $1500 for your Foaling Fund!Whats her due date? Find out by visiting TheHorse.com at the Mare Gestation Calculator (under the Tools tab).Important Information for Handlers Then ENTER TO WIN $1500 towards your foaling fund by Skin contact must be avoided as OvaMed (altrenogest) is readilyclicking on the OvaMed contest banner ad on that page!absorbed through unbroken skin. Protective gloves must be worn by all persons handling this product. Pregnant women or women who suspect they may be pregnant should not handle this product. OvaMed(altrenogest)Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian. FOR ORAL USE IN HORSES ONLY. Contraindicated in mares having a previous or current history of uterine inflammation. Refer to the package insert and product sheet for comprehensive product information. OvaMed is a registered trademark of Bimeda, Inc. Regu-Mate is a registered trademark of Intervet BV.2019 Bimeda, Inc.TheHorse.com|The HorseDecember 201929LowStressHandling.indd 29 10/30/19 10:21 AM'