Equi-First Aid Midwest/Hoof N' Hound Equine Outreach

We had a great weekend of Equine First Aid at a Rebel Hearts Ranch in Bloomfield, Indiana. A beautiful facility, great students, and great horses! Big thanks to our host Joel Nadler and Meghan Lowery, but we can't forget our other helpers 🐴 Moonie, Drifter, Glory, Titan, Rebel, Pistol, and Stetson.

Wishing a huge Happy Birthday to someone we all adore!!! 🎂🎁🥳🎉🎈 We are so blessed to have Kelsey Silva in our lives and as part of our farm family. She truly loves all of our animals as her own and we love her just the same! ❤️ Hope you have an amazing day!!!

>Updated 9-1-24 with a glimpse of happiness.<
The level of catastrophic loss that’s still unfolding at the Beutler Ranch in Elk City, Oklahoma right now is beyond comprehension. The horror of so many dead horses—the death toll is now approaching 70 and counting, I’m told—is devastating a family-dynasty breeding program that’s a 95-year-old cowboy empire. What Elra, Jake and Lynn Beutler started in 1929, and Elra’s grandson Bennie and his son Rhett built onto with Beutler & Son Rodeo Company today can’t be replicated or replaced.

I have intentionally sat quiet on this story, knowing the Beutlers can’t even breathe right now. They have no words, or tears left. They also have their hometown rodeo to produce this weekend, and with so much of their horse herd and generations-deep legacy wiped out without warning.

I’ve had many off-the-record conversations with cowboy people about this tragic turn of events in the last few days. I just had my first one on the record with the friend and veterinarian the Beutlers have entrusted with their four-legged family, Dr. Gregg VeneKlasen. Because of what may lie ahead legally, we will stick to only the facts that can be appropriately shared publicly at this time. More to come later, when the time is right for the Beutler family.

Early reporting that many of the Beutlers’ horses were accidentally fed cattle feed is false, according to VeneKlasen.

“What these horses got was actually a horse feed mix with a huge amount of the cattle drug monensin (brand name Rumensin) in it,” VeneKlasen said. “This was a tragic case of human error somewhere along the line, because tiny amounts of monensin is poison to horses. It kills them. Monensin is used in some cattle feed, but this amount in this horse feed delivered to the Beutlers would have killed cattle, too.

“Much is known about what has happened here that cannot yet be told. But the bottom line on this story is that it’s an important one to tell, so this never happens to anyone else. I will say this: Never buy horse feed from a mill that makes cattle feed. Period. Please quote me on that. Every horse that ate this feed is dead. The only bucking mare still alive is (NFR bucker) Black Kat, because she was at my place (Timber Creek Veterinary Hospital in Canyon, Texas; that’s her in this picture) when this feed was delivered. The only Killer Bee baby that is still alive refused to eat the feed.

“I cried. We all cried. These bloodlines were five generations in the making. Many of the stars of this breeding program are gone. To see what’s happened here to these horses will make you puke.”

I stopped using the word “tragedy” a long time ago for situations that did not warrant it. “It’s not a tragedy if nobody died” has become a famous line of mine when perspective is lost and drama is overblown. This, my friends, is a tragedy in our rodeo family.

The one silver lining I’ve seen so far is the heartwarming generosity of other stock contractors stepping up and offering their stock to the Beutlers. That’s how our rodeo family rolls in the toughest of times, and it’s something special to behold and be very proud of.

This story continues to unfold. More when we can. Until then, God Bless every horse who has died. And prayers for the Beutler family as they try to find a path forward with so many family members missing.

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8-31-24 Update 1:
To help prevent further public panic over feed safety, Dr. VeneKlasen today made the following statement on this subject:

“Many brands of feed—Purina, Nutrena and Bluebonnet, to name a few off the top of my head—are made in equine-only mills, and are safe. I suggest people stay with the big commercial companies with strict regulations in place. Because bucking-horse genetics are prone to metabolic syndrome, I feed Triple Crown Senior to everything here at Timber Creek (Veterinary Hospital), even the babies, because it’s beet-pulp based with low sugar and high fat content.

“If you’re going to get custom feed from a mill that makes feed for multiple species, including horses, cattle, goats, pigs and whatever else, make sure before it leaves the mill that it’s been tested for ionophores. It’s not an expensive test, but it’s a critically important one. You can’t have even trace amounts of ionophores, which can happen in unintentionally cross-contaminated feed, because the smallest dose impacts horses’ hearts. If they eat even a tiny amount of it and don’t die today, it might kill them in three weeks, three months or three years.”

More details will be released as is appropriate from Team Beutler. Thank you all for your patience, understanding and prayers.

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8-31-24 Update 2:
Livestock Nutrition Center, who delivered the load of feed to the Beutlers, issued a statement today. Team Beutler wanted it shared with you all.

~

From Ronnie Castlebury, Ph.D
President of Livestock Nutrition Center

“We are truly sorry for what the Beutler family is going through.

Our preliminary tests show a load of feed delivered to Beutler and Son Rodeo Company in Elk City contained monensin, which can be toxic to horses. This likely occurred due to a combination of a failed cleanout procedure and a sensor malfunction. We have confirmed this is an isolated incident to this single load of feed from a single facility and no other feed has been impacted and is safe for animal consumption.

We take this seriously and are working with the State Departments of Agriculture in Oklahoma and Kansas and the FDA to get to the root cause of the problem and will take any and all corrective actions needed.

Words are cheap but we are dedicated to assist and support the Beutler family and make this right because our customers and employees expect and deserve it.

Our deepest sympathies go out to Mr.’s Bennie and Rhett Beutler and family and everyone affected by the recent tragic event at their ranch. The loss of so many valued animals is devastating.”

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8-31-24 Update 3:
After speaking with Dr. Mottet, Dr. VeneKlasen asked that she write this statement, and that I include it as today’s third important update. “This is information everybody needs to know,” Dr. VeneKlasen said. “It’s a simple way for horse owners to check on the safety of their feed. There are so many feeds I’ve never even heard of. This is an easy way for people to check on the feed they’re using.”

~

From Rachel Mottet, MS, PhD, Equine Nutritionist:

Most U.S. feed companies are extremely safe and reliable, even those with multi-species mills. The greatest safety risk comes from mills that produce ionophore-containing feeds in the same mill and production lines as their equine feeds. This becomes fewer mills each year, yet there are still some that do this, often for logistical reasons. The most important thing you should find out is what your feed company’s policy is regarding ionophores (the toxic compound involved in this situation) in their equine feed manufacturing mills.

My team has been compiling a list of company statements to give owners assurance about the safety of their feed. You can find this list here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17IVu88GVlLU04C3uitCTPHQ5Q2cB-khka_-eMJaMSCY/edit?usp=drivesdk. There are some blanks as we are awaiting the response from a number of companies. A blank does not mean that your feed company is not safe, but for legal reasons, these statements can take time and we will populate them as they become available.

In our list, Ionophore Free refers to a mill where there are no ionophores present. Ionophore Safe refers to a company that has production policies to keep equine feed separate from feed with ionophores. If your company is ionophore safe vs. free, please connect with them directly to ensure they have completely separate equipment for equine feed production and ionophore free trucks to haul bulk feed. If they do not, please make a decision about how to best reduce your horse’s risk of exposure.

The major U.S. feed companies tend to be extremely safe and have many checks and balances in place due to the volume of feed they produce. If your feed is Ionophore Safe vs. Free, do no panic, yet I advise that you follow-up with your company to get clarification on their production practices.

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9-1-24 Update:
As fate, God and all those brand new Beutler bucking horses in Heaven would have it, the lone bucking-mare survivor of the recent Beutler-horse-herd tragedy, Black Kat, just won the Elk City Rodeo of Champions…held in Beutler and Son Rodeo Company’s hometown…in Beutler Bros. Arena, which was named after founding brothers Jake, Lynn and Elra…for the second-straight year. Roedy Farrell of Thermopolis, Wyoming went 88.5 on the big black beauty for the win. Bonus points for it be a Cowboy State cowboy with all the 400,000-plus wildfire hell going on in his home country right now. We all needed something to smile about. And we got it tonight.

HaPpY BiRtHdAy to one of our favorite Cowgirls and the recent Gibson Co. 4H Rookie of the Year Lydia Moore!!! Lydia's bubbly personality is always a joy to have on the farm. We are so happy to have her with us and to be representing our name. ☺️🎂🎈🥳🎁🎉

Shared - Good Read!

I’m sharing this picture because things like this will happen when you’re teaching your kids to be independent with their horses. Although, it’s terrifying. Some lessons are learned the hard way.
I had been on Boyd’s case about “paying attention” since he pulled her from the pasture. He was dragging the lead, letting her walk on too long of a line, being lazy while saddling…etc. He is 5. He is learning.
Was this scary? Yes, absolutely. But you know what’s more scary?
Kids that can’t load their horses at age 12. Kids that can’t saddle their horses and take care of them. Kids that have no idea how to do anything but jump on and ride because mom and dad do everything for them.
Boyd was not injured. She stepped on the back of his shoe and he fell down. He jumped back up, looked at me, started to cry and was just scared. I gave him a minute to get it together and we talked about what could have been done differently to avoid this. It was a lesson learned. A hard one nonetheless.
Invest in the horse that will make the best of these situations. Invest in horses that will allow them to make mistakes and learn. If they are old and cripple, that’s the best kind for learning. Don’t overlook them.
Allow your kids to learn even if it’s super scary. Let yourself have internal panic attacks. Don’t scream and holler. 😂 (sometimes we are the problem) Stay calm, regroup, let it be a lesson moment and move forward. Your kids will be better for it.

Horses Bred for Cold Weather
Brian S. Burks, DVM
Diplomate, ABVP
Board-Certified Equine Specialist

Horses tolerate cold weather much better than their human counterparts. There is little need to keep horses confined to the barn during winter; they thrive in the cold. If they are adapted, horses comfortably live at temperatures of 18F, and are tolerant of 40 below zero if they have shelter. Cold blooded horse breeds like the Yakutian horses can tolerate 94 below zero.

There are several factors that affect the horse’s capacity to deal with the cold. Body condition is a primary determinate. Acclimation, fur length, and body size also affect this ability. Horses have a variety of physical and physiological adaptations to survive in even the coldest winters.

Lower critical temperature is the minimum temperature a horse can naturally tolerate; below this temperature the horse requires additional energy to maintain core body temperature.

Horses with a good winter coat generally have an LCT of 18F, without access to shelter. In dry conditions with no wind, most horses can tolerate temperatures of zero degrees F; with shelter, they can tolerate 40 below zero.

Horses can regulate their own body temperature through metabolism, thick winter coat, and their circulatory system. Thus, even warm-blooded breeds can tolerate cold weather. Blanketing horses early can impede their ability to acclimate to colder temperatures.

The heat of digestion keeps horses warm; it is a by-product of microbial fermentation of forage in the colon. Hay keeps them warmer for longer than grain. The long, dense coat shields them from the cold. By using the piloerector muscles, horses fluff up their coat and trap air next to the skin, insulating them against the cold. If they get too warm, the process reverses.

Horses build an extra layer of fat under the skin for winter, providing more insulation. Most blood is kept in the core of the horse, rather than traveling to the distal extremities, where it would cool down more quickly and cool the horse.
Warm-blooded Arabians, Saddlebreds, Quarter Horses, and Thoroughbreds need extra pampering during chilly winter months, but there are some horses that have been bred specifically for living in very cold conditions.

Yakutian horses from the Yakutia region of Siberia thrive in very cold temperatures of 94F below zero. Yakutian horses arrived in the region around 800 years ago, between the 13th and 15th century, when the Yakut people migrated there. They are not direct ancestors of the Neolithic horses that evolved in Siberia. it is remarkable that Yakutian horses have adapted to survive in these extreme conditions in only 8 centuries – a very short time span in evolutionary terms.

These horses are short and stocky, standing about 13 hands, with a thick, dense, long coat 8cm (3.1in) long. Their hair traps a thick layer of warm air against their skin as insulation against the cold. Their keen sense of smell allows them to locate forage under several feet of snow. Their hard hooves allow them to scrape away ice under the snow. A thick layer of fat forms during the fall. During the winter, their metabolic rate slows. They show an increased production of anti-freezing compounds in their blood. They may further avoid frostbite by reducing the volume of circulating blood during times of extreme cold, as indicated by an increased responsiveness of their genetic networks involved in oxidative stress responses, vasodilation, and blood coagulation.

Today, Yakut horses are used primarily for meat and milk, though they are also ridden and used for work.

The Icelandic Horse thrives in the harsh conditions of Iceland, including harsh snowstorms and high winds. They are short and sturdy horses and were bred by Norsemen to withstand the cold temperatures. They have thick, coarse manes and tails and they have a thick double coat for further insulation. No other horses are allowed to be brought to Iceland, keeping this one of the purest breeds in the world. These horses can live to 50 years and are very friendly.

The Bashkir horse was developed in the Ural Mountains of Russia, where winter temperatures can reach 76 degrees F below zero (-60 C). These horses stand about 14 hands tall and have a unique curly coat that grows longer and thicker during the winter, but sheds in the summer to allow horses to survive the hot summers in the region. They have very thick, long manes and tails.
Bashkirs are known for being incredibly hard working. They are used for riding or farm work because of their impressive endurance. Additionally, mares produce about 4,600 lbs. of milk per year.

The Finnish Horse was fully developed in Finland. It is an incredibly versatile cold blood breed, a hardy winter horse. Scandinavian winter temperatures reach 60 F below zero (-51 C). They stand about 15 hands and have strong, muscular bodies covered in a very thick coat for warmth. They have thick manes and tails and light feathers on their legs. Most Finn Horses are about 15.1 hands.

Mongolian horses are short and muscular horse standing between 12 and 14 hands. They weight 500-600 pounds (226-272 kg). Mongolian winters routinely drop to 40 below zero and these horses are not kept in shelters and are extremely cold tolerant.

The Kabarda (Kabardin) Horse was bred in the Russian Balkaria region. These horses are quite hardy, able to adapt to most climates. This old breed has origins in the time of the Hitites. They have been bred in the northern Caucasus since the 16th century. They stand about 15.1 hands and are very well muscled. These horses are considered easy keepers, having developed in conditions of scarcity, much like many pony breeds. They have a heightened oxidizing capacity, making them suitable for work in the mountains, where they show great endurance.

Even the coldest tolerant horses can succumb to extremely cold weather. Some Arctic winters can be long and harsh, and extremely bitter winters can cause hundreds or thousands of deaths. During the winter of 2009 and 2010, over 180 000 horses died of exposure on the Mongolian steppe. A combination of wet and windy conditions, and deep snow that kept horses from finding food, caused this mass death. There is very little that herdsman can do to save horses in such extreme conditions.

Most horse breeds can easily adapt to the cold, especially given shelter. Other horse breeds have been bred to withstand even the harshest winters of the Arctic, depending only upon their thick coat and wind breaks to survive, and little human intervention. Horses do need to be allowed to gradually get used to cold weather; sudden movement from a hot to a cold climate could result in disaster, but given a year, they can adapt quite well from hot Texas weather to cold Wyoming weather.

Fox Run Equine Center

www.foxrunequine.com

(724) 727-3481

Do you know how to properly weigh your horse? I mean, everyone has an industrial scale in the barn...right?!? 🤣 What are some important reasons to be able to get an accurate weight on your horse?

The easiest way to get an accurate weight is by using a soft measuring tape, such as a seamstress tape, but make sure it is long enough (120 inches works great). For an adult horse you will calculate their weight by multiplying their heart girth x heart girth x body length ÷ 330.

This is just one of the many things we learn about in our full day, hands-on course! Get signed up to see what other important things we instruct that you may need to know!

Ready or not, foaling season is upon us! Is your foaling kit stocked and ready to go?

If this is your first foaling or you don’t know where to start, the graphic below lists a few essentials for you to include. Having these items ready in advance will mean less stress and scrambling at the last minute trying to acquire what you need.

As always, your veterinarian is your best source of information. Consult your horse doctor for additional recommendations and for training on how to properly use these tools to assist your mare during and after delivery!

Following the holidays, sometimes it seems as though January is always super busy. Take some time to enjoy your equines and what they have to offer you. Go for a leisurely ride, groom them, hug them, read a book in the barn with them, take them on a walk, etc. Just enjoy what you work so hard for!!

It's never too early to start planning for camping and/or show season! Or do you have a smaller trailer for local transport?!?

No matter the size or type of trailer/camper you have, it's important to be current on maintenance and possible safety issues.

Inquire about our Safe Trailering class in order to educate yourself and put your mind at ease when transporting your precious cargo.

National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is coming up soon! January 9th!

Did you know that we offer Livestock Emergencies & Safe Handling for First Responders? We also offer Canine First Aid for working K9s and their handlers.

Do you know someone in law enforcement that would benefit from these classes? Send them our way!

Do you know how to recognize pain in your horse?!?

This is just one of the areas we cover in our equine first aid courses. Make it a priority to invest in one of our classes in 2024!

www.hoofnhound.org