SRF holds first “Horse Sense” seminar

Cream Ridge, NJ – 6/26/2022 – The Standardbred Retirement Foundation, (SRF) AdoptaHorse.org held its first “Horse Sense” seminar on Saturday, June 25th, 2022, in the area of Lancaster, Pa. It brought a great deal of very useful information, materials, guidance, samples, and more on horse care to the rural communities using horses as working animals.

Guests were very engaged in learning, they had great interest. The group had many opportunities for hands on to learn respiration count; heart rate; use of a stethoscope; review different shapes of a horses’ spines and structure to fit harness correctly; there was an entire segment on hoof care and proper shoeing; dental care; colic; vaccinations; the importance of knowing if a horse has a fever; hydration; injury care; and more.

One lovely chestnut mare that brought her owner to the seminar touched us. Her owner doted on her like she was his daughter. Whenever we complimented her, he lit up!

SRF was able to provide useful horse care items to take home such as salt blocks, hay-nets, hoof picks, water buckets, and printed material as well as other items.

The event was held at the Solanco Fair Grounds in their Show Barn on Park Ave in Quarryville PA. This was the first effort of its kind by the 33-year-old organization. SRF is grateful to the many veterinarians and others who gave of their time to bring this powerful educational seminar to these areas.

There were many expenses related to this first of many events to come, yet there is no funding available for it. SRF is feeding and caring for more than 500 horses every day, and so many others are in need of help, but it is very important to address these other needs for the same reason, the welfare of these animals. To do so, SRF very much appreciates tax-deductible gifts for this important effort.

Topics included:

Daily and preventative care to keep horses well – vaccines, deworming, proper feeding hydration and access to water, botulism, eye care, founder, basic exercise plan, additional red flags to look out for. (Dr. Nicole Scherrer New Bolton Center)

Horse body basics – physical exam, Henneke Score, use a weight tape, identifying signs of lameness, red flags in body. (Jamie Guiberson, Nursing Dept. New Bolton Center)

Dental care – regular dental care, tooth problems affect their behavior – interfering with holding a bit and consuming enough food to stay healthy. How to age a horse by its teeth.  (Emmanuel Smucker, Sunny Ridge Equine)

No Foot/No Horse– things to keep your horse’s hooves and soles in good condition, and why it matters where and what they stand in. How often to trim and change shoes to avoid lameness?

(Amos Smucker Jr., JR’s Farrier)

Importance of tack fitting – prevent lameness, avoid overall injury with proper fitting tack

(Dr. Patty Blakelee – Unionville Equine Associates, Levi Stoltzfus – Bartville Harness, John Glick)

Horse emergencies – colic, heat/cold emergencies, puncture wounds/managing bleeding, tetanus/botulism, (foaling emergencies?) (Emergency supplies to keep on hand?)

(Dr. Alycia Crandall, New Bolton Center)

From the Standardbred Retirement Foundation