ohioequineindustry.com

OEIC Represented at Equine Affair 2012

The Ohio Equine Industry Coalition will be represented at the 2012 Equine Affair, to be held April 12-15, 2012 at the Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, Ohio. Tickets will go on sale at 8:30 each morning at all attendee entrance gates or go to http://www.equineaffaire.com/ to order them online.

Dates & Hours
Thursday, April 12 through Saturday, April 14 from 9:00am-7:00pm
Sunday, April 15 from 9:00am-5:00pm

Contact Your Ohio Senator Now about HB386

URGENT~CONTACT YOUR OHIO SENATOR
HB386 VIDEO LOTTERY TERMINAL PROCEEDS
HORSE RACING INDUSTRY

The Ohio Senate will be taking up HB386. It is important that you call or e-mail your Senator and make it clear that you want to retain two provisions from the House Bill

? Mandated live racing days
? Continued funding of Ohio’s Thoroughbred and Standardbred Breed Funds

The mandated live racing days will permit the race tracks to operate Video Lottery Terminals.
A last minute amendment (without notice) completely eliminated the funding for the Thoroughbred and Standardbred Breed Funds which were
designed and intended as a direct incentive for Ohio’s agricultural equine industry to breed and raise race horses in Ohio.

Please contact your State Senator now as they will be voting near the end of March or early April.( More information can be found in the Talking Points HB386)

OEIC Encourages “One Voice” in Ohio

With 2012 nearly upon us, members of the Ohio Equine Industry Coalition (OEIC) encourage everyone involved in the Ohio equine industry to unite as one voice for the purpose of enhancing and supporting all horse activities in the Buckeye State.

The Ohio equine industry has been, for many years, a splintered group—with various breeds, disciplines, and objectives. Members make their living through the breeding, racing, showing, training, and sales of equine-related items, while others are involved simply for pleasure.

Ohio’s horse industry employs approximately 42,000 people, with over 182,000 persons involved, catering to approximately 307,000 horses in the state. This equates to a total economic impact of $2.2 billion in the Buckeye State.

These numbers substantiate that Ohio’s equine industry is of great importance to the state’s overall economy. Thus, the OEIC was formed to unite the Buckeye State’s various equine organizations into one solid group—One Voice in Ohio.

The OEIC has been recognized as the Ohio equine industry spokes-group by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Our members serve on various horse industry committees, including the Equine Advisory Committee to the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. The OEIC boasts a membership of approximately 10,000, and two OEIC Board members are registered Ohio lobbyists. The OEIC has a 12-member Board with representatives from:

Ohio Belgian Breeders Association (OBBA)
Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association (OHHA)
Ohio Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association (Ohio HBPA)
Ohio Horseman’s Council, Inc. (OHC)
Ohio Percheron Breeders Association (OPBA)
Ohio Quarter Horse Association (OQHA)
Ohio Thoroughbred Breeders & Owners (OTBO)

The OEIC monitors issues that impact the Ohio equine industry, develops plans & strategies, enlists industry participation, and promotes industry’s directives for—One Voice in Ohio.

All and any of Ohio’s equine organizations can get involved in OEIC regardless of size. There are many issues and interests that require participation with a coordinated approach to meet OEIC collective objectives. Members benefit with input from registered Ohio lobbyists otherwise not available to smaller organizations. OEIC also encourages retailers and suppliers to participate and promote their products and services.

OEIC Dues Structure
Over 1000 members~$2000 per year
502 – 1000 members~$1000 per year
251 – 500 members~$500 per year
101 – 250 members~$250 per year
1 – 100 members~$100 per year
Retailers and Suppliers*~$50 per year
*includes business card listing on OEIC website for one year

Please call (614) 221-3650 or 800-353-6442 for further information and join OEIC today.

Remember, with membership, there is strength.

2012 Agricultural Appropriations bill clears way for the restoration of US Horse Industry

International Equine Business Association applauds the removal of HSUS driven annual riders that prevented USDA inspection of horse processing

On November 14, 2011, the Conference Committee on HR 2112 consolidated appropriations for Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science and Transportation - Housing and Urban Development signed a conference report resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill that for the first time since 2005 does not contain annual riders that prohibit USDA from providing necessary inspection for horse processing facilities.

The International Equine Business Association (IEBA) is a new association that is an outcome of the alliances that United Horsemen has formed with hundreds of entities like the National Tribal Horse Coalition, Charros Federation USA, horse councils, production agriculture, pet animal and animal entertainment groups, as well as international partners like the Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada. The Association is eager to work with equine businesses, organizations, state, tribal, and federal agencies to maximize this opportunity.

“We could not be more pleased,” says IEBA U.S co-chair Sue Wallis, “and grateful to our many partners and supporters to once again have a clear path to increase the welfare of horses, reinvigorate the devastated horse related economy, and promote the ethical, appropriate use of horses that will be welcomed by a worldwide and domestic market, create jobs, and preserve our beloved horseback American culture for our children and grandchildren. The now devastated horse industry looks forward to the day when we can once again contribute more than $1.9 Billion dollars in tax revenue nationwide from an industry that prior to 2007 was a $102 Billion dollar sector of animal agriculture…to once again supporting 1.4 Million full-time jobs working with horses everyday.”

The tide turned for the horse industry when Congress received a report from their research office that looked into the effect of the closure of the U.S. horse processing facilities. That Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, HORSE WELFARE: Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences of Domestic Slaughter Cessation, documents the decline in horse welfare, and the negative impacts on the overall equine economy as a direct result of the loss of a humane option for otherwise unwanted, unusable, excess horses.

Because of the back-door exclusionary efforts of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Congress adopted the first of these damaging appropriations riders in 2005, with more added in 2007 that have prevented any facilities from operating in the forty-six states that do not have state law preventing them.

“That roadblock is now removed,” noted Wallis, “now we shift our focus to resuming profitable legitimate businesses in the horse industry, and a return of normal markets for horses at every level, and every sector of the diverse horse world.”

The IEBA is positioned to promote and encourage equine harvesting businesses that are held to high humane handling and food safety standards, in order to bring quality products to a vibrant and viable worldwide market. IEBA will be providing legal defense, political advocacy, business consulting, technological solutions, and more for all aspects of the equine industry.

United Horsemen is a 100% volunteer grassroots nationwide organization, joined by practically every animal agriculture and horse industry organization in the country to advocate for humane and regulated horse processing to end the unnecessary and wasteful suffering of horses. For more information from the perspective of professional horsemen and horsewomen see http://United-Horsemen.org.

Ohio Horseman’s Council Fall 2011 Legislative Report

From OEIC~Governor Kasich has signed into law a bill that allows racetracks to operate video lottery terminals (VLT’s) at all seven Ohio racetracks. It also provides for the relocation of these tracks with the approval of the Ohio Racing Commission (ORC).

This law has been long sought after by the race horse industry in Ohio to restore and maintain competitiveness with surrounding states. There are huge sums of money involved (the VLT play at each track is estimated to be around $180 million) and through a complex and negotiated process overseen by the ORC, some of this money will “trickle down” and eventually be available to the horse industry in general to promote the welfare of horses. The OEIC will be involved in this process and will have input on how these monies are dispersed.

Horse Slaughter~The General Accounting Office (GAO) has issued a report documenting and confirming a significant decline in the welfare of horses and the horse industry in general since the closure of horse processing plants in the US. As a direct result of these closures, there are over 300,000 unwanted horses in the US with 130,000 sent outside the US for slaughter annually.

Several states are moving to open horse processing facilities but need (and are willing to pay for) USDA meat inspection on site. Reopening horse processing facilities in the US will revive a $112 billion industry, add $2 billion in tax revenues and immediately create over 1000 jobs in states where they are sorely needed. A rising tide floats all ships and all aspects of the horse industry will benefit from the opening of these plants.

HR 503~Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009 designed to prevent transportation of horses for slaughter is still active and a new bill HR 2966 - American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 (S-1176) has been recently introduced to ban horse processing nationally. Language has also been inserted into omnibus agriculture budgets to defund USDA inspection of horse meat and effectively block a reintroduction of horse processing. Animal rights groups have made biased emotional appeals to gain the support of animal rescues and the general public. However, a predominant majority of horse owners and over 230 horse organizations oppose these bills because they offer no real solutions to the problem of unwanted horses.

Right now the animal rights groups (HSUS) have the ear of Congress, but they pay no taxes, spend no money, create no jobs and offer no real solutions for improving the welfare of horses. In fact, their intervention has had the opposite effect. Horse owners have not had a voice or a vote on this matter which is an infringement of our constitutional rights.

As it stands right now, the House Ag budget does include language to ban inspection but the Senate budget does not. They will be meeting shortly to reconcile these budgets and decide to either fund or not fund USDA horse meat inspection. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Steve LaTourette are both on the committee to reconcile the budget. We need you to contact these congressmen and urge them to keep the language out. HSUS and other animal rights groups have a well-funded and organized campaign to contact them and urge them to keep this language in.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D – OH) 202-224-2315
Rep. Steve LaTourette (OH 14th Dist.) 202-225-5731

To e-mail these gentlemen, google their names, go to their websites and use their link to contact them.

Senate Approves FY 2012 USDA Funding Bill

AHC WASHINGTON UPDATE
On November 1, 2011 the Senate approved its version of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2012 (H.R. 2112). This bill provides funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for 2012 fiscal year (October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012) and contains several provisions of interest to the horse industry.

The Senate bill would appropriate different levels of funding for various USDA programs compared to the version of this bill passed by the House bill on June 16, 2011. More information on the House version of the bill can be found on the AHC website.

The Senate bill would set overall funding for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) at $820.1 million. APHIS is the agency responsible for responding to equine disease outbreaks. This is approximately $36 million more than the House approved funding level of $783.4 million.

The Senate bill would provide $43 million less for APHIS than was appropriated in FY2011 and $12 million less than the President’s FY2012 budget request. By comparison, the House bill was $80 million less than the FY2011 level and $49 million below the President’s request for FY2012. However, the Senate bill would maintain funding for equine, cervid, and small ruminant health at $22 million in accordance with the President’s request and the House bill.

The Senate bill would fund the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) at $1.094 billion, approximately $107 million more than was included in the House bill. ARS is USDA’s chief scientific research agency and has played a critical role in mitigating the health and economic impacts equine infectious diseases, such as Equine Piroplasmosis, have had on the horse industry.

The Senate bill would cut funding for ARS by $38.6 million compared to FY2011 and is $43 million below the President’s FY2012 budget request; however, the House bill would provide $145.6 million less in funding for ARS than in FY2011 and is $150 million below the President’s FY2012 request.

The Senate would also provide $7 million for the new animal disease traceability system, which USDA published a proposed rule on in August 2011. You can view the more information on the new animal disease traceability program on the AHC website.

United Horsemen~Building a Better Future for Horses

United Horsemen is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to the well being of horses and horse people. We work for the restoration of humane and regulated horse processing in the U.S. to ensure the best possible fate and valuable use of excess, unwanted, and unusable horses. We also work for the responsible management and control of wild and feral horses on federal, state, tribal, and private lands.

We seek to preserve the private property rights of all horse owners, our beloved horseback culture, and to ensure the long-term viability of the horse industry to not just survive, but to thrive economically, socially, and spiritually. We are a 100% volunteer grassroots organization that is nationwide.

Many of you have asked for a clear, concise one-page document of talking points that can be used to encourage fellow horse owners and businesses to call their Senators in regards to restoring humane horse slaughter that will improve horse welfare, stop needless & wasteful suffering & create jobs.

The GAO report “HORSE WELFARE: Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter” documents the decline in horse welfare, & the economic demise of the horse industry due to inappropriate federal intervention that closed the humane & regulated horse slaughter plants in the U.S.

As pointed out by the GAO, & as testified to by practically every horse industry & Ag organization in the Nation, appropriation riders & bills that seek to eliminate any possibility of humanely processing horses offer zero solutions & only exacerbate the suffering of horses, increase the number of needless & wasteful deaths, cause more abandonment, neglect, pain, & misery–they deprive families of livelihoods & the ability to raise their kids with the joy of horses in their lives.

Here you go…Copy & paste the link into your browser and view the full-sized sheet, post it, and share it everywhere you can think of, and print it out to hand out to people who don’t have computers.

http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1103685263837-78/Talking+Points-2.pdf

Make sure you write down the phone numbers of the Senators from your state for your friends and neighbors to make it easy for them to follow through…make sure they know that the Senate will likely be voting on the Ag Appropriations bill this coming week!

Slaughter Bans Would Increase Horse Suffering, Kill Jobs, Destroy What’s Left of Equine Businesses and Families

Contact: Dave Duquette, dave.duquette@united-horsemen.org, 541 571 7588 or Sue Wallis, sue.wallis@united-horsemen.org, 307 685 8248 or 307 680 8515

The disgraceful fate of suffering horses and the sorry state of the horse industry is the direct result of deceitful actions by radical activist groups and their underhanded success in eliminating humane horse slaughter in the United States. The responsibility for the unnecessary suffering of horses which, worsens with each passing day, falls squarely in the lap of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and is the sole creation of animal rights anti-slaughter groups. These organizations pay no taxes, create no jobs, and offer zero solutions to the suffering of horses. Instead they vilify, disparage, and deny the rights of the people who own horses, love horses, clean the stalls, and pay the feed bills every day.

Ill advised bills seeking to entrench measures that have proven to produce exactly the opposite of their stated purpose–the improved welfare of horses–have now been introduced in both the U.S. House and the Senate. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, introduced S. 1176 - the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011, and now Representative Dan Burton, R-Indiana, has introduced a counterpart, H.R. 2966, in the House. Both bills are universally opposed by every segment of the horse world except for the predatory animal rights rescue industry, parasites that hold legitimate horse owners hostage, and profit from the plight of disadvantaged equine businesses and families.

Contrary to the fallacious spin and anti-agriculture propaganda put out by HSUS and their equine offshoots, the GAO report on “HORSE WELFARE: Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter” starkly documents the decline in horse welfare, and the economic decline of the horse industry. The report points out that the unintended consequences are largely due to the inappropriate federal intervention that ended the humane and regulated use of horses for meat in the United States in 2007.

The international horse meat industry continues to address the Moral, Cultural, Food Quality, and Food Safety Concerns in Horse Meat. All horses slaughtered in the U.S. were processed under USDA regulation which scrutinized all aspects of the businesses for humane handling of live animals as well as inspecting and testing meat for purity and food safety.

Despite the manipulated graphic images produced by professional fundraisers in order to wring dollars from misinformed Americans, there is absolutely no evidence of violations, citations, or fines being assessed for the kind of egregious abuse being claimed by proponents of horse slaughter bans. For most horse owners a quick, humane fate in an inspected facility designed for the unique characteristics of horses, and performed by professionals, is a far better end than an agonizing and prolonged death of starvation. For many it provides the added comfort of knowing that the horse’s life was not needlessly wasted, but instead used for good and proper purpose, appreciated by a worldwide market.

Jason Smith, member of Oregon’s Warm Springs Tribe, and Chairman of the National Tribal Horse Coalition (NTHC), spoke on behalf of the broader horse world when he wrote to Congress:

“Historically, this animal has provided an important contribution to our people…our people have continued to respect this animal because of the cultural significance it provides: livestock economy, farming, gathering of livestock, hunting, recreation, and ceremonial purposes. Perhaps most significantly, the horse has, and continues to be utilized and treated as livestock. Without the ability for the USDA to inspect horse meat, prohibited by Congressional action since the 109th Congress, the horse market has been flooded, the prices for all horses have dropped dramatically, and the livelihood of horse ranchers, tribal and otherwise, has been severely jeopardized.

A collateral effect of the glut of horses is the devastating impact their populations are making on the environment…To compound the problem, many people outside of tribal lands, who have horses and can no longer afford them, are using our reservations as a place to abandon them…We stand together to promote and enhance the horse economy in its totality, to protect the horse from unnecessary suffering, and to assure that horse meat inspection will again be an option. With the release of the GAO report, Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, have been able to see the unintended consequences of closing the horse slaughter facilities, and will be able to consider this legislation, with this important study in mind, to make the right decision.”

From the horse industry’s perspective the effect is easy to see by contrasting the severe economic downturn of the 1980s to the more recent one. In the 1980s hard hit owners were able to easily sell horses they could not support for good prices. When the economy turned around the horse industry bounced back in record time. In contrast, without options, today’s horse industry is faced with a perfect storm:

inappropriate government intervention in the marketplace destroying net worth;
inability to sell or replace nonproductive, undesirable, unusable livestock;
no longer viable equine businesses liquidating resulting in more horses being transported thousands of miles further than necessary and out of the country to processing systems that the U.S. cannot regulate or monitor; a glut of horses being dumped on every horse sale in the country bringing pathetically low prices; dramatic decrease in excess of seventy percent of the number of foals being bred and registered; thousands of horses being abandoned to fend for themselves and starve in harsh environments on state, tribal, and private lands; rescues and sanctuaries full, overwhelmed, and unable to accept the volume of horses that need a place to go; drought and fire in the South and Southwest, hurricanes on the coasts, flooding in the Midwest and Northeast resulting in the highest feed and maintenance costs in history–all of the above and more piling on misery for thousands of horses, as well as devastating distress for horse owning families and businesses.

Of course fewer horses translates into less of everything, fewer jobs, fewer equipment dealers, less feed sold, fewer veterinarians, fewer trainers, fewer farriers, a vicious cycle of economic demise.

As pointed out by the GAO, as resolved by the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Council of State Governments, the National Congress of American Indians, the National Association of Counties and more, and as testified to by practically every horse industry and animal agriculture organization in the Nation , bills that seek to eliminate any possibility of humanely processing horses offer zero solutions and will only compound the suffering of horses, increase the number of needless and wasteful deaths, cause more abandonment, neglect, pain, and misery, and export any opportunity for the U.S. horse industry to benefit from a thriving worldwide market to other countries, while ringing the death knell for an entire sector of U.S. animal agriculture.

As U.S. horse industry members, supporters, and concerned citizens we call on Congress to take proactive measures to stop the needless suffering of horses and people by:

1) removing the annual riders from the Ag Appropriations bill that prevent USDA inspection on a voluntary fee basis (the processor pays for the inspection) which does not cost the taxpayer a dime, allows for the overnight creation of hundreds of private sector jobs, and allows the entire horse industry to begin to regain economic value, viability and vitality; and

2) oppose any and all measures that use the heavy hand of federal intervention to pander to unethical activists that do nothing to improve the welfare of horses, and only result in increased suffering.

For more information, or to get in contact with professional and knowledgeable horsemen and women please go to the website at http://United-Horsemen.org.

Equine Affair set for April 7-10, 2011

Equine Affair will celebrate its 43rd event at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio on April 7-10, 2011.

Equine Affaire’s legendary educational program forms the cornerstone of the event. Soak up information and advice in a virtual “smorgasbord” of more than 230 clinics, seminars, and demonstrations on a wide variety of equestrian sports and horse training, management, health, and business topics. Equine Affaire’s roster of presenters will include Olympians; World and National Champion riders; Pan Am Games, WEG, and NFR competitors; popular equestrian TV personalities; authors; course designers; judges; veterinarians; professors, and other top industry professionals from throughout the United States and beyond.

For more information, visit the Equine Affair website at: www.equineaffair.com/ohio/

Ohio Equine Welfare Standards Update

As Established by the Ohio Equine Industry Coalition

Introduction
The Ohio Equine Industry Coalition has been recognized as the spokes group for the equine industry in Ohio. Our primary focus is to serve as a resource to equine groups and organizations. We stand ready to assist you when you have some unfamiliar decisions regarding equine issues, and can be reached at 1-800-353-6442 ir 614-22-3650.

Body Condition Scoring
Guideline: Equine (horses, donkeys, mules, or hybrids) should be fed to reach or maintain a body condition score (BCS) of three or greater (see Body Condition Scoring chart included in this document). Ideal BCS is considered to be 4 to 6. Equine with certain chronic health conditions may maintain a low body condition score despite acceptable nourishment. Some older equine may not maintain body condition well. Equine with a BCS of less than 4 may need a change in diet to increase their nutrient intake to accommodate their needs. Equine with a BCS greater than 7 also need a change in diet to decrease their caloric intake to help them lose excess weight. It is recommended that equine outside of ideal BCS should be seen by a qualified equine professional (veterinarian, county extension, or nutritionist).

Just like humans, equine come in all shapes and sizes and have different metabolisms. Often people struggle with a subjective system of labeling equine as thin, fat, or just right. An easy way to determine the condition of an equine is to gauge their body condition score (BCS) using the Henneke Body Condition Scoring chart.

The Henneke method of determining body condition was developed by Dr. Don Henneke in the 1980’s. It is an objective way to gauge the amount of body fat on any equine by examining 6 key points (neck, withers, shoulder, ribs, loin, and tail head) for bone, prominence, muscle development, and fat deposits. Each of the six areas on the equine should be examined on both sides visually and by touch.

The scores for each area should be recorded. The body condition score of the equine is the average of the scores. Scores range from 1-9, with an ideal BCS from 4-6. See Henneke’s Body Condition Scoring Chart attached.

PURDUE BCS COLOR POSTER, based on the Henneke Body Condition Scoring Chart, is available at: https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?itemID=19153

The appearance of an equine can appear far different than the actual score, especially if the equine has a thick hair coat, is pregnant, or has prominent bone structure (high withers, angular hips, etc). It is extremely important to touch each of the six areas to accurately determine body condition score.

Minimum feed, water, space, and health care guidelines for equine are described in this publication.

Feed:
An equine’s nutritional needs can best be determined by classifying the individual equine into the following categories: maintenance, gestation, lactation, growth, geriatric (aged), or work; and feeding accordingly.

An equine in maintenance should be fed to maintain current body condition, neither gaining or losing weight. Ideal body condition score for maintenance is 4 to 6.

Mares in the late stages of gestation (pregnancy) may require nutrients above the maintenance level to maintain body condition and support the growing fetus.

Additional nutrition (above maintenance requirements) is required for equine that are lactating, growing, geriatric, or working. Examples of working equine include equine in training, performance, trail riding, driving, and many other physical activities.

Forage:
Guideline: Equine are grazers and the basis for all equine diets should be forage made up of hay or pasture. Many equine can maintain weight by eating good-quality forage along with free choice access to a mineral salt block and water.
Free-choice hay or pasture is optimal for many equine and can contain grasses or legumes, or a combination of both, and should be fed to maintain optimal body condition. Corn silage and cattle products are not recommended for equine.

Generally equine should eat 1 to 1 ½ percent of their body weight in forage per day.
A 1,000-pound equine should eat 10 to 15 pounds or more of hay or pasture per day. Equine hay should be dry, palatable, contain low levels of weeds, and be free of visible dust and mold.

Concentrates:Guideline: Equine that are unable to meet their nutritional requirements by eating forage alone should be supplemented with concentrates. Often equine that are growing, working, lactating, geriatric, or in late stages of pregnancy require more nutrients than they are able to obtain by eating forage alone.
Concentrates are available in a variety of forms including sweet feed and pellets. Both are made with grains (oats, corn, barley, etc), minerals, and other feedstuff needed to increase weight gain, increase milk production and supply energy needed for performance or growth. Older and younger equine both may require specialized concentrate rations to maintain ideal body condition and good health.

Formulated concentrates are available at feed and farm supply stores and generally should be fed according to the instructions on the label or under the supervision of an equine nutritionist or veterinarian. Equine that require more than 5 pounds per day of concentrates should be fed over multiple feedings.

When feeding a group of equine, receptacles should be adequate for the number of animals so that each equine can eat without having to compete with each other. Based on herd behavior, individual equine may need to be separated for feeding.

When feeding forage is not recommended or available, commercial complete feeds (those that include both forage/forage replacement & concentrates) are available and can be used to replace some or all of an equine’s nutritional requirements. When feeding a complete feed to replace forage it is important to follow label instructions accordingly and break feedings up into multiple small feedings per day.

Water:Guideline: It is best to provide free-choice access to water. There are circumstances which prevent free-choice access to water and in those cases equine should be offered their fill of clean water at least twice (A.M. & P.M.) daily.

Water is the most essential nutrient for equine. Equine must consume water daily to maintain normal body functions. The amount of water an equine requires will vary by individual based on level of work, stage of growth, reproductive status, and lactation. In addition, the environment and weather will impact the equine’s need for water consumption.

The average equine consumes 5 – 12 gallons of water daily. During lactation the amount of water required may increase by as much as 70%. Equine experiencing regular and rigorous work may require up to three times more water than an average equine.

Space:Guideline: Shelter, either natural or constructed, should be accessible to each individual animal to provide safe and adequate relief from extreme climatic conditions, (extreme heat or cold, wind, precipitation and other inclement weather). Space should afford protection from the elements and allow room for equine to safely maneuver.

Equine can be maintained in pastures or in stables, or a combination of both. Equine should have ample room so that the meekest can access feed and water.

Exercise is important to maintain both the mental and physical health of equine. Equine are very social creatures and daily turnout with other equine is optimal.

Pastures should be free of hazards likely to cause injury. Fencing should be in good condition and adequate to properly contain animals.

The design and use of shelters should promote the health, well-being, and good performance of equine throughout all stages of their lives.

Natural windbreak can be found around tree lines or low areas; natural shade is primarily available under trees. Constructed shelters may include barns, 3-sided shelters, windscreens, etc. Constructed shelters should be free of hazards likely to cause injury. Shelter design should promote easy and safe handling of equine, as well as ease of cleaning and care. Equine should be provided with a clean area on which to lie down.

Stall containments should be large enough so that equine can turn completely around and lie down comfortably. Many equine can live in a stall if they exercise regularly, preferably daily. The ceilings and support beams should be high enough to permit the equine to stand naturally with a full range of motion in the head and neck without touching the ceiling. Floors should be constructed and maintained to provide traction, drainage, and to prevent injury. It is important that stabling areas are well ventilated to avoid respiratory disease and infections. Electrical wiring and panels should not be accessible to equine and should be installed in accordance with applicable electrical codes. In constructed shelters lighting should be provided to permit effective observation of stabled equine. Alleyways and work areas should be uniformly illuminated. Natural lighting should be provided wherever possible.

Manure and disposed bedding should be handled and stored in a manner that has as little negative impact on the surrounding area and the environment as is reasonably possible.

For more information contact Iowa State University and ask for: Horse Facilities Handbook, Published by Midwest Plan Service, also contact Purdue University Extension Service and ask for: Introduction to Housing for Equines, AS-553-W, or, on the web, visit:
www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/AS/AS-553-W.pdf

Health CareGuideline: Equine should appear alert and without signs of unattended injury or illness. Equine’s hooves should be maintained so that the equine can stand and move comfortably.

Equine require regular preventative care for optimum health. Equine should be checked thoroughly every day for injuries or ailments that may require additional health care or veterinary attention. An equine suffering from an acute or chronic injury, illness, or health condition leading to a BCS of 3 or less should be under veterinary supervision.

Preventative care for the average equine typically includes an annual dental examination, annual vaccinations, de-worming every 2-6 months or as directed by a veterinarian, and hoof care every 6-10 weeks.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommends basic vaccines for equine including Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis, West Nile Virus, Tetanus, and Rabies. In Ohio, Rabies vaccinations must be given by an accredited veterinarian. Other vaccines may be appropriate depending on the use and location of the individual equine.

Additional information on preventative care can be found at the AAEP website: www.aaep.org

All out of state equine traveling to Ohio must have a negative Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) test, also known as a Coggins test, within the 12 months prior to arrival. The animal must be accompanied by an official laboratory test report indicating the negative EIA test. Suckling foals may travel with their dam provided the dam has tested negative.

Additionally, all out of state equine traveling to Ohio must be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection completed by a licensed and accredited veterinarian within the 30 days immediately prior to the animal entering Ohio.

Ohio horses may travel to events in Ohio without EIA testing unless it is required by the individual event.

Owners planning on taking Ohio horses out of Ohio should check with the states they plan on traveling through and the destination state to determine the requirements those states have with regard to health certificates, vaccinations, and testing.

For additional information on equine management, health, and well-being contact The Ohio State University Extension Office for Bulletin # 762, Horse Nutrition (http://ohioline.osu.edu/b762/index.html)

Also contact Purdue University Extension Service and ask for: Introduction to Equine Management AS-554-W, Introduction to Equine Health AS 555-W, and Assessing Health and Well-being of Equines AS 565-W or visit the following websites:
www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/AS/AS-554-W.pdf
www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/AS/AS-555-W.pdf
www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/AS/AS-565-W.pdf

Summary
Equine can survive in a variety of conditions if they are provided adequate feed and water. Harsh environments may warrant feed and shelter adaptations, and certainly equine benefit from regular preventative care. Equine owners with management questions should contact their veterinarian or county extension office.

Those with concerns about the care equine are receiving should contact their local law enforcement or animal control agency. Law enforcement agencies may contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture to request assistance, and/or proper referral, in investigating suspected equine neglect situations .

The information provided in this document is meant to provide general guidance in the care of equine. It is not meant to be the sole source of information used by equine owners. Guidance and input from professionals in the equine industry with regards to an owner’s or a equine’s specific situation should be sought as necessary to provide care that protects the equine’s health and well-being, and handler’s safety.

The Ohio Equine Industry Coalition, through its officers, directors, officials, employees, contractors, and agents of any kind, both individually and in their representative capacities, accepts no responsibility for any and all claims, demands, damages, actions or liability of whatsoever nature, stemming from the use of this information.

The Ohio Equine Industry Coalition, through its officers, directors, officials, employees, contractors, and agents expressly state that the information included in this document is for educational, informational, and guidance purposes only. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional advice. Use of the information contained herein does not create any kind of fiduciary relationship.