By Phillip Kitts

Is the face of professional rodeo changing? The rodeo purist and those that were present years ago when rodeo had a different look often like to refer to the good old days. Those who were not privy to those years may not understand what rodeo looked like in the past.

The modern rodeo has evolved from a mix of ranch cowboys accepting challenges of riding the unrideable stock, to seeing who can rope and ride the fastest. Mixing this with the old-world wild west shows and rodeo began its evolution. Traditional rodeo did not contain the glitz and glamor you see today. Often rodeo performances were conducted in the daytime because lighted arenas were not an option. Music was much less of a priority and tended to be based around traditional country and western sounds, and not all arenas had big grandstands and presentation platforms.

To read more, pick up a copy of the May issue of NTFR Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

By Dr. Garrett Metcalf

Many horse owners that breed and produce foals routinely know that foals are prone to many issues in the first few days or weeks of life. There are multiple issues that are possible with newborns but the focus of this article will be on the urinary tract of foals.

A common urinary tract issue that foals can have in the first few days or weeks of life are issues with urine leaking from the umbilicus called a patent urachus. The urachus is the fetal pathway for urine to escape the bladder in the amniotic fluid. This pathway is disrupted normally with the umbilical cord is broken at birth and the attachment of the bladder to the body wall at the umbilicus will regress.

To read more, pick up a copy of the May issue of NTFR Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

By Krista Lucas Wynn

Getting a horse back in shape that has had significant time off takes time and patience. A performance horse may have had time off due to an injury, breeding or in foal, bad weather, among other reasons. Otherwise, it is always wise to keep a horse in shape as long as possible. Just like a person, it is harder to get back in shape than to just stay in shape. If a horse has had an extensive amount of time off, you may find yourself wondering where to begin, so as not to cause reinjury to your equine partner.

There are plenty of opinions out there on ways to go about building a workout plan for a horse. It is always best to work up to more strenuous activity, after a veterinarian gives the go ahead. For example, if a horse has been on stall rest, it is best to introduce small amounts of turn out at a time. This gives horses an opportunity to stretch their legs on their own, but they may need to be supervised at first.

To read more, pick up a copy of the May issue of NTFR Magazine. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.