Equine
[AgriLife Today] Texas horse owners encouraged to vaccinate in preventing mosquito-borne neurologic diseases
By: Blair Fannin
Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, [email protected]
Contact: Dr. Terry Hensley,979-862-3202, [email protected]
COLLEGE STATION – Texas horse owners are urged to have their animals vaccinated to fend off the threat of West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis.
Dr. Terry Hensley, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service veterinarian and Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory assistant agency director in College Station, said horse owners can easily unintentionally overlook annual vaccinations.
“Some don’t realize the importance of vaccinations,” Hensley said. “We all get busy and sometimes simply forget to have them vaccinated, or some horse owners are looking to save a few dollars and fail to have it done. However, for these diseases there’s no cure. You can treat the symptoms, but there’s no cure. Mosquitoes are transmitting these diseases. You can be 10 miles from the nearest other horse, but it’s the mosquitoes that are moving it.”
Hensley advises horse owners to work with their veterinarians and vaccinate against the core diseases: West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis and western equine encephalitis. Hensley said the American Association of Equine Practitioners recommends vaccinating for these three diseases along with rabies and tetanus.
“A proper vaccination program is one of the most cost effective preventative health measures that an owner can do,” Hensley said.
In 2015, he said, Texas experienced a high number of West Nile cases in the western part of the state as well as the Panhandle and Gulf Coast regions. Cases of eastern equine encephalitis were reported in Southeast Texas, particularly in bayou areas where there are large amounts of standing water that can harbor mosquito populations.
“Overall, we are simply advising horse owners to work with a veterinarian to develop a health program that includes the core vaccines,” he said. “A few dollars spent on vaccines are the best dollars spent in health prevention.”
For more information on the laboratory’s neurologic testing, visit http://tvmdl.tamu.edu or phone 888-646-5623.
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By Krista Lucas Wynn
Each year, when the professional rodeo season wraps on Sept. 30, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association announce the Nutrena Horse of the Year, presented by the American Quarter Horse Association, in each event. This is a prestigious award, voted on by the members of the associations. To be named Horse of the Year by fellow competitors is a high honor only a few achieve.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Krista Lucas Wynn | Copy Editor
The name, “Daddy of ’em All,” instantly brings to mind the world’s largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration. Cowboys and cowgirls from all across the country dream of competing on the iconic Cheyenne arena dirt.
Every July, pro rodeo contestants travel to Cheyenne, Wyom. to vie for the title of champion of the Cheyenne Frontier Days. The rodeo is steeped in western tradition and celebrated the 125th year this summer. With nearly two weeks of rodeo action, fans watched bareback riding, calf roping, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, bull riding, and steer roping.
Steer roper, Tuff Hardman, knew winning “the Dad” was a tall order, but with a good horse and a few prayers he left no doubt who the best steer roper at Cheyenne was when it was all said and done. After two rounds, Hardman qualified back for the finals tied for ninth place with a time of 30.8 seconds.
To read more, pick up a copy of the September issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Utilizing the horse to human connection.
By: Hannah Claxton | Editor
Deep in the heart of Texas, both humans and horses at Stable Strides Farm in Pilot Point, Texas aer demonstrating just how big their hearts really are. Founded by Mandy Cleveland in 2001, Stable Strides Farm serves dozens of Equestrians with Disabilities and Veterans each week.
Deep in the heart of Texas, both humans and horses at Stable Strides Farm in Pilot Point, Texas aer demonstrating just how big their hearts really are. Founded by Mandy Cleveland in 2001, Stable Strides Farm serves dozens of Equestrians with Disabilities and Veterans each week.
“My boys have been riding since they were 18 months old, and for the first 17 years they had a leader and sidewalker. When we moved here, and Mandy started teaching them, she just said, ‘Let’s see what they can do,’ and they ride independently now,” Danielle Frank explained, whose two sons, Adison and Aiden, ride with Stable Strides Farm. “Mandy is amazing beucase she doesn’t place any limits on them, she always wants to see what they can do.”
It is her dedication to never setting limits that earned Cleveland a spot as a national finalist for the NSBA 2024 Dianne Eppers Cowgirls Reaching-Out-to-Community Award. The award was established by the NSBA Foundation to recognize cowgirls across the industry for their selfless contributions to the equestrian community.
To read more, pick up a copy of the September issue of the NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
(Photos Courtesy of Hannah Claxton)
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