Healthy as a Horse
The desert and your horse: Sand Colic
By Hannah Blackman, DVM | August 26, 2009
If you have had a horse colic here in Arizona, you may have seen your veterinarian put manure in a rectal sleeve with some water and hang it up. This wasn’t just a new decoration for your barn. Your veterinarian was looking for sand, which will settle into the fingers of the glove and is a good indication if there is sand in your horse’s intestines. Sand is in your horse’s environment and is ingested when they eat, or some horses (especially foals) deliberately eat sand.
Ingested sand that is coarse will settle in the right colon, transverse colon, and pelvic flexure and fine sand will usually accumulate in the ventral colon. A sand impaction may be palpable by your veterinarian. Sand may also be detected by listening with a stethoscope to the lower abdomen. If there is sand it will sound like waves on the beach. Sand may also be visualized on radiographs of the abdomen.
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Town of Cave Creek Equestrian Open Space Exploratory Trail Ride Saturday, Oct. 10
August 26, 2009
CAVE CREEK – Join the F.O.R.C.E. “Friends of Recreation, Conservation and the Environment, and Maricopa County Parks and Recreation for an Equestrian Open Space Exploratory Trail Ride. You and your horse will be guided into the newly annexed and rezoned “Open Space Lands” within the Town of Cave Creek. If you have never seen this area of the Town, or if you want to find out more on how you can help preserve these Open Space Lands, this is your chance to participate in a worthy cause. This guided equestrian ride will begin at the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area and the Cave Creek Regional Park. Each group of riders will start out at the same time from each park at approximately 9:30 a.m. and will come together at the Roger’s Wash annexation area for a picnic box lunch. After lunch riders will return to their starting points. The trail ride will end at approximately 1:30 p.m.
This ride has the enthusiastic support of the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department and park staff. The starting time will be 9:30 a.m. at both parks. This will be a level 2 trail ride.
The cost is $20. This includes a box lunch, free admission to the park, and a join the FORCE Open Space T-Shirt. Proceeds will go toward the acquisition of Open Space. Reservations and fees are required by Oct. 5, 2009.
Click here for registration form. Or contact Teresa Vine or Bambi Muller at Town of Cave Creek, 480-488-1400.
Courtesy Photo/Korina Riggin
