Issaquah Grange Supply Undressed

Joint Disease and Lameness

Joint Disease and Lameness

Prevent joint disease rather than treating it once it has occurred.

“You don’t wait until your car is completely broken down to get it fixed; you usually get oil changes and maintenance before it gets to that point,”

Joint disease is a process. It starts with a little problem, then it snowballs. A little synovitis gets worse and leads to pain, which leads to reduced use of the limb, muscle atrophy, unequal forces (loading), more pain, etc.

Predisposing factors include poor conformation and joint instability. We cause a lot of these problems ourselves with poor breeding, shoeing, footing, etc.”

Inflammation is a key part of the joint disease process.  It is a normal body function that leads to repair and wound healing. Thus, it signifies injury.  When the stimulus for inflammation is too strong, the inflammatory process itself causes damage to joints.

Also recommended that owners watch for the key signs of inflammation around joints: heat, pain, swelling, redness, and loss of function.

Just like people, horses can also benefit from the daily consumption of vitamins, minerals, & supplements,  of which there is a wide variety available at The Grange Supply.   Preventive maintenance is always a sound course of action.  Once the horse develops a problem, the rules of the game change. There is no set treatment regimen for affected horses. Unfortunately, rest by itself is not enough, so we might add physical therapy, cold hydrotherapy, acupuncture, ultrasonography, shock wave therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and/or surgery.

Hyaluronic acid is anti-inflammatory; it inhibits a type of prostaglandin that affects joints, toxic oxygen radicals, and cell migration. It also lubricates the joint, helps restore the function of HA that has been lost due to inflammation, and improves endogenous (caused by factors inside the organisim) HA production.

Don’t let a horse break down before you fix him.

Work on him in between times, keep him shod properly.  Observe and pay attention. If you are unsure of what is going on, consult with your vet.  If joint problems are persistent you may need to use joint injections. Treat him better than your car, take him in for maintenance.” It might cost money to inject his joints, but that’s a lot cheaper than surgery later or not being able to use the horse.

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Love of Horses!!

 As a kid horses meant riding and being with my friends. Now they act as natural tranquilizers – their very presence can lower my blood pressure and improve my mood. I simply enjoy watching them do their normal horsey activities – from munching on hay to rolling on their backs in the sandpitt.

Horses not only bring pleasure, but can provide emotional support. They seem to sense depression and pain in a person and will often react in amazing ways.

  Incorporating horses into your life is a good way to make healthy living become a habit. Horses are dependent on us for care and that forces us to stay active on a regular basis.

  Horses can have a marvelous healing effect on all of us. Kids have been brought into the barn in wheelchairs. Carefully place them on a gentle horse and muscles that didn’t work would suddenly respond to the magical movement of the horse. Kids that spent their lives tethered to wheelchairs suddenly could move around aboard the horse. It released them from their chains and brought wide smiles to their faces. 

Horses teach us about ourselves.     There is no room for ego with your relationship with a horse. You have to earn their respect. You have to be honest with them and yourself.

 I can’t think of a better way to appreciate the enchantment of life than riding a horse along a mountain pass or across a spring green meadow. If life is tearing you apart, simplify your life by spending time in nature with a horse.

Friendship between the species.    Her welcoming nicker when I head to the barn never ceases to thrill me. I love that animal. She’s my best friend.

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RidersRasp

♦  RidersRasp™ is the first tool of its kind designed for horse owners to sustain hoof balance and soundness

♦ RidersRasp™ lengthens trimming intervals, SAVE MONEY

♦ RidersRasp™ eases breakover, removes flares and stops crackin

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Sand Colic

Horses develop sand colic by ingesting sand that accumulates in the intestines and causes impactions, frequently in several locations. Feeding horses away from sandy areas and with sand-free hay helps reduce this risk, as does providing constant access to a salt block so that the horses are not tempted to seek minerals directly in the sand, Steinman said. In high-risk cases, he added, bulk-forming fiber laxatives can be given every 30 to 60 days as a prophylactic.

The study showed a statistically significant correlation between a high respiratory rate and a poor prognosis for survival. “Respiratory rate is a measure of pain,” Steinman said. “It reflects the degree to which the horse is affected, so the earlier the operation, the better the outcome.” However, he noted, this is not unique to sand colic. 

 Radiograph showing sand collected in pony’s intestine.

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From Our Clothing Department

Spring is arriving every day at the Issaquah Grange with new arrivals from Carhartt, Wrangler, Outback Trading, Cruel Girl, and Southern Thread. Make sure you stop in to see the new exciting western fashions and work wear.

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Fecal Test and Deworming

Internal parasites rob the horse of feed nutrients and are a leading cause of colic. Following a deworming program that consists of testing for parasites and deworming with the appropriate amount and type of product is important. Making use of fecal tests can indicate which parasites are actually present, making for a much stronger deworming program. This test can range in price from $11 to $15. Not every horse in a paddock needs to be fecal tested, but a random few that live together will provide good information about the group. If a group of horses has a low parasite load, the treating veterinarian might suggest you postpone deworming, leading to substantial savings if multiple horses are owned.

We sell Ivermectin, strongid, and other dewormers.

For another article on the topic click here

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What the hey is “N-P-K”?

What is fertilizer?  “Any substance used to make soil more fertile”, or, “Chemical compounds given to promote growth and general health of the plant”, or “A natural substance used to make the ground more suitable for growing plants”.

There are various definations depending on what exactly you’re trying to achieve with your garden.  This is why it is important to understand the very basics of fertilizer.  I had a customer once who complained her rose shrub was beautiful but didn’t produce a single flower.  After running through a series of process of elimination questions I came to “Do you fertilize your rose”?  She then told me her husband fertilizes everything with lawn fertilizer!

I mention that, to tell you this.  N-P-K stands for the three main ingredients of fertilizer.  The “N” is nitrogen, the “P’ is phosphorus, and the “K” is potash.  Nitrogen is used for giving the plant a good robust green color.  Phosphorus produces buds and blooms.  Potash contributes to healthy strong root systems and general hardiness of the plant.

Getting back to my story, the lady’s rose bush was being fertilized with a high dose of nitrogen which resulted in a gorgeous green shrub with no flowers.  I’m not trying to sell you on buying a different fertilizer for every plant in your garden.  Specialized combinations are required for plants like lawns, (high nitrogen), or azaleas, (higher acid) but generally a good balanced fertilizer with an N-P-K rating of 5-5-5 to 10-10-10 will take care of all your plant’s needs.

“Simples” is a term used to describe single content amendments.  Alfalfa meal, blood meal, bone meal would all be considered simples, and in general only provide one type of plant nutrition.  Blood meal is high in nitrogen, whereas Bone meal is mostly phosphorus and would be used in planting flowers or bulbs.

Organic fertilizers have improved greatly in the past 10 years.  They usually contain a blend of “simples” as well as beneficial soil microbes.  These microbes become active in the soil feeding on organic material and releasing nutrients to the plants.  You will find that the organics usually have a lower N-P-K rating than chemical ferts. This is because they directly feed the plant and improve the soil conditions over an extended period of time.  Chemical fertilizers through time release can last up to 3 months but do nothing for soil improvement and can actually be harmful to soil inhabitants like microbes and earthworms.

I do have some chemical ferts for special applications but use organics for 95% of my plantings.  The organics are soil friendly, you can’t burn your plants if you happen to add too much and if you accidently use the 4-6-2 rose and flower food instead of the 5-5-5 all purpose food, it is comforting to know that your plants can’t read!

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Why are we seeing hummingbirds in December and January?

Chances are the type of hummingbird you are seeing around your yard or garden this year is the Anna’s Hummingbird. This hummingbird is a medium-sized hummingbird with a short, straight bill and a long sloping forehead. Both males and females are bronze-green above, and gray below. Males are distinguishable from other hummingbirds as their entire heads and throats are bright iridescent red. Female have green heads, with a small amount of red on their throats. Females have black tails with white tips, while the males’ tails are solid blackish-gray.

Anna’s Hummingbirds are often found in suburban parks, gardens, and coastal valleys. In Washington, Anna’s Hummingbird appears throughout the year. It is unclear whether this is a result of migration or if the birds we see in January are the same as the ones that we see in June. Anna’s Hummingbird migration has been described as a series of movements and temporary residences wherever suitable flowers and feeders are found. The first breeding record in Washington State was in Tacoma in 1976, and they are now found breeding throughout southeastern Puget Sound. Non-breeding populations can be found along or near the bank of a river throughout the Columbia Basin.

Hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowers and feeders, as well as small insects and spiders that they catch in the air or collect from tree trunks and branches. More recently they have been found in local gardens where hummingbird feeders and exotic plants provide them with nutrition throughout the year.

The Grange Supply in Issaquah sells an assortment of hummingbird feeders and nectars for your hummingbird’s needs.

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Bed Preparation

Now that your garden is all cleaned up,( I have just a little more to go on mine!)  we can start getting your beds ready for planting.  A good planting area can be as important as the plant you wish to put there. Generally for growing fruits, veggies and flowers your planting area requires sun, water, good drainage and ample composted material added to the existing soil. 

 ”Why is there all this talk lately about adding compost to my garden?”  I’m glad you asked.  In days of old the two items used for practically every garden was steer manure and peat moss.  Steer manure is a good additive for discing or rototilling into the soil then allowed to decompose over the winter.  Peat moss tends to acidify the soil and most soils in the Northwest are already acid.  I would use peat moss for planting  rhodys, azaleas, camellias or blueberries otherwise a bag or two of good organic compost mixed into your existing soil not only provides a great medium for your plants but also helps to break up the clay hardpan that seems to abound in our gardens.

If you’re planning a rose garden, I’ve found that alfalfa meal is a popular amendment.  It not only adds organic material for the beneficial soil microbes to munch on but has a slight N-P-K rating which actually makes it a mild fertilizer.

Another additive I should mention is lime. The use of lime could fill an entire blog, but the main reason I bring it up is for counteracting the native acidity.  Lime raises the ph and sweetens the soil.  This is important if you are planting a new lawn or fighting a lot of moss.  Grass loves and moss hates a high ph soil.  You will probably need to apply the lime at least twice a year because changing the ph of soil is not done overnight.  Using lime in your garden will also turn your blue hydrangeas, pink!

Next blog:  Fertilizer; chemical vs organic. What are “simples” and what the hey is N-P-K!

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