ID MyHorse

Why can't we be kind to each other?

For three years, I published a blog post every single week. Eventually, I needed a break, so I shifted to writing only when inspiration struck. Yesterday, that inspiration hit like a thunderbolt. A recent event in the horse community sparked such an outpouring of commentary that I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. I found myself especially interested in the sheer volume of negative reactions from keyboard warriors. As I thought about how to frame this post, the title “The Hypercritical Horse Community” immediately came to mind.

However, as soon as that title occurred to me, I wondered if that was too harsh. Was I overreacting? What does everyone do these days if they want the answer to a question--any question? They go to Google, of course. To my total surprise, this is what popped up in Google:

The equestrian world is widely notorious for being a "hypercritical community". Because horseback riding involves large, live animals and significant risks, opinions heavily clash regarding training methods, riding styles, and horse care. Navigating this culture often requires a thick skin and a reliable support system.

Navigating the scrutiny and drama in the horse world requires shifting your focus and setting healthy boundaries. Understanding why the community is so intense and learning how to protect your peace can make a world of difference.

The Google response elaborated on the reasons why this community can be so difficult. I will address that later...

Rocky, the colt who drew intense public attention

If you have any connection at all to the online horse community, you’ve probably heard about Rocky—the three‑legged Quarter Horse who lived in Mississippi at Rocking R Ranch and Rescue. Rocky was born without his left front leg.

About a week ago, he crossed the Rainbow Bridge, surrounded by his devoted equine companions and the humans who had cared for him with extraordinary dedication during his 15 months on this Earth.

That last sentence alone may already have some readers fuming: “the humans who lovingly cared for him.” My post, my perspective. And my right to hold that perspective is exactly what fuels my passion for writing this article.

When Jennifer Guilbert Aylesworth brought Rocky home to her rescue farm 15 months ago, she immediately faced intense backlash from keyboard warriors who were convinced they knew better. It didn’t matter that Jennifer had a stellar team of professionals evaluating Rocky on a regular basis. It didn’t matter that she posted videos showing those professionals discussing their assessments of Rocky and his quality of life. Rocky’s own veterinarian even received hate mail simply for being involved. And that’s not to mention the abuse directed at Jennifer and her staff.

I engaged in some of those early online discussions. I clearly remember one exchange with a self‑appointed critic from those early days. The overwhelming attitude among the naysayers was that no horse could survive for any meaningful length of time on three legs. Rather than consider Rocky as an individual case, those who were certain they knew better insisted he should be euthanized immediately.

In one of my responses to this line of thinking, I talked about my husband’s daughter, who was born with multiple limb deficiencies. Needless to say, there was a great deal of worry and concern about her quality of life and what she would or wouldn’t be able to do. That daughter is now in her 30s, holds a college degree, and assists families in making life plans for their autistic children. Imagine assuming, from the start, that she couldn’t live a productive, fulfilling life simply because of her disabilities.

Like many of you, I have followed Rocky’s story over this past year. What I saw was a colt who received an extraordinary amount of attention and medical care, along with an unlimited supply of love and compassion. I recently had a telephone conversation with Jennifer, who told me that Rocky saw the veterinarian once a week—except for a very brief period when his personal vet broke her leg. Over roughly 15 months, that adds up to more than 60 veterinary visits. How many of you own horses that have had that many appointments?

After the news broke that Rocky had crossed the Rainbow Bridge, I read a post from someone proclaiming, “OMG, finally. Rocky is finally at rest. This should have happened the moment he was born. Rocking R had so many misinformed. Rocky was not thriving and was in constant pain. So sorry to Rocky who had to suffer for so long. Rip Rocky. So glad you’re not suffering anymore.”

This woman—who appears to be in her early 30s—went on to criticize Rocking R Rescue and claim that Rocky was used as a fundraiser. Yet she has a “Subscribe now” link on her own Facebook page, where, for a mere $1 a month, followers can access her “exclusive content.” She lists no degrees, no professional background, and no credentials that would inspire anyone to pay for more of the same.

A veterinary technician responded: “As a vet assistant for over 18 years, I can tell you he was not showing signs of pain from the time he was born. Veterinarians know when an animal is in pain, not only through physical indicators and behavior, but also through specific pressure points that elicit a response. They also had a veterinarian on-site.

They allowed him to live and be a horse, and they laid him to rest before his size created serious problems. People need to stop with the witch hunts. He was loved, cared for, and set free when it was time. Stop with the dramatics and get off Google and TikTok for answers. Real-life experience is where the answers will be.”

I responded to the veterinary technician: "...As a veterinarian, I was totally on board with how they were managing this colt. The videos I saw did not show an animal in pain."

What a Pandora's Box that statement unleashed. My comment initiated a torrent of abuse from a gal I think is a veterinarian in the UK, but because her Facebook page is buttoned up like a vault, I can't be sure. She apparently looked up my profile and responded, "You mean telavet? I don’t think they did wrong initially as when he was very young and light weight he did appear to not struggle too much. But the inevitable happened and it did go on too long. He was very clearly struggling, even in the very short clips they showed, around Christmas time. If you could not see the struggle I would recommend attending some CPD and refreshing your training."

So, in one fell swoop, she diagnosed Rocky from across the pond and bashed my credentials and veterinary telehealth, all at the same time. She went on to say, "Some of us must maintain the standard of practice as well as the oaths we took when we swore in at graduation. I’ll say a pray(er) tonight for the animals under your care. Hopefully your (you're) not so lacking in other areas/species as you seem to be in this."

She ended her tirade by adamantly insisting that he was in pain. Perhaps, in his final weeks, he wasn’t 100% comfortable. I wake up every morning unable to stand up straight until my back loosens. My seven‑year‑old Border Collie has a pinched cervical nerve; he hasn’t been walking with me lately, and he’s on a cocktail of medications. Does that mean we should both pack it in immediately?

The Final Decision

As of the time of this writing, Jennifer had not yet shared publicly what factors led to the much‑discussed decision. However, she did share them with me. After Rocky turned one year old, they began filming his leg every three months instead of every six. Rocky didn’t use his front leg the way a typical horse would; he had learned to shift some of his weight onto his hind end, using his front leg primarily for balance—his “cane.” Jennifer told me that during the most recent filming, they noticed changes that made it clear it was time.

There was no catastrophic injury. Nothing happened. We repeated X‑rays routinely just to be sure, because he was very driven and very stoic, and we wanted to make sure there wasn’t something going on that we couldn’t see. The growth plate on the inside of his front leg had closed, but the one on the outside had not. The outside would keep growing while the inside wouldn’t, and that would continue to make his leg bow. There was nothing we could do to stop it, and he had no opposing limb to counterbalance it. So we made the decision to let him go before it became an issue.

When Opinion Outweighs Expertise

What I really struggle to understand is why so many people are so willing to assume they know better than the professionals and horse owners who are actually assessing a situation in person. It’s a given that people will have differing opinions about how any situation should be handled. But if it isn’t your horse or your circumstance, why is there such a need to force your opinion onto someone else?

If you’re genuinely worried about animal abuse, are you out rescuing the starving dogs, cats, and horses found in every county across the United States? Those are the animals who are truly suffering. Put some of that misplaced passion toward something that will do real good rather than harm.

Don’t consult Dr. Google and then attack someone hundreds or thousands of miles away over a situation where you likely don’t know all the facts—and that is, frankly, none of your business.

One of the many things Jennifer and I discussed was our individual capacities for tolerating pain or discomfort in our animals. From what Jennifer said, Rocky's vet, Dr. Longoria, has a similar intolerance for intense or unnecessary suffering. Jennifer shared this conversation with me:

The other day, when I apologized to her, she told me, “Don’t you dare.” She said, “We did right by him.” And I told her, “I know, but I’m sorry your name has had to be dragged through all of this.”

She said, “I will never regret the decisions we made. Don’t apologize to me. You didn’t sway my decisions. I made them based on Rocky—how he was doing and what was best for him.”

And she knows that I know I could never talk her into letting me allow something to suffer for money, or views, or donations. She would never agree to that. Honestly, I don’t know any vets who would. I’ve never come across one. Maybe there are some out there, but that’s what everyone keeps saying—that we’re just paying our vet to say these things.

Personally, I have a very low tolerance for allowing my animals to suffer pain. Of course I’d love to make their lives completely pain‑free. I’d love it if Jake didn’t have an alternating dropped‑shoulder lameness that keeps him from walking with me. I haven’t yet figured out how to explain to him why he can’t go. But some discomfort, some inconvenience, and some adaptation to disabilities are an inevitable part of life.

I have no doubt that Dr. Langoria made every decision with Rocky’s best interests at heart. For these hostile detractors to attack her, send her hate mail, and question her ethics is incomprehensible to me.

Jennifer did tell me that, thankfully, her supporters outnumber her detractors. Even knowing that, it was hard not to suffer under the weight of the criticism.

We got him on a Sunday, and by the next Monday I was almost suicidal from reading all the negative things being said about me because I had decided to let him live. It has been the most mentally challenging year or fifteen months of my life. I had to dig deep and stay firm in my conviction not to let those comments influence my decisions for him, because it would have been much easier to euthanize him and avoid all of that. But it wouldn’t have been the right thing for him.

I had to plant my feet in the sand, talk to God a lot, and lean on my husband. He kept reminding me who I was, that what people were saying wasn’t true, and that they didn’t know my heart.

People don’t realize how comments like that can push someone over the edge. If I hadn’t had the support system I do, it probably would have.

Google's explanation for our hypercritical community

As I asked at the beginning, why do we have to be so mean? Why does Google immediately affirm that the horse community is hypercritical? And it isn’t just the Rocky story where this shows up. How many of us belong to Facebook groups and see posts that begin with, “Please don’t be mean!”

I recently saw a post from a young woman, perhaps in her late teens, asking for advice on how to start a GoFundMe so she could get a horse. Talk to any social worker, and they’ll tell you that an adolescent’s brain isn’t fully mature until around age 25. Can we all agree that this young woman might need to reevaluate whether this is the right time in her life to take on a horse? Some respondents were kind but firm, much like a parent guiding a child. Others were downright brutal.

It appears that our society has devolved to the point where compassion, empathy, and understanding are no longer valued by many. Combine that with the belief that one’s own way is the only way, and dialogue quickly becomes hostile.

I truly was surprised to get this result when I Googled "hypercritical horse community." This was Google's explanation for this sad state of affairs...

Why Equestrians Are So Critical

- High Stakes & Welfare: Because horses are massive, sensitive animals, safety and ethics are major points of contention. What some view as judgmental nitpicking, many consider to be morally justified corrections to protect horse welfare. - The "Right Way" Mentality: Riding is a complex, decades-long learning process. Traditions run deep, and practitioners of different disciplines (e.g., Dressage vs. Western, Natural Horsemanship vs. traditional training) often clash over the "correct" way to do things. - Tribalism and Online Forums: Equestrians tend to hold strong opinions, and social media or forums often amplify "calling out" others rather than offering constructive feedback.

How to Protect Your Peace

- Find a Safe Haven: Seek out supportive, non-judgmental barns or clubs. Many equestrians agree that surrounding yourself with a positive "team" of trainers and peers is critical to enjoying the sport. - Focus on the "Journey": Perfection is an illusion in riding. Instead of fixating on faults or comparing your progress to others, celebrate small milestones with your equine partner. - Prioritize Evidence-Based Knowledge: Educate yourself using science-backed resources. Grounding your practices in research helps filter out baseless opinions from keyboard warriors. Organizations like Equitopia Center focus on equine welfare and can help you navigate differing opinions. - Practice Self-Compassion: If you are dealing with burnout or anxiety, resources like Gray Horse Counseling offer mental health strategies for equestrians to let go of judgment. With great love comes great grief

One of the most poignant parts of my conversation with Jennifer was listening to her describe Rocky’s passing and the reactions of his equine friends. I have witnessed enough euthanasias to agree with Jennifer’s and Dr. Langoria’s assessment of how an animal responds to the euthanasia solution. When an animal is sick or debilitated, it takes very little euthanasia solution to send them peacefully over the bridge.

Rocky didn’t go easily. He was healthy and vigorous in so many ways. He wasn’t necessarily ready to go.

And as for his equine friends? I'll let Jennifer tell you in her own words.

Corey, bless her heart, was devastated. It was awful. She tried to go into the hole with him, to jump in after him. I had to contain her and put her in a stall because she was thrashing. Once I got her in there, the way she reacted… I’ve never been so heartbroken.

I’ve been prepared to let Rocky go since day one. This has always been a day‑by‑day situation for me, knowing it could change at any moment. But I wanted him to be okay for them, because they loved him so much. I was prepared. I loved him every day knowing it might be our last. They didn’t know that, and they were just heartbroken.

That’s what hurt me the most—their little hearts breaking. Mine will be okay. Mine is meant to break over and over; that’s what it has learned to do. But theirs wasn’t. That was the hardest part.

We love those babies. They were all orphans together, and they made their own little family. It was a real lesson, if anyone ever wanted to understand horses’ emotions, their ability to form families and friendships and bonds. They are sentient beings.

Can we learn something from our animals and choose to be more loving and compassionate toward one another? Can we stop assuming that everyone should make the same decisions we might make? Can we simply agree to disagree? We all love our animals. We all do the best we can with what we know at the time. Be supportive, not mean. Put your outrage to use in real situations of abuse.

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My personal introduction to providing telehealth services

A few months ago, I began working for a veterinary telehealth service. I’ll admit, I had some reservations at first—both about how the model would function and whether I could still provide the standard of care I expect of myself. My boss reassured me that most cases were straightforward and could be effectively managed through remote access. I was never expected to prescribe medications or make clinical decisions that fell outside my comfort zone.

That being said, my third patient was a 4‑month‑old Doodle in lateral recumbency—lying on his side, depressed, and completely unresponsive. His young owner had scraped together money she didn’t have, desperate to get help for her seriously ill pup. My first question focused on his vaccination history.

“The breeder said he had been vaccinated, but I haven’t received any paperwork.”

“And how long have you had him?”

“One month.”

“And have you given him any vaccinations?”

“No.”

This poor pup was likely dying of either parvovirus or distemper. He was vomiting and severely dehydrated. I struggled with how to manage this virtual visit. I immediately emphasized the need for him to be seen at an emergency center, even as I knew his owner had absolutely no financial means to make that happen. In the end, I prescribed a medication to ease his nausea, hoping it would at least make him a bit more comfortable. It was an incredibly difficult call.

What are the barriers to veterinary telehealth?

By far the biggest hurdle facing veterinary telehealth is legality, which varies widely from state to state. At the center of the issue is the establishment of a Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR). Increasingly, states are allowing a VCPR to be established through virtual means alone. Others still require that the relationship be created in person before telehealth services can be used.

I recently received an email from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) outlining their opposition to establishing a VCPR through virtual means. While they acknowledged that each state has the authority to set its own requirements, the AVMA made it clear that they do not support creating a VCPR solely via telehealth.

Recently, I came across an interview with the founder of a company that competes with my employer. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed with either the interviewer or the interviewee. By the end of the discussion, the founder was claiming there was a conspiracy underway to limit access to veterinary care and drive prices sky‑high. The host was more than willing to climb aboard the conspiracy wagon. The implication was clear: the AVMA was supposedly behind it.

I have never been a conspiracy theorist, nor do I believe that most institutions or organizations are inherently nefarious. However, I’ve increasingly come to recognize how profoundly financial interests shape decision‑making, and the AVMA is no exception. I do think part of the hesitation around expanding telehealth access stems from a fear that it could negatively impact brick‑and‑mortar practices.

Veterinarians are concerned that telehealth will replace in‑clinic revenue. Many don’t know how to bill for virtual services, and they don’t have time to integrate new systems into their already packed schedules. Most lack staff trained in virtual triage, and they also worry about potential liability issues.

Other barriers to telehealth include technology requirements and user experience. I’ve had clients participating in their very first Zoom meeting. Rural areas—those that could benefit most from telehealth—are often the same places with the slowest internet access. Poor‑quality video makes it much harder to assess a wound or an irritated ear.

Lastly, lack of awareness and cost concerns can also limit the effective use of veterinary telehealth. Many clients don’t know when a virtual visit is appropriate, and they may be reluctant to pay for what they fear will amount to “just advice.” They also may not know how to identify the best telehealth company or program.

Who is currently using veterinary telehealth?

This AI-generated chart provides some insight into how veterinary telehealth is currently being used.

Over the past several months, the majority of my telehealth cases have involved conditions that are both common and highly amenable to remote assessment: skin issues, ear problems, urinary tract concerns, and gastrointestinal upset. I also frequently work with clients who have recently moved and have not yet established care at a brick‑and‑mortar clinic but need a refill for a previously diagnosed, well‑managed condition.

While there are certainly moments when I would prefer to place my hands on a patient, the lack of physical contact rarely limits my ability to diagnose and manage these routine issues effectively. For the most common presentations, telehealth provides sufficient information to guide appropriate care, maintain continuity, and support both the animal and the owner without compromising safety or quality.

Does YOUR state offer veterinary telehealth?

I live in Arizona, one of the first states to approve a virtual VCPR. While we live in the literal desert, we also face a veterinary desert — especially when it comes to timely, affordable access to care. I don’t like treating my own animals, particularly my horses, since I never practiced equine medicine. But even as a veterinarian, I can’t get the local equine vet to return my calls.

Clients routinely tell me it takes up to three weeks to get a clinic appointment. As the Veterinary Resource Coordinator for Arizona Border Collie Rescue, I work with numerous clinics across Phoenix and its surrounding suburbs. I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be to get a dog seen promptly — even for urgent but treatable conditions.

Arizona’s telehealth-friendly stance is not just progressive — it’s essential. In a state where vast geography and veterinary provider shortages collide, remote care is often the only timely option. Without it, animals wait — and sometimes suffer — while owners scramble for access.

Since launching my telehealth services, I’ve expanded my licensure to Idaho and New Jersey — two states where remote care can help bridge similar gaps. Vermont is currently evaluating its approach to telehealth, and Texas continues to struggle with regulatory clarity. These differences matter. They shape whether a dog with an ear infection gets seen today or waits weeks. They determine if an owner has to drive miles to get a prescription for a flea product or a refill on their old dog's incontinence medication.

In summary...

National estimates suggest that 10–20% of U.S. pet owners have used veterinary telehealth. In states with VCPR‑friendly regulations, that number climbs to 20–30%. Dog owners tend to be at the higher end of the range, while cat owners are somewhat lower — consistent with the fact that dog owners generally seek care more frequently overall. Telehealth use for equine issues is estimated at roughly 15%, and it is rising quickly as access challenges worsen in rural areas.

If I knew anything about chickens, I could probably add poultry telehealth to my current workload… but I don’t! What these numbers show, though, is that telehealth is no longer experimental. It’s a tool that owners are already using, especially when geography, cost, or clinic availability make traditional care difficult to access.

When I wrote When to Call the Vet for Your Horse, I talked about the rise of “Dr. Google” — that instinct we all have to search the internet the moment something looks off. With the explosion of online information, and now the addition of AI tools, it has never been easier for owners to research symptoms or compare their animal’s situation to something they’ve read online.

People who are already comfortable navigating the web tend to be the same individuals who embrace telehealth. They’re used to gathering information digitally, asking questions online, and seeking quick, accessible guidance. Telehealth feels like a natural extension of that behavior.

But convenience doesn’t replace expertise. Even in a world overflowing with information, it remains essential that diagnoses and treatment decisions come from trained professionals who understand context, nuance, and the difference between a common issue and a true emergency. Online resources can help owners recognize when something might be wrong — but they can’t replace the judgment, experience, and accountability that come with professional veterinary care.

There is much more to tell you about my personal experience with veterinary telehealth, so watch for a Part Two on this topic!

Veterinary Telehealth… Is It SAFE? Is It LEGAL? My personal introduction to providing telehealth services A few months ago, I began working for a veterinary telehealth service. I’ll admit, I had some reservations at first—both about how the model would function and whether I could still provide the standard of care I expect of myself. My boss reassured me that most cases were straightforward…

During veterinary school, the vast majority of equine colics we witnessed at the Purdue Large Animal Clinic had the potential to become surgical cases. For the most part, only the worst of the worst were referred to the vet school. Therefore, every time one of my own horses colicked, I had to remind myself that most colics are handled in the field—and often with good results.

That being said, I’ve lost too many horses to this dreaded equine scourge. Sadly, our most recent loss was just a week ago. We woke up Friday morning and noticed Sadie lying down by the fence. Normally, she and Kadeen would be at the gate, waiting for Alan to serve breakfast. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her down. I watched through the window, relieved when she got up and trotted toward Alan and Kadeen.

That momentary peace was shattered just minutes later when Alan’s ringtone broke the silence. I knew instantly that we were in trouble. As soon as I answered, his voice, thick with emotion, told me that Sadie was down again and rolling. I grabbed my stethoscope and some Banamine and headed straight to the barn.

I heard a little bit of gut activity, but not much. I gave her IV Banamine and called my vet. We were able to trailer her to his clinic, where he tubed her and administered a laxative along with gut-relaxing medications. He also performed an ultrasound and noted some mucosal changes. However, there were no obvious torsions or blockages, and she had normal feces in her rectum.

Throughout the rest of the day, we walked her every couple of hours to help stimulate her GI tract. Current thinking on managing a colicky horse recommends walking for 10 minutes every two hours. I found this outstanding article outlining the dos and don’ts of equine colic. Although I’m a veterinarian, my experience is in small animal medicine. And honestly, when one of my own animals is in crisis, my brain tends to go on vacation.

Sadie received another dose of IV Banamine that evening. Although she was clearly uncomfortable, it wasn’t as intense as what I’d seen in the past. I remembered a 24-year-old Babson mare I lost in the late ’90s. My equine vet had pumped her full of meds, but we couldn’t touch her pain. Our options were limited, and the decision was clear. That mare belonged to the Babson farm and was on “permanent loan.” I vividly recall my conversation with John at the farm—he was the ultimate decision-maker. Neither of us felt that surgery made sense for that old mare.

We checked on and walked Sadie again before bed, and then between 2:00 and 3:30 in the morning. She had passed a few fecal balls late Friday, but not a meaningful amount. Her condition was essentially unchanged during the 3:00 AM evaluation. At 6:30 AM, Alan found her deceased. She was lying across the bar at the base of the stall door, which is about four inches off the ground. It appears she collapsed at that spot.

I was inside, preparing to draw another syringe of Banamine, when Alan walked through the back door. I have no words to adequately describe the look on his face. He said nothing.

“Well?” I asked.

Still nothing.

“How is she doing?!” I pressed.

Silence.

I was sharper the third time: “Alan, tell me—what’s going on?”

“She’s gone.”

The inevitable second-guessing game

From the onset of symptoms to her death, it was roughly 24 hours. My equine vet hadn’t expected the news I gave him Saturday morning. Nothing that he had observed on Friday led him to believe things would progress that quickly. Needless to say, neither Alan nor I had any expectation of finding her dead just three hours after our last check. Should we have camped out in her stall all night? Maybe… but I keep asking myself: what could I have done differently? I hate that she died with no one there but Kadeen, but what could I have done?

Sadie was 19 years old, and I wouldn’t have put her through colic surgery. I often see conversations on Facebook about whether or not to pursue surgery in these cases. My vet said on Saturday that clearly she would have needed surgery, given how quickly things progressed. But we’re in the middle of nowhere, and honestly, I don’t even know where people around here take horses for colic surgery. Gone are the days of living just an hour from Colorado State University or Purdue.

While financial constraints can’t be ignored, we’ve made costly surgical decisions before. Kadeen’s value increased by $7,000 after undergoing surgery for a puncture wound and fractured splint bone. But for me, the decision is less about money and more about what I’m willing to put my animals through.

If she was gone within 24 hours—and my vet didn’t even hint that surgery might be necessary—it’s clear that, even if we’d wanted to pursue that option, it all happened too fast.

When we lost our black German Shepherd, Mica, in the spring of 2024, we faced another one of those “gray area” decisions. It was suspected he had osteosarcoma, though we never could confirm a definitive diagnosis. My local small animal vet friend recommended amputating his leg. We weighed the impact that would have on Mica against what we might gain—and ultimately decided it wasn’t a balanced trade.

What does Google AI say about the statistics of equine colic surgery?

A quick query to Google provides the following interesting statistics:

Statistics for equine colic surgery show a significant survival rate, with 74% to 85% surviving the procedure itself, and 63% to 85% returning to athleticism. However, approximately 4–10% of all colic cases require surgery, and the success can depend on factors like age, the specific type of lesion, and how quickly the horse receives treatment. Post-surgery complications, such as incisional infections, can also occur in a higher percentage of cases compared to other types of surgery.  

Survival rates

- Surgical survival: 74–85% of horses survive the surgery itself.  - Long-term survival: A long-term survival rate of 66–91% (up to 1 year after surgery) is reported, with one study showing 85.9% survival at 1 year after discharge.  - Return to athleticism: 63–85% of horses return to some level of athleticism. 

Prevalence and factors

- Prevalence: 4–10% of all colic cases require surgery.  - Short-term survival: One study found a short-term survival rate of 76.7% for horses that underwent surgery.  - Factors: Survival and recovery can be influenced by a horse's age, the type of intestinal lesion (e.g., strangulating vs. non-strangulating), the duration of the surgery, and how quickly the horse receives treatment. 

Risks and complications

- Incisional infection: This is a more common complication after colic surgery compared to some other procedures, with rates potentially as high as 43% in some studies. - Other complications: Other potential complications include edema, hernia, and dehiscence (wound separation).  So what comes next?

I struggled all day Friday with how much—or how little—to prepare Alan for the realities of colic. I didn’t want to sound doom and gloom, but I also knew that a horse with a bellyache is never something to take lightly. Still, I figured that even if things went south, we’d have time to make decisions and process it.

We didn’t. Our heads were spinning with what had just happened. Sadly, so was Kadeen. His cries for Sadie and his obvious loneliness added another layer of heartbreak. We had always expected 23-year-old Kadeen to be the first to go. In fact, we’re building a three-stall barn at our new home, with plans to add another horse next year. We were hoping to avoid finding ourselves in this position—down to one lonely horse. We had planned to adopt from Love This Horse Equine Rescue (LTH).

LTH has recently placed many of their horses, and at the moment, none of the available ones meet our needs. The staff is just beginning work with a group of eight bays. Alan and I considered taking one of their sanctuary horses—rideable but not adoptable—as a temporary companion until the right one came along.

While weighing our options, we also looked into horses available in our general area. Last Wednesday, we made a trip to Phoenix to check out three horses for sale and one that was offered either for a care lease or purchase. The care lease horse could have worked as an interim ride, and he was closer to home than coordinating with Vera at LTH to get a sanctuary horse. As we left the farm where the care lease horse lived, we agreed: unless we truly fell in love with one of the sale horses we were about to see, we’d wait for LTH to help us find our next trail partner. Well... the best laid plans...

Introducing Rana, which means “eye-catching,” suitable for a mare that captures attention

Rana is a 9-year-old mare, half Arabian and half Quarter Horse. She’s had extensive training and responds to many of the same “buttons” as my once-showhorse gelding. We bought her for Alan, but I’ll be putting trail miles on her since she’s been primarily an arena horse. I was the one who put all the trail miles on Kadeen.

Rana settled in quickly, and Kadeen is once again a happy, contented boy. He was definitely depressed at being alone. It’s clear from this video that Rana hasn’t worn fly leggings before!

We still intend to adopt a third horse from Love This Horse. We don’t want to be scrambling again—but for now, we (hopefully) have time to wait for the right one. We’ll be moving into our new home sometime after the first of the year. We’ve already trailered to the property and ridden from there, and we have round pens set up to contain the horses if needed.

We haven’t sold our current home yet, so there’s no immediate need to live in our motor coach on-site. The barn is set to be finished this week, but we still need utilities installed to make “glamping” in the motor coach a viable long-term option!

Alan is on Sadie... we really miss her.

I regularly see posts on Facebook from people inquiring about horse identification options. In my opinion, not nearly enough people are proactive about having identification on their horses. As a retired veterinarian, I am passionate about good animal husbandry practices. Therefore, I am always glad to see someone inquire about what types of identification are available to help ensure that your equine buddy can find his way back home. For decades my dogs have worn collars with their name and my phone number embroidered on the collar. Several of them often trail ride with my husband and me. They are trained to stay close, but should they get separated from us, I know how easily I can be notified. Why would I not want to have the same protection on my horses? My initial epiphany I had been riding horses for 50 years before it dawned on me that I could make improvements to both my safety and the safety and security of my horse. I realized that should I have an accident on the trail, or become separated from my horse for any reason, no one would know who I was or where my horse belonged. If First Responders needed to treat me and I was unable to respond, would they know important medical information about me, or who to call in case of emergency? To fill this gap, I created the first version of ID MyHorse Emergency Information Tags. Eventually, I came to realize that the tag I had created had significant value when it came to providing identification during natural disasters. ID MyHorse is now on the third-generation version of this tag, and we could not be happier about “how many boxes it checks” in terms of what it is designed to do. This latest version was developed with significant input from First Responders of all kinds… firemen, EMTs, and Animal Control officers among others.

Our original tag had "ID MyHorse" stamped on both sides. Initially, my husband and I wore the same tag on our person as we had braided into the manes of our horses. Both tags contained the same information... detailed content about the horse and the rider/owner. It was an EMT who requested the universally recognized RED CROSS symbol that immediately grabbed the attention of First Responders. The second-generation tag had the RED CROSS symbol for RIDERS, but still had "ID MyHorse" on both sides of the horse tag. I thought "ID MyHorse" was self-explanatory, but the firefighters wanted the RED CROSS symbol as well. Once again, they stated that the RED CROSS symbol immediately "spoke" to them. They also requested reflective strips on the tag to aid in spotting the horse at night or in smoky conditions. The strips are identical to what is on the uniforms of the firefighters. The latest, and likely last, iteration of this tag has incorporated this valuable input. This third-generation tag is smaller than the first two, weighing in at a mere .63 ounces. What boxes does it check?

Let's start by checking the boxes requested by the First Responders: Universally recognized RED CROSS symbol that alerts First Responders to critical information contained within Reflective strips to aid Firefighters in locating livestock at night or in smoky conditions Critical medical information about both horse and rider that aids in immediate and safe medical attention and management Two years ago, I attended a clinic hosted by multiple agencies that dealt with a massive livestock evacuation incident due to the Marshall Fire in Colorado. At the end of this post, I will share a video I made describing a portion of what these front-line responders had to say. They had some definite ideas about what they would like to see already on a horse that might end up at a collection point. Made of a material that won't burn or melt in a fire... leather was recommended Something already on the horse when it arrived at the evacuation facility Preferably not attached to a halter which will likely be removed Identification that will stay on for an extended period of time Readily visible Poses no danger to the horse What horse identification options are out there? MICROCHIPS One of the responses I hear most often when discussing ID with horse owners is, "My horse is microchipped." I have written several blog posts about microchipping horses. Microchips are a wonderful tool, but they have some serious limitations in certain situations. In my opinion, they are best used when proving that the horse you are competing on in an elite competition is truly the one you entered. They are wonderful when it comes to proving that the horse stolen from you and happily recovered is truly your horse. They have far less value when your horse is one of hundreds at a collection facility. A microchip won’t do you much good if your horse is lost in the wilderness and is found by a hiker. Your horse’s microchip won’t tell anyone caring for your horse in your absence that he has Cushing’s Disease or is allergic to Banamine. Less than 1-2% of horses are microchipped in this country. (Surprisingly, only about 4% of small animals are chipped, a figure which shocked me!) There are two different wands required to detect the multiple different types of chips. There are so many types of chips that there is a database of databases! A hiker finding your horse in the woods will have no use for a microchip. If your horse is one of hundreds at a collection point, is it realistic to expect rescuers to wand hundreds of horses, write down a 10-15 digit alphanumeric number, match it with a horse description and stall location, and then go back and look it up? Is the chip still where it was placed and where it is supposed to be? Did you register the chip? Is your information up to date? Are they going to wand all those horses looking for the 1-2% who might have a chip? IF your horse has readily visible ID and an easy-to-access phone number for you, then you can prove that is your horse when you show up with your microchip paperwork. But you have to be called first... FETLOCK BANDS Fetlock bands are typically made out of nylon, which melts. A horse moving over hot embers is going to have molten nylon on their fetlock joint. They require 32# of pressure to break the quick-release buckle. In my opinion, that is a lot of torque on delicate joints. They provide only a phone number. Any rip, mark or melting of the band might make that number impossible to read. BROODMARE BANDS

Broodmare bands are very similar to fetlock bands. They are also made of plastic or nylon. They usually have a quick-release buckle. They only provide room for a phone number. It is debatable in my mind whether a broodmare band or a fetlock band is most likely to get caught on something. If it gets caught and comes off, you have no ID. If it gets caught and doesn't come off, you have a potential problem. CLIP ON PEN-TYPE ID There is a type of ID that looks something like a ballpoint pen that clips onto the mane. One such product states (in bold letters) that it is not designed for everyday use. My husband and I were just evacuated from a wildfire on our mountain. We were boating and camping 45 minutes away when our neighbor called to tell us our mountain community was under mandatory evacuation. We got our horses off the mountain 45 minutes before the access road was closed to trailers. If our horses were not already wearing ID tags, they might have had to be turned loose without identification at all. Unless you plan to be camped next to your horse 24/7, depending on something you have to add at the last minute might not be a good plan. PAINTING THE BODY OR HOOF Speaking of being camped next to your horse 24/7, this is also a very last-minute plan. The neighbors who were watching our horses while we camped are quite capable of feeding them and watching for signs of illness. But to expect them to write my phone number (which they will have to look up) on my horses is totally unrealistic. Where is the paint? How much time are they going to waste messing around with my horses when they need to get off the mountain? I have a friend who told me that she wrote on a hoof with a Sharpie and painted her horse's body on a normal day just to see how long it lasted. It didn't... She said, "I used a black marker on the hoof. They wiped it off in a couple of hours in the dusty corral. Body paint was a mess. I think that it was too thick or too thin." One gal told me she used something in her husband's shop and it lasted a week... but good luck finding the right kind of paint at the literal last minute. AIRTAGS, GPS OPTIONS I have a good horse friend who told me once, "If I only knew when my dog was going to run away, I'd be sure to have his GPS collar charged!" I have extensively researched the possibility of putting some kind of GPS chip in ID MyHorse tags. There is nothing currently available that would have a long enough battery life to make it feasible. The leather pouch design of our tags would make it very easy to slip a chip inside. However, one of the best features of our tags is that you can braid them in the mane and leave them. Repeatedly having to remove a chip to charge it would be a challenge. We have a microphone system on our helmets, and we struggle to bring those into the house to charge them. Sometimes relying on an old-school approach is still the best thing. I often see people inquiring about using AirTags. A quick Google search will tell you that under optimal conditions, AirTags might have a range of 800 feet. Most of the Google responses indicated more along the lines of 30-100 feet. Again, lost in the wilderness would not be what I call optimal conditions. Some final thoughts

I was 5 years old when I first told my parents I wanted to be a veterinarian. As the third of three kids, there were not nearly as many photos of me as there were of my older brother and sister. Nevertheless, nearly every photo of me included an animal of some kind… dogs, horses, chickens, ducks… I gravitated towards animals from the day I could walk.

In my early teen years, I realized that many children didn’t have the stable family and the advantages that I did. It was at that point in my life that I decided I would like to adopt children. I achieved both goals… I received my veterinary degree in 1982 and adopted my first child in 1989 after giving birth to a son and a daughter. My adoptees arrived with serious mental health issues. My veterinary career derailed after I started a local support group for families parenting children with attachment and trauma issues. It grew into a national non-profit (www.attachtrauma.org). Now, instead of helping pet parents make good decisions about animal husbandry, I was helping adoptive parents maintain challenging placements. I share this simply to make the point that caring for people and animals has been a lifelong pursuit of mine. Whether it was educating clients about medical options or treatments for their pets or educating parents about how to survive living with emotionally disturbed children, I was all about helping people make informed decisions for their health and safety and the safety of those they cared about. One day, after riding by myself in the Rocky Mountains, I realized that if I had a horse accident, no one would know who I was or where I belonged. If my horse were found by a hiker in the forest, no one would know where he belonged. If I was lucky enough to be found and cared for by First Responders, they wouldn’t know what medications I took, what allergies I had, what my blood type was, or who to call in case of an emergency. Horse related accident statistics As March of 2025 comes to a close, I am reminded that March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. I recently presented a PowerPoint program on horse and rider safety, and I included these facts: - Horseback riding is more dangerous than skiing or motorcycling. - Nearly 75% of equestrian deaths are caused by head & neck injuries. (Thoracic injuries accounted for 18%.) - 2 out of 3 riding accidents could be prevented. (Broken tack, slipped saddle, no safety check.) Professional equestrians experience more serious accidents (although less frequently). This means that riders with more experience are more likely to be injured. (This is likely because experienced equestrians are engaged in more technical equestrian pursuits.) - Horseback riding is the leading cause of sports-related traumatic brain injuries. (45%!) The next category is Falls or Interpersonal Contact at 20%. - Wearing a riding helmet reduces the risk of severe brain injury by 50%. (Another study says 85%.) The equestrian injury statistics show that the use of riding helmets is low while the likelihood of head injuries is high. - 81% of equestrians get injured at some point in their riding career. 21% are seriously injured and require hospitalization. - Over 100,000 horse-riding-related accidents occur yearly in the US. One out of 10,000 horse riders die every year in a horse accident. - 83.4% of horse-riding injuries are caused by the rider falling off the horse. (Spooked horse, rider error, green horse, new horse.) - Medical alert tags on the rider and ID tags on the horse won’t keep you from falling off, but they might give First Responders critical medical information to treat you safely and efficiently and increase the likelihood that your horse finds his way home. (See the referenced article here.) Horse & Rider ID Tags I created the first version of ID-MyHorse Emergency Information Tags for the specific purpose of providing First Responders with important medical information about me. I also attached the same tag to my saddle. The first-generation tags were larger and weighed 1.63 ounces. The tags contained important information about me and my medical history, as well as information about my horse and where he belonged. Of course, emergency contact information was included as well. The tag had the “ID-MyHorse” logo on both sides. One day, I encountered a paramedic. He was pleased to see that I had medical information available, but he wasn’t sure his peers would recognize “ID-MyHorse” as something that contained medical and emergency information. He wanted the Red Cross logo on the tag, prominently displayed. That made a lot of sense to me, so the second-generation tag was born.

The second version was the same size as the first, but it did have the Red Cross logo on one side. The other side still had the ID-MyHorse logo. I wear the tag with the Red Cross logo readily visible. By this time in my riding adventures, I had added a Hit-Air vest to my safety equipment. The tag hangs on the front of my vest. During the evolution of this emergency tag, my husband and I experienced two evacuations due to wildfires on our Colorado mountain and also a grass fire in Arizona that burned the house next door. I had already realized the value of these informative tags during natural disasters. We quickly realized that braiding the tags into the manes of our horses provided us with the reassurance that should we become separated for any reason, our horses would be able to find their way home. Our horses wear their ID tags 24/7. It was after speaking with the firefighters that the third and current version of ID-MyHorse ID Tags was born. The firefighters requested reflective strips on the ID tags that were made from the same material that is present on their uniforms. These reflective strips enable the First Responders to more easily detect our horses at night or in smoky conditions. In addition to adding the reflective strips, the ID tags were reduced in size by roughly 50% and currently weigh a mere .63 ounces.

We don’t have to worry about tack being lost in the woods, and with it our ID tags. We don’t have to plan to live 24/7 in our horses’ stalls so that we can attach some last-minute ID before a fire consumes our stables or a totally unexpected flood washes away our livestock. I can tell you from first-hand experience that you are NOT LIKELY to have ANY TIME to make last-minute identification decisions before disaster strikes. Facebook is NOT the answer if your horse is missing in the woods or was swept away by floods. Microchips are NOT the answer if your horse is one of 800 gathered at a holding point after a disaster. Don’t get me wrong… microchips have real value in some situations, but this is not one of them. How many people who find your horse in the woods have a wand (actually two, as there are two types of wands) in their back pocket and internet access to look up your information? By the way, have you kept it up to date or even entered it at all? Less than 5% of horses in the US are microchipped. Do you think a fairgrounds manager suddenly tasked with caring for 800 horses is going to wand all of them, write down a 10–15-digit alphanumeric number along with a description of the horse, and then go look it up in multiple databases to see if you are there? There are so many databases that there is a database of databases. READILY VISIBLE ID TAGS are the ticket if you and your horse are separated. I am still caring for people and animals… even the ones I don’t personally know. I cringe every single time I see a Facebook post about a missing horse. Some owner is desperate to get their horse back, and some horse is terrified, running along the side of the highway.

I attended an Emergency Evacuation clinic where animal First Responders from various entities pleaded with horse owners to have a plan. I have written numerous blogs about the information from that clinic, the various types of horse ID available, our personal experiences evacuating wildfires, the pros and cons of microchips, and many other topics relevant to being a prepared livestock owner. You can read about the day we were boating on a beautiful reservoir in Fort Collins, Colorado, when our neighbor called to tell us our mountain was under mandatory evacuation and we had to come retrieve the horses. We exited the cove and headed for the marina, only to be met with the view of a horrendous mushroom cloud of smoke right over our home. It was a 45-minute trip up the mountain to our home, and we weren’t sure we’d make it in time. The only peace I had was the knowledge that our horses wore identification in case our neighbors were forced to turn them loose.

Here is a blog post about various types of horse ID currently available. I don’t want a nylon fetlock band on my horse, which would melt when exposed to embers and burning foliage on the ground. I don’t want something I have to add at the last moment… I wanted something that could stay in for weeks or months. I wanted something that wouldn't burn and wouldn't hurt my horse if the ID Tag snagged on a tree or debris floating in flood waters.

I don’t want to ever need to provide a First Responder with the information contained within my medical alert tag, but neither do I want them guessing about how to treat me should I need that information in a crisis. I don’t care what type of emergency medical ID you choose or what type of horse ID you choose, as long as you have done your research and made a plan in advance. I don’t want to see your horse advertised on Facebook because it is missing. And I don’t want to see a Facebook post about an unidentified woman in a coma who went to the hospital with no emergency contact notified. Be prepared!

It is hard to be passionate about something about which you are not aware. "Out of sight, out of mind" is a very true adage, and we are all susceptible to that scenario. All of us, including me. Therefore, it was with complete naiveté that I started down a rabbit hole a week ago... I maintain my veterinary license and certifications for the purpose of maintaining my own animals. I don't practice and I have no intention of returning to practice. Nevertheless, to maintain my certifications, I must complete Continuing Education Units on a yearly basis. And so it was that I found myself choosing which 6 modules from the USDA I would complete to meet my requirements. An important note... it says in this article that "The modules are also open to the general public." Therefore, while I may be raising some eyebrows in this series, I am not breaking any rules when I share screenshots of the modules. I decided to complete the module describing the USDA Regulations pertaining to horse slaughter. I honestly can't tell you why I chose that, except that I usually complete the module related to the interstate movement of horses. The latter module pertains to me on a regular basis! I think I was expecting some crossover between the regulations that pertain to those of us traveling with horses and the rules that applied to the interstate movement of horses destined for slaughter. The first disconnect My first "Say WHAT?" moment came when I reached the bottom of Page 7 of the module. The first few pages of the module described the evolution of the banning of horse slaughter in the United States, addressed the problem of "unwanted horses," and provided some statistics. I will address those topics in future blogs in this series. I dutifully read through the information shown below. It was when I came to the last paragraph that I had to read and reread what was written. USDA has the authority to enforce compliance with these regulations but is prohibited from inspecting equines for slaughter. Therefore, USDA restricts compliance activities to verification of documentation and the inspection of transport trailers.

I will be honest... I didn't really understand that last paragraph. I had previously completed the module that described the obligations associated with being a federally accredited veterinarian. I was reminded that it was my duty and obligation to fill out all paperwork accurately and truthfully. When a veterinarian fills out a CVI, or Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, they are stating that the animals represented on the CVI meet all state and federal requirements for interstate transport. That last paragraph seemed to state that, while there were clear and concise regulations about what requirements needed to be met to transport a horse to slaughter, the USDA was not in a position to enforce those requirements. I didn't see how that lined up with the previous modules that described my obligations as a veterinarian. Furthermore, I couldn't imagine that I was allowed to pick a module that educated me about my obligations related to horse slaughter when I was not in a position to enforce any of those regulations. That didn't make sense! Consequently, I assumed I had misunderstood and that progressing further into the module would address my confusion. What are the minimum requirements for a horse to be certified healthy enough to ship for slaughter? The screenshot below shows a portion of Page 22. This page describes the minimum requirements for a horse to be deemed sound enough to be shipped to slaughter. Again, let me be honest. I was still not grasping the big picture here. I was still under the assumption that, somewhere along the way, a veterinarian must fill out a CVI. Doesn't it essentially say that in the screenshot below? Ahhh... but the loophole here is the word consultant. Nevertheless, I was still not getting it.

Horse Plus Humane Society I follow the Facebook group Horse Plus Humane Society. By the time I reached Page 22, still under the impression that federally accredited veterinarians were truly overseeing this process, I really hit a wall. How, I wondered, could I be seeing what Horse Plus Humane Society posted when supposedly there was veterinary oversight on horses transported for slaughter? What was I missing here? I understand that not all horses at auctions are destined for the slaughter house. Nevertheless, we all know that auctions are where the kill buyers gather. Presumably, there is some veterinary involvement at the auction facilities, right? I reached out to Tawnee Preisner of Horse Plus Humane Society. I was still trying to make sense of what the USDA was telling me were my obligations compared to what appeared to be the reality of the slaughter industry. Undoubtedly, we will have more conversations going forward as I flesh out this blog series. I didn't even take notes during our first two conversations. However, I didn't need notes to retain one memorable thing she said... I have seen veterinarians drawing a Coggins test on a horse with a broken leg. Tawnee Preisner Check out this page from the module as you are processing what Tawnee said... Be sure and read the caption to the photo.

So apparently, a CVI is necessary for infectious diseases but no one is regulating the condition horses are in that are being sent to slaughter. An INCREDIBLY frustrating conversation with a USDA State Veterinarian After completing the module and after my initial conversation with Tawnee, I was really heading down that rabbit hole. I called APHIS and expressed my confusion about this training segment. I was referred to the USDA State Veterinarian in the state where I maintain my license. I'm not one to beat around the bush... I point-blank asked for clarification as to how these regulations could supposedly be in place and yet what I was seeing in Facebook posts was so vastly different. "Those are recommendations," he said. "It is the owner/shipper that fills out the form." I was still confused. I still didn't understand how this training module for accredited veterinarians to renew their accreditation was telling me that my role only involved recommendations. I pressed him on the issue. I said, "There is absolutely nothing in this module that states that these are merely recommendations. There is no indication that this set of regulations differs in any way from other rules and regulations that I am expected to follow." He responded, "They are just recommendations. I encourage you to go back and look at the module again." I responded with, "Does that mean I can do the other modules, such as the one that describes what penalties I will be subjected to if I don't discharge my duties honestly, and assume that those are simply recommendations?" He didn't have any answers for me. In fact, he was downright evasive and unhelpful. He was so evasive that he refused to give me the name and contact information of the Federal veterinarian who oversees horse slaughter when I requested it! What was he hiding? Why would it be a problem for me to have that information? He indicated that he would ask her (he let the pronoun slip!) to call me. She did... and there will be more about that conversation in future installments. A dog with a bone... I'm not sure if I had my conversation with the State vet on speakerphone, or if my husband just surmised the way things unfolded. He had a big grin on his face when the conversation ended. "Don't mess with my wife when she is passionate about something! She's like a dog with a bone!" A few days later, he offered additional perspective about me and my personality. He tells me that there are "two Nancys." One who is soft and gentle, and then there is the "Business Nancy." My ex-husband did not ever compliment me on my intelligence or my dog-with-a-bone ability to get things done. Perhaps he was threatened by it. Alan, on the other hand, loves those attributes and enjoys watching them in play. It is interesting to have other people observe and describe your behavior in a way that you might not see it yourself. Alan said that when I reach out to someone for information about something, I am assuming that they know more about it than I do. I am interested in being educated, and I ask a lot of questions. If they don't have the answers, I expect them to say so. I won't be satisfied with half answers or platitudes. He also noted that the more the other party fumbles around, the more I fire questions. He equated it to getting a shotgun blast!

Alan went on to say that if the topic being discussed creates an emotional reaction in me, that ups the ante. Furthermore, if that emotional reaction has anything to do with animals, look out! Lastly, he made one other observation that made me think a bit... He said if the fumbling around party is a man, I have an even stronger reaction. I did have a couple of conversations with Dr. Lorna Grande of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. I didn't even realize that there was an organization of veterinarians affiliated with the Humane Society. (I am now a member!) Our conversation was animated, passionate, and on equal ground. We agreed about everything we discussed... a very different conversation than the one I had with the State Veterinarian. MUCH more about Dr. Grande and HSVMA in future installments. Although I had not realized it initially, Alan's comment did make me realize that I felt that the State vet was trying to placate me... or dismiss me. I really had never evaluated any gender difference in how I respond to someone, or how I am responded to! I know that I am capable, so who cares what my gender is? There is no question that 40 years ago when I was in veterinary school, there was a significant gender inequality. But that was a long time ago, and I am now married to a man who appreciates my qualities regardless of my plumbing! I am just beginning to unravel this, or shall I say attempt to unravel this. I really don't know where this is going. One of the things that Lorna Grande said to me was, "How many veterinarians choose that module? And of the ones who do, how many approach it with the critical thinking that you did? How many call APHIS and ask questions?" Apparently, not many. The State vet's response to my indignation was to suggest that I use the button in the upper right hand corner to "report an error." To me, that button was for technical issues, like another module I did that got stuck in the middle and wouldn't advance. Not to report the fact that the module content was to educate me about something that didn't seem to matter... The feature photo shows a page from the module. Does any veterinarian have any clout to prevent a horse that looks like that from getting on a transport truck? There really is so much more I want to say. There are so many more people and organizations that I intend to interview. I have been told that the AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) and the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) are supporting the situation as it stands now. I have not heard their stance on this for myself. This might be a long series. UPDATE right before this posts: From the time I wrote this a few days ago until the eve of when it posts, I have had numerous conversations with individuals from several organizations. According to Keith Kleine of AAEP, not even the transport trucks are inspected these days. This is a very active and detailed research project. Be sure and follow the series and let me know what you think. Update on Sadie and the slow feeder hay bag I mentioned last week that we are trying a new slow hay feeder bag for Sadie. She's doing great! I actually think she's eating less but is happier. There are wisps of hay on the ground that she doesn't seem motivated to hoover up, and we keep hay in the slow feeder at all times. Alan does give her about a half flake in her hay bin, so she can eat some of it without working so hard. So far it's a win!

Our personal experience evacuating from the Alexander Mountain Fire My husband and I were boating on a beautiful Fort Collins, Colorado reservoir, tucked into a cove, enjoying perfect temperatures and a light breeze. Because we were surrounded by mountains, we were blissfully unaware of the plume of smoke that was rising from the direction of our mountain home. That is, until the neighbors who…

I regularly see posts on Facebook from people inquiring about horse identification options. In my opinion, not nearly enough people are proactive about having identification on their horses. As a retired veterinarian, I am passionate about good animal husbandry practices. Therefore, I am always glad to see someone inquire about what types of identification are available to help ensure that your equine buddy can find his way back home. For decades my dogs have worn collars with their name and my phone number embroidered on the collar. Several of them often trail ride with my husband and me. They are trained to stay close, but should they get separated from us, I know how easily I can be notified. Why would I not want to have the same protection on my horses? My initial epiphany I had been riding horses for 50 years before it dawned on me that I could make improvements to both my safety and the safety and security of my horse. I realized that should I have an accident on the trail, or become separated from my horse for any reason, no one would know who I was or where my horse belonged. If First Responders needed to treat me and I was unable to respond, would they know important medical information about me, or who to call in case of emergency? To fill this gap, I created the first version of ID MyHorse Emergency Information Tags. Eventually, I came to realize that the tag I had created had significant value when it came to providing identification during natural disasters. ID MyHorse is now on the third-generation version of this tag, and we could not be happier about “how many boxes it checks” in terms of what it is designed to do. This latest version was developed with significant input from First Responders of all kinds… firemen, EMTs, and Animal Control officers among others.

Our original tag had "ID MyHorse" stamped on both sides. Initially, my husband and I wore the same tag on our person as we had braided into the manes of our horses. Both tags contained the same information... detailed content about the horse and the rider/owner. It was an EMT who requested the universally recognized RED CROSS symbol that immediately grabbed the attention of First Responders. The second-generation tag had the RED CROSS symbol for RIDERS, but still had "ID MyHorse" on both sides of the horse tag. I thought "ID MyHorse" was self-explanatory, but the firefighters wanted the RED CROSS symbol as well. Once again, they stated that the RED CROSS symbol immediately "spoke" to them. They also requested reflective strips on the tag to aid in spotting the horse at night or in smoky conditions. The strips are identical to what is on the uniforms of the firefighters. The latest, and likely last, iteration of this tag has incorporated this valuable input. This third-generation tag is smaller than the first two, weighing in at a mere .63 ounces. What boxes does it check?

Let's start by checking the boxes requested by the First Responders: Universally recognized RED CROSS symbol that alerts First Responders to critical information contained within Reflective strips to aid Firefighters in locating livestock at night or in smoky conditions Critical medical information about both horse and rider that aids in immediate and safe medical attention and management Two years ago, I attended a clinic hosted by multiple agencies that dealt with a massive livestock evacuation incident due to the Marshall Fire in Colorado. At the end of this post, I will share a video I made describing a portion of what these front-line responders had to say. They had some definite ideas about what they would like to see already on a horse that might end up at a collection point. Made of a material that won't burn or melt in a fire... leather was recommended Something already on the horse when it arrived at the evacuation facility Preferably not attached to a halter which will likely be removed Identification that will stay on for an extended period of time Readily visible Poses no danger to the horse What horse identification options are out there? MICROCHIPS One of the responses I hear most often when discussing ID with horse owners is, "My horse is microchipped." I have written several blog posts about microchipping horses. Microchips are a wonderful tool, but they have some serious limitations in certain situations. In my opinion, they are best used when proving that the horse you are competing on in an elite competition is truly the one you entered. They are wonderful when it comes to proving that the horse stolen from you and happily recovered is truly your horse. They have far less value when your horse is one of hundreds at a collection facility. A microchip won’t do you much good if your horse is lost in the wilderness and is found by a hiker. Your horse’s microchip won’t tell anyone caring for your horse in your absence that he has Cushing’s Disease or is allergic to Banamine. Less than 1-2% of horses are microchipped in this country. (Surprisingly, only about 4% of small animals are chipped, a figure which shocked me!) There are two different wands required to detect the multiple different types of chips. There are so many types of chips that there is a database of databases! A hiker finding your horse in the woods will have no use for a microchip. If your horse is one of hundreds at a collection point, is it realistic to expect rescuers to wand hundreds of horses, write down a 10-15 digit alphanumeric number, match it with a horse description and stall location, and then go back and look it up? Is the chip still where it was placed and where it is supposed to be? Did you register the chip? Is your information up to date? Are they going to wand all those horses looking for the 1-2% who might have a chip? IF your horse has readily visible ID and an easy-to-access phone number for you, then you can prove that is your horse when you show up with your microchip paperwork. But you have to be called first... FETLOCK BANDS Fetlock bands are typically made out of nylon, which melts. A horse moving over hot embers is going to have molten nylon on their fetlock joint. They require 32# of pressure to break the quick-release buckle. In my opinion, that is a lot of torque on delicate joints. They provide only a phone number. Any rip, mark or melting of the band might make that number impossible to read. BROODMARE BANDS

Broodmare bands are very similar to fetlock bands. They are also made of plastic or nylon. They usually have a quick-release buckle. They only provide room for a phone number. It is debatable in my mind whether a broodmare band or a fetlock band is most likely to get caught on something. If it gets caught and comes off, you have no ID. If it gets caught and doesn't come off, you have a potential problem. CLIP ON PEN-TYPE ID There is a type of ID that looks something like a ballpoint pen that clips onto the mane. One such product states (in bold letters) that it is not designed for everyday use. My husband and I were just evacuated from a wildfire on our mountain. We were boating and camping 45 minutes away when our neighbor called to tell us our mountain community was under mandatory evacuation. We got our horses off the mountain 45 minutes before the access road was closed to trailers. If our horses were not already wearing ID tags, they might have had to be turned loose without identification at all. Unless you plan to be camped next to your horse 24/7, depending on something you have to add at the last minute might not be a good plan. PAINTING THE BODY OR HOOF Speaking of being camped next to your horse 24/7, this is also a very last-minute plan. The neighbors who were watching our horses while we camped are quite capable of feeding them and watching for signs of illness. But to expect them to write my phone number (which they will have to look up) on my horses is totally unrealistic. Where is the paint? How much time are they going to waste messing around with my horses when they need to get off the mountain? I have a friend who told me that she wrote on a hoof with a Sharpie and painted her horse's body on a normal day just to see how long it lasted. It didn't... She said, "I used a black marker on the hoof. They wiped it off in a couple of hours in the dusty corral. Body paint was a mess. I think that it was too thick or too thin." One gal told me she used something in her husband's shop and it lasted a week... but good luck finding the right kind of paint at the literal last minute. AIRTAGS, GPS OPTIONS I have a good horse friend who told me once, "If I only knew when my dog was going to run away, I'd be sure to have his GPS collar charged!" I have extensively researched the possibility of putting some kind of GPS chip in ID MyHorse tags. There is nothing currently available that would have a long enough battery life to make it feasible. The leather pouch design of our tags would make it very easy to slip a chip inside. However, one of the best features of our tags is that you can braid them in the mane and leave them. Repeatedly having to remove a chip to charge it would be a challenge. We have a microphone system on our helmets, and we struggle to bring those into the house to charge them. Sometimes relying on an old-school approach is still the best thing. I often see people inquiring about using AirTags. A quick Google search will tell you that under optimal conditions, AirTags might have a range of 800 feet. Most of the Google responses indicated more along the lines of 30-100 feet. Again, lost in the wilderness would not be what I call optimal conditions. Some final thoughts

Alan and I rode to Odessa Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park three years ago. In fact, we rode a little past Odessa to take a peek at Fern Lake. The Cameron Peak Fire had caused significant wildfire damage around Fern Lake. I wrote about our first foray to Odessa Lake. It is a very technical trail. At one point, our adrenalin was pumping enough that we decided to dismount and walk the horses along the rocky, steep trail. That wasn't the best idea either, as the horses are trained to walk next to us. Going down was more nerve-wracking than coming back up. For whatever reason, we decided we wanted to repeat this experience! In past blogs, I have mentioned how difficult it is to find private trailer parking in Rocky Mountain National Park. Our options this year prompted us to park close to Sprague Lake and take a counterclockwise route to Bierstadt Lake and then on to Odessa Lake. We love to ride up the switchbacks to Bierstadt Lake, so it wasn't a difficult decision. This is the latest we have still been in Colorado and able to ride in RMNP. We were looking forward to seeing the beautiful golden aspen leaves. A cold, cold windy day The weatherman told us that the high would be 71 degrees. Alan had heard that it was supposed to be windy, but I missed that memo. Windy is the ultimate understatement... it was gale force winds. If you need to do this to be able to ride your horse in windy conditions, you won't want to ride in the Colorado mountains! We had to get a Timed Entry Pass to access the Bear Lake Corridor, and our admittance window was between 6 and 8 AM. We started tacking up around 8:15 AM. It was COLD, and I mean COLD. I left home with a long-sleeved T-shirt and a flannel shirt. I added two fleece jackets over that and I could barely bend my arms! Initially, I put my HitAir vest over the first three layers and added the last fleece jacket over my vest. That meant that I couldn't zip the outer jacket, but I really thought it would warm up and I would be taking that off. I was wrong. The Bierstadt Trailhead It is slightly over a mile from where we parked to the official Bierstadt Lake Trailhead. We wind around Sprague Lake and ride through the forest and over a wooden bridge to reach the Trailhead. There is a pit toilet there. Alan held the horses and I headed to the bathroom. Never have I sat on a pit toilet and received an air enema! I was suddenly aware of this blast of cold air coming from the pit. That was a first. How sad is it that there must be a sign telling people to use the toilet and not the floor?

Alan decided to take advantage of his opportunity as well. I'm standing with my back to the wind, holding the horses and freezing while I wait. He comes out and the first thing out of his mouth is a comment about the arctic wind on his tush! We mount up and start up the switchbacks. There is only a brief section of forest before you begin winding your way up the mountain.

Forty MPH gusts and beautiful aspen leaves I devoted a significant amount of time in my video to the Bierstadt switchbacks. The views are breathtaking. Although it is a steady climb, it isn't excessive and the horses do great. There are at least a dozen 180-degree turns as you climb. The wind was so fierce that trees were rubbing together and making a squeaking sound. Listen for it on the video. We encountered two or three couples who were hiking. It takes 25-30 minutes to traverse the switchbacks, and then you are back in the forest. If you want to see Bierstadt Lake, there is a hitching rack and an easy quarter-mile hike to the lake. For this ride, we had another destination in mind. The forest provided some break from the wind but robbed us of the sun. At some point, I moved my fourth layer of clothing to under my vest so that I could zip it up. Some bushwacking and tree trimming After leaving Bierstadt but before reaching our turn to go up to Odessa Lake, we passed several hikers. They warned us that a tree was down across the trail. It wasn't long before we encountered the obstacle. I sent Kadeen up the hill to see if there was a way around it. There wasn't... not without some effort on our part. Alan came to our rescue and was able to clear enough of the accessory branches that we could get across. The horses were rockstars. You can see the entire thing unfold in the video. The sign at the Odessa Lake Trailhead indicates that it is 3.6 miles up to Odessa Lake. We had covered about the same amount at that point. The Flattop Mountain Trail branches off from the Odessa Lake trail. This is the route we took when Kadeen and I crossed the Continental Divide in 2014. The trail climbs steadily from that point on. We briefly toyed with the idea of aborting our plan to go to Odessa as we were still very cold... but we opted to press on. The final stretch to Odessa Lake is incredibly technical The beginning of the trail to Odessa is pretty standard stuff... for the Rocky Mountains. The trail is no more than several feet wide and for most of it, there is a significant dropoff on one side or the other. Rocks abound, although in the beginning, there is some dirt scattered around the rocks. As you approach the final section, the trail is no more than 2 feet wide and is solid rock and shale. The dropoff is steep, and all that is between you and oblivion is a manmade rock wall about 8 inches high. On the other side of the dropoff, large boulders line up like soldiers, sometimes hanging over the trail. It was because of an overhead boulder that we decided to dismount and walk the first time. The horses took it all in stride and showed no additional stress when we reached this portion of the trail. The wind was still howling fiercely, and we were cold to the bone. My teeth were chattering. That little voice... In the video, you will hear me remark, "This is the section I was remembering..." We started down the final section of the trail. This is a photo from our first ride a few years ago. The sun was in a better place to illuminate the trail. I had the GoPro running the entire time we were on this section. You really can't appreciate the rocks on the trail as we head down... but when we come back, you can see the terrain more clearly.

Alan and I ride some very technical trails. We have great horses and we have put a significant amount of trail miles on both of them. We are both in our late 60s and enjoying each other and our blessed life immensely. Nevertheless, we are not foolish. We do everything we can to mitigate the risks we take. For us, that means HitAir vests, helmets, and ID-MyHorse Emergency Information tags. We trust our horses and we are rarely "cranking adrenalin" on the trails we ride. This time was a little bit different. As we headed down this rocky, narrow, cliff-hugging trail, I heard a voice in my head. "You should turn around. Don't push the envelope today." In all of the riding I have done, I have never "heard" that voice. An extra bit of adrenalin, yes. But "TURN AROUND!", no. One of many things you (hopefully) learn as you get older is to listen to your inner voice. There were precious few places on this crazy trail to even think about turning around. As we approached a section of the trail that boasted an extra few feet of real estate, I stopped Kadeen. I hadn't told Alan about my inner voice. What I did was ask him if he wanted to turn around. I received a resounding "YES!" We were both so darn cold. At this point, I didn't have time to process why I suddenly had misgivings. I just knew we should turn around. Watch the reversal on the video. My gelding has buttons on his buttons, although I didn't cue him appropriately for what I wanted him to do. I guess my brain was a bit occupied. We did manage to get turned around without mishap and headed back. After we crossed the two large boulder fields and found ourselves in "easier" terrain, I started to process what had just happened. I think at some level I recognized that a very cold, super windy day was probably not the best time to get into trouble. We were late in the season and there were very few hikers on the trail. Mostly, I think our heavenly Father was watching over us and told me to turn around. We had done the entire trail before and even if we hadn't... we had nothing to prove to ourselves or anyone else. I didn't escape without some damage At some point (I think it was on the way to Odessa Lake) I realized a one-inch diameter stick was attempting to skewer my leg. I've been wearing these awesome breaches for years, and at most they have suffered with a snag or two. I have never ripped them like this. I think the stick speared the stretchy pants and simply grazed me. When the forward motion of the horse exceeded the stretchability of the pants, this was the result.

Onward to Bear Lake The trail to Bear Lake splits not long before you reach the paved, one-mile path around the lake. Stock is supposed to go one way, hikers the other. The problem is, summer after summer the stock trail is impassable due to deadfall. We tell the Rangers, but the next summer the story is the same. We finally decided not to even attempt to take the stock trail, but instead to follow the hiking trail on down. That dumps us out right on the paved Bear Lake Trail. The families and the tourists go crazy over the horses. We're used to folks getting excited when they see elk, and to some extent even when they see deer. But our two horses end up being photographed multiple times whenever we ride in the park. We ride past the Ranger Station and take the sidewalk to the point at the beginning of the parking lot where our stock trail resumes. We had barely accessed the stock trail when we encountered another tree in the way. Alan managed to move it enough that it was low enough for the horses to step over it. I suspect the liveries use that trail extensively, but the one in the park is closed for the season. I'm sure the wranglers maintain the stock trails they like to use. From Bear Lake to Sprague Lake, the trail is mostly in the woods and very easy. We were starting to be able to feel our toes by this point. Here is the summary of our ride... Note the FORTY-ONE DEGREE temperature noted when I started my watch. Also note that the brown section of this map denotes that you are above the treeline and on a rock!.

The weatherman was a bit more accurate than we thought, as this is what the truck registered when we got back. Nevertheless, this was one of the most miserable rides for temperature comfort that we have done in a long time! If, after reading my account, you'd like to ride along with us, watch the video. You might want to put on your winter coat before you watch it! Also... we'd like other horses and riders to be safety-conscious, even if you don't ride the extreme trails that we do. Free shipping on ID-MyHorse Emergency tags (orders of two or more tags) until the end of September.

Alan and I rode to Odessa Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park three years ago. In fact, we rode a little past Odessa to take a peek at Fern Lake. The Cameron Peak Fire had caused significant wildfire damage around Fern Lake. I wrote about our first foray to Odessa Lake. It is a very technical trail. At one point, our adrenalin was pumping enough that we decided to dismount and walk the horses…