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  • From: Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
  • To: MSAR <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [MSAR] ERROR IN PRINT AND CORRECTION to Re: MSAR-Riders Digest, Vol 74, Issue 1
  • Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 18:42:54 -0700 (PDT)

UNA 
I am sorry there was an error in one of my posts. 
It originally stated:

In thirty some odd years we personally have had a horse that has colicked.  We eliminated the usage of such feeds that proposed to cause the problem to the animals eons ago and our horses are living long healthy lives.  If they were not receiving adequate care, they would not be living this long.  Our oldest turns a certifiably 29 in human years in less than a week.  While her "showring" beauty has wained, after all the mare has had some ten foals, and she does not carry her weight like she used to she is doing fine.  She has survived West Nile at an age where most horses would not have made it. So all I can say as others have told us, we must be doing something right!  Our vets have said she is remarkable. 
THE CORRECTION IS FOLLOWS AND IS IN REGARD TO THE FIRST SENTENCE ABOVE AND THAT IT SHOULD HAVE SAID:  
 
    IN THIRTY SOME YEARS OF OWNING HORSES,  WE PERSONALLY HAVE NEVER EVER HAD ANY HORSE WE HAVE OWNED GET COLIC.
 
IN ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AT THIS TIME THAT WE HAVE RAISED OVER 40 SOME ODD HORSES OF VARIOUS BREEDS FROM QUARTER HORSES, APPS, PASOS AND MORE.  AND HAVE HAD HORSES OF ALL AGES AND GENDER FROM BIRTH TO OLD AGE.
 
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE MISPRINT.  AGAIN >>> WE HAVE NEVER EVER HAD A HORSE COLIC ON US.
        Karen Nesbitt
REPEAT, THE ABOVE MESSAGE IS A CORRECTION TO A STATEMENT MADE IN MY POST AS FOLLOWS BELOW:
 


--- On Tue, 4/7/09, Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com> posted that:

From: Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: MSAR-Riders Digest, Vol 74, Issue 1
To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 4:03 PM

In response to:Message: 1
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 08:39:27 -0600
From: Una Smith <una.smith@att.net>
Subject: [MSAR] Weed free feeds, USA
To: msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org
Message-ID: <20090407143927.GA23326@att.net" rel=nofollow target=_blank>20090407143927.GA23326@att.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

In the western USA, in the Forest Service's Intermountain Region (R4), as of 2003
all National Forests require weed free feed.  This is per the "Weed Free Hay Order"
(http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/dixie/faq/weedfreehay.shtml).  MSAR units in this region
need to be aware that the order specifically exempts organized rescue resources in
the performance of an official duty.

Other land managers, eg Bureau of Land Management, and other regions within the
Forest Service, are beginning to follow suit, so this is rapidly becoming an issue
of concern for all equestrian users of public lands across the US.

Recently, some equestrian events have been cancelled because the requirement is
being applied in an inconsistent and sometimes unreasonable manner.  Eg, one land
manager required event participants to board horses for 3 days at a commercial
establishment in the area, and to purchase certified weed free feed from a single
source, also in the area.

Initially, all pellet and cube feeds were considered to be weed-free, but now the
trend is to consider these feeds to be weed free only if produced from certified
weed free materials.

Is this weed free feed requirement impacting your MSAR unit?  How?  What are you
doing about it?

    Una Smith
    New Mexico

UNA, great topic! And contraversial as well. The issue here too though  is more that we as horsemen and the general public need to become more aware of the impact we all have on our nations precious protected resources.  Land set aside to be protected as a  state/federal conservation preserve is done so for important reasons.  We need to fully understand those reasons so as not to impact the environments and special ecosystems within.  You cannot do it unless you know the territory and what is being protected. Those living near them need to be aware of their valued resource. Those coming to them, need to follow the rules. Those systems within are fragile and need to be treated as such.  But yet, how many times do people trash their skirts and do other things to impact those special places?  Yes and too many times this is the case.  If its not horse feed, its manure, or garbage or atvs and more.
People come and dump their trash and do not clean up, they drink and plop bottles and residue as they party and do not clean up. They abuse the intent of the preserve and do  likewise irrepairable harm.
I cannot tell you enough the problems I personally have as an adjoining landowner to a valued preserve and how poorly it can be treated.  Well, actually I could and could spend a lifetime of writing about it and the complaints I have against  people who are indignant to management and tread on me..  For ten years I have lived nextdoor to this preserve and as my boundary goes through half of its bog  and hence we too are very adamant about who goes there for at the same time we have worked extremely hard in doing what we can in protecting it and our land as well and the private preserve within.  We know the land and what we should and should not do. Others dont.  Many come and think they can do anything it is they want to and think things are unreasonable. We have spent this decade learning our preserve.  You cannot come in and be like a bull in a china shop and expect to not get some serious feedback and its hard to drive it home to those who think the rules are petty. 
I have had discussions with the  State preserve people in its care.  They have shown and taught me many things.  We have applied similiar management.  The only shameful thing is the manpower it takes to keep the State preserve clean.  We ourselves spent a huge amount of time and private resources on the adjoining side.   Lose one, you lose the other.
With that said,  there is an issue as to too what weed is considered an impediment.  Just because you are purchasing certified feed does not make that pile of food worthy of taking into an ecosystem that certain seeds within it are a detriment to that environment.  It makes it a difficult choice on what and where to go to get your feed when you hop on the road.  A weed is not just a weed, it is a plant that is out of place.  You cannot simply say  if it is certified it is right, it has to be regionally certified as in the case of hay.  Hay certified in Illinois might not be welcome in another part of the county like New Mexico or viceversa and it gets to be weed particular.  Many horsemen think hay is hay.  To them it does not matter.  Many think they can come in and tear up a peice of ground too and expect hay will grow there.  Well without knowing how to, many fail.
Since a seed can vary in size and the smallest of seed, to give you a simple example is the mustard seed, that plant is a detriment that by virtue of its minute size could easilly be carried in a pelleted feed.  So with that said, one would expect that the management of those growing the material to go into the  forage or would be diligent in the process of processing the pelleted feed or cubes or the hay purchased and as would the horseman purchasing such for his intent..  One could assume they destroy the germ of that seed in the processing of the feed.  That may or may not always be the case.  One could assume that a particular hay is welcome over another source and therefore you need to know.  It gets sticky.
It is not always possible to have 100% pure clean feed since many horseman or producers may not be savy in keeping the feed clean by virtue of outdoor storage to which birds and rodents can deposit foreign material through also their dung making that food source still a carrier of a detrimental seed. I have serious issues with hay that might be stored outdoors and as this could be the case.  I have serious issues with educating people about it as well.   Now I am no expert, but it does not take an expert to know that  it is a matter of using common sense.  Regret, so many people lack so much common sense.  We have though raised our own hay and know what it is to supply the demand.   We walk our fields constantly and keep ourselves aware of what should and should not be there.
Horses are generally not welcome in certain preserves due to the manure. A preserve such as ours, there are factors of the nitrates that come along and how they can pollute the bog and water.  How much is too much?  Hard telling, VERY HARD TELLING. And do you really want to find out how much is too much and  in the process destroy a special place? Ignorance can come with a very high price.
As our world grows smaller, these special places become more precious and rare.  We need to all work cohesively to take care of them.  Likewise finding adequate producers to get the proper material to carry on the road for feed.. that in itself can become a great difficulty to the point of seeming unreasonable.  But a lot of people are unreasonable and really do not care.
From the horsemens point of veiw, to say requirements are unreasonable?  THAT SOLEY DEPENDS ON THE PRESERVE AND THE ENVIRONMENT THEY HAVE SET ASIDE TO PROTECT.
HORSEMEN Reason vs PRESERVE Reason...hmmm, Reason vs Reason... will equate to treason on one side. The one protecting the preserve is reasonable in its stipulations even though they seem unreasonable to the other side..  There is only one logical answer in that we has horsemen need one honor their logic in that.  Treading on such territory can get very sticky.  Practice searchs especially need to honor that.  You are not out there on a true mission, it is a staged event.
Just my humble thoughts knowing how I feel about those who tread on my adjoining  land with protected conservation land and knowing first hand what the preserve is protecting and what I am protecting as well and beleive me, I am not selfserving.
For those who do not know to, it is hard for you to protect something if you do not know how.  For horsemen, the very use of pelleted feed can be a detriment.  Their digestive tracts are meant to handle forage not pellets.  Horses can and do colic from the very gunk that glues those pellets together.. so  while there is a need for that type of feed, not all horses can digest the pellets adequately and in time, the longer the horse lives the pellets can and due gunk up their intestinal systems.  Horse eating hay  the ground can colic from eating the dirt and sand.  Don't beleive me ask a vetrinary surgeon who specializes in colic.
In thirty some odd years we personally have had a horse that has colicked.  We eliminated the usage of such feeds that proposed to cause the problem to the animals eons ago and our horses are living long healthy lives.  If they were not receiving adequate care, they would not be living this long.  Our oldest turns a certifiably 29 in human years in less than a week.  While her "showring" beauty has wained, after all the mare has had some ten foals, and she does not carry her weight like she used to she is doing fine.  She has survived West Nile at an age where most horses would not have made it. So all I can say as others have told us, we must be doing something right!  Our vets have said she is remarkable. 
So in regards to certified feed, we walk a chronic double edge sword when it comes to animal care and land care...and we have to sometimes force ourselves to take it all in stride when things get sticky.  Not a cheery thought in economics when it comes to the horsemans side, but lose a preserve and its reason to exist, it is gone forever.  That is a higher price to pay for something that environmentally in the end is priceless. 
Karen Nesbitt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    




  • [MSAR] ERROR IN PRINT AND CORRECTION to Re: MSAR-Riders Digest, Vol 74, Issue 1, Karen Nesbitt, 04/07/2009

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