HorseTrax The newsletter for horse lovers Please visit the HorseTrax website!! http://www.oocities.org/horsetraxnews/index.html *************************************************************************************** HorseTrax Newsletter #3 January 17, 2002 In This Issue: 1*What's New? 2*Did You Know?-COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) 3*Breed Profile: The Kabardin (or Kabarda) 4*Fun Facts 5*What's In A Name: Results 6*What's In A Name? 7*Poems & Quotes 8*I've Always Wondered...Neck Signals 9*Quick History: Man o' War 10*Quick Stats: Jet Run 11*Would You Rather...?: Results and New Survey 12*Survey A Results 13*Survey B 14*What's Their Breed: Results 15*What's Their Breed? 16*The Reader's Input 17*A Final Neigh 18*References ************************************************************************************** What's New?      There were so many responses for the last newsletter, and I first off wish to thank all of you for participating. It makes me feel as if I have a real reason for creating this newsletter and it is nice to know that people are actually interested in reading it. So thanks to all of you for taking part in HorseTrax. Again, the newsletter has grown, so enjoy!! Look for the next issue on January 31, 2002. Sincerely, Erin and Baron ************************************************************************************** Did You Know?-COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)     Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is simply a long name for Allergic Lung Disease. Signs of this disease include: wheezing, breathing difficulties, escalating breathing rate, cough, and decreased tolerance to exercise. It is similar to asthma in humans, and if left untreated, it can cause permanent damage to the lungs, giving the horse the equivalent to the disease known as emphysema in humans.      What happens is the horse has extreme difficulty in emptying his lungs of air to retrieve fresh, clean oxygen. He will strain the muscles between the ribs and in the abdominals (not normally done with regular breathing) in order to exhale. Flaring of the nostrils will occur with each breath. The breathing rate will elevate from the normal 8 breaths/minute to nearly 20 breaths/minute.      So what kind of treatment is required for this disease? Well, first of all, it is important, as always, to contact your veterinarian and have them come immediately. The use of antiobotics and corticosteroids are quite common to use in order to reduce the inflammation of the lungs and block the allergic response. Though these procedures are useful in helping your horse, side affects of corticosteroids include a weaker immune system, though this is only a temporary occurrence. Next, your vet may take a blood test to determine what your horse is allergic to so that you can prevent a similar allergic response from occurring again. Repeated use of antiobotics may be necessary. If you do not get rid of the allergy-causing substance, similar attacks are likely to occur and repeated cases can cause permanent lung damage. ************************************************************************************** Breed Profile: The Kabardin (or Kabarda)     The Kabardin is not a breed of which you normally hear. Yet this breed has been around since the sixteenth century, originating in the northern Caucuses, making them the best mountain horses. Transportation across the mountains have been their use for hundreds of years. Their height normally ranges from 15hh to 15.2hh, their colors being primarily bay or black with little or no white markings. Roman noses and long faces are characteristic of this breed. Their withers are low, shoulders are straight, back both short and straight, good bone, and back legs that are usually sickle shaped.      Because of their hardy mountain blood, this breed is sure-footed, sound, tough, and obtain stamina, making them a superb endurance mount. They are safe trail companions, as their bones are strong and hooves are tough, making traveling across rough terrain a simple feat for this breed. When speaking in numbers, the Kabardin is a rare breed, and is in need of protection. Their population has decreased dramatically from 446 stallions and 3272 mares in 1953 to the present-day400-450 mares (stallion number unknown). Their breeding is mainly concentrated at Malokarachaevski and Malkinski studs. For further information on this breed and pictures, see: http://horses.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/horses/ ************************************************************************************** Fun Facts *The Paint was not recognized as a specific breed until 1963. *The largest category of horse in existence today is the Warmblood. *The horse has two blind spots: in front of the tip of the nose and directly behind them. *The earliest horses had three toes; the first one-toed horse is known to exist 15 million years ago.                                                                                                                                    Next Page