March 2021 Issue

By Malorie de la Mare Dear Mal… As if I were not already totally paranoid about COVID, I just heard that a couple of gorillas at a zoo got COVID from their caretakers. On top of that, there are dogs, cats and who-knows-what-else running around with it. Is anyplace safe? I’m wondering if my horse can get it? What if I’m asymptom- atic, and I accidentally infect my horse? How could I forgive myself? What should I do to protect my horse from COVID? I love him and don’t want to stay away from him, but at the same time I don’t want to cause Go ahead...Ask da Mare Can I Give My Horse Covid? him any harm. What should I do? -Fearful Dear Fearful… First, relax. Take a deep breath. Step away from the ledge and think about the reality of your situation. It’s true that COVID is a pernicious and relentless ad- versary. But there are things each of us can do to protect ourselves and the people (and critters) we love. You know the mantra: wear a mask, wash your paws, stay out of crowds, keep your social interactions to a minimum. Next, let’s look at the animal situation. Dogs, cats and goril- las have tested positive for the Coronavirus, but they generally don’t experience the disease the way humans do. Those animals genetically closest to humans, the gorillas, have reportedly experi- enced congestion and coughs and are being isolated and treated. It’s unlikely that you could give your horse COVID, or that he could give it to you. If you are the sole caregiver of your horse, you need not worry that someone else around him could have the virus and pass it along to you. There are caveats, of course. It seems that each day the epidemiologists learn more about the disease and how it spreads. As we watch in horror the rising death toll, we need to keep reminding ourselves of the ways we can protect our- selves, and that a vaccine will be available soon. In the meantime, don’t waste the precious time you have with your horse being fear- ful and anxious. Use your time with him to tune the world out and enjoy the amazing force of calm horses can provide. If you truly have trouble escaping from your anxiety, do call your doctor and ask her advice. Good luck. We’ll get through this crisis and come out the other side stronger and wiser. Dear Mal… So, here I am a brand new horse owner. My new best friend Archie is a 12 year-old Quarter horse that I got from a local res- cue. He’s sound, sweet and very well-mannered. But he seems to have an affinity for mud. Lots of mud. Every time I take him out to the pasture, he makes a beeline for any patch of mud and practically somersaults into it. His pasture buddies don’t seem interested in the mud until he gets finished with it. Then they take turns rolling. While it’s kind of funny to watch, I am a little wor- ried. Is this normal? Does it mean he’s got some kind of problem? Can he get a fungus from all that mud? When I turn him out, he’s all clean and brushed. I can’t give him a bath because the barn where I keep him doesn’t have an indoor shower, or a place he can stay warm after a bath. I want to take good care of him, and don’t want people to think I’m neglect- ing him. He gets pretty messy and I usually don’t have as much time during the week to clean him up. Help! -Dusty Mama Dear Dusty… Some horses just love the mud! It’s almost part of their DNA, to spend their lives covered in mud. Just wait until Spring, though, for the best show. My horse often comes in from the pasture with little tufts of grass, weeds and sticks on his head. Very discouraging if you only have extensive time for groom- ing your horse on the weekend. Horses roll in mud or snow or dirt for many reasons: it feels good; it helps them rub off excess hair in the spring when shedding starts; it is a great way to get a good back scratch; it’s a nice massage. It’s also sort of a horse culture thing. One horse rolls in the mud, and his buddies take turns rolling in the same mud—sort of luxuriat- ing in the first horse’s scent while leaving their own scent behind. All of this is pretty benign. It’s true that Archie might inadver- tently rub up against some thorns or rocks and come away with scrapes. But most often it’s just your horse’s way of “being in the moment.” There are times when rolling is a signal that something is wrong. If your horse seems agitated and starts pawing the ground, then rolling getting up biting at his stomach or his flank, he may be in trouble. When a horse is having stomach problems such as colic or other issues, he’ll go through a lot of this, trying to get relief. This situation requires your veterinarian’s help, imme- diately. Colic—or other issues causing your horse’s agitation can become critical very quickly. You should probably not worry about the mud baths, despite how the mud and dust affect your quality of life. Congratulations on adopt- ing Archie. I have a feeling you two will have a lovely partner- ship—dust and all! Have a question for Mal? Email her at PAEquest@aol. com. Page 26 March 2021 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN