
RU Rosie, RU Pardner with RU Glinda, RU Casanova, RU Brisa and RU Genesis
January 24, 2010 It's a Baby! Ella is going to be a mother! On January 21st,
the vet verified that RU Canella is pregnant--with a 6-7 month foal! Given
the 11 month equine gestation length and uncertain date of conception, we can
expect the baby to be born any time from late April to early
June.
January 20, 2010 The beginning of spring semester marks the end of 24-hour
turn-out. Yesterday, the horses were brought in at 4pm to freshly-bedded
stalls and buckets full of hay cubes. With the start of classes, we will resume
our former schedule: the horses will be turned out at 8am and brought in at 4pm
daily. Also note that the yearlings will no longer be receiving Safe Choice
pellets, as the total mixed ration (TMR) hay cubes provide sufficient nutrients
to meet their current
requirements.
Also
check out our newest group photos HERE!
January 14,
2010
Today all of the horses were brought in to be
weighed, measured, groomed, and handled. Brisa, Genesis, Glinda, Shivna, Cass,
and Ella had their hooves trimmed. The remaining horses will have their hooves
trimmed next week.
January 2, 2010
HAPPY NEW
YEAR!
With the arrival of 2010, the horses continue to thrive
in their 24-hour turn-out routine (though they seem to equally enjoy their
bi-weekly grooming sessions!) The new year also brings other
updates: our "weanlings" are now yearlings and our "yearlings" are now two-year
olds! There are some new photos and updates on the research students
participating in the program this spring semester. December 23, 2009

The horses had some festive photos taken last Thursday; everyone was quite cooperative!

Ella, Glinda, Cass, and Shivna
December 15, 2009
Last Wednesday
the horses started their "24-hour" turn-out routine; they will remain
outside (with access to both paddocks and run-in sheds) until the start of
spring semester. The weanlings (Genesis, Woody, Honky Tonk, and Brisa) are
brought in daily to be fed 2 pounds of Safe Choice pellets. (This ensures
proper phosphorus intake.) The mustangs and 2-year old draft-crosses are
brought in twice weekly to be reminded of their manners during brief grooming sessions. Despite the
chilly weather, the horses are acclimating well and seem to be enjoying the
freedom afforded by extended turn-out.
December 8, 2009
Two weeks ago, on November 19th, the mustangs had their teeth floated for the first time.
Check their photo galleries for pictures!
November 30, 2009
RU Honky Tonk returned to his herd-mates today for the first time since his castration on the 18th.
Click here for more information.
November 16, 2009 There are many new photos up for the horses! Go to 2009-2010 Horses to see both new group photos and individuals.
November 11, 2009 RU
Woodstock was castrated by Dr. McAlister. The surgery was uneventful
and he is recovering nicely. RU Honky Tonk will be done
on November 18 because he also needs to have a small umbilical hernia
repaired.
October 15, 2009
Directions to Ryders Lane Barn CONSTRUCTION
DETOURS!
Due to road construction the entrance to the Ryders
Lane Barn is a bit difficult. New directions to Ryders Lane barn have been posted under Contacts and Directions.
October 14, 2009 Controlled behavior tests reveals that the Mustangs are as good or even better than our weanling and yearling
Draft crosses in basic handling responses. Sarah Ralston Two
weeks ago all 12 horses were put through a standardized test where in
they were caught in the field by Dr. Ralston, who led them to the round
pen,
walked around it once, halted and made them stand still for one minute.
She then rubbed their face and ears, ran her hands firmly over their
torso and abdomen, asked them to back up 3 steps, turn on the
forehand and turn on the haunches. The students who were observing then clapped
their hands loudly outside the pen with the young horse facing them. The final tests were when Dr. Ralston picked up a
broom, showed it to the horse, laid it down on the ground and asked the
horse to walk over it twice, then led the horse around the pen from the
right side. All tasks were graded by the students' and Dr. Ralston's
consensus on a scale of 0 to 4.5, with: 4.5 being an A+=no resistance,
perfect response, and 0=F=pulling away and resisting violently. Only
one horse got an F on any of the tests: Shivna did NOT like the broom even though she had
seen it many times during Ag Field day training in the spring, and decided to "leave".
The
average overall scores were: Mustang Yearlings 3.78 +/- .06, Draft
Cross Yearlings: 3.74 +/- .14 (If we omitted Shivna, the Yearling Draft Cross average was the
same as the Mustangs). The weanling Draft Crosses got 3.63+/- .07.
It should be noted that the weanlings had had only 3 weeks of training
versus 5 for the mustangs.
RU Cassanova
during a pause RU Canella turning
RU Rosie leading from right
RU Marley hoof lift!
Photos by Samantha Vitale
October 13, 2009 Mustang colts geldedSarah Ralston RU
Marley and RU Casanova were castrated by Dr. Dan Keenan, using a
standard procedure open/open castration. They were sedated with
Xylazine then dropped with Ketamine for the procedure, using normal
doses of the drugs, though Dr. Keenan did increase Marley's ketamine
dose a little, as he would have done for any more nervous type horse.
The surgeries went well. Cass stayed down a fairly long time after the
procedure was done, apparently waiting until he felt sure he could get
up and walk normally because that is what he did! Marley made an
initial very early attempt, decided that was not a good idea and laid there
sternally with his nose on the ground for another 5 or 6 minutes. He
was much more wobbly when he did get up (A bit sooner than Cass!) and it was rather cute-he kept
looking at the ground and shifting his front feet as if to try find
solid ground that wasn't "spinning" :-)
The next morning both
geldings appeared in good spirits and had great appetites. The incision
sites were draining well and normally swollen. Their students worked
them in the round pen for 10 minutes and both colts were more than
willing to trot and canter on command! The students watching were all
commenting on the gorgeous, floating trot that especially Marley has
(Though Cass is really elegant too).

Cass, Tonk (who will be gelded next month) and Marley sharing a mid-morning snack before the surgeries Photo by Sarah Ralston October 10, 2009 Coming Out Party a major Success! Sarah Ralston
Over
40 people crowded into the Ryders Lane barn to admire the young horses
being used in the Young Horse Program this year. All of the horses were
taken out individually to meet their sponsors (if present) and be
admired by the crowd. Even the mustangs were exceptionally well behaved
despite the large crowd and noise. It was great to see so many old friends and to make some new ones!
Mustang yearling RU
Draft Cross
weanling,
RU Woodstock with the
Yearling draft cross RU Pardner with Rambling Rose with student with his sponsors, the Colts Neck Trail Riders his sponsor, Sandra Denarski Pam Brzezynski
and student, Kim Ward
(hidden
student, Samantha Rodgers)
 Carla
Prentiss with "her'
Jane and Bill Meyer with RU Honky Tonk Part of the crowd admiring the young horses.
weanling, RU Genesis
and student Kelly Steimle The yellow US Wild Horse
& Burro goody
grab bags were
courtesy of Robin Rivello Photos by William Kaminski
October 8, 2009 Sarah Ralston Mustangs and weanlings get their first hoof trim! Eric
Fisher trimmed the 4 mustangs and 4 weanlings in only 1 1/2 hours.
There were no major battles and Eric even commented that Marley should
come to my house to teach RU Sir Galahad (Class of 2001 who he shoes)
how to behave!

Casanova standing like a gentleman in the aisle
Genesis
getting her hind feet done in the stall
Photo by Robin Rivello
Photo by
Sarah Ralston
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Equine Science Center
Rutgers University
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For questions about the program or the website, please contact Dr. Sarah Ralson at ralston@aesop.rutgers.edu
© 2009, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. All rights reserved.
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