Les Sellnow
Les Sellnow is a free-lance writer based near Riverton, Wyo. He specializes in articles on equine research, and operates a ranch where he raises horses and livestock. He has authored several fiction and non-fiction books, including Understanding Equine Lameness and Understanding The Young Horse, published by Eclipse Press and available at www.exclusivelyequine.com or by calling 800/582-5604.
Articles by Les Sellnow
Planning and Preparing for the Big Adventure
November 10, 2004
Once you have committed to a pack trip, the preparation begins, even though it might be a year away. First of all, you must decide where you are going and obtain all possible information about the area.
A letter or phone call to the Read More
AAEP 2004 Convention Preview
November 01, 2004
This is a special year for the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). There aren't many things today that last 50 years, especially an organization that was started to ensure the health and welfare of the horse and to further the Read More
Dallas Crown Litigation
September 21, 2004
Dallas Crown, one of two Fort Worth, Texas, area horse slaughter plants, continues in business after a brief court battle concerning its wastewater discharge permit.
It all started when the city of Kauffman, Texas, where Dallas Crown is Read More
Tying and Hobbling
September 21, 2004
Whether on a pack trip into the mountains or on a weekend trail ride during which you return to your trailer at night, it is important that your trail horse has been taught to stand quietly when tied, hobbled, or tethered by one foot to a picket pin. Read More
Temperament: Buying the Right Horse for the Trail
September 08, 2004
In a discussion of proper temperament in a trail horse, words like "solid" and "steady" come to mind. You want a horse that will carry you over a trail with little to no fuss or fidgeting--a horse that is solid and steady in the bridle Read More
Slaughter Plant Reopens
August 01, 2004
The Cavel International horse slaughter plant in DeKalb, Ill., opened for business June 2. The plant was destroyed by fire on March 31, 2002, and a new facility was constructed at the same location.
James Tucker, manager, said that the new Read More
Encephalitis: Many Causes, Deadly Outcome
July 01, 2004
Equine encephalitis has been around for a long time. Old-time horsemen simply referred to it as sleeping sickness. They knew that if a horse contracted it, the animal's prognosis was not great, and that if he did recover, his ability to perform Read More
Purchase Exams: Safe and Sound
July 01, 2004
Buying that first horse can be exciting and scary. Getting that dreamed-about horse is the exciting part, and being concerned that you don't make mistakes in choosing the right one is the disconcerting and worrisome part. In this article, we'll Read More
Out of Work; Out of Money
June 01, 2004
The world of insurance as it pertains to equines can be a bit complicated for the average horse owner. Nowhere is this more true than with "loss of use" insurance. At the outset, it doesn't seem all that complicated. If your horse can no longer Read More
HC/HERDA Update; Owners of Carrier Stallions Notified
May 17, 2004
Approximately 100 Quarter Horse stallion owners have received, or will receive, a message that the stallion is a carrier of the recessive gene that causes HC, also known as hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA). Read More
Pursuing Hope
May 01, 2004
Referral centers are godsends to the equine community. Often housed in state-of-the-art buildings, featuring the latest in scientific technology and equipment, and manned by specialists, referral centers offer a strong ray of hope when the best Read More
Building Blocks?
May 01, 2004
They come in various colors and sizes. Some weigh 50 pounds, others a pound or less. But how do we know which salt and/or mineral block to place before our animals? Should we offer all of them and let the horses choose? Can a horse actually get Read More
Trails, Trips, and Traveling With Horses
April 01, 2004
There was a time when trail riding was pretty much confined to where one lived. The choices might include a country road or a ditch along a busy highway. That, however, is in the past. Powerful trucks and sophisticated trailers have opened Read More
Obesity and Cushing's Disease
April 01, 2004
There is speculation that metabolic syndrome could be a factor in horses which develop Cushing's disease. Read More
HERDA: Not Just Skin Deep
April 01, 2004
Today, it is primarily through Poco Bueno's bloodline that the recessive gene that causes hyperelastosis cutis (HC) has passed. In some scientific circles, the disease is called hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA). Read More
Shipping of In-Foal PMU Mares on Hold
April 01, 2004
The shipment of PMU (pregnant mare urine) mares from farms in the United States and Canada was put on hold in February until after the foaling season, unless the shipping distance is very short.
The reason, says Nat Messer IV, DVM, Dipl. Read More
Illinois Slaughter Legislation
April 01, 2004
New legislation to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the state of Illinois was introduced Feb. 6, 2004, in the Illinois House of Representatives in the form of HB 6570. On Feb. 18, 2004, the bill was referred to the House Read More
Open Mares
March 01, 2004
There are few occurrences in the equine world more frustrating and disappointing than to breed for that foal of your dreams and have the mare come up empty. Unfortunately, this happens frequently and the reasons are many and varied--ranging all Read More
No Increase in PMU Mares At Slaughter Plants
March 01, 2004
Thousands of horses from shut-down PMU (pregnant mare urine) farms in Canada and North Dakota are finding new homes in the United States, but few are winding up at slaughter houses at this time, according to slaughter plant managers.
Dick Read More
Inherited Quarter Horse Disease Traces To Poco Bueno
February 26, 2004
Poco Bueno was identified as the sire line associated with hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA). Read More
Illinois Horse Slaughter Legislation
February 20, 2004
New legislation to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the state of Illinois was introduced Feb. 6, 2004, in the Illinois House of Representatives in the form of HB 6570. On Feb. 18, 2004, the bill was referred to the House Read More
Long Distance Shipping of In-Foal PMU Mares on Hold
February 19, 2004
The shipment of PMU (pregnant mare urine) mares from farms in the United States and Canada has been put on hold until after the foaling season, unless the shipping distance is very short.
The reason, says Nat Messer IV, DVM, University o Read More
Transporting Mares and Foals
February 01, 2004
Transporting a horse is always fraught with potential problems. The potential for trouble increases when a foal, only weeks (or days) of age, is added into the mix, such as at breeding time when a mare must travel away from her home farm. In som Read More
Pasture Breeding: Nature at Work
January 01, 2004
Pasture breeding mares is something of a dying art in the equine industry. The closer control that can be exercised with hand breeding and the advent of artificial insemination (AI)--which has increased the number of mares which can be covered b Read More
A Win at Any Cost?
January 01, 2004
The horse show scene often is one of pageantry, color, and excitement. There are handsome horses groomed until they shine, riders dressed in colorful or formal garments who ride with skill and aplomb, and judges who observe every movement and Read More
