The horses at the halifax Junior Bengal Lancers on Bell Road
have been coughing for five years, but only now are doctors and
management zeroing in on a solution.
Jill Barker, stable manager for the Lancers, declined to comment in
depth. “There really is no story—we’re not moving them, they’re being
treated and we’re dealing with the building.”
Annie, a Dalhousie student who’s been riding at the stables for “at
least 11 years” and doesn’t want her last name used, says when a horse
coughs while you’re riding, it can “shift you forward”—sometimes off
the saddle. A horse will often drop its head when it coughs, which can
unbalance a rider.
The coughing recently became so severe that management considered
moving the horses to a rented facility in Mount Uniacke.
But that move was rejected as too inconvenient for the riders. “As
most of you know by now, we have an ongoing problem in the stables with
horses coughing,” explains an unnamed author in a December 17
newsletter on the Lancers’ website (bengallancers.com). “We have all been
frightened at the thought of Lancers, even temporarily, moving out of
the city. I would ask that all riders take a few minutes to think about
what their lives would have been like if Lancers had not been so
readily available to them.”
Annie agrees with the sentiment. She says most of the student riders
drive, or have their parents drive them, to the Bell Road stables, but
the trip to Mount Uniacke is long and inconvenient. “I drive, but it is
pretty far out of the way.”
Though the horses will remain in the sickly stables, management is
taking concrete steps to solve the problem.
“A lot of people have agonized for many hours and a lot of attempts
at finding the correct professionals who have the expertise to diagnose
and to cure the situation have taken place. All of these attempts have
had a price tag attached,” reads the newsletter.
The issue arose in 2003, when the Lancers started renovations on
their Bell Road stables, built in 1908 to house police and fire horses
and fire equipment. As contractors rebuilt the stables on the north
side of the barn, the horses developed the cough. Since then, changes
to the ventilation system and leaving the stable windows open lessened
the problem. But still, the illness lingered.
A drug company specialist ruled out infectious diseases last year,
but he couldn’t explain why the horses were coughing.
Local and out-of-town experts—including Paul Kendall, the stable’s
veterinarian, and several American doctors—diagnosed the horses with
inflammatory airway disease.
Kendall did not return calls for comment.
The specialists decided to leave the horses on Bell Road to allow
them to investigate the problem in its normal environment.
“It’s basically bronchitis”—but a non-infectious, non-bacterial
version, says Ed Robinson, who was one of the specialists.
Robinson, a professor of physiology from Michigan State University
who specializes in equine lung disorders, was flown in by the Lancers
and looked at the horses and their stables January 5.
He says that horses are genetically disposed to coughing—or
heaves, as equine specialists call it. He says high levels of
ammonia—a byproduct of the horses’ urine—and dust, can aggravate
the lung linings of horses, and that deficiencies in the stable’s new
forced-air ventilation system are allowing these things to build
up.
“They’ve renovated a very old building,” says Robinson. “Forced air
systems are complicated—you have to make sure that all the material
is moving the right way.”
He says some horses are more susceptible to the contaminants than
others. “It’s like smoking in humans—some humans are strongly
affected by it, and others aren’t,” says Robinson.”
Robinson hasn’t given his report to the Bengal Lancers yet, but says
the horses should be able to stay on Bell Road—he doesn’t think
moving them is essential yet. The inflammatory disease will likely
clear up if the ventilation system can be adjusted to remove the
ammonia and dust. And in the meantime, the stable’s windows will stay
open, despite sometimes chilly weather.
“The horses are very well cared for,” he says. “And they shouldn’t
have any long-term negative effects.”
This article appears in Jan 15-21, 2009.
Thanks to The Coast for bringing into the public realm the situation of the horses at Bengal Lancers. The Lancers are a non-profit organization and rely on public money to support their mission, which includes programs, according to their website, to “teach the fundamentals of riding and allow all the participants to take an active role in the care of the horses and develop a strong sense of responsibility and self-esteem”. Inflammatory airway disease, heaves or bronchitis in horses is a very serious condition and not one readily “treated” without long-term effects. Treatment usually refers to large dosages of Prednisilone (an anti-inflammatory steroid to reduce the mucus build up in the lung, the mucus being the horse’s defense to foreign particles in the airway: dust and mould being the primary culprits) and Ventipulmin (basically what human asthmatics take to open the airways). Both of these pharmaceuticals may but not necessarily alleviate symptoms, but will definitely not ‘cure’ the condition. Prolonged steroid use in these doses also have long term effects on other vital organs, like the liver. Once horses’ lungs are compromised, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder is frequently the result, and the only way to prolong the life of a horse with this debilitating condition is to provide the horse with the best living situation naturally suited to equines: outside with a run-in shelter, and dust-free, well ventilated stabling if the horse must come inside. Pulmonary disorders in horses affect their quality of life; working horses are athletes. Athletes with damaged lungs aren’t fit for the job. The lives of horses with pulmonary disorders are often unnaturally shortened, and their demise is painful and pitiful. Particularly if the conditions causing the distress are not adequately addressed. This includes not just stabling indoors, but also riding indoors in arenas where dust often hangs in the air. The bond between humans and horses is ancient, complex and beautiful. It is my hope that as we develop young equestrians in this province that we do so in honour of this bond, respectful for what horses as our teachers give to us and that we in turn give back to them what we can: kindness and thoughtfulness in our care of them, that they may lead happy, productive and pain-free lives. I hope that the Lancer students won’t be “frightened” by the thought of having to move their teachers to better living conditions but will become champions for their lives. Great equestrians are so much more than great riders. —Julie Glaser, Dartmouth
The horses live in the middle of a city.
They live in a dilapidated stable that is causing serious health problems. They are not afforded ANY of the environmental requirements that a horse requires: adequate turnout space at one acre per horse, free roughage provided at ground level to allow them to digest properly, the ability to socialize and live in a herd…. All because the little Lancers are scared of the country?
I am ashamed of HRMs equestrians who don’t want to spend the time to travel to an environment where the horses (that they claim to love so much) can live safely. If the Lancers cannot keep their horses safe and healthy, they must move or shut down. It is probably about time that most of those hard working equines were given a more fair and balanced lifestyle as a trail horse or companion.
I understand that the Lancers represent a key piece of Maritime history, but this cannot be the excuse for animal neglect. If we want the Lancers to stick around, HRM better be willing to pony up cash for seasonal turnout breaks for the horses to live in a natural environment a few months a year. Here’s a thought: Rotate your herd! Then they are only working half the year in these inappropriate conditions. This should be an industry standard. If they moved outside of town, and we still want Lancer horses in the city for events: it’s called a trailer.
Horsemanship is about learning the key aspects of horse ownership and care as well as the art of riding. By allowing our children to learn about horses in an unnatural setting that treats the animals like plastic merry-go-round attractions for privileged city dwellers, we are missing the most valuable lessons that can be learned from the sport.
Horses are not motorcycles. They are not bicycles. They are not toys. They are living animals that require space and educated care (educated in animal SCIENCE not outdated British equestrian traditions). They do not belong in cities, nor should we continue to condone their mistreatment. Exposing your child to the treatment of an animal in those conditions is teaching them to abuse the natural world around them.
Perhaps when they escaped and ran up Citadel Hill they were trying to tell us something.
This is actually sad… Because you pay close to 800 a month to board… Which doesn’t have that much acerage or an indoor riding arena… When you could be going to a barn with 24/7 turnout hay and an indoor outdoor arena. Also with vets that visit monthly…. That 800 could be 300 like I’m paying that way you can afford to drive to the stables…. Like seriously. I drive too I’m not stupid.
Your horse is not a toy or a bike or a car. I’ve always frowned upon lancers and the parents of the children who give them whatever they want, but when the horse becomes sick you all have a sore thumb stuck up your ass and complain about the driving expenses to save your horses life?….. Something tells me lancers ate being lazy and not focusing on a solution instead they just said we will keep he horses here sick and give them medicine. Natural cures are cheaper. Move the horses to the damn country and under the care of a real barn owner who is educated.