Michigan folks- anyone able to go to this?

[pippy]

Rob van Wessum, DVM, MS, equine clinician at the MSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, will address this problem in a lecture, "How to Winterize Your Horse," on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 10 a.m.

It is important for owners to learn how to gradually slow down from the busy summer training schedule when cold weather arrives."

Down-training the horse in the fall will help prevent injuries during the winter and the following spring. Plus proper diet changes from summer to winter will help prevent the horse from becoming overweight," van Wessum said.

A native of The Netherlands (which is known for its cool summers and mild winters), active dressage rider van Wessum has learned the challenges of Michigan's extreme seasonal variations first-hand. "It's good to realize that your horse gets completely different work in the winter than in the summer. During the summer, horses are generally ridden a lot and enjoy more turnout in pasture and paddocks. But in the winter, it's a totally different situation with less exercise and generally more confinement."

However, he said it is possible for horse owners to adapt their training schedule to the changing environment of less riding, less training, and less turnout for the horse. Van Wessum will focus on what equestrians should do to down-train their horses in preparation for the winter layoff.

He will also address issues of winter riding and what to do in order to prevent injuries when working horses during cold temperatures, and he will describe what kind of exercises should be done to keep horses flexible and strong. He will also discuss the difference between arena footing in warm and cold weather, how to deal with arthritis in cold temperatures, and he will provide deworming and dietary advice.

The seminar will be held in E-100 Veterinary Medical Center, East Lansing, Mich., 48824, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is free, but please RSVP to Denise Bennington 517/353-3182 or Judy Lessard 517/355-0001.

If anyone goes, maybe you could post an overview of the seminar? I thought he may have something different to say or new ideas/ concepts other then the usual.. I'm in Mn and not able to go..

[scalawag]

His power point or however he'll present it should be posted online through the MSU vet website. I'm planning on going, so I can post my notes, too.