Sandy Gagnon

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  www.sidneyherald.com/articles/2009/05/06/news/agricultu - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 5/6/2009    Last Visited: 5/7/2009  

  Sandy Gagnon, MSU Extension horse specialist, estimated Montana currently has 140,000 to 150,000 horses. That's about the same as it has been, but fewer people are breeding horses because it's difficult to market horses in this economy, he said.
  
  Those that are breeding are being more selective, Gagnon said. He added that well-broke horses are generally selling well. Mid-level horses are selling for slightly less than normal. The difficulty is selling unbroke 2-year-old horses, yearlings and weanlings.
  
  "You can hardly move them at all," he said.
  
  The most popular horses in Montana are quarter horses, Gagnon said.

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  www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=13973&src=VW - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 4/1/2009    Last Visited: 7/10/2009  

  Sandy Gagnon, extension equine specialist at Montana State University, says you need some way to turn and water compost to keep the moisture content at about 50% and the temperature at the right level. "The pile must reach 145ºF or it won't break down properly," says Gagnon.
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  "In Lexington, Ky., for instance, there are large facilities where nearby horse farms send their manure and old bedding, where a tub grinder mixes all the straw and manure together, and then it's put in bins for composting," says Gagnon.
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  "But if you are continually grazing the pasture or live in a cool, wet climate, it is always a good idea to compost manure before spreading it to protect your horses from parasites," says Gagnon.
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  "Nitrogen in horse manure is about 19 pounds per ton, which is higher than cattle manure, so many people like it for gardens," says Gagnon.

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  www.stablemanagement.com/issues/article.php?tid=652 - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 10/1/2007    Last Visited: 6/27/2008  

  The best way to deal with ice, explains Sandy Gagnon, Equine Extension Specialist at Montana State University, is to keep it from ever forming."You need to minimize the problem by preventing ice build-up, and there are a few things you can do to help.First, for all structures that have metal roofs, be sure that they have ‘snow slides' [editor's note: also known as snow guards] on them.These slides prevent snow from shooting off and piling up in front of doorways, where it thaws, then freezes and creates a lot of ice.With snow slides, the snow melts on the roof and goes down the gutters."The second thing you should do," continues Gagnon, "is to make sure the land is graded away from your buildings and away from your outdoor waterers.

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  www.rockymountainrider.com/0808_equine_studies.htm - [Cached Version]
  Last Visited: 9/4/2008  

  Professor Sandy Gagnon, head of the MSU Equine Science program, explains, "We have a science-based program.
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  Gagnon said that about 5% of the students bring their own horses to college.

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  Ag News - [Cached Version]
  Last Visited: 5/10/2009  

  Preparing for a pack trip in the mountains involves more than loading a horse into a trailer and driving to a trail head, says Sandy Gagnon of Montana State University. Riders need to condition their horses, understand how much food they need in a day and find out forest regulations ahead of time. They have to be able to recognize a good camp site. They need to know their horses.
  
  "Understanding your livestock can really make a difference in your trip. They need to be properly trained to do a number of things," Gagnon said during the second annual equine conference held recently at MSU. An MSU Extension Equine Specialist, Gagnon teaches packing courses and a wilderness ecology course at MSU. He has researched the impacts of horses on wilderness areas and high-mountain meadows.
  
  Aiming his talk toward recreational riders, Gagnon said riders need to think about a horse's behavior before deciding to take it into the mountains. Is it gentle and reliable under a variety of conditions?
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  Some pack groups prefer geldings, but many groups contain both geldings and mares, Gagnon said. Mares can be a problem when they're in estrous, he noted. They're also more likely to run home. Gagnon suggested using gentle horses that have been trained to accept being hobbled or tied. They should be able to stand quietly while tied. They might be introduced before the trip to non-traditional animals like llamas so they won't be surprised if they encounter them on the trail.
  
  If horses are new to each other, they should also be introduced before going into the mountains, Gagnon said. That can be done by placing the horses in wooden corrals across from each other. Horses should be conditioned ahead of time, too, to prevent things like fatigue, stiff muscles and cinch sores.
  
  Riders should select camp sites that have enough feed for the horses and are away from other groups with horses, Gagnon said. Camps and horses need to stay at least 200 feet from water and trails. Riders should find out in advance if grazing is permitted or they need to bring in feed. They should inquire about the numbers of animals and people allowed in a group.
  
  "You need to plan on stopping sooner in the day unless you know the area where you are headed," Gagnon said.
  
  He advised setting up camp between the grazing area and trail head to make it easier to detect horses trying to go home. Horses, however, should stay far enough away from camp so flies won't be a problem.
  
  Gagnon reminded his listeners that, "Any time stock is restrained, they can cause considerable damage to trees, plants and soil by pawing and trampling."
  
  If horses are tied to trees, the trees should be living and about eight inches in diameter, Gagnon said. Horses should only be tied for a short time.
  
  Horses that are tied for several hours or overnight should be tied to a highline between trees, he said. Horses that tend to paw should be hobbled, as well, to protect the area. If other horses are grazing, at least two horses should be tied instead of just one so they will stand more quietly.
  
  Portable electrical fences work well and prevent overgrazing and damage to the environment better than tying a horse to a stake, Gagnon said. He doesn't trust the fences for overnight use, however, because animals may run over it.
  
  "I'm actually there for pleasure," Gagnon said.

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  Baby, It's Cold Outside; Tips to Keep Horses Healthy... - [Cached Version]
  Last Visited: 1/14/2007  

  Negative temperatures are familiar to Sandy Gagnon, a professor in the Animal Science Department and an equine extension specialist at Montana State University.He said proper preparation before the first snowflake falls can really help horses keep their weight and condition through the colder months.
  
  In the autumn, Gagnon said he likes to see horses in a heavier body condition and allowed to grow a full coat of hair, as many horses in his area live outside.
  
  "People should get their horses into a body condition score of a 5 or 6, so they have a little flesh on them going into the winter," Gagnon said.
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  "People need to keep up their deworming program, depending on how the horses are kept over the winter," Gagnon said.
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  When cold weather hits, many horse owners' first reaction is to shut their horses in a cozy barn and throw a blanket on, but Gagnon suggested they resist the urge.
  
  "Most of them will do well in cold weather if they've been kept (outside)," Gagnon said."It's the horses that are in box stalls and then have to go out that will really have a problem with it, as they're not used to it and don't have a haircoat the same way as the horses that have been out."
  
  "I've seen them out at 30 below, standing out.As long as they have a good hair coat and have somewhere they can get out of the wind, then they do fine," Gagnon adds."If you put them in barns and blanket them and then turn them out in that cold weather, you've got some problems because that (shorter) hair coat is not going to protect them as well."
  
  Although the winter's been mild, Gagnon said that horses living outside and unblanketed will be fine through a temperature drop.According to Gagnon, the only horses that really require special protection are those that have become acclimatized to a warmer area and are moved to colder region, and older horses or those in poor condition.Those horses might require some supplemental feeding of concentrates and further protection from the elements.
  
  Through a winter on the range, Gagnon said a full ration of hay will provide more heat than grain.
  
  "In cold weather, you need to supply probably 10% more (roughage than usual), as they need that much for heat," Gagnon said."Roughage is much better than feed because it puts off more heat to digest it, so you get more body heat.Energy supplements generally provide a lot of energy, but they're digested easily so you don't get much body heat from them."
  
  Gagnon said open available water, ideally heated to around 40°, is also important.
  
  In severe winter weather, such as the barrage of storms recently dumping snow on Colorado's horses, Gagnon suggested a windbreak, a thick haircoat, open water, and plenty of forage to keep most horses healthy.

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  Montana Horse Industry (Affiliated Website) - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 7/22/2004    Last Visited: 10/28/2008  

  Join us as Sandy Gagnon of MSU's Animal and Range Sciences Department talks about the Montana horse industry.

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  Montana Horse Racing Association MHRA - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 6/12/2004    Last Visited: 1/2/2008  

  Sandy Gagnon - Professor of Animal Science & Equine Extension Specialist - Montana State University.

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  Printable Version - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 5/28/2003    Last Visited: 5/28/2003  

  Sandy Gagnon, MSU Extension equine specialist, is director of the school, and instructors are experienced youth educators, many of whom have taught equine science courses at MSU.

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  Rocky Mountain Rider Magazine April 2008 Article - Hot... - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 4/1/2008    Last Visited: 4/6/2009  

  Sandy Gagnon, Horse Specialist with the Montana State Extension Animal and Range Sciences - Montana State University, responded by saying, "If you take horses out from under the Department of Livestock, a lot of things fall through the cracks, such as brand inspection and theft, and also disease control, through Coggins tests and health certificates.

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