About Jessica Hughes Expertise I can answer diet and nutrition questions regarding performance, breeding/raising young horses, showing, and pleasure riding needs. I can answer questions regarding riding and training problems or advice. I can answer questions regarding equine behavior problems. I can answer questions regarding show horses, how to groom the english or western horse for the horse show arena. I can answer any general question regarding horses.
Experience My expertise includes owning and running a successful show and boarding facility. I have done much research on the nutritional needs of all different types of horses and how their digestive system works and how to keep that healthy. I have shown and trained horses for cutting, western pleasure, halter, breed show all around, and currently hunter/jumpers on the hunter curcuit. I have also raised babies and bred my own mares for the last 5 years specializing in thoroughbreds, warmbloods, and welsh ponies. I also give lessons to all types of riders. I evented for 3 years.
Organizations I currently belong to Blue Ridge Hunter Jumper Association and American Quarter Horse Association.
Education/Credentials I apprenticed under Mark Poovey an accomplished cutting horse trainer for 4 years where I was assistant trainer and barn manager. I have ridden under and participated in many clinics under such people as George Morris and Daniel Geitner. I have also worked as a vet tech at a local veterinarian. I attended Isothermal Community College where I attained my business degree.
Awards and Honors I was #8 in the nation in 1994 with the American Paint Horse Association at the end of that year in the event of Working Hunter 18 & Under. I was also 4th at the AQHA World Show in 1994 in the event of Hunter Under Saddle Youth Team Tournament. I won many year end awards with the APHA during that year. I also won the Raleigh Cutting Horse Futuritiy in the youth division in 1994. I was leader of a local 4-H group for many years.
Past/Present Clients Hope Bleeker, Freda Jessen, Judy Scott, Sharon Scruggs, Elizabeth White, Jackie Gardinier, Laura Bailey, Kevin Hamby, Jane Juanaco,
Anne Schager, Diane Randolph
Question QUESTION: I have 5 horses on my farm. Out of the 5 horses, my one quarter horse seems to get attacked by flys the most. During the summer, she has lumps all over her neck/chest. They dont seem to itch, but they just look bad. Some days are worse than others.
Are these fly bites or what else could they be? If they are fly bites, why don't any of the other horses have them? what can I do about it??? Thanks!
ANSWER: Hi JoAnne, It sounds to me like it's more of an allergy than actual fly bites. I have horses who come in who seem to have these bumps covering them also. I had a mare who had it so bad I had to call the vet as the bumps were causing her to swell along her eyes and jaw. The vet said it was an allergy, which I figured, it was just alarming because her face had swelled up I was afraid it could effect her breathing. So as long as it's not around her face and effecting her breathing my suggestion would be to wash your horse in an iodine bath or any anti-fungal/anti-bacterial bath just to sooth the effected area. It could be flies, something she's eating, or shavings that she could be allergic to. From my experience this seems to be more cosmetic than harming, however they could be itchy to the horse. If your horse comes in and is really swelled up I would contact a vet, more than likely they will just give you dexamethasone injections which is a steroid to get rid of the inflammation. Good luck, Jessica
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QUESTION: Hi,Ya one may show up on her face every once in awhile, but they don't seem to bother her at all. They do look bad, though, (for showmanship and such) so is ther anything I should give her or spray on her or something to make them go down??? And as far as the iodine bath, do you mean just wiping her down with iodine or betadine??
Answer If you have a show coming up, then you could call your vet and get some dex. from him, put her on it for a couple of days and they should go away. I think you can even put it in their feed so you don't have to actually inject anything. As for the iodine scrub, I mean just an iodine shampoo scrub, you can get this at your feed store usually for a Tractor Supply type place. You can probably get it at a pharmacy. Any shampoo that is anti-fungal/anti-bacterial will do. I don't know of anything you can put on it to make them go down, however you could try some benadryl cream or any kind of allergy topical cream, it would just take a lot of it if she were covered in them. Good luck, Jessica
