Press Release

October 21, 2013

Mouse Hole Farm Productions, Durham, Connecticut, announces their Advanced Equine Studies DVD program The Horse’s Respiratory System will be released in early November.

Advanced Equine Studies is DVD programming created to bring artful and in-depth learning experiences to equestrians

worldwide. The Horse’s Respiratory System is a six-hour three-disc DVD program. This is the first release in this series of

DVDs that will explore all the bodily systems of the horse as well as other educational topics to give horse owners the

knowledge to ride and care for their horses with increased confidence.

This innovative forum for learning features equine-industry professionals presenting a comprehensive study on each topic.

The Horse’s Respiratory System program begins at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in

North Grafton, Massachusetts, where Dr. Melissa Mazan, Director of the Equine Sports Medicine Program and a leading

veterinary authority on equine respiratory health, takes us into the hospital’s lung function laboratory to see how

respiratory disease is diagnosed and treated. Testing includes a standing endoscopy, treadmill endoscopy, forced

oscillatory mechanics, and a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), a test that uses a fiber optic scope to reach the farthest aspects

of the horse’s lung (seen on screen) to retrieve cell samples for analysis and diagnosis. The BAL analysis allows treatment

to be tailored to the specific needs of each individual horse.

An engaging speaker, Dr. Mazan continues this learning experience in the classroom with lectures on respiratory anatomy,

lung function, and common infectious and non-infectious diseases of the respiratory system. She notes that most stabled

horses have some degree of airway inflammation without any clinical sign of disease. Managing the horse’s environment

can stop inflammation from reaching the point where it adversely affects performance in the saddle.

The program also features John Blackburn, senior principal of Blackburn Architects, P.C. based in Washington, D.C., a

leader in the design of premier equestrian facilities throughout North America. To promote respiratory health for both

horse and rider, Blackburn utilizes aerodynamic ventilation, strategic natural light, and passive solar heating and cooling

in his stable and arena designs. While touring one of his equestrian facilities, we learn how many of his design elements

can be incorporated in our own barns and existing structures to keep horse’s respiratory tract healthy.

Canadian equine nutrition expert and author Karen Briggs joins the Advanced Equine Studies team to discuss feeding for

respiratory health and specific practices for feeding horses with existing respiratory conditions.

Abigail Nemec, Director of Equine Studies at Post University in Waterbury, Connecticut, presents informative “Horse

Chat” segments in which she demonstrates how to measure the horse’s respiration rate and discusses topics related to

respiration, such as the horse’s sense of smell, the cough reflex, and breath holding.

The production team took the time to craft a well-organized and easy-to-follow program that is hosted by Connecticut

equestrian Maureen VanDerStad. By asking insightful questions VanDerStad ensures that each topic is accessible to the

entire viewing audience.

Advanced Equine Studies is produced by Mouse Hole Farm, LLC, a Connecticut business formed several years ago by

Andrea and Willis Steele. Their mission is to create video-based educational programming for riders, caregivers, barn

managers, veterinary assistants, and colleges with equine programs. To acknowledge viewers’ commitment to equine

studies the company offers online tests and certificates of completion on their website. Andrea Steele explains, “Our goal

is to produce programs that satisfy the quest for knowledge for skilled horsepersons while entertaining non-riders in the

family.”

More information and DVD trailers are available at the website AdvancedEquineStudies.com. Priced to be part of

everyone’s library, DVDs are currently available on Advanced Equine Studies.com, Amazon.com, and

TheHorseStudio.com. Additional retailers will be added as the product is released in the fall of 2013.