| Livin' on the Edge |
As colder air settles in, and we pull our winter coats from the back of the closet we also begin to worry
about winterizing our homes, our cars and our trailers; but what about our horses? What can you do to help
your horse enjoy the winter wonderland?
As temperatures decrease so does the amount of use and exercise most horses receive. With this decreased
use, your horse's feed needs to be adjusted as well. This doesn't necessarily mean decreased feed, but a
change in type of feed. If you are not using your horse as much, you may want to decrease the amount of
grain or other energy supplement being fed and increase the amount of forage. Feeding your horse a quality
grass hay or grass/alfalfa mix creates heat for the animal during the fermentation process that takes place in
the hind gut.
Horses by nature are range animals whose bodies are best designed to be constantly grazing. A horse that is
stalled during the winter or kept in a small run and fed twice daily is more likely to develop vices such as
cribbing, weaving or pawing. These horses are also more prone to colic. Giving your horse small frequent
feedings or supplementing his feed with good grass hay will allow him to keep busy eating without
developing bad habits.
Horses that are turned out to pasture for the winter can be fed free choice grass hay with alfalfa or oat
supplementation. During winter months, geriatric horses may require more nutrients. Highly digestible
senior feeds are a great way to help these horses keep weight on through the cold months. Most feed brands
make an Equine Senior feed and you can call me for further suggestions.
Older horses may also show more stiffness or lameness when the weather turns chilly for the same reason
we do... Arthritis. If it seems to take your older horse a little longer to get up and going on cold mornings
you may want to give me a call. We now have a variety of joint supplements and anti-inflammatories that
help to counteract the effects of arthritis for as little as $5 a month.
Many people believe that if there is snow on the ground, the horses will have plenty of water available to
them. While it is true that horses will eat snow, they cannot get an adequate amount of water this way. A
heated water trough will help encourage your horse to stay well-hydrated even in cold weather and proper
hydration helps to prevent certain types of colic.
During the winter months, it is also important to make sure that your horse's teeth are in good shape. A
horse's teeth continue to grow or erupt throughout its life and due to the angular way in which they chew
their feed, sharp points form on the teeth that can cause severe ulcers on the cheeks and tongue. This isn't
just important for the older horses, but for those under 5 as well. Some of the worst mouths I've seen have
been in young horses that still had some of their caps or baby teeth. These are softer then adult teeth and can
cause real problems in a young horses mouth. Having me float your horses teeth with the Power float* and
other accessories will remove the sharp edges, help with feed efficiency and decrease the chance of
impaction colic.
Winter is also the time to de-worm your horses. If you haven't done so already use a wormer containing
Ivermectin as the active ingredient and repeat with a second Ivermectin after we get a good hard freeze.
Always remember there isn't a "Best De-Wormer". The trick is to rotate through different active ingredients
to ensure that your horse isn't harboring a large population of parasites that are resistant to one specific
drug.
Another area of horse health that tends to get overlooked in the winter months are the hooves. If you
continue to ride and use your horse throughout the winter the care would be as usual. But, it you are turning
him out for the winter it is a good idea to have his shoes pulled and keep his feet trimmed regularly. Horses
are much more likely to split or chip their hooves during the winter due to the hard, frozen uneven ground
they are walking on. Caring for the hooves through the winter will ensure that you have nice healthy feet to
tack shoes back on to when Spring rolls around.
Finally, to ensure your horses health during winter month keep your horse warm on the coldest winter days.
Coming from the frigid North, Randolph, Utah, my horses probably thought the Ogden area was a tropical
island. In truth horses are very adept at living in temperatures as low as -40|F. Their winter coat creates a
nice layer of warm air between them and the elements. However, during extreme cold accompanied by
wind and/or snow it becomes a little harder on them. Providing your horse with a shelter or windbreak
will help them stay healthy and warm. In contrast, if not properly ventilated, heated enclosed barns can be
worse for your horse then the pasture. Horses in these conditions tend to develop more respiratory disease
during the winter months. If you have any questions about caring for your horses during the winter please
give me a call and we can discuss what will be best for you.
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