Page 175 - December_2023

Provide good quality grass hay free choice, when possible, which through fermentation by microbes in the large intestine generates heat from within, like an internal combustion chamber.
wind losses and loss from trampling of hay
into the ground or spreading it around – that renders hay unpalatable. An average adult
horse needs 1 1/2 - 2 pounds of hay for
each 100 pounds body weight each day for maintenance. (That’s 15 - 20 pounds of hay per day for a 1000-pound horse.) Provide at least 50 percent of the diet in the form of roughage (hay) rather than grains. Fiber promotes good gastrointestinal motility, and reduces the development of impactions, laminitis (founder), gastric ulcers, or nutritional imbalances.
Protect the haystack and protect feed storage areas from excess moisture so feed quality is not contaminated by mold that could incite allergic respiratory problems. To preserve vitamin A content of the hay, protect from sun scorch.
If greater caloric intake is needed to maintain or increase body condition, supplement grass hay with a small amount
of alfalfa hay and/or fat and/or grain. Fat supplements in the form of vegetable oil or
rice bran provide a safe means of feeding
more calories. Beet pulp products provide safe calories and are a great fiber source. Different grains supply different amounts of calories. Oats with their fiber content generate 33 percent more internal heat than corn; however,
If greater caloric intake is needed to maintain or increase body condition, supplement grass hay with a small amount of alfalfa hay and/or fat and/ or grain.
corn provides twice as much energy as an equal volume of oats so only half as much volume
of corn is fed as oats. A vitamin and mineral supplement may be added based on nutrient content of the hay you feed. A free choice salt block should be provided.
A major concern during wintertime is to ensure that horses have plenty of fresh, clean, and wet (ice-free) water available at all times. A horse that stops drinking is more likely to suffer from impaction colic or may decrease feed consumption. About 5 to 10 gallons of water is consumed per day in winter, and more if exercised. A warm mash, fed occasionally, may increase water consumption. Use stock tank heaters to prevent ice formation – totally immersible heaters are the safest choice. Check to make sure the heater isn’t shorting out in the water and thereby discouraging drinking. Protect electrical cords by running them through PVC pipe so a horse doesn’t accidentally chew on the cord.
TUCKING IN YOUR HORSE
Question: Should I bring my horse into the barn or leave him turned out?
It is best to leave horses turned out to pasture to maintain muscle tone and keep
joints moving and lubricated. Walking around in the pasture also is a means for
a horse to keep warm. In more inclement weather, a loafing shed provides a shield from wind and wet. We’ve all seen horses in a field standing with their butts to the wind and snow, heads down, not moving as icicles form on their bodies. Shelter in bad weather is a bonus to keep a horse comfortable and to help maintain body weight by reducing metabolic demands that then reduces the need for greater feed consumption.
If stabled indoors, ensure adequate ventilation. A big health issue in winter is related to respiratory conditions that develop in horses that are shut up in dank barns with still air. Ammonia from urine collects in the stalls and irritates the airways, leading to coughs and potential infections; endotoxin (outer wall of gram negative bacteria) abounds in feces and
is also toxic to the respiratory tract. Consider temperature extremes if your horse leaves a warm barn to be ridden or turned out.
Question: To blanket or not to blanket?
If you are inclined to blanket your horse, be consistent in doing so. Once you start blanketing, you are committed throughout the inclement season. Growth of a horse’s winter coat is thwarted by blanketing, making him more susceptible to drafts and wetness when the blanket is off. It is often better (and a lot easier) to let Mother Nature do her work by building a horse’s winter hair coat; then all a horse needs is shelter to get out of the wet.
For those times when you ride hard and as the sun goes down, a sweaty haircoat can be a liability. A horse with damp hair is susceptible to chill while also losing the insulating loft that normally traps warm air beneath the hair. The safest way to “dry” a horse is to cover him with a wool or polar fleece cooler or similarly-lined blanket for a few hours until hair has dried. Then remove the blanket and brush out the coat to restore the loft.
VETERINARY VIEWS
It is best to leave horses turned out to pasture to maintain muscle tone and keep joints moving and lubricated. Walking around in the pasture also is a means for a horse to keep warm.
If you are inclined to blanket your horse, be consistent in doing so. Once you start blanketing, you are committed throughout the inclement season. Growth of a horse’s winter coat is thwarted by blanketing, making him more susceptible to drafts and wetness when the blanket is off.
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