ࡱ > ? A > '` bjbj . " " # | " " " " " " " $ $ h ' " ! " " " " C5(h " |" " 0 # ' " ' ( ' X! $ " " # " " " " " " " " " Ask A Vet: Caring for Horses in the Winter Months Sunday, January 13, 2012 Dear Dr. Weldys, With winter upon us, how should I care for our horses differently than in warmer months? Dear Reader, What a timely question! Temperatures have certainly been chilly lately, but when should a horse owner be concerned? While horses are exercised less in the winter months, a different set of stresses come into play. The first thing to remember is that horses are more comfortable at lower temperatures than we are. There is a critical temperature below which they must produce extra heat to maintain their body temperature. Several factors, such as hair coat and body fat, determine the exact number for each horse, but the range is from 15F to 30F. Thin and/or sick horses, as well as horses with minimal hair coat can have critical temperatures up to 50F. A horses hair coat is an amazing insulating blanket, trapping air against the skin. As long as the hair is fluffed it works well. Wind and rain can flatten this blanket reducing its effectiveness. Wind and wetareyour horses worst enemy during the winter. Provide a shelter where they can get in out of the weather. If a barn is not available, a three sided shelter is adequate in all but the harshest conditions. The open side should be opposite the prevailing winds. Make sure you have enough space for your entire herd. This may require more than one shelter, especially if two of them dont get along. The number one cause of colic during the winter is a lack of fresh, unfrozen water. Most adult horses can drink 10-12 gallons of water a day. Horses that dont get enough water are at higher risk for impaction colic. The culprit may be a frozen water trough, but some horses simply dont like to drink cold water. A heated bucket may help or hauling warm water twice a day. Another trick to increase water consumption is to add one tablespoon of table salt to the hay or grain, morning and night. Once temperatures drop below the critical temperature of your horse, he will need to burn calories in order to keep his core temperature from lowering. Generally, horses need about 10-15% more feed for every 10 degrees the 24 hour average environmental temperature is below their critical temperature. This is done most efficiently by feeding more forage or hay. Forage is much higher in fiber content than grain. The horse needs to break down fiber through bacterial fermentation in the cecum and large intestine. This results in a greater amount of heat being produced than through the digestion of grain. If you feel that your horse is losing weight, by all means supplement with grain. But try to keep hay in front of him at all times. Nothing seems to function as well when it is cold out. 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