Sandridge Q&A ~ Horse Management

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HORSE MANAGEMENT

WEST NILE VIRUS

LIKE MANY HORSE OWNERS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE WEST NILE VIRUS. I HAVE HAD MY HORSE VACCINATED, BUT WHAT OTHER THINGS COULD I BE LOOKING AT?

Mosquito season is upon us! The following are some suggestions, and products, which may help protect your horses from mosquito bites and reduce the risk of contracting West Nile Virus.

1) The most effective prevention is to have your horse vaccinated against West Nile Virus - you have already taken the most important preventative measure.

2) Standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, so eliminate as many collectors of water as possible, and regularly drain those that are necessary.

3) Avoid turning horses out at dawn or dusk which is peak feeding time for mosquitoes.

4) Use fans in the stable - mosquitoes are not strong flyers.

5) Screens on the stable doors and windows can be very effective if they are in good repair and the doors are closed properly.

6) Select a repellent which is effective against mosquitoes and follow the directions on the label when using it. The following are important to note when using insect repellants;

1) Ensure enough repellant is applied to thoroughly dampen the coat.
2) Oil-based repellants last longer, water-based are generally less expensive.
3) Concentrates are most effective when mixed up fresh before each use.

CANADIAN WINTER

I BOUGHT A HORSE THIS SUMMER, AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MANAGEMENT ISSUES I SHOULD BE AWARE OF HEADING INTO A CANADIAN WINTER. HE IS IN A BOARDING BARN WITH AN ARENA, IS NOT GOING TO BE CLIPPED, AND WILL BE OUT FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS A DAY. I WILL BE RIDING IN A LESSON A WEEK, PLUS SOME HACKING AND SCHOOLING.

Congratulations on your getting a horse! Hopefully he’s in a barn run by competent people – you should have few concerns if it is. The following are some of the aspects of winter horse management of importance:

Shoeing – If you want to be able to turn your horse out everyday and ride outside when you please, four winter shoes with studs are essential. As soon as there is any ice, summer shoes or bare feet are useless. I believe winter shoes in front only are almost as dangerous, giving the horse (a false sense of?) security for only half of his body – and none for the rear (and remember, in our training we are aiming for rear-wheel drive!) The foot has to stay balanced with the studs, so you need four on each shoe, or two and a fair bit of borium, or even four that screw out (like eventers and jumpers wear) – that you only put in if needed. To keep the snow from balling-up in the foot, pop-out rim pads work well, though you can always try ski-wax, PAM, or Vaseline on the sole & frog! How your horse is shod is a decision for you and your Farrier – but be clear about what you hope to do with the horse during the winter.

Blanketing – It sounds like your horse is a candidate for the standard "four-pack" of blankets: a lightweight sheet for indoors when it’s chilly, an indoor stable blanket (the warmth you need will depend on the average temperature inside the barn), a cooler for use when he’s wet and/or hot after work, and a waterproof/breathable turnout sheet. With these four items you have all the versatility you need because they can be layered to suit different situations.

Feed & Water – Horses require extra food to keep warm, but for stabled horses who are blanketed when turned out, this is not generally required. It’s best if the horse has some hay to eat while turned out so he’s not just standing around chewing on the fences! Water (or lack thereof), is a major concern for many horses in the winter. A lot of horses, particularly older ones, do not like to drink very cold water, so they don’t drink enough, leading to impaction colics and other disorders. If you can arrange to water your horse from a bucket(rather than an automatic system) for a period of time, you should get a fairly good idea of how much your horse drinks. A heated water bucket can make an enormous difference on the amount consumed if he’s not getting enough. It’s not enough for horses to rely on eating snow if they are out six hours a day – fresh water should be supplied, again, preferably in a heated bucket or trough.

Ventilation – Hopefully, your boarding stable is well-ventilated. Horses need fresh air to keep their respiratory systems healthy and there is little worse than stabling in a heated barn, attached to a heated arena where there is no constant exchange of fresh air. Far better to put a warmer blanket on than to seal up the barn.

Cooling Out – With an unclipped horse, chances are pretty good that he will be wet after lessons or strenuous rides. It is very important to walk him until he is no longer hot (with a cooler to keep him from catching a chill), and making sure he is absolutely dry before blanketing him and putting him away. Keep lots of towels for drying, and if he gets very wet all the time it may be worth considering a partial clip, concentrating only on the areas where he really sweats.

COPING WITH HOT WEATHER

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MY HORSE COPE WITH THIS SUMMER’S HOT WEATHER?

The areas you should look at are general stable management, turn-out, and exercise. If you compete, transport is also an issue. Horses with Thoroughbred and Arab blood usually cope better with the heat than Warmbloods and more heavily-muscled types, partly because more muscle produces more internal heat, and bigger, rounder bodies have relatively less surface area to get rid of excess heat. On the other hand, warm weather goes hand in hand with insects - thinner-skinned horses, like TBs and Arabs, can suffer more with the bugs…

Stable management includes keeping stalls clean to reduce the fly population, keeping doors closed if windows are screened, putting a fly sheet on the horse as long as it’s not too hot, otherwise applying fly repellant to reduce the foot stamping and head-tossing that can cause weight loss or leg injuries in the barn. Fans can make a huge difference to the horses’ comfort in hot weather.

Clean, fresh water is critical. Two buckets should be provided if possible, one located away from the feed and hay so there is a source without bits of feed floating around in it. If you put electrolytes in water it is also necessary to provide an "un-doctored" source a s well. If automatic waterers are used, a bucket in the hot weather is not necessarily redundant – many horses will drink more from a bucket than a waterer. All buckets and waterers should be cleaned daily to prevent the growth of bacteria and encourage drinking, and buckets should be emptied and refilled at least twice daily.

Watch overall feed protein levels in hot weather, especially as the richer new hay comes in. Salt should be available to the horse on a free-choice basis – do not put a salt lick in the feed tub, as it inevitably gets moist and /or crumbly – the horse either eats all his food and is force-fed extra salt, or starts to leave the too-salty feed behind. There are plain salt, salt & mineral, and cobalt & salt licks (to name a few), ask your vet which to offer. Electrolytes are a good idea in hot weather even if the horse isn’t working – any excess will be excreted, but many problems can be prevented.

Turn-out should be monitored in hot weather. Many horses will be happier in the barn than outside if it is hot, especially if the bugs are bad – remember that turn-out is for them, not us. Fly spray and a fly hood are usually required. Shade and water are necessary if the horse is outside for more than an hour or so. Early-morning and evening turnout are cooler – if your horse is normally out all day, maybe all night is a viable option. A horse running the fence line, or standing at the gate stamping and twitching from the flies is not happy – bring him in.

Exercise should be adapted to hot weather. Your warm-up is necessary, but muscles can be stretched and suppled at slower speeds. Shorten your work time and include walk breaks. Take the time required to cool-out. Wash or hose your horse with cool to cold water, scrape it off, walk, and repeat until the horse is dry. Using an alcohol-based liniment or brace in the water can help. If your horse stops sweating, sweats excessively, becomes stiff or unco-ordinated – STOP and have your vet check him out. In competition, it is your responsibility to listen to your horse and ride – or not ride – accordingly.

Finally, transporting your horse in hot weather has additional stresses. Make sure water is offered frequently, avoid travelling in the heat of the day if possible, get as much ventilation in the trailer or van as possible, map your route carefully to try to avoid stop-and-go traffic, heavy congestion and so forth, and check on your animal at regular intervals.

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