Wintering up

Optimum fodder utilisation

There are several ‘extra’ considerations when it comes to your horse’s well being/survival during very cold winter weather. It is important to take special precautions because it is much easier (and cheaper) to think ahead than react after the fact. The age of the horse, does he normally live in or out, has he been clipped, are there automatic waterers or buckets … all factor into the winter equation.

When you go to feed the horse on that ever-so-cold day, keep in mind that a large portion of the energy that is consumed will go to heating the body, so a higher dietary energy content is important. Another consideration is adequate water consumption. Studies have shown that if the water is warmed up, the amount consumed by the horse is much higher. Therefore, work several water changes into the schedule to promote more drinking. Any horse vet will tell you that most colics during the winter are impaction/constipation colics which, in large part, are due to poor water intake – a little extra labour now is much cheaper than the vet bill later.

If your horse lives out a lot, then construction of a shed (wind break) should be top priority. During pelting rain and heavy winds, the shed provides the only dry place in which to sleep – make sure to find a level spot in the field and face the opening to the north/east for maximum sun. The shed is a good place to feed and, if designed with a gate across the open side, you can close the animal in on the worst of days.

There are many horse owners who boast of their animal’s ‘thick skin’, their amazing tolerance of a frigid environment. One can only wonder how that judgment is made. Hopefully the criterion is something other than survival! Provide good rugs and make sure that they are checked regularly for safety and comfort of the horse. Rugs that are wet to the horse’s skin should be changed as the horse can get a chill which can cause kidney and other health problems. Keep the horse’s feet trimmed or shod and check daily for signs of hoof problems such as thrush or mud fever on lower limbs. Remember to continue the worming program as worms are still ever-present and the eggs have thick shells, continuing to breed in pastures even in the cooler months. Pick up the manure which will assist in worm control.

The evolutionary process over millions of years has produced the horse as a highly developed grazing animal designed to survive from the front hour of birth as a flight animal. With domestication in the last few thousands of years the horse has had to deal with challenges to its natural way of life. Instead of spending 24 hours grazing, sleeping and moving around to water, horses are now confined in small areas or stables where they are dependent on human carers for food and water and exercise. These changes can create huge stresses for the horse and these stresses are compounded by diets which do not supply the horse’s nutritional requirements. Genetically programmed to digest grass, hay and energy poor roughage in the form of old, withered plants and leaves, modern performance horses have to deal with the challenges of high energy diets and restricted exercise. Constant chewing of coarse feed stimulates the flow of saliva, maintaining correct gut function. Exercise and free movement assist with the muscle movement necessary for intestinal flow, reducing the risk of ‘colics’ caused by slow movement of material through the digestive system. Stresses also lead to problems such as ulcers. The stress may be external such as over work, loss of companions or travel, or internal such as inappropriate or too much feed. Horses left for long periods in stables, i.e. during winter months, for veterinary care and as performance horses at events need particular attention paid to feed intake, exercise due to the lack of grazing. Colic, ulcers and associated problems often occur. There are a variety of products on the market that can help ‘manage the internals’.