FAQs | Anoka Equine

Question:

In the winter, what is the best choice for feed for senior horses that have a hard time keeping weight on?

Answer:

Feeding the senior horse or any horse for that matter depends a lot on the individual. In the winter time, body heat is the biggest source of energy loss. The break down of hay in the intestinal tract is the most important factor for maintaining body heat. Old horses may not have good teeth and therefore have difficulty chewing hay. It is important to find an alternate source of fiber for these older horses. This may be in the form of chopped hay, hay cubes, hay pellets or added beet pulp. Fat/oils provide a concentrated source of calories that burn slower then grains. Grains will add calories to the feed, but are burnt quickly in comparison to fiber and fat. For your hard keepers, you need to work with your veterinarian to determine the condition of the horse’s teeth. Then you can determine a diet to provide adequate calories and roughage for your horse.

Question:

What do I need to do to winterize my barn?

Answer:

There are a few key factors you have to keep in mind when winterizing your barn.

1.    First is water. You need to evaluate your watering situation and decide how you are going to ensure that the horses have fresh water each day. This may mean that you will carry warm water to the horses every day. Or perhaps you have a water heater to keep the tank from freezing. Either way, you need to check on your watering system each day as even the best of automatic or heated waters can freeze or malfunction. Decreased water intake is common cause of impaction colic in the horse.
2.    Shelter - The wind and wet precipitate are the primary reasons horses get cold in the winter. Evaluate your shelter for protection from the wind and weather. Be sure there is enough shelter space for all your horses. It is not uncommon for a dominant horse to keep a lower status horse out of a shelter. Monitor the shelter area for icy pathways.
3.    Ice - Ice can be a major headache for barn owners. Horses may be reluctant to walk across the icy patches and may not be able to get to the water or hay because of ice.   If they do decide to traverse the area, they may slip or fall on the ice resulting in serious injury. Treat your horses’ paddocks as you do your own drive ways or walkways. Salt or small gravel can be very helpful in decreasing the slip factor. Shod feet also tend to slip more in the winter time so it is better to either pull the horse’s shoes or have your farrier apply borium or studs to the bottom of their shoes.

Question:

When should I blanket my horse?

Answer:

In order to help you decide whether to blanket your horse, consider some of the following questions:

1.   Where does your horse spend his days and nights? Is he outside 24 - 7? Does he live in a heated barn?
2.   Does your horse get clipped during the winter months? Do you try to keep his hair coat short for showing?
3.   If your horse is in a barn, is it well-sealed or drafty? If your horse is outside, is it wide open or is there adequate shelter for all the horses in the pasture?
4.   Does your horse shiver and during what conditions?
5.   Is your horse a hard-keeper or a geriatric?
If your goal is to have your horse’s hair coat short for showing during the winter, blanketing is necessary. The blanket should be removed daily and your horse should be brushed and evaluated for any wear or rub marks from the blanket. Blanketed horses will not grow as good of a hair coat and will need to be blanketed until the weather warms up. Horses, that have winter coats and are only blanketed during the coldest days, need to be evaluated daily for sweating under the blanket as the weather warms or the sun comes out. Any wet blanket is worse then no blanket at all. If your horse’s blanket gets wet, you will need to bring it into a heated area and get it dry.
If you don’t need to have your horse’s hair coat short, it is best if he grows a natural winter coat. A full-time outdoor horse will usually grow a heavy coat as winter approaches, but wind, rain, and ice can mat down the hair coat and destroy the insulating effect. Therefore proper shelter is required so that all the horses can come in from the weather and wind. Some horses never seem to grow a very warm natural coat, and these horses may be shivering frequently and need blanketed.   Older horses and thin horses may also get cold despite growing what appears to be a warm coat. If your horse is shivering, then he is cold and should be blanketed. Horses that are hard-keepers may need to be blanketed and/or have their caloric intake increased during the winter to help them maintain weight and keep warm. During the cold winter months, the digestion of hay is your horse’s best source of heat. Increasing the quantity of hay to your horses during the coldest months can help keep them warm. Use common sense when decided whether or not to blanket your horse. If you have questions, contact your veterinarian for more help.

Question:

How can I prevent the snow from balling up under my horse’s hooves?

Answer:

There are many supposed tricks for preventing the dreaded “snow balls” though not many of them have worked in my hands. Horses with shod feet tend to accumulate more snow, so if possible, remove their shoes. Also horses that are regularly trimmed seem to not accumulate as much snow. If you are going to keep your horse shod, ask your farrier about a snow pad that can help prevent snow build-up. Vasoline, non-stick spray, ski wax and many other products have been tried with mixed success. In the end there is nothing better then picking out your horse’s feet daily.

Winterizing Your Horses

Answers:

Winterizing Your Horses