With the coming of the fall season, this is the perfect time to focus on preventative health care for your horse. Internal parasites become active again this time of year as it cools and can proliferate in pastures. Make sure to perform a fecal egg count and deworm only if necessary.
Good care of horses as seasons change
With the coming of the fall season, this is the perfect time to focus on preventative health care for your horse.
Before cold weather hits, take note of normal behavior when conditioning your horse. If you know your horse’s healthy habits during a workout, it is easier to spot problems, like stiffness, lameness or cardiovascular issues. As weather becomes cooler, many horses are ridden less, but horse owners need to be aware of any changes in the physical condition of their horses.
As dryer conditions develop during fall months, proper hoof hydration is important. A tip: Allow your horse’s water trough to occasionally trickle over, creating a small puddle to allow their feet to become wet. Hoof care should be kept on schedule. Many horse owners prefer to have shoes removed during the fall and winter months, but hooves need routine trimming every six to eight weeks to prevent cracks and breakage.
As pastures begin to provide less forage and grass looses some of its nutritional quality in the colder months, horse owners should plan to supplement with another forage source such as hay, cubes or a complete pelleted feed. Preconditioning horses before the onset of cold temperatures helps to reduce the effect of cold weather on mutritional needs.
A water supply that is consistent during all months of the year becomes more important during the fall and winter seasons. Horses tend to reduce their water intake when temperatures fall. This also comes at a time when more dry forage is included in the diet, making intake of water very important to prevent impaction and colic. Water should be maintained between 45 and 65 degrees F and any ice removed. Horses should continue to drink 8 to 12 gallons a day, depending on activity level.
When weather becomes cold and windy, shelter should be provided. Although stalling is unnecessary for all horses, some protection from winter elements is important. If nothing else a three-sided shed with the open side opposite the prevailing wind usually serves to protect horses in most climates. Some younger horses may not be experienced in seeking shelter when the weather in intemperate and owners should make sure these younger horses are protected from the weather.
Stalls and barns need good ventilation during fall and winter months to prevent development of respiratory problems and other health conditions. Damp stalls and ammonia buildup should be kept to a minimum, and wherever possible, horses should continue to be turned out whenever possible.
By taking necessary steps to keep horses in the best physical condition possible and making sure they are protected from inclement weather, the changing seasons can be safe and invigorating for both horses and owners.