Horses and holidays go together. In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas arrives on a great white horse known as Schimmel or Amerigo, who trots across the countryside visiting schools and homes.
Senior horse prepared for cold weather
Older horses suffering from arthritis, or circulation-impairing diseases like Equine Metabolic Syndrome (“IR Cushings”), founder, and laminitis find winter’s chilly nip painful.
But unlike a quaint folk tale, older equine companions suffering from arthritis, or circulation-impairing diseases like Equine Metabolic Syndrome (“IR Cushings”), founder, and laminitis find winter’s chilly nip more painful than cheerful.
For owners of senior horses, who dedicate themselves to assuring that their old friend will always have a forever home, finding ways to make winter more comfortable is the greatest gift of all.
In a 2011 American Horse Publications survey, over 52.6% of equine owners considered senior horse health issues to be their top concern.
“In a time when we read so much about horses ending up at slaughter sales and equine rescue organizations, the above statistic should restore our faith in American equine owners and how much they put their hearts and resources into the elder horses in their care,” says Raymond Petterson, president of Sox For Horses, Inc., who created Whinny Warmers® to give warmth and comfort to his own horse, who suffered from arthritis.
He knew, if he could find a way to warm her legs in the winter, he could relieve some of the pain she suffered. “The socks changed that little mare’s life for the better.
I don’t think a day that goes by that I don’t appreciate what she did to change my life for the better. She inspired me to take a simple concept, that didn’t exist, and produce it so that other horses could enjoy life as much as she did.”
Metabolically challenged horses can have difficulty adjusting to cold temperatures, especially those that have experienced founder or chronic laminitis, where blood vessels in legs and hooves have likely been damaged and circulatory efficiency has been compromised.
This damage can worsen in cold weather, causing extreme pain and even laminitis. Keeping a horse’s legs warm by using Whinny Warmers® can help to keep those blood vessels working at full capacity. “Whinny Warmers,” says its creator, “can improve the very quality of your horse’s life.”
Equine leg wear is not just for the senior horse. Warming legs prior to competition can also help minimize the chances of serious injury to muscles and tendons. Cold muscles and tendons are more easily injured during the stress of performance and exercise, and dedicated competitors know that soundness is a major factor in the quality and length of a horse’s career.
Whinny Warmers keep legs warm right up to the moment your horse enters the ring or leaves the starting box. Unlike wraps, Whinny Warmers come off in just seconds.
“We spend our days talking to people about the horses they love,” he says. “From a grandmother in Australia who raised her children on the horse she rode for years, to a woman who confessed how the horse whose life she saved, saved hers in return.
These are stories about devotion to horses that have often been with their owners for years, are dearly cared for and will never end up in a sale or rescue, destined instead to live out their lives in the best circumstances their owners can offer.”
Each winter, Whinny Warmers by Sox For Horses offer warmth and comfort for equine legs, and continue to build a worldwide reputation for helping older horses better handle chilly winter temperatures.
“They are being taken very seriously by owners of IR Cushings horses, who begin their conversations with us by saying, ‘I am so glad you created these Sox!”
Petterson adds that, while Summer Whinnys™ dominate Sox For Horses sales, he always appreciates and welcomes the horse stories that fill his winter months, knowing that his invention, when worn by the horses that need them, represents a gift from owners that keeps giving all season long.
About
Whinny Warmers® provide warmth and comfort to horses suffering from conditions which result in circulation impairment such as founder, IR Cushings, and laminitis, as well as ease the pain of arthritis in cold winter months.
Summer Whinnys® provide safe, effective protection against summer’s biting flies. Visit www.whinnywarmers.com or call Sox For Horses, Inc. (850) 907-5724. Sox For Horses, Inc. is “Made in America,” supports “Buy Local” initiatives, and welcomes retail/dealer inquiries.
If you have a story to share about your senior horse and how these equine socks have enriched life in your barn, the people at Sox For Horses, Inc. want to hear from you, (850) 907-5724. Dealer inquiries are always welcome, and Socks For Horses, Inc. is proud to say its products are Made in America, by Americans.