by Dr. Melissa McKee of McKee-Pownall Equine Services
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| Winterproofing Your Horse |
Teeth
While we often blame bitting issues
on bad teeth, a healthy comfortable mouth with normal grinding surfaces and
proper alignment is also essential for your horse to properly chew their hay
and grain. This is particularly important in older horses and those that have
difficulty maintaining their weight. Winter is often the toughest season to
maintain weight on a hard keeper, so fall is the ideal time to have a thorough
oral examination and dental float performed to ensure their teeth are in
tip-top shape.
Nutrition
In the winter time there is a lack of
succulent, easy to chew, highly digestible grasses that are a valuable
supplement to the summertime diet. Without this backup, you may have to
increase the amount of hay and grain fed to less hardy individuals. With the
drought we faced this summer, hay is scarce and the nutritional quality of what
is available is often less than ideal. You may have to resort to alternatives
such as hay cubes, beet pulp, and added fats to make up their needs. In preparation
for this, it would be a good idea to have your winter hay shipment tested for
protein and carbohydrate levels so you know how much additional support you may
require. With the hard keepers, get a weight tape estimate of their weight and
visually assess their body condition now so you have a baseline to track them
with through the winter. Shaggy winter coats can be very deceiving, so the tape
measure can be a big asset as well as careful hand palpation of fat deposit
sites.
Foot Care
Ice and snow provide unique traction
challenges. Most horses that are going to be laid off over the winter do quite
well if left barefoot with regular trims. This helps to prevent the build-up of
snow in the feet, which lead to fetlock, pastern, and foot trauma as the horse
awkwardly slips off the ball. If shoes are required, your farrier can apply
special pads that pop out the snow as it packs in around the shoe. Shod horses
also benefit from additional traction in the form of studs or borium. Your
farrier can suggest the most appropriate choice for your situation. Remember
that hoof wall growth slows in the winter time so you can drop down to a longer
shoeing cycle.
Laminitis
Fall and early spring are stressful
seasons for pasture due to the variable climate and cold nights. This causes
the grass to accumulate fructan, which is a particularly dangerous carbohydrate
for laminitis-prone individuals. In addition, ACTH levels are naturally
elevated in the fall, which also seems to predispose this group to laminar
inflammation. High-risk animals include ponies, and those suffering from
insulin resistance. Restricting pasture access during these periods can help to
prevent a flare-up
Respiratory
Weather conditions mean that horses
are locked up in the barn and exposed to higher levels of dust, mold, and
ammonia than in the summer months. This is a tough time for those who suffer
from allergic and reactive airway disease (heaves). There are several
management strategies that, when combined with judicious use of medication under
veterinary guidance, can dramatically reduce coughing and mucus production. It
is far easier to prevent a respiratory condition from worsening than to manage
an established crisis, so it is definitely worth the effort to provide
dust-free bedding, good air flow, time outdoors, and well soaked (not just
rinsed) hay. Remember that everybody in the barn is breathing the same air, so
it is no use working hard to keep one stall dust-free if the rest of the group
is still bedded on straw and eating dusty hay. You should also consider the
indoor arena conditions, which can also be remarkably dusty if not managed
properly. Finally, any horse with a respiratory condition should never be fed
from a round bale.
Lameness
Horses with arthritis suffer during
the winter months due to cold, damp, and decreased activity. You can help them
with oral joint supplements and there are now forms of NSAIDs that are much
easier on the stomach than bute if you need long-term use. If your horse has a
more serious lameness problem, be alert for signs that the situation is
deteriorating. This includes weight loss, elevated heart rate, poor appetite,
depression, and not lying down (because they are too painful to get up again).
Stabling
Lastly, check over your horse’s
housing conditions, with particular attention to hazards such as puddles in
entrance ways, which can freeze and become very treacherous as you step outside.
Ensure that your pipes are well insulated and that there is a source of
non-frozen water outside if they are spending more than a few hours at a time
out of doors. Horses tend to drink less than they need in cold weather so you
have to be sure that water is easily accessible and appealing. You don't want
the first indication of frozen pipes and dysfunctional water trough heaters to
be a barnful of impaction colic cases! Take a moment to check that sliding door
and window tracks are clear so you don’t get stuck with one frozen in the open
or closed position.
There are lots of details to consider when preparing your horse and barn for the winter months, but it is worth the effort when you can sail through the season in good health and without mishap.
McKee-Pownall Equine Services is comprised of a
group of veterinarians, technicians, and support staff who work with you to
continually improve the health and welfare of our equine companions. We employ 11 veterinarians and over
35 staff across Campbellville, Newmarket, Caledon Equestrian Park (during
the show season) and Caledon.
At every location
we offer both farm call and in-clinic services for your convenience. Every
location offers preventative health care, dentistry, emergency services, and
advanced lameness diagnostics and the Campbellville (Rockwood) location
includes the only standing MRI system in Canada.
Dr. McKee grew up in the local horse industry.
As well as coaching, training horses, and competing in many disciplines, she
also worked in a saddlery and apprenticed with a local farrier. She competed
to advanced level in 3-day eventing throughout the United States prior to
attending veterinary school.
After graduating, she traveled to New Jersey
to work in a large equine referral hospital that provided surgical care,
lameness, medicine, emergency, and ambulatory practice, and also
worked in equine practice in Alberta before returning to Ontario. Dr. McKee’s
interests include lameness, diagnostic imaging, MRI, chiropractic, racehorse
practice, and writing on veterinary topics.
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