Winterizing your horse. –
As the weather turns cold in Virginia, it is time for horses to hunker down til spring, or so most owners think. Actually, your horse has all the same needs as in the spring. This is the time of your when your horse needs nutritionally are actually at their peak. Three areas need to be considered in the winter.
The first important area to consider in the winterizing of your horse is his teeth. This is especially important in the older horse. Any horse over 15 years old should have it’s teeth checked by a veterinarian prior to winter. Usually, the veterinarian will recommend a routine dental filing of the sharp points (a process known as “floating”) on the large molars to ensure good chewing of the fibrous hay and grass essential to a normal horse’s diet. Most horses need this done once per year. The older horse (over 20 years) may even need it done twice a year if he has problems chewing due to misalignments of his teeth. The best time to have his teeth checked is in the fall just before winter grazing. Dr. Shane will often check your horse’s teeth during the routine vaccinations in the spring and fall.
The second important consideration for winter is parasites. Parasites are still a major problem in the winter. It does not get cold enough in Virginia to kill parasites. Do not wait for a hard freeze to give your horse dewormer. Your horse needs dewormer all year long. Dr. Shane recommends deworming your horse every 60 days year-round in Virginia. It is also important to rotate products each time. Dr. Shane can give you a deworming schedule tailored to your horse and situation at his next visit. Or call the office and we can send/fax/email you one.
The third important winter issue is quality hay. Hay is actually more important than grain in keeping your horse warm in the winter. Since horses are herbivores, they use fermentation to gain energy from roughage like hay and grass. The process of fermentation produces heat. (Makes the term “hay-burner” take on special meaning!) This is not true for grain. Adding extra grain does not make your horse warm. Adding extra grain will only make your horse more prone to colic. (This is not true for the Senior Grains, which are mostly finely chopped up hay.) If you want to keep your horse warm, throw him an extra flake of hay.
A final note: When the weather really turns nasty, resist the urge to keep your horse in a stall all the time. They are better off having free access to the pasture just like usual. Sudden changes in their routine often lead to colic. They will not drink as much standing in a stall and water is essential for digestion. Your horse will not freeze to death…it is impossible in Virginia! If he has a good hair coat and a place to get out of the wind and wet, but free access to pasture and fresh water, he will thrive all winter long.