During the winter months, horses spend more time stabled, eating preserved forage and bedded on a variety of natural materials. All that means one thing – an increase in respiratory challenges. We’re all familiar with horses having the odd cough, or a little discharge from the nostrils, but do we really need to be too concerned, or is that just normal for winter?
Autumn can be exciting with bonfires and fireworks which are great fun for us, but not always so easy for our equine friends. Horses and ponies thrive on routine and calm, consistent management. Sudden changes to that routine can cause stress and anxiety. However, with good management and appropriate targeted nutrition we can help our horses cope!
Soundness issues are recognized as the number one reason why working horses retire, downgrade their work level or, sadly, have to be euthanized. Therefore, if we want our horses to remain sound and stay active well into their teens and beyond, then joint care will be high on our list of priorities.
Did you know, our equine population is gradually ageing? Due to improvements in dietary and nutrition knowledge, better veterinary care and improvements in routine care like anthelmintics, the average lifespan of the horse is increasing. Plus, of course, a very important change is that our horses are now much loved family members, a distinct conversion from their historic role as working animals.
No foot, no horse’ is a well-known saying in the equine world, and nutrition is a key part of maintaining optimum hoof health. When considering hoof nutrition, the emphasis tends to be on biotin, methionine and zinc, and all of these have their roles to play within the complex hoof, but have we overlooked one of the main players? What role does sulphur play in your horse’s hoof health?
As hind-gut fermenters, the digestive system of the horse is large, complex and absolutely vital to their health and wellbeing. The gut is important for so much more than simply digesting their food – though doing that well is pretty important!
Summer is here, and with that the longer days, better weather and more opportunities to ride. But it’s not all good news for some of our equines. Just as we may be prone to summer associated health issues, such as hayfever, so some horses and ponies are susceptible to allergies and intolerances through the nicer weather, with one of the most common being Sweet Itch.
As grass growth reaches it’s spring peak, owners of good do-ers know the struggle of maintaining that healthy weight.
Grass may contain high levels of simple sugars (the main one being sucrose – the same sugar you put in your tea!) and fructan or ‘stored sugar’, collectively referred to as water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC).
In fact, a 300kg pony turned out 24/7 could consume up to 2.3kg of simple sugars and up to 7.5kg of WSC from grass alone! But fresh grass isn’t the only culprit, hay and haylage can be deceptively high in WSC too.
Now more than ever we are looking forward to getting out and about and enjoying our horses. Lessons, clinics and, yes, even competition are opening up again – and we can’t wait! However as we come out of lockdown, it’s worth thinking about the challenges faced, particularly at this time of year, and how we can help our horses stay fit and well, and ready for the challenge ahead.
