Caring for the horse in winter

Caring for the horse in winter - Gustavo Mirabal Castro

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It’s almost Christmas and the weather gets colder for this time of year. We share you some tips for caring for the horse in winter.

So it is necessary to take special care of the horse so you do not get sick.

In this post we will give you some tips on what should be done so that the horses do not suffer the ravages of the cold.

So the first thing you should take into account is the coat and the food.

Two essential elements to keep the animal warm and hydrated.

And it is that water is the main thing, the horse must drink water. Otherwise, it will not eat and, if he does not eat then he can have colic.

Caring for the horse in winter

In this season the horse tends to eat less because the cold takes away your appetite. So you have to emphasize hydration.

The horse has to drink water, perhaps not in an exaggerated way. But it must be ensured that he drinks from the vital liquid. Otherwise, colic can occur by impaction.

And that is how you buy the most expensive food on the market, the horse will not have much appetite. During winter this is one of the things we should take care of.

It is natural, the lower the temperature, the less hunger it gives.

If the animal does not hydrate with water and does not eat enough, it will not have the strength to face the cold. If that happens the horse will be in trouble.

This makes it prone to colic, but also to other conditions derived from the lack of hydration and nutrition.

So in summary, the first care of the horse in winter is: be aware that they drink water and eat the amount they need to stay strong.

Caring for the horse in winter

Make your horse drink enough water

Horse feces talk about how your health is.

That is why for this winter season it is vital that the animal drink enough water to keep it hydrated.

In fact, in your stool, it is evident if you are consuming enough water or if you need.

In this sense, in the feces of the horse you can know the humidity levels.

That is why if the stool looks dry, the horse may suffer a bowel blockage.

It should be noted that the lack of moisture in the stool does not occur overnight.

Which allows to show if the horse has been drinking the right amount of water or not.

All this adds to the fact that the horse must eat well. The amount required to store in your body the energy needed to keep warm during the winter.

It is estimated that the equine needs about 25% more energy intake than during the rest of the year.

The food. Caring for the horse in winter

Among the care of the horse in winter is food.

During the winter season the horse should be supplied with 1.5 to 3% of its weight in fodder.

It can also be long-stemmed hay, forage-based buckets, chopped hay or a combination of them. We cannot forget salt, which must be within reach at all times.

If this does not work and the horse begins to show signs of low weight and stress, you have to opt for caloric supplements.

Which can be based on grains or with high fat content, such as rice bran or edible oils.

Here are some tips that will help your horses eat and drink the amount they need. Remember that the horse must accumulate reserves to stay in the winter season.

Remember that hydration is vital to prevent colic.

Other horse care in winter

Regarding the coldest season of the year, winter, there are cares that cannot be overlooked. If we want the horse to be safe we must be more careful than ever.

First of all we talk about food and hydration. To this is added the hygiene and comfort of the horse in the box.

Good ventilation of the stable, watch the horse’s bed, among others.

Make sure the block is clean

Cleaning and hygiene means that diseases and bacteria do not impair health.

This makes the horses safe and their physical integrity protected.

Because of this, the block must remain clean, dry and ensure that there is no moisture.

And in the fall it usually rains. Make sure the block is dry and clean.

Since otherwise fungi may appear and these are harmful to both humans and horses.

In this winter season it is advisable to check the barn every day. This is done in order to review and specify that the hygienic conditions are adequate.

Similarly, sanitizing and disinfecting products should be applied if necessary.

Caring for the horse in winter – Gustavo Mirabal Castro

Good ventilation

The place where the horses are must have good ventilation. At the same time you must make sure that the cold does not enter.

That is, the place must have the right conditions so that the horses do not have heat or cold. We must ensure that an adequate temperature is maintained.

It is recommended that for those days when it is cold use blankets or sheets. We must take care that the cold does not hurt the horses.

Also if the horse is located in an unsupervised place, it must have a covered place. This will allow you to protect yourself from the cold, especially if rain is coming.

The horse’s bed

Another care of the horse in winter is associated with the bed.

And is that the area where these horses sleep has to be in perfect condition: dry. Without mud. No moisture

It has to be this way to avoid fungi and bacteria.

Tips for riding in winter

If you want to go riding with your horse in winter, you need to be careful with the route.

Before saddling you must go through the ground and see that everything is fine.

Since when it rains the ground can undergo changes. Failure to check the horse well can be hurt.

Therefore, the first step is to go out and check that everything goes the right way.

Now, the next thing is to cover the horse with a blanket or sheet. With this we avoid getting cold on the tour, especially if it is an issue with advanced age.

Cool the horse after the ride

After the exercise it is necessary that the horse has a proper cooling process.

This so that he does not suffer a cold.

Remember that the horse’s body temperature increases with exercise. So when there are low temperatures the sweat makes it cool.

How do you do it? Take a quiet ride, leave the gallop and just walk with him.

This will cause the heart rate to calm down, the horse to relax and sweat to dry. Wait a little longer to remove the chair and leave it alone in your box until the next ride.

Do not forget to dry it with a towel and make a gentle massage in a circular way until your skin is dry.

As a final tip remember to dry the horse out of the block. In this way the sweat water does not wet the stable moisture is generated.