BAEN Message Board: see if they are cold and feed accordingly

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see if they are cold and feed accordingly

Posted by Dr Thunes on 10/13/2009, 12:03 pm, in reply to "Re: bad weather coming, feed accordingly"
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Personally I would fore go the diet for 48 hours unless you are dealing with a current or recovering bout of laminitis. Then again fat is insulating so if they really are over weight they are probably in good shape for bad weather. I would check and see if they are cold (see below) and if they are fed some more hay otherwise keep going as you are.

Blanketing works if the blanket is waterproof and thick enough to keep them warm. A wet blanket or one that is not thick enough will make things worse.

Horses use piloerection (make their hand stand up) to trap air next tot he skin so when flattened with a blanket they can't do that. The blanket must provide adequate insulation and a wet through blanket traps moisture next to their skin.

Hair forms little pointed tufts that allows the water to run off without reaching the skin. Part the hair and see if the skin is dry if so you are probably good but check ears and between the hind legs up high kind of between the butt cheeks and see if they are also warm.

Young and old horses have a harder time with bad weather than other horses and also breed is important as thinner skinned horses obviously feel the cold. If your yearling is used to wearing a blanket that is an idea however I would be cautious of this being his first blanket experience.

Can you shut him in out of the bad weather if he is ok with that? If he is cold towel dry him or dry him and leave his coat ruffed up not smoothed flat.

Clair