Western Horse Fitness

A good program for the Western Horse Fitness will improve his athleticism, by strengthening his muscles while developing balance and self-carriage. Another important aspect is keeping him alert and happy in his job.

Each training session should start with loosening and warming up the horse correctly before moving onto exercises which work different areas of his body.

Loosen Up Your Horse

Purpose of Loosening-Up

Jec Ballou is nationally recognized as an educator on equine conditioning and gymnastic development. In Western Dressage Exercise – Controlled Wandering, she stresses the importance of warming up the horse properly before asking him to perform more strenuous movements.

She points out that when a horse is at rest only 15% of his blood flows to the muscles that move his limbs.

During exercise this percentage rises dramatically to 85% as blood is transferred from his organs and metabolism to the larger skeletal muscles. This provides them with the power to move more energetically.

But this transfer does take several minutes. The horse’s body first needs to be loosened up slowly and gently to increase the blood and joint fluid circulation.

This will keep your horse supple and easier to ride as well as reducing his risk of injury.

Your horse can also relax at the beginning of every ride, knowing that he has time to ‘chill’ before more exacting work is demanded of him.

How to Loosen-Up Your Horse

Ms. Ballou suggests riding your horse on the buckle when you first start out. She calls her system “controlled wandering” and it consists of moving leisurely around the arena “in creative loops and turns,” riding figures and patterns not normally included in your daily work routine.

Remember, this is his time to take it easy. Relax in the saddle and allow the horse to amble comfortably with guidance from your seat and legs rather than your reins, and don’t try to get him ‘on the bit.’

Ms. Ballou also advocates loosening the horse up with “calisthenics (backing up, carrot stretches, stepping over ground poles).”

This phase should take five to eight minutes, but an older horse will benefit from even longer. After this, the rider progresses to the warm-up.

Warming-Up Your Horse

Purpose of Warm-Up

Ms. Ballou emphasizes that this is a separate phase from loosening-up. Its purpose is to increase the horse’s body temperature and makes him suppler.

How to Warm-Up

Warm-up consists of steady, energetic exercise and “should be plenty active—brisk jogging, lope transitions, circling, transitions.”

Once your horse is moving happily forward, supple and ‘engaging his back’ he is ready for the day’s training routine.

Dressage Training Can Get Your Western Horse Fit

Dale Rudin notes that regularly riding basic dressage movements will increase your Western horse’s athleticism and fitness, while making him more flexible. It will give him “greater endurance and resistance to injury.”

He reminds those who are intimidated by the term ‘dressage’ that it simply means ‘training’ in French and says: “Just do it, and reap the benefits in enhanced performance.”

First Bend Your Horse

Purpose of Bending Your Horse

Mr. Rudin explains that bending your horse creates softness and suppleness in his entire body, which must be achieved before performing any other exercises.

The horse’s body should be “perfectly aligned from head to tail, mirroring the shape of the arc, arena corner or any other curving path that he travels.”

How to Bend Your Horse

He should be ridden in a snaffle, with you sitting balanced in the saddle. Your contact should be the same in both reins: the inside rein bends the head and neck of the horse, and establishes the degree of bend.

Your outside rein provides the outer limit of the bend to stop over bending. The horse should move between a channel formed by your reins.

Figures of eight ridden at different speeds, sizes and gaits will stretch and supple your horse’s muscles and make them more flexible.

See The Bending Horse and Rider for more on how to correctly bend your horse,

Two-Tracking aka Leg-Yielding

Purpose of the Leg-Yield

This is one of the lateral movements which build the horse’s topline and hind end. As Mr. Rudin explains, the horse uses the muscles in these areas for the slow, collected paces. Thus lateral work is “indispensable” preparation for “tasks such as lope transitions, pivots on the front and hind ends, and lead changes.”

He describes the leg-yield as “like a sidepass on the go” where the horse has to move sideways and forwards at the same time. It is more easily performed in walk and trot, but a well-balanced horse can leg-yield in canter.

In addition to strengthening his back and hind end, this exercise loosens up the horse’s shoulders and his front end becomes lighter. The result is better balance and longer strides, and the horse moves with more expression.

How to Leg-Yield

The leg-yield should be performed in a snaffle.

For a leg-yield to the left, ride your horse down the center line, flex his head to the right, keeping outside left rein contact, and nudge him over with your right leg just behind the cinch. His right front and hind legs should cross in front of his left legs while he moves forwards and laterally.

Ask your horse for a gentle sideways line of travel with his body straight. If his quarters trail, stop the movement, straighten him out for a few strides, and ask for leg-yield again.

Shoulder-In

Purpose of the Shoulder-In

The shoulder-in is another great way to strengthen and loosen up your horse, and make him more flexible. This movement shifts weight off his front end and transfers it to his hind end.

The result is improved self-carriage, which is a pre-requisite for collection. Without collection your horse will be unable to perform – among other things – his lead changes.

As Ludvik K Stanek explains in Collection: Balance/Energy, collection is achieved when the horse is in balance under his rider, who ‘collects’ his mount’s energy (containing it with his seat, legs and hands) thereby creating the impulsion the horse needs to perform difficult tasks with greater ease.

Collection requires strength in the horse, and the shoulder-in targets the muscles he uses to achieve it.

How to Perform the Shoulder-In

This is usually ridden on the rail. The horse shifts his shoulders inwards and moves forwards on three tracks.

His inside foreleg is on one track, his outside foreleg and inside hind leg are on a second track, and his outside hind leg travels on the outside track.

Maintain your horse’s bend, and bring his shoulders in by moving both reins inwards. In the beginning your outside rein will probably lie on his outside withers while your inside rein stays next to his withers.

Your seat should be parallel to the line of his shoulders, your inside leg applies pressure on the cinch, and your outside leg is slightly back to keep contact with the center of his ribcage.

Don’t make the angle of the shoulder-in too steep (otherwise the horse will be working on four tracks in a virtual leg-yield) and ensure that he stays bent round your inside leg to get the maximum benefit from this exercise.

The Western horse needs to be athletic and strong, balanced and in self-carriage to do his job happily with the minimum risk of injury. The above exercises will increase his fitness, enabling him to work efficiently in relaxed co-operation with his rider.

Resources & Further Reading

Jec Ballou

Western Dressage Exercise – Controlled Wandering

How to Engage Your Horse’s Back

Bodybuilding for the Western Horse:

Use bending and suppling exercises borrowed from dressage to improve your western horse

The Bending Horse and Rider

Dressage Exercise – Leg-Yielding

Shoulder-In

Dressage Exercise – Shoulder-In

Collection: Balance/Energy

Stretching Exercises for Your Horse

Western Pleasure Calisthenics Part I

Western Pleasure Calisthenics Part II

Western Pleasure Calisthenics Part III

Western Pleasure Calisthenics Part IV

Western Dressage Training

A series of articles about Western Dressage training

Adopting a Rescue Horse

Should You Consider Adopting a Rescue Horse?

Thousands of horses in rescue facilities are in desperate need of a loving new home, and you’d like to give one a second chance. There are many benefits to adopting a rescue horse, but how can you be sure it’s the right choice for you?

The following information can help you determine whether adoption is the best way to find your new horse.

6 Reasons to Adopt a Rescue Horse

The rescue facility wants to ensure a good fit

A reputable rescue operation will be anxious for its horses to go to the right person. The animals have been through a lot of trauma already, and the facility won’t knowingly send an equine to the wrong home.

It’s not in the best interests of the horse or the reputation of the rescue group.

The rescue facility will take the horse back

If, despite the organization’s best attempts to match you with the perfect horse, the relationship doesn’t work out, you can return the horse. In fact, adoption rules usually insist on your giving the animal back in the event you don’t want it or can’t keep it any more.

For example, the guidelines of the Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue state: “Horses adopted through our rescue can NEVER be sold, given away, leased or otherwise removed from the home we place them in except to be returned to the rescue.”

This is a huge advantage over buying a horse from a dealer or private owner. Sellers sometimes ask for right of first refusal, but most leave you with the burden of finding the horse a new home if you and he don’t get on.

You’re given a realistic assessment of the horse

Rescue horses are handled and, where appropriate, worked for several months before they are put up for adoption. This affords the operation plenty of time to assess the type of home he should go to.

Being keen to place horses with appropriate homes, rescue management will be honest with you about the horse’s temperament, state of health and the job for which he is suited. You will be made truthfully aware of the horse’s history to the best of their knowledge.

The horse is well-cared for and up-to-date on his shots

Reputable facilities not only carry out thorough health checks of their horses, they also give them all their vaccinations, float their teeth, trim their hooves and provide a negative Coggins.

According to Jose Castro, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, ABVP, clinical instructor for equine field services with the University of Tennessee’s Large Animal Clinical Services, “reputable rescues will provide prospective owners with the adoptable horse’s medical, dental, and farrier records.”

You should also receive contact information for those who have cared for the horse in the past.

The satisfaction of giving a horse a second chance

Many of these horses have suffered terrible abuse and neglect through no fault of their own, and deserve to find a forever home where they will be appreciated and well taken care of.

If you do find the right rescue horse, you’ll feel wonderful about giving him a new lease on life and the bond you form with him will be extra special because of his background.

Some facilities let you foster before you adopt

If you find a horse that you think will suit, but are still on the fence about adopting him, most facilities need foster homes for their horses.

Offer to foster a horse and take the time to find out if he’s the one you are looking for. Some rescues, such as Angels Haven Horse Rescue, offer pre-adoption leases for this purpose.

It is a great way to try out a horse, without feeling bad if you don’t gel with him.

4 Horse Adoption Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t adopt if you’re a beginner

Rescue horses often have health and/or behavioral issues. They need an experienced horse person to handle and retrain them and a rookie rider is not the person to do this. Katherine Blocksdorf explains this in her article, Buying a Rescue Horse.

A beginner is likely to run into problems which can lead to a dangerous situation. Such horses are best left to more seasoned equestrians.

Don’t listen to your emotions

Beware of falling in love at first sight with a rescue horse or feeling sorry for him. This is the quick path to acquiring an unsuitable horse. Take a sensible horse person with you to stop you doing this!

The rescue staff will try to keep you on track, but a friend or trainer whom you trust, who knows your temperament and how well you ride, is the ideal companion to bring along to your appointment at the rescue facility.

Not checking out the rescue facility

Do your homework before approaching a rescue organization about a horse. Jose Castro, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, ABVP, says that “it’s critical that prospective owners ensure that rescues offering horses for adoption have a good reputation for making successful matches.”

Talk to people who’ve had dealings with them. Dr. Jennifer Williams says, “It’s a good sign when an adopter acquires a second horse from the organization or continues to volunteer.”

Not understanding the level of help the horse may need

Even if you’re an experienced horse person, you need to be sure that you have the skills to deal with any behavioral problems your new horse may have. He will have undergone rehabilitation at the rescue barn, but will likely need you to continue working on his issues.

Take the time to watch him being trained by the rescue staff, ask lots of questions, and be honest about your own ability to deal with the horse you’re interested in.

There are many advantages to adopting a horse. You’ll receive plenty of information and support from the rescue organization, which is keen for you to have a successful relationship with your new equine. And you can return the animal if things don’t work out.

Once you do find the right equine, the rewards will be huge - for both of you.

Resources & Further Reading

Red Bucket Rescue FAQ

Red Bucket Rescue Adoption Process

Adoption Guidelines

http://angelshavenhorserescue.com/adoption-guidelines/

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/28712/demographics-of-equine-donation-and-adoption-examined

Characteristics of relinquishing and adoptive owners of horses associated with U.S. nonprofit equine rescue organizations.

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/26560/horse-welfare-wars-when-emotion-and-fact-collide-aaep-2010

http://horses.about.com/od/buyingyourfirsthorse/a/buyingarescuehorse.htm On the dangers of rescuing a horse as your first horse ever

http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/horserescue.shtml Good source of information about various aspects of horse rescue and adoption

http://www.wvhorserescue.org/guidelines.html Very good rescue info

Starting a Young Horse

Starting a Young Horse

Starting a young horse is an exciting prospect. You’ll notice we’re not ‘breaking’ him, because that term describes the very opposite of our goal.

The process should be enjoyable for the horse, so he is willing to do whatever his rider asks of him.

Getting Comfortable

Most horses are ready to begin their training around their third birthday

First, “your horse must see you as his ‘comfort zone,’” writes Richard Maxwell in From Birth to Backing. This book was my bible when I backed my own horse, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Additionally, Uwe Spenlen, a German FEI judge and international riding instructor, stresses the need to appreciate each horse’s temperament: “Only those who constantly strive to understand the nature of horses will treat them correctly.”

He warns against ‘instilling fear and resistance’ into young horses.

Join-Up

Join-up is a technique popularized by Monty Roberts and advocated by Maxwell, a student of his. The horse learns to see you as a trustworthy leader whom he wants to follow.

Join-up lays the ideal foundation for a young horse’s training and is best performed in a round pen.

Accepting the Tack

A good join-up is important before putting any equipment on your horse, so that he “knows where to go for reassurance,” according to Maxwell.

Well before it’s time to back him, accustom him to wearing a surcingle, followed by the saddle, in his stall. Add a bridle with no noseband and a brow band which doesn’t pinch his ears.

The horse’s back and teeth should be checked before putting on the saddle and bridle: “you do not want him to associate them with pain,” says Maxwell.

Once the horse is relaxed with the equipment in his stall, let him loose in the round pen. First put on the surcingle so he can get used to the feel of moving with it on, then graduate to the saddle and bridle, without the reins.

Be confident in all your movements. If you think’s this is all normal, so will he.

Lunging/Long Reining

Spenlen highly recommends lunging “for preparing to train under saddle, because it gets the young horse used to work, helps it to understand the aids and obedience and improves rhythm and looseness.”

Maxwell prefers long reining, as he feels lunging will confuse the horse after join-up.

This is a matter of preference. I wasn’t experienced with long-reins so I lunged my horse, and he was fine with it.

On the lunge the trot is the pace where “most horses find it easier to acquire certain looseness and start to let the neck drop,” according to Spenlen.

Maxwell warns against expecting perfection on day one: “once the horse understands the concept of stopping and turning that is probably enough for the day.”

Lunge sessions should not take longer than twenty minutes, with frequent changes of direction. When the horse has learned to walk, trot and canter calmly on the lunge, Spenlen adds side reins. These should not exert pressure on the horse’s mouth, side bar or poll.

They can be shortened very gradually, but only to teach the horse to “stretch towards the bit and not to shorten the neck.” They should be the same length, with the horse’s nose on or just in front of the vertical – never behind the vertical.

However, Spenlen stresses that rhythm is much more important than contact at this stage. Rhythm results from the horse being balanced, while moving naturally and loosely, and is the first phase of the Training Scale.

Backing

Approach backing with confidence and your horse will not think he has reason to worry. As Maxwell says, he is in part already backed “if he is happily carrying all the equipment he needs in order to be ridden” and listening obediently to commands from the ground.

Begin by working him as usual in an enclosed area to give him “the opportunity to move freely and achieve a certain relaxation,” Spenlen says.

You’ll need a helper to hold the horse while you mount for the first time who keeps things relaxed, and doesn’t grip the horse tightly or he’ll panic.

Attach the lunge line to the bit. A lead rein coupling attached to both bit rings will prevent the bit from sliding through the horse’s mouth if your helper needs to exert any pressure on it. A neck strap is also a good idea, for the rider to grab if necessary without upsetting the horse.

A leg-up is the best way to get on the horse’s back. Don’t immediately sit up in the saddle, but lie across it on your stomach. Talk to your horse all the while, and stroke his neck on the other side. It will be the first time he’s seen you on both sides of him at once!

Practice legging up and leaning over your horse several times, from both sides, while your handler holds him lightly.

Keep your upper body low at first, with weight not fully in the saddle, and quickly place your feet in the stirrups to help you balance evenly on the horse’s back.

Gradually raise your body. Once he accepts you sitting up, remain there for a few minutes before dismounting.

Spenlen says, “With nervous or very uptight horses it may be better to let them walk immediately to avoid building up more tension.” Then have your helper gradually bring him back to a halt for dismounting.

Maxwell warns that the horse may be more concerned by your weight coming off his back than when it went on. Have your handler keep chatting to him reassuringly as you get out of the saddle.

Repeat the process of mounting and dismounting several times.

First Ride

Initially, the handler controls the movements of the very unbalanced horse, so begin with a few steps and no contact on the reins. The rider should lean forward slightly and hold the neck strap so as not to get left behind if the horse suddenly stops or lurches forwards.

When the horse understands the handler’s requests to start and stop, the rider should then apply rein and leg aids in conjunction with those cues. The handler then becomes less involved until the rider is dictating the pace.

When it’s safe, remove the lead rein.

You are now riding your horse.

Use minimal rein contact, and steer him with an open rein. To ask for halt, use your voice while pulling gently on the reins and your neck strap.

Instead of carrying a whip, flick the end of the reins on his withers to ask him to move forward. Maxwell suggests carrying a soft rope to tickle him behind your leg as an irritant, rather than a punishment.

Trot and Canter

Ask for trot early on by employing voice and leg aids, with no rein contact. Request just a few strides at a time: your horse is still very unbalanced with you on him.

He’ll find cantering easier but a small circle is hard work for him. So choose a wide open space for the first canter. He’ll tire quickly as he’s not fit enough to keep going at this stage.

Trail Riding

I followed Maxwell’s advice to take a newly-backed horse out alone on the trails early on in his training. Seven days after starting him, I took my gelding out on his own.

Since then he has been perfectly happy to go out on the trails alone or in company.

If your horse has learned to trust you before you back him, the actual process of teaching him to carry a rider will be a natural progression of his training.

Approach backing with confidence. It will be a calm event and a stepping stone on the route to a rewarding partnership with your horse.

Resources & Further Reading

From Birth to Backing By Richard Maxwell, David and Charles (October 26, 2001)

Richard Maxwell, Horse Behaviourist

10 steps to educate young horses

Training for Young Horses

Monty Roberts

The Monty Roberts Technique: How It Works for Us

Monty Roberts Join-up with Martin Clunes’s Horse Watch this video for a light-hearted look at join-up!

The Dressage Training Scale: Prerequisites

Horsemanship How-To: Use an Opening Rein

Horse Training Fundamentals (download free report by Ken McNabb)

Behind the Vertical Explained

Improve Your Winter Riding

10 Ways to Improve Your Winter Riding

The onset of winter weather doesn’t have to keep you out of the saddle.

Even without an indoor arena, extra care of both your equine partner and yourself, combined with smart planning, will enable you to exercise your horse throughout the cold months to improve your winter riding.

The Horse

1 Prevent Snow Stilts

Snow quickly accumulates inside horses’ hooves, until they’re wobbling on giant snowballs. Apply non-stick cooking spray or petroleum jelly on the frogs and soles to prevent this before turn out and riding.

Katherine Blocksdorf suggests putting shoe pads on to minimize snow build-up, or removing shoes where possible.

2 Warm Bit

Warming the bit is a kindness to your horse. Place it in hot water as soon as you get to the barn, and it will be a comfortable temperature when you’re ready to put on the bridle. If hot water isn’t available, use your hands.

3 Drying Off

After riding make sure your horse is completely dry before you turn him back out with a waterproof blanket of an appropriate denier count.

4 Food & Shelter

Ensure your horse has constant access to de-iced water. Heated water buckets in the stalls and heaters in outdoor water troughs will prevent the water from freezing.

He’ll need extra feed to generate warmth as well as energy. Older horses also need additional forage, and good quality hay should be freely available.

Provide shelter from the elements so he can get out of the driving wind and snow.

The Rider

5 Appropriate Riding Attire

Dress in layers: you can shed some during exercise and put the layers back on when needed.

Riding with numb, frozen toes is miserable, and warm riding boots such as Mountain Horse Ice High Rider Wide Tall Boots provide a great solution. They cost under $100 and are insulated, extremely comfortable, durable and waterproof.

Wear the thickest gloves you can which allow you to use your fingers.

6 Drink Up

Hydration is as important for you as your horse, so remember to drink plenty of water after riding.

The Ride

7 Take Your Time

As your riding schedule becomes more haphazard, your horse’s fitness level will decrease. Reduce your expectations of him, as he won’t be able to cover the distances or keep up the pace you’re used to.

8 Check Your Route

If possible, examine the safety of the trail where you intend to ride before mounting up, especially if there’s been a snowfall and/or deep freeze since the last time you rode there.

Begin by walking your horse for longer than usual to warm up his muscles, and trot only where it’s safe. Don’t canter or gallop on slippery terrain.

9 Frozen Arena?

If you have a sand arena but are unable to ride because of ice or snow, consider adding a product called Mag Flakes which acts as a de-icer in winter.

10 Trailering

If driving conditions are safe, trailer your horse to a neighbor’s indoor arena.

Although riding in the winter can be a challenge, it’s more fun to get in the saddle whenever possible than suffer months of withdrawal symptoms!

Resources & Further Reading

Tips for Riding Safely and Comfortably in Winter

Winter Horseback Riding Tips

How to Care for Your Horse in Winter

Blanket Q & A from SmartPak

Frozen Toes Made You Close? (Read the section entitled “Frozen Toes Made You Close?”)

When to Clip Your Horse

Deciding When to Clip Your Horse and How

Not every horse needs clipping in winter, but under certain circumstances you may want to consider removing part, or all, of his coat.

The usual time to begin is from September to October. The hair will grow back, so you’ll need to repeat the process at three to four week intervals during the cold months. The final clip is in January.

Why Clip Your Horse?

As daylight hours decrease with the onset of fall, your horse will start to grow a thicker coat. If you plan to ride regularly during the cold months, clipping your animal reduces the amount he sweats and allows him to dry off faster after work. It also takes a lot less time to groom a clipped horse!

What Type of Clip Is Best?

The amount of coat to remove depends on your horse’s anticipated work load and his living conditions.

Note: After being clipped your horse will need blankets to keep warm, as he’ll have lost his natural protection against the elements.

A full clip is suitable for horses being exercised hard throughout the winter, and stabled with no pasture turnout. It entails removing all the horse’s hair: not only from his body, but also his head, ears and legs.

A hunter clip leaves hair on the saddle area to keep it protected, and on the legs for warmth. In some cases the lower half of the head is left untouched. This clip suits horses in medium to hard work.

The blanket clip is another good choice for horses in regular winter work. The hair from the head, neck, under belly and part of the rump is removed, leaving the legs warm and protected. The large area of coat left on the body resembles the shape of a blanket.

A trace clip suits a horse in light to medium work if he is turned out during daylight hours. The hair is removed from the lower half of the neck, chest, stomach and upper part of the hind legs where the horse sweats most. The low trace clip leaves more hair on than the high trace clip, where the lower half of the head hair is removed, and more is taken off the neck, barrel and hind end.

The Irish clip removes only the hair round the head, neck and chest area which makes it perfect for horses in light work and turned out in the daytime.

Its cousin, the bib clip, takes the coat off just the front of the neck and chest areas. This is useful if your horse is turned out year round.

The horse clipping website created by Lister Shearing Equipment suggests giving a bib clip to a horse that hasn’t previously been clipped as a good introduction to the process.

The clipping styles you choose will depend on how hard your horse will work and what his turn-out situation is.

If your riding will be intermittent during the cold months, he is best left with a full winter coat. Plan extra time after exercise to dry him off before he is turned out again – with a blanket, if appropriate.

Resources & Further Reading

Horse Clipping Tips

Types of Horse Clip

Clipping Horses

Clipping Your Horse

How to Clip a Horse

About Body Clipping

How to Clip a Horse for the First Time (video)

Clipping Challenges (video)

The Big Chill

Horse and Pony Care in Autumn and Winter

Lister Shearing Equipment

Stallion Social Deprivation

Does Your Stallion Have to Live in Solitary Confinement?

A stallion’s life is a lonely one when he’s turned out by himself and stabled where he’s unable to socialize with other horses.

Like mares and geldings, stallions thrive on interaction with other equines, and social deprivation is a sad existence for them. It also creates more work for their owners.

An Alternative Life-Style

In 2009 and 2010 a study subtitled A Possibility to Keep Stallions in Group was conducted to investigate “the possibility of housing breeding stallions … in groups on a large pasture.”

The stallions in the experiment were Freiberger horses owned by the Swiss National Stud and aged between 8 and 19. They were driving horses, but also used for breeding, and had lived at the stud for 5 to 16 years.

A group of 5 stallions was observed in 2009. Of these, 4 were in the group of 8 for the 2010 study.

The Researchers: concluded that, under certain conditions, “breeding stallions could be housed together on a large pasture … (which could) potentially increase horse welfare and reduce labour associated with horse management.”

Background Check

In the wild, stallions without a harem form ‘bachelor bands.’ These consist of up to 15 yearlings or young stallions, plus “older stallions that have lost their harem.”

The study notes that threatening behavior among the members of these bands is natural, as are avoidance and submission. But, “when they interact, stallions typically display the minimum amount of aggression required by the situation.” (My italics.)

These ‘ritualized displays’ become less intense and of shorter duration over time, and “seem to facilitate stallions being able to graze side-by-side.” The good news is that the displays alone help establish and maintain the group’s hierarchy “without involving physical aggression.”

A Stallion Needs Love, Too

Depriving horses of physical contact with each other is bad for their mental health. They are likely to “display more stress-related behaviours than horses stabled in pairs” and develop stereotypies such as weaving and cribbing. “Social interactions should therefore be considered as crucial for (a stallion’s) welfare.”

The earlier a stallion is socialized the better, since “horses that have been living in a group have more refined social skills and are less aggressive towards other horses and even towards humans during training.”

Trainer Jim Brinkman, manager of the Pitzer Ranch in Ericson, Nebraska, says in Owning a manageable stallion “we’ll let (the stallions) run together until they are 3 or 4 and bring the stallions in to determine if they should be cut. It’s good for them to run with a group so they learn how to get along with each other.”

Owners who haven’t done this are understandably loath to turn out their stallions in groups because of the high risk of injury, particularly during the initial introductory phase. But the study suggests that under specific conditions these stallions can also be kept in groups.

The potential for physical aggression significantly decreases and is “kept at a minimum after only three or four days following integration.”

Precautionary Measures

Before being put together, the Swiss stallions spent two weeks stabled next to each other, as “prior exposure can reduce aggression.” These horses were able to see, hear, smell and partially touch their equine comrades through the stable partitions. Except for one stud, they had been hitched next to each other in driving pairs.

In 2009, the 4 stallions were individually turned out for two hours a day. The 2010 group of 8 was exercised on the horse exerciser, half of them at a time.

After two weeks their shoes were removed, to reduce the risk of injury when turned out together.

Close Encounters of the Studly Kind

Each stallion was led on a halter once round the 10 acre field. Then all of them were released together, while 10 handlers stood by with whips should serious fighting break out and intervention become necessary.

The pasture was out of sight of mares and other horses: the stallions remained outdoors for six months.

There were no enclosed spaces, and they had access to six wooden field shelters with wide entrances and straw on the ground. Food distribution was conducted in such a way as to allow each animal to eat without fear of threats or kicks from the others.

Friends or Foes?

It was observed that “when two males encounter each other, they perform a ritual that allows them to assess each other’s fighting abilities … without having to fight.” The stallions indulged in more show than actual aggression.

Those stallions which had previously been turned out with others “had less agonistic, ritual and affiliative interactions than the other stallions.”

Agonistic relates to aggressive or defensive behavior, such as fighting, fleeing or submission.

Table 1. lists 14 different types of agonistic behavior observed among the stallions, including chasing, pushing, kneeling and fleeing or following.

Affiliative interactions were exhibited by such behaviors as nipping at each other in play without pinning their ears back and mutual grooming. They increased early in the stallions’ time together.

Affiliative behavior releases social tension between horses in a group. After 9 days it lessened among the stallions in the study, possibly because they had now formed their social bonds and no longer needed to indulge in it so frequently to maintain them.

Pulling Rank

Interestingly, the lower ranking stallions tended to “engage in more rituals than high-ranking ones.” They appeared to have a “tendency for compromising rather than fighting.”

The higher ranking stallions initiate affiliative behavior - not the lower-ranking ones, as this may lead to aggression from the high ranking stud.

Jim Brinkman’s approach is: “If particular stallions can’t seem to get along, they will stay together longer and work it out or be put with the geldings.” His solution does not include isolating the horse.

Equine behaviorist Sue McDonnell, Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine explains in Owning a manageable stallion how important it is for stallions to have “plenty of space.” She stresses that “the least risk for injury comes with huge open spaces.” If there is a fight, usually the weaker horse will back down, and there needs to be “enough room for a horse to get away.”

Your stallion doesn’t have to live in solitary confinement. Under the proper conditions, he can be successfully integrated into a herd where he will be much happier. His stress levels will lower and he’ll know how to behave around other horses. In addition, he’ll be easier for you to handle and less work to take care of.

Resources & Further Reading

Pattern of Social Interactions after Group Integration: A Possibility to Keep Stallions in Group

Table 1 of the study, showing agonistic and affiliative behaviors

Researchers:

Sabrina Briefer Freymond, Elodie F. Briefer, Rudolf Von Niederhäusern and Iris Bachmann

Swiss National Stud: (Website available only in German and French)

Das Schweizerische Nationalgestüt SNG

Freiberger Horses

Owning a manageable stallion

Sue McDonnell, Ms, PhD

Stallions with Geldings?

Huddling in Horses

Horse Blanket for Winter

Does Your Horse Need a Horse Blanket This Winter?

Some owners blanket their equines at the first drop in temperature, while others believe they don’t need any extra help to stay warm because they have winter coats. There are good arguments for and against using a horse blanket. So how will you know whether or not your horse needs additional protection this winter?

The Pro-Blanket Arguments

Under certain circumstances blanketing is advisable.

The Clipped Horse

Clipping your horse in winter makes him easier to keep clean and he dries off faster after work.

However, having lost most - or all - of his winter coat, he’ll need a blanket. The amount of warmth it should offer will be determined by how much hair has been removed.

The Older Horse

A horse that is getting on in years has a harder time keeping warm during cold weather than his younger companions. His metabolism is slower, so his body has to work more to generate enough heat.

Increasing his feed will help, together with ad lib forage. But when the temperatures start to drop it’s time to consider putting a blanket on him.

When the Weather Gets Cold

When the thermometer dips below freezing, your horse may need extra protection.

Katherine Blocksdorf writes, “Horses can be left un-blanketed in very still, cold weather-4F (-20C), and they may be fine.” But very windy conditions blow away the body heat trapped in the horse’s hair.

He should have shelter at all times with access to forage to help him stay warm. Water (unfrozen!) is another must: dehydration is big danger in cold weather.

You will be able to tell from his behavior if he’s uncomfortable.

Freezing Rain

When freezing or below freezing temperatures combine with rain or sleet, (and the wind) your horse will start to feel miserable without extra help. The constant pounding on his coat makes it unable to stand up and trap the hot air from his body to keep him warm, a process known as pilorection.

It’s now time to bring him indoors and dry him off by thatching. “Use dry, shaken-out hay under a rug, and always towel dry the ears and legs,” says Polly Williamson, eventer.

Once he is warm and dry, you can turn the back out with a heavy duty turnout blanket until the bad weather passes.

The Anti-Blanket Arguments

Negative Effects of Regular Blanket Use

In the same way that constant driving rain and sleet flatten a horse’s coat, so does a blanket. If he wears one constantly, his coat hairs lose their ability to spring up and trap air.

The horse then has to wear a blanket all the time in order to stay warm, which isn’t good for him. If an unclipped horse wears one only in extreme weather conditions, his coat will protect him adequately the rest of the time.

How to Avoid the Negative Effects of Regular Blanket use

An Australian company, Macs Equine has developed a blanket to circumvent this issue. It’s called a ‘cool heat horse rug.’ Strips on the underside raise the blanket off the horse’s back and allow the hairs to stand up normally.

The company ships worldwide, and blankets arrive within 8 – 12 business days. This makes the cool heat horse rug worth considering if you want to blanket regularly without inhibiting pilorection.

The Unclipped Horse

If a horse with a full coat can get out of the wind and driving rain or snow, he is unlikely to need a blanket. Possible exceptions to this are if he is very old or sick.

Even if he is in work, as long as you dry him off properly before turning him back out, he should be fine without a blanket. He’ll soon let you know if he disagrees!

Access to forage 24/7 is important to keep that inner oven working, and being able to move around helps generate heat, too.

But remember, when the temperature dips below freezing he may need a blanket.

Ill-Fitting Blankets & Other Crimes

• A horse in a badly fitting blanket is in worse shape than when not wearing one at all. It will cause soreness where it chafes, and loose fitting straps create a dangerous trap for legs to get caught in. It is extremely important to make sure the blanket fits that particular horse. This excellent video illustrates how to fit a blanket properly.
• Another common problem is horses being expected to live for months on end during the winter without ever having their blankets removed. Imagine wearing very snug (and possibly too tight) pajamas for the whole of winter, regardless of the temperature in the house, and never being able to take them off to have a bath or shower! Wouldn’t that be really uncomfortable?
• Blankets should be removed regularly to give the horse’s coat a chance to breathe. Brush him often to maintain his sense of well-being and not being neglected. Grooming also provides an opportunity to check that his shoulders and the inside of his hind legs aren’t getting rubbed. Be ready to switch to a lighter blanket if the temperature calls for it. Keep aware of day to day variations in the outside conditions – there’s no ‘one blanket for all weathers.’
• Save the heavy duty one for really cold spells, otherwise your horse will sweat uncomfortably. According to Intelligent Horsecare, “Overheating doesn’t only cause unnecessary discomfort but reduces movement and can cause skin complaints.” Anhidrosis is another negative result from incorrect blanketing.
• Don’t get lazy and add turnout blankets on top of stable blankets when the horse goes out. (Yes, people actually do this!)

The decision to blanket is based on many factors, and no one answer fits all horses. Common sense is key here. As Ms. Blocksdorf says: “Let your horse’s behavior and physical condition be your guide.”

Each winter let him tell you whether he needs a blanket or would prefer to be left au naturel. Monitor him daily throughout the cold season and be ready to add extra protection if necessary.

Resources & Further Reading

Should You Blanket Your Horse?

The Right Blanket for Any Temperature

How to Fit a Horse Blanket

Blankets for Horses: FAQs

How to Put on a Winter Blanket (video)

Thatching

Top Tips to Survive the Winter

To Blanket Your Horse or Not to Blanket … That Is The Question

At what temperature should I blanket my horse?

Why Not All Equines Need a Winter Horse Blanket

Brand or cut of Blanket for Arabian?

New Improved Revolutionary Cool Heat Horse Rugs

Cool Heat Rugs

Buying an Off Track Thoroughbred

OTTB stands for “Off Track Thoroughbred,” and thousands of these retired racehorses are looking for new owners to retrain them and give them a loving home, where they can excel at their next job.

The Amazingly Versatile Thoroughbred

The Retired Racehorse Training Project conducted a study on the second careers of 4,200 OTTBs in 47 US states and Canada. Here is the breakdown of the disciplines they switched to:
37% Eventing

27% Hunter/Jumpers

13% Dressage

9% Trails & Recreational (English)

4% Trails & Recreational (Western)

3% Foxhunting

7% Other

Interestingly, the typical OTTB owner is a female (95%), amateur (80%) competitive rider (78%). As the study shows, Thoroughbred horses are smart, athletic and extremely adaptable. Some are spirited, but this is certainly not true of all of them. In Could a Thoroughbred Be Your Next Horse? Amy says that inconsiderate or unknowledgeable owners are responsible for giving the breed a bad name. Her experience of fostering many OTTBs has revealed that Thoroughbreds have an excellent work ethic and are very intelligent. “They just want to know what their job is and then have you allow them to do it.”

The breed varies in height between 15 and 17 hands. Bay is the predominant color, the others being gray, chestnut, brown and black. The average lifespan is 25 – 28 years and they can live up to age 30. So where do they go after retiring from racing as youngsters?

Why Off Track Thoroughbreds Need a Plan B

Kimberly Clark, who rescues and retrains OTTBs at Leighton Farm, writes: “On average, 30,000 Thoroughbreds are bred in the U.S. each year for the purpose of racing….and the majority of them will be retired from racing by the age of 5.”

Thousands of them then become unwanted. Many end up in killer pens, and Thoroughbred rescue organizations work hard to give as many of these animals as possible the chance of a new life in a good home.

The OTTB Edge

Clark’s excellent manual “New Track, New Life” explains that the OTTB has been well-handled from the age of two and exposed to cars, trucks and tractors. He’s been around many different people, and worked with and around other horses.

These professionally started animals have also traveled extensively, ‘been there, done that,’ and learned to take crowds and noise in their stride. As a result, they are calm about many of the things, such as busy traffic, which bother ‘regular’ horses.

Where to Look for Your OTTB

One place to start your search is The Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses (CANTER), a national organization whose mission is to provide retiring thoroughbred racehorses with opportunities for new careers. Click on the state nearest you to find available OTTBs in your area. The website has an FAQ page which addresses many common concerns, including the following:

What do they cost?

This page states that the price of the horses is very negotiable. The urgency of the owner to dispose of the horse is a factor. I persuaded one owner on the track to part with his mare for nothing, because it was cheaper for him than continuing to pay the horse’s board for the next few weeks. This argument won’t always work, but it’s worth asking.

I trailered the mare straight to Leighton Farm. Several months later her thrilled new owner contacted me to say how well she and the retrained mare have bonded.

Can I ride the horse at the track?

The answer is ‘no’ except under certain circumstances. (I was done the huge favor of being hoisted into a tiny racing saddle and led under the shed row and back!)

Does CANTER vouch for the soundness and health of the horses for sale through the program?

If the horse is being bought directly from the trainer, then no. If it is a CANTER owned horse, then yes.

Purchasing Tips

Whether or not you find your new horse through CANTER, this is valuable information to help you make the best of your trip, if you go to the race track to look at prospective animals.

Other organizations which retrain and offer OTTBs for sale:

Thoroughbred Placement Resources, Inc.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

This is not a complete list.

Judging the Temperament & Soundness of Your OTTB

Temperament

If the horse is at a retraining facility, its temperament will have been assessed by the organization offering him for sale, and they will know what type of rider and riding he is suitable for.

Listings of horses still at the track give as good an indication as possible of the horse’s temperament, based on what is seen on the day the animal is visited. Often they can only repeat what the trainer has said about the horse and it will come down to your own judgment.

Physical Health

Because Thoroughbreds are raced as physically immature two and three year olds, they are prone to injury. The organizations are honest about known physical issues in their horse listings.

In any case, be sure to have your prospect vetted.

Coming Home

If your horse has just come off the track, he’ll need much patience and understanding.

After being on a lot of high-energy feed and pent up in a stall for 23 hours a day, he’ll need to be taught gradually about turn out. Reduce his feed and start him out in a small pen where he can stretch his legs but not reach a full gallop. Once he settles down you can move him into a larger field and gradually integrate him into his new herd.

Under saddle, he’s only learned to go, go, go. Says Jessalyn Zimmers, OTTB trainer: “Let them know it’s OK to take a deep breath; drop their heads and just walk. That sensible horse will start to emerge. This takes time.”

Her excellent article The Off Track Thoroughbreds Experience and Clark’s downloadable ebook “New Track, New Life” A Guide to Understanding and Retraining Your Off Track Thoroughbred give valuable insight into the lifestyle of a racehorse. They detail how to settle him into his new home and re-school him for a successful second career.

For the intermediate or experienced rider, buying an OTTB is enormously rewarding. With patient training and TLC you can have a lot of fun in his company, and he will work diligently to become your ideal equine partner.

Resources & Further Reading

OTTB Resources

Q & A: What to Look for when OTTB Shopping

Bringing Home an OTTB

OTTB Success Stories

Starting Over with Off-the-Track Thoroughbreds

Do OTTBs Make Good Competition/Riding Horses?

Living and Dying with OTTBs: Redemptive Capital and Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorse Rescue in Kentucky’s Bluegrass

Ray Paulick on racing’s future, unwanted horses

Thoroughbred Placement Resources, Inc.

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

Equine Senior Citizens

A Health Plan for Equine Senior Citizens

A horse is considered ‘senior’ when he turns 20, which is the equivalent of a 57 year old person. You can click here to calculate your own horse’s age in human years. According to the Kentucky Equine Research Staff, “17% of the horses in the U.S. are estimated to be over 20 years of age.” That’s a high number, but with exercise and proper nutrition our older equines can stay healthy well into their golden years.

Move It or Lose It

Regular, and age appropriate physical activity builds and maintains muscle. Exercise can help prevent metabolic issues, says Kenneth McKeever, Ph.D., FACSM, professor of equine exercise physiology and associate director for research at the Equine Science Center at Rutgers. “Also, when we first started putting old horses on the treadmill and then the Eurociser machine, they were feeling better and loosening up after three sessions.”

Marijke de Jong suggests being flexible in one’s approach to working an older horse as he will have good and bad days. Don’t work senior equines on humid, hot days as they become easily dehydrated and have a hard time cooling down. Consistent exercise improves their mental wellbeing, by giving them a job and making them feel useful.

Keeping Up Appearances

Extra care is needed to keep senior horses in good condition.

Worming

Older horses’ digestive systems don’t absorb nutrients easily, and worms damage the intestines even further while stealing those nutrients for themselves. A fecal count will help your veterinarian develop an effective deworming program.

Nutrition

Fiber: Dr. Lydia Gray suggests “providing fiber that is easier to digest (higher quality hay, soaked hay cubes, beet pulp, complete feed) as well as pre- and probiotics, yeast and digestive enzymes.”

Starch: A low-starch diet is better for older equines, as their reduced ability to digest starch can lead to colic, laminitis and Cushings disease.

Protein: To maintain condition, older horses often need extra calories from a high protein feed.

Fat: Adding fat to the diet is another way to increase their calorie intake. Kentucky Equine Research suggests feeding it “in the form of vegetable oil, rice bran, or a fat supplement.”

Meals per Day: If fed too much per meal, many horses go off their food. Consider giving your older horse several small feeds a day.

Dental Care: Older horses’ teeth need floating twice a year and Scot T. Gillies warns: “Horses with terribly compromised dentition could be more likely to suffer from esophageal blockage (“choke”) or impaction-type colic.” Dental problems also lead to an inability to chew, resulting in poor nutrition and loss of body condition.

Obesity: Some horses put on weight in old age rather than lose it. As Neil Clarkson quips: “We are creating paddock potatoes.” Overfeeding invites a host of problems including metabolic issues such as insulin-related disorders, Cushing’s disease, and thyroid or pituitary problems.

Hoof Care: Advanced age doesn’t preclude the need for regular visits from the farrier to keep your senior equine sound, as long as his hooves aren’t lifted too high.

Turnout

The healthiest situation for older horses is 24/7 turn-out on good quality pasture, with equine companions who don’t bully them, and adequate shelter. It doesn’t take much effort to give our senior equine citizens the extra help they need to grow old healthily and gracefully.

Resources & Further Reading

Horse Age in Human Years Conversion Calculator

The Senior Horse

Add Years to Your Horse’s Life

Euroxciser

Updated Deworming Recommendations

Deworming Schedule for Horses

Laminitis

Weight Loss in Older Horses: Management Solutions

Senior Horse Care

Colic in Horses

FAQs About PPID (Cushing’s Disease)

Senior Horse Servings

Taking Care of the Senior Horse

Feed Needs of Older Horses

Cushing’s Disease & Metabolic Health

Feeding the Insulin Resistant Horse

Caring for Old Horses

Horse Teeth

20 Things Your Horse’s Teeth Are Telling You

What Does Floating Teeth Mean & Why Is It Necessary?

Senior Hoof Care Considerations

Keep Your Older Horse Comfortable During a Trim

Tackling Tack Care

Taking care of horse riding equipment isn’t fun, but ignoring this task can result in the early and costly replacement of items, not to mention riding accidents. Regular tack care and inspections are as important as frequent cleaning.

Tack Care: Checking Your Tack

The Saddle

Saddle Tree

The tree is the frame upon which the whole saddle is built and is crucial to your horse’s comfort. Follow the easy steps in Testing Your Saddle Tree to see if yours is broken or twisted. A line of wrinkles across the seat of the saddle also indicates a broken tree. If you suspect anything is wrong, don’t use it on your horse until a reputable saddle fitter has checked it.

Flocking

Check that the flocking (filling in your saddle’s underside) has not become hard or uneven. Have your saddler check this every six to twelve months.

Billets

These are the leather straps to which the girth is attached. Examine them for cracking or tearing, and loose or worn stitching where they attach to the saddle. Billets last much longer if your girth has buckles with rollers, which don’t ‘bite’ into the leather.

Girth

This vital piece of equipment needs frequent checking for leather cracks, rusting buckles and deterioration in the stitching and elastic.

Stirrup Leathers

Inspect your stirrup leathers for wear and tear. Switch the left and right leathers at regular intervals: the left leather gets stretched over time from the rider putting extra weight on it when mounting. Examine the stitching for any broken or deteriorating threads.

The Bridle

Check for cracking leather and weakening stitches and ensure the buckles are not rusted through. Monitor your bit for rough edges or twisting of the metal, indicating the need to buy a new one.

Other Leather

Other leather equipment such as martingales, breastplates, or cruppers also need frequent inspection.

Leather Cleaning

After Every Ride

Removing sweat from your saddle and bridle after every use will protect the leather from its two big enemies, damp and dust. Wipe saliva off the bridle, and if you wash the bit be sure to dry the surrounding leather.

On Dedicated Cleaning Day

Schedule a time to thoroughly clean your tack when you can perform the job properly.

Step One: Dismantle

Take your bridle completely apart. Detach your stirrup leathers from the saddle and take off the irons.

Step Two: Clean

Use a soft cloth to remove all dirt. Dampen a small tack sponge (which you can find in tack stores) and rub a quality saddle soap such as Effax or Passier Saddle Soap into the leather, including those hard-to-reach places. Liquid saddle soaps such as Effax Mildew-Free or Leather New are easier to use, but more expensive.

Step Three: Condition

Apply a conditioner after cleaning to soften your leather and lengthen its useful life. Passier Leder Balsam is an excellent chemical free leather conditioner. For those with less time, Leather CPR and SmartWorks Cleather Cleaner and Conditioner are great products for both cleaning and conditioning.

Step Four: Restore

For tack in poor condition, Hydrophane Leather Dressing softens and reconditions leather, as well as waterproofing. It is highly recommended by saddlers as a reviver of old leather. Horse equipment is not cheap, and regular cleaning will extend its life. But it’s also important to check if repairs or replacements are necessary before the tack becomes uncomfortable for the horse and/or dangerous for the rider.

Resources & More Information

Checking Tack

http://www.equisearch.com/tack_apparel/english-tack_apparel/eqsaddle2881/

http://www.equisearch.com/tack_apparel/english-tack_apparel/tacksafety081097/

Leather Cleaning

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/taking-care-your-tack-doesnt-have-be-tough

http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/articles/0397tack.shtml

http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-keeping/tack-cleaning-tips.aspx

http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-keeping/tack-cleaning-active-ingredients.aspx

Horse Spring Grass: Problems & Solutions

Horse - Spring Grass

It’s wonderful to see green shoots sprouting again after the gloomy winter months. Instead of having to haul heavy hay bales around the barn, we can finally let our equine buddies graze all day. But the transition from hay to spring grass can bring complications with it. Not all horses cope well with the sudden switch, and appropriate management may be necessary if negative symptoms appear.

The Problems

Intestinal

Spring grass contains sugars, protein and carbohydrates in much higher levels than are present in most hay types. Overloading the horse’s digestive system with these nutrients upsets the sensitive balance of micro-organisms in the intestinal tract.

Cool season grass (such as spring grass) contains fructan, a complex and easily fermented sugar. As Kentucky Performance Products explain:

“Instead of being digested in the foregut, fructan passes into the horse’s hindgut, where it ferments and causes the production of lactic acid. Too much lactic acid reduces the pH of the hindgut, and these changes “negatively affect the delicate microflora that live in the hindgut and aid in digestion.”

This can lead to bloating, diarrhea, colic and laminitis (see below).

Obesity

Many horses continue to eat well during the winter while getting little or no exercise. Spring grass puts these already plump animals at high risk of becoming obese. The incidence of obesity in horses is upwards of 45%. Being chronically overweight has many adverse effects on horses, including:

• heart disease
• lung problems,
• intolerance to exercise
• inefficient thermoregulation (over-heating)
• obstructions in the intestinal tract
• colic
• insulin resistance (see below)
• EMS (equine metabolic syndrome)
• laminitis

Incorporating an exercise routine with a horse exerciser can help during the winter months.

Insulin resistance

Insulin is used by the body to metabolize sugar and starches (carbohydrates). When a horse is insulin resistant, its cells no longer respond to the insulin. This results in wasting of the muscles. Other signs of insulin resistance include:

• fatty deposits, particularly on the crest, rump and over the eyes
• polyuria (excessive urinating)
• polydipsia (excessive drinking)
• insatiable appetite
• laminitis

If caught in time, insulin resistance is reversible through weight loss and exercise, according to Zoe Davies MSc.Eq.S.,R.Nutr. So seek prompt veterinary attention if your horse shows signs of IR.

Laminitis

Laminitis can be an extremely painful condition for horses. Symptoms include:

• The horse is uncomfortable standing in the same position for any length of time and constantly shifts his weight from one leg to the other.
• The horse appears to be trying to take the weight off his front legs
• Choppy and/or stiff gaits.
• Shortened strides on harder surfaces which were not problematic for the animal in the past
• Soreness in the back, even though the saddle fits properly

Consult your vet immediately if you suspect your horse is suffering from laminitis.

A Hot Horse

Many riders notice that after grazing on spring grass their horses become spooky, nervous and excitable. In extreme cases they are impossible to ride. In addition to the sudden increase of sugar in their diet, the cause of this behavior is the insufficient level of magnesium in spring grass. Performance Equine, in Magnesium: The Mineral Superhero describes it as being “by far the most important mineral, activating over 300 different biochemical reactions all necessary for the body to function properly.” It’s not surprising that the lack of such an important element can lead to bad equine behavior.

The Solutions

Pre- and Probiotics

These can help the horse’s digestive tract function correctly by maintaining the microbial balance in the hind gut.

Prebiotics, as Triple Crown Feed explains, “are not microbes, but ingredients that help the microbial populations in the hindgut remain stable and healthy. A prebiotic …… enhances the quality of the microbe population that’s there.”

Probiotics are micro-organisms which, when fed live to the horse, introduce viable ‘good’ bacteria and encourage a healthy digestive environment. Check that the cultures in any probiotics you choose were not killed while being processed. Horses appear to benefit more from a continual supplementation of probiotics to their diet than occasional use. Companies such as Succeed or SmartPakEquine sell high quality equine digestive supplements.

Restrict Grazing and Feed Hay

It’s a good idea to alternate grazing with feeding hay while the young grass is coming through. There are certain times of day when it is safer to let your horse graze,such as the morning when the daytime weather is sunny with warm nights, and on rainy, wet days. Give hay each time your horse comes off his pasture. The slow fermenting fiber will help counteract the effects of the fast fermenting sugars in the spring grass.

Reduction of Feed

Eleanor Kellon, VMD says that “for ideal health, your horse should be maintained at a body condition score of 5.” She is referring to the Henneke body condition scoring system which describes the ideal horse this way:

• Neck blends smoothly into body
• Withers are rounded over spinous processes
• Shoulder blends smoothly into body
• Ribs cannot be visually distinguished, but can be easily felt
• Back is level
• Fat around tailhead beginning to feel soft

If you reduce your horse’s feed, ensure he still receives enough nutrients. Talk to your veterinarian about how best to safely bring down his weight if he’s getting fat.

Introduction of Low Starch Feed

For obese or insulin resistant horses low starch feeds are a good solution. They also prevent the sudden sugar rush some horses get from regular feeds. This makes them more excitable and nervous, especially if they’re already getting a sugar high from the grass, and leads to other health issues. Discuss with your vet about using nutrition to help avoid the onset of problems due to spring grass.

Addition of Magnesium Supplements to the Diet

Spring grass is higher in potassium and nitrogen with less magnesium than more mature growth. Among its many functions, magnesium is essential for the regulation of blood sugar levels and the thyroid. Insufficient magnesium is partly responsible for equine metabolic syndrome and obesity, both of which can lead to laminitis. And as we discussed above, a lack of magnesium can create severe behavioral issues. You can redress the balance by supplementing your horse’s diet with a magnesium product such as Quiessence from SmartPakEquine.com or MagRestore from Performance Equine. Spring grass presents tough health challenges for some horses, but there is much you can do to offset them.

Resources & Further Reading

General

http://www.safergrass.org/pdf/JEVS8-05.pdf

http://www.equisearch.com/farm_ranch/pasture/spring-grass-cautions/

http://www.succeed-equine.com/succeed-blog/2011/05/26/tips-for-spring-grass-management-to-avoid-colic-and-laminitis/

http://www.thepurefeedcompany.com/nutrition/coping-with-rich-spring-grass

http://summit-equine.com/understanding-fructans/

Obesity

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/80161-80160/obesity-in-horses.html

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32005/understanding-and-managing-equine-obesity

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/33375/health-concerns-related-to-equine-obesity

Insulin Resistance

http://www.balancedequinenutrition.com/IRArticle.html

Laminitis

http://www.ahf-laminitis.org/p/faq.html

http://www.balancedequinenutrition.com/IRArticle.html#laminitis

http://gainfeeds.com/horse/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/laminitis.pdf

Pre- and Probiotics

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/30918/pre-and-probiotics-for-horses

http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/Documents/equine-probiotics.pdf

http://www.triplecrownfeed.com/horsefeedblog/equine-digestive-health-probiotics-prebiotics/#sthash.yBtC7JnE.dpuf

Low Starch Feeds

http://www.ker.com/library/equinews/v14n2/v14n209.pdf

Magnesium

http://www.performanceequineusa.com/magnesium-themineralsuperhero.aspx

http://www.naturalhorseworld.com/Articles-Nutrition.htm#magnesium

http://equestrianlady.blogspot.com/2011/03/is-your-horse-high-on-spring-grass.html

Journey to Successful Recovery Part 4

Getting Your Horse Back Into Work after a Tendon Injury

Part Four: The Journey to Successful Recovery

When your horse pulls his tendons, doubt nags at you constantly: even after months of patient equine rehabilitation, will your beloved animal ever fully recover?

I went through the same anxiety with Double Clover, my big gray gelding, after he severely pulled both his front tendons. Hopefully his story will keep you optimistic about your own horse’s chances of healing.

Bad Horsemanship…

I should have realized the Irish Sport Horse’s injuries were inevitable from observing his owner’s disastrous concept of horse care.

When I arrived to try the horse, the farmer pulled the five year old out of his dingy, poop-filled stable, let him loose in a small arena and chased him with a whip.

While the gelding bucked and galloped round the ring, I learned he’d been left in his stall for several days. The farmer normally rode him three times a week to round up cattle and never turned him out to graze.

The tall farmer now caught the heaving horse, threw a saddle on his back, jammed a bit in his mouth, and a bridle over his head. He then leaned across the animal and swung his right leg over the saddle. Once upright, he kicked Double Clover in the ribs and they took off at a gallop across extensive farmland.

They roared back a few minutes later, and when I got on him, the poor horse didn’t realize he was allowed to walk. He immediately trotted, and needed much persuading that he wouldn’t get into trouble if he transitioned down to first gear.

Yet the Irish Draft/Thoroughbred Cross’s lovely temperament had not been ruined, despite his owner’s dubious training methods, so I bought him.

…Leads to a Bad Breakdown

Back home I was careful to put Double Clover on a gradual training program, which included walk work on our freestyle horse exerciser and under saddle. He enjoyed daily turnout with my other horses and settled quickly into his new environment. His skinny frame soon filled out after I’d addressed his horrific worm burden.

A few weeks later, I began jumping him. Had his tendons been strong when I bought him, it would have been the right time to introduce this next phase. He loved his job, and was a confident jumper.

But suddenly his lower front legs swelled up, and the vet confirmed pulled tendons. I was horrified. I’d been so conservative with his training and couldn’t understand how this had happened until the vet assured me: “His tendons were going when you bought him.”

Background Check

Now it all made sense. No wonder his tendons were weak before he arrived at my barn - just look at the treatment from his previous owner:

• Leaving him for days on end in a small and dirty stall which resulted in poor blood circulation in his legs.
• Exercising him only three days a week, which is not nearly enough to get a horse fit in wind or limb.
• Galloping him from a standstill every time he was ridden, with no walk work to warm up his tendons, ligaments and muscles. That is an absolute training no-no.
• Not walking him afterwards to let his body recover from the exertion – another horse training error.
• No turnout for physical relaxation and improved blood circulation.

The poor horse was doomed from the start.

If only I’d thought to have his legs checked before purchase! But hindsight wasn’t going to help. The issue now was, how serious were his injuries and would he ever recover from them?

The Long Road Ahead

If you’ve read the first three articles in this four part series, you’ll be familiar with the equine rehabilitation protocol I now had to follow.

After four weeks we took him for another ultrasound. The vet decided to split the more damaged tendon to increase blood flow to the injury site and improve the healing process. Today additional methods of promoting healing are open to the horse owner and here is an excellent article about alternative treatments: MDHorse The difference being that this happened almost two decades years ago, when ‘stall rest’ meant exactly that: the horse really had to stay in his stall for 24 hours a day during the first three months. Fortunately thinking has now changed, and usually horses can be hand-walked or put on the horse walker daily for a few minutes right from the beginning of their rehabilitation.

Luckily my equine patient had a great disposition and stayed calm in his stall. I rotated barn buddies to keep him company, and he had plenty of hay to munch and toys to play with.

Achieving the Goal

Double Clover’s period of complete stall confinement ended and I took him for another ultrasound.

While the vet examined the big gray’s legs, his assistant came in. She had a client on the phone, whose horse was beginning its walk phase after a tendon injury, the same phase I was about to enter with Double Clover. But the client had ‘accidentally trotted her horse’ and it was now lame. What should she do?

“Tell her the horse is now an insurance write-off,” was my vet’s terse response.

I was shocked, and immediately resolved to strictly follow my gelding’s prescribed rehabilitation program. I didn’t want him to become a write-off, too!

It took three more months of careful reconditioning, but Double Clover did return to full work. He became a wonderful show jumper, dressage horse and eventer. Impressed by this, one of the vets who’d taken care of him used his story for her case study about how a horse can recover completely after seriously damaging its tendons.

Eighteen years later, Double Cover is now twenty-three years old, sound and still competing in dressage.

So take heart: your horse’s career is not necessarily over if he pulls his tendons. Stay hopeful and be patient. Do exactly what your vet tells you and don’t attempt any short cuts.

You, too, could have a success story to share with other owners of injured horses.

Tendon Injury Part 3

Getting Your Horse Back Into Work after a Tendon Injury

Part Three: Transition to Canter, Plus Tips for Preventing Re-Injury

Your horse’s walk and trot reconditioning phases are successfully completed, and an ultrasound confirms his tendons are healing well. At last, you have the green light to canter!

But whether including this gait on the horse walker or under saddle, continue to be conservative. You don’t want to undo the successful equine rehabilitation work you’ve done so far.

Introducing the Canter

Your vet will probably want to add five minutes of canter gradually during the first two weeks. Begin and end every session with ten minutes of walk work, and split the total canter time allowed into short segments.

Also:

1. Trot before and after cantering: don’t transition up to canter from walk, or down from canter to walk.
2. Avoid abrupt changes of gait or direction.
3. Don’t lunge your horse, as his tendons are not yet sufficiently conditioned for moving in circles of twenty meters or less.

Every two weeks, continue to increase the total time spent in this new gait by five minutes, or as your vet prescribes, until you reach twenty minutes of canter work during each one hour exercise routine.

Using the Horse Walker

The freestyle horse exerciser once again becomes a valuable tool. It allows you to control your horse on a gentle curve in a contained area, and you can gradually increase and decrease the speed for smooth gait transitions through trot. Putting a steady buddy on the horse walker with him will have a calming effect. Only canter your horse for this stage of rehab on exercisers with large diameters (65′ - 70′) with safe track footing.

Under Saddle

Your vet will ask you to continue riding in straight lines and on large circles, to minimize the stress on his tendons.

Another way to reduce tendon strain is to collect him. In the last post we talked about how collection is not just for dressage training – it benefits all horse disciplines. Here again is the link to an informative article on the correct way to collect your horse: Collection

Collecting a horse in canter makes sense, because it reduces the amount of weight on his forelegs.

Your horse’s rehabilitation is now complete. You’ve been patient and worked hard, and the chances are good that he will soon return to his normal work load.

Tips for Avoiding Tendon Re-injury

There are no guarantees your horse won’t injure himself again, but here are a few ways to help prevent another set-back. We’ve talked about some of them already.

1. Always walk your horse for ten minutes before progressing to faster work.
2. Always walk your horse for ten minutes after faster work.
3. Avoid abrupt downward changes between gaits and sudden turns.
4. Work your horse evenly on both reins. It’s tempting to concentrate more on his worse side, but overdoing this can lead to tendon and suspensory problems.
5. Listen to your vet’s advice about turnout. Start with a small area, and maybe a mild sedative, and move to a larger paddock only when your horse is reliably quiet.
6. Avoid turning him out in muddy areas where he can skid and pull that tendon again.
7. Avoid trot extensions when your horse is tired.

Check his legs every day for unusual swelling or heat and call your vet if you notice anything wrong.

Tendon Injury Part 2

Getting Your Horse Back into Work after a Tendon Injury

Part Two of Four: Adding the Trot

In the previous post we examined the two walk phases of equine rehabilitation after a tendon injury, which included walking in hand, on the horse walker and under saddle.

When your horse is being ridden for sixty minutes a day at walk, and an ultrasound has confirmed that his damaged tendon is healing on schedule, it’s time to include trot in his routine.

How Much Trot?

Your vet will probably suggest trotting for five minutes in total during his one hour exercise routine, still working in straight lines and large circles.

Whether using the horse walker or riding, start each session with ten minutes of walk. This rule applies regardless of the horse training method, even when the animal is fit, as an equine athlete’s muscles and tendons need proper warming up to prevent injury or re-injury.

Introduce thirty seconds of trot at regular intervals between the walk phases, building up to sixty seconds during the first two weeks.

Gradually add five minutes every fourteen days, until you’re up to twenty minutes at the end of eight weeks – or other prescribed time period. Always call your vet if you detect any heat, swelling or lameness.

Starting with the Horse Walker

Your horse has been ridden under saddle for the past eight weeks. But all he’s done for four months is walk and the addition of trot could prove exciting for him.

With a european style horse walker, your horse can naturally move up from walk to trot in an enclosed space, and the partition will prevent him from gathering too much speed.

A calm equine companion will help your horse stay level-headed, and your control over the machine’s speed will enable gradual walk-trot-walk transitions.

Once he has settled down, you can progress to riding again.

Trotting Under Saddle

This walk and trot riding phase is an ideal time to work on collection.

Valuable for all horse riding disciplines, and not just dressage training, collection distributes weight more evenly over your horse’s four legs by shifting some of the load onto his hind end. The uncollected horse carries the greater proportion of his and the rider’s weight on his forelegs, which is especially undesirable after a tendon injury.

Collection also creates smoother, less ‘choppy’ gaits and transitions, further reducing tendon stress.

Here is a very informative article on achieving true collection (not the forced type, which makes the horse tense and rigid and more likely to hurt himself): SustainableDressage

If possible, ride with a friend on a quiet horse to keep yours calm until he gets used to this change in his daily exercise. You may want to use a stronger bit for extra control, or ask about a safe sedative for those first few trot rides.

Life is finally becoming more interesting for you and your horse. When an ultrasound of his injury shows sufficient healing, you’ll get the green light to include canter work. We’ll examine this in our next post, together with tips on how to prevent re-injury of the healed tendon.

Winter Horse Training

Starting Cold: Winter Horse Training Tips

As those of us in colder climates know, harsh winter weather can sometimes make riding unpleasant. While exercising and training your horse in cold weather, it is important to take extra care to ensure your horse is comfortable and adequately warmed to reduce the risk of injury.

Stretching is a simple and effective way to loosen up your horse prior to exercise and training. Although this is good practice year round, it is especially beneficial in cold temperatures. There are four primary stretches to consider implementing before putting your horse to work.

The first is called the “carrot stretch”. Use a carrot to stretch your horse’s neck both left and right. Then bring the carrot to his chest and down between his legs. Let your horse nibble a little of the carrot each time he does a full stretch.

There are two different simple back stretches. I recommend trying both, initially, to learn which stretch your horse responds to best. One type of back stretch is the “belly lift”. Use a firm object, such as the blunt handle of a hoof pick, and run it along the midline of the belly with slight upward pressure. The horse should respond by lifting his back. Repeat this two to three times. See below left picture.

The second type of back stretch is called the “butt tuck”. Again with a blunt object- this time one in each hand- apply slight pressure at the rump with your hands on either side of the back bone, and run down the back of the hindquarters. Be careful when performing either back stretch as sometimes the horse may kick out, especially one with a sore back. Talk to your horse, stand close, and apply increasing pressure slowly. See below right picture.

Next, stretch each of the front legs. Holding the front leg, stretch forward and down for about five seconds. Now, holding the leg level just behind the carpus (“knee”), rotate the leg in a small circle toward the other leg two to three times. Repeat both these stretches with the other front leg.

To stretch the back leg, pick up the leg and gently stretch back, then forward, then across the belly towards the other leg. Hold each stretch position for about five seconds before moving to the next position. Again, repeat with the opposite leg. It is imperative not to over-stretch the legs as this can cause strain on the muscles, ligaments, or tendons. A gentle pull until the leg naturally stops is all that is needed.

Another great way to beginning warming up your horse before you get on to ride is to use a Back On Track Mesh Sheet or Fleece Sheet. The Back On Track sheets are designed to reflect the horse’s body heat back onto him, heating up the muscles in the shoulders, back, and butt. They are great for horse’s with sore muscles, those in heavy training, and those with cold backs. A good alternative to a Back On Track sheet is to use a heating pad on the back for about 10 minutes prior to exercising.

Even after stretching and heating the back, it is critical to slowly and thoroughly warm up your horse. Allow time for the rest of your horse’s body to warm up in unison for superior performance and to prevent injury, especially to tendons and ligaments. It is best to start with a cooler on your horse at a forward, working walk for at least five minutes or more, depending on how cold it is and how stiff your horse might be. When starting at the trot, start at a long and low steady pace before asking for a collected or extended trot.

Giving your horse adequate time to warm up at his own pace will keep him happier and healthier. It may help an especially back sore horse to warm up with you off his back in a two-point position or standing straight up in the stirrups. On especially cold days or for horses that tend to be chilly, a fleece quarter sheet can help keep your horse warm, loose, and comfortable.

It is just as important to properly cool your horse off as it is to warm him up. You can never put a horse away that is hot or sweaty as this can lead to serious health problems. After exercising, it is good practice to again let your horse trot long and low to stretch out his back and neck. Once at the walk put the cooler back on and walk at a relaxed pace for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the heat the leave the muscles slowly. Using a horse walker or hot walker is the best way to cool off your horse safely and efficiently in all seasons.

After this cool down period, if your horse is still sweaty you can either hand walk him or put him in his stall to dry off with a fleece or wool cooler or dress sheet. Rubbing the sweaty areas with a towel will speed up the drying process. Also, placing an Irish Knit beneath a cooler puts a pocket of air between the horse and the cooler, which will help a sweaty coat dry more quickly. Once dry, you can proceed with your regular grooming routine and put blankets back on if your horse has them.

Regardless of weather or season, it is important to care for your horse’s legs by wrapping after especially hard training sessions. In the winter, I tend to stay away from poultice as it is already so cold. Instead, I spray liniment or a 50/50 mix of wintergreen rubbing alcohol and witch hazel (which works just as well as store bought liniment) on the legs prior to applying standing bandages. Spraying liniment or 50/50 on sore muscles will also make your horse more comfortable and ready for work the next day. For horses with sore feet, packing the feet at night will greatly help to eliminate the soreness.

Horses require an extreme amount of commitment and care in all seasons. Each season requires a little extra specialty care. Follow these tips and both you and your horse will be sure to have a warm, happy and healthy winter season

Tendon Injury Part 1

Getting Your Horse Back into Work after a Tendon Injury

Part One of Four: The Walk

Thankfully horses are no longer automatically condemned to stand for months in their stalls immediately after pulling a tendon. If the severity of the tendon injury allows, many vets advocate walking a horse in hand or on the horse walker in addition to stall rest during the recovery process.

The First Two Months

Your vet will probably prescribe twenty minutes of walk a day, adding five minute increments each week until you are up to one hour at the end of eight weeks.

Standing in a stall all day is boring and stressful for horses. Whenever possible - and with your vet’s agreement - divide the permitted exercise period into two daily sessions. Your equine patient will benefit greatly from this.

Add soothing activities such as daily grooming, and ask about appropriate massage and stretching techniques. Your horse will quickly associate your visits not only with a chance to get out of his stall: he’ll also look forward to relaxing with you inside it. If you perform this ritual before taking him for his daily walk, he’ll stand still for you and not be inclined to rush out of his stall as soon as you arrive.

Using a Horse Walker

A european style horse walker is ideal for beginning your horse’s walking program, as it allows him to move naturally within a restricted area. Your vet will stipulate working in straight lines or very large circles, so the wider the circumference of the horse walker, the less stress placed on the tendon injury. A horse exerciser roof cover over the track is an added bonus when the weather is inclement.

Consider putting a calm horse buddy on the walker with him for companionship, and you may want to ask your vet about giving him a mild sedative. The most commonly used one is acepromazine, colloquially known as ‘Ace.’

Keep an eye on him the whole time during his exercise.

Hand Walking

When a horse exerciser is not available or you prefer to walk your horse in hand, don’t be tempted to use the halter, no matter how quiet he normally is. He’s not getting any turnout and will probably be frustrated by his cramped lifestyle, so use the bridle for extra control. A mild sedative (as mentioned above) may also be appropriate.

Walk him on flat surfaces with level footing and consider putting on brushing boots for added protection.

Now is not the time to save money on farrier’s fees: be sure to keep your horse’s feet well-trimmed and/or shod, depending on his usual requirements.

Discontinue exercise and notify your vet immediately if you notice any swelling, heat or lameness.

The Next Two Months

After the initial weeks of mild exercise, your horse will have another ultrasound to ensure his tendons are on the mend. All being well, he is ready to progress to the next step.

Equine rehabilitation is a long process, so don’t be disappointed when your vet decrees yet another two months of walk. At least you can now start riding!

This is a useful time to improve your position in the saddle and get more in tune with your equine partner.

You can also put him back on the horse walker, but place a substantial weight on his back, such as a heavy Western saddle, until you move on to riding him.

Once again, you’ll probably start with twenty minutes, increasing by five minutes per week, to allow the tendons to strengthen under the extra weight. You’ll be back to sixty minutes of walk at the end of this phase.

Exercising Under Tack

You may feel safer beginning your under saddle work with a competent friend walking alongside, holding an attached lead rein for maximum control.

The best method of fastening the lead rein to the bridle is with a lead rein coupling, which attaches separately to each bit ring. This is available online at a reasonable price, and also known as a Newmarket coupling.

Or you can thread the lead rein through the bit ring on the left and clip it onto the right bit ring. Don’t clip it to only one bit ring, as this will cause your horse great discomfort.

In the event that you have no one to help during these first few rides after his injury, consider using a stronger bit, or a double bridle if your horse is used to wearing one. You’ll feel more relaxed in the saddle and help your mount chill out, too.

Just Walking – Really?!

The walking phases of equine rehabilitation quickly become boring: once you’re in the saddle you may be tempted to trot, ahead of your vet’s schedule.

But remember, in addition to the tendons your horse damaged, his muscles and other ligaments have also become weaker through lack of real work. They will remodel and strengthen during the course of his planned exercise regime, but you must give them sufficient time to adjust to their increasing workload. If you ask your horse to perform above his fitness level, you will do further injury.

I once watched a frustrated owner ask her horse to trot too soon, and he immediately became lame. Instead of competing again, he turned into a pasture ornament for the rest of his life. Her months of work up till then were wasted - not to mention her vet’s bills.

Patience is the keyword. It is vital to follow your vet’s advice to the letter. Keep the end goal in mind, work diligently through the program and give your horse the best chance of returning back to his former self.

Until your vet says otherwise, your horse needs to stay on stall rest except for when he is being exercised. Turnout is not a good idea: horses’ high spirits can lead to re-injury just as they are beginning to heal.

What If My Horse Does Something He Shouldn’t?

With all this talk about controlled exercise, no turn out and keeping your horse calm so his tendons can heal, it’s easy to become a nervous wreck if he does happen to get away from you or have a bucking fit.

Stay calm and call your vet before continuing with the exercise program. Don’t panic: most likely no real damage will have been done.J

At the end of this second walk phase your vet will perform another ultrasound on the injured tendons. If the healing process is continuing as expected, it is time to add the trot, which we’ll examine in our next post.

Winter Horse Care

When it’s cold, it is critical that you provide ample time for your horse to warm up and get loose before putting him to work. For horses that are back sore or tend to be extra stiff in the cold, put a heating pad on his back for 10 minutes prior to exercise. This will help him warm up faster and make him more comfortable. It is essential not to over work a horse in the winter, because the cold can greatly increase his susceptibility to tendon and ligament injuries. If your horse is out of shape, be sure to ease into workouts and slowly increase your exercise regime. Lastly, it is equally necessary to allow plenty of time for your horse to cool down slowly before putting him out or back into his stall. A quick transition from hot to cold will make your horse stiff and can cause muscle and joint pain and tenderness.

Blanketing

Whether or not to blanket your horse is often controversial. The quick answer is that it depends both on the horse and the situation. A horse that is worked throughout the winter, especially one that is body clipped or trace clipped, needs to have both sheets and blankets. Older horses, sick horses, or thin rescue horses may require the extra warmth a blanket offers in the colder months. Healthy horses that live outside in the winter really do not require a blanket, as their thick natural coat is designed to keep them warm, even when covered in snow. Although they may feel cold to the touch, remember that their insulating layer traps heat next to the skin. Be sure, however, that they have some form of wind break, shelter or run-in shed in which they may take refuge from the elements.

Grooming

Grooming in the winter is still necessary to keep your horse’s coat healthy, and it is a great way to enjoy the company of your horse if you are unable to ride. So bundle up and go enjoy the fresh (albeit cold) air with your horse this winter!