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Adjust Feeding Programs:
As pasture quality or accessibility declines
consider increasing hay and concentrates.
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Help Horses Keep Warm:
Horses kept outside need to eat more fodder.
Horses produce a lot of heat during digestion. A
generous supply of hay helps keep the horse’s
internal furnace stoked.
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Add Minerals: If your
feeding program does not include a mineral
supplement consider adding one.
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Have Teeth Checked:
Make sure your horse’s or pony’s teeth are
looked after by an equine dentist. The inability
to grind food properly will prevent a horse from
getting all of the nutrients and energy it
needs--especially if energy needs increase
during colder weather.
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Prevent Snowballs: If
snow packs into your horse’s hooves try smearing
the bottom with petroleum jelly.
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If You Ride Frequently:
Drying a horse out after a workout is difficult.
Consider clipping a heavy hair coat. A clipped
horse, without natural insulation, will require
stabling and blanketing to keep warm.
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Add Insulation:
Consider blanketing during wet, very windy, or
frigid weather. A wet coat looses its loft--like
a wet down jacket, and won’t hold body heat.
Windy weather pulls warmth away. Some horses are
comfortable during very cold weather; some will
be more comfortable in a warm winter blanket.
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Provide Shelter: Even
if your horses are stabled over night, provide
them with a windbreak or shelter especially if
you are away most of the day.
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Banish Bots: Plan to
deworm after the first heavy frost. Use a wormer
that includes medication to kill bot larvae.
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Continue Deworming:
Continue a regular deworming program throughout
the winter months.
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Don't Let Hooves Get Overgrown:
Keep you horse’s hooves clipped. Clipped hooves
will chip less, hold less snow, and will provide
a bit more grip on slippery ground.
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Check Under Blankets:
If your horse or pony wears a winter blanket (or
rug) during the winter remove it daily and check
for chaffing and irritation. Daily grooming
keeps coats cleaner and your horse more
comfortable if he wears a blanket.
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Make Cleaning Frozen Water Buckets Easier:
Rubber buckets are easier to knock the ice out
of if they become frozen. Plastic buckets used
as water buckets can shatter when they freeze.
This can create a hazard and wastes money when
replacing them. Rubber buckets may cost more
initially, but last longer.
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