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Welfare     Science     Education     Sanctuary 2007 2006 2005 2004 Time to Review your Management Routine As the weather gets colder and the days are getting shorter, it's time to review your management routine and make sure your horse or pony remains fit and well throughout the winter. At this time of year, horses are particularly susceptible to colic if they come into the yard for winter. The transition means their feeding pattern is likely to change with the possible introduction of hard feed, which is not their natural diet. To avoid the risk of colic, feed small quantities and introduce the new feed regime gradually. Shirley Abbott, yard manager of The Trust said, "No more than half a bucket of feed can be digested at any one time - so don't waste money or risk your horse's health by overfeeding." At the Home of Rest for Horses, usually it is the finer types such as thoroughbred or thoroughbred crosses which receive hard feed. However, the decision to supplement their usual feed of hay and haylage with hard feed is very dependant on an individual horse’s ability to maintain weight and condition. "We only bring in permanently those animals requiring that bit of extra T.L.C. This could be as a result of their age, health, inability to stay warm or just a combination of all three," Shirley says. "But we check every animal every day - it is frightening just how quickly an animal can lose condition if it is cold and wet, yet every animal is an individual and will respond to weather conditions in a different way. "Often we find that owners over-feed the little ponies, which then get fat and get laminitis! Horses in hard work need a feed supplement in the winter; and older, retired horses need food to maintain their body weight and condition - but it really is horses for courses." The same is true for rugging up, Shirley adds, commenting that many owners rug up for the sake of fashion rather than genuine need. If you rug up too early, you can stop the winter coat from growing. And even when a rug goes on, it must be taken off every day so that the animal’s body condition can be checked. How do you judge body condition? "A horse can have a fat belly but lose its top line," says Shirley. "If you stand behind the animal, you can see far more than by looking side on. The top line is the area from behind the top of their ears, down their neck, along the back and down to the top of the tail. Watch out for visible ribs, spine sticking out and the pelvic bones showing. If they don't have a round bottom and their quarters are sloping away, their body condition is dropping off. "Don't make the mistake of thinking that weight is the only factor," she adds. "Just because a horse has not dropped in weight doesn't mean it is not losing condition." When it's cold and frosty, the horses are fine outside - but if it's wet and windy and they can't get to shelter, they will lose condition dramatically. Mud fever is another challenge at this time of year. It is caused by bacteria which gets under the skin in the leg area and results in the formation of sores and scabs. The key to avoiding this painful condition is early detection. If your horse is not prone to mud fever leaving the mud to dry and then brushing it off the legs is satisfactory. However, should your horse fall victim to mud fever consult your veterinary surgeon who will advise you of the appropriate treatment required. A regular check of your horse or pony is an all year round part of your daily routine but in the winter, this should be increased to twice a day, if possible, especially when they are wearing a rug. << Previous page Next story >>

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