b'RUNNING HOT AND COLDinsulation. With a good hair coat and aIf we are chilled and uncomfortable, weYour horses ability to adapt to cold layer of fat under the skin, they dont losethink the horses are, too. snaps might depend on his breed. A much body heat.A healthy horse with a good winterShetland pony or a Norwegian Fjord is A thin, undernourished, sick, orcoat can handle even a blizzard well. Amore comfortable in cold weather than a stressed horse cant handle sudden cold,spring storm can be worse, at warmerThoroughbred with thinner skin and less especially if he doesnt have or isnt con- temperatures, because the rain or snow ishair, Connally says. suming enough forage; the fermentationso wet, Connally says.If you anticipate a temperature swing of fiber helps him generate body heat. ButHe explains that hairs natural oil hastoward freezing, a few simple diet chang-as for healthy horses, they know howa waterproofing effect, causing moisturees can help your horse stay warmer. to regulate their own comfort, Connallyto slide off before it reaches the skin.He needs as much high-fiber hay as says. When we restrict them and eitherProlonged rain or wet snow, however,he wants, says Connally. He also needs lock them in or out, we make it harder foreventually soaks through, causing theplenty of water thats not too cold. If he them to do their own thermoregulation.hair to lose its insulating quality. doesnt drink enough because the water They generally prefer to be outside. But if your horse is fully clipped, heis cold or frozen, he wont eat enough and Kent Allen, DVM, FEI veterinary del- will need appropriate shelter and blan- wont have the calories needed to keep egate and owner of Virginia Equine Imag- kets well into early spring, says Careywarm.ing, in Middleburg, agrees, explaining thatWilliams, PhD, associate professor andIn these cases you might need to fill horses evolved to handle cold. You seeextension specialist in equine manage- water buckets more frequently to keep horses at pasture on a very cold day, withment at Rutgers, the State University ofthe water from becoming too cold to their 2-inch hair coat sticking straight out,New Jersey, in New Brunswick. She alsodrink, says Coleman.and they are happy as clams, he says.recommends riding him with a quarterThe temperature below which a horse Horse owners tend to anthropomorphize.sheet during warmup and cool-down. starts to expend additional energy to warm himself is called critical tempera-ture. As a general rule, a 1% increase in energyis needed (to replace whats Blanketing Best Practiceslost from the cold) for each degree the temperature falls below a horses critical If your horse is body-clipped or facing atemperature, says Williams.stretch of cold, wet weather, he might benefitCritical temperature for individual from wearing a blanket. Here are some tips tohorses varies based on differences in fat keep in mind:cover, hair thickness, acclimatization toIf your horse is low in the pecking order cold, hair coat wetness, and windchill. and other horses dont allow him to come into the shelter, you might provide him withClipped horses have a much higher criti-a blanket, especially in freezing rain, sayscal temperature and must be blanketed, ISTOCK.COMCarey Williams, PhD, associate professorshe says, adding that shivering can be an and extension specialist in equine manage- indication the horse is too cold and needs ment at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, in New Brunswick.shelter or blanketing. Practice good blanket hygiene. A wet or dirty blanket isnt healthy, says Bruce Connally,To help horses lower their critical tem-DVM, owner of Wyoming Equine, in Berthoud, Colorado. You need several, so you canperature (so it wont take as much energy change and wash them, and may need heavy blankets and light blankets for differentto stay warm) and help them adapt to conditions. colder temperatures, owners need to pro- Select a blanket appropriate for the conditions the horse is facing. If the horse is outsidevide extra fat for energy and insulation in wet weather, the blanket should be at least water-repellent and lined with materialheading into winter. that will wick moisture away from the skin, says Williams. A wet horse that has beenIf seasons are changing you can make blanketed (improperly) will be colder than an unblanketed horse with a thick hair coatslight adjustments, making sure the that can naturally dry out. horse gets a little extra hay as you go intoIf horses are ridden and sweating, let them stand in the barn and dry before putting awinter, says Coleman. Its not wise to blanket on. If you dont let them dry off first, they wont get dry under the blanket, saysmake major dietary changes just because Bob Coleman, PhD, PAS, associate professor and equine extension specialist at thethe temperature changed today. We cre-University of Kentucky, in Lexington. Then you have a wet horse and a wet blanket. He isate problems for horses when we make uncomfortable and could chill. changes faster than we should or needCheck blanketed horses daily. If a horse sweats under the blanket, especially if the hairto. It helps to plan ahead so we can make coat is dirty, this can contribute to skin irritation and infections, says Williams. Make some gradual changes.sure the blanket fits the horse. Many horses develop rubs or sores on points of the shoulders, withers, and where straps secure the blanket. The blanket should be removed Sudden Heat Stressesat least once a day to check for rub marks or infections and monitor for weight gain or loss.Heather Smith Thomas During periods of extreme heat horses need shade and airflow to stay cool and promote sweat evaporation, says Coleman.32November 2018The Horse|TheHorse.com'