Spring Is In The Air
With extreme weather fluctuations in March, we experience an early spring with highs of 10+ degrees and significant drops back down to -20. It is essential to keep an eye on our horses to ensure their health stays intact.
Impaction colic can happen when the weather fluctuates so drastically, we have a few ways to help sustain and strategize around these conditions to help mitigate and support our equine counterparts.
Ensuring the best possible care for your horses includes:
● Access to fresh unfrozen water
● Free choice salt or adding electrolytes to feed encouraging proper hydration
● In cooler temperatures - additional forage can be offered to encourage digestion which in turn stimulates heat within the body
● Movement promotes gut mobility
● Basic health management (teeth, hoof care and so on)
● Pay attention to your horses behavior
Access to water at all times will ensure that the digestive tract does not dry out and additional forage will ensure that the microbes in the hindgut will ferment the structural carbohydrates (supplied with essential hydration) which in turn, will produce heat as a byproduct of fermentation. This will help keep the horse warm.
With the weather fluctuating drastically, the footing is also changing as we move towards spring! With the change in footing, we can hope to see more moisture in the ground. Moisture in the ground leads to mud, which can compromise the hoof by introducing new bacteria and creating more opportunity for a slip or fall. Bringing awareness to these conditions is the first step to paddock management in support of your equine partner.
Thrush is a common condition affecting horses when the ground remains wet with consistent hoof exposure. Thrush is a bacterial infection of the frog often leading to hoof sensitivity and a foul smelling odor. Daily cleaning, topical ointment and consistent farrier care will help mitigate thrush. In addition to hosing away the mud, keep an eye on our horse’s hoof health as we transition into spring!
We also consider the warmer weather as an opportunity to prepare your paddocks for spring and summer. Harrowing is an essential part of paddock maintenance to remove dead vegetation and aerate the soil. It helps to spread manure which acts as a natural fertilizer. Harrowing is an act of balance and something to be done before the ground is too wet or too dry. As we move into spring and summer, keep watch for plants that are dangerous to horses:
● Ragwort
● Sycamore
● Bracken fern
● Yew
● Acorns
● Deadly Nightshade
● Horsetail
● Black Patch Fungus
To name a few…
Horses that lack proper nutrition, salt, or horses travelling may seek out greenery out of their normal - it is essential to be aware of what your horses are coming into contact with. The toxicity of the plant may depend on the growing conditions and the plant's phase of life. It is essential to monitor paddocks and equine behavior throughout seasonal changes.
