subject: Hydrating your horse in the wintertime [print this page] Hydrating your horse in the wintertime Hydrating your horse in the wintertime
If you love horses and you already have a few of them, then I bet you are aware of the fact that when the wintertime will come, you will need to make sure that they will be going through it healthy and without any problems.
Because for a weakened horse the transition from the hot season to the cold season can be a little harsh, you should make sure that you are very much aware of the way he will feel in this time. Your horse health is vital and no animal lover would like to see his pets suffer. Below, you will find some tips that you can use in order to keep your horse healthy during the cold season.
1. As you know, in the summer time, you will be riding your horse more, so he will burn more calories and thus will produce more body heat. In the wintertime, riding the horse will not be possible anymore, or if yes, only for short periods of times, but with added risks. The horse, even though will not be suppressed to stress anymore, will still need to burn calories in order to generate body heat. So a good idea is to feed him 2 pounds of hay for every reduced pound of grain that you fed him with daily. Hay is very useful, for it will allow the horse to burn more calories and thus produce more heat in a shorter period of time.
2. Special horse supplements are recommended in the wintertime so make sure that you will check in with your vet to get some proper recommendations. Mineral licks and salt blocks are a good idea to start employing.
3. When it comes to equine health, it is not hard to maintain it and all you need is a little patience. The horse will not only need to eat hay, but you will also need to make sure that he is properly hydrated. In the cold season, the horses are more susceptible to horse colic, a very bad pain that will be due to the fact that their intestines get blocked due to large quantities of food. Make sure to feed him water that is a little warm and also put some hay in it.
Make sure that you will employ these tips and you and your horse will certainly make it through the cold season problems free. If you discover that horse arthritis affects your pet, immediately check in with the vet.
