What Horses Need

Horses require friends, forage, and locomotion, and they require those essential needs 24/7. Of course, herds at pasture have all that, and it is our duty to make sure that stalled horses get as much of that as we can provide. For stalled horses, these natural circumstances must be re-created in the stable to maintain health, happiness, and sound athleticism. Stalled horses require miles of daily walking to maintain optimum health and performance.
Horses are happy to please horsefolk who know how to please horses.
All of the systems of the horse are dependent on abundant daily locomotion. Hoof integrity and health, respiratory and metabolic function, behavioral contentment, musculoskeletal health, respiratory health, digestive health, athletic ability, and trainability are all dependent on abundant locomotion, appropriate 24/7 forage availability, and friends.

Dr Gustafson is an equine veterinarian, veterinary behaviorist, and novelist. Applied veterinary behavior enhances optimum health, performance, soundness, contentment, and longevity in animal athletes. Natural approaches to development, training, nutrition, and conditioning sustain equine health and enhance performance. Behavioral and nutritional enrichment strategies enhance the lives of stabled horses. Training and husbandry from the horse's perspective result in content, cooperative horses. DrSid provides equine behavior consultations to help recreate the needs and preferences of horses in training and competition.

Keeping your horses warm in the winter...

Horses evolved in the Northern Hemisphere's northern latitudes and are well adapted to cold provided they live in a herd, have 24/7 appropriate forage and fresh water (although it is reported horses can live on certain snows, don't try this at home), and move a lot through the day. Place your feeders so the horses have to move about to eat, and never let the forage disappear completely, please. Movement is the nature of the horse. Heavy horses require more movement rather than less hay. Keep your ponies moving to keep them warm and healthy. Digestion is dependent on locomotion. Mobile horses require miles of walking each and every day to maintain optimal health. Humans often fail their horses by depriving them of the abundant locomotion they require each day to stay healthy. Every system of the horse is dependent on abundant daily locomotion.

In summary, to keep warm in cold weather horses require appropriate and constant forage 24/7, friends, and abundant movement. Shelter is always nice, provided the air remains fresh and pure and never is dusty or full of particulates. Sheltering is often responsible for the development of heaves, so find a balance for your horses, my friends.

Whenever you see horses standing around in the same place all day, expect trouble, veterinary bills, as well as hoof, digestive, training, respiratory, and metabolic trouble. Stalled or corralled horses need to get and and move miles everyday, so saddle up, kids, and get your horses moving. To move is to thrive if you are a horse.

DrSid

winter welfare courtesy of Equine Guelph

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=vhklqpjab&v=001ZWNbY6QNS4yhDNQUwUFSE-DYm-PIwGRDzJquleM-g_q4ot89hxYbYNQLE7_FuDPax2leGhgOprSY-DRI4O1XzDlIlkpf6aYmMvrRknBiDTE%3D

And the colder weather link.

Thermoregulation

http://www.academialiberti.de/en/articles/read/22/Thermoregulation-in-horses-in-a-cold-time-of-year/

Dr Gustafson is an equine veterinarian, veterinary behaviorist, and novelist. Applied veterinary behavior enhances optimum health, performance, soundness, contentment, and longevity in animal athletes and animal friends alike. DrSid provides equine behavior consultations to help re-create the needs and preferences of stalled and stabled horses in training and competition.