< Previous Page
Adapting naturally
to seasonal changes
As the seasons change,
a lot of people feel they need to help
their horses adjust to the switch. In
the summer, many horses are kept in a
climate-controlled barn. In the winter,
blankets and heaters are used. Again,
what we consider comfortable is not necessarily
what is healthy for horses. In fact,
the best protection a horse can have
is a natural hair coat.
 Horses
don’t normally seek closed-in shelters.
They are naturally able to deal with
seasonal changes because their coats
provide insulation against both heat
and cold. They can also actually raise,
lower, or turn their coat hairs to warm
or cool themselves. Blanketing not only
interferes with this process but may
also cause the horse to overheat and
sweat, even in cold weather. This is
because the legs, belly, and head are
not covered and are exposed to the cold
air. In order to keep these areas from
getting chilled, the whole body warms
up, which causes sweating under the blanket.
Furthermore, blanketing interferes with
the horse’s ability to grow a proper
winter coat. In short, blanketing and
indoor climate control take away a horse’s
natural defense against the elements.
Another common practice
that interferes with a horse’s
ability to protect himself is to clip
his ear hairs and whiskers, and trim
his mane and tail. This might make the
horse look tidier, but we are in fact
taking away more of his natural defenses.
Clipping ear hairs allows dirt, foreign
matter and insects to enter the ear canal.
Many types of gnats often feed in the
inner ear, causing a horse to violently
shake his head and sometimes work himself
into a frenzy. Trimming the mane and
tail limits a horse’s ability to
combat flying insects, while clipping
the whiskers takes away his ability to
sense his surroundings.
All the above practices
are relatively simple to apply. First,
give your horse a companion to play with
and learn from, even if it means adopting
a retired or senior horse. Secondly,
give the horses room to roam on natural
terrain - even a small paddock, round
pen or arena equipped with toys is better
than a box stall. Finally, allow your
equine friend to adapt to environmental
changes without hindrance. Just think
naturally and the changes will come easily.
< Previous
Page
Published in the
May/June 2007 issue of Equine Wellness
Magazine
|
