By Barb Hento
During the leisure of summer, we often forget daily maintenance chores for our horses. Believe it or not, warm weather brings as many maintenance problems as the frozen days of winter.
The ever-present problem of water supply is a primary concern during hot days. A horse drinks 10 gallons of water on average per day. With warm weather and more exercise, a horse’s water needs increase. Water tubs need to be checked daily and cleaned periodically to keep water fresh. In any water container bigger than a bucket, float a block of wood (at least 2x6x8) in the tub in case a small animal or bird falls in. Salt blocks need to be maintained in both stalls and pastures/pens.
Flies and summer go hand-in-hand. Clean stalls, paddocks and careful manure management help eliminate fly breeding areas. The main concern is to protect the horse’s face where flies congregate for moisture. There are many commercial products available to help protect your horse from these pests. Fly masks that completely cover the horse’s face should be used with care. Masks need to fit snugly to prevent flies from being trapped underneath. Horses have been known to run through a fence trying to get away from a bug trapped in its mask. An artificial forelock can be made by attaching strips of 1’’ wide material to a browband and letting them hang past the eyes, so the horse can remove bugs by shaking his head. One of the best methods I have found is applying pure Vaseline over the top of the eye, which melts around the eye and creates a sticky ring flies avoid.
Horses on pasture need to be monitored for excess weight gain. Hardening of the top of the neck or stilling of joints (sore feet) are warning signs of grass founder. When these signs appear, a horse needs to be put in a “fat pen,” a small, fenced area that has little or no grass and provides fresh water. A horse should be kept on dry feed (hay) until it loses weight and the soreness goes away. Once a horse has foundered it will always be prone to this condition and, if not kept in check, foundered can be life threatening.
Horses can get too much sun and suffer from sunburn on light-colored areas of their bodies. Sun damage can be especially hard on hair coats, causing bleaching. If you are trying to maintain a show coat, keep your horse out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. Blanketing helps prevent bleaching but, if your horse is prone to it, you may end up with the exposed areas lighter than the covered area. Keep in mind, blankets worn on a hot day can become very uncomfortable for your horse and cause heat stress. Blanketed horses must be carefully supervised.
The growing season is a good time to walk your pastures and turnout areas to check for poisonous plants. Your County Extension Office has literature on identifying and getting rid of dangerous plants.
Now is the time to prepare for winter. Check and wash winter blankets, clean muddy paddocks and add a thick layer of hog fuel to prevent mud next winter, and start shopping for your winter hay supply to ensure good quality and better price. A little time spent now will make next winter easier to cope with.
Copyright © 2008 The NW Horse Source, LLC
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