b'Arizona Ask the VetREAL COUNTRY WINTERIZING the magazine YOUR HORSEMike BarnaPublisher By Christine Staten, DVMArizonaRealCountryMagazine@gmail.com Adobe Veterinary Center, Tucson, AZErika Smith Royal T he days of 100-plusIf you do choose degree temperaturesto blanket, Editor appear to be behindmake sure that erika963realcountry@gmail.com us, and we all seem tothe blanket is be enjoying the fall andwater-proof, dreaming of winter. Herenot just water Misty Voitovski in Arizona, we dont haveresistant, to to hassle with heavy snow and regular freezingkeep your horse Creative Director temperatures like others do in many parts of thedry in a cold country, but those hot summers dont protectrain. A horses Contributing Writers us, or our animals, from chilly desert nights. Asblanket should temperatures drop, we should consider the comfortbe clean and Lee AndersonAndrea Fredricsonand well-being of our horses. fit well, and Justin LeglerDakota Livesay you should Wild and domestic horses might look the same, butonly blanket a M.K. & E. Lendell Cockrum Maierhauser they have entirely different needs. In nature, wildcompletely dry horse. If you blanket your horse Randy MillerBetsy Nunn horses will find adequate shelter, generate warmth bya lot at the beginning of winter, plan on doing so all herding together, forage for appropriate food, and seekwinter, as blanketing affects the horses natural ability Jim & Bobbi Jeen Olsonout water to drink. Domesticated horses are whollyto grow an adequate winter coat.Alan RockmanBob Roloffdependent upon their owners to supply these and other necessities. You dont need to make significant changes in John SamsillChristine Staten nutrition to help your horse through winter. If your Caroline WerkhovenMichele Wilson Start the winter with your horse in his or her optimalhorse doesnt need to gain or lose weight, its best to body condition. Horses that are too fat or too thinkeep the feed, quantity, and feeding schedule the same will be prone to more problems than horses in theiras it was before winter. A common winterizing myth 801 W. Wickenburg Way best shape. Throughout the winter, try to keep youris that grain is a hot food and will make their horse horse in good shape by continuing to exercise themwarmer. Grain doesnt make your horse warmWickenburg, AZ 85390 regularly, as you would any other time of the year. Ifheat is generated from the breakdown of fiber (hay). (602) 254-6644 your horse gets sweaty after exercise, fluff up their hairGrains are digested more quickly than fiber, which to allow air to reach the skin. actually results in more energy, but less heat, than a ArizonaRealCountry.com Generally, healthy horses dont have problems withhay meal.cold, wind, or precipitation alone, but when all threeAdequate water consumption is essential in our desert combine, theyll fare much better with adequate shelter.environment. That doesnt change in the winter. Its The start of winter is a great time to clean, inspect,critical that horses have access to clean, unfrozen and repair your horses shelter. Seal off sources of coldwater at all times. Decreased water consumption is the drafts, clean out cobwebs, repair loose nails and boards,number one cause of winter colic here in Arizona.Follow Arizona Realand add bedding if you want a bit more warmth. Metal buckets can cause the water to get much colder As you perform this housekeeping on your horsesand freeze more easily than plastic buckets, and Country for news, events,shelter, take time to consider the structures shape andinsulated buckets or bucket heaters will help keep how your horse will be to move about it. A coveringtemperatures above freezing. You might consider giveaways and more! with two solid sides is fine for shelter in Arizonasmoving water containers into a sunny area, as this coldest winters, as long as the horse can get on eitherdecreases the chance of ice formation and keeps Arizona Real Country is owned andside of the wallsthat way, they can always take awater at a more palatable temperature. On the published by Barna Broadcastingshort break in the wind. Many horses also prefer tocoldest nights, you can add salt to your horses food step outside their shelter during the coldest days andto encourage more water consumption. A bucket of LLC. No person, organization or partywarm themselves under the sun, so arrange your penwarm molasses water or a warm sloppy bran mash is can copy or reproduce the contentto allow them to move in and out as they wish. also a useful way to get more water into your horse.on our website and/or magazine or any part of this publication withoutWhen at appointments this time of year, owners oftenIn most cases, desert winterizing is just doing what a written consent from the editorsask, Should I blanket my horse? The truth is thatyou have been doing the rest of the year. Feed, water, panel and the author of the content, asmost horses in central and southern Arizona dontand exercise your horse, and always give them lots applicable. The publisher, authors andneed to be blanketed during the winter, but there areof love. Instead of fearing the work that goes into a few exceptions. Horses that need to have energywinterizing horse, you should take advantage of contributors reserve their rights withdirected to efforts other than generating warmth maythe cooler temperatures and go for a nice long ride, regards to copyright of their work. benefit from blanketing on the coldest days. Examplesand then make some smart decisions based on the would be a foal, or a sick, a thin, or a very old horse.realities of winterizing, not the myths. See you out Horses that are body clipped will also benefit fromon the trails! blanketing on cold days.ArizonaRealCountry.com November 2021 5'