Optimal Body Condition Scores for Breeding Mares

Making sure that your mare is in good body condition going into the breeding season is extremely important for optimizing conception and maintaining a healthy pregnancy.  By visually and manually evaluating the mare at certain places on her body (neck, shoulders, withers, ribcage, backbone, and tailhead) you can assign horses a body condition score (BCS) between 1-9, with 1 designating extreme emaciation and 9 being extremely obese.  Broodmares are typically maintained in the condition score range of 5-7.

Descriptions of these three body condition scores are given below:

5, Moderate -- Back is flat (no crease or ridge); ribs not visually distinguishable, but are easily felt; fat around tailhead beginning to feel spongy; withers are rounded; shoulders and neck blend smoothly into the body

6, Moderately Fleshy -- Might have slight crease down back; some fat cover over the ribs, along the sides of the withers, behind shoulders, and along the side of the neck; fat around tailhead is soft

7, Fleshy -- Might have crease down back; individual ribs can be felt but noticeable fat deposition between the ribs; fat deposited along withers, behind shoulders, and along neck

Numerous research studies have shown a direct relationship between body condition and fertility in mares.  Mares with a low body condition score are least likely to conceive.  In one study, mares with a BCS of less than 5 had a 71% conception rate, mares with a BCS of 5-7 conceived at 92%, and mares over BCS of 7 achieved 96% conception. 

In this same study, mares with a low BCS required 2.8 heat cycles per conception compared to 1.4 for mares in better body condition.  Low body weight at the onset of the breeding season may result in first ovulation being delayed 3-4 weeks when compared to higher BCS mares.  Early fetal survival is also dependent on body condition, with more significant early losses in mares with BCS of 4 or less.  Some people may fear that a mare with BCS of 6 or higher will result in foaling complications.  Extensive research has shown that mares of 7 or higher did not encounter problems often associated with obesity such as prolonged pregnancy, decreased foal size, or vitality at birth.

It is important to evaluate body condition score of your mares leading up to breeding and throughout pregnancy.  Don’t rely simply on visual appraisal, but be sure to use palpation as well along the withers, behind the shoulder, and around the tailhead.  If you need help evaluating BCS or help with the nutrition program to achieve proper BCS contact your local Extension agent.

Resource:  http://www.equinews.com/article/optimal-body-condition-scores-for-breeding-mares

Late Winter Horse Care

With the brisk temperatures, snow and ice we have been experiencing this winter, and who knows how much more to come (lets hope not much), it is critical, and not too late to remember how these changes can be to our equine companions.  If you’ve been in the horse business long enough, you have probably encountered a horse experiencing colic due to temperature changes.  Keeping horses warm and hydrated in the winter, as well as in good body condition can be a challenge, especially during weeks like we have had.  Key factors in achieving this are providing shelter from the wind and rain, along with plenty of clean water and good hay.  Here are some things to consider as we finish out our winter weeks.

Maintaining ample water intake is the most critical part of ensuring the health of your horse during cold weather.  The horse prefers a water temperature of 45-65°F.  Under normal conditions, the horse will consume one gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight per day.  An 1100 pound horse will consume 10-12 gallons of water daily.  As the water temperature decreases, horses will consume less water.  An 1100 pound horse may consume as little as 1-3 gallons of water per day when water temperature is 32°F. 

 Low water intake is directly related to the increased incidence of impaction colic.  Water intake can be encouraged by increasing the amount of forage being fed prior to a drop in temperature.  The resulting increase of dry matter encourages the horse to drink more water.  Concentrate mashes can also be fed during the actual cold period when water temperature is below 45°F.  Feeding 2-3 gallons of hot water mixed in a mash with a textured or pelleted concentrate mix will provide additional water intake.  To avoid gas colic, allow for the mash to sit for 15 minutes. This will permit the feed to expand prior to feeding.  If possible, offer 10 gallons of water (at 65°F or warmer) twice daily.  Break and remove ice from water tubs, making certain to provide water that is available free choice. 

Providing good quality, nutritious hay is another critical aspect to winter management of horses.  This is the time of year where hay supplies sometimes get thin, so planning ahead and purchasing enough hay to finish out the winter is critical.  At this point there is not much if any pasture grass left, and hay is our only forage option.  Horses, along with other grazing animals, need hay to stay warm.  Hay and other forages are digested in the cecum and large intestine of the horse, and this digestion process is the primary source of regulating body temperature. Many horses can maintain their weight through the winter with just an increase in hay consumption.  Those that are harder to keep weight on or older will often need a gradual increase of grain as well. Horses should consume at least 1.5% of their body weight in hay during cold periods.  For example, a mature 1000 pound horse should consume 15-18 pounds per day of hay to meet these temperature needs in cold weather.  It’s important to pay close attention to body condition during these periods, and actually “feel” your horse.  A long hair coat or winter blanket can often cover up thin spots on a horse, so be sure to examine your horse closely and get a feel for where your horse’s ribs, backbone, etc. are and how much fat or “cover” there is over and around them.  If a horse given plenty of hay is having trouble maintaining weight, increasing fat to the concentrate diet may also be helpful.  Many “high fat” feeds are on the market just for this purpose. 

These are just a few tips to help you and your horses get through these brisk winter days.  For more information feel free to contact your local Cooperative Extension Center.

Written by: Eileen Coite

Preserving Pastures with a Drylot

Everybody envisions their pastured ponies grazing in a field of lush green grass.  Truthfully this is not always reality.  Too many horses and not enough acreage can lead to overgrazing.  Drought in the summer can stress the grass, and cold weather in the winter can leave a muddy mess.

NCSU has put together a nice fact sheet to summarize the do's and don'ts have pasturing horses- and how to add a drylot to save your pasture during extreme weather.
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/PDF%20Files/ag%20558-8%20Drylots%20preserve%20pastures%20FACT%20SHEET.pdf

Horse Safety

In my 25 years of Extension work, I have found the quickest and most sure-fired way to put a roomful of farmers to sleep is to open up a lecture on Farm Safety.  Heads bob, eyes roll and the snoring begins!  Everybody knows this stuff, there’s nothing new and improved about it, it won’t increase your bottom line and besides – “It won’t happen to me”, they all say.  Safety around horses is the same.  We’ve heard the safety spiel a thousand times, but we’re safe, we have good horses and that stuff just doesn’t happen. 

But it does happen – and it just did happen to one of our very experienced, competent and extremely safety-conscious 4-H horse club members in Chatham County.  She is a working student at a dressage training barn working daily with 17 hand warmbloods – a kid who really knows how to handle horses.     We had an inch of snow and the kids were all excited to enjoy their horses on a snow day.  She had ridden around the barnyard bareback – with a helmet - and had just jumped off to put her horse away.  This horse was a trusted family member – owned for 6 years – not mean or ill-mannered – just feeling frisky because of the cold weather and who-knows-what he thought or saw to make him kick out. The horse lunged forward, wheeled around and bucked – connecting with a kick square in the mouth.  Fortunately, she is recovering well and should not have any permanent damage.  But the scenario could have been terribly different.   

This time of the year especially when we feed in the dark, the ground is wet and slick, our horses don’t get as much exercise and attention as they do during the better weather – we can expect them to be less predictable…and more dangerous.  Please – take a minute to go over the basics of safety in working with horses and other large animals, especially with your children.  Fortunately, our 4-Her will recover, but the process will be long and painful.  Let’s use this experience as a lesson to us all – slow down, be careful and never make assumptions.  The list below is only the basics – read, study and learn all you can about horses and their behavior to help prevent an accident within your family. 

Teach and Enforce Ground Manners

Bad manners are dangerous!  A horse who doesn’t respect your personal space puts you in a dangerous spot – whether by rubbing his head on you, nipping, looking for treats, walking too close or ahead of you when leading – all of it puts you at greater risk of being hurt.  Teaching manners in horses is similar to teaching manners in children - be consistent, don’t nag and follow through.  You’ll both be happier and safer when the boundaries are clear. 

Use Proper and Well Maintained Equipment

From halters to helmets and trailers to tie rings, equipment that is worn out or used for a purpose it wasn’t intended just isn’t safe. Make equipment safety checks a regular part of your barn routine. Repair or replace whatever needs it as soon as it’s noticed.  Don’t put it off or you’ll forget!

Emphasize Proper Training

You might get a big laugh out of a clip on America’s Funniest Home Videos watching a bad horse buck someone off or run away with his screaming rider, but just as bad manners are dangerous, so is a horse that’s not properly trained.  Very few people have the skill or time necessary to correct the problem horse.  Seek professional help in fixing problems or trade horses.  Even the good ones can hurt us accidentally – don’t stack the deck against yourself by riding a poorly trained horse. 

Study Horse Behavior - understand how they think, see and communicate

No matter how smart, well-trained and wonderful our horses may be, when we boil it all down to the basics, we trust our lives to animals who’s instinctive preference is to get gone when the going gets tough.  Understanding the mindset of a prey animal will go a long way to keeping us out of danger as we enjoy our horses.  Understand the body language of horses and there will be few “surprises” if you stay alert and watch for signs of your horse’s next move. 

Confident Handling

The horse expects that he may be eaten by a mountain lion at any moment and thousands of years of domestication have done little to change that mindset.  A horse’s herd serves the purpose of protection - horses in a herd environment rely on one another for safety – all eyes and ears are on alert for impending danger. When you interact with your horse, you become a member of his herd. For things to go well between you and your horse you’ve got to convince him you’ve “got his back” and also to make him believe that there are consequences if he challenges you and doesn’t mind his manners.  Calm, confident handling goes a long way to ensuring that your horse feels no need to flee or fight to protect himself.

Tie Right

A horse who leads well ties well – and the opposite is also true.  Teaching a horse to tie well is essential. The halter pulling horse feels trapped and is in fear for its life – and is not concerned one tiny bit for your safety.  A frightened 1200 body pulling with all its might to get free is dangerous.  Remember to always “tie above the eye” - a horse tied to something higher than eye level can’t get the leverage to pull that one tied lower can. 

Be Aware and Stay Focused

Just because you feel confident that your horse would never intentionally do anything to hurt you doesn’t mean he wouldn’t accidentally do so.  A horse outweighs its handler 8-10 times so whether he hurts you on purpose or accidentally doesn’t matter - it still hurts.  The average person involved in a farming accident has been farming all his life, is well familiar and comfortable with the equipment he’s using and therefore has forgotten the potential threat it poses to his health and safety.  Same with horses and horse people.  When you begin to trust a horse and assume that your experience and skill level will keep you safe, you become complacent and increase your risk of getting hurt.   

Always have a Buddy

Ideally you would not go to the barn or ride alone.  Sometimes that just isn’t an option.  Take your cell phone, keep it on your body – not tied to your saddle – and tell someone where you are going and when you think you’ll be back.  There are great phone apps you can use to alert a designated person if you are injured and unable to use your phone yourself – consider installing one if you make a practice of riding solo. 

Be Especially Careful Around Loose Horses

Again, the horse outweighs us 8-10 times and - especially at feeding time - cares little about our health and well-being.  Feeding horses in a group, catching a horse out of a group, turning a horse back into a group – these are all times when safety is top priority and you should be on high alert for aggressive horse-to-horse interactions without regard to your whereabouts or safety.

Mount and Dismount Safely

I used to think I was a hyper-safety conscious wimp about mounting and dismounting.  I believe it is essential for a horse to stand stock still while his rider is getting on and off.  All the cowboys swing up while their horse takes off to do his job and of course they jump down as their horse is sliding to a stop – you know – a little momentum to help you get out of the saddle, right? WRONG!! I recently had the amazing opportunity to ride with a highly respected and talented horseman and super-cool cowboy who reinforced my belief – and says he refuses to get on a horse that won’t stand still.  You are most vulnerable – and most likely to get hurt – in the processes of mounting and dismounting.  Back to manners – make your horse stand still until YOU are ready to ride off. 

Please remember –  SAFETY FIRST -  there are no “do-overs” in an accident!!

Written by Marti Day

Show Horse Welfare Survey

Purdue University is currently conducting a survey about show horse welfare so that they may offer an on-line educational course.  Please go to:  http://ittybittyurl.com/1MC9 to take the survey.