Avoiding heat stress in horses

We all know the age old adage “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and this certainly rings true for heat stress in our animals. Knowing the signs of heat stress and how to prevent them can save you a scary situation this summer.

Here are some ways to avoid heat stress:

·         Provide plenty of fresh, clean water.  Make sure your horses’ water is free from algea, insects and bird droppings.  Horses tend to not drink warm or hot water so changing the water out once a day or keeping it in a shaded area will help keep the temperature down.  These things will help promote drinking throughout the day.

·         Work your horses early in the morning or late in the evening when the temperatures are cooler.

·         If you do work your horses during high temps and high humidity, monitor them closely for signs of heat stress and provide a long, slow cool down period.

·         Provide shade for your horses.  This can be in the form of a structure or trees, just somewhere to get out of the sun.

·         If your horse is in the barn during the day make sure they have plenty of airflow.

Signs of a heat stroke may include the following:

·         Rapid breathing, rapid pulse

·         Stumbling, weakness, depression

·         Body temperature as high as 105 to 107 F

·         Refusal to eat or work

·         Dry skin and dehydration

·         In severe cases, a horse may collapse or go into convulsions or a coma

If you think your horse may be experiencing heat stress, contact your vet immediately to determine what steps you should take to cool your horse down.  Most of the time supportive care can turn a heat stressed animal around with little medical intervention, but it is always a good idea to consult your vet for their recommendations.

What electrolytes should I give my horse?

Long summer days mean more time in the saddle for horse owners.  With all the extra exercise, should we be supplementing electrolytes?

What are electrolytes?

Electrolytes are body salts, or minerals, that regulate the function of the cells - specifically body fluids, blood pressure, muscle control, and nerve activity.  The five major electrolytes are Calcium (Ca+), Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), Chlorine (Cl-), and Magnesium (Mg++).  Since electrolytes are suspended in water, they are mostly lost through sweat and urine.  During strenuous exercise, electrolytes lost in sweat will appear as a foamy, white sticky lather.  However, a well-trained, well-conditioned horse will lose fewer electrolytes per volume of sweat.  For the most part, the loss of electrolytes can contribute to fatigue and neuromuscular depression (low-frequency nerve stimulation).  Additional effects involving specific mineral are shown below:

How many electrolytes should I give my horse?  

In truth, the average horse's electrolyte needs are met from forages, grain mix, and a premixed mineral - even after light to moderate exercise.  The chart below depicts the daily electrolyte requirements:

For the most part, as long as the horse is in good condition, is fed a balanced diet, and has plenty of access to fresh, clean water, it should be able to maintain their electrolyte balance on their own on a daily basis.  The only exception would be after a particularly grueling workout (think endurance trail riding), or during extreme temperature and humidity.  A general rule of thumb for extreme temperature and humidity is when the sum of the temperature and humidity exceeds 150.  

How to supplement electrolytes?

There are several commercial electrolyte solutions available on the market.  Make sure to read the label thoroughly before administering it.  Some electrolytes are best suited to be added to water, while others are formulated to be added to grain mixes.  If you are supplementing electrolytes in water, be sure to use two buckets - one with the electrolyte solution and one with plain, freshwater.  Also, keep in mind, that some horses, even those with mild electrolyte depletion, may not be inclined to drink water.  It is also recommended to supplement grain-fed electrolytes 2-4 hours before exercising and again 2 hours after exercising. 

Check out this short, mini-podcast for more information on SELECTING THE BEST ELECTROLYTE FOR YOUR HORSE.  Or listen to the full, 1-hour podcast on HOT SUMMER DAYS AND YOUR HORSE.

Forages and Pasture

The rule of thumb is that horses should eat at least 1 percent of their body weight in forages every day. So, having lush pastures and good quality hay is important because if your forages aren’t great quality then your horse has to eat that much more to meet its bodily demands. You can always supplement with grain and other things to help your equines meet their demands but forages are what keeps their gut in good working order.

            The importance of great well managed pastures is sometimes overlooked. But, a good pasture is some of the cheapest feed you can provide for horses. Fresh forages offer a great source of protein and because they are freshly eaten the grass has a large moisture content which dry hay doesn’t offer. That added moisture means less time huddled around the water tank causing an already high traffic area that much less stress. One of the simplest ways to take a pasture to the next level is to put up some permanent or temporary fence lines and rotate your animals through sections. This allows your forages some time to rest and build a better root system making them more productive in those hot and dry summer stretches.

            A poor pasture can lead to soil erosion which in any case is a bad thing but, in a pasture situation it is very bad. The topsoil that you do have on your land is only good to you if it stays in place. It takes years to rebuild a small amount of topsoil so try your best to prevent erosion. A poorly managed pasture is also one of the leading factors when it comes to parasite control. A good way to manage parasites in your forages is to drag you pasture with a light drag to break up the manure piles and spread the eggs and larvae of parasites out into the sunshine which will help reduce their numbers.

            Another tool that can be added to your tool belt of forage and pasture production is soil fertility. The two biggest factors behind sufficient rainfall for growing forges are nutrients and pH. It is of the upmost importance to keep your pH in proper balance to help your forages succeed. Low pH can be managed through applying lime to your land to raise the pH back up. Also, soil fertility is extremely important because if your forages can’t find available nutrients then they can’t grow and produce quality feed for your animals. In order to find out what is going on beneath the surface you can take a soil test and send it off to be examined. This is a free service provided by NCDA to NC residents, just call your local extension agent for questions and assistance.

            One of the most cost effective was to feed and maintain a healthy happy horse is by allowing your animals to graze quality forages.

NC Commissioner of Agriculture, Steve Troxler, encourages horse owners to vaccinate against mosquito-borne diseases and rabies

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging equine owners to have their animals vaccinated against Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis and West Nile Virus. 

"Mosquito-breeding season in North Carolina lasts from spring until the first frost and horses are at risk if not properly vaccinated," Troxler said. "EEE is fatal 90 percent of the time in horses and WNV has a fatality rate of 30 percent. But both diseases are preventable by vaccination."

Last year, North Carolina saw its first case of EEE in August. There were two recorded cases of EEE and no cases of WNV in horses in North Carolina in 2019, but the mild winter could cause that number to go up this year, State Veterinarian Doug Meckes said.

Meckes recommends that equine owners talk to their veterinarians about an effective vaccination protocol to protect horses from mosquito-borne diseases. The combination vaccination initially requires multiple injections for horses, mules, and donkeys that have no prior vaccination history. 

"Last year's lower than average number of EEE and WNV cases could show that horse owners are vaccinating their animals for these diseases, "Troxler said. "This is encouraging and good news and I want to remind horse owners to do the same this year."

Mosquitoes can breed in any puddle that lasts for more than four days, so removing any source of standing water can reduce the change of exposing animals to WNV or EEE. Keeping horses in stalls at night, using insect screens and fans, and turning off lights after dusk can also help reduce exposure to mosquitoes. Insect repellants can be effective if used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Symptoms of EEE include impaired vision, aimless wandering, head pressing, circling, inability to swallow, irregular staggering gait, paralysis, convulsions, and death. Once a horse has been bitten by an infected mosquito, it may take three to 10 days for symptoms to appear. 

Symptoms of WNV include fever, weakness or paralysis of hind limbs, impaired vision, head pressing, seizures, and aimless wandering.

"If your horses or other equine animals exhibit any symptoms of EEE or WNV, contact your veterinarian immediately," Meckes said.

People, horses, and birds can become infected from a bite by a mosquito carrying the diseases but there is no evidence that horses can transmit the viruses to other horses, birds, or people through direct contact.

"It's also a great time to make sure you animal is current on its rabies vaccination," Troxler said. "In North Carolina, we see about five cases of rabies in livestock each year. Horses are naturally curious animals, which puts them at risk for a bite if a rabid animal gets through their fence line."

Hurricane Season is Coming!

Hurricane season is upon us.  North Carolina is no stranger to hurricanes, and this year is predicted to be potentially more severe than recent years.  Here are some tips to help prepare your horses and your farm for a storm.

Before the Storm

• Vaccinations:  All horses should have a tetanus toxoid vaccine within the last year.  Due to the increase in mosquitoes after massive rainfall, all horses should also receive West Nile Virus and Eastern/Western Encephalitis vaccines at the beginning of the hurricane season.
• Coggins Test:  A negative Coggins will be necessary if the horse needs to be evacuated to a community shelter or across state lines.
• Health Certificate:  A health certificate is required to cross the state line.  This may be necessary if you live in a region that is near the SC/VA borders.  A health certificate is valid for 30 days.
• Identification:  Each horse should have at least 2 forms of identification (in case one is lost).  Have proof of ownership, including recent photos of the horse including any identifying marks/scars/coloration, ready in the event that you need to claim a loose horse.   Examples of possible identifying methods include:
• A well fitted breakaway halter (a regular halter can get trap a horse and possibly strangle them!) with contact information (can be in the form of a luggage tag, a metal ID tag, a zip lock bag secured with duct tape to the halter)
• A luggage tag with ID braided into the mane or tail (make sure it is water proof).
• Livestock marker - write your phone number on the horses's hindquarters with a waterproof livestock marker
• Microchip
• ID bands that go around the horse's neck
• Evacuation Plan:  Hurricanes generally give us at least a day's notice or two before coming into contact with land.  Make sure that you have a written evacuation plan for your horses, especially if you are in a low-lying area, a flood plain, near water, or are near the coast.  If you will be in the path of the hurricane, it is highly recommended to evacuate prior to the storm, as transportation with horses when wind gusts are over 40mph is hazardous.  Decide at which point you will evacuate (for a category 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 storm?).  Also prioritize NOW which horses will be evacuated in what order if you will have to make more than one trip.
• Determine two evacuation centers (in opposite directions).  For a list of evacuation centers in NC near you, click here:
  http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/livestock/horse/EquineDisasterResponseAlliancePartners.htm
• Ensure that your truck and horse trailer are ready for travel (tires in good condition, etc.).  Ensure that the vehicle is full of gas.
• Water:  Power loss often occurs with hurricanes, and many horse farms may find that they are unable to provide water to their horses.  Each horse sould have 12-20 gallons of water stored per day.  Fill all available water troughs.  Be creative with your water resources!  Line garbage cans and various storage bins or much buckets with plastic contractor bags and fill them with water.  Consider a generator to run the well if you have large numbers of horses.  Keep chlorine bleach on hand to add to contaminated water if necessary.  To purify water, add two drops of chlorine bleach per quart of water and let stand for 30 minutes.
• Feed:  Store a minimum of 72 hours of feed and hay (seven days is best) per horse.  It is very possible that roads will be closed because of down power lines and trees and that you will not have access to feed for a period of time after the storm.  Cover hay with water proof tarps and store on pallets.  Keep grain in water tight containers in the event of flooding.
• Farm Preparation:  Secure all moveable objects.  Remove all items from hallways.  Secure jumps, lawn furniture, etc. in a secure place.  Place all large vehicles/tractors/trailers in an open field where trees cannot fall on them.  Turn off electrical power to the barn to avoid any potential fire hazards with power surges or lightning strikes.  Secure all gates.  Ensure that all emergency tools are working properly and readily available.  These include:
• Chain saw (and fuel!)
• Hammer/nails
• Fence repair materials
• Wire cutters/tool box/pry bar
• Fire extinguisher
• Duct tape
• Fuel for generator/tractor
• Emergency First Aid Kit:  Make sure that you have an emergency first aid kit ready and accessible (and waterproof!).  Have any medications that a horse will need easily accessible and ensure that you have enough to get you through the storm and the aftermath.  Some items that should be included:
• Bandages (leg wraps and quilts)
• Antiseptics
• Scissors/knife
• Topical antibiotic ointments
• Tranquilizers
• Pain releivers (bute, banamine, etc.)
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Extra halters/lead ropes
• Clean towels
• Fly spray/swat

During the Storm

• In or Out?  Should horses be left in the pasture or in the barn?  Recommendations from the American Association of Equine Practitioners say that if the pasture has good fencing and limited trees, it is probably best to leave horses outside.  Well constructed pole-barns or concrete block barns may provide safety from flying debris, but the horses may become trapped if the wind collapses the building.  If you have a sturdy shelter with access to a small, safe paddock, this would be ideal.  A horse could escape the building if needed into a safe area.
• Keep horses out of pastures and areas with electrical lines.  If these come down, they can electrocute the animals nearby.
• Trees with shallow roots will fall easily under hurricane force winds and can injure horses or destroy fencing.
• Do not keep horses in areas secured by barbed wire, electrical wire, or high tensile wire during a hurricane.
• Fire ants and snakes will search for high ground during flooding.  Keep this in mind when selecting an area to keep your horses if they are to remain in pasture.
• For tips on NC Animal Disaster Sheltering Resoucres click here:
  http://www.ncagr.gov/oep/sheltering/manuals.htm

After the Storm

• Inspect Animals:  Carefully inspect all horses for injuries, focusing particularly on the eyes and limbs.
• Inspect Property:  Look for down power lines, fence damage, and misc. debris.  Take photos of storm damage to present to insurance companies.
• Missing Horse?:  If your horse is missing, contact your local county animal control, sheriff's department, or disaster response team.
  http://www.ncagr.gov/markets/livestock/horse/EquineDisasterResponseAlliancePartners.htm