Water Requirements for Your Horse

A stable owner was in the office last week, and in the course of conversation, he said that he was almost to the point of not liking horses.  After more discussion, this was more related to the effort needed to keep clean, fresh water in front of them than anything else.  As most folks already know in North Carolina, it has been unseasonably cold.  This has caused watering systems that normally make it through the winter with no problems to freeze up.  Thawing our drinking cups, water troughs, or chopping holes in ice are not usually needed around here, but that has become chore number one on the daily jobs list for a lot of horse owners.

Let’s review the water requirements for horses.  According to the Vet College at UC-Davis, a 1,000-pound gestating horse needs at least 8 gallons of water per day.  The chart below shows the minimum requirements for different size horses and different levels of activity:

Minimum Daily Water Requirement for Horses of Various Weights	Resting/Normal Environmental Temperature	Heavy Workload (double to triple resting requirement)	Gestation/Lactation (add 30% to resting requirement)	High  Heat and Humidity (double to triple resting requirement)
500-lb horse	3 gal per day	6 to 9 gal per day	4 gal per day	6 to 9 gal per day
1,000-lb horse	6 gal per day	12 to 18 gal per day	8 gal per day	12 to 18 gal per day
1,500-lb horse	9 gal per day	18 to 27 gal per day	12 gal per day	18 to 27 gal per day
2,000-lb horse	12 gal per day	24 to 36 gal per day	16 gal per day	24 to 36 gal per day

Cold weather does not drop the amount of water needed by horses.  Please note that the figures presented are minimum requirements.

Also, please remember that the water should be clean.  Many times, horses will refuse dirty, stagnant water until they are in dire need – and then only drink a minimal amount.  Dirty, stagnant water/water troughs/fountains can also be a source of bacterial or viral infections, so there is some extra incentive to make sure that the water systems are in top shape.

Other writers for this blog have mentioned the danger of impaction colic, so I’ll just say that avoiding this problem makes the chore of keeping fresh, clean water even more important.  A bit of heat for the water makes it easier to drink, so horses will consume a bit more than if left cold.

It is recommended that horses be watered at least twice a day; preferable, horses should have continuous access to fresh, clean water.  If the water lines in the barn are frozen, the buckets of water taken to the horses twice a day will be greatly appreciated by your equine friends.  

Preparing for Successful Foaling

That time of year is coming! Soon you will be hearing the pitter patter of little hooves! Are you ready? Is your mare ready? Believe it or not she is probably more ready than you are. Nature has a great way of taking care of its self no matter what we do, but it’s always good to be prepared! Dr. G. Marvin Beeman, DVM of Littleton, Colorado, says that the gestation period for a mare is 320 to 365 days, with 340 days accepted as the average. So keeping proper records of breeding times is important and part of helping you to be prepared. You will have helped her along the way by seeing that she had proper nutrition, increasing her feed in the last 90 days, but still kept her weight gain to a minimum as overweight mares can have trouble foaling. You have made sure to follow the vaccination schedule prescribed by your vet, had her teeth checked, and have been getting her exercise. Moderate, consistent exercise can help avoid problems with ventral edema, the collection of edema (fluids) from the udder forward, sometimes as far as the front legs. As your mare gets closer to foaling, she will begin to have physical changes that you can use as your guide to her progress. At about 3 – 6 weeks before foaling, the mare will start to develop her udder, and 3-4 weeks before foaling the muscles and ligaments in her pelvic area will start to loosen, making way for the passage of the baby. This can be especially noted around the tail head about 12 – 24 hours prior to foaling. The vulva and vulvar opening swell and increase 2-3 times in size during this last 12 – 24 hours as well. There may also be a small straw-colored, semi-hard droplet discharge on the udder, not to be confused with waxing. What is Waxing? Waxing is the process in which a variable-sized, horn-colored waxy substance forms at the end of each teat. While not every mare waxes, most do and it most often occurs 24 to 48 hours before foaling.. The waxy substance remains for 12 to 24 hours, then softens and falls away in a viscous stringy form. Then milk (colostrum) begins to drip from the teats. If your mare starts dripping colostrum early you will need to consult your veterinarian about the possibility of supplemental colostrum at the time of foaling. Do you know the stages of foaling? 1) The preparatory phase – often looks similar to colic. Mares will be restless, nervous, uncomfortable, paw the ground, look at her side and even kick at her abdomen. She will often break into a sweat on her flanks and neck and occasionally her entire body. This stage may last from one to four hours. This is the time to wrap her tail and clean her, and separate her from other horses. 2) Actual labor – The water will break, and then you should see another sac with the front foot in it, closely followed by the second front foot, soles pointing down. If you don’t see this, call your vet. Once the foal starts coming, the mare will have three to five strong expulsive efforts, followed by 2 to 3 minutes of rest. A foal stays on its back until the actual foaling process begins. Then, during labor, the foal's body twists so that the forelegs and head turn over as the foal advances up and out of the mare's body. The back legs and rump usually stay in and upside-down position until the foal is actually being delivered. This helps the foal to maneuver up and over the pelvic bone shelf. Particular effort is required for the foal's shoulders and hips to clear. Normally, all of this should not take more than 45 minutes after the water bag breaks. If it takes longer consult your veterinarian. It is always a good idea to remind yourself of the foaling process in advance, just incase your vet can’t make it right away to your emergency. There are many step by step guides that give details as to how to pull when, but all of them have the same thing  recommendation - never pull mechanically, always use your own pulling power and pull only when the mare is straining to push. Once the foal is mostly out, everything is good and the foal is breathing well, leave the pair alone. This may be a time for the mare to catch her breath, and it is definitely time when the umbilical cord is still allowing blood to flow to the foal. Do not break the umbilical cord! The cord should break on it’s own. Only break or cut it at the direction of your veterinarian. 90% of the time it will break on it’s own. As soon as it does break you need to dip it into the naval dip. An unprotected naval is a gateway for infection from the outside surroundings. 3) Expulsion of the fetal membranes - Most of the time, a mare will "clean" (shed the afterbirth) within 30 minutes. If she hasn't done so within 3 hours, call your veterinarian. The condition of those membranes also indicates any presence of disease, infection, or edema, which will help determine if the mare should be bred back on her foal heat.  The membranes should be examined (by you or your vet) and made sure to be whole. The expelled membranes (afterbirth) will look very much like a pair of pajama bottoms with the feet in them. If you are unsure what to look for have your vet check the membrane. Do you have your foaling stall ready? Do you need a foaling stall? Whether you prefer a clean pasture or foaling stall is personal preference. Both work great, but weather can be a determining factor, and you may want to have both ready. The things both choices should have in common are that they be clean and free of obstacles that might harm the foal as it is trying to stand and walk, and preferably the mare will be by herself. If you choose to pasture foal, make sure the fencing is such that the foal is contained and the mare will not be harmed if she were to lay down close to it and inadvertently put her legs through it.  The foaling stall should be clean, draft free, dim lighting is suggested, bedded with straw to reduce dust for those little lungs. If you don’t have a way of dimming the lights, start leaving the lights on a week or so before the due date. This gives the mare time to get used to the light. Once the foal is on the ground, the mare should stand and you need to leave the stall. This is their time to get aquainted. The nuzzling and licking stimulates the foal to get up and activates the sucking reflex. When trying to get up they will stumble and fall, probably more than once. But you need to leave them alone. This is why it is so important to make sure the foaling area is clear of obstacles that can hurt the foal. Have you got your foaling kit ready? What’s a foaling kit? A foaling kit is a collection of things that you might need to help with the foaling of your mare. Placing everything in a box, bag, container of some sort to make it easier to take to the stall, and making sure it’s all together where you need it. Here are a few items for a foaling kit as suggested by Cherry Hill.  Just like most things, it can be tailored to fit your specific needs. Vet's phone  number(s) Cell phone - if no phone in barn – having a cell phone can combine a number of these items. Camera (I like my digital camera phone as it takes great pictures WITHOUT a flash so as not to disturb mare and foal and I can post them or send them out to announce the arrival!) Flashlight and fresh batteries Clock or watch to keep track of intervals Notebook and pen to take notes of events – make notes of when the stages take place so if you have to answer questions to your vet, you have the answers and don’t have to think about it in a possibly stressful time. Also they may be a good reference for next year. Book - The Complete  Book of Foaling by Dr. Karen Hayes, DVM Lots of clean towels (various sizes) – hopefully you won’t need these as it is the mom’s job (and is part of the bonding) to clean the foal, but it’s good to be prepared and with some new mom’s they don’t know their job and sometimes the weather can play a factor. If it is especially cold you may want to dry the baby faster to avoid stress. Ivory or other mild liquid soap – used to clean mares hind quarters and bag – make sure to rinse with warm water Iodine/Nolvasan (chlorhexidine) navel dip and container to dip navel in (I use a syringe case) – ask your vet their preference String/scissors/knife – enough string to use for tying the umbilical cord if necessary and to tie up the afterbirth before it is discharged and the scissors or knife to cut the string or break the placental sac Tail wrap – to be put on the mare in advance of the birth and helps to keep her clean. You may want to use a disposable wrap such as Vetwrap so you can just throw it away after the foaling. Enema – warmed if possible, even if it’s just by sticking it in your pocket. The enema ensures the passing the foal’s first feces, called the meconium Ky jelly – use on the enema applicator to ensure you don’t harm the foal’s delicate bowels Obstetrical sleeves / sterile gloves Clean buckets – good for collecting dirty towels or getting clean water in Muck bucket and/or garbage bag for the afterbirth - feed bags can work for this too, I like something disposable so you can just pitch the whole thing in the trash. Hopefully this collection of reminders about the birth process and the different stages, and the foaling kit list will help make your foaling experience a good experience and happy memory. It basically comes to like most things in life, you need to be prepared. Having a good vet, and discussing with the vet what you will do in case of an emergency will be the best way of being prepared. Knowing your limitations is probably the best way to help your mare. When in doubt call your vet.

Anne Wicke, REINS Volunteer, Sampson County

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)

Do you know what Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is? EIA is an infectious, viral disease found in equids. Do you know what the symptoms look like or what to do if you suspect your horse has this disease? This disease can occur in varying forms, such as acute, subacute and chronic. Blood samples can be tested by sending them to Rollins Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh, NC. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture has a fact sheet on EIA where you can get all of your questions answered. Click on the link below to read through the fact sheet. Contact your local Cooperative Extension agent or your veterinarian if you have more questions. 

http://www.ncagr.gov/vet/FactSheets/equine.htm

What's Up, Buttercup?
and other troublesome weeds for this time of year

There are a number of weeds that laid low in the fall and are now or soon to be becoming more noticeable. Here are a few of them with some ideas on how to identify them.

1. Buttercup

• Perennial, flowers are bright and shiny yellow with a single flower on a stalk.



Buttercup (photo credit Virginia Tech Weed Identification)

• Identify when plant is young as lobed leaves, thickened stem base (there is sometimes a bulb-like form at the stem base) and occasionally hairy stems
• It will seem like nothing is there and suddenly there's this really big field coated in this glossy yellow flower. It was there for awhile, just making a low profile.

2. Henbit 

Annual with square-ish stems and "pretty" purple flowers (as soon as someone says "pretty purple flowers" in the winter I think of henbit) Leaves look frilly -- they remind me of a pretty shirt collar Fibrous root system, plant grows in a clump Leaves often darken as plant matures

Henbit (photo credit Virginia Tech Weed ID)

3. Chickweed

• Chickweed is an annual (common chickweed) or perennial (mouseear chickweed) that is often found alongside henbit. Think of them as best buds.
• Flowers are small and white and leaves and stems may be hairy, depending on the type of chickweed.
• Tip of the leaf may be more pointed in some types of chickweed than others (hairier chickweeds are normally more blunt on the leaf tip)

  

  Common Chickweed (photo credit Virginia Tech Weed ID)

Mouseear Chickweed (photo credit Virginia Tech Weed ID)

There are often different types of any weed in one area. Contact your local NC Cooperative Extension Agent for additional help in weed identification and in help on weed control. Herbicide options will depend on the crop and weed maturity. Proper identification is critical to proper control. A reminder that weeds may be further along in one area than another so you may see some henbit flowering now in one pasture but may not see it flowering in another or you may not see them all flowering at the same time.

Update From The State Veterinarian: EHV-1

Horses at a boarding facility in central North Carolina have been confirmed to have the neurologic form of EHV-1. This facility has had little movement of horses on or off the farm. Our veterinarians are working closely with the practicing veterinarian and the farm owner. The premises has been quarantined and strict biosecurity measures have been in place since Dec. 23. All animals are having temperatures monitored twice a day, and no horses have had fevers or other clinical signs since Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, the first day there were confirmed lab results from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory. The quarantine will be held for 28 days after the last fever is recorded.

Additional investigation found that five horses were moved from the stable in the last four weeks and have been tracked to four locations in North Carolina where their health status is being monitored. All known exposed horses have been accounted for, are not showing clinical signs and have not been moved. No additional horses have been moved from any of the known sites.

At this point, we believe this is an isolated incident with low-risk to other horses. However, we do encourage horse owners to practice good biosecurity measures as a precaution. EHV-1 is not a reportable disease to the Office of the State Veterinarian under state law, however the office appreciates being made aware of suspicious cases and will offer help in controlling the disease. The last known case in North Carolina was in January 2012.

What is EHV-1?

EHV-1 (equine herpesvirus-1) is one of a large group of DNA viruses causing potentially serious disease in horses and other species. EHV-1 has two forms: one that causes abortion in mares and one that causes respiratory infection and neurological symptoms. The above cited outbreaks have involved the EHV-1 respiratory/neurological form of the virus causing a condition known as Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM).EHV-1 is contagious and is spread by direct horse-to-horse contact, by contaminated hands, equipment and tack, and, for a short time, through aerosolization of the virus within the environment of the stall and stable.

What are the Clinical Signs of EHV-1?

The initial clinical signs of the infection may be nonspecific and include fever of 102°F or greater. Fever may be the only abnormality observed. Other presenting signs may be combinations of fever and respiratory symptoms of nasal discharge and cough. Some horses have reddish mucous membranes. Horses with neurological disease caused by EHV-1 infection can soon become uncoordinated and weak and have trouble standing. Difficulty urinating and defecating may also occur. Often the rear limbs are more severely affected than the front. Signs of brain dysfunction may occur as well, including extreme lethargy and a coma-like state. The incubation period of EHV-1 infection is HIGHLY VARIABLE, depending on the host, on the virulence of the virus, and on environmental and other factors such as stress. The AVERAGE incubation period is 4 to 7 days, with the majority of cases being 3 to 8 days, but with some taking up to 14 days. When neurological disease occurs, it is typically 8 to 12 days after the primary infection involving fever. In most cases, horses exposed to EHV-1 will develop a fever and possibly nasal discharge and then go on to recover.

University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine

Submitted by Jared Harrell

Keeping Your Horse Comfortable During Cold Weather

The Christmas song, Baby it’s Cold Outside, made famous by Lee Ann Womack with Harry Connick, Jr., pretty well describes the 2013 winter to date. To make matters worse, 650 one day, followed by 360 the next, is hard on humans and horses alike. I have put on a jacket more times this winter than in the past 3 winters combined and more than once pulled out a heavy jacket for a 260 morning. So, what about the comfort of your horse?

As is the case with humans, some horses handle cold temperatures better than others. A normal Fall, when temperatures decline steadily over a 2 month period allows healthy horses to grow a full winter coat. The normal equine winter coat will protect most horses from cold temperatures and wind but, throw in rain on top of wind and chilling temperatures and even the best of coats may not provide adequate relief. This is the Rule of 2 out of Three. Simply put, a healthy horse can generally withstand a combination of two of the three extreme environmental conditions (wind, rain, cold temperatures) but may need assistance keeping warm when all three conditions exist in combination. Then, there are always those horses that do not grow sufficient coats to handle even two of the three factors comfortably.

Options for helping horses handle the winter weather include, stabling the horse during extreme weather, blanketing the horse as needed or providing windbreaks that provide needed protection. Just a quick word about stabling horses during the winter. Most barns are built more for human comfort than for that of the horse. Avoid heating barns if horses are going to be spending at least part of their time outdoors each day. Research indicates that horse health is enhanced if the inside temperature of the barn is no more than 100 warmer than the outside temperature. So, if the inside of your barn is more than 100 warmer than the outside, you may need to blanket your horses when turning them out.

So, when should you blanket your horse? Answer: when all three of the above mentioned weather conditions exist or when the temperature drops low enough to make your horse uncomfortable. Observe your horse multiple times each day to be sure it is not shivering. A horse that is really cold may shiver like you and I do. If your horse has a poor winter hair coat, you should anticipate this problem. If the weather report calls for cold temperatures, wind and precipitation and horses do not have shelter, make plans to blanket those horses that need it. Remember, just because your horse didn’t show signs of being cold during one weather event, does not mean it won’t the next time.

Blankets come in all different sizes and colors and, like cars, come with many options. Do you want a closed front or buckled/Velcro front? How much insulation do you want? What denier should the outer shell be? Denier refers to the fineness of the yarn/thread that was used to make the product and thus, the ability of the material to keep wind and water out. A higher denier indicates a higher level of protection and durability. How much insulation do you want, 200 grams, 400 grams? Do you want a cut-back neck line or regular? The cut-back neck line works well for some horses and may actually help the blanket fit better. To provide the greatest comfort and to avoid slippage, a blanket should fit the horse properly. Measure the horse from the center of the chest to the point-of-the-buttock (as viewed from the side) to determine proper blanket size.  Blankets may be sold according to the length in inches or as Small (60”-66”), Medium (69”-72”) or Large (>74”). If you will turn horses out in a blanket during cold weather, it should be a heavy duty blanket with double stitching and reinforced stress points.

For extreme cases, you may also include a hood. Hoods give extra protection and are made having most of the same properties as blankets. Hoods should have large eye holes, so the horse can see effectively and usually attach to the blanket by means of one or more elastic straps so the horse may extend its head to the ground for feeding purposes. Also, for horses turned out in a blanket, be sure the blanket and hood are waterproof. During extended rain your horse will likely get at least partially wet anyway, but water proof materials will extend the protection and extend the life of the blanket. Higher quality blankets may include materials that actually wick-heat and moisture away from the horses skin if the horse gets too hot. This is particularly helpful for young horses that may run and play while blanketed and when temperatures vary throughout the day.

A couple of points to remember: 1. We blanket the horse to protect it from the elements. Some horses will actually sweat from being blanketed, especially if a hood is used in combination. If your horse sweats while wearing a blanket, cool the horse and re-evaluate the need for a blanket at that temperature. 2. When purchasing blankets for turnout, it is recommended that materials of greater than 1200 denier be used because of their strength and durability. 3. In cold weather, feeding additional hay to horses will actually help generate more body heat than feeding an equal amount of additional grain; a practical way to keep your horse comfortable during cold weather.

Submitted by Walter Earle, from an article by NCSU Horse Husbandry

Winterizing Your Horse For Breeding Season

As summer comes to a close, horse owners should be making management plans for the cooler seasons ahead. For the majority of horses, cold weather does not mean coming in from the cold, but being assisted to withstand the cold as comfortably and healthy as possible. From the owner’s standpoint, winter management gets very basic: routine health care, feed, water and shelter. Yet there are an amazing number of horses each winter that are abused as a result of one or more of these basic management principles being neglected.

A healthy horse in the fall will factor into a healthy horse going into the winter. If your horse is free of parasites, in good flesh and properly immunized going into the winter, the greater the chance of your horse being an “easy keeper” during the winter. Emotions and welfare obligations aside, economics dictates that the cost of anthelmintics, veterinarian checkups and immunizations will more than pay for themselves in reduced feed costs through the stressful winter months. Work with your vet to set up a health program for each of your horses and stick with it.

Winter conditions will increase the horse's energy requirements.

Know in advance what you are going to feed during the winter months. Waiting until after the first frost kills your summer pasture to decide on a winter feeding program is detrimental to your horse. Chances are the grass that he was feeding on was devoid in nutrient value and he was losing body condition anyway. With three weeks to acclimate your horse to new feed sources, plus a declining body condition, you have lost valuable time to prepare the horse for more extreme weather.

The first step in planning a winter menu for your horse is knowing the nutrient value of your hay. Your local county extension office can assist you in getting your hay tested. The test will take several weeks, so plan ahead. While you are waiting on your hay sample, find out the nutritional requirements of your horse. There are nutritional tables that determine equine nutritional requirements. These may be found in reference books, or in some cases, your feed store may have a copy. The nutritional requirements are based on age, size, reproductive stage for mares and amount of work performed.

When your hay sample results are returned, compare the nutrient value of your hay to the nutrient requirements of your horses. In some cases, such as that of a mature horse with low workload, a good quality hay may provide all the necessary nutrients. However, in most cases, a combination of hay and grain will be required to meet the nutritional needs of the horse. Savings may be realized without affecting the horse if you can utilize more of the cheaper hay and less of the more expensive grain. Make sure that vitamin and mineral requirements are met as well.

Cold and wet weather can cause problems with hooves, colic, stable vices such as cribbing and increase the horse’s nutritional needs. As the weather gets cold, horses expend more energy staying warm. Horsemen should normally increase the feed by 1 or 2 pounds during cold weather to provide adequate energy to assist the horse in maintaining his body temperature. It is also critical to provide adequate roughage for the horse to avoid cribbing and other stable vices associated with a lack of roughage. This time of year grass is 80 to 90 percent water; therefore, grazing horses consume mostly water. Their desire to chew on something is not satisfied, and cribbing often begins during times of wet weather. Horsemen should provide hay free-choice to satisfy these needs and avoid potential cribbing problems.

Provide horses with access to clean, unfrozen water sources.

Impaction colic also becomes more prevalent during cold weather. This normally occurs because the horse does not consume an adequate amount of water during cold weather and does not have an adequate amount of water in his digestive tract for digestion. Ideally, water should be warmed so that the horse will consume adequate amounts. Water should be available at all times.

Hoof care may also become critical during winter months. Many times, horse’s feet become so wet that the outer covering of the foot deteriorates, which causes cracking and splitting. Mud and sand can work their way into the cracks, causing the hoof to spread even further. Every effort should be made to keep the hoof wall intact. This can be done by keeping the hoof as dry as possible and applying hoof dressing regularly. Hoof dressing is basically an oil or grease that keeps water from soaking into the foot. During wet weather, this is a very difficult task; however, it is important to maintain the hoof quality and integrity.

During the winter months, many horses are kept in closed barns and develop respiratory problems. When the barn is closed up because of rain or cold weather, ammonia, dust and stale air are trapped inside. Research indicates that most of the ammonia and dust are below the level of 2 to 3 feet. This makes air quality a big problem for young horses. Therefore, it is important to have good ventilation and air flow through the barn to maintain good air quality and minimize respiratory problems.

Proper ventilation is important in horse barns.

Several management practices can assist in improving the air quality in a barn. First, the barn should be designed so that the prevailing wind can move through it. Even though it may be cold outside, it is better to open the barn doors and let good air flow through to improve air quality and decrease the probability of respiratory problems. Second, the barn should be designed to allow good air to flow through vents on the sides and in the roof to maintain air flow when barn doors are closed. Third, cleaning stalls daily and removing manure and wet bedding greatly improves the quality of the air. A fourth suggestion is to design the bottom of the stall to allow good air flow at ground level. Slatted boards at the bottom of the stall up to 4 to 5 feet are recommended to allow air flow at ground level. Wire panels or metal bars are normally recommended for the upper half of the stall.

Horse care during the winter months is important in having a sound and healthy horse later in the year.

Written by Steven M. Jones, Extension Horse Specialist