Holiday ISSUE
GIFT
GUIDE
FALL AND WINTER
HOOF CARE
RED LIGHT THERAPY
HOLIDAY TREATS Check out our Chia recipe!
HERBAL TEAS
First rule of
FOR YOUR HORSE
FEEDING Integrative care for
KISSING SPINES WINTER
FIRE SAFETY DISPLAY UNTIL JANUARY 28, 2014 VOLUME 8 ISSUE 6
$5.95 USA/Canada
December 2013/January 2014
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WINTER ELECTROLYTES
EQUESTRIAN
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Contents 20
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FEATURES 10 FALL AND WINTER HOOF CARE
Being knee deep in mud and snow can be a challenge to your horse. Here’s how to protect his feet.
14 HOW DOES LIGHT HEAL?
24 NURTURE YOUR HORSE’S TRUE NATURE
Strategies for managing the dynamics of your small herd.
28 CHIA COOKIES FOR HORSES
38 THE EQUESTRIAN DATING SCENE
Looking for someone who will love you – and your horse? Here’s how to find true romance in the equestrian world.
48 KISSING SPINES
A look at photonic therapy and the many ways it can help your horse.
This seed is a superfood for humans and animals alike. Here’s a healthy holiday treat recipe your equine will love.
This problem is often misdiagnosed, and not always a reason for retirement. Find out how chiropractic care and other therapies can help.
20 TOP 5 HERBAL TEAS FOR YOUR HORSE
32 WINTER ELECTROLYTE NEEDS
53 THE FIRST RULE OF FEEDING
Your equine partner might enjoy a nice cup of tea, just as you do. Try these healthful selections on him this winter.
Did you know electrolytes are essential nutrients that your horse needs in winter, too?
34 WINTER FIRE SAFETY Keep flames in your fireplace, not in your barn.
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Understanding your horse’s digestive system is key to developing a good feed program.
56 CENTERED RIDING Tips and techniques for all disciplines.
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56 COLUMNS 8 Neighborhood news
6 Editorial
18 Green acres
23 Product picks
27 Purica’s recovery corner
30 Holiday gift guide
44 Holistic veterinary advice 47 The herb blurb 52 Social media corner 54 To the rescue 58 Book reviews
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Tips, contests and more! Like us /EquineWellnessMagazine
37 Heads up 42 Equine Wellness resource guide
60 Marketplace 62 Classifieds 63 Events
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By Sherri Pennanen
Being knee deep in mud and snow can be a challenge to your horse.
Here’s how to protect his feet.
FALL IS HERE. Winter is near. For many, these seasons mean falling leaves and mud, and eventually snow, ice and frozen ground. As a barefoot trimmer, I often get asked about hoof care for the fall and winter.
The three pillars of strong hooves All horses benefit from what I call the “three pillars” of a strong hoof: good nutrition, regular farrier care, and regular activity. Take any one of these away and you can have some problems. Horses by nature are roaming and grazing animals. When allowed complete freedom, they will pick and choose their meals, travel long distances on a daily basis, and “self trim” on a variety of ground surfaces. Their hooves will grow in response to their activity. Our domestic horses cannot have complete freedom, but we can try to make sure the three pillars are present – not only in fall and winter, but all year round.
Good nutrition As fall and winter set in, many horses get less forage from pasture. Not only will the pasture grasses change and 10
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become less available, but in many cases the horse may actually spend less time in the pasture. If you are fortunate enough to keep your own horses at home, you may be able to control the number of hours they are allowed to eat pasture. But many who rely on boarding barns will start to see their horses being switched over to increased hay rations and less grazing time. In some cases, barns may even restrict pasture so the areas do not get trampled and rutted in wet conditions. Once hay becomes the dominant source of forage, it is important that it be tested for content and nutritional value. Many might say, “It’s from the same fields where I let my horse graze” or “It looks like good hay to me”. The quality of the hay is not in question. The question is – will the hay you are feeding be a complete source of nutrients for your horse? Do you need to add anything to be sure he is getting what he needs to stay healthy and active, and experience continuous growth of healthy body structures? Hay testing can tell you about quality, but it also tells you what supplements you will need to provide so that your horse has a complete nutrition program.
Grain and/or processed feed are not always necessary or advisable. A healthy horse is neither too thin nor too fat. A horse that is well nourished has all the building blocks for a good coat, healthy body, and solid hooves. A horse must acquire these building blocks from forage, feed or supplements in whatever combination is practical.
If you are committed to excellence in fall and winter horse care, and you keep your horse active and well fed, you will likely not see the slowing of hoof growth that others may experience.
Clean, plentiful water is important to all horses – all the time. Without it, not only will the horse’s overall health wane, but he may also develop colic. However, as temperatures dip in fall and winter, we may find ourselves fighting the battle of the frozen bucket! While horses will eat snow and lick ice, it is not a reasonable source of water for them. A safe and grounded bucket heater, insulated bucket, or mechanical waterers are all options.
Regular activity
Regular farrier care In my experience, many people think hoof growth slows in the fall and winter, and trims are not as critical. Some who regularly use shoes elect to let feet “rest” during winter as a cost saving measure. Others, while they keep their horses barefoot, reduce the number of farrier visits because the horses are not being used as much, so “why spend the money”? Hooves grow at a rate that to some degree reflects the horse’s lifestyle. Generally, decreased activity and a less-than-optimal diet can result in slower hoof growth and decreased overall wellness.
Turnout 24/7 on several acres of pasture with varying footing and elevation, and a reasonable run-in, is my favorite place for a horse to live! The more land and variety, the better. This type of setting allows the horse to manage his activity and footing. It affords him free movement and choice and can also aid nutritionally as forage is routinely available. But being a realist, I know many people use boarding barns or have restrictions on available space for winter turnout. But here is one thing I would really like you to consider: horses are not made to live in box stalls. This is just as true for winter as it is for fair weather. A horse that grows his winter coat and is feeling good from eating well and playing well absolutely loves the opportunity to run and play in the snow. If we leave our horses in a small square stall, they have little to stimulate
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