Michigan Winter Hard on the Horses, Too
Our 4-H leader just forwarded to us an alert from the Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. The report mentions that MSU Veterinary Teaching Hospitalis seeing an increase in the number of animals suffering with starvation and
exposure-related problems. It goes on to say that a visual-only inspection of horses with winter coats is insufficient – you have to use your hands. The following is an excerpt:
Body condition score- The body condition scoring (BCS) system is based
on a 1 through 9 scale and is designed to assess a horse’s overall
condition. Horses with a BCS less than a 4 are at increased risk of
hypothermia and starvation, especially when the weather conditions
cause an increase in energy demands just to maintain weight. If an
individual is already thinner than desired (BCS < 4), they will not
have adequate body mass (fat) to help with insulation from the cold or
provide a supply of energy when the diet is lacking and demands are
high
er than expected.
To determine your horse’s BCS you must touch your horse, especially in
the winter, as winter hair hides a horse’s true BCS, often until it is
too late to successfully correct the weight loss. Feel over the ribs,
neck, shoulder area, mid-spine, hips and tail head. If your horse’s
ribs over the widest part of the barrel are easily felt with little or
no tissue between the skin and ribs, the BCS is below 4. This horse is
suffering from malnutrition and is at a high risk of hypothermia when
the temperature drops, particularly if the wind chill is high and
little to no shelter is available.
The article also discusses the nutritional needs of horses in cold weather. Basically, more of everything to help ensure that the horse has enough calories to for normal activity plus keep warm. Fresh water at all times is essential. More information can be found at www.extension.org.
