All Natural Foot Soak Recipe with Essential Oils

Greetings everyone!

I wanted to quickly share my recipe for an all-natural foot soak that works great for treating abscesses, thrush, seedy toes, bruises, etc. This recipe will not compromise live tissues and in non toxic, so no risk to your horse's skin, hair or health.

I use  the following:

• 1 capful of concentrated Thieves Household Cleaner
• 1 cup organic apple cider vinegar
• Epsom salts
• Tepid water

Mix in a rubber feed tub and stand your horse in it for 20-30 minutes. In most cases, one or two treatments are all I need to get the issue resolved.

Menina doing a great job of soaking her foot

Of course, it would be wise to teach your horse to stand still with foot in a bucket ahead of time, it will make the whole process a lot easier ☝😀
I can actually treat 2 feet at a time that way, my horses are confident with the idea, so they just chill and relax as they soak - just another form of ground tying.

Note: Thieves Household Cleaner is sold by Young Living (see the Essential Oils tab on this site for more info). In addition to being a great all purpose cleaner for the home, it works well to clean and sanitize brushes and combs, as a wound wash (diluted) and for a host of other applications. The small bottle goes a long way since it is very concentrated. Bonus, it smells wonderful!
Young Living products are available all over the world, including in Canada from a Canadian warehouse.

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

The Natural Horse Daily Supplement is now available in pelleted form!

Yes, it has been a while coming, but the custom made Natural Horse Supplement is now available as pellets or powder!

Pellets are easier to feed, especially if you are not soaking hay cubes; they can be fed by hand if necessary. Both formulas contain the essential daily Selenium dose your horses need to maintain their health if they are on a forage based diet.  Eastern soils are devoid of this key mineral, and you might have seen reports of horses and ponies dying as a result of lacking Selenium.

The supplement is also loaded with other key trace minerals needed to optimize your horse's health.  I have also added salt, to promote hydration, and flax for the Omega-3.  Other than specialized supplements your horse may need for joint support, this is a complete formula for horses on a hay diet.  Only top quality ingredients are used, I keep a close eye on it!

The supplement is SAFE for horses with metabolic syndromes, Cushings or insulin resistant.

I could not find a suitable formula on the market, so I did a ton of research and finally created my own.  This is what I feed my horses daily, in addition to hay and water, and they are thriving!

Check out the order page for pricing, ingredients and quantities.

I found this great post on the Good Horsemanship Facebook page, which explains in simple terms how the horse's digestive system works and offers a great visual of how much stomach acid horses produce in a day! As you can see, it is important to ensure that horses have free choice access to forage (hay) throughout the day and night. For easy keepers, slow feeder nets are a great solution to slow down the eating and still ensure they always have something to digest.  I actually find them useful for all my horses, easy keeper or not, as they help reduce waste and keeps them busy.  I just use larger 2 inch hole nets for horses that don't need to lose weight.

Hay consumption should be measured by weight, not volume or amounts of flakes, as the size and density of bales can vary greatly, even within a single crop.  Hay consumption will increase in colder temperatures (every 5 degrees under -5C), since the digestive process also acts a 'fuel' for the horse's metabolism, helping maintain internal temperature.  Basically, horses should never run out of hay or pasture, and will actually self-regulate their intake if it is always avalable (unless they have a metabolic condition which suppresses the insulin response mechanism).  Last but not least, giving horses free choice access to forage makes for much happier horses and significantly reduces anxiety and stress at feeding time.  We should all learn how to feed horses like horses!

How's this for a visual you won't soon forgot? This is how much stomach acid a horse's body produces each day. Two standard buckets full.Why does this matter to you? Your chosen feeding practices can have a direct impact on whether this naturally occurring stomach acid is useful, healthy, and beneficial to the horse's well-being, or not.Here's how: Horses only produce saliva when they chew, and the more the horse chews, the more saliva is produced. In fact, if you allow your horse access to forage ad-lib (how he has evolved to eat), the horse will produce two buckets of acid-buffering saliva every day.On the other hand, horses who are fed set feedings (with fasting in between) have greatly limited chew time, and therefore don't produce this volume of saliva. The horse's stomach is relatively small, and only lined with a protective coating on the lower 2/3's. Excess and 'unemployed' acid can splash up onto the unprotected top 1/3, resulting in pain, ulcers, and psychological distress for the horse - all possible causes for aggression at feeding time.Regardless of the amount of chew time a horse has each day, his body still produces these two buckets of stomach acid - 1.5 liters every hour, 24 hours a day. Given that we are the ones with the thumbs, and we control turn out, feeding schedules etc. it is solely up to us to ensure the horse has the option to chew as nature intended.What can you do to increase your horse's chew time, balancing out these buckets so-to-speak?And watch how you carry those!

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

Managing hay by using slow feeding nets

I have already posted about the benefits of using slow feeding nets to manage hay consumption with horses that are overweight, confined to a stall or that may just need to have something to forage on all day and all night if hay distribution is limited throughout the day.

For my previous post and a great article on the documented benefits of using slow feeders, click here.

Lately I have been experimenting with ground level hay nets, ones that can contain a whole square bale and be left on the ground to allow horses to eat in a more natural position, that is, with their heads down.  Having moved to a new location, the owners and I were concerned about managing hay consumption throughout the day and ensuring that the horses would not run out if we were not able to feed several times a day.  We both wanted to avoid having to rake and dispose of a lot of wasted hay that the horses would no longer eat once it had been trampled or soiled.  The other concern was preservation of the pasture.  It is not uncommon to see whole sections of pasture footing destroyed by feeding daily in the same spots or area, unless you have enough space to move the horses and allow sections of the fields to rest and recover over time.  On small properties, this is not an option.

This great hay net has a large opening and large enough holes (1,5 inches), which is important since our horses really do not need to be slimmed down at this point.  This size or even a 2 inch opening allows them to eat quite easily but prevents most of the wastage that we currently see when hay is just thrown on the ground or placed in a bin.  We have all seen how horses will simply pull the hay out of the bin or trough and spread it around to eat!

This net opens wide and is easy to roll over a bale.  Once it is filled, the draw string quickly closes the opening and with an ingenious little fastener, will stay closed without having to tie a knot.  Since it is not looped, the tail end can be left to drag on the ground or tucked back into the net.  So far the horses have adapted very well to it and I find it very convenient.  It can also be moved daily so that we are not always feeding in the same place.

Slow feeding nets or bags provide your horse with the best feeding method while minimizing wastage.  Horses and other equines are grazes who need to eat constantly day and night for optimal health and digestion.  Their bodies are not made to be starved for several hours a day, and their small stomachs are not made to handle large quantities of feed all at once.  The use of a slow feeder ensures that the horses have free choice access to forage throughout the day and mimic the grazing pattern.  Veterinarians, equine nutritionists and scientific studies recommend this type of feeding system.

Warning:  Hay nets should not be used on the ground if your horses are shod.  They are however very safe for barefoot horses.  If your horses wear shoes, the nets should be hung to prevent catching the net on a shoe.

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

What Humans Can’t Teach: The Importance of Herd Socialization for the Performance Horse

Today I would like to share this great article on herd dynamics and how important the herd is to the mental, emotional and physical development of horses.  In nature, horses live in bands and the bonds formed within this extended family are bonds for life.  Horses need this social interaction as much as they need air and food, and isolation is a major contributor to stress, illness, stereotypical behaviors and poor attitude.

However, turnout as a lone horse denies a horse important herd dynamics and the lessons that can be taught by socializing with other horses. Although this may not always be possible or ideal with older, experienced and highly valued show stock, allowing a future performance horse to be raised in a herd structure proves beneficial to his development as a herd-savvy horse for the lessons and experiences that the herd can impart for all future encounters in and out of the pasture.

The lack of the herd experience creates not only the problems caused by stall-bound horses not allowed to ‘be horses’—cribbing, weaving, insecurity and overaggressiveness—but it also creates performance horses who can’t perform. 

There is much to be said about the bond between mare and foal, but also much to be said for the village that raises the foals. As the new foals enter the pasture in the spring by their mother’s side, they encounter other foals next to their mothers and open mares in the pasture to be bred. As soon as the mares with new foals become comfortable with the other mares, it is not strange to see an open mare acting as an “auntie” or another mother “babysitting” a group of foals. 

As athletes, horses need room to grow and develop. The opportunity of growing up on ample pasture within a herd structure offers many striking benefits for future performance horses. Foals learn early on about balance over terrain and “obstacles” such as streams, fallen logs, holes and rocks. This course in balance subsequently builds good bone, strong feet, athletic ability and a brave character. Horses growing outside get their grazing instincts met and are constantly allowed to move about, perhaps contributing to fewer instances of colic. Being in a herd allows them to build relationships and learn how to be secure, horse-savvy horses. All of this lends itself not only to better athletes, but also to happier horses. 

Click here to read the full article

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

February News and Event Updates - Nouvelles de février et calendrier des évènements

In the news for this month:
The Parelli Intensive Foundation Clinic now a 3 part series, a Pat Parelli clinic, and more learning opportunities about natural health therapies!  Check out our updated event schedule.

Click here to read February's newsletter

Les nouvelles de février:
Le Stage Intensif est maintenant une série de trois formations, un stage avec Pat Parelli et de nouveaux évènements pour en apprendre plus sur les produits naturels! Voyez notre cendrier des évènements à venir.

Cliquez ici pour lire l'info-lettre de février

Equine Ulcer Treatment - Before and After by Mark DePaolo, DVM

I have suspected that one of my horses has been having ulcers and hind end acidosis issues for a while now, and after doing the easy palpations explained in this video, my suspicion has been confirmed.  This is a great way to check a horse for ulcers and other digestive issues without having to resort to an endoscopic exam, where the vet inserts a tube with a small camera ending to scope out the horse's stomach, a procedure that requires sedation and can be quite uncomfortable for the horse, not to mention expensive.

Diet and stress are two major factors in the development of ulcers.  My horse is on a forage only diet with minerals, no grain or carbohydrates, so I can rule out this cause.  However, this year she has been through a series of traumas requiring aggressive medical treatment, not to mention the stress associated with long term stall rest, the medication and the extensive traveling we have been doing across the USA and Canada.  Not to mention the frequent changes in forage and environment inherent to this type of lifestyle.

I started treating her with a Miracle Clay solution, some of the herbs listed in the video and essential oils and will be looking into adding aloe vera juice and the other herbs to her diet.  Red lighting the sensitive points as well as CV12 is also effective.

If she does not show significant improvement in the short term, then I would consider adding a course of medication as suggested by Dr. DePaolo after consulting my own vet.




You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

December News - Wrapping up 2014, achieving your goals, gift ideas and looking ahead to 2015!

Holiday Greetings, Gift Ideas, Upcoming Events, Winter Lesson Special and more!  

Click here to read the newsletter

Click here to see a slideshow of my year in review

See you in 2015!

Announcing a Horseless Workshop Series in Havelock, Quebec!

As promised, I am announcing the first series of horseless workshops to be held in my new home in Southern Quebec.  As I celebrate my return to Quebec, I hope to see many of you there!

Come discover Parelli Natural Horsemanship and the language of the horse, and learn more about the HorsenalityTM model, a revolutionary concept developed by Linda Parelli to help you better understand your partner and build a stronger relationship.  In our 4th workshop, we will present the principles of caring for horses in a natural way as well as alternatives so your horse can have the best care while remaining true to his nature.

You can sign up for one or more workshops, and we offering a great deal for those who book their spot for all four dates in the series.

Come and learn without having to haul a horse!
Now being held in our new high end facility in Havelock, Quebec

Horseless workshops are a fun and practical way to learn without having to worry about hauling a horse. You will attend a conference and take part in discussions and practical simulation exercises in an indoor facility, sheltered from the weather.
Workshops are generally comprised of a presentation, exercices and games and a Q&A session.

We will hold a demo with a horse at the Havelock location.

Please note the date change for workshop 4, there was an typo in the initial post. 

• 2 November:  Start a relationship, build a partnership (learn about Parelli)

• 9 November:  Discover your horse's HorsenalityTM (Part 1)

• 23 November:  Advanced HorsenalityTM (Part 2)

• 14 December:  Natural Horse Care and Management

Workshops are open to all. Please note that there may be prerequisites in some cases.PLEASE REGISTER AHEAD OF TIME.
Workshops will be held on Sundays from 1 to 4pm.  Best deal if you book for all four dates.Hurry, space is limited!
For more info and registration forms, visit http://vifargent.com/horseless-workshops/

 I look forward to seeing you there, and please share with your friends who love horses!

Ateliers offerts en français cet automne au Québec!

Comme promis, je vous annonce la première série d'ateliers sans chevaux qui se tiendront sur ma nouvelle terre d'accueil en Estrie.  Pour fêter mon retour au Québec, j'organise ces formations et démonstrations en français, en espérant vous y voir nombreux afin de nous encourager à continuer!

Venez découvrir l'équitation naturelle Parelli et le langage du cheval, et en apprendre plus sur le concept des HorsenalityTM(personnalité du cheval); ce concept révolutionnaire élaboré par Linda Parelli vous permet de mieux comprendre votre partenaire et d'établir une meilleure relation avec lui.  Dans notre 4e atelier, nous vous ferons découvrir des principes de régie et des alternatives pour offrir à votre cheval les meilleurs soins possibles tout en respectant sa nature propre.

Vous pouvez vous inscrire à un ou plusieurs ateliers, et j'offre un forfait à tarif avantageux pour ceux qui désirent réserver leurs places pour l'ensemble de la série.

Venez apprendre sans avoir à transporter votre cheval!  Maintenant dans de toutes nouvelles installations haut de gamme à Havelock, Québec, y compris un manège intérieur.

Les ateliers sans chevaux sont des formations amusantes et pratiques pour apprendre sans avoir à s'occuper de transporter un cheval. Vous assisterez à une conférence, prendrez part aux discussions et aux exercices pratiques en simulation en salle intérieure, quelles que soient les conditions climatiques.
La formation comprend généralement un exposé, des exercices et des jeux, ainsi qu'une période de questions. Une démonstration avec cheval aura lieu aux ateliers qui se tiendront à Havelock cet automne.

Les ateliers sont ouverts à tous. Veuillez prendre note que des pré-requis peuvent s'appliquer selon les sujets présentés.
VEUILLEZ VOUS INSCRIRE D'AVANCE.

• 18 octobre:  Tisser un lien, bâtir un partenariat (découverte de la méthode Parelli)

• 8 novembre:  Découvrez la personnalité de votre cheval (1ère partie)

• 22 novembre:  Encore plus sur la personnalité du cheval (2e partie)

• 13 décembre:  La régie du cheval au naturel

Les ateliers auront lieu de 13:00 à 16:00 heures.Forfait pour les inscriptions aux quatre formations.Faites-vite, les places sont limitées! Cliquez ici pour de plus amples renseignements les ateliers et pour les formulaires d'inscription.http://vifargent.com/ateliers-sans-chevaux/

Au plaisir de vous y rencontrer et de vous y revoir, et n'hésitez pas à partager ces informations avec vos amis amoureux de chevaux!

Does your horse really need a blanket? Thermoregulation in horses

Most horse owners are aware of the damage and crisis inherent with fever states. Few horse owners realize how well adapted horses are to deal with cold when certain aspects of their lifestyle are in place for them.
Over thousands of years, the wild horse has spread over the entire world. Whatever place in the world they live, the horse was exposed to constantly changing temperature — through a day/night rhythm or a seasonal rhythm. Yet even today wild and semi-wild horses, as well as domestic ones, provided with species appropriate living conditions, survive perfectly any conditions Nature exposes them to. Whether it is the north of Europe, or Australian deserts, the horse is exposed to all of Nature's changing elements — wind, sun, rain, snow, fluctuating temperature, etc. Never in nature seeking such excessive enclosed shelters as man-made stables and barns nor caves, never in nature seeking ways of covering themselves with fabric. The horse has naturally evolved ways of thriving.  

Heat in the horse's body is continuously generated as a by-product of metabolism, and a healthy animal has significant internal sources of heat from the metabolic processes (Bicego at al., 2007). To control internal heat loss during the cold time of year, the horse is provided by Nature with complicated and extremely efficient anatomical, physiological and behavioral thermoregulatory mechanisms. In order that the mechanisms are used in the most efficient way, or at all, the horse requires conditions equaling species appropriate lifestyle environments.

On a genetic level, the domestic horse is the same as its wild counterpart: it has the same abilities and needs to survive. Basically, they do not need anything more from the human than only to provide keeping conditions that this species is supposed to have by dictate of Nature: freedom of movement 24 hours a day, free access to appropriate food 24 hours a day, herd life, proper hoof care, shelter which it can enter and leave freely. Under human care that respects the horse's natural needs, and provides it doesn't make this animal a subject for anthropomorphism through stabling, changing eating habits, blanketing, clipping, shoeing, etc., the domestic horse is able to properly use its amazing natural thermoregulatory abilities exactly the same way as the wild horse.
Let's take a deeper look into how the thermoregulatory mechanisms work in the horse, and how it can be interfered with and damaged through unnatural care and keeping practices.

Click here to read the full article

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

It's time to rethink the early weaning of horses....by Beth Benard (published in the Horse Journal)

Overlooking outright cruelty, our caretaking has led to health issues that seldom occurred in the horse's natural state, including colic, ulcers and laminitis. Many of our decisions regarding the maintenance of horses have been made with our own convenience at the forefront. One that receives little discussion is weaning.  

While there is little published research to either support or refute early weaning, recent studies are now coming down, albeit tentatively, on the side of delayed weaning. Let's call "early" those foals weaned at three to four months, and "delayed" as six months or later. We'll look at the arguments for early weaning and see what science now has to say. 

Foals in the wild remain with their mothers for extended periods. If the dam is pregnant, she will wean her foal herself at about 10 months of age, allowing for the production of colostrum for the new foal she's carrying. If she isn't pregnant, she may permit her foal to nurse well into the yearling year. (If she's got a cheeky, randy colt by her side, the herd stallion will likely run him off into a bachelor herd at some point in his yearling year.) In a study of zebras in the wild, natural weaning occurred in pregnant zebras between days 243 and 355 after foaling.
 

Click here to read more...

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

Is that what we want for our horses?

A great look at the benefits of a natural living environment for horses and the 'paddock paradise' or 'track paddock' concept to maximize movement, stimulation and interaction.

Two of the keys to equine health and happiness are movement and social interaction. When locked up in a stall, the horse is isolated and does not have access to either of these vital components. Mental shutdown, aggression, depression, cribbing, wind sucking and colic are only a few of the consequences that result from stall confinement. A stall is a non-stimulating, potentially frightening and dangerous area and should only be used under certain circumstances (an injury requiring immobility, a contagious disease, dangerous weather, etc.) 
The track paddock (or "paddock paradise"), on the other hand, perfectly fulfills the requirements imposed by the equine body and mind. It is designed to encourage movement, and movement regulates everything from blood flow and bone growth and to the quality of the hooves. On the track, horses live as they were designed to: in a herd, constantly munching on hay while on the move. Track paddocks also provide horses with water holes, rolling areas, camping areas (shelter) minerals, herbs, obstacles, and more. If the natural boarding conditions are combined with a natural diet and a natural trim, the horse is guaranteed to develop strong, callused hooves and live a long, healthy life.

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

Dr. Robert Bowker on Navicular Disease

I came across this interview while browsing the Internet and being a big fan of Dr. Bowker's work, I had to share.  I love how he explains a fairly complex field of study of horse health into simple terms for everyone to understand.

Navicular disease is still so widely miunderstood, Dr. Bowker's work is truly helping bring some scientific evidence to shatter a few myths and reveal the ingredients of keeping a horse healthy and sound.

Quoting the author of The Naturally Healthy Horse blog:

Although much of Dr. Bowker’s research continues to be ignored by those in traditional veterinary and farriery circles, he pushes on, continually bringing to light the misinformation that is often printed in student and veterinary texts.  The evidence he has collected on the natural function of the foot is overwhelming and is cited time and again by natural barefoot trimmers and holistically-focused veterinarians.

Quoting Dr. Bowker, DVM:

From my studies, I’ve been led to believe that it’s our husbandry practices–the way we care for our horses–that have created navicular disease.  Essentially, navicular disease comes down to vibrations; vibrations destroy tissue in the foot. 

When the back part of the foot and frog are not on the ground, the impact energy (from movement) is not dissipated but is instead transmitted to the bones and other connective tissues of the foot. These tissues do not dissipate the impact energy well, and the long-term result is chronic foot problems and lameness.

If the frog is on the ground, the bars will contribute in supporting weight and much of the load will be supported by the sole.

Many people think that barefoot is just about pulling the shoes off.  It’s not.  Proper and frequent trimming and keeping the toe short will result in a good hoof. In my opinion the foot during the active growth season should be trimmed by a trimmer or farrier every 3-5 weeks. In some cases even shorter time intervals. Rarely longer though.

Horse owners have a responsibility to become educated—and they need to start by paying attention to the foot.  I consider proper foot care and nutrition to be the two most important aspects of horse care. 

Click here to read the whole interview

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

Overweight horses? Unable to provide all day grazing? Consider using a slow feeding net!

I love my slow feeding nets and use them on the road, if I have to stall my horses, or if they get a bit overweight! Research confirms what some of us have already figured out in real life application 

Equestrian Life - Do slow feeder haynets slow horses feeding down?

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have tested the rates of consumption for ‘slow’ feeding haynets and found that they increase the amount of time horses spend eating. The study shows that “slow feeding” nets can have a positive welfare outcome for horses because they mimic the horse’s natural feeding pattern where he might graze up to 14.5 hours per day.

Click here to read the article

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

November News from VifArgent Horsemanship! Nouvelles de novembre de VifArgent Horsemanship!

The November newsletter is out: Horseless Workshops and Video Coaching November Special!

This month:

• Horseless Workshop Series and Upcoming Events
• Parelli Four Savvys video preview - Lateral Flexion with Linda and On Line Lesson with Pat
• Inspiration video - Teaching Flying Lead Changes
• Tip of the month - the Squeeze Game
• Shims for sale

Click here to read the newsletter!

L'info-lettre de novembre est disponible: Ateliers sans chevaux et offre spéciale sur l'enseignement par vidéo! 

Ce mois-ci:

• Série d'ateliers sans chevaux et évènements à venir
• Aperçu vidéo des quatre Savvys Parelli - la flexion latérale avec Linda et leçon On Line avec Pat
• Inspiration - Pratiquer les changements de pieds en l'air
• Le truc du mois - le Jeu du passage étroit
• Releveurs de selle à vendre

Cliquez ici pour lire l'info-lettre!

You enjoyed this article?  Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!

For more info on Geneviève Benoit, Licensed Parelli 3 Star Instructor, visit www.vifargent.com

Does your horse really need a blanket? Thermoregulation in horses in cold temperatures

Here a couple of articles based on scientific studies explaining how complex and efficient the horse's body is at adapting to a wide variety of climatic conditions and very well adapted to cold climates... providing it is allowed to live in conditions approximating those in nature!  Yes, that means outside 24/7, in a herd, free choice access to forage and without a blanket!

I am always amazed to see horses in FLORIDA wearing a blanket!  Our horses here in Canada live outdoors in temperatures often dipping well under -30C for long periods of time (weeks), and they are absolutely fine as long as they are allowed to grow a winter coat, have room to move, are getting plenty of free choice hay and have access to a wind breaking shelter.  They are very healthy and thriving, and much less sensitive to infection and disease as their immune system is fully functional.  They do grow lots of hair, and yes, we do ride them and drive them despite the winter coat!  As long as their breathing and heart rate are back to normal, a good roll in the snow is the horse's way to dry off and fluff the coat.  We have yet to ever seen a horse catch a cold as a result of being turned out damp!

The main reason people bring their horses into the barn at night in this part of the world:  to keep the barn warm and prevent the pipes from freezing... using their body heat as a cheap heat source.  However, that does not qualify as acting in the horse's best interest...



Thermoregulation in horses in cold temperatures by Natalija Aleksandrova

Heat in the horse's body is continuously generated as a by-product of metabolism, and a healthy animal has significant internal sources of heat from the metabolic processes (Bicego at al., 2007). To control internal heat loss during the cold time of year, the horse is provided by Nature with complicated and extremely efficient anatomical, physiological and behavioral thermoregulatory mechanisms. In order that the mechanisms are used in the most efficient way, or at all, the horse requires conditions equaling species appropriate lifestyle environments...

Click here to read more.... 

Here is more information on winter blanketing that may surprise you...
This has been widely attributed to a Colorado State University study, but CSU has actually denied doing such a study.  However, there are other studies to corroborate the information below, and years of field observation of horses kept in natural environments will also validate.

Horses have the ability to loft and lower their coats to many different levels, so it's like exchanging different thermal weights of blankets off and on them all day and night, depending on what they need, without human interference. Their 'self-blanketing' process works a little like 'chill bumps' do on human skin. That is why long-haired horses may seem fluffier on some days than on others. Only three things make the 'self-blanketing' process not work: blanketing, clipping, and wind. Not even snow or rain stops their internal thermostats from doing the job. 

The thermoneutral zone (TNZ) for horses is defined as the range of temperatures in which the horse maintains its body temperature with little or no energy expenditure. Essentially, the TNZ is the temperature range wherein the horse does not have to work to raise or lower its body temperature.  TNZ for horses is when the ambient temperature lies between 5 and 20-25 degrees Celsius (depending on circumstances *). Outside of the TNZ, they are using energy to control their body temperatures. Since they are cooling their bodies when the temp is over 20-25C, they are having to use extra energy to cool themselves when blanketed in warm temperatures. 

Shivering is one of the ways the horse's body uses to warm itself; movement is the other one. Moving generates a considerable amount of heat for a horse, but they can also stand and shiver while napping or resting. It does not necessarily mean that they need to be blanketed. However, a horse MUST have a way to get out of the wind in order for their 'self-blanketing' abilities to function fully. While blanketing makes the human feel good about horse care, it does not fill a need of the horse. Many horse owners think that a blanket is a necessary part of good horsekeeping.  It is actually an item that is very seldom required - provided the horse is allowed to grow a seasonal coat, is healthy and in good weight, has had time to acclimatize to the weather and is kept in conditions allowing lots of movement day and night, ample forage and the ability to interact with other horses. 

* The wide range of the LCT (lower critical temperature) in adult horses extends from 41° F (5° C) for horses in mild climates to 5° F (-15° C) in natural-coated/unclipped horses adapted to very cold temperatures. Young horses and foals have higher LCT than adult horses. Defining the UCT (Upper Critical Temperature) is more difficult and researchers have suggested that it can range from 68-86° F (20-30° C).  Source - Equinews, Kentucky Equine Research Staff.

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  

Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

The Natural Horse Daily Balanced Supplement contains all essential elements for a thriving health of the horse on a forage only diet!  Click here for more info. 

IN ENGLISH BELOW

Si vous regardez bien la photo de couverture en haut de cette page, vous verrez au loin une grande étable de vaches laitières - ce bâtiment a brûlé cet été, emportant 224 vaches et le travail de toute une vie.  Une seule bête a survécu en sautant par la fenêtre.  Le foin entreposé a chauffé et le feu a pris.  Une des nombreuses raisons pour que je continue à garder mes chevaux à l'extérieur 24 heures par jour, en plus de nombreux bienfaits pour leur bien-être mental, émotionnel et physique!

Vous avez aimé cet article?  Faites- savoir en transmettant vos commentaires ci-dessous et n'hésitez pas à partager avec vos amis!

Geneviève Benoit offre des conférences et des formations sur la régie du cheval au naturel, ainsi que sur l'utilisation de la thérapie photonique et des huiles essentielles.  Contactez-nous pour plus de détails ou pour l'organiser dans votre région. 

If you look carefully at the cover photo on this page, you will see a large dairy farm in the background with a grain silo - that building burnt down this summer, killing 224 head of cattle and the work of a lifetime - one cow survived by jumping out a window.  The hay overheated and caught on fire.  One of the many reasons I would much rather see my horses outside 24/7 - in addition to the very real mental, emotional and physical benefits of movement and outdoor living!

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  

Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

The Natural Horse Daily Balanced Supplement contains all essential elements for a thriving health, including salt!  Click here for more info. 

Why salt is such an important component of the horse's diet, and understanding the dangers of electrolytes

Hot weather gets many people reaching for an electrolyte supplement for their horse, but often they have little understanding about electrolytes or what they do. This is scary because, used improperly, electrolytes can make the risk of dehydration or electrolyte-related performance problems worse for your horse.

The major electrolytes in blood are sodium and chloride, which together make salt. Inside cells, potassium substitutes for sodium. Other important electrolytes (minerals in free/dissolved form) include calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus and the trace minerals zinc, iron, copper and manganese.

Potassium is included in large amounts in all electrolyte supplements, but the fact of the matter is the diet already contains plenty. Of all the important electrolytes/minerals, the only ones that aren't present in adequate amounts in the diet are sodium and chloride-that's plain old salt.

At baseline, the horse needs to take in approximately 1 oz. of salt a day to stay hydrated. Sodium is the major mineral controlling how much water is in the horse's body. Because it is in such short supply in their diets, horses have evolved to have a strong hunger for salt, and their bodies will also save sodium at the expense of losing other minerals if they have to.

Click here to read the whole article

You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!  

Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up. 

The Natural Horse Daily Balanced Supplement contains all essential elements for a thriving health, including salt!  Click here for more info. 

Preventing winter colic - by Dr. E. Kellon, DVM

Winter is a high risk season for colic. Fortunately, this is largely related to factors you can control with careful management.    Impaction colic is particularly common and a major cause is dehydration. A 1000 pound horse has a minimum daily water requirement in winter of an average of 6 gallons or one and a half 4 gallon stall buckets.  It is critically important to meet this minimum, but not always easy.

Begin by making sure the horse takes in at least 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of salt every day. If the horse refuses to free choice salt, you can add some to feed, dissolve it in water and spray on hay or dissolve and syringe it in. After a few days of salt intake many horses will begin to take it in voluntarily. Heated or insulated water buckets/troughs are an excellent investment. Serving water warm makes it more palatable and also keeps it from freezing longer. If you don't have hot water at the barn, get an inexpensive heating coil or bring boiled water with you in a thermos or cooler. It's worth the effort.

Water intake can also be boosted by wet meals. Warm beet pulp is especially good because it soaks up  four times its weight in water. Pellets can also be soaked and many commercial feeds contain enough beet pulp to allow them to soak up water. Gas colic or spasmodic colic can occur at any time of year, but lowered exercise and borderline hydration can put the horse at higher risk. Further guard against this by never making rapid changes in the diet (an occasional bran mash excepted), including in hays.  Click here to read the whole article, including early signs of dehydration that can lead to colic. You enjoyed this post?  Let us know by posting a comment below and feel free to share with your friends!   Geneviève Benoit offers seminars and workshops on natural horse management, as well as on using Photonic Therapy and Essential Oils.  Contact us for more info and to set one up.  The Natural Horse Daily Balanced Supplement contains all essential elements for a thriving health, including salt!  Click here for more info.