Welcome to Volta’s news for June:
A saying” He has a kind eye”, is often said when people see him and honestly this is one thing Wes does like and saw in Volta when we did see him for the first time. Volta has kind eyes but still is very alert and watchful of everything happening around him. We do think this is what makes him so easy to handle and why he accepts new things we ask of him.
Volta's kind eyes picture taken end April
Volta showing you his KIND EYES!!
Winter health:
During the cold winter months Volta needs a lot of extra attention everyday. We have been unable to put him in a stable for the month of May due to our relocation and having to construct new facilities to manage all our horses. We are very excited to know that when Spring arrives we will be able to “Free Jump” Volta and all our young stock because we are just completing a Free Jumping yard now as I write this blog. The shock of the wind, rain and even hail did make him stand still a lot in the middle of his paddock looking quite uncomfortable , compared to last month running around kicking up his heels in the sunshine. When we approach with his daily ration of Breed & Grow and Equi-Jewel he would run up for a pat and a good rub loving the extra attention.
A stable does keep your horse warmer and dryer and protected from the harsh winter ailments. But if you stable a horse you need to be prepared to do alot more work caring for their general health. Winter weather can be the cause of a range of skin problems and diseases. Rain and mud are the worst offenders and the reason for the one of the most common conditions-MUD FEVER. Being stabled may eliminate him getting this disease but with it brings other precautions. We shall talk about stable and care for stabled horses in Julys news.
Mud Fever:
Mud fever is easy to see on your horse. He or she will have chapped, infected skin on the lower legs. There legs can become swollen, scabby and painful. The skin may even feel hot and sore, and they may even bite the legs and catch the disease on the muzzle. A horse can even go lame, particularly if the skin cracks and oozes pus.Normally scabs appear and its under these that the disease-causing germs live. To remove the scabs you should moisten them by smothering them in an antibacterial ointment such as ” White ointment” and over the next few days you will be able to gently peel off the scabs, but keep re-applying the cream to keep the legs moisturised. Even hosing the legs and bathing in iodine will also soften the scabs but you will need to apply an ointment after so the skin does not dry out to much.Even applying liquid paraffin maybe a cheaper option.
To prevent Mud Fever keep your horse out of very wet muddy areas and when you ride them wipe the legs dry with an old towel.Always brush off excess dry mud on their legs every time you see them do not let it build up in the hair. Try not to let the hair grow to long and trim it away so the mud does not build up in long hair.
Wet weather can also cause cracked heels and thrush. To prevent cracked heels, waterproof the dry skin with udder ointment.Thrush is an infected horn of the frog again caused by wet and dirt not being picked out of the feet often enough. It is best to get this smelly frog cut away and then keep cleaning out the hooves more often and apply hoof grease on the sole and around the frog for more protection.
Volta eating his daily ration of Breed & Grow with Equi-Jewel out of his bright pink feed bin"
Tips for Winter:
Winter often brings wet and muddy footing, which can mean a higher incidence of foot problems like sole and foot abscesses.
Most horses (those that won’t be used heavily) should have their shoes pulled for winter.
Winter is an important time for maintaining proper parasite control and also a critical time to provide plenty of access to clean water.
A long winter hairy coat makes it more difficult to assess body condition visually. You should regularly check their condition by using your hands to feel fat and muscle cover on your horse’s ribs and bones of the pelvis and spine, through his winter coat. The horse’s winter coat is a very important barrier against cold as it traps an insulating layer of air against the skin. The winter coat functions well as long as it is “fluffed” and stays dry. A horse that goes into winter in good coverage is more able to tolerate cold weather than one that goes into winter thin.
Wes running his hand through Volta's hair to feel his fat and muscle cover.Volta feels very well covered.
Once cold weather sets in, it is difficult to put weight on horses, especially thin ones. It is easier to maintain a horse’s good flesh in the winter than it is to put weight on a thin horse.
The bottom line is that each horse must be managed according to its individual needs and with common sense. A good guideline is to provide excellent basic care, keep things as simple and regular as possible, keep them as dry as you possibly can and let nature do the rest.
RE-WORMING VOLTA
Volta weighed 466kg this month so we gave him the amount recommended for a horse of 500kg. Better to over dose a little than under dose!
The next worming date is every 6 weeks from today being about the 15th July.
Feeding advice direct from Ker Nutritionist Luisa Wood :
Breed N Grow: Horses require significant amounts of high quality protein, vitamins and minerals in order to assist in bone growth and development. An ideal dietary plan for weanlings is a 14% or 16% complete feed fed at the correct amounts to meet nutrient requirements. Barastoc Breed N Grow has been formulated specifically for growing horses and contains high quality protein from soybean meal plus added amino acids to support optimum growth rates. When fed at 3.5kgs daily for a horse Volta’s age and size, Breed N Grow should meet his requirements for all the essential nutrients he needs including protein, calcium, phosphorous, copper and zinc. Read about Equi-Jewel in Volta June news…..
Stay tuned to read why we feed Equi-Jewel in next months blog:
Luisa Wood
Nutrition Advisor
Kentucky Equine Research (Australasia) Pty Ltd
Hairy Volta!
How happy is Volta on this sunny day 31st May.
Volta is so friendly he loves seeing you.
Volta follows you everywhere in his paddock!