Student Workbook
H1.7 Seasonal Care
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H1.7SeasonalCare
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Contents
Seasonal Care Introduction
Pg. 4
Feeding for the Season
Pg. 5 & 6
Rugs
Pg. 7 – 12
Rugging and Un-rugging
Pg. 13
Clipping
Pg. 14 – 16
Extension Lesson
Pg. 17
Recommended Reading
Pg. 18
References
Pg. 19 & 20
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Seasonal Care Introduction
Just like people horses feel the warm and cooler weather and will require different care with
the different seasons. Some horses will cope better with certain climates than others. As a
general rule older, younger and under or over conditioned horses will feel temperature
differences. Seasons and climates can influence horse health and condition therefore it is
important to recognise individual horse needs.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Feeding for the Season
During weather and seasonal changes you can make some minor feeding adjustments to
help a horse perform better and avoid heat stress and fatigue.
Over-weight and nervous horses are mostly likely to suffer to dehydration during hot weather.
Older horses may also be affected by warmer weather. In colder weather older and
underweight horses will be the most affected they will require more feed to maintain body
condition, as they will be using more energy to keep themselves warm.
Feeding during hotter weather:Some feeds produce higher amounts of heat during fermentation and hindgut processes,
this heat is called ‘waste heat’. In a horse that is in work, waste heat increases the load
which needs to be lost during warm weather and after exercise. This means that large
amounts of waste heat being produced will make the horse hotter. Increased heat loads can
cause higher heart and respiration rates because the body temperature will be higher due to
excess amounts of waste heat. This results in higher amounts of sweat which can lead to
dehydration.
Roughage (hay) and fibrous feeds such as oats and wheat bran produce more waste heat
than feeds that are dense in carbohydrates such as corn and barley. However roughage is
still important to the digestive health of a horse and despite it producing high amounts of
waste heat it also traps water in the bowel which provides a fluid reservoir for horses in
exercise.
Guidelines for feeding in hot weather:-
put feeders and feed bins in a shady spot
ensure cool, clean water is always available. Placing water in the shade can assist in
keeping it cool however may result in leaf litter in the water supply
maintain a short length in the horse’s coat (clipping is covered in further chapters of
this workbook)
dampening feeds will help to improve the horse’s fluid intake
during travel or hard work, use electrolyte and fluid replacement liquids
hose the horse promptly after work and exercise
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Feeding for the Season (cont.)
Feeding during colder weather:Horses which are kept outside during colder weather will require a good supply of roughage
and shelter from wind and rain and room to exercise to keep themselves warm. To adapt to
colder months horses grow a longer coat, they may group together and their appetite may
increase so that they take in more feed so their bodies can provide more energy to stay
warm.
Rugging (this will be covered more extensively further in this workbook) can help to insulate
against the cold, rain and wind. Shelters can help to keep a horse dry, a wet horse gets
colder easier than a dry horse.
Whilst feeds that produce a high amount of heat are undesirable in hot weather, they will
help to maintain body heat in colder weather. A horse which has is not putting all it’s energy
into keeping warm is less likely to loose body condition.
Cereal chaff (wheaten & oaten) and lucerne hay will help to provide extra energy and
internal warmth during digestion. Fibrous feeds such as oats provide addition energy and are
also suitable for this purpose.
A typically fuzzy winter coat
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The winter coat of an Icelandic pony. Note how
it is much longer than the horse in the previous
image.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Rugs
When deciding to rug a horse you need to consider the purpose for which you are rugging it.
Is it for warmth, protection from flies, cooling down after exercise or maybe for protection
from wet weather? There are many different designs out there to suit every budget, climate
and purpose.
Wild horses grow longer coats and shed hair with the climate changes. The grease and dirt
that build up within that coat helps to provide a waterproof barrier and long manes and tails
assist in keeping off flies. Stabled and some domesticated horses are clean daily, kept
indoors and in some cases are clipped which reduces the benefit of the natural protection of
the coat and grease build up. Therefore depending upon the types of horse, the weather and
climate and the exercise the horse performs it may be necessary to provide the horse with a
rug.
Here we’re not going to cover every type of rug available out in the horse
community/industry but look at some of the more common types and materials they are
made from and what they are used for.
When measuring a rug for a horse the rug size is determined by length. To determine the
length, measure from the centre of the chest (where the buckles will do up) to the point of
the buttocks. Some countries may obtain this measurement from the top of the withers to the
top of the tail so it is important that you measure the horse as per the manufacturers
guidelines. Rugs sizes are described in either imperial measurement or metric. A well fitted
rug should cover the horse’s belly (this is known as depth). Neck rugs and hoods can come
in pony, cob, full, warmblood and stallion sizes. A neck rug which is too large will slide back,
one which is too small will restrict the horse from lowering the head.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Rugs (cont.)
Stable rugs:These rugs are used for stabled horses and are not waterproof. They assist in keeping a
horse clean and warm. Because they often get dirty very quickly people usually have one for
the night and another for the day. They can be made of different materials to suit hot and
cold weather.
Cotton
Will maintain its position on the horse well, they are light
which makes them suitable for hotter weather and easy to
wash and a natural fibre. Good for keeping the flies and
insects off. They will also assist in improving the quality of
the horse’s coat.
Wool
These are good for providing warmth and can be used
under a waterproof rug which has no lining (see unlined
canvas). They can be difficult to wash but also may be
used as a rug at competitions. A wool rug will become quite
heavy if it gets wet.
Paddock rugs:Paddock rugs should be designed to be strong and durable. They should have strong
fittings and can be waterproof. A rugged paddocked horse should be checked at least once
a day to ensure the rug hasn’t slipped or started to chaff the horse.
Hessian
Hessian rugs can be made from empty chaff bags or
brought ready made. A natural fibre they are cheap,
light and cool. They can provide warmth under
waterproof rugs and are useful as coat polishing rugs
and prevent the colour of the coat from sun
bleaching and fading. Rugs made from chaff bags
tend to be softer than the brought variety which can
be a little stiff. The horse’s shoulders and wither
should be checked regularly for chaffing.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Rugs (cont.)
Paddock rugs:-
New Zealand rug
These are made of canvas or flax and are lined with
wool. They are very warm and waterproof and they
come in different weights for different weather and
rain conditions. They can be quite heavy and cause
rubbing on the wither and shoulders. Extra padding
in these areas is usually provided with sheepskin,
foam or satin.
They can also come as a ‘self-righting rug’ which
means that should it twist it will correct itself. The
way it does this is a strap is passed between the
front legs and then splits and passes through a ring
on each outer side of the rug, the straps then pass
back on the inside of the hind legs, threaded through
each other and attached to the rings at the rear of
the rug.
Doona
Waterproof in light rain these rugs are made of
synthetic materials and are soft and easy to handle.
They are warm and tend to fit better if one size
smaller is used.
Ripstop
These are rugs which are available lined or unlined.
This means that they will either come with a felt
lining (on the underside of the rug to assist in
keeping the horse warm in colder weather) or they
have none.
The threads of this rug are woven into a cross
pattern to help prevent tears growing in size. Cotton
rugs can also be brought as a ripstop with the cross
woven pattern.
Unlined rugs can be used over summer rugs to keep
the horse dry in wet weather.
The under side of a lined ripstop canvas rug
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Rugs (cont.)
Other commonly used rugs:Ripstop (cont.)
Most commonly they are seen as canvas or synthetic
materials. Synthetic materials (such as polyester)
tend mould better to the horse’s shape and are not as
cumbersome when wet.
a.) synthetic ripstop
a.)
b.)
b.) canvas ripstop
Anti-sweat
Allowing natural evaporation of moisture on a sweaty
or wet horse a anti-sweat rug is made of string. They
can be used with a cotton rug over the top to help
hold them in place as this type of rug usually doesn’t
come with leg straps. When used in conjunction with
a lighter rug it will allow the horse to dry without
chilling. They can be used on their own in hot
weather and a roller or surcingle can be used to help
prevent it from slipping.
Show rugs
The function of this rug is to keep a horse clean, keep
the flies off and for presentation. They can be made
of cotton, satin, silk, linen or wool. They come in
many colour combinations.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Rugs (cont.)
Other commonly used rugs:Skinny hoods
Usually made from lycra or more recently polar fleece
they are very stretchy. They may be used to keep the
horse and mane clean, to ‘train’ the mane to stay
down or to one side or to keep plaits neat and tidy for
competition. Care should be taken when using them
as if the hood twists it can cause the eye hole to put
pressure onto the eye, which can lead to serious
injuries and problems. If the hood is too small it can
also prevent the horse from lowering its head to
graze.
Polar fleece
These are handy rugs to put under waterproofs or
just to provide a horse with extra warm. They are soft
and light but not waterproof. Care should be taken
when selecting sizes as the can stretch slightly.
Satin shoulders/bibs
A horse wears this item under a rug to help prevent
and minimise rubbing and chaffing on the shoulders
and wither. They come in sizes from pony upwards
and are made of satin or silk. Some can be quilted to
provide extra padding in the area.
a.) satin
a.)
b. )quilted
b.)
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Rugs (cont.)
The heavier winter rugs which are waterproof and provide warmth will also assist in keeping
the horse’s coat from becoming fluffy. An older horse will require more care in the extremes
of temperatures, you should take this into consideration when deciding how to rug the aged
equine.
Below is a rough guide of rug sizing in feet and centimetres and what height of horse will
usually fit that size of rug.
This is only a guide. Some breeds will be lighter and may fit into smaller rugs while heavier
types many need to go up a size from their height. It is always good to check the
manufacturers sizing as some styles may vary slightly in how they fit.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Rugging & Un-rugging
Horses are flight animals which means their first instinct when frightened is to run away. We
need to take this into consideration when rugging and un-rugging horses.
The procedure for taking off a rug is:


Undo the buckles starting from the front working your way to the back. Doing so will
mean that if the horse goes galloping off the rug will be flicked back off the horse
rather than sliding forward and getting caught up in the front legs.
Once the leg straps have been unbuckled, re-buckle them back to the rug to that
when you put the rug back on, they wont flick around and hit the horse.
Then fold the rug back, so its neat and organised for when you put it on again and
slide it off the back of the horse.
The procedure for putting a rug on is:

Place the rug over the horses’ back & unfold. Its better to have the rug sitting slightly
forward of where it needs to be then you can slide it back in the direction of the hair.
Start doing up the buckles from the back & work your way to the front. Doing so will
mean if your horse go galloping off the rug will be flicked back off the horse rather
than sliding forward and getting caught up in the front legs.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Clipping
Clipping involves removing all or parts of a horse’s coat. There are a couple of different
reasons for clipping:1) To improve the horse’s appearance for competition or show
2) To make it easier to keep the horse clean and recognise health problems.
Sometimes a horse’s legs might be clipped to prevent moisture becoming trapped
and causing skin problems
3) To allow the horse to stay cooler when working. A long thick winter coat will restrict
the evaporation of sweat meaning that the horse stays hotter
4) To allow the horse to dry quickly after work which prevent chills and time spent drying
the horse
Some older horses with ‘Cushings Disease’ (a hormone disorder, which causes a long,
shaggy coat which doesn’t change with the seasons. For more info see the recommended
readings) may require clipping coming into the warmer months to help remove the winter
coat.
Some preparation is necessary prior to clipping:-
-
make sure the horse is clean. Shampoo the horse thoroughly to remove grease and
dirt from the coat. Clipping a dirty horse will give you a rough clip and will blunt the
clipper blades. The horse should also be dry, clippers wont cut a wet coat
check the clippers to make sure they are clean, oiled and in good working order
if the horse hasn’t been clipped before it may be a good idea to introduce them to the
noise and the feel before you actually do the clip job.
If you are only going to clip part of the horse’s body, use chalk (or bright lipstick)
mark where the clip will go. This will help to keep it even on each side of the horse.
Some points for consideration:-
-
try to keep the power lead away from the horse. If the horse stands on the cord it will
probably cause damage to the wires or become entangled, both of which are
dangerous.
for first time horses have a helper to hold the horse
allow plenty of time to clip, especially if you are doing the whole body
chose a place to clip which is away from water, rain and draughts
dress appropriately- clipped hair will get everywhere and it can become itchy and
irritating
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Clipping (cont.)
There are two types of machines for removing long hair 1.) clippers which are bigger, noisier
and capable of cutting thick and large quantities of hair, and 2.) trimmers which are smaller,
quieter and suitable for trimming excess hair off a horse’s head, legs and ears. Because
clippers are larger they are better suited to clipping the body and legs though it is possible to
do more delicate areas. Trimmers are smaller in length and blade width which means they
can get into difficult areas such as the ears to remove hair, and are easier to manoeuvre and
quieter.
Clippers
Trimmers
Types of clips:Full body
The hair has been removed from the whole body,
including legs and head. The horse in this image still has
the longer coat on the legs and head and you can see
how the colour of the shorter coat is different.
Trace clip
This clip is suitable for horses which live outdoors, the
hair is left on most of the upper body and legs, which will
provide protection from the cold but it is removed from the
underside of the neck, chest, belly and hindquarter. This
allows the horses sweat to be better evaporated during
hard work.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Clipping (cont.)
Blanket clip
Good for horses in heavy work, hair is removed from the
head, neck and underside of the belly and hindquarter.
The hair which is left provides protection from the
elements.
Hunter clip
Hair is left only on the legs and the spot where the saddle
sits. This type of clip is for hard working horses who
spend long hours under the saddle. The hair left provides
some padding for the back and on the legs it provides
protection from plants and shrubs (exercise/work
outdoors)
Upon finishing clipping the horse will need to be shampooed again to remove clipped hair
and any oil from the clippers as both will cause irritation. A clipped horse will feel the cold
more than a horse which is not clipped therefore additional rugs will be necessary. Sweep up
loose hair and clean and store the clippers appropriately.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Extension Lesson
What adjustments do you make to your feeding or care routine during hot and cold months?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………....
Ask another horse person what they do to keep their horse comfortable and maintaining
condition in hotter and colder months.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Using a suitable horse, practice putting on and removing rugs as detailed in this workbook.
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H1.7SeasonalCare
Recommended Reading
Publication:-
Author:-
Feeding and Nutrition of Horses Pg.47-49
John Kohnke
Trimming and Clipping
Greenhouse Picture Guides
Rugs and Rollers
Greenhouse Picture Guides
Foot Steps
Sally Hinton & Joan Eccleshare
Websites:http://www.ranvet.com.au/cushings_syndrome.htm - Cushings Disease
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H1.7SeasonalCare
References
Publication:-
Author:-
Feeding and Nutrition of Horses Pg.47-49
John Kohnke
Trimming and Clipping
Greenhouse Picture Guides
Rugs and Rollers
Greenhouse Picture Guides
Foot Steps
Sally Hinton & Joan Eccleshare
Pony Club Manual No.
Elaine Knox-Thompson &
Suzanne Dickens
Feeding Horses
Melyni Worth
Websites:http://www.ranvet.com.au/cushings_syndrome.htm
Images:Page 6
http://www.citydata.com/forum/attachments/pets/33375d1230692428horse-pics-sheza.jpg
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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/IcelandicHorseInWinte
r.jpg
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http://www.millbryhill.co.uk/equestrian-530/horse-rugs-589/turnout-rugs681/horseware-medium-turnout-15994-3780_medium.jpg
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http://www.ruggles-horse-rugs.co.uk/img/products/COTTON-1L.jpg
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http://www.horsehutt.com.au/images/DeluxeWoolEcoRug.jpg
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http://www.fourseasonshorserugs.com.au/images/horses/web%20%2811%
29.JPG
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http://www.openrussia.ru/imgs/products/logos/25261.jpg
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http://www.prestigehorsewear.com.au/user/cimage/Doona-2.jpg
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References (cont.)
Images:Page 9
http://allambiehorsewear.homestead.com/files/blue.jpg
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http://www.myaushorse.com.au/uploads/1254282100-Group2copy.jpg
Page 10
http://www.feedem.co.uk/horse-117/horse-rugs-124/699-rhinegold-aspenoutdoor-1037-3901_zoom.jpg
Page 10
http://www.saddleworldmaddington.com.au/Uploads/Images/LilydaleUNline
dCanvasRug.jpg
Page 10
http://www.horsesponies.co.uk/images/products/rhinegold/290/anti%20swe
at%20rug.jpg
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http://www.camelothorserugs.com.au/images/T/CHR91092web.jpg
Page 11
http://www.stirrups.co.nz/site/images/cache/d47aff8838015585321a067e50
5da273.jpg
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http://www.coltsfootequestrian.co.uk/acatalog/94Xd.jpg
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http://www.getprice.com.au/images/uploadimg/1087/350__1_KHsFKMIqvA
-1.jpg
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http://www.clarkemckenzie.co.nz/images/store/covers/rug_bib.jpg
Page 12
http://www.bellingensaddlery-pets.com.au/images/orders/horsesizechart.gif
Page 14
http://www.freewebs.com/sam-horse/Clipping.jpg
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http://www.ukcountrystore.co.uk/acatalog/clippercordless_sml.jpg
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http://www.petspantry.tv/acatalog/6268cx.jpg
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http://www.freewebs.com/horseclipping
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http://www.animal-photography.com/thumbs/AP-00XYWF-TH.jpg
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http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/769/918756.JPG
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