Equine
Winter care for the horse
By Dr. Molly Bellefeuille, DVM, MS
With summer gone and winter here, falling temperatures, wind and wet conditions put a huge demand on the horse’s body for heat production. As with all warm-blooded animals, horses must maintain their body temperature to survive. The body does little to regulate heat generation and heat loss when the temperatures are within range of the animal’s comfort zone. When environmental temperatures fall below the minimal temperature of the horse’s comfort zone, heat production must be increased by the body. Internally the horse is able to increase heat production by speeding up chemical reactions that produce heat. However, increasing these reactions increases the energy needs of the horse. Therefore, it is important to protect you horses from the harsh weather elements and to provide them with an adequate diet so they can make sufficient heat.
The low end of the comfort zone for a horse with a winter hair coat is estimated to be 18 degrees Fahrenheit. However, this temperature can vary depending upon the horse’s size. Smaller horses have a greater surface area relative to body weight and can lose heat more rapidly than a larger horse. Energy needs for horses increase about 1 percent for each degree below 18 F.
To read more pick up the December 2014 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.
By Krista Lucas Wynn
The American Western Weekend on March 8-9 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, was a weekend full of rodeo competition that fans looked forward to for the past 10 years. The night of the American rodeo is something cowboys and cowgirls have worked hard for, in order to have a chance to win a $1,000,000 prize.
The top five from the 2023 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo were invited to compete alongside five contenders. The invitees were vying for a $100,000 paycheck for first place, and if a qualifier won their event and was the only qualifier to do so, he or she walked away with $1,000,000.
In the bareback riding, Kade Sonnier, Keenan Hayes, Jess Pope, and Tilden Hooper made it out of the long round of 10 to advance to the final four-shootout round. WNFR qualifier, Sonnier, made a 90.5-point ride on Agent Lynx to win the $100,000.
To read more, pick up a copy of the May issue of NTFR. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Phillip Kitts
The mystique and imagined glory of the rodeo road call many young people’s names. As they grow up, they watch the greats of the sport run from rodeo to rodeo and occasionally land on the television giving the perception of the rockstar lifestyle.
No, the glory of the rodeo road is not as grand as, say, the National Football League or the National Basketball Association, but being an athlete competing in front of the yellow chutes of Vegas is just as big a deal, and in every way, can be compared to competing in a Super Bowl.
However, things sure are different in the rodeo world. Let us take a minute and talk about what seem to be simple things in life that impact rodeo and rodeo athletes that in no way would make a difference to the big-money sports.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Garrett Metcalf, DVM
It is common for horse owners to have a horse with a wound or laceration at some point in their life. Sometimes small lacerations can be perceived as benign, inconsequential problems that do not need immediate veterinary attention and are managed by the owners or trainers initially. Unfortunately, these simple-looking wounds can involve very important anatomical structures that can lead to serious infections that can be life-threatening or, at best career-limiting, for the horse.
Large wounds tend to get all the attention from owners or trainers because when they occur they are so obvious and visually appalling that medical attention is sought almost immediately. Those types of large wounds can be devastating, but they often involve the upper body regions of the horse, which heal better and often don’t involve structures such as joints or tendons.
To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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