Unfortunately extremely hot weather is now becoming very common, and our horses and other animals need special care to cope with these challenging conditions.
KEEPING YOUR HORSES HYDRATED
Ensuring horses are well hydrated is at the top of the list, which means they must have access to good quality water, in containers which encourage them to drink, adequate provision of salt and electrolytes and protection from the sun.
A horse needs to consume 10% of its bodyweight daily in hot weather to maintain optimum hydration. So for an average sized horse (500 kg) that is 50 litres!
A handy check for hydration level is to pick up some skin between thumb and fore finger in the middle of the neck and let it go straight away, if it stays standing up then the horse is dehydrated.
Also get to know your own horses’ drinking and sweating profiles so that you can quickly recognize if they are below par.
PLASTIC TASTES AWFUL
Troughs and water containers should be kept scrubbed out regularly so that the water in them is kept invitingly clean. Horses will often not drink enough water for reasons other than lack of cleanliness. The main culprits are automatic waterers in stables and yards and water in plastic buckets, especially small ones. Horses drink better if containers are large, and this also helps to keep the water cool in hot weather. Concrete troughs or old bath tubs or laundry tubs make good water containers.
It is important to realise that plastic is not inert. Test this by filling a plastic container with water and leaving it all day in the sun, it will taste of plastic in that time.
Mains or town water can be made more palatable to horses and increase their consumption by the addition of dolomite, bentonite or zeolite at the rate of 1 tablespoon to 20 litres. These clays will filter out much of the fluoride and chlorine.
Horses usually love dam water, because it contains minerals in their natural form, but during drought times, when dam levels are getting very low, horses and other stock should not be allowed to drink from them, as not only will the water be dirty or contaminated, it could be highly acid or highly alkaline, both dangerous.
Dehydration is a common problem in performance horses. In extreme weather conditions horses just standing around in paddocks, yards or stables, can easily become dehydrated. They need access to shade as well as protection from the sun with white cotton combos.
Even though horses have a great ability to sweat and therefore dump heat, there is a limit. In hot and humid conditions the effectiveness of their cooling mechanism is taxed to the highest degree.
THE PUFFS OR ANHYDROSIS
This is a very serious condition where the horse is unable to sweat normally, which means it is unable to cool its body, maintain hydration or properly excrete metabolic toxins. Characteristically anhydrotic horses will pant like a dog and can become quite distressed. The hair will stand up, the skin will become dry and frequently itchy skin conditions will result.
There are degrees of anhydrosis. There are plenty of horses in the more temperate climates who do not sweat freely and who also do not drink enough. These would be prime candidates for full blown puffs if they were to move into hotter and more humid climates.
My herbal treatments for this condition work well, as there are lots of herbs which stimulate sweating mechanism, and the sooner treatment commences once a problem is recognised the quicker it will work.
Careful attention to diet and training play an essential role in managing the problem. The common practice of giving synthetic electrolytes prevents recovery and worsens the condition.
The important minerals in electrolyte balance are sodium, potassium and chloride. Sodium and potassium work in harness. The ratio is essential for hydration balance, kidney health and pH (acid/alkali) balance.
The kidneys are responsible for removing wastes from the body via fluids so if there isn’t enough sodium, dehydration will result. If there is too much sodium there will be fluid retention.
Sodium in its natural form alkalises and is not retained in body fluids, while common salt (synthetic sodium chloride) produces an acid state with excess being retained in fluids. Feeding common salt is certainly not the way to get these two essential minerals into the horse’s body.
The best way to provide salt to horses is to give them free access to large lumps of Himalayan natural rock salt, which looks like pink quartz. When extra salt is needed, Himalayan rock salt granules and/or Celtic sea salt can be added to the feed. Feeding rate 10 g per day ponies, 20 g average sized horse, 30 g larger horses. Can go higher with in very hot weather especially if they are being worked.
Himalayan rock salt contains not only sodium and chloride, but also calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, boron, potassium, zinc, selenium, iodine and a plethora of nano minerals.
Apple Cider Vinegar being high in potassium is also ideal to add to water to dampen down feeds along with the salt to give a good basic electrolyte mix. Feeding rate is 15 ml per 100 kg bodyweight, double in summer in hot conditions.
The quality of the apple cider vinegar is paramount – we need to look for apple cider vinegar which is “alive”. The proof that it is alive is the presence of the “mother” in the container which is a rather revolting snot like substance floating in the vinegar, this shows the presence of live bacteria still going about their business. This type of apple cider vinegar is made from whole apples and is unpasteurised. As vinegar ages the acidity changes as does the colour of the vinegar.
As the stock feed industry is virtually unregulated vendors of apple cider vinegar for livestock including horses can get away with making outrageous claims such as “double strength” “fixed acidity of such and such a %” which are meaningless. These usually contain synthetic acetic acid, so not a real natural product.
If you are lucky enough to live in an apple growing area then you can buy local otherwise you can purchase the real deal from a health food store, there are good Aussie brands like Spreyton from Tasmania available in bulk.
MAKE YOUR OWN ELECTROLYTE MIX
A useful natural electrolyte mix is 10 litres of water with 4 tablespoons of molasses, 250 ml good quality apple cider vinegar, and a tablespoon of Himalayan rock salt granules or Celtic sea salt diluted in it. Molasses is high in calcium and magnesium as well as B group vitamins.
I always give my horses a drink of organic molasses after they have been worked, made with 2 tablespoons to 10 litres of water, cool in summer, warm in winter, which helps them to drink when they are out at clinics or competitions.
WORKING HORSES IN THE SUMMER
I personally can’t tolerate the heat and where I live in the Northern Tablelands of NSW, when it gets to 30 degrees everyone is gasping. This year we have had weeks of over 30 degrees and this week it is forecast to get to 36 degrees, I hate to think what it will be like out west.
At this level of heat I ride at 6 in the morning, when it is still cool, as we are lucky mostly it cools down to around 12 – 15 at night. I won’t be riding at all next week if it doesn’t cool down at night, that is for sure.
Clearly if you have a lot of horses to work you can’t do them all very early but you can certainly avoid riding in the middle of the day, and you can ride for shorter times and hose them down thoroughly as soon as they have finished work.
To cool a horse quickly you should start at the hind legs at the bottom working forwards under the belly, then the head and finally the top line.
Scrape the water out fast, notice how hot it feels, then repeat the water and scrape, this can be done several times if necessary.
Don’t forget the molasses drink.
© Victoria Ferguson Dip.Herb.Med.
Kwa bahati mbaya, hali ya hewa ya joto sana sasa inakuwa ya kawaida sana, na farasi wetu na wanyama wengine wanahitaji utunzaji maalum ili kukabiliana na hali hizi ngumu. Kuhifadhi farasi wako hydrated ni muhimu sana kwa ajili ya afya ya farasi, na lazima kuwa na maji ya kutosha, maji ya kutosha, na maji ya kutosha ya chumvi na electrolytes. Farasi anahitaji kula asilimia 10 ya uzito wake kila siku wakati wa joto ili awe na maji ya kutosha. Kwa hiyo kwa farasi wa ukubwa wa wastani (500 kg) hiyo ni lita 50! Hatua bora ya kuangalia kiwango cha hydration ni kuchukua baadhi ya ngozi kati ya kidole gumba na mbele katikati ya shingo na kuruhusu moja kwa moja, kama inabaki kusimama juu, basi farasi ni dehydrated. Pia kupata kujua farasi wako mwenyewe kunywa na sweating maelezo ili uweze haraka kutambua kama wao ni chini ya par. Vipuli vya maji na vyombo vya maji vinapaswa kusafishwa kwa ukawaida ili maji ya ndani ya vyombo hivyo yaendelee kuwa safi. Mara nyingi farasi hawawezi kunywa maji ya kutosha kwa sababu nyingine isipokuwa ukosefu wa usafi. Washiriki wa kikundi hicho wanafanya hivyo kwa kutumia mashine za maji katika vibanda vya farasi na vyumba vya farasi, na kwa kutumia ndoo za plastiki, hasa zile ndogo. Farasi hunywa vizuri zaidi ikiwa vyombo ni vikubwa, na hilo pia husaidia kuweka maji baridi wakati wa joto. Vituo vya saruji au mitungi ya zamani ya kuoga au mitungi ya kuosha nguo hufanya vyombo vizuri vya maji. Ni muhimu kutambua kwamba plastiki si inert. Jaribu hii kwa kujaza chupa ya plastiki na maji na kuiacha siku nzima kwenye jua, itakuwa na ladha ya plastiki wakati huo. Maji ya mji yanaweza kufanywa zaidi ya kupendeza kwa farasi na kuongeza matumizi yao kwa kuongeza dolomite, bentonite au zeolite kwa kiwango cha 1 tablespoon kwa lita 20. Udongo huo utaondoa kiasi kikubwa cha fluoridi na klorini. Kwa kawaida farasi hupenda maji ya bwawa kwa sababu yana madini katika hali yao ya asili, lakini wakati wa ukame, wakati viwango vya bwawa vinapopungua sana, farasi na mifugo mingine haipaswi kuruhusiwa kunywa maji hayo, kwani sio tu maji yatakuwa machafu au kuchafuliwa, inaweza kuwa na asidi nyingi au alkaline sana, zote mbili ni hatari. Kutoweza kunywa maji mwilini ni tatizo la kawaida kwa farasi wenye utendaji. Katika hali mbaya ya hewa farasi wanaosimama tu katika viwanja, viwanja au vibanda, wanaweza kukosa maji mwilini kwa urahisi. Wanahitaji kupata kivuli na pia kujilinda kutokana na jua kwa kutumia vitambaa vya pamba. Ingawa farasi wana uwezo mkubwa wa kuchoma jasho na hivyo kutoa joto, kuna kikomo. Katika hali ya joto na unyevu ufanisi wa utaratibu wao wa baridi ni kodi kwa kiwango cha juu. PTSD (Physiology) ni hali ya hatari ambayo inaathiri farasi ambaye hawezi kuoga kwa kawaida, na hivyo hawezi kupoza mwili wake, kudumisha hydration, au kuondoa toxins metabolic. Kwa kawaida farasi wasio na maji hufadhaika kama mbwa na wanaweza kuwa na wasiwasi sana. Nywele zitainuka, ngozi itauka na mara nyingi hali za ngozi zenye kukwaruza zitafuata. Kuna viwango vya ukosefu wa maji mwilini. Katika maeneo yenye hali ya hewa ya wastani, farasi wengi hawawezi kuchoma jasho kwa urahisi na pia hawawezi kunywa maji ya kutosha. Hizi zingekuwa wagombea bora kwa puffs kamili iliyopigwa ikiwa wangehamia katika hali ya hewa ya joto na unyevu zaidi. Matibabu ya mimea ya matibabu ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea ya mimea. Uangalifu wa makini kwa lishe na mazoezi hutimiza fungu muhimu katika kusimamia tatizo hilo. Mazoea ya kawaida ya kutoa elektroliti za synthetic huzuia kupona na kuharibu hali. Madini muhimu katika usawa wa electrolyte ni sodiamu, potasiamu na kloridi. Sodiamu na potasiamu hufanya kazi kwa nguvu. Uwiano ni muhimu kwa usawa wa hydration, afya ya figo na usawa wa pH (asidi / alkali). Figo zina jukumu la kuondoa taka kutoka mwilini kupitia umajimaji kwa hivyo ikiwa hakuna sodiamu ya kutosha, upungufu wa maji utasababisha. Ikiwa kuna sodiamu nyingi mno kutakuwa na kuhifadhi maji. Natriamu katika hali yake ya asili hufanyiwa alkali na haifanyiwi katika umajimaji wa mwili, wakati chumvi ya kawaida (kloridi ya sodiamu ya synthetic) hutokeza hali ya asidi na ziada huhifadhiwa katika umajimaji. Kwa hakika, si njia nzuri ya kuingiza madini hayo mawili muhimu katika mwili wa farasi kwa kumlisha chumvi ya kawaida. Njia bora ya kutoa chumvi kwa farasi ni kuwapa upatikanaji wa bure wa vipande vikubwa vya chumvi ya asili ya Himalaya, ambayo inaonekana kama quartz ya waridi. Wakati chumvi ya ziada inahitajika, granules ya chumvi ya mwamba ya Himalaya na / au chumvi ya bahari ya Celtic inaweza kuongezwa kwa chakula. Kiasi cha chakula: 10 g kwa siku kwa farasi wa ukubwa wa wastani, 20 g kwa farasi wa ukubwa wa wastani, 30 g kwa farasi wakubwa. Inaweza kwenda juu zaidi na katika hali ya hewa ya joto sana hasa kama wao ni kazi. Chumvi ya Himalaya haina tu sodiamu na kloridi, lakini pia kalsiamu, magnesiamu, shaba, chuma, boroni, potasiamu, zinki, seleniamu, iodini na idadi kubwa ya madini ya nano. Apple Cider vinegar ni bora kwa kuongeza maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji ya maji. Kiwango cha kulisha ni 15 ml kwa kila 100 kg ya uzito wa mwili, mara mbili katika majira ya joto. Ubora wa siki ya apple cider ni muhimu <unk> tunahitaji kuangalia kwa siki ya apple cider ambayo ni <unk> hai <unk>. "Ushahidi wa kuwa hai ni kuwapo kwa ""mama"" katika chombo ambacho ni kitu cha kuchukiza kama snot kinachoelea katika siki, hii inaonyesha uwepo wa bakteria hai bado wanafanya biashara yao." Aina hii ya siki ya mchuzi wa matofaa hutengenezwa kutokana na matofaa yote na haipasteurized. Kadiri siki inavyozeeka, kiasi cha asidi hubadilika na hivyo ndivyo rangi ya siki inavyozidi kubadilika. Kama sekta ya malisho ya mifugo ni karibu unregulated wauzaji wa apple cider siki kwa ajili ya mifugo ikiwa ni pamoja na farasi wanaweza kupata mbali na kufanya madai outrageous kama vile <unk> nguvu mara mbili <unk> <unk> fasta asidi ya kama na kama % <unk> ambayo ni bila maana. Kwa kawaida hizo huwa na asidi ya asidi ya asidi, kwa hiyo si bidhaa halisi ya asili. Ikiwa una bahati ya kuishi katika eneo la kupanda apple, unaweza kununua bidhaa za ndani, au unaweza kununua bidhaa halisi kutoka kwa duka la chakula cha afya, kuna bidhaa nzuri za Aussie kama vile Spreyton kutoka Tasmania zinazopatikana kwa wingi. Mchanganyiko wa kawaida wa electrolyte ni lita 10 za maji na vijiko vinne vya molasses, 250 ml ya vinaiga vya apple cider vya ubora mzuri, na kijiko cha granules ya chumvi ya mwamba ya Himalaya au chumvi ya bahari ya Celtic iliyoyeyuka ndani yake. Maziwa ya mlozi yana kiasi kikubwa cha kalsiamu na magnesiamu na vilevile vitamini vya kikundi cha B. """Mimi huwapa farasi wangu kinywaji cha melasi ya kikaboni baada ya kuifanya kazi, iliyoundwa na vijiko viwili kwa lita 10 za maji, baridi wakati wa kiangazi, joto wakati wa baridi, ambayo husaidia kunywa wakati wa kliniki au mashindano." Kwa mfano, katika majira ya joto, unaweza kuwa na wasiwasi juu ya joto la joto, lakini katika maeneo ya kaskazini ya NSW, ambapo joto la joto ni 30 ° C, kila mtu anaogopa. "Wakati wa wiki hii, joto la joto limekuwa zaidi ya digrii 30 na wiki hii inatarajiwa kuwa na digrii 36, ""aliongeza." Wakati wa joto la joto, mimi hupanda saa 6 asubuhi, wakati bado ni baridi, kama sisi ni bahati zaidi ni baridi chini ya karibu 12 <unk> 15 usiku. Mimi si kuwa farasi wakati wote wiki ijayo kama ni haina baridi chini wakati wa usiku, kwamba ni uhakika. Kwa wazi kama una farasi wengi wa kufanya kazi huwezi kufanya wote mapema sana lakini unaweza hakika kuepuka farasi katikati ya siku, na unaweza farasi kwa muda mfupi na hose yao chini kikamilifu mara tu wamemaliza kazi. Ili kupoza farasi haraka, unapaswa kuanza kwenye miguu ya nyuma chini, kufanya kazi mbele chini ya tumbo, kisha kichwa na hatimaye mstari wa juu. Kuondoa maji kwa haraka, angalia jinsi inavyoonekana moto, kisha kurudia maji na kuondoa, hii inaweza kufanywa mara kadhaa ikiwa ni lazima. Usisahau kunywa molasses. Victoria Ferguson Dip Herb