Recommended reading for horse and pony owners from Equinefreelance.com
This is a great article that easily explains the reasons for and against rugging your horse or pony during winter. All too often we see over-enthusiastic owners rug their animals unnecessarily and possibly to the detriment of the overall health of that horse or pony. This great article by Equine Freelance should adequately answer any questions you may have about horse or pony rugging.
Rugging
TO RUG OR NOT TO RUG – How hot is your horse?
“Happiness is a warm blanket.” – Charlie Brown
Quick Notes:Horses are very efficient at controlling their core body temperature when the environmental temperature is between around 5 to 25 oC, and in winter they can acclimatise to a wider range (e.g. down to -15oC). Unlike humans, normal digestion in the horse’s hindgut produces a large amount of heat and therefore owners will feel cold when their horses do not. Many owners feel their horse’s skin, to see if it is warm, but this is not accurate and can lead to over-rugging, which can have negative effects on the horse’s health....
More Detail:The horse has a core (inside) body temperature of around 37-38 oC and horses are very efficient at maintaining this when the environmental (ambient) temperature is within a certain range, known as the Thermoneutral zone (TNZ). This is the range in which a horse doesn’t need to adjust its physiology to be comfortable. Beyond this range, horses can change things like their metabolism and behaviour in order to maintain their core temperature and horses in the wild can survive in temperatures ranging from -40 oC to +58 oC. In general, horses have a TNZ between around 5-25oC (UK) i.e. they can comfortably maintain their body temperature without feeling hot or cold if the environment is between these limits. During winter they can ...
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