Centella Help

Wendy Milner (wendy@wendy.cnd.hp.com)
Fri, 14 Nov 1997 14:45:16 MST

Linnea writes:
>
>Ridecampers, we need your help! Centella, a 14 yr old Paso Fino
>mare, was really miserable in our recent blizzard--she got a bit wet,
>the wind was from the south, and she had to be blanketed. (yes, there
>is shelter when horses will use it!) Well, she has a good coat, is
>carrying good weight, and the current weather is less wet. This am
>Centella is in bad shape, lots of shivering and really miserable.
>She gets a lb. of sweetfeed (12percent) and about 12 lbs of alfalfa.
>She is on Clovite which contains A, D, and B12. I hate to put her on
>more hay because her weight is really good and I don't want to take
>weight off her next spring, but if the recommendation is more wt.
>then I'll do it. Also she does not have a mineral block. ANy
>thoughts from people on the net? I know my vet won't be any help.
>All the other horses are fine.

You should have a salt block available, not necessarily a mineral block.
Since she is already on a high "heat" diet of alfalfa, adding more isn't
going to change much. If she starts to loose weight, then add in more.

On the cold mornings, I give a bucket of hot water (just as hot as I can
because by the time the horse sticks her nose in it, it has already started
to cool), with whatever normal grain mix in it. For Pharalina, my old
girl, she gets 1-2 gallons of hot water, 1 pound of Equine Senior, 1 pound
of mixed grain, and (up to twice a week if needed) 1 cup of bran.
By the time that Pharalina has finished her hot mash, she will have
stopped shivering. Pharalina is the cold one of my bunch, although
Drake comes in a close second. The other boys don't seemed bothered by
the wet and cold.

This morning all the guys got a bucket of hot water with a bit of grain
in it. It was cold (0F at my house) and the water trough was frozen.
I wanted to make sure everybody had a few gallons of warm water in them
before they got to their hay. (And I pulled water from the house to get
to the water trough.)

For a cold and WET horse, I'll blanket with a wool blanket that is water
proof on the outside. The wool will draw the wet from the horse.
PolarTec(r) will also pull the water from the horse. The outside of
the blanket is wet the next morning, but the horse is dry and toasty
warm. Then, I take the blanket off so the horse can absorbe that nice
warm radiant heat from the sun (even if it is only zero out).

Each horse is different. I know some horses that can't stand to be a
little bit wet. I know horses that can stand in freezing sleet and not
look cold. So, don't worry about what the other horses around yours are
doing. Make sure she isn't shivering. 

--
Wendy


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  Wendy Milner                     HPDesk:   wendy_milner@hp4000
  Hewlett-Packard Company          e-mail:   wendy@fc.hp.com
  Mail Stop A2                     Telnet:   229-2182 (898-2182 as of Nov 1.)
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