Keeping oldies warm in winter.

Bettyboo222

Bettyboo222

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How can I keep Beauty extra toasty this winter ? She is already rugged up, Is there anyway I can keep her back legs joint extra warm to stop her getting stiff ? Also I need to keep her moving in her stable in winter, she has a tiny stable about 10ftx12ft I can't get her moved into a bigger one but is there a way I can get her moving about and not standing still for hours on end?
 
Just a thought...make sure that the stable is draft proof,so the wind doesnt come in.If straw bed, nice big banks.
We have used leg bandages in the passed,the fluffy ones.
Also magnetic boots are good to help circulation,a man on yard years ago used them on his mare,she was very stiff in the mornings,they did help.
 
anyway the horse can stay out? I've got bandages for my mare as she kicks herself and it stops her getting cuts as much - they can go on wet legs as they wick away moisture and have been great :)
 
Make sure she has plenty of hay/haylage/fibre to munch on (how are her teeth? If not great then hay alternatives/ready grass etc could be a good route) double net her hay/haylage if she can get to it that way (teeth again), then she will be munching the same amount but continuously over a longer period. Munching helps keep them warm.

Also having haynets in different locations around the stable could keep her moving a bit! Maybe invest in some kind of stable toy too to keep her moving a bit if you can? A ball for the floor or some kind of rope toy hanging from the ceiling. There was a toy post a while ago and someone was putting apples in the water bucket to keep them occupied (note risk of bucket just being overturned though). N.B. I have heard a few people say lickits are a bit of waste of time/money.

My boy is 31 with arthritus and the best thing for him is to be able to move around a fair bit to keep him supple, he has quite a large stable which helps, but this is not obviously possible/easy/cheap for everyone!! I am going to invest in some nice leg wraps or stable chaps this year to help keep his joints warm overnight in winter. (I will probably go for magnetic chaps to help with the arthritus but might not be necessary for yours).

As for rugs to keep warm I use premier equine which are some of the warmest around. If you can get hold of a thermatex they are great too, but pretty pricey. A duvet wrapped around and secured with a circingle is also a great and often cheaper alternative to a new rug!
 
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Just thought of another thing, which is prob not possible. But... I have seen some yards where smaller ponies etc share a stable. Assuming your horse and theirs get on like a house on fire (I know my two would happily share but they have sep stables anyway) is there anyone who might be willing to bunk up or split the cost of a larger stable or join two together with you. Prob not very practical or possible but it would keep her moving and warmer too probably!!
 
I would happily pay for a bigger stable, she had a lovely big one last year apparently. But she got cast in it and she was moved out of it and put in her current one. She has half chopped hay half mollichaff veteran in a bucket instead of hay ( even though she has a net up :o) I'll try and find that toy thread. I'll also look out for some stable chaps/bandages.
 
bettyboo222 said:
The person who owns the yard has said they are only allowed out 2 hours a day !!! So she can't stay out, this is my first winter with her so I am learning as I go :o
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Hmmm...is moving yards not a possibility? My old boy is out up to 10 hours a day in the winter, and is still very stiff in the morning - I would not be happy about him only be out 2 hours especially if he were stuck in a small stable.

Also read your other post about her getting cast & then moved to a smaller stable - I might be wrong, but I would have thought it would be far easier to get cast in a smaller rather than a bigger stable?

Make sure she has a neck rug on for extra warmth - I have found they make a huge difference to the horses' warmth.
 
I'd definitely be looking for another yard! I can't see how you can avoid stiffness if the horse has to be in for all that time, summer or winter. My three teenagers happily live out all winter (in the north of Scotland).
 
i'd also look into moving yards - last year with several sheds collapsing under the weight of snow, my guys stayed out 24 hours a day, came through winter far more mobile than horses that were stableds as they could keep moving. 2hours turnout is practically nothing for a horse :(
I also think horses would get cast in a smaller stable more than a big stable :confused:
 
My old boy is now 31 and lost weight and condition in winter when I bought him aged 15!!!! After I purchased him he never looked back.

I too would change yards. When I lived in Reading I would not put my old boy in a yard with restricted TO in winter. We moved to Scotland and he never had less than 6 hours TO.

Now I am in France with my own place and he will stay out till November.

Why are you rugging now? Why not use a summer sheet to keep him dry and let his coat come through. It won't get really cold for another couple of months so I would focus on coat and condition in preparation for winter - just like a wild horse.

I would recommend magnetic boots I use them on several horses they are great.

I hope you find a solution for him I love old horses.
 
I can't move her even because I loan her even though I have asked whether I could. I meant she was already rugged up in the winter, I have been looking into neck rugs. Can someone recommend me a decent one at a resonable price ?
 
If you're looking for a good neck rug it might be worth a look on ebay as there are some great ones at fairly cheap prices, plus you might get a bargain if you get in now before the winter rush!! Premier Equine also have a sale page that you can often get some great bargains on. Just to mention rugs with detachable necks can be handy but I often find that water can get in pretty easily, so one with an inbuilt neck might be better.

I also agree about more likely to get cast in smaller stable.
 
Stable chaps and turnout boots will keep back legs warmer and more mobile. I would agree though 2hours not enough to stop stiffness even in a very mobile horse! I tie haynets in 2 places in stable and water in another corner so he has to move around. However my old boy has arthritis in winter if bad weather he is in all day except for whilst mucked out but if icy he is in 24/7...he is a wimp. He is well rugged and boots indoors and if snowy outside, he does well no more stiff than if he is out all day and in during the night in summer. Aslong as they are warm it generally does them well enough. good luck!!
 
Would agree that more turnout would be best, or a bigger stable. In the absence of either though, I recommend Cashel Leg Wraps and Hock Socks. My mare wears both in the depths of winter (ok, when it's below freezing). They stop her back legs from filling, and she's definitely less stiff. Just dashing off to the yard, or I'd find you a link, but Google should throw up some results. I think I bought through KM Elite.
 
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