Lightbox

[iestynlad]

Any recommendations as to where to get a lightbox suitable for use for equines. Also has anyone any feedback positive or negative or neutral on the use of a lightbox please.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Sorry, no experience but can't you just turn him out? Natural daylight is a lot cheaper than artificial and because it goes hand in glove with turnout, makes happy (not depressed/sad) horses. Obviously, rugged as necessary and with company x

 

[hollyandivy123]

i am guessing this is for tricking the coat to molt quicker...............good luck

 

[Angelbones]

You can get daylight bulbs which help with the SAD issues. For example if you have strip lights in your stables, you could use these:
http://www.energybulbs.co.uk/products/Day+Light+Bulbs/T8+Fluorescent+Tubes+for+S.A.D+(Daylight)

 

[cptrayes]

Try feeding vitamin D. A lot of "light issues" are actually due to vitamin D deficiency. Horses can only get vitamin d from a few sources, daylight and hay (not haylage) cut in sunshine are the two main ones. Is your horse kept in a barn? I see a lot of depressed horses in barn stabling.

 

[iestynlad]

Wish it was to get him to moult! He has Cushings and my other has EMS - they have had a do this winter and I am wondering if there is a connection with the severe cold or the lack of daylight. Can be no other reason as not turned out. Not kept in barn either. Maybe a lightbox will help hormones.

 

[cptrayes]

It seems odd that they have both "had a do". Could it be a change of hay supply to 2010 crop? Hay cut from the same field at daybreak will be much lower in sugar than that cut at sunset, though I am guessing with Cushings and EMS that you soak for at least 12 hours anyway...