During the warmer months, horses and other grazing livestock receive much of their hydration from grass. When weather prevents grazing, recognize that horses will often consume more of their daily water intake from troughs and buckets.

By checking the pH level of mammary secretions in mares during the last month of gestation, the researchers found that as long as readings showed pH levels above 6.4, the mare was at least 24 hours away from foaling. When pH dropped below 6.4, they determined that mares would foal sometime in the next three days. This held true for 98% of mares tested.

In the winter, there also tends to be less ventilation in the barn, with doors and windows closed in an effort to keep horses (and humans) warm. This traps the ammonia in the stalls and the rest of the barn.

The more forage a horse consumes, the more water required to help move it through the gastrointestinal tract. This is especially important in winter when moisture-rich pasture grass is limited or absent.

Anytime horses or owners leave the farm to compete, breed, train, or go to a veterinary hospital they can be exposed to all kinds of disease agents and there is an increased risk for the spread of diseases such as Equine Herpes Myeloencephalophathy (EHM), Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1), Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), and Equine Piroplasmosis.

Inflammatory airway disease (IAD), also known as mild to moderate equine asthma, is the second-leading cause of poor performance, behind lameness (orthopedic disease). It’s associated with airway inflammation, coughing and mucus accumulation. It has been shown to occur in up to 80 percent of 2-year-old thoroughbreds, although it can affect horses of any age.[1]

This means that all horses, no matter their workload, are at risk for progressive and permanent joint damage. In fact, 60% of lameness problems in horses are related to osteoarthritis.