Igor Nikolaev
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Winter is a great time for horseback riding. Fresh frosty air, the absence of annoying insects - all this is most welcome. Such walks are very useful not only for your health, but also for strengthening your pet’s immunity.
However, at this time you need to take into account some nuances of caring for the animal and the ride itself. This is what this article will discuss.
It is best for a horse in winter if the snow cover is several centimeters thick and there is no ice crust underneath.
Snow puts additional stress on the animal's muscular and cardiovascular systems, training both.
Moreover, even a gallop is not necessary for a good workout. Trotting in the snow is quite enough.
Winter driving should take place on a well-known surface, studied in the warm season.
The snow cover hides holes and potholes, and this can cause injury to the animal. Be careful.
It is not advisable for horses to run on hard, frozen ground in winter, as this is harmful to their feet. A slippery and wet snow surface is no less dangerous.
Even with spiked shoes, a horse can slip.
After a horse ride in the cold winter, before taking the animal to the stall, you need to walk it to allow it to cool down.
Moreover, horses with long winter coats require more time for this than horses with short hair and blankets.
At this time of year, you need to especially carefully monitor the condition of the coat.
The horse must be regularly brushed and brushed to avoid clogging of the pores on the skin, which negatively affects the animal's sweating and heat conservation.
Coat care is needed regardless of whether you cover your horse with a blanket or not.
Dust and dirt also accumulate under it.
For daily care, use a soft brush. This makes it possible not only to remove particles of dirt and dust, but also has a beneficial effect on blood circulation.
More thorough cleaning is also needed periodically. To do this, the horse must first be cleaned with a scraper, and then walked through the fur with a damp brush. At the end of the procedure, do not forget to dry the animal with a towel or a piece of clean and dry cloth.
Many people mistakenly believe that when using blankets in winter, careful care can be neglected. This is a dangerous misconception, since particles of dirt and dust accumulate well under the blanket.
Therefore, before and after each trip, you definitely need to go over the skin with a brush. In addition, during cleaning, abrasions and other damage become noticeable and must be treated promptly.
If the weather in your region is not conducive to horseback riding in the fresh air, daily grooming is an extra opportunity to spend time with your pet. A horse is an animal with a very sensitive nervous system, and it will definitely appreciate such attention from you.
During the winter, you also need to carefully monitor the condition of your hooves. Inspect them daily before and after riding.
Keeping these animals in cramped stalls all the time is harmful. Try to take every opportunity to walk your pet in the fresh air.
A constantly cramped stall can make a horse irritable and angry. The more she is outside, the better her emotional and physical state will be.
Of course, Russian winters do not always allow for such walks.
It is especially dangerous to take a horse onto an icy surface, even with spiked shoes.
If the horse is forced to stay in the stable for a long time, try to pay more attention to him. You can increase your daily hay intake to give your horse something to do.
However, you should not give a huge armful at once. It’s better to divide it into several reasonable parts and give it throughout the day.
If the temperature allows, try to keep the door to the stable open. This will provide a flow of fresh air and good lighting. Many experts recommend bringing a radio into the stable. Most horses respond well to music and human voices.
Winter problems
In winter, people often get sick. And although horses practically do not catch colds, they also have their own ailments associated with low temperatures. Remember that you need to take good care of your animal throughout the year, and then most winter problems can be avoided.
Winter blues
In winter, the behavior of these animals usually changes. Any horse can simply become depressed in winter. The closeness of the stall leads to the fact that he begins to entertain himself. This often leads to bad habits.
The animal gnaws on the wooden parts of the stall, hits everything it can reach with its hoof, and begins to sway from side to side. Bad habits are regular and air bites.
The first is characterized by the horse grabbing a stall door, post or partition with its teeth, then straining its neck muscles, retracting its larynx and swallowing air. With an air bite, the horse swallows air and “grunts” without catching objects with its teeth.
These bad habits often lead to tooth wear or colic caused by increased gas production. To avoid horse blues, try to walk more with your animal. If this is not possible, keep him busy with something - toys, personal communication, music, hay, and so on.
Colic
Horses often experience colic during the cold winter months. These animals are very demanding when it comes to drinking water and if it is too cold, they will not drink it. Lack of drinking leads to blockage of the intestinal passage with food, which provokes colic. In peak cases, surgery may even be required.
Active walks and normal drinking temperatures help to avoid this problem.
During winter, some animals are susceptible to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
Popularly this disease is called “fuse”.
Its main causes are moldy damp hay, dust in the surrounding air and poor ventilation of the room.
Symptoms range from mild wheezing to severe coughing. In some cases, nasal discharge may appear.
Prevention - good ventilation, high quality feed, cleanliness and dryness in the stable, as well as clean bedding made of cut paper. If the animal does become ill, treatment will be prescribed by a qualified veterinarian.
Winter is a real test for both dogs and their owners. There are certain dangers that await animals outdoors in frosty and snowy weather, which their owners should be aware of in order to take safety measures in a timely manner. This is especially true for novice dog breeders. How to care for a dog in winter.
Feeding dogs in winter is different from eating in other seasons. But these dietary changes only apply to dogs that live outside. In winter, dogs need to expend more energy to stay warm. To do this, the owner of the animal needs to prepare food higher in calories than in the summer. But you shouldn’t increase the serving size. If your pet eats natural products, add vegetable oil and boiled meat trimmings with a layer of fat to its food. The food should be warm. If your dog is used to dry food, you can replace it with food for active dogs. You can also increase the portions a little. But do not pour water on dry food. Not every dog likes this, and then he will freeze. It is good to give supplements containing vitamins B and E.
Bowls for food and water in winter should be plastic so that the dog’s tongue does not freeze to the metal. To prevent the water in the bowl from freezing, add boiling water to it regularly. If snow has already fallen, the dog can swallow it and thus obtain moisture. You can give your pet a piece of ice, he will lick it. You can place a special heating mat under a bowl of water, but then you need to make sure that the dog does not chew the wires.
Now let's talk about walking dogs in winter. The main danger is hypothermia. You need to walk as often as at other times of the year, although the walking time should be reduced so that the animal does not freeze. Short-haired animals suffer the most from hypothermia. For a walk with a dog, 15-20 minutes is enough. Focus on the dog's behavior. If an animal is frozen, it will tremble, whine, tuck its paws, cower, and pull its owner home. Short-haired dogs and small domestic dogs need insulated overalls and sometimes boots in winter to protect the animal from cuts from the ice. In winter, roads are sprinkled with various reagents, which can also damage the animal’s paws. In addition, dogs have a habit of licking their paws and can become poisoned. If your pet doesn't want to wear shoes, apply a protective ointment to their paws. If this has not been done, be sure to wash your animal's paws with warm water after the walk.
The greatest danger is hypothermia in large breed dog puppies. After this, their joints may become sore, which leads to arthritis, so do not walk for a long time in severe frost or wet snow. It is also very important for small domestic dogs not to freeze while walking. Such a dog can catch a cold and get pneumonia, and this disease is very difficult to treat. Your dog can also get canine influenza, which is caused by an adenovirus. It is better to get vaccinated, then, even if the dog gets sick, its illness will be easier. A sign of illness is a cough. Start treating dog flu with ascorbic acid and contact your veterinarian. If this disease is not treated, complications may occur.
In order not to freeze while walking, the dog must move a lot, so you will have to not stand still. The animal should not be allowed to lie in the snow. Also, don't let him eat snow near roads. Be careful when walking if there is a lot of ice around. The dog can get sprained, severely bruised, and even break a leg. Be sure to walk with your dog on a short leash and walk carefully, because under the layer of snow there may be broken glass or metal bars that can easily injure your dog. If your pet is likely to run out onto the roadway, it should be wearing reflective clothing, since it gets dark very early in winter.
To avoid injury to your dog in the winter, increase the activity of movements gradually, allowing his joints to warm up first. Only then can she quickly run, jump and play. Ice is also dangerous; a dog can easily get injured on such a surface. Be careful when walking an animal, even in the yard. A car on a slippery surface cannot brake sharply. If your dog is cold during a walk, you need to treat it with a warm bath, then you can dry it with a hairdryer and wrap it up. You can give your pet a little honey for prevention. Measure the animal's temperature through the rectum. If it is above 39 degrees, contact a veterinary clinic.
Siberian huskies can spend the night in the snow in temperatures of forty degrees below zero.
But pets, accustomed to living in warm apartments, can get chilled even during a short walk in the snowy yard. How to protect them from colds and illnesses? We have collected tips to help you properly care for your pets in the winter.
The main thing is that the suit fits
Clothes save not only people from the cold. Today, you can increasingly see dogs dressed in winter fashion. And some breeds should be “insulated” not only for walks, but also at home if the temperature in the apartment suddenly drops to 10 degrees. After all, the normal body temperature in dogs is 37.5 - 39 degrees (in puppies 38 - 39.3 degrees). And small short-haired watchdogs often feel uncomfortable even at twenty-degree temperatures.
When purchasing clothes for dogs or deciding to sew them yourself, consider the characteristics of your pet’s breed:
Small dogs with little muscle mass are especially cold; they need warmer, preferably three-layer overalls.
The same ones are suitable for hairless or smooth-haired dogs. But pay attention to the seams. They should be stitched outward so as not to rub the skin. Otherwise, your pet may develop irritation and calluses.
For a large, active dog, you can purchase a special blanket that will not hinder movement while running.
Long-haired dogs may have problems with zippers and Velcro when putting on a onesie, so opt for buttons and hooks.
Take care of your paws and tails!
Seven tips to help dogs survive the cold.
- In severe frosts, shorten your walks. The time spent outside depends on the breed, age, health of the dog - here each owner decides for himself. At temperatures below twenty degrees, it is not recommended to walk for more than 5 - 7 minutes. If the dog begins to tuck its paws, it is time for it to go home immediately.
- It is not recommended to cut dogs in winter: long hair will keep them warmer in the cold. Do not allow tangles to form. Rolled, matted fur does not warm, but disrupts heat exchange.
- After a walk, the dog must be wiped dry. It is unacceptable to leave icicles on the paws, stomach and wait for them to melt and dry on the dog; in this case, the dog risks catching a cold in a draft.
- In winter, do not overdo bathing. Wool may lose its protective properties. Wet undercoat takes a very long time to dry and has high thermal conductivity. On a frosty day, even a short walk with the fur not completely dry can be enough for the animal to catch a cold. If possible, special “dry” powder shampoos should be used in winter.
- In winter, dogs often experience irritation on their paw pads from the salt and reagents that are sprinkled on roads. Possible swelling, redness, dermatitis, and ulcers. For prevention, before a walk, you can lubricate your dog’s paws with a cream based on beeswax or silicone, you can also use lard. But it is better to buy or sew dog shoes - special bag boots made of thick fabric. They will protect your paws from chemicals and keep them warm. After a walk, be sure to rinse your paws with warm water from the shower, even more thoroughly than in the summer, to remove reagents. Otherwise, cracks and ulcers may form.
- Food and drink should be at room temperature or slightly warmer. Cold food can cause colds and tracheitis. In cold weather, it is important to feed your dog well, because the animal takes more energy to stay warm. The emphasis should be placed mainly on meat (unless there are contraindications), as well as dry food with a high content of protein and protein. But don’t overfeed indoor babies too much. Dogs that are constantly kept on the street, in an enclosure or on a chain, in winter require an indispensable increase in the calorie content of the diet - by about 25%.
- Don't forget about vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that will strengthen your immune system, take care of skin health and prevent exacerbations of chronic diseases. To satisfy your vitamin hunger, buy a special complex feed supplement (from 100 to 300 rubles). However, you should not give dogs (or cats) ascorbic acid. Their bodies produce as much vitamin C as they need.
Carefully
In winter and cold weather, never put a metal muzzle or chain necklace on your dog (especially on hairless, short-haired dogs). If she touches metal with her muzzle, jowls or tongue, it will be very unpleasant for her, to put it mildly.
Cats walk around without clothes
During the cold season, it is worth taking care of domestic cats that do not go outside at all or do so infrequently. What do you need to know so as not to miss trouble?
- Murks and leopards have very few temperature-sensitive receptors on their skin. This allows them to sleep without discomfort in a snowdrift and be active in the heat. But this ability sometimes plays a cruel joke on them: a cat can jump with its paws on a hot stove or freeze them off on the street. In addition to their paws, cats have sensitive ear tips and tails to frost. Inspect these parts of the body after every walk: if there is pale skin under the fur, this is frostbite.
- In cold weather, cats living in apartments face another danger - overeating. The less sun there is outside the window, the lazier the cats become. If they are still actively fed, then even the slenderest animal will grow fat. And it is very difficult for cats to lose kilos. Such animals suffer from diabetes and heart failure and, as a rule, live shorter lives.
- In winter, be sure to give your cats grass; the healthiest grass is sprouted oats or wheat.
Caring for pets in winter has some special features. Every good owner should know about them. In winter, cats become not as active as usual; they like to bask on a warm radiator and sleep during the day. It is important not to overfeed your cat so that she does not gain excess weight. Try to play with her as often as possible. Don't forget that losing extra pounds gained over the winter can be difficult, and chubby cats often suffer from heart failure and diabetes. In addition, they live shorter lives. Be sure to add sprouted wheat, oats and vitamins to your cat's food.
When taking your dog for a walk, make sure he doesn't get cold. Wear special waterproof clothing and shoes for your pets. After a walk, make sure that there are no icicles left on the animal’s body - wipe it dry so that it does not get sick. It is necessary to feed your dog well in cold weather, since most of its energy is spent just on keeping warm. The food in your dog's bowl should be warm.
Hills food is rich in nutrients and is ideal for your dog. This is especially important in winter, when food should be rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Among the food of this brand, you can always choose the one that best suits the age and health of your dog.
If you have a rodent living in your house, do not place the pet’s cage next to the window. Give hamsters and guinea pigs the peels of cucumbers, apples and pears, and if possible, treat them with fresh berries from time to time. Vitamins in winter are very important for small pets. For aquarium fish, increase daylight hours by 2-4 hours. They may also need to lower or increase the water temperature. Use cooling filters or special fans.
The houses of lizards and turtles should be warm. Reptiles generally love warmth. They need to be kept in aquaterrariums or terrariums, constantly monitoring the temperature. Do not hibernate your turtle unless you are an expert in this matter. For birds, winter is a huge stress. To help your feathered pets cope with it without much difficulty, add multivitamins to their drinking water.
February is the last month of winter, the sun appears more and more often, the days have become longer, but warm weather is still far away, it’s not so easy to end winter with spring. It will not be long before lush greenery and freedom for livestock and poultry appear. We'll have to be patient a little longer - both for the animals and for the owners. During this period, special attention should be paid to caring for the young, especially feeding them.
Feeding young animals is a job where there is opportunity to be creative. For example, by feeding a diet of feed of a certain composition, you can prepare heifers for high milk yields or steers for good weight gain. If at an early age the animal is given more succulent feed and concentrates (compound feed, bran, grain shit, etc.), but relatively little hay and straw, then intestinal digestion will increase. This type of feeding is used when raising bulls.
Of all domestic animals, sheep are considered the most unpretentious, and yet even they have a hard time in winter. If they are poorly maintained, they lose weight, their wool becomes matted and dirty. By the way, sheep really love fresh air; Dampness and mustiness in the room are difficult to tolerate. Look closely, like in a sheepfold, if it’s stuffy, they stick to any crack where fresh air comes in. The stronger ones are always at the very crevice, the weaker ones are in the outskirts.
Sheep also need good bedding - dry wood leaves, moss, pine needles or sawdust are suitable, but straw and peat are better. Peat crumbs absorb moisture very well, destroy odor and form valuable fertilizer, but they get dirty and clog the wool. Therefore, straw cuttings 15-20 cm long are laid on top of the peat. Where there is no peat, you have to make do with straw alone. Don't lose sight of the condition of the sheep's hooves; during the long winter days they sometimes grow a lot and interfere with walking.
And one more piece of advice for livestock farmers. Gentle, calm treatment of sheep should become the rule. There is a direct correlation: the better the treatment of animals, the higher their productivity. Rough, sharp shouts, blows with a stick, fist, or foot lead to the fact that the sheep become timid and then it is very difficult to care for them.
Many, especially novice livestock breeders, complain that when feeding hay to sheep, a considerable part of it is trampled, although there are mangers nailed at an angle to the wall and tested by more than one generation of peasants. To avoid losses, a tray is nailed under such nurseries to collect fallen food. In addition, you can make such feeders as shown in the pictures. They are more capacious and convenient.
Winter is also a difficult time for pigs and piglets. Babies are especially demanding of warmth. If you don't notice, you'll definitely catch a cold. Pregnant uteruses also do not tolerate cold well. Some owners install ovens in the pigsty, but if the premises are solid, and the doors and windows are double and tightly fitted, you can do without ovens. Additionally, the room will be insulated by a supply of straw in the attic. Having a warm barn, you can freely engage in pig farming in winter.
During the stall period, the diet of domestic animals is significantly replenished with food waste: residues from the processing of vegetables, fruits, meat, fish; Water is also used after washing milk dishes. But only fresh waste can be fed raw, and stale waste must be boiled. Before distribution, this food is mixed with bran, mixed feed, and lightly added. Don't forget about drinking. Pregnant cows, pregnant pigs, pregnant goats and sheep are given warm water. Cold water can cause trouble - you will lose your offspring.
In winter, the animal body especially needs minerals and, mainly, table salt. If a “salt shaker” with loose salt is constantly standing next to a cow, she is able to eat up to 300 g of it in a day. Practice shows: it makes sense to place small boxes of salt in the barn, but at the same time, drinking should be unlimited.
Those who keep pigs to produce piglets need to remember that colostrum and pig milk are poor in calcium salts, iron and other elements. If there is a lack of mineral salts in the diet, piglets grow poorly, suffer from rickets, and other diseases develop because of it. That is why piglets must be fed chalk, bone meal (it is obtained by burning bones) and, if available, defluorinated tricalcium phosphate.
The winter days are short, and before dawn has time to break, dusk is quickly replacing it. It’s uncomfortable in the yard, everyone is rushing to get warm. However, before you enter the house, check what it is like in the barn for your animals and birds, whether there is anything urgent that needs to be done or corrected; only this approach can guarantee the owner a profit.
In the current conditions of agricultural farming, it is impossible to do without modern technologies for automated control of climate, lighting and air temperature, so many use systems similar to climate control for apartments, the development and service of which is carried out by the company “Expert Montazh”, well-known in this market. The economic efficiency of implementing such systems is obvious, so they began to use it not only in large enterprises, but also in private households.
