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Before you Blanket Visit Equine Guelph’s ThermoRegulator Healthcare ToolSeptember 2017
Story: Jackie Bellamy-Zions
Strolling into the saddlery for a rug, without an understanding of the factors at play in thermoregulation could result in overheating, dehydration or sickness due to chilling. Depending on your climate, the choice to buy a blanket may mean purchasing several blankets, especially if the temperatures fluctuate quite widely throughout the day or if you have chosen to clip your horse. Remember- just because you are cold does not mean the horse is cold! “It is important to consider your horse’s hair coat, health, age and body condition score when deciding if a rug is required,” says Gayle Ecker, director of Equine Guelph.
Did you know a clean and dry hair coat are two crucial key elements to a horse’s ability to perform thermoregulation? In the winter, the longer hairs of their coat fluff up in reaction to plummeting temperatures and trap air close to the body providing some insulation from the cold. Other winter thermoregulation needs include increased forage to fuel their furnace and adequate water intake to keep all that hay moving smoothly through the digestive system. Check out the Cold Hard Facts infographic within the tool to learn more about thermoregulation in the winter including the horse’s “thermoneutral zone”! ”Bucas is pleased to support Equine Guelph’s online educational resource, the 'ThermoRegulator Healthcare Tool', says Ulf Casselbrant, managing director of Bucas . “It is an excellent online resource for the horse owner in understanding the principles of thermoregulation in horses and helpful in the proper use of blanket protection for their horse.” To learn more about thermoregulation and to decide if your horse is a candidate to be covered by a blanket − go to the ThermoRegulator Healthcare Tool. Equine Guelph is the horse owners' and care givers' Centre at the University of Guelph. It is a unique partnership dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government – for the good of the equine industry as a whole. For further information, visit EquineGuelph.ca. |