Helpful Hints for Horse Enthusiasts

Table of Contents:

1. Housing
2. Nutrition
3. Weight Estimation
4. Feeds and Feeding
5. Water and Watering Devices
6. Fencing
7. Pasture Management
8. Identification and Security

The horse industry has not progressed far from the way our grandparents raised horses. The majority of horse stalls are still mucked out using a wheelbarrow and pitch fork. However, there are other ways of doing things, many of which will lead to healthier horses and more spare time for the handlers. Here are some practical hints on the raising and care of horses.

Housing

The Canada Plan Service (CPS) is an excellent resource of information leaflets for all livestock species. You will find a variety of projects from building a truss to cement work, from lamb feeders to horse barns. Engineered blue prints are also available for many of the building designs. The CPS is a wealth of information. To view plans or obtain a copy refer to the CPS web site at http://www.cps.gov.on.ca/english/frameindex.htm or contact John Johnson (519) 873-4096.

What are my options for housing horses?

In Ontario, there are still many of the old two-storey bank barns in use. The bank barn is not well suited for horses without a number of renovations. There is the added danger of fire when a large amount of hay is stored above the stalls. Single storey barns are usually easier and cheaper to build and maintain. Hay storage is cheaper when built in the end of the barn rather than in a second storey. If hay storage is planned for inside a barn, consult with your local fire department for advice on fire prevention and fire barrier placement.

Standing stalls have been used to house horses, especially of the draft horse breeds, since the beginning of time. Horses, which are exercised daily, get along well with standing stalls. The horse can be tied forward with a chain or rope tether which passes through the manger and is attached to a weighty block of wood. As the horse moves forward, the weight will maintain some tension on the tether and this helps to prevent the horse from getting caught. Horses can also be allowed to stand loose in a standing stall with two chains across the open end. Stall widths of 6 feet will permit the horse to go into the stall and turn around. Horses can be fed and watered facing the alleyway.

Traditionally, box stalls are commonly used for horses but they require a considerable amount of manual labour for manure removal. Examples of simple mechanization for manure removal are:

• A barn cleaner can be installed in the floor (as seen in a tie-stall dairy farm) either at the back of the stall or in the alleyway. It is covered with grates which are lifted at convenient locations to facilitate dumping of the manure. A mechanical stable cleaner works well except they require extensive cement work and require the daily lifting of floor panels. Freezing of wet material can sometimes be a problem.• A dump station whereby manure is dumped into a small pit (30 inches square) located inside the barn. An auger or elevator removes the manure to storage.
• Sliding partitions or gates that move will allow a tractor to come through an end-wall door and clean out the line of stalls all at once. This makes stall cleaning easy. The gates are hinged to the wall and swing out of the way while the sliding partitions are built to slide into the alleyway.
• A garden tractor and dump wagon or a manure spreader is driven down the alleyway. Manure is dumped into the wagon and removed to storage or directly on to the land.

Indoor exercise areas - Horses, that are housed indoors for lengthy periods of time or during inclement weather, should be exercised. On pregnant mare urine farms (PMU) in Western Canada, mares are turned out as a family group into an indoor exercise area. The family group consists of horses which are housed closely together in the winter and are herd mates during the summer. Horse owners in Eastern Canada, likewise, use their indoor riding arenas as an indoor exercise paddock during inclement weather. However, they should be aware of the danger of using oil products on arena surfaces to control dust and, then, feeding the horses on the ground in the arena. Only new or virgin oil should be used. Contamination of feed and poisoning of horses can occur when old oil is used. In addition, there is an environmental problem that is created when contaminated products are used for arena dust abatement.

Free-stall, open-sided housing works well to maintain horses in an open air atmosphere while providing some protection from rain. The use of turkey curtains in these open-sided buildings, and in arenas, will increase ventilation in mild weather while providing the option to roll the curtain down in inclement weather. The turkey curtain operates on a winch and is adjustable depending on weather conditions.

Open shed rows are used in mild climates like the United Kingdom and in some racetrack facilities. However, they are not very practical for most of Canada.

A windbreak is an essential of outdoor housing for animals. Many different objects can be used for the desired effect of slowing the wind speed and, therefore, the wind chill. Large bales stacked two or three high and stored adjacent to a paddock will act as a wind barrier. Solid board fences, cedar hedging or snow fences of at least six feet in height, will provide good wind protection. In some areas, material such as shade cloth as used in the ginseng industry is available for wind breaks. Heavy rainfall, freezing rain and mud will limit the use of outdoor housing as a sole housing option.

Computerized feeding systems have been used on dairy cattle farms for twenty years. The cows have identification bells attached to a collar around their necks. The cow enters a narrow feed stall and activates a sensor attached to a computer. The animal is fed grain/concentrate based on programmed instructions and its individual needs. Cattle can receive feed up to a maximum amount per day given over a number of feedings (e.g., 5 lbs given over 3-8 feedings). A similar system for horses was demonstrated in Germany. The components of such a feeding system exist in Canada and can easily be applied to horses maintained in loose housing.

Outdoor housing - Horses enjoy being outside rather than couped up in a barn. Outdoor housing is a very effective means of maintaining horses. For those who want a system for easy cleaning of barns, try a skidable shed. Currently small steel Quonset sheds are being used for feeder pigs in winter. The use of a skidable shed allows the horse owners to move the building from pasture to pasture or from a well-worn area to a new area, leaving the manure behind. This necessitates the use of a tractor once or twice a year.

Loose housing can be as simple as a three-sided structure or as elaborate as an open barn. Horses can be well managed in loose housing where protection from the wind and rain is provided. When using these structures, position the hay feeder at least 150 yards from the barn. This will reduce the tendency for the horses to walk back to the barn to defecate and keep the barn cleaner. If cleanliness is not a concern, hay can be fed in the barn. There is, however, a danger when feeding horses in a confined space; accidents can happen due to competition between horses.

Nutrition

Timothy hay is commonly fed to horses because it is less prone to mold and dust. This is because timothy is often harvested when the plant is in the head stage. When timothy is cut, it falls in open loose windrows, which dry easily. Alfalfa, trefoil and clover, however, create denser windrows which are harder to dry than timothy. Timothy, in this mature stage, is a lower source of nutrition, protein and energy than alfalfa, unless the timothy is harvested in the pre-boot stage. Timothy hay-based rations require more supplementation with grain than a legume-based ration such as one containing alfalfa.

Different samples of hay vary tremendously in their nutritional content. Hay sampling can easily be accomplished using a hay core sampler. These may be available from veterinarians, local feed stores, or regional agricultural offices. Representative samples of hay are collected and sent to a laboratory for analysis. Agri-Foods Laboratories is one of six accredited laboratories who can analyze hay samples. Agri-Foods Laboratories (Unit 1, 503 Imperial Rd. N., Guelph, Ontario, N1H 6T9, (519) 837-1600) uses a NW41 test for horse samples.

There are a number of computer programs now available for balancing rations. Check with your veterinarian and/or feed dealer for a demonstration.

Weight Estimation

The weight of a horse and the changes to that weight indicate changes to a horse's nutrition or health status. The best method is to simply weigh the horse. However, very few farms have this capability. A horse's weight can also be estimated by the following methods:

• Weight tapes estimate the horse's weight by measuring the girth at the level of the withers. Estimates of weight are based on the girth measurement compared to averages for horses as given in a weight table. Weight tapes are more accurate than most horse owners' ability to estimate weight. The weight tape can be employed to show changes in girth measurement over a period of time. Their accuracy is approximately 85%.
• Body condition scoring is an objective means of assessing the amount of fat or condition an animal has. Horse owners should be able to assess an animal and place a score on the records. The explanation of body condition scoring is as follows; on a scale of 1-5 where 5 is "Miss Piggy" and 1 is "skinny as a rail" your animal is a "3". A "3" is an animal which is neither gaining nor losing weight but is at its ideal weight. The animals are assessed on physical examination of fat or lean areas over the back, behind the shoulders and under the abdomen. Owners find this system simple to understand and it simplifies record keeping.
• Nomograms are charts which employ two factors to determine a third. Body condition scoring and height can be used to estimate weight. Girth measurement and length can also be used to estimate body weight.

These methods are more fully described in the factsheets Body Weight Estimation of Horses and Body Condition Scoring of Horses available on the Ministry web site.

Feeds and Feeding

There is tremendous waste of feed when horses are fed on the ground, both in the stall or outside. Any time a feeding of hay is placed on the ground, 25% of the nutritional value of that feed is thrown away. Building a plywood box, using a "V" feeder or other device which has a pan to catch the leaves, will reduce this loss. Round bales are even worse, when fed without being contained. The loss with round bales approaches 45% because of urine and faecal contamination. Besides the waste in feed, a tremendous cleanup is required in the spring. Cattle round bale feeders, such as the tomb stone feeder, is fraught with hazards and, still, the bales absorb water when they are placed in the feeder on the ground. There are new feeders made specifically for horses which hold the bale in a basket. The horses feed through bars. The base of the feeder is above the ground with a pan to catch the leaves and reduce wastage. Wastage with these feeders is below 5%.

In Western Canada, fence line feeders are popular. Feed is placed on one side of horizontal rails. Horses use their natural tendency to reach through a fence to obtain feed. This system works well in geographic areas where there is little rainfall. In wetter areas, fence line feeders become a swamp. Fence line feeders work best if they are located on a cement pad.

Haylage and Botulism - During unpredictable weather hay producers are producing hay as bagged silage or wrapped bales. This gives them flexibility in their production schedule and preserves the hay as a very palatable nutritious product. Horse owners are using some haylage, both in wrapped round bales and in small bags of haylage produced specifically for the horse market. These products can be excellent in quality but they bring the danger of botulism.

Horses are the most sensitive of the domesticated animals to botulism. Botulism is a disease that occurs when toxins produced by the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum, enter the horse's body causing weakness which may progress to paralysis. The botulism bacterium is commonly present in soil and in decaying animal carcasses. It occurs less often in decaying plant material. Silage, and especially haylage, can be contaminated with the botulism bacterium during the raking and baling process. The higher moisture levels of haylage and round bale silage prior to the acidic level dropping below pH 5 is ideal for the growth of this bacterium. When the bacterium grows, it produces one or more botulism toxins. Botulism is difficult to treat. There is an anti-toxin but it is not widely available and is very expensive. It is most beneficial if used when animals are first seen to be sick. With supportive care, horses can recover but, if they are exposed to a large amount of the toxin, most will die despite treatment. There is a vaccine available in Canada to protect horses against botulism. This vaccine protects horses against type B botulism but not the other types.

The creep feeding of foals will reduce the stress of changing feed when a foal is weaned. It will also help a foal meet its genetic potential for growth. Usually, owners know that creep feeding is important but don't get a creep feeder made. This leads to erratic feeding of grain and digestive upsets. A creep feeder is an area which allows a foal to consume a daily ration of grain without the disturbances of adult horses. Gates can be placed in such a way that only a foal can pass through the narrow opening. Creep feeders can also be created by placing a horizontal bar across a shed or barn opening. This will give a foal access to an area where grain can be fed.

Mineral and salt should be available to horses on a daily basis. Horses will consume a greater amount of mineral and salt if it is present in a loose form, rather than in a block form. Ensure that the mineral purchased has not been medicated with or contaminated with products such as Rumensin.

Fence line grain feeders are a handy way of giving horses grain without the clutter of buckets in the paddocks. The feeders can be built as per the directions in the information sheet, Fence Line Horse Feeder for Grain and Mineral. The feeders can be lagged to the inside face of fence posts in horse paddocks. Grain is placed in the feeders from outside the fence. Because they are attached to the fence, the grain is not spilt and wasted. The feeders are tough and do not break or cause injury in cold weather.

Hay Feeders - Corner hay feeders and mangers have been used in stalls for eons. There seems to be a dislike by some horse owners because of the potential for injury to horses. Hay feeders are efficient means of feeding hay. They preserve the leaves of the hay until they are "vacuumed up" by the horses. Twenty-five percent of hay placed on the stall floor is wasted because the rich leaves are lost into the bedding. It is better to increase the size of stalls to allow for a hay manger than to feed on the ground.

Water and Watering Devices

Water is an essential nutrient of all living animals. A tremendous number of horses are still watered with pails. There are other devices which make watering easier.

• Frost-free hydrants attach to a water line buried below the frost line. Gravel or porous material is placed around the connection. When the hydrant is closed, water syphons back from the top of the hydrant to the foot and water seeps into the adjacent ground. No water is maintained above the frost line to freeze. It is essential, when using a hydrant, that a hose is not dropped directly into a water tank. The hose should be placed into a section of PVC pipe to stop the horses from playing with it and also to prevent the syphoning of water from the tank.
• Heated water bowls are excellent devices. They are easy to clean and maintain and provide clean ice-free water year-round. In the coldest part of the year, a 60-watt bulb can be hung inside the tile beside the riser pipe to prevent freezing. There are vast differences in electrical usage between the various water bowels. The Nelson water bowel has a low wattage usage and costs about $60 to heat the water per year.
• The super-insulated water bowls depend on sufficient water usage to maintain the water frost free. Unfortunately, unless a large number of horses are using the bowl, it will probably freeze.

Fencing

Fencing is made from many different types of materials. The following will provide you with some thoughts on the use of each:

• Cedar rails are decorative but require a high level of maintenance. Horses like to chew them and rub their butts against them. In general, you are always fixing a cedar rail fence.
• Cement rails have been used at one farm. They are very durable but not very forgiving if a horse runs into them.
• Steel pipe rails are often found in the Western provinces as a byproduct of the gas and oil industry. They are very durable. Sleeves can be used to join the pipes instead of welded joints. Cut short lengths of pipe approximately 1 foot long. Cut the piece lengthwise and open it up to resemble a letter "C." The joiners are slipped over adjacent ends of the pipes. This allows for the expansion and contraction of the steel.
• Pressure-treated fence posts can be used to create a solid top rail for a fence. The vertical fence posts are drilled with a ½ inch bit. Drill three inches from the top when using a six-inch diameter rail. Also, drill an 8-inch long hole into the centre of both ends of the rail destined to become the top rail. A 16-inch piece of ½ inch reinforcement bar is used to pin the horizontal post between the vertical fence posts. This makes a very tough top rail which can easily be replaced should it get broken.
• Plastic fence posts are made from recycled plastic milk jugs. They are greyish black in colour. Plastic fence posts are reported to be UV stable and can be driven in the ground. However, if they hit a stone when they are being pounded, they will deflect and it will result in a crooked post. Fence staples must be held with pliers or Vise-grips while they are being driven into the post. Use 1 1/4 inch staples and wear face protection. Staples fly back easily while being driven into plastic posts. The plastic posts can be drilled and a high tensile electric wire run through the posts without additional insulation.
• Oak fencing has been the mainstay of the horse industry for many years. In the past, white paint was used on the oak boards. This was discontinued approximately thirty years ago when it was discovered that zinc was leaching from the paint and leading to osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in growing horses. An asphalt spray replaced the white paint. Recently, there have, again, been reports of white paint related OCD. History has a way of repeating itself.

Pasture Management

Horses and horse owners are tough on pastures. Horses are often allowed to over graze and in general make pastures tough places for plants to live. This provides an opportunity for annual weeds to find a foothold. Frost-seeding provides horse owners an opportunity to get increased production from pasture. This eliminates the cost of ploughing and maintains a good sod base. In early March, the ground opens and closes with the repeat freezing and thawing of the soil. Twenty percent or more of the grass seed, when placed on the bare ground or on snow, will become incorporated into the moist soil as spring arrives. Seeding can be done with a hand cyclone seeder or an all-terrain vehicle with a seeder mounted on it. Frost-seeding gives the seed a head start over the weeds because the cool, warm, wet days of spring are ideal for germination. Alfalfa and clover seeds are large tough seeds and work best for frost-seeding. Timothy seed is very fine and doesn't frost-seed well. The larger brome grass would be better to use.

There are always some very wet areas on farms. These are common in walkways and entrances to the barn or paddocks. A French drain can reduce these swamp-like conditions. In these wet areas, dig down to the field tile or have a tile put in. From the level of the tile to within 8-10 inches of the soil surface, backfill the trench with course stone. Cover this with landscape cloth or filter cloth, then backfill with porous material like clean sand, stone or stone dust (limestone screenings). This will allow for any surface water to quickly percolate to the drain below. The landscape cloth stops the course stone from being clogged with silt and clay.

Round pens are becoming quite popular for the training of horses. They work well for this purpose but they can also be used for a catch pen when properly planned. Place your round pen in the field where larger groups of horses are turned out. Build an entrance to the pen from the field as well as the normal outside entrance. Positioning of the pen adjacent to a runway or watering/feeding station helps with the natural movement of horses. Horses will get used to coming into the pen from the field. Once the individual who may not want to get caught enters the pen with its herd mates it is a simple task to draft herd mates out from the pen until the remaining horse is the one you wanted to catch. At this point, a quick round-pen training session will improve the horse's attitude.

Identification and Security

It is becoming more important to identify your horses. There are a number of ways which will help:

• Photographing each of your horses and drawing identifiable marks on the photo, similar to those used for Equine Infectious Anaemia testing, are essential. Hair whirls and "thumb"prints from the chestnuts will help in identifying horses.
• Freeze branding is also a useful tool to identify individual horses or to maintain identity of progeny of a breeding program. This is a simple procedure carried out under sedation with your veterinarian.
• Microchips were introduced into the horse industry fifteen or more years ago and many registration papers have records of these chips.

Security of the barn, grain and tack should always be paramount. The first is to secure grain and feed in a place that is secure from horses. The number one cause of foundering horses is still a horse getting into a bag or bunk of feed. Create a secure area, separate from the main alleyway with a double locking system. Placing feed in barrels or old freezers is not sufficient.

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