This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The cold wave that has settled over most of Alaska looks like it will be staying awhile, and the longer it stays, the more problems people will be having with their horses.
I got a call this morning from my friend, Gail Tobin, saying that they had hauled one of their Fjord to the vet last night, with colic due to impaction. They have three fjords geldings and Fenrir, the oldest had the problem, which the vet identified as impaction due to not drinking enough water. They have a large stock tank with a floating heater, which keeps it from freezing but the water is about 36 degrees (F). Our vet said that the water should be at least 50 degrees to keep the horses drinking as much as they should. Fenrir seems to be doing OK, after the vet ran an IV and rehydrated him. However, I am sure there will be more cases of impaction in horses around town with this long spell of cold. I noticed that my horses aren't drinking as mauch as usual, even tho the water feels almost lukewarm to me. They don't lick on the salt blocks as much in the cold. So I took out several buckets of lukewarm water in which I had put some salt and sugar (a handfull of each). The horses eagerly guzzled their slightly sweet and salty drink, with four fjords emptying three five gallon buckets. My fjords get plenty of exercise, playing a couple times a day and I'm sure that will help their gut function as it should. About the nasal passages and panting...when it warmed up to 50 degrees in March one year, Bjarne, with the thickest coat of all, just stood around and sort of panted through his nose, sort of shallow pants, which would put the most air across the blood vessels in his nostrils. I am afraid he would never pass the P&R checks in a competitive ride! Jean In Fairbanks, Alaska, -40 and dropping and I'm getting tired of this cold! ************************************************************ Jean Ernest Fairbanks, Alaska [EMAIL PROTECTED]
