You asked, we answered! In this episode of our monthly series, Ask the Vet, Dr. Lydia Gray and SmartPaker Sarah answer your questions about sleep deprivation in horses, how often to bathe your horse, the differences between alfalfa and grass hay, how to rehab a horse coming off a prolonged stall rest, what to look for in a stall, and way more!
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Additional reading/watching material mentioned in the video:
Ask the Vet individual topics playlist: • Ask the Vet individual...
Ask the Vet blogs: blog.smartpakequine.com/catego...
Horse Health Library Videos: pak.horse/HHLvids
Ask the Vet form: pak.horse/2gkBThy
Ask the Vet - Treatment and prevention of Scratches in horses
• Ask the Vet - Treatmen...
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Questions answered in this episode:
1. My kids love bathing their horse, a 15-year-old Paint Gelding, when the weather warms up. I wanted to ask if there is any pro or con to a horse getting bathed 3-4 times a week, and is there a "good" time the kids should bathe him (i.e., after a ride, after eating, before eating, etc.)?
2. Grass hay vs. alfalfa hay? Pros and cons of each? What is the biggest difference nutritionally?
3. Things to take note of when taking a horse off 8 months of stall rest? He had a leg fracture that has healed well enough to start turnout next month!
4. If circumstances require you to keep your horse stabled in an individual box stall most of the day, what are important features to look for in a barn that contribute most to a horse's well-being? (e.g., stall with an outside window, being able to see other horses, number of feedings per day, etc.)
5. I’m hoping you can help to shed some light on a problem I’ve been coping with for about 6 years. I have a soon-to-be 27-year-old Trakehner. He has a 12x12 stall with shavings and he’s turned out for 8 hours a day. He’s an alpha personality in his herd. Here’s the problem: He frequently falls asleep while standing and then very nearly falls down. It’s very disturbing to see this and he will do it several times in an hour. He does this in his stall and during turnout. He’s never done it while under saddle or in cross ties, so I doubt it’s narcolepsy. He rolls Every. Single. Day in the pasture so I know he’s not afraid of getting himself back to a standing position. I wonder if this is sleep deprivation? If so, can I fix it? How can I keep him safe?