7 Horses 0 Degrees

7Horses1655

We’ve been having some cold weather here. Not your -80° that those folks in the upper Midwest are so proud of, but 0° and lower, maybe down to -12° overnight. It’s bearable, unless you happen to be living in the back of a ’73 Honda Accord, then you may have a different opinion.

These guys are just coming back from checking out the thermometer hanging on the power pole down next to the mailboxes and are seriously considering their options. They were doing pretty good until they found out how cold it is. Their coats show you what time of year it is, Winter time, as they have morphed into their cold weather phase as their color clearly shows.

All horses, regardless of their summer color, change into this dark brown russet color to conserve body heat and also act as a solar collector the few times the sun shines during these cold snaps. Tests have been performed by qualified test administers to determine how much heat the internal areas of these horses can maintain by utilizing this system. The results show that the average temperature of a horse at rest and not watching anything on TV like the Kentucky Derby which can skew results dramatically are 99.5° to 101.5°. These of course are summer temperatures. Winter temperatures vary depending on how brown their coats get and to some degree ambient temperatures.

If you look closely at the horses feet you will notice that each has a set of black “socks” on. These are not purely decorative although western horses are not above a little vanity, but are actually indicators of the horses internal temperature. The higher the ‘sock’ the higher the horses temperature. Socks ending right below their knees or knee-high socks as the vets describe them, indicate the horse’s temp is within the normal operating range. A horse with socks clear up to its undercarriage has a fever and should be monitored closely. A height of halfway between ankle and knee, midway on the cannon bone, is the average normal height for mares and some studs however some geldings will wear full-length stockings. This does not indicate a fever but is generally due to individual preference.

The last horse in the line has not completed it color phase change and unfortunately is doomed. You’ll notice that he is last in line and the other horses realizing that he’s about to become dog food have already started to distance themselves from him. He has that forlorn look that the soon to croak get when they know the end is near. The diagnosis is a symptom the vets call “J-A-R” which in vet speak means “Just Ain’t Right”. Sad as it may seem it is only nature’s way of determining who makes it and who don’t. I use the contraction “don’t” instead of “doesn’t ” because that is how we talk out here in the west. It’s normal usage as in “He don’t make much sense for a guy that’s been schooled.” and shouldn’t be used to belittle us or make us the butt of your eastern humor. Remember, we have the highest number of Concealed Carry permits in the country.

 There may be a small ray of hope for that pale horse and that may lie with whether or not the nearest neighbor opens their heart and their front door to allow the horse to stay inside until the weather breaks some time in May. Adequate measures must be taken with provisions such as clean straw placed next to the couch and changed regularly at least once a week, a selection of summer hays, not winter grass, remember he hasn’t completed his color phase change so his diet is tied to his color state which is summer, and his TV watching should be closely monitored. No Western Channel or equestrian events as he needs to be kept as calm as possible. No watching the Nature Channel for the same reason and absolutely no exposes on topics such as “What really goes into dog food”, or “Soap, just how is it made”. This could have a disastrous effect on his temperament and that is linked directly to his digestive tract and that should be avoided if possible.

We are supposed to get warmer temps here and that will help as we’d like to keep the body count down. If you live in other parts of the country you may want to check your stock to see that they have all completed their color phase changes and if they haven’t start making preparations for keeping them inside. Hope you’re wintering well.