Icy Winter Coat!!!!!! Help!!!

[starlight012]

Hi! I'm in New York and we are getting hit hard with snow! Its 12 degrees out and going down! My horse has a nice winter coat but she is shivering and is wet and her coat is covered in Ice! How do I help her? Also how much grain should you feed a 24 year old anyway? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

~ starlight012

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Does she have a place to get out of the elements? My horses have the option, they often choose to stand out in the weather, but they have the option. If you do not have any place for her to get out of the elements, at this point, I am not sure what to tell you. If she is already covered in frozen precipitation, I would say you need to get her wormed up, but I do not know that putting a blanket on an already wet horse is a good idea.

 

[alsea1]

You need to find some kind of shelter and get her in it.
Then take off the frozen blanket and replace it with something dry.
Feed her all the hay she wants. Hay is what will help keep her warm. Grain does not.
It would help a ton to go out with dry towels and rub her down while she is drying off.
This will help stimulate her skin.
But with the weather you are having this older horse will need shelter or you may well lose her in this storm.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Get her in somewhere out of the cold and wind. Dry her off. If she has a barn or shelter put her in that, if not, put a blanket on her after she is warm and dry.

 

[michickenwrangler]

You need to find some kind of shelter and get her in it.
Then take off the frozen blanket and replace it with something dry.
Feed her all the hay she wants. Hay is what will help keep her warm. Grain does not.
It would help a ton to go out with dry towels and rub her down while she is drying off.
This will help stimulate her skin.
But with the weather you are having this older horse will need shelter or you may well lose her in this storm.

x2

Even if you can get her in the garage or a shed long enough for her to dry off. Do you have a cooler or canvas duck blanket? Those are really good for warming a horse up and also allowing moisture to evaporate.

Rub with dry towels. Maybe treat her to a warm bran mash or applesauce oatmeal.

 

[goodhors]

Keep her drinking, to go with more hay fed. Hay ferments in her digestive system,
causing body heat to warm her. But if she doesn't get enough WARM water, she
won't drink well and that hay can cause a blockage. I would NOT give extra grain,
give extra hay instead. Water should not be hot, but just warmish, so she will like it.

She SHOULD be drinking at least 12 gallons daily, and even more water is BETTER.
Not drinking enough is the major cause of winter colic problems.

I would add a couple tablespoons of granulated salt on her grain, mix it in, to help her drink
more water. Add the salt once a day.

 

[Lupa Duende]

sometimes my critters arrive completely soaked or sullied..., it is a farm sanctuary so I never really contest their condition, I just give them a home.

wet pony: I rubbed my girl down with hay every hour during the day and every two at night
she would not come under a shelter as she was too stressed.
if you need a rest after you rub the hay on her back ,bung some dry hay on her back and cover with a saddle blanket to allow air circulation


warm (tepid) water helps as do electrolytes.
ask your partner to collect some paedialyte at the local chemist or market. keeping her hydrated will help her warm up and dry off
good luck

 

[allbyme]

Hi Starlight ! Usually if an animal has an ample amount of body fat or in good body condition the snow will layer on the topline w/o melting. By guessing that you are unsure of her dietary needs being 24 yrs of age she is probably somewhat underweight Get her dry ASAP and keep a properly fitted equine blanket on her at all times. Be sure to check the blanket every day for rub marks and dryness underneath . Slowly increase her feed to the suggested amount provided on the back of the feed bags. There are some good "senior" feeds out there that can be picked up at your local feed stores. Good luck ! P.S. Heavy coats can be deceiving on body conditions, can you feel any rib bones or pronounced hip bones ?