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Henderson County Horse Committee |
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USE LIGHTS TO SLIP HORSES' WINTER COATS Pete G. Gibbs Many horsemen are beginning to anticipate warmer weather and are looking forward to participating in a variety of horse shows or events this spring and early summer. But right now, quite a few horses are turned out and wearing long coats of hair for protection from cold, inclement weather. This long hair plays a major role in keeping horses that are not stalled, healthy through the winter months. So, if you're thinking about getting an early start on spring activities, now is the time to begin managing those horses in a fashion that will have them looking their best when your riding and showing activities begin. For horsemen planning to get horses up in a stall, this is a good opportunity to start a lighting program that will accelerate the process of slipping hair. Research has shown that horses should receive a combination of artificial and natural light that amounts to 16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness. Once exposed to this lighting regime, most horses will start to turn loose of winter hair in about 30-45 days. It will then take up to 60 days for the horse to slick off. A stall should have enough light such that the regular print of a newspaper can be read from waist height anywhere in the stall. In scientific terms, this means at least 8 footcandles. If you can read the regular size print of a newspaper everywhere in the stall, you probably have enough light. In most cases, a 100 watt or larger bulb will provide the needed light over each stall. The light source can be either incandescent or fluorescent. Either way, it is the dark period that is critical, so horses should receive exactly 8 hours of darkness. Unfortunately, some horsemen have tried to speed up hair loss by leaving the lights on 24 hours per day, and this will not work. The correct regimen is 16 hours of light because it makes the horse think that summer is here. Now obviously, if a horse begins thinking that summer is here, owners must take care to be sure horses do not get over exposure to the elements as hair begins to come off. So, a blanket and hood or a sheet may be needed, especially when temperatures drop significantly on cold nights. Say for instance, daylight occurs at 6:30 a.m. and sundown occurs at 5:30 p.m. By placing your barn lights on a timer to come on at 5:00 p.m. and off at 10:30 p.m., you can provide a combination of natural and artificial light that produces 16 total hours of light and 8 hours of darkness. Or if you're down at the barn early every morning, you could set the timer to turn on the lights at 4:30 am. and off at 7:am., as well as on again at 5:00 p.m. and off at 8:30 p.m. Again, you would be following the correct light:dark ratio. These two examples assume that the stalls receive adequate outside light during the day. With a lighting program, horse owners will certainly need to start brushing horses daily, especially as hair first begins to turn loose. This brushing will stimulate the hair and help in the effort to get a horse slicked off and looking good. In summary, starting a horse under lights in mid-January is an important management tool for having a good hair coat by the end of April. With limited investment in a timer and proper installation by an electrician, horse owners can get a jump on the competition without moving too far away from the fireplace right now. |