Snow; love it or hate it?

Whether you love it or hate it, the snow is here and we are certainly not used to it. It is amazing how it has affected our lives and also our equine chums. Personally I love it and cant see what all the fuss is about, it must be the child in me!!

Zac on the other hand would prefer to be out more but there are restrictions on the yard (understandably) so I am endeavouring to keep him sane and physically well too.
Feeding is always an issue in these times and particularly when the horses seem to be fed up with eating hay - try supplementing some succulents (carrots, veg that they like, etc) into their nets and feed. Cut down on the protein and feed bulk to keep the digestive tract happy!

The lymphatic system can get congested with lack of movement as unlike blood vessels it has no means of pumping and relies on the movement of muscles to work efficiently. So a good brisk groom with a long filament brush works well as it gets the circulation going. Don't forget the legs and its a good idea to use a soft brush both up (towards the heart) as well as down the legs.
Legs tend to swell through congestion (excess fluid) when waste products, toxins, collect through the lack of movement. Be careful if the legs have swelled already gently brush or massage them or better still turn the horse out! If the swelling does not subside after exercise, speak to your vet.
The lymphatic system works as a sort of sewage treatment plant so is vital, toxins that build up in the body can cause havoc. If you happen to have some essential oils, try offering your horse (to smell) Juniper Berry, Rosemary, Grapefruit, Lemon or Orange Aromatherapy Oils, these help stimulate and act a s a diuretic to accelerate the detox process, observe how they react to each one. The one that is the most interesting to them is the one they most need. Don't feed it to them though just inhale.
If your horse is very stressy and has to stay in, try adding Rescue Remedy to their water bucket.
So while the snow is here make the most of it, it could be a while before we see it again, and of course it is still winter, that's how it used to be, cold! (and that's how its meant to be, here in the UK!).
Remember, the more stressy we get about the weather, the more they will pick up on our moods and mirror it!