With the final day of summer having been and gone, and the nights beginning to draw in, autumn is officially here. There is always a lot to think about in order to effectively care for your equine so here at Scientific Nutritional Products we thought we would give you a little helping hand and provide some top tips for autumn seasonal care for your horses and ponies! Autumn Season Equine Care Five Top Tips from SNP 1.) Watch out for Laminitis Laminitis is most commonly associated with spring grass, but during the autumn time the cool nights and warm days can lead to an increased accumulation of sugars in grass. In order to minimise the risk of laminitis avoid turning your horse out on frosty grass or allowing them excessive grazing on lush pasture. Always maintain a regular exercise routine and ensure your equine's diet supplies adequate levels of vitamins and minerals, promoting health, through Scientific Nutritional Products supplements such as; Horse & Pony Multi Vitamin Supplement or Competition Horse Supplement. 2.) Worm your Equine During the autumn and early winter the focus of a worming programme should be on the management of tapeworm and encysted small redworm. Horses can become infected with worms from eating grass or hay and as the exposure is greater during the summer months, when your horse has regular turnout, the autumn is the ideal time to treat your horse for worms. 3.) Change your horse's routine slowly If your horse has enjoyed being turned out at pasture 24/7 during the summer months, ensure the transition to stabling is completed gradually in order to allow him to physically and mentally get used to the change. Always provide ample fresh forage to your horse when stabled and build any concentrate feed offered to him slowly. Include a vitamin and mineral supplement in your horse's diet in order to meet his nutritional requirements, particularly important in the late autumn when the grass begins to lose its nutritional value. 4.) Protect your horse from Chills! Many of us will, if we haven't already, clip our equines during the autumn season. Make sure your horse is adequately rugged in order to protect him from chills once he is clipped and after exercise if he has become sweaty place a fleece rug or cooler on him so he can reduce temperature slowly. 5.) Manage the Mud! Mud related conditions often affect the skin and coat of our horses during the autumn. The wet and muddy weather conditions sometimes cause cuts to develop and skin to become damaged which can cause bacterial infections. Mud Manager from Scientific Nutritional Products can help to combat these issues as the handy supplement supplies high quality and easily absorbed chelated zinc, MSM, Biotin which encourages natural regeneration of healthy skin and hair and provides essential nutrients to maintain a glossy coat during the autumn. To limit the mud at your yard avoid turnout on very wet days and place hardcore in the driveways and particularly the gateways; where our equines often stand! So Happy autumn everyone and enjoy the season with your horses and ponies! For more information about the range of supplements available from Scientific Nutritional Products to help you through the autumn season visit the website www.horsesupplementsdirect.co.uk.
