How to keep your hair when your horse is losing theirs!
Spring has finally sprung, the clocks have gone forward, and the sun is finally making an appearance. With all this comes coat change season and as the daylight hours increase our horses begin to shed their winter coats.
Coat shedding is linked to photoperiods, rather than an increase in temperature, which means that as the daylight hours increase, your horse's winter coat begins to loosen and shed. The process of coat shedding usually starts in December but isn’t as noticeable until the clocks change in the spring when the majority of the horses coat will start to be lost. It’s the horses Pituitary Gland that responds to the change in daylight hours and produces hormones that start the process of shedding the coat.
Did you know?
Individual horses will shed their coat in the same pattern each year i.e., some may start with their neck, moving down the body.
How to Help Your Horse Through Shedding Season:
- Regular grooming of your horse will help to loosen and remove any hair that has begun to be shed. Brushing will help to stimulate the hair follicles removing the old winter coat and encouraging the growth of new hair.
- Exercising your horse will help to increase blood flow and is good for your horses coat. Remember to give them a good brush afterwards as well to get the full benefit.
- Get the sun on their backs. As soon as it is warm enough, put the rugs away and let your horse roll in the field. This not only helps to relieve itching and remove the hair but gives the birds extra nesting material as well.
Coat change is a metabolic process and can put strain on your horse’s metabolism and immune system. Ensure that you are supporting your horse during coat change season by supplementing their diet with omega-3 fatty acids which not only help to soothe the skin but can help to maintain the skin cells elasticity and support damange that occurs due to itching.
For any advice or questions you may have, please don't hestiate to reach out to our expert nutrition team. You can call 0800 585525 Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm. Email [email protected], or send us a DM on social media.