Shedding Season

Nothing says spring like shedding season!  While wearing blankets in the winter can prevent horses from developing as thick of a winter coat as they do without, they still shed in the spring.  

Did you know that horses can start shedding on the Winter Solstice as soon as the days start getting longer? Many people think that horses shed hair when the temperatures rise, but in actuality, the process is triggered by increasing sunlight hours.

MUTUAL GROOMING

In addition to using your handy shedding blade or curry, sometimes horses help with the shedding process by grooming each other, like my mares do.

Mutual grooming serves several purposes: they scratch each other's itches, assist with the shedding process, and massage each other's muscles.  It's a bonding experience for horses, which is one reason why I highly recommend grooming your horses every day you see them.  Learn what your horse(s) like best. For instance, Kaleidoscope likes her forehead rubbed and her withers scratched.  Elena loves her belly and girth area scratched with a curry comb. Both appreciate it when I massage their neck muscles and haunches.

  

Here's a video of them grooming each other.  You can see how strong they are. When you're grooming your horse(s), don't be afraid to dig into their muscles a bit if they're enjoying the contact - just avoid sensitive areas like the flank! 

HEALTH CONCERNS

While it is normal for horses to look a bit patchy as they're shedding their thick winter coat, it is not normal for a horse to hold on to their coat too long. In particular older horses who do this may be developing Cushing's disease.  Another indication is long hairs all the way down the legs and on the belly and an overall extremely fluffy appearance.  I am not referring to the feathers of a Friesian, Clydesdale, or Shire horse (like in my Friesian/Clydesdale/Thoroughbred cross below) but a much hairier look all the way up the legs and all over the body.

Photo by Molly Goossens Photography

While all of us horse owners may be covered in horse hair for a few weeks, it is a small price to pay to help our horses become comfortable with warmer spring weather and it's a valuable way to bond with our horses and to check in on their health.

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