SmartPak Monday Morning Feed: Ask the Vet, April Edition

Dr. Lydia Gray and SmartPaker Sarah are back for a springtime edition of Ask the Vet: tune in here to learn more about shedding, introducing horses to spring pasture, spring shots and more!

Just when we finally thought we were getting a handle on horse care, the seasons change — and springtime brings a fresh array of health concerns and changes for your horse. As you get ready to adjust your equine care for the new season, don’t miss the latest Ask the Vet video from SmartPak — Dr. Lydia Gray and Sarah are back with a new round of spring-themed questions to help equestrians educate and prepare.

Here are the questions answered in this video:

1. As the spring comes and horses start to shed their winter coat, I thought of this question. Is it healthy to use a shedding blade to get the winter coat off faster or is it healthier to leave it alone and wait until the horse will lose his winter coat by himself?

2. When should I start my horses on pasture as the spring comes? I’ve heard after the winter the grass in the pastures get too much sugar and fructan and are not healthy for horses to graze on. When is the best time to start letting the horses out to graze?

3. How should the feed ration of a horse change in the spring and should it at all? Is it recommended, in general, to put a horse on less grain than he was in the winter? I know each horse is individual, but I would love to hear about this in general.

4. Does it make a difference at all if a horse has his/her spring shots in early or late spring? Does it affect the way he is going to respond to the shots or anything else?

5. What is Cushing’s, and what is it caused by? What can I do to manage it?

Sound interesting? Check out the responses:

Want to submit your own question for next month? Comment on this video (via YouTube, not here at Horse Nation) and tag your question #AskTheVet. You can also post your questions on SmartPak’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or by visiting the SmartPak blog — don’t forget the hashtag! Questions can be submitted directly via [email protected].

Bonus: if your question is selected, you win a SmartPak gift card!

Go riding.