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Extreme Cold: Oaklawn, Aqueduct Cancel Friday Racing

Due to extreme cold temperatures in the region, both Oaklawn Park and Aqueduct Racetrack will cancel racing on Friday, Jan. 21.

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. will cancel both training and racing on Friday.

The National Weather Service predicts temperatures as low as 16 degrees (F) on Thursday night, with a high of just 35 on Friday. Wind chills on Friday could be as low as 7.

According to the track's Twitter feed, the goal is to resume racing and training on Saturday, Jan. 22, with post time Saturday afternoon moved to a 1:00 PM (Central) start time.

Normal schedules are expected to resume on Sunday, Jan. 23.

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled Friday's live racing program at Aqueduct Racetrack due to extremely cold weather forecast in the New York City metropolitan area.

The National Weather Service forecast, which aligns with NYRA's independent weather services, is calling for extremely cold temperatures with the potential for wind chill values near zero. As a result, NYRA officials made the decision to cancel Friday's eight-race card in the interest of the safety of all participants.

Aqueduct Racetrack will remain open for simulcasting.

Live racing at Aqueduct will resume on Saturday, January 22 with a nine-race card featuring the $100,000 Jazil and the $100,000 Franklin Square. First post on Saturday is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Winter Feeding: Keeping Horses In Good Weight

Shivering helps horses maintain their core body temperature in winter, yet the metabolic price is high, considering temperature regulation requires significant calories. Additional calories will likely be needed to maintain an appropriate body condition score (BCS) during cold snaps. Exactly how much more feed does your horse need to consume when the mercury drops?

According to Dr. Kathleen Crandell, a nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research, some horses won't require any additional calories, whereas others may need to consume up to 25 percent more calories each day to maintain condition.

For example, if a horse typically consumes approximately 2 percent of its body weight in forage per day (equivalent to 20 pounds of dry forage for an average 1,000-pound horse), then this horse could require almost 30 pounds of dry forage per day in cold weather. Rather than simply feeding more of the same forage to offer additional calories, horses can be fed concentrates, fat (either as oil or high-fat supplements such as rice bran), or energy-dense forages such as alfalfa or clover mixed with their regular hay.

“Healthy horses living in regions that typically have milder winters, are maintained indoors, or are blanketed when outdoors for limited periods of time can be fed a diet similar to that fed in warmer months,” Crandell advised. Horses that may require additional feed to maintain an appropriate BCS include:

Horses that fall into the senior classification,
Horses with an underlying disease;
Horses asked to perform their regular work throughout the cold season;
Horses that reside primarily outdoors in regions with harsher winters; or
Horses that are not routinely blanketed but do have access to shelter.

Horses maintain their core body temperatures by diverting blood flow from the skin to their internal organs, shivering, growing a thick coat, altering metabolic pathways to produce heat, and fermenting forage.

One of the key factors in determining whether or not your horse requires more feed involves frequent and precise assessment of BCS. While some owners may struggle with this process on the best of days, often underestimating their horse's true condition and therefore overfeeding, the longer, thicker coats and use of blankets can make estimating BCS even more challenging. Nonetheless, this skill is imperative to ensure a healthy horse.

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“Be certain to use your hands to feel for fat cover rather than simply glancing at these regions to assess BCS,” advised Crandell.

Looking for a specific product to maintain an appropriate BCS in the winter? Kentucky Equine Research's feed manufacturing partners offer high-calorie concentrates that will suit your horse's dietary needs.

Oops: How Old Is That Injury?

Horses love to find ways to injure themselves and it's not always easy to determine if the lump, bump or scrape is new or old, especially if the horse isn't groomed every day or if he's sporting a long, thick winter coat. When a lump or bump is discovered, a few things can be done to determine if it's fresh and requires a call to the vet or if it's old and just now being noticed.

The feel of a lump can indicate if it's new or old: New injuries are often soft to the touch from fluid that pools in the area. A new injury will often feel hot to the touch. An older injury tends to feel firmer as it's made up of scar tissue or calcification; it will be the same temperature as the surrounding skin.

If the horse reacts to palpation, it's most likely a newer injury. Sensitivity to touch is associated with the same inflammation that causes the soft feel.

A call to the veterinarian may be in order if the lump or bump is new and if the horse is lame. Older injuries that have healed and are nothing to be alarmed about.

Horse Owners: Input Needed On Blanketing Preferences

To blanket or not to blanket – that is the never-ending question facing may horse owners. Wright State University is looking for responses to a blanketing survey to help researchers better understand horse owner's blanketing and management practices during winter months. If you:

Are over 18
Own one or more horses (if you own more than one, please respond with the majority of the horse's care in mind)
Live in the United States or Canada

Please click here to take the brief survey. Wright State asks that horse owners respond only once. The survey will be open until January 5, 2021. Results will be summarized and shared at a later date.

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