Know Your Winter Storm and Extreme Cold Terms

Familiarize yourself with these terms to help identify a winter storm hazard:

Freezing Rain
Rain that freezes when it hits the ground, creating a coating of ice on roads, walkways, trees, and power lines.

Sleet
Rain that turns to ice pellets before reaching the ground. Sleet also causes moisture on roads to freeze and become slippery.

Winter Storm Watch
A winter storm is possible in your area. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for more information.

Winter Storm Warning
A winter storm is occurring or will soon occur in your area.

Blizzard Warning
Sustained winds or frequent gusts to 35 miles per hour or greater and considerable amounts of falling or blowing snow (reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile) are expected to prevail for a period of three hours or longer.

Frost/Freeze Warning
Below freezing temperatures are expected.

Lice problems in the winter months

 

LICE

Signs
Severe irritation of skin, rubbing, biting and scratching, coat dull, some hair falls out. Mane and tail becomes matted, loss of condition. Lice can be seen under good natural or artificial light if hair parted. Mites live on the surface of the skin. They inhabit primarily the fetlock region and the butt of the tail, but in severe cases can extend to other parts of the body. Long winter coats matted with dirt encourage the spread and development of mange.
Causes
Chorioptic mites transmitted by direct contact between horses, rugs, grooming gear. Long winter coats encourage development and spread of mange mites. Sick or debilitated horses and those  suffering from vitamin/mineral deficiency are more susceptible.
Treatment
Diagnosis made by veterinarian following deep skin scrape and microscopic examination. Isolate infected horses immediately.