Ask the Vet – Blanketing, Coughing, Arthritis, & More! - February 2016

You asked, we answered! In the first episode of our new monthly series, Ask the Vet, Dr. Lydia Gray and SmartPaker Sarah answer your questions about how to blanket a horse correctly, should you ride in a quarter sheet, what to do about a horse that coughs and sneezes during warm up, whether or not horses can develop immunities to supplements, and what is the best supplement for a young horse with arthritis that shows up mostly in the winter. Have some of your own questions? Ask away! If your question gets is selected to be in one of our Ask the Vet videos, you win a SmartPak Gift Card! How awesome is that!? All you have to do is submit your question on this video or any of our Ask the Vet videos between February 1, 2016, and February 11, 2016, using #askthevetvideo. You can also ask your questions on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or our blog, where you can read all of Dr. Lydia Gray's Ask the Vet articles ( https://www.smartpakequine.com/blog/c... )! Make sure to SUBSCRIBE so that you know when the next episode comes out - your question may be featured! Additional reading/watching material mentioned in the video: Ask the Vet individual topics playlist:    • Ask the Vet individual topics   Horse Health Library Videos: https://www.smartpakequine.com/learn-... Horse Blanketing & Seasonal Care: https://www.smartpakequine.com/learn-... and https://www.smartpakequine.com/conten... Ask The Vet- Does My Horse Cough and Sneeze?: https://www.smartpakequine.com/learn-... Horse Health Library- Arthritis In Horses- Treating & Maintaining Healthy Joints: https://www.smartpakequine.com/learn-... Questions answered in this episode: 1. How do you blanket a horse correctly in the winter months? At what temperatures should I move from a light weight to a medium or a heavy? 2. Hello! I rode in a quarter sheet for the first time this winter today. Where I live when I ride it is usually 40-50° F. I usually warm up with it on and take it off... should I keep it on the entire ride or not? Thank you (my horse has a full body clip btw!). 3. I started fully leasing an 11-year-old Paint this spring. For the first ten minutes or so of warming up, he coughs and sneezes constantly, and then he's fine. However, if we stop and walk around for a bit and then start working again, he starts coughing and sneezing. His owner says he's been tested for lots of things, including allergies, and they've come back with nothing. Any suggestions? 4. Can horses develop "immunities" to supplements if fed the same thing for many years? For example, will my horse's joint supplement become less effective over time, requiring her to upgrade to a stronger supplement? (She is only 6-years-old, so it will be a long while before she needs to switch to a senior one!) 5. I have a 5-year-old horse that has slight arthritis on the bottom of her knee. The arthritis shows up in the winter time the most. What supplement do you recommend for arthritis pain?