Feb. 4/2026

                       
How Cold Is Too Cold to Ride a Horse?

By Katie Navarra Bradley. Reviewed by Courtnee Morton, DVM, CVA, CVC

Updated 10/ 1/ 2024

You’ve got your hand warmers, fleece-lined riding pants, & a heavy winter jacket so you can ride all winter.  

But how cold is too cold for horses during winter riding? It depends on where you live, your horse’s health & fitness level, & the weather conditions. But Michelle Singer, VMD, a staff veterinarian at Mid-Hudson Veterinary Practice in Carmel, New York, generally recommends a cutoff of 20 F. In warmer areas, if your horse does not have a full winter coat or has an underlying respiratory condition, 32 F may be a safer guideline.  

Horses are generally well adapted—much better than people—to cold weather, but it’s important to prepare for winter & plan winter rides for optimal comfort & safety. 

Do Horses Get Cold?

Healthy horses with access to shelter or a windbreak can tolerate much colder temperatures than you think. You’ll likely get cold during a ride before your horse does.  

When a horse grows a winter coat, he has a built-in heating mechanism. Muscles on the end of each hair follicle trigger the hair to stand on end & “fluff” up the coat. That pocket of space traps air & heat, acting as an insulator.  

Blankets offer an added layer of insulation for older horses, horses with health issues affecting their hair coat, & clipped/short-haired horses. Be sure to measure your horse to get the proper blanket fit for safety & comfort.  

Horses living in colder climates have time to adjust to changing temperatures gradually as the seasons change. Shorter daylight hours & cooler temperatures trigger them to grow a coat, while horses living in warmer climates naturally maintain shorter coats. 

“Horses that come from the south & have little to no hair may need have to live inside the barn” if they move to a cooler area, says Trevor DeRudder, a colt starter in Parkland County, Alberta, Canada. “They get turned out during the day [with blankets] but are in at night.” 

Dr. Singer says horses that have not had the chance to adapt to colder temperatures should be outfitted in properly fitted sheets & blankets until they can acclimate. 

How Cold Is Too Cold for Horses?

Remember the last time you ran outside in cold air, or skied in sub-freezing temperatures? You might have struggled to catch your breath at first. The same is true for horses. 

“Riding in cold temperatures is harder for the horse to warm air in the lungs,” Dr. Singer says.  

While there is limited research about how cold weather affects a horse’s lungs during exercise, a handful of studies have found that when the temperature is about 20 degrees F, intense exercise for 20 minutes can cause inflammation in the airways.

Cold, dry air can dry out the respiratory tract, potentially increasing the risk of bronchoconstriction (airway narrowing) & irritation. Horses with heaves or asthma also experience more symptoms in winter. 

“Their performance may also change as they get more playful & friskier/energetic in the cold,” Dr. Singer adds. This may be frequent on mild winter days earlier in the season, but truly cold temperatures cause a horse’s muscles to tense & shiver, so they may be stiff & less likely to exercise on their own during these times. 

While DeRudder continues riding & training horses in colder temperatures, he slows down his activity level when it’s especially frigid.  

“Those are good days to slow it all down & not work them up too much,” he said. “Slow days are good for their mind too.” 

Riding indoors can keep you riding longer during the season because the building reduces the wind chill factor, & the footing remains good with proper maintenance. 

“Wind is also a big factor,” says DeRudder. “Sometimes, it’s only -15 C [5 F], but a windchill of -25 C [-13 F]… that’s worse in my opinion. I salt my arena every fall to help it not to freeze.”  

If you plan to trail ride often, ask your farrier if they think your horse needs shoes with caulks or borium to prevent slipping, or pads or snow rims to prevent snowballs from forming in the hooves. Hoof boots may also provide similar protection for barefoot horses. 

Winter Riding Temperature Guide

Temperature (Fahrenheit)  

Recommended Activity Level 

This is a general guide. Consider where you live, your horse’s health & fitness level, the weather conditions, & the temperatures you & your horse are used to riding in. 

>32 degrees

Normal warmup/cooldown & intensity. 

32–20 degrees

Extended warm-up/cooldown. Tailor intensity to horse’s fitness & comfort level in your geographical location.

25–0 degrees 

Extended warmup/cooldown. Limit to light walk & trot work unless your horse is highly conditioned & used to riding; minimize any riding below 20 F. 

Subzero temperatures 

Do not ride. 

Tips for Riding in Cold Weather

Winter trail riding, lessons, & regular riding sessions can help maintain your horse’s fitness level but require additional preparation during cold weather. Keep the following tips in mind when you ride during chilly weather: 

Before riding, you may need to lunge your horse so he has time to burn off pent-up energy.  

When your horse is ready to ride, warm up the bit with your hands or a bit warmer.   

Spend 10–20 minutes walking & slow trotting while incorporating gentle bending & stretching exercises to give your horse’s muscles & joints time to loosen up.  

Warming up with a cooler can help keep a horse’s body warm until they acclimate, especially if they are body clipped or maintained with a short coat. 

Horses that are clipped or ridden on trails with short coats may also benefit from riding with a quarter sheet. As a bonus, some cover the rider’s legs, offering added warmth for you!  

How hard your horse works will determine a cool-down routine. If your ride was an easy walkabout, your horse is likely ready to resume his regular post-ride routine. If he worked harder, spend 10–15 minutes walking under saddle or hand walking to give your horse time to catch his breath & stretch his muscles. 

A thorough cooling out is especially important when a horse is sweaty. Whenever a horse is wet post-ride, they need time to dry off. Blanketing a horse while still damp can create a chill & create an environment for bacteria to cause skin infections.  

Hand-toweling the horse’s coat can start the drying process, & a cooler helps wick away moisture until the horse’s coat dries completely. Once your horse is dry, resume his normal routine. 

Cute Critter Pics:

Weekly Chuckle:

Slava Ukraine!!!!

Jan. 28/2026

                              
What Do Chinchillas Eat?

By Laurie Hess, DVM, DABVP. Reviewed by Melissa Witherell, DVM

3/31/2025

When cared for & fed properly, chinchillas can make great companions. A proper chinchilla diet is key to good health & a long, happy life for your pet.

So, what exactly do chinchillas eat? Let’s look at everything you need to know about chinchilla food.

What Do Pet Chinchillas Eat?

Chinchillas are South American rodents. Wild chinchillas tend to consume most of their food early in the morning & late at night. Similarly, pet parents should offer their chinchillas food twice a day, once in the morning & again in the evening.

Chinchilla pellets should be given to your pet, but offer these in limited quantities. Approximately 1–2 tablespoons of high-quality chinchilla pellets per day is appropriate. 

Chinchillas have continuously growing, open-rooted teeth. Because of this, a chinchilla diet should also consist of unlimited chinchilla hay, such as timothy, oat, meadow, & orchard grass.

Small fruits such as apples can be offered once a week, & low calcium vegetables such as celery should only be 1–10% of the total diet.

Chinchillas may consume food throughout the day, as they tend to eat more slowly than other small animals such as rabbits & guinea pigs.

Chinchillas in the wild eat grass, cactus fruit, leaves, & bark from small shrubs or bushes.

Growing, pregnant, & nursing chinchillas may be fed a larger number of pellets or unlimited amounts to provide additional calories, protein, fat, & calcium.

They should also be fed large handfuls of alfalfa hay during the stages of growth, pregnancy, or nursing.

What Can Chinchillas Not Eat?

Feeding your chinchilla excessive amounts of pellets does not supply enough fiber for their microbes in the cecum of the gastrointestinal tracts, where they break down the fiber into vitamins & nutrients.

Feeding just pellets also doesn’t wear down their growing teeth like hay & roughage does.

Your chinchilla should not be given the following:

Dried fruit—Dried fruit contains too much sugar & can cause obesity, diarrhea, & stomach upset.

Grains—Grains are low in fiber & high in carbohydrates, which can lead to weight gain & an upset stomach.

Nuts & seeds—These are high in fat & low in fiber, which can cause obesity & can also be a choking hazard.

Branches from fruit trees (cherry, cedar, plum, redwood)—These woods are toxic & can be deadly if ingested because they contain cyanide.

Candy—Candy is high in sugar & can cause digestive issues in chinchillas.

Dairy products—Dairy is high in fat & most chinchillas are lactose intolerant.

Caffeine & chocolate—These products are toxic due to theobromine.

Meat or eggs—Chinchillas are herbivores, & this can cause digestive issues.

Dog or cat food—Dog & cat food are too high in protein & fat.

Alcohol—Alcohol is toxic to chinchillas.

When in doubt, call your primary veterinarian before feeding a food item to make sure it’s safe for your chinchilla.

Can Chinchillas Eat Fruits & Vegetables?

Yes!

Fresh greens, such as dark green lettuces, should be given to your chinchilla to provide additional water & fiber.

Make sure to feed low calcium vegetables to prevent the formation of calcium stones. 1–2 cups of greens per day can be added to their diet.

Romaine lettuce

Red leaf lettuce

Green leaf lettuce

Celery

Bell peppers

Butter lettuce

Small amounts of fruit can be offered once a week as an occasional treat. Safe fruits for chinchillas include:

Apples

Bananas

Pears

Peaches

Strawberries

Chinchilla Water Requirements

As part of a healthy chinchilla diet, pet parents should offer fresh drinking water daily in a chinchilla bowl or bottle.

The bowl & bottle should be cleaned daily & scrubbed with dish soap or run through the dish washer.

It’s especially important to use a tiny scrub brush in the small sipper spout on the bottle to prevent any bacterial overgrowth on the inside. Replace with fresh water every day & refill bowls/bottles as needed throughout the day, so water is always accessible.

Chinchilla Diet-Related Issues

A chinchilla’s diet is important to their overall health & well-being. Deviation from their recommended dietary needs can lead to unfortunate health issues.

Chinchilla diet issues may include:

Tooth impaction—When chinchillas are not offered enough hay & only consume pellets, their top & bottom teeth can collide. This can cause a tooth impaction. Once this condition occurs, there is nothing that can be done other than to provide pain medication & soft foods.

Obesity— Overconsumption of pellets & treats can be fattening, leading to obesity, as well as diarrhea.

Diarrhea—Overfeeding fresh greens can lead to soft stools & diarrhea.

Bladder stones—Feeding large amounts of high-calcium alfalfa hay to non-breeding, adult chinchillas have been associated with the development bladder stones. Instead, offer your adult chinchilla timothy hay or other low-calcium grass hays, such as orchard or meadow grass.

Choking—Since chinchillas can’t vomit, small or hard foods such as dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or raisins can get stuck in the back of the mouth or esophagus leading to salivation, gagging, lack of appetite & possible problems breathing.

Intestinal obstructions—Indigestible bedding, such as wood shavings, can cause obstructions. 

Bloat—Gas distension in the gastrointestinal tract can occur with sudden dietary changes.

Constipation—Lack of fecal production can occur with diet changes, lack of fiber, or an inappropriate diet.

Diabetes—Diabetes can occur in overweight chinchillas eating an inappropriate high carbohydrate diet or a diet high in sugar.

A diet of hay, pellets, fresh greens, & limited treats is essential for keeping your chinchilla happy & healthy.

Avoiding harmful foods & providing a balanced diet helps limit diet-related medical issues & allows your pet to live a long & healthy life.

Cute Critter Pics:

Weekly Chuckle:

Slava Ukraine!

Jan. 21/2026

                                 
Do Cats Have Good Memory?

By Barri J. Morrison, DVM

2/23/2024

                         

Cats are known to be intelligent animals, & their ability to remember things contributes to this. A cat’s memory is linked to their survival skills & helps them to withstand & adapt to their environment.

Do Cats Have Memories?

Studies indicate that cats have both long-term & short-term memory, like dogs & humans. A cat’s memory may work very similarly to that of dogs & humans, as they use past experiences to remember things. Memory originates from an area of a cat’s brain called the hippocampus.

Research shows that 50 cats could remember which bowl contained food even after the cats were removed from the area for 15 minutes. This suggests that cats have short-term working memory, especially when food is involved.

Another study revealed that cats have spatial memory, as proven by their ability to remember what cups they had already eaten from when other half-eaten cups from other cats were present as well.

How Good Is a Cat’s Memory?

Short-term memory, or working memory, in cats can be used to help them solve problems, such as using their innate skills to hunt for food either in the wild or in the home.

A study of animal cognition was conducted in 2006 & showed that cats use their short-term memory to find objects hidden from them. However, this study also demonstrated that as time went on, their ability to find these objects decreased.

Long-term memory in cats recalls things they were exposed to as kittens that continue to influence their behavior & reactions as they mature. This can be illustrated by a cat not liking a certain person or place based on being mistreated in the past by similar factors. A cat who is skittish is using their long-term memory when they are triggered by certain noises, for example.

Episodic memory is a form of long-term memory where cats remember specific events in detail. This allows cats to recall both the “what” & the “where” when investigating scenarios, especially surrounding food.

Episodic memory is a type of associative memory, meaning it allows for the linking of specific events or experiences with contextual details such as time, place, & emotional significance. Food is not only necessary to sustain life, but it also plays a central role in triggering important memories.

How Long Can Cats Hold Memories?

Like most animal species, including humans, cats have a great ability to store memories, but their ability to do so decreases over time as they age.

Although difficult to assess, it’s thought that cats hold on to memories for their lifetime—up to 15–20 years in some cases.

What Do Cats Remember?

Cats have an excellent memory, both short- & long-term, so there’s no need to fret when going away on a trip for the first time. You don’t have to worry that your cat won’t remember you when you come back from your travels, though they might give you the silent treatment when you get home!

While limited studies have been done, they have shown that a cat’s memory is best when attached to a strong emotion. This emotion could be from the love they share with their family or even the role food plays in making their belly happy.

Emotions can also be associated with negative experiences, such as abuse or neglect. In this case, cats adopted years after these negative circumstances might use these bad memories to associate people with pain. This can cause a cat to be less trusting, skittish, or even reactive toward those experiences that jog negative memories.

Painful or stressful events & places can also trigger a memory that causes your cat to not be on their best behavior at the vet’s office. If this is the case, consider finding a veterinarian who uses Fear Free™ techniques to help your cat adjust.

Do Cats Remember Being a Kitten?

Research suggests that cats do remember being a kitten. A study conducted on a group of mother cats & their offspring revealed that kittens remember their mama cat through her voice. A behavioral response was noticed in kittens after hearing their mother’s chirping & meowing, as opposed to when they hear those sounds from a cat who is not their mother.

It is thought that cats remember their littermates for up to 2 years through their scent & from the bond that was made during kittenhood.

Cats who were with their littermates less than 2 to 3 months as kittens often have fewer memories than those cats who were with their littermates until adulthood, around 1 year of age. The longer a cat was with their littermates, the more memories they have with them. This is a demonstration of long-term memory.

Can Cats Remember Good & Bad Memories?

Cats have memories of both good & bad times. These memories are often formed using scent & their associative memory.

There are 2 types of associative memory, episodic & semantic, & cats are known to have the former. Episodic memory aids cats in remembering things like meeting their new family after adoption or recalling events from a previous traumatic experience.

Cat marking, such as with urine or rubbing up on something, leaves their scent around, which can help them remember associated people, places, & things in the future.

Can a Cat’s Memory Affect Their Behavior?

A cat’s memory can affect their behaviors & reactions to people. A cat who has had trauma or abuse in the past will associate that bad feeling with people. They use that association to display bad behaviors even in a new home, with a new family.

These behaviors can range from hiding & not interacting to not eating or being reactive toward people or other animals. You can help your cat to get past this negative association with desensitization training & counterconditioning techniques.

Desensitization involves gradually exposing your cat to the object or event they are fearful of in a nonthreatening manner. Coupled with desensitization, counterconditioning introduces a positive experience—such as offering a tasty treat—when cats are exposed to what frightens them.

Loud noises commonly cause fearful behaviors in cats with negative memories. Showing your cat the vacuum when it's off & putting a treat on top of it can demonstrate to them that the vacuum isn't scary—& even has benefits.

Over time, you can try turning the vacuum on around your cat. Give them cat treats & lots of praise so that they associate positive outcomes with the vacuum & no longer fear it.

How To Support Your Cat's Memory

Giving your cat a vet-recommended, age-appropriate diet will help ensure they maintain proper brain health. Talk to your vet about popular cat food formulas, like Hill's Science Diet, Royal Canin, & Purina Pro Plan.

Do Cats Have Good Memory? | PetMD

Cute Critter Pics:

Weekly Chuckle:

Slava Ukraine!

Jan. 14/2026

                             

The Cecropia Moth: Art on the Wing

By Jamieson Findlay

July 22/2025

The Cecropia Moth is one of Canada’s most beautiful moths, but that beauty is fleeting — it lives for only about 2 weeks in its adult form.

Cecropia moths are night-loving works of art — & vital to the ecosystem as pollinators & food for predators.

The largest moth species in North America, Cecropia is named after the mythical ruler of Athens, Cecrops. He was said to have a man’s head & torso with a snake’s form below. You can almost see this fanciful being in the beautiful wing markings of the moth. The eyespots & “commas,” if looked at in the right way, hint at a snake’s face. Predators might think twice about tackling that face.

Like all moths, the Cecropia moth goes through several life stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), & adult (imago). The female lays its eggs on both sides of a leaf from the host plant, which include such trees as oak, beech, cherry, & apple. The eggs hatch into caterpillars which, being jam-packed with protein, are a favourite meal for many birds.

The caterpillars will grow up to 5 inches long & eventually spin silk cocoons (the chrysalis stage). Inside the cocoon, they stay dormant until they are ready to emerge as adults.

The final stage, the adult stage, is fleeting even by insect standards. Adult Cecropia moths last about 2 weeks. They can’t eat during this stage, since they have no digestive system or moveable mouth parts. About the only thing they can do is mate! An adult Cecropia moth is basically a work of art designed to create more works of art.

Populations of Canada’s most endangered species have declined by more than 50% over the last 50 years. 

What’s the difference between a butterfly & a moth?

Both moths & butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptra, but what’s the difference?

Wings: when resting, butterflies generally hold their wings closed, often raised on either side of their body. At rest, moths hold their wings open over their abdomen.

Antennae: butterflies have long, thin antennae with bulb-like tips. Moths have feathery, thick antennae.

Behavior: butterflies tend to be active during the day & moths at night, although there are exceptions.

Moths, to your stations!

A great place for observing Cecropia moths is the Long Point Biosphere Region, a 40-km long sand spit in Norfolk County, Ontario, on the north shore of Lake Erie. Staff there have established moth stations to monitor moth species. These stations, equipped with simple grey boards & lights, attract moths & make it easier to observe them. The primary goal is to monitor the diverse moth species in the region & contribute valuable data to understanding their ecological roles & distribution.

Find out more about the moth observation project through i-Naturalist. Moths in Long Point Biosphere Region · iNaturalist

The Cecropia Moth: Art on the Wing - Nature Canada

Cute Critter Pics:

Weekly Chuckle:

Slava Ukraine!

Jan. 7/2026

One Of The Largest Blowfish You Can Own As A Pet Can Live For Over 20 Years

By Adam Symchuk   

April 7/2025 

An aquarium offers a view into another world, inspiring wonder, education, & celebration of nature's beauty. For the determined aquarists, fish can also become a collection of unique species & color morphs to accentuate their aquariums. One choice that's certainly a showstopper is the long-living Mbu pufferfish, also known as the giant pufferfish because of its size.

A native African freshwater species hailing from the Congo River, the Mbu pufferfish can grow to 30 inches long, though many reach a length between 24 & 28 inches. This measurement is double the size of the second-largest freshwater pufferfish, the Fahaka puffer, which can grow to 15 inches. At the same time, the Mbu is unique within the pufferfish family because it's known to inflate its muscles as a flex, commonly known as "practice puffs." For owners, this gives them a brief chance to see a pufferfish in action, as some other species only inflate due to environmental stressors.

In captivity, an Mbu pufferfish can live to be over 20 years old with proper care & consideration. While not boasting the same pet lifespan as the long-living koi fish, a well-cared-for Mbu can become a long-term commitment for a potential owner. Considering the size & longevity of the Mbu, adequate care is essential in allowing it to reach its full potential, meaning this isn't a pet purchase to be taken lightly.

The challenges of caring for a Mbu pufferfish to its full size

To get a Mbu pufferfish to live its longest life & reach its maximum size, it needs a tank that's 8x3x3 feet or larger. This size likely means that fish enthusiasts need to purchase & construct the aquarium at home or build their own fish tank. The Mbu should also be the only one of its kind in any aquarium, & some owners advise keeping them entirely separate from any fish, though you can gauge how they react with others before separating them.

An Mbu can be injured in interactions with fish bigger than it, stingrays, or tank-mates that may go after the same food. Generally, avoiding territorial or aggressive fish will make for a happier, more balanced tank. The puffer is known to be sensitive, & it displays this visually when its regular colors wash out & areas around its face darken. Addressing potential stressors when they appear will help longevity, & an Mbu should never be provoked into puffing up, which results from purposely stressing or scaring the fish.

Feeding your Mbu pufferfish a balanced diet & wearing down its teeth with hard food are essential; this species needs a variety of feed, including high-grade pellets, frozen crayfish or crabs, snails, insects, & earthworms. Other considerations for a healthy environment include maintaining agreeable water values. Ultimately, with love & attention, the Mbu pufferfish can have an impressive lifespan beyond popular pets like cats & dogs & make for a remarkable addition to any collection.

Read More: https://www.cuteness.com/1820447/largest-mbu-puffer-blowfish-own-as-pet-live-to-20-years-old/

Cute Critter Pics:

Weekly Chuckle:

Slava Ukraine!