As a horse owner, it’s essential that you know the best practices to maintain their health and well-being throughout the seasons, particularly in winter. Horses deal with the cold incredibly well, their bodies have unique processes that help them when the temperature drops, but there are ways in which you can help them too. For example, ensuring that the horse food you provide contains the correct and most important nutrients and sufficient calorie intake, and providing them with a place to shelter from adverse conditions. Read on for more information on how your horse copes with the cold weather.
Eating for warmth: Winter nutrition
Horses can deal with the cold better than most of us, and just because we’re feeling a little chilly – doesn’t mean they are! There is one way that you should ensure your horse stays warm this winter and that is by feeding plenty of forage which helps to keep them warm from the inside. During the winter, your horse needs a supply of forage such as hay, or haylage – this is because the nutritional value of the grass will not be as high quality or as abundant as it would be in the spring and summer months.
But forage doesn’t just provide fibre to keep your horse healthy, when it’s digested in the gut, fermentation takes place. This process produces heat within the horse, keeping them warm on the coldest days. Adequate calorie intake is also essential for your horse as they tend to use more energy in the winter months to keep their body temperature up.
Heavy winter coat
During the winter, your horse’s coat grows thicker, but did you know it’s not triggered by the cold, it’s caused by the reduction in light that comes with the autumn/winter season. As the days get shorter, you might notice your horse looks fluffier. This is due to the change in melatonin in your horse, which is a hormone that causes the coat to grow in thickness. There is another useful technique that your horse’s body deploys automatically in cold weather – its already thick winter coat will stand up, making it appear tuftier. This is a great way for your horse to create air pockets around its body, creating an extra bit of insulation. It also works to keep their body heat from escaping.
Winter shelter
It’s important all year round that any turned-out horse has shelter – but even more so in winter. Horses naturally seek shelter from the wind, so some kind of cover should be available to them. If your field has hedgerows and tree coverage, they could use this to shade themselves from adverse weather. However if not, you could also include a man-made shelter in their field to protect them from harsh conditions. If you’re thinking of bringing your horse into the stable for longer, you should make sure that you make these changes to their routine slowly. A sudden change from the field to the stable could have an impact on behaviour and digestive health.
There are a few conditions that your horse may be susceptible to if they are in the field throughout the winter with inadequate shelters. One example is a rain scald which is caused by persistent moisture causing your horse’s skin to become softer, and therefore penetrable by bacteria that can then lead to infection. An adequate shelter for your horse to use in their field may help you to avoid this.
Winter rugs
Choosing whether to rug your horse at any time of year can be confusing. Generally, as we mentioned above, your horse will grow a winter coat, so as long as they have some shelter from the wind, a rug shouldn’t be necessary. If your horse is clipped, your horse will need a rug to help them stay comfortable if the temperatures drop. If they get cold it leads to weight loss. This may also be an option for horses that do not have a lot of body fat going into the winter. If you do choose to rug your horse, keep in mind that if it becomes wet it can rub, so have a spare to
