Caring For Your Horse This Winter: 3 Questions Asked by Horse Owners!
It’s something every horse owner asks every year; how can I make this winter season easy for my horses and me? The clocks have gone back, the evenings are drawing in and the temperatures are dropping; so, we’re providing you with the answer you need to the most asked winter questions!
1) Should I keep my horses in stalls?
It’s commonly said that horses survived years before the human introduction of stalls and stabling, however it’s important to remember that we didn’t demand what we do physically from them then like we do know; remember you want your horse fit as a fiddle for next year’s competition season! The unpredictable British weather can present various weather conditions; from driving rain too hard frosts. To understand to what extent your horse can withstand it you need to explore their natural hardiness and weight fluctuations.
Hardiness
Hardy breeds such as Thoroughbreds, those horses who are clipped, very young or elderly horses are more likely to require stable accommodation or sheltering from the cold weather. Horses are inherently designed to cope with such temperatures but you may find in more aggressive conditions it’s not so much the cold they’re battling but wind and rain, in which case it’s important to consider either natural shelters such as trees and hedges or man-made field shelters that they can utilise at the horses discretion.
It’s important to consider either natural shelters such as trees and hedges or man-made field shelters that they can utilise at the horses discretion.
Fluctuations
Like many mammals, horses are designed to enter the winter season with more fat reserves to provide extra energy to help them cope in the harsher conditions and with poorer quality grazing. Horses are strong animals, they can successfully control their internal body temperature in conditions between 0°C to 25°C, however, this does exert a lot of extra energy! Your horse will call on its fat reserves to regulate their body temperature, however, their forage must be increased as well. They’ll run around and shiver to stimulate muscle movement to generate heat, rely on their digestion process, fermentation, which involves billions of bacteria that live in their hindgut and a key by-product of this mechanism is heat. If you do choose to keep your horse outside, high quality, nutritional forage is the first step to ensuring they health is stable. Monitoring your horse’s weight can be tricky and stabling your horse can make it a lot more manageable and financially viable in the long-term. Internal Stables in an existing building can be a cost-effective approach to a shelter for horses and have benefits in summer as well! If stables just aren’t for you, explore using rugs to give your horses that little bit of extra support this winter.
2) Is it too cold to ride my horse?
It’s freezing and dark, the last thing you want to do is take your horse out on a ride, but what does your horse want? Are you robbing them of something they love and want to do? The first step is to be logical, if it is uncomfortable for you to take in a deep breath of wintery air then it’s likely too cold for your horse to be galloping around sucking ice pops! Dr Angie Yates of Yates Equine Veterinary Services in Indianapolis, IN, noted that she does not recommend trotting, cantering or jumping when temps are below -5°C as it can cause damage to their lungs and respiratory tracts, including narrowing of the tracts and elevated white blood cells.
Here are some things to take into consideration if you do decide to exercise your horse: –
- Icy, frozen ground is too hard on equine feet and legs for heavy work.
- Taking a horse from an American Barn or other indoor stabling into an outdoor environment be difficult on his lungs as he breathes in the cold air.
- Be sure to take more time to warm up and cool down your horse when temperatures plummet. After properly grooming and tacking up your horse, leaving the girth a little lose, lead them for a few minutes before getting on. The once on your horse, walk them for 10-15 minutes until their walking freely and feels more relaxed. Use the same time post-ride to cool down, allowing them to slow their breathing.
- Judge your horse’s fitness, it’s unfair to take an out of shape horse to work heavily in cold weather as they will have to work harder to breathe.
3) How can I keep weight on my horse?
Why is your weight dropping weight in the colder months and how can I tackle it?
Poor Feeding Regime
Your horses should be left with constant access to high-quality forage, it’s essential. Horses munch up to 18 hours a day, this is why they are extra happy in summer months when they’re turned out full time. You can feed them long-stem hay, chopped hays, forage-based cubes, or combinations thereof.
Not considering increased caloric needs
Discussed in point one, your horse will call on its reserves and body functions to moderate their body temperature in cooler conditions and this is all powered by energy. You should provide your horse with enough forage to generate the energy they need, it is recommended that horses receive a minimum of 1.5% of their body weight in hay (fibre) per day. For a 500kg horse, this equates to 7.5 kg of hay per day.
Dehydration
As we don’t, horses don’t fancy guzzling ice-cold water when it’s snowing outside, consequently, this means they are more prone to dehydration. Signs your horse may be dehydrated are; dark urine or not passing urine regularly, they look dull, listless and depressed, dark red gums and inner eyelids and decreased performance levels. Here are our top tips to prevent dehydration
- Always ensure fresh water is available, add a little hot water to make it more enticing for your horses.
- Consider how much water is in your horses’ food. It’s a good idea to soak their hay or feed them haylage as it has a higher moisture content.
- If keeping horses outside, always check troughs every day and break/melt the ice.
- Adding electrolytes or a teaspoon of salt to your horse’s feed can encourage them to drink, we do recommend consulting your vet when introducing extra salt to the diet.
Dental issues
Tended teeth are a common cause of winter weight loss. If your horse can’t chew, they can’t eat meaning they aren’t getting the vital energy they need, so make sure they’re in good working order!
With frozen water pipes and icy coats, winter does cause us, horse owners, some issues, but hopefully, these answers to three commonly asked questions can help you survive the colder season!
