Just like the rest of us, horses feel the cold during winter, and because they can’t communicate to tell us when enough is enough, you, as an owner, need to be aware, and take steps to ensure your horses comfort during the cold season.
Signs your horse is too cold may include:
- It’s hair standing on end. (Goosebumps!)
- Shivering.
- Adopting a stiff or tense stance while tucking its tail firmly against its body.
Another sign is if your horse is not emitting enough warmth as you feel its body, i.e.: face and ears. If this is the case make sure to bring the horse into warm surroundings as soon as possible before hypothermia sets in and call the vet to have your horse checked over if you think this is the case.
Think about how we as humans physically display symptoms of cold, a lot of those are translatable into your horse’s behavior.
Horses will be converting most of their energy into keeping their body temperature up, so will require higher energy content to their feed, a good amount of alfalfa and oats is important for their diet in the winter. Also check that their water source is not iced or frozen over and always accessible, If their water is warm you will have a better chance of the horse consuming the amount of water that the horse needs then if the horses water is very cold which the horse will shy away from. Try a variation in temperatures to avoid a case of constipation/impaction colic due to poor fluid consumption. If you are ever concerned about your horse’s water consumption you can make a warm breakfast drink for them consisting of hot water and some alfalfa meal which your horses will love.
If you don’t already have some form of constructed shelter available for your horse, building a shed should be your number one task. Find a level area and design it so that it’s opening and face gets maximum sun exposure. During the very bad weather and snow, this will provide the only dry and sheltered area for your horse and its food. Another good idea for your shed is to add a gate so you can keep your horse inside during the worst of the cold weather.
Good preventative measures if you live in a cold climate that has the potential for snap cold periods is to use a good horse rug or blanket with a belly band to keep your horse warm and putting a warm hood on your horse is a really good idea for extremely cold climates as well.
If your horses have lots of good feed and shelter and during the extremely cold times a good blanket and liner then your horse should be fine in the cold weather. Keep in mind that all animals will have different needs, you will need to think about the horse’s history, how old he is, whether he has been clipped, whether you have automatic feeders or waterers etc, to determine your winter care plan. Asking other locals with horses what they do is a good idea as well as touching base with the local vet who should be able to help you out with a good winter care plan.
Also remember that no matter how cold and dismal the weather is you will still need to brave the elements yourself to ensure that your horse is receiving enough exercise so make sure to dig out your winter weather gear as well!
Utilizing these tips will keep your horse happy healthy and warm this winter!
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