Winter months can be lots of fun for everyone, but it’s important to provide the appropriate care for your horse and be prepared for any hazards that the season might bring.
With cold weather and dark nights, it’s important to ensure you provide the right winter care for horses. We share some tips to help care for your horse during winter months.
Provide a shelter
If you decide to turn out your horse all year round it’s important for them to have suitable shelter. Outdoor shelters don’t have to be man-made structures, they can be a group of trees or even hedges. If you stable your horse, provide low dust bedding that is deep enough for your horse to comfortably lie down on. Don’t forget to muck out and air the stable daily. Stabled horses should be turned out daily to exercise and exert their natural behaviours. Horses who are confined to a stable without regular turning out, can suffer physical and mental stress.
Use the right weight of rug
A winter coat provides natural warmth and protection. A horse’s weight should fluctuate during the year; winter is the normal way for them to use the calories that were stored during summer months. Despite some breeds being good at managing cold weather, they can often get chilly during winter and some horses may need a heavier weight of rug. It’s also important to check that your horse is warm and dry inside their rug, waterproofing is important. Don’t over rug your horse, check that they are not sweating in milder weather.
Exercise
Exercise is an important part of winter care for horses. Despite the cold weather, it’s still important to turn out your horse if they are stabled and ensure they get some daily exercise to help keep their joints mobile. Daily exercise will also help to keep your horse warm and prevent boredom if they are stabled all through the winter months.
Ice and frost can be a challenge so be sure to get a good supply of grit and salt to sprinkle on yards and walkways to prevent injury and make it easier to walk without slipping. It is important that your horse can get out daily. Movement and grass can help to increase gut mobility and reduce the risk of colic.
Water
A fresh supply of clean water is just as important in winter months as it is in summer, horses can often drink more water in cold weather when fed dried forages such as hay. Remember to check troughs each day to ensure they are clean and not frozen and break and remove any ice. A tennis ball or small football left to float in the water can help to stop water freezing when it’s cold. If your horse is stabled, you could add some warm water into their buckets to prevent the water from freezing overnight and may encourage them to drink. If they don’t like the cold water.
Feed
In cold temperatures, it’s important to ensure you are feeding your horse the correct amount needed for their bodyweight. If you are unsure, speak to your vet before altering their diet. You may need to feed additional forage for horses living outside, depending on how much grass is available. If you put extra forage in the field, remember to make sure there are more piles of hay than there are horses to help avoid conflict.
Prepare for extreme weather
As part of your winter care for horses you should plan for extreme weather. This allows you to arrange care for your horse should you not be able to check on them. Would you be able to get to your horse in heavy snow and if you are unable to, who could help you out? Do they have all the information they need to look after your horse? Planning for extreme weather allows you to arrange care for your horse should you not be able to check on them.
Winter ailments
Cold weather can increase the risk of your horse developing certain conditions, especially due to wet and muddy conditions. The most common winter issues include, mud fever and rain scald, as well as joint stiffness. Regular exercise and a joint supplement recommended by your vet can help keep your horse’s joints mobile and maintain healthy joint function.
Speak to your equine vet
If you are worried about your horse and their health during the winter months, be sure to contact your vet right away. They are best placed to offer the right advice based on your horse’s breed and age.
