You start every winter with the best of intentions. This year, I’m going to keep riding all winter, no matter how bad the weather gets!

You’re a tough equestrian, right? You’re not going to let a little snow (wind/sleet/ice) stop you from spending time in the saddle.

But then deep winter sets in, and you struggle to simply keep up with the regular daily barn chores, along with the myriad of winter-centric tasks (shoveling, de-icing, shoveling, then some more shoveling). Throw in some winter weather advisories and what seems like two hours of daylight per day, and it’s no wonder that you ultimately decide that spending some downtime indoors sounds like a pretty good idea.

Winter downtime is one thing, but you also don’t want to go stir crazy. And horses are your thing—you want to learn, grow, explore—without freezing for hours on end outdoors.

The good news is there’s so much more to the equestrian lifestyle than time in the saddle, and winter is a great time to invest your energy into activities that will make a positive impact on your involvement with horses.

The following are a few ideas to get you started.

Read Horse-Related Books

We always tell ourselves we’re going to make time to read … and then we don’t.

This winter, make it happen. Set aside some of your downtime to explore an assortment of horse-related books, both fiction and nonfiction. Revisit childhood favorites and enjoy them with a new perspective. Explore new subjects that interest you—maybe training young horses, equine nutrition, or the history of your favorite breed.

Check out vintage horse books. Try some biographies of pillars of the industry. Read old breed association yearbooks. Catch up on your pile of magazines.

You’ll learn a lot, and you’ll have the satisfaction of making a dent in your TBR (to be read) pile. If you don’t have a TBR pile, get in the habit of keeping a list during the fair-weather months on your phone’s notepad app. When a book strikes your fancy but you don’t have time to read it, just jot down the title.

Explore New Skills

Quiet winter weekends are a great time to explore new skills. Have you always loved taking photos but wish you understood the nuances of equine photography? Do you wish your horse show videos weren’t so shaky and choppy? Maybe you daydream about creating beautiful artwork or sculptures of your horse.

Daydreaming is great, but you can take action by pursuing your ambitions: sign up for some art or photography classes, find a mentor who can give you some guidance, and practice, practice, practice! You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can make progress when you carve out regular time to pursue your passions.

Learn More About Your Horse

You love your horse and all of his endearing habits and mannerisms—but this winter, why not learn as much as you can about him?

Start with his pedigree, if available, and begin researching his ancestors. Look for photos, gather info, and find out more about your horse’s background.

Learn the basics of equine coat color genetics and discover how your horse came to be the color he is, as well as how and why he inherited his white markings (or lack thereof).

You can also explore breed registry resources to learn all you can about the history of your horse’s breed, or send off a DNA test if your horse’s ancestry is unknown.

Study for Certification

Do you have long-held ambitions that you’ve always wanted to pursue? Winter is the perfect time to take the first steps.

Check out educational courses and programs, then find out what it takes to become certified in the field you’re interested in, whether it’s judging, training, instructing, horsemanship, equine appraisal, massage, or another related area.

Fulfilling all of the requirements for certification can take a long time (in some cases years), but you can take advantage of the winter months to get the ball rolling. The time will pass either way, so you might as well be making progress toward your goal!

Stay in Shape

When it’s cold, chances are you’re craving comfort foods. Of course, comfort foods get most of their comfort from the gazillion calories they contain. And when you combine that with decreased activity levels during the winter, the result leaves you in something less than tip-top physical shape.

But it doesn’t have to be that way—staying in shape during the winter not only feels great, but it also gives you an advantage when the weather improves and you can get back in the saddle on a regular basis.

Your specific method of staying in shape will depend on your individual circumstances, but might include walking, swimming, yoga, visits to the gym, et cetera.

Make Plans for Warmer Months

There’s no better time to make plans than during the winter. Evaluate the upcoming year and begin to set goals and plans.

Which horse shows will you attend? Can you pencil in some weekends for trail rides? Add in dates of clinics, horse expos, breed association meetings, and local club events so it’s all on the calendar from the start of the year.

Then determine the training goals you want to accomplish with your horse this year. What farm improvements would you like to make? Are there any important purchases you need to consider this year? Start tackling the logistics now, while things are quieter and less chaotic than in the summer.

Get Organized

Wintertime is the ideal season to work on getting organized. Who wants to deep-clean a tack trunk in the middle of a crazy show season? Or sort a box with 43 nylon halters when it’s 98 degrees?

Use the quiet time and the cooler working conditions to make some cleaning headway in your tack collection, show clothes, and trailer. You can get organized slowly, at your own pace, without the rush-rush-rush of the summer schedule on your mind.

Set a Budget

Just kidding. Budgets are for New Year’s resolutions!

Tackle Repairs & DIY Projects

Feeling handy? It’s time to work on some of those long-overdue repair projects you’ve been avoiding.

From little things like repairing tack, fixing buttons on shirts, and replacing laces in paddock boots—all the way up to bigger DIY projects like repainting jump standards, building window boxes, replacing the flooring in the bathroom at the barn—you can tackle these projects during the winter months and feel relaxed and ready to roll when spring arrives.

Go Horse Shopping

Buying a new horse is a surefire way to have fun this winter and make the most of the seasonal downtime, right? Of course, even if you’re not in the market for a new horse, it never hurts to browse some listings or watch a few YouTube videos of horses for sale.

Window shopping can be almost as much fun as actual shopping, plus it’s a lot less expensive.

Get Crafty

Why not put your crafting skills to good use? Maybe you’ve always wanted to make a ribbon quilt with your keepsake show ribbons.

Or maybe you love to crochet—why not start making crocheted ponies for the kids in your life or to give as prizes at next summer’s horse shows?

Volunteer Your Time

Breed associations and local horse clubs are almost always in need of volunteers to help with events, to serve on committees, and to handle the details of various programs. Your assistance will be gratefully received, and you’ll have the satisfaction of being a vital asset to these organizations.

Perks of Trying Winter Equestrian Activities

After you’ve put the winter months to good use, you’ll be more than ready to greet the coming spring from the vantage point of the saddle. But you’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you put your time to good use even on the coldest, windiest, and snowiest of winter days.

This article about winter equestrian activities with less time for riding appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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For many equestrians, winter means a change in routine. Bitter cold winds, freezing hands, thick mud, and icy roads can have the potential to make riding dangerous, inaccessible, or just downright miserable. Even those who live in more favorable climates may find the dwindling daylight cramping their riding schedule.

And saddle time is often replaced with extra-grueling barn chores. Aside from making sure our fur babies are taken care of, it may be tempting to put all unnecessary movement aside and curl up under a thick blanket and wait for spring to come. But neglecting winter fitness could mean increasing your chances of injury and setting you back on your riding goals come spring.

What is Injury?

In the equestrian world, the word “injury” may conjure up frightening images of fractures and concussions, but small muscle strains are also a type of injury. These tears are sometimes caused when too much force is exerted on a weak muscle after a long period of inactivity.

These sorts of injuries can affect even those who are committed to a regular fitness routine. It can feel like a sudden pain in your back after bending the wrong way or reaching up too high.

Particularly in cold temperatures, blood tends to leave the extremities to keep the core temperature regulated, decreasing the pliability of ligaments and increasing the chance of a tear. These injuries can also pop up when the weather warms again if we’ve been inactive and our muscles have become weak.

The good news is that these imbalances can be avoided with a bit of body awareness and a few changes to your routine. If you apply these guidelines to your day, whether at home or at the barn, you will achieve a more balanced musculature and decrease chances of injury during the colder months.

Equestrian Winter Fitness Tip 1: Always Warm-Up

Just as it’s important to warm your horse up prior to any exercise, warming your own body up before activity helps avoid injury.

While “warming up” is a bit of a misnomer since your internal temperature is already warm, doing gentle cardiovascular activities, such as walking in place, further increases blood flow to your muscles.

This is important for everyday activities like bending down to unload the dishwasher in the morning, but even more so with activities that require more force, like lifting a 50-pound grain bag.

A great starting point is a brisk three-minute walk or jogging in place, followed by gently mimicking the motions you will be performing later.

Equestrian Winter Fitness Tip 2: Recognize Your Dominant Side

If you do your own barn chores, winter signals the return of certain tasks. While it may have been months since you’ve done these chores, your body’s muscle memory enables you to pick up those activities where you left off. This is great for getting the job done quickly, but bad for creating muscular balance and avoiding injury.

If you tend to rotate to the left to shovel a frozen pile of manure into a wheelbarrow, one side will become very strong, and the opposite very weak. But even if you don’t do barn chores, using your non-dominant side during everyday activities will promote balance.

To put this into practice, start by recognizing your dominant side when you open a door, throw the ball for the dog, carry groceries, or groom your horse. Then switch to the other for a few repetitions or minutes, slowly building up frequency over several days.

Equestrian Winter Fitness Tip 3: Keep Moving

You’ve probably heard Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion, that a body at rest tends to stay at rest, and a body in motion tends to stay in motion. He was talking about physics, but the idea holds true with our health habits.

Winter can be a time where we not only fight the weather and shorter days, but sluggishness and holiday overindulgence. If we set very small goals to stay in motion throughout the day, we are more likely to continue with even more movement and not sink into sedentary habits.

Using larger, oxygen-hungry muscles throughout the day not only promotes good circulation with nutrient rich blood, but it helps improves your mood, energy levels, and sleep quality throughout the winter. Staying active can be a challenge for those who have more sedentary jobs, but it doesn’t require much time. Scheduling several short three-minute walks around the office building is one way to keep your body in motion.

Key Takeaway

You may not be able to control the changing seasons, but you can control decisions regarding your health. By making these simple changes, you will increase your body awareness, decrease potential injuries, and—who knows—you may even find yourself looking forward to next winter!

This article about equestrian winter fitness tips appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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As temperatures drop, feeding your horse presents a new set of challenges. Instead of grazing all day on nutritious green grass, he’ll probably be switching to a diet of hay. Many horses lose weight without access to unlimited pasture. In addition, impaction colic due to dehydration presents a very real risk. Read on to stay ahead of these risks this winter.

Hay Keeps Your Horse Warm in the Winter

Not only does hay meet your horse’s forage needs, it also helps keep him warm. The process of digesting fiber in the hindgut produces tremendous amounts of heat, almost like carrying around a little wood stove. Don’t believe anyone who tells you to feed corn to keep your horse warm—it doesn’t!

While round-bale hay presents a convenient method of feeding many horses for a long time in the winter, be picky about quality when buying it. Many are stored outdoors, which is OK for cattle use, but hay for horses must be stored under cover to avoid mold spores that cause respiratory disease and illness.

Additionally, cattle-quality hay is very stemmy and tends to be unpalatable and wasted through trampling. Shop around for round bales that resemble your small-bale hay quality. Using a bale feeder will help prevent much of the hay from being wasted.

Hay Alternatives

If you don’t have room to store hay for the entire winter and find yourself faced with a hay shortage, there are some alternatives available. Beet pulp, senior feed, hay cubes and hay pellets are all good ways to provide forage and stretch your hay supply. Keep in mind that none of these provide long-stem forage, so start using them to stretch your hay supply before you run out completely.

Vitamins & Minerals

Without access to green grass, horses may become deficient in vitamins A and E, which are the first to go after grass is baled into hay and stored for long periods. A ration balancer or vitamin/mineral supplement are options to consider for winter feeding if your horse isn’t fed a commercial equine grain mix, which is already fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Additionally, your horse should always have free access to salt. Since ice-cold salt blocks can become unappealing to lick, the best option is a feeder with loose salt. Horses tend to regulate their salt intake very well, and this also keeps them drinking plenty of water.

Hydration Nation

The most important nutrient in your horse’s diet is water. Without staying properly hydrated, the contents of the intestines can dry out as they pass through, causing impaction colic. Although this is often the easiest type to resolve with a vet’s assistance, every horse owner would prefer to steer clear of a case of colic.

If your temperatures regularly fall below freezing, check water troughs at least twice a day, breaking up any surface ice. Better yet, use insulated buckets or float a trough heater in the water. Although horses will drink very cold water, they will drink more if it is in the 40 to 65-degree Fahrenheit range.

Be extra-careful about trough heater cords, making sure they’re wrapped in wire or conduit so mice and horses can’t nibble on them. Stick your hand in daily to check for any wayward electric current, which will stop horses from drinking immediately.

Winter Weight Maintenance for Your Horse

Many horses shed pounds in the winter as they burn more calories to maintain their core temperature. Be prepared for this and have extra hay and grain on hand if you need to increase rations.

You may also consider switching to alfalfa hay or supplementing your grass hay with it (as opposed to adding more grain). Alfalfa boosts the calories per pound of hay, while still ensuring enough forage is in the diet.

If you are prepared for the challenges of feeding your horse in the winter, you won’t be taken by surprise when Mother Nature throws you a curveball this season.

This article about feeding your horse in winter appeared in the November/December 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Keeping weight on a senior horse can be difficult any time of year, but with the challenges of cold weather right around the corner, dental issues requiring soaked feed can create twice the headache. However, with a little planning and these feeding and nutrition tips, your senior horse can sail through the winter months in good weight and glowing health.

Focus on Forage

Grass hay, cubes or pellets help maintain weight and keep your horse warm by raising his internal body temperature. This means he can use the calories to maintain (or add) weight, rather than burning calories to stay warm in cold weather.

Aim to feed at least 1.5 to 3 percent of your horse’s body weight per day in forage, or work with your veterinarian on the right amount for your senior horse.

Using a slow feeder or small-hole hay net will help prevent hay wastage as mud and snow pile up. These have the added benefit of mimicking grazing, which decreases stress and helps keep the horse’s digestive system working well.

Soaking Feed for Your Senior in the Winter

If your senior has lost teeth or has other dental issues that prevent him from eating hay (you’ll start to see wet wads of partially chewed hay near the feeder), feeding a soaked diet will provide the right nutrition and calories to keep weight on your senior through the winter. However, wet feed can freeze, making winter feeding doubly challenging. Here are a few tips.

One of the best hay replacements is unsweetened beet pulp. With a similar protein content to grass hay (8 to 12 percent), it also has a high level of digestible fiber. Many horses like it plain, or you can make it more palatable by adding hay pellets, cubes, or a quality senior feed, and soaking them along with the beet pulp.

Even if a horse can eat hay, supplementing with soaked beet pulp is a great way to increase calories and help maintain weight.

Beet pulp pellets need to be soaked for several hours before feeding, and a common ratio is using twice as much water as pellets. To keep the soaking pellets from freezing, it’s ideal to soak them in your house or other warm place. One easy way to do this is to have one bucket soaking overnight for the morning feeding, then let the evening feeding soak during the day.

An easier, quicker solution is to feed shredded beet pulp instead of pellets. Shreds need minimal soaking time, and less water depending on your horse’s preference. These are also big benefits if your horse is boarded.

NOTE: Straight beet pulp is high in calcium and low in phosphorus, so work with your veterinarian to balance the minerals. Adding a fat source, like stabilized flax meal, increases the calorie density of each meal.

Winter Feeders

Placing a feeder of soaked food on the ground will lead to freezing more quickly, so try to find a way to elevate the feeder off the ground. An easy solution is nesting a smaller feeder into a larger feeder, or building an insulated feed box that holds the bucket.

It’s also good to rotate feed buckets so frozen feed doesn’t accumulate in the feeder.

As with feeding extra hay in the winter, try to feed only the amount that your senior can eat in 30 minutes or so. Adding smaller, more frequent feedings during the day can help your senior get the calories he needs without the feed freezing before he can eat it all.

If your barn has electricity, you can try using a heated bucket for soaked feed. Like with a water heater, be sure the cord is horse-proof.

Helping your senior horse maintain a good weight during the winter can be challenging. The good news is that with some planning and simple horsekeeping and feeding tweaks, you can laugh at old man winter and your senior horse can welcome spring in good weight and maybe even a spring in his step

This article about feeding senior horses in the winter appeared in the October 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Winter is here, and that lovely horse of yours—the one who looked gorgeous at the summer shows—is now hiding in a wooly mammoth coat. But even if the two of you plan to lay low this winter, don’t assume that you’re off the hook for regular grooming.

Besides keeping your horse looking good (or as good as fuzzy can look), regular winter grooming provides health benefits, too. A dirty coat isn’t as effective at keeping your horse warm, so it’s important to stay on top of major mud stains and dirt year-round.

But what if it’s 25°F and bathing your horse is out of the question? Here are a few grooming tips for your horse this winter so that you can keep him looking his best, even during the coldest months of the year.

1. Loosen the dirt

Long coat or not, you can easily (well, sort of easily) remove a great deal of the dust, dirt, and dried mud stuck in your horse’s long coat.

◆ Start with a curry comb or grooming gloves. While a basic curry comb is a good tool any time of year for removing muddy debris and dust, elbow grease is essential in the winter for removing dust and dirt from deep in your horse’s coat. Grooming gloves are similar, but they allow for a closer feel of your horse’s curved surfaces and can also be used on the face and legs.

◆ Try a shedding blade. The same shedding blade that comes in handy during your horse’s spring shed-out also works well to etch off those big dried mud stains.

2. Remove the dirt

But simply loosening the dust and dirt isn’t enough; you need to remove it as well.

◆ Brush with a flicking motion. A stiff-bristled dandy brush can be quite helpful for removing most of the dust you shook loose with the currycomb. Use your wrists to flick away all that dust. Softer body brushes can also be useful, and their gentle touch is required around your horse’s legs.

◆ Try a vacuum. If he’s cooperative with the idea (and it may take some careful training to get him there), using a horse-safe vacuum can be an excellent—and dry!—way to remove more dirt than you could probably achieve with brushing alone.

Some horse vacuums come with brush-like attachments to help you safely whisk away the dirt. This just might be your ideal winter bathing replacement, especially if you plan to attend a winter show, clinic, or other event.

3. Use a spot stain remover

During the summer, we often break out the hose to deal with things like sweat stains and green manure spots. If the temperatures are too cold for that, you may still be able to perform some spot cleaning without getting your horse very wet.

◆ Use a commercial product. Sometimes called a “waterless bath” or “waterless shampoo,” these products are (obviously) still moist, so you may have to avoid applying them on frigid winter days. But for mild winter days, these products can be a great way to clean your horse without soaking his entire coat, and they’re often quite effective at removing unsightly stains.

This technique may be more effective on clipped horses or those with naturally short winter coats, rather than super-fuzzy animals. After application, dry the spot with a soft towel.

◆ Try a home solution. For small stains, you might be able to clean them with a small towel dipped in rubbing alcohol, but you don’t want to overdo this method as it can dry out the horse’s coat.

4. Maintain manes and tails

Regular mane and tail grooming regimens apply to your horse in the winter just the same as the summer, but there are a couple of extra tips for preventive measures you can take:

◆ Try a mud knot for tails. Depending on your climate, mud can be a significant issue in the winter, but you can help protect your horse’s tail by using a simple mud knot. It will protect his tail and save on grooming time.

◆ Keep his mane shorter. If it’s too cold to use mane detangler, try to keep your horse’s mane combed frequently. You can make the job even easier by shortening his mane during the winter to limit the amount of mud and debris that it entangles.

5. Think about hooves

Locations that experience prolonged temperatures below freezing may develop hard, frozen ground. This can be very difficult on your horse.

◆ Talk to your farrier. If the frozen ground is uneven and painful for your horse to walk on, your farrier may recommend making temporary adjustments, such as shoeing a normally barefoot horse or adding borium for traction to steel shoes.

◆ Watch out for snowballs. When bringing your horse into the stable after turnout, be sure to remove any packed snow that has developed on his soles; this can be quite uncomfortable for him to walk on. This happens particularly with shod horses—look into having your farrier add snow pads if this is a frequent problem.

6. Be a weight watcher

Keep in mind that a thick winter coat can make it much more challenging to estimate your horse’s body condition.

◆ Use your hands to “see.” Use your regular grooming sessions to examine your horse’s body weight by using your hands to feel for areas around his hips or ribs that might not have enough body fat coverage.

Not only will an underweight horse suffer more in cold temperatures, but it can also be difficult to increase his weight when he’s using extra calories just to stay warm. It’s better to catch winter weight loss early.

Just because your horse is a little woolier this time of year doesn’t mean you should forego regular grooming sessions and health checks. A little bit of routine work can go a long way toward keeping him looking good. Before you know it, he’ll be shedding out that winter coat—and you’ll be covered in it instead!

Horse Grooming Tips for the Winter Rider If you ride during the winter, you have another set of challenges to deal with. Groom the right spots: Take extra care to remove any dried debris or mud from your horse’s saddle, girth and bridle areas. This will help your horse avoid any uncomfortable chaffing. Cool out properly: Because the insulating hairs of the winter coat prevent the heat from escaping effectively, expect to find sweat marks under your horse’s girth and saddle pad even when the thermometer dips below freezing. Be sure to put a cooler on your horse until he’s dry to prevent him from becoming chilled. Consider a body clip: If you ride heavily in any climate throughout the winter, your horse will sweat a lot and probably take too long to dry without hours of work. In this situation, a partial body clip (like a trace or blanket clip) is the way to go. Partial clips leave some natural coat for the cold weather and remove the areas that sweat most. Keep these tips in mind for body clipping: ◆ Make sure to use clippers that are specifically designed for body clipping, not small face and leg trimmers. ◆ Have one or two freshly sharpened or brand-new sets of blades ready to go. ◆ Start with a squeaky-clean horse: bathe with shampoo in a heated wash rack, or bucket bathe with heated water. To bucket bathe, scrub back and forth against hair grain with well wrung-out towels, switching out frequently for clean ones. Make sure your horse is completely dry before clipping, and have winter blankets ready for stabling and turnout. Check out this article for more detailed steps to a great body clip.

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It’s finally getting cold outside and you’re bundled up, possibly with a hot cup of cocoa or coffee in hand. But how does your horse handle the chill of winter? Let’s take a look at some answers to commonly asked questions about cold weather horse care.

Also read – Senior Horse Care in Winter

1. How do horses cope with cold?

An adult horse’s “comfort zone” is lower than most people think. An acclimated healthy adult horse can remain reasonably comfortable in temperatures that dip into the 20s (Fahrenheit) and below, as long as the horse stays dry and can escape wind.

Certain physiological factors help: The most obvious is a horse’s ability to grow a thick winter coat. This natural coat works to preserve warmth by trapping warm air tightly against the horse’s body, creating a layer of insulation that is remarkably efficient at buffering cold external temperatures.

Another factor in fighting the chill is the horse’s unique digestive system. The microbial fermentation of fibrous feeds taking place in a horse’s colon creates enough internal heat that your horse’s gut acts as a type of furnace to keep him warm.

2. Do blankets flatten hair and make a horse colder?

Although a horse’s natural winter coat is meant to trap warm air against his skin, placing a blanket on top of this hair does not negate the warmth. Instead, a blanket acts as an added physical layer of insulation.

While blankets do indeed physically flatten a horse’s hair, their layers take the place of the horse’s natural coat. Air trapped between a horse and the layers of blanket now act as insulation.

If you want to feel for yourself how this insulation works, pay a visit to your horse in the pasture one winter day and place your bare hand between his shoulder and the blanket to get a sense of the heat trapped in there.

There are, however, other aspects to consider when choosing to blanket your horse. Blankets are necessary for horses that are thin, sick, or older; these animals typically struggle to maintain a core body temperature in the face of harsh environmental elements. Horses that have been clipped in the winter will need some level of blanketing, as well. All other adult horses may or may not need a blanket; the blanketing debate rages on, because it depends heavily on the individual horse and his immediate external environment.

If you’re questioning whether to blanket your horse in the winter, consider his physical characteristics (e.g., body condition score, overall health status, acclimation to his environment, age, and clipping status), the winter weather you’re expecting, and whether the horse will have access to shelter in the field for protection against wind and precipitation.

3. Is it dangerous to ride a horse in cold weather?

Just as you wouldn’t run a 5K in winter dressed as if it were July, winter riding requires specific preparations, but that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t enjoy hacking through the snow. One of the trickiest aspects of winter riding is preventing post-ride chills in a sweaty horse.

If you know you’ll be riding regularly throughout the winter, consider clipping your horse. With several partial clips to choose from, you can tailor your horse’s “nakedness” to your anticipated level of exertion.

The benefits of clipping are two-fold: A clipped horse doesn’t sweat as much, plus he will dry much faster after a workout than a horse with a full winter coat. However, with the convenience of clipping comes the responsibility of blanketing. Removing a horse’s natural cold-weather barrier means he will need a blanket to help keep the chill away.

To shoe or not and how are other considerations for winter riding. Regular horseshoes have poor traction on ice and snow. For this reason, some people elect to pull their horses’ shoes in the winter.

However, if you think you might ride a reasonable amount in snow or icy conditions, consider talking to your farrier about studs for traction or snow pads to prevent the buildup of ice balls under your horse’s shoes. Walking on uneven packed ice also tends to bruise a horse’s soles, which is another reason some riders elect to use snow pads.

4. Can a horse get enough water by eating ice and snow?

Most domestic horses, unless already acclimated to a severe winter environment where water is scarce, have lost their natural ability (or inclination) to consume adequate amounts of ice or snow in amounts large enough to satisfy their daily water requirements. Leaving a horse to consume only ice or snow places him in a constant state of dehydration, thereby putting him at risk of impaction colic.

Frozen water alone isn’t the only problem in winter. Horses can be picky drinkers, and many will turn their noses up at water that is deemed too cold. Studies have shown horses prefer water between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit to drink. Heated water buckets and troughs are the easiest solution for winter water woes.

Decreased water intake not only increases a horse’s chance of impaction colic, but also impacts his feed intake—when a horse drinks less, he also eats less. This then further affects his ability to keep warm.

While bran mashes and other methods of adding a bit of liquid to a horse’s meal may seem like a good alternative to increase your horse’s water intake in the winter, these methods typically don’t provide enough moisture. A horse’s average water intake can vary widely due to many factors, but on average, an adult horse will drink between 5 and 10 gallons of water a day. When grazing, a lot of this water is consumed within grass.

In winter, however, hay does nothing to help with water intake, which is why it is vital to make sure your horse has continual access to clean, non-frozen (and preferably warmed) water in cold weather.

5. How should I change my horse’s diet in the winter?

Although grain has more caloric density per pound than hay, it’s actually roughage that helps keep your horse warm in the winter. Therefore, when temperatures plunge below freezing for extended periods, increase your horse’s hay ration.

Because blankets and thick winter coats easily hide a horse’s body condition, it’s important to regularly monitor his body weight, either through evaluating his Henneke body condition score (BCS) or by using a weight tape. Although tapes are notoriously inaccurate, they do catch significant changes up or down.

These objective measurements will tell you if he’s taking in too few (or too many) calories. Evaluating body weight monthly through the winter should give you a good idea about the adequacy of your horse’s diet.

Most horses do not require any further alterations to their diet during the winter. Mineral and vitamin needs stay the same as in the summer, although if your horse is a voracious salt consumer, he may appreciate some loose salt instead of a frozen salt block to lick.

This article about cold weather horse care appeared in the November/December 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Winter Horse Care: Cold Comfort on the Farm

First tip on winter wellness in horses, is that horses can find comfort in the cold. Just because the mercury begins to drop doesn’t mean it’s time to bring the herd inside until spring. Having a large body mass that generates heat naturally through their extensive digestive process, adult horses are typically happier in ambient temperatures lower than what humans consider comfortable. A healthy, adult horse that is acclimated to cold weather can be comfortable in temperatures hovering near 20 degrees F.

What is uncomfortable for a horse is a cold environment where wind and moisture enter the picture. Wind chills can cut through the thickest of winter coats (and most blankets), and dampness from snow and sleet can nullify a body’s attempts at generating heat. Therefore, while horses are naturally adept at winterizing, they still require protection from wind and wet. In moderate climates, this may be as simple as standing near a few large trees for a wind break, but where weather is worse, a run-in shed will provide ample shelter from the elements.

Braving the Winter Weather

Second tip on winter wellness for horses is that the cold weather may be healthier for your horse than you think. No matter how cozy a freshly bedded stall may appear, fresh outdoor air is typically better for your horse’s overall health than a barn’s atmosphere. Even the cleanest of closed barns in the winter will have ammonia fumes from urine, not to mention dust from bedding and hay. Neither of these indoor contaminants are good for your horse’s respiratory system, and for those with allergic sensitivities or recurrent airway obstruction (heaves, or RAO), these pollutants may trigger unwanted inflammation in your horse’s airways. This results in a dry cough and an increased risk of respiratory infection.

To help keep your horse’s airways healthy during the winter, get your horse into the fresh air and out of the barn as much as possible. When in the barn, resist the temptation to close the doors and windows for extended periods of time. Ventilation is key for stalled individuals. Being out of the damp and out of the wind means a healthy adult horse can be comfortable in a barn much cooler than his human counterparts may appreciate.

When evaluating your horse’s pasture for winter-readiness, keep in mind the location of food and water access in relation to shelter. Ideally, these should all be close together, as horses in bad weather are more likely to pick comfort over water. Resultant dehydration in the winter is an impaction colic waiting to happen.

Additionally, don’t forget the ever-present pecking order in a herd of horses. Those lower on the social ladder may get pushed out of a small run-in or sheltered area. Check to make sure there’s there enough room for everyone to be comfortable, including the boss mares and senior horses.

Winter Wellness for Horses: Dining in December

One major reason horses adapt well to cold weather is due to their metabolism; their large and complex digestive tracts act almost like a furnace. However, akin to a higher energy bill, this internal heater comes at a cost in the form of an increase in caloric demand in the winter.

A horse’s caloric needs increase the colder it gets. Ambient temperatures below 20 degrees F is typically the tipping point for this extra calorie demand to kick in. A good rule of thumb is to remember that when temperatures reach 0 degrees, an average adult horse should receive an additional 4 pounds of food daily. But this doesn’t mean an extra 4 pounds of grain.

While it’s tempting and seemingly intuitive to reach for a “hot” concentrate feed to stoke those digestive fires, the most efficient and healthy way to increase caloric intake for your horse in the winter is by adding free-choice roughage, such as good-quality hay. The fermentation process by which your horse digests fiber generates much more internal heat than the relatively simple digestion of grains. Feeding free-choice roughage also gives your horse the choice to regulate his intake throughout the day, which is better for a healthy equine digestive system than scheduled meals.

Special Considerations for Winter

Special considerations will be taken into account for winter horse care during the cold months for special horses. Yes, horses fare well in winter overall, but there are always exceptions. Those that need some extra TLC in the colder months include growing horses, those with chronic illness, and our senior equines.

All three of these types of horses may have a metabolism that isn’t quite at full capacity, therefore reducing their ability to generate heat, or they simply aren’t able to consume enough fuel on a daily basis. Sometimes, it’s a bit of both. But take heart. With some extra care, these horses can weather winter with the best of them.

The most obvious sign that a horse is struggling in the winter is weight loss. Evaluating body condition scores or using a weight tape on a monthly basis throughout the winter is the best way to objectively monitor your horse’s weight. This avoids a nasty revelation in the spring when the blanket comes off or winter coat sheds out and you’re faced with a skinnier horse than you started with at the end of fall.

Regular body weight monitoring also allows you to make incremental changes in routine or diet over the winter months instead of drastic changes all at once. Slow and steady is usually preferable when it comes to your horse’s health.

If you notice your horse losing weight during the winter despite increasing his forage and blanketing, a visit from your veterinarian may be warranted. Senior dental issues are a very common culprit of winter weight loss, and an older horse may need a dental float to file any sharp or uneven molars. Metabolic diseases, such as Cushing’s, can also exacerbate weight loss. Your veterinarian may want to run some blood work to rule out other underlying health causes.

Understanding how your horse naturally beats the cold weather can help you enjoy the winter worry-free. With a few care tips to keep in mind, this winter may just fly by, and it will be spring before you know it.

This article originally appeared in the December 2018 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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