Q: How can I tell if my horse is cold, and what’s the best way to keep him warm in the winter?
A: Horses do very well in cold temperatures, provided they are used to them and have a good winter coat, good teeth, enough body fat, and enough hay to eat. A horse that has poor teeth, is body clipped, older, thin, or has recently moved from a warmer climate will probably need to be blanketed and given extra grain and concentrates. If your horse is shivering or losing weight in the winter, he’s too cold!
In cold temperatures, it’s very important that your horse has an adequate supply of good-quality hay. A healthy, average-sized horse will need about 20 pounds of hay a day in spring and summer. In the winter, he might need up to 40 pounds a day.
If you blanket your horse, make a habit of running your hands over his body to check his weight. It can be hard to tell if your horse might be losing weight without touching him every day. Remember that horses generate body heat by fermenting their feed in their large intestine. Empty bellies equal cold horses. There’s a reason they’re called “hay burners!”
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2017 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!
Courtney S. Diehl, DVM, has been an equine veterinarian since 2000. She is the author of Horse Vet: Chronicles of a Mobile Veterinarian and Stories of Eric the Fox, first place winner of the CIPA EVVY award. She is currently working on her third book.
Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week,…
The elderly gray Appaloosa craned her neck to watch me as I gently ran my…
When it comes to summer, hot weather has its own brand of risk factors for…
The Horses in the Morning podcast is celebrating a very rare milestone in podcasting history. On August 17, they will…
The weather in Denmark has turned abnormally warm over the last two days (the locals label it “quite hot,” but…
Imagine gliding down the trail, oblivious to rough terrain, without worrying about hours spent in the saddle causing back pain.…
Day 5 of the 2022 FEI World Championships in Denmark was the only day when all four sports were contested…
Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the…
On day 4 of the 2022 FEI World Championships in Herning, Denmark, three equestrian disciplines were in action. The vaulting…