Season's Greetings to both you and your horses!

          How rapidly seasons change!  With the onset of winter, your horse has a whole different set of weather problems to face, and there are ways that you can insure his health and happiness during the cold months.

          A mature, healthy horse is well equipped by nature to withstand cold weather.  A mature horse in a reasonably fat condition has a critical temperature (the temperature at which the horse must produce extra heat to keep warm) of 30·F for the first part of the winter.  That is, the horse does not have to burn extra energy to keep warm until temperatures fall below 30·F.  After the horse grows a winter hair coat and gets used to the cold, the critical temperature is reduced to 15·F for late winter.  Horses in poor condition, young horses and horses used to heated barns would have higher critical temperatures.

          These figures indicate that the average horse would be happy wintering on pasture with a good run-in shed and plenty of feed.  However, many horsemen begin to shiver when they think of horses standing out in snowy pastures and decide the barn is a better option.  Whether you keep your horses outside or in the barn this winter, there are some winter management tips you should remember.

WINTER TIPS

Some horses are happy in all but the most bitter temperatures, while others shiver on the first cold night of fall.

1.    Keep your barn well-ventilated.  Longterm exposure to ammonia gases can cause permanent lung damage.  If the smell of ammonia in the barn makes you gasp for air or burns your eyes, it is certainly not a healthy environment for your horse.

2.    Horses may require more feed during the winter.  A University of Alberta study indicates that horses may need 15-20% more feed for each 10·F the air temperature falls below their critical temperature.  Feeds containing roughage such as whole oats or high quality hay will give the horse both energy for heat production and cellulose for farmentation in the cecum.  A lot of internal heat is produced during the fermentation phase of cellulose digestion.  This “heat of fermentation” will really help your horse stay warm.

3.    Make sure your blankets fit properly.  A poorly fitting blanket can do more harm than good if it rubs out or mats down the horse’s hair coat or fits so poorly that the horse becomes tangled in the surcingles or leg straps.  An unclipped healthy horse does not need to be blanketed except during extremely adverse weather conditions.

4.    Do not clip your horse unless its necessary.  If your horse is worked hard daily nd sweats a lot, it is necessary to clip him so you can get him cool and dry after workouts.  However, do not clip him just for cosmetic reasons.  It is easier to put up with the “furry look” than it is to treat a horse for a cold or pneumonia.

5.    Exercise your horse on smooth, familiar ground and be alert to hazards such as ice patches and snow balling up in the hooves.  Unless it is extremely cold (below 0·F) or you are doing heavy work or speed training, cold air will not bother the horse’s eyes or lungs.  Cold weather can aggravate stiffness and cramps in the horse.  Make sure you properly warm up your horse before training sessions and warm down your horse after them.  Following these tips and using good commonsense should make winter’s happy time for both you and your horses.

Be a smart and safe horse owner this winter season!