Winter Horse Care

When you care for your horse, it is crucial to make arrangements for the winter months. Horses must be able to tolerate the chilly weather and remain as healthy as possible. All through the winter horses will have special requirements which you as the owner will have to tackle. It is crucial to get ready for winter ahead of schedule.

Horses are naturally tolerant to cool climates. In fact, horses cope with winter weather a good deal better than scorching weather. Regardless of this, there are some necessary things owners will want to do to ensure their horses stay in good health. You should make sure the horse doesn’t have any fleas, and has been vaccinated up to date. The expenses for doing these things will greatly pay off in the winter months, as the expenses of feeding your horse will be less.

You may also wish to consult your vet in setting up a health plan to care for your horses. Preparing your horse for cold weather will help it lower the requirement to eat larger amounts of feed in order to retain its weight. There’s no need for your horse to lose weight during the winter. Allowing your horse to gain a slight amount of weight will aid them during the colder months, as the superfluous fat will work as a guard to provide the horse with energy if it becomes stressed. Through the winter you will want to give your horse some additional calories.

The most effective protection for a horse during the winter is its actual winter coat. If allowed to grow, it will act as a natural heat blanket which will lower the loss of heat that the horse experiences in cold scenarios. The coat is also smooth and will help brush off off snow and ice. If kept outside, you must ensure their coats grow long before the temperature drops for winter.

To confirm the condition of your horse, you will want to rub its ribs. A large winter coat can easily hide the fact the horse may be losing weight. Your horse should weigh enough that you are not able to see the ribs but can feel them when touching the horse. You should also feel your horses ears. Are they cold? If this is the case, your horse is cold.

As with all warm-blooded animals, horses have to regulate their body temperatures in order to remain healthy. It is important that they preserve heat during the winter, so you should make sure they’re prepared for the frost.

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