How to Care for Your Horse in the Winter
By Andrew Swenson of Gallagherfence.net
Caring for your horse in the winter months varies greatly depending on several conditions. Where you live, how often the horses is exercised, and the breed of horse are all important factors in how you care for your horses. Other things to consider include: Are they being put out to pasture for the winter? Are they hard or easy keepers? Where do they sleep? How much time is spent outdoors? Do they have access to a heated shed? Are they shod or barefoot? Do you blanket?
While this seems like a lot of things to take into consideration, once you have figured out what your horse needs it will become second nature to you, and both you and your horse will be comfortable until spring.
Warm Climates
States such as California, Florida, and Texas may get colder in the winter but are not particularly cold.
Food/Water
Horses should be fed slightly more to provide the extra energy requirements that their bodies need. Consider adding some extra hay in the evening rather than grain. Grain digests much faster and, while useful for hard keepers, is less beneficial to the average horse. Water should continue to be offered at all times and should not require any heating.
Shelter
The horse can be kept in their normal shelter provided that it has protection from at least three sides. Some extra shavings or straw would not hurt on the colder nights.
Cold Climates
States such as North Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota are very cold in the winter, and some extra precautions should be taken.
Food/Water
Make sure to stock up on hay early in the fall and plan for the whole winter so that you do not find yourself short in the cold of winter where the price of hay can double its fall price. Plan on feeding your horse and extra 2-5 pounds of hay per day per horse once the weather drops below 18ºF.
Horses that are more difficult to keep weight on may benefit from oil being added to their food, and a warm mash would not hurt. Make sure you do not feed pelleted food dry, particularly to older horses, as this can cause choking.
Mineral blocks are a must-have over the winter since horses are unable to graze and obtain minerals from the soil like they can in the summer. This is particularly important if they are not being fed pellets or grain.
A heated water bucket is needed if there is any chance of ice. Water below 45ºF can shock your horse’s system and cause them to lose heat faster, particularly if they are being ridden and have worked up a sweat.
Shelter
A barn or another shelter that can be closed is essential in places where there is a lot of snowfall. In this shelter, you should have deep bedding (12 inches or more of shavings) as a horse lying on bedding will stay warm whereas a horse lying on the snow will lose body temperature. If you let your horse out to pasture in the snow, it is important to consider the visibility of your fencing. Many fences, especially electric fences, tend to be hard to see in the snow. When horses can’t see the fence they may run into it and injure themselves. You can get around this by tying colored ribbons onto the fence, or using colored poly tape.
Blankets
Blanketing is a personal choice. Some people blanket all year round whereas others refuse to blanket even in the coldest weather. Decide whether you are or are not going to blanket your horse and to what degree early on. Horses that are blanketed in the fall are less likely to grow a full winter coat than those that are never given a blanket.
Never put a blanket on your horse if they are damp and allow them time without the blanket to cool off and to let their skin breathe or you will end up with rain rot under the blanket that will be very uncomfortable for your horse.
If you live in a very wet area, consider a rain sheet even if you are not blanketing over the winter. This can allow the horse’s coat to keep them warm but reduces the risk of hypothermia and pneumonia. A dry horse has to use much less energy to keep warm than a wet horse.
Weight
Regardless of whether you live in a warm or cold climate, the most important thing to keep an eye on in the winter months is your horse’s weight. Remember that it is much easier to maintain a horse’s weight than it is to try to increase a horse’s weight. When a horse starts losing weight in the winter, they are much more likely to have health issues.
Written for besteverpads.com courtesy of gallagherfence.net