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Frosty weather has truly set in this winter. So, what should we be mindful of to avoid suddenly finding ourselves with a sick, thin, or otherwise uncomfortable horse? We'll go through that here as we look at the 5 biggest challenges for horses in frosty weather. Some of this you may already know – other aspects might surprise you.
Most people love ice-cold water. Horses certainly do not. Many horses actually lose the desire to drink when winter sets in. Studies show that horses drink about 40% less water if it approaches the freezing point, significantly increasing the risk of colic and dehydration. The same happens, of course, when the water trough or bowl freezes solid. Ideally, a horse's drinking water should be around 20 degrees Celsius, but less can also suffice.
If you ensure to refill the water trough twice daily with water that's not ice-cold, you give your horse excellent conditions to maintain a good fluid balance despite the cold. Likewise, a water bowl can be poured over with boiling water – this just needs to be done more frequently. Usually, however, installing a heat pump is the only sustainable solution if water bowls tend to freeze.
When the muddy paddocks freeze, they become as bumpy as anything. And this is not what horse legs are made for. Although many horses know to tread carefully through this, accidents like missteps, slips, or stumbles can happen, leading to a twist or strain. Such injuries should, of course, be taken very seriously, but prevention is undoubtedly best.
Read also: The Blanket – A hidden source of injury
If you're up for it, you could try to smooth some of the mud in the paddock with a backhoe or a large snow shovel in the hours before the frost hits. If that seems too cumbersome, you could also go out in the morning when everything is frozen solid, and the horses haven't been let out yet, and sprinkle some gravel over the icy 'mountain landscape' so the horses can get a better grip. A large amount of gravel can also be beneficial, as it can level out some of the holes.
When it suddenly turns cold, some horses can lose weight rapidly – obviously to the great frustration of their owners. Here, it's about anticipating the horse's increased caloric needs. The best thing you can do is to put a thicker blanket on the horse so it doesn't have to expend as much energy to stay warm and/or to provide more hay. Just remember to do this in the hours right before the temperatures drop, not after the horse has been in the cold for several hours. In this way, you prepare your horse to withstand the cold.
Have you ever thought that a horse can still freeze even if you've given it the thickest blanket you can find? To stay warm, it needs something to munch on and to move – even if it's well wrapped. Therefore, it's crucial that it has the opportunity to move and keep the digestive system going in the cold.
Moreover, a horse should never stand with a wet blanket. One of the main reasons a horse gets cold in the winter is that it's stuck with a semi-wet blanket it can't get rid of. So, always make sure to have a dry one ready to replace the wet one.
Be aware that a horse that is cold often appears lethargic or reluctant to move – but it needs to. The key is to get out and walk so the system gets going and the warmth circulates.
Then there's a different problem: The horse has way too much energy – whether it's on the slimmer or the chunkier side. Often, the excess energy is due to the ground being too bumpy or slippery for the horse to make many moves in the paddock. We all know that feeling.
Read also: Help the hooves: Time for the farrier?
If you have a slim horse that needs more flesh on its bones but certainly doesn't need more energy for its 'engine,' then an energy supplement in the form of oil and/or fibers is the best thing to give – in addition to plenty of hay or wrapped feed, of course. Examples include a standard plant-based oil like flaxseed oil and Equsana's Body Boost, which can easily be added as a supplement to the daily feed. If you have a more robust and energetic horse, it usually involves providing more exercise.
Few associate winter with laminitis, but it's a genuine concern. Some refer to it as "winter laminitis," others as "acute laminitis." Even if the horse hasn't seen a blade of grass, year after year, we see horses develop laminitis due to the frozen, bumpy ground. This happens because horses predisposed to laminitis can easily develop an acute inflammatory condition in the lamellae of the hoof, leading to laminitis when walking on the frozen, uneven ground. Therefore, many farriers and veterinarians recommend that such horses wear therapeutic shoes or other types of boots to protect their hooves.
