During the colder months some of us choose not to ride our horses or at least ride them less than in the warmer weather. Being out in the cold, wet weather is not the most pleasant riding conditions. On the other hand some people treasure the time spent riding through new-fallen snow in some parts of the country or we relish riding in temperatures below 90°. In either case, care of the horse in winter, especially in the northern latitudes does require some additional planning. Horses do acclimate very well given the chance.

We need to be careful not to anthromorphisize the horse and use our comfort level as an index for the horse. Horses have a thermal neutral zone with upper and lower critical limits. Thermal stress occurs at temperatures outside these values. In still air, this range is 30° to 75° F. Within this range the horse has little difficulty in maintaining body temperature.

When the ambient temperature falls below the lower critical temperature (LCT) heat generated in the digestive system helps maintain body temperature. For each 10° drop in temperature the energy intake (calories) must be increased 10% to 20%. A side note is the digestibility of most feeds decrease slightly with a decrease in temperature. Thin, young, senior, or horses that have been body clipped also have an increase in energy requirements. Wind, rain, snow, and mud may increase the energy requirement by 80% over that needed for maintenance.

One way to increase the energy intake is to simply feed more feed. This increase should come from increased forage intake. Fiber digestion (fermentation) in the cecum and large intestine increase the heat increment of a feedstuff. Increasing the forage portion of the diet is also safer than increasing the grain portion of the diet i.e. it does not increase the risk of grain overload founder or colic. This increased heat increment or heat of digestion can be used by the horse to help maintain body temperature. If the Body Condition of the horse decreases then grain should be added to the diet or increased if it is already being fed. Add grain or increase its intake slowly to minimize the possibility of digestive problems.

Water is very important in helping the horse maintain his body temperature. If water intake decreases, feed intake will also decrease. Under this scenario, energy intake also decreases. A decrease in temperature does not usually affect water intake unless the horse has tooth problems. Obviously, frozen water is a problem. Another result of decreased water intake is increased impaction problems. There are more horses treated for impaction in the winter months than summer. Some management practices that can be done to maintain water include keeping ice broken in the bucket, trough, etc. Salt can be added to the grain mix if one is being fed. (I suggest using a calcium-phosphorus-trace mineral-salt mixture and adding approximately 4 ounces per day to the grain mix or for horses maintained on pasture keeping this product available free choice year-round.)

Other than increasing water intake, hot bran mashes are not much benefit. Water heaters can be added to buckets, troughs, and waterers. These should be checked daily to insure they do not have a short or are getting the water too hot.

Horses do very well outside with few special considerations. Since wind and rain/snow can have such an impact on body temperature, if possible provide some type of shelter. Trees, bushes and run-in sheds can do an adequate job if the horse has a long thick hair coat, i.e. he has been allowed time to acclimate to the weather. This hair coat is a good insulator, but it does loose some of its insulating ability when wet, matted, or muddy. The mane and forelock provide protection for the eyes, ears, head, and neck. Horses without shelter will often huddle together for warmth or stand with their tails into the wind.

Other ways to help the horse in winter, especially those with specific issues, i.e. age, illness, or those being shown is stabling. While this can protect the horse from the elements it is not without its drawbacks. Proper ventilation is paramount in maintaining a healthy environment. Ventilation is the control of air exchange, i.e. controlling the intake and exhaust of air in the barn. Opening doors or windows on a pleasant day is not proper ventilation. Ammonia in the barn has a negative impact on the health of

the horse as well as people working in the area. Respiratory problems are at the top of the list of problems. Most people who have been in a barn during cold weather have experienced the effects of ammonia, watering eyes, coughing, etc.

Blanketing is another option that can benefit a horse during inclement weather. While blanketing is easy it does require preparation and following some good management practices including:

1. Blanket when the temperature or wind-chill is below the LCT.

2. Remove the blanket during the warmer part of the day.

3. Remove wet blankets as soon as possible. It requires valuable body heat to help dry the blanket.

4. Remember blanketing decreases a horse’s hair coat adaptation (hair does not grow as long or thick).

Tahitian Noni Equine Essentials can play a prominent role in helping with some of the problems often encountered during cold weather. We often think we don’t need to use the Equine Essentials during this “down-time” because we are not riding or using our horses. Remember when you were young and played in the rain/snow and your mother would say “Get in this house, you’ll catch your death of cold” or something similar. The rain/snow did not carry additional cold viruses, but it did cause added stress on the body. This stress was an immunosuppressant or decreased the effectiveness of the immune system. The same physiological and immunological events occur in the horse. Equine Essentials has a positive effect on the immune system due to the Morinda citrifolia and vitamin E. Maintaining or increasing feed intake is another benefit of Equine Essentials.

As discussed at the start of the article, maintaining feed intake provides the energy required to maintain body temperature as well as Body Condition Score.

We can all enjoy our horses and keep them comfortable during cold weather with few management changes.