Equine Health

Medicine & Husbandry

Winter Care

Fall is the time to make sure that our horses are ready for winter and adequately protected from the health problems that cold weather brings. Preventative dental care should be done before the coldest winter hits to make sure that feed efficiency is at its highest. This is especially important for older horses that may have trouble maintaining weight in the cold.

Winter is also the time of the "flu” as the cold air leaves the respiratory tract more prone to viral infection. Check to make sure that your horse was boostered for influenza and equine viral rhinopneumonitis within the last few months. Also, if you did not have a fecal flotation done in the fall, this is a good time to catch any parasites your horse may be carrying, including equine tapeworm. Parasites debilitate the body’s immune system and can also lead to colic, which is an ever-present danger in the winter months.

Another way to prevent colic is to make sure that horses have an adequate supply of fresh water (this may mean breaking ice on troughs) at all times. Horses tend to drink less in cold weather and this can lead to impaction colic and other intestinal problems.

Horses that are used to pasture turnout do not need to be blanketed, even in snow. As long as they have shelter from wind and rain, horses can easily stand temperatures below freezing in their winter coats. In fact, blankets actually smash down the individual hairs on the body, decreasing the horse’s own ability to stay insulated from the cold. If you do blanket your horse, it is important to be diligent about putting on the blanket when it is cold and removing it in the warm hours of the day. A sweaty coat under a blanket can cause a host of problems.

Finally, pay attention to your horse’s weight. Although most horses will maintain their body mass during all seasons, some horses will need extra feed during the cold months.