Winter Care Tips by TLC Animal Nutrition, Inc
Posted by Maggie Beitz on
Being domesticated animals as they now are, it has become our responsibility to protect our horse from the elements and to make sure that they thrive, body, mind and spirit through the cold winter months. While a warm fire and a nice hot cocoa is the picture we get when thinking about how we want to spend our winter nights, the horses needs are quite different.
First thing's first, if you live in a climate where the water is prone to freeze, check the water often. Lack of hydration is a leading cause to winter colic. Investing in a heated water device if your time is limited or if horse is especially sensitive could be a life saver.
Shelter is essential and if it is a run-in type rather than a stall, it must be of appropriate size for the number of horses that will be using it. Take extra precautions for horses that have body clip and older horses to ensure they are protected from the elements. But before you run out to add additional layers on your healthy horse, consider this: horses develop body warmth through several processes, one being the act of digestion. Yep, horses are grazing animals and the simple process of digesting fiber will go a long way in generating the heat necessary for those long winter nights. So make sure to increase access to roughage by giving additional hay, especially in extreme weather, to help them stay warm naturally.
Exercise, there are two aspects to supporting the horse with exercise through the winter. The first being under-exercise. Lack of motion will inhibit the ability of the body to keep the tendons, ligaments and muscles healthy. Daily turnout and daily exercise when it’s safe to do so is a good idea to help keep these tissues pliable and ward off future injuries. This brings us to the second point, and that is over-exercise. Being inconsistent and/or riding an out of shape horse hard will do more damage than good. Try setting a goal of five minutes daily of just trotting on a lunge line because short, slow workouts at regular intervals will be better than one long hard work to maintain body condition.
Continue to groom regularly. Even once a week rather than just turning them out. You will be in a better position to monitor the body condition and will also be able to spot injuries or other issues sooner. Finally, you don’t want to create a situation that you are going to have to correct in the spring, so make sure to continue with regular hoof care!
That’s it. If you are consistent with these simple winter care essentials, you should have a happy and healthy horse that is ready for you in the spring.
First thing's first, if you live in a climate where the water is prone to freeze, check the water often. Lack of hydration is a leading cause to winter colic. Investing in a heated water device if your time is limited or if horse is especially sensitive could be a life saver.
Shelter is essential and if it is a run-in type rather than a stall, it must be of appropriate size for the number of horses that will be using it. Take extra precautions for horses that have body clip and older horses to ensure they are protected from the elements. But before you run out to add additional layers on your healthy horse, consider this: horses develop body warmth through several processes, one being the act of digestion. Yep, horses are grazing animals and the simple process of digesting fiber will go a long way in generating the heat necessary for those long winter nights. So make sure to increase access to roughage by giving additional hay, especially in extreme weather, to help them stay warm naturally.
Exercise, there are two aspects to supporting the horse with exercise through the winter. The first being under-exercise. Lack of motion will inhibit the ability of the body to keep the tendons, ligaments and muscles healthy. Daily turnout and daily exercise when it’s safe to do so is a good idea to help keep these tissues pliable and ward off future injuries. This brings us to the second point, and that is over-exercise. Being inconsistent and/or riding an out of shape horse hard will do more damage than good. Try setting a goal of five minutes daily of just trotting on a lunge line because short, slow workouts at regular intervals will be better than one long hard work to maintain body condition.
Continue to groom regularly. Even once a week rather than just turning them out. You will be in a better position to monitor the body condition and will also be able to spot injuries or other issues sooner. Finally, you don’t want to create a situation that you are going to have to correct in the spring, so make sure to continue with regular hoof care!
That’s it. If you are consistent with these simple winter care essentials, you should have a happy and healthy horse that is ready for you in the spring.
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- Tags: horse care, nutrition, tips, Winter