The Complete Winter Survival Guide for Horses

Harsh winter months can pose numerous concerns for horses including dehydration, trouble maintaining weight in senior horses, decreased pasture available to graze, and slips/falls.

However, we can help to prepare our horses for winter and provide the best outdoor winter experience for them, no matter their age or lifestyle.

When preparing your horse for winter consider the following:

• Feeding requirements, especially if your horse is a grazer and the pasture will be dead or covered in snow

• Shelter

• Blanketing

• Water access

• Hoof care

• Weather

• Exercising in cold weather

• Body condition score

• Wellness care 

Feeding Requirements for Horses in Winter

It’s important to consider your horse's feeding needs during the winter months.

A horse that is kept outside all winter will likely need more hay than a horse that is kept in a barn.

Digesting forage, especially hay, is one way a horse can produce heat and stay warm in cold temperatures.

Grass is not as nutritious during the winter months, so it’s likely any horse will need some added calories by way of grain or hay in order to maintain a healthy body condition during the winter months.

Depending on your horse’s age, activity level, and metabolic requirements, your veterinarian may recommend anything from a basic ration balancer to a more densely nutrient-packed senior or performance feed or a fat supplement.

Shelter for Horses in Winter

Providing horses with access to shelter all year round is very important, but especially crucial during the winter months.

If your horse lives out in pasture year-round, a simple three-sided shed can work well for horses to get shelter from any wind, sleet, or snow.

By providing shelter, horses can tolerate temperatures much colder outside (as low as -40 degrees F) compared to having no shelter. Horses tend to be the most comfortable at temperatures between 18–59 degrees F depending on the horse.

A three-sided run-in shed for two horses should ideally measure 12 feet x 20 feet, or 240 square feet.

If all horses in a pasture get along, add 60 square feet for each additional horse in the same pasture. Make sure to observe the horses in the pasture to make sure they are friendly with each other.

Winter Horse Blankets

A horse's coat can provide them with a natural blanket for the winter.

The length and thickness of coat that horses grow is relative to the amount of sunlight they receive. As the amount of daylight shortens during the winter months, horses will grow their thicker winter coat. Conversely, horses lose their winter coat and shed out as the amount of daylight increases in the spring.

So, do horses get cold? Yes, they do!

A horse's natural winter coat is a perfect insulator by trapping and warming air. However, if their coat becomes wet or muddy, it can reduce the amount of insulation and may increase heat loss.

Because of this, it’s very important to keep a horse dry and sheltered during the winter months, especially during precipitation.

Purchasing a blanket for your horse may be a good option if:

• There is no shelter is available 

• There’s a chance the horse will become wet 

• A horse had their winter coat clipped 

• You have a  young foal or older horse that may have trouble regulating body temperature due to age

• A horse has not been acclimated to cold weather 

• A horse has a body condition score of three or less, since they do not have enough natural body fat to keep them warm

Tips for Blanketing Horses

• It’s important to measure your horse correctly for their size blanket. This horse blanket should be properly fitted as to not cause any sores or rub marks.

• Remove the blanket at least once a day to inspect for any sores, moisture or damage to the blanket, and to reposition it in case it’s moved out of place. 

• Your horse blanket should always remain dry.

• If you are using a blanket for turnout, buy a blanket labeled for turnout versus a stable blanket for barn/indoor use only. Turnout blankets will have weather-proofed fabric, which stable blankets do not.

• Never put a blanket on a wet or sweaty horse as it will trap the moisture inside and cause the horse to remain wet, which can cause skin infection. 

• As temperatures rise during the day, a horse's blanket may need to be removed to keep them from getting too warm and then placed back on them in the evening during the overnight hours.

Blanket Weight Recommendation Based on Temperature 

Water Access for Horses in Winter

Winter is one of the most important times to keep a horse well-hydrated.

During the summer, a horse on pasture can get 60–80% of moisture from the lush grass. This can also contribute to the horses' daily water requirement.

During the winter, the pastures' moisture content will drop to less than 15%. This means that a horse may need to drink more water during the winter to maintain proper hydration.

How Much Water Does a Horse Need a Day?

An average horse will need between 10–12 gallons of water daily. Staying hydrated is essential in the winter to help prevent colic due to impaction.

Water intake directly impacts the digestive tract by keeping the fecal matter from becoming too dry. If the fecal matter becomes too dry, an intestinal blockage may occur. This can happen within several days to weeks during poor water intake.

Snow or ice is not an adequate water source for horses. A horse will eat snow if they must, but they would have to consume a very large quantity to provide their daily hydration requirements.

Ways to encourage a horse to drink water during the winter include:

• Maintaining the water temperature between 45–65 degrees F

• Increasing your horse's salt or electrolyte intake—an average adult horse should consume about 1–2 ounces of salt daily (salt blocks can help supplement salt for horses)

• Regularly cleaning your horse's water buckets and providing fresh water

• Checking your stable daily for any worn wires or damage (if using heaters for your waterers)

Hoof Care for Horses in Winter

Hoof care for horses is essential for maintaining a healthy horse year-round. In the winter, horse hooves generally grow slower than during the summer months. Regular hoof trimming should continue during the winter months every six to 12 weeks depending on the individual horse and farrier recommendation.

Pick out a horse's hooves daily to check for any abnormalities. During the winter when there is snow or ice on the ground, horses can develop snowballs on the bottom of their feet, which can cause them to be more prone to slips/falls which can lead to injuries, as well as added stress on their joints and tendons.

In general, horses will have better traction in the snow if they are barefoot. If you have to keep horses shod during the winter, it’s best to keep them inside and off any snow and ice whenever possible.

Providing horses that are shod with snow pads and/or studs may help to prevent injury if they need to be out in snow or ice. Sole bruising can occur during the winter months with frozen hard ground.

Protecting Horses During Winter Weather

In times of heavy snow or ice, it is best to remove any horses from outside paddocks to prevent any injuries from falling tree limbs, slips, and to help maintain an appropriate body temperature.

Allow horses to go outside again once the snow and ice melts. Sand can be used on slick surfaces to provide more traction when necessary. Do not to place sand in areas where a horse may ingest it, as it could cause sand colic.

Salt can be used to help melt any snow or ice. Alternatively, spreading a thin layer of wood ash or manure may help provide some traction.

Ultimately, removing any horses from slick areas is the safest recommendation.  

Horse Exercise in Winter

Horses can continue to be ridden during the winter months while keeping a few important aspects in mind.

Stall Confinement

During extreme winter weather, a horse may be confined to their stall more than normal, and you may notice swelling in your horse's lower legs called stocking up. Providing a horse with daily turnout or exercise during the winter can help reduce incidence of stocking up and keep a horse in proper fitness.

Slippery Footing

Be careful when riding in snowy or icy conditions, as they can be unsafe for both you and your horse. Utilize boots for your horse’s hooves to help with their traction if they are barefoot.

Proper Cooling Out

Properly cooling your horse down after exercise during the winter is very important, as you don’t want to leave your horse hot and wet in the barn. Using a cooler can help wick away moisture while keeping your horse warm enough.

Body Clipping

For horses that are regularly exercised, it may be beneficial to trace clip their winter coat (about an eighth of an inch in length) in specific regions. These regions include: 

• Underside of the neck

• Abdomen down to the sides of the horse

• Elbow to about a quarter of the way up the body

Discuss with your veterinarian to decide if clipping is the best practice for you and your horse.  

Horse Body Condition Scoring in Winter

Thick, long winter hair can make it hard to see if a horse is becoming thin, so it is important to monitor horses closely during the winter.

Make sure to feel your horse's rib cage frequently for any signs of weight loss. If you have any concerns about weight, an exam by your veterinarian is recommended.