02/08/2022
Cold Weather Care Tips
With all the extreme cold we have been having, we thought it would be important to discuss cold weather care with your horses. As with us, the biggest concern is maintaining their internal body temperature. To stay warm, they are required to burn extra calories which, if their diet and environment are not adapted to meet this increase in demand, can result in loss of body condition and can impact their overall health. This is of particular concern in older or already sick horses.
To reduce the demands that the extreme cold places on your horse you can ensure they are fed an appropriate ration with enough nutrients and calories, access to lots of forage (hay access at all times), dress them in horse blankets appropriate for the conditions, monitor for good dental health, and periodically evaluate your horse without their blankets on to allow you to keep track of their condition and monitor for weight loss. It is also important to have a heated water trough to ensure enough water intake to prevent impactions.
