- The easiest method of feeding horses in cold weather is the simplest: feed high quality forages free-choice. ...
- If you are limit-feeding horses outdoors, adult horses being fed at maintenance will need an additional 2% more feed per degree below the lower critical temperature (-15°C). ...
- Use highly digestible hays and supply a sufficient quantity of hay. Coarse overmature hays are low in energy and high in indigestible fibre. ...
- Supplemental vitamins A, D and E may be needed. Appropriate mineral-vitamin mixes should be chosen. ...
- Provide adequate heated (2-10°C) water, if possible. Water helps maintain appetite and digestive function. Snow is not a suitable substitute.
- If available, a well-bedded, south or east-facing shed is useful for young and old horses. ...
How does cold weather affect your horse’s feeding?
This article explains how cold weather can impact your horse and what you can do to make your winter feeding program more efficient. During cold weather, the horse requires additional energy to maintain its internal body temperature and keep warm. The exact amount of energy depends on the severity and extent of the cold period.
How much hay should a horse eat in the winter?
Thus, a 1,000-pound mature horse should consume 15 to 17.5 pounds of hay daily to meet critical temperature needs during cold weather. During prolonged periods of cold temperature — several days below the critical temperature — both the concentrate and forage portion of the diets should be increased in equal proportions.
How much water does a horse need in cold weather?
Maintaining ample water intake is the most critical part of ensuring the health of your horse during cold weather. The horse prefers a water temperature of 45 to 65 degrees F. Under normal conditions, the horse will consume 1 gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight. A 1,100-pound horse will consume 10 to 12 gallons of water daily.
Why do horses need extra energy in the winter?
In the winter months many horses will need extra energy to help them maintain their body temperature without decreasing body weight or creating stress due to discomfort for multiple days (cold stress). On average, it has been estimated that the average horse will need about 25% higher energy intake during the coldest winter months.
Do horses need grain in winter?
In general, feeding an additional one-quarter pound of grain per 100 pounds of body weight daily to non-working horses can provide adequate calories during cold, windy and wet weather.
What to feed horses to keep them warm?
Another way to keep horses warm is to feed them hay. Heat is produced through the digestion of feed and can be useful in helping a horse maintain body temperature in cold winter weather. The greatest amount of heat is released when microbes in the gut digest high-fiber feeds such as hay.
How cold is too cold for horses?
In the absence of wind and moisture, horses tolerate temperatures at or slightly below 0° F. If horses have access to a shelter, they can tolerate temperatures as low as -40° F. But horses are most comfortable at temperatures between 18° and 59° F, depending on their hair coat.
How often should horses be fed in winter?
When the weather is severe, and a horse spends many hours between meals, this can impact their ability to stay warm. The body can go into shock and begin to quickly use stored fat and muscle to make energy for heat. In the cold winter months, I ALWAYS feed hay at least 3 times a day.
Does alfalfa help keep a horse warm?
Also, as he digests and metabolizes this extra protein, he'll produce extra heat, raising his core body temperature by a degree or so for about half a day (significant in subzero weather). If alfalfa hay isn't available, you can feed your horse three to four pounds of alfalfa pellets once or twice per day.
Is alfalfa good for horses in winter?
Alfalfa is beneficial for most horses because when combined with grass hay, it boosts the overall protein quality. This helps protect immune function and keep body proteins such as muscles, hair, skin, and hooves, in good condition.
How do you warm up a cold horse?
How to Keep Your Horse Warm in WinterShelter. A thick winter coat is a horse's natural protection against the cold, providing natural insulation by trapping hot air against the skin. ... Water. Hydration plays a key role in keeping your horse warm in the winter. ... Feed. ... Blankets. ... Warm and Happy.
Do rain sheets keep horses warm?
Putting a rain sheet on in cold weather may not be a good idea. While it will block the wind, it will also mat down the hair, preventing the piloerection of the coat that keeps a horse naturally warm, without having any insulating properties of its own.
When should you blanket a horse in cold weather?
Here are some general guidelines:Body Clipped Horses: Start blanketing when the temperature gets below 60°F, or anytime it is rainy or windy.Moderate Hair Coat Horses: Start blanketing when the temperature goes below 40°F.Heavy Hair Coat Horses: Start blanketing when the temperatures go below 30°F.
Do horses need salt blocks in winter?
According to horse nutritionist Dr. Juliet Getty, regardless of the weather, horses require a daily supply of salt. During cold weather, salt helps promote enough water consumption to prevent dehydration. In warm seasons, salt replaces what is lost from perspiration.
What is the best grain for horses in the winter?
In all scenarios, in winter months horses should be given at least 1.5 to 3% of their body weight in some form of forage; it could be in the form of long stem hay, chopped hays, forage based cubes, or combinations thereof. They should also have access to salt at all times and unlimited ice free water.
Are oats good for horses in the winter?
Although oats are a low-fiber grain, they will produce more heat during digestion than other grains due to their fibrous outer hull. Providing a sufficient amount of feed is extremely important during the winter because grazing usually is not an option.
Does Grain help horses stay warm?
Much of the horse's body heat is produced by the fermentation of fiber in the hindgut. Grain provides extra calories, but to keep horses warm in winter, they need to have a steady supply of hay to keep the internal fires stoked.
How do you warm up a cold horse?
If you find a horse shivering, immediately help him warm up with a blanket or shelter. He is literally shivering pounds away, and he is just as uncomfortable as you would be if you were cold enough to shiver. A horse who is losing weight over the winter is utilizing more calories than he is taking in.
Can you give horses warm feed?
Providing a soaked fibre feed, such as Dengie Alfa-Beet is a great way to provide an additional source of moisture to aid hydration in the winter, plus with a 15-minute hot soak your horse or pony can benefit from their own warm breakfast and dinners!
How do you make warm mash for horses?
Senior feeds are high in fiber, as well as properly fortified with calcium and phosphorus. By simply soaking a serving of her horse's senior feed with warm water for 5-8 minutes until it reaches a consistency her horse will enjoy, she will have a nice warm mash for her senior horse.
What is an alternative to soaking hay?
In winter, soaking hay can be a real challenge as taps and water-filled buckets freeze. Steaming is one alternative and a commercial steamer uses much less water than soaking hay. Using a commercial steamer also produces a much cleaner hay which is very important for those with respiratory issues.
How to keep your horse warm – feed lots of fibre!
Feeding fibre is the best way to keep horses warm in the winter months as heat is produced when fibre is fermented in the horse’s digestive system. However, if your horse is carrying a little too much weight ensure you choose a low-calorie fibre feed such as Dengie Hi-Fi Lite. Did you know that Hi-Fi Lite has half the sugar level of hay!
Is your horse drinking enough?
When it’s really cold, some horses can be put off drinking, which increases the risk of dehydration and colic. Regularly check your horse’s water to break and remove ice. Floating a tennis ball in the trough or buckets can help mean your horse can always access water as the bucket won’t be totally iced over.
How to keep your horse entertained when stabled
Research has shown that offering a variety of forages and fibrous material to horses not only provides a more stimulating environment, but it allows them to demonstrate more natural foraging behaviour. Try offering a selection of fibres such as Dengie Hi-Fi Senior or Meadow Grass with Herbs alongside your horse’s usual forage of hay and/or haylage.
How to make dietary changes
Diet change is one of the biggest risk factors associated with colic. When making any dietary changes, including grazing and forage it should be done gradually ideally over the period of at least a couple of weeks.
What should horses eat in the winter?
In all scenarios, in winter months horses should be given at least 1.5 to 3% of their body weight in some form of forage; it could be in the form of long stem hay, chopped hays, for age based cubes, or combinations thereof. They should also have access to salt at all times and unlimited ice free water. If cold stressed, the addition of higher calorie supplements such as grain-based concentrates or high fat supplements like rice bran or edible oils may be warranted if the horses cannot maintain weight on forage based feeds alone. In horses confined to stalls, use of lower energy grass hays will allow for maximal intake and counter not only boredom but may also reduce incidence of gastric ulcers or stereotypical behaviors associated with confinement and stress. If ventilation in the barn is inadequate, use of the higher protein legume (alfalfa or clover) hays should be minimized to prevent adverse air quality issues due to the increased ammonia excretion. Concentrates formulated for the life stage and activity level of the horse can be used but in amounts that take into account the reduction in activity.
How to increase water intake in horses?
Other ways to increase water intake are to stimulate thirst by the use of salt, higher protein feeds, and maximizing hay intake. A white salt block should be available free choice at all times or, for those horses who do not use the blocks, a teaspoon of loose salt can be added to their concentrate ration daily.
Why does my horse have colic in the winter?
Usually the problem of colic in the winter is due to decreased water intake and that can only be remedied by increasing their intake (for tips here, see the section below).
What does it mean when a horse is shivering?
If a horse is shivering it is a good indication that it’s LCT has been reached. Piloerection, or when the hair coat is standing on end instead of lying flat, and horses seeking shelter from wind or precipitation are also good indicators that they are in need of higher energy intake.
What are the major nutritional concerns during the winter months?
The major nutritional concerns during the winter months include adequate calories to maintain good body condition and adequate water intake to prevent impaction colic. Every situation is different so analyze your horse’s workload, housing and body condition to determine if a change in feed is necessary.
What are the nutritional concerns of horses?
These are insuring adequate caloric (energy concerns) and water intake, and recognizing situations where supplemental nutrients may be necessary to maintain a horse’s optimal health and well-being. These concerns will be addressed in this ...
What vitamins are lost in winter?
Since lower quality forages are often used in winter in order to maximize access and intakes, there may be lower intakes of anti-oxidant vitamins A, E and C that are lost in prolonged storage.
