Winter Horse Care Basics

As the cold weather sets in, horse owners face the unique challenge of keeping their equine companions safe, comfortable, and healthy throughout winter. From managing their shelter and nutrition to ensuring proper grooming and exercise, this guide will walk you through the key steps to help your horse thrive during the colder season. With a bit of preparation and attention to detail, you can ensure your horse stays warm, safe, and happy all winter long.

How Do Horses Keep Themselves Warm?
Horses are naturally well-equipped to handle cold weather, as they can regulate their body temperature within a range of 5°C to 25°C. When temperatures drop below 5°C, horses will increase their natural defences against cold by:

• Eating more forage.
• Managing their blood flow, reducing flow to the limbs and pooling most of their blood to their core and vital organs.
• Growing a thick winter hair coat.
• Increasing movement and shivering.
• Seeking shelter.

Several factors may contribute to how well your horse manages the cold, including their age (if they’re very old or young), if they are clipped, whether they have access to shelter, etc. If not properly cared for during the winter, a horse’s body condition may backslide, making for an unhealthy and underweight horse come spring.

Winter Feeding
One of the main ways that horses can keep warm during winter is by eating. The process of microbial fermentation of forage in a horse’s digestive system generates heat in their body. Horses will burn more calories in the winter to stay warm, so compensate for this by feeding them more forage. It is recommended to feed horses 1.5% – 3% of their body weight in forage during the colder months.

Water Intake
One of the challenges of caring for horses in the winter is their disinclination to drink water. This means that dehydration is a great concern in the winter, so finding ways to entice your horse to drink is very important. Most 1000 lb horses require at least 10 -12 gallons of water per day, and the following tips should help you get your horse to drink their daily requirement:

• Install a bucket heater or trough deicer to keep water from freezing
• Increase your horses salt intake by offering a free-choice salt lick in their stall or add a loose mineral supplement to their feed.
• Consider adding electrolytes to your horse’s water to help prevent dehydration
• Keep water clean and fresh for your horse

Provide Shelter
Access to shelter is crucial for helping horses withstand colder temperatures and stay protected during the winter months. A run-in shed provides an important buffer against extreme weather conditions like wind, rain, and snow, which can quickly lower their body temperature and lead to discomfort or health risks. By providing a safe place to retreat from the elements, horses can tolerate lower temperatures and help them stay healthy and comfortable throughout the winter season.

Reducing Ice Buildup
Icy conditions in winter pose slipping risks to not only us but our equine companions as well. It’s essential to be aware of freeze-thaw patterns and stay on top of preventing ice buildup in places your horse frequents, such as stalls, around their water trough, north sides of buildings, paddocks, etc. A few of the ways you can be proactive in preventing and reducing ice buildup are:

• Repair leaky rain gutters on barns or run-ins that drip and form ice.
• Avoid spilling water when filling troughs and repair any leaks that may drip.
• Remove snow from frequently used pathways and paddocks to decrease water buildup and frozen puddles.
• Reduce the amount of manure in the paddock, as it is prone to freezing and will leave you with a muddy mess in the spring!
• Improve your paddock’s grade by building up sunken ground where water may pool and freeze in the winter.
• Create traction in icy areas by putting down shavings, straw, sand or salt. Refrain from feeding horses near where you spread sand or salt, as they may eat it off the ground. Always make sure your horse has an alternative source of salt if you choose to spread pure salt to melt the ice.

Winter Hoof & Health Care
Horse hooves require lots of attention during the winter to ensure potential issues can be addressed quickly. Keep these tasks on your winter horse care to-do list:

• Regularly pick out hooves to remove snow buildup and inspect them to ensure there is no bacteria or infection in the crevices of the frog.
• Although hooves grow slower in the winter, they should still be trimmed every 6-8 weeks.
• Consider removing metal shoes and allowing your horse to go barefoot in the winter. Going barefoot gives your horse more traction on icy winter terrain.
• If you do keep your horse shod in the winter, consider adding metal studs or snow pads to their shoes.
• Ensure horses have access to a dry place to stand and dry their hooves. Hooves that are wet for extended periods of time can lead to rot and infection.

Along with regular hoof care, there are a few other health maintenance tasks to be aware of in the winter to ensure your horse is in the best health:

• Deep mud and snow make it near impossible for your horses’ legs to fully dry off, leading to skin conditions like mud fever. While providing a place for your horse to stand and dry off can help prevent this, we still recommend that you check over your horse’s legs and hooves daily for signs of disease or infection.
• Heavy hair coats and blankets can sometimes hide weight loss, so we recommend regular body condition scoring to check your horse’s weight and assess their health.

Blanketing
Not every horse needs to be blanketed in the winter. Some horses are well-equipped to handle the cold without a blanket. However, blanketing may be necessary for a horse for the following reasons:

• No shelter is available to protect from the elements during turnout when the weather drops below -15 C.
• The horse is clipped.
• The horse is very young or old.
• The horse has a body condition score of 3 or less.
• The horse isn’t acclimated to the cold.
• If there is a chance the horse will become wet due to rain, freezing rain, or calm, warm snowfall.

If you are trying to decide whether to blanket your horse in the winter, we recommend speaking to your equine veterinarian about the best decision for your horse.
If you blanket your horse, make sure that it fits them well to prevent rubbing and sores, and remove and reposition the blanket daily. Always ensure the blanket stays dry, and never put a blanket on a wet horse, as this can lead to infection or fungal diseases such as rain rot.

Exercise
Horses need regular exercise in the winter to get their blood flowing, reduce boredom, raise body temperature, and, of course, stay fit, happy and healthy. Provide lots of turnout time for exercise, and if possible, enjoy a wintertime ride when the weather is nice! One thing to consider when exercising your horse in the winter is cooling them out. Leaving a hot, wet horse to stand in the cold without properly being cooled out can lead to illness.

How to Cool Out Your Horse
Following your ride, walk your horse for 10-15 minutes to allow heat in their muscles to dissipate. Once you’ve dismounted, loosen the girth or cinch, but don’t remove the saddle yet, as cold air can cause warm muscles to cramp. Cover your horse with a cooler to help wick the moisture away while you walk them for a few more minutes. Remove the saddle, but put the cooler back on while you continue to walk your horse for a bit longer until they are cooled down.

Proper winter care is essential to keeping your horse healthy and comfortable throughout the colder months. From adjusting their diet to reducing slipping hazards, every detail matters. For more advice and top-quality products to meet your horse’s winter needs, visit us in-store – our experts are here to help you every step of the way!

For more expert advice and horse care tips, check out our blog!
Horses Hoof and Skin Health
Deworming Your Horse
Importance of Fiber in a Horses Diet

Sources:
Winter horse care tips – World Horse Welfare
Your Guide to Caring for Horses in Winter
Caring for your horse in the winter | UMN Extension
Cooling Out Horses in Winter

Importance of Fiber in a Horses Diet

Why is Fiber Important in a Horse’s Diet
Fiber is one of the most important components of a horse’s diet, and as an equine owner, it is essential to understand why. Let’s take a look at why it is important and what can happen if your horse isn’t getting enough fiber in their diet:

Why Do Horses Need Fiber – Fiber provides up to 70% of a horse’s energy needs while maintaining gut health and encouraging natural grazing behaviors.
Daily Fiber Requirements – While no daily fiber requirement has been established for horses, nutritionists recommend feeding a minimum of 1.5% of your horse’s body weight in dry forage to maximize their fiber intake.
Different Types of Fiber – There are many different types of fiber in the equine diet, each with varying nutritional profiles and degrees of hindgut fermentation. These include lignin, pectins, gums, cellulose and hemicellulose.
Sources of Fiber – Horses mainly get their daily fiber requirements from forages like hay and pasture grass; however, fiber can also be obtained from processed forage products like beet pulp and soybean hulls.
Fiber Deficiency in Horses – A horse’s gastrointestinal tract is a huge, complex organ. Insufficient fiber intake can lead to severe issues such as hindgut acidosis, gastric ulcers, dehydration, colic, stereotypic behaviours, etc.

As fellow animal lovers, we know that your horse’s health and well-being are top priorities, which is why we are committed to providing our customers with the best quality feed and forage products. Stop by your local Feeds‘n Needs to check out our line of premium horse feeds and accessories; your horse will thank you!

Check out our other horse-related blogs here:
Maintaining Your Horses Health
Deworming Your Horse
Horses Hoof and Skin Health

Sources:
Feeding Fiber in the Equine Diet: Sources & Nutrition Review | Mad Barn
The Importance of Fibre for Horses (feedxl.com)

Horses Hoof & Skin Health

As an equine owner, it is important to maintain your horse’s hoof and skin health. Given that we live in the Maritimes, we sometimes see a lot of precipitation and moisture. Keeping our barns and equine companions as clean and dry as possible is essential. Anything we can do to minimize mud, puddles and manure around the barns and paddocks will help reduce precipitation and moisture. If left unattended, it can cause health issues with horses’ hooves and skin and create a nesting ground for flies. Issues such as mud fever, white line disease, thrush and rain rot can become a serious concern as a horse owner.

To prevent severe concerns for your horses, ensure that you manage your property to the best of your ability. Here are some tips to help you minimize precipitation and moisture:

• Proper drainage around the property is critical to ensuring dryer ground, which will lessen stagnant water.
• Weekly paddock maintenance helps remove old manure and excess hay. This should include run-ins as well, not just pastures and paddocks.
• Ensuring that your horse gets to dry off at least once per day will significantly reduce the risk of health issues.
• Routine grooming gets your hands on your equine companion to ensure you are not missing any signs of skin issues or irritations. Remove any thick mud from their legs or body and ensure proper attention is given where needed.

By providing your horse with the best maintenance, you’re not just ensuring their health, but also their soundness and ability to perform their job for years to come. This reassurance should give you the confidence to tackle any challenges that come your way in maintaining your horse’s hoof and skin health.

For more advice on maintaining your horses’ health, check out our related blogs or ask the Experts at your local Feeds’n Needs!
Deworming Your Horse
Maintaining Your Horses Health

Deworming Your Horse

Deworming your horse four times a year is ideal. It is recommended to do it once per season, alternating between various types of dewormer to help keep the parasites from becoming immune to the ingredients. If symptoms persist, contact your veterinarian. 

Our Equine Worming Products:
Panomec (1.87% Ivermectin):
Treats large and small strongyles, threadworms, pinworms, ascarids, hairworms, large mouth stomach worms, and bots.
Safe for horses of all ages, pregnant mares, and foals over eight weeks.

Strongid P (6.6% Pyrantel Pamoate):
Treats large and small strongyles, pinworms, ascarids, and tapeworms.
Safe for horses, pregnant mares, and foals over eight weeks.

IVL Ivermectin Liqiud (Ivermectin):
Treats internal nematodes and bots.
Safe horses of any age, pregnant mares, foals over eight weeks

Quest (2% Moxidectin):
Treats large and small strongyles, roundworms, stomach worms, pinworms, hairworms, integumentary microfilariae, tapeworms, and bots.
*MUST HAVE SPECIFIC WEIGHT OF HORSE AS YOU CAN EASILY OVERDOSE ON QUEST PRODUCTS*
Safe for horses, ponies 16 weeks +, and pregnant mares.

Quest Plus (2% Moxidectin & 12.5% Praziquantel):
Treats large and small strongyles, roundworms, stomach worms, pinworms, hairworms, integumentary microfilariae, tapeworms, largemouth stomach worms, and bots.
*MUST HAVE SPECIFIC WEIGHT OF HORSE AS YOU CAN EASILY OVERDOSE ON QUEST PRODUCTS*
Safe for horses, ponies 16 weeks +, and pregnant mares.

Safeguard (10% Fenbendazole):
Treats large and small strongyles, roundworms, and pinworms.
Safe for horses, ponies, foals, and pregnant mares.

Eqvalan Gold (1.55% Ivermectin & 7.75% Praziquantel)
Treats tapeworms, large and small strongyles, threadworms, pinworms, roundworms, hairworms, large mouth stomach worms, and bots. 

Eqvalan Gold is the most popular broad-spectrum wormer we sell.
*NOT SUITABLE FOR PREGNANT MARES*
Safe for foals over eight weeks, horses and ponies.

PowerMectin (1.87% Ivermectin):
Treats large and small Strongyles, intestinal threadworms, pinworms, ascarids, hairworms, largemouth stomach worms, neck threadworms, and bots.
Safe for horses, pregnant mares, and foals over eight weeks.

Worms by Season:
Spring: Roundworm/Tapeworm
Summer: Roundworm/Small Redworm
Fall: Encysted Redworm/Tapeworm/Bots
Winter: Tapeworm/Pinworm

At Feeds’n Needs, we think your horse deserves the best care! Stop by your local Feeds’n Needs, and one of our Experts can show you our selection of worse dewormers and help you find the right one.

Check out our other horse blogs!
Maintaining Your Horses Health

Maintaining Your Horses Health

Yearly veterinarian checkups are highly recommended for every species of animal, horses included. Your vet can administer vaccinations to prevent illness, assess and provide insight on your horses’ condition and overall health, and evaluate their teeth condition and float your horses’ teeth when needed. Here are a few subject areas that are crucial to maintaining your horses health.

Floating Teeth

Floating the teeth is important for the overall health of your horse and to ensure its comfort. The process of floating the teeth is done to remove any sharp hooks made in the teeth by the horses’ way of chewing. These sharp hooks can cause sores within the mouth tissue. Signs that your horses’ teeth need floated can be that he is losing weight unexplainably or dropping food while eating.

Hooves

Horses hooves require trims every 6-8 weeks to maintain healthy feet. Hoof trimming can be done by a professional farrier or blacksmith, or can be learned by horse owners through hoof care courses or through the teachings of a professional. Healthy and cared for feet keep horses sound and happy. For most horses, when they are travelling over different surfaces or being used for sport, will require horseshoes to protect their feet from damage. Your veterinarian will have the best recommendations for local hoof care providers.

Deworming 

It is important to deworm your horse regularly to prevent the accumulation of internal parasites. Rotating deworming products helps to provide full coverage for every species of worms. It is usually recommended to deworm your horse once per season, unless your horse develops symptoms of worms such as weight loss, rubbing of tail, diarrhea or constipation, rough hair coat or trouble shedding winter coat, and more. Talk to your veterinarian about your horses’ personal deworming schedule, or if you suspect your horse has a severe infestation.

Feed

A consistent feed program that provides maximum forage feeding options will have the best impact on your horse’s overall health. Your horses’ digestive health and general ability to meet his performance demands depend on the quality and quantity of feed provided for him. A diet of at least 1% of his body weight in hay or grass, with additionally a complete balanced feed supplementing his vitamins, minerals – and requirements of protein, fat, and fiber, will ensure he is at the top of his condition and capabilities.

Providing your horse with the best maintenance to support his health will ensure he stays healthy, sound, and happily performs his job properly for years to come!

Livestock Bedding Options

When it comes to providing your livestock with bedding, making sure it’s clean, absorbent and comfortable is a must. There are several options for materials that you can use to place under your animals in their enclosure to ensure overall well-being. Organic materials are usually best, as they contain lower levels of bacteria counts, resulting in better air quality and less discomfort (and will consequently result in less sores and other harmful ailments). While the type of flooring, animal breed and population density of animals in the enclosure matter when choosing the right bedding, here are a few good organic options to consider when making an informed decision for your furry friends.

Vegetable Litter for bedding

Plant litter is arguable the least harmful option for the environment, as it’s ecological and biodegradable and can be a great solution for your poultry flock! It’s mainly composed of natural elements, like wood chips, hay or pellets and is mainly used for animal enclosures.

Ripe wood

If you opt for a wood-based litter, it’s recommended to use soft wood that’s specially treated for composting purposes if you want better absorption quality. Like wood shavings, which are both absorbent and comfortable for farm animals. An interesting aspect of plant litter is that it doesn’t produce much dust, which benefits the respiratory health of the animals.

Hay and straw

Hay or straw are also materials used to create bedding for farm animals. Hay is cut and dried legumes and or grasses and is commonly used for feed, but lower qualities of hay are great for bedding purposes. Ensuring the quality of the hay is not palatable so animals don’t consume it.

If you’re considering using hay or straw, it’s important to know that there’s a bit more upkeep required due to the lower levels of absorbency than some other litter options. Another thing to consider is to ensure the quality of the hay or straw is older and dry when you are spreading it, as old hay may give off dust, resulting in potential respiratory damage in animals. When they have a high level of humidity, the risk of mold increases which rapidly grows bacteria that can be harmful to your animals.

Peat moss

Within the vegetable little category, you can also find peat moss as an option. This type of litter is becoming increasingly popular, as it tends to be more absorbent than wood or hay and it helps eliminate the amount of flies in facilities. Peat moss has a controlled PH, which helps to reduce odors and the amount of ammonia in the litter. This bedding has even been known to help improve areas of animal health, including udders, legs and airways. 

Animal Welfare During a Heat Wave

On hot days, it’s important to think about our four legged friends because chances are, they are probably hotter than you are.  This article offers a few tips and solutions to help you keep your animals comfortable and cool during hot weather. Be sure to think about animal welfare during a heat wave!

Keep your pet well hydrated

No surprise here! Like their owner, animals must stay hydrated at all times and even more during hot periods. Make sure to give your pets water as often as possible during the day. The same goes for animals on farm. Think, for example, of cows, pigs or even horses, who drink large amounts of water on a normal day. Add a heat wave or drought in there and their water needs significantly amplify. Offer several areas on your property that allow for animals to have easy access to water, either on the ground, around the building or in your home. 

Place ice cubes in the water to keep it cool. One trick to encourage your pet to drink more frequently: put bowls of water throughout your house, instead of having one spot they can go to drink. When going out with your pet, bring more water than you think is enough for yourself and your companion. Also, try to avoid going out in peak heat times (afternoon) and aim instead to go in the morning or the evening when the weather cools down.

If the pavement is too hot, consider putting booties on your pet so they don’t injure or burn their pads. If the weather is too hot, indoor activities are best. Consider playing games to develop the animal’s mental faculties, to allow them to burn energy while avoiding the hot sun.

Avoiding the sun

Close curtains and blinds to prevent the sun’s rays from entering and heating the house. For bird owners, try as much as possible to keep them away from the windows. If allowed, installing a small shaded kiddie pool can prove to be the perfect refreshment tool for dogs who love the water and swimming. 

If you are on a farm, try to have a few places on land where animals can shade, like a shelter.

Identifying heatstroke in your pet

It is crucial to know how to recognize heat stroke in a pet! In case of heatstroke, the animal should see a veterinarian without delay. Here are some important symptoms to watch out for:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Bright red gums
• Disorientation
• Body temperature exceeding 40 degrees Celsius

When transporting your animal to the vet, cool it with a cold towel over their body. Do not use ice cubes.

Also, watch out for dogs with flat noses, older animals and young people. They are more at risk of having difficulty breathing during heat waves!

Other tips and tricks

Here are some additional hips to keep your pets cool at all times:

• Freeze a bottle of water and wrap it in a kitchen towel. Then place the cold bottle near the places where you pet is resting.  Your animal should stay near it to cool down.
• Brush your pet often. A tangle free coat will be more comfortable for your pet, especially on a really hot day.
• Leave a cold water base in the bath so that your companions can soak their paws from time to time.