When you care for your horse, it is important to make arrangements for the winter months. Horses should be able to tolerate the winter climate and remain as healthy as possible. During the winter horses will have special requirements which you as the owner will have to tackle. It is imperative to plan for winter ahead of time.

Horses are generally tolerant to cold conditions. In fact, horses cope with frosty weather a lot better than warm weather. Regardless of this, there are some basic things horse owners will want to do to ensure their horses stay in good health. You will want to make sure the horse doesn’t have any lice, and has been vaccinated up to date. The expenses for doing these things will significantly pay off in the winter, as the outlay of feeding the horse will be reduced.

You may also want to work with your vet in planning up a health plan to care for your horses. Preparing your horse for cold weather will help it lower the requirement to eat larger amounts of food in order to maintain its weight. Your horse shouldn’t lose any weight during the colder months. Permitting your horse to gain a slight amount of weight will help them in the colder months, as the superfluous fat will work as a cushion to supply the horse with energy if it becomes stressed. Through the winter you will want to provide your horse with some additional calories.

The best protection for a horse in the winter is its natural winter coat. If allowed to grow, it will act as a warm jumper which will lessen the loss of heat that the horse experiences in winter environments. A horse’s coat is also smooth and will help brush off off snow and ice. If your horses are kept outside, you will want to ensure their coats grow enough before the temperature drops for winter.

To monitor the state of your horse, you will need to rub its ribs. A longer coat may indeed hide the fact that your horse has lost weight Your horse should weigh enough that you are not able to see the ribs but can feel them when touching the horse. You should also feel your horses ears. Are they cold? If so it’s a good indication that your horse is cold.

Like all animals which are warm-blooded, horses must maintain their body temperature in order to survive. It is vital that they retain heat through the winter, so you should ensure they’re prepared for the frost.

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