Tag Archives: winter

Information on caring for your horses or cattle in the winter from Klene Pipe Structures, creator of the Hay Saver Hay Feeder for horses and cattle.

2 horses in run-in shelters in the winter

Winter Horse Care: Why Your Horse Is More Energetic in the Cold

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Does your horse seem more energetic when turned out in the colder months? It’s likely not for the reason you think. Many horse owners assume their horses run around kicking and bucking in the winter as a way to stay warm but this isn’t necessarily true. 

Staying Warm or Releasing Pent-up Energy? 

Horses tend to act frisky in the winter, not because it’s cold, but because they have pent-up energy they need to get out. In the summer, horses are offered lots of physical activities and socialization with other horses that help to stimulate them and keep them busy. However, in the winter, most horses living in cold climates are kept indoors to keep them warm. This drastic decrease in physical activity means horses are going to act more lively when they do get to go outside in the winter. Even though it’s colder, it’s important to provide activities for your horse in the winter. If it’s not safe to bring your horse outside because of the weather, you need to provide them with mental stimulation to keep them from getting bored. Teaching your horse new tricks, hiding treats in their hay net, or adding apples to their water bucket, are great ways to keep your horse entertained when you can’t go outside. 

Keeping Your Horse Warm 

As the temperature starts to drop, there are some things you can do to prepare your horse for winter. Providing adequate shelter for your horse is one of the most important things you can do to keep your horse warm this winter. A three-sided run-in shelter is a great way to provide shelter while also letting your horse decide if they want to be outside. Horses can utilize the shelter to avoid wind, rain, and snow with the freedom to be active in the paddock if the weather permits. When using this kind of shelter for your horse, it is important to remember to provide them with clean, dry straw or shavings to help keep them warm. For the complete list of tips, read our blog post on Preparing Your Horse for Winter Weather. 

Whether you’re providing shelter from the hot sun in July or cold, wet snow in January, a run-in shelter for your horse is a great year-round solution to keeping them safe and happy. 

Horse standing under a run in shelter in the winter

Protecting Your Horse from the Elements 

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Whether it is the dead of winter or peak summer, protecting your horse from harsh weather is important for their overall health and well-being. Here are some preventative measures you can take to keep your horse healthy when the weather isn’t great, along with things to look out for during the winter and summer months:

  • Horse Shelter Kits: Give your horse protection from the elements with a horse shelter kit. In the summer, it provides much-needed shade from the hot sun, and in the winter, it protects them from hail, snow, and rain. Whether you choose a portable shade or a run-in shelter, you can ensure that your horse is protected from unruly weather. 

  • Horse Hoods, Turnout Blankets, and Coats: When the temperatures drop and it starts to snow, consider putting on extra layers for your horse. Although they have a natural coat that thickens in the month leading up to winter, they may still need extra layers to stay warm and dry. 

  • Sun Cream for Horses: Horses with lighter pink or white skin on their nose and face are more prone to sun damage in the summertime. Along with a shade structure, like a horse shelter kit, sun cream can help protect your horse’s skin from sunburn. 

  • Fly Protectants in the Warmer Months: When the weather gets warmer and the sun comes out, so do the flies. Although flies might seem like a mere annoyance, they can transmit disease to your horse, cause welts and skin irritation, and even cause damage to your horse’s hooves from aggressive stomping. Using a mix of fly repellent, like citronella, and leg bands can help keep flies away from your horses. 

  • Keep Your Horse Hydrated: Dehydration is a big problem in the summer, but did you know that the winter can be just as dangerous to keep your horse hydrated? Horses get a lot of their hydration from grazing on moist pastures in the fall and spring, but that moisture is gone in the summer and winter.
    • Summer- Just like humans, horses sweat when they overheat which, on its own, can lead to dehydration. But water can grow algae when it is hot outside, making it taste different, which means your horse may not drink it. To avoid this, make sure you are cleaning their trough regularly and checking it for debris. Also, make sure that the water is cool to encourage your horse to drink from it. 
    • Winter- Keeping your horse hydrated in the winter poses its own challenges. Water troughs are prone to freezing and horses don’t enjoy ice-cold water, especially when it is already cold outside. Make sure automatic pumps aren’t frozen so water can circulate. Adding a few apples can also help keep water from freezing thanks to the bobbing motion. Adding salt or electrolytes to their food can also encourage them to drink more water, but consult your veterinarian before doing so regularly. 

Knowing how to spot signs of distress, dehydration, or discomfort when the weather changes is vital for maintaining your horse’s health. Having the right tools at your disposal helps you avoid the consequences of bad weather and sets you up for success come summer or winter. Along with the tips above, adding a horse shelter kit is a great way to protect your horse from bad weather. 

horses in the winter

Preparing Your Horse for Winter Weather

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As the temperature begins to drop, it’s time to start preparing your horse for the cold and snowy season ahead. Just as we humans bundle up and make adjustments for the colder months, our equine friends require some special care to ensure their comfort and well-being during the winter season. Here are some essential tips to help you get your horse ready for the colder months.

Horse Shelter and Bedding:

One of the most critical aspects of winter preparation is ensuring that your horse has adequate shelter. Whether it’s a well-insulated barn or a three-sided run-in shelter, your horse should have a place to escape the wind, rain, and snow. Provide plenty of clean, dry bedding, such as straw or shavings, to keep your horse warm and dry. 

Horse Blanketing:

Horses are generally well-equipped to handle cold weather, but some may benefit from a winter horse blanket. The need for blanketing varies depending on the horse’s age, health, and coat thickness. Generally, very young and very old horses should be blanketed. Healthy adult horses typically are fine with their winter coat that comes in when the days get shorter. 

Keeping Your Horse Hydrated:

In winter, it’s crucial to ensure your horse has access to fresh, unfrozen water. Invest in heated water buckets or trough heaters to prevent the water from freezing. Horses can become dehydrated in cold weather, so monitor their water consumption closely. Salt intake is important year-round, but especially in the wintertime. Salt intake during the cold months helps promote water consumption to keep your horse hydrated. 

Proper Nutrition for Your Horse:

Horses require extra calories to maintain their body temperature in the cold. Consult with a veterinarian or equine nutritionist to adjust your horse’s diet for the winter months. High-quality hay provides both essential nutrients and generates heat during digestion, helping to keep your horse warm. To decrease food waste, try a hay saver hay feeder. 

Exercise for Your Horse:

Keep your horse active during the winter. Riding or turnout time in a safe, dry paddock is essential to maintain their physical and mental well-being. Stagnation in a stall can lead to stiffness and boredom.

With adequate preparation, your horse will transition into winter easily. Use these tips to keep your horse healthy this winter. 

horse eating hay over the winter

Horse Feeding Over the Winter: Use the Right Hay Feeders!

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No matter the season, you should always be focusing on doing all you can to keep your horses happy, healthy, and well-fed. But this is especially true during those frigid winter months.

The changes in weather can impact how you feed your horses hay, how much you should be feeding, and how often you feed them.

Energize your horses with hay

Hay is the primary energy source and calorie source for horses and since the winter limits the amount of pasture grass available to horses, you’ll need to supplement a lot more calories in the form of hay.

And not just any hay. You need quality hay. Hay offers higher protein stability, stimulates salivation, promotes digestion, and provides horses with all the necessary nutrients. Because of these benefits of quality hay, it also has a great warming effect on horses.

To properly energize your horses, start by feeding between 1.5% and 2.5% of your horse’s total body weight per day in hay. If your horse is 1,100 pounds, start by feeding between 16.5 and 27.5 pounds of hay each day.

It’s crucial to monitor severe weather changes during these winter months, including 10-degree temperature drops and high wind speeds. Each will require an additional intake of between 2 to 8 pounds of hay per day to meet your horse’s increased energy requirements.

But what about storing all this hay? You don’t want to waste a lot of the extra hay you’ll be providing, so you need to make sure it’s being held in quality hay feeders.

Hay feeders for horses

Make sure you’re using the best kind of hay feeders year-round. The highest quality products, including round bale feeders and square bale feeders, allow for easy access, minimize hay waste, and slow down feeding time, which helps your horses properly digest hay.

Round bale feeders are great options due to their lower cost and overall convenience. Plus, these hay feeders allow you to always keep your hay available, which is important because you should be feeding your horses hay at least three times a day over the winter.

Finally, especially during rough winter conditions, make sure you’re keeping your square or round bale feeder sheltered. Not only do horses need to stay warm to maintain their internal temperatures, but your hay feeders also need to be protected from the elements, as well. To prevent mildew and mold spores from building up, use quality tarps specifically designed to store hay to cover your round bale feeders.  

Keep your horses healthy and well-fed throughout the winter. Give us a call today to learn more about our quality hay feeders for horses!

horse in horse shelter in winter

Caring for Horses in Cold Weather

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Depending on where you’re located, the winter months can bring extended periods of cold weather. While we may feel the need to protect horses during the winter months and keep them inside, they can actually tolerate cold weather very well. In fact, horses tend to be more comfortable in colder temperatures than in very warm or hot weather. And, many horses even grow thicker coats during the winter months to help protect them.

We may be tempted to have them spend more time in the barn, but keeping horses in their stalls all day can actually increase the chances of a winter illness due to poor ventilation in the barn and not enough physical activity. Therefore it’s important to ensure that horses get a lot of time outdoors for fresh air and the opportunity to exercise. Be sure to provide a horse shelter for when your horse may need to be protected from the elements. And, beware of any icy area as horses can slip and fall on icy patches.

When horses are inside the barn during the winter months, there are some things that can be done to help prevent illness. During times of extreme cold they can be covered with a blanket for additional warmth. In addition, barns should be properly ventilated in order to provide good airflow and stalls should be cleaned regularly. Proper nutrition including horse feed and hay is also important to keep horses healthy. Hay feeders can be kept outside so that horses can graze as they spend time outdoors.