Taking Care of Horses During Cold Snaps

Most of us hate frigid temperatures. We’re either bundling up or staying inside all together. Most animals are the same way, but one Kentucky icon doesn’t seem to mind the cold.

Unlike most cats, dogs and humans, some horses actually enjoy being in the cold weather.

"Horses tolerate a lower ambient temperate than people do and other species,” Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital Dr. Woodrow Friend said.

Dr. Friend said it is all about knowing your horse.

"It comes down to common sense,” he said. “Obviously if you a big heavy coated animal, they are going to tolerate things really well.”

But, he cautioned, it all depends on the breed of the horse. In the cold, some need shelters, some need blankets and some don’t need anything at all.

"Not every horse needs to have a blanket on,” he said. “That’s where it comes down to common sense and evaluating which horses need it and which horses don’t.”

At the end of the day, he said, it is up to the horses. “I have horses that will have a shelter, a windbreak and no blanket on and they’ll still stand out in the rain instead of actually getting in the shelter."

When the temperature drops below freezing, Dr. Friend said one of the biggest issues he sees is an essential for the horse’s health.

“On a day like today, every water bucket that wasn’t heated was frozen over,” he said. “It becomes a management issue of getting out there and making sure have your water troughs broken, thawed out and filled up."

With the constantly changing weather in Kentucky weather, he said, checking on your horses should be your top priority.

“You can check on your horse late at night and it is cold,” he said. “Come high noon and it is 60 degrees and you’ve got a heavy blanket on, you’re going to have a horse sweating underneath there."

Although most horses can tolerate the cold, some can’t. If you’re unsure or have questions on what is best for your horse, call your veterinarian.