By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Claire_E_Anderson]Claire E Anderson
Although the weather has been unseasonably warm in my neck of the woods and in many areas as well, winter is coming. The days are shorter and the nights longer. That means now is a good time to discuss some basics of taking care of a horse in cold weather.
By far the very best thing you can do for your horse is to provide access to the outdoors and shelter 24/7. Horses are built to move. They simply do not do as well when they are stalled more often than they are allowed to be outdoors. If a horse is ill, injured, or there are other valid reasons as directed by your vet or farrier there will be an exception to this. Remember, it's an exception.
HABITAT OF A HORSE IN WINTER
If a horse can stay dry and out of biting winds it can stay warm. When I got my first horse I worried all the time if she was warm enough in sub-zero temperatures. I put her in a stall at night. I'd go out in the morning to see her shaking. A seasoned horse owner gave me a suggestion; allow her to move around. I began allowing her to come and go in shelter throughout the day and night. What a difference! When I checked on her in the wee hours of the night she was outside playing in the snow. She was not standing in the stall, and she no longer shook from cold.
Now I make sure my horses have access to shelter, but I also make sure they have access to their pastures 24 hours every day. I provide a run-in shed and only use the stalls when the weather is very severe, such as driving cold winds with sleet or freezing rain. The openings to the run-sheds and stalls face east, away from the harsh north wind.
As with any other time of year, horses that are allowed to be horses fare much better than horses who are not. What do I mean by that? Simple, the closer a domestic horse's living quarters (pasture, run-in shed, stall, etc.) are to that of a horse in the wild the healthier and happier the horse.
SHOULD I BLANKET MY HORSE?
Do horses need blankets? In a word, no they do not. The same goes for blankets as with stall-time. A horse's winter coat is by far the best "blanket" for keeping warm. Never blanket a horse unless you absolutely have to. Did you ever notice the difference between walking into a barn with horses in it versus a barn filled with cows? A barn filled with milk-cows is warm when you walk inside. Cows give off a lot of heat. Horses do not give off a lot of heat. Horse have very little heat loss. The snow sits on their backs when they stand outside in winter.
Blanketing requires more maintenance by you (or whomever cares for your horse) to ensure moisture doesn't build-up under a blanket. Moisture provides a great climate for fungus and bacteria to grow. Blankets also do a great job of hiding how well your horse's weight is. Maintaining a good weight is extremely important to a horse's ability to maintain proper body temperature, thereby maintaining good health.
WHAT TO FEED A HORSE
At the risk of being redundant, it comes right back again to keeping the habitat of a horse in domestication as close what nature intended as possible. Since winter prevents most of us from providing our horses grass, hay is the next best thing. Good, quality horse-hay is far more important than grains and supplements.
A horse's digestive system - among other things - works best when a horse grazes in a spot for a bit and then is able to move on to another spot. That's why I personally put out many smaller piles of hay for my horses. I space the hay piles around the pasture so my horses will nibble at a pile for a bit and then move on to another.
HOW MUCH HAY DOES A HORSE NEED?
The average consensus as to how much hay to feed a horse daily seems to be 15 to 20 pounds. But that amount will vary from horse to horse depending on many factors. One method of determining a particular horse's hay needs is to allow 2.2 pounds of hay for every 100 pounds of weight. For example, a 1,000 pound horse would require 22 pounds of hay each day. With the cold temperatures of winter this amount will increase by about 20% or so. Again, this depends on the individual horse. The best thing you can do is monitor your horse's weight regularly and add additional hay if there is even the slightest weight loss. Don't scrimp on hay, and don't add grain in place of hay.
HOW MUCH WATER DOES A HORSE DRINK?
Once again this depends on the individual horse, but the average is 5 to 10 gallons each day. Because of freezing temperatures in winter you need to do whatever it takes to provide a constant supply of unfrozen, fresh water for your horse. If you do not have some sort of system to keep your water from freezing, be sure to get one in place now before winter. If electric systems are not an option for you, try shoveling dirt or snow up against the outside of water vats for insulation. Sometimes you can use plywood across one side of the vat to limit how much ice is made over the top of the water. You can place a basket-ball or similar sized ball in the vat to help deter ice from forming. Never under-estimate the value of drinkable water.
HOW TO KEEP A HORSE HEALTHY IN WINTER
So here is a recap of the basics for keeping your horse healthy and happy during winter.
Allow 24/7 turnout for your horse with access to shelter (such as a run-in shed) whenever possible
Remember it's not cold temperatures, but driving cold winds, sleet, rain and freezing rain that a horse need protection from.
Allow your horse to grow a natural winter coat for warmth.
Don't blanket a horse unless directed by your vet or farrier.
Feed good, quality horse hay, about 15-20 pounds a day (2.2 pounds hay for every 100 pounds of horse).
Provide at least 5 to 10 gallons of drinkable(unfrozen) water daily.
Be sure to monitor your horse's weight throughout the winter months so you can adjust food and water consumption as needed.
Have a great winter. Spend as much time with your equine as possible and, as always, happy trails!
I make sure my horses have access to shelter, but I also make sure they have access to their pastures 24 hours every day. I provide a run-in shed and only use the stalls when the weather is very severe, such as driving cold winds with sleet or freezing rain. The openings to the run-sheds and stalls face east, away from the harsh north wind.
For other tips on providing a healthy habitat for a horse, visit us at [http://www.horseofcourse.org/find-your-perfect-equine-match.html]Horse of Course
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Take-Care-of-a-Horse-in-Winter---The-Basics&id=6654467] How to Take Care of a Horse in Winter - The Basics
