It's that time of year again . . . the time when we horse enthusiasts give pause for a second to ask ourselves if all this is really worth it. Yup, winter.
Let's face it. People who love winter own skis and snowboards, not horses. If you have chosen to brave one of the colder climates you know there is little to love about trudging across an icy pasture three times a day to break ice off the water supply, navigating the winter terrain on horseback and living to tell about it, or, my personal favorite and something I manage to repeat year after year, trapping yourself in the indoor arena because the door is frozen shut.
While this article does not promise to get you through the winter completely unscathed (impossible!) it will help you and your horse navigate through the winter months with more ease. In the meantime, keep your chin up and think spring!
Clipping, Blankets, and . . . I'm So Confused!
To clip or not to clip. To blanket or not to blanket. These are two questions that have forever plagued the horseman!
Those who choose to lay their horses off for the winter receive the simplest answer. The thick, heavy winter coat a horse grows naturally during the colder months is usually sufficient to protect him if he is merely hanging about the barn or pasture. A cold-blooded, thinner skinned breed like the Thoroughbred or a horse who for some reason does not grow an adequate winter coat will most likely need additional blankets, while a heartier, warm-blooded breed such as the Morgan may only need additional blanketing in the most inclement of weather.
If your horse works during the winter, however, the topics of clipping and blanketing grow decidedly more complicated. Even in extremely cold weather, a winter coat causes a horse to sweat during work, the result of which is a wet coat. While we can peel our wet clothing off, a horse can't, and one who stands around wet is risking illness. If your horse is working during the winter months it is smart to clip him. What clip you choose should depend upon how much your horse sweats as a result of the amount of work you are giving him. A good rule of thumb is to start with the most basic clip, and if that doesn't work move on to the next. In a nutshell, there are five clips—the pony clip, the trace clip, the blanket clip, the hunter clip, and the full clip.
In the most basic clip, the pony clip, hair is removed from the neck and chest, the areas where the horse sweats the most. In a trace clip, hair is removed from the underside of the neck and stomach. Whether your trace clip is considered "high" or "low" depends upon how far up the horse's flank the hair is clipped. The blanket clips calls for removal of the hair on the neck and flanks. It leaves a blanket-shaped area of winter hair over the bakc and hindquarters for the sake of warmth, and the hair is left on the legs for protection. The hunter clip is a more radical version of the blanket clip, and leaves hair only in the saddle area and on the legs. This clip is generally reserved for horses who compete in the winter months or who are in serious training and would lose condition if worked with their winter coat. Don't forget to properly cool down your horse. Immediately following work outfit him in an anti-sweat sheet topped by a cooler, and walk him until he is cool and dry. The anti-sweat sheet will speed cooling time by allowing better air circulation to the coat while the cooler will keep your horse warmer and protected from icy drafts in the meantime. Coolers come in several different materials, the most popular of which are polarfleece and wool. Never allow a wet, hot horse to stand in the barn or pasture during winter (or in any other season, for that matter!).
Whatever clip you choose, you will have to compensate for the loss of winter coat by blanketing your horse. There are a myriad of blankets available on the market today . . . so many that choosing one can be very confusing. As a rule, different blankets will work with different horses. If the blanket you choose keeps your horse warm and dry, manages to stay on, and is not in shreds every time you turn around then congratulations, you have chosen the correct blanket!
Blankets are available in canvas, nylon, wool, and several other synthetic materials. Some are lined with polarfleece or cotton, while others are quilted and filled with insulating material. Whether you choose to go with a simpler, unfilled blanket that protects basically against icy winds or whether you choose to go with a warmer insulated blanket depends upon how much of a winter hair coat your horse has and his cold tolerance. Horses out to pasture may benefit by added bonuses such as shoulder gussets, which allow for more freedom of movement; belly straps, which keep a blanket more firmly in place; or protective fleece at the neck, which prevents an active horse from acquiring rubs. Another helpful hint: if you live in a climate that is wet as well as cold, be forewarned that many quilted blankets tend to leak in a soaking rain. My favorite blanket happens to be a quilted, insulated blanket with a belly strap, and while it has never given me a problem in snow and light rain it has leaked a bit during torrential rains. Blanketing can unfortunately be a trial-and-error process, so ask around and find out what has worked with like horses in like climates.
Winter Feed Needs
Should you feed your horse differently in the winter? Simply put, yes. Your two goals should be to nourish your horse's body while also keeping him warm. In order to keep warm, your horse must have a layer of fat under his skin. Adequate nutrition also allows your horse to generate enough body heat to stay comfortable.
Good-quality roughages should make up the bulk of your horse's diet during the winter. Research has shown that roughage allows the horse to generate more body heat than grains, most likely because of the way they are processed by the intestinal system. If, for some reason, your horse does not eat enough hay to keep him in condition and generating body heat, add grain or feed a commercial grain mixture with fat added. If you are unsure of your horse's body condition or energy needs ask your veterinarian to help you come up with a good winter diet.
Horses who have been worked hard all summer and are being given the winter off will also have to have their diets adjusted. An idle horse in good body condition does not need a high-energy diet. Make sure you change the diet gradually . . . horses are not friends to sudden change! Again, increase the roughage to promote the generation of body heat and decrease the grain ration. Have some forethought and do it over a period of several weeks to prevent illness in your horse.
Lastly, but certainly not least, make sure your horse is drinking enough water during the cold weather. A 1,000-pound horse who is not in work should drink at least 10 to 12 gallons of water per day. A horse who drinks much less than this runs the risk of developing impaction colic, as diets tend to be much drier in the winter.
Adequate Shelter, Please!
Your horse will need good sage, shelter from the wind, snow, ice, and other fun stuff our New England winters surprise us with. Horses turned out during the winter must be in safe pastures with good fencing and adequate shelter. Any broken fencing should be repaired and pastures should be checked for sharp objects, holes, and other dangerous conditions before the first snow flies and regularly throughout the winter.
While a horse will turn its tail into the wind, hump its back, and put its head down to reduce the amount of body surface susceptible to bad weather, shelter still must be provided. Sometimes a thick stand of woods or ravine makes an adequate shelter from the wind, but more often than not a run-in shed is called for. The opening of the shed should face away from the direction of the wind, and the shed should be big enough to accomodate all of the horses in the pasture (75 square feet per horse). Sheds should be at least 20 feet deep, 12 feet high at the entrance, and should be wide enough so that all the horses can run out of the shed safely.
There must be an adequate water supply in the pasture. Braver souls may elect to trudge out to the pasture several times daily to break ice off of buckets and troughs, but an easier and economical way to ensure non-frozen water is to invest in a water coil that heats the water and does not allow it to freeze.
Icy spots where horses congregate should be spread with sawdust, hay, or a commercial preparation designed to reduce the risk of ice- or snow-related injuries to horses and to the humans who must venture out there to care for them.
Slip Slidin' Away
Of course, the best way to minimize ice- and snow-related injuries in the horse is through proper hoof care and shoeing. In fact, it is practically impossible to get through one of our winters unscathed without paying close attention to your horse's feet! Talk to your farrier about your horse's particular hoof care and shoeing needs during the winter, and by all means follow his or her suggestions.
If your horse is not being worked during the winter he could probably do with a few months without shoes (don't forget to trim though!). But what about those awful snowballs that seem to build up on the bottom of your horse's feet, rendering him a whole hand taller at dinner than he was at breakfast? There are a whole host of home remedies that people swear by—coating your horse's feet with bacon grease or Pam are two that come to mind—or you could have your farrier come out and outfit your horse with one of the many types of "snow tires" designed to prevent snow build-up. Bubble pads are a plastic pad nailed onto the foot with a shoe. The center of the foot has a bubble in the plastic that allows the snow to pop out of the foot with each stride. Snow rims are inner tube-like devices hat fit under the shoe so that a gasket lines the inner part of the shoe and prevents snow build-up.
There are also many types of shoes designed for better traction on ice. Borium shoes not only prevent slippage on ice, they are designed to last long on hard surfaces, making them a good alternative if you do lots of winter outside riding. There are also three kinds of studs designed for winter traction—removable studs, drive-in studs, and hardened nails. With removable studs, the farrier drills holes in different parts of the shoes, and the rider decides which kind of studs to used based on current conditions. Horses ridden both indoors and out benefit most from removable studs. Drive-in studs are a permanent part of the shoe and vary widely in size depending upon the horse and his work. Hard-headed nails have either pins or heads of very hard material. They protrude more than other varieties of traction shoes and continue to provide traction even when the softer part of the shoe wears down. As you can see, there are lots of choices and it can get confusing! There are pluses and minuses to all the shoes and pads mentioned above, and whether or not they are right for your horse can only be determined by a knowledgeable farrier. Discuss the pluses and minuses and your horse's particular winter shoeing needs with your farrier before making any decisions. What worked like a dream for your last horse could cause injury or strain to your current horse; you owe it to your horse to be informed and educated, or rely on someone who is.
My Horse is Toasty Warm, But I'm Freezing My Butt Off!
Well, of course you are. Martyrdom and self-sacrifice are the cornerstones of horse ownership! However, once you have determined there is nothing yu can do to make your horse more comfortable—after he's finished his bran mash, say—do allow yourself to spend a little bit of time administering to your own comforts. There are plenty of products out there designed to make winter more comfortable for the rider. For serious foul weather try wearing an oilskin duster, 100 percent breathable and waterproof, which repels wind, rain, and snow. There are many coats designed for cold-weather riding—most are insulated, water-resistant, and durable—available through mail order and at your local tack shop. Look for panels that vent body heat, hoods that fit over helmets, zip wrists that fit nicely over gloves, and reflective strips for those of you who like to ride in the dark. Thermal insulated breeches are also available from many sources. My favorite pair can be worn over a pair of traditional breeches, has a full leather seat for grip, as well as a two-way zipper that allows me to remove them while in the saddle should I get too warm (note: this has yet to happen during the Vermont winters I endure, but I'm still hoping.). On milder winter days that are not too wet you might opt for a pair of polarfleece breeches, which tend to wick moisture and dry quickly. You can find them with knee patches or with a full seat, if you prefer.
Warm feet and hands are de rigeur on wintery treks, and luckily we have lots of options. Whether you prefer sneakers, short boots, or tall boots, whether your prefer a nylon exterior or a leather exterior, whether you have a small budget or the sky's the limit, there is a riding shoe out there for everyone. Make sure your boots are water-resistant and insulated, and never compromise on buying a winter shoe that does not have a 1/2-inch heel. As far as winter riding gloves are concerned, they are available in fleece, leather, nylon, neoprene, and a few other synthetic fabrics. If your gloves are thinsulate lined you'll get the warmth without the bulk. When shopping for gloves, pay extra attention to fit, flexibility, and grip. A novel product is the riding mitten, which is designed with a separate pinkie finger for holding the reins.
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While horse people may never truly love winter—try as I might I just cant' seem to find a way to make those 6 a.m. feedings in sub-zero weather "fun"—they can learn to live with it. With a little bit of knowledge and foresight and the right products you can pilot yourself and your horse through the winter terrain with as much ease as possible. Happy winter riding, and stay warm!
