Well, winter has finally hit, and with it come those winter questions that get asked every year. Does my horse need a big fancy barn for shelter? To blanket or not to blanket? Does my horse's feed program need to be adjusted? If you read any horse management book, what is the first rule of thumb every single author writes? "Your horse will need a good high quality feed ration, clean, fresh water, adequate shelter, and exercise." Let's start with the shelter issue. Do you need a barn with chandliers, and stall to stall carpeting? No. If you want one, great, you and your horses will live in style. but your horse does need some form of shelter to protect him from the hot summer sun, and the freezing wind and rain in the winter. This is where I usually hear the refrain, "but my neighbor, whose had horses for 150 years, says that horses need to toughen up and grow a winter coat! That wild horses do just fine in all sorts of weather. Even snow in the high desert, so my horse will be just fine." First off, I really wish everyone would stop comparing our performance and riding horses to the wild, feral horses. OK sure some of the horses out there in the wild might be recent escapees, but I doubt it. Most of them have been out there for awhile learning the range. Many are born out there. They know where to find shelter, whether it's a large tree, or a gorge that the wind avoids, or even a cave in some instances. So, in a nutshell, yes Virginia, even the wild horses have shelter. What's more, our horses, in our barns, and backyards, were bred, by us, to perform certain athletic events, look a certain way, or move in a certain manner. In order to achieve these ends, we have to accept the bad traits that come along with the traits that we are breeding for. In other words, we have refined our horses into an animal that needs us to take care of it, and manage it, if it is going to perform to the best of it's ability. Indeed, even if it is to survive. So, bottom line: Build a shelter of some sort. At least a roof. It's better if it has three sides and roof. If there is plenty of tree cover, that might be enough, but if your horse gets wet, and then the wind chills him to the bone, you need a real, man made shelter. And, yes, some horses won't use it. Try feeding him in there, at least he'll use it for a short time while he's eating. Blanketing is a choice that many people wrestle with. Especially when you look at the confiscatory prices of the horse wear out there. Still, if you neglect the shelter, a turn out rug is really important. I can't begin to tell you how many late night calls I get, where the owner tells me their horse is shivering. It's usually because he has no shelter to speak of, and he had no weater-proof blanket. The rain or snow, has soaked through the hair, and now the cold winter wind is chilling him to the bone. So, please tell your neighbor that you appreciate his advise and experience, but you'll feel better if you get a blanket for your horse...... even if it seems silly to him. For those of you that have barns, and wonder if you need a blanket (show horses not withstanding) I'll bet when you feed in the moring you think your barn is colder inside, than it is outside, so why not blanket? To date I have seen no research that indicates blanketing your horse in the winter is detrimental. Finally, the issue of feed and water. As for your roughage (Hay products) you really need not change anything. Let your horse tell you. Most people are not riding as much, so if your horse is eating the same ration, and gaining weight, back off a bit. If he's doing the Mexican Hat Dance in his stall or paddock, try evercise first, and then, if he's still looking for bucks in all the wrong directions, go ahead and back off the "hotter" feeds. If your horse is losing weight, first call a veterinarian to make sure everything is fine with your horse's health, and ask your veterinarian for some recommendations as to what you need to do to get the weight back on. Many people think that warm water is necessary in the cold months. While water heaters are great if your waterers are freezing, check them twice a day to make sure that they are working properly. I have seen horses that were severely dehydrated because they were getting electric shocks every time they tried to drink. If you want to carry out warm water to your horse every fifteen minutes, since each previous bucket you hauled out there cools just as fast as you can change them out...... knock yourself out. Seems to me your horse is training you to spoil him, or you have a lot of extra time on your hands. It really is not necessary. Horses will drink the colder water. If they don't, there might be another underlying cause, a mild colic perhaps. Again, call your veterinarian for some friendly advice. Thanks for reading along with me this far. Keep checking in for more topics. And please, send me topics that you would like to read about.
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