Preparing Your Horse for Winter
Well here in Australia, we're about to turn our clocks back - a sure sign that winter is fast approaching. While we're still experiencing good weather, its time to prepare your horse and paddocks for the cold nights.

The most important thing to remember is that a horse's comfort zone is completely different to a human's comfort zone. They have ready-made coats to help them deal with extremely cold weather.

Shetland ponies and their derivatives have two layers of hair; an  outer protective layer and a fluffy underlayer. If you see pictures of where they originate and the extremely harsh conditions, you can understand that the relatively balmy winters of Australia can be negligible to these horses.

When I brought our horses from Darwin to the winter of Adelaide, I was worried about how cold they would get. Within a week, a winter coat was growing thickly on both of them.  There are two main necessities for horses in winter - a shelter and plenty of hay.

A dry horse with shelter can withstand and even enjoy the cold weather. This is of course, unless the horse is clipped, or old. Keep an eye out on your horses, just as you normally would. If the horse is shivering, then yes, it is cold and yes it does need a rug. But under normal circumstances, if it has a shelter and plenty of hay, a rug may only hinder the normal protective function of a horse's hair - that is, the ability to stand up (or fluff up).

Georgie with her remarkably fast growing winter coat.

The shelter

The shelter should have three sides, facing away from the wind. It should be large enough to give the horses personal space and have a big enough entrance so that more timid horses can escape bullies if necessary.

 

A portable shelter that can be moved around as the ground becomes boggy.

Stables

Stables should be well ventilated and all hay and feed should be kept in a separate shed to prevent respiratory ailments.

Check all electricity to see if it has sustained damage during the summer months.

Horses still need turnout time in all but the bleakest days or days when the ground is dangerous or iced over.

Hay

Provide plenty of hay, preferably ad-lib. The process of eating and digesting the hay will provide more warmth than you can imagine - much more than a daily ration of warm oats or copra.

Water

Horses still need daily fresh water even if it is cold outside. Make sure that your trough doesnt freeze. Often this is achieved by simply placing a large ball  in the trough. If you cant get out to check the water supply once or twice a day, many suppliers carry water heaters nowadays that are run by batteries. Make sure that it is earthed properly there is no leaking current before you leave it.

Food

Make sure all hay and hard food is kept in a dry, well-ventilated area. Wet food moulders and can be harmful to horses. Hard food should be in rodent-proof containers if possible.

Paddocks

Prepare your paddocks now. Know where the spots that collect water are and fill them in or channel them. Reinforce the ground near gates, troughs and feed areas. It is likely that these areas will get churned up and muddy during winter, so prepare the ground now to prevent this. Go to your local building supplies place and ask advice on the best material to lay and how to achieve good drainage.

Rugs

Rugs may be necessary if your horse is old or clipped or has very fine hair, if your horse is shivering, and if your horse is wet. See a reputable dealer in your area to find out the best rug for your conditions. Rugs should be measured for a good fit and checked at least once a day. Check for tears, feel along the edges for abrasions or rubs to the horse and change the rug if it is wet through.

Final word

Dont forget, winter is worse for us outside than for the horses. Last winter I prepared a beautiful stone shelter and filled it with pea straw. It was so snug that I used it as a stop off point on my way to further paddocks. But where was Georgie? Rolling in the frost, with the frost actually plastered to her whiskers! She was having a lovely time. So dont judge the cold by your standards, keep a watchful eye on your horses and have a great winter.