Horse Sense Lesson #1
January 2010 ~ Winter Care
 
When winter arrives and the temperatures dip below freezing, we pull out our heavy coats, hats and scarves, and start dreaming about fires and hot chocolate.  But how do horses handle cold weather?

Blankets and Sheets -- Not Just for Bedtime!  

Horses are by nature cold weather creatures.  Their body temperature is higher than ours, averaging between 99 and 101 degrees Fahrenheit, and their coats provide a natural barrier against the elements.  A horse is generally happiest in weather we would consider chilly, and only feels cold when the temperature is 25°F or below – unless it is very wet or windy.
   Left to their own devices, horses shed their short summer coats in the autumn and grow a winter coat of thick, dense hair.  Their skin also produces an extra layer of scurf, or oil and dandruff, to help keep out the cold.  When the temperatures drop, the hair of their coat stands upright to trap body heat and keep out the cold air.  This works only as long as the horse stays dry.  A horse gets chilled as easily as you do when they get soaked to the skin – only worse, because they can’t take off their wet coat and put on a dry one!
   Some horses, especially thin-skinned horses such as Thoroughbreds, may not grow a very thick winter coat.  These horses often need to wear blankets in the winter – a warm stable blanket in the barn, and a sturdy, waterproof turnout blanket in the pasture.  Lightweight blankets called sheets are sometimes used when it is not quite cold enough for a heavy blanket.  A blanket must be fitted carefully so that the horse doesn’t get sores, or get tangled in the straps ....

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