Cold weather poises a challenge for horse owners. Keeping the water pipes from freezing in the barn to keeping an older horse comfortable during the cold snaps.

Horses can normally tolerate temperatures down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit without much of a problem. That is provided they have adequate body fat and a thick winter coat, Even if the temperature goes down to the 30’s it is advisable to have a shelter from the wind for the horse. Just the other day I was driving passed a large flock of sheep and noticed that they had gathered behind a barn as shelter from the 20 mile an hour winds. The air temperature at the time was in the 30’s. The sheep had full fleeces on them and still they needed shelter from the bitter cold wind. Shelter can be in the form of a stand of trees, a rocky outcrop, the side of a building as well as a pasture shelter put up for the job of protecting the horse.

If you have an older horse, consider purchasing a stable blanket as well as a warm turnout blanket. Older horses have a harder time keeping warm. On sunny colder days when the younger horses are enjoying running around, an older horse will spend time just trying to keep warm. I made the mistake of leaving a blanket off of my 24 year old horse a few weeks ago because it felt like a warm day to me (in the 40’s) but my old guy came limping in from pasture that day because the cold air had gotten to his hips. He needs a blanket in temperatures under 50 degrees now, just because of his age.

Horses will need access to unfrozen water. Keep your water troughs full and the water flowing. Just having a water hose set on a fast moving trickle will keep the water from freezing solid.

Just by keeping your horse well fed, access to unfrozen water, blanketed if needed, and shelter from the wind will help your horse through the cold bitter winter.

The nights are getting longer and the days are getter cooler, winter is on its way. Do you have your pets ready to endure the winter ahead?

Some places get snow while others will get nothing but rain. Can your pet get out of the cold or wet when they want to? Do they have shelter from the wind? Just because nature gave them a fur coat does not mean they can survive like a polar bear in the winter. Even polar bears need to have a layer of fat to insulate them against the cold as well as their thick fur. Polar bears also find a den to hibernate during some of the winter months so they have shelter against the elements, does your pet have that same advantage?

I my mind there is nothing worse than a pet, be it cat, dog or horse, that gets rained on to the point of soaked to the skin and then have to endure a cold wind after the rain storm, with no shelter. That combination of elements will take heat out of their bodies in a matter of hours, leaving them as victims of exposure and possible death.

If you have an older pet, then protecting them from the winter’s harsh climate is an absolute must. Their bones and joints will hurt more. Horses that normally have no trouble in winter will exhibit pain if they are older, blanket them, even if the younger horses don’t need it.

It’s time for you to get your pets ready for winter, don’t put it off any longer.