What Your Horse Really Needs to Stay Warm

By Dr. Tania Cubitt & Dr Stephen Duren, Performance Horse Nutrition Standlee Premium Western Forage®

Sure, horses have a layer of hair, but what really helps them fight the cold is their own little internal heaters. When all the pasture grass has frozen over, horses can’t get the forage they need to stay warm. Here are three basic things your horse needs to fight the cold.

Water
Water is essential for keeping your horse happy and healthy. Without it, your horse’s dry feed can get stuck in their digestive system (impaction colic). Often, horse owners provide their horse with clean water during the winter, but don’t check the temperature of the liquid. If the water is incredibly cold or even frozen over, your horse might not drink enough to stay healthy.

Fiber
Forage is critical for horses, especially during the winter months. As the microbes in the hindgut break down fiber to create energy, they also create heat which can serve to help keep your horse warm. It’s recommended that your horse eats between 1.5% and 3% of their body weight in dry forage per day. For a 1,000-pound horse, this equals between 15 and 30 pounds of hay per day or 450 to 900 pounds per month. If your winter lasts from four to five months, you’re looking at 1,800 to 2,250 pounds of hay (based on 1.5% BW).

Essential Nutrients
In order to stay warm, your horse burns calories. In cold conditions, horses frequently burn more calories than they eat. This can lead to an unhealthy reduction in weight. Low-quality hay often doesn’t have enough calories for a horse to stay healthy in chilly weather. Forages such as premium western alfalfa and alfalfa mixes are higher in calories to keep your horse happy and warm.

Learn more about Standlee’s Premium Western Forage Alfalfa and Alfalfa mixes at standleeforage.com/products.