Horses can tolerate winter better than hot summers. They feel comfortable at temperatures between −15 °C and +25 °C; their metabolism functions best in this range. The animals are most comfortable at around 5 °C.
If possible, horses can and should have access to pasture and turnout in winter. However, the ground conditions must allow this for the sake of the horse’s health. If the path from the stable to the pasture is covered with black ice, as was the case during several days in Luxembourg in the recent weeks, it makes little sense, since it exposes the horse to a high risk of injury.
Horses wearing shoes risk snowballs forming under their hooves, which can become so thick and hard that the animal’s weight and force can no longer flatten them. This also increases the danger of injury. This problem, known as up studding, can be counteracted with so‑called hoof‑grip.
It goes without saying that freshly sheared horses should be blanketed. Leaving them in their boxes for too long as a precaution is also a risk for these flight animals, since too little movement increases the risk of colic.
This article first appeared on 19 January 2024 in the weekly newspaper “De Lëtzebuerger Bauer” in a only slightly modified version.
Translated from German by AI and reviewed and adjusted by Paul Krier.