As
the nights start to draw in and the temperature drops, our thoughts turn
towards winter. But whilst we may soon be thinking about reaching for a thicker
duvet, do we really need to be doing the same for our horses? Possibly not!
Previous
estimations that horses may use up to 80% of the chemical energy derived from
food to keep warm in winter were greatly overestimated. The point at which
horses need additional energy (lower critical temperature) varies between
individuals and is affected by factors such as wind chill, thickness and length
of coat and breed. Horses, particularly natives, are far better at dealing with
cold temperatures than we are and can generally withstand temperatures down to
as low as -15 degrees C, even without clothes! However in the coldest of
weather, the horse’s energy utilisation can increase by up to 25-30%, so making
sure that poor-doers kept wrapped up in warm, well-fitting rugs is certainly
very sensible management. Research has shown that rugs can reduce heat loss by 18%
in cold weather so equally, try to avoid rugging good-doers and overweight
horses and encourage them to use some of their own reserves for keeping warm as
nature intended!
Allowing
natives to lose weight in the winter is both natural and healthy, although too
often, good-doers are still carrying too much weight before the spring grass
arrives. In fact, a study in 2011 found over 25% of horses and ponies to be
overweight (BCS of 7 or above) in February, highlighting the importance of
winter weight watching!
Suitable
rugging alone (whether this means leaving them on or off!) will not be enough
to manage your horse’s weight this winter, but making the right choices will
certainly help. Remember, all horses are individuals but are much better at
coping with the colder weather than we are. Whilst you may soon need your
winter woollies, this is not necessarily the case for your horse!
