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• Cold comforts for older horses • -odernize your horse’s mash • Resolve to do better
When colder weather sets in, you may be tempted to keep older horses inside the barn rather than turn them out. Resist that temptation. Outdoor living holds significant benefits for an aging horse: Movement, for instance, is crucial to maintaining the health of arthritic joints, and fresh air is the best defense against respiratory disease. What’s more, he will likely be more comfortable outside during the winter months than inside.
That said, the most successful wintertime turnout for older horses does take a bit of planning and preparation. Here are a few tips for making it work:
• Make sure older horses are properly blanketed. If an older horse has a thick winter coat and a good body condition, he may not need a blanket to stay warm outdoors. Thinner or clipped horses, however, would probably benefit from a blanket of appropriate thickness for the temperature. But be careful to avoid overblanketing---a horse who sweats under his garment will become chilled and be less comfortable than if he had on no blanket at all.
• Ensure there is adequate shelter in the field. A simple run-in shed that opens away from prevailing winds offers considerable protection from the weather. In addition to ensuring the stability of the walls and roof, check the footing in the shed periodically. A layer of gravel might be necessary midwinter to keep slick mud at bay.
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Provide plenty of easy-to-chew forage. Digesting hay creates a slow metabolic “burn” that helps keep a horse warm. Older horses with dental issues may not be able to chew long-stem forage but an alternative, such as chopped hay, can provide the same benefits.
• Keep water available. Colic risk increases for all horses during the winter months due to decreased water consumption, and older horses may have more trouble recovering. Use heated or insulated troughs and buckets to ensure water sources are never frozen over. Even going a few hours without water can cause trouble.
• Monitor the herd dynamics. A good shelter, ample forage and fresh water mean nothing if a horse is so bullied he can’t reach them. You may need to move your senior horses to their own space, or remove an incorrigible bully, to ensure they have access to all these amenities.