As temperatures decrease, horses resort to various strategies in order to remain warm. Their long winter hairs act as natural insulators by trapping heat close to their skin and keeping heat close by.
Digestion of hay releases heat that warms a horse from within. Blankets may actually hinder this process by flattening out their hair coat and inhibiting its insulating qualities.
Shelter
Provide natural shelter like trees or run-in sheds as well as man-made ones like barns or windbreaks in order to help your horse maintain body heat. If possible, provide a run-in shed as natural cover.
A horse’s thick winter coat acts as a natural insulator, trapping pockets of air to trap heat against its skin. Fur also has the ability to fluff up in cold weather for extra insulation; during this process, tiny muscles attached to hair follicles contract, making standing hair stand upright – creating an extra barrier against heat loss to the environment known as piloerection.
As horses consume food, their biological processing of roughage generates heat that helps keep them warm. Furthermore, energy stored within their fat reserves also serves to keep them warm.
Horse lungs are specially constructed to warm air that comes through their nostrils and mouth. This helps minimise heat loss from their core through respiration, conserving more energy for keeping warm.
As horses take deep breaths, their breathing transfers heat and moisture from the mucous membrane and blood vessels of their nasal passages into incoming air, protecting delicate lung tissues while helping maintain an ideal core temperature for their horse.
If a horse has worked hard enough to sweat, their winter hairs help absorb and store that moisture, warming their blood as it circulates back from their lungs back to their bodies. But this heat can quickly dissipate if these locks dry out and lose their insulation value.
When horses become cold, their muscle fibers contract under their skin to generate body heat, using this energy to warm the rest of their bodies. Without enough calories from food sources to generate enough heat energy for this task, their insulation properties begin to weaken and they can even become hypothermic – this is why it is imperative that horses have access to quality hay as part of a balanced diet.
Exercise
Exercise can help horses stay warm when temperatures are cold. Regularly-exercising horses have the advantage of thick coats which generate heat through energy burned during activity and generate heat naturally as energy is used up, keeping their bodies warm by producing energy they later transform into heat. But for maximum effectiveness it is also important to allow for free movement to prevent overheating or abrasions; otherwise a blanket which doesn’t fit properly may hinder this natural process and cause discomfort; similarly having suitable gear will keep riders warm as they ride – English riders might want insulated breeches while Western riders need lined jeans and boots!
Body fat serves as a natural insulation layer for horses, helping maintain optimal body conditions and keeping their core temperature within acceptable parameters. Movement also serves to warm and humidify inhaled air to decrease heat loss through their respiratory system and keep heat loss to a minimum. Furthermore, warm exhaled air also serves as insulation from core temperature fluctuation by warming and humidifying it through its respiratory system and then being expelled out through exhale, helping cool their lungs as well as regulate core temperatures within their bodies.
If a horse is healthy, in good condition and has not recently moved to a new area or been clipped, he can use nature’s defences against freezing temperatures up to the lower critical temperature (LCT), approximately 15 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. When additional protection from the elements is necessary for his well-being, his owner should provide shelter as well as sufficient food to meet their increased caloric demands.
An adequately fed horse with plenty of hay will use the microbial fermentation process in his digestive tract to produce heat, helping him keep warm when necessary. High-quality hay also supplies extra calories and fat reserves that can aid in his body heat conservation efforts.
In cold weather, horses will often stand with their hind ends facing into the wind to conserve body heat, seeking shelter such as trees or an outbuilding to gain warmth from within their own bodies and from surrounding sources such as sunlight or shade trees. They may shiver to generate extra heat while some horses even huddle together for extra heat retention.
Sunlight
Horses rely on sunlight to stay warm naturally, as their long coats act like insulation against cold weather conditions and trap body warmth within. Furthermore, the sun’s rays also warm the ground or objects around horses for additional sources of warmth.
Piloerection of a horse’s coat provides an effective insulator by trapping air next to their skin, keeping them warmer. Most healthy horses don’t need blankets during cold temperatures if this natural barrier provides enough insulation – however adding fleece or flannel layers under their winter coat may provide added warmth as well.
Horses absorb heat through muscle movement as they move around, helping maintain their core temperature and justifying why sufficient exercise should be provided during winter.
However, when temperatures become too cold for horses to exercise safely and enjoyably, exercise becomes even more hazardous for them. Without sufficient heat to warm their limbs properly and regulate body temperature properly during exercise sessions, horses may lose control over them leading to serious injury or even death.
Diet is another key factor in keeping horses warm. A high-fiber diet like free-choice hay or timothy is ideal, enabling the horse to generate heat via microbial fermentation in its large intestine and cecum.
As humidity can make cooling themselves through sweating more challenging for horses in hot weather, monitoring its level is also key – this is particularly relevant when dealing with young foals, obese horses and those suffering from PPID who cannot regulate their temperature effectively through sweating.
Finally, it’s essential that horses don’t undergo blanketing until their lower critical temperature has been achieved, which varies based on factors like age, breed and body condition. Otherwise, blanketing too soon could cause them to overheat as blood vessels at the surface dilate to bring more warm blood towards the surface and away from core systems; making them feel uncomfortable without being able to control their temperature properly.
Huddling
A horse’s thick winter coat provides natural insulation against cold temperatures. When temperatures drop, tiny muscles along its hair shafts contract and make the hair stand upright, creating pockets of air which trap body heat instead of escaping via piloerection. Grooming of an animal’s coat helps optimize its insulating capabilities by eliminating dirt, sweat or any impurities which might reduce its effectiveness.
If a horse has access to adequate shelter, healthy body condition and plenty of exercise, its natural defenses against cold will usually work effectively. But sometimes horses need additional help, particularly after being clipped, moving to new environments or being sick or injured; blankets provide additional insulation when environmental conditions prove too extreme for their natural insulating capabilities alone.
Horses need more than a warm winter coat to remain comfortable; other sources of warmth such as movement, sunlight and huddling provide additional sources of heat for them. When horses move their muscles generate heat that helps regulate core body temperature while sunlight warms objects around them and the environment as a whole, sometimes leading them to lie down in sunny spots in order to soak in more warmth.
Huddling is another effective means of keeping warm utilized by horse herds. Horses will huddle together to maximize heat transfer while decreasing losses to the environment, and stimulate blood circulation through physical contact to further warm the body.
An appropriately fitting blanket filled with the appropriate fill will provide horses with enough insulation in temperatures as low as 15 below zero Celsius or 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Blankets that are too thin may crush down hairs and reduce air retention capacity, leaving your horse vulnerable in harsh weather conditions. A heavy blanket would offer optimal warmth; however it is important that it meets specific conditions by selecting fabric type and denier. In order to make an informed decision based on this complex process it would be wise to consult both with a vet as well as knowledgeable blanket salesperson who can offer guidance.