Protect Your Horses from Winter Weather

As temperatures start to drop, don't forget to make sure your horses are protected from the winter chill.

"Horses prefer to be outside," said Susan Marshall, owner of J Mar Stables in Monkton. "But if it gets too cold, you need to make sure horses have easy access to sheds and a lot of food. They especially need the calories in the winter."

While horses usually receive one feeding of grain on a typical day, she suggests bringing them in for two during the winter months. It's also important to make sure they have access to plenty of fresh, clean water because streams tend to freeze as a result of colder weather.

And if your horses have a nice coat of fur, Marshall recommends not using blankets because they inhibit hair growth and may cause the animals to overheat.

"Let Mother Nature take care of it," she said.

However, Marshall adds, if you have a working animal that has been sheared of its coat for the winter, it's preferable to use a turnout rug, which is waterproof and can be worn outdoors, or a stable rug, if the weather gets very cold. A stable rug is generally heavy and made of wool, but she doesn't advise using them unless temperatures get into the teens.

"It's also a good idea to keep some heaters in the sheds," she said. "But keep the door cracked open for ventilation."