17/01/2024
10 Ways Horses Cope In Winter (+ a Bonus)
Turn your horse out in a field of snow and chances are he’ll be off playing, rolling and running around in it, even if he hasn’t got a blanket on.
Horses are remarkably well adapted to tolerate a broad range of temperatures, reflecting the climate they evolved in. In the summer horses are able to sweat profusely to cool off. In winter, they have other tools to help their core warm and healthy.
1. Horses have a unique strategy to prevent their feet from freezing. Typically, blood circulates in a horse's hoof through an impressive network of tiny capillaries. However, when his feet get cold, a mechanism known as ‘direct shunt’ opens up in the hooves, allowing blood to flow through larger veins instead of through the small capillaries, helping to keep the area warm.
2. Your horse's lower limbs are well-suited for cold conditions because there are no muscles below the knee. This design reduces the need for extensive blood circulation in the leg cells, resulting in less heat loss.
3. Your horse's winter coat is composed of two layers of hair. The top layer is coarse hair set at an angle. A fine layer of softer downy hair grows underneath. This design forms pockets of air, creating an insulating layer that effectively retains heat and acts as a windbreak. Additionally, the downward tilt of the coat helps deflect falling raindrops and snowflakes before they reach the skin.
4. Piloerection, another heat-trapping adaptation, involves tiny muscles at the base of the hair lifting it vertically. This action increases the hair depth, effectively trapping air next to the body and creating an insulating layer.
5. Your horse's mane and tail also serve as protection for vital blood vessels and sensitive areas during the winter months.
6. The blunt-shaped equine muzzle is richly supplied with blood so it can withstand the bitter cold without freezing, unlike our triangular shaped nose that can be susceptible to frostbite.
7. Your horse's skin is adept at warding off the cold. The outermost layer, the epidermis, comprises waterproof layers. Oils produced by the skin spread across, coating the skin and hairs and forming a protective barrier against moisture. Below the epidermis is the hypodermis, which is a loose layer of connective tissue in which insulating fat is stored.
8. In cold weather, your horse's nervous system triggers the adaptive response of vasoconstriction. This process involves narrowing blood vessels, restricting blood flow to the skin and superficial muscles. Instead, it redirects blood to deeper tissues, minimizing heat loss.
9. During summer's warmth, your horse's muscles naturally relax, reducing heat production. Conversely, in winter's cold, your horse's muscles contract, actively generating heat. This increased effort demands more calories and can lead to muscle soreness and tension. Horses in good health may also opt for running and playing to generate more muscle heat. Shivering, an extreme response, occurs when a horse's core temperature drops too low, serving as a way to generate heat and avoid dangerous cooling.
10. Your horse's digestive system plays an important role in keeping him warm in cold weather. Digesting hay generates internal metabolic heat (more than any other feed), effectively warming your horse from the inside out. As staying warm in winter demands more calories, it's crucial to provide an increased amount of quality hay during colder times.
Bonus - Horses have thick eyelashes, which protect their eyes from bitter winds and temperatures.
Horses employ a variety of unique strategies to deal with winter conditions.
You can help your horse thrive by booking him a massage appointment this winter.
Learn more about why your horse should get a massage here - https://koperequine.com/heres-a-list-of-things-you-may-not-yet-know-about-massage/
Learn more winter care for your horse’s muscles here - https://koperequine.com/tips-for-maintaining-your-horses-muscles-tendons-and-joints-in-cold-weather/
