Rising To The Challenge Of Winter

Ensure an older horse has the right feeding regime to keep him happy and healthy this winter, says Dr Tom Shurlock, nutritionist at British Horse Feeds

- Tom Shurlock

To humans, winter means shorter days, colder weather and being less inclined to go out – and it means exactly the same to your horse!However, while we can use lights, turn the central heating on and change our routine to meet the season’s challenge, horses – and especially veterans – can have a more difficult time.

Shorter days mean less eating time, which isn’t a positive for an animal that requires an almost continuous intake of feed. And if they don’t eat so much, they are getting less energy to generate and retain heat.