Winter Management: Facts And Falsehoods

Myths abound about how to keep horses healthy in winter. Andrea Oakes asks veterinary experts to separate the fact from the fiction

It’s too risky to ride or turn a horse out in the snow

FALSE: “The greatest dangers are icy concrete and frozen gateways, so spreading salt on these areas will make it easier to move your horse around the yard,” says Lesley Barwise-Munro MRCVS, of Alnorthumbria Veterinary Group in Northumberland. “If you can walk him safely to the field, there is no reason why he can’t be turned out in deep snow — as long as hay or haylage and fresh water are available.

“A sudden drop in exercise raises the risk of colic, filled legs and behavioural issues, so some turnout will help keep his routine similar,” she says, adding that a covered horse walker is also an asset. “If he is usually fed for a high level of work, reduce his calorie intake as his workload drops to prevent azoturia (sometimes known as tying-up).”

There are ways of maintaining ridden exercise in wintry conditions.

“If you can access all-weather gallops or a school, some slow work can continue,” says Lesley. “A beach is ideal for exercise in bad weather. You can also trot and canter on an old turf field, as long as you are familiar with what lies beneath the snow.

“Hooves can ball up with snow and ice, although this seems to make little difference to grip,” adds Lesley, who explains that flying chunks might spook the horse. “Hoof pads or grease applied to the soles can help prevent balling.”

Frosty grass can trigger laminitis

TRUE: “There may be some truth in the idea that sunny conditions and cold temperatures can trigger laminitis,” says Edd Knowles MRCVS, of Bell Equine in Kent. “Laminitis is traditionally thought to occur most in spring and summer, but it can happen at any time of year and we often see a mid-winter peak.