Question: What are your recommendations for exercising horses during the winter months? Do you have any tips for cooling them off?
Response: Continuing to exercise your horse throughout the winter months can help keep them in shape and healthy if you have a safe space to do so. Reduced activity in the winter can lead to stocking up, loss of muscle condition, and weight gain.
Bitter cold, snow depth, and ice are just a few challenges we face in Minnesota when it comes to exercising horses outside during winter.
Before working your horse, check for and remove compacted snow and ice (snow balls) from their hooves.
When riding in the snow, be mindful of snow depth and your horse's fitness. Deep, heavy, or wet snow can stress tendons and lead to injury. Additionally, riding in these conditions is hard work and may not be appropriate for an unfit horse.
Never ride or work your horse on ice.
What if you have poor footing for exercise and no access to an indoor arena? Most horses handle having the winter off very well. If you want to encourage your horse to move during turnout, try placing hay in multiple spots around their lot. Hand walking is also a good option for horses that tend to stand by the hay feeder all day or are stocked up.
If you are fortunate enough to have a safe space to work your horse over winter, make sure you take time to properly cool them off following exercise. Thick winter hair coats can leave horses wet and steamy after a ride. Turning out a wet horse or leaving them stand in a cold barn can lead to illness. Use a cooler to help wick away moisture from your horse and allow their coat to dry. Alternatively, if you regularly work your horse, consider trace clipping them. Trace clipping will allow your horse to stay cooler during exercise and shorten the time it takes them to cool after exercise. Clipped horses will require a blanket during turnout to help keep them warm.
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