Winter Riding Woes: Part 1

Winter Riding Woes: Part 1 

Do you and your horse have a case of the winter woes? Let me fix it!

Our horses (and us!) face a special set of problems in the colder months. 

I’ve outlined what I think the causes of many of those problems are,  and what you can do to fix them! 

But first… make sure to save this post so you can return to it later! 

Horses tend to get more body sore in the winter for a few reasons: 

#1: It’s cold, which may mean that they are tightening and bracing against the cold like we do. 

Fix: If they are clipped, using a quarter sheet to keep their muscles warm on cold days can reduce their muscle tension. 

#2: They’re less likely to move around in the winter because they aren’t grazing, they’re just standing at the hay feeder.

Fix: Spreading out the hay on the ground can help simulate grazing/moving around.

#3: Heavy blankets can reduce their range of motion through their body, and the weight of the blankets may make horses sore. Sometimes, they even leave nasty rubs. 

Fix: If they come inside where it’s warmer, give them a break from their heavy blankets, possibly switching to stable blankets. When it’s warm enough, try to lighten their blanket load as much as possible or let them be naked! Finally, a shoulder guard can be helpful against rubs. 

#4: Horses are less likely to drink adequately in the winter, and dehydration leads to muscle soreness. 

Fix: Heated water buckets and water heaters prevent ice from forming and keep water warm which is more appealing. However, make sure there isn’t an electrical issue in them as horses are more sensitive than we are to electric fields. Additionally, adding salt or electrolytes to your horse’s food can encourage them to drink more. Finally, wetting grain is always a good idea to get some extra water into them! 

#5: The ground outside may be hard and frozen, which can make joints achy, or wet and slippery, which can lead to muscle strains and soft tissue tweaks. 

Unfortunately there is not a perfect fix for this, although pasture management and draining can help. If you ride outside through the winter, hauling to an indoor with footing may give your horse a much needed break and help avoid soft tissue injury. 

Overall, taking extra special care of your horse’s muscles and joints during the winter is imperative! In addition to all of this, I highly recommend massage to help manage body soreness though the winter.