Shivering Horse - UPDATE

[CritterZone]

We are in Central Oregon where the temps can drop below zero in the winter. Our horses are pastured but have access to shelter so they can get out of the wind and snow, and we feed them plenty of quality hay. They do not get any grain and they never wear blankets. The biggest problem we have, even in winter, is keeping them from getting fat.

 

[w c]

The so-called 'study' was an internet hoax and never took place, Mdres.

The information below, is for others in the same situation.

When a horse goes through a big climate change like this, put a blanket on him. Forget about 'building up his coat' after the cold weather has already started. That will not happen sufficient to adjust to the climate change. It takes a whole year for horse to adjust his coat to a new colder climate; the winter coat growth starts in August or even July in some areas and responds to many signals in the environment, to 'decide' how to grow.

If you find yourself in such a situation, the horse can go blanketless next year....this year, put on a blanket. Blanketing it this year will not affect its hair coat growth next year.

The idea that a blanket makes a horse colder by laying down his coat is just an old wive's tale when one attempts to apply it to this type of situation. When the horse has an inadequate coat growth for a new climate, it' simply inadequate and leaving a blanket off is not the solution. Its coat growth will NOT catch up adequate to provide it warmth. It needs an entire year to 'resynch' hair growth.

The idea that the gut produces enough warmth to keep an elderly animal warm after an abrupt climate change is also nonsense.

These fallacies are BOTH an example of facts that are true, being applied to the wrong situation. YES the coat lofts to provide warmth and YES feed provides warmth. But again, not adequate in an abrupt climate change.

When a horse is so cold it is shivering, it is a medical emergency. The horse needs to be warmed up no matter what. The horse is telling you what is going on, so don't try to pretend it's not. Horses can't 'get used to the cold' no matter how much you feed, if their coat is inadequate in the first place. Any heat generated by the body simply is pulled away by air movement(even when the air seems still to us, this process continues), next to the body.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IF the horse has an adequate coat for the climate he is in, yes, his own digestion does generate warmth, just as it does in any animal. So if he has an adequate coat feeding will help him warm up. And yes, you often see horses out in the cold, blanketless. And that works fine if they have spent time in that environment and their coat growth has adjusted.

So for example while several of his horses have no blankets, my cowboy neighbor who is totally anti-blanketing has his elderly horse in a blanket in cold weather, but the others are fine without. And in fact the blanket isn't even insulated - it's just a light sheet. This keeps a layer of still air next to the body and does provide a good bit of warmth.

Another point to keep in mind is wet weather. In our country the weather often changes abruptly and it can be both very cold and very wet - we do get freezing rain when it's 10 and 15 degrees out. Even our blanketless horses wear a lightweight waterproof sheet on such days. The light sheet does not press the coat down, but keeps t he coat dry. Remember that being wet, removes 100% of the insulative qualities of the horse's coat.

If the animal is shivering, the animal is too cold. It did not stop shivering because extra hay warmed it up, it stopped because it warmed up in the morning. The poor animal spent a miserable night no doubt - probably many miserable nights. It's very sad to hear of such a thing.

Word to the wise - 'wisdom' like food keeps horses warm doesn't apply when they have a slick summer coat and are moved to a colder climate. The coat just can't perform its function.

These sayings simply do not apply in all situations - use common sense and don't be dogmatic. If an animal is shivering it is too cold, end of story. Listen to the animal and what he's telling you.