How cold weather affects your horse
Brrr, yes, it’s that time of year again when we seem to be doing everything in the dark: mucking out, poo picking, riding, and all the time with extra layers of clothing, thick socks and a good pair to waterproof gloves, to try to keep the cold from chilling our bones.
But what about your horse? Many of whom, if in ridden work, will be clipped to some degree, so how does the cold affect them? What do we need to be aware of to minimise unnecessary discomfort or risk of injury?
As an equine bodyworker, an important part of our training is to understand how cold weather affects horses physiologically in terms of their muscular skeletal system (MSK), and how we need to approach our bodywork sessions with this in mind. Having an understanding this, I believe, is equally important for horse owners and guardians in order to provide the best care for your four-legged friends during these tough few months.
So, here we go, let’s dive in and discuss how the drop in temperature can have a significant impact on how your horse carries itself, compensates for cold weather and what is really going on physiologically to cause these adaptations.
The science bit…
When the temperature drops outside, blood is directed away from the more superficial muscles and soft tissue and targeted toward the internal organs to keep them at a steady, core temperature.
The blood vessels of the extremities contract (vasoconstriction) which reduces delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscle fibres.
And finally, synovial fluid that surrounds your horse’s joints becomes thicker and more viscose in colder temperatures, reducing its lubrication and and shock absorbtion capabilities.
So what are the impacts of these physiological changes?
The lack of blood flow to the muscles can cause them to feel tight and restricted, reducing elasticity in the fibres which can then present itself as stiffness, an unwillingness to move or reduced range of motion (ROM). But it’s not just the physiological changes that cause these symptoms, but how your horse behaves as a result; let me explain…
I am sure you are well versed in observing your horse’s posture and how it can change, depending on their mood and state of mind, well posture is a key indicator for massage therapists, to assess a horse’s current level of comfort and physical condition. For example, a horse that is healthy, happy and warm tends to hold itself in a gentle, soft frame, with a natural arch in its neck, weight evenly distributed across all four limbs and muscles that appear soft and supple.
Compare this to a horse that is stood in a field, bracing itself against the wind and rain, sat back on its haunches, tail clamped, head and neck tucked in, possibly to one side to avoid the direction of the weather. In this situation, the muscles are in a state of almost permanent contraction to conserve heat, however, if standing like this for prolonged periods, this tension can have long term implications to the horse’s MSK system as muscles become sore, tight and compensatory patterns can emerge.
Environmental Factors – Turnout & Terrain
Winter not only brings us cold squally winds, lashing rain and low temperatures, this type of weather has a knock on affect to paddocks and turn out areas which often become one of two extremes:
1) Waterlogged, deep and slippy
2) Frozen with hard, often very uneven surfaces
You know yourself how much more difficult it is traversing over these types of surfaces with your feet either getting sucked into the depths of the wet boggy field or tripping and stumbling your way across the pointy frozen lumps when a hard frost hits. This is just the same for your horses – they too will feel the additional strain on their limbs and through their backs, as they to navigate these types of uneven ground. Furthermore, when the wind whips them up into “playful” mode or its close to ‘coming-in’ time for those that are stabled, they like nothing more than to gallop at high speed across the paddock to then skid to a halt or take a sharp turn last minute at the gate with some excited bucks and twists thrown in for good measure. I don’t need to tell you how much increased strain this puts on already cold, tight, non-elastic muscles and joints.
What often falls hand-in-hand with the above is reduced turnout at many livery yards either due to limited grazing or limited access in the dark. Horses are nomadic creatures, their bodies were designed to roam and move, slowly and consistently, 24-hours a day, however, we all appreciate that some horse’s enjoy the comforts of their stable and for some owners, 24-7 turnout is simply not an option. Some horses however end up spending far too much time cooped up in a stable during the winter months, which can have a hugely negative impact on their MSK system, gut health and mental wellbeing.
Environmental Factors – Rugs
To try to keep our horses at a nice, cosy temperature during these colder months, many of us use indoor and outdoor rugs to add an additional layer of warmth. Rugs are something of a double-edged sword – they are excellent at proving warmth to help keep the horse comfortable and relaxed, however they do cause restrictions, pressure points and inhibit movement, especially if they are a poor fit, but even the best fitting rug will impact the horses MSK system.
Rugs have pressure points, most prominently at the sternum and base of neck, shoulders, withers and bony prominences of the hind quarters. Regular friction and pressure from buckles and fabric can cause discomfort which can cause the horse to change its movement patterns to try to alleviate itself from the pain, changing gait or weight distribution. Furthermore, adhesions can form in the muscle fibres causing lack of blood flow and nutrients resulting in muscle spasm and reduced ROM.
Environmental Factors – Reduced daylight hours
Shorter days can also impact turnout but the biggest impact is usually in regard to how much riding we get to do. If you are lucky enough to have an all-weather menage with good lighting then you may find you can ride as often as during summer months (if you can find the motivation, that is, on those cold, dark nights after a long day at work) however without a doubt, hacking opportunities will be reduced meaning more time schooling. For those without a menage, riding probably becomes limited to weekends only and that depends on the weather and if it is safe to do so with fog and ice often hindering our desire to ride.
Let’s be positive – What can we do to help?
We can’t change the weather, but we can adapt our routines to best help and support our horses during these tough months and minimise the risk of injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments. I appreciate that some livery yards put limitations in place which you have no control over and I know we are all doing the best we can for our ponies, so manage what you can and try not to stress over what you can’t – every bit you can do will have a positive impact.
Here are my top tips!
1) Provide safe turnout as much as possible ensuring your horse has adequate shelter from the wind and rain (this can be in the form of natural trees or a purpose built shelter). This will promote movement and therefore increase circulation.
2) Select the appropriate weight of rug:
a) for the outside temperature
b) for your horse’s condition and coat (clipped/non clipped).
If your horse is a hardy type, is unclipped and in little or no work over the winter, you may want to try not rugging them at all and letting them harden off, develop a thick dense oily coat and enjoy the freedom of being rug-free. Remember to constantly monitor your horse’s condition and make changes accordingly to ensure they are neither too hot or too cold.
3) Remove rugs regularly to check condition and for any evidence of friction or sores and change rugs when possible; by switching between turnout rugs and stable rugs, for example, the fit will be slightly different with pressure points in slightly different areas giving some respite.
4) Don’t skip grooming! It can be very tempting to skip grooming your horse before riding if they are rugged or clipped, however grooming plays a vital role in your horse’s wellbeing. The process of grooming stimulates the peripheral circulatory system, warming muscles prior to exercise, helping them to relax. It also is an idea opportunity to check for any sores, cuts, sensitivity or weight loss, which can often be overlooked when the horse is constantly rugged up.
Ensure your horse stays warm while grooming and tacking up – use rugs or heat lamps and don’t just whip the rugs off in one sudden movement before riding. Exercise rugs for fully clipped horses in very cold weather can be a great asset.
5) Keep your tack soft and supple and assess if additional padding may be required. Tack can become hard and brittle in cold, damp weather which can make it uncomfortable for your horse to wear with pressure points in areas such as the poll, noseband and girth area. Also remember that as your horses condition changes throughout the winter months, their shape may change and in turn their saddle may no longer fit as well; keep a close eye when you remove your tack for any indications of pressure points (sweat/dry patches, abrasions, rippled fur etc.) so that you can react quickly to get a professional saddle fitter to assess and adjust accordingly.
6) Warm up the back before putting on the saddle, particularly if your horse is sensitive. If you put a saddle on a cold back it can cause the horse to tense and hollow away from the contact resulting in stiffness throughout the back. Grooming with brisk light-medium strokes along the muscles of the back can help warm up and prepare the tissues, however a heat pad is an incredible tool for this as you can pop it on and secure it while grooming etc. saving you time. My go-to is the Epiony Heat Pad, which I have recommended and supplied to many clients over the years.
7) Allow extra time for warm up and cool down when riding. As explained, at rest during cold weather, blood is directed inward toward the internal organs rather than the peripheral muscles causing them to be tight and less elastic. Synovial fluid (lubricant and shock absorber for the joints) is more viscous when cold, making it less able to do its job of protecting the joints.
So often I see rider’s trotting straight out the gate on a cold morning to ‘keep warm’ but this is really not advisable if you want to prevent injury. Allow your horse’s muscles and joints time to warm up before asking for anything too strenuous. Also, for those who are limited to riding at weekends only during the winter months, consider how your horse’s fitness, including muscle tone, will have changed and adapt your riding expectations accordingly.
8) Vary your schooling. Dark nights often mean more hours spent in the menage so be careful not to overwork muscle groups by repeating the same exercise routine day after day. Varying the type of exercises you perform in the school will not only help encourage proper muscle development, but also be positive for your horse’s (and your) mental stimulation too.
9) Incorporate groundwork. When the ground is a bit hard, switch things up and instead of riding, set up some ground work exercises. These can be done in the paddock, menage or yard as long as the ground is fairly level and not slippy/frozen and it is a safe working environment. It enables you to keep a level of mobility, training and mental stimulation for your horse without the extra load on their joints.
10) Offer plenty of hay in their diet as digesting forage produces internal heat!
11) Be aware of respiratory health. Cold air can be ‘dry’ as it holds less moisture and this can cause irritation to the airways. Avoid particularly intense or fast work on very cold days, especially if you are riding a horse with known respiratory sensitivities, and keep a close look out for any changes in mucus discharge from the nose or excessive coughing, which could be signs of respiratory inflammation or irritation. Consult with your vet if you have any concerns.
12) Don’t stop with your massage therapy sessions. There can be a misconception that equine massage and bodywork is only needed during the competition season or when the horse is in regular hard work, but this is not true. For all the reasons explained above, equine massage during colder months is a crucial part of your wellbeing toolbox as it stimulates circulation increasing blood flow and nutrients to the muscles allowing them to remain healthy and relaxed during cold weather and periods of reduced activity or turnout. Controlled stretch exercises by your therapist can help to maintain joint mobility and range of motion and a good massage therapist will pick up on signs of tension, asymmetry and compensatory movement patterns which, if untreated, could lead to referred lameness, strains or sprains, fascia restrictions and muscle hypertrophy/atrophy (over development or wastage of muscle fibres).
Prevention is better than cure…
The subtle changes in posture from cold weather may seem negligible, but if these changes continue, over time they can influence the horse’s natural posture and movement patterns leading to functional misalignments (e.g. more tension in one rein, falling out at the shoulder, shortened stride, lack of bend, crooked pelvis, to name just a few).
There is so much more to say on this topic, but hopefully this short blog has given you some practical tips on how to take best care of your horses’s MSK system during the tough winter months.
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Thanks for reading and sharing and I look forward to catching up with you again soon! In the mean time, why not check out some of my other blog posts.