In Canada, managing horses in the winter months can take careful consideration, especially for those who struggle to maintain weight. Horses are broadly divided into three categories: easy, average, or hard keepers – classifications determined by how they maintain weight. Easy keepers are horses that readily maintain condition and can often be over-conditioned, whereas hard keepers are horses that typically require additional feed and supplemental calories above and beyond hay to maintain a healthy body condition.

Thermoregulation

Horses are well equipped to handle cold temperatures as long as they are provided with shelter and free choice access to forage. However, for horses that struggle to maintain weight, the cold temperatures can exacerbate the issue as horses expend additional energy to maintain their body heat. For horses that struggle to maintain weight, a nutrition plan should be implemented in the fall months to get a jump on unwanted weight loss.

For almost all horses, hay is an optimal feed to support them in maintaining their core body temperature. Hay is primarily fibre and is fermented in the hindgut of the animal. This process produces heat and is crucial to the horse being able to stay warm. For senior horses, additional thought is required as the ability to thermoregulate decreases with age. Also, their capacity to process hay can be compromised as the hindgut loses some of its ability to ferment fibre, resulting in a loss of nutrients. These horses must be monitored closely and preferably fed alfalfa hay or high-quality grass hay rather than stemmy, mature hays made of tougher fibre.

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