Horses in a Winter Wonderland: What is winter with Horses like?

Ah, December is here! Excitement and snowflakes are in the air. Our horses have grown their fuzzy winter fur and are feeling frisky and playful! And there is always lots to do as the days turn shorter and colder. Here’s a glimpse - along with some interesting (& maybe a little quirky) facts - at how Amazing Grace Stables works during the winter months!

Horse Riding:

Going horseback riding during times of snow and dipping temperatures has its thrills and challenges. But first off, yes: riding through the snow on a horse feels exactly as magical as the idea sounds! The world of white will never look as breathtaking as the times when I ride out into the silent forests on my horse, Dolly; I think she loves it as much as I do. But to enjoy it completely, we take measures to ensure that both horse and rider are well equipped for warmth and comfort: horse being in good health, well-groomed, with the tack and accessories needed, and rider knowledgable and dressed for the current weather. A warm, windproof coat, thick gloves, and proper footwear are a must for me. My time of training and exercising the horses comes in smaller segments. And it’s important to make sure the conditions are safe for riding. Wet, slushy trails or icy arena means we work in the barn or wait to ride until another day. The thrill of the ride is never worth the chance of injury to either us, the riders, or our beloved horses.

Fun Fact:

During the days when horses were our only means of transportation, horses were often shod with special metal horseshoes that were made to provide traction for crossing icy terrains - kind of like putting cleats on our boots!

Horse Care:

While our horses always have access to come into the barn, on colder days we will close them each in their own stalls overnight. We’ll do this on any night that is going to be below 15 degrees. This is what we call ‘stalling’ a horse. Winter mornings with horses stalled start early. A horse’s body heat depends on its digestive tract; they stay warm by always having something in their stomach. So we time our feedings with this in mind. I will first bring them their grain that has their individual supplements, vitamins, and minerals. Next, they will be fed their hay, which is fed on a ratio to their own weight. We usually go through almost 14,000 lbs. of hay each year. Most of the year having clean water available at all times means using the hose to clean and fill up their large water trough. But in the cold days of winter, this means washing and hauling lots of buckets and being sure they are all free of ice and hay. Each stall has to be mucked out almost every day; old, dirty bedding (we use sawdust) has to be hauled off, and then bring in clean bedding to replace it. Care during the winter also means keeping them clean and dry, using fleece leg wraps and horse blankets for extra warmth when needed.

Fun Fact:

When there is a really wet snow, it can pack tightly into a horse’s hooves until they’re literally walking on balls of snow - which is not only dangerous for them, but also painful. We have to go out and pick these icy balls off their hooves: not an easy task. But we’ve found something that helps! Once their hoof is free of all snow, cover the bottom of their hooves with non-stick cooking oil spray. When applied once or twice a day, it can keep their feet completely free of snow! Crazy, right?!

Winter with horses may bring more work, but it also brings more one-on-one time with each of them, since they are spending more time in the barn. We often have fun teaching them new tricks and just bonding through the extra grooming and care. And those moments of watching them all gallop through the fresh snow or feeling them rest their head against my shoulder, makes every second of work more than worth it!