This winter has been unusually cold in some areas, with temperatures well below freezing for many days in a row. This extreme cold weather can be particularly dangerous to animals that live outdoors. The Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital is reporting an increase in the number of animals presenting with starvation and problems related to exposure.

During the winter it is imperative that you monitor your horses’ body weight by putting your hand on them frequently! Furry coats make visual assessment of body condition impossible–the only way you can assess your animals’ condition is by touch.

As temperatures continue to remain unusually cold it is also important to remember that your animals require more calories to maintain body temperature and body weight. Once an animal’s body condition has deteriorated it might no longer be strong enough to eat enough food to survive. Remember, older animals with poor dentition (teeth) and young animals might require more feed, and might need to be fed separately from other horses to ensure adequate intake.

Points to remember

The average inactive horse needs to eat 1.5 to 2% of its body weight in food per day to just maintain weight without any other energy demands. In the winter, the amount needed will increase as the demand to keep warm will increase the amount of energy the horse expends. This means that the average 1,000 lb horse in good condition needs at least 20 lbs of hay during normal weather and might need as much as 35 to 40 lbs of hay and grain products during cold weather! If your horse is considered underweight the amount of feed should be calculated based on his ideal weight, not his current weight. While hay diets are ideal, certain animals will require grain, complete feeds, or fat supplements to maintain body weight