Horses, like several other animals, change their eating habits according to the seasons. There are a few small changes that need to be made. Here is a list to guide you to take better care of your precious friend.

The water

Electrolytes are recommended since horses have a tendency to drink less during the colder months of the year. However, if you notice that the horse isn’t drinking the water anymore, consider leaving a second bucket without any electrolytes. He may not like the flavor. Also, make sure there is no ice in the bucket.

The Forage

To ensure your horse receives everything he needs, consider adding hay to his forage, since it provides quite a lot of the nutrition needed. Hay cubes, beet pulp and complete feeds can also help out. And, since digesting hay creates more heat, it will help keep your buddy warm.

Verify His Body Condition

Using the body condition scoring, you can monitor your horse’s weight. Try to do it every second week, and remember that the horse’s coat gets thicker over the months. This helps you adjust feeding accordingly, adding more food as it gets colder. If ever the contrary is needed, it is better to reduce the amount of grains first. And of course, if the amount of food needs to increase, forage should be added first, or change it to something more nutritionally dense.

Important Note

This is an exceptionally important time to monitor your horse’s food closely. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact a vet as quickly as possible.