Dealing with the cold

For our non horse-owning followers, we thought you might like to know what it's like for the herd when the weather's cold, like it has been. 

Basically, the horses are fine with the cold!

There are some things that help them to be ok.

Firstly they need to be left to grow a nice long coat. This stands up on end when it's cold, trapping the air, creating a nice thick fleece that keeps the warm in and the cold out. Insulating enough to lie on the ground for a nap.

Which horse do you think created this?

Secondly, plenty of food helps. The process of digesting rough, fibrous material like hay and hedges acts as fuel for their internal radiator, heating them from the inside.

When they can, they make sure to put themselves in the sun, so they soak up some warmth that way. Movement is good! If they need a big run around to warm up, we make sure they have space to do that.

Then we have to make sure they've always got access to water, which means someone breaking the ice at least a couple of times a day (insulated water buckets help).

So for the herd, winter is fine and actually a critical part of resetting their metabolism, so they can cope with the lush grass in spring.

Instead spare a thought for the humans! They're not always great in the cold! Everything is frozen and the horses poop loads because they're eating more!