Horses in Freezing conditions

[annabelle612]

Hi there
As a horse owner I am very worried about some cob ponies near to my house. This is because as the weather has taken a terrible freezing turn I notice they have no rugs and no obvious shelter except say a couple of trees. I dont want to be a drama queen but im worried for there welfare should I contact some one about them? Or will be okay?

Thanks for you help and advice

[icemaiden]

Hi annabelle612,

Some horses can live out in these conditions, two of mine live out all year, however there are well fed and they do have a field shelter to go in, and being native breeds with very thick coats, they are fine.

Are there any signs that they are being fed extra ie Hay in the field? Do you know if the owner comes and checks on them regularly? If you are still worried then a call to the RSPCA may give you peace of mind. Hopefully they will come out and have a look at them.

[B00]

Agree with Icey there. They do at least need some kind of shelter and grass alone, at this time of year won't feed them. They need hay and food daily, and a regular check that they have access to unfrozen water. Best to contact the RSPCA, better safe than sorry really.

[annabelle612]

Hi thanks for you answers
they do seem to have a good supply of food in terms they are always munching on a hay bale and I do see people checking on them every morning which is really good sign hence why I didnt want to be too dramatic. So i think after reading your answers I may leave it for the time being. But thanks for your time in answering

[LoftyLottie]

I know nothing about horses, but a close neighbour of mine is a very well known vet who is a horse specialist and travels the world giving lectures, making TV appearances etc. His own ponies did not have shelter - save from trees which he said was fine for that type of pony.

[smudge]

You have a point about access to unfrozen water BOO.

I even ensure that our bird baths aren't frozen over, even though they can drink from the fish pond.

Surely someone must check on these horses every now & again - if not, as the others have said, I'd contact the RSPCA anna.

[LoftyLottie]

Annabelle has said that the horses are checked every day Smudge.

[Clanad]

As already adequately stated, the observed horses appear to be well maintained. As an aside, here in the western U.S. we have several working cow ponies that are kept outside. To help alay your concerns, a little additional knowledge about the horses natural winter coat could be helpful.
The lessening of daylight promotes a unique growth of winter hair. Not only is the length (guard hairs) noticeable, but more importantly the thickness (which may not be as readily observable) is greatly increased. It also contains a natural oil that sheds rain, snow and ice. You would notice this oiliness when currying the critter in the spring.
One might notice, in wet weather, the horse repeatedly shaking themselves. This too, is a natural function to not only remove some of the accumulated precipitation but to "fluff" the hair back up to provide insulation.
Lastly, the owners should regularly inspect the horses hooves. In wet, snowy conditions,the horse can accumulate layer upon layer of packed snow within the bottom of the hoof. This usually results, due to walking motion, a pointed "ball" of ice and snow that needs to be removed with a farrier's hoof tool.
The horses should have put on a little fat as true winter weather approached... maybe as much as an inch in the small of the back and over the ribs. Enough feed, in the way of grain, should be fed to maintain this fat layer...

[sandmaster]

If they are cobs they should be fine. Twice daily visits would be better, ensuring they have enough feed and water morning and night, but if sufficient is left each morning for the 24 hours that should be ok. Our welsh cob hated her stable - she used to jump over the door!! We wanted to keep her warm and dry but she didn't want to know!