The winter months can be tricky. It’s hard to keep your horse from getting bored with the repetition of ring work, especially in places that rely on small indoor arenas. These two exercises are simple to set up and useful for riders of all horse sports, including pleasure riders!

They’ll help keep you motivated to keep going through the colder months and keep your horse’s brain and body engaged. Plus, you just need eight poles and four cones (or other objects), so setup is simple.

Exercise No. 1: Transitions and Accuracy

Whether you’re preparing to trot down the centerline or take on the trails come spring, nailing your transitions is a perfect winter goal to get you ready for the sunnier days ahead, and this versatile and easy-to-set-up exercise will come in handy. If space is very limited, it can even be set up on a 20-meter circle or expanded into a larger oval for greener horses and riders.

What You’ll Need:

◆ Eight poles
◆ Four cones or other marker objects (we used fake rocks here)
◆ Set up four trot poles, evenly spaced around 4.5 feet apart
◆ Set up four canter poles, evenly spaced, around 9 feet apart
◆ Set up four cones or other objects in a rectangle, around 3 feet wide by 8 feet long to make a “halt box.”

The goal of the exercise is to create responsive and prompt transitions. However, putting the entire exercise together in one go can be tricky, so it’s best to start by separating the parts and build on your new skills.

Start by trotting through the trot poles and cantering through the canter poles separately. Then practice a square halt in the space between the cones (or other markers). Once you and your horse are comfortable with all parts of the exercise separately, it’s time to put everything together.

It’s simplest to start in the halt box. Next, pick up your trot and trot over the trot poles. The goal is to canter before you get to your canter poles, then halt again in the box.

It takes a lot of fine tuning to get your transitions prompt enough to be accurate, so don’t worry if it takes a number of tries to put it all together.

You can also try the exercise in reverse, starting in the halt box, asking for a canter transition, and then trotting before your trot poles before once again halting in the halt box.

One of the best things about this exercise is how it can be adapted for all levels of horses and riders. If you aren’t ready to canter your horse yet, you can trot through both sets of poles.

If halting in the halt box is too much of an ask, you can try a walk transition in this space, or just keep cruising through the box without a transition at all.

If your horse’s halt-to-canter transition isn’t spot on yet, you can adapt the exercise by walking a few strides, picking up your trot, and then ask for your canter just before the canter poles.

Essentially, the three different elements of the setup are markers for transitions, but which transitions you do are up to you! Just don’t try to canter through the trot poles (they are spaced too closely for a canter stride).

Also Read: Maintain Your Winter Riding Goals

Exercise No. 2: Nail Your Leads

The second exercise focuses on asking for the correct lead and quickly identifying what lead your horse is on.

What You’ll Need:

◆ Eight to 10 poles
◆ Set up four trot poles, spaced evenly, followed by a 9-foot gap to another pole.
◆ Set up two more poles lightly to the right and left of the 9-foot-spaced pole, three to four canter strides away.
◆ Optional: Three sets of cavallettis or standards. You’ll need a little more space for this setup, but it’s still perfect for a smaller indoor and can easily fit in a dressage ring.

Start by trotting through all of the poles, then trot straight ahead between the two offset cavalletti. Once you and your horse are comfortable, try asking for a canter after the four trot poles, before the 9-foot spaced canter pole.

Next, it’s time to incorporate the two bending lines to work on your canter leads. There are two ways of doing this:

1. Go through your trot poles and canter over the canter pole, letting your horse pick which lead to land on. If he picks the right lead, head toward the pole to your right. If he lands on the left lead, head toward the left pole. See how fast you can tell which lead your horse is on—you don’t have many strides to make your decision!

2. After trotting through your trot poles, cue your horse specifically for the right or left lead canter. Carry on to the coordinating second pole. Alternate which lead you aim for, keeping both yourself and your horse on your toes and focused.

Extra Challenge

After the second canter pole, ask your horse to pick up the opposite lead (for example, if you cantered over the right pole, ask for the left lead), then loop back toward the start of the exercise to pop over the other pole option in the opposite direction.

This exercise can easily be adjusted for lots of different levels of riders and horses. For greener horses, everything can remain poles on the ground. For more experienced pairs, the canter poles can become cavallettis. If you want to mix things up a little more, you can also incorporate larger jumps (in place of the poles/cavallettis) into the exercise to add an extra challenge.

The Slide Exercise

This pole exercise is called “The Slide.” It takes the shape of a variation of three standard trot poles but only two of the poles overlap and one of the poles is separate, creating a slide pattern. Each pole is parallel and one trot stride apart from the next. If you are riding alone, you could wedge the poles with the surface of the arena so they don’t move as much when you are riding over them.

In this video from Ridely, Tania Grantham demonstrates plenty of exercises that you can try with your horse over this setup of poles. The different exercises test straightness, transitions and medium trot. You can ride the exercises in either trot or canter and adapt them to what you need to work on with your horse.

Register for Ridely PRO to access 450+ other useful training videos.

Keeping yourself and your horse active and busy this winter will set you up to be ready to get back into the show ring, on the trails, or in the outdoor arenas as soon as the warmer weather is back!

Special thanks to our models, Ashley Anderson and her horse Global Jedi, for demonstrating these exercises.

This article about exercises for your horse in small riding spaces appeared in the November/December 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Winter is here, and that lovely horse of yours—the one who looked gorgeous at the summer shows—is now hiding in a wooly mammoth coat. But even if the two of you plan to lay low this winter, don’t assume that you’re off the hook for regular grooming.

Besides keeping your horse looking good (or as good as fuzzy can look), regular winter grooming provides health benefits, too. A dirty coat isn’t as effective at keeping your horse warm, so it’s important to stay on top of major mud stains and dirt year-round.

But what if it’s 25°F and bathing your horse is out of the question? Here are a few grooming tips for your horse this winter so that you can keep him looking his best, even during the coldest months of the year.

1. Loosen the dirt

Long coat or not, you can easily (well, sort of easily) remove a great deal of the dust, dirt, and dried mud stuck in your horse’s long coat.

◆ Start with a curry comb or grooming gloves. While a basic curry comb is a good tool any time of year for removing muddy debris and dust, elbow grease is essential in the winter for removing dust and dirt from deep in your horse’s coat. Grooming gloves are similar, but they allow for a closer feel of your horse’s curved surfaces and can also be used on the face and legs.

◆ Try a shedding blade. The same shedding blade that comes in handy during your horse’s spring shed-out also works well to etch off those big dried mud stains.

2. Remove the dirt

But simply loosening the dust and dirt isn’t enough; you need to remove it as well.

◆ Brush with a flicking motion. A stiff-bristled dandy brush can be quite helpful for removing most of the dust you shook loose with the currycomb. Use your wrists to flick away all that dust. Softer body brushes can also be useful, and their gentle touch is required around your horse’s legs.

◆ Try a vacuum. If he’s cooperative with the idea (and it may take some careful training to get him there), using a horse-safe vacuum can be an excellent—and dry!—way to remove more dirt than you could probably achieve with brushing alone.

Some horse vacuums come with brush-like attachments to help you safely whisk away the dirt. This just might be your ideal winter bathing replacement, especially if you plan to attend a winter show, clinic, or other event.

3. Use a spot stain remover

During the summer, we often break out the hose to deal with things like sweat stains and green manure spots. If the temperatures are too cold for that, you may still be able to perform some spot cleaning without getting your horse very wet.

◆ Use a commercial product. Sometimes called a “waterless bath” or “waterless shampoo,” these products are (obviously) still moist, so you may have to avoid applying them on frigid winter days. But for mild winter days, these products can be a great way to clean your horse without soaking his entire coat, and they’re often quite effective at removing unsightly stains.

This technique may be more effective on clipped horses or those with naturally short winter coats, rather than super-fuzzy animals. After application, dry the spot with a soft towel.

◆ Try a home solution. For small stains, you might be able to clean them with a small towel dipped in rubbing alcohol, but you don’t want to overdo this method as it can dry out the horse’s coat.

4. Maintain manes and tails

Regular mane and tail grooming regimens apply to your horse in the winter just the same as the summer, but there are a couple of extra tips for preventive measures you can take:

◆ Try a mud knot for tails. Depending on your climate, mud can be a significant issue in the winter, but you can help protect your horse’s tail by using a simple mud knot. It will protect his tail and save on grooming time.

◆ Keep his mane shorter. If it’s too cold to use mane detangler, try to keep your horse’s mane combed frequently. You can make the job even easier by shortening his mane during the winter to limit the amount of mud and debris that it entangles.

5. Think about hooves

Locations that experience prolonged temperatures below freezing may develop hard, frozen ground. This can be very difficult on your horse.

◆ Talk to your farrier. If the frozen ground is uneven and painful for your horse to walk on, your farrier may recommend making temporary adjustments, such as shoeing a normally barefoot horse or adding borium for traction to steel shoes.

◆ Watch out for snowballs. When bringing your horse into the stable after turnout, be sure to remove any packed snow that has developed on his soles; this can be quite uncomfortable for him to walk on. This happens particularly with shod horses—look into having your farrier add snow pads if this is a frequent problem.

6. Be a weight watcher

Keep in mind that a thick winter coat can make it much more challenging to estimate your horse’s body condition.

◆ Use your hands to “see.” Use your regular grooming sessions to examine your horse’s body weight by using your hands to feel for areas around his hips or ribs that might not have enough body fat coverage.

Not only will an underweight horse suffer more in cold temperatures, but it can also be difficult to increase his weight when he’s using extra calories just to stay warm. It’s better to catch winter weight loss early.

Just because your horse is a little woolier this time of year doesn’t mean you should forego regular grooming sessions and health checks. A little bit of routine work can go a long way toward keeping him looking good. Before you know it, he’ll be shedding out that winter coat—and you’ll be covered in it instead!

Horse Grooming Tips for the Winter Rider If you ride during the winter, you have another set of challenges to deal with. Groom the right spots: Take extra care to remove any dried debris or mud from your horse’s saddle, girth and bridle areas. This will help your horse avoid any uncomfortable chaffing. Cool out properly: Because the insulating hairs of the winter coat prevent the heat from escaping effectively, expect to find sweat marks under your horse’s girth and saddle pad even when the thermometer dips below freezing. Be sure to put a cooler on your horse until he’s dry to prevent him from becoming chilled. Consider a body clip: If you ride heavily in any climate throughout the winter, your horse will sweat a lot and probably take too long to dry without hours of work. In this situation, a partial body clip (like a trace or blanket clip) is the way to go. Partial clips leave some natural coat for the cold weather and remove the areas that sweat most. Keep these tips in mind for body clipping: ◆ Make sure to use clippers that are specifically designed for body clipping, not small face and leg trimmers. ◆ Have one or two freshly sharpened or brand-new sets of blades ready to go. ◆ Start with a squeaky-clean horse: bathe with shampoo in a heated wash rack, or bucket bathe with heated water. To bucket bathe, scrub back and forth against hair grain with well wrung-out towels, switching out frequently for clean ones. Make sure your horse is completely dry before clipping, and have winter blankets ready for stabling and turnout. Check out this article for more detailed steps to a great body clip.

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It’s finally getting cold outside and you’re bundled up, possibly with a hot cup of cocoa or coffee in hand. But how does your horse handle the chill of winter? Let’s take a look at some answers to commonly asked questions about cold weather horse care.

Also read – Senior Horse Care in Winter

1. How do horses cope with cold?

An adult horse’s “comfort zone” is lower than most people think. An acclimated healthy adult horse can remain reasonably comfortable in temperatures that dip into the 20s (Fahrenheit) and below, as long as the horse stays dry and can escape wind.

Certain physiological factors help: The most obvious is a horse’s ability to grow a thick winter coat. This natural coat works to preserve warmth by trapping warm air tightly against the horse’s body, creating a layer of insulation that is remarkably efficient at buffering cold external temperatures.

Another factor in fighting the chill is the horse’s unique digestive system. The microbial fermentation of fibrous feeds taking place in a horse’s colon creates enough internal heat that your horse’s gut acts as a type of furnace to keep him warm.

2. Do blankets flatten hair and make a horse colder?

Although a horse’s natural winter coat is meant to trap warm air against his skin, placing a blanket on top of this hair does not negate the warmth. Instead, a blanket acts as an added physical layer of insulation.

While blankets do indeed physically flatten a horse’s hair, their layers take the place of the horse’s natural coat. Air trapped between a horse and the layers of blanket now act as insulation.

If you want to feel for yourself how this insulation works, pay a visit to your horse in the pasture one winter day and place your bare hand between his shoulder and the blanket to get a sense of the heat trapped in there.

There are, however, other aspects to consider when choosing to blanket your horse. Blankets are necessary for horses that are thin, sick, or older; these animals typically struggle to maintain a core body temperature in the face of harsh environmental elements. Horses that have been clipped in the winter will need some level of blanketing, as well. All other adult horses may or may not need a blanket; the blanketing debate rages on, because it depends heavily on the individual horse and his immediate external environment.

If you’re questioning whether to blanket your horse in the winter, consider his physical characteristics (e.g., body condition score, overall health status, acclimation to his environment, age, and clipping status), the winter weather you’re expecting, and whether the horse will have access to shelter in the field for protection against wind and precipitation.

3. Is it dangerous to ride a horse in cold weather?

Just as you wouldn’t run a 5K in winter dressed as if it were July, winter riding requires specific preparations, but that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t enjoy hacking through the snow. One of the trickiest aspects of winter riding is preventing post-ride chills in a sweaty horse.

If you know you’ll be riding regularly throughout the winter, consider clipping your horse. With several partial clips to choose from, you can tailor your horse’s “nakedness” to your anticipated level of exertion.

The benefits of clipping are two-fold: A clipped horse doesn’t sweat as much, plus he will dry much faster after a workout than a horse with a full winter coat. However, with the convenience of clipping comes the responsibility of blanketing. Removing a horse’s natural cold-weather barrier means he will need a blanket to help keep the chill away.

To shoe or not and how are other considerations for winter riding. Regular horseshoes have poor traction on ice and snow. For this reason, some people elect to pull their horses’ shoes in the winter.

However, if you think you might ride a reasonable amount in snow or icy conditions, consider talking to your farrier about studs for traction or snow pads to prevent the buildup of ice balls under your horse’s shoes. Walking on uneven packed ice also tends to bruise a horse’s soles, which is another reason some riders elect to use snow pads.

4. Can a horse get enough water by eating ice and snow?

Most domestic horses, unless already acclimated to a severe winter environment where water is scarce, have lost their natural ability (or inclination) to consume adequate amounts of ice or snow in amounts large enough to satisfy their daily water requirements. Leaving a horse to consume only ice or snow places him in a constant state of dehydration, thereby putting him at risk of impaction colic.

Frozen water alone isn’t the only problem in winter. Horses can be picky drinkers, and many will turn their noses up at water that is deemed too cold. Studies have shown horses prefer water between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit to drink. Heated water buckets and troughs are the easiest solution for winter water woes.

Decreased water intake not only increases a horse’s chance of impaction colic, but also impacts his feed intake—when a horse drinks less, he also eats less. This then further affects his ability to keep warm.

While bran mashes and other methods of adding a bit of liquid to a horse’s meal may seem like a good alternative to increase your horse’s water intake in the winter, these methods typically don’t provide enough moisture. A horse’s average water intake can vary widely due to many factors, but on average, an adult horse will drink between 5 and 10 gallons of water a day. When grazing, a lot of this water is consumed within grass.

In winter, however, hay does nothing to help with water intake, which is why it is vital to make sure your horse has continual access to clean, non-frozen (and preferably warmed) water in cold weather.

5. How should I change my horse’s diet in the winter?

Although grain has more caloric density per pound than hay, it’s actually roughage that helps keep your horse warm in the winter. Therefore, when temperatures plunge below freezing for extended periods, increase your horse’s hay ration.

Because blankets and thick winter coats easily hide a horse’s body condition, it’s important to regularly monitor his body weight, either through evaluating his Henneke body condition score (BCS) or by using a weight tape. Although tapes are notoriously inaccurate, they do catch significant changes up or down.

These objective measurements will tell you if he’s taking in too few (or too many) calories. Evaluating body weight monthly through the winter should give you a good idea about the adequacy of your horse’s diet.

Most horses do not require any further alterations to their diet during the winter. Mineral and vitamin needs stay the same as in the summer, although if your horse is a voracious salt consumer, he may appreciate some loose salt instead of a frozen salt block to lick.

This article about cold weather horse care appeared in the November/December 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Winter Horse Care FAQs appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Winter may not be primetime for riding, but even when cold temperatures feel never ending, show and trail season will come back around before you know it. It benefits both you and your horse to keep a little fitness going this season. What winter riding considerations should you keep in mind? When is it too cold to ride horses?

Cold is Relative

One person’s idea of too cold may be another person’s “just right.”

“Horses are amazing athletes, and actually do quite well in cold weather,” says Carolyn Hammer, DVM, Ph.D., professor of equine science at North Dakota State University. “When you think about horses around the world, they are exposed to a variety of temperatures. For instance, 20°F might be considered unbearably cold to riders in the South, while riders in the far North may not see temperatures above 0°F for the majority of the winter.””

What exactly is “too cold to ride?” You may be surprised.

“It’s usually too cold for the rider to be comfortable before it is too cold for the horse,” says Hammer. “Frostbite is mainly a concern for riders, especially fingers, toes, and exposed areas on the face: cheeks, ears, and nose.”

Danielle Smarsh, Ph.D., assistant professor of equine science and equine extension specialist at Penn State University, recommends following the CDC’s guidelines on how to prevent frostbite, saying that whether to ride depends on a few factors.“You need to take into account the wind chill, fitness of the horse, and human comfort levels. Horses are able to handle colder weather better than humans. The level of ‘too cold to ride’ will be different for someone riding in Minnesota versus Georgia.

The Importance of Footing

There isn’t a hard and fast temperature cut-off for riding; rather, you’ll need to take into account several things. First, consider footing when determining if you can ride. Frozen ground, as well as icy spots and deep snow, are obvious no-gos.

“Footing can definitely be an issue in the winter,” says Hammer. “Be cautious of ice, which can result in falls, as well as slips that may strain tendons and muscles. Hard, frozen ground can increase concussion and strain on the lower limbs and joints, so riders should avoid heavy exercise on this type of footing.”

For temperatures below freezing, keeping outdoor riding to a walk is a good rule of thumb, unless poor footing precludes riding at all. Remember deep snow may cover hazards and place additional strain on muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Extra Gear

Visit your local tack shop or an online retailer for technical riding wear to keep you safe and warm. Look for layers that trap warmth, with wicking items closest to the skin. Be sure your stirrups are wide enough to accommodate insulated riding boots.

Winter attire isn’t just for people; horses need special gear for the elements, too. Shod horses may require pads or snow rims from the farrier to prevent snowballs from building up in the hooves. Some riders also like to use caulks or borium to prevent slipping.

“Watch for a buildup of ice in the hoof, which can occur in both shod and unshod horses,” says Hammer. “This makes it difficult for the hoof to land flat and places additional stress and strain on tendons.”

Smarsh cautions that bare frozen ground also puts the horse at risk of sole bruising. In addition to pads on shod horses, she suggests considering hoof boots for barefoot horses. Talk with you farrier and vet about best winter hoof options for your horse.

In colder temps, a quarter sheet can be used behind the saddle and is particularly critical for clipped horses. It keeps the hindquarters warm, especially while warming up. A fleece cooler used during cool-down time after untacking will wick moisture away from the coat while maintaining warmth. Also remember to warm up the bit—either with your hands, in a heated room, or with a bit-warming device—before tacking up.

The Science Is In

“The majority of weather-related research in horses has focused on heat adaptation, not cold,” says Hammer. She does, however, describe one study of horses exercising in -13°F (-25°C) that found no change in heart rate response, muscle and rectal temperatures, lung structure, or apparent signs of discomfort. It did, however, find lower respiratory rates at rest and during early exercise, as well as lower blood temperatures.

“Bottom line from these researchers: cold stress does not significantly influence the aerobic capacity of the horse,” says Hammer. She notes that these studies were carried out in a climate chamber on a treadmill, not outdoors.

“The horses in that study had short hair coats,” she adds. “A long winter coat may have changed heat conductivity and evaporation, which could alter results.”

Additional precautions should be made for horses with equine asthma or similar lung conditions, since they have heightened sensitivity to allergens concentrated in indoor riding rings and barns.

“There is little research out there on the effects of intense exercise in cold weather, but three research studies found that intense exercise for about 15 minutes can cause respiratory issues when the temperature was around 20°F,” says Smarsh. “In terms of respiratory health, it may be better to keep your riding to walking and light trotting when the temperature is below 20°F.”

Easy Does It

Even if you’re riding indoors, consider a less intense workout so your horse doesn’t get too hot. A gradual warmup will help prevent injuries. Afterward, walk under saddle or in-hand with a cooler until the horse is has cooled down and dried. Smarsh recommends at least 10 to 20 minutes for warmup and again for cool-down. In addition, Smarsh advises that you make sure your horse drinks enough water, especially if he works up a sweat during exercise. Just like people, horses often don’t drink enough in cold weather.

The Takeaway

With sound judgement in mind, winter doesn’t have to mean giving up your equine pursuits. Basically, just because it’s winter doesn’t mean it’s too cold to ride horses.

“Use basic common sense for winter riding: assess conditions for safe footing, perform a gentle and gradual warmup, and be mindful during the cooling out period that your horse doesn’t become chilled,” says Hammer. “Heavy winter coats may take a long time to dry; clipping areas prone to heavy sweating helps speed cool-down.”

Remember that clipped horses require blanketing (see “Blanketing at a Glance”). So, get to work and earn that post-ride hot cocoa.

This article about when it is too cold to ride horses appeared in the November 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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