Winter nutrition is a critical component of horse welfare, as cold temperatures significantly increase energy requirements while access to pasture forage is reduced or eliminated.
Winter feeding inadequacy is a common but preventable welfare failure in horse management. Owners often underestimate increased winter caloric needs or rely on visual assessment of coat depth to judge warmth. Cold weather horses need more hay — not just grain — as forage provides sustained digestive heat. Dehydration from cold water sources leads to impaction colic, a painful condition. Poor body condition entering winter leaves horses with insufficient fat reserves to buffer cold stress, resulting in genuine suffering through the season. Good winter welfare requires proactive nutritional planning, not reactive supplementation after problems emerge.