Horse Winter Pasture Management and Welfare

Managing horse welfare during winter requires careful attention to nutrition, shelter, hoof care, and social needs in cold and wet conditions.

Key Facts

Horses use significantly more energy maintaining body temperature in cold, wet, and windy conditions
Hindgut fermentation of fibre is the primary heat source in horses — adequate forage is the most important winter welfare provision
Field conditions can deteriorate severely in winter, causing injury from mud and frozen ground
Horses left without shelter access in extreme weather experience cold stress, weight loss, and increased injury risk
Good doers and native breeds may require track systems or restricted grazing to prevent laminitis in late winter when early grass emerges

Welfare Considerations

Winter welfare failures most often involve insufficient forage, inadequate shelter, or field conditions that cause injury and frustration. Horses isolated or without companions during long winter nights suffer additional social deprivation. Regular body condition scoring throughout winter allows timely intervention before weight loss becomes critical.

What You Can Do

Increase forage provision during cold, wet, or windy weather — hay or haylage ad libitum is appropriate for most horses
Provide natural or artificial field shelter accessible to all horses in the group
Check fields regularly for hazards including ice, deep mud holes, and damaged fencing
Monitor body condition score every two weeks and adjust feeding accordingly throughout winter