Cold Weather’s Impact on Off Track Thoroughbreds

Off track thoroughbreds, also known as OTTBs, are challenging to manage when the cold weather arrives.  If you do not prepare accordingly, it will be difficult to keep your horse healthy and comfortable.  Let’s take a look at the top cold weather concerns for these unique horses.

How cold is too cold for OTTBs?

There is no straightforward answer to this question.  Horses are known for their sturdiness when the temperatures dip down low.  Horses can even tolerate wet conditions.  However, when horses are subjected to cold temperatures and wet weather, problems will arise.  In general, OTTBs can handle temperatures at or around the freezing mark when combined with cold rain.  This means horses are better off being subjected to a temperature of 15 degrees Fahrenheit along with snow rather than a temperature of 34 degrees Fahrenheit and cold rain.

A number of factors determine a horse’s ability to tolerate cold weather and rain.  The animals’ age, physical condition, health, metabolism, hair coat condition and nutritional status all play a part in the animals’ ability to withstand inclement weather.  A mature horse that is healthy and in good condition with a regular winter hair coat and proper diet will be able to tolerate temperatures below the freezing mark along with snow without an issue.  However, if the horse’s diet, hair or anything else of importance is altered, the animal will not be able to withstand the colder temperatures.  As an example, replacing a winter coat with show-ready hair will significantly compromise the horse’s ability t o endure winter’s wrath.  Blanket your horse, keep the animal under lights for hair growth purposes or body clip the animal and you run the risk your filly will not be able to tolerate low temperatures, rain, snow and other inclement weather.

Lower Critical Temperature

The lower critical temperature (LCT) is the temperature at which a horse must use a greater percentage of caloric intake to maintain the proper body temperature.  LCT is impacted by age as well as nutrition.  Foal LCT is 68 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 degrees Celsius.  A young horse’s LCT is negative 11 degrees Celsius or 12 degrees Fahrenheit when fed ad lib.  When limit fed, young horses have a LCT of 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit.  Adult horses have an LCT of negative 15 degrees Celsius or 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

The temperatures noted above are not set in stone.  These are merely guidelines.  Each unique horse’s LCT varies based on the animal’s unique body chemistry.  Certain horses will require extra energy to maintain their regular body temperature at an ambient temperature higher than other mature horses capable of withstanding significantly colder weather without health issues.  This means young horses that are in less than desirable condition should be provided with special care in terms of shelter and sources of warmth.

Horse Shivering

If your horse shivers, it is not a clear indication the animal is stressed.  Horses that shiver might be cold yet such shivering in these animals is not the same as occurs in human beings.  Shivering is sometimes indicative of the methods horses use to create more body heat to maintain their regular body temperature.  Do not overreact if your horse shivers.  Shivering is a clue that your horse is using additional calories to keep its temperature steady.  If shivering extends beyond the 4-6 hour mark, it is a sign the animal has cold stress.  You must address this problem or it will worsen.  Provide the horse with warm water, stall housing, blankets and extra feeding hay to minimize cold stress.

The Importance of Water

Cold stress typically results in a horse reducing its water intake, causing a reduction in performance and a greater chance of gastrointestinal disorders that have the potential to trigger colic.  The goal during cold weather should be maintaining and boosting the horse’s water intake.  Research shows horses provided with cold and warm water in a simultaneous manner prefer the cooler water.  It is interesting to note when offered warm or cold water separately, these animals opt to drink more of the warm water.  An effort must be made to provide the horse with lukewarm water in the cold months to hike its water intake.  This additional effort will chew up some time and energy yet it has the potential to pay meaningful dividends in the form of improved horse health.

Forage

Give your horse forage in an ad lib manner and the animal will prove healthier when the temperatures drop.  Forage ferments within the animal’s large intestine.  The fermentation process creates a significant amount of heat that maintains the proper body temperature and decreases cold stress level endured amidst inclement weather.  Forage products should be kept in front of horses throughout the day when the temperatures decrease.  Adding beet pulp to base feeds will also improve the horse’s ability to combat cold stress.  The addition of calories when cold weather strikes is essential yet providing such extra calories through forage along with alternative fiber sources rather than grain is optimal as this approach results in the necessary fermentive heat described above.

The Moral of the Story

In summary, an individual horse’s comfort level with low temperatures hinges on the animals’ nutritional status, hair coat, health, body condition and age.  Though fully mature and healthy horses sporting a thick winter coat will be able to withstand uber-cold temperatures and harsh weather with regular feeding, the same cannot be said of all horses.  Those inherently susceptible to cold stress as a result of insufficient nutrition, age or hair coat must be managed in a manner that provides protection against the elements.  In some cases, simply adding blankets along with hiking the water and forage intake will make life in the winter that much easier for your horse.

Richard Schibell has been breeding thoroughbred horses and racing them for well over 35 years. Stay up to date with our content by following the blog at Richardschibellracing.com!

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