Winter survival guide for Horses & Dogs

Even though the winter can be lots of fun for all the family, it can cause problems for our animals.

Here is some advice to help keep your four legged friends warm and safe from danger during the cold winter months.
 

Winter survival guide for dogs

• When the temperature dips to sub zero levels, don’t leave your dog outside unattended for long periods of time. Seeing as most of our dogs spend a lot of time inside the house, they are not used to the extreme cold and could develop hypothermia or frostbite.

• If your dog has a short or fine coat, they will really struggle to cope with the cold when the temperatures drop. It is advisable to make sure that they have a dog coat to wear when going outside for a walk.

• If your dog starts lifting up his paws, whining or stops while out on a walk, it could well be because their feet are too cold. If this should happen, it might be worthwhile investing in some warm booties for them to wear. Many different sizes, shapes and colours are available.

• Trim the hair around the feet to help prevent ice balls as these can form between the pads and be quite painful. This can be done with a set of dog clippers with a toe blade attached, as these are specially designed to get into the toes. If you do not have a pair of dog trimmers, some bull nosed scissors would also do the job. These are rounded at the top to ensure safety at all times.

• If you walk on a pavement that has been gritted, make sure you wash your dog’s paws when you return because the salt will irritate their feet. 

• Keep your distance from frozen ponds or lakes and always have your dog on a lead near any frozen water.

• Regardless of the weather, you should always try to take your dog out. If the conditions are too bad and you cannot get outside, try to keep your dog stimulated at home and play some ball games. This should help alleviate some boredom.

Winter survival guide for horses

• You must be extra careful when handling horses in sub zero temperatures. The icy winds can make them spook and they can become quite unpredictable.

• Unlike dogs, horses can generally cope well in cold temperatures, however it is the rain and wind that they do not like. If your horse lives out it is essential that they have a field shelter to protect them from the winter elements.

• Tack shops and online stores have a variety of rugs available to suit all types of horse.

• If your horse is out on a wet day, waterproof rugs are recommended. If your horse is clipped, there are some fabulous rugs to choose from that have different gauges of thickness to ensure that your horse is kept cosy and warm, even when the temperatures get seriously cold.

• Hardier breeds may not need such thick rugs and should be ok with a thinner rug or rain sheet to give some protection.

• Your horse may lose some condition during the winter months, so keep an eye on their weight as you may have to increase the amount of hay your provide.

• Check your horses water on a daily basis. Break down and remove any ice that may form in the trough or bucket. TOP TIP: if you keep a floating tennis ball in their water, this will slow down the freezing process.

• Horses can easily get chilled after they have been ridden. Walk your horse after exercise so they can cool down slowly and, if necessary, use a cooling blanket to stop their body temperature from losing heat too quickly.

• In winter when the grazing is poor, horses are more likely to forage around in hedgerows and ditches for food which, in the wet and muddy conditions, this can be dangerous. Once a week check your boundary fencing and hedging thoroughly, especially near any roads or ditches.

• During these long and dark winter months, it is a good idea to wear reflective clothing. You can even get rugs that have high visibility strips that will help keep you and your horse seen.

• Never go riding when it is foggy or icy, it is simply not worth taking the risk.

• Plan for extreme weather. Should you not be able to get to your horse, always make sure you have a back up plan where someone else can step in for you should you get snowed in.