As winter sets in, horse owners face a unique set of challenges. Shorter days, colder temperatures, and limited pasture growth can all affect a horse’s health and well-being. While many equestrians prepare carefully, a few common mistakes continue to put horses at risk during the colder months. With careful management, these pitfalls can be avoided, ensuring your horse stays healthy and comfortable all season long.

1. Over-Blanketing Horses

One of the most common winter mistakes is reaching for a heavy blanket too soon or leaving it on for too long. Horses are naturally equipped with winter coats that provide excellent insulation when allowed to grow in fully. Over-blanketing can trap heat, causing the horse to sweat beneath the fabric. Once damp, the coat loses its insulating qualities, leaving the horse chilled. Prolonged sweating also creates the perfect environment for fungal skin infections such as rain rot or dermatitis.

Blanketing is not always wrong, but it should be done thoughtfully. Horses that are clipped, elderly, or underweight may benefit from an extra layer of warmth, as will those experiencing particularly harsh or wet conditions. However, any blanket should be checked daily to prevent rub sores, and horses should be groomed regularly to make sure dirt, moisture, or injuries are not hidden beneath the fabric. The key is flexibility—adjusting the type of blanket and the frequency of use based on weather conditions and the horse’s response, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

2. Providing Inadequate Shelter

Horses are hardy animals, but that doesn’t mean they can withstand every storm unprotected. A run-in shed or three-sided shelter is a minimum requirement for horses kept outdoors during the winter. Such structures give them a place to escape biting winds, freezing rain, or snow. To be effective, the opening should face away from prevailing weather, and the size should accommodate the number of horses in the field. A single small shed is not enough for a herd of twenty, as horses are unlikely to crowd together in a confined space.

For horses kept in barns, shelter management means more than shutting doors. Ventilation is crucial in cold months. Poor airflow allows dust and moisture to build up, which can irritate the respiratory tract and increase the risk of conditions like heaves. A well-designed barn balances warmth with airflow, keeping horses dry without exposing them to stagnant, dusty air.

3. Neglecting Grooming and Hoof Care

Because many riders scale back work during the winter, grooming and hoof care sometimes slip down the list of priorities. Yet this is when careful inspection becomes even more important. Grooming keeps the skin and coat healthy, helps detect early signs of weight loss, and brings attention to minor cuts or swelling that might otherwise go unnoticed beneath a shaggy coat.

Hoof care also remains essential, even when horses are not being ridden. Frozen, uneven ground can cause cracks or bruising, and snow can pack into hooves, forming hard “snowballs” that create strain on joints and tendons. Scheduling regular trims or shoeing prevents these issues and helps maintain soundness throughout the season. Farriers often recommend shorter trimming intervals in winter to reduce the risk of flares or abscesses, and daily cleaning is one of the best defenses against thrush.

4. Mismanaging Nutrition and Hydration

Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of winter care is the horse’s diet and water intake. Horses burn more calories simply keeping warm, particularly when temperatures drop below freezing. While their workload may decrease, their nutritional needs often increase. The best way to meet this demand is with forage—quality hay not only provides calories but also supports gut health and generates internal heat during digestion.

Hydration is equally important, yet water intake tends to decline in cold weather. Horses are less inclined to drink icy water, and frozen troughs can quickly leave them dehydrated. Unlike fresh grass, which contains high levels of moisture, winter hay provides very little water content. Without proper hydration, horses are at greater risk of colic, especially impaction colic. Offering warm water, ideally between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, can encourage horses to drink more readily. Heated buckets or de-icers designed for troughs are excellent investments for preventing frozen water sources.

5. Reducing Exercise and Ignoring Seasonal Hazards

When temperatures plummet, it is tempting to cut back on riding and turnout. However, regular exercise remains important for maintaining muscle tone, joint flexibility, and digestive health. Even if riding is not possible due to weather or footing, hand-walking, lunging, or simply allowing turnout in a safe paddock provides much-needed movement. Lack of activity is linked to stiffness and can contribute to colic risk, making exercise a valuable preventive tool.

Another overlooked winter hazard is barn dust. Closing up barns tightly in an effort to conserve warmth often traps dust, mold spores, and ammonia odors from urine, all of which irritate the respiratory system. Keeping stalls clean, wetting down dusty hay, and maintaining ventilation reduces this risk. Having a plan for emergencies—such as power outages, blizzards, or ice storms—also ensures that horses won’t go without water, feed, or shelter when the unexpected strikes.

Conclusion

Winter can be a demanding season for both horses and their caretakers. Over-blanketing, insufficient shelter, neglected grooming, poor dietary adjustments, and lack of exercise are five of the most frequent mistakes, but they are also avoidable with thoughtful management. The central principle is consistency—checking on horses daily, adapting to changing conditions, and maintaining the same level of attentiveness in December as in June. By doing so, owners can help their horses not just survive but remain healthy and comfortable throughout the cold months.

By Garrett Metcalf, DVM

Splint bone issues in horses are a common problem across various ages and disciplines. These injuries can be caused by excessive work in young horses or by traumatic injuries. The splint bones play an important role in the stability of the joints they help form at the knee or hock level. This article will discuss the different types of splint bone injuries and their treatments.

The splint bones are small bones that are intimately attached to the inside and outside of the cannon bone. To understand which section is injured, it’s helpful to break the splint bone down into three parts: the head, the mid-body section, and the button. The head of the splint bones forms part of the carpus (knee) in the forelimb and part of the hock in the hindlimb. Research has demonstrated the important role splint bones play in the stability of these joints. A study conducted at Colorado State College of Veterinary Medicine noted that when larger portions of the splint bone were removed, rotational stability in the carpus was significantly impacted, and other directional forces were also affected.

Diagnosing splint bone injuries is generally straightforward with radiographs, though in some cases, ultrasound can also be helpful. Bone or callus formation around these splint bone injuries can compress the suspensory ligament, leading to chronic pain and lameness issues.

Popped Splints

“Popped splints” refer to injuries that generally occur in younger horses entering training and work. These injuries typically affect the inside forelimb splints and can be quite painful, leading to loss of training time. A popped splint is the result of tearing the ligament that holds the splint bone to the cannon bone, known as the interosseous ligament. When the ligament is torn, bleeding can occur, disrupting the periosteum of the bones and causing a callus or firm bony lump.

The inside splint on the forelimb is more prone to injury because it bears direct load with the second carpal bone at the head of the splint bone. This places direct force on the splint bone, while other splint bones share the load with adjacent carpal or hock bones.

Popped splints are often painful, with noticeable swelling near the splint bone and heat present. When palpated, a moderate amount of pain will be elicited.

Treatment for popped splints typically includes rest, systemic anti-inflammatory drugs, and local anti-inflammatory treatments. Acute inflammation can be soothed with ice, cold therapies, and bandaging. Alternative therapies such as cold laser therapy, MagnaWave, or shockwave therapy can also be incorporated into the treatment plan. In more extreme cases, surgical removal of the bone callus may be necessary to prevent compression of the suspensory ligament.

Splint Bone Fractures

Splint bone fractures can occur at any level of the splint bone, but some areas are more commonly fractured. The distal one-third of the splint bone is most often fractured in the forelimbs. These fractures are occasionally associated with forelimb suspensory ligament issues. The suspensory ligament has a small attachment to the button of the splint bone, and when the lower limb is heavily extended, bending forces on the lower part of the splint bones can lead to fractures.

In the hind limb, the outside (lateral) splint bone is the most commonly fractured. These fractures often result from kicking injuries. When two horses don’t get along and kick at each other, the lateral splint bone is often the one that gets broken. These injuries are particularly problematic due to the open wounds that are heavily contaminated with manure, hair, and dirt, as well as injuries to flexor tendons.

Fractures near the head of the splint are especially problematic and can sometimes be career-ending or life-threatening. These fractures can involve the joints of the carpus or hock, leading to septic arthritis, severe lameness, and possibly serious instability of the corresponding joint. The rule of thumb for equine veterinarians when surgically removing damaged or fractured splint bones is the “two-thirds, one-third rule.” This means the lower two-thirds of the splint bone can be safely removed, but the upper one-third should be preserved whenever possible. Complete removal of the upper one-third of the splint bone can lead to chronic lameness or, worse, catastrophic joint dislocation when the horse attempts to rise from anesthesia. In some cases, the fractured upper one-third of the splint can be repaired using plates and screws to maintain stability in the joint.

Smaller traumatic injuries to the splint bone often occur from interference injuries or when the horse’s own feet hit the inner splint bones during work. These injuries can be prevented with the use of splint boots on the lower limbs during exercise. Some lower limb boots provide support to the fetlock and suspensory ligament, which can help prevent distal splint bone fractures, although they are not always fully protective.

Conclusion

Some splint bone injuries are relatively simple and common issues that many horse owners can address. However, more serious traumatic fractures and wounds related to splint injuries should be examined by a veterinarian. If you suspect a splint bone injury, it’s best to consult a professional to ensure proper treatment and prevent further complications.

Read more in the September 2025 issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch.

By Krista Lucas Wynn

            By the month of August, summer is in full swing, and equine enthusiasts will be traveling to rodeos, trail rides and other events with their equine partners. Whether traveling across North Texas or across the country, it is important to know the tricks of the trade before leaving home.

            It is vital to carry fresh water when traveling. Offering clean, cool water to horses keeps them hydrated and ready to perform. Water can be hung in a trailer, stall or while tied to the trailer for a horse to be able to drink at leisure. Stalled horses should have at least two buckets in front of them at all times. It may even be beneficial to pack electrolytes to help replace any lost hydration while on the road. Fans are important to have on hand as well. Box fans may be used while stalling away from home, to keep air flowing during these hot summer days.

            Be sure to take plenty of hay and feed, depending on the duration of the trip. If going away for a few hours, one hay bag may suffice. When staying overnight somewhere, it is vital to be able to feed the horse’s usual grain from home while on the road, and owners may need to bring bags of shavings for stalls or the trailer, for more comfortable bedding.

            Grooming supplies are also important to have on hand. Brushes, curry combs and hoof picks are a few to not leave home without, along with fly spray and ShowSheen for the mane and tail. Depending on the discipline, owners may need a few other things besides a saddle, pad, bridle, leg wraps, and bell boots. If going very far from home, it is a good idea to bring multiple of each, just in case something breaks. Some owners even pack a few extra horseshoes and shoeing tools in case of an emergency.

            Speaking of emergencies, it is also important to have certain medical supplies on hand. A veterinarian may not always be on hand or convenient to get ahold of. Horses that are traveling up and down the road, may experience episodes of colic, tying up or other illnesses due to the stress of traveling. Always seek a veterinarian’s help when available, but be prepared by packing an emergency first aid kit. There are plenty of lists available online to help decide what a horse may need while on the road. Properly taking care of and knowing the horse can be critical in avoiding emergencies while traveling.

            Weather can play a factor in travel, and it is important to be prepared for all types. Being weather aware can also help avoid catastrophe on the road with horses. Other items to consider if going very far include auto products like spare tires and tools to change a flat. Also, always fuel up when the opportunity arises. Many northern states do not have as many diesel pumps or diesel exhaust fluid available like Texas.

            Horses will also need proper papers to travel across state lines. Negative coggins papers and a health certificate is a must. Most events or public places require both. Coggins is a yearly blood test checking for antibodies against the transmissible viral disease, Equine Infectious Anemia, and a clean health certificate can be obtained for one specific address or for up to six months if traveling multiple places.

            Before leaving home, go over this checklist to get started on packing for the next adventure with an equine partner. Whether staying in North Texas, or traveling across the country, remember to enjoy the experience, and hopefully this list will help to prepare.