Shelter for horses over Winter

Winter is a good time to consider installing a shelter

It's getting chilly out now! But don't worry, when it comes to sheltering your horse over winter, you won't need a draft-free barn with central heating. Believe it or not, Horses are far better equipped to endure the harsh winter months than we are! 

Having evolved over thousands of years from much harsher and wilder conditions, the modern Horse has no problem facing the rain, wind or cold during Christmas time and beyond. However, if it's a vicious case of all three (an average day in Glasgow then?!) then even the toughest horses do tend to head for shelter. 

If there is no shelter available, they turn their tail to the wind, lower their heads, shiver to keep warm and maintain their average body temperature and basically, as only horses can do, ride out the storm.

Despite this, Horse owners should not consider it cruel to leave horses outside in the winter weather, provided that they are in an environment that allows them to exercise to stay warm, has a wind break, and has an elevated place to stand where they are not up to their knees in a soup of mud, manure and urine. 

However, having a wind break - something to stop the force of wind, say a wooden structure or panel built into the hill - and some kind of shelter is much more important in especially cold weather, particularly the combination of rain/snow and wind, in order to help prevent wind chill. 

For more info on horse supplies and products, please visit Tic Tac Equestrian.