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Horse Help?

Hey! I have four horses at home, my sister's Shetland named Red, my mom's Quarter horse, Roscoe, and my POA, named Chief.Also, my friend boards her POA, Rusty, at our house too.Well, it's winter here in Missouri (obviously) which means snow, freezing rain sleet, below freezing temps, and all that fun stuff.Our horses are pasture horses who also have 24/7 acess to stalls where the wind cannot get to themRoscoe, Red, and Rusty are fine, but my horse Cheif comes in every day shaking all over.The vet has checked him and says there's nothing medically wrong and that he'll be okay, but i'm not the kind of person who wants her horse to be "just okay"I just don't like seeing him so cold!It bothers me to see him suffer.I have seriously considered getting him a blanket, but fellow equestrains have advised me against it: they can get caught in fences, and if the horse rolls in bad weather, it keeps them wet and cold. I was just wondering if there was another solution.Any tips or ideas are welcome

Public Comments

1. Some people make warm "bran mashes" for their horses(like a warm cereal that we'd eat). I use to know a recipe, but it's been years since I have been around a horse on a regular basis, maybe some other horse owner knows the recipes, or there is a place online that you can find it at. Good luck. (hey, I found a place): http://horsecare.stablemade.com/articles2/bran_mash.htm
2. I would get him a blanket if they get caught on a fence all the will do is rip and you just sow it all horse that are out side should be blanketed. And if they roll and it gets them wet and cold that's what water proof blankets are made for. I highly suggest getting him a blanket! All horses at my barn are blanketed and there always warm and there blankets barley ever rip and it only cost like 10 bucks to get it sowed! And obveously the horse needs to be warmer and he already has a stall to go into and hes still cold so i really think you should buy a blanket even if its lighter! good luck
3. I used to live in Michigan, and winters got pretty rough there. I had several large pastures, which all had multiple run-in shelters, with ample room for every horse to be inside, uncrowded, warm and dry. Some horses just preferred to stand out in the weather, even if they were wet and shivering. I purchased New Zealand rugs for them. They are water & wind proof, lined with wool, and are akin to the horse carrying it's own, little portable barn, right on it's back!
4. That horse needs a turnout blanket...!
5. warm bran mash, mabey keep him in the barn when its suposed to be really cold. and buy him a nice winter blanket.they can be expensive but if its a good blanket its worth it.
6. Try upping the amount of hay he's given to eat. Something about how hay digests helps a horse generate body heat. I've a horse who will stand out in the snow, sleet, rain whatever...a bit lacking in the horse sense department....but doesn't seem to hurt him any. If there's an available area, you might lunge your horse a little when he's shivering, some exercise'll help him warm up.
7. Getting your horse a "stable blanket", in other words, one that is not waterproofed will not keep him dry. If your fences are safe, the horse's blanket should not get caught in it. A good turnout blanket that is waterproof, windproof, and breathable is your best bet. They are designed to stay on the horse when they roll and most are guaranteed for 3 to 5 years in case they rip or a buckle breaks (they WILL send you a new one and a return shipping label for the old one...I know, I had to have one replaced). The other thing you can do is make sure that your horse has access to all of the good quality hay he can eat during the day and at night. This will help him have the energy to keep warm. Also, if you do not have one, get a tank heater for their water. It does not make the water that warm or even hot, but it will keep the ice off and will increase his core body temp. during the day. . It will also help prevent kidney problems from not drinking because the water is too cold. If you really want to get him doing better, do all of these things! :-) You can get heavy weight turnouts on ebay for around $20...or from one of the discount places for $45 to $65. Make sure you measure your horse correctly (center of chest, around the horse to center of tail). This will make sure the blanket fits properly to avoid snow getting under the blanket and melting...and also to avoid shifting of the blanket.
8. Nora is right. I used to feed mine a hot breakfast and supper and here is what i would feed him 1 can of oats and Sweet feed or put some molasses in the feed and 1/2 can of Bran and had the hot water and mix up and feed. As far as a blanket you can do it but keep him in a stall I would be worried if he got tangled up in it and warm his water too. Good Luck
9. well obviously your horse is cold, so get him a blanket, just keep straps from hanging where they can get caught and get a water proof blanket so it wont get wet if he roles in snow so it wont get wet and your horse stays warm, also you can get a high denear blanket so it wont rip and get caught
10. Blankets are the best bet. There are tons of great blankets out there and most are waterproof. Weatherbeeta and turtleneck blankets are the best. I would recomend getting two, so you can rotate them. There are different kinds and i would recomend getting a winter one. Try going to horse.com jefferspets.com or any online horse store. You can get them online a lot cheaper than in stores. I wouldnt care what other people said about blankets. I use them every winter here in WA and they are a lifesaver in the rain and cold weather. Another way to keep your horse warm is to feed more hay. By eating the hay, the horse's digestive system is kicked into gear and that in itself produces some heat. warm bran mash is also a choice, but the hay would be the best bet. I highly recomend getting a blanket. Hope i could help!!
12. I only saw shivers on a soaking wet horse, he must be wet!Get a well fitted winter blanket for him, waterproof like the Austrailian "throw out rug" I never had trouble with any blanket with a closure on it. The ones that go over the head are dangerous cause as you are taking it off or on the horse can (and has on me!) step one leg through the head opening with the head still in there! What a circus that was! Not funny very scary, it took 3 of us to get her undone without really hurting herself. Best of luck!