Winter Care For Older Horses: A Practical Checklist

Winter can be particularly tough on older horses. As temperatures drop and pasture quality declines, senior horses often struggle to maintain weight, stay warm, and remain comfortable.

If your horse is "getting on a bit", a few simple management changes can make a big difference to their health and wellbeing through the colder months.

One of the most important considerations in winter is diet.

Older horses:

• Burn more energy to stay warm
• May struggle to maintain weight
• Often have reduced ability to digest and utilise feed

In addition, pasture quality drops significantly during winter, especially in coastal areas.

Key tips:

• Increased feed as temperatures drop
• Provide high-quality hay or forage
• Consider senior-specific feeds
• Add protein or energy supplements where needed
• Monitor body condition regularly

If your horse is losing weight, it's often a sign something needs adjusting - not just "old age".

Monitoring your horse's body condition score (BCS) is one of the most important ways to asses how they are coping through winter.

Older horses can lose weight quickly, often before it's obvious at a glance.

What to look for:

Run your hands over your horse - don't just rely on visual appearance.

• Ribs
  • Easily felt = may be underweight
  • Difficult to feel = may be overweight
• Topline (back and spine)
  • Prominent spine = weight loss
  • Smooth, rounded topline = ideal
• Hips and tail head
  • Sharp or sunken = underconditioned
  • Rounded = healthy

Simple Guide:

• Too thin ? review dental/health care and discuss feed plan with vet
• Ideal ? maintain current feeding program
• Overweight ? adjust diet carefully

Even small changes in condition are important in older horses - early adjustments can prevent more serious issues.

If you're unsure, our team can help assess your horse's condition and adjust their feeding plan.  

Dental Health becomes increasingly important with age.

If your horse cannot chew properly:

• Feed is wasted
• Weight loss occurs
• Digestive issues may develop

Regular dental checks help ensure your horse can properly utilise their feed and maintain condition.

Learn more about our equine dental care services and how regular checks can support your horse's condition.

A pre-winter check is one of the best things you can do for an old horse.

Regular checks allow us to:

• Identify issues early
• Assess weight and condition
• Review feeding plans
• Check for underlying disease

Early intervention can save significant cost and stress later.

For the safety of our staff, clients, and horses, some veterinary procedures require horses to be vaccinated against Hendra virus.

This is particularly important for procedures such as dental work and other higher-risk treatments.

Some owners are concerned that older horses may be less able to tolerate vaccination. Current evidence does not support this, and in most cases, vaccination is well tolerated in older horses.

Importantly, being vaccinated allows us to:

• Safely perform essential procedures
• provide timely treatment whe needed
• Deliver a higher standard of care without delay

Learn more about Hendra virus requirements for horses and what this means for your horse's care.

Older horses often have reduced immunity, making them more susceptible to parasite burdens.

Rather than routine worming, we recommend:

• Faecal egg counts
• Strategic worming plans

This ensures effective control while reducing resistance. 

Cold, wet, and windy conditions can be particularly hard on older horses.

Make sure your horse has:

• Access to shelter from wind and rain
• Dry areas to lie down
• Protection from prolonged exposure

Consider:

• Using a well-fitted winter rug
• Checking rugs daily for fit and rubbing
• Ensuring your horse stays dry overnight

Older horses often struggle more to regulate body temperature, so comfort is key.

in winter, horses may drink less - especially if water is cold.

This increases the risk of:

• Dehydration
• Impaction colic

Tips:

• Ensure constant access to clean water
• Check troughs regularly
• Encourage drinking if intake drops

Cold weather can worsen stiffness and joint pain.

Signs may include:

• Stiffness after rest
• Reluctant to move
• Reduced activity

Joint support, appropriate exercise, and veterinary treatment can help keep older horses comfortable.

Contact Vet Cross if you notice:

• Weight loss
• Difficulty eating or chewing
• Lying down more than usual
• Stiffness or reluctance to move
• Changes in behaviour or condition
• Signs of colic or reduced manure output

These signs are often early indicators of underlying problems, not just ageing.

With the right care, many older horses continue to live happy, comfortable lives well into their later years.

Winter just requires a little extra attention.

If you're unsure about your horse's condition, diet, or care plan, the team at Vet Cross is always happy to help.