Did you know the ground is not frozen under the snow right now? How can that be when we have had over 20 days with temps below freezing?
While pushing snow with my loader recently, I dug up some sod. The thick blanket of snow on the ground has insulated it from freezing during this cold spell. The dryer and fluffier the snow is, the more air it traps. Air, specifically trapped air, is a great insulator.
Wild and domesticated animals are naturally designed and have adapted for their fur, feathers and body to trap air and insulate them from extreme cold. During the recent cold wave, I was called when someone was concerned about the health of some horses. My “city friend” was worried when she saw the horses standing in the snowfall on a cold day. I reassured her they were fine.
If a farmer provides fresh water, shelter from the wind and plenty of forages those farmyard animals can withstand winter much better than any of us. Many mistakenly think that the onset of cold weather makes our animals grow that thick winter coat. It is actually the absence of light as our day/night cycle change that makes animals grow a thick winter coat.
Shorter days not only create the thick coat, the colder the temperature, the more a horse’s hair will stand up, thus trapping more air. Animals also grow layers of fat under the skin to help insulate them. And of course, their hides are leather; we use that same leather to make coats to keep ourselves warm.
Please do not panic when you see animals outside with snow on their backs. While some see that as a bad thing, the reality is that is proof of how well their natural coat is insulating their body. This is scientific evidence of the wonder of nature, however, if you are not aware of the science, you may see it as animal abuse.
My barn cat looks fat. When I pick up the 6” wide cat, my hands reveal the truth. The fur on that cat is so thick it is doubling its size. I have no worries about the cold affecting my cat; the coyotes hunting rabbits in the horse pasture looking for a big meal to keep them warm are a much bigger concern.
The reality is that extreme cold is not bad like most think. The most dangerous temperature is just above freezing when it is combined with rain or snow. The natural insulation is lost if an animal’s fur is wet.
In closing, I must comment about the fact you may very well see horses outside wearing blankets. My words above suggest it is not necessary and scientific evidence suggests it alters the horse’s natural adaptation to our weather. Yet, many people blanket their horse, their perception does not match with science. Some also believe that those that do not blanket are mistreating their animals. One of my hay customers made a statement that explains this best, “If the horse has a blanket, it means the owner is cold.”
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