November 21, 2025
Keeping a horse healthy and happy is a year-round commitment. Each season brings its own set of challenges, from winter’s biting cold to summer’s intense heat. Understanding these seasonal hurdles is the first step toward proactive care, ensuring your horse remains in peak condition no matter the weather.
Gladiator Equine will walk you through the common health issues horses face throughout the year. We’ll cover practical solutions for each season, helping you anticipate problems and keep your equine partner thriving.
Winter Woes
Winter requires extra vigilance to keep horses warm, hydrated, and comfortable. The cold can put significant stress on their bodies if not managed properly.
1. Cold Stress and Hydration
Horses are remarkably resilient in the cold, but they burn extra calories just to stay warm. A primary source of their internal heat comes from digesting forage.
Solutions: Increase their hay intake by providing free-choice access to high-quality forage. This process of digestion, called thermogenesis, is your horse’s natural furnace. Also, ensure they have constant access to unfrozen water. Horses often drink less in cold weather, which can lead to dehydration and colic. Heated buckets or troughs are a worthwhile investment.
2. Colic and Joint Stiffness
The risk of colic can increase in winter due to reduced water intake and changes in routine. Confinement in stalls can also lead to “stocking up” (fluid buildup in the legs) and joint stiffness.
Solutions: Encourage movement through regular turnout or hand-walking. This helps maintain circulation and joint flexibility. For exercise, allow for longer warm-up periods, as muscles and joints require more time to prepare for work in cold conditions.
Spring Sensitivities
As the world awakens, spring introduces new allergens and rich pastures that can be a shock to a horse’s system after a winter diet.
3. Pasture-Associated Laminitis
The lush, fast-growing grass in spring is high in sugars, which can trigger laminitis — a painful and serious hoof condition — in susceptible horses.
Solutions: Transition your horse from hay to pasture gradually. Limit grazing time, especially during the initial weeks of spring growth. Using a grazing muzzle can also help manage their intake.
4. Allergies
Pollen and other environmental allergens are abundant in the spring, which can cause respiratory issues or skin irritations in some horses.
- Solutions: Monitor pollen counts and consider keeping sensitive horses indoors during peak times. Soaking hay can also help reduce dust and other airborne irritants.
Summer Stressors
Summer’s heat and insects present the biggest challenges, requiring careful management to prevent overheating and disease.
5. Heat Stress
High temperatures and humidity can easily lead to heat stress or dehydration, especially during exercise.
Solutions: Provide constant access to fresh, clean water and consider adding electrolytes to their feed to replenish what’s lost through sweat. Schedule strenuous exercise for cooler parts of the day, like the early morning or late evening. Ensure there is always a shaded area available in their pasture.
6. Insect-Borne Diseases
Mosquitoes, flies, and ticks are more than just a nuisance; they can transmit serious diseases.
Solutions: Use effective insect control methods, such as fly sprays, masks, and sheets. Keep stalls and pastures clean to reduce breeding grounds for pests. Stay current with vaccinations recommended by your veterinarian to protect against insect-borne illnesses.
Autumn Adjustments
As the days shorten and cool, the focus shifts to preparing your horse for the coming winter.
7. Respiratory Issues
Dust, mold, and fluctuating temperatures in autumn can trigger respiratory problems like heaves.
Solutions: Ensure stalls and barns have good ventilation to reduce dust and ammonia buildup. As horses may spend more time indoors, clean bedding is essential.
8. Weight Management
Pasture quality declines in the fall, so you may need to adjust your horse’s diet to maintain their ideal body condition heading into winter.
Solutions: Gradually supplement their diet with high-quality hay as the grass loses its nutritional value. Monitor your horse’s weight and body condition score, making dietary adjustments as needed to ensure they are at a healthy weight before the cold sets in.
Enhance Your Horse’s Well-being
For challenges that persist year-round, like stress or inflammation, innovative tools can provide crucial support. Gladiator Equine’s Reign Ease PRO is designed to help calm horses using therapeutic far-infrared (FIR) technology. A calm horse is more focused, learns more effectively, and performs with greater confidence. This tool can be particularly useful during training, competition, or stressful situations encountered in any season.
Be Ready for Every Season
By anticipating the unique challenges of each season, you can provide the consistent, thoughtful care your horse needs to stay healthy all year long. From adjusting their diet to modifying their exercise routine, these small changes make a big difference.
Ready to give your horse an edge in health and performance? Shop Gladiator Equine products.
