Preparing Your Horse for Winter in the UK

As someone who has owned horses for more than 30 years, I know exactly what a British winter can throw at you. Mud, frozen taps, soaked rugs, cut-up fields, and that constant worry: “Are they warm enough?” The good news is that with a bit of planning, you can keep your horse comfortable, healthy, and settled right through the colder months.

Below I’ll walk you through winter feeding, stabling, rugs, bedding, hoof care, mud fever, turnout, water, and general health checks—all explained in plain English for everyday owners, not just competition yards.

Winter Horse Feeding Tips UK – Keeping Weight On Your Horse in Cold Weather

Before the cold really bites, run your hands along your horse’s neck, ribs, and rump. Thick winter coats hide weight loss, but your hands won’t lie.

In winter your horse burns more calories just staying warm, so good forage is essential. Quality hay or haylage keeps them warm from the inside out and supports gut health. I always recommend stocking up in advance so you’re not scrambling in January when supply tightens.

If your horse needs extra condition, add fiber-based feed or a balancer rather than piling on mixes and cereals. Slow and steady weight gain is better than sudden changes. And don’t forget salt and minerals—the little things matter.

Fresh water is important too (more on that below). Horses won’t eat well if they’re not drinking well.

Winter Horse Stabling and Shelter—Keeping Stables Warm, Dry and Well Ventilated

Some horses live out. Some come in at night. Some are in most of the day through winter because fields get boggy. Whatever your setup, shelter is non-negotiable.

For horses living out, make sure the field shelter is solid, faces away from the prevailing wind, and has a dry standing area so your horse isn’t always ankle-deep in slop.

For stabled horses, check for leaks, drafts at floor level, and poor airflow. It’s tempting to “seal the horse in” on a cold night, but stale air and ammonia are not kind to the lungs. Clean, dry bedding and sensible airflow will keep your horse more comfortable (and healthier) than a damp, stuffy stable.

Best Horse Rugs for Winter UK—Do You Need a Lightweight, Mediumweight, or Heavyweight Rug?

Rugging is one of the questions I get most from nervous or newer owners. It’s also one of the areas where I see the most worry and, sometimes, overdoing it.

Here’s what I’ve learned over the years:

• A native type with a thick natural coat, in good condition, with shelter, may not need a rug at all except in the worst weather.

  
  

• A fully or partially clipped horse, an older horse, or a horse that drops weight easily will usually appreciate a rug.

  
  

• Think practical, not “pretty” or “matchy.” A good rug is one that fits well, keeps the rain off, and doesn’t rub.

  
  

Simple guide:

• Lightweight turnout rug—for mild but wet days, autumn into early winter, or hardy horses who just need a waterproof layer.

• Mediumweight rug—ideal for clipped horses or finer types as temperatures drop.

• Heavyweight rug—for genuinely cold spells, older horses, or very lean horses who struggle to keep warm.

  
  

Always check under the rug daily. Feel for warmth behind the shoulder and around the chest. If your horse is sweaty under there, they’re too hot. An overheated horse is not a comfortable horse. Also keep an eye on withers and shoulders for rubs.

One last point: rugs aren’t “set and forget.” Weather changes fast. So do horses.

Best Bedding for Horse Stables in Winter—Straw, Shavings, Pellets and Deep Litter

When horses spend more time in the stable, the bed they stand and lie on really matters. Over the years, I’ve used straw, shavings, and deep litter systems, and I’ve spoken to many owners who love pellets. Each has pros and cons.

Straw Bedding for Horses

Straw has always been a popular choice because it’s usually cheaper and easy to get. It soaks up moisture fairly well and gives a nice, deep bed that horses can nestle into.

Downsides: it can be dusty, and it’s not always the best for horses with breathing sensitivity. It can also be a bit harder work to fully muck out because it breaks up.

Tip from experience: use a good quality, clean straw. Poor straw can be sharp, dusty, and full of seeds.

Wood Shavings Bedding for Horses

Good shavings are absorbent, warm, and relatively easy to muck out. They’re especially nice for horses who like a soft bed and for stables where warmth is a concern.

I was lucky enough to live near a wood yard for a while. The owner was happy for us to bag up the shavings and take them away in the trailer for free—so it’s worth asking around locally. If you can get clean shavings directly from the source, you can save serious money.

Downsides: bagged shavings are more expensive than straw and still a bit dusty unless you buy dust-extracted types.

Wood Pellet Bedding for Horses

Although I haven’t personally used wood pellets in my own stables, they’ve become very popular. Pellets are made from compressed sawdust. Once you wet them to fluff them up, they’re very absorbent and easy to manage.

They’re also easy to store and easy to top up, and many people like that they’re biodegradable and considered more environmentally friendly than some other options.

Deep Litter Bedding System for Horses

Deep litter is exactly what it sounds like: you build up a thick bed, and you don’t lift all of it every day. You take out the very wet patches and droppings and then keep topping up with clean bedding so the base gets deep, warm, and insulating.

Benefits:

• Warm, soft bed for tired joints.

• Less bedding wasted every single day.

• Works well in winter when horses are in longer hours.

  
  

But—and this is important—it still needs managing. The bed must be turned and topped up, and the stable must stay well ventilated; otherwise, you’ll get ammonia, smell, and possible skin or respiratory irritation.

How to Dispose of Used Horse Bedding—Muckheap, Composting and Yard Safety

However you bed your stable, the waste has to go somewhere.

You’ve got a few main options:

• Muckheap/midden and composting: Straw and shavings will rot down over time and turn into lovely fertilizer for fields and gardens. To help it break down, keep the heap slightly moist (not waterlogged), add a mix of droppings and bedding, and turn it regularly to let air in.

• Landfill: Sometimes this is the only realistic option, but it’s not the most environmentally friendly.

• Incineration: Usually only available on larger setups with the right license/equipment.

• Pellets as fuel: Some pellet bedding can be reused as biomass fuel once it’s dry, though you’ll need to check what’s allowed locally.

  
  

One VERY important safety tip from my own past (learned the hard way): do not build your muckheap right next to a wooden building. A muckheap can heat up inside as it breaks down. Years ago, we put ours too close to an old shed, and it actually combusted one hot summer. Luckily, only the shed went up—but that was a lesson learned. Keep your muckheap in a sensible, safe place.

Winter Hoof Care for Horses—Preventing Thrush and Foot Problems in Wet Weather

Winter is hard on hooves. Constant wetness, mud, standing water, and poached gateways mean soft soles and bacteria have the perfect opportunity to cause trouble.

Daily hoof picking is not optional in winter. Clean out mud and check for any black, smelly areas around the frog—that can be thrush starting. Keeping the legs as dry as possible is important too. Horses that stand in filthy, wet conditions day after day are at higher risk.

Don’t skip farrier visits just because you’re riding less. Hooves still grow, still chip, and still need balancing. A good farrier is worth their weight in gold all year round.

Mud Fever in Horses—Signs, Prevention and Treatment

If you’ve kept horses in the UK for any length of time, you’ve probably dealt with mud fever at least once. It’s a common skin condition caused by bacteria getting into tiny cracks in the skin, usually on the lower legs. Wet, muddy fields make it worse.

Typical signs of mud fever include:

• Redness and heat in the skin at the heels/pastern.

• Scabs and crusty areas that are sore to touch.

• Swelling, which can spread up the leg in bad cases.

• Your horse not wanting you to touch the area, or even going lame if it’s painful.

  
  

How to help prevent mud fever:

• Don’t leave horses standing in deep mud all day if you can avoid it.

• Rotate turnout if possible to reduce poaching.

• Try not to overwash the legs every time they come in. Constant washing softens the skin and can actually make the problem worse.

  
  

How to treat mud fever: Bring your horse in, somewhere dry. Gently clip the area so you can actually see what you’re dealing with. Clean it with a mild antiseptic to kill bacteria. Keep the area dry and protected. A thin layer of something like Vaseline can help act as a barrier and stop further irritation. If it’s spreading, very sore, or your horse is lame, speak to your vet. Mud fever can get nasty if ignored.

When to call your vet: It’s always important to get proper veterinary advice if you’re worried about your horse’s health. If the mud fever isn’t clearing up, if the skin is weeping or swollen, if your horse is in obvious pain, or if they’ve gone lame, please don’t just keep trying creams and hoping it will settle. Infections around the lower limb can become serious quite quickly if they’re not treated correctly. Your vet can confirm what you’re dealing with, advise on the right products for your horse’s skin, and, if needed, prescribe medication.

While the leg is healing, clean, dry bedding (often straw works well) and limited mud exposure for a while really help.

Winter Turnout and Exercise – Keeping Your Horse Moving Safely

Even in horrible weather, turnout matters. Horses are not designed to stand still in a stable for 23 hours a day. Movement supports gut health, joints, and mood.

When riding, allow longer warm-up and cool-down times in winter. Stiff muscles need more gentle stretching. A fleece or quarter sheet over the hindquarters in the warm-up can really help, especially with older horses.

If your fields are a bog, a surfaced turnout pen or a sacrifice paddock (one area you accept will get trashed) is better than keeping a horse in for days on end.

Winter Horse Water and Hydration – Stopping Buckets and Troughs from Freezing

Horses sometimes drink less in cold weather, especially if the water is very cold. That can lead to dehydration and, in some cases, increase the risk of impaction colic.

Check troughs and buckets morning and evening. Break any ice. Offer slightly warmed water if you can. Some horses also drink better if you feed soaked hay or a warm mash.

Hydration isn’t just a summer problem. It’s a quiet winter problem.

Winter Horse Health Checks – Teeth, Worming, Vaccinations and Daily Grooming

Before winter fully settles in, make sure your horse is up to date with:

• Worming (on an appropriate worm control plan),

• Vaccinations,

• Tack fit,

• And teeth.

  
  

A thick coat can hide a lot. Daily grooming with your hands and eyes is still the best early warning system you’ll ever have. You’ll feel weight changes, you’ll spot skin issues, you’ll notice heat or swelling.

And honestly? That quiet daily check-in is often when you first notice that “something’s not quite right.”

Horse Owner Confidence in Winter – Riding Nerves, Cold Weather and Fresh Horses

I can’t finish without talking about confidence, because that’s why I started The Confident Rider in the first place.

Winter can rattle even experienced riders. Horses can be sharp in cold weather, the ground can feel unpredictable, and sometimes a single bad spook can knock you back mentally more than you’d like to admit.

I created my Self-Hypnosis audio sessions for riders who feel anxious, overthink, brace for the worst, or have lost trust in themselves. The goal is simple: help you feel calmer, more secure, and more present in the saddle again — so you can enjoy your horse instead of tensing for what might go wrong.

If you’d like help with that side of winter riding, that’s exactly what The Confident Rider is here for. Take a look at my Nervous Rider Action Plan

Stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy your horse this winter. If you want to know a bit more about me CHECK OUT MY BIO