Why Do Horses Get Frisky in Cold Weather?

As cold weather sets in during fall and winter, many horse owners report a familiar phenomenon: their horses become more energetic, excitable, and even a bit unpredictable. While it can be fun to watch your horse gallop and play, frisky behavior isn’t helpful in the training or competition ring—and it can pose a safety risk.

So why do horses seem to get frisky when temperatures drop? And how can you mitigate the performance and handling problems that can come with that extra energy?

It Might Not Be About the Weather

A change in atmosphere and environment—such as a weather system that brings wet, windy, or snowy weather—might prompt a horse to be more alert or quick to employ their flight response. Genetics and personality play a role, too: just like people, some horses do occasionally seem to enjoy romping and playing in new snow. But research has shown that, in general, horses tend to slow down, rather than speed up, once winter cold sets in.

In cold temperatures, horses tend to adopt behaviors that save their energy and promote warmth, such as seeking shelter, standing close together, and reducing their overall activity. Some breeds, like Shetland ponies, have been found to slow their metabolisms in winter, including reducing their heart rate and subcutaneous temperature, in another energy-conservation strategy. Healthy horses who are domesticated and managed by humans don’t gallop around to keep warm; they typically are able to stay warm in winter cold simply through access to shelter, blankets if needed, and ample water and food—especially high-quality forage, because digesting good hay is a critical way they maintain their body temperature. (Thin, aged, or recovering horses who find it difficult to maintain their weight through the winter also can benefit from a high-fat supplement like Equi-Jewel.)

Management Factors That Add “Spice”

Feeding Simple Carbohydrates

During winter, many horse owners provide additional hay or even grain in an effort to meet their horses’ higher demand for calories to stay warm. While this can help maintain body weight and warmth, diets that are high in simple carbohydrates like grain and molasses can create a “sugar rush”—hormone fluctuations that promote excitability or even anxiety in some horses and can even contribute to colic, gastric ulcers, or laminitis.

Reduced Turnout or Training

Winter weather often brings restrictions on turnout or training time due to ice, snow, or muddy conditions. Especially for horses who are used to a lot of time outside, longer confinement can lead to pent-up energy that can put them on their toes or make them act out, either from frustration at being kept in or from excitement when they’re finally taken out again.

A diet that’s high in concentrates, rather than forage, and the potential stress of extended time without exercise also can put a horse at risk of gastrointestinal issues, including gastric ulcers.

Vitamin or Mineral Deficiency

Research has shown that horses who are deficient in the mineral magnesium or who have inadequate levels of essential B vitamins like thiamine—which horses typically get from fresh forage like green pasture grass—can appear nervous. Horses whose grazing is interrupted for an extended time, who lack regular access to high-quality hay, or whose thiamine requirements have increased due to stress might show increased irritability or sensitivity.

Managing Frisky Behavior

Maintain Exercise

Turnout even in cold or snowy conditions is important, provided your horse has access to an area that’s safe and ice-free. Empty indoor arenas also can make good equine playgrounds when footing or weather conditions outside prevent outdoor turnout—just be sure to remove mounting blocks, jumps, or other obstacles that could present a safety hazard to a horse with a playful case of the “zoomies.”

Even if you can’t complete your full workout routine, a long walk can still allow your horse to enjoy low-impact exercise that benefits their body and mind.

Engage and Socialize

If you’re not able to ride, look for ways to engage with your horse and to let them spend time with other horses. Ground work, trick training, and even group hand-walking or grooming sessions with other horses and their owners can mentally stimulate your horse, prevent boredom, and allow them to socialize with other horses and humans, too.

Feed a “Cool” Diet

While it’s vital to provide adequate forage to help your horse generate body heat, you may want to moderate energy-dense feeds like grain concentrates if your horse isn’t working as hard in the winter. “Cool” fats like stabilized rice bran—which are digested slowly and don’t cause the hormone spikes associated with excitability—and super fibers like beet pulp can provide energy without spicing up your horse’s behavior.

Consider a Calming Supplement

Horses who are inclined to be fresh when training or turnout is interrupted—or ones who are prone to excitability, lack of focus, or spookiness—can benefit from a calming supplement like Trouble Free™ paste or powder. Trouble Free’s ingredients include magnesium and thiamine (vitamin B1), and it is formulated to support the healthy nervous system function that can help a horse maintain a calm and confident manner.

Winter doesn’t have to mean dealing with an out-of-control horse. By understanding the reasons behind your horse’s increased energy and implementing appropriate management strategies, you can safely enjoy your horse throughout the colder months and keep them happy and focused, too.

SPONSOR: Whether fed daily or as needed during stressful situations, Trouble Free™ is scientifically formulated to support the normal nerve function horses need to maintain calmness and focus on performance—so you can enjoy your partnership. Available in powder or paste. Learn more here.