Winter Horse and Pony Care Tips
Quick Tips to Help Keep Your Horse or Pony Happy and Healthy in Cold Weather
By Katherine Blocksdorf, About.com

Adjust Feeding Programs: As pasture quality or accessibility declines consider increasing hay and concentrates.
Help Horses Keep Warm: Horses kept outside need to eat more fodder. Horses produce a lot of heat during digestion. A generous supply of hay helps keep the horse’s internal furnace stoked.
Add Minerals: If your feeding program does not include a mineral supplement consider adding one.
Have Teeth Checked: Make sure your horse’s or pony’s teeth are looked after by an equine dentist. The inability to grind food properly will prevent a horse from getting all of the nutrients and energy it needs--especially if energy needs increase during colder weather.
Prevent Snowballs: If snow packs into your horse’s hooves try smearing the bottom with petroleum jelly.
If You Ride Frequently: Drying a horse out after a workout is difficult. Consider clipping a heavy hair coat. A clipped horse, without natural insulation, will require stabling and blanketing to keep warm.
Add Insulation: Consider blanketing during wet, very windy, or frigid weather. A wet coat looses its loft--like a wet down jacket, and won’t hold body heat. Windy weather pulls warmth away. Some horses are comfortable during very cold weather; some will be more comfortable in a warm winter blanket.
Provide Shelter: Even if your horses are stabled over night, provide them with a windbreak or shelter especially if you are away most of the day.
Banish Bots: Plan to deworm after the first heavy frost. Use a wormer that includes medication to kill bot larvae.
Continue Deworming: Continue a regular deworming program throughout the winter months.
Don't Let Hooves Get Overgrown: Keep you horse’s hooves clipped. Clipped hooves will chip less, hold less snow, and will provide a bit more grip on slippery ground.
Check Under Blankets: If your horse or pony wears a winter blanket (or rug) during the winter remove it daily and check for chaffing and irritation. Daily grooming keeps coats cleaner and your horse more comfortable if he wears a blanket.
Make Cleaning Frozen Water Buckets Easier: Rubber buckets are easier to knock the ice out of if they become frozen. Plastic buckets used as water buckets can shatter when they freeze. This can create a hazard and wastes money when replacing them. Rubber buckets may cost more initially, but last longer.

Fighting the FREEZE - Winter horse care tips. 
by Kristen Weiss, DVM

Winter generally brings frigid temperatures, slick ice and deep snows. These environmental changes expose our horses to an abundance of seasonal health risks, all of which can be prevented with a little extra effort on the part of the horse owner. With the uninviting weather, it becomes increasingly tempting to remain snuggled under a cozy blanket and postpone the outdoor chores that beckon. Unfortunately, the cold is here to stay, for a little while at least, and we must do our best to protect our horses from its icy grip. Particular attention must be placed on creating a safe, healthy living environment, feeding adequate nutrition, ensuring proper hoof care, and providing protection from the cold.

Create a Healthy, Safe Living Environment

Ice We all know how difficult it is to maintain our balance while carefully treading across a thick sheet of ice. Now imagine performing the same task without rubber-soled boots and add an extra pair of legs to the equation. This is a challenge that your horse must face every winter season. To prevent traumatic injuries (such as bruises, sprains, and lacerations) caused by slipping or falling on ice or slushy snow, keep walkways shoveled and salted or sanded. Whenever possible, avoid walking your horse over ice or other potentially slippery areas.
Snow  The snow itself is a potential danger. Even a thin blanket of snow may disguise objects on the ground such as that lunge line you forgot to put away or your dog’s favorite tennis ball. These are tripping hazards and could cause potential injury. Try to reduce such risks by carefully assessing your surroundings and practicing good housekeeping habits. Drifted snow is not only difficult to walk through, but it may also block access to vital pathways or doorways. It is important to maintain easy access into and out of your barn, as you never know when you will need to pass through the doorway in an emergency. Prevent drifts from accumulating in front of doors, ensure that the doors slide or swing open easily, and maintain a safe, shoveled walkway wide enough to accommodate both you and your horse.
Mud Intermittent thaws introduce another risk ? mud. Low sections of the pasture and areas of greater traffic tend to get slippery and could result in traumatic injury just as it can for icy situations. In addition, the wet conditions could cause a moist bacterial or fungal dermatitis (skin infection) of the lower leg, a condition commonly referred to as "scratches". Rain rot is another painful skin infection that coincides with wet weather conditions. Horses that are exposed to extended periods of sleet or rainfall with no opportunities to adequately dry their thick winter coats are perfect candidates for the causative organism, Dermatophilus congolensis. It is best to try to prevent such infections from occurring by providing a dry environment, but if dermatitis does occur, your veterinarian can suggest the appropriate treatment for the lesions.
PROPER Hoof Care In the winter, your horse’s hooves are exposed to the firm, unforgiving surfaces of frozen soil. This will require that you pay particular attention to hoof care as there is a greater potential for chipping and cracking if your horse is unshod. To prevent sole bruises, which could ultimately develop into abscesses, monitor feet regularly for ice packing. If you find that ice is accumulating in your horse’s sole, try picking its feet out more regularly and apply Vaseline to the soles to help prevent the ice build-up. If your horse is particularly susceptible to sole bruising, consider alternate hoof care (i.e. pads) as recommended by your farrier. As previously mentioned, ice along walkways must be kept cleared. If you are not fortunate to have the luxury of an indoor arena and must work your horse outside on the icy ground, consult your farrier for shoeing alternatives.

Feed Balanced Nutrition

DIET It is a common misconception that horses need less feed in the winter because they are less active. The truth of the matter is that a horse’s metabolic needs for routine maintenance in the winter are greater than that in the summer because more energy is needed for thermoregulation (maintaining body temperature). In addition, the winter temperatures and shorter daylight hours wreak havoc on our pastures, which are now dried, yellow and buried under a layer of snow. Even if your horse can access the grass to graze, he will gain no nutritional value from it. If you are not sure if your horse’s nutrition is adequate, a consult with an equine professional such as your local veterinarian or nutritional specialist is in order. Another source of information that I regularly utilize is the feed supply industry itself. The leading feed manufacturers all offer web sites, toll-free phone numbers and e-mail addresses for your inquiries and convenience.
WATER Ensuring adequate water intake can be a challenging chore in the winter due to the frigid conditions. Some horses do not like to drink freezing-cold water and their water intake decreases as a result. Other horses would like to drink more water, but the surface freezes solid and prevents them access to the water underneath. Either scenario is dangerous and can lead to impaction colic. If you suspect your horse’s water consumption is less than normal, try offering warm water at feeding time. If you are noticing that your horse’s access to water supply is hampered by the formation of ice on the surface, you may want to install a heater. A variety of stock tank and water bucket heaters are available and are excellent tools to prevent your horse’s drinking water from freezing. Extreme caution must be taken when utilizing such tools as misuse could lead to electrical shock. Make certain that the heating devices are safely installed and securely mounted and that your horse cannot access the power cord. Keep in mind that water buckets get tainted with manure, debris, and food just as quickly in the winter as they do in the summer. This may be another reason that your horse’s water consumption could decrease and it is not hygienic or healthy. Water buckets must be cleaned regularly, despite the cold weather. Provide Protection from the Cold As we all know, the winters in the Midwest are harsh, and can be unbearable for our horses if we do not provide adequately for them. Ideally, each of us would own a fully enclosed, draft-free stable, but this is not always a feasible option. A three-sided lean-to can offer protection from wind chill, sleet, rain, and snow, but not cold. In most cases, this should be adequate, but always take the temperatures into account. If the news programs are declaring frostbite warnings, these apply to your horses as well. Do the best you can to provide them with a warmer environment. If you have pasture horses, you may want to take some time in the fall to locate enclosed boarding facilities or indoor arenas where you could bring your horses when the temperature plummets into dangerously low levels.
BLANKET If you are concerned that your pasture horse’s winter coat is inadequate or if you opt to stable your horse and body clip it for grooming efficiency, you should provide it with a durable winter blanket. Your choice in blankets should be based upon your horse’s living environment. For example, a stabled horse does not require the heavy insulation or waterproofing that a pastured horse does. Regardless of what type of blanket you choose to utilize, it should be well maintained and properly fitted to your horse. Conduct routine inspections for damage or wear to the blanket and make repairs as necessary. It is helpful to own an extra blanket so that you can perform routine maintenance and cleaning while still providing protection to your horse. Examine your horse daily for rubbing or abrasions caused by improper blanket wear. To prevent the formation of lesions, choose a blanket that properly fits your horse’s structure. If you are unsure of the style of blanket your particular horse requires or what size you would need to purchase, discuss your options with the proprietors of your local tack store or a trusted and knowledgeable horseperson.
As after any physical workout, be sure to adequately cool your horse. Do not replace his blanket if he is still wet with perspiration as this will cause the blanket to absorb the moisture and will no longer protect your horse from the cold.

By paying close attention to the environment in which your horse lives and ensuring its nutritional and physical health, you can help your horse weather this winter in fit condition.