Although cold temperatures and snowstorms often drive people and small pets into their warm homes, for larger animals, such as horses, adapting to the weather is necessary for survival. People unfamiliar with horses may not know that they are equipped to handle cold weather much better than expected. That said, even though some horses enjoy being out in fluffy snow, some have decidedly different opinions.
One horse owner recently found out that her two horses are not fans of the white stuff. On a snowy day, the woman opened up the barn and let her horses out to see if they would like to play. They quickly let her know their feelings on the matter.
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In the video, both horses are released from their respective sides of the barn. They take a few steps out into the snow. The wind is strong, and the snow is coming down in big flakes. The horses seem a bit confused and uncertain as they walk out into the cold.
Then, as if they have the whole move synchronized, both horses turn tail and head straight back to their respective stalls in the barn. These two have made up their minds: no snow and cold for them!
Horses are built to handle cold temperatures. According to Equisearch, they grow a hardy winter coat to keep warm and to stay dry down to their skin; horses can have snow and icicles on their fur but still be completely warm. Also, horses also tend to put on a bit more weight starting in the fall, so they have reserves of fat to help them stay warm in winter. Frequent movement during the day also helps to raise a horse's temperature and keep it warm, even on cold days.
Some horse owners put blankets on their horses, like the two in the video below. Not all horses need or should wear blankets during winter, but those who have had their fur clipped short, older horses or sick horses can benefit from wearing a blanket for extra warmth.
Watch the video to see two horses who have no love for the snow and cold – and their funny reaction to being turned out into this weather.
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