01/23/2026
Winter Storms and Horses
Brian S. Burks DVM
Diplomate, ABVP
Board-Certified in Equine Practice
Weather can have a major impact on both human and animal populations. Severe heat, cold, straight-line winds, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters can have an impact on health. Disaster planning should begin with human safety and can begin with making sure that food and clean water is available.
Shelter during a storm is important. This can be indoors, if construction is safe, or outdoors. Horses in the pasture will need some sort of a windbreak- a three-sided shed or a line of thick trees. Be sure that you are providing enough forage to keep the horse warm in cold weather. A thin, undernourished, or sick horse cannot handle the cold weather like a healthy horse. Use blankets when necessary. Most horses can regulate their own comfort by going in and out, rather than being locked in or out of the barn.
Healthy horses with a good winter coat can handle even a blizzard well. This is due to their coat and its oily water-proofing effect, allowing moisture to slide off. Prolonged rain or snow eventually causes the hair to lose its insulating quality. The hair must be groomed and dry for this effect to work. Horses with matted hair cannot keep warm. Of course, clipped horses will require blanketing. A Shetland pony or a Norwegian Fjord is more comfortable in cold weather than a Thoroughbred with thinner skin and less hair.
When sewage facilities become inoperable, water can become contaminated, leading to various intestinal disorders including colic and colitis. Peracute death is possible from severe diarrhea. Other water contaminants include oil, minerals from mining or rock quarries, and elevated salinity from oceanic or brackish waters.
Sewage backup can contaminate rivers and creeks. Industrial areas can become compromised, leading to further water contamination. During severe flooding, horses may stand in such water for hours to days, leading to chemical burns, dermatitis, cellulitis, and degloving injury (complete loss of skin). Water, especially contaminated water, damages the skin, preventing its defensive function. Bacteria gain entrance to the dermis and vascular systems. This can lead to infection of skin and underlying connective tissue. It may also lead to septicemia- infection of the blood, which can then localize to any tissue or organ system. Septic arthritis and septic tenosynovitis may result from lacerations and require emergency treatment. Fungal infections may also occur in compromised skin including pythiosis and basidobolus.
Horses affected by severe weather may also foot problems. Standing in mud or water may soften the soles and frog, leading to thrush, soft soles, coronitis, and solar bruising. When feet dry out, they are prone to laminar separation, leading to white line disease, sub-solar abscesses, and laminitis. Tornadoes and hurricanes may scatter debris capable of penetrating the hoof wall or sole. Feet should be cleaned as soon as possible to remove such debris. Horses may also slip and fall on ice, leading to fractures, and ice may also cause solar bruising and abscesses, particularly when the ice is irregular.
Horses can drink upwards of 20 gallons per day at rest, thus water is essential. Snow cannot provide enough water for horses to drink as it takes about 7 inches of snow to be equal to one inch of rainwater. Flood waters with high saline content may cause colitis, pneumonia, or neurologic disease. Horses cannot drink enough if the water is frozen, and may therefore eat less, resulting in fewer calories to keep warm; the colon is a natural furnace for the horse.
No electricity means that you cannot pump water and that automatic watering systems will be inoperable. Also be aware of freezing pipes when heat tapes do not function due to lack of electricity.
This loss of electricity also means the use of a backup generator, but you should understand how to use them and the potential hazards. Carbon monoxide toxicity is a real threat; CO binds to the electron transport chain, preventing cellular respiration. Generators also require fuel, so you will need to store fuel safely and may need to share with neighbors. Never leave generators or heating equipment alone, and monitor electrical connections carefully; do not use compromised electrical cords, as this may lead to barn fires.
If a frozen pond is present in a horse pasture, moving the horses or blocking access to the pond should be prevented. Horses may try to walk out on the ice, only to break it and sink into the pond. Ice rescue is dangerous for both human and animals and hypothermia is a real threat if drowning does not happen first.
Roads may be closed due to downed trees, debris, or electric poles, so having a two-week supply of food may be necessary. Really, if you have enough hay, most horses do not require grain. Remember that hay will generate heat and that consumption of hay may increase 50-100% in very cold weather. Never attempt to move or cross downed electrical wires yourself; these wires are highly charged, and contact may lead to death.
Communication during emergencies is essential but can be difficult. Telephone lines and cell towers may be down or otherwise inoperable. Cellular service may be overwhelmed during emergencies. Be sure to keep a car charger for your cell phone handy as you may need to reach emergency services for either human or animal needs.
The barn perimeter should be kept clear of debris, tools, and equipment, as it can be dangerous. It may become an airborne projectile during high winds of a tornado or hurricane or may be frozen to the ground and become a tripping hazard or even slice open the skin or a joint, leading to cellulitis or septic arthritis. This will also allow better access of emergency crews (police, fire and veterinarian) to your barn, if necessary.
If you know that severe weather is coming at a catastrophic level, make plans to evacuate whenever possible. It is a hassle but may save your horses’ lives- or even yours.
Fox Run Equine Center
www.foxrunequine.com
(724) 727-3481
