Horse now seeming to feel the cold?

[ellerslie83]

I've only really got experience of looking after my one horse and he's always been bombproof in terms of not needing to be rugged etc as he's a hardy, decent build 22 yr old 16h shire cross.

He's increasingly seeming to feel the cold over the last couple of years but esp last 12 months - is this just his age? Is he not getting enough food? He lives out all year but has a shelter.

E.g. yesterday temp was about 12 degrees Celsius mizzling rain and wind, his field mate (age 9) was fine and so was the 24 yr old pony in the next paddock - my boy though was shivering like crazy - like he was vibrating - I'd never seen him do that before. My sharer had said she's found him cold a few times and shaking and has rugged him but I'd not actually seen the shivering till now. I know shivering is natural to warm himself up, but what struck me is how much he was shivering and why was he the only one?!

I am possibly worrying too much? I put his lightweight on before I left yesterday and this morning my friend found him shivering again and put a fleece rug under his lightweight and I'm shortly going to check on him (he's not that close and I normally see him 3 times a week) - in other terms he has been perfectly fine and normal so feeling a bit puzzled.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

My 26yr old who has never shivered in the 16 years I’ve had him until this year came in shivering yesterday. He had a no fill Rhino with neck on so was dry and in a field full of grass. He came in like it after being out overnight a couple of months ago but it was much colder. I definitely didn’t expect him to be cold yesterday. He had a 100g on overnight and a 100g on out today. He’s otherwise fit and well covered.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Yes, I also need to rug my old girl more now than I did previously.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Oldies do start often struggling with their temperature regulation.

When you say that you usually see him three times a week, I presume that he is checked twice daily by others in the interim, who can adjust his rugging as needed?

 

[meleeka]

They do definitely feel the cold as they age. My oldies have all worn rugs recently when they used to be fine in all weathers.

 

[splashgirl45]

mine started to feel the cold after she was diagnosed with cushings, one of the symptoms can be that they have trouble regulating their temperature

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would have him tested for Cushings, tbh but sometimes they do just feel the cold more as they get older. I have always found that summer is the time when horses need rugging unexpectedly, because their summer coats are too thin to protect them from wet, cold weather.

 

[paddi22]

another vote for a Cushings test. on elf my 19 year olds was getting rugged to his teeth and still cold. with the cushings tablet it regulated

 

[ellerslie83]

Oldies do start often struggling with their temperature regulation.

When you say that you usually see him three times a week, I presume that he is checked twice daily by others in the interim, who can adjust his rugging as needed?

Yes, I should have added he's seen twice a day and I get messages every day from the lady I share duties with, and the property he's on the family keep an eye out too.

 

[ellerslie83]

mine started to feel the cold after she was diagnosed with cushings, one of the symptoms can be that they have trouble regulating their temperature

Sounds like I need to book a test!! I didn't realise that was a symptom.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Both my boys were out in 100g rugs yesterday. One tb and one wb, both thin skinned with thin coats. Wb is 25 and tb is 15. Its not unusual for them to be rugged like this as they both feel the cold, always have done. I di tend to over rug but have had horses 30 years plus and havnt killed one yet!!

 

[Goldenstar]

Oldies get cold and they get too hot easily .
Fatty can’t stand the cold , and we have to bring him in on hot days out the sun .

 

[windand rain]

It is odd but I find summer much harder to get right when rugging The old highland and the livery highland age 4 both get very cold in wet weather if it is windy. To a point I understand the old girl as she sheds her coat to finer than a tb in summer and has hardly any hair in summer Is always completely in her summer coat by the end of April too but the youngster I can only blame on being rugged as a foal there can be no other reason for her to shiver when cold. She is never bathed rarely groomed and seems to have a fair coat on her

 

[Gloi]

Probably not in this case but sometimes ones on restricted grazing feel the cold because there is not enough fibre fermenting in their gut so need to have hay put out in cold snaps.

 

[ellerslie83]

I have booked a cushings test for next week as I won't feel happy if I don't get him checked. It is very odd weather lately and seems to switch quickly between horrid and rather lovely and sunny so quite tricky to feel sure I'm getting it right! Hopefully the test will clarify things.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Speaking as an older person I find I don't regulate my temperature as well as I used. I am far more affected by both cold and heat than I used to be so I guess horses will be the same.