How do you tell if your horse is cold

[windand rain]

Was taking rugs off to let some air and check condition today (first dry day for a week so have been feeling underneath and moving them quickly up and back to prevent rubbing)
Pony one toasty warm in the sun medium weight but not hot
pony 2 fluffy and felt warm but has a thick coat only has he rug on in wet weather
pony 3 warm and sleek but a bit ribby so had rug back on
pony 4 has a coat like a polar bear and in a 200 grm rug was freezing cold to touch ears, armpits and groin all cold mouth a bit warmer so upped her rug. I figure she is either not moving as much as she should or its her age
Horse 1 he was warm but ribby so has his rug back on he is positively ancient so cannot afford to drop weight he is also sensitive to hay it goes straight through him
So how do you tell if your horse is cold or if it is just well insulated and you are not getting to the skin. Do not want to start routinely taking temperature but maybe should with the cold one

 

[doodle]

I stick my hand under his rug at the shoulder where he is clipped. Then up between his back legs.

 

[JennBags]

Has pony 4 been tested for Cushing's? My old boy used to be very hard to rug, he'd get cold very quickly and hot very quickly, I think it was there Cushing's that played havoc with his temperature regulation.
I feel under the rug on the shoulder area and if I'm not sure, I'll check the armpit. You know your horses better than anyone though.

 

[Shay]

You need to get your hand as close to the skin as you can - behind the elbow, between the back legs or behind the ear are all good spots to try. Also a cold pony may look tucked up and / or miserable. Older horses tend to need more warmth - bit like older humans!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I usually check the armpit, with my hand on the skin.

 

[milliepops]

I check armpits. and then sometimes behind ears if I need a double check. With a hairy one you need to wait a moment to feel the warmth through the fluff.
Other signs: the welsh goes batshit. The other look a bit sad and tight. One shivers quite readily if she's wet.

 

[cremedemonthe]

I always hold the bottom of their ears at the base, if it's cold there, they are usually cold all over

 

[sherry90]

On the shoulder and between legs. I have a ‘hot’ horse, even fully clipped he is almost always warm to the touch so he is only in a 50g fill at the moment for turnout and 100g fill stable.

 

[PapaverFollis]

The Beast gets really angry when she's cold, and for her if she's not toasty warm under the rug, then she's cold. She's normally really sweet and laid back so the anger is obvious when it happens.

I think MrT might have a furness inside rather than a normal digestive system and he'd have to be shivering before I was convinced he was cold. Minus 3 the other week and he was red hot in his pits!

 

[scats]

I do a couple of checks- armpits and base of ears.
Polly gets tucked up and box walks like crazy if she’s cold. Millie will paw the ground.

 

[windand rain]

Thank you all so the concensus is armpit, ears and groin. Thats great it means I am not letting her get colder than I thought

 

[Melody Grey]

Is pony no.4's rug being counter-active by crushing the coat down and not allowing the air to keep his fluffy coat warm. Sounds crazy, but would he be better in a no- fill?

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Armpits here too for a quick assessment - and if a bit doubtful then hold the base of ears for a half a minute or so (a quick grab isnt enough IMO) - if that area around the ear base is stil cold to the touch then they are indeed feeling the cold.

Personally I still wouldn't immediately increase their rug weight though, very often a nice big high fibre feed is all it takes to get their internal combustion engine firing on all cylinders and their temperature check hot (or cold) spots up an running again. A cold horse can very often be a horse that is simply lacking in sufficient internal fuel rather than needing heavier rugs.

 

[scats]

I have to add that it’s quite rare for mine to feel the cold. Polly doesn’t do wind and rain together, we were caught out a couple of months back and she was a shivery mess. Millie only seems to feel the cold for the first week after she is clipped. Last night I briefly took her rug off in the stable to give her a brush and let her skin have a breathe and within ten minutes she was pawing the ground and her skin was starting to feel cool. She was clipped the night before. In a weeks time, I could do the same on a day with the exact same temperature and she’d been fine. Even fully clipped, I do like them to have a few minutes rugless every day for a scratch and a skin breathe.

 

[windand rain]

She is fed high fibre food and was cold before and after she is on rough grazing ad lib hay so dont think it is food. Not tested for cushing but has no other signs doesnt get footy, hollow above her eyes, cast her thick coat first in the spring and doesnt drink excessively. She is a happy forward ride when hacking but isnt keen on schooling but after 20 or more years neither would I
The 28 year old boy has no signs either he is arthritic but is retire and happy bossing the baby about. All live out 24/7 and dont use shelter provided I will say it was cold and windy today so it may just be the combinatio. I am surprised she does feel the cold as she has a huge coat. A rainsheet type rug has her shivering in corners even in summer when it is cold wet and windy

 

[SEL]

Armpits for me. The hairy draft has been a bit too warm in recent weather and is glad to have cold and dry back.

PSSM horse is better if she feels warm under the rug. She once refused to let me remove her 100g in 15 degrees. I had to go to work, worried about her all day and she was perfectly happy. She'd be the office colleague wearing 4 layers and asking for the heating to be turned up.

 

[tankgirl1]

You want to check the extremities really so I tend to go by the base of the ears

 

[Pinkvboots]

Armpits check for me too for mine are arabs but they grow good coats and seem to be quite warm horses in general, I haven't needed to put anything thicker than 100g on mine so far.

 

[C1airey]

Ears here too. If ears are cool at the base, then I pop a hand in their armpit to see if they’re really cold or just on the cool side.

 

[Leo Walker]

I thought there had been research done to show that the base of the ears wasnt an effective measure, but now I'm not sure if I'm making that up! On a clipped horse I shove my hand under the rug. Theres no coat to trap hair so its easy to tell. If they arent clipped, they arent rugged, and its just a case of finding a clean bit and getting your and down near the skin.

 

[NLPM]

I thought there had been research done to show that the base of the ears wasnt an effective measure, but now I'm not sure if I'm making that up!

You aren't making it up or misremembering; you are right.

Armpits and around withers (not the bony bit... slightly below) are good places to feel.

 

[windand rain]

She was toasty warm today after being cold yesterday. Had rugs off for an hour as the sun was shining so the slightly heavier rug was ideal it was a lot colder last night too the ground was frozen solid

 

[Bellaboo18]

I thought there had been research done to show that the base of the ears wasnt an effective measure, but now I'm not sure if I'm making that up! On a clipped horse I shove my hand under the rug. Theres no coat to trap hair so its easy to tell. If they arent clipped, they arent rugged, and its just a case of finding a clean bit and getting your and down near the skin.

You're right, I think it's outdated to feel their ears for temperature.

 

[xTrooperx]

i check under rug for warmth and look to see if slighted tucked up, if is I increase weight of rug and hay.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Can someone kindly post a link to the research about the base of the ear no longer being correct to give an indicator of temp please? Both my vets still use this is an indicator but obviously move on to more technical assessment if it would appear to be very cold to the touch at the base of the ear. I would really like to back up this claim with some reputable research before I question him on it next time he is here. thanks

 

[TGM]

From David Marlin "Feeling your horses’ legs, face or ears is a poor indicator of how warm it is. Placing your hand under the rug behind the withers is a good spot."

https://www.arioneo.com/en/autumn-david-marlin-scientific-equine-advice-rug-horse/

I think this is the current advice but not found the actual research it is based on.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

From David Marlin "Feeling your horses’ legs, face or ears is a poor indicator of how warm it is. Placing your hand under the rug behind the withers is a good spot."

https://www.arioneo.com/en/autumn-david-marlin-scientific-equine-advice-rug-horse/

I think this is the current advice but not found the actual research it is based on.

Ah many thanks for the link. Ok have just had a quick read and as always with Dr. Marlin his viewpoint is always skewed and linked to whatever latest food/supplement/device he is selling himself or promoting for another manufacturer, so unless he can back those wide ranging statements up with some solid and reputable research I will continue to feel the base of the ears and armpit for indicator and will be interested to chat to my vet about Dr. Marlin's viewpoint and the gadget.

I do agree though that if your horse feels cold under his rug behind the withers then he very probably is - but I guess if you have €100 or so to buy a dinky little gadget and you are happier to be guided by that then it is all personal choice.

 

[TGM]

Similar advice from WHW

http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/advice/management/winter-welfare

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Armpits. I’m being a cruel cow and seeing if he will shiver off some weight, he’s fat and his arthritis is progressively worse. I won’t let him stay cold for long, tho, he’s an older boy. He has his normal winter very thick coat currently.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Similar advice from WHW

http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/advice/management/winter-welfare

Absolutely, in fact word for word identical transcript in several pertinent parts fluffed out here and there to make it more applicable to WHW - rather difficult to judge who copied who and why?

Still no links to any concrete or even not so concrete research which is quite surprising considering how much research he has apparently done on WHW horses over the years and his extremely close connections with them, and how fond he is of publishing results to back up promises of how xyz product is a must have for your horses welfare and well being. No surprise that he is a consultant to WHW with free access to horses in their care and has been for a very long time.

Sorry I just don't buy it, any 'new' thinking on this being presented (so far!) seems to lead back to one mans say so whoi clearly has financial interests in making these statements - I really would like to read some decent research into this as I have to confess even to a die hard old timer like me, feeling various parts of the horses body to see how they are bearing up to the cold does seem pretty archaic but so far I have read nothing that convinces me I need to re asses what has served me and my neds well for decades.