Down to what temperature can you ride in winter?

Up to about -5 °C without wind and ice-free arena, riding works. Below -10 °C or in storms, horse stays in the stable or safe paddock.

What if the water trough is frozen?

Remove ice or replace water immediately. Horses drink less in cold and are particularly at risk of digestive trouble. Heated troughs are a clear advantage in winter.

Which gaits work in winter?

Walk, light trot and short canter on safe footing. Jumping, fast turns and trail riding in deep snow are injury-prone. The indoor arena is often the only safe surface from November to March.

What does OPAn say about winter keeping?

Dry, draft-free lying area, protection against wet and wind. The Art. 61 rule on two hours of turnout on at least two days per week applies in winter too.

Guide

Horse in winter: tasks for the sharer in the cold season

3 min read

Swiss winter forces every horse share to adapt. Indoor arena instead of outdoor, blanket question, frozen troughs and short days. This guide shows the important winter tasks, riding thresholds and Swiss practice from November to March.

Riding in winter

Swiss winters vary strongly by region. MeteoSwiss shows for most regions January means of -2 to +3 °C.

Up to +5 °C, dry ground: Normal work. Longer warm-up than in summer.
-5 to +5 °C, light snow: Indoor preferred. Outdoor only on stable ground.
-10 to -5 °C: Indoor, to ease the airways. Walk-trot program, no hard training.
Below -10 °C: No riding except in heated or windless arena.
Ice on paths or arena: No riding. Fall risk.

Signs the horse is too cold: trembling, cold legs, cough at trot, painful expression. Back to stable immediately.

Blanket or no blanket

The most frequent friction. Owner decides, sharer follows.

Blanket needed for:

Clipped horses. Main warmth missing.
Very old or ill horses with reduced thermoregulation.
Horses without good winter coat. Some thoroughbreds and southern breeds.
Open stable without shelter in long phases below -5 °C with damp and wind.

Not needed for healthy horses with full winter coat and dry windless lying area (Swiss Equestrian).

Daily sharer tasks:

Before riding: remove blanket, lay aside dry.
After riding: horse fully dry before blanketing.
Regular pressure point check.
Wet blanket (rain, snow) replaced and dried.

Water in winter

In frost, troughs become blocks and horses drink less. Combination raises colic risk. OPAn requires drinking water permanently.

At least two checks per day. Three in deep cold.
Remove ice or refill immediately.
Heated troughs standard in modern Swiss boarding.
Watch intake. Markedly less drinking is an early signal.

Hooves and ground in winter

Winter ground is hard, sometimes frozen, sometimes icy.

More careful hoof check at return. Snow balls in the hoof cause stumbling.
Studs or snow shoes. Owner may choose barefoot or special shoes for winter.
Arena condition. Check before each ride. Ice plates under thin snow are dangerous.
Slips and injuries. In cold, muscles are stiffer. Patience at warm-up.

Stable climate and movement

OPAn Art. 61 applies in winter too: at least two hours turnout on at least two days per week.

Daily movement. A full week boxed is a risk.
Stable air. Closed ventilation in winter leads to bad air. Ammonia smell is a warning.
Social contact. Also in winter, no isolation.

Swiss winter rhythm for the sharer

November and March: Transition. Variable, often wet. Indoor preferred.
December to February: Indoor is the standard surface.
Day length. Short days. Working sharers ride weekends or under arena light.
Before each day: Weather check, indoor availability, stable climate. A short message to the owner before arrival helps in winter.

Frequently asked questions

Down to what temperature? Up to -5 °C without wind. Below -10 °C, stable or paddock.

When does a horse need a blanket? Clipped, old, ill, no winter coat, open stable without shelter.

Frozen trough? Remove ice immediately.

Which gaits in winter? Walk, light trot, short canter on safe footing.

OPAn for winter? Dry lying area, protection against wet and wind. Movement mandatory.

Sources

Track winter observations in HorseCompanion

Blanket frequency, trough status and indoor visits noted per horse. Start for free

Updated: June 2026