Winter Horse Feeding in Minnesota: Does Your Horse Need More Hay?

When temperatures drop around Esko, Cloquet, and Duluth, your horse’s feeding needs can change. The hay that maintained their weight through fall may not provide enough energy during a stretch of bitter cold.

Many horses need additional hay in winter, but the amount depends on their body condition, forage quality, coat, and shelter. Here’s how to evaluate your feeding routine before simply adding another scoop of grain.

Why Do Horses Need More Feed in Cold Weather?

Horses burn energy to maintain their body temperature. When the weather becomes cold

enough, they need additional calories to stay warm without losing condition.

A thick winter coat provides insulation, but wind and wet weather can increase the challenge. A dry horse with shelter and a full winter coat has different needs than a clipped

horse exposed to the elements.

Winter feeding should respond to your horse and the conditions—not just the month on the calendar.

Why Hay Comes First

Forage plays an important role in keeping horses warm. Microbes in the digestive system ferment fiber, releasing heat in the process. Good-quality hay supplies energy and supports this natural heat production.

For many horses, reviewing forage intake is the first step when cold weather increases calorie needs. Extra grain isn’t automatically the best answer.

Before changing the ration:

• Weigh the hay. Flakes vary in size and density, making them an unreliable measure of intake.

• Consider hay quality. A forage analysis helps identify what nutrients your hay supplies.

• Check for waste. Hay offered and hay actually eaten aren’t always the same amount.

These checks help you make feeding decisions based on what your horse is consuming.

Check Body Condition Beneath the Winter Coat

A fluffy coat can hide weight loss. Looking across the pasture may not tell you whether your horse is maintaining enough body fat.

Use your hands as well as your eyes. Body-condition scoring evaluates fat coverage around the ribs, neck, withers, shoulders, back, and tailhead. Repeat the assessment regularly and record changes so you can identify a trend.

If you haven’t scored your horse before, ask your veterinarian to show you how. Consistent checks are more useful than waiting until weight loss becomes obvious.

Does Your Horse Need Grain or a Supplement?

Additional hay may help meet energy needs, but forage alone doesn’t always provide a balanced diet.

A horse that maintains weight on hay may benefit from an appropriate ration balancer or

vitamin-mineral supplement. A horse with higher energy requirements may need a suitable fortified feed alongside forage.

Choose products based on the whole feeding program, including age, workload, body condition, and hay quality. Follow label directions and check what the existing ration already provides before adding supplements.

Keep Water Part of the Feeding Plan

Check daily that drinking water remains clean, accessible, and unfrozen. Horses that drink too little may also eat less, making it harder to meet winter energy needs.

Water availability deserves attention alongside every feeding adjustment.

Find Horse Feed and Supplements in Esko, MN

At Widdes Feed & Farm Supply, our horse feed and supplement selection includes Widdes 14% Canter, Widdes Rolled All Grain 10%, GLO Equine Feeds, and GROSTRONG vitamin and mineral options. The right choice depends on your horse’s needs and current diet.

When you visit, bring your current feed label, daily feeding amounts, and any hay-test results. That information gives us a useful starting point for discussing products that fit your feeding program. Unexplained weight loss or difficulty chewing should also be discussed with your veterinarian.

Preparing for winter near Duluth or Cloquet? Visit Widdes Feed & Farm Supply at 93 County Road 61, Esko, MN 55733, or call (218) 879-4679 to discuss horse feed and supplement options.