Cross Breeds

Do Arabian horses like the Cold?

My friend claims that her horse just doesn't like cold because hes an arabian so that's why hes being bad like kicked at her and bucked her off, but aren't arabians warmblooded so they would rather b in the cold like a snake is cold blooded so it likes to be in the warmth or am i wrong She says her horse doesent like the cold because arabians were used for going across the desert does this apply for her horse?

Public Comments

1. im pretty sure snakes like to be kept in the warmth im sorry i can help u with the horse thing. but i think u might have the warmblooded thing mixed up. x
2. Well, we call horses warmbloods and coldbloods, but they are ALL warm blooded animals!!!! The terms are to do with bloodlines and nothing to do with blood temperature! Anyway, reptiles are cold blooded creatures! However, I don't think that temperature is the reason why your friend's horse is kicking and bucking.............that is just plain bad manners and he needs some training. Horses can generally tolerate a wide range of temperatures, but warmbloods like Arabs and Thoroughbreds are a bit more "nesh" and need more shelter or rugging in cold weather.
3. Well, its not that her horse doesn't like the cold, Im pretty sure all horses enjoy cold weather more than hot weather. When I work my horse and its cold outside she tends to act up just due to feeling fresh and celebrating the cold weather. So her horse is probably just excited not to be burning up. Also, warmblooded doesn't mean a change in their blood temperature it just means that they are for more advanced riders and don't have as much as a laid back temperament as lets say quarter horses.
4. I've ridden an Arabian horse almost every week for the past 4-5 weeks, and he never acts up like you are saying her horse does. He does seem more 'spirited' and filled with energy, but all the horses do that at my barn in the winter. Just because Arabians originated in the desert doesn't mean that they like the warm weather. Plus, at night in the desert it can get really cold, like in the 20s in the winter! All horses are warm blooded, and this doesn't make them like the cold or warm weather in general. Although some horses that live in icy weather may like the cold weather more, that doesn't mean they will act up in warm weather. If anything, they will be lazy because it will be too cold for them if their coat isn't clipped. If your friend is having problems try to have someone else ride him to see if he acts up for them, too. It is most likely a behavioral problem, or he could have a problem with his tack that makes him uncomfortable.
5. very true. Arabs are desert horses and are thin skinned. They need extra coat to keep warm in the winter. I doubt that's why he was bucking though because horses Just like humans warm up when they exercise. and arabians are Hot-bloods not warmbloods.
6. I've known Arabs that did just fine in cold climates. On the other hand, my Arab, who spent his whole life here in Southern California within a few miles of the coast, annually grew the thickest, fuzziest coat of any horse in the barn. If we get temperatures in the 50's, that's cold for us. (I asked my vet if my horse had an endocrine imbalance or some physical problem that caused the coat to grow so thick. His response: "No, Karin, your horse is just weird.") FWIW, your friend who says it's because Arabs come from the desert needs to understand that while yes, deserts do get very very hot in summer, in winter they get very very cold. Most of the North African and Arabian desert country where Arabian horses come from have temperatures that get below freezing during the night in winter, and in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, it can be even colder. Arab horses are plenty tough for winter cold temperatures. ************************************************ Edit: Gotta add that most Arabian horses in the US now are descended from horses that spent generations in such warm-weather (NOT!) bastions as England, Poland, and Russia. Most "Arabian" horses are at least 5 generations removed from their desert roots and have had plenty of time to acclimate.
7. It isn't about any of what she thinks it is. Many horses act up in cold weather. They feel good once the exercise gets their muscles ready to work, and they aren't fatigued by heat. My purebred Polish Arabian 22 year old gelding, who is centuries beyond his desert ancestors goes out in 40 below zero F weather, with no blanket, and by choice. So, I guess he doesn't mind the cold. Your friend has found an excuse to explain her horse's bad behavior. My Arab enjoys the cold, and he is well trained so that his joy is expressed during his free time, and if I am on him or near him, he behaves no matter what the temperature is.