Do horses get cold feet when in snow?
A horse’s feet and legs are constructed in such a way that they can withstand extreme cold without discomfort or damage, even when standing in deep snow. His slender legs are just bone and tendons below the knees and hocks, requiring much less circulation than muscles, and are thus less susceptible to frostbite. This allows them to handle extended exposure to cold and snow with no ill effects. The cells in bones and tendons need less blood for maintenance and they also lose less heat. The horse is able to shunt most of the blood away from his feet and still have a very functional foot. When the feet start to get cold, the shunts open up so that the blood flows from the smallest arteries directly into the veins without having to pass through the smaller capillaries.
