10 min read Last updated: January 2026 When a damp easterly rolls in and temps drop towards 7C, does your normally surefooted horse turn pottery? This guide shows how to prevent coldinduced laminitis with breathable thermal leg wraps, smart rugging, deep bedding and PPID/IR managementso you protect circulation and keep hooves comfortable through every cold snap. Quick Summary Short on time? Here are the key takeaways. Area: Spot Cold Triggers What To Do: Track forecasts and act when temps fall towards/below 7C. Check stride, tight turns and digital pulses each morning. Why It Matters: Early action can stop a mild circulatory issue becoming a painful flare. Common Mistake: Writing off morning footiness as simple stiffness. Area: Warm Limbs & Hooves What To Do: Keep legs warm with breathable thermal wraps in the stable; add lined hoof boots in cold snaps or flares. Avoid coldhosing. Why It Matters: Gentle warmth counters vasoconstriction and relieves pain. Common Mistake: Using icy water on sore winter feet. Area: Thermal Wraps Use What To Do: Choose breathable, moisturewicking quilted wraps; apply evenly and snugly from below knee/hock down. Reset daily and remove if wet or dirty. Why It Matters: Correct use supports circulation without skin problems. Common Mistake: Fitting too tight or leaving damp wraps on. Area: Overnight Wrap Care What To Do: Leave on overnight only in the stable and only on clean, dry legs. Check under wraps daily and let skin breathe during the morning reset. Why It Matters: Prevents rubs, maceration and heat buildup. Common Mistake: Continuous wear with no daily inspection. Area: Rugging at 7C What To Do: Rug older, PPID/IR or coldsensitive horses as temps approach 7C and below. Use breathable turnout/stable rugs and reassess twice daily. Why It Matters: A warm core reduces blood being diverted away from the feet. Common Mistake: Overrugging so the horse sweats and then chills. Area: Bedding & Hoof Boots What To Do: Stable on a deep, dry, insulating bed and add lined hoof boots for very cold nights or active flares. Provide draughtfree shelter outdoors. Why It Matters: Insulation underfoot reduces heat loss and hoof pain. Common Mistake: Leaving horses on thin beds or cold concrete. Area: Forage & Metabolism What To Do: Keep forage consistent with slow feeders; feed low sugar/starch. Test and manage PPID/IR with your vet and review pergolide/ACTH as needed. Why It Matters: Stable insulin and controlled PPID lower winter flare risk. Common Mistake: Allowing long gaps without forage. Area: Suspected Flare Action What To Do: Call your vet, stable on a deep bed, keep body and limbs warm, and organise farrier support. Avoid turnout until comfortable. Why It Matters: Prompt, coordinated care protects the hoof and speeds recovery. Common Mistake: Relying on NSAIDs alone for coldinduced pain. In This Guide What is winter laminitis? Who is at risk and when in the UK? Do leg wraps help and how should you use them? Are Thermatexstyle bandages safe to leave on overnight? Bedding, boots and shelter: protect the hoof from cold Rugs and body warmth: when should you rug? Feeding and metabolic management: reducing the risk What should you do if you suspect winter laminitis? A cold snap in February, a damp easterly wind, and suddenly your usually cheerful cob is pottery on the yard. This isnt typical laminitis from spring grass its winter or coldinduced laminitis, and it needs a different playbook. The right combination of warmth, leg management and metabolic control can quickly turn things around.Key takeaway: Coldinduced laminitis is a circulatory problem triggered by cold; keeping the limbs and hooves warm and managing PPID/insulin resistance are the most effective ways to prevent and relieve it rugs and breathable thermal leg wraps used correctly are core tools.What is winter laminitis?Winter laminitis is a circulatory problem where cold triggers vasoconstriction in the hoof, causing pain without the inflammation typical of dietrelated laminitis. Because the pain is circulatory rather than inflammatory, NSAIDs generally dont help.In cold weather, blood vessels in the distal limb constrict to conserve core temperature. In metabolically sensitive horses, this normal response can go too far, starving the hoof of warm blood and oxygen. Horses carry roughly 60% of their weight on the front feet, which is why front hooves are often the first to show signs of soreness on cold mornings or during sharp temperature drops.Endocrine factors magnify the problem. Elevated insulin raises endothelin1, a potent vasoconstrictor, while cortisol and insulin resistance change the hoofs vascular responses:Cortisol has been documented to dramatically increase hoof responses to vasoconstrictors. Insulin is normally a vasodilator with insulin resistance, this response may be blocked. Dr Kellon, metabolic specialist (source)Practical implication: think warmth and circulation first. Avoid coldhosing or standing in icy water it makes the vasoconstriction worse and prioritise targeted warming of the limbs and body.Who is at risk and when in the UK?Horses with PPID (Cushings) or insulin resistance are highest risk, especially during damp cold snaps and rapid temperature drops, with FebruaryMarch proving a common danger window in the UK.Our winters are rarely extreme, but wet cold combined with wind chill and repeated freezethaw cycles can be enough to trigger a flare. Watch closely when overnight lows drop towards and below about 7C (45F) thats the point many horses start spending extra energy to maintain core temperature, diverting warmth from the extremities. Signs to watch for include a short, pottery stride on hard ground, reluctance to turn tightly, and shifting weight off the front feet. Even mild foot soreness on cold mornings deserves quick action in atrisk horses.Pro tip: Plan ahead for PPID horses. Discuss autumn testing and a winter management plan with your RCVSregistered vet, so youre not reacting midcold snap.Do leg wraps help and how should you use them?Yes. Breathable thermal leg wraps keep the lower limb warm, support circulation and can markedly improve comfort during cold spells, provided theyre fitted correctly and checked daily.Thermal wraps modelled on Thermatex use quilted, moisturewicking fabric designed for stable use to warm and dry the limbs. In practice, this means you can keep tendons warm without trapping sweat, and protect the pastern and fetlock area from chilling draughts at floor level. The guiding principles:Choose breathable, moisturewicking wraps with thermal properties (e.g. quilted, doublelayer designs).Apply evenly and snugly never tight from below the knee/hock down, avoiding pressure points.Reset at least once daily to check for slippage, skin condition and heat buildup; remove any wrap that becomes wet or dirty immediately.Use in the stable; pair with suitable hoof protection in extreme cold.Quick tip: If your horse needs more than a wrap, consider lined or insulated hoof boots to keep the hoof capsule itself from chilling. For fitforpurpose options, explore our curated horse boots and bandages.Are Thermatexstyle bandages safe to leave on overnight?They can be left on overnight in the stable for suitable horses if theyre dry, wellfitted and checked at least daily, but follow your vets guidance for your horse.Manufacturers market quilted thermal bandages for stable protection and drying wet legs. UK yard chat often flags a valid caution: prolonged heat without breaks can soften tissues or irritate skin if moisture is trapped. The solution is management, not avoidance:Only apply to clean, fully dry legs; remove and reapply daily to let the skin breathe.Check under the wraps for any rubs, heat buildup or scurf; wash and thoroughly dry legs before rewrapping.Match limb warmth with body warmth a chilled body will still divert heat away from the feet.At Just Horse Riders, we recommend a simple winter routine for atrisk horses: warm, dry legs wrapped at tea time; overnight monitoring on a deep bed; morning removal, quick check and a gentle walk in the stable while legs air. If youre building a winter kit on a budget, have a look at our rotating deals in the Secret Tack Room clearance.Bedding, boots and shelter: protect the hoof from coldDeep, insulating bedding, lined hoof boots for severe cases and draftfree shelters all reduce cold stress and help relieve hoof pain in winter laminitis.Cold floors pull heat from the hoof. A deep, dry bed (shavings, cardboard or even sand) lets horses avoid standing directly on cold, conductive surfaces. Many will naturally dig their toes in, angling the feet to ease pressure on the back of the hoof capsule while creating a warmer pocket around the foot.For very cold nights or during a flare, lined hoof boots can add an extra layer of insulation around the capsule, complementing thermal wraps on the limb. Outside the stable, provide good shelter from damp winds a southwestfacing entrance works well on many UK yards and keep turnout time flexible around sharp weather changes.Rugs and body warmth: when should you rug?Below about 7C (45F), many horses especially older or PPID horses benefit from a rug to reduce energy expenditure and support peripheral circulation to the feet.Rugging isnt just about comfort; for circulationsensitive horses its strategic. When the core is kept warm, the body is less inclined to clamp down blood flow to the extremities. For turnout, choose weatherproof, breathable rugs with appropriate fill for the days conditions. For stabled horses, a breathable stable rug avoids drafts without overheating. Check and adjust daily as temperatures swing.Good places to start:Outdoor protection: see our selection of UKready winter turnout rugs, from lightweight shells for wet, mild days to warmer fills for frost.Indoor comfort: browse breathable stable rugs for deepbedded nights.Trusted brands our customers rate highly for fit and durability include WeatherBeeta and Shires.Quick tip: err on the side of just warm enough and reassess twice daily. Overrugging can lead to sweating, which chills rapidly and undermines your goal.Feeding and metabolic management: reducing the riskConsistent forage intake, lowsugar, lowstarch diets and proactive PPID/insulinresistance management lower winter laminitis risk and improve comfort.Long gaps without forage can destabilise insulin in susceptible horses. Keep hay going steadily, and if you need to slow intake, use tricklefeeding methods rather than periods of fasting. Ahead of winter, work with your vet to test for PPID (Cushings) and insulin dysregulation, start or adjust pergolide where indicated, and monitor ACTH to keep the plan on track.Supporting hoof and metabolic health is a wholehorse project. Alongside veterinary care, owners often use targeted nutrition to bolster hoof quality and metabolic resilience; explore vetapproved options in our horse supplements range, and integrate them under veterinary advice for PPID/IR cases.Pro tip: Make warmth + forage + movement your winter mantra gentle, instable movement after you remove wraps in the morning can help limbs warm evenly while forage keeps insulin steadier.What should you do if you suspect winter laminitis?Call your vet immediately, keep the horse warm, stable them on a deep bed and organise farrier support early, coordinated care gets the best results.The British Horse Society emphasises prompt, vetled plans and farrier collaboration for all laminitis presentations:Treatment focuses on relieving pain, reducing inflammation, supporting the hoof structure and managing any underlying conditions. Prompt treatment is vital whether in early stages or chronic a tailored, vetled treatment plan gives your horse the best chance of recovery and longterm comfort. British Horse SocietyYour vet may prescribe painkillers and recommend box rest with a deep bed of shavings. The farrier may need to trim hooves to relieve pressure and fit sole or frog supports. Your vet will work closely with your farrier for remedial farriery. British Horse SocietyFor coldinduced cases specifically, remember that NSAIDs often dont address the core issue because the pain is circulatory. Keep the whole horse warm (appropriate rugging) and protect limbs and feet (thermal wraps and, if advised, lined hoof boots). Avoid coldhosing or icy standing water. Daily checks during routine grooming feel for limb temperature, digital pulses and any change in stride help you react early.If your horse needs protective wear as part of the plan, youll find suitable wraps, bandages and boots in our horse boots and bandages collection, with options to suit stable and controlled turnout use as advised by your vet.Conclusion: your winter laminitis checklistKeep it simple and systematic: maintain core and limb warmth, feed consistent forage, and manage PPID/insulin proactively. Use breathable thermal wraps correctly in the stable, bed deeply, and adjust rugs when temperatures drop towards 7C and below. Coordinate early with your RCVSregistered vet and farrier. At Just Horse Riders, were here to help you choose the right kit from turnout rugs and stable rugs to circulationfriendly boots and bandages so your horse stays comfortable through every cold snap.FAQsAre Thermatexstyle leg wraps safe to leave on overnight?Yes, for suitable horses in the stable if wraps are breathable, applied to clean, dry legs, and checked at least once daily. Reset them every 24 hours, remove if damp or dirty, and follow your vets guidance especially for PPID/IR horses with delicate skin.Will NSAIDs help my Cushings horse with winter laminitis pain?Usually not. Winter laminitis pain is primarily circulatory rather than inflammatory, so warming the body and limbs is more effective. Still contact your vet promptly; they may use pain relief alongside a plan focused on warmth, deep bedding and hoof support.What temperature should I start using leg wraps or rugs?Use protective measures when temperatures fall towards and below about 7C (45F), particularly for older horses, PPID/IR cases, or those not acclimatised to cold. Combine thermal leg wraps in the stable with appropriate rugging see our turnout rugs for outdoors and stable rugs for inside.Is deep bedding really effective for winter laminitis?Yes. A deep bed insulates the hoof from cold floors and lets the horse adjust foot angle to reduce pressure on painful areas. Use clean, dry shavings, cardboard or sand and bank well to reduce draughts at floor level.Should I coldhose my horses feet if theyre sore in winter?No. Cold water and icy streams worsen vasoconstriction and can intensify pain in coldinduced laminitis. Focus on gentle warmth, insulation and veterinaryapproved hoof support instead.Which wraps or boots should I choose for coldsensitive feet?Pick breathable, moisturewicking thermal wraps for the stable, applied evenly and checked daily. In severe cold or active flares, add lined hoof boots for capsule insulation. Start with our vetted selection in horse boots and bandages and speak with your vet or farrier about fit and wear time.How can I prevent winter laminitis flares in a PPID/insulinresistant horse?Test and treat PPID (pergolide as prescribed), keep forage consistent, feed a lowsugar, lowstarch diet, rug appropriately around 7C and below, and use thermal leg wraps during cold snaps. Consider targeted nutritional support from our supplements range under your vets advice, and monitor closely during FebruaryMarch cold spells. Shop the Essentials Everything mentioned in this guide, ready to browse. Shop Boots & BandagesShop Turnout RugsShop Stable RugsShop Supplements