Your guide to winter horse care
Cold damp weather, gloomy grey skies, restricted daylight and too much mud can make a typical winter in the UK a bit of a turn off...
25 September 2020
Read More6 Top Winter Care Tips for Horse Owner
The bad news is that winter is fast approaching but the good news is that by following our six top tips you should be ready to tackle it head on.
Put your winter rugs in order:
Making sure that rugs are clean, waterproofed and rip-free now means they will be ready then you need them. It’s also worth checking that they still fit properly, especially if you have a youngster who did some growing over the summer!
Clean your stables:
If your horse has been living out during the summer now is the time to give the stable a proper spring clean. Hose down rubber matting, sweep the cobwebs from the corners and brush the dust from the walls. Water and feed buckets are also likely to benefit from a good scrub.
Get the oil out:
Give latches, bolts and locks some care – check they open and close smoothly. You’ll thank yourself that all these things are easy to operate when you are rushing around on a winter’s night in semi-darkness, with your cumbersome gloves on. And don’t forget to oil your wheelbarrow wheel too – it will make all the difference when you are pushing it, fully laden, across a muddy field.
Order your hay and bedding:
Winter can be a stealthy beast –a balmy autumn can transform into gale force winds and rain overnight. Your laid back, field kept horse can suddenly become a fire breathing maniac, churning green fields into plough in an instant. With hay and bedding stocked and ready you will be properly organised for when your snorting, weather-sensitive monster decides it’s time to come in overnight.
Have your clippers serviced:
Hurriedly packed away after the last clip at the beginning of the year, it’s easy to forget that your clippers might need servicing and the blades sharpening. Send them away to a service company now and they’ll be ready for when you need them. Well-maintained clippers will not only last longer but they will give your horse a better and more comfortable clip too.
Lag your water pipes:
We all hate humping buckets of water, especially when trying not to fall over on an icy yard in the middle of winter. While lagging your pipes probably won’t prevent them from freezing in the very coldest weather it should protect them during heavy frosts. Foam pipe insulation is easy to fix and can be doubly secured with a handy piece of baler twine or some gaffer tape!
Other related content:
Caring for your Your Guide to Winter Horse Care
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Wendy Talbot
DR WENDY TALBOT BVSC CERT EM (INT MED) DECEIM MRCVS
Wendy graduated from Bristol University in 1999. She then went on to complete a residency at Liverpool University and holds a European Diploma in Equine Internal Medicine. After working in practice for 13 years, she joined Zoetis in 2012 as the National Equine Veterinary Manager.
