With cold weather just around the corner, it is important to prepare now to keep your horses comfortable and healthy for the winter months. The next few weeks of fall weather are your chance to prepare your pasture, your barn and your horse for the changes to come. Consider the following to keep your horse’s routine running smoothly.
- Check gear and supplies: Clean and condition tack and waterproof your horse blankets.
- Take medications inside: Most oral, injectable and topical medications and salves cannot tolerate freezing temperatures.
- Stockpile hay and grain: Transition your horse slowly to a hay and grain diet if he has been pasture fed through the summer months. Begin monitoring your horse’s weight now so you are able to adjust his diet for optimum nutrition.
- Prepare your horse’s feet: Pull his shoes now for acclimation or get his shoes checked for soundness and traction before the ground begins to freeze.
- Check heated water buckets: Your horse will need plenty of water during the winter, so test your heated buckets now to be sure their fresh water does not freeze when the temperature drops.
- Walk fences and pastures: Check now for loose fence posts, holes and unlevel ground that could be a hazard to your horse as they roam. Repairs and mud prevention measures are easier to execute while we are still experiencing mild temperatures.
- Take care of your own cold weather gear and tools: You can’t take care of your horse’s needs if your hands are frozen or your tools unusable. Now is the time to replace worn gloves, repair broken tools and wrap metal handles, so those mid-winter chores can be accomplished more quickly.
For more winter preparation tips and suggestions regarding care, nutrition, and vaccinations for your horse, contact the experts at Cleveland Equine Clinic, or click here for more information.