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The word "winter" for equestrian conjures images of freezing cold nighttime rides, frozen water buckets, and lots of layers of clothing. Especially in colder climates, keeping horses comfortable and healthy in the winter is no easy feat. However, preparing thoroughly and early can help take some of the hassle out of winter on the horse farm. Before the cold sets in, follow these 6 steps to get your horse and property winter-ready.
1. Perform a Health Check
Once the cold sets in in winter, performing routine medical care can become a hassle. No one wants to stand around in the cold waiting for the vet so getting your horse's health up-to-date can save some headaches during the winter and ensure your horse is comfortable and healthy for the season.
In autumn, be sure to...
Get any vaccines
Have teeth checked
Clean gelding's sheath
Deworm
Vaccines
Horses tend to spend a lot more time indoors in the winter and, with barn doors closed and windows shut, often spend more time in stagnant air. Therefore, if there are any pathogens in the area, they are more likely to become ill. If your horse is likely to be exposed to diseases like flu or rhino, getting boosters beforehand can help prevent illness. Horses that show throughout the winter should be vaccinated.
Teeth and Sheath
Teeth floating and sheath/ udder cleaning require a lot of water. So doing it before cold weather sets in can ensure you have access to plentiful lukewarm water. Plus, these procedures will be a lot more comfortable for your horse if they are completed before the winter chill sets in.
Deworming
Deworming is an important step in getting ready for winter. Once temperatures start plummeting, our horse's caloric needs increase as they try to stay warm. A parasite burden can make it hard for your horse to eat enough, causing them to lose weight. Weight loss can make it even harder to stay warm therefore, it is a good practice to have your vet perform a fecal and deworm based on the results before winter.
2. Check Shelters and Barns
Cold temperatures, rain, and snow tend to keep our horses inside more often during the winter months. Before winter sets in, it is important to check over shelters and barns to make sure they are safe and will keep our horses warm and dry all season long.
Perform a safety check by:
Looking over all walls and ceilings for loose nails, splinters, or damage
Check electrical wires for signs of wear and tear
Make sure there are no heavy drafts
Ensure all horses can get inside with plenty of space
Check For Damage
Horses can do a lot of damage to even the sturdiest of structures. Before they start spending more time inside, it's a good idea to make sure there isn't anything they can get hurt on. In addition to checking walls, windows, and ceilings, horse owners should also check that their electrical cables are in good condition as most barn fires occur in fall and winter when mice and rats move inside.
Plug Up Drafts
Drafty stalls and shelters can make winter miserable for your horse. Uncontrolled drafts can cause chills, weight loss, and illness in horses. However, dampening drafts is not as easy as blocking up all the holes in a horse's stall. Ventilation is extremely important to keep a horse's respiratory system healthy. Be sure there is some airflow through your horse's stall/ shelter, but watch out for blowing drafts that can make your horse cold.
Provide Adequate Shelter
During the chilly months, horses need to have access to shelter in the form of either a run-in or stall that they can go in during inclement weather. If you are relying on a run-in shelter for a herd in the winter, make sure that all of the horses are able to get inside and no one is being bullied or kept out. If one horse is struggling to get inside, make alternate plans to keep them warm and dry in the winter.
3. Pepare Paddocks
Winter is not only hard on horses and humans, but it can wreak havoc on paddocks and pastures. For many across the globe, winter means rain, snow, and ice. For our paddocks, this often means deep mud or slippery patches of ice that can be dangerous and detrimental to our horse's health. A little preventative care to paddocks and pastures can help ensure your horse has somewhere to get outside throughout the winter.
Before winter sets in:
Temporarily move food and water troughs out of muddy spots
Put down woodchips in muddy areas
Repair fences and tighten electric fencing
Have pure salt or sand on hand
Move horses out of pastures
Prevent Mud and Ice Buildup
Mud and ice are two major headaches that make their way into winter paddocks. Mud can cause a host of medical conditions, including thrush, scratches, and cellulitis. Additionally, mud can become poached and frozen, creating cratered footing that is treacherous for horses and humans to walk on. Icey spots can be dangerous for horses to navigate as their hooves do not allow any grip on the surface, making slips and falls likely.
Temporarily moving high-traffic areas like food and water can prevent mud buildup. However, you are still likely to have some mud. In a pinch, covering muddy areas with a thick layer of wood chips can provide solid, dry ground for your horse to walk on. For ice, horse owners can use sand or pure salt to help melt ice. If you are using sand, do not feed in the area as the horse might ingest it.
Repair Fences
Harsh winds, snow, and ice can wreak havoc on our fencelines in the winter. Bolstering them up before winter and making sure they are sturdy before the cold weather sets in can go a long way to keeping the horses contained during the long winter months. In autumn walk around all of your fence lines. Repair any broken boards or loose fence posts. If you use electric fencing, be sure to pull it tight and keep it well secured. Snow and ice can cause electric fencing to sag, making it a hazard for horses and allowing them to escape.
If you are in an area that gets a lot of snow, you may want to lift your gates up a few extra inches to allow for extra ground clearance. Bottom rails on electric fences may need to be unplugged once it starts snowing so they don't short out the whole fence.
Rotate Pastures
To maintain pasture health, it is important to let the grass have some time to regrow in the fall. Your grass will be better able to withstand winter if it has a little extra time to grow before the frost sets in. To keep the worm burden in the field down, manure should either be removed or spread so it can dry, killing parasites. If you do plan to keep your horses out to pasture in the fall keep in mind that additional rain and moisture can cause the sugars in the grass to return again, creating a laminitis risk for sensitive horses. Once the ground is frozen and covered in snow, horses can be turned back out without damaging the grass.
4. Get Your Horse's Winter Gear Out
The last thing you want is for the first winter chill to set in and to realize you don't know where your horse's blankets are. Horses can have a whole wardrobe and assortment of things that can help keep them happy and comfortable in the winter.
Autumn is the perfect time to:
Pull out all of your horse's coats, sheets, and coolers
Check them over for wear and tear or dirt
Clean summer gear (fly masks, sheets, etc.) and pack away
Find Coats Ahead of Time
Horses can have a whole wardrobe for winter. In colder regions, this often includes rain sheets, coolers, stable sheets, and blankets of different fills. Well before winter weather sets in, take winter gear out of storage and make sure everything is in good working condition and clean. Check straps and buckles for wear and tear. If your coats are in need waterproofing, do this while it is still warm enough outside to dry properly. If your horse is in need of new winter gear, buy it in the fall before you need it. Now is also a good time to pull out your own winter clothes, too.
Put Away Summer Gear
While you are pulling out winter gear is a good time to put away your horse's summer wear. Be sure your horse's fly masks, sheets, and boots are in good repair, clean, dry, and all ready to use for next year before packing them away.
5. Inventory Winter Supplies
Winter brings a lot of work to a horse farm. Shoveling snow and dealing with ice can turn a horse hobby into a job during the winter months. However, having the right tools on hand and ready for the snow and ice can make the hard job of maintaining a horse farm in the chilly season easier.
Before the snow starts falling be sure to:
Pull out winter shovels
Make sure plows and snowblowers are in working condition
Stock up on sand and salt
Set up water heaters
Find Your Winter Supplies
Before the snow starts piling up, you should take inventory of your winter supplies. Shovels, snowblowers, and plows can make winter on the farm much easier. Fall is a good time to pull out this equipment and make sure it is in good condition to make it through the winter. If you have a plow truck or snowblowers, it is not a bad idea to get them serviced in autumn to make sure they are ready to go. Having some extra gas on hand can help you get through a blizzard if you cannot leave to get more.
Stock Up On Salt
When there is snow on the ground, high-traffic areas tend to ice up and is an accident waiting to happen. For the safety of the horses and humans on your farm, it is important to be able to deal with ice. Putting down salt, sand, or a mixture can help melt ice and give boots and hooves traction over slippery surfaces. Stock up ahead of time and store it in a dry place to make sure you are ready to beat the ice.
Set Up Water Heaters
Many farms across the country overlook the importance of providing water to their horses in the winter. Studies show that horses drink less water when they are only provided with icey water. However, hydration is just as important in the winter. The best way to provide horses with an adequate water supply in the cold months is to use a water heater. Before it gets too cold is a good time to set up your water heater and make sure it is in working order and you have adequate extension cords to run it. In your horse's stall, insulating buckets can keep water from freezing all night.
Winter can be a difficult time of the year for horses and their owners. However, putting in some time to prepare for the season can help you and your horse meet winter head-on.