Preparing your Horse for Winter
As the seasons change, you need to start thinking about preparing your horse for the colder days ahead. The temperature is dropping into the 50’s and lower at night, so those horses that are remaining in steady work will need to be blanketed to prevent them from growing furry coats. It is very important to find all of your winter blankets so that they can be cleaned and repaired, ready for use.
The shoes will also need to be changed as we move into the colder, icy, snowy days of winter. Snow pads are a great idea to prevent the “high heel” effect of snow balls accumulating in the bottom of the hoof. Also, some sort of traction should be added to the bottom of the shoes to prevent slipping on the ice.
Finally, check your feed schedule as the grass diminishes and your horse shifts to eating primarily hay. Stay current with your horses worming schedule and moniter his water consumption. It is very important to be aware of the change of seasons and how it affects your horse. Remember, horses are much happier in cold weather than hot, and they adjust easier to the cold days.