Cold Weather Winter Horse check list.

Winter has arrived early in some parts of Canada this year. A few weeks back Alberta was hit with a snow storm and have been experiencing cold weather the last little while.  In Ontario we have dodged tthe dreaded "S" word but like it or not it is coming.  Here are a few things I like to do with my horse so he is prepared going into the winter.

Give your horse a thorough look over.

Is he in good weight? You shouldn't be seeing any ribs but just barely feel them if you run your hand over the rib cage.  If your horse is a hard keeper try to fatten them up a bit going into the colder weather.

Is his coat coming in? By now your horse should be well on it's way to getting their woolies. If the coat doesn't look like it is coming in as good as it should be take steps to address this now.  A winter blanket or a nutritional problem may be the answer.

I ride my horse barefoot, I have for years but if you shoe your horse and don't plan on doing a lot of hard riding I suggest pulling the shoes and trimming the feet.  I believe a horse is better off barefoot in the winter.  I feel they have better traction and removing shoes allows the hoof to grow out and expand.

Give your horse a good grooming, it helps to release oils and promotes a healthy coat.  It also allows you to examine your horse closely. 

Everyones favorite job, clean the sheath.  Remember to use a very mild soap or a sheath cleaner.  I sell one called Equiderma, it works great and is very gentle.

Remember to stay UTD on vaccinations.

Most importantly start planning activites to do with your horse throughout the winter.

 I 'll talk a bit more about what to do around the barn to get ready for winter in my next post.

thanks

Steve Wawryk