Are your stables winter-ready? With cold weather on the horizon, use these tips to ensure your horses stay healthy, happy, and warm all season long.
Deep Clean
As your horses will be spending more time indoors, cleanliness of your barn and stables is essential to their health. Before the first big freeze arrives, dive in and do a deep clean. The best approach is to strip the stables entirely and scrub everything down with disinfectant. It’s also important to ensure everything has dried thoroughly so you don’t risk mold growth or problems from freezing.
Finish Repairs
There are a number of repairs and maintenance items that should be completed to thoroughly winterize your stables. First, look for any areas where rodents and other pests might enter and seal them off as best you can. Then, check windows and doors for drafts. Eliminating these will help you save money on energy and keep your animals warmer. Finally, ensure your pipes, faucets, and fixtures have been properly insulated to prevent them from freezing and bursting.
Prepare Winter Supplies
Winter weather can bring treacherous conditions for both humans and horses alike. Be prepared for anything Mother Nature throws your way by stocking the barn with needed winter supplies. This includes snow shovels, salt for deicing, headlamps for late nights and early mornings, and winter boots with good traction.
Stock Up On Food and Water
When the ground is frozen it limits the amount of grazing your horses can do. As a result, you’ll need to provide them with more hay to eat in the stables. It’s best to build up a solid indoor supply early so you don’t have to deal with hauling it in the snow and ice. Your horses will also require water sources that won’t freeze. If you’re worried about temperatures dipping too low, there are many tank heater options available to mitigate the issue.
Get Rugs Ready
Your horses can adapt to the cold quite well, but even these powerful animals have their limits. At some point, they’ll probably need a little extra warmth from a horse rug or horse blanket. In preparation for winter, wash your blankets, mend any holes or tears, and hang them in the stables for easy access. Thanks to this early preparation, you can provide your animals quick comfort in rapidly changing weather conditions.
Monitor the Weather
The Boy Scout motto is “be prepared”, and the same applies to your stables. Winter weather waits for no one, making it critical to understand when the worst storms are arriving. Carefully monitor the weather report so you know if you might need to spring into action in the middle of the night or take extra precautions for the week ahead.
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