The
winter is drawing closer, and if predictions are accurate it could be
a far colder winter than average. As a reliable horse owner, your
priority is maintaining your horse’s health and happiness in these
colder months, but if you haven’t started the preparations for your
stable yet, don’t panic! This latest post is filled with advice on
how to get your stable ready for winter…
- Clean Vigorously
Maintaining
the cleanliness of your stable is crucial all year around and winter
is no exception. Use disinfectant to thoroughly clean the stable and
ensure that enough pest control is in place to deter rodents.
Exhaustive cleaning before winter will certainly assist in preserving
your horse’s health.
- Stop Freezing
Winter
is often accompanied by dreaded snow and ice – and this is almost
certainly going to be the case this year. This is why it is important
to keep all areas of the stable, including doors and windows, clean
and dry to prevent them from freezing shut. It is also worth
insulating your water pipes to try and prevent freezing, but always
keep a water bucket on hand for extremely cold days.
- Invest In Rubber Matting
The
colder months can affect your horse’s joints and hooves. By
investing in high-quality rubber matting, you can lessen the pressure
on their joints whilst keeping them comfortable throughout winter.
Look to UK based suppliers such as Fairfield Sales for specialist
rubber matting designed with horses in mind.
- Entertainment
It
may not be acceptable to install a flat screen TV in your stable but
you can certainly alleviate boredom by introducing games, stimulating
toys and shatterproof mirrors. When your horse isn’t playing
around, they might be spending their time looking outside. Ensure
that you have a stable door grille correctly installed to prevent
boredom-related weaving.
- Winter Warming Food
If your horse is kept outside
throughout most of the summer, your stable may not be fully equipped
for full-time use. Invest in high-quality hay nets that your horse
can feed from and make sure you have enough for a constant supply.
Installing more than one hay net and filling each with a different
form of sustenance can keep your horse interested in eating whilst
providing another way to prevent boredom.
- Keep Yourself Warm
We
admit that this is not a stable related top tip, but it is incredibly
important. Keeping yourself wrapped up warm in clothing, boots and
gloves will not only protect you from harsh weather but ensure that
you are willing to make those colder visits to your horse.