Your Barn Is Ready For Winter - What About Your Horse?

Mid February to me is like "Hump Day", it means
we are on the downhill side of winter and that
much closer to spring. And when these mid winter
days get cold and blustery you can go inside and
be safe and warm against the storm, but what
about your horse?

Good winter care for your horse actually begins
in the fall with preparing the horse. Before the
weather gets cold the first thing to do is to be
sure your horse is in good physical condition.
Call a vet and have them check the horse for
general health, parasites and any immunizations
that may be needed.

Next would be feed. Know in advance what you
will be feeding your horse during the winter. A
horse should not lose weight through the cold
months. Putting on a little extra weight is a
good thing. A small extra layer of fat acts as
an insulator against the cold and also provides
an energy reserve. Check with your vet and alter
your feeding program as necessary.

Know your hay. When the real cold weather hits
hay is the best way to add an extra heat source.
Because of how a horse digests the hay it
actually produces heat. Increased hay ration is
the preferred way to meet horses elevated energy
requirements. Knowing the nutrient value of your
hay ahead of time is important. You can take a
sample to your local County Extension Office,
they will help you with getting your hay tested.

Water is the next necessity. Nothing lives
without water, you, me and your horse all
require water to survive. When the weather cools
horses tend to drink less, not good when combined
with the increased intake of dry foods and hay. A
horse can drink up to eight gallons a day, so
making sure the horse always has a fresh supply
of water is critical.

Depending on where you live and how cold it gets
keeping the water from freezing can be as easy as
keeping the bucket in a sunny location. If it
gets a little colder, floating something in the
water will keep it open enough for the horse to
get to the water. Use something large that
cannot be swallowed like a soccer ball. If you
are in an extreme environment you may want to
consider a heating device. There are heated
buckets, floating heaters and automatic
dispensers. At the very least check the water at
least twice a day, keep it full and remove any
ice.

Preparing your barn. What you do really depends
on where you live. In the South where winter is
usually mild the requirements are different than
the North where winters can be extreme and you
can be snowed in for long periods of time.
Either way there are a few basic rules:

- Be sure you have enough hay, feed and bedding
beforehand.

- Make sure to keep it dry and rodent proof.

- Check your water supply, insulate or add
heaters as necessary to keep it from freezing.

- Check the barns ventilation. You would think a
tight draft free barn is good, quite contrary. A
little air moving through the barn is good for
their overall health. Add an extra blanket if
necessary.

Follow these simple rules and you and your horse
will enjoy the winter and be in good shape ready
for spring.


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Carolina Storage Solutions has sold and delivered
HUNDREDS of modular horse barns and storage sheds
to satisfied customers in the local area and to
ranchers and home owners as far away as the
Midwest. We opened our doors on this motto:
"Treat others the way we want to be treated".
http://deliveredbarnsandsheds.com


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