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Horses in Springtime

Well, Spring is officially here. You might not believe it as you dig out from under the snow, but yes spring has arrived. I am very sure that after this last “HaHa!” of what has proved to be a very long, wet winter, the rising green and soft winds will be more than a relief for a weary soul.

So what happens to our four-legged friends? Actually Lots! And it is the time of year when we, as their carers, need to spend the most amount of time caring for them and their things. Believe me when I say they will appreciate both now and later — as will you.

The first thing we need to aware of is that their winter coat will be shedding. Our yard is going to be covered in fur for about 10 weeks as the horses lose the thick coat that kept them warm most of the winter. Even the horses who were clipped for shows this past winter will be dropping some fur. So deep grooming is needed all around. The use of a hair removal comb for 30 minutes a day should get it under control relatively quickly, followed by an industrious use of the curry comb and dandy brush. If you don’t want to eat, breathe and wear horse hair, then a cheap coverall and a facemask will be your best friend.

Horses will try to rid themselves of their unwanted hair as well. This can make exercising or riding a bit more challenging as they will want to drop and roll. Rolling is a way to scratch your back and get rid of that fur. That’s great! That’s natural! Rolling with tack on is bad and can be expensive with regards to saddle damage and injury to the horse. Try very hard to NEVER let them do this. If there is a concern that rolling might happen, then lunge your horse without tack first and if he wants to roll, let him. This lunging will also get rid of his pent up energy.

Nature also gives horses gifts. With the warmer temperatures, they lose their coat which means the question of whether to rug or not to rug raises its ugly head. There are no hard and fast rules which makes this issue very contentious amongst owners.

One of best gifts of spring is the new shoot, buds and leaves. The lush green grass smells wonderful, and I am assured by Charlie that it tastes as good as it looks. The reason he, and 99% of the rest of the world’s equines, likes it is the sugar. Young, new shoots of grass are loaded with sugar. It tastes divine and after a winter of dried grass (hay), they will gorge themselves silly. For older or lamenetic ponies, this is dangerous as it can kill them. For horses and ponies with easily upset digestive systems, again this could kill them when they develop a fast moving colic. So, as much as they love it, it is important that they are monitored during the spring and not allowed to over eat.

The last gift of spring is babies. In nature, now is the time for foals. Horses have an 11 month gestation period. Naturally it is better for the foal to be born when there is plenty of grass so that the mother will have lots of milk. Also the temperatures are better as there is less of an overnight chill. Of course this means that the mares who don’t have a baby will have babies on her mind. Yep, they are at their strongest for being in season. The males, gelded or not, will respond. So suddenly your barn of sweet tempered dobbins start acting like a bunch wild stallions. They are just frisky. They will ride harder, faster and sharper than you might expect. They will be quick to the field and an absolute bore to bring in — if you can at all. As their carer what is important is to understand why they are behaving that way and to manage it in as safe a way as possible. Never rush and never put yourself in danger.

The last of the joys of spring (which could hold to early summer) is the tack. Now is the time to have the saddle fitter out and check to see if the saddle is fitting properly. Your horse will have lost weight and possibly condition over the winter. It is important that their “clothes” fit properly before you take them out showing. You may get lucky and only have to change the girth, which means the old one can be checked for wear and cleaned until needed again come autumn. Speaking of cleaning, this is a great time to deep clean the leather with saddle soap and give it a good oiling. Your hands won’t freeze in the water and it does feel good work in the sunshine!

Adding to the financial woes will be inevitable washing and repairing of rugs. Don’t leave this to September as there will be crush of people who have left it to the last minute. Get them clean and stored properly where there will be a minimum of damage from water, bugs or vermin. I’ve know some folks who put lavender in the strong plastic bags we store rugs in to deter these critters. This is also the time when you can pick up rugs on sale. Think carefully about how much it costs to repair a rug and how much further wear you will get versus the cost of a new rug.

Less expensive but equally dirty and necessary, it’s time to clean that stable. Get on the wellie boots and a t-shirt you never want to wear again, and lift those mats! Also try not to breathe too deep. Once the mats are lifted and out of the stable, clean the floor with Jays Fluid and leave it to dry. Wash the mats down all-purpose cleaner on BOTH sides and leave to dry in the sunshine. Now assess the stable for repairs. Do the walls need filled in from winter kicks? Does the light bulb need replaced in the stable? Does the stable need a spruce up? A quick lick of paint can make the whole stable look brand new. One last thing…change the water bucket. I’ve learned over the years to change them out in the spring (whether you think it needs it or not) because often the bucket has suffered under the cold, and will break easily and unexpectedly during first warm days. Also, it’s a nice treat for your horse.

So lots to do. I suppose I should get off of the computer and get to work… once it quits snowing.

Keep riding,
K.