Winter Horse Care Help?

[TakeOffYourColours]

hello!
I have always had horses at livery yards. but come of tuesday next week, my horse will be coming to live at our new house.
we only have a paddock as of now and have to wait to build stables.
the paddock has trees and hedge for shelter, and we are working on getting a field shelter but money is quite tight.

My horse is a 14hh welsh section D cross irish cob.
so she gets very very hairy in winter.

Obviously this is my first time having a horse at home with me, and with snow just around the corner... I'm a little worried i'm going to mess up.

Can anyone please give me tips and advice on caring for horses in winter that are turned out 24/7?
i'd like to know how you all handle winter too.

Sorry if this all makes me seem abit incompetent, i just don't want to mess this up

 

[Enfys]

Hi,

First off, take a breath and relax You will be fine.
It doesn't make you sound incompetent, it is a wise person that asks questions The most important thing is hands on checking everyday so that you know what her condition is and will notice if she changes in anyway, take each day as it comes.

Most horses of the type yours is are pretty hardy and will grow a huge coat as you say, she will probably do just fine with the natural shelter. I wouldn't worry about snow (and I am used to snow now believe me) they cope far better with that than with incessant rain that soaks them to the skin and turns the ground into a swamp.

How hands on is your experience with all the usual feeding etc?
Is she a good do-er?
How large is your paddock?
What amount of grazing do you have?
She will be happier (and more active) if she can graze or pick at grass, if not then either ad-lib or a frequent supply of hay will do. I have mixed feelings about haynets but the small hole slow feeder ones are good if you don't want your horse to scoff her entire ration off the floor in half an hour. Tie two or three up in different places around the paddock.
If you get your shelter up she may not use it But at least you can be dry whilst cursing her for wasting your dosh Putting straw/bedding down in there may encourage her to use it, I never feed in my shelters, but with just one horse you don't have a crowding or bullying problem, so no worries.

My horses live out 24/7 usually with snow on the ground for months and -10C is a warm day in winter.
This is not unusual

I feed ad-lib hay, EVERYTHING gets oats, sugarbeet, flax and BOSS.
Some I rug, some I don't, but I do have MWs to go round, so if one needs a blanket then they get one.
If you don't already have a rug I would suggest getting one - just in case, you may never use it, but if you find her looking a bit tucked up, miserable, or sick you will be glad you had one to hand. (light fill or MW. I only have MW, I double up if I need to)

As for the snow, shovel a path and keep it cleared, get some grit in if you have concrete/slippy surface, and if you are dragging hay and water around - USE A SLED, pull, don't push, so much easier.

Have fun, enjoy your horse at home and don't make things more complicated than you need to.

Oh yes, routine ... unless you like clockwatching - don't keep one.

My horses are fed at sometime in the morning, and again at night, I don't feed them on the dot of 7am or whatever so they aren't beating the gate down because I am having another coffee or just simply don't want to go out until the storm has passed, although they hear the back door go and start hollering then!

 

[meesha]

Check there are no poisonous trees/plants such as oak, sycamore, yew or ragwort. Horses are herd animals so you will need a companion, left alone you will probably have a very stressed horse. The horse charitys offer companions very cheaply.

I am a fan of a feed balancer such as top spec lite which can be fed on its own, it makes sure they get all essential minerals. Then ad lib hay or haylage, it might be worth putting small area of Terram then stone where you are eventually going to have stables, you can then put the hay/haylage there to stop the area becoming boggy.

How lovely to have your horse at home, enjoy.

 

[AngieandBen]

Great post Enfys ; I used to clock watch until my neighbour told me not to! They don't hang around the gates now lol.

I have three native ponies, all live out with just natural shelter, I do have stables, not often used though. Mine only get rugs on if we have a lot of rain and its windy. I have lots of grass so never have to feed hay in the fiel,d they just get a small feed of Alfalfa nuts with linseed and salt.

Good luck, its lovely to have them at home!