How to Prepare Stables Ahead of Winter

Stabling horses through the winter means preparing early so you won’t be caught on the hop if the current warm spell suddenly subsides.

Get ready for the dark evenings and chilly weather ahead, as the time of year that most horse owners dread is just around the corner.

It needn’t be traumatic if you have an action plan in place. Making sure your stable is leak-proof and cosy is half the battle – but don’t forget to stockpile plenty of thermal clothing and a pair of wellies for yourself too.

Deep-clean your stable

Spending most of the time indoors can lead to a greater risk of respiratory problems and infections such as thrush for your horse.

Illnesses can begin as a result of high ammonia levels and trapped urine, so complete a thorough deep-clean now. Strip out the stable completely and scrub the floor and walls with disinfectant. Allow it to dry thoroughly.

If your stable has sufficient drainage, pressure-wash it with disinfectant to kill any bacteria and leave it squeaky clean.

Install rubber stable mats

This is a good time to add rubber matting for stables to help keep your horse’s hooves away from the cold, hard floor.

As well as providing effective insulation, it also adds cushioning, provides a greater level of comfort and reduces the risk of injury.

Easy to keep clean and dry, it reduces odours and helps you to save money on bedding, as well as enabling you to muck out quicker.

Look after your pipes

Put measures in place to safeguard your water pipes from freezing. Once pipes freeze, this not only cuts off your water supply, but it can also cause them to burst as the ice inside expands.

Add foam lagging and heat tape to reduce the risks. You can also add “tap cosies” to outdoor taps. Always have a kettle in your tack room – it’s great to thaw pipes out, as well as for making a welcome cup of tea.

Check for draughts

Check all the windows thoroughly to make sure there are no draughts. It’s important to secure your stable from wind and rain.

However, just because it’s winter, don’t forget adequate ventilation is also important on milder, dry days. Clean the stable windows and make sure they open and close smoothly. If not, spray some oil on the locks and hinges. That way, you can make sure your horses get fresh air, even when spending more time inside.

Check for pests

Winter is the time of year when rodents are most likely to invade your warm, dry stable and feed room. Capable of doing a lot of damage, they can chew electrical wires that can then become a fire risk. They can also eat and contaminate your horse’s feed, leaving you out of pocket.

Devise an effective plan to keep them out that won’t be harmful to animals or people, such as humane rat traps. Ask for help from a pest control company if you can’t do this yourself.

Stock up with essentials

Be prepared for the worst in terms of ice and snow. Stock up with snow shovels to clear a path to the stable if necessary. Buy some rock salt to help combat a slippery yard. It can sell out fast once it snows, so buy it now to store until needed.

Stock up with plenty of forage so your horse has plenty to eat in the event of a deep freeze. It’s cheaper to buy it now.

Keep several torches handy in case there’s a winter power cut.

Prepare winter rugs

How much preparation they will need largely depends on how you left them in spring. If you had your rugs mended, cleaned and reproofed, they won’t be in poor condition now. All you’ll need to do is check them for rodent damage from over the summer.

However, if you threw the rugs to one side and decided to sort them out later, you’ll have a bigger job on your hands. Get them washed and reproofed now.

Keep a patch repair kit and some reproofing spray at the stables so you can carry out minor repairs yourself throughout winter.

Keep some spare rugs and duvets to use should your horses damage their rugs, or you need to provide an extra layer for warmth.

Keep yourself warm

Finally, make sure you’re ready for winter by investing in thermal socks, gloves and hat, a waterproof coat and new wellies if your old ones are worse for wear.

There’s nothing worse than arriving at the stable yard on a cold winter morning and ending up with wet feet and cold hands within minutes.