Horse Care Through the Seasons

In spring the coat changes and the horse spends energy on that process. Daily brushing speeds up shedding and helps the skin breathe. The move to pasture must be gradual — spring is exactly when colic and laminitis appear most often, caused by a sudden intake of young grass.

Summer brings flies, heat and dry hard ground. Schedule work for morning and evening, provide shade and constant access to water. Hooves dry out and crack in summer — regular trimming and, where needed, hoof dressing protect the horn. Check eyes and pale muzzle skin for sun and insect damage.

In autumn pasture quality drops and the horse prepares for winter. This is the right time for a veterinary check, vaccination, dental work and a body condition assessment. A horse that enters autumn too thin will burn reserves all winter.

In winter what matters most is hay, dry bedding and protection from wind and rain — not necessarily from cold. A healthy horse with a thick winter coat copes well with sub-zero temperatures; the problem is a wet coat in wind. Rugs make sense for clipped, older or ill horses.

Three constants apply all year: daily checks of legs and hooves, access to clean water and regular movement. Everything else is seasonal adjustment.