- Blanket Blunders - Time to swap out those lightweight sheets for heavier winter blankets. We don't blanket our horses year-round, but we do occasionally use sheets and lyrica hoods to help keep the show horses clean. Do yourself a favor and wash and repair them now. It will save you a lot of grief come spring time. Plus, if you have some that need repairs or have to be replaced, you'll know to watch for clearance tack sales to get a better bargain. We usually hose our horses' sheets first, then wash them in the washing machine. (Cue the horse hair sticking to everything and tangled blanket straps!)
- Winterize Your Trailer & Tack Room - Go ahead and grab all those medications, supplements, and other items that don't need to freeze. Make sure you have a safe, warm place to store them.
- Check Water Sources & Replace Faulty Hoses, Hydrants - Speaking from experience, it's much easier to replace/repair a faulty water horse or hydrant when the temperature is above freezing and you don't have multiple layers of clothing in your way! Double check to make sure everything is in working order before the cold weather settles in.
- Repair Fence around Horse Pastures - Again, it's much easier to dig post holes and work on fence when it's warm. And if you have horses who like to scratch their big rumps on the fence (who doesn't?!?), it never hurts to regularly check for broken boards, weak posts, and other hazards in the fence line.