Winter horse care: 33 top tips for horse well-being

The winter months are always a challenge for horse owners, so we asked top riders, trainers and amateurs for their tips on how to make the cold and wet days more bearable. Here's what they had to say:

Exercise your horse

1. “Don’t be a martyr when you train your horse. If you’re miserable, he’s miserable.” Karen Bush , trainer and author 2. “A 20-minute running session allows your horse to stretch his legs and can help keep him in shape even if you don’t have time to train him.” Claire Lilley , trainer and author 3. “Walking a horse really helps with training issues, especially during the dark times.” Bryony Wilson , event planner 4. “Variety is important to keep your sport horses fit and active. Take every opportunity to ride and bring as much variety into your training as possible. With young horses I do more rigorous exercises or free jumping.” Laura Tomlinson , British Olympic dressage rider 5. “When we train, we ride and walk a lot. We can train just as many horses even in a shorter light season.” Tricia Hirst , endurance rider 6. “Try to exercise your horses most days to get their circulation going, but if you can’t get outside due to bad weather, be sure to adjust your feeding accordingly.” Sandra Low-Mitchell , show jumper 7. “Take your horse out for outdoor exercise at least once a week to provide variety and keep them fit. Long rein training is effective for both the horse and the rider.” Dr Kathryn Nankervis , Lecturer in Equine Therapy at Hartpury College 8. “When riding, use a waterproof training tarp to keep yourself and your horse dry. Avoid riding on an outdoor track to avoid getting too wet.” Vikki Weaver , dressage rider

Healthy and happy horses

9. “Feed a good quality oil to your horses during the winter months. It’s an excellent way to maintain condition.” Julian Marczak , Chairman, Association of British Riding Schools 10. “Reduce stable dust by using good quality dust-free bedding. Ensure that stables are well ventilated and that horses have a minimum of stable cough and colic.” Karen Coumbe , H&H Veterinary Advisor 11. “When your horses are hot and sweaty, a solarium is wonderful. They are very expensive but worth their weight in gold. Alternatively, red heat lamps do the same thing.” Lucy Katan , British Grooms Association. Continued below… 12. “Make sure all horses are properly checked twice a day, even if they are outside. Look for wounds and early signs of mud fever, especially on the backs of goats.” Karen Coumbe , H&H Veterinary Specialist 13. “After a night of frost, break the ice at all water points first -- ice could mean your horse hasn't had water for hours.” The Redwings Team 14. “Horses live without blankets all winter. I try to make sure all the horses have plenty of warmth – it helps with their ‘central heating’. We give them hay from the troughs which saves space.” Lucinda McAlpine , Natural Horse Management 15. “We keep our horses on rubber mats which saves time and money and is dust-free. We use Horseware Rambo rugs which are waterproof and breathable and the horses use the same rugs in the stable and in the field which saves time.” Tricia Hirst , endurance rider 16. “With winter comes mud fever. We have found that towel drying your feet is more important than anything else. One of my assistants suggested applying sulfur powder to your feet and it worked brilliantly – we have had very few mud fevers since then.” Polly Williamson , former eventer, current trainer 17. “Apply liquid paraffin before you let your horse out to prevent mud fever – it’s very water-repellent, good for the skin and non-sticky.” Carol Mailer , show jumping trainer 18. “To prevent mud fever, clean mud and dirt from your horse’s feet daily using lukewarm water. If the water is too cold it can cause cracks and abrasions, while if it is too warm it opens up the pores, both of which provide an entry point for bacteria.” The Redwings Horse Sanctuary Team

Around the yard

19. “Make sure your water pipes have enough lag to prevent them from bursting after freezing.” Karen Bush , instructor and author 20. “Put straw on the ground at the gates of the field to prevent brooding.” Helen Firn , horse owner 21. “A heater in the saddle room prevents saddles from getting wet and moldy.” Redwings team 22. “Invest in an industrial-grade washer and dryer to keep saddle pads, shin guards and rugs clean and dry.” Lucy Thompson , eventing trainer 23. “Plan ahead for winter. Reduce mud by improving drainage at gates or spreading wood chips. Make sure the stable lights are working and you have enough feed and straw. Bleed water lines to prevent freezing.” Karen Coumbe , H&H Veterinary Advisor 24. “If your water pipes tend to freeze overnight, invest in a couple of large water tanks that you can fill up at night and keep inside for the morning.” The Redwings Team 25. “Use only one horse tack in the winter and walk each horse in turn for a few hours a day. You can then leave that one tack to rest and recover before the next winter.” Jenny Key , dressage trainer

Take care of yourself.

26. “Wear thermally lined boots and fingerless gloves so you can also do dexterity-requiring tasks. Always wear a T-shirt or vest tucked into your breeches.” Sue Cutts , riding school owner 27. “Always wear a hat – most of your body heat is lost through your head.” Polly Williamson , former eventer, current trainer 28. “I was suffering from frostbite on my legs. I bought thermal pants and a pair of overpants, they are fantastic for riding.” Bryony Wilson , eventer

Clean and tidy horses

29. “Cut tails shorter than normal in early October to keep the hind legs and tail free of mud. For extra cleanliness, braid the tails into a thick braid.” Lucy Thompson , eventing trainer 30. “Horse hoods are a godsend for keeping horses clean and warm – spray a little show polish on the inside of the hood to prevent chafing.” Bryony Wilson , eventer 31. “After work, wash your horses with warm water and cider vinegar when they are sweaty -- it's good for the coat and skin.” Laura Tomlinson , British Olympic dressage rider 32. “Using straw is still the best way to dry a tired horse after a run. Use dry, shaken hay under the blanket and always remember to towel dry the ears and legs.” Polly Williamson , former event organiser, current trainer 33. “Warp technology is so good these days that there should be one good, warm, breathable reversible rug – it’s disgusting to see horses under the weight of multiple rugs.” Sandra Low-Mitchell , show jumper Quoted from: Horse & Hound (19 October, '06)