Everyone has something to do at Christmas, whether it’s visiting family to feast or hosting family and preparing a feast yourself there is always a lot to do. However, no matter how busy you are, caring for your horse at Christmas is just as important as any other time of year.
If you add to all of these commitments the challenging cold weather and the fact that shops are closed down, ensuring your horse receives the proper care can become more difficult. With this in mind, below we’ve put together some advice on caring for your horse at Christmas.
Caring for your horse at Christmas
1. Maintain normal routine – especially exercise
Horses are creatures of habit and any change in their routine can cause unnecessary stress. It is for this reason that, when caring for your horse this Christmas, it is important to maintain this routine as much as possible. An important aspect of this is their exercise routine which helps to keep them not only in good physical condition, but also nice and warm.
2. Organise help if required
If you are going away for Christmas, make sure there is someone around to take care of your horse in your absence. Not only this, but following on from Point 1, also make sure they are fully briefed on your horse’s routine and any special requirements.
3. Cool down properly
After this all-important exercise, it is extremely important to ensure that your horse cools down properly. If you do not make sure of this, your horse can easily catch a chill and that could ruin everyone’s Christmas.
4. Avoid Christmas treats
Although it might seem like a good idea to give your horse a special tasty treat for Christmas, it can actually be harmful to them and could even lead to colic. A horse needs time to get used to new food in their diet. This can take a number of weeks, so instead of that new treat, why not give them some fruit instead?
5. Monitor water temperature
Horses need to drink a large amount of water every day to stay fully hydrated, especially in the winter months when they are eating more dry hay. However, over Christmas the low temperatures can stop them from drinking as much as they need. Keep checking their water to make sure it hasn’t frozen over and consider adding some hot water at feeding time to bring it up to a more comfortable temperature.
6. Stock up on supplies
Bear in mind that many shops are closed over the Christmas period, so in the lead up to the holidays make sure that you have all the supplies that your horse will need. There is also a much higher risk of adverse weather conditions at this time of year so having a fully stocked store is a very good idea.
7. Plan for fireworks
Finally, another way of caring for your horse this Christmas that is often overlooked is properly preparing for fireworks. Loud bangs and flashes do not usually mix wth horses too well, so be prepared for this, especially if your horse is prone to anxiety in these situations. If your horse is stabled, it may be a good idea to use travel boots to minimise any risk of injury. And whether your horse is inside or not, be sure to check on him to ensure he is ok and clam him down if not.
NRT Horse Transportation
NRT Horse Transportation is a professional horse moving company that offers expert services for any horse, in any discipline in any location. Our highly experienced team is well-versed in everything equine and can offer all the advice you need on pre-transport preparation, the journey itself and settling down post-transport.
To find out more about our services, give us a call on 01638 663155, or click here.