7 Autumn Equestrian Jobs To Do Now!

October is here which means cooler mornings, darker evenings and prepping for winter routines with our horses! Do your horses enjoy longer turnout over the summer and spend more time in their stables once winter arrives? We are lucky that our ponies live out 24/7 from June to November so we get a good break from mucking out! Before the clocks change I find the beginning of October a great time to get a bit more organised for winter. But where to start? Here are my priorities for getting organised for the months ahead.

1. Cleaning the Stables

Whether your horse has continued to use their stable or has spent the summer months in the field, a thorough stable clean is a good job to get done on a bright October morning. The hellish task of cleaning stable mats is best done with your yard mates (or dragging your husband up there!) as they are so blooming heavy to move. A pressure washer or powerful hose attachment is best used for a power wash. And definitely don’t wear your best clothes!!! Take a hoover or use a damp broom to get those scary cobwebs out the stables – just be careful no spiders fall on your head! Now is also a good time to check for any damage and get any small repairs sorted. It can be easy to miss things like this when you are rushing to muck out every morning. Once cleaned and fresh bedding added your stable will be a much more welcoming environment for your horse and nicer place for you to muck out too!

2. Washing Equestrian Equipment

As my horse’s coat begins to change I use this time to ensure I get their equipment is properly cleaned. Despite regular brushing, items such as girths, boots, fly masks, halters, ropes can have a build up of scurf or grease so its good to give them a regular thorough clean with the change of the season. The question is will you need to hand wash at the yard or can you get away with putting some items in the washing machine?! You might even be lucky enough to have access to a washing machine at your yard that is used solely for this type of thing! Personally I often use a wash bag which you put items inside. Then you seal the zip at the top and put inside the washing machine. This keeps any hair inside the bag and saves your washing machine! Other items I do by hand at the yard, often soaking in my horse’s shampoo and then power wash it out with the hose. Leave items to dry hanging on the fence!

3. Rug Washing and Repairs

If you haven’t done this already then get now is a great time to sort out your rugs and check you have something suitable for the upcoming season. They may be looking a like they need a bit of TLC so find a local rug wash and repair company and get them sorted before the downpours begin. A good wash and reproof and you’re rugs will look like they are new again!

4. Update your Equestrian Winter Wardrobe

Okay so this is not strictly an essential Autumnal task but we all know that not having the right attire during the winter months makes us rather miserable! Firstly the never ending rain…do you have enough waterproofs to get you through at least two trips to the yard a day? My husband tells me I have a ridiculous number of coats but I use each and every one during the winter whether I am at the stables or walking the dog. Plus I always put a new coat on my Christmas list!!! Feet and toes must be kept warm at all times so stock up on socks and gloves as well as plenty of layers so you can strip off as you warm up mucking out. Thermal gloves are lovely but we sometimes struggle with these for those fiddly yard tasks so always ensure we have a pair of yard gloves to hand. Our hoodies are great for day to day yard attire as they are relaxed fitting, cosy and comfy when you drag yourself to the stables at the start of the day.

5. Clipping

With a hairy coblet to look after I am generally clipping once a month without fail! I can’t believe how fast the hair grows and I never seem to get any quicker. For a nice clip try and bath the day before to get grease out of the coat. Plan ahead and make sure you’ve got everything you need for clipping your horse. Last thing you want is half a clipped horse… even if you’re not heading out anywhere it makes me twitchy if I cant get a clip finished. You’ll also need to make sure you have an outfit for yourself that will keep you as protected as possible – I can promise you clipping hair gets everywhere! If you clip your horse yourself get your blades sharpened and clippers serviced, and make sure you have clipping oil. Alternatively you can usually find someone experienced in your local area who will clip for you for a reasonable fee. If you haven’t had your horse clipped before do some research and go with someone on a personal recommendation if you can. Keep a close eye on your horse and how hot he is getting during exercise to be able to get the clipping done at the correct time of year for your horse.

6. Buy in Hay, Feed and Bedding in Bulk

Depending on the grazing/ grass situation at your yard you may not of had the need for much hay over the Summer months. However as soon as your horse comes in you’ll need to feed more so now is a good time to ask around and buy feed/ hay/ bedding in bulk if possible to try and get a good price. Getting organised now also means you’ll have one less thing to think about during winter and you wont have to keep standing around in the rain/ wind waiting for deliveries to arrive.

7. Check Fencing

With Winter’s arrival we all know we will face wind, rain, snow and plenty of mud! Now is the time to get those fields checked as you don’t want to be standing around fixing fencing in the rain if you can help it. If there are any areas that look weak or need replacing the ground is soft enough to get new posts in and get sorted. It’s also a good time to year to trim back any branches that look particularly precarious and might damage fencing during a storm.

That brings me to the end of my to do list for the next couple of weeks…but what have I missed? What would you add to the list? Although the thought of Winter can feel a bit depressing, with some forward planning and the right equipment it can be just as fun as the summer. Let’s face it there’s nothing quite like a lovely hug with your horse under his rug to warm you up in the mornings!