When the temperature drops and the mud starts to stick, your horse care routine needs a serious winter upgrade. Cold weather brings more than just frost — it challenges everything from your feeding schedule to your grooming habits.
Here’s your go-to guide to prepping your barn, your horse, and yourself for winter — so you can keep things cozy, clean, and chaos-free.
🐴 1. Check Your Horse’s Winter Health Needs
Cold weather affects horses in ways that aren’t always obvious. Before the real chill sets in, make sure you:
-
✅ Schedule a vet checkup
-
✅ Stay current on deworming and vaccinations
-
✅ Monitor body condition — horses burn more calories to stay warm
-
✅ Stock up on electrolytes for dry winter months
-
✅ Keep an eye on water intake (use heated buckets or de-icers)
Pro tip: A horse that looks fine in summer may lose condition fast in cold weather — do regular weight checks.
🧽 2. Winter Grooming: Fight the Mud, Not Your Horse
Mats, mud, and longer winter coats can lead to skin issues like rain rot or fungus. Tail care gets especially tricky during winter turnout.
Here’s your cold-weather grooming checklist:
-
🪮 Use a rubber curry to loosen dirt without irritating the skin
-
✂️ Trim feathers slightly to reduce mud build-up
-
🧼 Don’t over-bathe — dry shampoo or spot cleaning is your friend
-
🧵 Protect the tail from mud and manure stains with a breathable wrap like TailCinch
Why wrap instead of braid?
Braid + moisture = fungus and breakage. A wrap allows airflow while keeping it clean — without annoying your horse.
🏠 3. Winterize Your Barn & Equipment
Small prep now = less chaos when the first snowstorm hits.
-
🧯 Check heaters, water lines, and stall ventilation
-
🔦 Stock up on flashlights, batteries, and backup lights
-
🚪 Draft-proof tack rooms and doorways
-
🛠️ Do a deep-clean and organize feed/supplement storage
-
🧤 Get backup gloves, socks, and dry layers — trust us.
🧺 4. Wash and Store Summer Gear
Rotate out your warm-weather gear now while it’s still easy.
-
Wash fly sheets, summer tack pads, and grooming tools
-
Clean and store clippers, sprays, and fans
-
Do a final deep clean of grooming brushes and bins
-
Restock essential winter grooming items (detangler, hoof balm, wraps)
🐕 5. Don’t Forget the Barn Dogs (and People!)
If your barn has dogs, cats, or brave humans hanging around, prep their winter gear too.
-
Heated water bowls for pets
-
Extra blankets or coats
-
Hot chocolate station (yes, for humans — because you earned it)
🧼 Bonus: How to Keep Tails Clean All Winter
Long tails + wet, mucky paddocks = disaster.
To keep your horse’s tail clean and your grooming time down:
👉 Use a soft tail wrap that protects from mud, manure, and breakage — but still allows airflow.
🐴 That’s why we made the TailCinch: it wraps gently, stays in place, and keeps things tidy even in the sloppiest turnout.
🎯 Final Thoughts
Winter can be magical — but only if you're ready. With a bit of planning, your barn stays safe, your horse stays healthy, and your tail doesn't turn into a frozen dreadlock.
Happy winter prepping! ❄️
