Year-Round Horse Care Guide

Maintain your sanity and your horse's health with an annual horse-maintenance schedule.

• From feeding to vaccinations and everything in between, your horse's health depends on your consistent care. By creating a seasonal schedule, you'll keep your horse life in order all year, and your horse healthy and happy.

Create a Calendar

Spring:

• Administer dewormer.

• Administers initial vaccines.

• Mow pasture to prepare for summer turnout.

• Get on your preferred hay dealer's purchase list.

• Schedule your first shoeing with your farrier (if applicable).

Summer:

• Prepare for summer travel a month before you hit the road.

• Plan turnout schedule and manage pasture.

Fall:

• Administer dewormer.

• Administer booster vaccines.

• Schedule with your farrier to have shoes pulled (if applicable).

Winter:

• Float teeth (or schedule around your event schedule).

Managing Feed

Horses are creatures of habit; sticking to a consistent feeding schedule keeps their stomach acids at bay and reduces the likelihood of colic or founder.

Depending on your horse and the time of year, you'll want to be mindful of how long you turn him out, so he doesn't overgraze or overeat. In the summer, if you have access to pasture, you can turn out all day and supplement with minimal hay or grain for seniors.