Autumn Preparations for Horses and Smallholdings

Audit your forage supplies early

Before the first proper frost, take a realistic look at your hay and haylage stores. A 500kg horse at maintenance eats roughly 2 to 2.5 per cent of its bodyweight in dry matter each day, which means 10 to 12.5kg of hay. Over a 180-day winter that is between 1.8 and 2.25 tonnes. Weigh a few bales rather than trusting the label, as small bales vary hugely. Haylage is heavier but contains more water, so you will feed more by weight. If you have a good-doer or a laminitic, consider testing a sample for sugar and starch. Store bales on pallets, off the floor, with a gap from walls to allow air to move. Keep the feed store tidy and rodent-proof, and order any extra before prices rise or supplies tighten.

Repair shelters, fencing and water supplies

Autumn is your last chance to fix things comfortably. Check field shelters for loose roofing sheets, rotten kickboards and broken bolts. Clear gutters and make sure the floor drains away from the entrance. Walk the fence line: replace cracked posts, tighten electric tape, and test the energiser with a proper fence tester. Gateways will soon turn to liquid mud, so put down grass mats, woodchip or hardcore before the ground is churned. If you have a spare paddock, set it aside as a sacrifice area for wet days. Water troughs need attention too: lag exposed pipes, check ball valves, and plan how you will keep ice off the surface. A floating ball or an insulated trough cover can save daily struggle.

Plan winter routines around shorter days

With less daylight, every task takes longer. Write a simple weekly schedule that fits your horse's needs and your own energy. Decide whether you will clip, and if so, how much. A trace clip suits a horse in light work; a full clip needs more rugging and shelter. Check turnout rugs for tears, replace missing leg straps, and reproof waterproofing. Remember that over-rugging is a common mistake, especially for native breeds. Use a lightweight sheet for wet, mild days and save the heavyweight for freezing winds. Keep a small notebook or phone calendar for farrier, dentist, worm counts and vaccinations. Doing chores in the same order each day saves time when the rain is horizontal.

Look after the land and manage mud

Mud is the enemy of hooves and grass. Poo pick daily if you can, because removing droppings reduces the worm burden and stops roughs from being rejected. Harrow and rest paddocks in rotation, and do not let horses graze wet areas down to the roots. Fence off boggy corners and use temporary electric fencing to move them along. Clear drainage ditches and culverts before they block with leaves. If your land is heavy clay, consider a woodchip pad near the gate or shelter. Keep the muck heap well away from any watercourse and cover it if possible so rain does not leach nutrients into the ground. A tidy yard now means less repair work in spring.

Stay on top of health and have a plan

Autumn brings mud fever, rain scald and abscesses. Groom and pick out feet daily, and dry legs thoroughly before rugging. Book the farrier every six to eight weeks, even if your horse is unshod, because hooves still grow and balance changes. Use worm egg counts rather than routine worming, and check vaccination dates for flu and tetanus. Build a winter first aid kit: a digital thermometer, poultice boots, vet wrap, antiseptic spray, electrolytes and spare bandages. Have a written plan for snow, power cuts or flooded lanes. Store at least a week of water and forage, keep torches and batteries handy, and pin up contact numbers for your vet, farrier and forage supplier. A little preparation now makes the short days far kinder for you and your horse.