Your spring horsekeeping strategy

As you celebrate the arrival of warmer weather, be mindful of the season-specific horse-care challenges that spring can bring. Here are 14 tips for handling them.

As you celebrate the arrival of warmer weather, be mindful of the season-specific horse-care challenges that spring can bring. Here are 14 tips for handling them.

Nothing lifts the spirits more than the promise of spring. Whether you’re emerging from a winter of snow and ice or a season of rain and mud, the day you notice buds on a tree or a robin on a fence line, you know that life around the barn is bound to get a bit easier. That doesn’t mean that spring horsekeeping isn’t without challenges. In fact, in some ways the season requires more vigilance than others to keep horses healthy and safe. From laminitis prevention to skin care to vaccinations, you’ll want to pay particular attention to certain horse-care areas as the weather warms. Here’s a rundown of spring-specific horsekeeping challenges and how best to meet them in the months ahead.

CHALLENGE: DISEASE PREVENTION

1. Review your horse’s vaccination needs. The likelihood of exposure to various pathogens depends in part on a horse’s location and lifestyle. For instance, if your horse will be spending a week this summer at a show or clinic in a buggier climate than usual, he may need a Potomac horse fever vaccination this year. Or, if you’ll be adding more group trail rides or