After a busy first half of the season, it’s likely your grooming kit or stripping basket are in need of a refresh – this could be true whether your next stop is an area show or you’re prepping for a week at the Royal International.

From emergency saviours to cheap hacks, we asked some top producers what they can’t live without on show days.

Show kit essentials

Hannah Horton: “I wouldn’t contemplate going showing without good old baby wipes – they can be used for anything. We also make sure we have drinks for humans in the stripping basket.”

Emma Burrows: “For me, I need a good mane and tail detangler, coat gloss and a bit of baby oil gel [like this one] to smooth the hair.”

Danielle Heath: “We love Smart Grooming Super Shine; it’s fantastic on faces and gives a mega shine on bodies, too, especially in an evening performance.”

Joe Watson: “This olive oil sheen spray is brilliant on our natives’ manes and tails especially,” he says, “and we use it as a coat gloss and highlighter, too. It’s not very expensive, which is great as we go through tons of the stuff.”

Leon King: “It has to be this Got2b hair gel for plaiting. We always have Leovet’s Power Phaser fly spray and this Cowboy Magic shampoo as well as their Detangler and Shine on tails; it’s incredible – like nothing else I have tried.”

Sara Parrott: “If I had to choose one product that I couldn’t be without it would have to be Supreme Products’ Sparkle Spray for those last minute finishing touches, manes, coats and tails – and even hooves and rider’s boots at a push!”

Sue-Helen Shuttleworth: “On the lorry we always have a good shampoo to quickly wash and dry if horses need it after travelling or working in. Personally I use Equioils Super Soap, Equioils Whitening Wood Flour and towels.

“In the strip basket there’s always a good, clean damp sponge for wiping away saddle marks before the conformation phase, and a good mane and tail brush.

And there’s always full fat Coke and sweets to keep us going.”

Harrison Taylor: “We use glycerine mixed in water for a sponge over, then Arena Products’ Show Shine spray on top. I also use Arena Products’ Clear Highlighter, which contains SPF for eyes and muzzle, black make up, Brylcreem, hair spray and baby wipes.”

Edward Young: “We always have tea, sugar and milk on the lorry. We also have a portable shower to wash any plaiting gel out of the manes and condition them when we unplait; it must be more comfortable for them, and it stops the mane getting too brittle. In my stripping bucket I carry fly spray, Brylcreem as long as it’s not too hot and sunny, hoof-stain, a good brush and a cloth [like this one].”

Simon Reynolds: “Our basket is like Mary Poppins’ bag; we carry everything we could possibly need as there’s nothing worse than having to go back to the lorry if you have forgotten something. But essentials include wet wipes and plaiting bands, plus electrical tape [like this] can be a great save in an emergency. And I’m diabetic so we always have fizzy sweets, too.”

• For unlimited access to the latest product news, buying guides and reviews, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Summer horse care hacks are about so much more than keeping cool. During the season, you want to make the most of the long daylight hours with time at yard and streamline your time at home. You want to keep pesky insects away (using the best fly sprays), avoid sun damage (with sun cream for you and sun cream for your horse), and it might be useful to lighten your mental load with some organisation ideas.

Without further ado, here are some of the summer horse care hacks I recommend to guarantee a smoother season. The best part? Some of the bits and pieces I’ve picked out to help you through summer also have discounts as part of Amazon Prime Day, which ends today (26 June).

Summer horse care hacks and tips you need to try

1. Flies, begone!

Don’t worry, I’m not about to tell you to use fly spray – you definitely already know that! But flies don’t just annoy horses, they annoy us too. Therefore, you also deserve insect repellent!

As well as for hacking, I used this Jungle Formula on a trip to India a while back and don’t recall getting bitten at all, so it’s decent stuff.

While you’re at it, why not pick up a magnetic fly curtain to keep winged pests out of your tack room? I have a set that I use to keep bugs out of my home – being able to keep the door open in the evening without stressing about moths and other flies is genuinely amazing.

2. Make aircon a reality

Whether for your tack room or for use at home, a portable air conditioning unit is a must when heatwaves land – and you just know the next one isn’t far away.

I bought this Delonghi compact air conditioner last year and honestly haven’t looked back. I no longer fear a heatwave and get plenty of sleep to be on my A game for my horse. My miniature schnauzer also absolutely loves it, so if you have a lorry dog who needs a cooldown, I would highly recommend.

Portable air cons are a bit of an investment, but I promise your comfort is completely worth it. Or, if you’re not quite ready to commit to several hundreds of pounds, a tower fan (like this one) will certainly tide you over.

3. No more heavy hauling

Have you seen these fold-away carts around and about? Some people load their kids into them, others will trundle a picnic to the park, but I say: these babies belong on the yard.

Pile them with haynets, take them to shows, or finally make it from the tack room or feed room to your horse in the elusive single trip with feed, hay, tack and rugs all safely ensconced within.

4. Cue the music

Long summer days are begging to be spent at the yard. Personally, I love poo-picking as a summer activity, and taking a bluetooth speaker (I have this one) can crank up the good times.

Worried about phone battery? Pack yourself a power bank (like this one) for peace of mind.

5. Get savvy with storage

Winter rugs clogging your tack room? And, at home, are you sick of the sight of your long riding coats and waterproof breeches?

Use these vacuum compaction bags to store them without taking up space. You’re welcome!

Need something to store your rugs in? Check out this massive plastic storage chest.

6. Happy hosing

A hosepipe without an attachment is awkward to use – using your finger over the end only goes so far. Instead, try this hose attachment with loads of settings to cool your horse.

Not only that, there’s a reservoir for your pick of the best horse shampoo that will make bathing your horse easier than ever.

7. I’m a “fan” of this one…

Airflow in the stable is the thing to help keep your horse cool while he’s in. What’s more, a gentle breeze can also disrupt midge flightpaths, meaning they leave your horse alone.

You’ll want a portable fan (like this one) to help achieve this. They can be hung or stood on the floor and many have great battery life, so you don’t need to worry about having any power.

Want to cool down on the go? I just discovered this Shark Chill Pill hi-speed personal misting fan – I can see it being a hit at summer shows like the Royal International. If you want something at a cheaper price point, this personal fan is in the Prime Day sale.

8. Slip, slap, slop

Sun protection is an essential summer horse care hack, but it’s super important for humans, too. I always take suncream with me to the yard on summer days for top-ups, especially to my face.

This viral sun cream is currently in the Prime Day sale and one of my faves.

• For unlimited access to the latest product news, buying guides and reviews, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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When temperatures rise, ensuring your horse stays cool, comfortable and hydrated on the move becomes a little more complicated. Here’s how to succeed

Travelling horses in hot weather isn’t impossible, but it requires thoughtful preparation to ensure equine welfare is maintained.

In the UK, professional transporters are not allowed to move horses in temperatures exceeding 30°C – and this is a good rule of thumb for private owners to follow.

Tips for travelling horses in hot weather

Here’s how to best ensure equine welfare when transporting horses in hot weather.

1. Do your homework

Try to plan your travel around the weather conditions and avoid travelling during high temperatures and high humidity. If it is unavoidable, pick the times of day when it’s likely to be coolest.

Setting off early in the morning, for example, will make the experience much more pleasant for both you and your horse.

2. Plan ahead

Before setting off, ensure horses are fully hydrated by providing them with unrestricted access to forage and water for at least six hours with plenty of space to rest and relax.

3. What to wear?

While you might usually reach for one of the best travel rugs for a journey, it’s unlikely to be needed in hot weather. Any equipment on the horse’s body may contribute to overheating, the risks are likely to outweigh the benefits on a hot day.

Also consider leg protection. Thick travel boots may cause sweating, when a lighter pair of breathable brushing boots or cross-country boots combined with over-reach boots on all four legs will offer a basic level protection for a horse who typically travels well.

4. Prepare for the worst

While it sounds pessimistic, when travelling by road you just never know when or for how long you might get held up. Therefore, make sure you have plenty of forage and water on board for top-ups to keep your horses happy and healthy, and be confident you know what to do if you find yourself stuck on the road with a horse.

5. Provide good-quality forage

Access to quality forage will help maintain a healthy digestive system and provide an ongoing source of energy, as well as creating a small reservoir of fluid in the horse’s gut to help keep them hydrated.

You could also give a small fibre feed ahead of travel for this reason.

6. Boost airflow

Opening the rear section of a trailer helps draw hot air out while fresh air is pulled in through the windows. But avoid travelling with the front door above the ramp open as there is a risk of flying debris being blow into your horse’s face.

If you have a roof vent, open this at the back, as it also draws warm air up and out of the transport while you are driving. You can also use clip-on portable fans to help keep air circulating.

7. Stick to frequent watering intervals

In normal conditions, horses should be offered water at least every four and a half hours while travelling. In hot weather, that interval should be shorter.

This is at your discretion, but use what you know. How hot and dry is it? Has your horse eaten and drunk well in the hours before setting off? Is he sweaty? Is he overweight? All these factors will help you decide how frequently to stop and offer water.

8. Make water tempting

Anyone who has offered their horse a drink in an unfamiliar place will know that horses can be choosy about the type of container they will drink from and the taste of the water. However, it’s important to stress that this doesn’t mean they’re not thirsty.

If possible, try and take water from home in a large capacity container (like this one) and provide it in a bucket they are used to drinking from.

Additionally, it’s always beneficial to familiarise them to different containers in case you can’t take your own. You can also try flavouring the water with apple juice.

9. Minimise stress

Horses can become dehydrated more quickly when they are stressed or unsettled so try to minimise this wherever possible.

Loading and unloading are two of the main stressors for horses when travelling so make sure you do as much as you can to keep the process calm and relaxed.

Practising often without the pressure of heading to a show or event will help it become second nature.

When you are on a schedule, leave plenty of time to load to avoid time pressure.

Ensure the vehicle is well ventilated and drive carefully to make the journey as comfortable as possible.

10. Prepare for the arrival

As with pre-planning before a journey, it’s just as important to give plentiful forage and water upon arrival at your destination. If you’re travelling to a show or event then make sure your horse has time to relax, graze, eat hay and drink before competing or beginning exercise. You could also feed a rehydration mash.

Risks of travelling horses in hot weather

Dehydration is the greatest risk and can affect any horse.

Signs of dehydration include:

• fatigue
• weakness
• dullness
• loss of performance
• decreased appetite
• abnormal drinking, such as taking longer than usual draughts or gulping
• infrequent urination
• dark urine
• red or congested mucus membranes

Recommended ways to prevent or correct dehydration include:

• making clean, fresh water available at all times
• offering additional water sources with an electrolyte supplement
• administering electrolytes around two hours before travel
• feeding haylage, which has a higher moisture content than hay, or using soaked hay if appropriate
• standing your horse in the shade as much as possible
• offering water after exercise and packing a rehydration mash to administer if necessary

For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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We’re expecting “How to keep horses cool in summer” will be a popular Google search this week. Here in the UK we experienced record temperatures of more than 30ºC in May and some areas are predicted to reach 40ºC this week. How many of you had that on your 2026 bingo card?

A heatwave that early in the year was unusual, and this week will be even more uncomfortable – and dangerous. Therefore, owners need to think about how to keep a horse cool right now, and we’ve got you covered. Here are Horse & Hound’s top tips on for keeping horses cool when things get really hot.

How to keep horses cool when temperatures soar

The number one piece of advice for working horses in hot weather is to exercise them as early in the morning as possible. While the evening could be an option, check your weather app in advance. It can still be well above 25ºC at 9pm in a heatwave, which might not be suitable for you or your horse.

Safe stabling

1. If your horse is normally stabled at night and out during the day, consider reversing his turnout times to avoid the hottest temperatures and the worst of the flies – especially if he has limited shade or shelter in the field.

Before deciding, check his stable isn’t actually more uncomfortable in the heat than his paddock. If there’s poor ventilation and no through breeze, his stable could be very stuffy. Setting up a portable fan out of reach of your horse may help to increase airflow and have a cooling effect.

2. If there is no permanent shelter or tree cover in your horse’s paddock, but you’d like him to stay out, you could use some sheeting to rig up a safe, temporary area of shade so he has the option.

Turnout tips

3. A light coloured fly rug or summer sheet works better than a dark coloured one for keeping the horse cool, because white is best for reflecting the sun’s heat.

A rug that has a loose weave material lets the horse’s body heat and sweat out more than a tight weave, but as a compromise provides less effective protection from the smallest flies and midges.

A wet rug has hugely increased cooling properties, so hosing the rug down while it is on your horse multiple times a day is worthwhile in the hottest temperatures.

4. Bringing your horse in for a cool hose off and turning him back out without scraping off the water will give him respite from the heat. If you can do it more than once, so much the better.

5. Pink skin and white areas on the face and heels are most commonly affected by sunburn because they have less skin pigment and hair coverage, so remember to apply one of the best suncreams for horses to these areas.

A fly mask with UV protective properties may also be helpful. Plus, those with a built-in nose net offer extra protection for pink noses.

How to keep horses cool while travelling

6. If you have to transport your horse in the hot weather, leave as early as possible. This avoids travelling in the worst heat and reduces the risk of getting stuck in traffic. Professional transporters in the UK are not allowed to move horses in temperatures exceeding 30°C – and this is a good rule of thumb for private owners to follow.

7. If you transport your horse, ensure all suitable windows are open to keep fresh air flowing through the horsebox. You can also use portable fans to help keep your horse cool.

If you have a roof vent, opening only the rear section while you are moving helps to draw the hot air out of the vehicle while cool air can enter through the windows. On arrival, the roof vent should be opened fully.

However, your horse might not be cooler standing on the lorry or trailer, even if he is out of the direct sun – think of dogs in hot cars. Consider whether he would be better off outside in the shade.

How to cool down a horse quickly

8. If you suspect that your horse may be suffering from heat stroke, put him in the shade and cool him continuously with free-flowing cool water.

The best way to do this is with a hosepipe, but if the hose has been sitting in the sun, make sure you run it first to remove any water that was left in the pipe. This water can be extremely hot and cause scalding so take care when you check it so you don’t get burnt either.

If you don’t have a hose, use a watering can or pour buckets over your horse instead. You will likely have to refill the vessels and repeat several times.

Another key is to allow the water to run off or evaporate without scraping off the excess liquid. The belief that leaving water on a horse will “cook” him is an equestrian urban myth – it simply isn’t true. The best way to cool a horse down quickly is to allow the water to draw heat away from the horse’s skin by evaporation.

You should also offer the horse water to drink every few minutes. If the horse appears wobbly (ataxic) then try to keep them walking in the shade, while continuing to apply cold water. If signs persist, contact your vet as a matter of urgency.

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Having an overweight horse can be incredibly stressful and you’ll find yourself spending a lot of time thinking about how you can help them to lose weight.

Obesity in horses increases the risk of of many health problems, including laminitis, equine metabolic syndrome and joint pain, which makes losing the excess weight all the more important.

Studies indicate that 50–70% of horses in the UK are overweight or obese. Unfortunately because, as a nation of horse owners, we are so used to seeing it, many struggle to recognise when their horse has an issue.

The battle of getting an overweight horse to lose weight is something that I have personal experience of. My pony is the definition of good-doer and when I bought him around 10 years ago he was very overweight. He had a bout of laminitis in our first summer together and after that I became militant. Over the next few years, I worked towards finding a sustainable way to get his weight down and, importantly, keep it off. We eventually hit our stride and he lost more than 100kg over a few years.

Of course, it’s taken a lot of commitment and it’s not all been plain sailing – for example, when we’ve moved yards, each move has required me to reassess how I can manage him best in the new environment with a different setup. Over the past decade I’ve tried almost every tactic and, although it’s hard work, it’s possible to help your horse lose weight – you just need to find what works for you both.

How to help your horse lose weight

Here are some things you can do to help your horse lose weight – the basic principles are “eat less, move more” but there are a number of ways you can arrive at this. You’ll likely need to incorporate multiple changes into your routine in order to see any results, especially if you have a good-doer.

H&H veterinary expert Karen Coumbe agrees that “the feed your horse is consuming is likely to be more important than any exercise, although both need to be considered” when helping your horse to lose weight.

1. Use winter wisely

In the wild, your horse would lose weight naturally over the winter months so if you’re trying to help your horse lose weight you can lean into this. It’s easier to get your horse to lose weight in the winter because it’s colder – so they’re using energy to keep warm – and there’s less grass around, so they’re less likely to overeat.

Horse should come out of winter with their ribs just visible, which will give some scope for natural weight gain when the grass starts to grow.

2. Avoid rugging unnecessarily

Horses do not get cold as quickly as we do and over-rugging an obese horse will prevent them from losing weight. Preventing the natural winter weight loss interferes with your horse’s hormones and they are much more likely to get laminitis in the spring.

Here’s some more information about when horses feel the cold and our rugging guide for every temperature.

3. Restrict grazing

There is more nutrition in pasture and forage that you might realise, warns Karen.

“That must be factored in, which might sound obvious, but is so crucial,” she says.

Ensuring your horse isn’t overeating is a key part of losing and then maintaining weight, and there are a number of ways to do this. It’s important that horses still consume at least 1.5% of their bodyweight each day to keep their gut healthy, so much of this is advice is about extending their eating time to make the same amount last longer, rather than simply eating less.

Here are four options to restrict grazing – you might find that incorporating a combination of these will give the best effect.

4. Reduce turnout

Keeping your horse in a stable or turnout pen for part of the day will reduce their access to grass and allow you to control what they’re eating within that time.

Being turned out at night and in during the day is preferable to the reverse as there are less sugars in the grass at night. They begin to rise again around 10am, so ensure your horse comes in before then.

5. Strip graze

Strip grazing gives your horse access to a fresh strip or area of grass each day (or every time you move the fence), and using a follow fence will allow you to rest your pasture once it’s been grazed, too. You’ll need electric fencing to set this up successfully.

6. Implement a track system

A track system usually runs around the perimeter of a field, with water and hay distributed at various points along it to encourage your horse to move.

They often include a variety of surfaces and obstacles, such as small logs, for your horse to negotiate. Many tracks are entirely grass-free, but hay is usually provided ad-lib and horses learn to self-regulate their intake.

7. Invest in a grazing muzzle

The best grazing muzzles slow your horse’s intake by reducing the amount of grass they can access at one time. Horses cannot wear a grazing muzzle 24/7, so to successfully incorporate this into your management routine, your horse will also need to be stabled or turned out in a bare paddock with hay for some of the day.

8. Extend eating time

Use one of the best small-holed haynets or slow feeders to extend eating time. This can help prevent horses becoming bored and reduces the risk of gastric ulcers. And the more time they spend eating one thing, the less time they have to move on and eat something else.

9. Count daily poos

A great way to keep an eye on your horses’ intake – even if you’re not trying to get them to lose weight – is to count their droppings. It can be hard to tell how quickly the grass is coming through and how much they’re really eating, but if you poo-pick at regular intervals, you’ll soon notice if their daily output increases. You can then adjust their intake – by reducing hay provision or grazing access – accordingly.

10. Soak your hay

Soaking hay reduces the nutrient quality in the forage (replace the nutrients using a vitamin and mineral supplement). It strips the hay of calories, sugars and fructans, so that you can still feed a good amount to fill your horse and keep his digestive system working well without giving him any extra calories.

You need to soak hay for at least an hour, but if this is not resulting in weight loss then try soaking for longer until it does. Soaking for short periods, such as 10–15 minutes, only reduces the dust levels to help horses with poor respiratory health – it’s not long enough for weight loss.

When soaking hay:

• soak it in the shade
• use fresh water each time
• balance a bucket of water on top to keep hay submerged
• ensure the soaked hay still smells good
• hang it up to drain and rinse with a bucket of fresh water
• always feed straight after draining

11. Eliminate high-calorie feeds

Consider what you’re feeding your horse and whether you need to rethink. Not all horses need a bucket feet, but for those that do there may be a better option. For example, the best feed balancers provide the essential nutrients in a low-calorie package. If your horse is prone to laminitis, check out the feeds suitable for laminitics, as approved by The Laminitis Trust.

If you’re restricting your horse’s grazing and/or soaking hay, you should provide a supplement for horses on reduced grazing to ensure they receive a nutritionally balanced diet, unless you’ve already covered all bases with a balancer.

Introduce any changes gradually to prevent colic or dangerously rapid weight loss.

12. Change up your forage

Consider changing to a different type of forage if your current selection is high energy. For example, if you feed haylage try switching to hay, and if you feed hay consider adding straw to your horse’s ration.

13. Weigh everything you feed

A little bit extra here and there can really add up if you’re unknowingly feeding more than you intend – it’s so easy to put more in your haynet than you had accounted for. By weighing your feed and forage, you can be sure that your horse is getting exactly what he needs, and you’ll be able to accurately assess the difference made when you increase or decrease feed or forage by small amounts.

Here’s some more information about how much hay to feed a horse.

14. Avoid treats

Don’t give your horse treats for the sake of it – and make sure no one else does, either – as everything adds up. The same logic applies to allowing your horse to snack on his way in from the field or out on a hack.

If you use treats in training, ensure you’re using a super-low-energy option.

15. Increase exercise

You don’t need to be doing super-intense training, but increase the frequency or intensity of your sessions, or both if appropriate. Ask your vet or a trainer for advice if you’re unsure what you should be doing.

My pony only really hacks, but I’ve found that committing to hacking five days a week during the spring and summer months has made a real difference. On days that you’re really pushed for time, remember that a 25-minute brisk walk or quick schooling session is better than nothing at all.

If your horse is retired, consider other ways you can increase their movement, such as a track system, groundwork or walking in hand.

16. Monitor weight

Monitor your horse’s weight by regularly reviewing your weight loss programme with your vet or nutritionist. Use a weighbridge for accuracy and then assess and record weight weekly using body condition scoring and a weight tape (like this one on Amazon).

“Having something concrete as a measure is useful,” says Karen.

I also like to feel my horse’s neck each day as that’s usually the first place I will notice a difference.

It’s useful to take regular photos – once a fortnight – of your horse standing square so that you can look back on how far you’ve come.

17. Ask for help

If you’re implementing these tips and still struggling or are not sure where to start, Karen recommends seeking “proper dietary advice from your vet or a trained nutritionist”.

She adds that many large feed companies are really helpful in providing sensible advice free of charge, with no obligation to purchase products.

What to do next

Use these tips alongside personalised professional advice to make a weight loss plan for your horse, aiming for steady and consistent loss. Once you’ve decided how you’re going to tackle it, begin by checking your horse’s weight so you have a start point for monitoring.

If you don’t see a change in the first two weeks, tweak your plan to incorporate more tactics to safely reduce intake and increase movement.

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

Best grazing muzzle options to help reduce your horse’s daily intake

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Best feed balancers for all horses: what’s on the market?

How to keep stabled horses happy and healthy

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

These quick and easy feather hacks have helped the team at H&H keep their horses spotless over the years

Whether you own a mountain and moorland, a traditional cob or a heavy, like many horse owners you spend a lot of time wondering how to keep your horse’s feather clean. It can seem like an uphill battle, as well as a thankless task. For one thing, you might spend half a day washing your horse’s legs with your best horse shampoo. Then, feather gleaming, you turn him out through a muddy gateway into a boggy field, and all your work is undone. What’s the point?

If this sounds like you, don’t stress. As someone plugged in to the Horse & Hound network, I can bring you the very best advice from the inside. And trust me, these owners, breeders, competitors and producers really know what they’re doing.

So, if you want to know the processes and products to use that will not only get horse feather clean but also keep them that way, read on.

Five steps for clean feather

1. Use purple shampoo on white feather

For that initial feather wash, make sure you opt for a powerful shampoo (like this one on Amazon). As products editor Franchesca Slack told me, purple and blue shampoos are a must for whitening. “They will remove brassy tones in the hair,” she says. “Make sure you use warm water to lift dirt better”.

Our former showing editor Alex Robinson tested the best whitening shampoos on the market and she picked out the Supreme Products Blue Shampoo as her favourite.

While it can be tempting to reach for washing up liquid, it’s not ideal for feather. “It cleans well but it dries the hair out,” says showing editor Bethan Simons.”

2. Don’t forget to condition

“We use hair masks for humans on the feather to keep them well-conditioned,” says Bethan. There are plenty of horse-specific conditioning shampoos on the market too, however, such as the Carr & Day & Martin Gallop, which comes recommended by deputy website editor Georgia Guerin.

3. Treat stains as they come up

Franchesca added that keeping on top of feather staining is important, but you don’t need to spend hours and hours bathing your horse. Instead, use one of the best dry shampoos to spot clean and remove stains from the legs. Fran particularly recommends this one from Absorbine and this one from Supreme Products.

“It’s tricky through the wetter months, but try to keep your horse out of the mud and wet as much as possible,” adds Bethan. “It damages the hair and can stop them having good cover over the hoof.

“Using turnout pens or the school for periods where you can will help,” she adds.

4. Prevent stains setting in

Keeping horse feather clean is much easier when you apply one of the best coat shine sprays or pig/showing oil, such as this oil product on Amazon that Bethan loves. “I get through loads of this!” she says.

It works by making the hair shaft smoother and, therefore, harder for mud to stick.

“In the summer especially, I apply it at night so that it soaks in and doesn’t contribute to any burning during the day,” adds Bethan. She also makes sure to apply to oil to dry legs.

“Through winter, I wash my horse’s legs off at night and oil them before turnout to stop mud sticking.”

5. Add a little touch-up

To achieve brilliant white legs, apply a little chalk – this will neutralise yellow areas and give a brilliant finish.

“It’s best to use a paste [like this one] rather than a powder; they’re easier to apply and I find them less wasteful,” Bethan advises. “Or, take a chalk product like this show preparation powder, mix it with a little water and make a paste yourself.”

How to keep horse feather clean overnight

I spent more than fifteen years keeping white legs and feather clean for shows. Here’s what I learned:

• Stable your horse if possible on a deep, clean bed
• Skip out as late as possible the night before your show to minimise the chance of poo stains
• Bandage your horse’s legs – but ensure the legs themselves are washed, conditioned and dry beforehand. Bandaging damp legs increases risk of skin irritation and other skin problems, but can also cause any missed dirt at the root of the hair to be absorbed by the bandage, compromising the clean feather
• Use clean bandages so there’s no risk of transferring dirt
• If you plan to bandage the legs, avoid using too much oil or coat shine after washing them, as the bandages may slip. However, you can apply it above the bandages at the knees and hocks
• If you can, keep the bandages on while travelling and fit travel boots over the top
• Take a spot-cleaning kit with stain removers and chalk in my grooming bag for touch-ups before my classes

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also like…

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13 hacks and tips to make winter horse care easier

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Best barrier creams for protection against wet and mud

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

I learnt how to clean tack as a child – at the time it was not my favourite job at the stables where I spent my weekends, but looking back I’m glad we were drilled in it because I’m not sure where else I would have learnt how to do it in the pre-internet days.

Years later, while at equine college, I won a competition that involved putting a bridle back together while blindfolded. I remember being surprised at how many of the other students had never taken a bridle apart to put it back together, while I was feeling confident I could do so by feel alone – who knew how handy my tack cleaning practice would be all those years later.

Nowadays, like most horse owners, I probably don’t clean my tack as frequently as I should as I was once told: “Georgia, if you’ve got time to clean your horse’s tack you don’t have time to ride it”, but I still pull out all the stops if I’m heading out in public or if I’m tasked with putting the best saddle soaps to test.

I’ll take you through everything you need to clean your horse’s tack, including what to use and a few tips I’ve picked up along the way, to help you clean your kit in the best and most efficient way.

Horse tack cleaning kit

You will need:

• two sponges – one for cleaning, one for conditioning
• microfibre cloths (like these) for buffing and drying
• leather cleaner
• leather conditioner
• soft toothbrush
• cocktail stick
• bucket of warm water

How to clean tack

1. Take the tack apart

For a full and proper clean, you need to take the bridle apart completely – including the martingale if you have one. The same goes removing stirrups, stirrup leathers and girth from the saddle. Remove the bit and unbuckle every strap on the bridle – you can’t clean the leather under the buckles if you leave it assembled, and that’s usually where sweat and dirt causes the most damage.

2. The dry wipe

Use a dry cloth to wipe off loose hair, dust, and dried mud off the leather. If you jump straight to a wet sponge, you’ll just be “painting” mud into the pores of the leather.

3. The deep clean

Dampen your sponge (it should be damp, not dripping) and apply your leather cleaner (I like this one). Focus on the buildup of grease and sweat that you’ll find on the undersides of straps.

Soak the bit in warm water to loosen dried saliva or grass, then scrub it clean, using a toothbrush to get into the links. Do not use leather cleaner or chemicals on the bit. Do the same with the stirrup irons and use a toothbrush on the tread.

4. Rinse and dry

Wipe away any excess saddle soap with a clean, slightly damp cloth, then let the leather air dry naturally.

Never put leather near a heater or in direct sunlight to dry as it will shrink and crack.

5. Condition and feed

Once the leather is clean and dry, it’s time to put the oils back in. Apply your leather conditioner (I like this one) with a clean sponge or cloth.

Avoid over-oiling as the leather will attract more dirt. You should also avoid heavy oiling on the seat of your saddle unless you fancy a very slippery ride and oily breeches.

6. Buff and reassemble

Use a dry microfibre cloth to buff the leather to a soft sheen and polish your metal buckles (I use this one). Then put everything back together, ensuring all the runners and keepers are in place.

How to clean mouldy leather

If you’ve not cleaned your tack in a while and come across mouldy leather, make sure you clean it outside to avoid spreading spores. Wipe off any mould with a damp cloth, which should be soaked in boiling water with disinfectant if you plan to use it again, then treat the tack with a leather-specific mould inhibitor (like this one), and finally condition the leather.

Check that stitching hasn’t rotted and that spores haven’t spread to other items. Fitting a low-wattage electric bar heater (like this one) in the tack room will help prevent leather from going mouldy.

How to clean synthetic tack

Synthetic tack is not only usually cheaper, but it is also easier to maintain – and you don’t need to use any soaps or conditioners. You can, if you would like, use a synthetic leather cleaner (like this one), but otherwise you just need to use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe down synthetic leather areas.

For faux suede, use a stiff brush or suede brush (like this one) to lift the nap and restore the texture. If there is dried sweat, use a lightly damp sponge to dissolve it, then brush it once it’s dry.

Tack cleaning tips

• Gift your tack a “daily wipe” after every use – it might seem like hard work at the time, but it will make your life easier in the long run
• Keep tack cleaning wipes (like these ones) in your lorry or tack box – they’re perfect for a quick wipe down when you’re short of time
• If your bridle is not well worn, make a note of which holes your cheekpieces and noseband are done up on for a good fit before you take it apart
• Use a cocktail stick to gently poke out dirt and product deposits from buckle holes in the bridle pieces and stirrup leathers
• If you have a crystal browband, use a toothbrush to clean between the stones
• You can use any sponge, but a purpose-made tack cleaning sponge (like this one) will last well over time and create less waste

Why bother cleaning tack?

Keeping your tack clean keeps in it good condition from a safety point of view. It gives you a chance to check the stitching and fixings, so that you notice any wear and tear before it becomes an issue. Keeping the leather clean also increases its lifespan, preventing it from becoming brittle, which could cause it to break. Well-maintained leather lasts for decades, but neglected leather becomes dangerous.

A bridle breaking while it’s hung up is annoying – you’ll have to buy another – but a bridle or stirrup leather breaking while you’re riding could leave you in a tricky situation.

Aside from safety, keeping your tack clean is important if you want to look smart. This might not matter so much to you on a daily basis, but if you’ve got a lesson booked or have a show, competition or day’s hunting in the diary, it pays to make the effort.

Best way to store tack

Ideally, you want to tack room to be at a consistent ambient temperature, but this is often not the case. Storing your bridle in a bridle bag (like this one) and covering your saddle with a shaped cover (like this one) will give them extra protection.

• For more advice on how to look after your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also enjoy:

The best tack cleaners and conditioners that will bring shine to your tack room

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8 anatomical girths for freedom of movement and saddle stability

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Occupying stabled horses is always important, but especially if they can’t be in their field as much as usual. Box rest or weather-related reasons are common culprits for restricted turnout, leaving owners seeking out boredom busters for horses.

An extended time in the stable can be challenging, particularly as we know the pros of turnout for horses. Movement and a constant supply of forage both promote equine wellbeing, from gut health to mental welfare, and these factors are harder to uphold in a stable environment.

So, how to keep stabled horses happy and healthy? If your horse is facing a period of box rest or reduced time out, fear not. I’ve navigated increased stable time with horses over my 20 years of ownership, as have most of the team at H&H.

Here are our helpful tips for occupying stabled horses.

Occupying stabled horses: five things to try today

1. Increase your horse’s chewing time

If you’ve ever Googled “how much hay to feed a horse”, the answer is always ad-lib is best. It’s definitely true that we want a steady stream of forage trickling through our horses’ digestive systems, but difficulties arise if a horse is overweight. Forage delivers calories, and unlimited forage can deliver too many, especially to a stabled horse who isn’t using that energy to move or keep warm.

So, what to do? The general consensus among equine nutritionists is that a horse’s daily forage intake should not drop below 1.5% of his bodyweight on a dry matter basis. While this makes it possible to calculate how much a horse should eat (for example, a 500kg horse should eat a dry weight of at least 7.5kg per day, which accounting for 12% moisture is around 8.5kg in hay), it probably wouldn’t allow for constant chewing when served as a pile on the floor.

Try chew time-extending products

This is where extending a horse’s chewing time becomes important. If your horse is chewing, he’s producing stomach acid-buffering saliva and receiving mental stimulation – big wins for a stabled horse.

You can achieve this by using small-holed haynets, slow feeders or, my current personal favourite, forage blocks (like these on Amazon). My 25-year-old mare is on pen rest right now, which is basically box rest with a view, and she’s really enjoying chewing on them. They’re 1kg, and last her about 30 minutes – 1kg of hay would be hoovered up far more quickly!

2. Ease boredom with a stable toy

The best stable toys have a variety of textures to explore, offer a tasty treat to lick or nibble on, or might have a dynamic element, so your horse can move them around. There’s a huge range out there so you can tailor your choice to your horse’s personality.

Some are easily pleased and inquisitive and won’t need enticing with something food-based, like one of the best licks. My gelding is quite happy to simply throw around an empty feed bucket, for example!

Others might prefer a hanging forage block (which just require a mini net, like this one), or a treat ball to push around. If your horse eats a cube or pelleted feed balancer, this could be a creative way to enrich and extend mealtimes.

3. Try an in-stable workout

Do you know the origin of Pilates? To put it briefly, it was the brainchild of Joseph Pilates. He was a prisoner in an internment camp on the Isle of Man during World War I.

Within the confines of the camp, Pilates observed the scrawny athleticism of the native cats who leapt after mice and rats. Inspired, he developed a fitness method that stretched and strengthened the body; thus, Pilates was born.

Jenny Adamson, an equine physiotherapy and rehab specialist, says that stabled horses can benefit from similar stretches from the confines of their box – it could strengthen and entertain your horse, too.

“My favourite in-stable exercise is the backwards weight push,” she tells H&H. “It’s a small but really effective exercise for mobilising the thoracic sling [muscles that connect the forelimb to the trunk] and core. It’s a great multi-tasker!”

How to do it

• Position the heel of your hand on the sternum bone (as shown above).
• Gently push back so your horse moves his trunk, not his legs, back around an inch.
• Let his weight come forward again, to produce a slow rocking motion.
• Repeat 10 times.

“When done correctly they really relax,” Jenny continues. “Over time, it helps to loosen the shoulders, withers, and take some of the weight out of the forehand.

“It also activates some of the deeper stabilisers within the body. Don’t be fooled by its simplicity, or how small the movement is!”

Before embarking on an extensive programme of exercises, Jenny recommends seeking professional guidance. There are online courses, like hers, you can sign up to.

“If you go slowly through the exercises, your horse will show you where he’s stiff and how far he can go in each movement,” Jenny adds.

“Initially, stop just before the point he starts to twist or avoid or move around. Stay within his “easy zone” to start with and build up slowly from there.”

4. Devote some proper time to bonding

When I reflect on time spent with my horses, I realise much of it is purely functional. I groom them just to get them clean, I go into their field just to poo pick and so on. I often wish I spent time with them with the sole purpose of improving our bond.

When features editor Martha Terry’s horse was on box rest, she did just that.

“When my gelding had a fractured splint, he was in for 10 weeks,” she said. “The unexpected blessing was the opportunity to try out things with him that I hadn’t previously prioritised or had time to do.

“One thing I found he really enjoyed was the bladder meridian technique, which is an acupressure technique to release tension and emotional stress,” she continues. “A friend recommended trying it so I looked it up on a Jim Masterson YouTube video.

“I had no idea what I was doing, but I felt that I could do no harm as you’re barely touching the horse.”

How Martha did it

“Essentially you trace the energy lines from the poll right down the side of the spine to the heel on the hind leg,” she explains.

“Go very slowly, and watch for any reactions like a blink or lip quiver. If they react, halt your progress and wait for a release signal, such as a yawn.

“Who knows whether it makes any difference, but my horse is a sparky chap who doesn’t always like being touched and he definitely enjoyed this once he got used to it, and it helped me to become more in tune with his reactions.”

5. Teach your horse a new skill

Occupying stabled horses can also involve a mental workout. You can tax a horse’s brain by having him learn something new, as website editor Carol Phillips has done by teaching horses to self-halter and -bridle.

“I am not a positive reinforcement training expert in any way, but I have taught a few horses to put their head into a headcollar and to open their mouth to take the bit when they are presented with a bridle,” she says.

The goal of the training is for the horse to lower his head, push his nose into the noseband and keep it there so you can fasten the headcollar.

Carol says it’s important to break the process down into manageable, bite-sized steps and approach the task as a bit of fun.

“It doesn’t help if you get too intense about it,” she explains. “If it’s not working one day, put it aside and try again another day.”

You will need food rewards to teach this; Carol adds that the treats should be low-value to avoid your horse becoming pushy.

How Carol did it

Carol says:

• The horse first needs to understand that a particular noise means “that’s good” or “do more of that”. This can be trained using a clicker or just a particular word and tone, which works as the bridge signal. I then give scratches or a low-value food reward like chaff to help them understand that this is the desired behaviour.
• Once that basic understanding is in place, I stand beside them on their near side and hold the headcollar open in front of them slightly in front of their nose. Most horses are inquisitive enough to stretch their nose towards it.
• When they move their head very slightly in the desired direction I give my vocal praise sound. Then, I move the headcollar away and give the reward. I repeat this process until they choose to touch the headcollar with their nose.
• Once they can touch the headcollar, the next step is learning to push their nose into the noseband to get the reward. At this step, I don’t instantly reward them when they touch any part of it, so they will typically start moving their nose around to touch different parts.
• Each time they get closer to putting their nose into the nosepiece, I immediately give praise, remove the headcollar and give the reward. Timing is key here for the horse to understand which behaviour is being rewarded.
• By using gradual steps as their understanding grows, you work towards only rewarding them when they lower their nose into the noseband and hold it still.

“Using this process, I’ve taught horses to put their nose into the headcollar (or to take the bit into their mouth) whenever I present it to them.”

Give it a try

Whatever your time or budget constraints, there’s a stable enrichment tip on this list for you. Let us know how you get on by writing to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county to be considered for publication in a future issue.

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also enjoy reading:

It’s as if January said ‘hold my beer’ – has this been the most miserable winter yet?

6 ways to beat boredom in stable-bound horses

16 toys to help horses beat their boredom

How to keep stabled horses happy and healthy

A guide to box rest — how to navigate this testing time

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Making small changes to the way equestrian land and property are managed could benefit the environment, horse welfare – and owners’ bank balances.

This is the message emerging across the industry as riders who keep horses on livery as well as those who have their own facilities are urged to consider more sustainable practices.

Ruth Griffin of sustainability consultants White Griffin, which works extensively in the horse world, told H&H she thinks the word “sustainability” has been “lost in translation over years of people politicising it, or activists making it unsavoury, or scientists making it confusing”.

“I’m super-passionate about this: it is not confusing,” she said. “This is just, how do we change the way we do things so we can keep doing them? That’s really all it is. And the great news is for horse owners – with one exception, transportation – we have all the solutions.

“We just need to do them. We just need to tool ourselves up and educate ourselves a bit and then we can do it, we can be resilient, we can save money, we can protect horse welfare and ultimately protect the environment, because it’s all there. We’ve just got to do it.”

One of those helping people take action is Sian Constantine of Hoof & Habitat, which educates on sustainable keeping of horses.

“What I’m trying to do is improve horse welfare while improving the environment,” Ms Constantine told H&H. “They’re highly synergistic; horses evolved to graze in diverse ecosystems and when stocking density and management are appropriate, both horses and land benefit. From a welfare perspective, this creates a more species-appropriate environment, viewed through the five domains model, and it improves forage quality and nutritional diversity by bringing pasture nearer what horses would naturally forage from.”

Ms Constantine explained that greater plant diversity benefits horses and the land.

A mix of species improves soil structure and ground cover, reducing bare patches and often increasing nutritional value. Having different root depths helps stabilise and protect the soil, so grazing is more resilient to extreme weather. Increased plant diversity supports greater diversity of soil organisms, improving water storage and nutrient cycling, which supports healthier pasture.

“Healthier soil is better able to cope with heavy rain and drought, while protecting forage quality,” she said. “And it benefits the wider environment, as biologically active soils can store more water and more carbon.

“Over time, improved soil and pasture health can reduce reliance on inputs such as herbicides, pesticides, repeated overseeding, mechanical aeration and remedial groundworks, potentially saving time and money.”

Ecological consultant Laura Hobbs founded Switch Equine to support horse welfare-based land regeneration.

“I’ve been working with a lot of farmers to maximise the value of their land and its economic value, but make something that’s actually useful for them as well,” she told H&H. “We can still produce food, still meet the fundamental aims of what they want that land for, but also deliver multiple benefits.

“I’ve always had horses as well, and I got a bit frustrated, having my own horse on a livery yard and seeing it wasn’t meeting what we could be doing from an environmental point of view, and not serving his needs either, so we bought a smallholding, to show you can do things differently.

“I’ve got a background in evolution, behavioral biology and done a lot of training, such as Sue Dyson’s pain recognition research and in nutrition, so I’m trying to bring that all together to show we can manage our horses in a better way that improves the environment and is fundamental to improving our horses’ lives as well.”

Money is tight but Ms Hobbs stressed that sustainability can help here too.

“It’ll save you money,” she said. “When we manage in a better way, we create land that will be resilient.

“A lot of people are really struggling with the cost of hay, not having any hay. But our neighbours say our grass is looking really good. That’s because we’ve changed management so we can have better quality, more productive land, and it’s more resilient to that drought. That means we can have higher hay yields, more forage; we can feed our horses from our own land.”

Ms Hobbs said soil is a living organism, which has to be nurtured.

“Studies have shown that on average, for every 1% increase in soil organic matter, in soil biological activity, we can store an additional 20,000 gallons of water per acre,” she said.

“That’s a massive number. That means water’s stored in the soil, so we can be more resilient to flooding and drought. And it affects communities too; if we change our management, we could save the village down the road from being flooded every winter.”

She said the key in keeping land resilient is not overgrazing it, which is not about space or numbers but about giving it time to recover. If horses return to bite off the same tuft of grass before it has regrown, the plant will use all nutrients for growth, leading to shallower roots, a negative impact on the soil and a “downward spiral” overall.

Ms Hobbs has four horses on five acres. She separates this into smaller areas and moves the horses frequently, so each part has time to fully recover.

“Getting started is the hard part,” she said. “But once you get started and into this sort of system, you get that upward spiral; land starts recovering so much quicker, so you can get back on and graze it sooner. If you’re constrained on land, have a sacrificial area, a track system or yard to put horses on, so we can rest that land when we need to, we can be a bit more adaptive and flexible.

“Just splitting the field and letting it have longer to recover will go a long way.”

Changing mindsets

Ms Hobbs knows it is harder for livery clients, but said she believes many yard owners are starting to change their thinking, and that the first step is to have the conversation, with which Ms Dancer agrees, although she has heard from many yard owners who want to make changes but are unsure whether clients will agree.

“The livery yard owners wanting to make a change and the liveries wanting things to be different may not be at the same yards but I think that the common problem is just a fear of talking about it, a fear of saying anything to do with the environment,” she said.

“People might complain you’re woke or might make fun of you or a lot of the time, people think they don’t know enough about the environment to talk about it, so they shouldn’t say anything at all,” she continued. “But the minute you start talking to people about what good environmental practice looks like, they say, ‘That makes sense,’ or, ‘I do that already,’ or, ‘I could do that.’

“We’ve got to start talking in everyday language. And the most important part of that sentence is we’ve got to start talking.”

Ms Dancer also agrees that money need not be a barrier, and the right changes can help. Investing in a rainwater harvesting system would be expensive but saves on water bills in the long run. But if such a system is too expensive, just diverting gutters into butts for soaking hay or washing can make big savings.

“My mantra is, if sustainability is costing you money, you’re not doing it properly,” she said. “Sustainability should be about being less wasteful, more resilient and resourceful.

“Teach your team not to leave the tap running or leave the lights on; not to be wasteful. I’ve worked with businesses that have saved tens of thousands without spending a penny, just by changing your mindset.

Harnessing the change

“My biggest concern is that the way climate is changing, the soil is degrading, it’s getting more difficult to grow crops; we need to embed resilience into everything we do. And that’s about working with the climate we’re now getting.

“If we’re going to get warmer, wetter winters, let’s gather that rainwater and use it. If we’re going to get hotter, dry summers, if you can put solar in and harness the changes, it will make us more resilient, and save us money in the long run.

“It’s about not being influenced by external factors, and being able to manage your own yard and your own estate in a way that works for you. It’s about recognising that things are changing, and will change, and we have to create practices that will make us resilient to that.

“For such a long time, we’ve always just had whatever we want, when we want, and that’s not what the future looks like now. The smartest people are going to look at the situation, prepare for it and slowly make changes. If you do it now, start putting the rainwater harvesting in, change systems and processes, start saving money, in five years’ time, you will be very grateful.

“You’ll have created a business that works for you, and when others are struggling and won’t be able to keep horses. It is that serious, you won’t be able to get what you need.

“I think that’s the mindset everyone needs to be in – not survival mode from one day to the next, but what can I do in the long term that will mean that I can continue to have horses. That’s what sustainability is.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2026, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

New eco-friendly turnout rug made from 110 plastic bottles

Going green – the steps you can take to manage your grazing land more sustainably

Equestrians must act as ‘guardians of the landscape’ to reduce environmental impact

‘It’s our responsibility’: how equestrian professionals are striving to be more environmentally sustainable

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

I think my brain purposefully gives me amnesia after a winter of horse care. Why? Because there’s no way I’d keep doing it over and over again if I could remember what I was in for each time!

Sadly, I can’t wave a magic wand and banish winter for good. Consequently, I’ve assembled some of the best winter horse care hacks I’ve found, learned or had passed on to me over 20 years of horse ownership. These pearls of wisdom have saved me time, kept me warm and helped me keep organised over the winter months – and I hope they’ll do the same for you.

Winter horse care hacks I’d recommend trying

1. Big rubber gloves

Getting my winter riding gloves wet doing yard tasks is one of my pet hates. Waterproof yard gloves are great, but until you can buy a pair, I recommend keeping a couple of pairs of oversized washing-up gloves on hand to wear over your riding gloves if they’re not waterproof – and it stops them getting muddy, too.

Doing this means I can tackle grooming, hosing legs and filling buckets without wetting my gloves. I can even whip them on over my gloves to smash ice in the trough without having to take my cosy gloves off. The Maridgolds stay at the yard and my gloves only ever get slightly damp, so even if I leave them in the car they’re usually fully dry by the time I want to wear them again.

2. Easy ice scooping

Speaking of icy troughs, keep a colander or large sieve on hand to scoop out floating bits of ice quickly and without freezing fingers. Floating a bottle of salt water in the trough can help prevent ice from forming in the first place – this also helps to stop water buckets freezing. Plus, you could wrap old rugs around buckets in stables to help insulate them.

3. Line those gloves…

.. with silk glove liners (like these we found on Amazon) for extra warmth. This hack came from H&H news editor Eleanor Jones who suffers terribly with cold hands.

4. See the feet clearly

My horses live out 24/7, and I always make sure I know what’s going on in their feet. This means giving the soles a proper scrub with a brush and water to clear the mud and have a good look for anything that might be amiss.

In the last couple of years, I’ve routinely used a hoof disinfectant (like this one on Amazon) to flush out any cracks and the frog grooves, and had a hoof clay (like this one) on standby. I’ve had two really good winters with minimal hoof problems as a result – my farrier even said she noticed a difference.

A daily foot check is something that you absolutely cannot miss, so keep a headtorch or light on hand if you’re not seeing your horse during daylight hours.

5. No fuss with feathers

Barrier creams and powders help maintain the skin by creating a non-stick surface for wet and mud. This keeps your horse cleaner and limits the skin’s exposure to mud.

6. Buy well, buy once

I can cope with cold, but working with horses while cold and wet is a truly miserable experience. This is why I strongly recommend investing in the best waterproof outerwear that you can.

We’ve put all sorts of waterproof gear through its paces, from wellies to waterproof coats and waterproof trousers. Take a look at our reviews and see what’s really worth the investment.

7. A game-changing garment

I was a waterproof breeches sceptic – until I got a pair of my own. Now, I wouldn’t be without them. Look for a pair that’s thermal, and you’ll never get cold on a winter hack again – we’ve rounded up the best waterproof breeches to help you choose.

8. Cotton sheets are a godsend

This is one of my favourite winter horse care hacks from before my gelding retired. He lived in at night and was fully clipped, so always in a rug. I kept two cotton sheets in rotation to place under his stable rug so the rug in contact with his skin was always clean.

I loved changing the sheet after hot clothing – it was like putting on clean pyjamas! The sheets are so light that they can be washed and dried at home.

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend doing this for turnout unless you’re confident the sheet won’t slip. I rotated 100g liners in his turnout rugs instead.

9. Name your nets and rugs

Ever since I lost two expensive small-holed haynets in a yard move (I may never financially and emotionally recover) I attach cheap keyrings (like these ones) with my name written on them to avoid confusion.

I’d also suggest using these to label the fill weights of your rugs to make them easily identifiable for storage or if someone is covering your horse’s care.

10. Glide over the snow

Plastic sledges are great for moving things when there’s snow or ice. Just put the item on top and tow it along. Saves fighting with wheelbarrows!

And if your horse struggles with balled up snow in his shoes, try applying Absorbine Hooflex to the sole. This helps prevent snow build up, and makes it easier for you or your horse to remove anything that does get stuck.

11. Be water smart

If you know temperatures are going to dip significantly, fill your buckets and troughs, plus as water carriers (like these ones) as you can beforehand – your future self will thank you when the pipes freeze.

Make sure to insulate your taps with a tap jacket (like this one) and don’t leave hosepipes lying around on the ground to freeze solid.

12. Arm yourself against frozen padlocks

Keep a can of lock de-icer (like this one) at the yard to thaw out any padlocks.

13. Pre-make your week’s feeds and haynets

I’m sure you’ll have heard this winter horse care tip before, but if you’re always running out of time in the week, setting aside an hour or so on a Sunday to make the week’s nets and feeds up can help you whizz through yard jobs in the week. If you can, it’s useful to bulk buy feed so you’re covered in the event of supply or delivery issues.

What helpful tips on managing your horses during the winter months would you like to share with fellow H&H readers? Send them to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your advice to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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The particularly warm and dry 2025 summer is thought to be linked to a “notable rise” in worm egg count results in UK horses – even among those horses who have historically had low or clear results.

Provisional Met Office statistics, shared on 1 September, confirm that summer 2025 was officially the warmest summer on record for the UK. Westgate Labs, which specialises in parasite control for horses and offers postal worm egg count testing, noticed the pattern through this autumn’s test results in UK horses – and believes the two are linked.

Experts are urging owners to test regularly and poo pick frequently as the “first line of defence” against worm infestations.

“What we’re likely seeing is the impact of a warm summer allowing the larval development phase to speed up, meaning horses can become more readily infected as they graze,” said Professor Jacqui Matthews, recognised specialist in parasitology and director of veterinary science at Austin Davis Biologics.

“There’s also been less forage available, so horses have been cropping the grass closer to the soil and dung piles and there’s been less opportunity to rest and rotate grazing, further increasing infection potential.

“What this means for horse owners is that they need to be regularly testing all horses as even those with historically good results may be more at risk of worm infection than in previous years and prioritising poo picking.”

Westgate Labs highlighted that many owners carrying out their routine autumn tests were surprised to see higher counts than expected – horses who had previously shown low or clear results are now presenting with medium or high readings, despite no change in management.

Westgate Labs’ director, Kristy Hodgson added: “Alongside worm egg counts every eight to 12 weeks, poo picking is our first line of defence in helping to combat parasite infection, physically breaking the life cycle by removing the eggs from the pasture.

“I chat to tens of horse owners every day and it’s consistently our customers who aren’t able to clear dung who have seen the biggest rise in the number of horses requiring treatment this autumn.

“The data reinforces the importance of pasture hygiene over harrowing, which in warm, damp conditions may spread larvae rather than destroy them.”

Westgate Labs recommends testing all horses every 12 weeks, plus twice-yearly tapeworm tests, to ensure targeted treatment and avoid unnecessary worming, which contributes to drug resistance.

Westgate Labs and Austin Davies Biologics are presenting a free webinar with a focus on redworm infection at 7pm on 14 January. Find out more at: fb.me/e/4rPYI7SHH

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Horses have one of the largest eyes of any mammal, but how good is horse eyesight compared to ours? And what common problems should horse owners be ‘keeping an eye out’ for?

We’ve got all the information you need on equine vision and eyes right here – plus some advice from expert vets on how to spot an equine eye problem.

Do horses have good eyesight?

Horses are prey animals and have almost 360° vision – their only blind spots being beneath their chin and directly behind them – so that they can watch out for predators approaching from all directions at the same time as grazing.

They have good motion detection, which allows them to spot predators easily, and have better night vision than humans. Their ability to judge distance and depth is limited, especially as most of their field of view is monocular vision (with one eye), which is why they often raise their heads on approach to a fence. It also takes them longer to adjust from light to dark.

They have developed big, beautiful eyes that protrude from each side of their head. However, this also makes them more exposed, and therefore more vulnerable to blunt or sharp traumatic injury.

Can horses see in colour?

Imogen Johns FRCVS explained to H&H that it is “next to impossible to say for sure how ‘well’ a horse can see”, but we know that horses are dichromats, which makes them red-green colour blind. They can see blues and yellows but browns, oranges and shades of red and green are easily confused. Whereas humans, for example, are trichromats and can see the four basic colours of red, green, blue and yellow.

Horses are able to see very well in low light conditions, but need time to adapt from light to dark situations and vice versa, which is why jumping into and out of shaded areas is such a challenge when riding cross-country.

Signs of sight loss in horses

Karen Coumbe MRCVS told H&H what to look out for to keep your horse’s vision safe. Any sign of ocular pain in horses is always deemed an emergency and a prompt visit from your vet should be arranged if there is:

• An eyelid wound
• A closed or partially closed eye
• Discharge or pus coming from the eye
• A swollen eye or eyelid
• A reddened appearance
• An eyeball that suddenly turns cloudy or develops a discoloured area
• A painful eye, especially if there is also increased sensitivity to light

“A problem affecting one eye only can be an indication of something more serious,” says Karen Coumbe. “Always look out for other more subtle signs, such as downward-pointing eyelashes indicating a partially closed eyelid, or other subtle signs of eye trauma, such as discolouration.”

Causes of sight loss in horses

Ocular injuries generally result from impact, a penetration or an abrasion/laceration and among the most common injuries are abrasions of the globe (which can lead to the formation of a corneal ulcer) and periorbital lacerations (traumatic injuries sustained around the eye).

“To prevent problems, it is important to check your horse’s environment, minimising anything that could potentially injure them, such as thorny vegetation, protruding nails and rough edges around stabling,” says Karen. “Horses often rub their heads on any solid object available, especially during fly season. Interactions with other horses may increase the risk of eye injuries.”

Fly masks and horse sunglasses can be worn to prevent irritation and reduce the risk of injury – and they can provide UV protection, too.

Common horse eyesight problems

Other common horse eye problems that can potentially affect their vision include uveitis (also known as moon blindness) and immune-mediated keratitis. Uveitis means inflammation within the eye and is the most common cause of blindness in horses worldwide and a common cause of chronic eye pain.

Some horse eyesight problems are more common in older horses, including glaucoma or cataracts, or can be more serious, such as corneal disease.

The aim of veterinary treatment is always to save the eye. However, if this cannot be done or if the horse is going to be left with a chronically painful eye, then enucleation (removal of the globe) is a relatively uncomplicated surgery that can be performed. Horses and ponies tolerate the loss of an eye extremely well and appear to adapt easily – many are still able to be ridden, including jumping, after such a procedure.

Can horses cope with loss of vision?

Loss of vision in one eye is generally very well tolerated by horses – most horses are able to return to their “pre-enucleation” job

Loss of vision in both eyes is rare – while some blind horses do adapt, the personality of the horse, the facilities, environment, and input of the owner will all determine how successful the outcome is.

Can blind horses be trained?

Absolutely, training partially sighted horses and blind horses just requires a slightly more considered approach and there are many famous one-eyed horses who have gone on to have incredibly successful careers.

“Endo the Blind”, a US-based appaloosa gelding owned by Morgan Wagner, became famous for his spirit, showing that “blind horses are capable of anything” by claiming three world records aged 22.

At the age of eight he’d been diagnosed with glaucoma, cataracts and equine uveitis, but his record-breaking achievements included the highest free jump by a blind horse (106cm), the fastest time for a blind horse to weave five poles (9.93sec) and the most flying changes in a minute (39).

“Don’t have big goals, just what your horse can do, reward, and try a little bit more next time,” said Morgan.

An Italian racehorse named Laghat won 26 races despite being totally blind in his right eye and 95% blind in his left eye as a result of a fungal infection called mycosis.

“Laghat has a sixth sense, which tells him where to put his legs,” said owner Federico de Paola, who also rode the horse in amateur races.

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Wondering how to wash horse rugs at home? It’s one thing keeping them dry, but keeping your rugs clean in winter can be difficult, too, especially if you’re relying on an ordinary washing machine. Many owners opt for professional rug laundry services to wash their rugs, which is recommended on an annual basis (and the best time to do this is before you put them away after winter, but we can’t be that organised all the time).

However, if the cost outweighs the effort saved and you want your rug clean immediately, here’s how to wash horse rugs at home – plus, if you’re planning on repairing your rugs, too, it’s worth washing them first.

Can you wash rugs in a washing machine?

Absolutely, if your machine is large enough – just follow these simple steps to protect your machine and your rugs.

1. Check the capacity of your machine

Most rugs can be machine washed at home, but this depends on the capacity of your machine, so you’ll need to check the specification against the weight of rug. Providing the machine is large enough, you’ll need to take a few steps before bunging a hairy, muddy, manure-stained rug into the same machine you wash your own clothes in – not only for your clothes, but to protect your machine.

2. Remove as much hair, dirt and mud as you can

Blast it with the hose, or let it dry out and use a dandy brush and a bit of elbow grease to remove the mud on the outside, while a vacuum cleaner is good for removing the stubborn hair on the inside.

3. Use a wash bag for protection

Put your rug in a large wash bag, such as the LeMieux laundry bag (available on Amazon) or the Horsewear washbag (also on Amazon), to prevent the hooks and buckles from damaging your machine. It also prevents any remaining horsehair from lingering in the machine drum. These can also be used for washing saddle pads, boots and bandages, so are worth the investment.

4. Wash on cool

A 30°C cycle is best for your rugs – and if you’re using a good wash product this should be plenty.

How to wash waterproof turnout rugs

To protect your rug, remove any detergent build-up from your dispenser, and select a gentle delicate cycle. Do not use regular detergent or fabric conditioner as these may compromise the laminate waterproofing of the rug. Instead choose one for washing delicates, or a recommended rug cleaning product, such as Nikwax Rug Wash (available on Amazon), which is designed to clean and restore water repellency.

Hang the rug up to dry, rather than tumble-drying.

There will eventually come a time where your turnout needs reproofing, but you can also waterproof your horse rugs at home – here’s how.

How to wash stable rugs

Winter stable rugs tend to absorb moisture because they are not waterproof, hence they can get smelly. Instead. some owners opt for lightweight turnout rugs, designed to repel moisture, on their horses in the stable.

Stable stains on the “indoor” rug can then be scrubbed off without the lining getting wet. You can vary the warmth with thermal rugs or cotton sheets underneath, which are lightweight and easy to wash in an ordinary machine. This way the horses’ coats stay clean and the top rugs only need washing once at the end of winter.

Often, the whole rug might not need a wash, but one mucky area could do with a good blitz. Most horse owners steer clear of pale rugs for obvious reasons, but for the stable stains that won’t budge, it’s worth trying a stain remover designed for grass stains and so on, such as Vanish (available on Amazon). The best stain removers for horses can do a good job on fabric too.

If your washing machine is too small, or the rest of the family don’t appreciate sharing it with your horse, it might be time to invest in a small power washer. You can find them for well under £100, either in your local DIY store or online (like this one on Amazon). The force of the water blasts off all the mud and dirt, and if you have a few horses on the yard, it will pay for itself quickly. It will come in handy for cleaning stables, too.

Avoid using a pressure washer on your waterproof turnout rugs, however, as it could damage the waterproof fabric.

How to wash summer rugs

Fly rugs and summer sheets are the easiest to wash as they are usually lightweight, making them easier to fit in your machine at home. However, the products we use on horses in summer, particularly if they suffer from sweet itch, can cause these rugs to become oily and dirty quickly.

Summer rugs should be washed in the same way as the other rugs described, using a wash bag (like this one on Amazon) and rug wash (also available on Amazon) to protect your machine while restoring your rugs to their former glory.

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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If there’s one topic of conversation I can guarantee I overhear at the yard on a daily basis, it’s “What rug are you putting on your horse?” – and I always refer them to our horse rugging guide. Non-horsey people would not believe the amount of time we all spend deciding what rug to put on our horses – or whether they even need a rug – especially when the temperatures are fluctuating.

Below is a guideline of when a horse is likely to need a rug, which you can use as a starting point for your decision making. When using this guide, consider a clipped horse to be one where the majority of the hair has been removed, such as in a full clip or hunter clip. A horse with a low trace clip or similar, that leaves much of the coat on the horse’s body, should be considered “unclipped”, especially if they are a good-doer or tend to be overweight.

Horse rugging guide based on temperature

If you are viewing this guide on a mobile, swipe left to see the full table

Horse in stable

Horse in field

Importance of rugging based on temperature

It’s easy to assume that if you want to wear a coat while you’re outside, then your horse would like to have a rug on, too. But this is not a good rule of thumb and vets have been warning for years about the dangers of over-rugging horses.

In the short term, over-rugging can lead to overheated horses and heatstroke. In the long term, if an obese horse is rugged too much it will prevent them from losing weight, which puts them at higher risk of laminitis.

Horses don’t feel the cold until a lower temperature than humans do. Research has shown this means a fit and healthy unclipped horse typically feels cold only when the temperature is below 0°C and they feel hot when it reaches 25°C. Humans have a much narrower thermoneutral zone of between 25–30°C. So when we think it’s cold outside, horses still feel quite comfortable.

Researchers in Norway have also been investigating whether it’s possible to teach a horse to choose a rug – and they found that it is.

Factors to consider when rugging a horse

For horses that are turned out, the weather plays a significant role in which rug they need. Wet and windy weather will have a chilling effect and those who are young or old are likely to be less able to maintain their body temperature in these conditions so that should be taken into account. But if shelter is available and the horses have access to plenty of forage, which helps keep them warm from the inside through the digestive process, they may still not need a rug even when temperatures drop.

When horses are stabled, however, while they may be more sheltered, they aren’t able to move around to warm up if they need to and so in some cases will need a heavier rug.

Before deciding which weight and type of rug to put on your horse, you need to consider all of the variables, such as their level of work, their feeding and stable management regimes, whether or not they are clipped (and, if so, what type of clip they have), the condition that they are in and their access to forage, plus obviously the weather, tailoring your decision to the individual horse’s needs.

It’s important to remember that every horse is different, and the more you get to know your horse, the less you’ll need to refer back to a horse rugging guide. My pony, for example, is a 17-year-old Fjord – his breed has evolved to thrive in the cold. I’ve had him 10 years and in that time the heaviest rug he’s owned is a 200g – and he’s fully clipped over winter.

He’s an exceptionally good-doer and I know exactly what temperature ranges and weather conditions warrant his rain sheet, 50g, 100g or 200g. However, I also know that as he ages I’ll have to keep an eye on how well he copes, and when I eventually retire him – and therefore don’t clip him – I’ll have to reconsider it all again.

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Horses are not designed to live in stables – they have evolved to be free-range herd animals who eat at will – so can suffer ill-effects from being confined to a small space for long periods. While it is inevitable that many horses spend more time indoors over winter, we can greatly improve their lives and keep them happy and healthy with a little thought and a willingness to challenge the preconceived ideas of how they should be kept.

As owners, it is our job to keep asking how we can keep our stabled horses happy and healthy. Considerable research has been devoted to finding ways to mitigate the social, nutritional and health issues caused by stabling – here are some of the findings that we can put into practice, with advice from top equine vet Kieran O’Brien MRCVS.

How to keep stabled horses happy

Stable design

The first social issue is that many ideas about stabling originate from Victorian times. This has lead to stables that prevent continuous visual and tactile contact, where the only opportunity for a horse to see his companions is when they are looking over their respective doors at the same time.

Where horses are kept alone, studies have found a reduction in time spent lying down, more frequent displays of stress behaviours and development of stereotypies, such as weaving or box-walking.

How to improve stable design for wellbeing

“Fitting bars or grills between stables or making a “talk hole” in the partition wall will enable essential social contact, provided that neighbouring horses get on,” suggests Kieran. “A stable mirror made of safety glass can also provide companionship, although social interaction with real horses is preferable.”

A stabled horse also needs space to move, stretch and roll.

“An area of 12x12ft is considered a minimum,” says Kieran, “although horses measuring larger than 16hh will require more room.”

Providing enrichment

Enrichment has been proven to have a positive impact on stabled horses. This includes anything that you might consider a “boredom buster” for horses, such as stable toys, slow feeders or mirrors – they do not have to be edible. In fact, the enrichment proved particularly beneficial outside of meal times.

The results of the study showed that enrichment increased heart rate, foraging and movement, and decreased frustration behaviours, which suggests a positive emotional state.

How to keep stabled horses healthy

Air quality and stable ventilation

The quality of air in a stable is determined by the rate dust particles, fungal spores and ammonia (produced by urine) from the bedding is released into the air, balanced by the rate at which these are cleared.

Dust particles peak as you muck out and stay elevated for several hours afterwards, so where possible turn your horse out before you start. A second peak occurs when the bed is “pulled down” for the night – but you could eliminate this practice completely by scattering powdered lime on the urine “footprint” while mucking out and preparing the evening bed straightaway, thus turning over the bed only once.

Several studies have shown that most horses bedded on straw — not just those with equine asthma — have a significant number of fungal spores and evidence of inflammation in the lower airways.

These horses may show no external signs of respiratory disease, Kieran warns.

“Their performance may be subtly impaired, however, especially in disciplines with high oxygen demands, such as racing or jumping at speed.”

While the adverse effects of straw bedding can be partially mitigated by good ventilation, the optimum of four complete air changes per hour can never be achieved in a conventional 12x12ft stable with an open half-door and a small window.

It is not usually possible to objectively judge how “dusty” the air in a stable is, but this can be inferred from the type of bedding used. A persistent smell of ammonia from urine will suggest that ventilation is poor.

Ways to improve stable air quality

• Feed haylage or soaked hay
• Opt for dust-free bedding, such as dust-extracted shavings, miscanthus or chopped cardboard
• If you create banks, pull the bedding in from the edges frequently to ensure all areas are fresh

Ways to promote air flow

• Remove glass from windows
• Use a stable guard or stall chain across the doorway when practical
• Leave barn doors open at night unless necessary
• Provide additional air inlets and outlets, as far away from the stable door as possible

Ensuring good rest

Studies on human athletes have shown that a good night’s sleep is critical for optimum performance – and it would make sense that the same goes for horses. In horses, deep sleep is only possible if they lie down on their side or sits propped against a wall.

Research has shown that the time a horse spends laying down asleep is affected by the type of bedding, its depth and the size of the bedded area. The minimalist approach of a thin bed laid on rubber matting, covering a smaller floor area, may have implications for how much deep sleep a horse obtains.

“This may be a case where the traditional practice of providing a more substantial bed is best,” suggests Kieran.

Health risks of stabling

Stabling is a key risk factor for colic and exertional rhabdomyolysis, sometimes known as azoturia or tying up. Studies have shown that if time indoors is increased from zero to six hours to 19 to 24 hours, the risk of impaction colic is seven times greater.

“Confinement decreases the frequency of large intestinal contractions, reducing both fibre digestibility and the water content of droppings,” Kieran explains.

How to reduce the risks of stabling

“Exercise, or at the very least some turnout, every day, is hugely beneficial — both mentally, allowing social interaction with other horses, and physically, ensuring the normal function of the digestive and musculoskeletal systems and providing access to clean air,” says Kieran.

While exercise is generally a good thing, there is evidence that horses given a minimum of two rest days per week have a much lower incidence of gastric ulcers.

“Conventional twice-daily rations of hard feed, especially those containing cereal grains, further increase the chance of colic and also cause large shifts of acidity of the stomach – a known predisposing factor for gastric ulceration.”

When feeding horses prone to ulcers, small, frequent meals are preferable.

“Ideally use feeds high in oil and low in starch. Adding alfalfa chaff (preferably dry) increases salivation, helping to neutralise stomach acid,” Kieran advises.

Reduce reliance on hard feed by providing the highest quality forage you can find.

“Hay or haylage should be soft, green and leafy and fed ad lib, so there is always some left in the morning,” says Kieran, who also recommends providing multiple forage options.

“Provide forage in more than one place in the stable, to satisfy the horse’s strong natural motivation to eat and move, and use a hay bag, or a small-holed haynet to slow his intake,” he adds. “Placing some forage at floor level will vary his neck position and elevate his spine when eating, promoting natural drainage of respiratory secretions and ensuring correct alignment of the cheek teeth when chewing.”

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Are acorns poisonous to horses? The short answer is yes, and you might have noticed more acorns on the ground than usual right now.

If you have, then it’s not just you. There are definitely more acorns – on trees and on the ground – this autumn, which is a cause for concern among horse owners. Acorns contain tannins that, when ingested by horses, produce toxins. These toxins can be poisonous, and lead to problems with the horse’s gut, liver and kidneys.

While some owners may have not experienced an issue with their horses eating acorns to date, every individual will have a difference tolerance level and exercising caution around horses’ access to acorns is strongly advised.

So, why so many acorns? It’s all because 2025 is proving to be a mast year for trees. If you’re not familiar with this term, read on for the lowdown, and the implications for horses.

What is a mast year?

According to the Woodland Trust, some species of trees and shrubs produce a bumper crop of their fruits or nuts every few years. The collective term for these fruits and nuts is “mast”, so it is referred to as a mast year.

But why do mast years occur? To produce a healthy crop, trees need the right combination of temperature and rainfall in the spring. Phenology – the study of the timing of natural events in relation to the weather – can help us better understand this.

Ecologist and senior lecturer at Liverpool University Dr Andrew Hacket Pain has used records from the Woodland Trust’s citizen science phenology project, Nature’s Calendar, to research masting.

“Oaks produce a similar number of flowers each spring, so the size of autumn’s acorn crop depends on how many of these flowers are able to mature into ripe acorns,” Dr Hacket Pain explains. “It’s clear that spring weather conditions are important. When spring is warm and dry, pollination of oak flowers is very effective, and this results in a large crop of acorns.”

Mast years are important in the bust and boom of small mammal populations. When the trees produce smaller crops for a few consecutive years, they are in effect keeping the populations of these animals in check. But during a mast year, the trees produce more food than the animals can possibly eat. This abundance leads to a boom in the populations of small mammals, such as mice. More importantly, it guarantees some nuts will be left over to survive and grow into new trees.

Are acorns more poisonous to horses in a mast year?

While it’s not clear acorns are any more toxic in a mast year, an obvious concern is the increased volume of acorns. After a period of high wind, you might notice a thick carpet of acorns underneath oak trees, which could be a problem if oaks line or sit inside your field boundary.

According to Pool House Equine Hospital, although acorns are naturally bitter-tasting, some horses can develop a liking for them. The vet clinic also reports a recent spike in veterinary cases linked to horses ingesting acorns.

Clinical signs of acorn poisoning in horses

The toxins produced by the ingested acorn tannins can cause damage to the gut, which can manifest as diarrhoea, which may contain blood, as well as signs of colic, lethargy, fever or a loss of appetite. If your horse is showing any of these signs, they will require urgent veterinary assistance so don’t delay in calling your vet.

Protecting against acorn poisoning in horses

You may notice acorn husks in your horse’s droppings before any clinical signs occur. However, if you think your horse might have access to acorns, don’t wait for evidence of ingesting or poisoning before you act.

You can protect your horse from eating acorns by…

• Identifying any oak trees in the vicinity of your horse’s turnout, so you know where hotspots might be
• If you poo pick, check these hotspots and collect acorns on your daily rounds
• Raking up fallen acorns, taking special care to check common drop zones after high winds. If you don’t have a rake, you could use a nut gatherer (like this one on Amazon)
• Temporarily fencing off parts of your paddock where fallen acorns are dense
• Extending your horse’s grazing (where autumn laminitis is low risk) or supplementing with forage to remove the temptation to feast on acorns

As always, if you are concerned about your horse’s appearing unwell, then seek urgent advice from your vet.

• To stay up to date with the latest horse care advice, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Which rug should I put on my horse? H&H’s helpful guide to help you decide

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Horse & Hound created this content as part of a paid partnership with Monarch Equestrian. The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Horse & Hound.

If you’re wondering how much does it cost to build stables? We’ve got the answers for you, if you’re based in the UK.

The cost of building stables varies significantly depending on factors like size, materials, whether it’s a mobile structure or fixed, groundwork, and whether professional labour or DIY is involved.

How to work out the cost of building stables

You first need to ascertain whether you require planning permission. Planning permission is needed for permanent stables in the UK, for both private, professional and commercial use. Submitting planning applications will incur a cost, so this will need factoring into your budget.

Temporary field shelters may not need permission if movable, but always check with your local planning authority as the rules can vary.

You then need to define the scope of your build, considering how many stables you require, and whether you would like to include additional facilities, such as a tack room, hay storage and a wash bay.

Assess the site you’re hoping to build upon as this could radically affect the cost of the project, with key considerations including if the land is sloping and whether you already have access, utilities and drainage in place.

Material preference will also have an impact on cost, such as whether you use basic, pre-fabricated materials, timber or a bespoke, high-spec service with top notch products. Wooden stables are generally more affordable than those built with brick and block, which also require more complex foundations, but can get very warm in summer.

Budget realistically and factor in money for any nasty surprises along the way. We will break down the costs involved when building stables further, but as a ball park figure, the following applies:

• For a single standalone stable, prices start at around £2,000 to £5,000, excluding groundwork
• A small block (two or three boxes) typically costs between £7,000 and £15,000, depending on finishes
• A full yard, with groundwork and infrastructure, can easily stretch from £25,000 to over £100,000

Other things to consider prior to starting your build include whether you are going to tackle the work yourself on a DIY basis or employ professionals to carry out the work. DIY may save on labour, but carries risks and time costs. For complex or high-spec projects, professional installation is recommended.

Finally, where you are in the UK could affect the cost of your build, due to construction cost trends across the country.

So how much does it cost to build stables?

Basic pre-made stable units

• Small one-bay stable (basic wooden prefab): £880 to £1,370
• Two stables: £1,860 to £2,700

This excludes groundwork, delivery, VAT, and any assembly beyond straightforward installation.

Prefabricated timber units and additional features

Vale Stables offer the following prices:

• 10×10ft timber unit: £1,700
• 12×12ft unit: £1,990 (an extra £270 if mobilised with steel skids)
• Additional features like windows, doors and guttering are available at an additional cost. For example, a Perspex window costs £120.

Handcrafted/bespoke timber stables

Bespoke or premium timber stables typically fall in the range of £5,000 to £30,000, depending on size and specifications.

Devon Garden Buildings offers a 12x12ft handcrafted static stable (VAT included) for £2,300, while Olson Timber Buildings offers a double 12x12ft stable block for £7,944, including VAT.

Monarch Equestrian creates both internal and external stables. Its Imperial Stables range start from £1,095 plus VAT and excluding delivery. This price is based on one 12ft hardwood stable front with an offset bottom swinging door for an internal set-up in an American barn.

Or if you’re looking for a more premium product, Monarch’s Regal Stables start from £1,435 plus VAT, also excluding delivery. This includes a 12ft Regal Victorian hardwood stable front with a central bottom swinging door and additional end post, also designed for internal use.

Monarch Equestrian also offers lots of extra add-ons, should you wish to include them in your build, such as sliding or swinging doors, stable mangers and troughs, tie rings, hay feeders, stable door chains, automatic water drinkers, rug rails and more.

Premium and high-spec installations

The cost of larger projects, with multiple specifications are available upon request, but the answer is basically, how long is a piece of string?

One person who created their own yard with eight stables, a hay barn, and tack room, plus all the necessary groundwork, utilities, fencing, drainage and access costs associated with this, spent £100,000.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Having the space (and budget) for building your own stables is something not all of us are lucky to have.

However, those that do, although they have managed to create their dream yard in many ways, find that there are sometimes things they wish they had done differently.

We spoke to some H&H readers who fall into this category to find out more – and also to hear about the things they are also really glad they included during their respective stable builds.

H&H forum user Peglo said: “We built a ‘general purpose’ shed, which is a 60x40ft steel structure, with light and airy stables made from wood that my husband built.

“We put windows in each stable so the horses can look outside but, if I’m being honest, we rarely use them and they are usually shut.”

She continues: “Two of the windows open onto a small paddock and if I was doing it again, I would make them doors and either have an outdoor run each or just open onto the paddock.”

The size of her stables is another aspect Peglo said she wishes she could have changed.

“We put in big wooden doors so bigger vehicles could get in if required, but because of the size of the gap it meant the stables were limited to a certain width. If I could change it, I would make the doors smaller – or put at them other end of the shed – so my stables could be bigger.

“Otherwise I’m very content with my stables and horses seem happy.”

Building your own stables: size matters

Fellow H&H forum user Elle also shared her experiences of building her own yard.

“I extended the stables at my previous house, going from two 12x12ft and one 12x16ft with one tack room to two tackrooms, four 12x12ft, one 12x16ft and an extra 12x12ft grooming/washing/tack-up area with electric and water that could, at a pinch, be used as a stable too. The stables were a corner shape with the grooming area doubling as a path to the field,” explains Elle, who says she also had some extra features that she really enjoyed as part of her yard.

“I loved my three-way Shetland door, meaning my Shetland could see out but the extra bit could also be closed to be used for larger horses. I also loved having individual light switches for each stable, plus there were windows in the back wall diagonally opposite to the door to help with air flow. Taps in the main tackroom and grooming area were also very useful.”

Ease of access is incredibly important when considering the layout of a yard and this was something Elle implemented.

“I made sure the stable doors opened to make it easier to lead horses out and through the grooming area to the field, meaning some opened to the left, and others to the right,” she says, commenting now that she has moved house, there have been features that she hasn’t rushed to replace.

“Namely drinkers in each stable,” says Elle. “I had them with individual taps meaning they could be turned off if the stables were empty or if I knew frost was coming, but the horses just loved to itch on them and I was in constant fear of them pulling them off the walls.”

There are some final extras Elle would like to have on her yard.

“I still plan to get a stable heater – in one stable to use after winter baths – and fans in all stables for hot summers, plus cameras in each stable, too.”

Fellow yard owner Leila Horsey reminds us that the consideration of where you live and the weather you’re likely to experience is crucial when creating a well-functioning yard.

“Being in north-east Scotland, if I ever did it again, I would build an American barn and not regular stables,” says Leila.

Speaking of features that she likes at her set-up, Helen Fitzpatrick says: “I’m glad I put ‘talk grilles’ in so that horses can see and communicate with each other. I’m also pleased I installed roof lights and top opening windows and I’m relieved I didn’t include automatic drinkers.”

Key points to bear in mind while building your own stables include, but are not limited to the following:

• Ventilation
• Lighting
• Flooring
• Door design
• Materials you will use
• The size of each stable
• Water supply
• Drainage
• Insulation
• Safety
• Roofing

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Horse & Hound created this content as part of a paid partnership with Monarch Equestrian. The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Horse & Hound.

Sustainability for horse owners is coming increasingly to the fore. It influences what we buy, how we dispose of waste products and even how we manage grazing land. But, what if we could use one of our planet’s most precious resources – water – more sustainably, too? Enter rainwater harvesting for equestrians.

Sloping roofs are a key component in many rainwater harvesting systems and, what with stables, barns and field shelters at our disposal, roofing’s something equestrians tend to have in abundance. But how do you implement rainwater harvesting? Why is it so important? And, will it save you money?

Rainwater harvesting for equestrians: why do it?

The UK is usually the butt of rainfall jokes; just this month Storm Floris brought high winds and rainfall to the UK in the middle of summer. But, worryingly, there are fairly imminent threats to the UK’s water security that will see the nation’s supply come under stress. These are not just population growth, but also, predictably, climate change.

“I think a lot of people don’t realise that water stress is going to be a massive issue in this country,” explains Ruth Dancer, CEO of White Griffin, a sustainability consultancy. She adds that at least seven regions of the UK are predicted to face water stress by 2030, with localities in the south of England expected to be worst affected.

“We’ve had a hosepipe ban over here in Gloucestershire this summer,” she continues. “It’s frustrating because it’s hard to water your plants and clean your car, but that doesn’t represent a water shortage.

“Combatting severe water stress means limiting the times a day when you can use water, as well as the volume. This is serious for a sector like equestrian, because using water is a welfare issue, not just in terms of hydrating and cooling our horses, but watering our arena surfaces to reduce respiratory risks, too.”

Ruth adds that water will evolve as a commodity, costing more to use. “Water will likely become a lot more like electricity; most people are concerned about their electric usage because their bills are very high, and as water becomes more expensive, then attitudes towards use will shift.”

“We need to learn to work with our climate”

Ruth urges the equestrians to understand that water stress isn’t a ‘maybe’: it’s going to be a reality.

“Hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters are the pattern for the UK moving forward,” she explains. “We need to learn to work with that.”

Ways to invest in responsible water use include installing automatic water drinkers, which deliver water on demand with no waste, although they do make it more difficult to monitor an individual horse’s water intake. The pipes also need to be well lagged to avoid freezing in the winter.

“Our self-fill drinkers are direct supply, which means flexible installation options,” adds Michael Thompson, operations manager at Monarch Stables. “It also reduces the amount of water waste due to spillage or contamination, helping lower bills alongside rainwater harvesting.”

Equestrian buying habits represent a long-term climate mindset, too. Supporting sustainable business helps lower your carbon footprint. This, in turn, reduces your contribution to climate change.

“For example, our multi-wall polycarbonate sheets can be recycled and processed into other polycarbonate products,” adds Michael. “As such, they are not single-use plastic.”

“Every metre saves over 230kg of CO2 going into the atmosphere, and the equivalent of 35,000 bottle tops going to landfill.”

For Ruth, the ideal culture shift is a move towards water self-sufficiency, which means embracing rainwater harvesting for equestrians.

“This is something that’s reasonably normal for farmers. There are companies out there that supply rainwater harvesting on a very large scale for agriculture and business,” adds Ruth, but she explains there are examples of smaller-scale harvesting on livery yards of all sizes, and even on private yards.

“We’ve got these lovely stable roofs perfect for collecting rainwater. Even if you’ve only got one or two stable roofs and one smallish container, it’s free water. And, there’s technology and maintenance you can invest in to make sure you can store it and it’s clean.”

Rainwater harvesting for equestrians in a nutshell

In simple terms, rainwater harvesting gives property owners access to supplementary water alongside – and, crucially, separate from – their mains water supply.

“This water does not meet regulatory standards for mains water, nor is it ‘potable’, or safe for human consumption,” explains a spokesman from the UK Water Reuse Association (UKWRA), a trade organisation championing water reuse as a defence against future flood and water shortage risks. “This is why it must be stored separately from mains water to avoid cross-contamination.”

Using drainage pipework, rainwater is collected from sloping roofs of any kind. This includes properties, municipal and commercial buildings, even barns and stables.

Rainwater is fed through a filter and into an above-ground or underground storage tank. Individual harvesting systems have bespoke filtration and pumping systems, from domestic use of toilet flushing to outside use only for watering plants and washing cars.

How does rainwater harvesting for equestrians work?

According to UKWRA, a basic setup for stable yard cleaning, horse wash-down bays and rinsing tack and equipment could include:

• a guttering system on stable roofs
• leaf guards and first-flush diverters to improve water quality
• a small above-ground tank up to 5,000 litres, suitable for capturing run-off
• a basic filter, possibly a low-pressure pump or gravity-fed hose

“The indicative cost here is from £2,000 to £10,000+, depending on size, access, and installation needs,” says the spokesman. “These systems are relatively low-tech, easy to maintain, and reduce the reliance on mains or borehole water for outdoor use.”

The spokesman explains that rainwater harvesting can be scaled up, and can even meet the demands of major events and venues.

“The London 2012 Olympics equestrian village used reclaimed water to irrigate the stadium surface,” he continues.

As well as riding arena irrigation, higher-end systems can be designed to supply water for toilet flushing, laundry facilities and even animal consumption, subject to appropriate filtration and treatment. A large or commercial yard would need a much larger underground tank with a 20-100,000l capacity or more, as well as automated control systems, pressure pumps and integrated backup from mains supply. This, of course, means a sizable investment.

“The investment could be anything from £10,000-£30,000 or more, depending on usage requirements and tank size,” confirms the spokesman.

Caring for a rainwater harvesting system

DIY maintenance is possible for smaller systems, but the UKWRA recommends a service contract or annual check by a qualified technician, especially for larger or more complex systems.

While there is no mandatory inspection regime for rainwater harvesting systems, UKRWA recommends that all commercial users adhere to the BS EN 16941-1:2024 standard, which is a rainwater harvesting code of practice. Additionally, they advise planned routine maintenance and checks, especially where systems supply water to humans or animals.

Above or below-ground tank?

Above-ground tanks might be more convenient for cleaning and inspection, but they come with drawbacks. “Above-ground tanks are prone to algae growth,” advises the UKWRA spokesman. “They require protection from UV exposure to reduce this; opaque tanks and protective covers help.”

Other precautions include visual inspections every few months for algae, sediment and structural integrity. Annual cleans, or cleans as necessary, are essential.

“Below-ground tanks are less exposed to light and temperature changes, so there is lower biological activity,” continues the spokesman. “Arrange annual inspections for silt build-up or debris.”

Can horses drink harvested rainwater?

Harvested rainwater is not ‘potable’, or fit for human consumption, unless appropriately treated and filtered.

But can horses drink harvested rainwater?

“Livestock does not require potable water for consumption,” says the UKRWA spokesman. “Horses can drink harvested rainwater, but care needs to be taken to ensure it is free from contaminants and the system is maintained regularly.

“Multi-stage filtration and UV treatment could be implemented at yards where harvesting rainwater for equine consumption and soaking hay is considered. UKRWA recommends adherence to BS EN 16941-1:2024 alongside a routine of maintenance and checks, especially where water is intended for consumption.”

Rainwater harvesting for equestrians: what will I save?

Rainwater harvesting for equestrians encounters many variables. From the size of the yard to the capacity of the system, it could be several years before that system pays for itself. However, while future water stress is certain, future tariffs are not. Using mains water on the yard could become significantly more expensive, so using less water from the mains can help reduce bills.

Ultimately, hosepipe bans do not affect rainwater use, although under current rules they also don’t directly affect equine welfare as hosepipes can still be used for tasks associated with animal care. “It also wouldn’t be affected by any other restrictions on mains water usage that may feature regularly in the future,” adds the UKWRA spokesman.

According to the UKWRA, rainwater harvesting assists equestrians on top of reducing bills by:

• Reducing rainwater runoff, helping protect grazing during wetter winters and flooding
• Supporting biodiversity net gain and water neutrality goals, which may assist with rural grants or planning approval
• Securing a water supply in times of drought and making yards more resilient to climate change

Ruth adds that you can be as sophisticated as your budget allows and you don’t have to spend thousands.

“If you’re canny and have a few bits of drainpipe and a water butt, you can rig up your own small-scale rainwater collecting system,” she says. “It’s perfect for watering plants, rinsing equipment and washing horses down.”

For more information and advice on rainwater harvesting, visit the UKWRA’s website here.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Horse & Hound created this content as part of a paid partnership with Monarch Equestrian. The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Horse & Hound.

With hotter, drier summers now the UK norm, you’re probably wondering how to keep stables cool in summer.

Of course, all horse owners should ensure management is adapted to the hotter time of year.

“Horses need to be monitored closely when temperatures soar,” remarks Michael Thompson of Monarch. “Keeping a thermometer in a central location will make you aware of internal temperatures in buildings. Prolonged stable temperatures of more than 32ºC can be dangerous.”

Ensuring unlimited fresh water is essential.

“Our auto-drinkers ensure a constant and reliable supply as a horse’s water intake increases,” he adds. “Gentle exercise in the shade, such as on one of our covered walkers, gives horses a break from their stable with protection from the midday sun.”

There is much you can do to cool down a horse, such as opting for night-time turnout, or for instant relief you can cold hose and leave the horses to dry naturally. However, neither of these actions has a lasting impact if your horse has to return to a warm stable.

So, how can you adapt your horse’s stable to reduce the internal temperature? Is it possible to build cooler stables? And how can you ensure the effects aren’t reversed in winter?

How to keep stables cool: ventilation

Stagnant air is bad news for ammonia and dust build-up. Not only this, but it also increases humidity, which can make stables feel stuffy and unbearably warm.

“Stables can quickly become hotboxes in the summer if not properly ventilated,” warns Michael. “They can trap heat and humidity, making them uncomfortable and potentially dangerous for horses.

“Our designers implement proper ventilation into each design,” he continues. “Design features such as high ceilings, windows, and vents all allow for natural airflow, keeping the stable cool in summer.”

But how do vents work?

“Fresh air must enter the building at the eaves, or gutter level, and escape through a ridge of the roof, which is called a vented ridge,” explains Hugh Daly of Equus Works. “This works because fresh air enters through the eaves, warms and rises to escape from the vented ridge.

“In existing barns, cladding can be removed at the eaves to allow ingress of fresh air,” he adds. “A crossflow of air is essential, and all too often modern barns are closed off from fresh air.”

Hugh adds that, ideally, stables should have at least a 1x1m window on the back wall.

“This allows for seasonal temperature changes,” he explains. “Toughened glass with window bars will allow natural light all year round, and can be opened for a further source of fresh air in summer.

“We use turn-and-tilt windows to keep the elements out but allow air in.”

Constructing stables for optimal temperature

When considering how to keep stables cool, materials matter.

“Monarch’s polycarbonate roof sheets incorporate UV protection, heat blocking and multi-layered colour combinations for dispersing heat and light,” explains Michael.

“Our slate effect sheets allow for air to travel freely behind and underneath, ensuring a breathable roof,” he continues. However, breathability does mean compromising on warmth in winter. “We also offer insulated slate roof systems that provide tremendous thermal retention in the colder months.”

Hugh also recommends insulated roof sheets to both reflect heat in the summer and reduce heat loss in winter. While maximising natural light is important in stable construction, Hugh advises owners to avoid one common mistake.

“Roof light sheets, while letting the light in, bring the sun directly into stables and heat them up,” he warns. “In an American barn, we always recommend a vented light ridge over the walkway. That way, you get light without direct sun on the horses and a vent for warm air to escape from.”

Finally, the build position influences temperature.

“South-facing walls could be considered a heat source,” remarks Hugh, adding that insulated walls with internal stables positioned on the north side of a building can help guard against overheating.

Implementing cooling systems

Stable fans are a simple, low-investment method of keeping horses cool in stables. As well as boosting airflow for comfort, stable fans have many benefits, such as disrupting biting insects and dispersing ammonia build-up. Floor and wall-mounted fans are most commonly available.

Misting fans are a more sophisticated solution. They come in a variety of designs, from a portable fan setup for competitions, single-stable systems to large misting lines that can be suspended in the apex of a barn or marquee.

Koolfog’s high-pressure misting fans work by producing micron-sized water droplets that, while evaporating and turning to vapour, remove heat from the air, cooling the surrounding area.

“This process, called adiabatic cooling, reduces outdoor temperatures by as much as 18ºC,” explains Jason Coller, managing director at Koolfog. “It makes days where temperatures exceed even 38ºC comfortable.”

Systems like Koolfog’s come with pre-fabricated misting apparatus that is easy to install.

“Portable systems are delivered ready assembled and simply need to be wheeled into place and connected to a water supply – a standard yard tap is fine.” adds Jason.

What’s more, cooling in this way does not risk bedding waste.

“High-pressure systems like Koolfog’s produce a fine mist that evaporates before it reaches the ground, so it does not make bedding wet.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Horse & Hound created this content as part of a paid partnership with Monarch Equestrian. The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Horse & Hound.

Despite most horse owners longing for the better weather for much of the year, many worry about keeping their horses cool and comfortable when it’s hot.

As summer temperatures climb, it’s essential to proactively ensure horses remain cool, healthy, and comfortable, whether stabled or in the field. This might involve more frequent visits, adjusting turnout schedules, and investing some handy products to aid cooling.

How to keep your horse comfortable when stabled

1. Provide shelter and shade

During hot weather, shelter or shade is essential, whether it’s a field shelter, natural shade from trees or a stable. For horses with fair or light skin, apply one of the best sun creams for horses for additional protection from harmful UV rays.

2. Adjust turnout routines

If your horse is stabled, consider adapting your routine to avoid turning your horse out during peak sunlight hours.

3. Keep stables cool

If your horse must be stabled during the hottest part of the day, do what you can to keep the stable cool and bear in mind that wooden stables tend to be hotter than brick. Good ventilation is crucial, and you might consider a portable fan (like this one on Amazon) to circulate air and reduce the temperature.

4. Minimise flies

Use one of the best fly sprays – some brands (usually the American ones) offer stable sprays, so consider whether spraying your horse’s environment will have added benefit. Removing droppings more frequently will also help to keep flies at bay.

5. Ensure adequate hydration

It is essential that your horse has constant access to fresh water. During hot weather, horses can drink more than double their usual intake, so up to 60 litres. Keep water buckets clean to prevent algae and bacteria growth. If you have a automatic trough, adding this Equine America water treatment (which is environmentally friendly with a natural action) will help you keep it clean.

6. Boost water intake further

Introduce a soaked feed or add extra water to their normal feed ration to help increase overall hydration. Soaking or steaming hay can also add extra water to the diet.

7. Replenish electrolytes

Sweating causes horses to lose vital salts. Supplementing their diet with the best electrolytes for horses can help maintain hydration by encouraging water intake. The best rehydration mashes offer a tempting feed with added electrolytes and are quick and easy to prepare, while a salt lick gives them an opportunity to self-regulate their salt intake, although this shouldn’t be replied on as the horse’s only form of salt.

8. Cool down with hosing

Hosing your horse down, paired with one of the best no-rinse washes, can significantly lower their body temperature and provide a refreshing treat.

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As those living in the UK face another week of high temperatures reaching over 30°C, and some water companies have announced hosepipe bans (Yorkshire Water from 11 July, South East Water for those living in Kent and Sussex from 18 July), where does this leave horse owners?

The good news is that while the rules outlaw the use of hosepipes for washing cars and watering gardens, the use of a hosepipe for the cleaning, maintenance and general well-being of any kind of animal is exempt from hosepipe ban rules.

The Government requires that the welfare of animals must be protected at all times, including during a hosepipe ban – or as it is more correctly called a Temporary Use Ban (TUB).

Yorkshire Water will impose a hosepipe ban from Friday 11 July 2025 following recorded its driest spring in 132 years, where just 15cm of rain has fallen since February.

Examples of what is allowed under the TUB restrictions include:

• Washing horses down with a hosepipe
• Filling up water troughs and buckets with a hosepipe
• Cleaning out lorries, trailers and stables with a hosepipe

As long as you are genuinely using a hosepipe for the welfare of your horse and not abusing the interpretation of these rules, you should have no concerns. Responsible use of water is encouraged at the stables, as it is in your homes, to avoid putting added pressure on the supply during this period of high temperatures with little no rain forecast.

If you’d like further reassurance or information, you can contact your local water company for clarification.

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Harry Meade’s attention to detail doesn’t apply just to his riding skills. His horse management routine, right down to how he’s selected their bedding, is intricately planned and detailed. In this article exclusive to H&H subscribers, Harry describes his feeding philosophies and how he makes choices on other aspects of management.

When a rider reaches the status of world number one, while most of us only see the glory days, it’s always the result a monumental amount of work over years and years. Behind the glamorous scenes is a jigsaw puzzle of training, physio, farriery, feed and management, and a team of countless people playing an integral part. The new eventing world number one Harry Meade’s feeding routine is meticulously managed, according to factors such as the horse’s weight, history, workload, condition, time of year and targets.

Nor does he leaves any stone unturned when it comes to other management details, such as bedding and worming. Here are the 1% margins that help give Harry the edge.

Harry Meade’s feeding routine

Nutrition-wise, Harry Meade simplifies feeding into three requirements, “energy levels, condition, and ensuring all nutrients are delivered at the appropriate thresholds”.

To ensure the nutrient levels are correct and nothing is over-delivered or lacking, D&H, with whom Harry has a long-term relationship, profiles each horse’s complete diet – including forage, grazing, supplements as well as hard feeds – at different times of the year.

For energy levels, he can feel how much spark they have, and alter accordingly.

The horses’ condition is monitored closely, each horse is weighed regularly and their weekly average added to a graph on their lifelong spreadsheet, recorded alongside their total feed intake. By tracking this information, Harry can spot trends before they develop and make adjustments to ensure each horse is at its peak weight for performance.

“I’ll assess each by eye and note down if any are starting to look slightly light or big,” he explains.

“Weighing only gives you a number, which means nothing by itself, but it does allow you to track how each horse fluctuates. If any horse begins to deviate away from their ideal trend, the weight gives a head start before it is evident to the eye.”

It also flags up repeat yearly patterns.

“I’ve had most of my horses since they were young, so I can analyse their historical data,” he adds.

“I’ll know that a certain horse is prone to run up light or put weight on at a particular time of year, so I can feed in advance of an anticipated drop or gain and have a smooth taper, rather than reacting retrospectively, which leads to homeostatic fluctuations.”

Best bedding

Harry’s chosen bedding is thanks both to circumstance and scrupulous research.

“Fifteen years ago, the bedding company I was using had supply issues so I had to change,” he says. “I contacted racehorse trainers in Britain, Ireland, the US, France and Australia, to find out the pros and cons of various types of bedding used around the world.

“We ordered eight pallets of different bedding and put sections of the yard on different types for a few months each. We assessed each from the point of view of dust, mould spores and how easy it was to muck out.”

The winner was a chopped rape straw, Caviera, recommended by a French trainer.

“I also had it analysed as a feed, to check it has no downsides in case they eat any,” he adds.

Catching the worm

Worming, too, isn’t left to chance.

“We send off the horses’ faecal egg counts to Intelligent Worming, who determine whether treatment is necessary and if so with what product, to target that specific type of worm burden,” Harry explains.

“This avoids unnecessary or ineffective treatment. Prevention is better for the horse, and more economical too.”

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You don’t get to be eventing world number one without a string of sound horses at top level. Horses that not only reach the heights of five-star but continue to compete year in, year out are both rare and meticulously managed. For the new world number one Harry Meade, who has five eventers competing at CCI5*, horse management is inextricably entwined with his stellar results.

Anyone who has ever competed knows how critical soundness is to longevity, and it’s no surprise that Harry leads no stone unturned to give his horses the best possible chance of staying sound. Here’s how he does it…

Soundness underpins Harry Meade’s horse management system

Harry is emphatic about balance and softness in horses’ training and competing, alongside a couple of everyday basics – shoeing and icing.

“I like all my horses to be shod on a four-week cycle,” he says. “You don’t have to be an engineer to understand that if the angle of the foot changes by a small degree it will change the angle of the pastern and the load on the soft tissue structures.

“You might save a set or two a year shoeing less often, but if that increases the chance of the horse having a leg injury and missing a year, it’s a false economy.”

For the horses in more demanding fitness work the legs are iced after every canter session.

All Harry’s horses have stints on a water treadmill, particularly pre-season before the fitness work takes over. Harry shattered both his elbows in 2013 and knows “from my own injuries that the resistance of working in water is the best kind of rehab, as well as good pre-season conditioning without concussion”.

While icing and cold water are age-old remedies to help combat inflammation, Harry is a fan of the more modern laser therapy to manage injury, using two types of Pioneer Multi-Radiance lasers on his yard.

“Lasering is a well-proven science and really effective, both in the acute stages of an injury and in the ongoing management of any kind of weakness,” he says.

“We have a class one laser, which is a handheld device like a shower head. It’s great for accessible, superficial injuries like a puncture wound or a rub where time is an issue and you want to accelerate healing.

“We also use a class four laser, which goes much deeper – for the treatment areas of past weaknesses in soft-tissue structures. It’s not a magic wand, but I’m in no doubt that it’s very beneficial.”

Beneath the surface: going concerns

A final asset as soundness goes is the surfaces on which he works his horses. Harry trains on grass as much as possible, estimating that from April to November, “95% of their work is done on grass”.

“Working on a variety of surfaces, including soft ground, is really important for conditioning legs and joints,” he says.

“When I resurfaced our arena I did a lot of research, trying to find something that mimics springy old turf with life in it, and on which they can twist, slide and move, but not jar.”

He ended up with a bespoke surface from Martin Collins.

“It has life in it,” Harry says. “You can feel the horses let go – especially when jumping big fences or in extended canter on a circle.”

Harry adds: “The sport gets really interesting when the horses reach the top of the tree, so we want to keep them sound and fit into their later years, helping them in every way we can.”

Harry Meade’s attention to every detail of horse management to promote soundness reflects a deep-rooted philosophy built around longevity. With soundness as his cornerstone, it’s no wonder his horses are flourishing at the very top of the sport.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Horse flies (Tabinidae) are ever-present pests during the summer, with horse fly bites being a particular problem for horses, and riders, alike. Flies can carry disease and an allergic reaction can result from any fly bite, while all flies cause annoyance and irritation to horses and humans alike – an important consideration when working or competing horses. Methods of protection include horse fly traps, repellents in the forms of sprays and gels, and fly rugs.

What do horse flies look like?

Horse flies are a fairly large, dark, winged insect, that is cylindrical in shape and can measure up to 1in (2.54cm) in length, making them significantly larger than most flies. They have a large head with very large eyes.

Do horse flies bite?

Female horse flies bite to pierce the skin and feed on a horse – or human’s – blood. They need to drink blood to support their egg production. The insect’s jaw is shaped like scissors and can cut into the skin to access the blood capillaries close to the skin’s surface. Their jaw also has small hooks to help them hold on while sucking the blood, which can make them difficult to dislodge once they have locked on to the skin. The males do not bite – they feed on nectar.

Favourite feeding sites for horse flies include the horse’s underside, legs, neck and withers. They will also bite any exposed areas of human skin. The bites appear as painful papules (pimples) and wheals (small lumps) with a characteristic, central ulcer.

What attracts horse flies?

Horse flies are most active on warm, sultry days and are attracted by dark, rapidly moving objects, sweat and carbon dioxide. As a result dark horses being exercised on warm summer days tend to attract horse flies more so than their lighter counterparts. When protecting horses from flies during turnout, light coloured fly rugs are often used, along with fly repellents and fly traps, such as these on Amazon. These flies will rarely venture into dark areas, so stabling can offer some protection, too.

Where do horse flies live?

The adult horsefly is attracted to areas with moist soil, such as near streams and damp woodland. The females will lay their eggs on wet soil or vegetation that overhangs damp/wet areas so the larvae can burrow into the soft soil and feed on the organic debris and small insects before they transition into the adult fly.

When do horse flies die off?

The flies typically emerge in June and July in the UK and horse fly season lasts throughout the summer months. An individual fly has an adult lifespan of 30–60 days, although the life cycle of the pest is one year.

How to treat horse fly bites

For a one-off bite, apply an ice pack (like this one on Amazon) or bathe with cool, salt water (use a teaspoon of salt to two mugs of water). However, with multiple bites, a mild horse shampoo can help to remove irritating scurf or bacteria and cool the inflamed skin. A topical anti-itch preparation, such as colloidal oatmeal, witch hazel, calamine lotion or zinc oxide cream can also help. In addition, try to prevent the horse making the affected area worse by rubbing. It is rare for a bite to turn septic; if the area is open and weeping, bathe with a mild antiseptic solution, such as Hibiscrub (sold on Amazon), and if this does not help, consult your vet.

How to protect your horse against horse flies

Using barriers, such as anti-midge sweet itch rugs/fly rugs and neck covers, fly masks, fly fringes or other protective gear is a good place to start. If the weather is changeable, a fly rug with water-resistant top panel may be useful, too.

Horse fly repellents

In general, home-made fly repellents are of little benefit against horseflies, as they are robust creatures. Insecticides known as synthetic pyrethroids – especially permethrin or cypermethrin – offer the best solution and can be bought online. Follow the directions on the product, as many are not suitable for daily use and always do a spot test on a small area first to test for sensitivity. Insecticides can be applied to stables and field shelters to help eliminate the insects.

Horse fly traps

There are a range of horse fly traps available that are designed to attract the flies, before trapping the insects to prevent breeding.

Other types of flies that trouble horses

Black flies (Simuliidae) are small in size (approximately 2–5mm) and breed in rapidly moving water. High-risk times are dawn and dusk during spring and early summer, when stabling may be helpful. These flies commonly feed around the face – particularly inside the ears, where they trigger allergic skin reactions to their saliva, and distract the horse – but also on the horse’s neck and underside. Bites form as painful lumps, often with pin-prick areas of bleeding and crusting.

Synthetic pyrethroid fly sprays can act as a deterrent, although physical barriers such as ear nets and oil-based products – oil of citronella, for example – will discourage these flies from landing on the horse. Petroleum jelly applied inside the ears may prevent the insects biting.

Midges (Culicoides) are 1mm-3mm long and hover in swarms at dawn and dusk. Eggs are laid in standing water, so avoid stagnant areas. Different species of midges feed at different sites on the horse. Classically, mane and tail hairs are broken or rubbed away, exacerbating sweet itch in animals that are allergic to the bites.

Insect repellents can be very effective against these pests. Permethrin-based products are best and should be applied in late afternoon. Oil-based products can be applied several times daily to prevent flies landing. Bringing horses in before dusk and using a fan to create a brisk breeze helps keep midges away, while rugs may also be useful.

Stable flies lay eggs in moist, rotting vegetation – typically, hay or silage that is contaminated with urine, water or manure – so are associated with poor hygiene. They feed on horses’ legs and abdomens, and bites typically appear as itchy or painful wheals or papules with a central crust. The best prevention is to maintain high hygiene standards, but repellents can also be used. Permethrin-based products are most effective directed at the legs.

Other problematic insects include mosquitoes, bees and wasps – these produce uncomfortable bites, as well as causing alarm to horses. While wasps and bees are present throughout the day, mosquitoes are at their worst in the two hours after sunset.

As they are alkaline, wasp stings should be bathed with a dilute acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice. Bee stings, however, are acidic and should be bathed with bicarbonate of soda. The bee leaves its sting behind, so try to remove this with tweezers, as venom will continue to enter the skin. If the stinger is below the surface, it will be shed with normal skin healing.

Other methods to prevent flies

• Eliminate puddles and ponds of still water, where midges might breed
• Practise good hygiene around the yard
• Worm horses against bot flies in winter
• Keep horses in when the flies are bad
• Use a fan in the stable to blow away flies

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

With the UK enjoying some warmer weather this week, H&H asks the experts how best to help horses and their riders cope in hot temperatures with their advice on riding in hot weather.

When is it too hot to ride?

Emmeline Hannelly, welfare education manager at The British Horse Society (BHS), says: “If you are going to ride, it is best to do so either in the morning or evening when it is coolest. If you are riding in warmer weather, take more breaks in-between different exercises – horses can’t be expected to do as much in hot weather as they would at other times if they are not acclimatised to working for longer periods in the heat.

“Be mindful of your horse’s fitness as overweight horses may struggle more in hot weather. After riding, make sure you cool the horse down properly. This can be achieved by continuously pouring water all over the horse’s body surface.”

What are the signs of dehydration and what should you do if you are concerned?

Emmeline says: “The single most important thing is to keep your horse hydrated. Horses can easily consume more than double their normal water intake in hot weather, so be prepared for this.

“Knowing what is normal for your horse is important so you know when your horse isn’t right. Signs of dehydration in horses include lethargy, depression, poor performance, thick and sticky saliva, mucous membranes that become redder in colour, increased pulse and breathing rate, nostril flaring, decreased appetite, producing dark urine or not passing urine for long periods of time.

“Feeding electrolytes can help replace those lost through sweating. But if you are adding them to water, make sure the horse doesn’t mind the taste, because if it puts him off he may not drink anything at all, so always offer an electrolyte-free option.

“If dehydration isn’t acted on, this could lead to heat exhaustion and potentially heat stroke which is extremely serious. If you are concerned for your horse, move him somewhere cool to rest and offer him water. Allow your horse to graze if possible and monitor their pulse and breathing rate. If your horse does not show signs of improvement, contact your vet immediately.

“If you are travelling your horse anywhere, take more water with you than you think you will need. Remember some horses are fussy about drinking water away from home, so it could be essential to have a familiar supply.”

Is water alone enough to rehydrate a horse?

Dr Francesca Compostella DVM, MRCVS, MSc, the RSPCA’s equine senior clinician, explains: “Water makes up approximately 70% of a horse’s body, so plenty needs to be available to maintain such levels. Horses absorb water through food and from drinking. On average, a horse should intake between 25-50 litres of water per day. So, during the hot weather, ensure they always have access to plenty of clean water.

“Water alone however may not be enough, as the fluid component of our bodies also contain important electrolytes that are responsible for keeping our blood pressure and cell and nerve functions active.

“Your horse could lose vast amounts of electrolytes by sweating, but normally these are replenished in the feed. If, however, he or she is sweating more than they can replenish, supplementary electrolytes can be administered.

“There are a number of commercially available powders, which are diluted in the water for your horse to drink. These have additives which are appealing to horses, such as apple flavours.

“Rehydrating solutions can also be made at home using 1.5tbsp of salt and 2tbsp of sugar in 4L of water. Amino acids such as glutamine can be added. It is, however, easier and most reliable to invest in a tub of commercially available electrolytes, which are easy to store and have a very long shelf date.”

Help – I’m competing. How can I help keep my horse cool?

Dr Francesca Compostella says: “The body’s mechanism to release heat and thereby cool down, is by sweating. During water loss, the heat is lost to the environment in a mechanism called convection.

“To help your horse cool down, hose them with cool water, let them stand in a shaded, well ventilated area and ensure there is drinking water available. Don’t use wet towels or fabric covers over your horse, as these prevent the convection of heat.

“Don’t leave your horses standing in a trailer or other enclosed transport, as despite being shaded it may not be well ventilated. Likewise, avoid leaving them standing in the sun.

“A makeshift shaded cover using tarpaulin sheets or old bed sheets can help create some artificial shade while you wait for your class. Be creative if there are no trees or shade and you have to wait for long periods. And remember that you are as likely to suffer from the heat as your horse, so take care of yourself too!”

Riding in hot weather: advice for riders

As part of the Melanoma Fund’s current Sunguarding Sport Campaign, which is being supported by the British Equestrian, The Pony Club and the British Horse Society (BHS), the following specific tips have been developed with the help of the BHS to help keep riders safe while riding in hot weather.

• Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen product with an SPF of 30 or higher, paying special attention to your ears, nose and other areas that are prone to burning
• Get into the habit of applying sunscreen before being active outdoors
• Once applied to the skin, reapply sunscreen every two hours, or more often if you are prone to excessive sweating, or getting in and out or water
• The sun is strongest between 11am and 3pm so on particularly hot days, if possible, ride outside of these hours
• A helmet is not only an essential way to protect your head while riding, it also provides a degree of sun protection
• Wearing summer riding gloves will not only protect hands from wear and tear, but also protect them from the sun
• Ensure a bottle of sunscreen is available wherever you are
• Wear clothing that covers your arms (as legs are usually covered). Compression sleeves are a good alternative for those that might find long-sleeves too hot. There are also long sleeved summer riding tops available with partly mesh arms to help with ventilation
• Using a sunscreen applicator or cleaning palms with a small towel and alcohol gel, is a good way to avoid a greasy grip on the reins
• Hydration is essential in reducing the risk of overheating, so keep a bottle of water on hand and sip regularly
• Wearing wraparound sunglasses when riding will help protect eyes from insects and branches, as well as the sun
• When not actively riding and during breaks, make sure to rest in shaded areas to reduce your exposure to the sun
• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Sustainability is a topic that seems to be everywhere right now, but how feasible is sustainability for horse owners? As Ruth Dancer, CEO of White Griffin explains, equestrians have plenty of reasons to get behind implementing sustainable practices in their home and yard lives.

“Horse sport depends entirely on the health of the environment,” she tells H&H. “Whether it’s decent turnout with healthy grass, the quantity and quality of crops that farmers grow for feed and bedding, or even the risk of infectious diseases like West Nile Virus, recently found in UK mosquitoes, and African Horse Sickness coming to our country – climate change is a major factor in all these issues.”

There are many routes to sustainability for horse owners. As Ruth explains, it doesn’t have to be done in large-scale, expensive gestures. Rather, lots of small, low-cost changes can make a big difference.

“Ultimately, sustainability is one of the best ways of saving money,” she continues. “By using less electricity, fuel, and water, we are helping the environment and saving money too.”

So, how can we implement sustainable practices as horse owners? Read on for simple steps that not only won’t break the bank, but might also save you money.

Six easy steps to improve sustainability for horse owners

1. When it comes to waste management, the rules vary from county to county. So, it’s up to horse owners to enquire.

“Non-biodegradable waste is a difficult one to advise on if you don’t have good recycling provision locally,” says Ruth. “A failsafe is to choose companies that will collect your rubbish and recycle it for you.

“There are bedding companies who will collect your plastic wrap and recycle it, there is even one that has reusable bags that you can return, so options are out there. Most of us have at least two bins at home, with recyclables in one and general waste in the other. So, why not do the same at the yard?”

2. Biodegradable waste can be harnessed and used to level up your grazing.

“One of equestrianism’s biggest waste streams is manure,” says Ruth. “Where possible, opting for bedding like chopped straw and storing muck heaps effectively means manure becomes an excellent resource that can be harrowed back into the land. This provides nutrients and helps move us away from the use of chemicals.”

3. Good water conservation practices are becoming more and more important, too.

“We often don’t think extreme water shortages are something to worry about in the UK, but we know that by 2030 many parts of the country will experience this,” warns Ruth. “This means that, in the coming years, water will become much more expensive, and regulations will be put in place surrounding the use of water.

“Water is fundamental to our sport and we can never be in a position where drinking water is restricted for our horses,” she continues. “So, as the third biggest user of water in the leisure sector, we must start investing now in infrastructure and technology that enables us to harvest rainwater for washing horses and tack, and if possible, consider the use of boreholes and arena surfaces that require far less watering.”

A rainwater harvesting system is out of reach financially for many private horse and yard owners. However, riders can start small. Try investing in a water butt to collect water for purposes such as cleaning buckets or washing horses down, or buy a limiter to turn off water supply once buckets are full automatically.

4. Sustainability for horse owners can be as simple as considering your buying habits and asking: ‘Do I really need this? If so, does it need to be brand new?’

“One of the biggest factors driving environmental problems is excessive consumerism,” says Ruth. “By buying less, or buying second-hand, you can save a lot of money while being more sustainable.

“Basic principles of reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle are all part of both a sustainable and low-cost way of living.”

5. According to Ruth, we can even make our horses’ forage more sustainable – better for them and the environment.

“We can do so much better than over-grazed paddocks containing nothing but ryegrass,” she says. “Herbs and wildflowers can be a wonderful natural aid to digestion, and reduce inflammation. By giving our horses options, we give them the chance to ingest what benefits them.

“I’d always recommend speaking to a vet before making dietary changes, but by introducing different grasses and herbs into your setup, you not only help your horse with a more varied diet, but create a better habitat for nature, enhancing carbon storage in the soil and even a more resilient root structure to help maintain the soil and reduce poaching in winter.”

6. Growing wildflowers is good news all round, low-cost and easy to do.

“Nature loves diversity; it thrives when different species can coexist,” says Ruth. “Therefore, by putting a range of different wildflowers into paddocks, not only do we see invertebrates and pollinating insects increase, but we also know that the soil health underneath is improving.”

Ruth adds that horse riders have the opportunity to make a big impact on biodiversity, which could be a boost for social licence.

“We have lost around 97% of our species-rich grassland in the UK,” she explains. “If equestrians make changes now, in the long term we can hope to restore some of what was lost. We could be key players in beginning to see our native British wildlife thrive again.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The small yellow flowers are a common feature in many equine pastures, but are buttercups among the list of plants that are poisonous to horses? A spokesperson from the British Horse Society (BHS) explains the dangers and how owners can control them.

Toxicity

There are a variety of buttercups including Meadow, Creeping and Bulbous, which thrive on poor quality land, old meadows and grassland. Each variety is poisonous to varying degrees in its fresh state. However, due to its bitter taste, most horses will avoid eating buttercups and instead attempt to graze the grass around the plant.

Be aware that horses or ponies on overgrazed or restricted grazing may revert to consuming buttercups in place of no other forage being provided. If eaten in large quantities, toxicity can result in excessive salivation, diarrhoea or colic.

The toxin contained by buttercups can be an irritant to sensitive skin including the lips, muzzles and lower limbs. The toxin reaches its peak during the flowering period with the irritating effects further exacerbated in wet weather making showers a riskier period.

In its dried form, buttercups lose their bitterness and toxicity so pose no risk once wilted and included in hay.

Control

There are two main areas to focus on for controlling buttercups; the type of buttercup; and the timing of applying the herbicide. The timing and number of applications required will be influenced by the species involved. Harrowing can be effective at reducing creeping buttercups and small patches can be successfully dug out.

The Bulbous buttercup has a more complex root structure which contains a number of bulbils (like little balls) stacked one on top of another and this makes control more difficult as the applied herbicide may not move completely into each of the bulbils. Any that do not receive sufficient herbicide have the potential to re-grow.

The timing of the herbicide application is imperative. Herbicides must be applied as soon as active growth commences in the spring, but before the buttercups flower. The weeds must be dry when sprayed, and because the chemical can take some time to get safely inside the plant, ensure that no rain is forecast for 12 hours after application. It is also essential to avoid herbicide application during periods of frost. Applying the herbicide once flowering has commenced means that any herbicide application is likely to be unsuccessful.

Should the pre-flowering timing be missed, or if any buttercups survive the first herbicide application, September is another opportunity to target those plants. For all applications horses must be removed from the pasture before applying the herbicide and remain off the pasture for at least two weeks after the treatment. There are a number of herbicides currently available on the market for the use on buttercups with varying active ingredients. Some herbicides do require a licence for purchase and application so always seek expert advice from a qualified contractor and always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Management

Improving grass management and preventing overgrazing of pastures will be beneficial to increasing the grass sward and decrease the opportunity for buttercups to grow. Further information on pasture management is available from the BHS website.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

If you are not currently a horse owner but enjoy riding when you can, either by helping friends exercise their horses, or perhaps you have a share agreement or ride at a riding school, then a horse rider insurance policy may be a sensible choice.

Horse rider insurance is designed to protect riders who don’t own the horse that they ride, whether you are riding occasionally or on a regular basis. These policies typically cover the rider for accidents and injuries when you are riding someone else’s horse, as well as giving you liability cover for any damage or injury caused by the horse while it is in your care.

Who is horse rider insurance suitable for

It’s important to note that horse rider insurance does not cover professional horse riders. If you are riding as part of your job, then this isn’t the right type of insurance for you.

Cover is normally available for riders aged five to 75, with “junior” policies available for children. The Insurance Emporium, NFU Mutal, KBIS and PetPlan all have rider insurance policies for this age range.

What is covered?

Although horse rider insurance policies will vary between different companies, many include emergency veterinary fees for external visible accidental injury of the horse you are riding, as well as public liability and custodial liability linked to that animal while it is in your care.

Cover for damage or theft of saddlery and tack is also common, all of which gives peace of mind to the horse’s owner that cover is in place while you are riding.

For you, cover for dental treatment, should you require it following an accident, and a basic level of personal accident are typically included. Cover for riding clothing can be an added bonus, although you may need to pay an extra premium for this.

The Insurance Emporium’s junior policy also includes cover for private tutoring fees should a child be unable to attend full-time education following a horse riding accident.

While personal accident and public liability cover are typically included in most horse rider insurance policies, it is worth checking under what circumstances and up to what value this will pay out. If you want a higher level of cover, then a standalone personal accident or public liability policy may be more suitable. Some personal accident policies on the market include an optional upgrade to include fracture cover, which will pay out if you suffer broken bones as the result of a horse-related incident.

Also it is worth noting that income protection insurance is not normally included, so if you want peace of mind that your income will not be hit if you are unable to work for a period as a result of a horse-related incident, then this will need to be taken out separately.

Having researched the current market for horse rider insurance policies, we’ve found cover often includes the following, although it is important you check your specific policy details before signing on the dotted line:

• Loss of horse due to death by accident, theft or mysterious disappearance
• Advertising and rewards costs in the event of a horse’s disappearance
• Costs associated with a horse’s rescue if needed
• Emergency vets’ fees following an accident
• Personal accident cover for death and injuries, as outlined in each policy’s wording
• Accidental loss, or damage to, riding tack not owned by you
• Legal liability for injuries to others or damage to their property caused by a horse in your care
• Legal costs to provide you with advice and help with the cost of legal representation
• Horse riding clothes

What horse riding insurance doesn’t cover

Each policy will vary when it comes to what it doesn’t cover, but NFU Mutual and The Insurance Emporium outline the following, across their horse rider insurance policies.

• Any excess, which is the amount you’ll need to pay towards a claim
• Any horse that is known to have vicious tendencies or behavioural problems
• Any horse owned by you, on loan to you for more than four consecutive weeks, or insured by its owner
• Any existing injury you are aware of which has been diagnosed or being treated before your cover starts, or is due for renewal
• Any illness, disease or condition
• Euthanasia that was not needed on immediate humane grounds within the current British Equine Veterinary Association guidelines, or without our written consent
• Theft from a building unless there has been forcible or violent entry
• Any activity you undertake which is not within the class of use outlined in your policy
• Liability relating to any business, professional or trade use
• Theft as a result of deception or due to fraudulent scheme, trick, device or false pretence, or loss following an ownership dispute or animal welfare intervention

Possible exclusions

Horse rider insurance policies may exclude certain activities, conditions, and circumstances so you must check you are covered for the activities you are going to be taking part in.

The sort of activities that are likely to be excluded include racing as a professional, advanced level eventing, playing polo, team chasing, promotional, film, or stunt work, horse boarding or horse surfing. There may also be an option to reduce your premium if you are only taking part in less risky equestrian activities such as hacking, schooling and low level competitions.

Conditions that can be excluded from horse rider insurance can include existing equine injuries or illnesses that were diagnosed or being treated before the policy started and total permanent disability for more frequent or higher level competitive riding.

Everyone involved with horses knows that they are not a risk-free way to spend your spare time, so if you want the peace of mind of knowing you have cover in place, then a horse rider insurance policy may be worth considering.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Personal accident insurance for riders: what it is and why you might need it

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Exclusions, death cover and other common horse insurance misconceptions

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

As horses – like humans – are typically living longer than ever before, many owners are enjoying the company of their equine partners well into their teenage years and beyond. But when it comes to equine insurance, horses can be considered “veterans” once they pass the age of 15. So do you need to swap to a veteran horse insurance policy as soon as they hit 15?

Like so many things in the horse world, the answer is “it depends“. If your horse has been with an insurance company for a period of time, they may offer you the chance to continue on your existing policy, often up to the age of 20, although the levels of veterinary cover might change and your premiums may increase.

Whether you decide to continue with your existing insurance, or shop around for a policy that is specifically for veteran horses, it is important to read the small print to ensure that the cover being offered is suitable for you and your horse’s needs.

A typical difference between standard horse insurance and veteran horse insurance is which health issues are covered under vet fees. Some veteran policies will only cover horses for accidental, external injury and not any forms of illness. Some have colic cover available as an add-on option, while others do not cover colic at all. There are companies that continue to offer full vet cover regardless of the horse’s age, as long as conditions are not pre-existing.

Although there is no legal requirement to insure your horse no matter what age they are, having a minimum of third party liability cover will give you peace of mind should your horse cause injury to someone outside your immediate family, or damage to their possessions.

If your veteran horse is still being ridden, personal accident and tack cover are likely to be worthwhile. And while no-one likes to think about it, some veteran policies include cover to help with the unavoidable disposal costs, should you face this unfortunate end of life situation.

Example veteran horse insurance policies

So now we’ve highlighted some of the important items to consider when you are looking to insure your veteran horse, what does a veteran horse insurance policy typically cost?

The Insurance Emporium offers veteran horse insurance – covering death due to external visible accidental injury only, theft or straying – from £1.18 per lunar month (every four weeks, so 13 payments per year). This example is based on a horse aged over 20, valued at £500, kept in York and includes Emporium’s introductory 20% discount. If this horse was valued at £2,000, the policy would cost £5.03 per lunar month. You can then add additional cover for vets’ fees (external visible accidental injury only), colic cover for horses under 25, public liability, tack cover, personal accident and more to tailor the cover to suit.

Petplan offers veteran horse insurance for those aged between 20 and 40 for a maximum value of £1,500, whereas Agria states that “it doesn’t do veteran horse insurance” as they offer horses of any age with full cover for internal and external conditions for the entirety of their lives with no age-related exclusions. Contact the companies directly for a quote.

Some veteran horse insurance policies have upper age limits, whereas others do not – be sure to check the parameters of each insurance company.

Does my veteran need a vetting?

If you are considering purchasing or rehoming a horse aged 15 years or older and are wondering whether you would need a vetting in order to take out insurance, there are some insurers who will provide cover without a vetting, including Harry Hall. However, requirements may vary depending on the value of the horse and the type of coverage you are searching for.

Harry Hall’s coverage can include accidental external injury, vets’ fees insurance and liability protection with no upper age limit. Their veteran horse cover can start from £4.77 per month but excludes colic surgery.

So the good news is that if you do choose to insure your veteran horse, there are plenty of options available to suit all budgets and requirements. So check the policy is suitable for your needs and then you’ll know that you have support at hand if it is needed.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Exclusions, death cover and other common horse insurance misconceptions

How to cut the cost of your horse insurance while staying protected

What is loss of use insurance for horses and how does it work?

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Clipping – and particularly the timing of the final clip of the season – is a subject which always generates a healthy debate. H&H asked grooms, producers and owners when – or if – the clippers get put away for the season

Anyone who has ever watched nervously for the first signs of hairiness in the final weeks approaching Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) will know that, by mid-September, most horses are beginning to grow their winter coat. Clipping means horses can stay in work comfortably in the colder months without sweating excessively, but the question of when to do the final clip is an age-old debate.

For traditionalists, clipping after the end of January risks damaging the summer coat and is a definite no no. Groom Emma Mason sends her clippers off for servicing in early February, having done her final clip of the year in late January.

“Anything later than that and you risk having horses looking like skinned rabbits going into early summer. We manage their coats using a combination of appropriate rugs, regular grooming and hot clothing to stimulate the skin, and feeding a top quality balancer plus linseed oil.”

Coat growth in horses is controlled by a response to changes in daylight hours. As daylight hours shorten in late summer, melatonin production increases to stimulate the winter coat growth; similarly, as days lengthen in January and February, the horse’s hair follicles are already preparing a summer coat.

Hayley Reynolds specialises in native ponies, as well as being a panel judge and has also been a brand ambassador for Lister Clipping. She has perfected the art of using Covercote blades, which leave 5mm of coat instead of the much shorter 2.5mm of normal blades, and give a less ‘clipped’ look.

“Knowing the horse or pony you are clipping is essential – I do a lot of native ponies, and there’s no doubt the grey Welsh section A ponies need a much earlier final clip than something like a black Fell. If you’re not careful, a grey sec A clipped on New Year’s Day can still look clipped in early May, and certainly with something like a double-coated Exmoor I wouldn’t want to go later than 1 January to avoid affecting the colour of the summer coat,” says Hayley, whose final clip date is usually Valentine’s Day.

She also advises understanding how much time to leave after clipping to achieve show-ring ready coats, with anything from 10 days to three weeks needed post-clip to lose the tiny lines left by the clipper blades. The rise in popularity of Covercote blades has led to many competitors choosing to refine their horses’ coats this way year round.

Joanne Dewhurst has a heavyweight show cob and uses the blades to keep a fine, summer-type coat, as does Kimberley Maw for her native show cob.

“I clip ‘Kiwi’ all year round, probably at four to six week intervals depending on what shows he is doing. I make sure there’s always at least a week’s growth after a clip and take time to blend his legs at the knee and hock to make his coat look as natural as possible,” says Kimberley.

Producer Melanie Booth is another who is happy to clip at any time of year if the horse in question needs it.

“I don’t think it ruins their summer coat – I’ve clipped as late as March and the summer coat that came through was fab.”

Ele Milwright agrees that ruining the summer coat with late clipping is a myth.

“When I was showing my cob, we would clip right up to March or even April and still got great feedback from judges from spring shows onwards. However, you do need to be careful of old clip lines, for example if you’ve done a trace or blanket clip at some point, and these need removing in good time.”

In the end, it comes down to personal choice and knowing each horse, says producer Andrew Collins.

“I’m working to [show date] time scales, so always work on the basis of ‘it’s not what you clip off, it’s what you leave on’!”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

With many of us struggling with the winter weather, H&H shares some reminders of why owning horses during the winter is great

We love winter because…

1. It’s an ideal time to focus on training or getting to know a new horse. Even if you can’t ride, time spent hanging out or learning new exercises and techniques with your horse on the ground can pay back in spades when you get back in the saddle. And if you’re lucky enough to have facilities that mean you can ride, you can work on improving your horse’s skills and techniques ready for the forthcoming competition season.

2. There are few things better than a ride on a bright, sunny winter morning when you can see your breath… and while hacking in the wind and rain may make you question your sanity, returning home to a hot bath filled to the brim with bubbles makes it all worthwhile.

3. There is immense satisfaction in seeing your freshly clipped horse tucking into his haynet while wrapped up in his rugs and standing in an immaculate deep bed. (It may not stay immaculate for long, but it’s nice while it lasts!)

4. If you’re of the matchy-matchy fraternity and your horse is clipped, the addition of an exercise sheet gives you another opportunity to colour co-ordinate your and your horse’s outfits. And an excuse to shop too.

5, Indoor showjumping and dressage shows mean you can still get out and compete (most of the time), plus you can treat yourself to a hot drink and cheesy chips while waiting between classes

6. Or if you’re competing less during the winter, the money you’re saving can go towards this year’s entry fees, (if your horse isn’t eating his way through it, that is – and yes we mean that in the most literal sense).

7. And of course winter is the time for hunting and jump racing. Two great exhilarating equestrian sports that everyone can enjoy either as a participant or a spectator.

But we have to admit we don’t enjoy…

The mud: on horses, on rugs, on everything, on you. And that’s before we get started on the topic of mud fever… It’s the bane of many a horse owner’s life during the wet winter months.

Even worse than the mud is the snow and ice, which can bring hunting, jump racing, indoor competitions and even hacking to a standstill for weeks on end.

Ice is also responsible for causing us to burn our skin when breaking and removing ice from water buckets/troughs. Useful tip: don’t use bare hands or rubber gloves (they are bound to have a hole in). Carefully break the ice with a large hammer, then use a colander to scoop the ice out but leave the water behind.

And frozen fingers make simple tasks like tacking up difficult, while for those who ride in double reins, distinguishing the snaffle from the curb becomes extra challenging.

Clearing snow from outside your horse’s stable and across the yard, so it doesn’t turn into an ice rink leaving your horse stable-bound for days on end, is another task we could do without. Useful tip: make sure you’ve stocked up on rock salt before the weather changes. Or if you do get caught out, muck out directly on to the yard to give horses grip, but this does make a big mess that needs cleaning up later.

• What are your favourite things and pet hates about having horses during the winter months? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future edition of Horse & Hound magazine
• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Olympic showjumping champion Christian Kukuk’s travelling groom Sofie Karlsson has been working with the German rider for nine years and is one of the most respected grooms on the international circuit. So what are Sofie’s horse care tips?

Sofie was born in Sweden and has ridden all her life but moved to Holland after she left school.

“I realised that further south in Europe, the sport is bigger and more established,” she says. “It was always a dream of mine to move abroad, so when I left school, I moved to Holland and was there for a year and a half.

“I then moved to Ludger Beerbaum’s stables, where Christian was based, and I have been there ever since.”

She says she has learnt that “less is more” when it comes to the careful management of these equine athletes.

“You have to do a lot of work, but I think the horses are usually happiest when we keep it simple,” she explains. “We try not to do too much around them and let them be horses. Hopefully, this helps them be in good shape for the competition.

“Additionally, when the rider is feeling good, the horses feel this and feel good themselves. They react to the energy of the people around them. Success feeds success, so sometimes when one horse starts to become successful, the rest of the horses improve as well.”

Sofie Karlsson’s horse care tips: “I still learn every day from the grooms around me”

Sofie’s top tip for aspiring grooms is “watch and learn as you go”.

“I still learn every day from the other grooms around me,” she says. “It is a tough job but you get to experience things that not many other people get to experience. I remember when I was sitting in the crowds at horse shows, I never imagined that I would be part of anything like this.”

Among her charges are Christian’s gold medal-winning partner Checker 47, his recent CHI Geneva winner Chageorge, who she describes as “very talented” with a “promising future”, his London Global Champions Tour runner-up Just Be Gentle and Tokyo Olympic stallion Mumbai. She describes stable star Checker 47 as “a very strong personality”.

“He doesn’t like it when it gets very crowded around him,” she says. “He really relies on one or two people.”

The 11-year-old mare Just Be Gentle can be quite spooky and is another “strong character”.

“She is very independent,” says Sofie. “She is so in her world that she does not really let people in.”

A passion for horses – and Bayern Munich!

Sofie attributes much of Christian Kukuk’s success in the ring to hard work behind the scenes.

“He is very committed to the horses,” she reveals. “It is his only passion, apart from FC Bayern Munich!

“He is extremely focused on and dedicated to his career. He has been able to learn from Ludger Beerbaum and his advice has been invaluable. However, I think he would have been successful anyway.”

Life on the road as an international showjumping groom can be hectic, but Sofie says she enjoys attending the Majors, including the forthcoming Dutch Masters, CHIO Aachen, Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament and CHI Geneva.

“The Majors are incredible – they always go a step further and do extra to ensure that everything is great for the grooms, riders, and horses,” she says. “These are also the shows with the most history and they have such long traditions. All of the organisers ensure that every little detail is as good as it can be for us and the horses, and this makes a big difference.

“As Christian is German, the CHIO Aachen is something very special. In general, when we get to these shows, it feels different. It is truly a unique feeling when you are around these arenas.”

With thanks to Rolex Grand Slam.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

We don’t mean to nag, but here are a few chores that, in an ideal world, you’ll put on your to-do list for this month...

1. Clip your horse, then service your clippers

It is said: “Clipping a horse in February is a really bad idea, as his summer coat will be starting to make an appearance and you’ll just go and ruin it by chopping off the tip of it.” However, that is widely disputed as an old wives’ tale — we’ll leave the final decision to you. Either way, once your clipping duties for the season are complete, don’t put the used blades away, only to get them out again in October and realise they’re completely blunt. Send them away to be sharpened now, and consider getting the clippers serviced while you’re at it.

2. Clear out, clean up and cash in

Let’s face it, we all have stuff we don’t need:

➤ The broken headcollar at the bottom of a trunk in the tackroom “just in case” it comes in handy one day — that day will never come

➤ Rugs that are no longer waterproof — reproof them or sling them out

➤ Stirrup leathers that have come unstitched — fix them or ditch them

➤ Take items you no longer need to the second-hand shop, car boot sale or sell them online

➤ Ensure your summer rugs are washed and repaired in preparation for use in a few months. There’s wishful thinking!

3. Get geeky, get organised

This is a fun chore. Really. Invest in a calendar, plan out your season and pin it in the tack room. Get your competition hopes pencilled in, because if horses get wind of a championship they will throw a shoe at least. Mark on your lessons, too. This is truly motivational stuff. Book the farrier, schedule your horse’s vaccinations and set reminders to do worm counts. You’ll feel super organised.

4. Tend to your muddy gateways

Not quite so much fun, but your horse’s pasterns will thank you. Keeping your field gateways as dry as possible will help to fend off mud fever and thrush. Putting hardcore down prevents poaching, but recycling old shavings makes an economical temporary alternative. You could try using electric fence to protect the gateway, although this may move the poached area a few metres back and exacerbate the problem. If you have an ongoing problem, seek professional advice in time for next year.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

33 top tips to help you survive the winter

We’re all looking looking to keep our horses happy and healthy while making our lives easier, so find out how

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

When temperatures plummet, breaking ice in water buckets and troughs can be a thankless task. We investigate how to stop water buckets freezing, so that your horse always has a supply available to him…

How to stop water buckets freezing

1. “Use rubber buckets as opposed to metal or plastic ones as rubber is a good insulator and will slow down the rate of freezing. We use the rubber TubTrug ones [like these on Amazon] and they are great — the bigger the bucket the better as it is less likely to freeze,” says Jess Errington, head girl to Harry Meade.

2. Think about the positioning of your water buckets. Placing them inside field shelters or in front of hedgerows provides a layer of insulation and will slow the water’s cooling rate and therefore delay any freezing. If the buckets are outside ensure they are situated in a place that will catch any sunlight in the daytime (if there is any!) so the water gets as much warmth as possible.

3. “Putting your bucket in a rubber tyre will help slow down the rate of freezing as will banking any bedding around the bucket in the stable. You can also sit your water bucket inside a larger bucket and then use straw or shavings to line the space between the two buckets for insulation,” adds Jess.

4. If you are using multiple buckets in a field or shelter, place them close to each other. Horses often group together to drink so this will raise the area’s temperature and slow the freezing rate.

5. Another useful tip is to fill a plastic bottle with water and a cup of salt before putting the lid on and placing it in the water bucket. The salt will prevent the water inside the bottle from freezing and the bottle will float in the water which will stop the water in the bucket from icing over.

6. “We have a water trough that the horses don’t have access to but we use to refill any buckets so we always cover that at night to save having to break the ice the next morning,” concludes Jess. “If buckets or troughs do freeze, don’t just break the ice and leave it to float in the water, take out any chunks so the water takes longer to refreeze.”

In the USA and Canada where temperatures are more extreme than in the UK there are several ways to prevent water buckets from freezing. In colder climates it is also important to have measures in place for any water taps and pipes.

7. “Heated water buckets [which are available on Amazon] — where the heater is in a sealed compartment at the bottom of the plastic bucket, so no shock can transfer — that can hang on the wall are really useful but you need to fully enclose the metal coated cord in the wall so that the horse or any rodents can’t chew it.

You also need to check heated buckets more regularly and ensure they always have water in,” explains Jay Jay Rogers, who owns Gloucester Downs Equestrian Park in British Columbia in Canada where temperatures can hit -10c in the winter.

8. Placing a piece of wood or a well-sealed plastic jug filled with rock salt in each water barrel won’t necessarily stop it icing over but is a good tip to stop the water from freezing so hard that it breaks the barrel.

9. “Wrapping all exposed pipes with foam [like this] and silver reflective blankets [like these] helps to prevent them from freezing but I find horses tear it off if I put it around their bucket or barrel,” says Jay Jay, who has also insulated and heated the area where all her pipes meet.

10. Installing hot water tanks in your barn and hanging hoses in heated rooms ensures you always have access to water to fill up any water buckets, regardless of the temperature.

“Colic is common in horses that can’t intake enough water, which is why I try to offer warm water in the cold weather,” says Jay Jay.

11. “Leaving a trickle of water running from the tap down into a drainpipe underground in the really cold weather is a good idea as running water rarely freezes,” Jay Jay adds.

12. “Back up power is a necessity for us so we have three generators that we use to keep water and water heaters running in power outages,” reveals Jay Jay. “We also have a self-draining standpipe as back up if everything else freezes up.”

• For unlimited access to advice on how best to care for your horse, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Some of us in the UK have recently found ourselves having to negotiate snowy weather, so H&H investigates whether it’s safe to ride on snow

It may look deep and crisp and even — but is riding on snow snow really safe? It’s a dilemma facing many owners whose horses become stable-bound when temperatures plummet.

At Jeremy Scott’s yard, high up on the outskirts of Exmoor National Park, the pointers and racehorses keep exercising through the white stuff — in certain conditions.

“It depends on the type of snow,” says trainer Camilla Scott. “Some snow balls up in the horses’ feet, but the soft, powdery stuff we ride on falls back out again, so we don’t have to put anything in their hooves. We ride across fields where we know the ground is good underneath, and we only walk and trot.

“A few horses don’t like the way the snow flicks up and hits their bellies, but most love being out in it,” adds Camilla, who advises exercising extra caution in thawing or icy conditions or where snow has drifted.

Riding on snow: Pads, studs and grease

Pads to prevent snow balling are more common in colder countries. Options include rubber bubble pads that “pop” the snow from the hoof, and tube-type rim pads that dislodge snowballs while allowing the frog and sole to breathe.

Riding on hard frost or ice is generally to be avoided, although horses in some snowbound parts of the world continue working with special studs or shoes that provide better traction.

Farrier Haydn Price points out that snow rarely lasts long enough in the UK to warrant the use of specialist products or methods.

“The old-fashioned method of greasing works well enough,” he says. “Coat the soles and the inside of the shoes with really thick, high-density industrial grease. It won’t hurt the hooves, in the short term, and it will stop snow balling up inside them.”

The barefoot question

Nic Barker, who runs a rehabilitation yard for horses with long-term lameness and hoof problems, reckons that horses are better in snow than a 4×4 vehicle.

“I love it when it snows,” says Nic. “We often get snowed in as we live up on Exmoor, but with a yardful of barefoot horses, that doesn’t mean time off. In fact, it means you have no excuse for avoiding exercising them, as barefoot horses revel in snowy conditions.

“Whereas snow can cause problems for shod horses — balling and freezing onto the metal in the shoe and creating dangerous snow ‘stilts’ — with a barefoot horse the snow simply falls out. They can carry on as normal, completely sure-footed.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

How to stop water buckets freezing: 12 top tips to help prevent this issue

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Follow our tips and advice to get through the long winter months

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

For months, you’ve been planning on reorganising your feed room, getting your rugs cleaned and having a mass tack room clear-out — but there never seems to be enough hours in the day. Now that shorter daylight hours are upon us, it’s enough of a struggle keeping on top of the daily jobs you need to do to keep your horse ticking over. Well, here are our favourite time-saving horse care tips to make life at the yard run that little bit more smoothly…

16 time-saving horse care tips to try this winter

1. Sharing jobs

Sharing jobs with a friend will greatly reduce the time you need to spend at the yard. For example, you could do the morning feed and turn out both your horses, in return for her bringing in and doing the evening feed. You can even arrange things so you get to have the odd weekend lie-in…

2. Keep your horse out

It’s not for everyone or every horse, or an option at every livery yard, but grass-kept horses save bags of time in mucking out, bringing in and turning out.

3. Plait and bag tails

Dirty, stained tails are a nightmare in winter, especially if you’re planning to keep competing through the darker months. Don’t leave it to chance – wash your horse’s tail, plait it and stick it in a tail bag. They’re secure and are designed to withstand turnout. Or if a tail bag isn’t your bag, load it up with the best mane and tail detangler to help stop mud and dirt from sticking to it and to save time grooming.

4. Make up all haynets in advance

Do this at the weekend, perhaps, when you’re not quite so time-starved. It’s much quicker to blitz it than to try and do one at a time when you’re already in a rush. Make the job quicker and easier with a haynet filler like this one.

5. Do the same with feeds…

Make each one up in a closed plastic container, such as an old ice-cream or supplement tub, so it can quickly be tipped into a bucket and fed as required. This does however require a fair few tubs and some storage space, but even doing three days’ worth in one go will prove a time-saver. If you’re stuck for space, freezer bags are also an option. Just store them in a secure container so rodents can’t get to them.

6. … and with your feeds!

Search for recipes ideal for batch cooking – websites like BBC Good Food are a great place to start – and portion out meals to freeze for another day. It’ll be such a relief to have a defrosted meal waiting for you to nuke after you inevitably get in after 8pm. Plus, if you’re budget-conscious, you won’t be forced to pick up convenience food on your way home. Although it’s nice to have a treat!

7. Get a long hose to fill water buckets

Don’t risk putting your back out lugging heavy water buckets across the yard – invest in a long hose with a gun that can be shut off so you can fill your water bucket in your stable instead. Safer and quicker.

8. Keep a change of clothes and boots in your car/at the yard…

If you need to rush straight from work to the yard, or vice versa, it’s worth keeping a spare set of clothes to change in to, so your work stuff doesn’t smell of horse. Always keep boots at the yard, too.

9. … and invest in some overclothes

Warm, waterproof layers that can fit over your work clothes or just your riding gear are a great shout. Overalls, ski trousers or long robe-like coats like these do the trick perfectly. They can be used time and time again – who cares if they get dirty – and it’ll help save you endless washing at home, too.

10. Get a sharer

If your horse could benefit from more exercise than you’re able to give him, or you’re just really time-short, a sharer could be the answer. They get to ride your horse in return for doing chores such as mucking out, turning out and poo-picking, and/or making a financial contribution. Everyone’s a winner. Find out how to make sharing your horse work.

11. Invest in decent grooming equipment

There’s loads of cheap ‘n’ cheerful grooming equipment available – the problem is that a lot of it isn’t very efficient at getting the job done, just as a cheap plastic comb isn’t as efficient at untangling human hair as a proper salon-style brush. Spend a bit more on decent brushes – your diary and horse will thank you.

While you’re at it, make sure you’re using the best horse shampoo and stain remover for you, too. There’s no point throwing good money after bad with an ineffective product.

Another time-saving horse-washing solution is investing in a hot horse shower – no more trudging back and forth to the house or yard kitchen for endless buckets of warm water. Some of your fellow liveries might be up for pitching in to help with the initial cost, too.

12. Get rubber matting for your stable

Most stables are matted nowadays, but if you don’t have rubber matting it has so many benefits. It requires some investment up front, as rubber mats are fairly expensive, but they mean you’ll need a smaller bed for your horse in the stable, saving time (and money) on mucking out.

13. Try a deep-litter bed

It’s not for everyone, but lots of owners find this to be one of the best time-saving horse care tips for busy weekdays. Deep littering works best with particular types of bedding (shavings, hemp, flax, shredded wood fibre or pellets) and entails laying a deeper bed than usual. During the week, you skip out all droppings and leave the wet to seep away to the bottom of the bed. Once a week or so, the wet is removed, and the bed topped up with fresh bedding.

14. Tack wipes

These are a cheat’s way of getting tack looking cleaner without spending ages polishing away. A quick once-over after a ride, job done. They’re no substitute for a proper deep tack clean, but mean you don’t need to do those so often.

15. Switch one ride per week for groundwork

Even 15 minutes of walking over raised poles will help maintain your horse’s fitness and muscle tone and it can be great for bonding. Unsure where to start? Here’s our how-to on groundwork for horses.

16. Ditch the stable rug

Again, not for everyone and it’s always good to practise good rug hygiene, which includes regular removal of rugs for checking the horse over and grooming. But, twice-daily rug changes are a chore and reducing that part of your daily routine will have you clawing back time. Plus, turnouts that are wet and muddy on the outside will be dry come morning!

Do you have any time-saving horse care tips you’d like to share with fellow H&H readers? Please email us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your tips to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Wet, muddy ground is one of the worst aspects of caring for horses during winter. If it’s not dealing with filthy rugs and muddy legs, then it’s the inevitable situation when your horse loses a shoe after spending time in a paddock that looks more like a battleground than turnout space.

Lost horseshoes aren’t just an expensive nuisance, either. Horses can tear off part of their hoof at the same time the shoe is being pulled off, and then there’s the time spent finding that lost shoe, which can be a serious hazard if not retrieved.

What can be done to prevent a horse losing a shoe?

Overreach boots

A correctly-fitted pair of the best overreach boots are a must, according to farrier Paul Raw. “It’s not just about keeping the shoe on — they also protect your horse from overreach injuries. I find the long rubber boots are best; make sure they are big enough to drop down fully over the heel when the foot is in flight,” he advises. In some cases two pairs of overreach boots, with an oversized pair on top, can work well to protect the shoe from being stood on.

Regular shoeing

Another must is regular shoeing on a schedule which takes account of both what the horse is doing and at what activity level. “Most people assume horses should go six weeks between shoeings — but if you’re an endurance rider doing miles of training, it is common sense shoes will need renewing more often. Make sure, too, that you tell your farrier what you are doing with your horse, as the way the foot is dressed and the type of shoe used will alter accordingly,” says Paul.

Consider the barefoot option

How about considering going barefoot over the winter (or even permanently)? If your horse is having some down time after a busy season, it’s easier on the pocket and your paddock – and his feet may benefit too – to have a period without shoes. And no shoes on means no shoes to come off. If your horse appears uncomfortable without shoes, then investing in some suitable hoof boots may help.

Talk to your farrier

If you have a repeat offender for lost shoes, discuss the problem with your farrier to review possible causes and how to address them. “Wire fencing is a common culprit, for example,” says farrier Phillip Denton. “Horses paw at the fence then catch the shoe on the wire and tear it off.”

Look after your horse’s feet

Sounds obvious, but Phillip says not everyone takes the time to pick out feet daily or apply a good quality hoof dressing to protect the hoof wall and soles. “There’s a big difference in terms of hoof quality between horses which aren’t receiving that attention to detail and those which are; you can’t fool your farrier! It’s our job to put the shoes on correctly, but it’s the owner’s job to help them stay on — and healthy hooves are more likely to keep their shoes.”

Consider your horse’s diet

And finally, make sure your horse’s diet is designed for optimal hoof health. Equine nutritionist Clare MacLeod MSc RNutr says hooves rely on an adequate supply of essential nutrients for strength, resilience and health, and good growth rate. “It’s a misunderstanding of nutrition to simply add a hoof supplement into the diet before investigating whether the basic diet is balanced,” she says. “A balanced diet is absolutely essential for all body parts to function correctly, yet many horses’ diets are not balanced.”

“UK forage is typically short of minerals and preserved forages such as hay and haylage can be short of vitamins. Diets with high levels of grass or starchy concentrate may oversupply water soluble carbohydrates, which can detrimentally affect the hooves.

“The most common error is to feed less than the full recommended amount of a compound feed, then top it up with a balancer or vitamin and mineral supplement, when feeding a horse whose energy requirements aren’t enough for the regular amount of hard feed,” says Clare.

She adds that once the diet is balanced, some horses do respond in terms of hoof health to higher than optimal levels of certain nutrients, including the sulphur-containing amino acid methionine, the essential micro-mineral zinc and the B-complex vitamin biotin.

“Other nutrients that might be found in hoof supplements include copper, MSM, calcium and magnesium. Investigate daily servings to ensure adequate levels and feed for an extended period of many months before expecting results.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Owners of horses who seem to gain weight on fresh air may find knowing how to feed a fat horse who lives out year-round a real challenge as they try to balance providing sufficient nutrition to cover their essential requirements for good health, without seeing their waistline expand.

Obesity in horses is a real risk to health, with weight-related problems including increased stress placed on limbs and joints, a higher risk of heart disease, circulation problems, digestive disorders and decreased resistance to disease, as well as increasing the likelihood of laminitis occuring.

So if you own a horse or pony who is a good doer, what steps can you take to ensure they achieve a healthy weight and then maintain it? The good news is that going into winter is a great opportunity for these horses to lose weight as nature intended.

Assuming there are no underlying health conditions leading the horse to become overweight, such as equine metabolic syndrome, the most common cause is that the horse is taking on more energy in the form of calories than they are using in exercise, which results in the excess energy being stored as fat.

One of the first things to look at when considering how to feed a fat horse is the quality of your horse’s grazing. This is going to be the primary food source for any horse living out 24/7. If you have a horse that tends to carry too much weight, then this is likely to be the root of the problem, particularly if the horse is in a large field of good quality grass.

While the nutritional value of grass will reduce during the winter months, a field of well-fertilised grazing, such as that produced by farmers for cattle, will still contain a high level of calories for horses to consume.

So how can you reduce the calories from the grass your horse has access to feeding a fat horse ? Equine nutritionist Christine Smy suggests:

• Consider the size of your horse’s field – is there a smaller field available?
• Could you use electric fencing to strip graze or set up a track system?
• Is it possible to use sheep to eat down the grass, so there is less of it for your good doer to munch on?
• If none of the above are possible, you may need to use a grazing muzzle to restrict the amount of grass your horse can eat

If you run short of grass in the winter – or there is snow on the ground – then additional forage will need to be supplied to maintain the horse’s gut health, but try to feed hay that has been a late cut if possible, as this typically has a lower nutritional value, or even better, have your hay tested so you know its nutritional value.

Another option is to mix hay with quality oat straw up to a 50:50 ratio to reduce the calories while maintaining plenty of roughage passing through the horse’s gut. Research undertaken by Redwings and the University of Edinburgh in 2020 has found this can be an effective way to help fat horses lose weight. Ruth Morgan, co-author of the study and researcher at the University of Edinburgh, does recommend that anyone feeding a mix of hay and oat straw ensures that their horse’s teeth are in good condition before introducing straw as it does take more chewing — this will also reduce any risk of impaction colic (none of the horses in the 2020 study displayed any signs of colic). Owners should also keep an eye on the horse’s droppings to ensure their digestive system is managing to move the less digestible forage through efficiently.

It’s important that horses living out full-time are getting all the key nutrients needed to maintain good health. Having your hay analysed to check its feed value will help you to ensure your horse is receiving a well-balanced diet. In terms of bucket feed, a feed balancer designed for good-doers combined with a low-calorie chaff will provide all your horse needs with minimal calories.

What feeding experts recommend

For Dr Katie Williams Ph.D. MSc (Dist) RNutr, senior nutritionist at Dengie, encouraging trickle feeding as much as possible is key for overweight horses with conditions such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID). A consequence of these issues is insulin dysregulation, which means the horse’s hormonal response to eating is disrupted.

“A key function of chopped fibre in the bucket feed is to slow the rate of intake,” she explains. “A study by Ellis et al. (2005) found the addition of chopped straw, at an inclusion rate of 20%, to a ration containing pellets and other chopped fibres resulted in significantly longer eating periods as well as an increased number of chews.

“Other studies have shown that feeding straw as part of the forage ration can slow the rate of intake to such an extent that no discernible insulinemic response results (Jansson et al. 2021), which makes sense when we think about the basic principle of the horse being a trickle feeder.”

While chopped straw is a useful addition to the good doer’s bucket, Katie recommends it is fed as part of a balanced diet as straw contains much lower levels of natural vitamins and minerals than grass-based forages.

“Meadow Lite with Herbs is Dengie’s ultra-low calorie feed, providing just 5MJ/kg of digestible energy,” she says. “It’s also naturally low in sugar (3%) and starch (0.5%) – levels way lower than you would find even in timothy hay. It’s ideal for mixing with a supplement or balancer to ensure the diet is balanced”

She adds: “For those worried about ulcers then Dengie Ulser Lite is a low calorie (8MJ/kg), sugar (6.5%) and starch (2%) fibre feed with added herbs, yeast and prebiotics to promote digestive health. It contains a blend of soft chopped grasses with high-quality oat straw for maximum fibre content while still keeping the calories low. Alfalfa pellets are included for natural buffering due to their high levels of bioavailable calcium.”

To reduce a good doer’s overall calorie intake, Top Spec nutrition director Nicola Tyler BSc (Hons) RNutr recommends looking at the whole diet.

“If you consider that an average 500kg horse would eat between 10 and 15 kilos of forage a day, then what type of chaff you feed at a rate of 125–600 grams per day makes very minimal difference,” she explains.

“You make a far bigger impact with the main forage, and controlling that as much as you can.”

For the good doer, Nicola recommends late-cut meadow hay. “It tends to be lower in sugar and protein, and higher in fibre,” she says.

“For horses who are competing but have got excellent forage and carry their weight well, we would recommend TopSpec Performance Lite feed balancer. For horses who are obese or whose forage intake is restricted due to a condition such as EMS, TopSpec AntiLam forage balancer is ideal. It’s very slightly lower calorie, but has a much higher level of micronutrient support, because it’s those micronutrients that are going to be massively missing in his diet due to such significant dietary restriction.”

Echoing the importance of key micronutrients in an overweight horse’s diet, Sarah Nelson BSc (Hons), product manager at Spillers, says: “Forage only diets often exceed the calorie requirements of good doers, but are likely to fall short of key nutrients including copper, zinc, selenium, vitamin E and lysine.

“Protein is made up of ‘building blocks’ called amino acids, some of which are described as ‘essential’ because they can’t be synthesised by the horse and must be provided in the diet. Lysine is considered the most important essential amino acid and may be deficient in weight loss diets,” she continues. “If a horse’s lysine requirement isn’t met, the body will begin to break down muscle tissue to try and meet demand.

“Spillers Lite & Lean balancer is specifically formulated to balance a calorie-restricted diet and is high in vitamin E and lysine.

“Feeding a balancer alongside a low-calorie short chopped fibre, such as Spillers Fibre Lite Molasses-Free, helps to bulk out the bucket and extend eating time without compromising the good doer’s waistline.”

Other considerations: how to feed a fat horse

If your horse is living out wearing a rug during the winter, it is important to regularly remove the rug to check their physical condition, as well as to allow their skin the chance to breathe and to check for any rubs or injuries that may have occurred. This is particularly important if you’re not riding regularly.

However, ask yourself if your horse really needs a rug? Many native types living out unclipped are able to cope with the worst of the British weather and are likely to be more comfortable without rugs if there is sufficient shelter — either natural or man-made — to allow them to escape from the wind. If you need your horse to lose weight then no rug will allow the horse to use its natural internal warming system to maintain its body temperature, which in turn will help burn the calories it would otherwise lay down as fat.

If your horse has a thick winter coat, it may be difficult to assess their condition by eye, so it’s recommended to get hands-on to assess their body condition score, combined with weekly use of a weight tape, to monitor weight loss or gain. Use the tape weekly at the same time of day and keep a note of the measurements. A gradual weight loss is, as it is in humans, more desirable than losing a lot of weight quickly.

Exercise is a key element of ensuring your horse loses weight. If you are unable to exercise your horse during the winter months, due to limited daylight or other restrictions, then consider the layout of your turnout to encourage the horse to move more. Track systems are becoming increasingly popular as they encouraging the horse to move naturally between areas where they can eat, drink and relax, which can aid weight loss.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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When the rain is driving down and you’re sliding through mud to catch your horse, who is wearing a drenched turnout rug, it’s easy to question why it was such a good idea to own a horse at all. But with our five tips for staying sane in the rain, miserable winter weather can be a little bit more bearable.

1. Prepare your gateways

Taking action sooner rather than later is your best bet when it comes to not spending all winter dealing with excessively poached gateways, but if it’s already too late for that, there are things you can do to fix muddy gateways in horse paddocks. Options include laying down hardcore or field mats designed to prevent poaching (like these ones on Amazon) in the gate area. A cheaper option is to use electric fencing to section off the gateway so horses don’t always wait in the same area.

2. Invest in a plastic hay feeder

A lot of hay is wasted in muddy fields, as it gets trampled. Purchasing a weatherproof hay feeder, hay ball (like this one on Viovet), or if your horses are not shod, a bale net (also on Viovet) will help to prevent hay wastage and damage to pasture.

3. Check for rain scald

If your horse is not rugged up, keep an eye on their skin to check they are not suffering from rain scald. If they are susceptible to the condition, prevent it by using a suitable weight rug and ensuring there is a field shelter or natural shelter so that they can escape the rain.

4. Make a plan for drying rugs

Establish a drying area with rug racks (available on Amazon) for soaked rugs and make the most of any sun we do get to air them. Many owners will leave turnout rugs on their horses when they come in, as long as the water has not leached through to the inside, allowing the horse’s natural warmth to aid the drying process. Or invest in a dedicated rug drier to dry your rugs for you.

5. Use your time wisely

Talking of rugs, ‘rainy days’ are a good opportunity to clean your horse rugs from the summer, mending any damage as needed, as well as giving your tack a thorough clean and tidying your tack room.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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As winter fast approaches, and horses start to grow heavier coats, a lot of horse owners will be dusting off their clippers, thinking about the different types of horse clip and trying to decide which clip would suit their horse best.

Clipping off some or all of the horse’s winter coat will help prevent your horse from getting too warm and sweating profusely while exercising.

Before choosing the right clip for your horse, you need to consider how much work your horse or pony is doing, what turnout rugs you might need to keep him warm afterwards and whether your horse will be stabled or turned out.

And if you’re in need of a new handset to tackle the job this winter, check out some of the best horse clippers currently available.

Types of horse clip for medium and heavy work

1. Full clip

Workload: Heavy

What it involves: A full clip is when all hair is removed from your horse, including the legs, head and ears. It means that the horse dries out quickly after strenuous work as sweating is minimalised. Careful rugging to ensure your horse doesn’t get cold is essential, and you should also be aware of the increased possibilities of rain scald and mud fever due to the lack of natural protection offered by the horse’s coat.

2. Hunter clip

Workload: Heavy

What it involves: The hunter clip is another useful for those horses in heavy work. All hair is removed, bar the legs — the idea being the hair left on the legs helps to protect them from water and mud — and a saddle patch to help protect the back from the saddle. Lots of people will lightly trim the hair down the back of the horse’s legs to tidy them up. Again, careful rugging is required to prevent the horse from getting cold when not being worked.

3. Blanket clip

Workload: Medium

What it involves: Hair is left on the horse’s legs, as is the area where an exercise sheet would be. These are both areas that aren’t prone to sweating and so is useful for those turned out regularly, but still in medium work.

4. Chaser clip

Workload: Medium

What it involves: Very similar to a blanket clip but helps keep the muscles on the top of the neck warm too. The chaser clip is ideal for horses that are in medium work and turned out during the day when the weather permits. Many people lightly trim the longer hairs running down the back of the leg to give a neat finish.

Types of horse clip suitable for horses in light work

1. Trace clip

Workload: Light to medium

What it involves: The horse’s coat is removed from the underside of the belly and the chest and neck, and hair is left on the legs for protection and also on their head. This clip is very similar to the chaser clip, but only half of the neck hair is removed. It is a useful clip for those horses in a medium amount of work and that are turned out frequently.

2. Irish clip

Workload: Light to medium

What it involves: The Irish clip is useful for young horses and those in light work as it is quite quick and easy to do. Hair is clipped from the neck and behind the elbows, where a horse is susceptible to sweating the most, but there is still plenty of coat left on for warmth.

3. Bib clip

Workload: Light

What it involves: Just the hair from the front of the neck and chest is removed when using a bib clip. Some people also carry on the clip under the belly to where the girth sits too. This is a good clip for horses in light work and who are turned out a lot or living out full time.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Maryland, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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This is the time of year when most equestrians become preoccupied with winter and the challenges it brings, but how much thought do you give to autumn paddock jobs?

Maintaining your horse’s turnout is a year-round responsibility, and different seasons bring different issues with them. Ahead of winter, we look to reduce the chance of poaching in gateways and feed hay without stifling grass growth. However, the weeks that precede the arrival of autumn conditions can feel a trifle miscellaneous.

Optimal grass height and coverage, secure fencing and great paddock hygiene are standards all owners aim for. The good news? There’s much you can do as we head into autumn to shore up the health of your horse’s field – not just for this season, but all year round.

Autumn paddock jobs: what you need to know

As all people with livestock know, the challenges associated with late autumn and winter arise due to deteriorating conditions. In the main, these are reduced daylight hours and wet to boggy ground conditions. What’s more, early autumn with its mild weather and increased rainfall is a time for accelerated grass (and weed) growth. The case for autumn paddock jobs being done while you have some extra daylight and the weather remains reasonably fair, is a strong one.

John Mathews of electric fence and grass mat supply company Fieldguard says: “I have clients ring me up in mind November and say “we’re knee-deep in mud, what can I do?”

“Grass mats laid in muddy gateways will go a little way to helping out, but really these are best laid in spring when you have most of the year for the grass to go through them. We still have another six to eight weeks of grass growth ahead of us, so even now is a good time to be thinking of getting some grass mats down.”

Malcolm Hughes of Logic Machinery says: “Managing paddocks is a constant cycle following the seasons – your goal is to minimise the horses’ impact on the paddock.

“There are several autumn paddock jobs you can do involving different pieces of equipment. If you’re lucky enough to have a friendly farmer close by, they might be well equipped do certain tasks for you provided they aren’t too busy!”

1. Harrowing

“This time of year is a good for running a chain or spring-tined harrow over your field. It gets rid of all the rubbish, dead grass and weeds to allow new autumn growth to come through before winter,” says Malcolm.

Harrowing also has the benefit of breaking down old manure from concentrated toilet areas, which benefits grass growth too. According to Malcolm, how you manage your paddock’s manure burden depends on how much room you have.

“If you’ve got two horses on 20 acres, you’re probably all right rotating them to different paddocks,” he says.

“If you have a lot more horses on a lot less land, manure is going to become a problem. Poo picking is a bugbear for many, and you can get machines to help you with it, but there are huge benefits that come with it.

“For one thing, you end up with large areas that the horses won’t graze. Then you get sourness in the grass and it becomes very untidy with under and overgrazing. Once it does start being collected, and the sourness comes out of the grass, they start eating bigger and bigger areas. This happens quite quickly.”

2. Rolling

Poached ground, once dry, forms ruts in paddocks that can last for seasons.

“Rolling is one of those great late summer or early autumn paddock jobs that tidies up your field. Not every paddock needs it, but I’ve seen some that are still incredibly rutted from the previous winter,” says Malcolm.

“Rolling levels the paddock, making it more comfortable to walk on. And, in conjunction with the harrowing, you’re starting to regenerate that top inch of soil for grass growth.”

According to Malcolm, rolling is best done after rain when the ground is more malleable.

3. Listen for ticking

While you might expect to hear the energiser ticking as it runs off your electric fence’s power source, hearing your fence tick elsewhere is a sign things aren’t right.

“If you can hear ticking, that’s not a good thing because it means your fence is shorting,” explains John. “It might not be obvious to the naked eye, but it’s normally quite obvious to find and in low light you’ll see a small spark as well. It means one the steel filaments running through the nylon of the line of fencing is broken.

“The current has to arc across the gap, which means the shock given the other side of the gap is significantly reduced.”

You can fix the issue by cutting a new length of nylon fence line to splice in and replace the compromised part. But make sure you’re using the right tools.

“You must never tie knots in it because there are so many bits if stainless steel going in different direction within the knot,” says John. “It’ll go tick, tick, tick and eventually burn through the nylon.”

John recommends purchasing specific, inexpensive products to connect lines of fencing, attach them to posts and go around corners.

“A joining buckle is the proper way to connect fencing,” advises John. “Where you have to turn a corner you cut the line, use a tensioner and start again. All intermediate posts should be fitted with plastic insulators to pass the fence line through.”

4. Topping

Malcolm recommends topping, or removing excess grass length, not only to improve the appearance of the paddock, but also to help break the cycle of weed growth.

“Topping helps remove soured grass that horses don’t want to graze to encourage them to start to eat it. It’ll also control the weeds to some degree.”

While owners can look to improve their grazing chemically with fertiliser and weed killer, this should only be done under professional guidance.

“You’ve just got to be careful as you can end up with more problems than you started, especially if you’re not used to using chemicals,’ explains Malcolm.

“If you’ve done the harrowing, rolling and topping, your paddocks will be looking superb and you’ll get a lot of return. You might find there’s no need for chemicals.”

As well as topping the length in the middle of your grazing, John advises you pay attention to the length of grass stems under your fencing, too.

“If vegetation touches a strand of fencing, you’ll probably hear it ticking as the circuit shorts and sends the current into the earth, so the fence won’t work as it should beyond that point.”

5. Put it to the test

Additional health checks you can give you electric fencing include checking it’s well earthed.

“A good earth stake is a piece of galvanised angle iron about a metre of so long,” explains John. “You drive it two and a half to three feet into the ground. A fence doesn’t need to be a complete circuit, it can run in a straight line or an L-shape. When the horse touches the fence, he also earths it, which completes the circuit and is why he gets a shock.”

As well as checking the state of the earthing, John also advises using a pocket tester.

“It’s a simple piece of kit. There’s a little prong that you pop into the stick into the ground, and another little prong that you put onto the fence, and it gives you a reading in volts.

“Take a reading at the closest point to where that the energiser is connected to the fence, and then work away from that. I’d normally go to the next gateway or if there wasn’t one, the next half dozen or so posts.”

According to John, an appropriate voltage for horses is from 3,000–9,000V.

“Horses will respect anything from around 3,000V, though I personally wouldn’t want to touch a fence at around the 2,000V mark!” says John.

You can expect the voltage reading to be strongest close to the energiser, and a gradual drop in the reading as you move further away. However, a sudden significant drop in voltage always warrants further investigation – whether that’s into the condition of the electric tape or rope, the way the fence is earthed or the power supplied by the energiser.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the National Dressage Championships, Blenheim Horse Trials, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Mucking out is never a favourite yard job, particularly in winter. For some, deep litter bedding is the answer — but what are the pros and cons? H&H investigates…

What is deep litter bedding?

Instead of completely mucking out, when using deep litter bedding for horses involves just removing the droppings daily and allowing a thick bed to build up. The idea is to always have a clean layer of bedding on top, with a compacted layer beneath.

There are no hard and fast rules on how often the deep litter bed is completely removed and started again. However, Gemma Stanford, head of welfare at the British Horse Society, advises finding a balance between convenience and welfare.

“It is important that beds do not become too deep and the stable should periodically be completely emptied and thoroughly cleaned. Although this system is the most economical time- and cost-wise, it is the least suitable for the horse’s respiratory health and can cause other health problems too,” she says.

Why do people deep litter?

Time is a big consideration; for example, those who keep horses on livery find deep littering through the week and then changing the bed at a weekend helps when juggling the demands of work, horse and family life. Others argue that the compacted layer at the base of the bed provides additional insulation and warmth.

For stables without rubber mats, it also prevents horses slipping on exposed concrete if they are likely to ‘dig up’ an ordinary bed. Cost is another key factor — once the initial outlay for a deep starter bed has been made, deep littering usually means less bedding is required day-to-day; all that is needed is a scattering of clean bedding on top.

Best bedding to use?

Shavings have traditionally been used for deep littered stables, as they are considered absorbent and easy to poo pick. For larger loose yards, straw is more economical as a deep littering option.

“Different types of bedding materials are used in stables to satisfy the needs of both the horse and the carer. The significant impact that poor quality bedding can have on the health and welfare of the horse, even those stabled for only very short periods of time, should not be underestimated,” says Gemma.

Bedding manufactured from high absorbency materials such as hemp, flax and shredded wood fibre can be a good choice for deep littering. While shredded cardboard and paper has the benefit of being dust free, it’s not usually considered suitable for deep littering as the droppings can be hard to separate out and the wet bedding may stain horses’ coats.

“It’s important to realise that even higher absorbency bedding will only absorb so much. The biggest challenge with deep littering is ammonia from the urine and you will get that no matter what you use unless the bed is removed regularly,” warns vet Joe Mackinder MRCVS, of Malton-based Rainbow Equine Hospital.

Health issues

Ammonia

“This is a massive irritant to the horse’s respiratory system, so any horse with known breathing issues is probably not a candidate for deep littering,” says Joe, who advises making an honest assessment of whether the stabling area is suitable in terms of air circulation and volume.

“Airflow is not the same as a draught, which can be harmful. Small, low ceilinged wooden stables with just a door opening will not have sufficient air circulation to remove ammonia and airborne bacteria.”

Bacterial & parasitic challenges

Unless deep litter beds are kept really clean, the horse is inevitably exposed to more bacterial challenge. For those susceptible to lymphangitis, cellulitis and dermatitis, this can mean an increased health risk.

“It can be very difficult to keep deep littered beds clean enough to prevent susceptible horses being affected. There is also an increased risk of thrush, so good hoof hygiene is crucial,” says Joe.

“Be aware, too, that beds which are not removed regularly are more prone to a build up of mites and lice. Deep littered stables should be completely emptied, washed and disinfected regularly to deal with this and problems like ringworm.”

Dust and mould

It’s crucial to choose clean, dry and dust/mould free bedding – both for your horse’s respiratory health and your own. “Expecting staff to work with dusty or mouldy bedding materials is unacceptable,” says Gemma.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Horsewalkers are a standard piece of kit at many professional and livery yards. Most horse owners are likely to have seen one in operation, or indeed had use of one themselves. But how many of us can say we’ve had training in how to use a horsewalker safely?

Walkers are generally installed to help meet the specific exercise needs of a yard’s population, whether that’s to help combat weight loss, increase exercise levels, or aid in warming up and cooling down for ridden work. One 2019 study found that 20 minutes on a walker was equivalent exercise to an hour’s turnout. This came with the caveat that while a walker could not replace the psychological and health benefits of turnout, a walker might assist in releasing energy and providing exercise in periods when turnout has to be restricted.

The composition, size and operation of horsewalkers varies across the industry and their build can be adapted to meet a variety of different uses. A private livery yard is likely to install a smaller walker than a large racing yard, whereas a rehabilitation yard might opt for an oval-shaped walker to avoid vulnerable horses walking on a constant small circle.

Once the idiosyncrasies of structure, use and the individual horse have been taken into account, what other factors need to be considered when implementing best, and safest, horsewalker practice? H&H spoke to experts in horsewalker manufacture and use for their advice on getting the most out of a walker while minimising the risk of accidents.

1. Wear the right gear

On the topic of handler safety, gloves were a unifying factor among our experts. The British Horse Society also advised a hard hat and appropriate footwear.

Lizzie Ragg, yard manager at the Berkshire College of Agriculture, told us staff and students are required to make a habit of assessing their own personal protective equipment (PPE) before every activity.

“Any time you’re leading, you should be in gloves,” she comments. “We have a rule here that means as soon as you’re leading outside the confines of the yard, where our walker is, you also need to be wearing a riding hat. Our horses leave the yard for two reasons – to be exercised or turned out. You don’t want a horse anticipating he’s going out and becoming strong or silly while you’re not protected.”

For dressage rider and rehabilitation yard owner Laura Whyte, a horse’s kit should be kept to a minimum.

“A pet hate of mine is seeing side reins and rollers on walkers,” she tells H&H. “Walkers are not an alternative to training.”

In Lizzie’s case, nylon headcollars are always removed on the walker and additional equipment is used on a case-by-case basis.

“We have some horses with bar shoes on, so I’d always put overreach boots on them on the walker. I think walker rugs are a good idea if you’re using the walker in cold weather and when warming up and cooling down. I know people do put horses on walkers in full tack, but it poses a higher risk. I wouldn’t allow my staff or students to put a horse on a walker in tack.”

2. Pay attention to the surface

“It’s important to ensure horses have grip, and aren’t hitting concrete or stone,” says Laura. “I don’t use a rubber tiling as it can be slippy. You get the same with concrete, plus it’s too hard. We use Equigrids for grip topped with a waxed surface.”

Sweeping out the walker removes droppings and standing water.

“I used to manage the yard at West Anglia College, where everything went on the walker each day,” Lizzie tells us. “That walker was swept out thoroughly every day.”

The BHS advises looking closely for any hazards.

“It is essential to keep the entrance area of the walker clear and obstruction-free. The surface of the walker should also be thoroughly checked before and after use. This applies to rubber matting as well as bricks, which could potentially overlap and cause a tripping hazard.”

The BHS went on to recommend consideration of weather conditions, and advised owners are mindful of using uncovered walkers on wet or icy days.

Lots of walkers employ an anti-lock braking system (ABS), which means the pushers aren’t blown around the walker when it’s not in use. According to a video on its website, Monarch Equestrian suggest levering the ABS off for cleaning the walker for ease of moving around the track.

3. Warm up your walker

Lizzie Ragg comments that users should consider that some walkers need to be warmed up – run for a few minutes – before loading horses on.

Guto Davis, saftey specialist at horse walker manufacturer Molenkoning, explains why: “Some walkers run on oil and when the oil is in use, it warms up and gets thinner. This causes the walker to move faster, which can speed up the horses. With Molenkoning, we use an electric motor that requires no warming up or servicing.”

4. Timing is everything

Laura says it’s important to be considerate of other horses if you’re adding yours to the walker.

“When you stop a walker, it’s disruptive. Horses sometimes turn around in their partitions if they get agitated,” she warns. “The best thing is to time it well, so the empty partition lines up with the gate and you can load the horse straight on. Then, the walker is stationary for as short a time as possible. If you’re unsure about it, let someone more experienced help you.”

She adds that you can use the placement of the partitions to show your horse where you want him to go.

“If you make sure the pusher at the back of the partition is close to the door, your horse has a big open space to walk into. He’ll be encouraged to start moving in the direction the walker is set to.”

Laura prefers to put first-timers on the walker alone so other horses aren’t at risk.

“I start off slow and keep my fingers on the control panel while he walks. If he stops, I stop the machine and it gradually revs down to nothing. You’re trying to make sure they don’t get a wallop from the pusher. It’s fine if it hits their bum gently, but no big crash up behind.”

Meanwhile, the BHS told us: “To make sure your horse is confident and comfortable when introducing them to a walker, it is best practice to use the ‘follow the leader’ principle. By having a more experienced horse in the lead position, you can reduce the risk of your horse turning in the opposite direction.

“The use of an assistant to operate the gate and speed/directional controls is recommended too.”

While loading horses, Molekoning advises the walker “should be stationary and electric gates off when entering”.

Horsewalker manufacturer Monarch Equestrian’s website advises the handler should always stay between the walker’s outer fence and the horse.

5. Work on both reins

Our experts universally advised equal work on both reins as a key part of how to use a horsewalker safely. In addition, Molenkoning stipulated 20 minutes as a maximum session time.

Guto tells us: “Our walker timer is set to ten minutes in each direction as it is imperative that horses are exercised equally on both reins. We install, and advise DIY users to allow, a 2.5m width track to enable all sized horses the space in which to turn around easily when the horsewalker changes direction.”

Instead of using both reins in a session, Laura opts for alternating the walker direction day-by-day.

“I personally don’t think turning on the walker is a comfortable manoeuvre. We’d always turn them manually by taking them off and reloading them.”

6. Match your horse to his companions

To ensure comfort on the walker, Laura considers who goes on with whom.

“Older horses don’t go on with fit competition horses, and certainly for less time,” she says. “People with nervous horses who jog tend to put a quieter one in front. This doesn’t really work – if there’s a horse in front they’ll want to catch up. Instead, we put a slower horse behind a nervous one to get them thinking about the horse behind and matching them.”

If a horse seems too unsettled and jogs continually, Laura brings him off.

“People often interpret jogging as a horse blowing off steam, but in my experience it’s usually just anxiety.”

7. Consider additional safety measures

Many companies offer bespoke features, such as wider walkways. Molenkoning walkers come with electrified gates and pushers as standard, but these can be turned on or off while the walker is in use. Monarch stipulates on its website that electric gates should be turned off when horse are loaded on and off.

The panels on Laura’s walker are mobile.

“If they really panic, our pushers swivel upwards up to 90 degrees, like a cat flap. Even though they’re heavy metal panels, you know there’s a safe get-out if needed.”

8. Get your walker serviced

Monarch advises walkers are serviced every 12 months, depending on usage. In a video on its website, the company explains: “For highly used walkers, such as racing yards… we recommend every 12 months. For quieter yards, possible every 18 months.”

For Monarch walkers, services should be conducted around your own basic checks, made periodically – namely hydraulic oil checks at the control box and heavy duty gearbox oil supplied to the bearing plates and ball bearings, part of the mechanism in the centre. If you haven’t topped it up in a while, you can “start to hear a grinding noise, as the ball bearings will have basically dried out.”

9. Placement is key

The general consensus states that horses should not be left on a walker unattended. A spokesman from the BHS told us: “One of the most important things to remember when using a horse walker is to ensure you can always see the walker and horse. The equipment must be easily accessible too, such as the emergency cut-off controls, in case of an accident.”

“From the yard to the walker is only about 12 strides, so I’m never out of range”, says Laura.

The BCA’s walker is outside the confines of the yard, so Lizzie has to consider staff and students getting the horses to the walker safely. “We teach the students about risk-assessing, reading the situation,” she explains.

“As well as correct PPE we ask them to consider the correct method of restraint on the horse, thinking about who they are and their behaviour on the day. For example, stronger horses are lead in a slip bridle to the walker.”

The BHS also stressed the importance of risk-assessment, adding: “This includes making sure everyone involved in the use of a walker has had an induction in safe use and procedures. We would recommend this for all staff at a centre and also for situations where livery clients may place their horses on and off the walker.”

10. Is it in your horse’s best interests?

Lizzie encourages staff and students to look at the whole horse before deciding if the walker would be a productive part of his routine.

“The main thing we focus on is benefit to the horse. We wouldn’t use the walker indiscriminately. If you’ve got a native type that could do with shifting some weight, the walker could be a useful addition. A horse whose legs have filled overnight would be helped by a session on the walker. However, if you’ve got one with arthritis, being stuck on a circle isn’t going to be beneficial.”

Analyse the situation

According to our experts, how to use a horsewalker safely comes down to assessing your horse, yard and the walker you have access to. As well as this, regular checks and professional services keep a walker running as it should, and ensure you are wearing a hat and gloves whenever you load the walker. Ultimately, consider compatibility of a range of factors in relation to your horse – walker size, speed and surface, your horse’s routine, temperament and condition, his companions and how he feels on the day.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympics, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Have you taken on a new equestrian property? Or are you looking to give your stables a bit of a face lift? We spoke to the experts to get their advice on where to start…

Converting an existing building

“If you are lucky enough to have existing outbuildings, it will prove more economical to convert these into stables, rather than build from scratch,” advises Lorelei Tomkins, marketing manager and PR for Monarch Equestrian.

“However, you will still need planning permission, even if you aren’t changing the exterior. Some points to consider when converting an existing barn include: the concrete floor, does this need relaying? Is the drainage appropriate? Is there enough height? Will you need to house a tack room, wash bay or feed room within the same building? Is there adequate light and ventilation?

“Employing the help of a professional, whether builder or stable expert is recommended, to ensure that you have considered all aspects involved with the conversion,” says Lorelei.

Make it airy

Ventilation is key to keeping our horses healthy explains Neil Hancox, of Hancox Equestrian, so evaluating your ventilation and whether you could improve it can be a good place to start.

“Ventilation is the most crucial thing to consider before anything else,” advises Neil. “Your building needs to be a dry and airy environment. It should have a vented ridge to allow warm and stale air to escape. Our Hancox Barn includes a ventilated soffit to assist with air movement as well as a raised, ventilated roof ridge. Air needs to be able to enter a building, circulate and then exit. I always recommend front and back steel-framed windows to help with this, as not only do they offer more opportunities for air to flow in, they give the horse natural light and a choice of views which can help reduce stable vices.

“Buildings for horses need to balance preventing drafts with good ventilation. The cladding you choose is also important, especially if you’re modifying an existing building. Some cladding commonly used for buildings housing cattle is not well suited to horses.”

Smaller changes with a big impact

Renovating your yard might not always call for a total overhaul, sometimes, smaller changes like sprucing up stable doors, can provide a refreshed look and feel.

Jacob Consterdine, a former sales manager of a stabling company, explains: “The biggest thing I would say on this is that it is probably undervalued is how big of a difference new stable doors and windows can make to a building. Just these simple aspects can change the feel of the building.”

Alice Roberts, former marketing manager of Cheval Liberte UK, agrees: “Replacing features such as windows and doors is a cost-effective way of adding class and security to your barn. Teamed with a lick of paint, you can transform any building into functioning stabling fit for your horses, with both standard and made-to-measure services on offer.

“Plexi-Glass windows, shutters and stable doors are a great way of providing quality ventilation into a stable block, improving conditions for the accommodated horses and improving their overall health, as well as improving the aesthetics of the building.”

Check the roof

Jacob also highlights the importance of a good roof: “Obviously every job is different. Some customers come to us with roofs falling in on stables that have been up 50 years, others want replacement anti chew tin around the doors and everything in between.

“The majority of the time, if a new roof is put on and new stable doors are fitted then it adds at least another 10 years onto the building.”

Lighten up

When it comes to creating light and airy stables, James Scott, managing director of Scotts of Thrapston, shares his advice: “There are some things that people tend to make do with in their stables, the most common is the light levels in loose boxes. Scotts do not recommend light panels in the roof, as these increase heat and are quite costly to fit. Instead we recommend a rear top door or glazed rear top door. These increase light and air flow, as well as keeping the horse entertained when in the box with another view to look at. They are relatively easy to fit.

“Scotts would also recommend internal linings, as it will add to the structural integrity of timber boxes. Budget stable suppliers normally only have the bottom 1.2m lined, this is not ideal as dust collects in the gap making them a poorer environment, harder to clean and gives the horse more edges to chew.”

Get stuck in

If your yard is structurally sound but you’d like to give it a new look, then it may be time to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in yourself.

A fresh coat of paint can give your stables a whole new look. Dark greens and browns are popular choices to blend in with surroundings, but some opt for brighter designs too. It’s worth checking with your local planning office first if you’re dreaming of a colourful change, particularly if you’re in a conservation area or area of outstanding natural beauty.

Pinterest is a great source of inspiration for everything from traditional timber designs to multi-coloured Shetland-sized stable doors.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympics, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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If you are considering establishing a new yard, one of the first choices you will have to make is whether to choose loose boxes or American barn stabling.

When choosing what buildings or barn to incorporate into your equestrian project, space and the surrounding buildings play a big part.

“Planning permission will be needed for all permanent equestrian builds such as a barns or external stable block,” says Lorelei Tomkins of Monarch Equestrian. “What will need to be taken into consideration is; the style of which the build will be, the space surrounding it and it’s access, and also the impact on the area in which it will sit. Normally looking at buildings near your plot of land can give you some indication of what is more likely to be accepted.”

Choosing which type of stabling is better for you is a personal decision, but sometimes planning can play a big part in that choice.

“When space is premium or planning guidelines need to be adhered to then external stable blocks may be the easier answer, as they generally have a smaller footprint,” adds Lorelei. “If you are in doubt, speak to your local planning officer for advice.”

“Well-situated and designed, both options offer a first-class environment for horses and the final decision between the two systems is likely to be a matter of personal preference and the requirements of the local authority planning office,” says Scotts of Thrapston’s Julia Berrie. “However, there are some important considerations.”

• Cost is always a significant factor and American barns tend to work out significantly more expensive than loose boxes for the same stabling capacity. Obviously, you will get more for your money and the size of the building, coupled with some other benefits, might well make up for the added expense.

• Planning permission is usually more difficult to obtain for American Barns, especially in sensitive locations. The increased ridge height and more modern style of building can invite opposition from the planners. Loose boxes, by contrast, can be configured in a much more “traditional” way, with a less intrusive ridge height, that blends in better with the surroundings.

• In working yards, especially in riding schools and livery yards, American barns are popular since everything is in one place and arranged around a central passageway. This results in less walking for grooms and a more efficient workplace.

• Both options can be fully “customised” to suit individual requirements. Colours, layouts, styles and architectural details can be altered to suit either the desires of the customer or the stipulations of the planners.

• Loose boxes offer greater scope for increasing the capacity and expanding the yard while retaining the original design scheme. By simply “adding on” more loose boxes using the same materials a larger yard can grow incrementally from a small one.

• Mucking out in the winter is much more pleasant for the grooms in an American barn. A central, covered passage gives total shelter from both wind and rain. Large sliding doors at either end of the passage allow access for a trailer or barrow, or even a tractor.

• Horses hate draughts and while the clear top-storey in an American barn gives excellent high-level ventilation, the internal partitioning stops draughts at horse level. In loose boxes, a ventilated ridge can give the same benefit but they are generally not as well ventilated.

• Natural light enters an American barn through the open top storey, giving good illumination throughout the day and giving a generally “airy” feel. Loose boxes need more artificial lighting to achieve the same effect.

• Loose boxes offer better isolation facilities. If a horse needs to be kept apart, for health or behavioural reasons, then it will be easier to manage in a loose box with its own outlook rather than in a box within a barn set-up.

• With an American barn, if one horse gets sick, they probably all will. This is, however, less likely to happen in a traditional stabling set-up.

• Horses are generally sociable creatures and they appreciate the shared view of each other within an American barn. An alternative view can also be provided by adding a rear-top door and this situation can lead to happier horses than the more secluded existence within loose boxes.

• Internal partitioning within an American barn is easier to re-arrange to suit changing circumstances, whereas loose boxes offer less flexibility, once built.

• Although American barns offer complete shelter from the elements, loose boxes fitted with a 6’ overhang will provide excellent shelter from all but the most persistent storms or driving rain. Careful orientation at the design stage can also guard against the prevailing wind and make the most of the natural light available.

Sometimes, adding new stables depends on existing buildings in the vicinity.

“The majority of the time, we end up designing new buildings around existing buildings on site as most people like to match things such as roofing materials and wall cladding,” says Scott Green, former business development manager of a stabling company. “The good thing with standard type loose box stables is they are a lot more flexible with regards to design, as we can build lots of different, weird and wonderful shapes and sizes.”

A lot depends on the materials you use, too.

“With timber American barns you are quite restricted as we have limits to how far the timber can span,” adds Scott. “However, with steel framed buildings you can do more, but you will end up spending more.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympics, Burghley, HOYS and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

How to get planning permission for stables

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Dry conditions can create firm going, which can be challenging for competition horses. Dr Liz Barr offers advice for surviving the season and beyond...

With the weather switching from rain, rain and more rain, to periods of higher temperatures and dry spells in some parts of the UK, riders are wise to keep an eye on the ground they are working their horses on at home, as well as in competitions.

While there is surprisingly limited amounts of evidence-based information regarding the consequences of working horses on hard surfaces, much of what we do know is based on common sense, opinion, anecdotal evidence and personal experience.

On any surface, force is generated between the ground and the foot on impact. On harder ground, more of this force will be dissipated in the lower limb (the structures of the foot and the bones and joints of the pastern and fetlock) and less of the force will be absorbed by the surface.

As the horse’s speed increases, the forces will also increase. Such forces may be considered as concussion. Much of the concussive force generated on hard ground will be absorbed by the structures of the hoof. The elasticity of the hoof wall, collateral cartilages, digital cushion and frog are responsible for absorbing this force and, therefore, foot quality and attention to good farriery are paramount.

Horses with good limb conformation are likely to cope better with hard ground. Any deviation from straight limb conformation will increase the forces on the leg. A horse that has a laterally offset knee (bench knee), for example, will be more at risk of developing a medial splint.

Inflaming the issue

Increased concussion through jumping and working on hard ground will exacerbate underlying issues or subclinical lameness — in much the same way that, as part of a lameness exam or pre-purchase examination, a vet will lunge a horse on a small circle on a hard surface. Whether this form of work will actually cause lameness is more open to debate.

Riders will often find that a horse that has run or jumped on hard ground may be sore and “pottery”, with a loss of action afterwards, and may refer to this as jarring up. While this is not a specific veterinary diagnosis, it is common and most likely results from soreness caused by concussion of joints.

Some increase in soreness after running on hard ground may also occur because horses will typically run faster on firmer ground. Comparatively deeper, softer ground will be more holding and slow the horse up, therefore reducing concussion.

Jarring up will usually resolve after a few days of rest and your vet may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory treatment, such as bute. If the horse remains lame after this, then the cause of pain may not be so simple and a lameness work up will be needed to identify the source.

The role of increased concussion of the feet due to hard ground in cases of navicular disease is debatable. The aetiology (cause) and risk factors for navicular disease are poorly understood and various theories have been suggested. They are likely to be multifactorial, involving genetics/breeding, conformation and biomechanical factors, but intuitively a horse with subclinical navicular disease will be made worse by working on hard ground such that lameness may become noticeable.

Horses with particularly thin soles may also resent working on hard ground. Many horses that have thin soles or foot pain in general will benefit from application of pads under the shoe and packing with shock-absorbing material, but attention to the type of pad applied and its effect on the quality of the frog is important.

Applying pads for prolonged periods can cause weakening of the frog and digital cushion and/or heel structures. Long term, this will result in a vicious cycle, causing less shock absorbing capacity of the feet and further issues with foot pain. Ideally, pads should be applied only when required and removed as soon as is practical.

While it is common for four- or five-year-old horses to form splints as their workload increases, it is not unexpected to see older horses forming splints that coincide with exercise on hard ground.

Splints in the older horse are treated much the same as in young horses, with rest, cold-hosing, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and topical anti-inflammatory products. Fracture of the splint as a result of trauma may also be suspected if the splint does not settle and the horse does not come sound in a couple of weeks as expected. X-rays may be required if this is the case.

Ice, ice baby

While most showjumpers now compete almost solely on artificial surfaces, eventers have less control over the ground on which they run, although typically event organisers do whatever they can to produce the best possible going. At the end of the day it is down to riders to decide whether the ground is suitable for their horse or not.

If a decision has been made to run a horse on firmer ground, riding a little slower than normal and avoiding over-studding is recommended. Boots should be removed immediately after competing to reduce unnecessary heating of the tendons and limbs should be iced immediately. The ice is then removed while the legs are cleaned and checked, before the ice is reapplied.

Cold-hosing is also an effective way of cooling legs.

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Come December when it’s pouring with rain or we’re breaking the ice on the trough, these things will be the least of our worries. But right now, here are a few summer hardships we’re struggling with…

1. White hands on brown arms

Having experienced the delight of rope burns and having learnt that lesson well, we now follow the sage advice of wear riding gloves at all times while riding/handling horses, which means, like most riders, we are blessed with some interesting tan lines. The most amusing of these lies around the wrists, with hands that are so pale by comparison to your forearms that they look like they belong to a different individual completely.

Of course, if you want to avoid joining this popular club this summer, check out some of the best summer riding gloves, which are made of a special lightweight, cool fabric that allows tanning to take place through the back of the glove, so your hands can tan at the same rate as your wrists and arms. What a great idea!

2. White legs (despite incredibly brown arms)

Continuing with a theme here. Riders legs, never being out of breeches, can be so pasty in relation to the corresponding arms that they actually reflect sunlight when on a rare afternoon off, they are exposed to a few rays. Given this unprecedented exposure, you can be sure they will proceed to turn the shade of a winner’s rosette in the time it takes to ride prelim 18. Time to dig out the factor 50, as unfortunately we are unaware of any tan through breeches being available.

3. Deeply (un)attractive red lumps on both arms and legs

Courtesy of horseflies. For us more delicate specimens, a horsefly bite (or three) can render us not just cursing and scratching, but coming up in impressively large welds as our skin reacts as aggressively as a horse you’ve decided to ride at feed time. Nothing eases the irritation, whereas the heat exacerbates it tenfold. *scratch, scratch*

4. Damp socks…

This is one of those situations where you really can’t win. Either you continue to wear your sensible, protective boots while doing essential tasks around the yard, and end up with damp sweaty feet… or, despite all advice, reason and common sense, you swap out of your sensible, protective footwear into trainers. Trainers that have holes in them — either because they’re your old, knackered trainers that are now consigned to the yard, or because they’re your smart running trainers that you paid extra for to have holes in, to make you more aerodynamic or something.

If these do happen to be in the car and you think it won’t destroy them to wear them at the yard just this once, please note that it will. You will inevitably end up hosing off a horse in these shoes. Because it’s hot. So hot you put your trainers on. And if you avoid hosing off a horse in them, then you’ll spill not insignificant amounts from a water bucket over your feet instead. NB: please don’t ever choose flipflops if you wish to retain all your toes.

5. …and the dirt comes too

In addition to being soggy (see above), your socks (and consequently feet) will also be filled/covered with sand/dirt/bedding from the school/field gateway/stable. Because it’s so damn hot you put on those trainers with holes in. And then you got on with things.

6. The sting of a horse’s tail

There are few things more briefly painful that a tail lash, invariably to the face, while you try to groom your equine as a fly lands on his flank. And another one. Oh it’s back again. Relentlessly. Unsurprisingly, since horse tail is used to string violins I believe, this stings rather a lot.

Other than that, summer with horses (relaxing ride on a chilled equine before sunset anyone?) is heaven, and we wouldn’t swap it for the world.

You may also be interested in:

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Ceiling fans, avoiding watercourses and important skincare tips — don’t let sweet itch cause you and your horse misery this summer.

Richard Morris MRCVS, director of Fenwold Veterinary Group, an XLEquine member practice, shares the following top tips for managing this common allergic skin disease.

When managing sweet itch make sure you do:

1. Call your vet to investigate your horse’s skin problem. There are a large number of causes of equine skin diseases, such as fungal (ringworm), bacterial (rain scald), parasitic (lice, mange), as well as allergic reactions to bedding, insect bites, dust mites and pollens.

2. Use insect repellents or fly sprays regularly to reduce attack from biting insects.

3. Use a fly rug or a sweet itch rug to help avoid contact with the biting insects.

4. Install a ceiling fan in the stable — midges can’t fly if the wind speed is over 5mph.

5. Apply a fly screen to the stable door.

6. Use topical oils (such as Avon Skin So Soft) to discourage midges and black flies from landing on the skin and feeding.

7. Move your horse to a windy hillside where there is less chance of encountering biting insects.

Things to avoid

8. Don’t keep your horse near watercourses and trees, where there are high numbers of biting insects.

9. Don’t leave your horse outside at dawn and dusk when it is open to attack from biting insects.

10. Don’t only rely on corticosteroids because of the risk of laminitis.

Fast facts about sweet itch

• Sweet itch is an equine hypersensitivity reaction to biting insects. In the UK these are the black fly (Simulium) and the midge (Culicoides), which are active from March to November.
• They swarm at dawn and dusk in wooded areas near slow-moving streams, and the females need a blood meal to form and lay their eggs in the soft mud, and so settle on any nearby animals to feed.
• Signs develop from four/five years of age and get worse as the animal gets older.
• It affects about 5% of UK horses, and is the most common allergic skin disease.
• There is a strong hereditary component with certain breeds being over represented (Welsh, Shire and Icelandic breeds).
• The main sign is itching of the mane, base of the tail, and under the belly.
• Initially the problem is seasonal, but it becomes progressively worse over time and eventually affects the individual all year round.
• Self-inflicted trauma from rubbing produces hair loss, bleeding and thickening of the skin.
• Diagnosing sweet itch is best by your vet, because there are many types of antibodies involved in allergies and, to date, blood tests have not been helpful.
• Intradermal skin tests can be useful. A vet will also take skin samples to help rule out other similar diseases, such as ringworm, lice and chorioptic mange.

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Living in a country with a climate as changeable, and at times inclement, as our own, it’s easy to under estimate the risk of sunburn in horses, with animals who live out all through the summer being particularly vulnerable.

“The pigmentation in hair and skin protects against the penetration of ultraviolet light, so any non-pigmented horse or an animal with white-skinned areas is prone to sunburn damage,” says Dr Janet Littlewood MRCVS, a specialist in veterinary dermatology. “Although the horses most at risk are those kept at permanent pasture in the summer months, it’s important not to forget that sunlight can also be damaging at other times of the year.”

The face and heels of horses are most commonly affected by sunburn because these often have non-pigmented patches and less hair coverage.

“It’s not a breed-related problem because nearly all breeds produce horses with white facial markings and legs,” explains Dr Littlewood, “but owners of animals with a thin coat should be particularly careful.”

What harm does sunburn cause?

In most horses the only harm caused by sunburn is occasional discomfort, redness and peeling. However, repeated damage can cause significant long-term problems, warns Dr Littlewood.

“It can result in thickening and scaling on the surface of the skin [keratosis], which can sometimes transform to skin cancer — squamous cell carcinoma,” she says.

“Ultraviolet light exposure also has adverse effects on skin immune mechanisms. Hence, horses with white legs tend to suffer more problems with infections, such as bacterial folliculitis and mud fever. These conditions tend to become worse and harder to manage with time.”

How to prevent sunburn in horses

Ensuring fields have shady areas is essential, but even the most severe weather conditions won’t stop some horses grazing. There are equine sun creams available, but some owners prefer to use products made for people — high-factor water-resistant creams that are safe for children are a popular choice. But, unlike a child, it isn’t possible to bribe a horse into co-operating with ice-lollies and treats. Coloured “stick” sunblocks can be easier to apply and show up any “missed bits”.

Fly masks that cover the head and muzzle may provide some relief, while UV-protective summer sheets can help shield horses with more widespread sensitive areas. You can also buy muzzle protectors that attach to a field-safe headcollar for additional UV protection.

What to do if your horse is sunburnt

Dr Littlewood suggests that where prevention has come too late, horses should be brought inside until the problem has been resolved.

“If skin is blistered or oozing, veterinary attention should be sought. Generally, treatment is symptomatic: gentle topical bathing to remove crusts; emollient creams and antibiotics if there’s evidence of secondary infection,” she says.

All owners should monitor signs carefully, especially in an animal that has become inexplicably more sunburnt, to ensure that the horse isn’t suffering from photosensitisation. This is a condition where non- and lightly pigmented skin reacts abnormally to ultraviolet light.

“This occurs when there are reactive compounds — photosensitisers — in the horse’s circulation that cause tissue damage,” explains Dr Littlewood.

Photosensitisers can be found in some drugs, dyes and plants, including St John’s Wort and some clovers. Other plants, such as buttercups and cow parsley, contain light-reactive substances that can be absorbed directly into the muzzle during grazing.

“The prognosis for horses with primary photosensitisation is good,” says Dr Littlewood. “The underlying cause can be removed and the sores treated.

“Photosensitisation can also occur when a horse has severe liver damage, most commonly caused by eating ragwort. When the liver isn’t functioning properly, it cannot process chlorophyll fully. This results in the presence of photosensitive phylloerythrin in the tissues. The prognosis for horses with this ‘secondary’ photosensitisation is poor, so any animal showing clinical signs of the condition should undergo thorough investigation of liver function by a vet,” warns Dr Littlewood.

You might also be interested in…

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now