Introduction
While the sun is shining and the pleasant weather lures you in, contemplating winter may not be your top priority. However, once the mud and frost season begins, you may find yourself regretting not having made better use of the summer to prepare the horse turnouts for winter. Thatâs because when the horses are struggling in the mud, the days are short, and the weather is miserable, you wonât be motivated to carry out construction measures that could simplify your life. Hence, summer is indeed the opportune time to plan ahead and ready the stable for the upcoming frost and mud season.
WinterauslÀufe befestigen
Simply said, but not always easily done. Elaborate paving with professional drainage and similar projects often become impractical for temporary tenants or those without access to savings. Nonetheless, itâs possible to simplify your life during the mud season. Paddock slabs can be laid on walkways throughout the paddock. These are also available in variants that donât require subfloor fastening. It only needs to be somewhat leveled, and during the summer, this can typically be achieved effectively using a tractor, car, or even a horse-drawn drag. Paving the entire paddock is not necessary.
Horses also like to use footpaths to get through the paddock on dry ground, so the droppings are usually found along these paths and can be easily picked up there.
Die Anlage von Trail-GĂ€ngen vereinfacht das Abmisten normal, denn sie sorgen dafĂŒr, dass die Pferde viel Strecke laufen mĂŒssen, aber der Mist nicht auf groĂen, matschigen FlĂ€chen verteilt wird, sondern auf den LaufgĂ€ngen und damit in der NĂ€he der Befestigungen bleibt.
Vor allem rund um die FressplĂ€tze sollte der Boden befestigt werden, da es hier meist besonders matschig wird. In addition to paddock slabs, grass pavers are also suitable, but their holes must be well filled so that ponies and foals donât get stuck in them. You can also occasionally find used football turf at an affordable price, and it works exceptionally well, especially on uneven surfaces. Due to its weight, it also doesnât need to be secured (except on slopes). With dry standing areas around the hayracks and paved walkways, mucking out in winter becomes much more manageable. Additionally, dirt-related diseases in the leg area, such as thrush or mallenders, cannot develop as easily.
Design water drains
Horses donât mind walking through the mud from time to time. Especially in very wet winters with temperatures above freezing and a lot of rain, many paddocks are no fun at all. Not only do our own wellies like to get stuck on the way to the horse, but the wheelbarrow can hardly be moved and getting constantly stuck in the mud and poo âmixtureâ, that is neither healthy for the hooves nor for the skin on the legs of our furry friends.
If you have turnouts with slopes, you are usually in a good position because the water largely drains away on its own, although the slope may gradually erode over time. In contrast, turnouts in flat areas tend to become more waterlogged to varying degrees, depending on the amount of rainfall. Without proper drainage, the paddock slabs may eventually shift or sink into the mud, reminiscent of Atlantis sinking into the sea.
To avoid having to embark on archaeological excavations for your paddock slabs in the spring, itâs advisable to take action against potential water flooding now. This can be done by digging ditches or constructing embankments to redirect water to areas that horses do not use frequently or even at all.
The ditches and mounds should ideally be located outside the areas that horses frequently use, as horses tend to enjoy climbing over mounds that have been filled in or rolling around in ditches. They can quickly undo the painstaking earthworks and level everything again in a short amount of time.
Here as well, it is beneficial to create pathways and then redirect the water away from these pathways to less frequented areas. For instance, you can fill in the trail and then reinforce it with paddock slabs in the centre. This allows the water to run off to the side and drain away from there. The horses (and the wheelbarrow) will then stay dry in the middle on the âridgeâ.
If you lack any slope, consider excavating a pit outside the turnout or within it (while ensuring itâs well fenced off). This pit can serve as a drainage area for water collection. To further divert the water away from the turnout towards the field or the nearest ditch, you can use a pump and a long hose. This helps manage excess water effectively.
Of course, all these measures are not as optimal as having a turnout with professional drainage and surfacing, but they are still better than having everyone sinking into the mud during constant winter rain.
Keep drinking trough frost-free
One major issue in sub-zero temperatures is the freezing of water troughs. In stables, the problem is usually solved by installing a heated drinking system while keeping the windows and doors tightly closed. While this keeps the water liquid, horses in these stables often suffer to some extent from respiratory problems due to the continuously poor air quality. The water supply is even more challenging in open stables, as the drinking troughs here naturally take on the temperature of the surroundings.
If you have an anti-freeze water connection in the paddock, you are well provided for with a heated float drinker. However, to operate this, youâll also need an electrical power connection in addition to the water pipe. This setup may not be available in every open yard, or it may not be located where you want to install the drinking trough.
If you have a well, a watering trough with a ball is a good option.
Ball drinkers are often frost-free when you have more than four horses. Note: There may be differences between models; if unsure, consult the dealer or manufacturer for guidance. However, some horses have a tendency to âplayâ with the water at the trough, taking it into their mouths and then letting it flow out generously. This allows food residues to enter the trough and can lead to germination growth. It is therefore important to regularly dismantle and clean these drinkers.
If you donât have a well, a limited budget for a ball watering trough or a heated floater, or if you have fewer than four horses, a basic bathtub could serve the purpose equally well. This can be placed inside a wooden box and insulated using materials such as polystyrene or similar insulating material.
With this scenario you can lay a heating coil, such as those available in the terrarium sector, around the tub and connect it to the power supply. Other owners have also successfully installed an aquarium heating rod in the water, but in this case, you should look for a version with a dry fuse that switches off automatically if the rod is no longer in the water.
Installations with one (or several for large tanks) 60-watt light bulb under the tank have also been successfully installed, which keep the tank warm enough with their heat production.
If you lack electricity in the barn, you can also place candles under the tub, which will provide warmth from below with their candle heat. Be cautious, as most insulation materials are flammable! In this case, itâs essential to ensure a safe construction to prevent accidents and maintain a sufficient distance from the insulation to avoid fire hazards. A system that may not be as budget-friendly but is highly frost-proof is the ThermoBar from Sweden (where they certainly know about frost!). It comes in options with or without a power connection.
For anyone considering making their own heated watering trough, itâs best to start the project when the weather is still warm. You wouldnât want to be working on it in sub-zero temperatures or continuous rain, as it could get quite messy.
Many horses, especially those with stomach ulcers, appreciate having access to warm water during the winter months.
If you arrive at the stable in the evening, it can be helpful for horses with stomach ulcers to bring warm water in canisters and allow them to drink to their satisfaction from buckets. Sometimes 20 litres or more per horse are drunk in one go. These horses can then usually cope with the few sips of cold water throughout the day to avoid an impaction colic or kidney problems. When temperatures drop to -10°C and below, you may need to allow the horses to drink their fill from buckets of warm water in the morning and evening if other solutions are not effective. They learn very quickly to drink as much as possible at the times when water is offered so that they can get through the rest of the day without water. Indeed, providing warm water during the colder months can help ensure that horses stay hydrated, which is crucial for their health and well-being. Itâs important to adapt their water supply to the weather conditions to prevent issues related to frozen water sources.
Shorten distances
In the summer, when the weather is pleasant, we donât mind taking a detour or two with the wheelbarrow full of manure. But when itâs drizzling and muddy, every additional turn becomes an annoyance. Itâs worthwhile to plan ahead and consider where pathways can be optimized. Naturally you want to encourage the horses to move and therefore install as many hay feeding stations as possible. But if you have to carry loads of hay over muddy turnouts, the paddock trail can quickly become a Sisyphean task.
It is ideal if you can install several covered hay racks, which are then filled with whole bales and secured with a net to prevent the hay from being eaten too quickly. Regularly topped up with the front loader is the simplest way. But not all stables have their own front loader or have enough horses and the necessary funds to install several racks. As a result, hay nets are often used, which, while effective, require more effort to fill.
Strategically placed small pasture tents or shelters can be equipped with hay bales so that there is a supply close to each hay station.
This shortens the distances. Of course, you have to make sure that the paths near by are passable with the front loader even in bad weather, otherwise the farmer wonât be able to put new bales in there when itâs muddy and you donât want to roll them through the mud. The hay barns can also be stocked with a weekâs supply of filled hay nets at the weekend, saving time during the working week when you only have to hang up the nets and not fill them as well.
You should also consider whether the muck heap is conveniently located. Balancing the location of the muck heap to minimize odors and flies in the summer while considering accessibility in the winter is indeed a challenge.
Collecting manure in a heap on the turnout can be unfavorable in terms of hygiene and worm contamination. Itâs important to maintain good manure management practices to minimize these issues. Perhaps a container or trailer can also be set up and emptied regularly?
Ensure that the access to this area remains passable, as ground conditions may not always be dry or frozen when itâs time for collection.
A frost-proof wrapped water barrel as a supply can also reduce the amount of carrying around water buckets. Equipment, wheelbarrows, etc. should be easily accessible and designed to withstand various weather conditions. It can be quite inconvenient to dig equipment out of the snow or search for it in the twilight.
Ensure hay feeding
During the grazing season, there is little need to worry about, as the horses are usually only given hay overnight or are on the pasture 24 hours a day. However, by September at the latest, most yards need to resume feeding because the pastures have been depleted. To ensure an adequate supply of good hay, itâs advisable to communicate with farmers during the summer to determine the quantity required.
Horses eat 2-3kg of hay per 100kg body weight per day.
The colder the weather, the greater the need for hay. It is advisable to purchase an ample supply of hay rather than risking having too little. Experience has shown that prices tend to increase at the end of winter when supplies are running low. Hay is the main source of warmth for horses, so make sure they have constant access to roughage, especially in cold weather. The nightly mash meal is comforting for our peace of mind, but unfortunately, it doesnât assist the horse in maintaining its body temperature.
Many farmers offer the option of reserving the winter supply and having it delivered in manageable quantities so that you donât have to store it for the whole winter. Storage in a shelter or hay tent for small quantities and short periods of time is perfectly possible. Storage under tarpaulin should be avoided as the condensation promotes the growth of mould spores. Storing hay under a tarpaulin is a short-term solution, and it can become quite tedious to retrieve hay bales from under layers of snow and ice. Setting up a small shelter or tent is always a worthwhile investment. It is advisable to place 1-2 layers of pallets under the hay bales to ensure ventilation from underneath to prevent mould from developing.
Make sure that the quality of the hay is suitable for the horses. It is common sense that mouldy hay is not suitable for feeding. The nutritional values are often overlooked, and you canât see them from the outside of the hay. If you have a regular supplier, it is often worthwhile to conduct a hay analysis. The Weende analysis, along with sugar values, provides a comprehensive overview of the hayâs nutritional content. For leisure horses, itâs important that sugar levels are kept below 10%. However, for horses with metabolic issues like insulin resistance, EMS, pseudo-EMS, or PSSM, itâs even more crucial to ensure that sugar levels are below 6%. Low protein values in hay can be effectively supplemented with sainfoin cobs or Vitalcobs. Otherwise, the hay should be stalky, light green and have a pleasant to neutral odour. A musty, sour, or fermented smell, significant dust formation, the presence of grey spots in the hay, or the presence of poisonous plants are clear indicators that the hay is absolutely unsuitable for feeding.
Feeding hay in racks with netting, hay nets, hay boxes, hay bins, hay balls, or other slow feeder methods extends the feeding time and ensures that horses have access to roughage continuously. Implementing various slow feeders in different locations within the turnout also encourages movement and allows horses to adopt different head and feeding postures, promoting natural behavior. Additional straw nets, branches and twigs or an armful of leaves can be used to add variety to the roughage on offer.
To ensure a consistent supply of nutrients during the winter, consider offering fat-containing seeds such as linseed, sunflower seeds, whole rose hips, and OKAPI Wild Seeds in rotation, in addition to providing salt licks and mineral feed. Dried berries, such as OKAPI Wild Berries or those collected in summer and dried for winter feeding, can provide high-quality vitamins even during the barren season. Blueberries, rosehips, raspberries and blackberries can then be offered. When drying and storing, however, make sure that no mould forms.
Conclusion
Preparing winter turnouts is essential for ensuring a stress-free experience for horse owners during the upcoming frost and slush season. Surfaced turnouts, well-planned water drainage systems, frost-free watering troughs, optimized pathways, and safe hay feeding methods are crucial measures to prioritize the health and well-being of horses during the cold winter season.
Implementing these measures will ensure our four-legged friends stay in good shape throughout the upcoming winter!
Article published on 15.07.2022
More tips: 9 productive activities for rainy days in the stables
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