As the leaves begin to change colour and the evenings draw in earlier, the summer equestrian season starts wrapping up. With autumn comes the conclusion of the British Eventing season, whilst British Show Jumping and Dressage start to make their way indoors for the winter fixtures in the calendar. 

 Whether you’ve had a busy summer competing in your chosen discipline, or you’ve had a slower time enjoying your horse’s company and the warm weather, autumn is a great time to give your horse a once over and make sure they’re in great shape heading into the winter.

 Taking a little bit of time to stock check and ensure your horse is feeling and looking well after a long, hot summer will help them recover and recoup. Think of it like an MOT checklist, from their feet and condition to their diet and muscular niggles, you can give your horse a much-needed service, just like you would a car!

 Why Should I do an Autumn Horse Health Check?

The summer climate can take its toll on your horse’s body in more ways than one. Throw in the record summer we’ve had in the UK this year, and there’s bound to be a little wear and tear. 

Let’s start at the bottom and work up. With the incredible temperatures and lack of rain, the ground has been rock-hard and very dry. Even horses with the best hooves have struggled this year, so a good assessment with the farrier is necessary to identify any problematic cracks, chips, or imbalances, as well as giving them a good tidy up.

Next have a look at their body condition. The dry summer grass has lacked many of the necessary nutrients horses thrive on, and you’ve probably had to supplement with extra hay or forage already. With grass in scarce supply and high temperatures causing them to sweat and lose minerals, your horse might have dropped a little more condition than you would have liked. Alternatively, they may have put on condition from being stabled to avoid the heatwave and flies. Either way, taking a note of their body condition can help you prepare their diet coming into the autumn and winter.

If you’ve had a busy summer competing in between the heatwaves, your horse may have picked up the odd niggle here and there from a high-intensity workload. Now that the competition season is winding down, it’s a great time to iron out any kinks and make sure they’re feeling their best before you crack on again.

 So, that’s just a few reasons why the transition to autumn is a great opportunity to make sure your horse is feeling happy and healthy. On to the checklist…

1. Schedule a Farrier Visit

Ask your farrier to come out and assess the condition of your horse’s feet. They can check for cracks or imbalances that could cause discomfort. As the rain starts to increase again, thrush can start to rear its ugly head, so your farrier can help you stay on top of this too.

2. Check Body Condition

Some horses will see out the summer with a little extra round the middle, whilst some will have dropped off due to the high temperatures and lack of grass. Neither one makes you a bad horse owner, but making a diet plan ahead of the autumn is a good way to manage their condition and keep it in a healthy remit. 

With more rain falling, the grass can become very high in sugars, so keep a close eye on your horse’s gut health. This is particularly important if they’re prone to laminitis!

3. Skin and Coat Maintenance

Some horses battle every year with sweet itch, and this year will have been no exception. The heat and the flies can make some horses very uncomfortable so check their skin condition. Keeping a close eye on their skin and coat can help you catch any changes before they become nasty. 

Whilst we head into autumn, September can still be relatively warm. Lots of horses have already started developing their thick winter coats, but you might find them struggling with the warmth. Whilst it is on the warmer side, it may be a good opportunity to clip them out so they stay cool for a little while longer, particularly if they are still in work!

4. Check for Aches and Pains

Even professional horses come home from a busy season with a few tweaks and niggles. The change in seasons provides a chance to get them an MOT. Whether that’s a visit from your vet, a physio, or even a masseuse, your horse will thank you for it. 

If they’ve had a particularly hard season competing and you think they’re feeling a little tired and run down, it might be worthwhile to give them a holiday to rest and recover ready for a new season to start up.

5. Tack Checks

Not only can your horse pick up wear and tear, but so can your tack! Regular use and lots of sweating can take its toll on your leatherwork. Whilst your horse is on their vacation, go through your tack and make sure it’s all in safe working order. 

Your saddle could do with a check-up too! Horses are always changing shape, and a busy hot summer is no exception! Enlist your chosen saddle specialist to make sure your saddle is still fitting comfortably and to make any necessary adjustments.

6. Get the Dentist

Autumn is a good time to review your horse’s dental health. Teeth can impact their body condition, their ridden work, and their overall happiness. A check in with the dentist can give you a good idea of their oral health heading into the winter, particularly for our golden oldies!

7. Worming

When horses have been out all summer, especially if they’ve been in a herd or sharing a paddock, worming might be a good call. This time of year, wormers are typically administered to get on top of any bots, tapeworms, or strongyles before winter. 

Some stables require a wormer to be administered to all horses, so check with your stable manager first. There’s lots of conflicting chatter out there regarding worming, so we advise you to check with your vet to make sure you need to worm them, and that you’re giving the right wormer!

8. Admin

It’s boring, but autumn is a good time to get on top of the admin jobs you might have been putting off. 

·       The first step is passports. Make sure all your vaccinations are in date and schedule any that are coming up so you don’t miss them- particularly if you plan on competing this winter.

·        Go through your winter rugs and start preparing what you’ll need for the winter. It may still be autumn, but we all know that winter is coming around quickly.

·        Washing… there’s always plenty to wash, but getting ahead on some of the more obscure items that need a good clean after the summer dust will make you feel refreshed and reset ready for the winter.

·        Spring (or autumn!) cleaning. With the winter fast approaching, tidying up the stables or barn so it feels fresh and clean for when your horse starts spending more time inside is a good idea. Think cobwebbing, water drinker cleaning, and decluttering.

·         Give your poles and jumps a clean and once-over to make sure they haven’t picked up any damage over the summer. If you need any replacements, you know where to find us. Get in touch with PolyJumps and we can get you sorted ready for action again.