Autumn is finally here bringing the nice temperatures and nature’s full colors. It is a great time to get out and ride without those bothersome flies and high humidity.
Autumn is also a time to get your horse property winterized. Remember, the cold and snowy winters will be upon us before you know it. Is your horse property or farm ready for it?
Begin by taking down the fans that were put up at each stall for the summer months. Clean them up and put them away so that are ready to bring out when needed next year.
Next, if you have heated water buckets, bring them out of storage and clean them out. While cleaning, make sure there are no cracks in them and that the electric wire is still in one piece. Now is a good time to check them out to see if they still work, not in the dead of winter when the water is frozen.
If you have heat elements for stock tanks, check those out, also. Personally, I would do all this before winter sets in, since I do not enjoy chopping ice when the temperatures are below freezing with wind chills. Brrrrrrrrr. I shiver just thinking about it.
Insulate all the water pipes and spigots by first wrapping heat tape around them and covering that with foam insulation. The last thing you want is a broken pipe in the freezing temperatures and lugging buckets of water from the house to the barn. Although, the horses will be entertained by it.
Walk the horse property and the fence line. This is a good time to inspect the fences to make sure they are in good repair and good working order, if it is an electric fence. It’s no fun chasing after loose horses when the wind is howling and the snow and ice are covering the ground. The horses will certainly enjoy this game. It’s a lot of fun for them, especially when bored.
Last, but not least, check the barn for any repairs that may be needed. When bored, horses will get into mischief just like little kids. So horse-proof the barn.
Go out and enjoy autumn’s cool temperatures and color with your horses, but also remember to prepare your horse property for winter. This way when the frigid winds howl, you and your horses can rest easy knowing that everything on the horse property is taken care of .