🌦️ Seasonal Horse Care Tips: Keeping Your Horses Happy Year-Round

Horses thrive on consistency, but the seasons in Northern California bring their own challenges — hot summers, wet winters, and the green flush of spring grass. Staying ahead with a seasonal care plan keeps your horses comfortable, healthy, and ready for anything.

Here are some simple but important tips for each season:

☀️ Summer: Hydration & Fly Control

Hydration is everything. Horses can drink 5–15 gallons of water per day, and even more during extreme heat. Dehydration leads to serious issues like colic, so fresh, clean water should always be available.

• Keep buckets scrubbed and refilled daily.

• Add extra tubs in turnout areas during heat waves.

• Consider electrolytes if horses are sweating heavily.

Fly season is another summer headache. Flies irritate horses and spread disease, while gnats can cause sweet itch and eye infections.

• Use fly spray consistently.

• Fly masks and sheets help reduce irritation.

• Pick stalls and paddocks often — clean environments = fewer flies.

  
  

❄️ Winter: Blanketing, Mud & Hoof Health

Winter in our area often means rain, mud, and chilly nights. Proper prep keeps horses comfortable and prevents problems.

Blanketing: Not every horse needs one, but clipped horses, seniors, and hard keepers often do. Use waterproof, breathable blankets and adjust layers as the weather changes.

Mud management: Constant wetness leads to scratches, thrush, and hoof softening.

• Create dry zones with mats, gravel, or bedding in high-traffic areas.

• Pick hooves daily to keep mud and debris from packing in.

Hoof care: Schedule regular farrier visits even in winter. Long, untrimmed hooves are more prone to cracks and abscesses in wet conditions.

🌱 Spring: Grass & Deworming

Spring pastures look beautiful — but they come with risks.

Pasture transition: Lush spring grass can cause laminitis or colic if horses aren’t eased into it. Introduce pasture slowly, starting with 15–30 minutes and gradually building up.

Deworming: Spring is also a great time to review your parasite control plan. Talk to your vet about fecal testing to target deworming instead of guessing.

Shedding season: A good curry session not only helps shed winter coats but also stimulates circulation and bonding.

✅ How Mathews Equine Can Help

Seasonal changes also mean more barn work — from extra stall cleaning in muddy winters to increased fly control in summer. At Mathews Equine, we help horse owners stay ahead with:

• Reliable barn care services (stall cleaning, turnout, feeding).

• Vacation care so you can take time away no matter the season.

• Farrier services to keep hooves balanced in mud, heat, and everything in between.

📲 Contact us today for dependable horse care through every season.