Horses are pretty resistant to the cold, but if he wears a blanket in his stall and then suddenly finds himself “naked” as you begin to tack up, it can be a bit of a shock to his system. - Don't make him feel Naked and alone!

Before Santa Claus, traditional holiday gift givers used horses, not reindeer. Prior to Christianity, people celebrated a midwinter event called Yule (the Winter Solstice). During this period, supernatural and ghostly occurrences were increased, such the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession through the sky. The leader of the wild hunt is usually the god Odin, usually seen with a long white beard. He is also known by the Old Norse names Jólnir, meaning “yule figure” and the name Langbarðr, meaning “long-beard.”  Odin rode his gray “horse” (the eight-footed steed called Sleipnir) on nightly rides and visiting people with gifts.  Years later, Odin’s white beard became part of the new Santa Claus, his blue robe was changed to red, and his eight-footed grey horse became eight reindeer!

Riding in the cold is a challenge.  You’re freezing as you begin riding, then overheated as you start your exercises, then cold again as you untack your horse.  How to dress for these fluctuating temperatures?  Wear layers that you can add and remove as needed. But make sure they are the right type of layers.

Instead of giving your horse access to the entire pasture during the winter, create a sacrifice area.  A sacrifice area is a small enclosure such as a paddock, corral or pen that gives your horse a chance to get outside during the winter without damaging your pastures.  It is called a sacrifice area because you are giving up the use of that small portion of land as a grassy area to save the rest of your pastures. 

Safety is always a consideration when transporting your horse, but winter weather adds an extra challenge to trailering your horse. Consider these tips before starting out.

It’s important to know how much snow your barn, especially the roof, can handle. Do your research and find out your local snow-load requirements. These requirements are based on the climate and past snowfall, and can better inform you about the conditions that your barn will need to be able to withstand. While it’s a good idea for your barn to meet these requirements, it’s an even better idea to make your barn stronger and able to withstand more rigorous requirements, just in case.

Horses are both heterodontous and diphyodontous, which means that they have teeth in more than one shape (there are up to five shapes of tooth in a horse’s mouth), and have two successive sets of teeth, the deciduous (“baby teeth”) and permanent sets. 

Your horse spends a lot of time in their stall. Here are some things he wants you to know will keep him happy and safe.

If you are considering buying a new horse, consider the OTTB (off-track Thoroughbred). Why is an OTTB a good deal? They are typically still young. Thoroughbreds start racing as two-year-olds and don’t race much past five unless they are highly talented.

Think building an indoor arena is an indulgence you can’t really justify? Not so! There are several financial and horse care reasons why it makes sense.