What do you do to get minis ready for winter?

[Reble]

I am going out soon to do my minis to get them ready for winter.

I do cleaning with the vacuum, redo the V top of tail, shave both sides of the neck along the mane I have found this helps with scratching over the winter months, bridle path, & just a bit of the face trim.

What do yous do?

 

[~Lisa~]

Shave both sides of the neck? Like just a strip? That is interesting I have not heard that before.

We do not do much just washed and scrubbed the barn and foaling stalls down last weekend. Made sure everyone has a new fresh salt block in their stalls.

Ravens riding pony- pulled her mane everyone else did bridle path and whiskers just cause it will be the last time they look somewhat horse like for a while.

We do have a mini mare we show lightly she rubs her mane every winter so I usually pull it or roach it over the winter so by spring it has grown out to be somewhat presentable and much easier to even out.

Was not warm enough to bathe last weekend like it was supposed to be so we groomed everyone pretty well trimmed tails that were dragging. I wish I could wrap tails for the season but they are turned out all day and I have not found any kind of tail wrapping that works for outdoor turn out- if you have one I would love to hear it

 

[Reble]

Shave both sides of the neck? Like just a strip? That is interesting I have not heard that before.

Yes, just a strip this does help those ones that want to scratch. I found last year their manes and tails grew better and they stopped rubbing.

You also can spray with insect repellent which also helps on those areas.

 

[~Lisa~]

Hmm that is interesting so from the bridle bath down along the length of the neck on both sides just one clipper blade width?

If you have had success I think I will give it a shot with my almost maneless mare LOL cant hurt right

 

[Ashley]

same as I do all year, turn them out to grass/hay and call it a day. I dont groom mine unless they need it. I brush them in the spring to get the hair out, but they dont see baths unless they show or are nasty from rideing. Seldom trim any hair anywhere on them as we have bad bugs.

 

[Reble]

same as I do all year, turn them out to grass/hay and call it a day. I dont groom mine unless they need it. I brush them in the spring to get the hair out, but they dont see baths unless they show or are nasty from rideing. Seldom trim any hair anywhere on them as we have bad bugs.

No more baths here either, just too cold at night.

Do nothing much once the snows hits, but just one last clean up.

The trimming I just find in certain areas does help during our winter months.

 

[user 3234]

In Arizona people don't venture outside until it is winter time when the days turn really nice. Don't feel bad the summer days are scorchers.

Our Winter to-do-list - its time to break out the Halloween Costumes

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Our little guys love to roll in the dust. Most would call it dirt but it is really a cross between sand and dust and it gets everywhere. Since they get so fuzzy and it is still cold (even by AZ temperatures) we break out the leaf blower instead of giving baths. Yes, the leaf blower, kind of like a vacuum in reverse. If we are taking them somewhere we just blow them clean. They actually seem to enjoy it and the noise, once desensitized to it, does not bother them.

 

[Minimor]

What do we do to get the horses ready for winter? Nothing--this time of year they get to do their own thing, unless we are driving or working certain ones, then they get bridle paths trimmed, just so bridles will fit better, and also the ones being worked will get groomed prior to their training session. But, for the winter we don't bother with bridle paths, or clipping whiskers, or clipping legs. If the weather suddenly turns cold they'll need any extra hair they can grow so no point in cutting any of it off.

This week we're doing some shed repairs--have 2 or 3 sheds that have had some holes chewed in the wall or boards pushed off the back of the shed, so we've been fixing those. Had to jack up one corner of the roof on one shed this morning--the 2x6 had come off the support post and the roof was starting to sag....that put up a real fight, but we finally got it fixed. Trouble was, the way the back wall was constructed we couldn't just put the jack right under the new 2x6 & push it up--the jack had to be right in the corner & be at just a bit of an angle & then it kept slipping. But, it's fixed now & we can go on to the next one.

 

[ruffian]

Make sure I have plenty of hay in and safely stored. Do a general clean up around the barn.

I don't do a bridle path because I do one every time I worm so I know who's been done.

I do dust everybody and do a worming.

Set up my heated waterers. Make sure they all work and replace those that don't.

This year I set up a new stall/run assignment as I am FINALLY only using one barn. No more walking 150 feet between barns!!

Start to dream about new foals and show horses next year!!!

 

[Filipowicz Farm]

Plan to wash the stalls out tomorrow and get them ready for foaling season. Organize some areas of the barn this weekend and throw out broken items.Need to trim the lenght of some of the horses tails and do finish doing some bridel paths.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I'm already settling into the slow-and-steady winter training routine, working the two year old on planting all four feet for halter and showmanship, introducing lunging, sharpening his voice commands, all the stuff he's going to need to learn driving next year. He's doing very well!

Kody needs to be put back to cart over the winter but the only winterizing he'll get for that is a bridlepath and maybe that strip of clipping under the mane you're talking about. He's always itchy in the winter!

Leia

 

[Reble]

I finished all 10 of my minis today.

Bridle paths, trimmed hocks, the mane on both sides, long shaggy throats, brood mares bellies, and the V at the tail and one swipe from tail to mane so I can see how they are doing with winter feeding.

Sprayed them down with fly spray, and dewormed.

Oh I am so glad they are done.

They seemed to love it, running and bucking after each one was done, and they each got a special treat.

 

[Marty]

Its more like what don't I do? Besides a list of barn and stable chores a mile long......yet to be done.

Put it this way, Santa is not going to find my horses looking cruddy just because its winter.I need to get off my fat butt and get to work.

I like to get teeth floated for anyone that needs it before winter. De-worm them extra just because.

I want to get the rest of the mane's dyed that need it.

Start treating everyone with thrush buster just because....we're going to have mud.

Spray a light mist on the legs of Listerne straight for daily grooming routine. It may help ward off some nasty crud that may occur from the wet days yet to come. I think it does.

I'm waiting for one more day when the temps will be down enough for me to bathe.

Then I'll sheet them only to keep them clean on turn out if it has been raining for instance in case they roll. I figure I can always wash the sheet but not them.

I'll trim tails up above the pastern

I only use tail bags when there is mud outside. I just use kid's tube socks and a diaper pin but I don't leave them on.

I do keep bridle paths and face/jaw hairs trimmed all winter. But when it freezes out, I leave the whiskers and fetlock hairs grow....which is such an embarrassment.

I also keep the manes trimmed up and cut the dead ends off and try to keep them in some kind of presentable shape.

I got some new scrunchies in stock but I need some child size holiday scruncies if anyone knows where I can get some. Then I'll call it a day.

 

[Reble]

I agree Marty, winter or not these guys love the attention.

Now when cutting tails do they grow back for showing Ok and do you do a straight cut or how?

 

[Reble]

sorry double post not sure why.

 

[Reble]

Do others cut their tails, how much and is it just a straight cut?

 

[chandab]

Do others cut their tails, how much and is it just a straight cut?

I don't show, so growing back hasn't been an issue, but... I do have one mare who's tail I cut every fall, usually just below the hock (this year, I got a little carried away, and its above the hock); she's really bad about peeing on her tail, and for some reason it gets worse in winter, so I cut it. When I cut to just below her hock in the fall, it is usually nearly touching the ground again by spring. I don't know if all horses grow tail hair this fast, but Misty does.

Oh, and I just bang it, just straight across, nothing fancy.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I bang my horse's tails about every six weeks all year around. Otherwise they start dragging the ground and causing problems for the horses when they back up as well as catching on brambles, fences, sticks, whatever might be around. Ugh! Kody doesn't look good with it straight across so I've always started with a straight cut a little longer than I want it to end up and then feather upwards into the hair at different angles. It looks pretty natural in the end and he doesn't step on it. It's important to use a crupper or put your arm under the tail before grasping the end so that the tail is cut to look right when the horse is holding it away from his body as he's moving.

In the winter I will sometimes cut it to pastern height or above just to keep it out of the mud because nobody's going to see it or care until spring and it means longer between cuts. It's always grown back and then some long before I need it!

Leia

 

[Reble]

Thanks that is another thing going on my list.

Yes, they get awful muddy and stained during the winter, and so hard to get them clean for showing.

Good Ideal thanks.

 

[ruffian]

I like the idea of trimming the tails, especially on my broodmares. Thanks!