The end of winter is a welcomed change for horses and their owners as they can begin riding, training, and exercising again. Maintaining your horse’s health in the winter is no easy task, so it is a relief that Spring horse care is much easier. Don’t forget any of these items on the list when taking care of your horse this Spring.

Health

The first step for a horse owner in the Spring is to schedule a physical examination for your horse. This will address any problems the winter has left and assess its overall health. Make sure you communicate any problems or insight to your veterinarian regarding wellbeing. Have you noticed a limp, patchy coat, or behavioral issues? Now is the time to address it.

A crucial part of keeping your mare in good health is to make sure it is receiving its Spring vaccinations. This is possibly the most important part of a veterinary appointment for any horse owner. If you want a complete list of the vaccines every adult horse should receive annually, check this list from The American Association of Equine Practitioners. Horses that come in contact with other horses on trails may need conditional ‘risk-based’ vaccines, such as herpes or influenza.

If you plan to take your horse over state lines, they will need a blood test to know as the Coggins Test, which looks to identify Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). This test may take a week or more to get results back from, so plan accordingly.

Nutrition

The Spring is a welcomed time for horse owners because of the green grass that begins growing. A horse’s diet is dependent on this grass for its high levels of vitamin E, a necessary nutrient that regulates nearly every aspect of your horse’s system. Even with the grass becoming greener, to take your horse to its peak performance, they need supplementation. For more research, look into this article. Health- E, our vitamin E supplement, is the number one rated, highest potency, and best all-natural vitamin supplement on the United States market.

The changing temperatures and increased physical activity can also leave horses anxious, unfocused, and sore. If your horse suffers from any of these symptoms, they can benefit from Happ-E-Mare. Our product contains 9  balancing herbs plus multiple vitamins including high dose vitamin E along with natural minerals.

While nutrient-rich grass provides this vitamin E, over-consumption in the pasture can lead to laminitis. Horse owners must consider this variable when allowing their horse to graze for long periods of time. There are several methods to prevent this disease, some of which being strip grazing, limited turnout, the use of dry lots, and grazing muzzles. This makes it necessary to supplement your horse with vitamin E, as they cannot receive the necessary amount with diet alone.

Body Care

Spring cleaning applies to your house, so it should for your four-legged friend’s as well. Scrub or replace old water buckets, remove rodent droppings, and check if your first-aid kit is still full and the medicines are up to date. (And make sure you have one in the first place!) A clean living space makes for a clean and healthy horse, avoiding infection and immune disorders. Once the barn is cleaned, it’s time to focus on your horse’s body.

It is important to maintain your horse’s hooves regularly. Keeping your horse’s hooves clean and dry is vital to any owner trying to ride serious miles in the coming warm season. If your horse has been barefoot all winter, it should receive shoes if spring training will be rigorous. Trim and balance the hooves to make it easier to remove the dirt and grime in the frogs. Spring is also a great time to schedule your horse’s dental floating. If your horse has been shaking its head or fighting the bit, it is a good indicator of a dental problem.

As for your horse’s coat, keep it clean and dry. If your horse has any crusts or bacterial debris, try our map shampoo, an all natural and gentle antibacterial topical cream. One bottle contains several month’s worths of baths for your horse’s comfort.

A last note; these are some of the items you will need for your horse’s spring routine:

1. Dewormers
2. Shedding Blade
3. Map Shampoo
4. Clippers
5. Brushes
6. Hoof Pick
7. Mane and tail comb
8. Wound and skin care
9. Health E or vitamin E supplement

Thanks for reading our spring horse care checklist. We hope it made it simple to get the maintenance items out of the way before you can get back in the saddle again. Make sure to visit our products page for more great medicines, supplements, and others.