Winter Preparedness is key both at home and at your stable. Early fall is a great time to get prepared and work out all the kinks to your management system well advance of the first truly cold winter day! You remember those?.. Cold winter days! Burr! Those days of keeping the stable closed up to keep warm? Closed up doors and windows will keep things warmer but also reduce airflow creating the build up of ammonia which is a health concern for both you and your horses. First and foremost, if you're in an area where it's possible, crack stable doors or windows to keep some fresh air flowing through your building and let Bye Bye Odor help you mitigate those harmful barn odors in our tips below.
The four topping the list are basic: water, food, shelter, and good body condition.
Water
Provide warm water, 45-65F, for your horse readily.
Food
Make sure and feed your horse extra hay in extremely cold conditions. Be careful with the amount of grain feed you give them and talk with your veterinarian about healthy portions to mitigate colic.
Shelter
Does your horse have a roof over its head during heavy, cold rain and snow? Are their wind blocks to protect your horse from the cold gusts?
Body condition
This one you start now and should be practicing year-round. Make certain your horse is a healthy weight, their coat and hooves are in good condition, and they are up to date on their shots. Start applying a hoof conditioner on your horse as the weather starts to shift. You want to keep moisture in and promote positive hoof growth.
Additional tips
BLANKETS
Check your winter blankets for holes and make sure they are clean. You can wash your blankets and sheets with 1/4 cup of Bye Bye Odor to eliminate urine and manure odors. Make sure to repair any holes in your blankets prior to washing!
TACK
Give all your tack a thorough cleaning. This will help protect your precious leather investments through the brittle winter months.
STALLS
Strip and re-bed your stalls. Use Bye Bye Odor on your stall floors and about 3 feet up the walls to remove the harmful ammonia in urine. If you think you're stalls are clean and smell fine, get down on your knees and take a whiff. If you're not using Bye Bye Odor it will likely have a heavy, unhealthy ammonia smell. In between stripping and re-bedding, spray Bye Bye Odor on the urine spots after you've removed the urine soaked shavings for everyday maintenance.
FIRST AID
Check your barn’s first aid kit. Ask your veterinarian for recommendations to complete your kit but make sure to keep a fungus control spray on hand as you know they will occur, and you want to be prepared. Likewise, a thrush remedy is ideal for prolonged damp weather.