How To Thrive Rather than Survive Winter at the Barn

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Winter is the least favorite time of year for most equestrians. Barn chores are more difficult in the cold, wet, ice, and mud. Paddocks turn into ice rinks or mud wallows, turn out can be treacherous, and nobody enjoys breaking ice in water troughs or buckets. Pair that with shorter days and suddenly you are that person that is cursing the weather forecast and/or Mother Nature herself. Here in southwest Idaho we get a true winter that includes single digit to subzero temperatures, howling wind, snow, and some rain. Every winter I contend with ice, mud, and winter related complications to everyday tasks. After almost 20 years, I have come to terms with winter by utilizing these winter tips.

My number one survival tip is attitude. Instead of focusing on what you cannot do – like go for a nice evening drive after work or easily roll your wheelbarrow to the manure pile – make a list of the things you can do during this time. I highly suggest writing an actual list to look at when your mood takes a downward turn. The list could include the following things:

• Grooming
• Taking walks with your horse
• Working on ground manners
• Working on desensitizing to make tasks easier (clipping, picking up feet, etc)
• Cleaning and repairing tack so it is ready to go when the weather breaks
• Organizing your barn areas or tack
• Cleaning and organizing your horse trailer
• Reading books to increase your knowledge
• Plan for the upcoming year (trips, goal setting, shows, etc)

You get the idea. This is your list and anything goes. Be sure to include things that you enjoy doing with your horse or at the barn. Avoid having this list morph into a “To Do” list for you. Its purpose is to be a springboard to redirect you into a positive mindset and inspire you to do something. 

My second tip is invest in warm, comfortable outerwear for yourself. Proper outerwear for you is essential to keeping you comfortable as you go about your barn chores and spending time with your horse. Experience has taught me that bulky skiwear (like snow bibs) is not great for barn chores and working with your horse. Waterproof, warm gloves are a necessity, not a want. I have several different pairs of gloves to wear depending on what I am doing. I am still searching for the Holy Grail of gloves that are lightweight, grippy but not too grippy, and super warm. If you have this glove, please go to my contact me page and let me know what brand they are and where I can find them. I wear insulated overalls and a super insulated coat over them. Finally, on my feet, I usually wear insulated rubber boots with good traction. When shopping for your outerwear be sure to check for range of motion while you are trying it on. Can you bend down or kneel easily in your overalls or pants? Does your coat restrict your shoulders or your reach? Finally, only invest in items that actually fit you. You do not want your coat to be oversized because it will catch on things and get in the way, and slightly small will not allow you to move as freely as you need to. If you don’t have a clue where to find this type of clothing, ask one of your horse friends or someone you know who works outdoors in the winter where they get their outerwear.

Finally, the third tip is plan ahead and be willing to revise said plan as the situation requires. These do not have to be detailed plans, just a general idea in your head on how you will to solve or approach whatever problem may arise. Some things to consider: a backup plan for water if your spigot freezes or your tank heater stops working, whether or not your veterinarian makes farm calls, weather keeping you from leaving your property for an extended period, or simply how are you going to thaw out your water hose if you forget to drain it. A plan is what will help keep you calm in an emergency and keep a minor difficulty from becoming a major problem in your head. You will not regret taking some time to make a phone call to your vet to see what their farm call policy is, or figuring out alternate ways to keep the ice on your trough open enough for the horses to drink. Remember to be flexible with your plan, and willing to look at outside the box solutions as needed. This will reduce stress, and make you generally more pleasant to be around in a less than ideal situation.

​Winter doesn’t have to be the worst thing ever. If you utilize this time to recharge, do some maintenance, and spend some time just hanging out with your horse, you will thank yourself once nicer weather is here. In reality, attitude, proper outerwear and a flexible plan are essential in any season. Just keep reminding yourself that warmer days are ahead.