We readily admit that we’ve been in a bit of denial about the impending change of weather. However, 4:30pm sunsets and a complete arsenal of blankets hanging near every stall in the barn are making it difficult to ignore the reality of the situation. Winter’s chill brings with it a-whole-nother set of requirements as it relates to horse care, so this week we relented and began to stock up on all things necessary to beat the freeze.
Though prying open our wallets is generally not how we cope when the struggle gets real, we figured a touch of retail therapy might help fend off the winter scaries. It worked, so below we share the frost-proof necessities without which our stables couldn’t possibly function (really, though!).
In many parts of the country, ‘tis the icy, muddy season in which horses spend more time in stalls. Bye Bye Odor (by our trusted friends at Spalding Labs) combats that pervasive ammonia stench that we all know so well.
Smartpak’s insulated water bucket covers reduce [the dreaded] winter bucket-filling by extending the time it takes them to freeze. They are also quite a bit safer and more convenient than heated buckets.
Coffee, y’all. Need we say more?
Or soup. Or bone broth (of which we are big fans). The Yeti thermos lives up to the hype, and is a must-have when it comes to keeping oneself warm from the inside. And to keep warm from the outside? We’ve covered that, too.
Admittedly, these blankets aren’t as luxurious as some of the more expensive brands. However, they’re cost-effective, durable, and come in a variety of colors for the Type-As out there who need everything to match (like us). We also love these neck covers for turnout, because a warm horse is a quiet horse, and a quiet horse keeps its shoes on!
Absorbine’s Miracle Groom Bath In a Bottle is exactly what it sounds like. Plus, they claim it works on cats and llamas. So there’s that, too.
They say you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. We call bull****. For horses less inclined to drink in the colder months, Horse Quencher encourages water intake. Tastes like a treat, but it’s one of our favorite tricks!
When the days get shorter, outdoor tasks become harder. Headlamps allow for two free hands and the ability to see in poorly lit areas. Keep one or two of these in your tack room or trunk and you’ll be surprised how often it comes in handy.
This is the hack of all hacks. Using latex gloves to line winter gloves (which are never quite warm enough!) helps keep heat-loss to a minimum, especially when performing glove-less tasks such as bucket-scrubbing.
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