5 Horsey Jobs for August

Horse owner’s thoughts start to turn towards autumn with the arrival of August. Occasional night time temperatures of 10 degrees start to creep in along with slightly darker mornings. So, what horsey jobs should you be doing this month?

Get ready for clipping

There’s nothing more frustrating when you want to clip and you find that your clippers aren’t working as they should. It’s a good idea to have your clippers professionally serviced every year. The best time to get your clippers serviced is now or even during the summer months if you’re really well organised. This is the least busy time for companies that service them, so you can then be guaranteed to have your clippers ready for the start of the clipping season. Not sure about the best clip? Read my guide to choosing the best clip for your horse.

Look out for Lammy

Horses can suffer from laminitis at any time of the year, but one major known cause of an attack is the higher level of sugars in lush grass that occur at this time of the year. Rich grass doesn’t directly cause laminitis on its own but it can be a contributing factor.

As always prevention is easier than cure:

* Note the weather. Cool nights and warm sunny days usually create the most lush pasture grass. When the brown summer grass starts turning green, move or pen “at-risk” horses

* Use a grazing muzzle. Use a slow-grazing muzzle on at-risk horses, even if you’re only turning out for a short while

* Create a pen. Reduce the amount of grass itself that your horse has to graze on by “strip grazing” him. Put up some temporary fencing to do this and move it every couple of days or so when he needs more grass.

Be a Beach Bum for a Day

Why not take your horse to the beach for the day? There are many benefits of riding on a sandy beach for both horse and rider. Long sandy stretches are good for building up fitness levels and often the sand can encourage muscle tone and strength. The salt water can often improve the quality of the hoof and even hoof conditions that you may have been wrestling with for a while.

For the rider, the outstanding views of the sea and surrounding landscape are a refreshing way to remove the stresses and strains of life, albeit temporarily! Read our blog about beach riding…

Last Bank Holiday

The last bank holiday in August is a great time to give your horse’s stable a deep clean so that it’s ready for him when he needs to spend more time in it in the months ahead. Take out all the bedding, take up the rubber mats if you have them and give everything a really good clean. The weather should still be warm enough to dry everything quickly so that you can put it all back in the stable on the same day.

Prepare for autumn

Saying goodbye to summer is never easy but one thing we can all look forward to, is the range of lovely new products to try this autumn.

Being prepared is the key.

Have a think about what you really need to improve your riding or your horse’s way of going.

Do you have a favourite job at this time of year? Tell me in the comments. You never know, your tip may just help a fellow equestrian!