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Once the clocks roll back, it can feel like winter arrives almost overnight. We’re plunged into darkness from mid-afternoon, temperatures drop, winds pick up, and horse ownership becomes a near constant battle to get to the spring.

For those of us who juggle horses with a full-time job, winter can make having horses a struggle to get them exercised and keep them happy, particularly when you’re fighting the fading light and wading through knee-deep muddy fields. Throw in freezing temperatures and most of us are wishing the months away until things warm up again.

Despite reduced turn out or frozen arenas, horses still need regular exercise and enrichment to stay physically fit and mentally healthy. Even with the best of intentions, having turnout all year round simply isn’t possible and can even become a danger hazard when the weather turns nasty. That means your horse might be spending more time stabled than usual, and a good exercise routine is a must to keep them feeling happy and healthy.

What if we told you winter could be made ten times easier with the right set up? You heard us, with the right tools designed to make things simpler for you, winter can feel like a light breeze! It’s all about having a yard that works for you, so you can make the most of horse ownership and ensure that all their needs are met, even in the middle of winter.

If you’ve been considering a stable revamp recently or are in the market to build your dream yard, then here are a few things that to us are non-negotiables going into winter. Trust us… you’ll thank us later!

Stable size

When your horse is spending longer periods of time stabled, the larger you want your stable to be. Forward planning for winters and choosing larger stalls when you’re designing your barn can save you a lot of hassle when it comes to the inevitable winter exodus out of the fields and into the stables.

The more space your horse has to move around in their stable, the less stiff you’ll find they get. With ample space to wander round their stable, it’s keeping their joints and circulation moving, preventing them from getting stiff and filled legs. With more space, enrichment toys like stall balls or hay balls are a great addition to their daily routine to provide mental stimulation and ensure they’re moving around their stable. This combination means they’re a lot less likely to display boredom habits like cribbing or box walking.

Regardless of the size of your horses, we suggest opting for a larger stable set up so that you’re ready and prepared for winter when the time comes.

Our Monarch stable ranges, like the Imperial Range, are available as standard in 12 and 14ft sizes. Whilst that might suit your needs, all our Monarch stables are completely bespoke and made to order, which means you can have any size stabled you want! So, if 12’x14’ isn’t big enough, we’re more than happy to accommodate your vision and build you the perfect stables to see you through even the harshest of winters.

Horse Walkers

When the fields are out of action and you’re chasing the last of the light, getting your horse exercised regularly throughout winter can feel like an impossible mission. Factoring in brushing them off, tacking up, cooling them off after work, and rugging them up again, you’re racking up the minutes on the meter before you’ve even began!

A lot of us at this time of year start to lose some of the motivation we had during the summer, and general riding, let alone competing, can feel like a chore. If the pressure feels like it’s on and the enjoyment has gone from riding while the weather is against us, a walker is just what you need.

Regardless of the circumstances, horses need a baseline of exercise, but when you can’t find the gears to get going or battling the guilt for giving them a day off, a quick stint on the walker will give them the exercise they need, and you can rest assured knowing they’ve been out of their stable and stretched their legs.

Our horse walkers, from smaller personal walkers to larger professional set ups, are designed for all-weather use and come with the optional extras of a roof and floor paving to ensure the best of environments for your horse, whatever the weather is doing!

A Good Arena Surface

There’s nothing more infuriating than planning to ride your horse, and something gets in the way. Imagine you’ve started the morning earlier and rushed through the day to catch the light, you’ve reorganised your plans to get your horse exercised… and the arena is frozen.

When temperatures fall below freezing, it’s inevitable that most surfaces are going to freeze (even some that claim to be all-weather!). Any surface that holds water or lacks the right binding agents is going to freeze in cold weather, and when this happens it puts riding out of the question. Arenas turn into ice rinks, and it’s safer to leave your horse stabled than risk a slip or trip on a rock-hard surface (enter the horse walker!).

Having the right surface that holds up in all climates will make a big difference to your winter exercise routine and keeping your horse mentally and physically happy. And we’ve got just the surface in mind…

Like our stables and horse walkers, we’ve done our research and concluded that Equestrian Direct Surfaces, Flexiride, was the way to go. This surface can be laid as a complete surface or used on top of an existing one to bulk it up and create an insulating layer preventing it from freezing in even the coldest of climates. It’s made from industrial strength synthetic textile and polymer fibres blended with cushioning foam, so it’s kind on horses legs no matter what you’re doing on it! It’s low maintenance and does exactly what it says on the tin! This is the surface for you if you want an arena you can ride on all year round, even in the midst of winter. Just make sure you grab your warmest gloves first!

Want to see for yourself? Check out all the testimonials and case studies on their website and see how it’s been a game changer for so many other private and professional yards!

We hope that’s given you some more hope for this winter, and every winter to come. With the right set up, anything is possible and overcoming the winter weather will feel like a walk in the park. Get in touch with us now to chat through your stable and walker ideas and kick back by the fire as your dream stables transform into a reality.