Spring Horse Care

Now we have reached spring we should be experiencing better weather and horse owners breathe a sigh of relief as they can turn out into paddocks for some good quality spring grazing.
It may not yet be time to kick your feet up and allow your horse to be more self sufficient as although we are approaching the warmer drier months in Britain it's never quite as warm or dry as we'd like.
When the skies go grey and the rain starts to beat down we automatically head for the indoors and get warm and comfortable, Luckily our horses are hardy enough to endure being left out in a summer storm.....or are they?
Most of their time a brief downpour on an otherwise warm sunny day will not upset your horse, often to the contrary and they can actually enjoy it but if the weather takes a turn for the wet for any prolonged period it can be a different story.
For most rainfall a run in shelter is adequate but if accompanied by strong winds that could cause damage to the shelter or cause injury from debris being blown around you should check that your horse is safe and sheltered, even stabeling him till the storm is over if it is forecast to be too ferocious.
Every owner needs to take into account the personality and health of their horse as like people, no two horses are the same.
If your horse suffers from anxiety being left out in a storm, even a mild one may cause a panic and a panicking horse is often a danger to himself.
If there is a sudden clap of thunder and flash of lightning which spooks a nervous horse this can lead to escape attempts that result in lengthy and costly veterinary consultations and can mean the added expense of equine ultrasound machines being used for diagnoses.
Lightning is not just a spooking danger but it can be a killer. Horses have been killed by lightning whilst instinctively sheltering under trees or touching a metal fence or gate that has been struck by lightning.
There is no right or wrong answer and all elements of your horses accommodation need to be looked at carefully to ensure that whatever the weather he is safe and taken care of.