The clocks have gone forward and it’s time to celebrate, writes Carolyn Henderson. Here are the signs that Spring has arrived… You’re possessed by an uncontrollable urge to spring clean. Of course I’m not talking about your house – don’t be silly! As every horse owner knows, I mean the satisfaction that comes from seeing every little cobweb swept from your horse’s stable; sparkling windows; supple tack and gleaming metalwork. If you’re a working horse owner who has kept up these standards through winter’s rain, cold and mud, you can stop reading now and polish your halo. Seriously…if there are lots of cobwebs in your stable, it means there are insufficient air changes. Check ventilation and airflow, for the sake of your horse’s respiratory health.
Scene 1: Your horse has been fully clipped and now his summer coat is coming through. He’s gleaming from hours of grooming. You’re exhausted, but feel virtuous. Adjust aforementioned halo. Scene 2: Your unclipped or minimally clipped hairy pony is shedding hair in cartloads. Much of it ends up in your eyes/makes you sneeze/sticks to every garment you possess. Who would have thought horsehair could penetrate every layer, or does pony hair possess special qualities? After two hours, a vaguely remembered profile emerges from the fluffball on four legs. You’re exhausted – and filthy. Your horse has a spring in his step – literally. It may be that the first mouthfuls of spring grass go to his head like fine wine, or perhaps the sun on his back makes him leap, buck and generally behave like a Tigger on steroids. Either way, you wish he’d decide that there’s a horse-eating dragon hiding behind that clump of leaves when he’s in the field, not when you’re riding him. You’ve got a mare? Then you’ll know you need to prepare for her batting her eyelids at every male equine for miles around/becoming generally more sensitive/making the hormonal teenager in your family seem sweet and reasonable by comparison.
You’re happy to do this because a good mare will give you everything she’s got. If seasonal behaviour does cause a problem, talk to your vet. Some owners find that nutritional support helps keep mares on an even keel. Getting up in the morning becomes painless. Instead of throwing the duvet to one side the moment the alarm sounds, you wake up to sunshine and birdsong. Fair enough, it might be raining or – whisper it – the Beast from the East might be threatening an unseasonal return. You can’t have everything. Frozen water buckets and troughs seem like a bad dream. Your nearest and dearest insists on taking a picture of you “so I can remember what you look like.” You feel slightly – only slightly – guilty, because he/she knew from the start that it was a case of “Love me, love my horse.” Your get-up-and-go, which got up and left some time around mid-January, has returned. There are so many opportunities on the calendar, from early morning or evening rides to spring shows and sponsored rides. Happy Springtime! And do let us know how you’ll be enjoying the longer days.