Preparing Your Barn for Fall

Though the temperatures in most regions are still sweltering, cooler days and nights will be here before we know it. Here are some tips for preparing your barn for fall.

 

Check Schedules

The return to school changes daily schedules for many families in the fall. Be sure to check with your boarders as well as the people who train at your stable to ensure that you are on the same page with everyone’s projected schedules for the season.

 

This will help you develop a schedule for the care and management of the horses being boarded on your property, and it will also help you develop a schedule for training and lessons.

 

This will also give you a good idea of what you can expect your workload and income to look like during the coming weeks; this can help you determine if your current staff will be able to handle things, or if you’ll need an extra helping hand or two.

 

Prepare and Organize Blankets

Before the first chill of the year sets in, it’s best to organize and prepare the horse blankets. Pull everything out and do a thorough check – if anything needs to be repaired, rewaterproofed, or replaced, now is the time to do it.

 

Make sure that every horse’s blanket can be quickly located and identified. If you have new additions to the barn, or if you find that you need to replace a blanket or two, you’ll have plenty of time to get what you need before temperatures drop.

 

Walk the Property

The dead of winter is the worst time to discover a broken fence post, cracked window, or footing issues out in the pastures.

 

Take some time to walk the property with a checklist to ensure that everything is in ship-shape before fall and winter arrive. Things to check out include:

 

• Fencing
• Windows
• Doors
• Roofing
• Water tanks
• Footing in pastures and paddocks

 

This way, repairs that are needed can be done before the harsh weather arrives; this will leave you with one less thing to worry about during the winter months.

 

Take Inventory and Stock Up

Inclement weather can delay deliveries or make it difficult to make it into town to pick up hay, shavings, feed, or other essentials.

 

Take inventory of what you have in the barn and take into account what you will need in the coming months. If you live in an area that endures harsh weather in the winter and even the fall, it may be in your best interest to stock up on the items you know you will need; this will help you ensure that you will always have what you need on hand in even the worst of winter weather.

 

Of course, it’s best to ensure that you are well-prepared with salt, shovels, and plowing tools as well.

 

Following the tips you have learned here, you will be able to ensure that your stable is well-prepared for fall.

 

For more informative equestrian blog posts, check out our blog.

 

For more information about Stablebuzz stable management software, click here.