Spring is in the air!

Spring is a wonderful time to enjoy the view from between your horse’s ears

© Amanda Young

By Equestrian Life

Spring is in the air! For many horse riders and enthusiasts, it’s a special time of year that we’ve been looking forward to for months. The days are longer and warmer, and our horses are starting to gleam – but spring is not all fun and games! Here we take a closer look at five things we love, yet also dread, about spring.

1. Warm weather

Say farewell to cold winter days, damp conditions and morning frosts! Sure, spring can serve up its share of wild weather with the occasional cold snap or wind gust, but on the whole it’s a delightful time of year for riding and spending time outdoors with horses. However, be sure to locate the sunscreen before the first spring scorchers arrive! Whilst most of us welcome the first hot days of the years with open arms, for those in warmer areas of the country they are a reminder of the searing summer heat ahead – and the flies and dust that goes with it. Enjoy the mild and pleasant spring conditions while they last, pack away those winter rugs and reach for the cottons and fly masks instead!

It may be prudent to invest in a grazing muzzle this spring if you have a laminitis prone or overweight horse!

© Alexas Fotos

2. Green grass

For those that have dealt with poached paddocks or frosted grass through the winter, there’s great joy in seeing the green shoots of spring poke through. No-one enjoys it more than our horses, who gobble the fresh and delicious new grass with delight! The arrival of spring grass means a lower feed bill and less time sourcing and feeding hay for the lucky ones amongst us; yet for others, particularly owners of laminitis prone horses, it can be a worrying time as the sugar levels in grass skyrockets. It may be time to restrict pasture access, or invest in a grazing muzzle!

3. Longer days

As the days get longer, there’s much more time to enjoy the view from behind your favourite pair of ears. Just as spring has put a spring in your step, you may notice that your horse is exhibiting a little more joie de vivre than usual! It may be the effect of all that green grass mentioned above, or perhaps you’re paying the price for not riding enough over winter – whatever the cause, “spring silliness” seems to be an affliction suffered by many steeds, while riders across the nation can be heard muttering “a deep seat and a short rein”… or resorting to lunging instead!

Spring time silliness is an affliction many steeds suffer from!

© Amanda Young

4. Summer coats

Even the best coated horses tend to look a little shabby by the end of winter. Whether they have a long shaggy coat or a short clipped one that’s lost its sparkle, a horse rarely looks its best in August! Cue September, and while the summer coat may not have come through quite yet, horses are starting to gleam and even dapple – before long, they’ll be shimmering in the sun! Unfortunately horse owners must first endure a period of being shrouded in their horses’ shedding coats; as you choke on tufts of horse hair, just remember, in a month or two it will all be worth it!

It’s not much fun enduring the coat shedding phase, however once summer coats appear it will all be worth it!

5. Newborn foals

There’s nothing more adorable than a foal; whether they’re playing, sleeping or simply cruising around their paddocks with their dams, foals are a delight to observe and the ultimate time wasters. For those that breed horses, the arrival of spring means that the long equine gestation period – over 11 months – is nearly over, and it’s time to meet that long awaited foal! It’s a very exciting, yet nerve wracking time which can result in sleepless nights on foal watch, and hours spent observing fragile newborns. When all goes to plan, it’s certainly worth the wait – and the stress! For those that don’t breed horses, yet love the sight of a cute foal, the chance to see a foal frolicking in fresh green grass is sure to help put a smile on your face and help leave winter’s woes behind!