Prepare your horse for winter with this veterinary checklist: body condition, dental care, deworming, hoof care, and hydration tips.

As the year winds down and temperatures drop, now is the ideal time to schedule a conversation with your veterinarian about your horse’s health heading into winter.

A year-end wellness check isn’t just about addressing current concerns… It’s about ensuring your horse enters the colder months in the best possible condition.

Here’s what to discuss with your vet before winter sets in.

Assess Body Condition Together

One of the most important topics for your year-end vet visit is your horse’s body condition.

According to Michigan State University Extension, long winter hair coats can hide both thin and overweight horses, making a hands-on assessment essential.

The Henneke Body Condition Scoring system, a standardized 1-9 scale, helps evaluate fat cover across six key areas: neck, withers, shoulder, ribs, loin, and tailhead.

Ask your veterinarian to help you assess your horse’s current score.

The American Quarter Horse Association notes that horses should ideally enter winter with adequate body condition; not too thin, which makes maintaining warmth difficult, and not overweight, which increases metabolic risks.

Your vet can help determine the right target for your individual horse based on age, workload, and health history.

Schedule a Dental Exam

Dental health directly impacts your horse’s ability to chew and digest feed properly. This is critical as horses transition to increased hay consumption during the winter months.

Ask your veterinarian whether your horse is due for a dental exam.

Hooks, ramps, or waves that interfere with proper chewing can lead to weight loss, discomfort, or even colic.

Senior horses may need more frequent evaluations, while others require only annual exams. Your vet can advise on the right schedule for your horse.

Review Deworming Strategy

Fall is a strategic time to discuss deworming with your veterinarian.

According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), tapeworm treatment is recommended once yearly in late fall or early winter to align with transmission cycles.

However, modern deworming protocols should be individualized based on fecal egg count testing.

Ask your vet about performing a fecal egg count to determine your horse’s specific parasite burden. This helps avoid unnecessary treatments while ensuring effective parasite control heading into winter.

Discuss Vaccination Status

Your year-end visit is a good time to review your horse’s vaccination records with your veterinarian.

The AAEP recommends that at-risk horses such as those traveling, attending events, or housed at facilities with frequent horse traffic may benefit from booster vaccinations for equine influenza and equine herpesvirus every six months.

Your vet can help determine whether fall boosters make sense based on your horse’s lifestyle and exposure risk.

Talk About Winter Water and Nutrition

Hydration is one of the biggest challenges during the winter months.

According to the Kansas State Veterinary Health Center, reduced water intake due to freezing temperatures can increase horses’ risk of impaction colic.

Discuss with your veterinarian how to encourage adequate water consumption and whether any adjustments to your horse’s diet are needed as they transition from pasture to hay.

Your vet or an equine nutritionist can provide specific recommendations based on your horse’s age, condition, and activity level.

Winter Hoof Care Considerations

Don’t overlook hoof care as temperatures drop.

According to Michigan State University Extension, hooves should be trimmed every six to eight weeks throughout winter to prevent cracks and breakage, even though hoof growth slows during cold months.

The University of Minnesota Extension notes that regular hoof picking is essential to remove packed snow, which can make walking difficult and increase the risk of slipping.

Your veterinarian can advise whether your horse should remain barefoot for better traction on ice or if specialized winter shoeing is appropriate based on workload and conditions.

 

Gather and Organize Health Records

A year-end vet visit is also the perfect opportunity to ensure your horse’s health records are complete and up to date.

Ask your veterinarian for copies of vaccination records, Coggins tests, dental notes, and any other documentation from the past year.

Having organized records makes it easier to track health trends over time and ensures you’re prepared if you need to travel or seek care from another provider.

The Bottom Line

Your veterinarian is your best partner in preparing your horse for winter.

By scheduling a year-end wellness conversation, you can address body condition, dental health, parasite control, and vaccination status… all before harsh weather arrives.

Taking the time now to close out the year right sets your horse up for a healthier, more comfortable winter season.

Your Pets & Horses are our Priority!

At the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), our number one priority is to promote the health and well-being of dogs, cats, and horses.

That is why we created the NASC quality programs and the NASC Quality Seal, which helps you identify animal health and nutritional supplements that come from responsible suppliers committed to producing the highest quality, most consistent products available.

Visit our website to learn more and to see a list of NASC members who have earned the Quality Seal.