Horses are creatures of habit and thrive when they live in a steady routine. This is due to them naturally being a flight animal which means they can become easily anxious or upset by the unknown. Maintaining a steady regime can help reduce this risk and improve the equine's wellbeing.
Furthermore, a strict routine is important to prevent jobs being forgotten, whilst also creating a smoothly-run yard.
Whilst it can be difficult to stick to an exact routine everyday, especially when the equine is out competing or similar, where possible try to mimic their daily programme especially if they are nervous or highly strung.
Reasons for having a routine:
- horses thrive in a good routine.
- for the happiness and wellbeing of all horses.
- to enable the yard to run efficiently.
- to prevent any jobs from being forgotten.
Jobs to be kept in a routine:
- arriving at the yard at the same time.
- grooming and picking out feet in the same order each time.
- feed around the same time everyday.
- feed all horses and ponies in the same order at feed time.
- *exercising the horse or pony.
- *turning out and bringing in from the field.
* Subject to change due to different circumstances.
Suggested daily jobs:
- mucking/ skipping out.
- sweeping the yard.
- feeding and watering.
- filling haynets.
- grooming/picking out feet.
- turning out and bringing in horses to and from the field.
- checking all field kept horses or ponies.
- exercising stable-kept equines.
- cleaning tack.
- treating ailments.
