Horse owner making January baseline notes in a winter barn

Winter Horse Care: Start the Year With a Baseline

January 1, 2026
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Quick answer: Start the year by recording the horse you have today. Photograph body condition and feet, watch first steps, check water and forage, inspect blankets and tack, and write down the current workload before setting new goals.

Why this matters

January plans often begin with more exercise or more products. A baseline is more useful. It makes later changes visible and helps the veterinarian, farrier, dentist, fitter, trainer, and owner work from the same horse instead of from memory.

A practical routine

  1. Take consistent photos of both sides, front, hindquarters, feet, and any known problem area.
  2. Record weight or body-condition method, appetite, forage, water, manure, turnout, and blanket use.
  3. Watch straight lines and turns before increasing work. Note first steps and recovery.
  4. Review hoof, dental, vaccination, parasite-control, saddle-fit, and veterinary schedules with the appropriate professionals.
  5. Choose one realistic routine change, define what success looks like, and recheck on a set date.

Stop and get help when

  • New or worsening lameness, pain, heat, swelling, or hoof sensitivity
  • Weight loss, appetite change, reduced drinking, fever, or colic signs
  • Equipment or footing that makes the planned work unsafe
  • A goal that requires ignoring the horse’s current condition or professional advice

Where products fit

Products come after the baseline. Use the Solution Finder to match a current Draw It Out® product to a real job without turning a January goal into a shopping list.

Bottom line: A strong year starts with an honest record of the horse, not a dramatic promise about where the horse should be.

Educational content only. This article does not replace veterinary diagnosis, treatment, farrier care, qualified instruction or bodywork, emergency services, or current competition rules.

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