Clocks gone back? How to reset your routine for dark evenings

For horse owners

• Bring forward the day. Plan riding and turnout for daylight hours; a short ride in daylight beats a rushed one in the dark.
• Review the rug. Shorter days and colder nights mean the rug that worked in September may not now. Check weather, clip and age, not just the calendar.
• Check your yard lighting and torches, and make sure everyone knows where the head torches live.
• Wear hi-vis for you and your horse if you're on the road at all, even for a few minutes at dusk.

For dog owners

• Walk in daylight when you can, and use a light or reflective collar and a hi-vis coat for evening walks.
• Keep dogs on a lead near roads in the dark. Recall is harder to rely on when you can't see them.
• Dark evenings are a good time to work on indoor games and short training sessions, such as the recall plan in our week-by-week guide.

Rugs: the quick check

The most common winter mistake is rugging by the date rather than by the horse. Feel under the rug at the withers and behind the elbow: if it's damp or warm, go lighter; if it's cold, go heavier. Our rug weight guide walks through it temperature by temperature.

Make winter easier

Less daylight means less time, which is when the routine jobs get missed. MyGroom's rug advisor works out what each horse needs from the forecast and their clip, and keeps care reminders for horses, dogs and cats in one place, so the basics happen even in the dark.