If you’ve ever made a New Year's resolution—only to abandon it by the time mud season hits—you're not alone. Big goals sound great in January, but the ones that actually stick tend to be smaller, more realistic and easier to work into your daily horse care routine.
As we dive into 2026, the Year of the Horse, we decided to break some equine resolutions down into manageable, monthly goals, thanks to input from Team Tough1 and some of our social media favorites, to help you stay motivated, organized and connected to your horse all year long.
January: The month where all the motivation is bottled up, and you’re excited to get started on everything "New Year." But this is the month to plan: Plan your budget, plan your schedule, plan your hay buying.
I want to work on a budget for 2026, to make sure my horses have everything they need and prepare for when they decide to try and kill themselves. – Crystal Cheek (@tracksidetack)
I prepare all of my horses' paperwork, giving each his own folder in one binder, which helps me stay consist of of scheduling the farrier, the dentist as well as the vet for all of their necessary, maintenance or even just simple spring shots, and for my competition horses, especially competing FEI their rhino flu for every six months. - Ryley Miller (@ryleyymiller)
I keep my planner from the year before so I can roughly pen in all my event dates. The big barrel races don’t vary from weekend to weekend as a rule, so I start mapping out the next year in December or January, while it’s quiet. – Jenn Zeller (@outsidetheturn)
February: One month down, many more to go, and you’re still feeling motivated to accomplish all the goals. So, let's add some new goals to the mix.
Watch for and schedule the year's horse shows and make training/conditioning plans for the competing horses. – Maddie Hofmeister (@maddiesmustangmission)
February is pet dental health month, so take this as a reminder to schedule your horse's annual check-up and have your veterinarian check his teeth for any hooks or sharp points that can cause discomfort for your horse.
March: Depending on where you live, winter may have overstayed its welcome or you’re already seeing lush, green grass. It's time to make the push to prepare for the warmer months.
Schedule spring vaccinations and a spring check-up with your veterinarian. The best time to vaccinate against mosquito-borne diseases (West Nile Virus, Eastern/Western equine encephalomyelitis, etc.) is before the spring thaw.
This is also a good time to do a lameness/pre-season work-up for performance horses. That way, I know what I need to be aware of when it comes to behavior/training issues. – Jenn
Reach out to your local extension office to perform soil testing on your pastures to identify any nutrient deficiencies. Working alongside an extension agent can help you make a plan for fertilizing your fields and rotational grazing, if necessary.
April: Time for spring cleaning! Focus your April to-do list on a cleaning theme to help usher in the warmer weather.
Spruce things up in the spring by deep cleaning the tack and feed rooms, reorganizing your supplies and stocking up on anything that was tossed or worn out.
When it's warm enough, I want to give the horses a deep clean to scrub out the dead hair and winter mud, wash and deep condition manes and tails and trim bridlepaths. Then, I want to deep clean the brushes. – Maddie
May: By now, the threat of cold weather should be over for most of the country, which helps you expand your goals for the barn and your horses.
Wash and store the blankets so they’re ready for next winter. – Ali Patton (@doublezfarm)
Deep clean and condition your tack and saddle to prepare them for a long riding season. This is also a good time to check that the tree of your saddle isn’t broken and that the saddle still fits your horse and you correctly and comfortably. Horses change shape constantly, so most saddle fitters recommend having your saddle fit checked every six months.
June: You should be in a rhythm and feeling more accomplished every day as you check things off your list and enjoy the time spent with your horse. Don’t give up now!
Time to tame those weeds! The grass has been growing, so now it’s time to do some landscaping by weed-eating fence rows and clearing any overgrowth in the fences. While you’re focusing on the fences, take inventory of the condition of the fences and make any repairs needed. – Ali
In late June, we inspect the property for any unsafe conditions (e.g., broken fences, trash) and prepare it for fireworks season to ensure everyone's safety. – Olivia’s Mom (@minilivy)
July: Halfway through the year and halfway through your goals! The summer heat is in full effect for most of the country, so it’s time to start thinking about how to keep everyone cool and comfortable.
As a way to help keep the horses and ponies cool in the summer, look up some horse-safe popsicle recipes and have some available in the freezer for those hot summer days. – Olivia's Mom
August: Summer heat doesn't have to slow you down. Adjusting your schedule to cooler times of day can help you and your horse work more comfortably and effectively.
Ideally, water troughs should be cleaned at least monthly, but if you haven't gotten into a pattern of that yet, now’s the time to start. Check automatic waterers and troughs weekly for any algae growth and give them a good cleaning to ensure your horse has access to fresh, clean water. (We've got some great bucket brushes if you need one.)
September: A shift in the weather means a shift in your focus as a horse owner. Fall is here!
Schedule your horse's fall health check-up and discuss protocols to help your horse stay healthy through the winter.
Start preparing your pastures and barn lot for winter mud. If your high-traffic areas are bare dirt spots now, you’ll want to aim to control the influx of mud during the winter. Creating an all-weather pad can help, especially in areas where horses gather at gates and water troughs. – Ali
Summer is ending, so I want to wrap up the summer show season by celebrating the season’s hard work and my horse! This is the time I will aim to enjoy some downtime with my horse by trail riding, enjoying time at the farm and just taking everything in. – Lauren Reischer (@laurenreischer)
October: Don't look now, but cold weather is coming. It's time to turn your attention to indoor activities and preparing for winter. We're in the final quarter of the year!
Bring all my fly sprays and grooming products inside so they don’t freeze when the temperatures start to drop. – Maddie
Start prepping the barn for winter with a fall clean-up. It’s time to take down fans and put them away (after cleaning them off, first) or unplug and cover the mounted fans. Clean off the cobwebs from the walls and check all electrical wiring and outlets to be sure they are in good shape for the winter.
November: Being grateful is the theme of this month, and it's time to appreciate that the year is almost done and you and your horse have made some progress this year. Let's keep it rolling.
Research some online horse care courses that you can take during the winter. Take the time when the weather might not be conducive for a lot of riding and outdoor work to expand your horse knowledge.
December: The year is almost over, but you’re not out of the woods yet. Amongst all the holiday hustle, don't forget where we started in January and push through until the end.
Find exercises and technical work to practice with the horses to keep their minds busy when the ground is too frozen for faster work. - Maddie
Find some time to reflect on the year: what went well and what could use further improvement? It's important to take time to acknowledge all you’ve accomplished, then start putting together ideas for the new year. – Meredith Kovener
Looking for more of a challenge? Here are a few things to keep as goals every month:
- Knock down the cobwebs in the barn and around light fixtures.
- Maintain a regular schedule of hoof care with your farrier, adjusting for any issues that may arise, such as lameness, cracks or laminitis.
- Maintain a relationship with your veterinarian with routine appointments for check-ups and vaccinations. Developing a client-patient relationship makes it easier should there be an emergency.
If you're looking for a simpler resolution or goal for 2026, you could follow Jenn Zeller's lead for what she’ll be doing: "I typically choose a word to focus on and then make an annual goal, with little goals in the meantime to help me accomplish the bigger task at hand," she says.
However you prefer to set your resolutions, or goals, or direction for the new year, remember to celebrate each tiny win and don't let setbacks discourage you from the main destination: Becoming a better horse owner and spending more time with your horse.
Happy Year of the Horse!
