Poison and bait are dangerous if you have cats, dogs, or children. Cats, natural predators of mice, are wonderful to have around the barn. A well-groomed horse is less apt to develop skin problems and is a feast for the eyes. Daily grooming is required when a horse is worked, is shedding, or rolls frequently. Bathe your horse once in the spring and once in the fall.
Frequent baths strip the skin and coat of beneficial oils and wreak havoc with hooves.
Keep a separate set of grooming tools for each horse and wash them regularly. If any of the horses in the barn are having a skin problem, wash all grooming tools with a disinfectant. Keep feed buckets and water pail clean. At least once a week, scrub eating and drinking receptacles. Be sure to rinse the soap from them thoroughly.