HHO Winter Survival Guide.

[Brontie]

I'm afraid to say, Autumn is upon us, and the cold weather is here. Winter wont be long round the corner, and it's set to be as bad as last years if not worse. So, I propose we all post our winter survival guide, be it for out walking, seeing the horses, driving about, or anything. If you've got little hints tips or secrets. Feel free to post about how to keep horses warm, or best way to break the icy water troughs, or what to do if stuck in the snow. Anything to help others winters become easier, we want to hear them!

So, I'll begin with the basics as I've not really had many bad winters or enough to gain many tips

Flasks of hot drinks! Invaluable on a freezing cold day!
Cover your head! Most of your heat is lost through your head so keep it covered.
Layer up your clothes, the more layers the better, the layers trap the air and the air then becomes heated which then keeps you heated
Mittens are better than gloves, heat from each finger will help keep the other fingers warm instead of being lost out into the cold.

 

[Mrs B]

*does Grinch impression*
Sell the b*ggers...

 

[Jesstickle]

Here is my tip

Get rid of the beasties and stay indoors drinking tea and eating biscuits!

On a more practical note, leave a football floating in your water trough to help stop it freezing over.

 

[Jesstickle]

*does Grinch impression*
Sell the b*ggers...

haha. great minds!

 

[Montyforever]

On a more practical note, leave a football floating in your water trough to help stop it freezing over.

Only works if pony doesnt like playin football, mine fishes it out and has a kick-about!

 

[pottamus]

Make sure the OH has the log burner on and roaring for when you get back inside. Gloves are an absolute must and put them on BEFORE leaving the house, whilst your hands are still warm...if you put them on when you have cooled...they wont be as effective.
Warm ski socks that come up to just below your knees...marvellous!
Head torch a go go.
Mark in your diary / iphone that it is count down to spring and only 8 weeks to lighter mornings from January...sad, but makes the time go quicker...I think!

 

[ibot]

i got some of those chaps last year they have furry stuff on the inside and i look a bit like a firewoman in them but they helped with the cold
agree about the hot drinks

i am scared its sept and i am freezing starting to get nervous about this years winter......
Last year i was in yorkshire and it was a really hard winter i am in worcester this year will it be any warmer

 

[JadeyyAndLadyy]

Instead of a big feeder thing, get one of these !! http://www.bigbalebuddy.com/page/page/2674952.htm
And, keep salt/vinegar/ketchup or whatever you like, in your glovebox, incase emergancy chippy stop

 

[wilsha]

make sure you have about 5 coats to put on lol
some really warm boots are a must for me
put the kettle on (no not for a cup of tea) take i out to ponys stable top up his bucket with it he loves warm water and it doesnt freeze do the same in the field
get some over trousers warm ones ae great for when its snowy and you pony headbuts you over
wear nice cosy hat and gloves
and if you dont have oneget an aga great for drying clothes and rugs and warmng up boots and warming up when you come in

 

[Chestnut mare]

Last year I deep littered my stable took 5 minutes to poo pick it every morning! Then I spent a morning out there in the spring digging it all out..... Very hard work but well worth the time saved in the cold! U also fill up all haynets and bag up 'ready meals' of horse feed! Try n team up with other liveries to save trips up to the yard! Make time to ride to keep yourself sane and remind ourselves why we do it! Surely it can't be worse than last year.....can it??

 

[Sparkles]

Stick on heating....get in bed....hibernate!

 

[Luci07]

Thermals - what a godsend. I gave in to them when skiing and finally started to wear them in the depths of winter to the yard. Make Bridget Jones big knickers look sexy but I WISH I had worn them before!

Spare working torch in the car - big enough to see a long way out

Flashing collars for the dogs so I can see the b**gers when they are in the yard (though think we freaked out the people in the town who kept seeing little lights flashing in the fields!)

Electric blanket - absolute wee take from friends but when you come back in freezing, even after a hot bath/warm house nothing beats getting into a warm bed. If you have an OH then buy a single one..! If you have cold dogs, go upstairs, kick them off the bed and them climb in yourself.

Olibaum bath oil. Horribly expensive, works wonders when you are freezing and the house smells of lavendar for ages

Slow cooker - chuck everything in when you have the energy, come back to a cooked hot meal

Snow - make sure you actually have enough water containers if you do get cut off/frozen or see if you can keep a dustbin (with ball in the top) in a shed or something to try to have some water on tap.

Dig out the clothes and underwear you ruined clipping in last year..

My biggest thing was forking out for the high end ariats because they really do keep my feet warm. I hate the price though as it is extorninate so this time round, those boots will not be doing any walking - they are for riding only and I have bought very cheap fake fur lined paddock boots for inbetween times!

Oh and my lined waterproof chaps. Get hauled out year after year and are fantastic in really cold weather!

 

[JadeWisc]

Wisconsin winter survival


Make sure all of your tank heaters are in good working order or your tank with be a solid block of ice in two hours. No football in the world would help you here.

Drain your hoses not once but TWICE after use to make sure it is not frozen solid the next time you go to use it.

Make sure you have a pitcher ready to take steaming hot water out to thaw your gate latches and water spickets so that you can open your gates and turn on the water as they will be ice bound much of the time

DO NOT touch anything metal with wet hands

Keep a hoof pick handy becasue if your horse seems a bit taller and looks like it is ice skating they prob have ice balls that need top be picked out


Stay out a maximum of ten minutes when it is -30Fbelow

No poo picking outside as it is frozen solid into the ground on contact so that will be a nice treat....have fun when it all melts into slop in the spring in that one area your horses have hung out in all winter as it was the only place they have packed the 5 feet of snow down.

Get some VERY well insulated boots and a good pair of Carhatts


Take a picture of your horses in the summer to try and remember what they used to look like as now they will be resembling wooly mamoths until the spring thaw.


Get all of your fencing in good order and move round pens where you want them to stay as you will not be able to get a post in the ground or move an ice bound panel again until April.


Invest in LOTS of Burts Bees almond wax hand cream to prevent deep cracking and bleeding.

 

[Sanolly]

spare change of clothes in the car in case you get wet! WD40 for spraying in locks to keep them from freezing.

 

[GLEEK]

Make sure your heater works full blast if not get it in to the garage now to get it fixed!!!!

Here is a pic of the Cairngorms for you all...........
http://www.cairngormmountain.com/webcam/ptarmiganCamLarge.html

My husband has been keeping a close eye on this as he wants to go skiing!!!!

 

[Mabel98]

What a great idea for a post.
Get a headtorch for those dark trips to the field. Forget fashion, get a woolly hat and a balaclava.
Dream of summer and be grateful that the flies and hard ground have gone!

 

[Spudlet]

Dry set of spare gloves in your coat pocket, so you always have warm, dry hands.

 

[chestnut cob]

*does Grinch impression*
Sell the b*ggers...

In the same vein...

Put your horse on part livery, pay someone else to do the hard work in the cold and just go up to ride when it isn't raining...

You all think I'm joking don't you:?! :wink:

 

[Sanolly]

Make sure your heater works full blast if not get it in to the garage now to get it fixed!!!!

Here is a pic of the Cairngorms for you all...........
http://www.cairngormmountain.com/webcam/ptarmiganCamLarge.html

My husband has been keeping a close eye on this as he wants to go skiing!!!!

That's it!!! You are now on UI.... I remember living less than an hours drive from Glenshee, and popping up for half a days skiing every weekend *sob sob*

 

[Perfect_Pirouette]

Does winter ever have to come I thought the last one would never end. It was horrendous and I swear I began to hate horses

But one thing I can say is DEFINITELY invest in some ski wear even if you never plan on going skiing as it really does help to keep you warm and dry!

I really hope it's not going to be as bad as last winter!

 

[TinselRider]

Get your horse a sherpa rug........brill for drying them off and keeping them toasty on those cold nights.

Get a human shower and get it plumbed into the yard now!Saves getting blue hands when washing off muddy feet

Buy a plug in heater to put in your rug room, if nothing else it'll be somewhere for you to get warm!

Plug in flasks for your car.....sort out your coffee / hot choccie/ tea before leaving, plug in your lighter socket and et voila! warm drink for the yard

Beanies....Keep your head warm and some even fit under your riding hat!

Ditch the ventilated hats.....I LOVE them but your head FREEZES in the winter


Failing all else........ Save now and put them on loan/ full livery over winter and bugger off somewhere warm!

 

[kerilli]

'turtle fur' fleece neck warmers from ski shops. gorgeous colours, wonderfully soft, make winter bearable. great presents too. i was looking for mine for the first time today...
put extra dustbins or water troughs in fields and near the yard tap and keep them filled. then, if your supply freezes solid you'll have enough water for at least a few days. it's amazing how much the bloody things drink when you have to carry every bucket from the kitchen sink...
thermal jodhs.
all-weather turnout areas. even if it's just a small area of woodchip, imho horses are happier in there than fetlock-deep in liquid freezing mud... they stand about, or eat, anyway (unless you have brilliantly drained fields with tons of grass in) and they don't need much room for that.
Ariat Grasmeres. nothing else will do.
ski gloves for yard work, sealskins for riding in.
electric blanket.
hot baths but only late at night when you've warmed up, otherwise it'll be chillblain time and they're naaaasty.
oh, nearly forgot - FAL heavyweight rugs with full necks. total godsend.

 

[MagicMelon]

Give your horses a break - turn them away for the winter. I hate riding when its dark and freezing cold, mine therefore gets his holidays from about end of Oct - end January time! Suits him and me Oh, and keep your horses turned out 24/7, they wont melt and any type can happily live out (my TB x does!) - it seriously cuts down on daily mucking out and he'll be happier for it!

 

[Angelbones]

Bags of salt & grit - get them in now cos when the ice comes you won't be able to get hold of any this side of a glacier.

A brick in an old carrot bag - great for smashing the ice on a trough.

Leave your snow shovel by your access point so you can work towards the yard without climbing everest to get there and back carrying a shovel.

And do what they always tell you to do - keep a spade, salt, dog food and human food & water, warm clothes etc in your car - speaking from experience you just don't know when they are going to come in handy! Oh yes, the camera so you can take photos of how your stationary car slid sideways without a driver in it, and took out the oak gate post...

If you have an outdoor school with field access, leave the gate open so they horses can get on it out of the mud / snow. Tie haynets around the edge for them. Mine love it, the oldies lie down on it - I think the rubber keeps them warm.

Actually does anyone want to come to my yard for the winter - we could share the chores and we have hot water and a heated tackroom! (ps and I bring in cake daily!) x

 

[GLEEK]

'turtle fur' fleece neck warmers from ski shops.

I am so with you on this one they are amazing i like the ones with the extra fabric and you can pull them up over your ears. If no one else is around! Keeps you ears warm!



http://www.buffshop.co.uk/?gclid=CKbPy9S-o6QCFeFc4wodw0lK6Q

The polar buff ones are the best. However you can get them much cheaper in TK Maxx!

 

[scribble]

where can i get ski gloves and socks from? Also which gloves for riding in????

 

[GLEEK]

Scribble get into TK Maxx all there ski stuff is reduced just now. Thats if you dont mind wearing last years colours!!!!! Who evens cares what colour they are!!!

 

[jodie3]

Bags of salt & grit - get them in now cos when the ice comes you won't be able to get hold of any this side of a glacier.

A brick in an old carrot bag - great for smashing the ice on a trough.

Leave your snow shovel by your access point so you can work towards the yard without climbing everest to get there and back carrying a shovel.

And do what they always tell you to do - keep a spade, salt, dog food and human food & water, warm clothes etc in your car - speaking from experience you just don't know when they are going to come in handy! Oh yes, the camera so you can take photos of how your stationary car slid sideways without a driver in it, and took out the oak gate post...

If you have an outdoor school with field access, leave the gate open so they horses can get on it out of the mud / snow. Tie haynets around the edge for them. Mine love it, the oldies lie down on it - I think the rubber keeps them warm.

Actually does anyone want to come to my yard for the winter - we could share the chores and we have hot water and a heated tackroom! (ps and I bring in cake daily!) x

Hot water, heated tack room and cake? What more could we want! Please put my name on list to come to your yard!!! (As you are East Sussex possibly not that far from me?)

 

[DragonSlayer]

Put up a shed to turn into a 'Tea-shed' like we are doing! Bung in a couple of old chairs, a small worktop and hey presto! you can boil a kettle on the camp stove and also use the camp heater to warm it up a bit between jobs!

 

[0ldmare]

Keep your hat and gloves on the radiator when not outside - it least you start with lovely warm head and hands

Make sure your outside taps have insulated covers to help prevent them freezing solid and bursting as they defrost.

Its not necessary to change rugs all the time, good outdoor rugs make good indoor rugs! (As long as they are removed regularly and horse checked/groomed)

And if all else fails hire a groom