HHO Winter Survival Guide.

[Rosehip]

Yup, a berk is from berkshire! lol! And yes, my ears are lovely and warm!! Im past caring what people think to be honest, had sweat rollng down my face and dripping off my nose today(Mucking out!!!)....enter fit postlady with a package to sign for! Wahhhhhhh! Oh well!!!
Have you seen those farmers too?? Funniest thing for me was the young lad who came to help us shear...he was wearing his overalls, but nothng else....then got a rather embarrasing tear..poor chap! lol!

 

[mcnaughty]

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.

Crikey Jade - you do make us look like a bunch of wingeing poms...

 

[Cornish Thoroughbred]

Also...

Instead of a under rug just get an old double duvet for the big horses and a single for the ponies put it under the rug secured by a sersingle and....

WULLA.....
....... nice and toasty horses.

 

[bushbaby28]

lol am i the only one actually look forward to the winter? I'm not a summer person at all. Poo picking in the summer and lessons whilst getting burnt = actual hell!!!!!!!

winter= tucked up ponies, big straw beds, frosty mornings, lots of layers, and that lovely feeling when you get in, have a BIG mug of tea and a fire to snuggle up beside. ahhhh bliss.

At least with winter you can put layers on!!

Even the snow was a tiny bit fun!!!!!! Got me out of work anyway.

Top tip- layers, hot chocolate at yard, hand warmers (they're like ice packs but the opposite- you squeeze/pop them and it warms up! then you just boil them once you're home and the gel resets)

and if REALLY cold, just jump in your horses rug with them! You might smell but you'll be warm.

 

[emm0r]

Snuggy snuds are a must for me and they now even do matching ear warmers!!
Snuggy PJs are a must for the horseys too (they dont want cold ears either)
Also leave the hose pipe in the feed room (drained)
And of course the ariat grassmeres
And big fleeces and ski trousers are a must !!!
Putting a pair of rubber gloves over normal gloves is great for holding frozen forks however definately NOT attractive

 

[Montyforever]

Remember where the dips/holes are on the yard/field so you dont step in one when it snows and suddenly have snow up to your hips

 

[laracroft]

Base layer that wicks away the sweat that you work up when mucking out/riding. Any running gear, e.g. climacool, makes a huge difference, cheap as chips in Lidl, Aldi, TKM, ebay.

 

[hannabanana]

Mine are:
.Get some mudruckers boots for when you do your yard chores! toastie feet!

.Go to Tk maxx everytime I go they sell mucker type boots with thinsulate for 30 quid, its where I got mine from, they have lasted me 4 years now, and keep my feet warm! I also ride in mine as there not very bulky and my foot can come out the stirrup no problem.

.Flask of hot drinks for after cold rides!

. take saddle off first to warm your hands up underneath so there not numb when i comes to taking off the bridle!!

. wear tights underneath your jods, I always keep my old tights that have ladders or holes in to use for riding .

. thinsulate gloves and a nice chunky scarf with a balaclava keeps your head nice and toastie!!

. when the horse gets snowballs that will not budge from their feet I like to get hot water and pour it onto the foot, the snow just slops out

 

[china]

put your light weight summer sheets over the top of your winter turnout, they dry out much quicker than your heavy ones!
pop your gloves on the dash of your car while the heatings on to warm them up on your journey to the yard.
faux fur hat, iv just purchased one at hoys for a tenner!
Always have a head torch in your car
WW long yard boots, keep your feet toasty warm!
nice thick duvets to go under your rugs, you can pick them up cheap from asda and dunelm.

 

[Horsetan]

Mine are:
.Get some mudruckers boots for when you do your yard chores! toastie feet!

.Go to Tk maxx everytime I go they sell mucker type boots with thinsulate for 30 quid, its where I got mine from, they have lasted me 4 years now, and keep my feet warm! I also ride in mine as there not very bulky and my foot can come out the stirrup no problem.

I like my Le Chameau Vierzonord wellies (neoprene-lined) and big fleece welly socks, with silk liner socks inside them!

. wear tights underneath your jods, I always keep my old tights that have ladders or holes in to use for riding .

I've gone a bit further than this for winter riding:

- one-piece thermal fleece undersuit (they sell them for fishermen, sailors, motorcyclists, etc.)

- windproof furry fleece-lined one-piece, custom-made for me by a Canadian company: see www.sportees.com - they are based in the Yukon Territory, and I highly recommend them. They will work to your specific design and measurements, and the quality is first-class. Well worth the money. I've been wearing their fleece stuff for about ten winter seasons now. They also make balaclavas, gloves, mitts, and so on.

. thinsulate gloves and a nice chunky scarf with a balaclava keeps your head nice and toastie!!

Silk / thermal liner gloves underneath normal ones work well for me. Don't get the really thin ones, because the material develops a run or the seams split after a while.

If your hands get really desperately cold (and mine have been!), I've resorted to those big fleece-lined Gore-tex gauntlet mitts for general duties. Try not to use them for riding unless you really know what you're doing because you won't have any sense of fine touch, and your horse might not thank you for erratic rein contact.

Balaclavas are brilliant, despite the risk of getting arrested! Having had my face well-and-truly frozen one winter, I'm never without my balaclavas now. Thin ones fit under a jockey helmet fine for riding out; others are thicker and I'll use those for yard duties.

 

[Chamfrom]

I am just in the process of selling my very heavy weight rugs. I have eventually figured out that when they horses have these on, the drag of the heavy weight rubs the shoulders and no bibs ever help. Last winter I started to double rug the horses using turnout combies, this way, if the rain does get through it only gets through one layer and the horse stays warm and dry. When they come in, if the outer rug is wet, keep it on and the warm dry horses dries the rugs out without wearing a damp horrid rug! - saves taking rugs off when its really cold. The two layers of fabric slide when the horse walks so no rubbed shoulders! thats the way for me this winter!
Also - stock pile on the grit NOW before it all flies off the shelf!! makes life so much easier and safer for turning out and fetching in.
Good luck!!!

 

[now_loves_mares]

I'd agree with lots of these!

Thermals all round. Merino if possible as they don't smell. Icebreaker do lovely ones but they are £££, but Mountain warehouse had some in their sale last year. Buy extra long tops so that you don't have a gap in your midriff.

Waterproof Overtrousers - I live in these whether it's wet, windy or snowy. Don't need to be expensive, but preferably windproof.

My Mudruckers were great, cheap enough and warm. But when the snow really hit, I wore these. I actually can't wait for the snow to start so I can wear them again.
http://www.craigdonmountainsports.com/sorel-caribou-snow-boots

Buy as many water carriers as you can and fill them EARLY! Store them under piles of hay or something.

If you have automatic waterers, either get heated tape on all your pipes, or give up on them if it's really cold. Last year I learned by my mistakes and had burst pipes everywhere as I left the water on, this year I will turn my water off at the stopcock every night - and most importantly, drain the taps! Last year I didn't, so for 2 months had to carry water out from my house. I'd rather use the working tap on the yard to fill buckets, then turn it off when I'm finished. Also, use flexible trugs for water. You can kick them so long as the ice isn't too thick, so that it's easier to remove the ice. Fill big ones at the yard during the day when water is on, so you can scoop buckets out of it later.

Fill haynets at weekend.

Headtorch, headtorch, headtorch. Rechargeable batteries.

Shovel the snow BEFORE it sets solid. Make a path to the field and to your muckheap. But remember, the top of the muckheap is the best place to be if your feet are cold

Turn your horses out every day if possible. If you'd left them in up here last winter thinking "oh it'll only be a couple of days" you'd have had them in for 6 weeks straight, or have lunatics to turn out in icy conditions. They LOVE the snow! Just keep them fed with oodles of hay.

But - don't be fooled! Mine got FAT last winter with all the hay

Gloves. Warm cosy ones are all very well, but you have to keep taking them on and off. So i got a pair like this and they were revolutionary! For the first winter ever I didn't get the cracked mucky lines inside my thumb and index finger and almost kept my hands looking feminine! Because they are so thin, you can wear them for doing up rugs and doors and tying up haynets and opening feed bags - you get the picture. You can pull warmer ones over the top for leading etc
http://www.atlasgloveshop.co.uk/pink-gardening-gloves.html
For picking out really manky feet, marigolds over the top of these are perfect.

For riding, the Mountain horse neon yellow are great, warm and very visible.

Musto waterproof lined chaps are a godsend. Also my Musto combination jacket. Never off my back. Merino socks to go with the thermals.

A hat. Any hat. So long as it has long ears!

A scarf or buff or similar. Or both.

I ended up keeping my sugar beet bucket inside the house last year. I used an old supplement tub to carry the day's ration outside.

Standing your horses feet briefly in a rubber trug with hot water from a flask makes picking out their ice-filled feet easier.

Don't ride on snowy roads. Your horse and you may love it, but cars skidding into you is too high a risk, IMHO.

I have hung a cargo net type thing from my radiator at the back door. All my hats and gloves get chucked in it, so they are kept warm and I can come in and swap for a warm pair if my hands get wet.

Keep your wellies in an inch deep baking tray inside. The snow or rain/mud collects in it, saves it going all over the floor.

Get a sunrise alarm clock. Makes the dark mornings seem much easier.

Buy a couple of travel mugs for having your tea/coffee at yard. Again Mountain Warehouse often have these on BOGOF.

Laying some of your muckheap across well used paths is a good idea; though a pain to clear up when the snow melts!

Make sure you know where to turn your water off!

Get a sledgehammer. Sometimes it's the only thing that breaks the ice on the trough Also boltcutters or similar. Last year the padlock to my field froze so badly a couple of times I thought I was going to have to take down the fence to get the horses out . Don't wait till you need them to buy them.

And mostly - enjoy the snow! Clean horses, clean rugs, no mud fever, lighter evenings. Prettiness and peace and quiet. I'd rather that than 5 months of rain and wind and f*%$ing mud

And it'll soon be Spring

(God I've written loads. Who knew I was so informed about winter )

 

[DaisyOscar]

I'd agree with lots of these!

Thermals all round. Merino if possible as they don't smell. Icebreaker do lovely ones but they are £££, but Mountain warehouse had some in their sale last year. Buy extra long tops so that you don't have a gap in your midriff.
Totally agree with this, I hate short tops now. If you can't get them buy a kidney warmer
And mostly - enjoy the snow! Clean horses, clean rugs, no mud fever, lighter evenings. Prettiness and peace and quiet. I'd rather that than 5 months of rain and wind and f*%$ing mud
Took the words outof my mouth!!

My suggestions..

Make sure you completely remove the ice from water troughs from the first freeze or it will build up till you have an ice berg.

For the ubiquitous coughs/colds/flu buy Bell's Bronchial Balsam, available in Tescos, chemists, ebay etc. Is far cheaper than usual cough medicines and far more effective for sore throats too. Also great for warming the pipes!

Primark, ebay etc for fur lined trapper hats under a fiver.

Fleece neck warmer instead of scarf so there are no dangly bits to fall into water or enable your horse to strangle you!

Try to keep part of sand menage thawed by building up sand or bedding so you can let them out or worst case scenario walk on the lunge when the worst weather hits.

Have a spare coat for when your 1st one thaws out and turns soggy.

Long johns and big pants!

Will try to think of more.

 

[brucea]

Ladies - one from the blokes in the forum:

Every year I end up towing drivers out of drifts, or just simply becuase they are stuck on the road. Last year we also had BIG floods and I had to go thigh deep in icy slushy flood water to get one old dear out...really not fun!

So find out where your screw in tow hook is - it will probably be with the tools, metal ring and a shaft with a screw on the end. This goes into a socket on your bumper - usually behind a piece of plastic - can be quite hard to see in the dark.

Find out where your keys for your wheel sockets are so if you get a puncture or blow out on a pothole you know you can get the wheels off (or some passing bloke can)

So make sure you also carry at least these things in your car - I know it's blokey and boring, but it's really not fun being unprepared when it all goes wrong on a dark and snowy night:

• Torch - one that you can recharge with 12v car socket
• Tow rope
• Jump leads
• A can of the spray puncture repair (£3-5 from any good supermarket) - it will get you home at least
• A screwdriver (plain and crosshead)
• Pliers
• Spare fuses for your particular car
• De-icer and scraper
• A pair of work gloves
• A roll of kitchen towel - useful for misted up windows
• Something to lay on the ground if you need to change a tyre (or the poor bloke who stops to help you does)
• A shovel if there is snow on the ground

I have a plastic box in the boot for this stuff.

And a HUGE bar of chocolate - Cadbury Caramel - and don't eat it! You may be really glad of it when you are waiting 2 hours for ther AA or RAC man!

 

[JenHunt]

go for Merino or Cashmere or Silk - yes, they're expensive, but their thermal properties are much much better than cotton/nylon/lambswool/denim etc...

if you can't afford them, go for good quality synthetic thermals - Helly Hansen, Lowe Alpine, Berghaus all do good quality ones which aren't too expensive. Because they dry quickly if you get wet/sweaty, you don't get cold.

 

[Mabel98]

Ladies - one from the blokes in the forum:

Every year I end up towing drivers out of drifts, or just simply becuase they are stuck on the road. Last year we also had BIG floods and I had to go thigh deep in icy slushy flood water to get one old dear out...really not fun!

So find out where your screw in tow hook is - it will probably be with the tools, metal ring and a shaft with a screw on the end. This goes into a socket on your bumper - usually behind a piece of plastic - can be quite hard to see in the dark.

Find out where your keys for your wheel sockets are so if you get a puncture or blow out on a pothole you know you can get the wheels off (or some passing bloke can)

So make sure you also carry at least these things in your car - I know it's blokey and boring, but it's really not fun being unprepared when it all goes wrong on a dark and snowy night:

• Torch - one that you can recharge with 12v car socket
• Tow rope
• Jump leads
• A can of the spray puncture repair (£3-5 from any good supermarket) - it will get you home at least
• A screwdriver (plain and crosshead)
• Pliers
• Spare fuses for your particular car
• De-icer and scraper
• A pair of work gloves
• A roll of kitchen towel - useful for misted up windows
• Something to lay on the ground if you need to change a tyre (or the poor bloke who stops to help you does)
• A shovel if there is snow on the ground

I have a plastic box in the boot for this stuff.

And a HUGE bar of chocolate - Cadbury Caramel - and don't eat it! You may be really glad of it when you are waiting 2 hours for ther AA or RAC man!

Love it! Thanks for the tips from a male perspective.......

 

[RutlandH2O]

Despite having water troughs and taps in all stables and in the 3 sections in our pole barn, everything was frozen for 3 weeks. All the water pipes are
lagged, but this past winter took no notice. So, we were hauling dozens of
buckets of water several times a day and night. We have a tap just outside
the house that never froze, and it became our lifeline. OH destroyed his
back, and mine is not much better. Several months ago, I found a product
called H2GO. It is a thick, soft plastic container with a sealable spout at one
end, that has a capacity of 80 litres. This receptacle is placed in a wheel
barrow, spout at the front end, and filled with a hosepipe. It can then be
wheeled to any trough, bucket, tub for fast, efficient filling by simply tipping
the barrow forward. I bought 2 and have a niggling feeling they will be used rather frequently this winter. I bought them from 2 different vendors on eBay as Buy it Now. They cost between £5 and £8. I'm pretty confident
they will be a vast improvement over the sloshy, small capacity buckets.

 

[Horsetan]

Ladies - one from the blokes in the forum:

Every year I end up towing drivers out of drifts, or just simply becuase they are stuck on the road. Last year we also had BIG floods and I had to go thigh deep in icy slushy flood water to get one old dear out...really not fun!....

Lateral thought: fishing waders! Not something you'd normally contemplate. But when you need them (as "brucea" clearly did!), you'd be glad to have them!

 

[brucea]

Horsetan - I so wish you'd been there to suggest that I pop waders in the boot an hour before it happened!

 

[Horsetan]

Horsetan - I so wish you'd been there to suggest that I pop waders in the boot an hour before it happened!

LOL.

As it happens, I've always kept a pair of waders in the back of my car - they are really useful in winter. Mud, floods, they don't matter! I've even resorted to riding in mine with the rest of my winter gear, and am glad I did. Total waterproofing and insulation

 

[brucea]

They say that experience is something that you acquire a moment after you really needed it.

 

[Horsetan]

They say that experience is something that you acquire a moment after you really needed it.

Certainly is!

Not for me that awful realisation of "wet legs" , though

 

[Stelzar]

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:

Loves it!!! Chestnut Cob

(bit expensive if you have 2 though!)

Buy a 4x4 so you can get to your horses in the snow and can give people a hand if they get stuck

Buy boot warmers, to keep your toes nice and toasty, and invest in a pair of Mark Todd leather riding gloves, they have a fleece inner and a water proof outer!

Get a nice snuggly scaff to keep the cold off your chest and torch, with spare batteries is a must!

Other wise do as Chestnut Cob says and get your horse on part livery classic!!!

 

[sakura]

I don't do part livery but I do have my gelding on assisted DIY, means that on 3 evenings during the week I don't go to the yard, so my horse doesn't have the stress of being last one to come in and I don't have to struggle with a rushing horse in the dark! and as much as I love him, it is nice to have a bit of a break, I'm still up every morning though!

scarves and head torches are worth their weight in gold!

 

[Aoibhin]

for those that have their own electric fencing & more it regually get one of the roll up hose reels & wind your tape straight onto it & off when you need it no more messing around in the cold trying to get the knots out. they are cheaper than the proper fencing reels & you get 8/10/15 metres of hosepipe too, or do a cheap one like me and look/ask on your local freecycle (ive got 3 now) & my fencing is up/down in less than 20 mins.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Ladies - one from the blokes in the forum:

Every year I end up towing drivers out of drifts, or just simply becuase they are stuck on the road. Last year we also had BIG floods and I had to go thigh deep in icy slushy flood water to get one old dear out...really not fun!

So find out where your screw in tow hook is - it will probably be with the tools, metal ring and a shaft with a screw on the end. This goes into a socket on your bumper - usually behind a piece of plastic - can be quite hard to see in the dark.

Find out where your keys for your wheel sockets are so if you get a puncture or blow out on a pothole you know you can get the wheels off (or some passing bloke can)

So make sure you also carry at least these things in your car - I know it's blokey and boring, but it's really not fun being unprepared when it all goes wrong on a dark and snowy night:

• Torch - one that you can recharge with 12v car socket
• Tow rope
• Jump leads
• A can of the spray puncture repair (£3-5 from any good supermarket) - it will get you home at least
• A screwdriver (plain and crosshead)
• Pliers
• Spare fuses for your particular car
• De-icer and scraper
• A pair of work gloves
• A roll of kitchen towel - useful for misted up windows
• Something to lay on the ground if you need to change a tyre (or the poor bloke who stops to help you does)
• A shovel if there is snow on the ground

I have a plastic box in the boot for this stuff.

And a HUGE bar of chocolate - Cadbury Caramel - and don't eat it! You may be really glad of it when you are waiting 2 hours for ther AA or RAC man!

go for Merino or Cashmere or Silk - yes, they're expensive, but their thermal properties are much much better than cotton/nylon/lambswool/denim etc...

I love this, tips for winter survival. How differently the sexes think....

 

[girlmoose]

Surely it can't be worse than last year.....can it??

Unless my horse throws himself at the floor and splits his knee open again (or equivalant) I hope not. Bandaging a mad box rested horse in the snow last year...my fingers nearly fell off!

I suggest remembering to take water in a plastic camping thing from home whenever you think it may freeze.

Thin rugs under thick rugs so you can put thin rugs into washing machine and keep horsey clean.

2 pairs of gloves on. Another pair at yard, another in car.

 

[Bovril]

My best tip for keeping your ponies warm this winter is buy them a duvet, sounds ridiculous but I did it for my old girl about 4 years ago, bought a £9.99 duvet from argos and its the best and warmest rug ever. In the really cold spell last winter all she had on was the duvet a sursingle and a top rug to keep it all in place, she was as warm as toast all through the snow, be carefull though as if its not cold they get to hot in them, only put it on last year when the temps went down below -2 or -3.

 

[charliebuxton]

Problems with freezing pipes and taps? Have you got mains electricity. If so consider putting a heat trace wire alongside the pipes under the insulation. You can get clever and have it on a thermostat, or just put it on a switch and turn it on when it goes below 4 degrees. We have done both, and it works brilliantly and uses very little power. Benefit is that taps and water troughs keep working, and you do not have to call out a plumber to mend broken pipes. If you have a hunt on the internet you can buy the heat trace wire on line or talk to your friendly electrician. It costs quite a bit but is well worth it.

 

[MochaDun]

If you're small/lightweight and can't carry those huge water carrier containers yourself, should your pipes on the yard freeze and you need to carry water onto yard for your horse's buckets, buy the Aqua Pura 5 litre containers of mineral water - with the handy carry handle. Obviously don't give the expensive mineral water to the horse but decant it into something else and then these containers can be easily filled at home or from a nearby running tap and transported and carried easily. Last winter I bought 4 and with one 5 litre container in each hand, I could still walk easily on the ice as was balanced. 4 of them just about fill a medium sized trug.