If your horse is on DIY.....

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Parkranger

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how long do you give yourself to muck out/turnout in the mornings?

I'm starting a new job next week and probably moving the boy to DIY/Assisted DIY in the next month so I can save to buy a flat.

So, I'll need to be at work for 9 which will mean leaving home at 8am.

How long do you leave?

I'd rather muck out in the morning even if he's on assisted so I can ride in the evening.....

Love some advice as he's only ever been on assisted/part while I've had a horse in London!
 
Usually about 30 - 40 mins although I can do it in 20 at a push, I like to have a bit of time as you can guarantee the days you are running late will be the days something goes wrong.
 
Mine are on DIY, but I pay the YO turn out in the mornings. Our yard is quite far away, so its cheaper to pay than use fuel !
I do prefer mucking out in the mornings though, but it doesnt take me long in the evenings.
 
To just feed/change rugs/turnout 4 horses it takes me about 20mins, sometimes 30. To muck out my boy (only one of the horses is mine, the other 3 belong to other liveries & the yard owner) aswell as turnout out, etc it takes about 40mins tops.
 
I try to do everything in the mornings - muck out, turn out and do nets & water for evening and sometimes lunge as well. Usually allow 45 - 60 mins as long as I don't get chatting!
 
Mines on DIY. But i alternate in winter with my friend to do each others horses in the morning. Though not mucking out my friends horse just turning her out.

It takes my 10 mins overall to walk to and from yard. Then 15-20mins to muck out whilst horse is eating breakfast (he eats v..e...r...y s...l....o...w....l....e...y otherwise i wouldnt muck out.
2 mins to change his rug. His stable leads straight out into the field as he 2 doors! so ive just got to open then door and push him out
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so about 30mins

As moonwalker says... it doesnt take long to muck out in the evenings so if your struggling for time in the morning as you may be tired leave in till later.
 
In the winter (when he's in at night). I give myself about half an hour. In that time I give him breakfast and start mucking out or changing rugs while he's eating, then turn him out, and carry on mucking out - I basically get as far as i can with the mucking out before I have to leave, then pick up where I left off when I get to the yard after work, but I usually got it all done.
 
I turn out 2 and muck out one and it takes me about 40-60 minutes. Included in that are picking out feet, changing any rugs, mucking out, washing buckets and getting hay net ready for the evening.
 
Chum is deep littered on shavings. It takes me 30-40 mins to soak hay, brush, rugs, turnout, muckout etc. I could do it in half that time if pushed. Also add on 5-10 mins to check Shetlands. I give myself an hour just incase of any problems.
I am always late for work.....
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When they are in for winter it takes me about 45 minutes to muck out and lift the beds, leaving them their day bed. I usually muck out round them eating. On an evening I can usually get them mucked out, beds down and fed in 30 minutes.

In winter I do however, make up haynets for the week and make up a week worths of feeds ( dry ingredients only) so all I have to do is grab nets, add SB and water to feed and run!!
 
I give myself 15minutes to put the bed up and give fresh hay and water (my horse is on straw). If I want to save time I will put the morning hay outside the stable the night before - I have been known to do everything in under 10minutes at a push LOL. It takes me about 8 mins to muck out and put a bed up although I tend to take a bit longer on weekends and do a thorough job.
 
It takes me 10 mins to muck out and turn out inc water and hay in. Ten mins each way to yard so allow 30 mins as a rule unless I ride then 1.5hrs I have to make sure all done am as YO gets in if I get held up when the others come in
 
I give myself 45 minutes. I like to have eveything done in the morning so that the stable is ready for her to walk straight into and her dinner is ready. That way i just have to ride after work or if something happens and i cant get down in the evening i know everything is ready for her to come in at night. I hate mucking out after work now it seems to take me twice as long!
 
Hi usually takes me 40-50 mins from leaving my house to getting back, given that yard is only 5 mins away. All in all can do both horses (my daughter comes with me) in about 30 mins, I sometimes leave the mucking out till later tho especially in winter as getting rugs on etc can take a bit longer.
 
Half an hour to muck out and rug change two horses. About 20 mins if their both being turned out as I don't have to muck out round them!
 
I must be a slow poke!

6.50 Arrive at the yard
Feed 3 neds
Poo pick one barrow while they feast
Change rugs
Turnout 3 neds
Muckout deep litter on dirt floor bed
Hay nets
Water
7.50 head for home

8.00-8.30
Faff around at home (laundry, iron clothes, washing, clear mess from men etc)
8.30-9.00
Shower - hair
9.00 - 9.30
Commute - only 15 mins late!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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OK, I was thinking:

6am - wake up
6.15 - leave house
6.20 - get down the yard (new one is 1.8 miles from home!)
turnout
Muckout
Give neddy massive kiss - make feed for evening and arvo haynet
7.20- leave yard
7.30 - get home - quick shower - get dressed
8.00 - leave home for work
9.00 - at desk, not smelling of horses and feeling slightly smug that I got everything done.

Does that look achievable?

x
 
Looks acheivable!

Other end of the day is more entertaining!

5.00pm leaves desk and goes to car
5.01pm leaves smelly wellies/boots on back door mat
5.05 changes from nice clean office clothes into riding clothes (of which there is normally at least one offensive item) I also have a knack of leaving a trail of shavings and hay around the office!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5.50 back where I belong - on the yard with my girl!!!!
 
I have now got another horse and it has been a few years since doing two.But when it was just the one it took about twenty minutes.Used to put the breaky in for him while i mucked out around him,put the hose on and fill water buckets while i mucked out,i left the wheelbarrow and haynets untill the evening.It will all go t*ts up this winter i expect lol.
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My evening routine would be:

5.00 - leave office
5.45 - get into my home station
6.00 - get home/change
6.15 - be down yard

Why do we do it to ourselves? lol xx
 
No you have it wrong - you have to be spotted walking around town in disreputable grubby clothes - they say I look like a down and out Big Issue seller some days - complete with pearls!!!!!!!!!!!
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Usually about 40-50 mins in winter- add another 25mins if we're having a Welshie day. ie don't want to go to the field- I was there yesterday. Going for a stroll down the road would be far more interesting. No? Well then I'm just a-gonna plant myself right here and I ain't going no place!" then turn out alone can take 20mins or so
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. You name a cure, we've tried it. He is getting better tho! Also muck out/ change rugs while he's having his breakfast.
Thank goodness for summer when he lives out and mornings only take 30 mins or so, as we have to have a "bonding" session before I leave- ie he sticks his bum in my face as he loves getting his rump scratched and massaged. He stops me leaving until I've done it. Damned Horse Listener, now he's got me where he wants me!!!!
 
I keep my horses at home so leaving out travelling time I can do 5 in 40 minutes in the winter.

All on mats. All turned out during the day and at least three fed morning and evening.

I have about 12 haynets! All made up in one go and always ready the evening before. I have a spare stable so they are put in there overnight. All morning feeds are made up the night before with just water or s'beet to add in morning.

I also have 3 or 4 dustbins to soak hay!! The joy if having your own place!! I might get another this year so I can do five at a time!!!

Hay is left soaking while I muck out, and I muck out and change rugs while they are eaating to save time. I can do three horses in each barrowload so sometimes do 3 in the morning and leave the two small ponies to the evening to save going to the muckheap!

I always look forward to Friday as I dont have to get everything ready for the next morning!!! I wouldnt need to be this organised if I only had one and didnt have to go to work!!!!
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I do the other end of the day - I haven't got time for a 30 mile round trip so my YO turns out and brings in during the winter. Cheaper than the fuel.

Winter

Evenings - eventually get to the yard anything between 7 and 9 if work is bad. Cairo is on mats with small bed, Chancer on shavings. Put in school to run around, muck out, make up feeds x 4, Balls x 2, water x 2, nets x 6. Pick out feet, minimal groom and 20 mins exercise per horse if I am up by 8, or I loose school them together for 20 mins if up later. Change rugs, give cuddles and head for home - I take about 2 hours, plus one hour travelling - hence I only do five days as I have Wednesday and Fridays off - I need some time to do things other than work and horses.

Summer - Make up feeds x 4, bring boys in, groom, exercise and then turnout and feed in field whilst I poo pick and do field water takes me about the same as I tend to do longer exercise or a hack and generally on a nice day sit in the field and just watch them chilling.

For me assisted DIY is the only way I can survive.
 
last winter, i got up yard just after 6am, gave ready made feeds to 2 horses, mucked out my horse, unrugged/rugged 3 horses then turned out 1 mare with another livery then put mine & friends 2 geldings out & i was there til about 7-7:15 but will only be doin my horse & friends gelding this year (me hopes) so will go up same time but will be gone by 7am.
 
My boy is on box rest at the moment with a very thick bed of shavings. To do everything which includes feed, filling haynet, mucking out, topping up waters and sweeping up usually takes around 30 minutes. I've got quite quick at it. Takes a bit longer if I have to add a bale or if there are people to chat to lol
 
In winter an hour and 15 mins to feed, make haynets, feeds for next day, rug and turnout out, mout, sweep up, do water buckets. But I am slow and I have two dirty horses.
 
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