moving to DIY yard...any tips?

C

caroline23

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 April 2009
Messages
284
Visit site
next week im moving from a new, everything included yard to DIY on a local farm near me, it has taps and electricity but thats it

the stable is the futherest point from the tap and there are no auto-drinkers in stables, so does anyone know any gadgets to help roll water buckets over? as have to go over some bumps so i imagine half the water will sprill out if i just drag it

also, has anyone had any experience of grass mats for the enterences of feilds? as people on yard have said it gets very muddy and the feild i'll be using is huuugggge with only 2 other horses in so was thinking of getting some or maybe electric fencing the area off to prevent it getting too deep/slippy when taking horses

any other tips/tricks/gadgets for DIY with not many appliences also welcome, especially since its coming up to winter!
 
I have a water container which i fill up, chuck it in the wheel barrow & carry it to my stable = no water lost and no lugging awkward buckets :p
A headtorch always comes in handy if the lights are not very good OR if you would have to walk to the filed in the dark,

Make sure there is a kettle + supplies down there for chilly evenings !!!
 
there is a water carrier bag you can buy that fits in a wheelbarrow if you have to carry water any distance i will try and find the link and add it.

link : http://www.amazon.co.uk/H2go-Bag-wheelbarrow-water-carrier/dp/B003QVDXZE

if you have storage bulk buy with other livieries to save pennies on hay and bedding.

an air heater to warm your hands is useful when its really cold.

grass mats can be useful esp if you put some hardcore at gates too and use mats further back stops the muddy area just spreading.

head torches are good for checking legs etc

a rota with other livieries can help lots to save lots of visits to yard if you arent local.

take a flask for tea breaks :)

good luck ive always keep horses on DIY its very satisfying! :)

ETA link to wheelbarrow carrier
 
Last edited:
I have two aqua roll water carrier with handles which are a great help getting water to the field or stable. The other one that I have looked at but my wheel barrow is to deep is an H2Go which is listed on ebay.
Old ironing board is a great way to spread out a rug to dry.
Head torch great for finding the horse in big fields
I have been thinking about gate mats but this year have left it to late as the gateway is already to poached.
Hope your move goes well.
 
This is not cynical, but mark your name on EVERYTHING if you are not the only person on the yard. My brush and spade have a live's of their own and go visiting other stables, sometimes only coming back with a hangover/head fallen off!

I use a wheelie bin as a tackbox/storage cupboard. OH dropped a piece of wood into one to give a 'base' about 10" under the main lid - plenty of storage for brushes/lotions and potions Then he cut a hole in the front and hinged the cut piece so it's a cupboard for keeping wellies/overalls etc. Couple of hooks on the front for hanging hoof picks and car keys......
Keter storage boxes are good as well.

Waterproof trousers are brilliant for mucking out in, if you need to keep your good clothes clean. I wear these, plus a waterproof coat, wellies and workgloves in the wintermonths - then go to work in a school. The cotton workgloves with the rubberised palm's are cheap and really warm.

Loads of road-salt for when the snow comes.
 
Grass mats will do absolutely nothing for a muddy gate entrance unless you have a hard standing under it first!
 
appylass said:
I bought a H2Go from ebay a few weeks ago, was highly sceptical, but it really works, amazing thing, I wish I'd had one years ago.
Click to expand...

Another vote for the H2Go, it has saved my back all the year round (we had a problem with troughs last summer)
 
skint1 said:
Another vote for the H2Go, it has saved my back all the year round (we had a problem with troughs last summer)
Click to expand...

Another vote for theH2go having been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I find lifting the water extremely difficult and very painful usually I have to beg someone else to fill my water. Thanks to this I can easily fill my own water - have even wrapped it in an old turnout rug to stop it from freezing and possibly splitting. They are so cheap and easy to use I wish I had got one sooner x
 
I always keep a bin full of water, in my tackroom, as our taps freeze in winter, and sometimes we can get no water for 2 days,. Plus i always keep a sml bale of hay/straw for emergencies, it's hard when you run out and cant get hold of farmer/yard owner, (I hate borrowing of anyone), so, i always have a spare of each,. Like other say:- label everything in perm marker, before i did that all sorts of daft stuff went walkies from purple spray to even grooming brushed/hoof picks. Hope that helps,.
 
Err, umm, if you've got your own tackroom, or lockable space, I'd strongly suggest a little portaloo!!!! Seriously! Or one of those little thingey's you, um, can use, if you know what I mean, sorry can't remember what they're called.

With the portaloo you can either go "posh" and have the ones which are quite pricey and flush [ ;) ] OR go cheap and cheeful (i.e. slop and toss!) and have the ones which are basically a bucket within a toilet-shaped container. I've just ordered a "Kampa Khazi" from www.greatoutdoorsdirect.co.uk - won't break the bank and well worth it! ;)
 
Janette said:
This is not cynical, but mark your name on EVERYTHING if you are not the only person on the yard. My brush and spade have a live's of their own and go visiting other stables, sometimes only coming back with a hangover/head fallen off!

I use a wheelie bin as a tackbox/storage cupboard. OH dropped a piece of wood into one to give a 'base' about 10" under the main lid - plenty of storage for brushes/lotions and potions Then he cut a hole in the front and hinged the cut piece so it's a cupboard for keeping wellies/overalls etc. Couple of hooks on the front for hanging hoof picks and car keys......
Keter storage boxes are good as well.

Waterproof trousers are brilliant for mucking out in, if you need to keep your good clothes clean. I wear these, plus a waterproof coat, wellies and workgloves in the wintermonths - then go to work in a school. The cotton workgloves with the rubberised palm's are cheap and really warm.

Loads of road-salt for when the snow comes.
Click to expand...

hehehe thats so funny you beat me to it when i saw the post i was going to say write your name on everything :D
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Err, umm, if you've got your own tackroom, or lockable space, I'd strongly suggest a little portaloo!!!!
Click to expand...

I have never needed this^ but why not just save money and get a shewee? I have heard great things about these little bits of plastic!

Kettle always good. How far away is the tap? Is it feasible to get a long hose to attach?
 
Janette said:
This is not cynical, but mark your name on EVERYTHING if you are not the only person on the yard. My brush and spade have a live's of their own and go visiting other stables, sometimes only coming back with a hangover/head fallen off!
Click to expand...

Agree with this. Label EVERYTHING. For forks/barrows etc, get some electrical tape and put the same pattern of stripes on everything.
 
I use several buckets to carry the water to my stable- good exercise. We keep a wheelybin full of water too for hay soaking, which we fill weekly with the hosepipe. We hang hoofpicks and brushes all over the place so they are handy.
More buckets - A big trug for skipping out, a small trug for picking feet into. My horse is happy to pee in his big trug too, when I'm there to position it. Saves on bedding.
Keep warm clothes at the yard - thick socks, ski gloves, hat, Rambo chaps and waterproof coat. I have lots of plastic crates for rugs etc.
Get yourself a head torch too.
 
Another vote for marking absolutley everything with your name. I've used sheep ear tags in the past, not many seem to use them and you can write on them. Not foolproof though, if someone wants something enough they can take them off so write your name on the item too. I think it's more of a visible deterrant though.
I used to fill big containers & chuck them in a wheelbarrow too instead of dragging buckets around, but the H2go bags look great. Never had to use one though as we have automatic feeders in stable now.
For winter, ice studs for your boots are a godsend. I hardly ever took mine off last winter and didnt fall over in them at all, vene once the snow had gone & turned to slush/ice. There are loads of types out there but these are what i'm on about:
http://www.spiky.com/
Also, depending on how big your DIY yard is, there will always be people on there telling you how best to look after your horse/what to do/how to do it. Ignore them! Every yard i've been on has had one, and they usually seem to be the ones who know the least. :rolleyes:
 
I've always been on DIY and love it. I hope you do too.

I have a couple of old chest freezers and a couple of old wardrobes which I use for my stuff. OH fitted locks onto them for me. Totally invaluable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top