Poo picking - is this reasonable?

[cappucino]

I currently share a 14.2 cob, who lives out.

Up until this point I have been poo picking 3-4 barrows a week. I ride 3 days a week and assumed 20 ish poos per barrow, so approximately 25 poos a day.

I have now been told that I need to poo pick 5 barrows every time I am at the yard, a total of 15 per week.

Before considering ending the share I just wanted to know how much poo does one 14.2 cob produce in a day and whether what I was doing before was reasonable or not.

 

[JillA]

My 16.1hh wbxtb produces a barrow full (sometimes not heaped full) a day and I guestimate his output at about 12 to 15. But it depends on how much food they have access to and a cob can put it away. I would have thought 15 barrows a week was OTT though, that's more than 2 a day, and 5 for the days you are there would be much more than he would do. Is it a shared field by any chance (my lad has a paddock to himself so his are easy to guage)??

 

[SpringArising]

I have now been told that I need to poo pick 5 barrows every time I am at the yard, a total of 15 per week.

Before considering ending the share I just wanted to know how much poo does one 14.2 cob produce in a day and whether what I was doing before was reasonable or not.

Does the owner of the horse poo pick on the four other days? How much are you paying and what other chores do you do?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

My 14.3 cob puts out approx 7 to 8 piles overnight and 4 to 5 out at day.
I think someone is taking the Michael OP

 

[PollyP99]

We get 2 barrows per day off of the paddock when 3 are out 24x7 in summer, they are 3 14h to 15h so similar size. What you're being asked to do is excessive, no one animal could produce that much in the time, the amount you were already doing is a fair amount IMO.

 

[HollyWoozle]

They are definitely being unreasonable.

 

[twobearsarthur]

That seems a lot of barrows to me.
A horse will produce on average 8-12 poos a day. (84 a week)
If your doing 5 barrows a day at 20 poos a barrow.
That's 300 poos a week !!!!!!
My mares messy but even she doesn't manage that!
Personally I would consider this request unreasonable.
Have they said why they want you to fill so many barrows?
It would also take me about 3 hours to do that (I'm a slow picker) lol.

 

[Art Nouveau]

Can't imagine it pooing more than one barrow load really, unless it's a tiny barrow. My previous share (16.1hh) I would poo-pick one barrow on each day I rode and would generally clear the field she was in with that one barrow load. I knew that she was often not being poo-picked the day before I rode, so I was fitting two days worth in one barrow. That was a fairly large barrow and I packed it in tight though!

My current share horse is in a field with another mare but I still only do one barrowload on the days I ride.

5 barrows a day would make me leave, assuming that the reason there's 5 barrowloads in the field is because it's a big field with several horses in. Unless there are a lot of other perks to your share eg it's free and there aren't any other shares in your area at the moment.


Short answer - yes I think you're doing a reasonable amount at the moment. I would imagine a 14.2 cob produces about a barrowload a day in the field, maybe a little more if out 24/7.

 

[BraidedTail]

My 2 horses (both 15.2) produce a barrow and a bit load per day, approx 35-40 poos, between them. I would say what you are being expected to do does seems a bit much!

 

[Surreydeb]

My two cobs and one pony living out produce 3 barrows in 24 hours. Sounds like you are being asked to do way more than your share horse produces.

 

[ROMANY 1959]

Five a day!!!! I think you would be poo picking for whole yard there!!! I have two horses and I fill a large barrow in mornings, and then just skip out through the day, I think a few quiet words need to be said, you don't want to be taken advantage off. I've been on a shared turnout regime, 6 horses in a large field, and can honestly say there was only two of us who regularly poo picked, we did have a muck pile in corner of turnout, the YO would remove it every few weeks, but there were days when I wondered if I was poo picking for all 6 not just mine.. I went on holiday one week, and my horses went with us, and I was so upset at state of field when I got back. Poo everywhere , that I gave notice and moved where I had sole use of turnout for my 2 .

 

[cappucino]

Thanks to everyone for your views, I was rather take aback at the suggestion to be honest!

My 16.1hh wbxtb produces a barrow full (sometimes not heaped full) a day and I guestimate his output at about 12 to 15. But it depends on how much food they have access to and a cob can put it away. I would have thought 15 barrows a week was OTT though, that's more than 2 a day, and 5 for the days you are there would be much more than he would do. Is it a shared field by any chance (my lad has a paddock to himself so his are easy to guage)??

Yes, it is shared but only one other horse at the moment, a large 16.2 cob. My share pony is only on grass and a small feed of balancer once a day.

Does the owner of the horse poo pick on the four other days? How much are you paying and what other chores do you do?

I pay approximately half of the basic livery, and do any other chores required, including feeding, fence mending and being there for the farrier etc. From her message I gather that she will poo pick the same amount on her days.

That seems a lot of barrows to me.
A horse will produce on average 8-12 poos a day. (84 a week)
If your doing 5 barrows a day at 20 poos a barrow.
That's 300 poos a week !!!!!!
My mares messy but even she doesn't manage that!
Personally I would consider this request unreasonable.
Have they said why they want you to fill so many barrows?
It would also take me about 3 hours to do that (I'm a slow picker) lol.

Unfortunately I was ill before Christmas and then the ground was frozen, so no one poo picked. I have a clear week this coming week and said i would catch up this week, but got this message instead.

The claim is that everyone is going to poo pick 5 barrows every day for their horse. I can't see how there will be enough poo for this !!

Maybe this is her way of ending the share!?!

 

[poiuytrewq]

It does seem a huge amount. However, maybe they are expecting a bit of work instead of help towards the horses costs?
Ie- my daughter loans a pony and the owners still pay everything. She mucks out all their horses on the weekend and does poo picking for the whole lot (just the weekend worth) amongst other stuff.
She does get paid a bit but in general is working for the pony.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Sorry I see you pay half, in that case I'd be querying it as it's a hell of a lot!

 

[lelly]

My cob does 18 ish in 24 hours and I think that is a lot. She is about 14.3/15hh. I get one well filled barrow from her. Maybe this is just while it's all cleared? If not it is very, very unreasonable.

 

[AmieeT]

Rubbish. Sounds like someone doesn't want to 'share' the work.

Ax

 

[Notimetoride]

Was this request by text/email by any chance. Sometimes wires can get crossed. Are you sure they didnt just mean next time you are down can you please collect 5 barrows' worth, so as to catch up on yourselves. Was it definately 'every' time you are down, collect 5 barrow loads. You will be spending your entire life collecting poo !!! ?? My horse when out 24/7 produces enough for me to collect about three quarters of a barrow to a barrow full. I would personally just question the meaning of the message and would broach the subject politely by saying that you just wish to clarify what was being asked of you. I sincerely hope its just crossed wires cos if not, they are taking the P and I would refuse to do it.

 

[AmieeT]

Was this request by text/email by any chance. Sometimes wires can get crossed. Are you sure they didnt just mean next time you are down can you please collect 5 barrows' worth, so as to catch up on yourselves. Was it definately 'every' time you are down, collect 5 barrow loads. You will be spending your entire life collecting poo !!! ?? My horse when out 24/7 produces enough for me to collect about three quarters of a barrow to a barrow full. I would personally just question the meaning of the message and would broach the subject politely by saying that you just wish to clarify what was being asked of you. I sincerely hope its just crossed wires cos if not, they are taking the P and I would refuse to do it.

That's a very good point! Sounds much more reasonable if it's right.

Ax

 

[Wagtail]

I own a small livery yard. I have recently cut it down to 5 horses by not replacing people who leave because I was finding doing 7 too much on my own. During the summer they are all out 24/7. I have a 60 litre wheelbarrow which I alternate getting two and three heaped wheelbarrows out a day to clear all the paddocks. That means that the horses average 30 litres of poo each per day. You are being taken for a ride I'm afraid. Research states that horses do around 12 per day.

 

[lelly]

I seem to remember there was a thread on here once about how many poos your horse does.

 

[hoggedmane]

At my yard we all pooh pick into large trug buckets. 2 buckets fill a wheelbarrow. The most we have to do for any horse at the most 'productive' time of the year is 6 or 7 buckets i.e. 3 barrowfuls. At times when there is less grass it goes down to 3 buckets a week and the fields are kept clear.

 

[w1bbler]

My 3 cobs just about fill 3 barrows a day in summer ( Dont pick winter fields} so a barrow per horse.
If only 2 horses in your field then 15 barrows per week would be all for both horses.
Suspect owner is just wanting help catching up a backlog, or you are being taken advantage of
I cannot imagine you could get 5 barrows worth in a day from 2 horses.

 

[dreambigpony]

I think that is a little unreasonable of the owner. My 14.3 cob does around 5 poos out in field 7am to 3pm. Then at night about 6 in stable.

 

[ecrozier]

One of my horses is in the shared field at yard (rest are individuals/pairs) and two of the horses in that field have sharers, we all agreed that sharers should be doing one large barrow per day that they share in summer, and aiming for the same in winter but not filling the barrow as full as it's harder work in the mud!! The owners then also do a barrow per day in summer and a bit less in winter and that keeps field fairly clear. This time of year my 16.3hh and his field mate a 14.2hh cob are out 8.30-3.30 and barely do a small barrow a day between them!

 

[Vodkagirly]

I would query it. A barrow a day should be enough for a normal horse. 5 a day is taking the pee.

 

[nuttychestnut]

My 17.2hh only does one barrow per 24 hours so yes they are taking the mick!
However if the work is exchange for riding 3 times a week (not sharer fees) it's still over 3-4 hours work easily so not fair in my opinion

 

[Arzada]

I just wanted to know how much poo does one 14.2 cob produce in a day and whether what I was doing before was reasonable or not.

I would expect no more than one barrow per 24 hours for a 14.2 living out. Would vary only slightly if ad lib hay provided.

 

[amandaco2]

My 4 do 2 barrows daily living out. 5 barrows daily for 1 horse is crazy

 

[smellsofhorse]

At the most I can get two full wheel barrows a day.
That is from a TB and a darmoor.

So 15 a week, for one horse isn't fair.
Are there other horses in the field?
It seems like you are being told to do their share!

Id say 7 a week is plenty.
So if you ride 3 times a week.
1 or at the most 2 wheelbarrows each time is more than fair, especially as the owner is supposedly looking after this horse on the other days.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Mines out from about 8 -3 daily in an individual paddock and I pick up about 20 - 25 poos a week or about 1.5 - 2 barrow loads. He saves most of his poo for his stable.