poo picking work

crazymaisey

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Why can't I seem to find anyone to do this? I'm prepared to pay for it, £8/hour for weekly visits of 2 hours or fortnightly of 4 hours, give or take. It's for 2 ponies over 6 acres.

Any ideas? More £££?

Thanks
 

AngieandBen

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I find a lot of people wont travel to do a couple of hours work a week; Better finding someone locally to do it once a day

When I'm away I pay someone £15 to poo pick once a day that includes petrol; takes about half an hour, but I have three ponies on only 1 acre if that; Why have you got 2 ponies on 6 acres? that's a lot of land!
 

crazymaisey

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Thanks for the reply. Yes I was thinking maybe a local kid may want 20 £ week for a couple of hours work. Say 3 hours at 8 £, that's £100 ish a month. I'd have done!

I know, lucky ponies. I should divide it up but am struggling with health and pregnancy at the mo so I'm not as regimented as I otherwise would be. The grass isn't great so their not getting fatter, just dispersing their little parcels across 6 acres! They'll need to concede to needing less soon as I'd like to rest a lot of it.
 

crazymaisey

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Twiggy, thanks for replying. I'd not thought of the field size as a prob (and hadn't put it in an advert either).

I'm going to divide it up though as to make the job seem more appealing. Would you expect more money?
 

ihatework

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Surely there is a local horse mad teenager that would snap your hand off for this? Perhaps pop a card up at local tack shops & riding schools?
 

crazymaisey

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Ihatework thanks, I thought so.

Going to try post office and tack shop.

I had a lady lined up who has postponed once and now let me down on the morning she was meant to start. So frustrating!
 

Janovich

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I'd be inclined to find a kind and willing farmer to come and harrow it for you to be honest with a 6 acre paddock while this sun is out so the muck that gets spread out can dry and when the rain comes along, it'll wash itself in to a degree too...instant home grown and dispersed fertilizer! I assume it's quite dry at the moment with the good weather we've been having so the tractor shouldn't make a mess of your land either.

I'd split it too and perhaps do the above in two slots so your horses can graze one side, while the other side is dealt with.

Just my initial thoughts on your predicament. :)
 

twiggy2

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Twiggy, thanks for replying. I'd not thought of the field size as a prob (and hadn't put it in an advert either).

I'm going to divide it up though as to make the job seem more appealing. Would you expect more money?

£8 per hour for 3 hrs would be fine if it was at a place I already go to, I would not do it if it was on 6 acres but if it was in a well grazed field with short grass yes I would
 

Fides

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For £100 a month, £1200 a year, I'd leave the poo picking and get a local farmer to roll and harrow a couple of times a year. That's what I do and the land is lovely :)
 

Sebastian

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Fresh manure takes nutrients out of the soil whilst decomposing, so keep that in mind and make sure that you are adding fertiliser at least once a year, if you never poo-pick and opt for the chain harrow option.
 

Fides

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Fresh manure takes nutrients out of the soil whilst decomposing, so keep that in mind and make sure that you are adding fertiliser at least once a year, if you never poo-pick and opt for the chain harrow option.

Grazing itself takes nutrients out of the soil so it should be fertilised yearly regardless or the grazing will get 'horse sick'
 

Fides

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Ahhh I never realised that was what it was called - I have my fields topped, harrowed, rolled, and it seems, subsoiled, before fertilising (and liming if needed)
 

Sebastian

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Good on you for taking care of your pasture so well. :) Too often I see horses surrounded with weeds and very little grass around these parts.

Just out of interest, is there another term for subsoiling that I am missing?
 
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Fides

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Good on you for taking care of your pasture so well. :) Too often I see horses surrounded with weeds and very little grass around these parts.

Just out of interest, is there another term for subsoiling that I am missing?

I've never known it called anything... It just comes after rolling lol.

The reason I look after it is purely because I don't want to have to stable excessively in winter. Mine are out 24/7, all year round and I have still managed to have reasonable grazing left. And now I have a few more acres I have had enough haylage cut for the whole year - and it smells oh so sweet :)

Eta - though I cut too late so am only getting one cut, plus lush winter grazing :)
 

Sebastian

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Ahh, fair enough, lol. :D

Like you, I believe that a well looked after paddock lowers the feeding costs and results in a happier and healthier horse, so it's an investment for the winter.
 

Fides

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Ahh, fair enough, lol. :D

Like you, I believe that a well looked after paddock lowers the feeding costs and results in a happier and healthier horse, so it's an investment for the winter.

Well if nothing else I have £1000 worth of haylage which cost me £0 :)
 

mandwhy

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My horses are surrounded by weeds, it's excellent for them, also known as meadow herbs. No ragwort. I'd never fertilise it, they're good doers. Hence I have a Welsh Sec A roaming free with the others and not getting lami. We have given up on poo picking for now as it's too big due to them breaking tape all the time so will harrow, doing anymore than 2 acres is very hard work and a waste of time trekking to find each patch of poos and back to muck heap, if you do pay someone you'd be better off allowing it to gather a bit so they can do it all in one go, that's how I'd prefer to do it. I charge 10 an hour.
 
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