Poo-Picking!!!

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ApolloStorm

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How do you make sure people are doing it!?
I moved yards in late july and It looked a very clean poo-picked fields and arena.
However the Field I happen to be in seems to be the one that NOONE Poo- picks in. We are supposed to get 3 Barrows a week out of the field. This has had to be upped to 5 to try and get on top of the poo. I think just me and one other girl actually does this! We have to comment on a post on a Facebook group when we have done them, And it seems just us 2 are commenting, out of 5 horses. We would have the field cleared by the end of the week if the full 25 barrows a week were being done, but right now it seems like there is only 10 being done. We are just starting to get ontop of it after 3 weeks, Where I think there is maybe 4 or 5 barrows of poop to take out, before I couldn't even estimate!
I am at a cross roads- if I totally clear the field, I strictly wouldn't have any of my "ration" of poop left, and I loathe to do about 10 barrows this week. But I feel like if I don't Ill be stuck doing everyone else's poo-picking for weeks. One of the Horses is the YO's older horse, I have never seen her poo pick but then I honestly don't think we would notice if the other 2 actually did the poo-picking!
Once its clear- I think that the idea was that a rota or segmented system was going to be put in place, which would be nice! but whether it happens or not!
This is the sole reason I can't wait for winter- no poo-picking!!
 
Well good on you for doing all that...if it was me I would be having a quiet word with YO or asking for another turnout, can you section some of the turnout off just for you and the other one who poo picks, then you would see who is doing it...
 
ApolloStorm said:
24/7 they are out
Field is about 12 acres.. give or take, so plenty of room.
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Sod that - I wouldn't poo pick 12 acres! I'd poo pick by the gate, so my eyes weren't too offended, then harrow the rest a few times a year. My horses all worm count clear, so I'm not particularly worried about contamination.
 
pop picking in a shared field is the only thing I've ever fallen out with people over! its a fricking night mare! people never do their fair share.

but to be fair when I had two horses in the same field I did a barrow every day then about 5 at the weekends and even then i struggled to keep on top of it! but in 12 acres, I'd ask the farmer to harrow it
 
Field get harrowed at the end of the summer- but we have been told by YO that we need to be keeping on top of it- hence the extra barrows. To be honest- I agree the middle of the field seems to be the *poop zone* where average poop concentration is about 4 poops per sqm . There is the fat girls field which is about 100m each way, but she isn't fat, and id rather her be on better grass. Plus there is already too many mares in that field
 
I have had my horse a long time so know her habits pretty well. I know she averages 5 poops a night so will do
35 a week on a Sunday. I share with 3 others who pick every other day so seem to work. You can tell if someone is away & not done their bit but I refuse to do other people's share. I get someone to cover me if I can't do it myself
 
ApolloStorm said:
Field get harrowed at the end of the summer- but we have been told by YO that we need to be keeping on top of it- hence the extra barrows. To be honest- I agree the middle of the field seems to be the *poop zone* where average poop concentration is about 4 poops per sqm . There is the fat girls field which is about 100m each way, but she isn't fat, and id rather her be on better grass. Plus there is already too many mares in that field
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I think it's completely unreasonable of the YO. If I had DIY's, and 12 acre fields (I have neither), I would not expect them to poo pick such a large area. I have small pens and paddocks at the front of my place, which are poopicked daily, but the main fields aren't. Life's too short,

Also, if I had DIYs, I'd be policing required poopicking very closely. Someone has to make sure everyone is pulling their weight, so that WW3 doesn't break out.
 
I have 2 at home so I know it's only theirs and I do 2 big barrows a day...seems I spend my whole life pooh picking. Am going to try maybe and pay somebody to do some?
 
I often wonder how much of this universal issue is down to perception. Everyone I know who shares a field with others thinks they're doing more poo picking than everyone else, they can't all be right can they?!
 
I've not heard of a field that large being poo picked with just a wheelbarrow. That's totally unreasonable. My friend and I used to poo pick 4 acres for 3 horses out 24/7/365 It was a vile and thankless task.
 
I wouldn't be doing an area that size. I am looking after 3 small ponies and a horse that I poo pick. I get 1 wheelbarrow a day, if that, so someone is clearly not pulling their weight!
 
I have 3 currently at my own yard, all mine so no arguing over who does it. They are on a small field of about 1 acres as all fat and grass lush. I get 2 barrows a day from them.
No way, however, would I expect to poo pick by hand on 12 acres with 5 horses.
That is ridiculous.
 
We have 11 boys out in 1 huge field (not sure of acreage) and a strict poo picking regime. Each horse is allocated a number of large tub trugs per week and we take number tags, write them in the book and attach them to the tubs. It works out to be 6 tubs per horse at the moment which is about 3 wheelbarrows a week. It works pretty well and if it isn't done by Sunday when they are all collected it carries over to the next week. If horses are in for the day or night your number of tubs is reduced and it does fluctuate throughout the year. It will be harrowed when they move for the winter. I thought it was an odd concept when I started but it really does work! Nobody wants their poo picking to carry over to the next week. Previous yard just harrowed and wormed each time they moved fields. It was nice but I was less fit! But I do have tennis elbow the moment and I blame poo picking!
 
This is why I want to keep my own paddock with my two horses. i had years of shared fields with the poopicking issue. It bred resentment like nothing else. I am not fanatical about picking every poo every day but know I couldnt leave it to mount up
 
12 acres? Lordy, I struggle with 3.5! :D

Tbh 5 barrows p.p sounds about right to me. We poo pick every day and probably get a minimum of 1.5 barrows for 2 horses and 1 Shetland. You'd be surprised how much they produce!

However I also agree with the poster who said that a lot is about perception, everyone always thinks they're doing more than others.
 
If people aren't pulling their weight I would be inclined to split the field with electric and poo pick the part they are in. I would budget on a level barrow per day per horse if they are out 24/7.
 
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