Preparing for a tough winter!!

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poiuytrewq

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Im preparing now as I have some extra cash and extra time horse wise.
Come October I will be flat out at work and have an extra mouth to feed (horse wise) daughter will be back at school and the clocks change so it's dark when she's home in winter which leaves a lot of the work to me.
I've so far got bedding sorted and hay.
Ordered new mucking out tools and a wheelbarrow as my old faithful is showing its age!
Supplements I'm stocking up on. Vets out next month to do jabs check ups and other bits and pieces.
I can't buy in feed as I don't have suitable storage but any other ideas?
Also is there anywhere I can stock up on cheapish haynets? Need lots and at £6 each locally it's expensive (plan to fill weekly!)
Any of you got some fantastic winter prep tips for me?
-yeah I know it's stupidly early but like I say I have two months of easiness, calm before the storm and want winter to be as hassle free as possible so I can spend time enjoying my newbie at last :)
 
What we are doing now: sort out gateways and potential muddy patches; repair all fencing; new gravel on yard and driveways. Next years' hay (so winter after next) is coming in off the field today, and the muck heap goes at the end of August. Bring it on!
 
Have a look on ebay for haynets, I'm sure there'll be brand new ones on there for cheaper than £6 a net.
I've got about 10 haynets and I fill them all up on a Sunday so I can just grab a new one and go, without having to fill up during the week :)
 
Cortez said:
What we are doing now: sort out gateways and potential muddy patches; repair all fencing; new gravel on yard and driveways. Next years' hay (so winter after next) is coming in off the field today, and the muck heap goes at the end of August. Bring it on!
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ah yes i did mean to get a load of something put infront of a shed in our field so it could be used as a shelter without getting too boggy outside. That can go on the list.
Fencing repairs sound a little bit more dull than equipment shopping but again quite right especially as i know there are a few bits that need attention. Thanks Cortez ;)
 
Deltic Blue said:
Have a look on ebay for haynets, I'm sure there'll be brand new ones on there for cheaper than £6 a net.
I've got about 10 haynets and I fill them all up on a Sunday so I can just grab a new one and go, without having to fill up during the week :)
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Yep, this is the plan I do have quite a few anyway but will need more. I'll have a look on ebay.


Just had an epic ebay fail.... My new cornbroom arrived and the handle is literally 5" long :D woops!
 
I love winter prepping!!! I'm not sure why but the clocks go back and I panic!

Here's my list;

Rugs washed/reproofed
Stables thoroughly cleaned
Tack Room/feed room cleaned and decluttered
Fence repairs
stables stained
rugs restocked in sale
muck heap moved
lights and torches checked/charged etc.
Woolies and waterproofs (mine) washed and put in box read to go
clippers serviced and sharpened
gutters cleared now and after autumn.
water butts under gutters
 
Shoei said:
I love winter prepping!!! I'm not sure why but the clocks go back and I panic!

Here's my list;

Rugs washed/reproofed
Stables thoroughly cleaned
Tack Room/feed room cleaned and decluttered
Fence repairs
stables stained
rugs restocked in sale
muck heap moved
lights and torches checked/charged etc.
Woolies and waterproofs (mine) washed and put in box read to go
clippers serviced and sharpened
gutters cleared now and after autumn.
water butts under gutters
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Love this! Thanks. Isnt it weirdly nice- The thought of them being tucked up in cosy rugs and big beds ;) (the heat here is definitely getting to my head today!)
Clippers! that's one i'd not got on my to-do list.
Rug wise I'm pretty sorted i think, got a few for cleaning. New horse is bringing all his with him which is nice.
Stables were new in last summer so don't really need any maintenance just yet but i expect a good pressure wash wouldnt go amiss.
 
poiuytrewq said:
Love this! Thanks. Isnt it weirdly nice- The thought of them being tucked up in cosy rugs and big beds ;) (the heat here is definitely getting to my head today!)
Clippers! that's one i'd not got on my to-do list.
Rug wise I'm pretty sorted i think, got a few for cleaning. New horse is bringing all his with him which is nice.
Stables were new in last summer so don't really need any maintenance just yet but i expect a good pressure wash wouldnt go amiss.
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Stable windows harbor a surprising amount of dust and muck and I like to let in as much ligh as possible as they are pretty dark
 
My rugs, fencing, bedding is done, hay on the way.
Gutters done, ditches just dug (so will want leaf clearing one late November weekend)

To do:
One more load of scalpings to go down by winter shelter to top up.
Cut hedges back mid/late October.
Muck heap goes weekend before clocks change
Final bramble/bashing of late nettles
 
The fuzzy furry it's scalpings I'm planning on putting outside my shelter. Do you literally put yours on the earth or would a membrane of some sort first be better?
 
I've got about 4 inches of old ones there already, planning on 2 inches going on the top with a whacker to follow.
If I was doing from scratch then prob would dig out top soil, then crush hardcore, then type 1 on the top or the scalpings - the water has to go somewhere.

That said, 2 of my gateways have had tarmac scalpings down about 10 years ago, topped up again 2 yrs ago & they are fine, tho I am mostly on sandy soil.
 
I wouldn't be stocking up on hard feed and supplements this early as they could hit their expiry date before you get to use them.

So far I've had the fields rolled, harrowed, limed and fertilised. Bare patches reseeded. Fences have been repaired and will be painted when it is cooler. Leaking pipes fixed and relagged. Rugs washed, repaired and put away. Muck heap removal arranged. I was going to paint the stables again but will probably give that one a miss this year,
 
I've checked the use by dates on supplements- they are all good. Surprisingly long dates most seem to have.
Feed I'm not buying. Just no place big and completely rodent proof to store it.

When do people rest the fields to be used in winter from?
 
I bought a load of Requisite haynets for £1.99 each off the Robinson's website a couple of weeks back; think they had a sale so don't know if they are still this price. They are good for the money and I had the same idea: to stock up so that I can do all my nets for the week on a Sunday!
 
lewis2015 said:
I bought a load of Requisite haynets for £1.99 each off the Robinson's website a couple of weeks back; think they had a sale so don't know if they are still this price. They are good for the money and I had the same idea: to stock up so that I can do all my nets for the week on a Sunday!
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Sorry! Didn't read full thread before posting this :)
 
hows everyone doing with their winter prep? I'm not doing well and need to add a new heavy weight turnout to my list!!!
 
Pretty good I think all bar the field resting/grass growing side if things... It's bare and not growing!
Think I'm good rug wise, got a newbie coming next month but he has a full wardrobe, very full I think!
Clippers! Still not sorted them out! Thanks for bringing this back up ;)
 
rugs that got used last winter were cleaned in spring. all straw hay and haylage is in. shelters cleared out and ready for new straw to go down. fences for winter fields had a couple of minor repairs done. now got 3 taps with heat cable on and the one in the field is done to about 18" underground so they should not need much more than hot water or air on the taps to have them working so I hope will save a lot of lugging water around. baby tractor is due its service in the next couple of weeks and I still have antifreeze for car and tractor radiators from last year. I now await the worst winter on record reports in the papers and since the horses are ready with all they should need I expect the roof will fall in on the house or something and I will have to move in with them :)
 
lewis2015 said:
I bought a load of Requisite haynets for £1.99 each off the Robinson's website a couple of weeks back; think they had a sale so don't know if they are still this price. They are good for the money and I had the same idea: to stock up so that I can do all my nets for the week on a Sunday!
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Thank you for the heads up! I've just bought 30!
 
pah.. i still need a stable building...!

Also need to do a good tidy up and organise everything.

On the other hand;
rugs are washed - still need to buy a 300g for her highness.
plenty of bedding stored
hay has been cut and baled
field rested and ready to go

Heres hoping for a cold, dry winter this time. Wet & windy does not float my boat..
 
I'm on full livery for the first time this winter and so won't have to worry about organising feed, hay, or bedding - I'm glad of this already and it's not even September yet! :p

I need to sort out a pair of yard boots and a pair of winter riding boots for myself (I know what ones I want already, just waiting for winter collections to be released so hopefully they'll come down in price), some more softshell jods, new winter jacket, and one of the fully reflective exercise sheets for the horse.

Horse needs a full rug wardrobe as she's outgrown the last remaining rug :(. I'm putting it off at the moment as it's going to be a bit painful to shell out that much money!
 
I'm glad this thread came up again today, as it reminded me that I needed to make some "snow blinds" for the windows in the three stable building :) We have been here over twenty years and I have always intended to do something which meant that when it is snowing and windy, we don't have to try and put plastic over the windows while it freezes our hands off! We now have one roller blind, with pieces of wood to latch over the sides to hold the blind in place when the wind tries to remove it, three more to make tomorrow. It was all done with stuff we had on the place :)
 
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