Preparing for spring/summer 2021

[Shoei]

Hi Guys,

I always focus on prepping for winter, but as this winter has been hard and already long for so many of us, I thought a spring/summer prep and plan thread would do us all some good and remind us that hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Jobs I need to do for spring include;
Replace the main gate
Sort out all my sun and fly protection and buy some new masks for the mares
Clean the barn for new hay
The stables need a new roof and I'm considering painting the inside of my timber stables to help with light.


Riding wise
I have 6 camps or stay aways booked this summer
I really want to progress up a level with my dressage this year so I'm focusing on that. Making sure the quality of the movements improve.

What are your plans?

 

[milliepops]

Fencing. 2 spots at the big field need sorting before spring really, I need to put the babies up there to give the nursery field some tlc but there's one dodgy corner where a tree fell down and the wall is only staying up by good fortune, and another area where the wire is ancient and it's just the good grace of my oldies that means they aren't rampaging round the rugby pitch next door i do not expect the babies to have any of this stuff called "good grace". Fortunately OH has all the kit for us to do it ourselves, we did a load in lockdown 1.
in addition, capsized field shelter needs righting. the ground needs to dry up first though

 

[MuddyMonster]

I'm finding it a bit hard to make plans at the moment.

The nicer weather, lighter evenings and long sunshine hacks feel a long way away especially as pony is getter fatter due to temporarily being off ridden games and it almost always feels cold, dark and wet.

He does need a new fly mask though

 

[Scotsbadboy]

Fencing
Put in a summer track system
hardcore gateways - i say this every year but this year i mean it!
add a field shelter
creocote stables
paint inside of stables

Spend lots of time hacking and building strength and fitness with new horse and see what he likes the most and is more capable of and then learning more about that discipline (If i dont already know about it) It aint gona be dressage or showjumping thats for sure, lol!

Oh and land drains or french drains .... Im googling as we speak. My fields are like a bog this year with the amount of rain so there has to be a good way to improve the drainage with a few days digger hire and a lot of hardcore/ gravel!

 

[dorsetladette]

Fencing
Making the riding paddock bigger (more fencing) so we can set up a 20x40 dressage arena for online dressage.
Build a few cross country jumps around the field will stuff left behind from previous residents.
Paint the shelters
Spread some grass seed in the bare areas before it gets to dry to germinate (sounds like decades away but its honestly not).

Horse wise - I want to have Robin to a stage where he is a well rounded individual, happy to have his feet picked out, stand to be groomed and walk out nicely. We are almost there. With B I plan to get him fit, enjoy the hacking we have locally and enter a few online dressage comps, so practise, practise, practise.

 

[Tarragon]

Planning a 100 mile long distance ride over Exmoor for September 2021, route still to be decided - any suggestions for "must include" sections or "definitely avoid" sections most welcome

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Replace 3 gate posts
Replace 7 boundary fence posts
Get someone to lend me rods as my soakaway drain is blocked about 9ft along of its 22ft run.
Source a 'big 6' clear panel as I stupidly bashed a hole in a stable roof with a fence post last sutumn, currently has a bit of gorilla tape over it which wont last the summer.
When ground dry enough, get 2 very large branches removed from 2 oak trees as v dodgy now.
Obliterating moles!

Riding? Have pencilled in 1 camp, nobody taking bookings yet.
Have rejoined RC, hoping we can at least resume clinics in March or April.
Possibly adding another to my herd.
Planning a possible stay with another HHO'er with fuzzies.