Shilasdair
Patting her thylacine
It's been a rainy day here - which has made me think about the winter already. 
What are your top winter preparation tips?
What are your top winter preparation tips?
Preparing for winter?
- Thread starter Shilasdair
- Start date
blitznbobs
Well-Known Member
Don’t think about it til you really have to?
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
No need for any further replies really, this covers it.
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
Stock up on turmeric
albeg
Well-Known Member
Agree with blitznbobs, unfortunately the grey one has started shedding his summer coat so having to start thinking of the clipping bit...
Outside of that, I bought stormchase wrist warmers last year. Highly recommend them, I can't do gloves, but needed something to keep my hands from freezing, and they've been amazing.
Outside of that, I bought stormchase wrist warmers last year. Highly recommend them, I can't do gloves, but needed something to keep my hands from freezing, and they've been amazing.
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
I tell you actually what is awesome for winter, I’m talking dark winter mornings when no one can see you! Is a sealskinz hat. I bought a tight cap kind and it’s bloody brilliant
JFTDWS
Well-Known Member
Denial. It's not just a river in Egypt...
The Fuzzy Furry
Getting old disgracefully
Get hay in barn by July ✔
Rugs cleaned and repaired ✔
Stables de cobwebbed and cleaned ✔
Fix fencing if it needs it ✔
Match up all loose gloves from various points of yard and car ✔
Look forward to roast dinners, hearty stews, poo picking by head torch, getting fingers stuck to frosty gates cos I lost all my gloves.......
Shilasdair
Patting her thylacine
Ah, yes, I need to sort out my rugs.
My top tip is to buy a Petzl headtorch - makes life so much easier, especially with a black horse.
Wondering if it's possible to buy a mobile field shelter than I can actually collapse and take with me if I move livery yards - anyone know?
My top tip is to buy a Petzl headtorch - makes life so much easier, especially with a black horse.
Wondering if it's possible to buy a mobile field shelter than I can actually collapse and take with me if I move livery yards - anyone know?
Cortez
Tough but Fair
Move to Barbados. I'm serious.
Shilasdair
Patting her thylacine
Is that in Ireland?
I have moved south, but clearly not far enough...
I have moved south, but clearly not far enough...
buddylove
Well-Known Member
Jeez Shils you have got one on you today! Novices and Winter! Clearly a slow day in Hades 😈
Michen
Well-Known Member
Get pony fit for hunting 😀
Cortez
Tough but Fair
Ireland in winter is like the 5th circle of hell.Is that in Ireland?
I have moved south, but clearly not far enough...
HappyHollyDays
Slave to 2 cats and 2 ponies
Seeing as it's going to be 30 degrees next week I am ignoring the question altogether ðŸ˜
Shilasdair
Patting her thylacine
Mule
Well-Known Member
Christ, some people are very prepared. I get the hay in and do the rest as it comes up.
Hack4fun
Well-Known Member
I have bought forage to last until next year's crop. It is sitting in my field.
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Well-Known Member
Head-torch is my main "must-have" winter tool.
Need to remember where I stashed all my wet weather gear & gloves etc!
Hay sorted.
Probably the first time I put them on, welly boots will spring a leak!
I don't mind the nice crisp "cubbing mornings" that come in the autumn, but absolutely dread the winter gales and the cold damp weather complete with mucky fields and wet hairy mammoths tramping around in it.
Need to remember where I stashed all my wet weather gear & gloves etc!
Hay sorted.
Probably the first time I put them on, welly boots will spring a leak!
I don't mind the nice crisp "cubbing mornings" that come in the autumn, but absolutely dread the winter gales and the cold damp weather complete with mucky fields and wet hairy mammoths tramping around in it.
Rowreach
👀
Can you not spot him by his glowing red eyes??? 😳
dogatemysalad
Well-Known Member
Someone has woken the demon.
Yep, I'm prepared for winter. Rugs cleaned, stable jet washed and kit scrubbed. Have bought winter bedding and am ensuring my neighbour remains in good health while he stores up his hay.
Yep, I'm prepared for winter. Rugs cleaned, stable jet washed and kit scrubbed. Have bought winter bedding and am ensuring my neighbour remains in good health while he stores up his hay.
Wheels
Well-Known Member
Too early to think about it yet, I usually take a week off in early autumn to get prepared
Slightlyconfused
Go away, I'm reading
I am slowly getting enough feed bowls for the boys I can make the weeks worth of feeds up on a Sunday.
Same with the hay nets.
I am looking at bulk buying my feed even more and store it at home so I can take as I need.
I already do that with supplements.
Rugs are all sorted.
Same with the hay nets.
I am looking at bulk buying my feed even more and store it at home so I can take as I need.
I already do that with supplements.
Rugs are all sorted.
Roasted Chestnuts
Well-Known Member
Nope not thinking about it much other than glad the farmer is getting the hay crop in and wondering what the straw crop will be like this year with the changeable weather we have been getting!
Rugs were sorted after the move and my old boy passing away and the wee guy doesn’t need as much feeding as the old guy does so no need to buy in bulk over summer anymore to spread the cost.
Nope haven’t thought about it at all
Rugs were sorted after the move and my old boy passing away and the wee guy doesn’t need as much feeding as the old guy does so no need to buy in bulk over summer anymore to spread the cost.
Nope haven’t thought about it at all
JillA
Well-Known Member
Hay ordered for delivery in the Autumn. That's it. Stables are as they were when they were last mucked out (why the obsession with cleaning?????) remains of last years big bale of straw stored safely as it was anyway. Winter is just a colder darker version for me - horses live out except in the worst weather
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
I like winter. The mud is the only really bad bit. This winter im a horse down so life will be a bit easier.
Routine wise I’ve still got them coming in and out so I’m still doing stables and hay nets.
Routine wise I’ve still got them coming in and out so I’m still doing stables and hay nets.
Mule
Well-Known Member
I hate the darkness and constant rain. I love crisp, frosty mornings. Unfortunately they're rare so I have to put up with darkness and rain.
Peter7917
Well-Known Member
Stock up on hay which I have done.
I need find find my head torches, attach them front and back to my riding hat so we can see in the dark out riding.
There is feed in the feed bins but may buy a few more bags so all the bins are brimmed ready with some spare bags in the freezers.
I don't wash rugs, don't see the point.
That's about it isn't it?
I need find find my head torches, attach them front and back to my riding hat so we can see in the dark out riding.
There is feed in the feed bins but may buy a few more bags so all the bins are brimmed ready with some spare bags in the freezers.
I don't wash rugs, don't see the point.
That's about it isn't it?
Mule
Well-Known Member
I find the head torches essential. Great invention.
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Last year I had a mud free winter. It was wonderful and I know all my footwear will last longer as a result
The horses on the yard get put out and brought in for me they are strip grazed throughout the winter so they always have grazing and even the poo picking is pretty painless. And it's concrete and hard standing a-go-go, you could walk around in trainers. Amazing.
The field potatoes have so much room they don't create any mud either. After 30 years of battling through sodden clay I feel very lucky!
The dark and rain just gets me down though
The horses on the yard get put out and brought in for me
they are strip grazed throughout the winter so they always have grazing and even the poo picking is pretty painless. And it's concrete and hard standing a-go-go, you could walk around in trainers. Amazing. The field potatoes have so much room they don't create any mud either. After 30 years of battling through sodden clay I feel very lucky!
The dark and rain just gets me down though