Roughing off for winter

[Henmen]

Im can only go to yard once a day, and it will be late afternoon / evening to bring in from field, so with winter coming im not going to get much done with Solo over winter, so she will pretty much be roughed off.

Now she is 3/4 broken, and will be sat on at the weekend, and ill probably have a about 6/8 weeks left of working with her, depending on how quickly the nights draw in.

So what is the best way to wind her down, remembering im just starting, so dont do that much anyway!!??

She has to come in at night, yard rules, and i really can only go up once a day, its costs me £30 a week in petrol as it is!! And no lights in school.

 

[tuscanyD]

Hi
I think as she's so green and doing so little that she'll pretty much rough herself off and you don't need to worry unduly.

Make sure she doesn't get clipped and that you change her diet to a maintenance diet gradually over a period of 2 or 3 weeks. This may not be a huge change depending on what you are feeding her now of course - but if she gets lots of hard feed when working that will need to be cut down for winter and hay/roughage increased.

As she's young do keep handling her positively so she doesn't forget - even if you can't ride tack her up every so often so it becomes familiar, pick up feet, groom and anything else you can think of.

Remember in Spring to start her work gradually again - dont just leap on her back [not that you would I'm sure] tack her up and get her used to the weight again slowly. She may be fine in one session [youing horses learn very quickly] or it may be a few before she settles again - but it pays not to rush.

Hope this helps - good luck.

 

[Weezy]

Can you not adjust the time you go up and do it during day light hours? Now she has been started it would be unwise (IMHO) to back off with the work - with more time she will be stronger, more bolshy, etc - As she has already had her "backing and turning away" phase I would strongly suggest continuing her education as much as possible - maybe try and time it so when H is due for his nap drive up there, let him fall asleep in the car, park where you can keep an eye on him and get on with what you need to do - oh, just remembered you need to bring her in (dur) - so why not go up straight after school and do her then or swop chores with someone and you turn out and work her in the morning for someone to bring her in in the afternoon?

 

[Henmen]

Cant do mornings as S horses go out at 7am ,and i cant be up for then, and when i go up after school, i wont get there till nearly 4pm as it is, and then ive got to muck out 3 stables, ready for 5pm when they come back in. And by that time itll be dark.

She hasnt had any backing and turning away yet, this will be her first year, she was only started earlier this year in the spring.

 

[Munchie]

Is moving yards not an option? Somewhere closer, with a floodlit school. Or what about finding someone to help you?