Share your handy tip to speed 'jobs' up on a weeknight?

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showjump

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I know many of you have more horse, and work longer hours than me so maybe able to offer some tips and hints to get the horses all worked and tucked up in bed quicker of a week night evening!

I am sure im not alone in some days, just wanting to do the bare minimum and have a quick finish, tea at a normal time and catch up on some telly!

Currently have 3 horses in, one just being brought back into work after summer holiday 'growing up'! I am going to struggle to devise a plan for them all to be exercised and stick with it. Does anyone have a rota type thing they use to help them, and does it work? Eg, mon x ridden, y lunged, z hacked.

Also any handy tips to speed up the other jobs, i am planning on getting a mass of haynets done on a weekend but cant think of much else.. sure your lot will have some more for me?!

Thanks
 
I only have one, but I always end up walking back and forward down the yard wasting time! Forgetting a feed bowl, needing to stuff a haynet etc. Now I really make sure if I go to one end of the yard, I take something back to the other end!

IE: Stable is in the middle, water/feed at 1 end, hay/muck heap at the other. Grab wheelbarrow, muck out, take out haynet and put on wheelbarrow, leave feed buckets/water bucket outside stable. Get rid of muck, stuff haynet, bring back (for soaking) pick up buckets en route. Soak haynet, make feeds, re-fill water, and so on :) I do SOOOO many less trips now :) and takes half the time!
 
I don't envy you having three to do AND exercise! I'm back to just one now, but really struggled when I had 2.

- Stable them in their turnout rugs - they are generally warmer & cosier in them anyway, and it dries the rugs much quicker when it rains. Also means you don't have to faff changing rugs twice a day
- Ride & lead - gets 2 exercised at the same time, and if you're really brave, you could get all three done!
- Get all dry feeds made up at the beginning of the week as well as haynets, then you can just wet them daily
 
Grass livery! I honestly don't think I could cope with DIY at the moment, what with work, college, dog and helping OH out in the office, I'm struggling as it is and I can't remember the last time I sat down before 9pm.
 
Loopiesteff- Ha ha i used to that at the old yard, but its under one roof in the shed now so tbh i sound be more organised!

Jennabags- Thanks, i too dont know what im thinking having 3! However my older boy is happy doing now much in the week, and the odd trip on the walker he should be ok. No chance of riding and leading! Dont trust any of them to behave for that, would be hind legs flying from my lovely chestnut mare!!
Will def do the turnout rug one, thats a good one. Hate heavy wet rugs!!
 
Dizzle- Just fetched my 4 yr old home from grass livery to be worked again! But know where your coming from, i have them at home but is still hard, with 2 jobs and doing OH's books of a evening too then sorting tea, bed and its the next morning before you know it!!
 
Right my tips.
1) invest in a slow cooker. I have a huge range of recipes (& not all casseroles!) that range from leg of lamb, to spicy Thai soup, to pork chops in sage & cider. It's so easy to bung everything in the morning & come home to a delicious meal.
2) I have a few days where I work all 3 of mine. couple of days where I only work the youngster. Then I have a couple of days where nothing is ridden. These days I do the absolute minimum on the yard so I am home at a sensible time.
3) when mine are in at night I ride in the morning. I'm on the yard for 5.30, can have one ridden, all turned & a few yard jobs before being back in the house for 7.30 to get the children up for school & husband off to work.
4) accrue Time owing at work & discuss with managers how you can best use it. I aim by the clock change to have a weeks worth of time owing. I use this through the winter to have mornings/afternoons off for lessons/competitions etc in the daylight.
5) baby oil. Slather legs in it & the mud slides off.
 
Glamourpuss- great thank you! I must admit i own a slow cooker but never really got on with it, everything i made resembled hotpot! Nice but not 5 days a week!! Your routine sounds just what i hope to achieve, a couple of days doing no riding at all sound a nice break, may help me recharge for the following days chores!! Yes im hoping to start and hours earlier, and finish before dark to get some riding done then.
Luckily i have no kids, horses, dogs and hubby is plenty to look after!! Thank you!
 
Get ahead of yourself at weekends- put extra bedding in banks that can be pulled down mid-week when needed, make up dozens of nets and all dry feed mixed (eg for mine, Hifi and supplements ready for fast fibre to go in)- and if you have Allen and page stuff that needs soaking, add boiling water first, then cold- ready in much less time than with cold alone!

Agree with the rugs, and decide which of them really needs working and how often, could they have staggered holidays if you give time off over winter?
 
Agree with all the above, haynets do really help at weekends. I'm not sure if it's possible either but have you thought of getting an automatic waterer? I want one for my boy as we have them at work they are great. Only need cleaning out fortnightly or between a new horse going in the stable.

I know it's not the most pleasant either but can you deep litter? Or at least semi deep litter? I semi deep litter so only take the wet out in weekends and can muck out in 10 mins if I'm not being pedantic. Combine that with no rug changing/ haynets already made up and possibly automatic waterer I can do all the chores for one horse in less then 30mins. A decent sized wheelbarrow is useful combine that with a plastic trug and I can fit 2 possibly 3 stables in one.

Also use your mornings well, try to get one ridden before work or at the very least get as much mucking out done as possible, even if you have to empty the wheelbarrow in the eve when you go up.
 
I've got 7 of each different colour of 5l small shallow trugs to make up a week's worth of feed for each horse with supplements added. I just tip them into their feed bucket each time and as the feed in the trug stays dry as I mix it with water/ sugar beet in their feed bowls it means I don't need to wash all 40+ trugs each week.

Colour coordinating buckets and haynets with horses is also really helpful in an emergency as it's obvious for other people which horse gets what and as it's so easy my OH will happily feed when I'm not here.

Hay bars or hay cubes if soaking are much quicker to fill than haynets and having a clean barrow just for hay makes it easy just to rush round the yard with a bale of hay in the barrow rather than lugging haynets around.
 
OH made me a contraption with a ball cock that clips on water containers so I can fill water buckets and hay soakers without having to stand around while they fill up. The tap shuts itself off when the bucket is full so I can do other jobs at the same time.

I have a routine for jobs which means every trip across the yard doubles with something else and nothing gets forgotten.

Turning out early in the morning saves time and bedding. If I get there after other horses have been turned out, mine get restless and trash the beds.

My biggest time saver is probably carrying a portable coffee mug in the car so that those tempting offers of lengthy coffee breaks can be resisted.
 
Haynets done for a week in advance, 14 Tupperware tubs 7 one colour lid 7 another. Am and pm feeds done a week in advance and just thrown in buckets. Put in a big bed, deep litter during the week and take wet out of a weekend, Groom thoroughly of a weekend and just groom where tack goes of a week. Keep in turnout rugs if they're dry overnight. Clip feathers/legs so mud drys quicker and just brushes off. Smother in cowboy magic or similar :-) and keep tail in a hunting knot :-)
 
Oh- and for me, I use snuggy hoods turnout hoods, covers everything including ears and means they're clean to ride- I use the tail bags rather than a hunting knot, plait the first bit under the dock, chuck it all in a tail bag and tie it up. My boy hates working with a muddy tail clagged to his legs... And I hate chipping mud off ;)
 
Def agree get ahead of yourself on the weekend.

I have two retired and one in work. The one in work is on five day liv as the hours I work are just too long to get him done but even with that some days if I'm working twelve plus hours and still got the house, man, dog etc to do it really helps me to be 'ahead'. It also helps how I feel, I get stressed if I am behind with things.

So make nets and feeds in advance. Deep litter. Big muck out on the weekend. I always turnout and bring in in pairs, sod walking down there twice when I'm in a hurry!

Riding in the morning always seems to get done quicker, maybe bcos I know I have to get a shift on to gt to work.

I also have a cook off every few weeks. Prep the veg etc for dinners for th enextfew nights, make up individual meals for the week and freeze some for the following. Doing a menu for the week saves me time staring at the fridge going ermmmmm what am I doing tonight.

I also have mine on wood pellets which I believe saves me time for mucking out.

Salute you , doing three!
 
Its hard but doable! I have 3 to ride, 4 to turnout in morns. Luckily if you can turnout 2 x2 it helps, certainly agree with stabling in turnout rugs, if you need more on at night just throw an extra over the top you can quickly whip off in the morning. Lots of mane and tail stops their tails looking too much like their bed!! I like the baby oil tip on legs, will be using that one. I always try to have stables, haynets etc done in morning so just have to bring in at night and I know its really not the bhs way (please don't kill me for doing it) but I can take a wheelbarrow down to field, poo pick and push it back up to yard dragging my eventer and one 4 year old behind me (now they get on and have stopped kicking each other). This saves a lot of time as there is usually not a lot of daylight left by time I get there! They have a bit of hay to come in to then I put night time nets in when I leave, used to put hay on floor which was healthier (and quicker) but haynets make wetting hay easier and also lasts a bit longer. Just skip out on rushed mornings or riding mornings, it really will do no harm and I don't find stable too much wetter the next morning.

Definitely try to make feeds/ hay nets and if you have yard jobs (like mine is keeping the feedroom tidy) do them on your quieter days. I keep all mine well rugged to reduce grooming time and if im going to be in a rush to go out to a lesson or something make sure the lorry is ready to go the night before with hay nets in, tack in etc. So you can get back from work, throw horses in and go!

I'm feeling it a lot at the moment as its also our busy time at work so going to make sure 1 day in the week I don't ride and have an early evening as said above. Also some nights if you're really tired don't school, do something fun or lunge because it achieves nothing if said horse is not cooperating, unfortunately tiredness does nothing for patience and irritability!!

Each horse has their own saddlecloth/ girth outside stable, maybe even boots so washing them waits until the weekend then. Time for tack cleaning might be short but always washing off your bit makes life a lot easier and wiping it all quickly if your horse gets very sweaty or stuck in the rain, then try to clean it on quieter days. I normally work horses harder/ jump at weekends then can do quieter (and in the school when its dark all week) sessions during the week and nights off in the week. Also if you do poles/ grids/ jumping during the week do it with them all while jumps are out and perhaps team up with someone else so you can share putting them away/ getting out.

If I think of anything else I will let you know, good luck!
 
I have recently switched to woodpellets for bedding and this saves me time by meaning some days I only skip out, meaning that I can skip the field out, and both boxes onto the same barrow (unlike the 3-4 loads when on straw) also not stinking, so that yard clothes only do one day = more washing!

I have a little outdoor cupboard outside my stables with hat, boots, horse boots, grooming kit etc in, to save me multiple trips up the yard.

Agree with turnout rugs on at all times. No more cold, wet rugs!

Clip out, saves huge amount of time with grooming and wadhing off.

The biggest one for me is being on an amazing yard where everyone helps out. One person feeds all in the morning, one turns out, someone gets in, there is always someone around during the day for Farrier visits etc, someone will happily put a top rug on, or strip off turnout rugs on hot days etc. Works so well.

As for exercising, do as much as possible at the weekend, then lunge or loose school through the week to keep them ticking over. Oh, and have one evening set aside for your early night, no riding, telly catch up. And yes to slow cooker! Did you know you can do bolognese, jacket potatoes and pasta sauces in them too?
 
In addition to all the other points raised, (all haynets at the weekend; 5 days' worth of feed made up for each; accrue work, etc) I can strongly recommend investing in one of these:http://www.headtohoof.co.uk/product-details/d-twin-wheel-barrow/0/ - best £100 I've spent.

The amount of time it saves is incredible. I have only two horses to do; one is an incredibly messy gelding, and the other a nice neat mare. But I only need one trip to the muck heap in the morning and I can get both stables cleaned and both turned out before work in 40 minutes, even catering to their different needs. I put the beds up every day, too. I take the gelding out and muck him out whilst he eats outside his stable - feed the mare in her stable. When he has almost finished, a quick rug change and feet pick for her, headcollar on, tie up outside. Change his rugs, do his feet, administer lotions and potions. Gather both up and take to the field (I always do water the night before and cover buckets). Back to skip her out, wheelbarrow to the muck heap and home.
 
I use same rugs for t/o as in the stable too. Mine are are on wood pellets for speed - I try to split the workload by filling my wheelie bin hay feeders that I use in the paddocks in the evening and I make up morning feeds the night before too. My stables are all mucked out and the hay and water done in the morning so that the evening chores are minimal and quicker.

I stop depooing my paddocks at this time of year and harrow at the weekend instead.
 
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My standards get lower in the winter. I have 3 to bring in/TO/Muck out all from the same field so i lead 3 in and out at the same time. I can muck out (semi deep litter on earth floored stables) all 3 into one wheelbarrow and i try and avoid going anywhere without my hands full. I will occasionally ride my older mare and lead my youngster out hacking in the mornings and always try to put tack and boots etc away neatly so i can go straight to them if i'm in a rush. I don't usually bother with haynets (although i detest hay in their beds so this has to slip a little)
Any big jobs are left until the weekend when i try and leave some time for having a good clean up, horses get a decent groom each, yard gets properly swept, same for stables, tackroom gets tidied. It only really takes an hour or so, but saves my sanity in the week. I try and ride all 3 both days at the weekend so they can have their days off in the week. When all are in full work i am riding my event mare 6 days a week, little tb 4-5 and youngster 3-4, so i try and give myself at least one day a week where i only ride one or don't ride at all.
 
I think this thread needs a side thread for slow cooker time saving recipes!!! How do people ride before/after work when its so dark?! (not yet obvs when the clocks change!)
 
Good idea about recipes samig! Quick ones!! Im lucky that we have lights on the school at the yard so can keep them ticking over during the week. Although the other night for some unknown reason they died on us but we happily carried on schooling and my eyes soon adapted to the dark - certainly makes you feel more than look!!
Where do people get those miner lamp things on your head from though? Would be extremely useful when turning out rather than guessing/ feeling your way to the field!!
 
I'm happy to share some of my recipes. My SIL is bugging me for a load of them after my MIL was raving about my paprika chicken. When I've typed them up for I'll copy & paste onto a thread if you want?

Riding in the dark. I still don't have any electricity or an arena so currently tacking up etc is done by head torch. I don't use the head torch to ride in though as this just made my lot spooky. I find that riding in the mornings (I aim to be on just after 6) the sky is just starting to lighten & I'm so used to it now so I can see fine. I school in a flat section of a field & I have use of a huge disused airfield that I can hack over. Obviously alongside my lessons, competitions & using my flexi time to hire an arena it gives a really good variation to the work I do with them.
 
I also second a slow cooker, mine was on full livery, but i work long hours, and if i get home after a long day, its usually gone 8pm and all i want to do is eat bad for me food.

I find that A slow cooker is easy and makes several portions. My long days are 12 hours, so I sometimes use one of those automatic plug switch timer things (? the ones you use for lights if you go on holiday...) so that the cooker will come on at a certain time, rather than be on all day.

The best slow cooker book by far is this one.... thoroughly recommend it!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Slow-Cooker...0639&sr=1-32&keywords=slow+cooker+recipe+book

Oh, and agree with what others have said, doing as much as you can when you are there for the day, and never walking to/from stables empty handed!
 
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