Surviving Winter

[parkside]

Just putting togething an article on the above topic - after last winter we need all the help we can get to survive keeping horses in the worst of the weather. Our newsletters are mailing to over 35,000 readers and i would love to add some advice from forum members....PLEASE post your top tips here.

 

[-kerry]

Green fence tape is a must for horses in the field when it snows as they cannot see the normal white tape against the snow - saves alot of fence repairs !

 

[Enfys]

Green fence tape is a must for horses in the field when it snows as they cannot see the normal white tape against the snow - saves alot of fence repairs !

I've never seen green tape!

 

[tikino]

keep horses warm and plenty of hay or haylage

 

[Oscar]

Ensure you have plenty of hay/feed/bedding in advance of bad weather!! Don't expect suppliers to be able to reach you when there is 3ft of snow on the roads!!

 

[rhino]

Emigrate

 

[cobden99]

I've never seen green tape!

Yes Ive got brown but you can have green instead. Mine is permanent electric fence so it blends in a bit more

 

[angrovestud]

buy bags of salt and or sand in Sept/ lag all pipes put horse poo under the water buckets then bank round them to help prevent freezing in the coldest of weather, take kettle out with you in the morning to defrost sugar beet, that heas been wrapped in a douvet and feed a warm breaky to frozen whiskered horses.

 

[jennygw]

A plastic colinder, i got mine in ikea, for breaking the ice in your water troughs out in the field. Sieves all the ice out, leaves water in - without you getting soaked & frozen. Keeps your troughs open & clean water available for the horses living out.

 

[middlebank]

Top tip about the collinder! I like that one!

 

[Stelzar]

For the rider -

Wear lots of layers - especially socks!

Warm waterproofs are a must also welly boots and gloves! (Change of clothes just incase you slip on your a*se or get soaked)

Head torch is also a neccesity for those dark mornings/evenings

Don't worry about your yard being immaculate if it's outdoors the cleaner it is the more slippery it will be.

Make sure you don't have any leaky pipes as this will cause ice everywhere.

Seive or cullinder - plus hammer for breaking ice

Kettle is an absolute must for hot tea! (Don't need a fridge in winter as milk will keep outside)

Leave one field if possible for winter so horses have plenty of forage and make sure you order enough hay to see you through. Feed and Rug well and your horses will stay warm and happy.

List of vetenary/farrier numbers on a board if your on livery just incase you can't make it up and something bad happens :-(

Hmmmm have I left anything out? Lol

 

[Stelzar]

Emigrate

Absolutely love it!!!