time savers...

You Wont Forget Me

You Wont Forget Me

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 April 2011
Messages
762
Location
Sunny Scotland
Visit site
i am currently looking for ways to save time up at the yard as life getting pretty busy, just now my boy lives in at night so everyday i have to muck out (no biggy takes 10mins a day and cant deep bed and he also cant live out) but everything else seems to take forever i have to ride him for a bit longer than usual now to get him fit but i need some more ways to save time with anything ive noticed some people are there for no time at all but still get everything done properly, im currently pre making feed bags for the week ahead but doesnt seem to make much difference. So what do you do to save time at the yard???
 
Make 7 hay nets up at the weekend. I put coat shine on places like hocks, knees, face then when they roll it's easier and quicker to remove mud.
 
See if you can get your hands on a book - think it is a Pippa Cuckson one (but dont quote me on that,cos Ive lost my copy!) called "Rush Hour Rider" - its got loads of tips for speeding things up and having horses around a full time job - might be one on amazon or somewhere like that :)
 
Yep- anything with a high silicon content like 7-day Mud Away or Coat Shine sprayed on areas which get very muddy stops the mud from clinging on. Also, everything has it's place and so anyone can find it with simple instructions if we can't actually make it to the yard...
 
Pretty soon Im going to be a bit short for time riding wise and mine needs muscle building up too so I got a passoa (spelling?!). Twice a week lunged using that, only needs about 20 minutes or so, and it really makes him work using his back end...muscle is starting to show nicely! Well worth the £30 or so. Also a 20 minute hack uphill is just as good and more fun as 30 mins on the flat!
 
Feed from the floor saves filling haynets :) If feed needs soaking do it when you first get there so its ready when you want it. Lead horse with wheelbarrow so you dont make un-nessecary trips to the field and hop on bare back to and from the field.
 
I fill a weeks worth of haynets, bag up a weeks worth of hard feed at a time. Groom the important areas and pick out feet only before riding not worrying if my horse is clean or not. Deep litter stable. Don't do water buckets everyday if they are still full.
 
Don't groom any area which doesn't absolutely have to be groomed. Don't change rugs, turnouts are fine in the stable (make sure you check under there every day though). Umm, what else? Nope that's all I can think of right now. I'm rubbish!
 
I was told to change water buckets daily as the water absorbs the urea from the air and goes stale. Otherwise we leave outdoor rugs on in stables in winter best way to dry wet rugs. We do weekly nets and if more than one horse get a big barrow so you can muck out more stables with less empties. Start planning your winter routine now and buy in food hay and bedding spreads the cost too.
 
Don't make two trips anywhere when one will do, eg, empty your wheelbarrow and pick up a full net on the way back if your barn is near the muck heap rather than make an extra trip.

Baby oil works just as well as any other product for helping mud and dirt slide off - apply it lightly with a sponge, it will last two or three days. I used to put a muddy horse to bed and find him all clean and shiny in the morning.

Semi (or full) deep litter - muck out when you have time.

Plait tails up in winter, saves them from becoming mud encrusted dreadlocks (baby oil works well on that too)

Rubber matting, much as I loathe and despise the stuff, I do reluctantly have to admit that it is a huge time saver.

My husbands favourite answer to this question is "Sell the damn things then!":eek:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top