Useful non - horsey items (not products) you use for your horse/yard/field

cob&onion

cob&onion

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Backing my cob from the field, zero facilities, not even a shed! so have bought a plastic big tub and stored my everyday bits in there, ie numnah, grooming kit, headcollar etc........its hidden away behind the fence under a tree :)
Hoping to get stables by winter, just waiting for planning etc.
I have a home made riding area made from electric posts and rope which does the trick - only thing is its a pain to dismantle after use!
I have been using a bale of hay as a mounting block to get on (not too bad as am 5*10 and cob 14.3 so not too far to get up. However the mounting block gets eaten over night :rolleyes: and my hay stash is going down - well the better bales are anyway! i have been on the look out for things i could use as a mounting block in local shops, but so far havent seen anything srtong enough. Going to have a look in b&q tomorrow at some heavy duty tool boxes!
The mounting blocks seem very expensive - £60 :eek:
It got me thinking, what non horsey items (not products) do you use around your horses/field/stables as a cheap alternative to "horsey" things?
I need some ideas :)
 
Always have lots of storage boxes etc, washing up bowls £1 from a cheapy shop so if i go away i can make enough feeds to leave for my horses.
Tool boxes are generally tougher than grooming kit boxes.
Im liking the bale mounting block idea- i have just moved from a livery yard to my own place and cant afford a proper mounting block
I got a very cheap garden shed and used my mums old kitchen units for a fab (and very tidy) storage area.
I got stables on skids- no planning required, have you already thought of this?
 
Hiya, for a cheap mounting block you can use the steps that they sell for use in kitchens etc. Generally they are plastic and can break if a horse treads on them, oh and they are very light so might blow away in the wind!!

Sorry, probably not a very helpful post!
 
A gardening tools equipment tidy holds all our mucking out tools :)

and a soap/bath sud thing for bathing to make them very soapy :)
 
Bog-standard sponges from the pound shop! The ones with the scouring thing are fab for tack cleaning if you have a lot of dried sweat/mud on your girth or are having difficulty getting everything off the bit and stirrup irons. My friend uses old filing cabinets she found to store unused rugs and tack. Washing up bowls for feeding bowls, scrubbing brushes for cleaning off hooves instead of getting those hoof brushes or wasting a dandy brush, old (cleaned) plastic milk cartons/bottles strung up as a stable toy, tights can apparently make good nose nets to stop fly irritation while riding.. There are loads!! xx
 
I use this as a mounting block. Cheap, but solid and just about tall enough for me (5'6) to get on my big fella (16.3 hh):
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60178887
bekvam-step-stool__0108612_PE258294_S4.JPG


After a suggestion by a member of HHO I bought a load of potties from the pound shop to use for raised trotting poles - works a treat, way cheaper than pole pods and much better for stability than raising them on bricks :)
 
I have a nice wooden step I used as a portable mounting block for a while, may have been from ikea or somewhere? Not entirely sure :o But its light enough to carry, but very strong! It now lives in the kitchen however... not much good there?! :o
 
Ali2 said:
I use this as a mounting block. Cheap, but solid and just about tall enough for me (5'6) to get on my big fella (16.3 hh):
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60178887
bekvam-step-stool__0108612_PE258294_S4.JPG


After a suggestion by a member of HHO I bought a load of potties from the pound shop to use for raised trotting poles - works a treat, way cheaper than pole pods and much better for stability than raising them on bricks :)
Click to expand...

haha, may be one od these....! :p
 
I used an old guinea pig hutch as a mounting block for years. It only gave in last year so pretty good for a leaky hutch :D If you know anyone who used to have guineas then they might give you the hutch.
 
Liking the potty idea for raised poles :)
Good step ideas too - have seen lots of plastic and wooden caravan steps on ebay :)
 
I have the IKEA steps too. I'm on my second one, due to my clumsy horse, but they are really worth the money, imo.

Sponges from the Morrisons Petrol Garage, only 37p :)
Same for buckets, and the rubber water tubs are generally cheaper in supermarkets.
Garden/House bins for feed

Some suit bags, I have a cicle shaped one, from the poundshop to keep bridles in.

A tool box as a my first aid box

A kitchen scrubbing brush for hooves and feed bowls

We also have this storage bin that used to have something to do with holding gas bottles for caravans. I was a good size, about 4ft high, for rugs and storage.
It's now had one side cut off and has the dog's kennel in to keep his extra snug.
 
Jewsons for strong tubs, skin so soft for midgies, tapestry (blunt) needle for plaiting, Aldi/Lidl for cycling clothes and socks.
I can never find a high enough toolbox for mounting, I did have a folding chair thing for mounting, but not advised.....accident waiting to happen, ditto light steps.
Spare wheelie bins [the Local Authority keeps breeding them] for storage. Plastic bins with lids for feed. Old freezer chests for feeds.
Keep rug bags or any other see though strong bags you get for easy view storage esp at shows when you send somone for bits and pieces. Map cases (waterproof and see through) for important documentation, buy mixed colours.
 
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A bog standard kitchen apron for plaiting: thread, combs etc fit in the front pocket and can put threaded needles on the bib, all ready for use!
 
An ordinary big comb works just as well as expensive specialist products for removing loose winter coat and only costs 50p.
 
I use a wheelie bin for my feed. It hold 2 bags of Healthy Hooves :) Only thing is its a pain when you put the next lot in and have to hang upside down to empty the bin :p :D

I use cheap baby shampoo for washing the horses

We use an old metal beer barrel as a mounting block :D
 
We use old freezers to store rugs etc. Totally mouse proof due to the seal and leaves a handy surface to clean tack, sit or stack storage boxes on.
 
Oh and dustbins for feed and rugs and builders yard bags for draging hay out to the field holds loads more than the barrow and drag even when barrow hard to push on frozen ground
 
Ali2 said:
I use this as a mounting block. Cheap, but solid and just about tall enough for me (5'6) to get on my big fella (16.3 hh):
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60178887
bekvam-step-stool__0108612_PE258294_S4.JPG


After a suggestion by a member of HHO I bought a load of potties from the pound shop to use for raised trotting poles - works a treat, way cheaper than pole pods and much better for stability than raising them on bricks :)
Click to expand...

We have one of those mounting blocks, they seem very popular!
I'm 5'4 and ned is 16.3/17 and the block is plenty big enough.


Before we bought proper dressage markers we bought 8 washing up bowls for about 50p each, turned them upside down and wrote on the letters with permanent marker, worked a treat.
 
We use one of those wooden stools for mounting too, they're fab!..
Square plastic flower pots turned upside down with white painted letters look great as dressage markers...
cheap supermarket nappies as hoof poultice boots, wrap with duct tape even stands up to turnout!...
washing up bowls to make up lots of feeds to save time on cold winter nights...
big tool chests on wheels make fab grooming kit/first aid kit/ storage boxes plus sturdy enough to use as a plaiting stool or mounting block for mounting smaller horses....
asda do cheap small flat tub trugs in lots of colours, fab for feed buckets!...
B&Q do the large tub trugs, fab for water buckets...
Look in the Ikea bargain corner for cheap cupboards for rugs, numnah and boot storage...

ermmmm thats about all I can think of atm! HTH
 
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