What are your underrated 'must haves'?

PapaverFollis

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I have a pointy pick from MrPF's tool collection for white line stones. Looks like screw driver but has a little hook instead of the screwdriver bit.

Also gate handles. We've got our little equicentric type system set up and all the electric fence gates have handles on both ends so they can me removed completely and hung up in the barn. Brilliant for allowing them into or keeping them in different parts of the system without having gates flapping about. MrPF went to the local farm store and bought what we needed... as he was leaving he heard one of the assistants say "perhaps he's found some alternative use for them?" ?
 

jnb

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I have all my (about 10 reels) of electric tape on reels, some like the links above, some on old hose reels on wheels, it is beyond me why you'd not use reels to move tape.
I once dismantled and reeled in, 3 paddocks worth of three-strand tall posted electric fence and bought it all in, in my lunch hour from work (10 minutes drive each way) because the farmer wanted to harrow and hadn't given us any notice. Only possible because all my tape was on reels. It was like It's A Knockout (for anyone old enough to remember!)
 

Starzaan

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- Comfort Stall flooring. Absolutely worth the money, and even though I put biiiig beds on top, it reduces filling in the legs and I feel so much happier knowing the old boy is more supported when in.

- Pig Oil in a spray bottle. My horses have legs, stomachs, heads and necks sprayed with this every morning in winter before going out. It means that mud just falls off them in the evenings when they come in, and their skin is protected.

- fleece and sisal grooming mitt. The sisal side is great for getting mud off sensitive clipped horses, and I finish them all off with the fleece side to help keep their coats super shiny.

- a proper wheelbarrow. I have a very large twin wheeled barrow. I can muck out a full stable into it, two if the horses are clean ones! It minimises trips to the muck heap, holds a LOT and saves soooo much time. I recently mucked one out with a normal small wheelbarrow and it made me so angry haha! I hated having to go to the muck heap four times just to get the stable clean!

- organisation. I have run yards for a long time, so know what makes things easy when faced with a yard full of horses to do. Organisation is key. For example, all of my rugs stay in Weatherbeeta rug bags, and I take out the cards detailing what the rug is, flip it round, write the name of the horse and which rug it is (so, ‘Austin - heavyweight turnout’ for example) and then put them back in. Rugs are all stacked in these bags with the labels facing out so that a groom can just grab the right rug without hours of searching. Also, every one of my horses has a ‘colour’ and I buy plastic key tags for them. I use a sharpie to write their names on every tag in the box, and store them in old takeaway Tupperwares. Everything belonging to that horse has a tag on it. Headcollars, lead roles, rugs, fly masks, everything. This makes it easy for people to pick the right rug or headcollar quickly. I once had an incredible piece of wisdom imparted to me by a well known event rider. He said ‘I want to know that if I break my neck, anyone can walk into the yard and run it without needing input from me’. That is my aim. Organisation to such a level that ANYONE who knows how to care for horses can look after mine without any help from me.
 

chaps89

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I do keep the reels that the tape comes on and wrap it back onto the reel when I take it down/put it away, I was just curious if there was a better/easier/quicker/less faff-y. The ones with handles or a hosepipe reel do sound good.
 

Pippity

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An idolo. Best piece of kit ever. Gets used on every single horse. No more pulling back or stupid accidents.

Love mine! My horse used to panic when tied up, and ending up breaking a couple of leadropes. With the idolo, she pulled back a little, it gave, and she settled right back down. Now she'll stand tied easily.
 

9tails

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Hardly underrated as they're in huge demand, but my large metal feedbin is my favourite purchase ever. It holds every bag of feed I need plus a spare, the other side is filled with boots/bandages/gubbins.
 

J&S

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I have an old fashioned metal, free standing, wheeled, clothes rack for hanging rugs on. I can wheel it out into the sunshine or it stands in the corner of one stable. The other stable has a bar that stands about 9 inches out from the wall and I hang the other horse's rugs on that. Dexian shelving in the tack room for the clean rugs.
 

ycbm

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Cheapest roko buckle headcollar for catching in. They can be done up one handed when your wrist is in plaster (yes I can vouch for it :) ) and there's no faffing trying to get a tongue in a hole if the horse is being a bit flighty.
 

Auslander

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I've not heard of this before - is it worth the price tag?
I think so. I buy the kids ones which are a bit cheaper, and similar size to a normal hoofpick. They are really strong, and you can get even the most rock hard mud out easily. I bought my first one when Alf had sports bar shoes on, and I couldn't pick the concrete-like mud out of them, as there were no grooves available to help with leverage. I've never gone back to normal hoofpicks!
I've actually used mine with a hammer to raise clenches so I could remove a loose shoe
 

ShadowHunter

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Spare fillet strings. I hate leg straps so I replace them with some spares I bought on amazon. Plus when they're not in use, they're great for holding gates closed as mine know how to open lift gate catches.
 

blitznbobs

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Baling twine useful for fixing everything
This is so true,... when I moved to my new home and brought the ponies home I couldn’t tie up but I thought as soon as I open my first bale of haylege it’ll be ok".. only the haylege was not bound... I had to go and cadge so twine from the yard down the road.... weirdest request ever and they looked incredibly confused it took quite a lot of explaining
 

GinaGeo

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Following a nasty tie up accident last year - I’ve just purchased a couple of Idolo’s. Thanks LEC!

My best must have would be my Hay Bell and Supersized Trickle net combo.

Hardly any wastage and I don’t have to stuff haynets (my least favourite job ever.)
 

Steerpike

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Some great things on here - given me some ideas! One of mine is replacing tail straps on rugs for a PVC coated one (I get mine from PE) - makes it so much nicer to look at and clean.
I cut pieces of hose pipe and thread through cotton fillet strings, a lot cheaper than buying the PE ones, I found the clips go quickly on the PE ones.
 

NinjaPony

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Currently horselyx in a tub. Extremely useful for persuading a drama queen to stand still for various unpleasant vet treatments and the farrier too when he’s being awkward! They last forever if you just use them as and when they are really needed and work like a charm.
 
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