What have you/will you do differently this winter?

I need a decent pair of gloves and more socks.

Only real problems last year were frozen pipes for water and the yard being slippy as it is a very flat surface.
 
I've got 50 bales of hay and 20 haylage stuffed into my old pig shed, off to stock up on feed this afternoon since we can get supply problems up here in winter. The changes I'm making this year are less rugs, more turnout and more food - he dropped weight quite alarmingly in the snow at the beginning of this year, so I'll have build-up mix and soya oil on hand if needed.
 
sareeskinner said:
Quick question (sorry for hijacking)
I'm looking at buying some large bale haylge from Mr Farmer - 5 or 6ft across I think? How easy are they to manouver with man power alone? Tractor can't get right into the yard due to little lanes/gate posts/silly corners so we may need to move them our selves....
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Ummmmm......NOT easy!! A couple of burly blokes might manage it.....:-O If round, you might be able to roll with a few of you, but if square you really need strong men or a quad or mini tractor.

I bought an old quad for water and hay lugging, makes life a lot easier altho they do attract the light fingered brigade so you need to be able to keep it very secure.
 
I have now stabled my two.
Last winter was murder, mine were stuck in their paddock for 7 weeks, it was far to dangerous to attempt the walk to the barn. All we could do was have the large round bales of haylage put in the field by the farmer and we made sure they never ran out as absolutely no access to grazing.

That led to another problem, both were shockingly fat after :(

Being stabled this winter means they now go into the paddocks next to the barn meaning even when its really bad, they still get out at times and I cansee to them in the barn.
 
Last year we managed the winter easily...

We always stock up the hay barn, bedding store and feed room well before winter sets in so we have enough to last us.

We also always keep the horses turned out 24/7. Even those who are clipped just get heavily rugged.

As they live out we take their shoes off or at least just the back shoes off from november - jan so if it snow it doesnt ball up in their feet.

When it freezes/snows we turn all the taps and troughs off on the main yard and in the fields, the tack room is heated so the tap in there is fine and we take water containers to the horses twice a day in the 4x4 to top up big insulated tubs in the field.

When it snows the get adlib hay/haylage in the field.

When it snows the liveries can't get up to the yard so all the horses get done together, so they're all happy.

and for us...thick socks, good boots, thermals and waterproofs are essential!


The oonly thing i've done differently this is brought a quad bike :) very indulgent i know! but hopefully it'll save me hours that i would normally spend dragging hay down to the fields!
 
sareeskinner - I have big square bale haylage and can move them easily enough on my own on relatively flat ground once you get them moving its just a knack as their impulsion carries them somewhat and you just have to give them a shove on every roll :). with 2 people they are easy we can get them up onto the raised lip that they sit on and are used from (cant do this alone).

To do this winter different - buy ice boot grips to spend less time on my butt!
Try and find some waterproof warm gloves which last :) Any recommendations?
Invest in Le Chameau wellies- I bought some as an Xmas present for my mum last year and she was smugly delighted about her toasty toes whilst I battled on in hunters! :p
Some warmer winter jods. again any suggestions? leg length must be suitable for lanky types! :o :)
May invest in an battery powered water air blower thingy as suggested on here as used footballs last yr and the water just froze beneath them!
Buy another axe to leave near the troughs for ice hacking!

To do the same, useful tips -
Get back into the habit of filling the kettle the night before to defrost pipes in the morn
Bulk buy grit for the yard
Have extra feed in just in case
Chop our logs up in advance for the fire so dont have to chop in freezing weather
Get all the h/w and m/w rugs washed
Put winter coats on the aga and boots at the bottom the night before for warm clothes in the morn :)
 
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