What's your winter routine/ survival tips?

[L&B]

Winter is here... It always interests me to learn about other people's set-up's and how they survive the worst of the months?

I am on my own land with a couple of stables, so that helps hugely... Horses are in of an eve, out rugged (in the worst of it) in the day.
Water but no lights.

I keep a spare coat up the yard, I use some Diall rechargeable 'work lights' which are AMAZING, I do a weekly bulk hay-net fill and make sure my jobs are all done in the morn so that all I need to do of an eve after work is DRAG-IN if I don't get an early finish/ride. I'm saving up for some mud mats for the gateways...


Tell me about you...

 

[[118739]]

I was just about to post a q about rechargeable lights which are decent enough for the stable routine - glad I came here first!!

My horse has 1 week to survive out in the field before I start bringing her in as am away this weekend. Hay AM & PM rugged at night & day if rainy. So at the moment she's very low maintenance - but when the time comes it'll be:
muck out & prep evening net, feed & water in the AM before work & collect from field straight after work. Also lucky like you to have home stabling & land. Rugging in the eve will depend on if I clip - at the mo only add a medium weight at night or if its pissing down in the day while shes out.

Got a good stable set up which makes AM routine easier - there's an alleyway that runs through the shed big enough for 2 round bales (1 hay, 1 home grown bedding) outside of stable door & all mucking out equipment.

Lights are the next adventure so the Diall's are on order!!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Being organised is my secret. Not always successfully but I try hard !

Put stuff back so you can find it again.
Put the same size rugs together and keep them relevant to each horse. Trying to shove Ted into Alice's mac simply does not work and wastes time.

Tools ready to use and relevant to whatever bed is used in each box.
Wipe pig oil on legs and bellies, the mud won't stick and the need to wash off is removed.
Feed for the work done, not what might be done, avoids getting bucked off a too fresh horse.
Keep change of clothing in car - or two changes for days like last Saturday
Generous beds are easier to muck out and stay dry
You can never have enough pairs of gloves, on wet days put surgical gloves over top of warm gloves.
Tesco plastic bags in wellies keep feet warm and dry if wellies have given up
Buckets with lids to make up meals in bulk, label for each horse and add water/sugarbeet when being used.
Feed best hay or haylage you can. Crap stuff knackers lungs, yours and horse.

When it all gets too much, look forward to a nap on a Sunday afternoon !

 

[Hexx]

My secret is ....... the YO!! She takes over the mucking out, turn out and bring in during the week when the clocks change, so all I have to do is put the bed down, add straw, put up nets, water buckets and feed in the evening. Baby cob is unbacked, so doesn't have to do any work in the evenings until next year, so we have time for cuddles, scratches and grooming.

I do the weekends though!

 

[ihatework]

At the moment horse is in my care but that involves going to the field in my lunch break, giving him some food checking his legs, giving the dogs a walk and returning to my office.

In 3 weeks time I shall deposit said horse back on full livery and arrange my visits around the weather forecast 🤣

Don’t worry, I’ve done my time in the cold, dark, wet and mud!

 

[Dyllymoo]

I literally have done 1 day in the dark and already feeling exhausted!

I am on DIY and work full time but I am quite lucky in that my job is only 20 mins away and the yard is around 1 mile from my house. I get up early, go to yard, turnout, muck out, do waters for the evening, go straight to work and then come back to the yard when I finish work (around 5.30pm). My YO brings in for me as I just don't get there early enough. I then do hay (soak for an hour), groom/ check over and do some in hand work if I feel awake enough.

I literally have my routine down to a T, and any deviation (if I do waters before I have swept or whatever) it completely throws me, so that is my biggest thing, have a routine.

I have fingerless warm gloves (pack of 2 from Primark for £1) that are a godsend for me.

That's pretty much it. Winter is not fun, and it is dark and gloomy but I do try and make myself spend some time at the yard in the evening when I am not doing jobs, even just 10 mins grooming, or sitting with said hairy beasty as otherwise it can be very easy to feel like you are drowning in jobs and forget why I'm doing it.

 

[Esmae]

Out 8am rugged or not depending on weather. In at dusk. Mucking out, bed down, hay, feed and water done in the morning. Horses brushed over and feet picked out before bed and fed. All hay, bedding,and feed are bought and stored by the beginning of October. No need to worry about running out of anything. Don't put it down, put it away motto works wonders and keeps you organised. Both of mine are retired now so I don't need to exercise anymore. You need to be organised to make life as easy as possible. Plan in the summer. Simples.

 

[MDB]

My 3 are at home on 4 acres set on top of a hill, at 600m altitude, very exposed, no natural shelter. They do have a walk in shelter. After some awful storms these past two winters and rain which can last for weeks I have now bought turnout rugs for all three.
They will continue to be out 24 / 7 but I hope the rugs will make the weeks of rain more bearable for everyone. Other than rugging I don't expect my routine will change since they are at home and I have everything I need.

 

[Red-1]

This year and last - pull shoes and rest until the Xmas holidays. I do lunge occasionally and walk out down the lane, but I have been run off my feet so she is essentially off for a while.

 

[JoannaC]

Mine are at home and we've created a sand turnout straight off the barn and the fields come straight off that, at the moment they're out and still naked as all a little porky and have lots of grass. They do come in for a few hours in the day so I can ride and poo pick etc and have access to the barn if they want. I'm hoping they can stay like this all Winter but if it gets really wet they can be shut into the sand area with stable doors open over night.

 

[L&B]

​

I was just about to post a q about rechargeable lights which are decent enough for the stable routine - glad I came here first!!

My horse has 1 week to survive out in the field before I start bringing her in as am away this weekend. Hay AM & PM rugged at night & day if rainy. So at the moment she's very low maintenance - but when the time comes it'll be:
muck out & prep evening net, feed & water in the AM before work & collect from field straight after work. Also lucky like you to have home stabling & land. Rugging in the eve will depend on if I clip - at the mo only add a medium weight at night or if its pissing down in the day while shes out.

Got a good stable set up which makes AM routine easier - there's an alleyway that runs through the shed big enough for 2 round bales (1 hay, 1 home grown bedding) outside of stable door & all mucking out equipment.

Lights are the next adventure so the Diall's are on order!!

Excellent!! Can strongly recommend them. They were about 45quid a piece but we've had ours for about 4yrs and theyve not faltered... Charge em up about once every 5days or so... Love the idea of hay/bedding storage. Some makeshift bunker is on my list!!

 

[L&B]

Being organised is my secret. Not always successfully but I try hard !

Put stuff back so you can find it again.
Put the same size rugs together and keep them relevant to each horse. Trying to shove Ted into Alice's mac simply does not work and wastes time.

Tools ready to use and relevant to whatever bed is used in each box.
Wipe pig oil on legs and bellies, the mud won't stick and the need to wash off is removed.
Feed for the work done, not what might be done, avoids getting bucked off a too fresh horse.
Keep change of clothing in car - or two changes for days like last Saturday
Generous beds are easier to muck out and stay dry
You can never have enough pairs of gloves, on wet days put surgical gloves over top of warm gloves.
Tesco plastic bags in wellies keep feet warm and dry if wellies have given up
Buckets with lids to make up meals in bulk, label for each horse and add water/sugarbeet when being used.
Feed best hay or haylage you can. Crap stuff knackers lungs, yours and horse.

When it all gets too much, look forward to a nap on a Sunday afternoon !

Yes! I try to be organised too... Though I am scatterbrained so often it's organised chaos... If you please! 😊
Must get some pig oil! Thanks for the reminder!!

 

[L&B]

My secret is ....... the YO!! She takes over the mucking out, turn out and bring in during the week when the clocks change, so all I have to do is put the bed down, add straw, put up nets, water buckets and feed in the evening. Baby cob is unbacked, so doesn't have to do any work in the evenings until next year, so we have time for cuddles, scratches and grooming.

I do the weekends though!

You lucky so & so!!

 

[L&B]

I literally have done 1 day in the dark and already feeling exhausted!

I am on DIY and work full time but I am quite lucky in that my job is only 20 mins away and the yard is around 1 mile from my house. I get up early, go to yard, turnout, muck out, do waters for the evening, go straight to work and then come back to the yard when I finish work (around 5.30pm). My YO brings in for me as I just don't get there early enough. I then do hay (soak for an hour), groom/ check over and do some in hand work if I feel awake enough.

I literally have my routine down to a T, and any deviation (if I do waters before I have swept or whatever) it completely throws me, so that is my biggest thing, have a routine.

I have fingerless warm gloves (pack of 2 from Primark for £1) that are a godsend for me.

That's pretty much it. Winter is not fun, and it is dark and gloomy but I do try and make myself spend some time at the yard in the evening when I am not doing jobs, even just 10 mins grooming, or sitting with said hairy beasty as otherwise it can be very easy to feel like you are drowning in jobs and forget why I'm doing it.

Your routine sounds similar to mine. Except I'm by myself so have no help at all... I can often be found fumbling around a field with a head torch after 5pm, praying the swines are going to be caught!! Lol...
You raise v good points about just spending some time after all the chores in the eve. And also about routine. I can get quite grumpy if my routine is pickled... But its only cos its there to make life easier!

 

[L&B]

My 3 are at home on 4 acres set on top of a hill, at 600m altitude, very exposed, no natural shelter. They do have a walk in shelter. After some awful storms these past two winters and rain which can last for weeks I have now bought turnout rugs for all three.
They will continue to be out 24 / 7 but I hope the rugs will make the weeks of rain more bearable for everyone. Other than rugging I don't expect my routine will change since they are at home and I have everything I need.

Wow! Where do you live? Sounds like it can be tough when the weather hits! Double layers & extra socks?

 

[scats]

I’m a creature of routine, so I have a specific way of doing things that I find is most efficient. I do all jobs in the morning, so all I have to do in the evening is bring in, poo pick, ride and finish off. I do the next days haynets when the girls are eating their tea. Then I can just grab the nets the next day.

Another great tip I have is not to think too much! I can get into a dreadful habit of wondering what life must be like to be warm in front of the fire, or not having to dash out early every morning so if I start thinking like that, I stop myself!

 

[milliepops]

I only go to the yard after work as YO turns out & brings in for me. As the dark nights draw in I try and make myself ride first because I can do jobs under lights. In the summer I do jobs first and then ride, because it's nice to know everything is done, but in winter it's too easy to get sidetracked by jobs and end up not working the horses. So that's my survival tip, know what the priorities are and stick to them.

The field horses are pretty low maintenance fortunately and I can see them in the morning and then just check over when chucking some hay in at night. Just need a good headtorch (godsend for everything tbh, I hate padding around in the dark so I have several which means I am never without one!).

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Like AA, I am organised and ensure i have everything to hand, never go up or down the yard empty handed (time and motion) Am there twice a day every day, often in the dark, so a good head torch and spare are necessary.

Hay and bedding was brought in bulk in the summer. Feed is in, in enough quantities to last till xmas or early new year.

2 big water tanks which are currently clean and empty, are on standby to be put into position (1 goes at the back of big shelter) if the weather looks like temps staying below zero for a few days. Means I can dunk buckets in, or at least know that the fuzzies have access to sheltered water.

Battery lights were checked this weekend, muck heap going next weekend.

Finally, spare gloves, lots of them all paired and pegged together, in 2 carrier bags in feed store, hanging from ceiling to prevent damage.

Prob lots more...

 

[NinjaPony]

Organisation is your friend! Like others I do as much in the morning light as I can. I keep gloves, waterproofs and boots in the car, headtorch in coat pocket and warm hat. I make up the weeks work of feeds in labelled bags which saves lots of time, and I make up morning feeds the night before, and evening feeds in the morning. Current stable and turnout rugs are in stables ready to go. A decent headtorch is a must, I also keep a wheelbarrow and skip by their field so I can poopick before bringing in without making a second trip. I also keep a bucket with a dustpan and brush etc for messes in a convenient place. Main thing is sussing out how to make as few trips up and down the yard as possible!

 

[webble]

For those without lighting I can recommend bedazzled stable lights, one of my best investments.

Have insulation on standby for taps when it freezes and lots of water containers filled up the night before

 

[C1airey]

Current horse has to be first in or he starts doing the screaming wall of death in the field. Current routine is to bring in during my lunch (Which I take as late as poss, so 2:30ish. Thankfully I work v.close to yard), then drop in on way home: fresh haynet, skip out, groom, kiss goodnight. When it was lighter, he’d be ridden, but that’s now a morning sport.

Mornings he’s either out at the crack of sparrow-fart, or, if I’ve been up early enough to consume enough coffee, ridden.

My little old cob never gave a fig whether he was in first or last, with or without company. The new boy is exhausting!

 

[Queenbee]

Going to be a culture shock for me this year after moving from cornwall to Cumbria! Already my trusted sheepskin gloves are being traded up for full sheepskin gloves after the last week!

I am lucky or not depending on how you look at it. Beast doesn't like being out at night in the slightest so he is in at night all year round... so perhaps not such a shock right now for me. Although two evenings in and I am missing the light!

He is clean and tidy in his stable, I now have a bag of wood pellets down on the floor and a big straw bed so I skip out at night all week and change the pellets over at the weekend. Since we have moved yards I now pay 100 pcm for stable and grazing and buy big bale straw and hay from the YO which works out much better than paying 175 for stable and grazing with adlib hay. It means that I can put my hay directly on the floor - old YO did not like this due to possible wastage but beast never did waste his hay and since he is in a 14 x 16 stable it can be put at one end and his bed at the other with no chance of waste or mixing into his bed. We are in a huge field with so much more grass than we used to have so rotation and protection of the pasture is super easy.

My two 'have to haves' right now are my nordvek gloves which as I say I am upgrading from fingerless to proper gloves! And my headtorch.... other than that it should just be business as usual for the beast and me

 

[ponynutz]

My secret is tights under my jods, cheap from Tescos but oh so warm! Also tidying the muck heap warms you up in no time!

 

[Dave's Mam]

If you're on a yard, make arrangements with friends. I turn out for my friend in the morning, she brings in for me in the evening.

 

[holeymoley]

Warm clothes! A couple of pairs of the cheap thinsulate gloves as a pair are bound to get wet. I’ve bought waterproof ones this year. Good socks and good warm boots. Head torch for doing hay.

Horse wise, have everything organised so you know where it is. If working, do as many haynets in advance as possible. If soaking hay, buy in a few bags of horsehage incase you have an icey spell with no water.

 

[MrsMozart]

It's been a couple of years since we had the horses, rather than DD1 having them, and them not being on full livery, but what I remember is:

Hay nets - whatever day of the week you get to be at the yard in daylight, do the week's worth;
Water buckets - if you have a tap with a connector, get a bit of hose the right length and hook it up to fill up. Take it home to stop it from freezing;
Waders - can't stress these enough! They're brill. No more losing wellies in the mud and no more muddy ar$e;
Gloves, spare socks, waterproof jacket, hats - keep spares in the car and in your secure place at the yard;
Feed - use the big ice-cream boxes or similar to have feed made up (same day as do haynets);
Headtorch - get a decent one that doesn't mind getting wet;
Extra light - most stables seem to be on the dim side, so an additional light can make all the difference;
Rubber matting - reduces mucking out time.

Probably loads more that I won't remember until reality hits this winter! Though all are out and have a big shelter, so no mucking out to be dealing with

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Teas and haynets made up on a Sunday for the week.

Also live in turnouts so they stay warm, dries rugs when they are wet better, and saves time changing them.

 

[dorsetladette]

Mine are out 24/7 all year.

I make up enough chaff bags of hay for all the week day mornings on a sunday as I start work early. One chaff bag of hay fits perfectly into a wheelie bin and I don't get covered even if its windy. I have an old coat and water proof over trousers and wellies in the car so pop to horses on way to work.

In the evening i do my chores, so poo picking in the dark is the norm for me. A good head torch is essential and so are my solar lights. I use these ones

https://www.nationallighting.co.uk/...MI7ZmS6orB5QIVUETTCh1OQgqjEAYYAiABEgJcHvD_BwE

I have sandy soil so its not to muddy at any time of year, more slippy if its been wet constantly for days. As we're in the south and I'm less than a mile from the sea, we don't get a lot of ice or freezing weather, so that is always a bit of a shock when it happens.

My biggest thing is to always have a wheelbarrow to hand - I have 5!! 3 for poo picking, I fill all 3 and then empty all 3 at the same time - means looking for poo's is done first in a bit more day light. 1 is for taking the hay out and lives next to the feed room with the spare which is for anything else I find i need to care around the field.

I have hose pipes of varying lengths which reach from the tap to the water buckets in each field - I get out the one I need and it stays out until they move fields and then it goes away and another one comes out.

See through plastic boxes on a shelf so you can see what box you need down. I have tools/grooming kit/first aid/potions etc in mine.

Hang scissors by the door on a piece of string - AND ALWAYS PUT THEM BACK!!!

 

[frannieuk]

Instead of a head torch, I’ve found beanie hats with a usb rechargeable LED light in them - literally a game changer! Keeps your head warm and doesn’t slip or move 😊

WEITOO Unisex Bright Knit 4 LED Beanie Hat with Light USB Rechargeable Lighted Headlamp Torch Cap Gifts for Men and Women (Black) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07X9PVKM2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8saUDbRMPXJ2M

 

[dogatemysalad]

Being on a great livery yard makes winter easier. Hot wash boxes, floodlit menage, indoor stabling, racks for drying wet rugs and under cover space for farrier. Bedding and forage is delivered and YO offers services when needed. Apart from the lack of daylight, winter isn't so bad here.