Will this routine work

elsielouise

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so I move my competition horses tomorrow away from full livery to a rented field with a field shelter with generator (my shelter is a double one with half stable and half shelter). This is my plan for the winter:


6am - by toechlight - field check basics - are they standing up and no blood! Throw in haylage or feed depending on weight and workload. check rugs not hanging off back end.

1pm - paid groom arrives, removes rugs, grooms and checks over, lunges each one twice/3x a week. hay, feed as required.


8pm - again with my torch field check.

I plan the above Mon-fri but in addition I hope to get to school each of them (there's only 2) two mornings a week, hack once and compete/lesson once. If the weather deteriorates I can 'stable them' in the shelter with shavings on rubber matting (shelter on decent ground) and turn out at 6 and have my groom muck out etc, They'll have to stay out til 8 though.

I think it will work as have done this before with non competition horses- though am slightly nervous about things like mud fever and keeping clean for comps etc.

oh and do you think I should clip with this routine? I reckon with decent rugs it will be fine (they have MANY decent rugs)


It's the first time I haven't had them fully stabled on full livery over the winter but the field is 2 mins from my house and the last few winters I've paid full livery but only seen them twice a week.

 
Most horses thrive best in a routine, which you have obviously worked out so that everything happens at the same time each day. You have (hopefully) a few weeks for them to adjust before the weather and darkness really take hold, and they should gradually get used to it. Personally I would clip soon and again in a short while, so that by the time January and February come (always the worst) they have grown a little extra protection. Not ideal for cleanliness of competition horses, but who's looking that closely anyway!
 
I think that sounds like a very good plan! Your lucky to have someone able to go down there during the day! I work in a hospital and so can work very funny days which means my riding is limited to weekends and the one afternoon i get off suring the week - fortunately i have saved quite a few holiday days as i have not been away this year (spent all my money on a trailer, 4x4 and new saddle - whoops!) so will hopefully take a few of those to get extra riding in!

We rented a field and shelter a couple years ago and it worked fine although it is a lot of hard work! My plan for this winter is to literally go down in a morning bfore work, feed, rug up and turn out, muck out after work and lift the beds on a weekend to air out and ride then - no proper school to ride in though so not looking forward to winter!
 
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