Winter is Coming!!! (For prepping squirrels)

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Shoei

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Hi All!!!!

Don't shoot me :-)!!!! I know, I know, it's the middle of summer, none of us want to think about the awful winter!!! However, the influx of 'end of season sale' emails I have received over the weekend have made me aware that it is coming :-(.

So I thought I'd add this in to share our tips, tricks, deals and plans!

For me I need to get the guttering replaced around the stable block and the timber will get stained. I also need to get my automatic water fitted that I have had for a couple of years and never sorted!

Luckily, we've cut our own hay but I very much doubt we will have a second cut with the drought and I am having to feed hay at the moment because the grass is so poor.

I've stocked up on stud mix, but I need to get some other feeds in and I'd really like a mental feed bin.

I'd like to get the feed and tack rooms tidied and sorted in preparation too if anyone has any tips.

Also tips on rats!!! I have cats, but the rats hide in the big straw beds and scare me to death! I have tried snap traps and electric and I don't want to bait as we have birds of prey that pick them off. Ideally I just want to deter them from coming into the stables but I blocked the drain holes last year and they dug their way in.

Rug wise, I think we are okay, unless I decide to rug the yearling.

I need to send all my clipper blades of to be sharpened too.

So, what about everyone else?
 
Ooo clipper blades, thanks for the reminder.
just wrote an extensive list today of prep. Looking to sell a few and then rubber mat and put hay bars in the stables so hopefully less work!
 
I am currently sitting next to, and ignoring, a giant pile of rugs that need mending.

I'd like to find some time while it is still dry to wash and reproof all the turnouts with Fabsil Gold.

I've bought 20L of pig oil and sulphur for heavy feathered legs.

I would like to mend the small hole in the stable roof, but I have vertigo and wouldn't be able to come back down the ladder...!

Similarly the roof on my allotment shed needs replacing.
 
I’ve sent my rugs off to be cleaned & repaired and the clipper blades went in at the same time.

Main problem is I haven’t got round to the “summer jobs” yet ie some ragworting and power washing the yard, because it’s been too damn hot! ?
 
I can't lie I love Winter with horses especially when theyre clipped with their big fluffy rugs on and big beds.

The price and the unwillingness to do anything in the cold I like less. But then I feel the same in the extreme heat too.

In summary - Autumn and Spring for the win!
 
We are halfway through rug cleaning and my rug washing machine is leaking. It's just over a year old and has already had the heating element replaced which wasn't covered under warranty :mad:.

Other than rugs I haven't got anything else organised, annual summer painting is done and Mr EM and son are working their way through various stable repair jobs and most field jobs are done which is just as well as the tractor has thrown a sickie and is waiting for the mechanic.
 
No, no, no, no, nooooooooooooo.

Please can we just enjoy what's left of the summer before its riding by head torch in the sideways rain, muddy and dark ?
 
We've got some kick boards to replace in the shelters after a few to many bum rubs. I'm getting B's rugs reproofed at end of month. The babies are growing like weeds so holding off buying new until the last minute with them.
Sourced a new hay supplier as last years delivery didn't keep and the price this year isn't a figure I'm happy to loose if it doesn't last again. New supplier happy to deliver monthly as appose to a trailer load (26 round bales) at a time. Off to 'view' the hay this week too.
I've been buying the odd bag of feed when its been reduced at the feed merchants so I'm pretty stocked up on sugarbeet and chaff. Think the babies will just have a stud mix and then B just his bute in his dinner as he is now officially retired :(

I always bed the shelters down in winter as I think it keeps them warmer. The old boy spends a lot of time stood in there when its wet so I like to think it keeps his creaky joints warm. So straw I usually pick up from the feed merchants but will try and get a few bales from else where if cheaper.

I think that's us pretty much covered.
 
That's a good point, I did say i wanted to increase the height of my kickboards this year... i wonder how much they are nowdays £££££££
 
Limited prep for us fortunately. Only the elderly loan pony is lightly rugged and his are all in tact (and I never wash turnouts). We are extremely lucky to have a hay supplier who brings 21 bales at a time, as and when we need them, since we don't have much storage.

We did put some mud mats in last year and they have been invaluable!
 
I have 200 tiny (but heavy) bales of hayledge stacked and around 70 bales of hay for use till hayledge cooked and for shetlands, as well as first dibs on friends excess hay, need to order some more bedding, usually do in September but might start early this year, winter turn out areas now up all year so just need to change fencing configuration in winter ?
 
So, how's everyone getting on? Very grey here today! I'm planning to have a big sort out of the tack and feed rooms this weekend, to get all ready!
 
We have sorted our suppliers of hay/straw/haylage (no storage here). I have also found all the rugs for the smaller ones and ordered more water containers (a couple sprung leaks and there is no mains water at the yard). Ponies are already on the winter field, as the rest needs to rest now and we have cleared the little riding area so the kids can play in there on their ponies when it’s icy in the mornings in winter. My one to pts before winter struggled as soon as we ran out of summer grass, and her best friend then went sharply downhill too, so that’s been done also.

Need to sort out new clippers or fix ours, as the Shetland is growing coat like we’re about to head into the next ice age. I need new winter boots too, but waiting until it’s actually cold to get those!

What have I forgotten to do??
 
Shoei said:
So, how's everyone getting on? Very grey here today! I'm planning to have a big sort out of the tack and feed rooms this weekend, to get all ready!
Click to expand...
Okay, hear me out... I still haven't fenced the winter field. However, it worked in my favour as the LO had the long strip of fencing on one side redone, so I'll only need to run one line of rope on offset insulators on the long edge now, instead of three lines on plastic posts, yay! Still needs doing though hah...
I have, however, found myself purchasing 30 mud control mats from a local lady who was selling all 800 she owned as she's now got permission to put in proper hardstanding. Plan is to pop them around the water trough/gateway, so with any luck there will be minimal slopping around in gateway mud this year.
I rearranged the storage shed and moved the bigger stuff that needed moving into the storage caravan into said caravan, which has made more space for hay in the storage shed, and I rigged up my little lighting system up in the shed (literally just a few LED Bulbs in a series connected to a UPS Battery lol) so I've at least got some light. Just need to do the same in the caravan. Oh and attach solar panel to the batteries so there will be minimal lugging of batteries.
 
Well, this thread kick started winter prep for me. Since this thread I've bought

• a lightweight turn out rug as previous leaked last winter
• a mercury exercise sheet for our dark, early morning hacks
• some trug buckets for the car for boots/coats/hats etc to try to keep mud and dirt contained ?
• two new waterproof coats for me
• numerous thermal socks
• waterproof yard gloves
• waterproof and fleece lined bobble hat
• new (spare) head torch
• batteries for head torch

Meanwhile I'm still sat here in shorts and a vest top ... ?
 
I thought it was only me. Already had rugs repaired and replaced those necessary (actually I do this in spring and buy them cheaply in sales). All washed, and packed in order that they will be needed (lightweights on top). And yes, most of my Christmas shopping was done last week! I am a horrible worrier if I don't have things done in advance, so the only solution is to be organised!
 
So I have had a fairly productive weekend, if mostly winter prepping the house! I have;
topped the large paddock
split 'hopefully' enough wood for winter
been through all my clothes, got rid of things i don't wear and..... completely unheard of for me who always wears odd socks.... paired up all my socks! Mostly as i wanted all my long riding ones together.

I still need to.....
paint stables
tidy tack and feed room
wash all my coats!!!!!
send my clipper blades to be sharpened

House wise we really need the leak in the roof repairing!!
 
I still need to get my rugs washed/reproofed/repaired but hope to sort that this weekend. I'm pregnant and due Feb so need to buy some maternity waterproof clothing this year! Thinking of splurging on the Equidry, hoping my bump could fit underneath it as they do seem quite roomy.

I've just ordered a Nosebag hay feeder so I don't have to worry about nets this year. Planning on filling up a week's worth of hay into large bags on the weekends so I can just dump them into the feeder (with some help with the OH when the bump gets bigger!)

Had every intention of power washing his stable at the beginning of summer but never got round to it, but plan to do it one dry weekend in September so his rubber mats have chance to dry.
 
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