Winter is Coming!!! (For prepping squirrels)

[Birker2020]

I said to a fellow livery tonight that I was going to see if i could squeeze two round bales of hay in my trailer but then wondered how I could roll them around to the barn during the winter months without them getting covered in mud and wet.

Of course the obvious answer was to tow them to the barn only I don't as yet have a tow bar fitted to the new car.

It sounds like my hay bales will be very expensive after I've factored a new tow bar into the equation

 

[dottylottie]

I said to a fellow livery tonight that I was going to see if i could squeeze two round bales of hay in my trailer but then wondered how I could roll them around to the barn during the winter months without them getting covered in mud and wet.

Of course the obvious answer was to tow them to the barn only I don't as yet have a tow bar fitted to the new car.

It sounds like my hay bales will be very expensive after I've factored a new tow bar into the equation

i was going to get big square bales of hay as farmer assured me they’d fit in the horsebox…didn’t know how i’d get it out of the box and into the barn though!

 

[Beccahh]

Currently making a very long list of things i need to get done ie clearing out lockers .. painting stables ect
Very different winter this year as im expecting my first baby in December so relying on partner (unhorsey) my wonderful mum (possibly my dad but i question his mucking out skills ) and friends
Thankfully pony is now 26 and although healthy Iv semi retired him so little less to think about
I’m getting a little plastic locker for his stable and plan to use it to house a few bits ie stable wraps spare headcollar to save having to go to the tack room
Also thought I’d make a little winter box so thrush stuff .. mud fever things first aid ect
Anything else you would add?

Also plan to do week of feeds week of nets ect

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Mirrors ordered and clippers advertised!

 

[Shoei]

Currently making a very long list of things i need to get done ie clearing out lockers .. painting stables ect
Very different winter this year as im expecting my first baby in December so relying on partner (unhorsey) my wonderful mum (possibly my dad but i question his mucking out skills ) and friends
Thankfully pony is now 26 and although healthy Iv semi retired him so little less to think about
I’m getting a little plastic locker for his stable and plan to use it to house a few bits ie stable wraps spare headcollar to save having to go to the tack room
Also thought I’d make a little winter box so thrush stuff .. mud fever things first aid ect
Anything else you would add?

Also plan to do week of feeds week of nets ect

I like the idea of a winter box! I'd include practical things like baby wipes and disposable gloves too.

 

[little_critter]

I’ve bought a pack of xl zip lock backs for pre preparing their teas.

 

[Beccahh]

I like the idea of a winter box! I'd include practical things like baby wipes and disposable gloves too.

I thankfully work in a vets so I’m going to start my supply list

 

[Fransurrey]

i was going to get big square bales of hay as farmer assured me they’d fit in the horsebox…didn’t know how i’d get it out of the box and into the barn though!

Point horse to box with ramp down. You won't be able to go anywhere with horse, but now you've also saved on fuel, competition fees...you can thank me for this nugget of cost-saving advice later.

My winter prepping this weekend is to lay down the grass mats, to give ground time to recover some grass before winter sludge sets in. I am also going to reseed under the mats. Normally the grass recovers naturally and I've never needed to re-seed before, but those of us in the SE know how THAT worked out this year...

 

[SEL]

Baby cob (now 7) came with a full wardrobe 3.5 years ago.

His arse is sticking out of his 200g!! I can't squeeze it across his chest either so looks like he needs an early Xmas present. Little solid ball of muscle but I hadn't realised how much he'd chucked up.

Unfortunately the lorry ramp broke all on its own overnight so his Xmas present won't be just yet.

 

[dottylottie]

Point horse to box with ramp down. You won't be able to go anywhere with horse, but now you've also saved on fuel, competition fees...you can thank me for this nugget of cost-saving advice later.

My winter prepping this weekend is to lay down the grass mats, to give ground time to recover some grass before winter sludge sets in. I am also going to reseed under the mats. Normally the grass recovers naturally and I've never needed to re-seed before, but those of us in the SE know how THAT worked out this year...

when i was first trying to get hay, YO actually suggested storing a round bale in my box…i said that’s the most expensive option you could’ve come up with

 

[dorsetladette]

Baby cob (now 7) came with a full wardrobe 3.5 years ago.

His arse is sticking out of his 200g!! I can't squeeze it across his chest either so looks like he needs an early Xmas present. Little solid ball of muscle but I hadn't realised how much he'd chucked up.

Unfortunately the lorry ramp broke all on its own overnight so his Xmas present won't be just yet.

I better check Reggie's rugs still fit. I put a summer sheet on him to keep the dust off which I thought would drown him but it didn't look to bad so he must have filled and grown more than I realised. I might have a heap of 5ft9 rugs needing a new home.

Sorry to hear about your lorry ramp - I had a hinge go on a trailer ramp while I was collecting hay - you don't realise how heavy they are until you need to put them up without a hinge.

 

[southerncomfort]

We've been out in the heat this week replacing a stretch of post and rail fencing that had become rotten and wonky.
We've also replaced two gateposts with metal ones, so hopefully their will be less emergency fence repairs this year.

I've decided to keep Bo fully clipped and rugged this year. He absolutely hates getting wet, and gets so grumpy about it so we'll see if he's happier with a rug on. Which means I need to do some shopping as he currently only has a no fill rainsheet!

 

[SEL]

Sorry to hear about your lorry ramp - I had a hinge go on a trailer ramp while I was collecting hay - you don't realise how heavy they are until you need to put them up without a hihinge

It looks like my gas strut exploded - possibly in the heat yesterday. I'd left the ramp down & it was in direct sun but guessing really.

We've got replacement struts but its sheered the attachments off the ramp which is a PITA. Fortunately nothing booked this week because I can't lift it on my own!

 

[lozzles]

Could have been as simple as the nut attaching it eventually wearing loose. I had one detach like that with a bang but thankfully was actually a very cheap fix that time

 

[lozzles]

Adding myself to the slightly prepped list. I got round to putting down the new batch of grass mats this morning. With only two barefoot in the field they seem to hold up pretty well I've had some for years now. Still need to stock up on wood pellet for the shelter and probably get a couple more mats.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

While waiting for the vet yesterday I sorted all my rugs, liners and stable rugs out. The liners and stable rugs had been washed so they went back into rug bags and labelled so I know which are which. One Rhino has been cleaned, repaired and I’m waiting on the Fabsil Gold to arrive so I can reproof it and the other turnouts have had the grease build up removed from the insides.

Contemplating moving from straw to Aubioise this year so will gut the boxes, disinfect the rubber matting and give the walls a good scrub in the next month.

 

[millitiger]

Hay supply confirmed for winter, phew!
Big round hay bales going up from £35 to £40 so about £10/week extra in the depths of winter. I will take that I think!

 

[CastlelackSportHorses]

We got our hay cut thankfully. 80 round bales in the shed, the stress was 90!
I also sourced a guy local selling tonne bags of sawdust for like €30! so went and bought 4 bags and have filled stables to the brim and will pull down what I need over time!
Hopefully will be cheaper than the pallet of bales from co op!

Fingers crossed we have a dry winter like last and horses can stay out well into November!!

 

[meandmyself]

My main thing is deciding if I want to send his heavyweight turnout to be repaired and hope I can get another year from it or splurge and buy another one. I'm thinking replacing it might be best but then get lost in the sea of rugs and decide to just fix the old one instead!

Hay is getting delivered in the next few weeks and I've ordered a pallet of bedding. The farm insisted on straw last winter and I absolutely hated it (as did the boyo) but I've managed to convince them to let me use straw pellets this year. I'm really missing Equisorb - so easy and light to use!

Also considering mud chaps this year because with how wet last winter was, he started a bit of mud fever and it took a while to clear.

 

[meandmyself]

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.

Ah same! I bought a Lands' End coat last year and I'm hoping it'll fit me through winter!

Women's Squall Waterproof Stadium Long Coat | Lands' End

www.landsend.co.uk

This, and it's seriously warm and oversized enough to get a hoodie under too so I'm hoping it'll be okay!