Winter Management...On a budget!

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AshleighEmma

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Hello all.

Just wondered if anyone has any budgeting tips throughout winter. My livery bill almost triples in winter, going from living out 24/7 to in at night makes a massive difference!

Does anyone have any cost cutting tips? Is straw the cheapest bedding?

I'm not cutting corners, I'll provide everything my mare needs 100%!!
 
Ad lib good haylage for horses in work but poorer forage for youngsters is OK, as long as it is clean and free from dust.
two small feeds per day with non molassed sugar beet and micronised linseed, and minerals and salt bought in large quantities. Or just feed Fast Fibre and some salt, add some oats if in work.
You can try wood pellets which is up to £50 to start the bed and up to two bags per week maintenance. I like banks, so would buy four shavings for banks and have maybe £40 of pellets in middle.
I would always have one or two EVA mats, they are easy to wash and prevent injuries, so if you have them you can use less bedding, but I would never keep a horse on standard rubber mats alone as I have seen. Straw beds with no shavings/sawdust smell and only work if horse is out in day and the beds can get dried out, a lot of work though.
If the stables are very large and the horse is careful you are in a much better situation than any sort of box-walking monster mare in a small stable. Frequent skipping out helps a lot.
Haynets are more economical than ad lib on the floor, but feeding off the floor has to be safer, and quicker, esp for youngsters.
Probably a good idea to weigh all food weekly and weekly weightape all mature horses. Youngsters can be kept on the lean side, as long as they get ad lib forage and minerals.
 
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My winter bill doubles, at least. Mine go from a few hours in the stable during daytime in summer, to stabled overnight (and in extreme bad weather) in winter. I've had horses 30 years and have yet to work out a particularly cost effective winter management, it always ends up costing me a small fortune, nomatter how much planning goes into it.
I use shavings, although straw is generally cheaper, because my ISH eats straw and colics from it. It's easier to just have all mine on shavings as a result.

As much turnout in the day as possible will save on day haynets, although in the real depths I feed hay in the field too. Perhaps a deep litter bed system? It's not something I use but it does work for some people. I do have deep litter banks however, so I only muck the centre of the bed out and I don't touch the banks. It saves time also, and probably a bit of money.
If mine end up in for longer during the day, due to weather, I put a basic day bed down (on rubber mats), which saves too much bedding being wasted during the day. I then bed down a thick bed at night as always. For my big lad, who is absolutely filthy, this easily saves me an extra bag of shavings.

Hay is usually cheaper than haylage, too.

I've gone from 3 to 2 having lost my part bred gelding in June, so I'm anticipating a slightly cheaper and easier winter for the first time in many years.
 
It's so difficult as there's always added expenses! Yes I run a similar system to you with the bedding, I tend to leave the banks to as she urinates in the banks so I found myself taking the whole lot out which was extremely wasteful! I think I'll go onto hay this winter although it gets dusty at my yard unfortunately!

I need to invest in rubber matting as this will save me bedding costs however I know that start up cost is a lot!! perhaps I can find second hand?

sorry to heard about losing your horse but thanks for the advise! gives me bits to think about!
 
Never ever ever feed dusty hay, its not worth the risk, also you have to soak it and then replace lost minerals and nutrients, so better to feed haylage even if it is a bit more expensive. Good hay is fine, though I might run the hose over it after netting, but then I had a horse with COPD and would never ever risk it.
If you are feeling the pinch you might be able to get a bar job or something a few nights a week :)
Buy just one EVA mat per stable this year and see how you get on.
 
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Yes I soak the hay, wouldn't directly give her dusty hay! Just looked at the EVA matting, very expensive! Worth it in the end I suppose!

Thanks again
 
Oh and warm horses need less food, I know the trend is not to rug if they have a decent coat, fit, healthy etc which I agree with to some extent but if they are likely to shiver weight off, rug well.

Don't necessarily go for mixes either. I have spent a fortune on mixes over the years but last winter my Gelderlander who is like a yoyo where his weight is concerned did well off just adlib hay, sugar beet, chaff and minerals. I was prepared to swap if needed but as we had a fairly mild winter so he didn't drop any weight.
 
That's great thanks,

Ive heard lots of good things about straights and my mum always tells me to stay off the mixes and feed accordingly with straights so might give this a go, what minerals do you feed?
 
I saved a fortune this year switching to feeding simpler food. Now i just feed beet pulp, oats and a bluegrass oat balancer pellet. The horses look fab on it and it allows me to change the rations depending on if they are good or poor doers. the good doers get more oats. It's been so handy, someone here recommended it ages ago to me in a thread and it's been fantastic. They all looks great and i've less hassle/money wasted on feed
 
Oh that's a good idea, where do you source the oat balancer pellet and what are the benefits of a balancer? do you find the pellets heat your horses?
 
I bought rubber mats over 8 years ago, I'm not sure what the point of one mat would be TBH. They were £30 each and I needed 6, they've been fantastic. I'm also on wood pellets and the start up cost of a bed is only £20 for 6 bags but I buy mine by the ton and also get good quality ones. I find that buying hay periodically all through summer from the yard, while horse is living out, means that I start with at least 30 bales for winter and it's not such a big outlay.
 
I was working out yesterday what it would cost me, per day just to feed the horses.
About $3 each, hay, and grain, oh the joys of having just 2 small beasties :)

They live out, at home.
One big bale of straw in the run-in does all winter ($25).
I don't muck out.
No new blankets needed.
No new anything needed.

Cheap as chips, but we do have a mortgage.
 
I feed the Equimins Advance Complete powder. I'd rather have a powder as i know there isn't any filler in it, he also has Horse First Relax me as a Calmer and turmeric so I stick a glug of linseed oil in a bowl to mix it then use the beet and chaff as a carrier.
 
hi just new to this also looking at feeding on a budget for the winter, hay is bought and stored and straw will be ready soon. but now thinking about hard feed??? il have a new recently broken 4 yr old connieX 15.1hh and an old 12.2hh pony to feed. was thinking of mixes but reading through threads am kind of put off them. any suggestions? as for balancers I'm a little out of the loop as well??? as well tight budget, time will be tight 3 days a week.
 
carnagh said:
hi just new to this also looking at feeding on a budget for the winter, hay is bought and stored and straw will be ready soon. but now thinking about hard feed??? il have a new recently broken 4 yr old connieX 15.1hh and an old 12.2hh pony to feed. was thinking of mixes but reading through threads am kind of put off them. any suggestions? as for balancers I'm a little out of the loop as well??? as well tight budget, time will be tight 3 days a week.
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I would see how they do on a very basic feed to carry a vit supplement and adlib hay... are they in/out? how much work are they doing? and how are they looking going out of summer. A horse who is chunky can loose some weight over winter but you wouldn't obviously want this with a lean horse. I photo mine from all 4 angles once a week combined with weigh taping to check condition. If he starts to drop off his feed is upped.
 
at the moment this little mare is mud fat at grass and ridden off it 4/5 times a week. just starting to bring her out for a look around at shows with the view to doing a few hunts/sponsored rides and schooling over the winter so my plan is to ride/hack 3/4days per week. pony is just companion and might go for a little hack with my daughter once a week. I'm based in south ireland. I don't want to feed anything that will fizz her up but want her in good condition. I suppose for this winter it will be a trial an error. last few years iv had the same horses so just fed the same year in year out.
 
AshleighEmma said:
Unfortunately have to buy all straw and haylage/hay from YO so works out expensive but no way around it unfortunately!
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I was going to suggest that you buy in bulk to save money (but then read your post). I've just changed my supplier of woodchip and bought a pallet load in the summer to tide me over most of the winter plus I try and buy my haylage when the local feed shop (Moles) has a 10% off day. Only buy feed in bulk if you have somewhere good to store it as I have lost out in the past by finding that it's gone mouldy or the rats have attacked it,
 
Ours live out 24/7 all year round so livery bill does not change with the seasons. Hay is provided adlib in the field as necessary - usually a megabale between 5 or 6 delivered every 5 days. Last winter they did not need any hard feed. My son competed his anglo-arab cross in affiliated dressage and eventing (to BE Intermediate) this way for many years, though his horse did have extra feed - oats through the eventing season. They are also barefoot which is cheaper than shoeing, though son's was shod through the main part of each eventing season and the shoes came off at the end and he hacked, schooled and hunted in the winter. We do have a wide range of very good quality turnout rugs to cater for all eventualities!
 
Unless you can/want to change to 24/7 turnout in winter, and having to buy from the yard, I don't think there's a lot of room for big savings. Generally speaking, hay is always cheaper than bagged feed, and is non-fizzing, but keeps them warm through digestion. I'd probably start with feeding just hay and a balancer, up to ad-lib hay, and see if they keep condition. If yes, skip the bagged feeds (or minimize to only a handful of carrier to mix with balancer).
The other suggestion would be to actually budget. I.e. look at last year's real monthly cost averaged over the year, and put extra money away during summer when upkeep is cheaper. Maybe a bit late to start this year, but it would make winter costs more bearable.
Lastly, see if you can manage any savings on the less obvious horse-related costs, e.g. fuel to get to the yard (share rides, swap favours for fewer trips), consider entry fees, lesson costs, travelling the horse to other places etc. This is where I spend a lot of "optional" money (but of course, it's also much of the fun!). Each lesson skipped is worth two bags of feed...
 
Thanks for all your advice, definitely things to consider there. My main problem is that because YO sells hay and straw, the bales are quite expensive as we're unable to source from elsewhere. I'll have a look into feeding 'non' bagged feeds and see how she gets on through winter. Stable matting is definitely something I want to look into to cut down the size of the straw bed, im looking on preloved etc to pick up a few second hand ones before she goes in for winter!
 
Deep litter the bed. Sprinkle a layer or garden lime on the floor, this helps neutralise the ammonia. A good 6" layer of sawdust or shavings, these are absorbent, urine soaks through and dries fast, then a good straw bed on top. Then through winter you only remove the droppings, then only top up with clean straw. Leave this bed down all winter, do not dig up till spring. This will save you a small fortune in bedding and also precious time.

Feed wise, go for basic meadow chaff, no brand names. Crushed/extruded Barley, or boil it if you don't mind the smell. I cook mine in my slow cooker. Sugarbeet and a good quality meadow hay, or haylage if preferred, Buy whole linseed and grind a cupful daily in a coffee grinder, a basic mineral supplement.is useful too. For extra energy or for horses in harder work, replace barley with oats.

For cheap feeding, don't be mesmerised and sucked in by all the pretty packaging. If you are unsure of feeding buy a good book on equine feeding. Edinburgh University run an online nutrition course
 
i buy oats from the mill, much cheaper, speedi beet, some have calm and condition or fast fibre which lasts ages, salt from the supermarket and himalayan salt licks and a big tub of vits and minerals in a lick form called nutribio, i also have all eva mats some of which are ten years old, not only is it less bedding but you save on time and effort.

and for yourself, lined trouser, sometimes available in aldi and lidl, but ski suits or trousers are wonderful, life is so much easier when you are warm, and they wash and dry quickly.

getting well organised is a great help i find in winter
 
Im thinking about what I'm going to do to save costs and time this winter as Im due my first baby in December and I'm starting a degree in 2 weeks time!!

These are what I'm doing I have a very long list:

1) Deep litter bed on straw, I can get big round bales for £20 near me and i always deep litter as the bed is so much warmer/sturdier and gives better protection against capped hocks and other knocks and bruises. My beds are skipped out twice a day which takes about 2 minutes with a thick layer of clean and really thick banks. After putting down my initial bed I only just get through one large bale a month so that drops my bedding to about £5 per week if that.

2) My yard is super close to where I live and in an attempt to keep my core strong and my fitness up I either walk or pushbike down to the yard rather than drive. Not only do you get super warm quick on those cold days, I get the dogs out twice a day with this without going out extra and I save money on fuel. I now only drive if I'm in a rush or its raining!

3) My girl gets add lib dry hay whilst she's in, which seems expensive but in the long run can save ££'s! She is prone to losing weight when it gets cold and fibre is the main way horses stay warm so provide continuous access to hay will keep the fire fuelled and help the horse hold/gain weight. This made a huge difference when I was nearly spending £100 per month on expensive conditioning feeds last year and has put my feed bill to less than 1/4 per month.

4) I feed with a hay bar and not haynets. This mostly came about when my horse was diagnosed and treated for oestoarthritis in her neck and could no longer be fed with haynets, but this worked out brilliantly as I no longer have to purchase expensive replacement haynets, fill haynets everyday AND she has had much less niggly coughs and is overall a much more relaxed mare. This all because of how horses are designed to eat with their heads down naturally draining mucous and using the correct muscles. PLUS if they have access to good quality hay they won't eat the straw (some horses do anyway though) Overall its a huge win win. Also last note is try to avoid feeding hayledge as you can't provide a continuous supply of it, it can cause acid levels in the stomach to rise and last year I spent a good £30 every 3-4 weeks on a gut supplement which I no longer need.

5) SUPPLEMENTS!!! I was terrible at wanting to feed supplements! A dash of this, a scoop of that mixed with a glug of this! Terrible!! I was like a witch with her cauldron at feed time!! Look on your feed labels and see what is actually in the bag/box before you feed because half the time your horse really doesnt need it and you could save yourself an absolute fortune!! Plus if your horse does need it chances are there is a much cheaper brand made of all the same stuff on the market.

6) Manage your pasture if you can, try not to overgraze through summer and save some grass for winter, stock up on electric fencing tape and posts to fence off horrendously poached areas as well. You will find this way your horses can get turned out during the day for almost all of winter which will save bedding and hay plus time but also don't be afraid to say no on wet days and save your grass by not turning out.

7) If it says horse on the bottle chances are its over priced. Instead of tack cleaner I buy washing up liquid and use sparingly and ordinary leather conditioner to stop it drying up, plus washing up liquid instead of horsey shampoo. You shouldn't be washing your horse that much that the washing up liquid dries the skin so don't be put off. I bandage on a night and use turnout boots when out so don't need to wash legs that often. cotton wool can be bought in corner shops at 1/4 the price compared to the tack room and nappies instead of poultices. Its a lot cheaper to make things in bulk than it is to buy, so fly spray/mane and tail conditioner and spray for little cuts can save you loads if you make it!

8)Combo rugs are great 3 rugs, fleece and duva will last all winter. Turnout and stable in the same rug, saves £40-£100 buying a rug for the stable when you can buy one to do both jobs, plus rugs dry a lot quicker on the horse. Just make sure you are regularly grooming to air out the coat. Also save knackered rugs for spare parts so you don't have to send them away for repairs.

9) if possible avoid shoes and if not then try just fronts, either way club together and see if you can get a cheeky discount if the farrier has to come for more than 2 people. This is the same for other routine visits. You could also slowly try to move yearly/6 monthly visits to more convenient times. My mare had her teeth done in December when i got her but now its in April as I got her done a little earlier each year This can obviously take alot of time. You could also learn basic saddle fitting and and massage to prolong saddler and physio visits but do make sure you get the qualified people out should you have concerns and at least every 6 months.

10) Protect your things, always make sure you label and put things away so that the yard fairies don't carry them off, replacing hoof picks and lead ropes can be a drain if they pack up and leave each week! Rats and mice will wreak havoc on your things so keep ontop of them rat proof containers, traps and poison will certainly protect your space but if your not allowed or don't want to deal with the left overs then a yard cat or two will work. I on the other hand have 2 ferrets haha! I have them as pets/hunting so i just keep them at yard and my tack room is mice and rat free without letting them out.

I can probably think of more but my brain has stopped working :'-) Hope any of these help!
 
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