Winter preparation..........

[The Fuzzy Furry]

So, who else is taking (more) steps to alleviate winter mud problems?

I just checked my calendar & found the note I had put on it for the end of this month (written in January!) to remind me to order in more scalpings to go into the winter paddock gateways & outside the front of the main field shelter.
To be fair, the gateways have not been too bad the last 2 winters, but outside the shelter got really muddied up quite quickly.
Got to scrape back a bit of earth so the topping is not too proud tho.
Also going to top up my bedding store as local merchant doing a buy in bulk deal currently. (mine are out 24/7 in summer but I keep enough in to see me through a few days for emergencies)

Anyone else doing prep for the winter for surfaces or anything else, or has summer-laid-back-mode set in?

 

[castella]

Me I've just had a huuuge area hardcored in front of my stables to act as a winter turnout area when the fields are too wet, I got sick of all the mud last year and vowed I would not do it again ever ! I also picked up a container for a bargain £100 to store hay in so have 2 stables in use now and am going to pick up a muck trailer from the local farmer so no more messy muckheaps in the field. Last of all depending on the quote to fit it am going to get mains electric after 4 years yay !!!!

 

[pippixox]

hoping to get electric for the barn sorted by winter- there is electricity in the barns run by a gardening business next door, but dodgy electric so might not be that easy to sort out cheaply without risking electric shock. would be nice not to muck out using only a head torch. was going to save some money as they are now living out off fresh air, but trying to train and pass trailer test too, so money will disappear before the winter

need to fix a few winter rugs as well but always forget until it suddenly starts snowing!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Last of all depending on the quote to fit it am going to get mains electric after 4 years yay !!!!

Good luck with the leccy!
Had a quote for that myself 23 yrs ago - and got another 2 yrs ago, still not got enough money tho as coming out at just under 30k and thats with us digging the trench up my paddock from the nearest point to a suitable place in the yard and my brother doing all the internal electrical connections/fittings etc The distance from the nearest power to my boundary is only 5 metres, but it would have to be taken across an unmade track & wayleaves needed etc.

Hey-ho, have had the yard since the 70's without it, just have to carry on with the 12v lighting & nicking DH's huge genny for clipping/scanning etc

Pippixox - I find the 12v lighting works well enough for mucking out before 6 on winter mornings

 

[Penny Eater]

No! I'm still waiting for summer! You're all going to jinx us...

 

[castella]

The electric company want 6K so I'm just waiting on the quote from the local farmer for digging the trench and building the electric hut, keeping my fingers crossed it won't be too horrific ....

 

[tankgirl1]

Good luck with the leccy!
Had a quote for that myself 23 yrs ago - and got another 2 yrs ago, still not got enough money tho as coming out at just under 30k and thats with us digging the trench up my paddock from the nearest point to a suitable place in the yard and my brother doing all the internal electrical connections/fittings etc The distance from the nearest power to my boundary is only 5 metres, but it would have to be taken across an unmade track & wayleaves needed etc.

Hey-ho, have had the yard since the 70's without it, just have to carry on with the 12v lighting & nicking DH's huge genny for clipping/scanning etc

Pippixox - I find the 12v lighting works well enough for mucking out before 6 on winter mornings

Boyo's owner has a solar power set up cost a few hundred at most to set up. They did it themselves following instructions from the web and neither of them are anyway near electricians... might be worth considering?

 

[flirtygerty]

Yes, our fields get very wet due to underground streams, horses are literally knee deep in mud getting to the barn, trying to decide on a gravel ditch or hardcore, the problem is, stabilising the ground underneath, as everything just disappears into the mud

 

[Suelin]

So, who else is taking (more) steps to alleviate winter mud problems?

I just checked my calendar & found the note I had put on it for the end of this month (written in January!) to remind me to order in more scalpings to go into the winter paddock gateways & outside the front of the main field shelter.
To be fair, the gateways have not been too bad the last 2 winters, but outside the shelter got really muddied up quite quickly.
Got to scrape back a bit of earth so the topping is not too proud tho.
Also going to top up my bedding store as local merchant doing a buy in bulk deal currently. (mine are out 24/7 in summer but I keep enough in to see me through a few days for emergencies)

Anyone else doing prep for the winter for surfaces or anything else, or has summer-laid-back-mode set in?

Can you still get scalpings? We tried and county council told us that they recycle theirs now and none are available. We had our trackway done with limestone chippings.

Our winter job is planting 2000 hawthorn slips. We may be some time........

Hay and straw is in the barn so no worries there thank the lord. We can hopefully enjoy the summer when it decides to arrive.