Winter

L

Lila

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 March 2010
Messages
560
Location
In a world of my own
Visit site
Right i know its a while away yet but how does everyone prepare for it?
Im wanting to Start stocking up on things i know im going to need as im starting to think about money and thinking if i start stocking up now it will be a big help when my big man has to start living in again.
So what do you all stock up on and when do you start?
 
I start just as winter ends, buying new winter rugs in the sales so that I have them ready for next year. I also stock up on thermal underwear and that sort of thing when it's in the sales as well.

However, when it comes to most things I just wait until about October to start buying the barrier creams for mud fever and upping their feeds etc

:D
 
at the end of the winter i get rugs for next winter as they are usually on sale. and replace haynets. thats about it really. not much you can do other than disinfect stable and tools.
 
Sorry must add iv had horses for the past 12 years (maybe more) but usually been in a good financial situation so its not been a problem to just buy when i need but last year we were skint and really struggled and could really do without it again this year.
Although things are looking up and we should be back to being able to have my horse and a life again this year :D
My new horse doesnt need all the supplements etc that my old girl did so hopefully shouldnt be as hard.
What does everyone stock up on? Except rugs etc iv been banned by the OH from buying anymore :D
 
if i had somewhere to store it i would buy a couple of pallets of shavings before the price rockets up over winter! but i dont have anywhere to put it.
 
Oh no - not winter already!!

This will be my second with Frankie and my first when he will be living out the whole way through. I need to get his rugs cleaned so I know what I need to buy - he wrecked loads when we moved yards.

I guess I might buy some hay in asap and some pig oil for feathers to keep off the mud but I think that will be about it.
 
Main thing (if you can) is to try and buy in as much forage and bedding as you can, hay is affordable at the moment but the price will invariably go up!

Wash and check over your rugs - if they need fixed get it done now - there is nothing worse than needing an extra/different rug and finding out it is ripped or their is a fitting missing.

Other than that, forget about it and enjoy the summer (if you are having one that is, it is peeing down with rain again here).
 
I have old wheelie bins that i empty feed into. I have 1 that holds a bag of bran which lasts me the winter. One of the other wheelie bins i have holds 2 bags of chaff so i fill these. Also get rugs done.
We have been trying to even get our home sorted for the winter too. We have 2 log sheds too fill (we have 3 fires in our home). We have also bought gas canistors(sp) for our camping stove incase of power cuts. Seems silly but its just to spread the cost.
 
We will stock up on bedding, hay, feed, stable licks, and really give the stable a good going over whilst they are out 24/7 checking that everything will run smoothly when the winter comes. (not that it ever does run smoothly) oh and definitely new wellies and gloves and hat - they always go missing when we need them most. By the way if you stock up on feed make sure you have somewhere safe to keep it and check the use by dates of course
 
Oops I forgot that I always make sure the horse first aid kit is full - I don't know why but our mare always does something silly over the winter and I get some satisfaction out of not have to pay the vet prices for something that I can get reasonably priced elsewhere i.e bandages and gamgee.
 
Bedding...If you have space to store it, get your bedding now before they put prices up...i find normally around end of September/Oct time bedding goes up anything from 10p to 50p a bag...Shavings around here are £7.50 a bag at the mo and delivery man said they will be going up again...that's why I'm on straw, it's cheaper but many people are saying due to the dry weather that hay and straw will be in short supply so perhaps get some hay in as well.
Some farmers sell it off the field which makes it a bit cheaper.

Camping/DIY shops this time of year are quite good for buying water containers for storing water in the winter for when the tap freezes.

Saddlerys will be having end of season sales soon (i know you've been banned) and it's a good time to look for rugs...fleeces are great to use as under rugs or in the warmer autumn nights as long as you don't mind having last seasons colours!!!
 
I like to stock up on forage and bedding by the end of July, so everything is ready for autumn. We had the hay and haylage delivered last night and have managed to get shavings for £4.50 a bale, so have already paid for them and pick up next week - and am very lucky as have plenty of storage so can bulk buy. Have 2 rugs being reproofed next week, other than that am pretty much there....
Yours in smugness!
 
Was thinking of starting to buy feed and put it in spare room in house.
Not sure if i will be feeding what i fed last year though as last year i fed for weight this year ill just be feeding to maintain weight and energy (not much of that though :)
Going to start buying licks, garlic etc and get together a first aid kit.
We cant buy hay, straw etc as YO cuts own hay buys in straw and we have to buy of her :(
 
I dont do an awful lot really...get his rugs cleaned - he never needs new ones - and pre-order and pay for my hay in advance to last me through the winter and summer months (on restricted grazing). My farmer will store it for me and deliver it when I need it so long as it is paid for in advance. As I can only store 100 bales at a time, this does help me a lot and takes the stress away as he will deliver whatever the conditions...last winter he delivered in the thick of the snow...just ploughed through it with his tractor and trailer.
At home we get some logs stored for the burners - we buy the green ones that are cheaper in the summer and they are dry and ready to use by winter.
 
Ohhhh i love winter :D my winter and summer routines are basically the same appart from hes dearer to feed on hard feed in the summer :rolleyes: so i dont save money over summer :( ... all i do to get ready for winter is make sure the clippers are working and clean rugs lol ... i get haylage from the yard so dont have to worry about stuff like that :)
 
already started preparing all winter rugs have gone to be washed repaired and reproofed
ordered new bits&bobs.
all i need to do now is sort out stables (paint,put up new rug racks,jet wash ectt)
then when our 24/7 turn out is about to end about a week or so the boys go out all day nad night we put big fresh beds down.go order feed ( we always like to have a spare bag ).
we order a big bale of straw that lasts about a month and haylege.
also put up there ''toys'' and we have the vet come out make sure there both ok ect ( mainly jack as hes 25 and now and again finds winter tough) we also spend a weekend trimming and pulling the boys and sort out when math gets clipped also both get bathed.

were simply a bit mad haha
at home we also stock up on wood and coal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top