Your yard routine

[Equi]

Annagains post in another thread of her routine made me want to find out others. Just for a nosey. Also how long it takes you.

I generally get to yard before they are in (cause spud doesnt stand well tied up so i can't muck outright around him) wheelbarrows/muck heap is right behind my stable so very handy.

1. Take out empty nets/feed buckets - 30 seconds
2. Muck out - 10/15mins?
3. Do feeds, leave them at tack door - 2mins
4. Do nets, pick up feeds on the way back to stable - 2mins
5. Bring in then do whatever i'm doing to horse - 1hr
6. Carrot and leg stretches - 2mins
7. Snogs and goodbyes - 40mins
(yard rota has an 8PM feed so whoever is on that night gives feeds)

Home yard (5 minis)
0. turnout boys - 2mins
0.1 turnout girls - 2mins
1. take out nets/buckets - 1min
2. Muck out - 15mins
3. Do feeds - 1min
4. Do nets - 3mins
5. Open gates and let mares come in on at their own pace - 5 years
6. Give up and chase mares in - 2mins
7. Put mares in correct stables - 6mins
7. Open gates and let boys in - 0.5 seconds
7.1 Take off broken rugs from gelding swearing he is getting no more - 1min
8. Give out feeds -1min
9. Nets at 8PM - 2mins
10. Rug gelding - 1min
they don't deserve snogs. -0 min

 

[Annagain]

I'm not sure I've inspired a thread before! Here's mine to save you looking for it. I've added a few more details to this. It's all designed to be as efficient as possible. My record is 7 minutes but it can take anything up to an hour depending on how long I've got, who there is to chat to and how co-operative the boys are. Obviously this changes if I ride.

1. Arrive and go straight to feed room - do feed. (30 seconds - he only has a handful of chaff at the moment!)
2. Place feed outside stable, empty water buckets, put them to fill. Hang one off tap at the right angle so it will fill the one below when it overflows. (30 seconds)
3. Go to shed, collect barrow and tools. (30 seconds)
4. Leave tools at shed door, take barrow to get hay. Collect tools on way back past, go to stable.(2 minutes)
5. Hay in hay bar, muck out. Take empty feed skip out put on top of wheel barrow, put new one in. (2 minutes - he's exceptionally easy to muck out as he doesn't poo in his bed and has one wee patch that's very distinct and very easy to pick up)
6. Collect full water buckets place in stable, grab headcollars (both live in one stable) (30 seconds)
7. Take tools back to shed on way to get horses. (30 seconds)
8. Horses in - quick check of each (2 minutes)
9. Empty wheelbarrow, stopping at feed room on the way to drop feed skip off, give barrow a quick rinse (ready for hay the next day) put it away. (1 minute)
10. Say goodnight to the Horses. (how long is piece of string!)

 

[milliepops]

Depends what time I get there and what needs to be done in daylight. at the moment it's a race against time to try and get both horses exercised before it goes pitch black, so my routine starts with
1. get wheelbarrow and skip out Kira otherwise she trashes her bed (5 mins)
2. ride Darcy (50 mins incl quick groom and tacking up etc)
3. skip out Darcy (may do after 4 if daylight is marginal, 5 mins)
4. walk Kira out (currently up to 28 mins, it's an injury rehab so time is increasing daily)
5. soak the things that need it for feeds (2 mins)
6. make haynets if I don't have any ready done (10 mins)
7. sweep up (2 mins)
8. if soaked bits are ready then finish making feeds and give to horses (2 mins) if not then do 9 first
9. fill water buckets (3 mins)
10. snogs <3

at the moment those 2 aren't out in the field for long each day so poo picking can be caught up on the weekend. it's going to take longer when K is in full work again, but I can ride her in the dark when she is back in the school again.

then back to the field gang to say hi, chuck them some hay, generally hang out for a bit (time between 1 - 30 minutes )

Definitely never go anywhere without something in your hand, my routine is fairly well choreographed now so while it seems a bit disjointed, the order is deliberate

 

[Leo Walker]

I'm another one just posted this on a different thread!

I also have a superfast routine.

Arrive and muck out, put empty bucket and hay sack on top of wheelbarrow.
Push round to muckheap and tip wheelbarrow
Fill hay sack for hay supply near muckheap
Do feed in feed room, also near muckheap
Load wheelbarrow with hay and feed and return to stable
Clip in hay sack and put feed down
Take a short cut to the field, collect pony and deposit in stable having checked legs, temperature and general demeanor on the way in so if needs be I can then go. Generally I unrug, brush, exercise and do things with her, but theres a couple of nights a week she doesnt work and I do the bare minimum.

Takes me 15mins all in and 5 mins of that is trekking to the field and back.

I used to muck out 20 horses before 8am so I dont hang about mucking out. I genuinely dont know how it can take anyone longer than 10 minutes?!

 

[Translationsneeded]

I don’t really have one anymore (hence my other thread!) I used to and then I moved to my own yard recently. I’ve just kinda just faffed... with 3, it’s taking me forever each day!
following with interest!

 

[scats]

Morning-

Arrive and put brekkies in
While they eat brekkie, I do the waters (whilst sipping a coffee that I’ve brought down in a thermal mug!)
Take waters to end of barn
Rug both up and turn both out together
Take down haynets and remove feed buckets
Wash feed buckets and take them to feed barn, collect little haynets from same barn
Muck out both stables, tip wheelies, brush up
Take waters into stables
All this takes 30 mins if I keep my foot on the gas, 45 minutes if I saunter.

Evening-
If I’m not riding-
Bring girls in and remove rugs
Poo pick field
Give both a check over and a groom/pick out feet and rug up
Collect night nets (they have a small one to come in to)
Make feeds, feed
While they eat, fill the next days nets
Remove feed buckets and put snack balls in with a few fibre cubes
Shut doors and go

If I’m riding, then they come in a bit earlier and I ride after the poo picking.

 

[Equi]

I used to muck out 20 horses before 8am so I dont hang about mucking out. I genuinely dont know how it can take anyone longer than 10 minutes?!

I don't generally muck out to a high standard...i lift what i can be bothered to lol some days i can procrastinate and take an hour others i have it done in 5mins. I did a trial at a yard once and each box had to be mucked out to full a standard aka EVERYTHING out of it bar white shavings. If it took less than 30mins it was not done right. Was about 10 to do but that 10 was fully expected to take you all day inbetween turnout/bring in and breaks.

 

[Equi]

I don’t really have one anymore (hence my other thread!) I used to and then I moved to my own yard recently. I’ve just kinda just faffed... with 3, it’s taking me forever each day!
following with interest!

I get that!! At home i tend to just faff and bring in/out whenever i fancied but then i gave myself a shake and moved it to the routine i use at the livery yard and it all works so much better/faster haha. The horses seem happier too which is the main point.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

On a winter coal face morning....
Arrive yard 6am, go to feed shed.
Damp B fuzzy feed and drop over her door, sling the 2 tinies a bit of carrot over their stable doors.
Possibly chuck hay out in paddock unless I have remembered to tie a net in a shelter last night.
Grab Barrow, don big gloves, skip out each of the smalls. Dump barrow to side of B stable.
Check/adjust or swap a rug for B Fuzzy, open doors and let them toddle off out.
Grab nets out of all 3 boxes, replace with ones I did earlier.
Find A Fuzzy weeding the yard so boot her through gate and shut them out of yard.
Muck out B Fuzzy, knowing where wet patch is.
Refill waters, rinse B breakfast bowl.
Make up 2 mini teas and 2 feeds for B. (Never leave without doing teas and B breakfast).
Hop back over gate approx 6.25.

Evening, after coal face
Arrive, put on wellies and big coat, damp feeds and pop in stables.
Open gate where a disorderly line has formed. Grab B Fuzzy as she comes past, point into stable. Shut doors behind smalls who bring themselves.
A. If weather filthy, quick brush then possibly change rug on B Fuzzy. Safety check all, collect buckets, rinse and return to feed shed. Leave. Time taken 6 mins
B. If weather not disgusting, grab barrow and poo pick the days offerings. Then collect buckets, rinse and go. Time approx 20 mins.
C. If not disgusting weather and I'm not at coal face next day, poo pick, rug B appropriately, throw back out onto foggage. Throw smalls out into diet paddock with 1 wisp of hay between them. Rinse buckets and go. 20 to 25 mins .

Obviously on non coal face days I have the luxury of time, so I add grooming, feet picking etc.
I fortunate to be able to not be a full time coal face worker ....

 

[HeyMich]

I have my 3 at home, living out 24/7. My routine is something like this:

Morning :
Put hay in fields,
Check water,
Check Neds over and give a morning cuddle.

Evening :
Put hay in fields,
Check water,
Feed in fields,
Check Neds over and give an evening cuddle.

Fridays and weekends :
Same as above,
Poo pick fields,
Move leccy fencing as needed,
Bring Neds in,
Groom,
Ride etc,
Oil legs,
Chuck back into fields.

Happy horses, happy me!

 

[MrsMozart]

I don't think I ever had too much of a routine. We used to all peel off and do our own horse/s and then help whoever was behind then help friends. I like sweeping (who knew!) so would wobble about with a brush whilst others were sorting feeds.

The Dizzy One was such a dirty mare that she'd take an hour to muck out if done properly... She'd sort of layer the poo. I think she just liked the company

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I like sweeping (who knew!) so would wobble about with a brush whilst others were sorting feeds.

My squaring of muck heap and sweeping of yard gets done on days with a T in them and on a Sunday, unless farrier, vet or other visitors are expected

 

[Equi]

Two of mine walks the poo into thier bed, its all dried up and mixed. They don't get mucked out..just get it brushed back and another layer of shavings on top lol! eventually it all comes out and start again. One (stallion) only poos on the concrete...god love him. Old mare poos on the bed but doesnt walk it in as she has the big stable so spends most the time in the dry area. Young mare has a "normal" amount of poo to bed ratio. Big spud poos, walks it in, then poos on top again. He is the worst.

 

[jainque]

On trucking days, up at 5.30 am drive car to work ( 5 min) jump into truck, drive 15 min to yard.
Feed 3, put first one in the Walker ( 30 min), do haynets, muck out 3, water, get the first one in, put second on Walker,
ride the first one 45 minutes, hose legs, put back in, ride second one, same routine, and third too.
Sweep yard, get feed ready for lunch time.
At 10 am, change shoes, take hay out of my clothes and hair then jump back into truck,
drive 650km, for around 12 hours, then take car back to home and drop into bed !

Luckily, i am only trucking 3 days a week, so on other days, i take more time !

 

[spotty_pony]

Morning
Feed the three that are in and take hay out to the ones in the field if needed and check them
Turn out
Muck out, do water and haynets
Make feeds up for next day

Afternoon/Evening
Bring in
Ride if riding
Skip out

 

[Foxychops]

Arrive at yard at 5.45. Straight to feed room to fetch pre made feeds. Feed both boys. Whilst they are eating I sort Haynes out or do waters. Turn old boy out. Muck him out, hay and water an treat ball. Muck second horse out. Do hay water etc. Hand graze him for at least 30 mins. He won't go out in field. Put horse back in stable and go to work for 7am. 11.15 am bring old horse in and exercise one that's in. Skip out stabled one check hay and water. Back to work. 4.15 poo pick old boys field. Skip out both horses.Hand graze stabled horse. Dependingon what time I finish, if I finish a bit earlier, I will go back down stables for extra check and skip out.

 

[SEL]

Get to yard. Tie mare up to chuck rug on. Headcollar gelding and attempt to lead both out together. Mare pulls face at gelding who decides 50ft away is a safe distance. Dislocate shoulder trying to hang into him while not face planting in mud. Step into puddle that is higher than wellies. Drop gelding's lead rope and watch him p'off into rested field while mare has meltdown. Finally get 2 horses into the right field and try not to lose wellies in mud.

Work out which stable to do first. The one who mashes her poo in or the one who moves all his bedding into a heap and poos in his water bucket. Open flask. Have strong coffee. Swear. Decide knitting is a nice indoor hobby.

Pull nets out of soaker. Swear when smelly water goes down wellies. More coffee.

Do haynets. Flippin tonnes of them.

Change clothes. Spray on something to disguise smell of horse. Get to work late. Repeat.

 

[tankgirl1]

Mine are still out so haven't got into a routine yet this year. I'm a bit haphazard anyway

 

[tankgirl1]

Some of you guys are seriously speedy! It always takes me forever

 

[little_critter]

Arrive at yard approx 7am
Change rugs and turn out, move strip grazing (approx 15 mins)
Muck out and bed down 2 stables and do waters (approx 30 mins)

Pm
Arrive yard approx 5:50
Bring in (approx 15 mins)
Groom &tack up approx 15 mins
Ride 30 mins
Untack, rug, turn off lights, poo pick school 10 mins
Make & feed teas 10 mins
Make up hay nets 10 mins
Faff 10-20 mins.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Interesting reading the routines! I am usually at the yard by 7.30am but if I decide to have a lying on a weekend (very rare, cruel mum) my gelding will wait until 10am without looking over his door. It must be as I’m the only one to feed and do him. At camp a few of the horses had to be fed by the first up as they’d bang/kick/go mental. They were use to first up feeding them apparently. Can only assume my gelding knows it’s only me who will do him so just waits.

Anyway, enough rambling on. This is the morning routine, evening I’m a bit more chilled.

7.30am - arrive and make feed. Put feed outside stable. Head collar on, he eats his feed outside his stable.
7.35am - muck out (shavings, depends how dirty he is being on BR. Sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes 20)
7.50am - fill haynet for the day
7.55am - clean and fill water bucket
8am - take him to grass for a graze
8.20am - back to the stable, hide carrots in haynets and do carrot stretches
8.30am - dogs have quick run in the field behind stables
8.40am - leave yard for home. At work for 9am

(ps, dogs get exercised properly on my lunch break and after work. They aren’t hard done by!)

 

[Esmae]

Mine are both retired now however in winter time

7.30 am Arrive, feed cats and let out poultry. Put on field rugs (weight determined by weather) and pick out feet and turn out.
Put the kettle on and clean out poultry and make feeds for both and leave in feed store for teatime.
Kettle boiled, have a coffee.
Then poo pick field from yesterday.
Fill haynets and change and refill water.
Put kettle on again and have 2nd coffee.
Muck out both boxes, bed down and straw up. Sweep barn and yard and put everything tidy
Put kettle on again and have a 3rd coffee and listen to Popmaster. Moan over abysmal score!!
Do any extra jobs that need doing up until about 1pm.

Teatime (depending on light)
Shut poultry in for the night
Fetch horses in and take off field rugs and brush over, tidy manes and tails and pick feet out. stable rugs on.
Feed and skip out any droppings (why do they do that when they've been out all day?) Kiss goodnight and go and put the kettle on!!

I'm retired too now so can take my time, however if there is something going on I can be in and out in the morning in an hour if I get a wiggle on. Just don't want or need to wiggle much now. Very nice to have my own place and suit myself.

 

[Starzaan]

I am lucky to have always had my horses at home - either my own yard or yards I have worked on. My routine for my own horses is the same as my mothers, so has been drummed into me since I was tiny. I cannot cope at ALL with horses being left til 9 or 10 am. It drives me mad. Especially if it’s at weekends and then different during the week. I just couldn’t sleep knowing my horse was still stood in.

I always put my horses out by 5am, even when I ran yards and had my own large livery yard, so this routine starts early! Currently I’m down to one horse so start at 4:45am

Normally ride in the evening so he gets as much time out as possible. If riding, insert section for racking up and riding for at least an hour haha.

- put breakfast in, starting with my horse and working round the others on the section of the yard he is on
- while he eats, change rugs and take off bandages
- turn out
- roll bandages and leave them and stable rugs tidy in the rug room, ready for the evening
- muck out - this doesn’t take long as I do lates every night but I do a full muck out every day no matter what. He is on thick rubber matting and a HUGE shavings bed. I also have a homemade hay bar, so haylage is removed and I take out the partition (it’s a slidey in and out thing) and sweep this out
- empty barrow
- empty water bucket into corner manger (removed to clean) and leave to soak. scrub water bucket and leave to fill while I get haylage and re fill the hay bar.
- sweep yard (well, my bit, where I have made a mess)
- water bucket in, then scrub out corner manger and take to feed room.
- evening feed made up and put into corner manger. Then morning feed made up into a bucket with a cover on it. Corner manger back into box, morning feed outside ready for the morning.
- back in the house by 5:45 at the latest if I’m being really slow. I am very, very fussy about beds, but years of doing a lot of horses to a high standard means that I can do a full muck out and leave an immaculate bed in 10 mins. I am very proud of this. Can’t do my times tables and am in my 30s, but I can make a damn good bed haha!

Evening
I never do anything with my horse in his stable. Never have with any horses. Their stable is their space. So if I’m riding I bring him in and tie him in the cross ties while I groom and tack up. Evening stables is as follows.

6pm
- catch in, wash off legs and stomach and pick feet out
- dry legs with a towel and put on thermatex leg wraps to dry properly
- groom (I’m twitchy if my horses go to bed dirty haha)
- once feet and legs are dry, put Kevin bacon on feet (and spray soles with iodine in winter) and swap wraps for stable bandages as his legs fill badly over night
- change rugs. If turnout is wet, hang on the rug driers for the night and put timer on
- tell him I love him, then put him in and leave him to eat.
- headcollar always hung outside stable done up, with the lead rope rolled up. I’m a bit anal haha. Too many years running high end livery and competition yards 😂

11pm - out in my pyjamas to skip out.
- fill a spare bucket from the tap
- Use a trug bucket and shavings fork to take out any poo and any obvious wet) while bucket fills
- remake bed
- top up water and haylage.
- change rugs if needs be (if he’s worked I might leave him in a thermatex to dry off before putting him to bed properly at 11pm)
- give him a kiss and a carrot, tell him I love him.
- lights out

I’m aware that I’m anal, but my horses (and my clients horses when I ran yards) are SO important to me. It gives me so much pleasure going the extra mile for them every day. I also don’t have a life 😂

 

[windand rain]

Live out 24/7
collect barrows and tools 30sec
walk up to the fields 5 minutes
turn off fencing
move fencing 5 minutes if not trashed up to 3 hours if it is
mix feeds into bowls 10 minutes
feed 2 minutes as need to walk down the fence line to make sure they get their own
Stand next to Kitten while she eats or she digs it out of her bowl into mud 5 minutes
put hay out 5 minutes as it needs to be shaken out and spread about to keep them moving and prevent them fighting over it
Check rugs while eating
poo pick the girls 15 minutes
collect feed bowls and wash up
poo pick boys 15 minutes
make up the next feeds 15 minutes
Empty barrows 10 minutes as its a long walk to the trailer
Lock up 2 minutes
do water 3 minutes roll up hoses
Put fences back on
drive home
Strangely all being well I can do the lot on my own including driving 9 miles each way in an hour and a half (fences permitting) but if there is anyone else helping it takes hours. I dont chatter it just seems that the system gets interfered with and takes forever
They are checked again later and may get more hay but they are basically done once although I might need to start poo picking twice a day as when wet it is heavy
Dont do a lot of grooming but all are people lovers so when they are not eating they are like shadows wanting fuss and cuddles

 

[windand rain]

Should add I hate shavings beds with a vengence so when they did come in they had huge straw beds which I could muck out in 10 minutes. It takes me a good hour to do a shavings bed as every little bit of poo has to come out and the whole floor has to be cleared of wet bedding every time. Have oftn been seen crawling around the stable floor and still cursing when done as it looks dirty to me. I have to have the shavings changed once they go grey so its a very expensive option. So pleased they live out even if poo picking takes a lot longer than mucking out

 

[blood_magik]

At the moment our routine is -

5.20 - lights on. feed and hay
6.30-7.45 - go to the gym
8.30 - ridden horses on walker while beds are done, old boy turned out.
9 - start riding
11/11.30 - ridden horses out in field or turnout pens depending on weather. Make feeds and hay
12-ish - sorta arena for any hires that PM
3.30/4 - bring beds down
4.30 - start bringing in
5.30/6 - rugs on, feet picked out, feed and sweep yard
8/8.30 - late check, hay if needed, sweep and lights out

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Winter routine. On days I’m not riding in the morning I’m on yard between 7-7.30 usually. I work flexi hours so that helps enormously. The downside Is today I’m up at 5am and on a train to Bristol.

Horses are fed about 6.30am by first person on the yard.

First thing I do is get the boys out of their stables as fast as I can before they start to churn it up. Rope halters are hung up outside stables. I chuck both out together. I leave turn-outs on do no rug changes and no boots. Oldie sometimes has magnetic wraps on overnight.
Put ready made haynets into trugs to soak. (14 made up at weekend)
Take out all haynets, buckets, mangers and put in my storage. I only rinse if mucky, they’re scrubbed at weekends.
Muck out both, one I just take droppings out the other I take wet out daily as he’s a churner. empty wheelbarrow.
Put Speedibeet and Pink Mash to soak.
Leave yard. Takes about an hour maybe less if I don’t stand around talking.

If I’m riding I get them out tie up with a small haylage net and muck out the one I’m not riding. Brush off, tack up. Grab dog, put one back in his stable with treat ball and haylage. After riding un-tack rug up grab other horse and chuck out. Muck out ridden horse and usually re- muck out the one left behind. Both get agitated when left behind so make a mess.

Evening - non-riding.
Take haynets out of soak. Start to refill trugs.
Empty ready made feeds into mangers and buckets. (20 made up in lidded buckets at weekend) Mix in wet feed.
Grab boys in, quick check over and feed.

I miss summer and 24hr turn-out.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I cannot cope at ALL with horses being left til 9 or 10 am. It drives me mad. Especially if it’s at weekends and then different during the week. I just couldn’t sleep knowing my horse was still stood in.

He’s been on box rest for a while now so it really makes no difference. Rarely it happens but recently if I have a bad night sleep (medical reasons unfortunately) and go up later it’s usually easier as it’s quieter and he stands better outside his stable We live on site so he gets checked before bed as well. If he was being turned out it’s a bit different!

 

[meleeka]

Mine mostly live out but one of them likes to come in If the weather is bad. The others come into the yard with stable doors open. I don’t arrive until 9am (after school run). I know she’s happy with this as I don’t actually bolt her door, just push it to and she can come out anytime but rarely does (the only time she did was when my car wouldn’t start and I was later than normal!) I’m paranoid about fire at an unattended yard so this works well for me They don’t come in until around 8pm either.

Mine is-
Morning
Arrive and change rugs and turnout if they are in.
Put hay in field
Feed other animals
Muck out and sweep yard
Occasionally ride
Any other jobs that need doing.

Evening
Arrive and collect buckets
Make up feeds and feed horses then other animals
Fill haynets and hang
Fill water buckets
Change rugs/brush/pick out feet
Check them all and have a chat and cuddle with each.

It usually takes around an hour twice a day to do them.

 

[FFAQ]

Crikey, I'm really slow compared to you lot! I don't know why everything takes so long but it takes me so long to muck out/poo pick and sort out haynets/move fences that I never seem to have time to ride. I do spend a lot of time switching around enrichment stuff so they don't get bored at this time of year....