Morning Horse Routine

[here to stay]

I only have two horses now and both are retired. My chores are pretty minimal.
It starts in the morning when I put water into the bucket holding Tessies' s morning ration of beet pulp so it soaks. Then I bundle up, grab the bucket and change from slippers to whatever set of boots seem appropriate to the weather. On the way out, I stop at the pellet, beet pulp and supplement station to sort out the various needs into the seperate buckets. Hollie gets just alfalfa pellets which is solely to keep her from feeling abused while Tessie gets a bucket of goodies. Tessie gets beet pulp, some timothy hay pellets and an antihistamine.

Then out to the horses' s night paddocks, which is two seperate 32x16 foot runs attached to their individual 12x12 run in section of shed. As I go by the stock tanks- each has a 75 gallon one- I check for water level and cleanliness. Then I set the buckest down outside the pens while I grab a broom to sweep the rubber mats in Tessie's section of the shed. She only poops under the cover. Her companion poops only outside the cover so can wait until she's eating for me go clean.

I then get the buckets to dump unto their individual buckets in the shed. I shut the gate on Hollie while she's eating because, unlike her friend next door who remains glued to feed until it's gone, Hollie will leave food to make a nuisance of herself.

After that, I go to the hay shed, weigh out their individual hay amounts and walk them back to put in each one's net. They can not share hay piles as Tessie is a benign dictator who will let Hollie eat from her pile after Hollie has hoovered through her own. Tessie eates slowly and, although boss horse, gets skinny if fed together. The individual slow feeders allow them to enjoy a two plus hour feed without anxiety, although Hollie finishes way sooner.

Then I feed the goats and take the horse's noon snack hay to the rubber mats in the day paddock. I will return at noon, after the girls have finished breakfast, to let them out til evening.

Then I get the cart and de-poop Hollie's paddock and pick up the broomed pile in Tessie's. A 90 foot trek to Mt. Manure in the woods with the cart, stopping to de-poop the day paddock, is last.

Seems complicated but it's what happens when the different eating habits and not enough pasture exists. Even during the spring when there is enough grass, Tessie gets so darn fat that she has to be kept in at night anyway. The only difference is that in summer they get out to the pasture rather than snack hay.

[here to stay]

So I read the comment about wanting more horse stuff. So anyone else?

[solargeek]

Love the description. I feel like we have just had a morning visit. THanks!

[aoconnor]

I get up before daylight and have my coffee. Gotta have my coffee. Then I feed my 5 dogs indoors, and let them all go out to potty. I call 3 back in, then head to the bedroom again. I get fully clothed, boots on, then out the back door. First stop is chicken coop to open doors and let them loose. Then I empty and refill their water containers, check their feed, and head out the bottom gate to the barn. I have 8 horses in the barn pretty much each morning if the weather is going to be rainy or snowy, so I go check on them first to make sure they all behaved overnight. If they were left out overnight, I start with them nd put them all in their individual stall. Then I head to the closest outside horse (I have 18 horses in the barn yard, and my two minis live on my top pasture). I catch and tie each individual horse to it's spot on the corral rail where their bucket is.They go to the same spot daily for both breakfast and dinner. I have to place them carefully to avoid one horse bullying another while eating. After everyone is caught and tied, I start the feed routine. I feed 4 different feeds for different issues/ages. I use a few different supplements depending on the horses need, not all get any supplement, but some get most of the supplements! It takes me about 20 minutes to get all the feed in buckets, add the supplements, mix everything up. Then I take my barn horses their feed first, 4 buckets at a time for each side, then I start handing out to the tied horses. I feed the larger amounts first to those who take longer to eat, then I get the smaller amounts out to those who are faster eaters. That way I don't have slow eaters picking along while the rest are all done and ready to start their grazing. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes for all the horses to be finished, and then I release them starting with the lowest herd member and working my way around to the lead gelding and mare.

I pack all the buckets back up in the feed room, sweep up, and close up. Then I get to clean stalls for another 30 minutes or so, depending on how messy the barn horses were overnight. I dump my muck cart twice usually. Then I place everything in horse for my evening feeding, close up the barn, and head to the house for a shower. I always have to get to town for something, so by noon I am headed out. At 4 pm, I go to the barn and do it all over again, only no supplements in the evening. I do feed alfalfa to the barn horses and I have to empty and refill water buckets in the barn. I always fill my 120 gallon water trough in the barn yard at night, so while I am scooping feed it is filling up. When I bring feed out I turn the water off. Then I get chicken feed containers to take to the coop to fill their feeders, and then I go to my top pasture, fill the water trough on that pasture, cube the cattle if they are in, fill my smaller water bucket up top for my minis, and then I go back to the coop to close my birds in for the night. Then I go fall into bed, sleep hard, get up, and do it all over again:-)

[horseyrider]

aoconnor , you make me tired. That's a long time choring! Even when working as a groom at the track, I never had to feed or clean stalls for anyone but my own. When I was working in a reining barn for a while, I occasionally chored for them when they couldn't; but other than that, it's been pretty easy.

My morning starts similarly to yours-- coffee. Then potty three dogs, then go out and put together grain and supplements for the three horses. Even the coming two year old can put herself in her own stall, so there's no tying or even leading to the right place. I open the gate to the drylot, they file in, and I close them in for a bit while they eat their grain. While they're munching I carry out hay into the appropriate Alpha Gelding Approved spot, make sure there's water in the stock tank, feed the cats, and then open stall doors for the horses and they file back out to eat.

In bad weather they stay in. I'll leave a horse in snow, but not cold rain, nor in anything with lightning or thunder. Poop gets scooped into tubs, and the tubs go in the back of the Kubota RTV, my fancy old lady rolling wheelbarrow. Then I haul out poop to either a staging area, the garden, or the fields, if the footing allows. New bedding is added as needed; so don't let me sound like I don't ever scoop.

Next comes poultry. The rooster is young and new and so he stays in the henspital at night, and free ranges during the day. I let him out first, then let out the other seven hens, check food and water levels, and if there's any eggs yet. Then I wander over to the turkey pen, check for same, and then head for the house and breakfast. And of course, more coffee.

I love this time of year, because even though it's really super cold, I get to chore while watching the sun come up. We've had some spectacular sunrises lately!


here to stay, isn't it interesting how the needs of the horse become greater as they age?  Most people assume that my pretty 16.2 bay hunter in show coat and sheets is the one that costs the most to keep.  Nope; it's always the seniors, because they need special food, certain meds, and particular supplements.  I had a mare that was retired for 15 years that had six molars in her head, needed front shoes to keep from getting sore, had heaves, and needed pergolide for Cushing's, and she was not a cheap date.  But I always found that taking care of the old ones did me good.  She's buried in the back pasture, and was much loved.

[aoconnor]

Jan 6, 2016 18:38:02 GMT horseyrider said:

aoconnor , you make me tired. That's a long time choring! Even when working as a groom at the track, I never had to feed or clean stalls for anyone but my own. When I was working in a reining barn for a while, I occasionally chored for them when they couldn't; but other than that, it's been pretty easy.

My morning starts similarly to yours-- coffee. Then potty three dogs, then go out and put together grain and supplements for the three horses. Even the coming two year old can put herself in her own stall, so there's no tying or even leading to the right place. I open the gate to the drylot, they file in, and I close them in for a bit while they eat their grain. While they're munching I carry out hay into the appropriate Alpha Gelding Approved spot, make sure there's water in the stock tank, feed the cats, and then open stall doors for the horses and they file back out to eat.

here to stay , isn't it interesting how the needs of the horse become greater as they age?  Most people assume that my pretty 16.2 bay hunter in show coat and sheets is the one that costs the most to keep.  Nope; it's always the seniors, because they need special food, certain meds, and particular supplements.  I had a mare that was retired for 15 years that had six molars in her head, needed front shoes to keep from getting sore, had heaves, and needed pergolide for Cushing's, and she was not a cheap date.  But I always found that taking care of the old ones did me good.  She's buried in the back pasture, and was much loved.

I make me tired, too:-)

My horses also know where they go for their own buckets, and they will mostly all stand near their spot until I come tie them up. Some of the younger guys like to keep playing until the very last possible minute, but I let they have their fun and just gather them up when needed.

I also love taking care of the oldsters. It is a satisfaction to me.

[here to stay]

Wow aoconnor, 26 horses.... that is more than I ever took care of. Coping with Hollie wears me out. She is one of those rattle-the-latches-to-see-if-it-opens, pull-the-stall-mats-around, is-that-an-open-gate sort of girl. Tessie is pretty even and everyone should be rewarded with such a dependable girl.
But 26? I couldn't to it. i'm full of admiration.

[aoconnor]

Jan 7, 2016 2:01:10 GMT here to stay said:

Wow aoconnor, 26 horses.... that is more than I ever took care of. Coping with Hollie wears me out. She is one of those rattle-the-latches-to-see-if-it-opens, pull-the-stall-mats-around, is-that-an-open-gate sort of girl. Tessie is pretty even and everyone should be rewarded with such a dependable girl.
But 26? I couldn't to it. i'm full of admiration.

Those are just my big ones! I also have two minis, plus a horse here that I'm training for a friend, and one I am caring for as a foster for the sheriffs department. That last one is a confiscation for neglect of a catastrophic leg wound. He may be a long timer here, I can't let him go until the wound is healed, and I'm into it 7 weeks so far, it's going to be a long road for him. I also have 6 donkeys and 1 mini mule:-)

[bergere]

I want where ever all of you are eating! Wish I had that kind of energy.

Get up, feed the cats, say Hi to them, check the chicks I am raising in the house, get the horse buckets set up. Now its time for coffee, check email and so on, so I can finish waking up.
Once it is light enough out, I get the chicken feed made up, finish up the horse buckets, get Maggie's special feed, all the pills Maggie needs and a few Stjarna needs.
DS helps with the morning chores. He does the two Icelandics and most Manure clean up. I some times do Maggies, as she has to be in her own paddock for the rest of her life, as she has cushings/IR and dealing with founder.
I take her feed and such out to her make sure she is ok, put liniment on her when its warm enough out.
Then I go feed the last two sheep I have, and since Sid is now the only goat, I take him out of the Icelandic horse pasture and put him in with sheep to eat and play with Charming.
DS has decided he wanted to take care of my Bantam d'Anvers. LOL They are very cute and very tiny!
I go and take care of the big Main Hen house and Dexter and his girls in the raised hen house. Get the nest box area for the big hen house cleaned up.

Have another mini, Katie... but I seriously dislike her. I have never had a mini with a temperament like hers.
Wish I could sell her on. And find another buddy for Maggie.


I free feed the Icelandics with slow feeder nets, but I do bring Stjarna out to eat a bucket of Alfalfa chop as she needs it, then Dyfra gets allergy meds in the evening.
Maggie needs her feed, and put Sid back in for the night. Check all the chickens.

I collect eggs a number times during the day.

[aoconnor]

bergere , For Maggie, have you tried the hoof supplement "Remission"? I have two horses that have foundered, and though I had never used that particular supplement, I had heard about it from friends. I picked some up, and by golly, it is the best hoof supplement I have ever used, and I've used several! I wound up putting all of my horses with extra hoof care needs on it, and I am flat out amazed (which almost NEVER happens in my life!). My one mare that foundered so badly that her coffin bone came through the sole of her front left hoof, well...my farrier was out today to trim her again, and he is stunned at the great front feet she has now! What should have taken a year of treatment and trims/shoes for her issues, took only a few months of care and three farrier cycles, and she is as if she never foundered at all. Her soles and hoof walls are think and solid, she is growing great hoof out very fast, and she is moving well without hesitation. I am shocked, truly. I have never heard of a founder of this severity being resolved so fast, and I honestly have to say that Remission is the best hoof supplement I have ever seen and used successfully.

Sorry for hijacking the gist of this thread, but this is info you should have! And it is very reasonably priced, too! I bought a huge tub of it for only 49 dollars, but for your needs a small tub would last a long while and it is around 20 dollars. I urge you to try it for a few months and see for yourself.

[here to stay]

I will remember that. Tessie is a roly poly mare that I have had checked for cushings because she looks like she ought to be a candidate for it. I watch her carefully to prevent founder but sometimes it just ends up there.

[aoconnor]

Jan 14, 2016 15:58:35 GMT here to stay said:

I will remember that. Tessie is a roly poly mare that I have had checked for cushings because she looks like she ought to be a candidate for it. I watch her carefully to prevent founder but sometimes it just ends up there.

I am ever so thankful that my friends had talked about Remission a while back. If they hadn't, I wouldn't have known at all about it, and I probably would be eons farther away from a healthy mare. I am so thankful...

[gracielagata]

You guys are all the examples of 'real' horse work, wow!!!
We moved to the country 3.5 years ago, and have just 3 horses and a small flack of chickens, 15 or so; along with some barn cats and 2 pet dogs.
My friends, who are all city raised like me, think I do hours worth of animal work per day... I correct them that it isn't anything at all, considering, lol.

I loved reading about your routines.
Mine isn't much at all- takes make 20-30 minutes in the morning to hay the 3, check water, and take care of the chickens. And really it is only that long because I am tripping on the dogs and cats while I do it, so I have to take longer lol.
Its been great lately with all our snow- I haven't had to run out hoses to fill the trough- which I HATE- as I have just been using a bucket to scoop clean snow. I figure the trough heater is on either way, right?
The chickens are another story on water. I bring them fresh every AM. And I am fairly certain they have a death wish on my head, because I am always tripping on them too.
Then since I work from home, as a break during the day, I give the horses snacks- so they get fed 4-5 small meals all day, then a big evening dinner, instead of all breakfast as AM and all dinner as PM. I like it for the bit of movement for me, and for the gut health for them.
And they don't get too much in the way of time consuming supplements- 3 days per week they get 1 dry pound of alfalfa pellets wetted and split between them, with a probiotic biotin supplement for all 3 and an arthritis one for our 17 year old guy. That is at night, so I have to stand there over him so my other 2 don't steal his bowl as he is the sloweeeeeest eater and also the bottom guy.
But I love that he knows I am taking care of him. I had walked off early to drop hay once, and my mare tried to take his bowl, so he let her have it. I ran over and yelled at her, and he stood his ground and took his bowl back because he knew I was there to make her go away for him.

Anyhoo, I love reading all your horsey routines, esp with the images of the sun coming up in there... I wanted to share mine a bit and say kudos to all that long and caring work you do for your animals.

[here to stay]

Some times typos are so much more to the point than the correct words- I love the "flack" of chickens. Seems so right.....

When they are hungry in the morning, my horses greet me as a "heard" of horses- which gets louder if I don't move on fast enough.

[gracielagata]

Jan 16, 2016 16:30:09 GMT here to stay said:

Some times typos are so much more to the point than the correct words- I love the "flack" of chickens. Seems so right.....

When they are hungry in the morning, my horses greet me as a "heard" of horses- which gets louder if I don't move on fast enough.

Haha!! I didn't even see that because it is a real word! Yes, they give me lots of flack for late food too! lol Right now I have YakTraks on my boots, I am so afraid I am going to break a tiny little chicken toe lol But then in my efforts to save a dang chicken, I am probably going to break my neck or cut myself on their little metal lean-to lol

And I love my heard of horses in the morning and evening too! But they aren't a pure bread heard of horses, so please don't be confused!  

[bergere]

Jan 14, 2016 1:14:41 GMT aoconnor said:

bergere , For Maggie, have you tried the hoof supplement "Remission"? I have two horses that have foundered, and though I had never used that particular supplement, I had heard about it from friends. I picked some up, and by golly, it is the best hoof supplement I have ever used, and I've used several! I wound up putting all of my horses with extra hoof care needs on it, and I am flat out amazed (which almost NEVER happens in my life!). My one mare that foundered so badly that her coffin bone came through the sole of her front left hoof, well...my farrier was out today to trim her again, and he is stunned at the great front feet she has now! What should have taken a year of treatment and trims/shoes for her issues, took only a few months of care and three farrier cycles, and she is as if she never foundered at all. Her soles and hoof walls are think and solid, she is growing great hoof out very fast, and she is moving well without hesitation. I am shocked, truly. I have never heard of a founder of this severity being resolved so fast, and I honestly have to say that Remission is the best hoof supplement I have ever seen and used successfully.

Sorry for hijacking the gist of this thread, but this is info you should have! And it is very reasonably priced, too! I bought a huge tub of it for only 49 dollars, but for your needs a small tub would last a long while and it is around 20 dollars. I urge you to try it for a few months and see for yourself.

Haven't tried Remission yet.  Did try Hero for three months, didn't seem to do anything.  Tried to get her to eat the "Hot Hoof II", the Vet had me buy, very $$$$, I never seen Maggie turn her nose up at anything...but she did with this.
Vet pain med, isn't working and hasn't.   I finally got the BL Pellets and they are working quite well, I see some improvement.
Also keep her front feet packed with clay with Arnica in it, padded and wrapped.  Vet wants me to buy very spendy boots for her, I just don't have the money and Maggie has always yanked boots off.
Just had the vet pull blood for the IR tests... she is almost back to normal there. Was really surprised.   Looks like the bagged chop, Triple Crown Low starch Forage is working.
That and killing any hint of grass in her tiny paddock.
Keeping my fingers crossed she will slowly improve.  Now her blood sugar is under control, and with what help I can give her, her hooves should improve too.

Totally out of money and just got tagged again... owe the IRs a lot of money because DH's work didn't take out enough taxes. We have it at Married 0... and that wasn't enough.
Heavy sigh~~

[here to stay]

What size and type of boot do you need? I have lots of old fashioned easy boots just sitting here. Coukd send to gratis.

[bergere]

I looked it up... I was feeding Quiessence and it has chromium and Mag in it. Basically the same thing as Remission. It was making her worse and I am pretty sure it was the Chromium that was doing it.. I have a feeling something else is going on with her and the Vet refuses to look.

[bergere]

Jan 18, 2016 16:03:28 GMT here to stay said:

What size and type of boot do you need? I have lots of old fashioned easy boots just sitting here. Coukd send to gratis.

2 3/4" wide by 3" long.   Miniature horse.

[here to stay]

I'll check. I do have some small horse but I don't think that small. I ran to really big horses until I got too old to get up on them.

[here to stay]

Sorry- not even close to mini horse. I know the drain of the ill horse quite well. Do you have a thread going on her?

[bergere]

I was pretty sure you would not have horse boots that small. Is sweet of you to check. No, I do not have a thread going on with her.
Is something I have been dealing with for months.

Mini boots that would properly fit her are lots of $$$$ and there isn't one out there, she won't get off.

Maggie has Cushings, is IR because of it and foundered. The 1/2 pill of Presend has the Cushings under control and the Triple Crown Low Starch forage along with the cushings meds, has the IR under control now.
Now all I have to do is get her hooves under control. Is a work in progress. She is my wee heart horse and I have had her a longgg time.

[aoconnor]

bergere,, poor Maggie, but it sounds like you are taking excellent care of her! She is one lucky tiny girl! How tall is she? I have a Super Mini stallion that is only 29" tall. I love that little guy to pieces:-) I understand about those little guys...they sure do take a big part of our heart!

Had I known you had a Cushings horse, I would have gladly sent you the remainder of my little mares Presend prescription. My mare passed away not long after I re-filled her prescription, had a lot left. I gave it back to my vet and had them give it to another Cushings horse. Dang:--(

[bergere]

Maggie is 33 1/2" tall. Have always wished, I could find a big horse version of her. LOL But I think she broke the mold.

That would of been nice, that stuff is spendy. And I have two Cushing horses. But it sounds like it went to someone else that needed it.