Getting organised

[Jessey]

I'm debating on the best way to be organised for not being at the horses at short notice (for Search and Rescue call outs). I have 3 professional grooms (all friends) on stand-by to do my mob but I want to make it as easy as possible for them as they all have their own horses and clients to take care of and as mine will be short notice they won't be able to mess about too much.

My routine in the morning is to put 2x 5kg 2" hole hay nets out, poo pick and open a fresh strip of grass (20-30 mins). And in the afternoon I make up 24 hours of nets (I weigh all the nets as I fill them as they're huge and easy to overfill, they could hold double or triple what's needed), put out 2x 1.5" hole nets with 2.5kg haylage and 5kg of hay in each, plus a 1" holed net with 5kg of haylage, give bucket feeds and I poo pick again (40-60 mins). Rugs are changed morning and evening depending on the forecast. The soaked part of their feed is always done as soon as the buckets are empty so it's ready for the next day. If I prep evening stuff, I can be done in 20 minutes.

 

[chunky monkey]

How ahead would you making up the nets. Do you mean like if you were called you would fly to the horses and make up nets ready for the next feed or two at least. Or are you meaning like making up nets several days in advance.

 

[Jessey]

How ahead would you making up the nets. Do you mean like if you were called you would fly to the horses and make up nets ready for the next feed or two at least. Or are you meaning like making up nets several days in advance.

Days in advance, pretty much I’d need to have everything permanently at the ready as there won’t be time to do anything once the call comes in.
It would be very unlikely a call would run over 2 feedings, though I could be a walking zombie by then and do still have a full time day job to get to.

 

[chunky monkey]

Ah youd need to have a net rotation plan then for yourself if made in advance. I always find haynets go stale ones made up especially if exposed to light. But also once fluffed into nets they go dusty after a few days. My experience anyway.
Same with food in a way.

 

[Jessey]

Ah youd need to have a net rotation plan then for yourself if made in advance. I always find haynets go stale ones made up especially if exposed to light. But also once fluffed into nets they go dusty after a few days. My experience anyway.
Same with food in a way.

Yep for sure, a board is definitely the easiest option for me lol

 

[Trewsers]

I plumped for making feeds up and nets. But I didn't read the rest of the thread lol
I suppose if there is a possibility that the feeds and nets might be hanging about for a few weeks / months then maybe not such a great idea.

 

[carthorse]

I'd get into the habit of always being one visit ahead, so in the morning make up and leave evening feed and nets, ideally with supplements in so there's just any wet element to add which I'd have soaking in a seperate bucket. A board with everything written up is a good idea in case more than one visit is needed, and I'd try to have separate coloured feed bowls so it's easy to tell who has which.

If it was short notice I wouldn't ask for rugs to be changed, but I'd keep a hoofpick hanging on the gate so one was handy if needed.

 

[Jessey]

I'd get into the habit of always being one visit ahead, so in the morning make up and leave evening feed and nets, ideally with supplements in so there's just any wet element to add which I'd have soaking in a seperate bucket. A board with everything written up is a good idea in case more than one visit is needed, and I'd try to have separate coloured feed bowls so it's easy to tell who has which.

If it was short notice I wouldn't ask for rugs to be changed, but I'd keep a hoofpick hanging on the gate so one was handy if needed.

Good idea, I could be 24 hours ahead, so I still prep in the evening.
I already have different colour buckets but soak in each because it’s hard to judge who’s getting how much once soaked as they all only get a tiny amount, but I can do tubs of their dry bits left on top as it’s not much.
There’s already a hoof pick hanging in the barn, which is in the field and where they line up for dinner

I don’t think I can not have rugs changed if temps are swinging more than 10 degrees. They’re not difficult to do, it’s only the big 2 and I do them loose while they’re eating and rugs are kept in the barn right there.

 

[Huggy]

I do the dry feed made up and bagged for a few days in advance, for speed if I'm riding early, or have the little ones with me. I also do a haynet in advance if I'm riding.

 

[Kite_Rider]

Im like @carthorse and do a day ahead, that way I know if I can’t get for any reason everything is ready.
Good luck for tomorrow too.

 

[PePo]

So, what I did before I went to part livery because of my job was a mixture of all of the above poll choices when I was using a combination of yard assistance, a freelance groom and friends on the yard.

I had a white board with his feed and general day to day care and directions where to find spares, etc. Obviously I've only got one but for multiple horses I'd divide the board into columns and allocate one column per horse.

I made up feeds in advance for the week and bagged them in freezer food bags so that I knew supplements etc are the right quantity. I'd make up haynets a week in advance too - or at least, put it into spare feed sacks pr something so you know the amount is right. If I was in your shoes I'd make up as many needed to cover your total possible call out time - you can always use them when you get back

I used to make up water containers too for a few days so if waters needed topping up, it was already outside his stable.

If you can get hold of tag's or labels for rugs, that would help so they can easily tell whose is who - one navy lightweight rug looks surprisingly like another when you don't do those horses every day I'd only put out what I'd expect them to use - e.g if I wanted a fleece on overnight, just leave the fleece hanging in the stable or wherever and not a 100g stable rug, a fleece and a Thermatex.

I feel more at ease if I've over prepared than under (it might be the ex-groom in me ).

 

[Jessey]

So, what I did before I went to part livery because of my job was a mixture of all of the above poll choices when I was using a combination of yard assistance, a freelance groom and friends on the yard.

I had a white board with his feed and general day to day care and directions where to find spares, etc. Obviously I've only got one but for multiple horses I'd divide the board into columns and allocate one column per horse.

I made up feeds in advance for the week and bagged them in freezer food bags so that I knew supplements etc are the right quantity. I'd make up haynets a week in advance too - or at least, put it into spare feed sacks pr something so you know the amount is right. If I was in your shoes I'd make up as many needed to cover your total possible call out time - you can always use them when you get back

I used to make up water containers too for a few days so if waters needed topping up, it was already outside his stable.

If you can get hold of tag's or labels for rugs, that would help so they can easily tell whose is who - one navy lightweight rug looks surprisingly like another when you don't do those horses every day I'd only put out what I'd expect them to use - e.g if I wanted a fleece on overnight, just leave the fleece hanging in the stable or wherever and not a 100g stable rug, a fleece and a Thermatex.

I feel more at ease if I've over prepared than under (it might be the ex-groom in me ).

I’m definitely an over preparer, my groom friends are used to the A4 page of ‘what if’ instructions if I’m away for any length of time

I looked up my nets last night, to buy enough to have 1 set for in use and another prepped it’s over a hundred quid and I’m really debating moving away from nets so might mull on it for a while, I might just use dumpy bags for the mean time.

 

[MrA]

Have you spoken to the people you have lined up? To be honest I'd probably rather get a full hour and a half pay to do the day, than have the owner prep everything and only get paid for 40mins. Might be different of course I don't know their schedule but if it's only occasionally it might be easier than having everything constantly prepped

I'd just have a white board with everything laid out really clearly. And find someone you can actually trust to weigh the nets etc!

 

[Jessey]

Have you spoken to the people you have lined up? To be honest I'd probably rather get a full hour and a half pay to do the day, than have the owner prep everything and only get paid for 40mins. Might be different of course I don't know their schedule but if it's only occasionally it might be easier than having everything constantly prepped

I'd just have a white board with everything laid out really clearly. And find someone you can actually trust to weigh the nets etc!

2 charge per visit and only live at the top of the road, the other is hourly paid, but I’d expect to pay for the full hour regardless tbh. I do trust them all to weigh nets, I’m just aware that being short notice they could well be squeezing us in which will be easier if there’s less to do I guess the simple answer is just to ask what they’d prefer

 

[Jessey]

Easy enough, leave it ready if you can but have a board in case you can’t.
I think for simplicity’s sake I’ll just leave bags of hay ready and put on the board how many they’ll need am/pm, just got to hope Jess doesn’t cop a strop when the expected haylage isn’t forthcoming