Poo picking

[bananaskin123]

Just after some advice really. We are quite new to this but we have two fields which are let out for grazing. One has a stable and the other doesn't. Both girls have two horses each. We live in a rural area and one of the girls who has two horses (without the stables) doesn't drive, works hard, but needs to either get a bus or a lift to see to her horses who are outside all year. The field is full of poo. I really don't want to be too hard on her but just want to know how strict I should be re poo picking. The other thing is there is not much grass at this time of the year and I just wondered if she should be feeding them hay. I give them carrots every day but I'm really new to this and advice from you professionals would be much appreciated so I then have some guidelines. Have to admit to throwing some hay to them myself.

It depends on the breed of horse, their weight etc for feeding. Did you do a contract that includes things like who is responsible for fencing repairs etc and how often you want her to poo pick?
I'd be careful feeding her horses some breeds need the winter to loose weight ready for the spring grass.

I used to ask that fields are cleared at least weekly, but I didn't mind if that was a bit each day or all done at at weekend. Some people are stricter and ask for poo to be done daily. It isn't good for the grass or worm count for it to be left too long.

Re Hay it really depends on the field and the horse. If there's no grass and it's all mud, I would be feeding hay even to my fat pony. She gets hay now because she shares a field but I probably wouldn't give her anything if it was just me, because she tends to put so much on in the spring she needs to go slightly under in winter (which is what wild horses would be like)

How often does she get down to check on them? I have 2 living out in a rented field (however I do drive and am only 10 mins away) but poo pick on a daily basis before work - as much as I can in the reduced light - and always clear all the left over poo at the weekend.

It's your land and you are entitled to insist the fields are totally cleared at least weekly. It is very bad for the grass for fields not to be cleared or at least harrowed regularly.

As for the hay - it does depend on the condition of the horses. They ought to be coming out of winter slightly underweight ready for the spring grass. However there is still a fair chunk of winter to get through so if they are looking skinny now then they will need extra forage (hay).

Agree with PP. we've got our own stables/paddocks for our own horses and 2 diy rentals. Fields are picked every other day or if that doesn't work for folks' schedules, especially in winter, then it's a weekly clear. Hay wise, depends on the horses but ours, who mostly live out 24/7 with a field shelter (unless things get v wet in which case they come in at night to save poaching) get hay at night.

She definitely needs to be visiting them every day, even aside from the hay and poo picking issues others have covered - is she making sure they have fresh water (soon enough it will be freezing overnight so she'll need to break the ice in the troughs in the morning) and also to check them over for injuries etc. Really this is the bare minimum standard of care for horses so if she can't manage it with her transport issues she ought to look at moving them somewhere she can get to more easily or as a last resort rehoming.

I think you are going to have to have a word with her about the poo picking if nothing else as that is going to trash your fields if allowed to build up too much, although I'm sure it will be a tricky conversation. Perhaps just try and stay factual and kind, ask if she is struggling and what her plans are to cope over winter? If you know of any local teenagers that might spend an hour a week doing some poo picking for her for a tenner that might be a kind suggestion? Hard as it is you need to make it clear that you can't keep giving her horses your hay as if you let that go on she will start to expect it from you...

Unfortunately dealing with these kind of things (neglectful/lazy owners, damage to your fields/fencing/property, late/non payment etc etc) is pretty par for the course for most of those who let out fields/land to horse-owners I'm afraid (not that all horsey people are bad of course but there are plenty out there who give us a bad name). I think you do need to set some clear expectations up front, otherwise piss taking can start to occur...

What arrangements do you have for removal of muck heaps?

Thanks for all your replies. I didn't really give you the whole story in my first op. What really brought this to a head was that on Friday I was in her field checking the water trough was working efficiently. As I came out of the gate the horse decided to follow me as I was not quick enough to close it! We have a foot path running alongside the field so there was no way the horse could escape as there are gates both ends. Luckily a neighbour helped me persuade the horse to go into another paddock at the back of our house. She had been there since Friday and was obviously unhappy pacing up and down and wanted to be with her mate. Luckily her owner came up this evening and we were able to put her back. I also had a chance to speak to her re poo picking and she's promised to clear the field by the next two weeks. She's someone I know well and have known for many years. Her mother is going through a hard time with suspicions that her cancer has returned and ongoing investigations. Thanks for all your advice. You've certainly given me some pointers as to how to do things and I'm beginning to learn.

Are the fields big enough for the horses? A rough guide is an acre per horse, but grass quality and horse size as well as stabling etc influence this.

Assuming that each field is at least two acres in size and has decent grasses, the poo can be left in the sour patches and will be fine as long as it's harrowed occasionally. This way the horse constantly eats clean grass away from any traces of poop and thus stays away from worms. If you can bung sheep in for a couple of weeks every now and again they'll trim the sour grass

Sadly this seems to have fallen from favour and a lot of horses now have very small paddocks needing daily poo picking as they're not given enough space to develop sour patches, and have to eat where they've pooped. With the best picker in the world, traces are still left and horses get closer to eating poop than I'd like.

Do the owners know that you give them carrots everyday? I don't allow anyone to feed anything to our animals - not so much diet related (carrots can be harmful to some horses) - but it can teach them to nip if they don't get the expected treat.

Having the horses is easy, having the owners less so, good luck.

As someone else has already pointed out, the biggest concern for me is the fact that she isn't checking on them every day. Colic, field injuries, getting caught in fencing - the list goes on and on of what could go wrong in just a couple of days if their owner isn't checking them at least daily.

I check mine twice a day every day and am pretty sure the farmer from whom I rent the field does a drive by at least daily too!

Unfortunately some people feel that having horses out in a field = out of sight, out of mind.

Agree with PP:

Don't feed them carrots. It's basically a big pile of sugar that teaches them to nip.

Unless your fields are large and well maintained, yes she should poo pick at least weekly.

Should she feed hay - as above, this depends. I'd certainly be monitoring their weight.

And daily checks are a must, for the reasons you have found out. To be blunt, it is concerning that you're the one doing the checks but you cannot safely move one of the horses around. Not your fault, but a concern nonetheless.

Her personal situation is sad, but the thing with animals is that you have to care for them, no matter what is going on in your own life.

Do you have a contract? The only way this will work long term is with a detailed and specific contract.

As well as the usual, rent, notice period, etc. it should outline who is responsible for what maintenance, which will include fence maintenance, poo picking etc., and welfare issues such as daily checks, where hay should be placed for feeding, etc. You may also want to include what happens in an emergency, e.g. horse is injured and owner is not picking up phone.