As you can see from yesterday's picture, I had a fair amount of horse manure to shovel today. And since the wind stopped and it was still 45 degrees out, I thought I'd better get to it as tonight the winds pick up to 50 miles and hour gusts, the temp drops drastically with another 3 inches of snow tonight and the temp to below zero by morning. It's been cold all week and yesterday, even though it was warm, it was very windy. So I took out 4 large wheel barrows of crap and spread on the neighbor's field and topped off the water before the hose froze. My goal was to get half done at least and I managed to get it all out of the loafing shed. It's fairly easy as I have rubber mats layed out. It's impossible to clear it out of the paddock area until spring as although the stuff on top may have thawed and the snow melted, there is still frozen ground. I hate this time of year because of it. I usually rent a bobcat in the spring and clear it good. The nice about only having two is that the manure doesn't get too out of hand. Of they are always curious when I do this, poking around at me and the manure and trying to follow me out of the pen as I struggle to open the gate, pull the barrow and keep the horses in. That should be added to Mikael's Equine Fitness Program......
17 comments:
It's a little easier for us, all of our guys are in a barn and we muck everyday and water at night after they come in and then drain the hose so it doesn't freeze overnight. Good luck with your exercise program.
Yep, I bet you are in great shape !
Oh Gosh, I wish!
I think there are lots of horsey things that can go on that exercise program. The problem for me is not doing enough of them consistently. lol
I'm hating this time of the year too. It is colder here than normal and we've got snow again.
Shovelling horse manure used to be my favorite thing to do. Call me wierd but, I think it was the excercise. That "runners" high...Crap Throwers High. There you go. Coined a new term to go with the exercise program.
I'm in the same boat as you, except I don't have rubber mats down. Just good old gravel/dirt. Each day I try to scrape up the manure into the cart and haul into a pile for spring removal. Luckily we have a skid steer that makes it farily easy, but our spreader is broke, so I'm a bit nervous about that.
Nice weather today eh?
No Kiddin' Kathy, this is the real crap...It's supposed to get in the 20's tomorrow. I can't wait until tomorrow. There was frost on the inside of some of our windows this morning and poor Misty was shivering even with the blanket on. We're running to Janesville this afternoon and I'm pcking up a new blanket for her.
Hi Callie!
Found your blog from Juli Thorson's. Very nice! I am tired of frozen everything, too. Add carrying a bucket of warm water from the milkhouse across the frozen, icy driveway, to the horse barn (times three!) so that the ponies have nice warm water at night (and no colic, i hope!) to the equine exercise program. Have those nice heated buckets, but on the bad nights I feel guilty and tap them some of the more-than-lukewarm stuff.... :-)
We've got the crazy winds now in New England, and I'm always afraid that the branches on the trees around the pasture will fall and bonk one of the horses. We've had some really big ones come down. I am so ready for Spring!!!
P.S.
So many thanks for your kind words about our Kayla. Greatly appreciated.
Thanks for stoppin by Pam, Glad to have a new reader. The trough is heated, but my horses are weird. They tend to like the water cold. It always takes them a while to "warm" up to the idea of warm water. Even when the ice melts on the spare trough, they'll drink from that first. No colic issues though. Knock on wood.
GHM,Sarah, & Mikael, I actually look forward to Spring when I can keep up with the "manure" chores on a more regular manner. I love to be outside, doing the chores and the garden, trees, all that stuff!
Victoria, I too am looking so forward to Spring....I'm counting the days!
SL, your welcome...I understand how it feels. It's one of the hardest things a person ever has to deal with.
Were I live, Louisiana, the daffodils are blooming and boy they smell sweet.
I have two ponies and to get in and out their pasture gate with the manure wagon I dump a little feed in their food bowl before I enter and right before I leave. That way I don't have them following me through the gate.
Info, I am extremely envious. First of all I love Louisianna, My husband and I have visited often. Daffodils? Now I'm super envious. I'm so tired of cold cruddy winter!
lol! I did this before I became ill.....now I have to do it all over again,grrrrr
I DO find that frozen manure is easier to manage though, call me crazy
Yay!!! The Goddess returns. It's great to see you're back!
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