Everyday barn chores become even more challenging when wind, freezing
temperatures, ice and inclement weather are added to the mix. Minor tweaks and
inexpensive purchases can help make these chores as pain-free as possible. Read
on for tips you can apply at your farm:
- While it’s tempting to
dress like the Michelin man to venture out for barn chores, mobility
remains an issue. Layering is the key to comfort and
maneuverability. Once you start mucking stalls and dumping
buckets, you’ll warm up fast, so the ability to shed layers is important.
Start with a base layer of silk long underwear or leggings to wick away
moisture.
- Layering latex
surgical gloves under your work gloves can help hands stay warm
and dry.
- Watering is one of the
biggest challenges in winter, whether horses live outside or come into
stalls. Heated water buckets are a blessing, but even
just insulated buckets will help to keep water from freezing solid.
- Leaky hose fittings
can be more than a pain: They can be dangerous if they leave
behind a large patch of ice on walkways or the barn aisle. Repairing or
replacing them takes only minutes, but will prevent lots of hassle in the
coming months.
- Along the same lines,
consider purchasing a heated hose or a heated hose cover,
which will save you from having to drain the hose after each use or risk dealing
with a frozen hose that can’t be used.
- Painting a piece of
plywood black and floating it on top of troughs to absorb
sunlight can cut down on ice formation (though it will still eventually
freeze once temperatures dip low enough).
- For fishing out ice that
has been broken apart, an inexpensive fryer basket is
exceptionally handy for keeping hands dry while removing ice chunks.
- Consider replacing
your plastic pitchfork with a metal one for the winter. Metal
tines will work better for picking up frozen manure and are less likely to
break.
- Like car and trailer tires,
wheelbarrow tires can lose air as well. Be sure all fires
are well filled for better maneuverability on slippery footing.
- We all know what a pain it
can be to try to dip out some topical wound salves only to find them
frozen solid (not to mention this can cause them to lose their efficacy). Move
these products and other liquids to a temperature-controlled area
like a tack room, feed room or even inside your home so they will be ready
to use when you need them.
- While it's an an expensive
investment, if you live in an area that utilizes well water, it may be
worthwhile to invest in a generator that can run your
well pump. The loss of electricity during a winter storm means the loss of
water, which can have devastating effects on equines.
- If you store your hay in a
building other than your barn, consider hauling it to your horses
on a toboggan, which glides readily over the snow.
- Place snow shovels
and salt, sand or kitty litter near barn doors so they are easy
to locate once snowy weather strikes.
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