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Post by Kelly Marks on Sept 6, 2010 20:33:25 GMT 1
Not sure how many of you have received your September Listening Post yet but we're already thinking of how to make the December one great!
Something that seems to be close to many people's hearts is how to save money this winter - now of course the answer is obvious - dump the horses and kids - but IH seems to attract the odd sentimental type and so I thought maybe we should put our heads together to think how we all just get through to April when a bit of spring grass is coming through and everything seems much brighter.
In the next Listening Post Top Spec are writing advice on saving on winter feed and giving away vouchers. Is there anything else it would really help if we could get a discount on? I could try Premier Equine rugs if you think that would help?
I've never fed Oat Straw but hear it can be a good filler with hay - but is it readily available - and at what price?
Are there ways IH or yards could club together to save money?
I've just sold a (really nice brand new) saddle on ebay - would having an 'amnesty' on the IH Classifieds for a month or so maybe help people out to sell things they're not using - we've got to keep supporting our IH Charity of the Year though!
Please put your ideas on this thread!
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Post by flutterbye on Sept 6, 2010 21:01:17 GMT 1
Buy the big round bales of hay/straw instead of small square ones. Works out much cheaper. Saves time and energy as well if you can find a local friendly farmer to just pop one into the field for you!
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Post by lisap on Sept 6, 2010 21:16:11 GMT 1
If you have a good relationship with your fellow liveries, why not think about collective buying rather than individual purchasing?
If you think about it, having X numbers of tack cleaning kits for every individual can work out expensive. Buying one big one for the whole yard works out a lot cheaper. Same goes for washing kit.
We also collectively purchase our hay and hard feed, and get much better discounts as a result.
We negotiate prices with our farrier as we arrange for all the horses to be done on the same day and pre-book his services up to 6 months ahead so he can plan his diary.
We collect all the yard rugs and send them off to one rug cleaner and we get a 15% discount as a result.
Ask your vet if he/she will give a discount for payment on the spot rather than if they invoice you from the office. Our vets give us 10% discount on all our bills because we pay there and then.
Measure out your feed and supplements so that you are feeding the correct amounts and don't do it by eye. We used to slosh what we thought was 15 ml of linseed into all the feeds, but when one of us (yes, a bad case of OCD and it wasn't me!) actually worked out how long a large 5 litre container of linseed lasted, we realised that we were sloshing in 20-25 ml per feed. "So what?" I hear you ask, well feeding 15 horses over 12 months, that 5-10ml extra cost us £150. Now we have a container that dispenses exactly 15ml, and our linseed lasts so much longer.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2010 10:35:17 GMT 1
Don't clip unless you REALLY have to No need for clippers, oil, sharpening blades, and fewer expensive rugs needed too I like the idea of an online sale of unwanted stuff - how about making the charity page a charity auction page for say a month - then anyone who wants to sell someting could donate 10% of the final sale price to Shy Lowen?
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Post by sarahbing on Sept 7, 2010 17:35:12 GMT 1
I was looking at buying some rosehip supplements both for me and the horses to ward off those creaky joints. Then I realised I had a garden full of rosehips this year, so I collected them dried them in the oven overnight on a very low heat, ground them up and hooray, free supplements!!
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Post by mags on Sept 9, 2010 10:06:06 GMT 1
Consider feeding haylage instead of hay. This may not work for everyone, but there are some points where feeding haylage could save money: The haylage crop doesn't depend as much on good weather as hay does (doesn't need to dry as long in the field), so the price hike might be lower this year compared to hay (it is with our local supplier). Also, you can store haylage outside. If you have limited dry storage, this can give you bulk savings by buying haylage for the whole winter in one go, rather than a few hay bales at a time. The feed value of haylage tends to be higher than that of hay, so you may be able to feed less. Also, most reputable haylage producers do at least a basic analysis on their crop, which can guide you as to what supplements are really necessary to balance the forage.
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hmt
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Post by hmt on Sept 9, 2010 10:21:28 GMT 1
Let me think, money saving tips… well I’m on the look out for some rubber mats for the stable, yes they may cost me more than the entire amount of straw I use over winter but then if I can’t hold of straw I would rather be prepared!
Buy a tarpaulin cover for garden furniture to put over hay/straw bales to deter other liveries from ‘borrowing’ from open bales!
Sudocream is your friend! Don’t bother with expensive mud fever creams, cover affected areas daily with a layer of sudocream, it moisturises, it see’s off nasties, it doesn’t wash off in the rain.
Don’t forget to turn the lights off when you go home.
Stick an old football or a couple of tennis balls in water troughs to make ice easier to break (although this is easier if your horse doesn’t think it’s a great game to remove them and play ball). Make sure that pipes are well lagged/insulated BEFORE the first big freeze, nothing worse than mucking out before work and finding there’s no water or arriving at the yard to burst pipes!
Horses need less rugs than you think.
Those little gel filled handwarms that you click to activate and they warm up are THE BEST winter invention EVER!
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Post by bramblesmum on Sept 9, 2010 12:23:09 GMT 1
If you have the storage buy in bulk hay and feeds are normally cheaper this way.
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Post by laurac on Sept 9, 2010 12:27:27 GMT 1
a glug of veg oil in feed to add cheaper calories (for the less do gooders)
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Post by laurac on Sept 9, 2010 12:28:14 GMT 1
hooves seem to grow slower in winter, discuss with your farrier / trimmer for 7 week trim / shoes rather than 6 weeks
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Post by merryberry on Sept 9, 2010 12:32:40 GMT 1
I am collecting the shredded paper at work and taking back to the yard, for bedding for the winter. I am hoping that if I collect over the summer when they are turned out, I shall have enough for the winter. It costs me nothing and is doing the office a favour too by taking it away, else they have to pay for it to be disposed.
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Post by mags on Sept 9, 2010 13:16:27 GMT 1
For those in DIY - cooperate feeding and chores with the other people at the yard to reduce the number of times you have to drive out yourself. Saves on petrol money!
Not only sell on ebay, buy there too! Definitely cheaper than new.
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hmt
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Post by hmt on Sept 9, 2010 15:54:57 GMT 1
Buying on ebay is not cheaper if it becomes an addiction... I have wiled away many an evening searching for horse items under £5, placing a bid... then gradually upping bid for an item that has now become essential and paying nearly full price anyway... or is that just me?!
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hmt
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Post by hmt on Sept 9, 2010 16:44:01 GMT 1
Thought of another one… Primark!
2x pairs of thick woolly socks- £2 2x pairs of woolly gloves- £1 Super warm and soft tracksuit bottoms, perfect over jods on cold days or for keeping show attire clean underneath- £6
They also do a good line in nice cheap jumpers/hoodies/leggings and tights that are all great for lots of layers (footless tights are a brilliant layer under jods, no seams and lovely and warm!
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Post by mags on Sept 9, 2010 16:48:56 GMT 1
Ebay makes it easy for you not to spend more than you want - enter the highest amount you want to pay in your initial bid and STAY STRONG! Do not up the bid later on! I find it easiest if I enter a bit and walk away from the computer. Or even choose "buy it now" items where possible. Gives you instant gratification, too, instead of having to wait until the auction has run its course.
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