Field checklist

WHILE you are mowing the fence-lines, cast an eye over the fence itself – check if it needs to be painted or if there are any broken rails.

Walk around each paddock and make sure the fence-line or hedgerow is secure. Replace any fencing when the ground is soft enough to drive a post into it but not so soft that machinery will damage the ground.

Check over all gates.

They should swing easily and close without a problem. Check that they are safe for horses. If you are planning on having young stock out in the field that are more likely to be playing and messing about by the gate then it might to worth considering putting mesh onto the gate to stop them from being able to put a leg though it.

Clean out all water drinkers in the fields and check that there are no leaks.

If drinkers are close to the hedgerow then you may need to cut back the hedge slightly to allow horses easy access to the drinker. This will also help to keep the water cleaner as fewer leaves will fall into it when we come into autumn.

Stables

If your horses are still living out full-time, now is a good time to clean out your stables completely before they start to come in at night. Use a power-washer if you have one or, if not, a hose or some water and a sweeping brush will work. Give them a chance to dry out and then put down a fresh bed if you are likely to need the stable in the near future. Don’t waste bedding if you are unlikely to need the stable in the near future.

Clean out all water and feed troughs.

If you have a lot of horses coming in and out of the yard it may be worth considering disinfecting the stables as well. Check the stable doors are all in good condition.