Time to Spring Clean…At Last! 10. June 2013 Jillian.Deane@robinsonsequestrian.com Help & Advice (0) Here in the UK we don’t seem to have experienced much of a spring this year. In fact, it’s only during this past couple of weeks that those with the facilities to turn their horses out 24/7 have actually been able to do so! Anyway, if your yard is anything like mine, it’s in need of a little TLC after the pretty long winter and miserable spring we’ve endured. Here are a couple of tips to get you started: Remove cobwebs from the inside of the stable to minimise dust and open any windows or air vents to give the stable a good blow through. Sweep out the feed and tack room, moving feed bins out of the way and checking them for any damage caused by hungry rodents during the winter months. Check the roof for loose tiles and replace/repair where necessary. Hire a jet wash to blast away the grime and slippery moss from the yard. Clear out gutters to make sure rainwater can drain properly and isn’t running down wooden or brick walls and causing untold damage. Adjust any doors that don’t open or close properly and check hinges, locks and bolts for damage. Check and if necessary repair or replace damaged water taps and hosepipes. Check and if necessary repair or replace damaged buckets and feeders. Cracked plastic buckets can damage your horse. If you want to freshen up the wooden cladding, doors and windows in your stable with a coat of stain it’s best to wait until the summer when the wood can really dry out. Go through your grooming kit and throw away all those well chewed brushes with the bristles missing! Treat yourself and your horse to some new grooming equipment…you’ll both benefit from having tools that do the job properly. Tidy out the hay barn, getting rid of as much dust as you can so that fresh hay isn’t contaminated. Patrol your fields for any rubbish that may have blown in, especially into the hedgerows. Organise your brushes, rakes, forks and spades – replacing any tools that are beyond repair. Replace items in your first aid kit – both horse and human. Test fire alarms and update the emergency numbers book. Your stable (and its surrounding area) is the place your horse calls home. By having a good tidy around you’ll be creating a clean, comfortable environment for your horse to live and work in, helping to make him happier and healthy. Now put your feet up, pour yourself a brew and think about the months of great riding ahead…now that it looks like our summer has finally arrived! Tweet