River Wood
Well-Known Member
I was just curious, how long does it take you to do chores by yourself.
Have you timed yourself?
- Thread starter River Wood
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DrivinTime
Well-Known Member
I only have the two horses as well, so it's about an hour in the morning and 15 minutes at night. It does depend on how messy the stalls get, though, and things always take longer in winter!
Sassy'sMom
Well-Known Member
I only have 3 horses now, so it doesn't take me long at all. In the mornings it takes me about 20 minutes to feed and clean stalls. In the evenings it normally takes me about 20 minutes also, but I am always out there longer. That is when I really love on them and spend more time just being around them.
And I generally find something that needs to be fixed for changed when I am out there in the evenings too. Last night we put a 16 gallon heated bucket into the big run-in stall (drilled holes in the stall wall so we could anchor the bucket so my little devils don't dump it!), and we moved a grain feeder, and we also put in another corner hay feeder in that stall. My husband says I am always finding something for him to work on while we are out there!
Tonight I need him to install another grain feeder! Won't he be thrilled?
And I generally find something that needs to be fixed for changed when I am out there in the evenings too. Last night we put a 16 gallon heated bucket into the big run-in stall (drilled holes in the stall wall so we could anchor the bucket so my little devils don't dump it!), and we moved a grain feeder, and we also put in another corner hay feeder in that stall. My husband says I am always finding something for him to work on while we are out there!
Jill
Aspiring Cowgirl
We've had horses here for about ten years now (owned horses longer, but originally boarded). Feeding takes me about 30 minutes but it rarely takes me about 30 minutes............... because even after all this time, I still have to stand and gawk at the horses, talk to the horses, pet the horses... H and I usually do it together and really "can" be done in 15 minutes but I don't ever hurry unless it's raining.
LittleRibbie
Well-Known Member
Thats a trick question!! Im one of those crazy people that only have 5 horses but I can make my chores an all day affair or do the exact same thingt in 10 min. I love barn Chores and really hate calling them Chores. Washing windows, doing dishes, vacuuming up dog hair and changing my sheets...those are chores... mucking stalls, watering, feedind, raking pastures...even picking up tipped over wheel barrels....thats therapy and my time to relax!! There is no one telling me Im doing anything wrong and Im not trying to impress anyone.....I LOVE MY BARN TIME and only wish I could have more....all that said......I may not feel the same if I had 10 20 or more horses and lived in the North......for you guys!!! God Bless you all !!! Heidi
txminipinto
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18 head, 10 in the barn ~ feed, water, clean stalls, throw hay to mares 45 minutes!
18 minutes AM chores and 35 minutes PM chores (I clean stalls once a day) I have 2 biggies and 3 minis. I almost think its faster in the winter the cold chases me in and I don't have to do turn out into pastures.
Yup I've timed myself. For the winter schedule:
I have 12 stalled horses. In the AM I feed, turn out, put out outside hay, clean stalls, change stall waters and outside waters daily and prepare pm feed. That takes me close to 2 hours.
PM chores take me about 30 minutes to get everyone back inside and feed dinner.
Then I go back out really late at night and pass out hay. About 15 minutes.
On bad days when no one goes outside, they get lunch and stalls picked twice so add another 30-45 minutes for that.
I have 12 stalled horses. In the AM I feed, turn out, put out outside hay, clean stalls, change stall waters and outside waters daily and prepare pm feed. That takes me close to 2 hours.
PM chores take me about 30 minutes to get everyone back inside and feed dinner.
Then I go back out really late at night and pass out hay. About 15 minutes.
On bad days when no one goes outside, they get lunch and stalls picked twice so add another 30-45 minutes for that.
cretahillsgal
Well-Known Member
I have 16 minis and one biggie right now, all but 5 of them are pastured right now. My morning feeding takes about 15 minutes. The evening is a different story. It takes be about an hour at least to get everything done. (Feeding, filling 4 water troughs, mucking out two large pens) I also call everyone up in the pasture and give them their oats and check them all out each night. Come spring 2 of the horses in the pasture will be brought in for show conditioning/feeding also. Thank goodness there will be more hours of daylight by then!
minih
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With 20 horses, we still pull ours up to feed individually so we can put our eyes on each of them every day and make sure all is good. It takes my hubby about 45 minutes in the morning, and then we both go out at night and it is another 45 minutes. Like Jill, it can drag out to an hour and a half or longer if I feel like I need as much attention as they do.
babygoose
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I have 8 head. 3 biggies, 4 minis, and a pony. It takes me about 5 minutes in the morning, unless it has frozen and I have to break and scoop ice off the troughs, then it is more like 15. In the evening it takes me about 20-30 minutes. And the final feeding and bed check takes me about 5 minutes. My horses are all on dry lots with free access to shelter so don't have to turn out and bring in. At the evening feeding I weigh out hay and mix up stuff for that bed check feeding and the next morning feeding. So all the hay is set out in assorted tubs and laundry baskets so it just has to be dumped into feeders.
On the weekends I turn out two of the big horses on pasture and then some of the others get to play musical stalls or get turned out in the arena or round pen while I scoop poop, clean water troughs, etc. I try and at least run a brush over eveybody. I also move hay from the hay barn to the main barn and just generally clean up. I might also find time to work with a few of the horses.
In the summer I can actually work horses when I get home from work, but in the winter there are days when I don't even see them in the daylight during the week! Hate winter!
On the weekends I turn out two of the big horses on pasture and then some of the others get to play musical stalls or get turned out in the arena or round pen while I scoop poop, clean water troughs, etc. I try and at least run a brush over eveybody. I also move hay from the hay barn to the main barn and just generally clean up. I might also find time to work with a few of the horses.
In the summer I can actually work horses when I get home from work, but in the winter there are days when I don't even see them in the daylight during the week! Hate winter!
I take care of 6 little ones and 2 biggies. I think it takes me an hour to do the work. Maybe 45 min but I am ALWAYS distracted playing with them or watching them or brushing, fussing with, photographing, running, talking to.... Im terrible. Very easily distracted by those little fluff balls. Did I mention my paint mare knows how to beg too? How do you turn that down??
chandab
Well-Known Member
Just feeding and watering takes 45 min to an hour 2x daily in winter, less in summer. I have to haul water by bucket in winter, as there is no hydrant actually in my mini pen. [The hydrant is over at the saddle horse and bull's winter pasture. 100+ yards away.] They aren't in stalls, except to eat hard feed, so don't clean stalls daily. And, I only clean the paddocks on nice days.
Leeana
Well-Known Member
I break down what i do into 3 intervals really...have 13 here, 7 in the barn, two in stallion paddoks and then 4 out in the pasture.
In the morning i just feed and toss hay, let the mares into the roundbale for most the morning. Right now it takes me about 15 minutes...in the summer when i have to make and mix beet pulp ext it takes me about 30 minutes in the AM. Then around midday i dump and clean / refill buckets..takesabout 15 minutes. Then i clean stalls / paddocks ..7 stalsl in the barn and two paddocks = 35 minutes...then feeding and blanketing ext in the evening like 30 minutes. Then if i work everyone, i normally do that when i water or clean stalls...7 horses round penned at about 10 minutes each...
In the morning i just feed and toss hay, let the mares into the roundbale for most the morning. Right now it takes me about 15 minutes...in the summer when i have to make and mix beet pulp ext it takes me about 30 minutes in the AM. Then around midday i dump and clean / refill buckets..takesabout 15 minutes. Then i clean stalls / paddocks ..7 stalsl in the barn and two paddocks = 35 minutes...then feeding and blanketing ext in the evening like 30 minutes. Then if i work everyone, i normally do that when i water or clean stalls...7 horses round penned at about 10 minutes each...
MinisOutWest
Well-Known Member
4 new boys, 3 are not really halter broke. so catch them, tie them up, clean stalls, dump and fill water buckets, prepare feed, dump feed, untie and put back in stalls, it takes me 40 minutes. But when it comes to working them everyday- sun, wind, rain and now snow- 4 1/2 hours !!! My wonderful neighbor just came over this morning and offered me his 78x100 indoor arena !!! WHOOPPEE, I am so excited now, not having to be out in the blowing snow in my round pen. or using the snowblower to make paths in my round pen to work the boys, yippee, this was a great Turkey Day offer.
Reignmaker Miniatures
Well-Known Member
I think I'm slow. I have 14 horses here and just for the basic feeding the best I've ever done is 20 minutes when I am really rushing. That doesn't include cleaning shelters, talking to, petting or brushing any horses or changing water etc. On average it takes me no less than 45 minutes in the morning and at least 1/2 hour more in the late afternoon. But from reading all the previous posts I think I am just slow. It is my time so I just don't rush unless I have to.
I have six minis; two share a large paddock, the others are all in individual runs, all w/ shelters.
I pick up manure AM and PM, every day. There is usually no 'turn out' here, because there would be NOTHING left but dirt and weeds, EVER, if I did that! However, this summer we did have some early rains, producing a good bit of annual grasses, as well as actually greening up the native grasses, so I have been able to turn everyone out for 30 min. to an hour each AM for awhile (because horses are selective grazers, they tend to 'overgraze' certain areas, so need to be kept from decimating those areas; mine are about at that point, so probably will have to quit turnout soon....)
Anyway--when I can do this turnout, AM chores take longer, because I have to go and 'get' each horse; they seldom 'volunteer' to come back in after that short a turnout time!
Without the turnout, standard AM chores take about an hour and a quarter in summer, may take a good bit longer in winter, esp. if there's been snow!( I am a determined sort, and will do all I can to remove poop, despite the circumstances!) Thank goodness, I have heated buckets and a tank heater, so no having to break and lift out ice...saving a good bit of time I USED to have to spend in the winter! In the PM, only about 45 min, and about 10-15 min., from about mid-Nov. to mid-March, at about 10 PM, to give a second evening feed of hay, so they don't have to go so many hours between feedings during the long winter hours of darkness!
In the AM, I take the time to go ahead and prepare the PM feedings(I just 'divide' the PM hay into two 'halves'--I use those woven 'plastic' feed bags to place the hay feedings on, makes them easier to carry, and to 'lay out' ahead of time), AND the next AM's hay feedings. Because I always feed some alfalfa AND some grass, and have to 'break up' the alfalfa so they don't pull it out in 'chunks', thus wasting some on the ground-and now weigh all of my hay--this preparation process takes about 20 minutes. Conversely, it makes the 'already-prepared' feedings go faster--and since I have more energy in the AM and am usually more 'out of steam' in the PM, this works for me!
I do the bucket top-offs/empty, scrub, refill, around mid-PM in winter, late PM in summer. I have to carry water to fill buckets for three of the horses, the others use a trough, and there is a faucet right there (I have automatic waterers inside the barn stalls, but no longer use them--you can't tell how much-or even whether-a horse is drinking from them-and they were a bit of a pain to keep clean, too!) Besides--when temps are reasonable and the weather is decent--the two horses that are in runs off the barn stalls are shut outside, so have to have buckets there. the time this takes depends on whether any buckets need to be scrubbed and refilled; simply topping off the buckets and trough usually takes about 15-20 min.
Interesting to read everyone's responses!
Margo
I pick up manure AM and PM, every day. There is usually no 'turn out' here, because there would be NOTHING left but dirt and weeds, EVER, if I did that! However, this summer we did have some early rains, producing a good bit of annual grasses, as well as actually greening up the native grasses, so I have been able to turn everyone out for 30 min. to an hour each AM for awhile (because horses are selective grazers, they tend to 'overgraze' certain areas, so need to be kept from decimating those areas; mine are about at that point, so probably will have to quit turnout soon....)
Anyway--when I can do this turnout, AM chores take longer, because I have to go and 'get' each horse; they seldom 'volunteer' to come back in after that short a turnout time!
Without the turnout, standard AM chores take about an hour and a quarter in summer, may take a good bit longer in winter, esp. if there's been snow!( I am a determined sort, and will do all I can to remove poop, despite the circumstances!) Thank goodness, I have heated buckets and a tank heater, so no having to break and lift out ice...saving a good bit of time I USED to have to spend in the winter! In the PM, only about 45 min, and about 10-15 min., from about mid-Nov. to mid-March, at about 10 PM, to give a second evening feed of hay, so they don't have to go so many hours between feedings during the long winter hours of darkness!
In the AM, I take the time to go ahead and prepare the PM feedings(I just 'divide' the PM hay into two 'halves'--I use those woven 'plastic' feed bags to place the hay feedings on, makes them easier to carry, and to 'lay out' ahead of time), AND the next AM's hay feedings. Because I always feed some alfalfa AND some grass, and have to 'break up' the alfalfa so they don't pull it out in 'chunks', thus wasting some on the ground-and now weigh all of my hay--this preparation process takes about 20 minutes. Conversely, it makes the 'already-prepared' feedings go faster--and since I have more energy in the AM and am usually more 'out of steam' in the PM, this works for me!
I do the bucket top-offs/empty, scrub, refill, around mid-PM in winter, late PM in summer. I have to carry water to fill buckets for three of the horses, the others use a trough, and there is a faucet right there (I have automatic waterers inside the barn stalls, but no longer use them--you can't tell how much-or even whether-a horse is drinking from them-and they were a bit of a pain to keep clean, too!) Besides--when temps are reasonable and the weather is decent--the two horses that are in runs off the barn stalls are shut outside, so have to have buckets there. the time this takes depends on whether any buckets need to be scrubbed and refilled; simply topping off the buckets and trough usually takes about 15-20 min.
Interesting to read everyone's responses!
Margo
S
StarRidgeAcres
Guest
I'm a slowpoke!
We've got 30 total - all minis. 10 pastured 24/7 so they're pretty easy in the spring/summer/fall but required feed/hay 2x per day this time of year through about the first of April.
20 are in the barn/dry lot area. About 14 of those are stalled at night. Takes about 45 mins in the a.m. to feed, fill waters, turn out babies, etc. Then I spend a min of 2 hours each evening picking stalls, feeding, dumping/refilling waters, putting back in stalls, making supplements for top dressing, etc. Then around 11pm I go back out and feed hay and touch everyone I haven't already laid hands on. In an emergency I can do the nighttime stuff in 20 mins, but that's really hauling you-know-what!
Then I spend about 7 hours each weekend stripping stalls, loading feed bins, cleaning buckets, grooming, etc. I consider the horses as my exercise so I don't mind spending time with them by cleaning, etc. It's good for me.
Working them is extra. All water buckets and troughs are heated so there's no time spent breaking ice so that's nice.
20 are in the barn/dry lot area. About 14 of those are stalled at night. Takes about 45 mins in the a.m. to feed, fill waters, turn out babies, etc. Then I spend a min of 2 hours each evening picking stalls, feeding, dumping/refilling waters, putting back in stalls, making supplements for top dressing, etc. Then around 11pm I go back out and feed hay and touch everyone I haven't already laid hands on. In an emergency I can do the nighttime stuff in 20 mins, but that's really hauling you-know-what!
Then I spend about 7 hours each weekend stripping stalls, loading feed bins, cleaning buckets, grooming, etc. I consider the horses as my exercise so I don't mind spending time with them by cleaning, etc. It's good for me.
Working them is extra. All water buckets and troughs are heated so there's no time spent breaking ice so that's nice.
Stef
Well-Known Member
I have 10 all together 9 minis and 1 big guy. I can have ever thing done in 30 mins. if I stay focused
, but if I don't I could end up out there all day and never notice the time.
