Just a start, spring cleaning...

[Chanda]

I don't clean paddocks in the winter, just too cold, and they practically drop poopcycles; so I do major overhaul in the spring once it dries out and warms up.
I worked on the mare barn a week or so ago, and got a start; lots more to go.
Today, I started on the gelding shelters.  Got the worst one cleaned, so I moved almost 45 cubic feet of packed manure.  [cleaned an 8x8' stall and the 4x8' entrance area, it was 6" deep.]  Guess I did clean half of the other half of this shelter earlier this spring, but today was the start of the "deep" clean.
I'm not sure what is worse?   The smell of an old carcass, or the smell of fermenting manure and pee.      It was pretty rotten in spots today, as this side of the shelter is where Spotty thinks he should pee.

[Ryan]

I dont pick mine up either. I smudge it into the ground with an old gate and the mower when I know heavy rain is coming. ( my excuse is too lazy lol)

[Chanda]

I dont pick mine up either. I smudge it into the ground with an old gate and the mower when I know heavy rain is coming. ( my excuse is too lazy lol)

I mow my pasture areas, and drag them when I can (have an actual harrow, somewhere, it was in the bull pasture, but not sure where it is now); but I do have to clean the drylots, barns and shelters.  The large drylots get cleaned by tractor; the shelters, barns and small pens are cleaned by hand (well shovel and manure fork).

[Ryan]

I do have a couple of small paddocks which I consider to be my dry lots. My two little mares spend quite a bit of time in there when the grass is too rich. I usually just rake into a big pile then pick up. The bigger paddocks im happy to smudge, not enough hours in the day to manually pick up each paddock !

[Chanda]

To go along with spring cleaning...  We have reintroduce the horses to grass in process.  The geldings have been getting grass about a week or so, so they're up to an hour to hour and a half daily.  The mares group just got introduced today, I turned them all out together, Belle and Dolly included; the older girls readily came in and Bliss and Sophie followed, when I said "time to come in".  And, then, this evening, Belle and Dolly went back into their separate paddock nicely.   Che`, Baybe and Tilly started their introduction to grass as well.  This will be quite a process to get them all reintroduced to grass, but it'll mean I can cut back on their daily hay; they graze in the morning (all day for the geldings) and get some hay at night).

[Ryan]

Hope they are all enjoying the spring grass

Its quite the process, but very much understand the importance of a slow reintroduction

[dcwolcott]

You both just make me tired thinking of all the work you do!

[Chanda]

Got a good start on cleaning the gelding's paddock.  It hasn't been cleaned in like 10 years    It takes a tractor to do it, and previously Shayne did it, but he hasn't had time since before Cheddar passed away in 2010.  I got started, and was having some tractor troubles, when Shayne came home early from his fencing job, so he did a bit of work for me in a couple tight spots, leaving me with a big pile to remove from the pen.    Got the pile all removed, and now will need Shayne's help again for the two tight spots that really need cleaning.   But, enough for today.

[Chanda]

Got the mare's cleaned right before the 4th, just in time, too; it's been raining almost non-stop since, so it's pretty soggy out there.  One good thing with all the rain...  The ground is soft, I've now dug in 3 posts for my two gates I need to eventually hang, one more post to go.  [Actually, still need to buy the gates, but can continue to use my portable panels for now.]  Need to pick up a couple 2x6s for braces and bumper boards for the gate posts, but it'll be ok for now (tried two landscape timbers, as we had them on hand, they are hard as rocks and nearly impossible to drive a nail through them, they are up, but I don't know how long they'll last, Thinking I should have waited for the 2x6s).
Anyway, got a good start on a couple summer projects.

[dcwolcott]

Sounds like lots of work ahead!!

[Chanda]

Sounds like lots of work ahead!!

It's summer, there always is something to do.  I may not get it done, but there is always something.

[Chanda]

Got my last post hole dug and post set.  I do need to pick up some 2x6s to finish the job; and rearrange some t-posts and mesh panels; and eventually when budget allows get two 12' gates to hang, then I'll be truly finished with that project.
Need to get to work cleaning out the small paddock, lots of winter manure yet to remove; with all the rain, it's just too wet to be scooping poop, I don't want to haul "water" out of the corrals.

[Chanda]

Got my 2x6s picked up today, and put them up; so finished that part of the fencing/gate project.
Working on cleaning that last corral.
Trimmed one horse today (hooves).
Went on a parts run, so that is all I got done today.

[Chanda]

I think I need a boot or maybe a boost out the door, to go get back to work on that corral that needs serious poo picking, to get rid of last winter's manure build up.  Just the one corral left for cleaning up winter build up; but just dragging my wagon.

[Chanda]

My job today: