The best way to create the ideal rest area for your horses is by investing in horse shavings from P.H Winterton and Son. For our latest blog, we are going to share some essential maintenance tips to keep your horse’s stable clean and safe plus some advice for composting used shavings. 6 Way to Maintain Your Stables 1. Horses need to be removed from their stable if possible while mucking out 2. Droppings also need to be removed as quickly as possible using a shavings fork 3. Shake your fork gently to loosen any clean shavings back onto the surface and avoid waste 4. Loosen the surface of the bed with the shavings fork when you have finished mucking out 5. Every 2-3 days, heap loosened surface shavings into banks at the sides then remove any concentrated areas of wet shavings and pull banks into the main area of the bed 6. Finally, add fresh equine bedding to maintain optimum depth. How to Compost Used Horse Shavings P.H Winterton recommends that the simplest and most environmentally friendly way to dispose of used shavings is to compost them and return to the soil. Industry specialists have commissioned scientific studies to confirm that the best conditions for composting horse bedding successfully. Results showed that used shavings plus manure turn them into excellent compost in just a matter of months. Here are some composting tips – Have a rough ratio of 3 parts shavings and one part dung or green matter Make sure the heap is on the wet side of damp but ensure it is not waterlogged Keep the heap uncovered Turn the heap monthly if possible as air is essential Under these conditions we would predict horse shavings will compost on between 4 and 8 months, depending on the season. Get in Touch for More Information If you would like to know more about P.H Winterton’s range of equine bedding, please contact us...
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If you are one of a number of riders that are looking to get their horses fit with competition (hopefully) on the horizon we have some tips to help. P.H Winterton and Son is the only choice for horse bedding, having served equestrian customers for many years, giving us unique knowledge about this sector. We understand that upping your horse’s fitness comes with challenges but reading our latest post will help prepare you for this. Relish the Return to Fitness Bringing your horse back into competitive fitness work is an exciting prospect, which helps to provide some normalcy for you and your horses. A lot will depend on whether your horse is familiar with his back-to-work routine or he is more of a stranger to extended breaks. Organising frequent visits from your saddler and physio is a vital part of bringing your horse back up to full fitness. As their physique starts to change you will need to keep a close on him to make sure his saddle fits and is not getting sore. Starting with weeks of walk hacks and straight lines will have them raring to go and ready for action. It is now time to starting working on the canter regime for your horse, but remember it will be difficult for him to remember all of that dressage training you had worked on months ago. Whether it is hacking in straight lines and flatwork or a leg-yield, chances are you will need to start from scratch on a lot of these activities. A gradual return to fitness is the best way to approach this, without making it too easy for your horse. You will need plenty of patience and a sense of humour to manage your equine buddies antics. Get in Touch for More Advice If you need any more advice about getting back into a routine, please contact P.H Winterton and Son. We provide three different ranges of horse bedding that will suit your budget and specific...
Read Moreabout Getting Your Horse Back Into Routine
As the leading provider of equine bedding across the country, P.H Winterton understands the importance of your horses getting their 40 winks. A recent study from Nottingham Trent University has looked into the sleep patterns of horses and how they could provide early warning signs of ill health. We will explore this in greater detail during this blog below. Horse Sleep Study Explained This fascinating study identifies patterns of rest for horses plus reasons they require rest such as temperature, age, temperament and exercise. Monitoring night-time sleep, the researchers are looking to establish regular rest patterns for different types of the horse which allows owners to spot any early warning signs of something amiss. Horses experience slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, with the SWS phase of the cycle, only achieved standing up whereas they must lie down for REM sleep. There is some evidence from this study that suggests horses unable to achieve REM sleep suffer from sleep deprivation. This could be due to injury or illness that makes lying down too painful or stress. Most horse owners are unable to monitor their horses’ sleep patterns throughout the night which means these changes can go unnoticed. The study from Nottingham Trent University involves the analysis of videos that display healthy riding horses’ night-time behaviour with details recorded for each horse. Accelerometers were also employed to automatically record movement and remotely monitor the horses during the night. How Equine Bedding Helps Horses Relax Equine bedding from P.H Winterton is available in three different ranges, to suit any requirements and budget. Cheshire Choice is our premium brand of horse bedding made from 100% softwood shavings with a long-life guarantee. As suggested by its title, Economy Bale is our budget range is a mixture of hardwood and softwood, making it easy to clean out with the use of rubber mats. Our newest range of equine bedding is the Zebra Fibre animal bedding, which can be used for horses and cattle with excellent absorbency qualities which means less abrasions for your animals. Talk to the Horse Bedding Specialists If you would like to know more about guaranteeing a good night’s sleep for your horses, contact P.H Winterton and Son...
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With a local lockdown issued for Leicester, advice has been provided to horse riding schools to help manage the situation. As the leading provider of equine bedding across the country, P.H Winterton and Son have been in constant contact with our equestrian customers to help as much as we can. Guidance from the British Horse Society Oonagh Meyer from the British Horse Society (BHS) commented, regarding the localised lockdown of Leicester, “The restrictions apply to the city and parts of Leicestershire that ‘touch on the city’s boundaries’. “There is now a local lockdown in Leicestershire, the council has published a map and we are waiting to confirm specific postcodes that will be affected.” “Currently, this doesn’t affect any of our BHS approved centres in Leicestershire, however, we have two that are very close to the map the council has provided so far, meaning that when the list of postcodes is published they may fall into the area. “At this stage, it appears that Leicester city is affected, rather than outlying rural areas. “We would advise any riding school in the Leicestershire area to check the Leicestershire.Gov.UK website and follow the local authority guidance.” The Importance of Equine Bedding With some riders restricted regarding taking their horse out riding, keeping them comfortable in their stables has become even more important. PH Winterton has three types of equine bedding to suit your budget and requirements. Cheshire Choice bedding is our premium product made from 100% wood shavings, whereas our Economy Bale bedding is a cost-effective solution. Our newest range is the Zebra Fibre Animal bedding has excellent absorbency qualities and is available in 48-60 bales per pallet. Get in Touch for More Information If you would like to know more about P.H Winterton’s range of equine bedding, please contact us today. We also offer the leading sawmill waste collection plus biomass fuel, which is a renewable heating source for domestic and commercial...
Read Moreabout Supporting Equestrians During Localised Lockdown
With some restrictions of the Coronavirus lockdown eased recently, the position regarding horse riding and training has been amended. As the UK’s leading provider of equine bedding, P.H Winterton understands how difficult this period has been for riders and their horses. For our latest post, we are going to explain the new advice being issued and how it affects you. The British Equestrian Federation Advice Explained Following a meeting, the board of the British Equestrian Federation have stated that riders are encouraged to resume exercising their horses, whilst observing social distancing. Riders are also encouraged to maintain public hygiene plus health and biosecurity measures. Every rider should continue to assess the level of risk associated with horse riding and work within their capabilities and fitness levels. In England, the relaxation on travel for exercises and a return to work for many people means one-to-one training is allowed. Coaches are able to travel to yards and riders to their instructors. Facility hire is now permitted, provided the venue conducts thorough risk assessments beforehand. This situation will continue to be monitored, based on advice from the UK government, as required to ensure the safety of riders and horses. The BEF is currently looking at an umbrella plan which will act as guidance for the equestrian sector and all of its stakeholders. This includes working closely with British Dressage, British Eventing and British Showjumping on a coordinated plan. A statement from the BEF said the following, “Wider equestrian activity and some horse sports can adapt well to social distancing requirements and should be in a position to get underway quickly, once conditions permit and the government gives the go-ahead.” Only the Best Equine Bedding from P.H Winterton While it is important to give your horse sufficient exercise time, it is also crucial to give them a good place to rest at the end of the day. P.H Winterton offers three different types of horse bedding to match your expectations and your budgets. We have recently added Zebra Fibre animal bedding to our catalogue, which boasts excellent absorbency qualities. If you would like to know more about any of our products, please contact us...
Read Moreabout Riding your Horse While Observing Social Distancing
Due to the COVOD-19 pandemic, the British Equestrian Federation has advised against riding, meaning you will need to find ways to adapt your daily routine and maintain the health of their horses. Here at P.H Winterton, we understand the importance of keeping your horse happy during these challenging times, which is why we have drawn up some activities you can take part in, without leaving the stable. Six Ways to Keep Your Horses Happy During Lockdown 1. Lungeing – This is a great way to keep your horse exercised, just make sure you wear a hat, gloves and suitable footwear. Before starting lungeing we would recommend reading up on what your horses need to wear and how to lunge if you haven’t attempted this much previously. 2. Long-Reigning – Much the same as lungeing you will need to ensure you and your horse are dressed appropriately plus you can move onto exercises like leg-yielding when you both have had sufficient practice. 3. Grooming Sessions – Take some time out to give your horse a good grooming session getting to know every inch of their body. You may be surprised at the number of small lumps and old scars that have been missed during a daily flick over. Learn how warm each of his legs feels and how filled they are plus how they vary during different times of the day. You can pull his mane and tail if needed, trim his bridle path and heels if appropriate to his type and job. 4. Horse Agility – A basic agility course involves leading a horse through a corridor in the shape of an S without your horse stepping out or touching the poles. Another activity you could work on could be leading your horse through a curtain or a narrow gap or over a tarpaulin. Remember to always assess the risk of trying new exercises, in case your horse is sharp or easily spooked. 5. Assess Your Horse’s Conformation – Pull out your Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship and take a look at your horse and make a critical analysis of his conformation. Now it is time to consider how this impacts on his work and the way you train...
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