As a premium supplier of equine bedding, P.H Winterton regularly have correspondence with fellow horse owners. It is many of the aforementioned horse owner that will take part in this year’s Cheltenham Festival. The flagship event was one of the last mass participation events before the first Coronavirus lockdown last year. This year will certainly be different with no crowds at Prestbury Park being the main difference. For this blog, we will explain the ways the Cheltenham Festival will change in 2021. How Attendances Will Be Restricted Plus Other Changes Attendance will be restricted to staff who are essential to the care of the horses and the smooth running of the racecourse. Additionally there will be a vastly reduced media presence. Reduced entourages will be allowed for each runner but this does not extend to the bill-paying owner. Biosecurity measures will also be implemented surrounding those challengers travelling over from Ireland, with special zones created adjacent to the racecourse stables where every groom, trainer and jockey must stay while not exercising or racing their horses. The final casualty will be the absence of amateur riders. This means the National Hunt Chase, the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase and the Hunters’ Chase (no longer the Foxhunters’) will all now feature professional jockeys. The programme will also change, with the novice handicap chase disappearing from the Tuesday card. Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase from Friday will be replacing it. The Leading Suppliers of Equine Bedding Whether you are racing at the Cheltenham Festival or not, you will need the best equine bedding for your horses – which is where PH Winterton and Son can help. We have three ranges of equine bedding that will suit any budget or specific requirement. Contact us if you have any questions about horse bedding or any of our other products, such as biomass fuel. Our team of specialists will be more than happy to help with any...
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Weight loss for horses and ponies can be difficult, with a number of factors making it a challenging task. Restricting the feed intake of an animal that spends most of its time eating can lead to colic and gastric ulcers; the key to success is a balance of feed intake with calorie restriction. Here at P.H Winterton, we understand the importance of keeping your horse healthy, which is why we only supply the finest equine bedding. For this blog, we are going to give you some tips to help avoid equine obesity. Tips to Avoid Equine Obesity Weighing Your Horse Regularly checking your horse’s body weight helps you to keep an eye on their waistline and allows you to address any issues sooner rather than later. Combine weigh taping with body condition scoring which helps to determine your horse’s ideal condition. If you cannot easily feel your horse’s ribs, they are overweight. Weigh Your Horse Feed It can be easy for feeding portions to creep up without you noticing, especially when feed is distributed in scoops. Not all horse feeds are equal in weight, so it is crucial to know how much your scoop holds. Knowing how much you feed your horse, including forage, means you can start a dieting regime that does not instantly change their feed amount. For dieting horses and ponies, you will need to gradually restrict their intake to 1.5% of their current body weight. Avoid Extras In Your Horse Feed If you are the owner of an overweight horse or pony, you will need to assess whether they need extra little bits of mix and cubes in their feed. These extras provide a number of calories, whereas it could be far better to provide something that has a longer chewing time, to help with behavioural and digestive health. One of the additional issues of adding sprinkles of mix or cubes is your horse will be missing out on vital vitamins and minerals. An alternative that would make your horse’s feed more appealing would be a feed balancer. Think About Forage In some instances, haylage provides too many calories and if your yard provides it as the sole forage source you need to consider an...
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When installing a biomass fuel boiler, the tradesperson carrying out the task can advise you on the best boiler for your home and requirements. Each different renewable heating system has its own benefits so it can be tricky to have a definitive answer. When it comes to your average biomass boiler you will want something similar to your existing system, with the changes being more practical and not necessarily noticeable. To achieve the desired outcome, there are a number of factors to take into consideration, which we have listed below. 3 Factors to Consider for Biomass Fuel Boilers Size – Wood chip boilers often take up the most room, making them suitable for larger properties. However, pellet boilers can occupy less space because of their smaller size but are still able to heat a room just as effectively. If you are looking to install a renewable heating system, you will probably need an average-sized biomass boiler that won’t feel cramped in the space. They are slightly larger than their gas and oil counterparts but with further developments of wood pellet boilers, they are fast becoming a more popular heating option for modern homes. Cost – The prices of biomass boilers varies, depending on whether you want a larger system or a more cost-effective domestic one. Automatic and semi-automatic fed boilers typically cost more than manually fed versions, such as a log boiler. The cost of running a biomass boiler centre around the fuel type used, as maintenance costs do not really differ. Buying bulk pellets (from a supplier such as P.H Winterton) is the most cost-effective and allows for quality heating which is far cheaper than the costs of a traditional boiler. It is also worth considering that you can recover a percentage of your up-front expenses through the Renewable Heating Incentive, which earns you money for using a renewable heating system. Efficiency – Biomass heating systems have an efficiency of 80% or above, making them regularly more efficient than a standard gas boiler. Other factors to consider is the existing heat flow and insulation in your home plus the size of the space being heated. For the most efficient renewable heating system, P.H Winterton would recommend using wood...
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With sustainable fuels becoming more and more prevalent, it’s the perfect time to consider the benefits of using biomass fuel. Last week, we saw the government announce that algae, alcohol and household waste would power RAF fighter jets under the Ministry of Defence’s plan to slash carbon emissions. Along with the government’s plans to ban petrol and diesel cars by 2030, it seems that alternative fuel sources are the future. Therefore, we thought that we would look at five benefits of biofuel in our latest blog post. Less Greenhouse Gases It’s the obvious one, we know. However, it’s also one of the most important reasons that people tend to switch. Even though biofuels still emit some greenhouse gases, it’s much less than your traditional fuels. In fact, thanks to photosynthesis, biomass fuels only release the same amount of carbon into the atmosphere as was absorbed by plants in the course of their life cycle. This means that it is considered as CO2 neutral. If there are less greenhouse gases in the air, then we could slow the effects of global warming. Renewable Source of Energy One of the most important factors surrounding biomass fuel is that it’s a renewable source. This means that we can replace it as we use it, leading to an endless supply. Farmers can dedicate land to growing crops that will be intended for use as biofuel. This is a much better alternative to draining the Earth of it’s oils and natural gases which are all non-renewable sources of energy. More Cost Effective A lot of this comes down to the process of sourcing and producing the fuel. For fossil fuels, sourcing them requires drills, gas pipelines and fuel collection. However, the machinery needed to produce biomass fuel is much less expensive. These overheads are naturally reflected in the price of the product. Less Waste Polluting The Environment By giving this waste another purpose, you’re preventing it from being dumped in a landfill somewhere. Littering and the usage of non-degradable materials is unfortunately rife. Therefore, where there is an opportunity to re-use other materials, we should definitely try to. By working with P.H. Winterton and Son to get sawmill waste collections, you’re helping to save...
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Thoroughbred horses are just one of a wide array of horse breeds that you may own or find yourself looking after. Due to their agility, if you’re a racer, they’re likely to be your most regularly encountered breed. Whether you’re training, preparing for a race or you’ve only just invested in a horse, it’s important to get their stables in order. Here at P.H. Winterton and Sons, we’re huge supporters of horse racers and their upcoming events. Thanks to our renowned status in the equestrian market and sponsorships of the Royal Windsor and Olympia horse shows, we’re a trusted source to buy your thoroughbred shavings from. Cheshire Choice Equine Bedding Cheshire Choice Equine Bedding is our most premium, high quality choice, guaranteed to provide the ultimate comfort to your horse. As one of the only types of horse beddings in Staffordshire that’s made of 100% soft wood shavings, we can provide you with the highest quality without having to travel too far. In a lot of bedding guides, it’s suggested that absorbency is a vital feature to keeping your horse comfortable and clean. With the absorption capabilities of Cheshire Choice, these shavings will give your horse a comfortable night’s sleep and have it raring to go for its next race. It’s ability to adjust temperature will also keep your horse warm in the Winter and cool in the Summer. We are confident in saying that buying Cheshire Choice Equine Bedding is the best decision with regards to the comfort, happiness and health of your animals. We also keep it free from chemicals and dust to prevent any respiratory problems developing in you and your horse. Economy-Bale Equine Bedding If you’re after another option that won’t break the bank, you can’t go wrong with Economy-Bale Equine Bedding. This bedding is also safe for the airwaves of you and your horses thanks to being double dust extracted. This also ensures that it’s hygienic from the start. This option of bedding is made from a combination of soft and hardwood shavings. Therefore, it’s still easy to clean out and can be used alongside rubber mats. New! Zebra Fibre Animal Bedding We are extremely proud to have added Zebra Fibre Animal Bedding to...
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