# How often do you poo pick your field?



## PucciNPoni (2 April 2012)

As above.  I've got one horse in a starvie on a livery yard.  He lives in at night (only out from 7 am to 3pm).  I poo pick thoroughly once a week.  I wonder if that's enough?    Takes me about 30 minutes to do - mainly cos he scatters it from one end of the paddock to the other.


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## lyndsayberesford (2 April 2012)

i find it easier to do it daily

my routine involves getting the horse in, standing him outside his stable while i go and poo pick (10 mins a day) and then muck out his stable! 

On the days i havent managed to due to lack of time etc, then i find it so much harder the day after as the damn birds tend to spread it all around!


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## Bionic Boy (2 April 2012)

Mine is living out on restricted turnout although he has got the option of going in his stable if he wants too (which he now seems to think is his own private on-suite facilities ).

I find it easier to do it each morning whilst he is eating his breakfast, takes 10 minutes max.


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## starryeyed (2 April 2012)

I do our fields daily - with three of them out there it can build up quite quickly, and the birds like to scatter it about if I leave it there too long which drives me mad! I do the stables in the morning and the fields in the evening (sometimes other way round in winter as poo picking by torch light is a bit challenging!)


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## PolarSkye (2 April 2012)

Every day . . . there are three horses in our field so that's three liveries plus one sharer . . . we divvy up so that each owner does two days/week and sharer does one . . . takes 10 mins max.  We do it in the evenings and I love seeing a clean field every morning.

P


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## acw295 (2 April 2012)

I do it weekly - mine is out with 7 others so we all do it once a week but on different days.

It takes me about 45 mins at the moment as there is little grass and they are mostly out 7am-6pm (a few live out 24/7). We've calculated that they are doing 1.5 barrows each per week so that is what we are doing per horse (so the livery that has 3 horses in that field does 4.5-5 barrows and I do 1.5-2)

When we have more grass mine will be muzzled by night and in during the day so I don't do that much more than now (usually 3 barrows max) and those unmuzzled living out 24/7 do 5 barrows.

If they weren't in a herd I'd do it daily - but its more satisfying to do a few barrows at a time and usually means I get to clear the field.

I think I have OCD with it though


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## nikicb (2 April 2012)

I try to do mine daily - I have 2 in a 3/4 acre paddock, then it's only a few mintues a day.  That way the crows don't break all the droppings down as well which means it takes a lot longer to pick up.


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## Tr0uble (2 April 2012)

Try to do it daily, but never leave it longer than two days. The longer you leave it e more likely you are to get stale grass. 5 minute job to do it daily.


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## Perissa (2 April 2012)

I do mine twice a day when they are out.   It takes about half an hour to do 5 horses.


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## domane (2 April 2012)

Daily.  I can't BEAR it when the birds spread it or worse.... those horrid little black beatles suck all the poo-juice out of it then go back into the ground and leave dried, un-pickable flat mulch behind!!!


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## nic85 (2 April 2012)

When she was in at night, once a week but now shes out 24/7 I do it everyday 
(individual turnout)


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## Rebecca1988 (2 April 2012)

Daily, drives me mad to see a messy field.


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## katherine1975 (2 April 2012)

Everyday. I have two horses on 3 acres, couldn't bare the thought of doing it weekly!


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## smartyjones (2 April 2012)

me and my daughter do it daily keeps it down and takes little time up


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## The Fuzzy Furry (2 April 2012)

Perissa said:



			I do mine twice a day when they are out.
		
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This ^ virtually all the time, means the boundaries of their 'in use' field gets checked properly too 

Also means if am in a rush for an obscure reason, then this can be left over till next morning/evening


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## Enfys (2 April 2012)

Never.

I worked it out roughly, I have, on average 25 horses here on 40+ acres.
If each horse dungs 10 times a day then that is 250 piles to pick up daily, in addition to mucking out, feeding, starting youngsters, caring for other animals, bottle feeding babies, property maintenance, a house and family to care for - there isn't time to do it, and although I like spotless fields as well as the next person, I don't have the inclination either. If I had just one or two horses and a smaller acreage then maybe I would.

God bless my quad and the harrow.


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## stencilface (2 April 2012)

daily ish. But this is only in the toilet areas, and within reasonable barrow distance of the stables. Last year we got a field 4x4 and trailer, so can now to a job lot across the field too.

We have 5 horses on a v hilly 6 acres, my time is worth too much to spend too long doing that!  We get it harrowed and rolled at least once a year.

I have my number on the noticeboard of a local allottment group, so they come and take it off my hands


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## Toffee_monster (2 April 2012)

Every day , takes 5 minutes !!!


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## pansy (2 April 2012)

Try to do it daily only takes about 10 mins then - if cant do 1 day will make sure its done the next day- I dont like dirty paddocks


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## Enfys (2 April 2012)

Toffee_monster said:



			Every day , takes 5 minutes !!!
		
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How big is your paddock?  It would take me that time just to walk from one end to the other in some of my paddocks, let alone zigzagging around on a search the pile mission.


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## Ali27 (2 April 2012)

I do iT every day from Spring to Autumn when they are out 24/7! It takes me 10-15 mins


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## russianhorse (2 April 2012)

Usually twice a day or if in a rush, once a day - only takes a few mins

However, if it snows I tend to leave until thawed


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## little_critter (2 April 2012)

Weekly. She tends to go in one area so it takes approx 30 mins. Works out quite well, I chuck her breakfast in and let her eat in peace while I poo pick. Might have to do it more often when we go to 24/7 turn out


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## Lil Ferg (2 April 2012)

Toffee_monster said:



			Every day , takes 5 minutes !!!
		
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This, plus my 2 boys always have a very low faecal egg count (2 counts per year) so only get womed one a year.


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## The Fuzzy Furry (2 April 2012)

Enfys said:



			How big is your paddock?  It would take me that time just to walk from one end to the other in some of my paddocks, let alone zigzagging around on a search the pile mission.
		
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Unfortunately a number of us on here are not such a good position as you Enfys 
I'd love to have bigger acreage - and did so up till 10 yrs ago when I had an additonal 12+ acres next door & I also harrowed in then, but since cutting down in numbers its been easier to maintain just my own land (where I don't live as no planning), hence the 2 x per day.

Am on one hand v jealous of you, but sometimes when I read your posts about the harsh winters etc or the odd destroying animal (I remember the miles of fencing thread where it had chipmunked lumps out of just about every post!  ) I'm not envious at all


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## Littlelegs (2 April 2012)

Hardly ever. 5 horses on 15 acres so even tho our hay comes of it too there's enough land to rotate & harrow. Fat paddock is about 20x 60 tho, so if that's in use every day.


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## bubbilygum (2 April 2012)

Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. My boy has his own paddock, and he (very helpfully) does his business in one place, virtually on top of each other, so it doesn't take long!


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## PucciNPoni (3 April 2012)

hmmm, maybe I should be doing mine more often then.  It definitely is necessary to do at least once a week but I only get a single (large) wheel barrow's worth out each time I do.  We do worm counts too, and has never had to be wormed outside of doing the red-worms twice a year.


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## palomino_pony (3 April 2012)

Every two days now she is out, weey when she was in at night due to time/ light. It is the job I hate most. Pony is out with babies in a massive field which gets harrowed occasionally and often floods. After a flood ( next to river) there is no poo left!!


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## ILuvCowparsely (3 April 2012)

Everyday without fail


  I couldnt leave it to fester



a. looks a mess
b doesnt take long 
c  less grazing 
d part of owning or renting a place keep fields healthy and grazing good.


 I consider it lazy not to pick it up  IMO

 I think if you have  larger fields and more horses you should invest in a poop picker upper or get someone who you pay to come in with theirs, or  employ kids to do it

*
 A GOOD TIP TO PICK UP   once birds have spread it is a plastic leave rake  it rakes it into a pile then you use poop scoop
*



 I have  11 horses here  which I have to muckout feed hay etc all on part 1 on DIY  , foster cats to look after  boarding cats to look after property maintenance to do  a house and hubby  to care for shirts to iron, shopping to buy
 horse feed to buy, dog to walk , horses to exercise  fencing to creosote 

 I still find time  to do   3 fields to de poo .

 To me whats the point in your yard looking tidy stables and horses beds looking good when the fields are a mess?



.


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## ILuvCowparsely (3 April 2012)

specially when a paddock collector range between 50 and 1000 pounds 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Paddock-C...oods_StableAccessories_SM&hash=item43ae873740



.


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## Sprout (3 April 2012)

I do it daily, with four horses I dont want it turning into a huge task by leaving it, and it gives me the chance to check the fencing and check the fields for foreign objects which the foxes like to leave in the fields!


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## MyBoyChe (3 April 2012)

Twice a day in summer, once a day in winter.  Che has his own paddock (about 2 acres) so doesnt take long and gives me the chance to check fences, rabbit holes etc.  Its actually quite a nice time to have a mooch and a think, if Che isnt busy eating he usually wanders round with me, helpfully grabbing the poop scoop and flinging it about.


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## MillionDollar (3 April 2012)

The ones in very small starvation paddocks get done every other day, the ones in bigger paddocks get done once per week (with our Terra Vac vacuum) and the ones in fields just get rotated and harrowed.


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## Jnhuk (3 April 2012)

As on a small acreage  (3 acres) with two large horses, I usually when good weather try to do a wheelbarrow morning and night which clears the field. If I leave it a few days, then it becomes a real chore. If I left it to once a week, I would be spending at least four or five hours on it which I'd rather being doing fun things.

However, at the moment I have two yearlings instead on the field - their poos are so easy in comparison. Think poo picking depends on your acreage and also size of your horses poos! I would have no grazing if I left it with my two large lads. 

If I had large acreage, I would not poo pick to be honest.


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## claireandnadia (3 April 2012)

If it's light enough in the evening after work then every day and in winter only a Saturday and Sunday.


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## RolyPolyPony (3 April 2012)

We have 4 (2 big horses and 2 small ponies) on a track system, we do it at least once a day, depending on what we are both working.  Some days one will do in the morning and one in evening. I can't stand seeing poo everywhere!


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## liggy (3 April 2012)

Twice a day without fail!!! takes minutes to do


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## Irishbabygirl (4 April 2012)

Twice a day when out 24/7 in the summer and once a day when coming in at night over winter.


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## SpockkyBoy (4 April 2012)

Daily usually, unless there is much then I may do it every other day. I try and poo pick twice a day if it is wet, and leave it if it has snowed.


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## horseluver4eva (5 April 2012)

i do it every day. there is only little bits to do so it isnt as much hard work


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## graci * (6 April 2012)

Every day, if i dont its its just harder to pick up the next day!!


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## sarelis (6 April 2012)

Ours gets done twice a day, it's quicker & easier than letting it pile up for ages & having to have an epic session on it once a week


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (6 April 2012)

Enfys said:



			Never.

I worked it out roughly, I have, on average 25 horses here on 40+ acres.
If each horse dungs 10 times a day then that is 250 piles to pick up daily, in addition to mucking out, feeding, starting youngsters, caring for other animals, bottle feeding babies, property maintenance, a house and family to care for - there isn't time to do it, and although I like spotless fields as well as the next person, I don't have the inclination either. If I had just one or two horses and a smaller acreage then maybe I would.

God bless my quad and the harrow.

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Ditto basically. I don't have as many horses, or the acreage, but do have the day-job which pays the bills PLUS have my 91 y.o. mother to look after, so if fields don't look as immaculate as they should then thats too bad.

Its my own land anyway, and my two horses are turned out with sheep, so apart from going out with a rake and scattering it (same as a harrow) - I tend to let the sheep tread it in and/or scatter it, and the crows can have what they want (god knows what!!!).

Some may criticise my regime, and no doubt will, but hey, I've gotta life apart from poo-picking


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## CazD (7 April 2012)

PucciNPoni said:



			hmmm, maybe I should be doing mine more often then.  It definitely is necessary to do at least once a week but I only get a single (large) wheel barrow's worth out each time I do.  We do worm counts too, and has never had to be wormed outside of doing the red-worms twice a year.
		
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Wow, you lucky thing!  One wheelbarrow per week!  I do our four twice a day and get one - one and half barrow loads each time.


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## applecart14 (8 April 2012)

Weekly on a Sunday afternoon usually.  I am going to start today


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## cloisterchalice (8 April 2012)

deleted


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## MotherOfChickens (8 April 2012)

in the winter when I have 3 on 6 acres, once a week. in the summer when they are in paddocks from 1 acre to 2 acres then I try to do it at least every other day-daily when they are in small paddock. I took over 12 acres 18 months ago that had not been cleared in 3 years-paddocks were knackered and sick.


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