Stable management tips for looking after your yard
Looking after horses is a rewarding yet demanding job. They need to live in a clean and comfortable environment, and this means regularly cleaning and mucking out, transporting water and feed, as well as grooming the horses themselves.
Henchman has partnered with the British Grooms Association to help make these tasks easier. We may be biased, but we believe that our gardening equipment can also help make light work of the more strenuous yard jobs. Products like our wheelbarrows alleviate some of the fatigue that comes with these jobs and ensure you’re minimising health risks where possible.
“Our wheelbarrows are the perfect partner for grooms, making their busy day a little easier, therefore we are delighted to be working with the British Grooms Association.” - Clare Lenagham-Balmer, Head of Marketing for Henchman.
What is stable management?
Stable management is more than simply feeding and cleaning stables. It’s all about looking after your horses’ wellbeing, keeping them happy and healthy in a safe, well-maintained environment.
For stablehands and grooms, a busy day involves waking up early to feed the horses and mucking out the stables - all before tacking up and taking them out for exercise or training. Around this, there’s also a lot of tidying and clearing to do around the yard, from scrubbing buckets and replacing bedding to sweeping floors and mixing feed.
With a lot to get done in a day, stables can invest in the right tools and equipment to make yard duties easier. We’ll go into more detail about this in our guide.
Yard and stable cleaning equipment
With all the cleaning and maintenance involved in horse maintenance, you need reliable tools that can handle the heaviest - and muckiest - of jobs. Here’s a quick list of some of the equipment you’ll need:
- Wheelbarrow - no one likes arriving at the stables and realising that you’ve been left with the old, rusty wheelbarrow that doesn’t stay upright. Wheelbarrows like our Henchman Wheelbarrow are extremely versatile, with a large capacity and sturdy plastic that’ll last for years to come.
- Water and feed buckets - for horses to eat and drink from.
- Shaving fork or pitchfork - for handling hay and straw when mucking out or tidying the barn.
- Brushes and shovels - for clearing the stable, yards and fields. A wider broom is best as you can sweep larger areas at once.
- Ladders - for reaching high areas in the barn, checking lights and CCTV cameras. At Henchman, we specialise in adjustable tripod ladders, providing a safe and sturdy platform that keeps you stable at all times.
- Gloves - to protect hands from blisters while using tools and keep your hands clean when caring for the horses themselves.
- Hitch and tow bar - this handy accessory can be used with a wheelbarrow for extra transportability. It connects to tractors and turns your barrow into an off-road trailer, so you can transport heavier loads.
This is only a handful of the tools that will be useful for yard maintenance. We provide ladders, wheelbarrows and gloves here at Henchman, and the British Grooms Association has even more equipment available on their website.
Stable maintenance tasks & tips
Being a groom means working through a variety of jobs to keep horses and stables in top condition. Our ladders and accessories are fantastic tools for stable management. They help speed up certain tasks while easing some of the strain and fatigue. Below we’ve listed a handful of jobs you can use our trusty wheelbarrow for.
Mucking out stables
Mucking out can be a monotonous and messy task - especially if you have more than one horse. But it’s an important one, drying out the stable, keeping your horses comfortable and minimising the health risks that come from living in a dirty environment.
There are ways of speeding up stable cleaning while still doing a thorough job. For one, using a large wheelbarrow can save you trips to the muck pile, carrying heavier bales of shavings back to the stable, all while alleviating the strain on your back.
If you’re relying on an old, rusty barrow that’s become too brittle or frail to use - or is simply too small - then carrying hay or removing waste becomes a lot more work. Our mighty Henchman wheelbarrow is an essential, wheel-iable tool for grooms and stablehands, allowing you to transport four times the amount of material than other barrows on the market.
“The Henchman wheelbarrow is a wonderful addition to any yard. Instead of multiple trips to the muck heap, I can now whizz through the mucking out much more quickly.” - Fi Boughton, Membership Manager of the BGA.
Available in three sizes, you can quickly move waste and bedding from stable to yard, pushing and tipping with ease. Its two wheels and slim design help keep your barrow stable, ensuring a smooth journey from start to finish.
Soaking hay for horses
Soaking hay is usually recommended to airborne particles before your horse tucks in. Our large-capacity wheelbarrow can fit multiple haynets in which you can then fill with water to soak. The plastic container doesn’t corrode either - especially important when regularly filling your barrow with water. This means you can use your barrow time and time again.
If you purchase the Ball & Hitch Tow Bar, you can convert your barrow into a trailer in minutes, making soaking hay an all-in-one process. Simply wheel the hay straight to the tap, fill the barrow water, and then tow it back to the stable in one easy move.
Carrying heavy loads from yard to field
One common inconvenience in stable management is when the stables or yard are some distance away from the field. Not everyone has a car or tractor to transport heavier loads, and even if you do have a vehicle, it’s not always practical. This often leads to carrying or pushing heavy items to and from the field, and exerting yourself more than necessary.
For us here at Henchman, safety always comes first. This applies to our whole product range, including our wheelbarrows and wider accessories range. Our barrow is large enough to carry large loads without being demanding on your body. Its sleek design allows you to push or pull with one or two hands, and the handle placement means no bending over to tip materials.
The puncture-proof wheels also help with stability, are easy to manoeuvre and can tackle soft and uneven terrain - just what you need for muddy fields and soft grass.
“It will also fit in all the haynets in one go – the horses think it is meals on wheels! I was concerned about the poo picking as the field is very muddy and poached, but the wheelbarrow easily moved through the mud, and then even though it was really heavy I was able to push it with just one hand.” - Fi Boughton.
The Spring clean
Every stable needs a Spring clean. It’s a big job that can feel time-consuming and, depending on the size of your stables, maybe overwhelming. There are ways to make some of the jobs easier, safer and faster, all while lessening the fatigue.
When it is time to literally clear the cobwebs, you’ll likely periods of time up high dusting and washing every nook and corner of your stable. Our Fully Adjustable Tripod Ladders are ideal for sweeping rafters and giving walls a good scrub, providing a level platform that keeps you supported as you work. You can firmly tuck your knees into the frame for extra support, and the wide platform provides plenty of space and control as you work with both hands. The guard rail on our Fully Adjustable and Fully Adjustable PRO ladders is higher than our older models for even more stability.
They’re also handy for cleaning the top of horse trailers. Maintaining your trailer is key for prolonging its lifespan and preventing rusting. Our ladders are fully adjustable, so you can lean over, spray and then wipe the roof with ease. We’ve designed our ladders for maximum safety, meaning you’ll maintain three points of contact at all times when cleaning, and can work for longer periods of time.
General tidying and maintenance
Looking after horses is a messy job, and isn’t kind to your hands. Our wheelbarrows can transport these heavy, messy loads with ease, but we can help prevent dry, chapped and sore hands, too. Our gardening gloves are perfect for grooms and stablehands. They’re a snug, comfortable fit, made from dual-layer leather and reinforced stitching for durability. With these gloves on hand, you can get stuck in with washing and poo picking, and keep your hands warm during those early-morning feeds.
They also come with a Carabiner - a handy clip with which you can hang our gloves up to dry at the end of the day.
Horse and stable management with Henchman
Henchman are proud to partner with the British Grooms Association (BGA), a leading organisation providing support for grooms throughout the UK. Together, we’re offering grooms and stablehands high-quality tools and equipment that make any yard task a simple job.
The Henchman Wheelbarrow has been used in gardening and DIY projects, but it’s also an essential tool for stable management. Its durability and longevity reduce time spent on many jobs while ensuring you’re working safely and comfortably at all times. To find out more about our wheelbarrow range, speak to our team.
