13 steps to a spotless yard

It’s easy to let your yard get messy – ponies aren’t the cleanest animals, after all! But planning daily, weekly and monthly chores will keep your yard looking great and safer for your pony, too. We’ve split it up into 13 easy steps. Check them out!

Everyday jobs on the yard

1. Muck out – not the most glamorous, but no pony wants to be standing in poo!

2. Sweep the yard – it might not seem messy, but you’ll be surprised by how much dust and dirt builds up over the day. A quick sweep makes any yard look tidier.

3. Pick out hooves – as well as keeping your pony more comfy, picking out his hooves daily will stop mud and bedding falling out onto the yard when you’re leading him.

Top Tip Pick out his hooves into a small skip so you don’t create more work for yourself.

4. Wash out feed buckets – you wouldn’t want to eat off a dirty plate, would you? Give your pony’s feed bucket a rinse when he’s finished to stop food becoming dry and stuck.

5. Check his trough – leaves and other debris can fall into your pony’s water trough, so it’s important to check it daily and take out anything that shouldn’t be in there. If he’s stabled change his water daily, too.

6. Clean water buckets – algae grows quickly in water buckets, so giving the inside a wipe clean every day will stop it building up and keep the water fresh for your pony.

7. Put tools back neatly – it’s much easier to know where to find your wheelbarrow, fork or broom if everything’s always kept tidily in the same place, and stops anyone tripping over when they’re left in the wrong place!

Weekly jobs

8. Clean his trough – once a week it’s important to give your trough and water buckets a good scrub to make sure algae and other nasty stuff isn’t building up.

9. Tidy the muck heap – definitely not a fun job, but tidying the muck heap once a week will keep it manageable in the long run.

10. Poo-pick his field – it’s important to poo-pick at least once a week to keep your fields in good condition and worm-free.

Monthly jobs

11. De-cobweb the stables – cobwebs pick up dust, which isn’t good for your pony’s breathing. Keeping your stables cobweb-free will make sure your pony stays happy and healthy.

12. Pull up weeds – grass and weeds love to grow in the cracks of a yard, which can damage the concrete. Keep it in good condition by weeding once a month.

13. Check stable fittings and fences – keep an eye on stable bolts, gates and fences every day, and do a thorough check once a month to make sure everything’s in tip-top condition.