Ok, I'll admit it - I LOVE THE DOLLAR STORE!! The treasures you can find to use in the barn seem endless. Here is a shopping list so you can stock up at the dollar store:
Baby oil - to get that pretty glossy face and to soften the chestnuts for removal
Baby powder -to get the white on the legs whiter
Baby shampoo - for quick spot removal
Baby lotion - put into a a squirt bottle and add a bit of water so it can be used on mane or body and it works great on heel cracks too
Clear small rubber bands - for banding the mane and tail and works for any color hair
Brushes - extras for the whole body, look for pet brushes, cleaning brushes and people brushes
Towels - for bathing, eye and nose wiping, hoof buffing - I have even found the microfiber ones that are great for buffing a shine on your horse's body
Sponges - for bathing, medications and tack cleaning
Buckets - all kinds for all kinds of uses
Squirt bottles - for fly sprays, spot remover, lotion (see above), medications, detangler
Hooks - lots of them to put on a wall and hang everything from buckets and scissors to tack
Scissors - for cutting hay bales and manual clipping
Mouth wash - for washing out feed tubs and water buckets
Scrub brush - those toilet brushes are awesome bucket scrubbers!
Shower caps - yep, you heard me, use these to premix feed in grain pans and cover for later to keep the critters out
My list cost only $15 if you buy one of each. That is a huge savings over buying your supplies at the standard stores. Have fun and let me know if you find any new items to add to the shopping list!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Yay for sunshine! I get really excited towards the end of February every year because it means that the worst part of the winter is over for the Pacific NW. I saw a robin the other day and there are little tiny buds on my trees.
I'm sharing an article I found online today. It gives great tips about saving money if you board a horse. I found it helpful and hope you do to:
How to Save Money on Horse Boarding
By Laura College
Horses are expensive. There's no way around it, and as the costs of gas and hay continue to soar, horse boarding is becoming proportionately more expensive. If you board your horse at a local stable or barn, however, there are ways to rescue your bank account from a painful collapse.
Step 1 Talk to the owner of your stable or barn about your situation. If you've just been laid off from work, or if you've run into significant emergency expenses, you might be able to request a temporary reprieve. This is especially true if you are close with the owner of the stable, but realize that this isn't a long-term solution.
Step 2 Consider boarding your horse in a pasture instead of in a stall. While this might not be as luxurious for the horse, it can save up to $300 per month in board, which will certainly open up more room to pay your "people bills." However, this option is more feasible if you live in a mild climate.
Step 3 Shop around. There might be another stable or barn in your area where you can save money on horse boarding. In some places, the differences in board can amount to hundreds of dollars, so decide which amenities you're willing to give up and move your horse.
Step 4 Muck the stalls. Some barn owners will give discounts on horse boarding if you are willing to do some of the work yourself, such as mucking out stalls twice a day. This is a great option for someone who lives near the barn and has the time to run out quite often.
Step 5 Buy your own feed. You might also be able to save money on horse boarding by providing your own feed. As with human food, there are brand names and off-brands that have significant price differences, but similar (or the same) nutritional content.
Step 6 Learn to share. You are probably not the only person who needs to save money on horse boarding, so talk to other boarders about how you can cut down costs for each other. For example, you might carpool to the barn every day or or share expensive supplements.
I'm sharing an article I found online today. It gives great tips about saving money if you board a horse. I found it helpful and hope you do to:
How to Save Money on Horse Boarding
By Laura College
Horses are expensive. There's no way around it, and as the costs of gas and hay continue to soar, horse boarding is becoming proportionately more expensive. If you board your horse at a local stable or barn, however, there are ways to rescue your bank account from a painful collapse.
Step 1 Talk to the owner of your stable or barn about your situation. If you've just been laid off from work, or if you've run into significant emergency expenses, you might be able to request a temporary reprieve. This is especially true if you are close with the owner of the stable, but realize that this isn't a long-term solution.
Step 2 Consider boarding your horse in a pasture instead of in a stall. While this might not be as luxurious for the horse, it can save up to $300 per month in board, which will certainly open up more room to pay your "people bills." However, this option is more feasible if you live in a mild climate.
Step 3 Shop around. There might be another stable or barn in your area where you can save money on horse boarding. In some places, the differences in board can amount to hundreds of dollars, so decide which amenities you're willing to give up and move your horse.
Step 4 Muck the stalls. Some barn owners will give discounts on horse boarding if you are willing to do some of the work yourself, such as mucking out stalls twice a day. This is a great option for someone who lives near the barn and has the time to run out quite often.
Step 5 Buy your own feed. You might also be able to save money on horse boarding by providing your own feed. As with human food, there are brand names and off-brands that have significant price differences, but similar (or the same) nutritional content.
Step 6 Learn to share. You are probably not the only person who needs to save money on horse boarding, so talk to other boarders about how you can cut down costs for each other. For example, you might carpool to the barn every day or or share expensive supplements.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Today's tip is all about recycling and making trash into treasure. One of my new years resolutions is to organize my tack. Here are a few ideas I came up with to help my tack room out. Let me know if you have any ideas as well.
Peg board - Awesome stuff especially if you can find it used. Put this up on one wall in your tack room. use peg board hooks, which can be purchased at any office supply store, to hang those "other" items like girths, training equipment, rope, breast collars and any extra parts and pieces. The hooks work great for tack with buckles or snaps and holds wide and unusually shaped items well.
Tuna or cat food cans - These are great for hanging bridles, leather halters, and other leather tack. Nail the can with the bottom on the wall so you can see the inside. Leather doesn't like to be folded and can crack and weaken from the stress over time. The can provides a nice wide hanging area for the leather to sit naturally and will help to extend the life of your tack. Besides it keeps your leather tack in view and easily accessable.
Old buckets - The larger taller buckets that held feed products or such are great as saddle racks. Just nail the bottom of the bucket to the wall. Use at least 3 large woodscrews set as a triangle with two a few inches apart at the highest point and one lower between them. The inside of the bucket is a clever cubby for brushes, medicines, towels, saddle covers and more. If your saddle wants to slip off just apply a strip of old carpet to the top of the bucket.
Unwanted bits - Add a little designer touch by using old bits as towel racks. All you have to do attach each end of the bit on the ring or top of the shank to the wall with a large utility staple. These are good for hanging tail bags, gloves, towels, face wipes and anything else you can think of. When they are not being used the bits add a visual appeal to your tack room.
Let me know if you have any other ideas. I love to hear them.
Peg board - Awesome stuff especially if you can find it used. Put this up on one wall in your tack room. use peg board hooks, which can be purchased at any office supply store, to hang those "other" items like girths, training equipment, rope, breast collars and any extra parts and pieces. The hooks work great for tack with buckles or snaps and holds wide and unusually shaped items well.
Tuna or cat food cans - These are great for hanging bridles, leather halters, and other leather tack. Nail the can with the bottom on the wall so you can see the inside. Leather doesn't like to be folded and can crack and weaken from the stress over time. The can provides a nice wide hanging area for the leather to sit naturally and will help to extend the life of your tack. Besides it keeps your leather tack in view and easily accessable.
Old buckets - The larger taller buckets that held feed products or such are great as saddle racks. Just nail the bottom of the bucket to the wall. Use at least 3 large woodscrews set as a triangle with two a few inches apart at the highest point and one lower between them. The inside of the bucket is a clever cubby for brushes, medicines, towels, saddle covers and more. If your saddle wants to slip off just apply a strip of old carpet to the top of the bucket.
Unwanted bits - Add a little designer touch by using old bits as towel racks. All you have to do attach each end of the bit on the ring or top of the shank to the wall with a large utility staple. These are good for hanging tail bags, gloves, towels, face wipes and anything else you can think of. When they are not being used the bits add a visual appeal to your tack room.
Let me know if you have any other ideas. I love to hear them.
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