Top tips for super-speedy stables

1. Buy a rug that can be used both indoors and outdoors. You will still have to take it off once a day, but it will greatly reduce the amount of time spent on changing rugs.

2. If everyone leaves out their horse’s breakfast and takes it in turns to give out the morning feeds, then if it’s not your day to feed, by the time you get to the yard, your horse will have finished eating and be ready to be turned out.

3. Skipping out your horse’s stable as and when you see he poos will help reduce the time it takes to muck out. It’s much easier to remove them before they’ve been kicked around and trodden in! Even a late-night skip out of you keep your horse close enough, will help save time in the morning.

4. Put some baby oil or mane and tail polish in your horse’s tail to stop mud and dirt clinging to it- it makes grooming easier and quicker.

5. When you have extra time, say at the weekend, fill up several haynets so they are ready to use during the week.

6. Team up with a friend at your yard and share duties. For example, one of you can turn out both your horses in the morning, and the other can bring them in the evening.

For the rest of the 24 tips in this series, read the November 2012 issue of Horse&Rider magazine. Missed it? Click on the links below to get your online or print copy!