Yard and Field
The products
Strawmax straw pellet bedding
A natural, healthy, ultra-absorbent and economical straw pellet bedding.
From £8 per 15kg
Ultra-absorbent
Economical and natural
We say…
The recommended six bags was sufficient to make a full bed. Really easy to lay in the stable. It’s greatly reduced the mucking out time and effort, and the stable only needs to be topped up with one bag per week, making it really cost-effective. It’s super absorbent and the wet patches rise to the top, making them easy to remove. Love the fact they’re not dusty, and it’s helped make the muck heap more manageable, too. It provides a deep, comfortable bed and have found it doesn’t carry the odour that straw sometimes can.
Trickle Net Original
Slow feeding net
Strong and durable
8.5kg capacity
We say…
This net has proved to be super-strong and really helped with wastage and slowing down the horse’s eating time. It’s heavier than others, so we had to weigh out hay rations before filling it up. The material hasn’t stretched or worn despite being regularly soaked for long periods. The strong tie string has lasted well, although we found the material a little rough on our hands.
LeMieux Hippo
Made from tough nylon
Small mesh holes
Metal rings
6kg capacity
We say…
Lightweight, soft, flexible and easy to fill. The tough tie string is threaded through metal hoops, which prevented it from getting tangled and made it easier to tie up and fasten. We noticed less waste than before, and it holds a good amount of forage. It stood up well to regular use and hasn’t stretched or lost its colour. Good quality and size for the price.
Cottage Craft small haylage
Metal rings for easy fill and tie up
4kg capacity
We say…
The holes aren’t as small as some others, but it did increase the time taken to eat the forage. A smaller net, making it perfect for use at shows, on the yard or for horses needing a smaller ration. The material is strong and durable, and showing no real signs of wear. Found the thin string a bit fiddly, but it doesn’t have a knot, so shouldn’t – and didn’t – come apart easily. The metal rings made it easy to fill.
Shires Soft Mesh haylage
Knotless design
6kg capacity
We say…
The material was soft and seemed gentle on the horse’s nose. Small holes definitely extended eating time. It held a good amount of hay, which meant it was ideal for a large ration. The shape and size of the holes meant we found it tricky to tie up when completely full, but it stayed put. The net has held its shape and proved easier to fill than others thanks to the heavier material. Showing no real signs of wear, even with regular use.
Elico Little Piggy standard
Extra small mesh holes
6.5kg capacity
We say…
Strong, durable net. The very small holes took a bit of getting used to, but it made the hay last noticeably longer. It was easy to fill the net, and it has kept its shape well. The tie string has a knot, which made it a bit fiddly to secure and undo, and it sometimes came loose due to the material. The net is showing minimal signs of wear, despite heavy use. It’s kept its bright colour even when being used to soak hay daily. Great value.
PolyJumps Hayball
Tough polyethylene slow-feeder that holds 2kg hay for hours of entertainment.
We say…
I used this for a greedy pony who normally inhales his hay. It’s been great and really slowed his eating while increasing movement due to him pushing it around. I loved that it encouraged a natural eating position, and it was just as effective in the stable as in the field. The colour has stayed bright, and it’s showing very few signs of wear and tear for an item used – and kicked – regularly. It was easy to unscrew and fill with forage. Overall, it’s really helped reduce boredom in the stable.
Bedazzled power torch with high-brightness bulkhead lights
A powerful torch that can be connected to a bulkhead lighting system to provide an off-grid lighting solution
“I really liked how simple this system was to install. The instructions were easy to follow, and the torch even came ready charged! I used the bulkheads to provide some extra light for my field shelter and feed room, which is in a field with no access to mains electrics. Once I had the bulkhead lights attached to the wall, it meant I could use the torch to get to the shelter then plug it in to the bulkhead system, which lit up the whole shelter and feed room. I was pleasantly surprised by how much light the system gives off – especially on the highest setting. The screws weren’t included to fix the lights to the wall, but it was simple to put up.”
KBF99 shavings fork
Lightweight design that helps to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and fungus, thanks to its coating of KBF99.
BUY IF… you want a versatile shavings fork and you’re concerned about biosecurity.
“The shape of this fork made poo-picking really easy and prevented the prongs snagging on the grass. The curved shape made it harder to create level banks, but the benefits of the unusual shape far outweighed this.”
Eazitools Muck Fork T-Handle
A lightweight fork with four prongs, and an ergonomically-angled head and handle to encourage good posture during use.
BUY IF… you want an attractive, solid muck fork.
“The colour was really lovely and it felt really solid. The tines were a bit short, which made the work a bit harder.”
Fynalite rubber matting fork
Designed to pick up manure and wet bedding without damaging rubber matting.
BUY IF… you’ve got rubber matting or fields to poo-pick.
“Genuinely better on rubber matting than other forks and also surprisingly good for poo-picking as you don’t end up with lots of grass on the fork. The handle was comfortable and it’s good quality. It can be harder to pick up smaller pieces of poo.”
Swedish Fork – Ultra lightweight shavings fork
Designed by equestrians in collaboration with a physiotherapist.
BUY IF… you want an excellent fork.
“I loved the position it put my back in when I mucked out. It was surprisingly robust, too. The cage style was excellent for sifting bedding so there was less wastage. I had to get used to the longer handle when I first started using it, but then I didn’t look back. I was really impressed by this fork.”
Shires Equestrian Lightweight chip fork
Made from tough plastic with a lightweight aluminum handle.
BUY IF… you have one horse to muck out.
“It’s very light and an excellent price. It felt a little bit flimsy, but it survived the three-month trial with no problems.”
Noble Outfitters Wave fork
Lightweight with an aluminium handle and textured handgrips. The tines come in multiple colours and are made from plastic resin for durability.
BUY IF… you want your tool to stand out at the yard.
“Really light and attractive. I liked the easy-grip handle and the fact you can personalise the colours is fun. The tines flexed when I used the fork, but none broke and it was robust.”
Cottage Craft scoop fork
A plastic shavings fork with a wide, scooped head to carry large amounts of material.
BUY IF… you’ve got a pellet bed or your horse doesn’t mix his poo into his bedding.
“The basket design meant that poo was easily collected and none of the bedding was wasted. If you’re not careful, the basket can become heavy and tipping the waste into the wheelbarrow took a little bit of getting used to.”
Spear & Jackson manure fork
The tubular steel shaft has heat-treated, square tines for maximum strength. An epoxy coating offers resistance against rust, humidity, acidity and alkalis.
BUY IF… you have straw beds or for use on the muck heap.
“Excellent craftsmanship and the tines were angled to help you not to hit the bottom of the muck trailer when forking up the heap. This is a tool for straw beds or muck heaps only, but it was really good at those jobs.”
Faulks – The Riddler fork
A shavings fork with wavy tines designed to make mucking out easier.
BUY IF… you want a durable fork for shavings beds.
“It was heavy to use and the poo sometimes rolled off the tines.It’s sturdy, really well-made and the design worked once I got used to it. It was heavy to use and the poo sometimes rolled off the tines.”
Quickie 24” Super Bulldozer broom
Ultra lightweight yard broom designed for use in wet or dry, even on rough surfaces. The longer handle eliminates stooping.
“Soft bristles sweep well and the width made it excellent for tackling the whole yard. The long handle was comfortable on my back and it was efficient to use.”
Lincoln large corn broom
Traditional broom with a large sweeping head and a strong handle. Shaped to help you get into small nooks and crannies in your stable.
“Excellent for quick sweeping and gathering piles of swept material into scoops. Not wide enough for full yard sweeping and a few of the tufts fell out after lots of use.”
Equerry British Bulldog broom
Stiff fibres at the front remove stubborn dirt and softer fibres at the back catch lighter debris.
BUY IF… your broom gets clogged with long hair.
“The two fibre strengths really worked to prevent the broom becoming clogged with hair. I needed to adjust my sweeping action to use this broom.”
Faulks – The Gorilla broom
The bristles have a gap between front and back that helps cut down clogging and dust. An incorporated scraper blade helps with those nasty dried-on bits.
BUY IF… you’ve got a big yard with lots to sweep.
“Excellent sweeping tool. Robust and light. I loved the scraper on the front for stubborn bits. Sometimes the bristles are too firm, so horse hair gets trapped and needs removing.”