This is just a random informational sheet that will help you with the hows and ways of the UVM Horse Barn. These items are not in any particular order.
PLEASE, DO NOT WALK OR RIDE HORSES ON ANY GRASSED AREA AT THE FARM!
The farm crew likes to keep the farm looking nice for all of the visitors so please use the farm roads to walk your horse. We are allowed to hand graze the horses on the north side of the barn, on the hill by the pastures. Please use common sense when hand grazing so that no divots are left in the grass. If your horse leaves manure anywhere on the farm, please pick it up promptly.
TURNOUT:
We have 13 grass paddocks on the
north side of the barn. These paddocks are fenced with electric tape.
Horses are allowed out in them, as long as somebody responsible for the
horses is on the
grounds in case of an emergency. No more than four horses will be
allowed per paddock, except in the lower larger pastures. We have found
it easier to keep the horses in the
same groups; it cuts down on the 'fighting'. These groups will be
formed after all of the horses have arrived and we have
tried them out in different groups. Mostly, the sexes are separated for
turnout.
No nylon halters are to be worn in the pastures or in the stalls. If your horse is difficult to catch, it can wear a leather or a safety halter in the pasture. Generally, halters are taken off in the pasture and hung by the paddock gates.
HORSE WATCH: Since someone must be on the farm in order for the horses to be turned out, we have implemented 'horse watch'. This consists of breaking up the weekdays into hour slots and the weekends into three-hour slots, which are to be filled by people in the barn. The first person on watch, at 9 a.m. is responsible for turning out the horses into their respective pastures, with a helper, and sweeping the main aisles. The 10 a.m. person is responsible for making sure that they have water. After that, we need to have the people on the farm to keep an eye on things and check the horses every half hour. The last person on watch (the time will vary with the seasons) is responsible for making sure that all of the horses are in their stalls and fed before they leave. The hours per week that each person must do is decided upon at the first barn meeting. Failure to show up for your assigned time(s) will result in an unexcused absence(s) and a written warning.
SHAVINGS: We bed the stalls with shavings, which are brought in by the truckload and kept in the shed next to the manure dumpster. Each person is allowed to use five level grey wheelbarrow loads per week at no extra charge. If you need more than that (very few people need more) you will have to pay extra board.
DAILY STALL CHORE CHART: This chart is hung up by the phone. Each horse will have its name on it and when you have taken care of your horse for the day, you cross off the box that corresponds with the date and do any chore that is associated with your stall for that day. This will help people make sure that all of the horses have been fed and taken care of for the day. If a horse is not marked off and you don't know if it was taken care of, please call the owner to find out. Chances are they just forgot to cross them off, but if the horses weren't done, then you can work things out to make sure they get fed for the night.
CHORES:
Everyone is expected to clean
their stalls daily or find a responsible person to do it for them. The
barn provides stall and
barn
cleaning equipment as well as lime for those smelly stalls. Minor
upkeep
of the barn is our responsibility so please put in the new light bulb
or
cobweb the aisle or fix the broken board. If you break it, you fix it
(or get a new one). We will have
periodic
barn workdays where everyone is
expected
to attend and help maintain the barn.
Since this
is a
co-operative
barn, chores such as sweeping and taking out the garbage are
shared
on a rotating basis. The chores are labeled on the daily horse chart.
When
you cross your horse off each day, it will tell you if you have a chore
or
not. Chores need to be completed before night check, preferably by
4:30pm.
Please, if
you see something that needs
to be done, please do it!
WASH RACK: There is a lighted, heat lamp provided indoor wash rack. This is where all bathing, hosing and sponging off of the horses should take place. Please use this area for these things so that we don't have mud everywhere. Clean this area up after use. Do not dump dirty water buckets here as the hay and/or debris will clog the drain.
MANURE BUCKET: There are two green manure buckets in the center alleyway of the barn (by the phone) that are to be used for cleaning up messes in the aisle (such as manure or what you sweep up). Please empty them in the manure pit if they are full.
CROSS TIES: There are four sets of cross ties in each aisle. No ground tying is allowed. If the barn is crowded, however, please use common courtesy. Horses can be tacked up in the stall, or if you are cleaning out your stall and you can't clean with your horse in there, put it in another stall so someone else can use the cross ties. Please note, all Animal Science and Therapeutic riding classes get first priority. Please give up the cross ties to these groups before they have to ask you to move. We must remember that the barn is a place for learning! Also, remember to sweep up your mess after using the cross ties for grooming.
BOARD MONEY: Board is due at the beginning of every month. Your $260 board fee needs to be put in the board money envelope by midnight on the first of every month or given to Mark. (Checks are to be made to the UVM Horse Barn and are much preferred to cash.) Again, a $5.00 fee will be charged for each day that it is late.
HAY: Hay is kept at the West end of the barn and in the overhead loft. Please open one bale at a time. There is a knife or scissors to cut the baling twine (please keep the blade retracted when not in use) and throw the twine in the garbage. The amount you feed is limited to 6 flakes a day. Please don't waste it.
GRAIN: The grain fed at UVM is Purina Mills--the barn currently provides up to 6 quarts a day of the following feeds: Country Acres Sweet Feed 12% protein, Ultium, Mare and Maintenance, as well as beet pulp. If you feed more than 6 quarts a day (or 4 quarts of Ultium per day) there is a $5.00 per quart per month charge. Supplements are not provided in the board fee. The barn does provide salt blocks.
FEEDING:
Morning feeding will be performed by the Executive Committee Members so
all you need to do is leave your horse's morning grain on the feed cart
(located in the grain room--you leave the bucket on the number that
corresponds to your stall number) and make sure that your hay card is
up to date (on your stall door). The afternoon feeding is part of horse
watch duties.
Please dump your water buckets in the grass to the West of the barn.
STALL
GUARDS: Stall guards are not allowed. We have many visitors in
the barn and need to keep the people and horses safe.
WORMING: Your horse will need to be wormed upon arrival to the barn. This must be done before you turn your horse out. You will need to write that you have dewormed your horse in the medications folder as proof for each worming. You may bring your own wormer or buy it from the barn. After that, we have barn de-wormings every 8 weeks.
BARN VETTING: Every spring and fall we have barn vaccinations. All horses are required to get the shots that are recommended to us by the veterinarian (Burlington Equine). Horses that leave for the summer must get their shots before being allowed back into the barn in the fall. Spring and fall vaccination days will be set up by the barn manager.
TACK:
The barn has a heated/air-conditioned tack room
that has one tack box/stall and saddle (you may bring more
if you don't mind stacking them on top of each other--only one saddle
rack per horse and only 2 saddles per saddle rack). Your
tack box can be neatly stored in the hay loft. There are hooks
available to
store
winter blankets/extra water buckets, etc. at the West end of the barn.
RIDING: A new 100' x 200'
fenced outdoor sand ring is located to the West
of
the barn. We also have an indoor 70' x 168' ring with sand footing.
Gates must be closed when riding.
Please use
common sense when
riding. Helmet with full harnesses
are required to
be worn by anyone who is riding. All barn participants must have signed
a release form before working with the horses or riding. You are
responsible for having your friends or family sign a risk release form
before they ride a horse in the barn. These
are the
University's rules so please follow them!
MEETINGS: All barn meetings are mandatory. These meetings will be posted at least one week in advance (unless there is an emergency). If you cannot attend a meeting, please inform the barn manager--if you are not excused by the barn manager, it is an unexcused absence. Three unexcused absences can result in dismissal from the UVM Horse Barn.
LAST PERSON OUT: It is the responsibility of the last person out of the barn (even during the day, if you're not sure when the next person is coming) to lock everything up. Please do the following things at night before leaving:
Last modified April 01 2008 11:08 AM
