With so many demands on time and money, anything to make life easier and save hard earned cash is always welcome. Some of the most expensive items a horse owner invests in are luxuries such as dressage markers and new jumps. Here are a few ways to save money and make your equipment last longer.
To start with, it’s time to go green and not be in a hurry to throw anything reusable away. A good example is the lids from empty plastic food supplements, which can be recycled into dressage markers or jump numbers. To breathe new life into them simply wash thoroughly to remove dirt or grease, then dry thoroughly. Apply craft paint suitable for use on plastic and carefully paint on the dressage letters or jump numbers. If the paint isn’t waterproof, finish with a coat of clear varnish. Next make a small hole on each side of the lid and thread some string through, ready to tie the markers onto the sides of your school or wings of fences. If you have enough you can also make ‘start’ and ‘finish’ markers for an extra professional touch to your course.
Use old doors or wooden pallets (readily available from farmers or feed merchants) and transform them into fillers, such as targets, brush fences, ‘walls’ and gates. Simply remove any door furnishings and nails and if necessary use a saw to adjust the height or width. Sand down rough edges to get rid of splinters and then use your imagination to create some unique jumps. The rough timber of wooden pallets is probably better suited to wood stain rather than conventional paint, but nowadays these come in a range of great colours.
Jump poles are expensive to buy, and the longer we keep them looking their best the better. They can be a nuisance to store away and are often left stacked up in the school, but one easy way to keep them tidy is to attach a couple of large galvanized gutter brackets or snow brackets to the outside of your arena fence. Semi-circular gutter brackets will support one pole, and show brackets should easily hold two, keeping them safe and out of harm’s way. For safety reasons it is advisable to attach the brackets to the outside rather than the inside of the fence.
Finally, save yourself lots of money by giving your trusty wheelbarrow a makeover. Brush off any dirt with a stiff brush, clearing away any caked on muck that has accumulated around the wheels. Pump up the tyre if needed, then oil the wheel nuts or spray them with a lubricant such as WD40. Rub down the metal work with steel wool and apply a coat of metal primer and paint. Work quickly in a well-ventilated area, starting underneath and working towards the top. When the paint has dried you can use a contrasting colour to add your name or an identifying mark so your wheelbarrow is easily recognizable. Perfect!
Author: Andrea McHugh
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