How to cope with the big freeze

Here’s our top three suggestions for staying sane in the snow:

1. Breaking ice on troughs is a truly awful job. My preferred method involves using a hammer and a colander to scoop out ice blocks.

I have found it best not to be too enthusiastic swinging the colander around, for when ice connects the metal colander to the electric fence adjacent to the trough, it gives enough kick to throw you backwards and impale the hammer in your head.

2. Ugg boots are comfy and warm. But not only are they not waterproof, they are the closest thing to ice skates you will ever experience without actually owning skates, and thus strictly for indoor use only.

3. If you are jealous of a neighbour who has a nice American barn with everything tucked up indoors, don’t be. It is usually five degrees colder inside a barn in the winter than outside, especially if it’s half empty with many horses turned away.

These top three tips are taken from our fun feature on coping with the big freeze. To see the other nine suggestions, check out the current issue of Horse & Hound, 16 December 2010