The way I see it is you have the choice of walking round the field with a shovel and wheelbarrow or parking up at a ready made pile of it sh. If you need the exercise, walking the field will do you good otherwise take the easy option and load up. The important factor is to get your share and get it when it's convenient.
Although I have access to a virtually limitless supply of horse manure, I also have to contend with traffic. Last Sunday I had planned on getting three vanloads in but a car broken down at Hangar Lane gyratory followed by a dead bus and a nearly dead motorbiker meant that a 15 minute drive took nearly two hours so I settled for just the one.
What I do is stack the manure in the bulk builders sandbags then use as needed, typically within a few weeks. When at the stables I will take the opportunity if possible to dig into the older stuff but if fresh is all there is, fresh is what I take. Hot or cold it gets used when I require to use it and I find that it is so bad for the plants that they all leap out of the ground in an effort to get away.
