1st December start of meteorological winter!

setterlover

setterlover

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How's everyone coping .
I feel like it's been winter for a long time,!
After a lovey week in early November I am now sick of being damp.Today although not cold had been murky and damp and it feels like we are getting more and more of these days.
The fields are holding up ok and the ground mats at the front of the pole barn are brilliant but just keep telling myself that once we get passed Christmas we are on the way out of it ,(though last year winter went on forever!,,)
Just been contacted by the local Hunt and they are in our area next Saturday JUST what I need now everywhere is sodden again I'll have to have them in as the field won't stand any shenanigans and it's not to bad at the minute so don't want it ripped up .
We are off on a Caribbean cruise in January and I am counting the days!!!!!
When we get back in February I'm hoping spring will be on its way.
I always find this is the most depressing time of year .
 
I've taken up wintering and hygge. I've put up some decorations and have scented candles and fairy lights.i snuggle down with a hot chocolate and faux fur throw and watch something easy on the TV. I don't force myself to ride, horse has cuddles and fuss and is cared for and goes out grazing.rugged to keep him clean and warm and so I can groom him. I've made a positive effort to embrace the season and enjoy what I can. After new year I'll bring horse back into a little ridden work as and when weather permits.
 
Mine have been in at night for 2 weeks now - the storm and snow meant I had to. This time last year they were only just coming in.

It’s really mild here tonight and they could have stayed out tbh but wind and light rain forecast early morning so not ideal as I’ve got one on box rest/small paddock rest. It’s my birthday on Tuesday and I am planning on a day out so if weather allows they will be going into field I haven’t used for a while and staying out overnight so I don’t have to be in such a rush to come and get them in. If it’s bad weather it might be a duvet day but it looks to be decent. They will be checked and will be happy with plenty of grass - it just takes some blooming organising so I’ll be fencing jt ready tomorrow as I’m working Monday! If all goes I *might* try leaving them out at night for a week or so whilst the weather allows but will see what happens!
 
Mine are transitioning to their winter field, their summer field has a new pond complete with ducks, 2 brown geese and a heron, finished setting up the winter field today, but it has so much grass they can only go in for a few hours each day. And I slipped over in the mud twice today.
 
Maybe it's me but winters seem to be a lot harder .I have had horses all my life and always thought winter used to start proper after Christmas but I seem to have been doing winter for weeks and weeks.
We always have gone away somewhere warm in January and always felt spring was on the way when I got back in early February hope winter doesn't go on as long as it did this year as it seemed to go on into April/May.
This year we are downsizing and selling the smallholding it will go on the market in Spring so the big push will start when we get back in February to get everything really to market it as soon as spring is here.
 
I've noticed over the years that the shortest days are in the second week of December, before the equinox, and by Christmas, the evenings are a bit lighter. By the third week of January it will be light at 5pm - the amount of available daylight seems to make the winter more bearable somehow. Maybe it's just psychological! Wish this damned rain would ease up though.
 
I don’t think my mini herd has been dry for about a month lol thankfully their skin doesn’t get wet just the top coat.
 
setterlover said:
How's everyone coping .
I feel like it's been winter for a long time,!
After a lovey week in early November I am now sick of being damp.Today although not cold had been murky and damp and it feels like we are getting more and more of these days.
The fields are holding up ok and the ground mats at the front of the pole barn are brilliant but just keep telling myself that once we get passed Christmas we are on the way out of it ,(though last year winter went on forever!,,)
Just been contacted by the local Hunt and they are in our area next Saturday JUST what I need now everywhere is sodden again I'll have to have them in as the field won't stand any shenanigans and it's not to bad at the minute so don't want it ripped up .
We are off on a Caribbean cruise in January and I am counting the days!!!!!
When we get back in February I'm hoping spring will be on its way.
I always find this is the most depressing time of year .
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I'm not....it's depressing and giving me an extremely short fuse, especially with the disgusting festival of greed that's looming up, can't wait for that horror show to be over and done with, makes me really really angry.
 
So wet, but as others said so warm. The grass is still growing. Just had the lurcher out in the garden doing a few minutes of agility, he did it but his heart wasn’t in it, he’d rather be on the sofa or zooming around an indoor school.

OH has had covid in November, two weeks later and he has a cold 🙄 and I’m now coughing, having had a cold (well it seemed like covid but I tested neg) in October, so it seems to be a permanent sick note situation here. I’ve just cancelled dinner out with friends tonight as I’d rather not share our germs.

I am lucky that I only have OH to buy for at Christmas but I think I have bought everything for his hobby over the last 20 years and this year I’m stumped. I might just organise a holiday somewhere.
 
Highmileagecob said:
I've noticed over the years that the shortest days are in the second week of December, before the equinox, and by Christmas, the evenings are a bit lighter. By the third week of January it will be light at 5pm - the amount of available daylight seems to make the winter more bearable somehow. Maybe it's just psychological! Wish this damned rain would ease up though.
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When I was working in school it was always noticeable that by the end of the 1st week in January, we were sending children home in daylight rather than the dusk of pre-Christmas.
 
maisie06 said:
I'm not....it's depressing and giving me an extremely short fuse, especially with the disgusting festival of greed that's looming up, can't wait for that horror show to be over and done with, makes me really really angry.
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I agree Christmas is so huge now and it's all about spending money and 'must haves' How much food you can actually eat !!!So depressing!
We always look forward to the Christmas quiz at our local pub usually the week before Christmas but other than that we have a Christmas walk to our local pub with our dogs ( it opens Christmas morning so people on their own can meet up with other people)
We treat ourselves to a holiday in the sun in January as a Christmas present to ourselves and on Christmas day we exchange a card and a small gift ( usually a treat of chocolate or special cheeses)
It's got so commercial all about eating too much and buying things you don't need
I usually give a donation to charity often to The Salvation army who I found very helpful with people homeless or in trouble when I was working .
As you say I find it so depressing and a bit sad.
But acknowledge some people love it.
 
Sanversera said:
I've taken up wintering and hygge. I've put up some decorations and have scented candles and fairy lights.i snuggle down with a hot chocolate and faux fur throw and watch something easy on the TV. I don't force myself to ride, horse has cuddles and fuss and is cared for and goes out grazing.rugged to keep him clean and warm and so I can groom him. I've made a positive effort to embrace the season and enjoy what I can. After new year I'll bring horse back into a little ridden work as and when weather permits.
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That sounds like a good idea. I do pretty much the same.
 
It’s the little things - the horses are staying out tonight in their winter field 👏 just moved them in there at 4pm and they barely lifted their heads. So excited to not have to muck out tomorrow (they’ve only been in at night for two weeks!!) but it’s very much needed - my mare felt like she was about to explode today she was so tense - she doesn’t particularly like being in so I’m hoping her being out a bit more will calm her down again. I’m making the most of the dry-ish weather because who knows how long it will last?!
 
We're plodding along - like many years past my enthusiasm for riding falls off a cliff at this time of year, so I'm not doing it and may not until after Christmas. Ours are still in their summer field but will be moved to the winter one this week as it's getting rather muddy. They're happy, have got hay galore and don't seem hungry. I've been retreating to the sanctuary of home with slow cooked winter dinners and my heated throw!

But on another note I'm starting to think we may have room in our hearts for another dog after losing our old lady earlier this year, so I've been browsing the rescue sites 😄
 
Yesterday the sheep got shut onto their winter fields. The in lamb ewes were given a bale of hay. The four equines looked jealously on, they only have a bale of straw in their ring feeder. I am as winterproof as it is possible to be, unless all the outside water sources freeze. The layers of clothing are all handy starting with thermal base layers, leg warmers, ski trousers on standby. Both heavy and lightweight wool jumpers as well as the usual sweat shirts.

@HorseMaid you could do a lot worse than offer a home to an ex racing greyhound from your local branch of the Greyhound Trust.
 
I genuinely don't think it's been that bad.

I'm comparing to the previous 2 winters that were apocalyptic in terms of rainfall, amidst seemingly one named storm after another.

The fields are wet now but they always are by this point in the year, but nowhere near as wet as they were this time last year.

Apart from one cold spell where we had some snowfall, it's been very mild.
 
southerncomfort said:
I genuinely don't think it's been that bad.

I'm comparing to the previous 2 winters that were apocalyptic in terms of rainfall, amidst seemingly one named storm after another.

The fields are wet now but they always are by this point in the year, but nowhere near as wet as they were this time last year.

Apart from one cold spell where we had some snowfall, it's been very mild.
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Completely agree. I'll happily take this year over last year. We've had a kind/dry/mild autumn here. The snow did quite a bit of damage so the fields are now wet but it's December. Two weeks on Saturday is the shortest day. I'm feeling quite upbeat for the time of year.
 
rabatsa said:
Yesterday the sheep got shut onto their winter fields. The in lamb ewes were given a bale of hay. The four equines looked jealously on, they only have a bale of straw in their ring feeder. I am as winterproof as it is possible to be, unless all the outside water sources freeze. The layers of clothing are all handy starting with thermal base layers, leg warmers, ski trousers on standby. Both heavy and lightweight wool jumpers as well as the usual sweat shirts.

@HorseMaid you could do a lot worse than offer a home to an ex racing greyhound from your local branch of the Greyhound Trust.
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Thank you - I'm actually thinking along the lines of a whippet so a greyhound wouldn't be much different, although they're bigger than what I'd be wanting!!
 
southerncomfort said:
I genuinely don't think it's been that bad.

I'm comparing to the previous 2 winters that were apocalyptic in terms of rainfall, amidst seemingly one named storm after another.

The fields are wet now but they always are by this point in the year, but nowhere near as wet as they were this time last year.

Apart from one cold spell where we had some snowfall, it's been very mild.
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I feel the same, yes it's very wet now, but we are near the shortest day 🤞and it could be worse! 😂 gotta laugh or you will cry
 
Sanversera said:
I've taken up wintering and hygge. I've put up some decorations and have scented candles and fairy lights.i snuggle down with a hot chocolate and faux fur throw and watch something easy on the TV. I don't force myself to ride, horse has cuddles and fuss and is cared for and goes out grazing.rugged to keep him clean and warm and so I can groom him. I've made a positive effort to embrace the season and enjoy what I can. After new year I'll bring horse back into a little ridden work as and when weather permits.
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What does this mean? I've taken up wintering and hygge.
 
Not been too bad here but over the last few days mud has appeared in earnest. Due to one horse loosing weight fast I've had to re jig my field arrangements meaning the horse that makes the most mud is now out in a smaller field with two shetland friends so not looking forward to the state that will be in by the end of winter.

Sadly I didn't take as good care of land as I should have done as I couldn't drive the tractor and DSW is limited in what he can do due to work so started this winter with bauld patches in field from winter before. I am hopeful next year I'll be able to do more and keep in top of things.

Very much looking forward to shortest day but I hate Jan/Feb with a passion so part of me is happy to stay this side of Christmas.
 
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