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And a youngster at that? I bought a lovely coming 2yo Welsh x TB in Mid November and she has turned out to be fairly hot headed, stubborn and incredibly smart which doesn't play to my favour! She knows her strength and regularly takes down stable doors, fencing, tie up posts and occasionally me..... I thought my yard would be perfect for her coming out of living in a field to start a little bit of regular handling because my yard offers all year small herd turnout and 24/7 turnout in the warmer months. I was deluded into thinking that she can live out with my 5yo Arab and get used to her surroundings until summer when I would start thinking about showing her in hand and walking her out in hand ready to be 3 the following spring. Basically identical to the life I gave my Arab who moved to this yard also as a 2yo. Silly me thought oh it wont be too bad buying another in winter because I'm lucky enough to have them out all day everyday. It cant possibly be anymore work then I already have, everything is dry, we have nice grass, yeah will be no problem.
Well for the first time in my 4 years at being at said yard (Apparently the first time in several years!) the fields have been shut due to the extreme amount of rain we have. Now I have two highly strung mares, neither that can be worked and the 2yo with minimal handling having to live in. My only saving grace is they are allowed out for their typical 8-10 hours of turnout Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. I understand and appreciate why the yard owners have had to make the decision, and I fully know I'm in a much better position then some who have to stay in full time for months on end but I'm feeling like I've made the biggest mistake.
I have also seen we're forecast 15cm of snow tomorrow, -5c one day next week and I'm honestly not sure how much more I can take mentally. As a yard, we have ran out of hay so I am having to spend twice as much every month then expected on hay being delivered in and my older mare who has chronic problems has been booked in to have all 4 legs x-rayed at the end of Feb as she has been intermittently lame for several weeks. Please someone tell me I'm not the only one struggling and that warmer weather is ahead of us. Our fields are planned to be back open fully in March so only a few weeks of this to go and I know once they are back out 10 hours everyday I will be happy plodding along again. I know how ungrateful I sound but I cant be the only one feeling very beat up (both literally and metaphorically) and craving to no end some better consistent weather.
Well for the first time in my 4 years at being at said yard (Apparently the first time in several years!) the fields have been shut due to the extreme amount of rain we have. Now I have two highly strung mares, neither that can be worked and the 2yo with minimal handling having to live in. My only saving grace is they are allowed out for their typical 8-10 hours of turnout Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. I understand and appreciate why the yard owners have had to make the decision, and I fully know I'm in a much better position then some who have to stay in full time for months on end but I'm feeling like I've made the biggest mistake.
I have also seen we're forecast 15cm of snow tomorrow, -5c one day next week and I'm honestly not sure how much more I can take mentally. As a yard, we have ran out of hay so I am having to spend twice as much every month then expected on hay being delivered in and my older mare who has chronic problems has been booked in to have all 4 legs x-rayed at the end of Feb as she has been intermittently lame for several weeks. Please someone tell me I'm not the only one struggling and that warmer weather is ahead of us. Our fields are planned to be back open fully in March so only a few weeks of this to go and I know once they are back out 10 hours everyday I will be happy plodding along again. I know how ungrateful I sound but I cant be the only one feeling very beat up (both literally and metaphorically) and craving to no end some better consistent weather.
