Anyone else struggling

[setterlover]

Anyone else feeling like summer ( what little we had of it !) is over and we are heading into autumn/winter.
They have been forecasting a better spell but it's raining again I'm sick of having to wear a water proof jackets and boots to do the horses and walk the dogs and winter seems to be looming over head.
I'm dreading another winter like the last one.
If I didn't have two older horses I'd sell and give up but they are 20 and 24 and I to owe it to them that they stay with me until their health fails and I PTS.
When down to one that one will go into retirement livery as I wouldn't want to get another for company and I will walk away from horse keeping.
I feel sad to feel this down even before winter has started.we are set up to make it as easy as it can be and horses live out unrugged with an open barn for shelter all the haylege is made ( during one of the rare sunny spells)
Off next week for a break going to Burghley and on to visit friends so hope that cheers me up.
Just sick of this weather where we get one decent day followed by rain and sometimes cold.
Sorry for the rant

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I'm not looking forward to it either I hate the rain and wind and that's all we seem to get now in winter.

I really don't enjoy doing horses in winter now.

 

[canteron]

It’s dark by 8pm now - we need more Summer and light evenings.

 

[Alibear]

26 degrees here so full summer mode still until about 7:30 when you can tell the nights are starting to draw in.

 

[Annagain]

I'm trying not to think about it. My old boy won't be going through another winter so every day closer to that is a day closer to letting him go. He's finally looking great - not just ok - after he took his time recovering from a tough time last winter so I just want to hold onto that (and him) for as long as possible.

 

[McGrools]

There is such a variation in weather in the uk. We have been dry here for ages and I would actually welcome a good downpour to soften the ground.
But yes last winter was horrific and I’m hoping and praying we don’t get a repeat

 

[Poingsettia]

I’m seriously reconsidering the logic of moving to Scottish West coast! It’s been so wet and midgy that the locals are even complaining. Luckily / sadly I couldn't find decent grazing here so my cob youngster is away on livery. No winter horse stuff, but it’s depressing not having dry days to enjoy with my dogs.

 

[Birker2020]

Yep. Started feeling the first twinges of a looming depression after finding out last Monday would be my last week on my contract.

So gone to the gym like crazy this week and bought a SAD light and started using it, today was the second time.

You need to start thinking about getting one now the weather has turned and it's getting darker in the evenings. I've read it's best to start before Sept gets underway.

 

[rabatsa]

Am I the only person who will soon be looking forward to the clock change? I am already beating the dawn in getting up and having to put lights on everywhere.

It has been too hot and muggy here for me, we need rain as the ground is hard and the grass has slowed/stopped growing.

 

[BBP]

I don’t mind the rain and cold up at the yard so much, we are well set up with hardstanding and the arena for turnout, but I definitely struggle with the dark, and with how cold my house gets.

 

[pistolpete]

I’m trying to get as organised as possible. I’ve made a hanging point in the trees for their haynets and I’m pricing up tarps! Still dread it!

 

[I'm Dun]

me too, I am dreading it. I seem to get worse every year that goes by and I'm not quite sure what to do about it.

 

[meleeka]

me too, I am dreading it. I seem to get worse every year that goes by and I'm not quite sure what to do about it.

I feel the same. I wouldn't mind if we were rewarded with a lovely summer but that hasn't happened either.

 

[sbloom]

I think that there's so much that's a bit sh&t at the moment, for everyone but additionally so for any of us spending our time outside, it's no wonder people are flat, to say the least. My customers are almost all struggling this year, between lammi risks that can't shed weight in winters any more to this awful wet weather this year (rain every day and not above 15 degrees at Blair last week) it's not easy owning, or working with, horses these days, and that's the bit that's supposed to be fun/loved in our lives!

 

[setterlover]

I suppose I shouldn't moan as there are plenty of people who have struggled with mud all summer.We are very free draining.
The weather has played havoc with the grass and I have far more grass than I could ever need with just 2 older horses .The one is a lammi risk so they have both been on very restricted grazing for what seems like forever .
The neighbouring farmer who goes our field work cut our haylege in June and had taken another cut very early August which we have said he can have for himself (adjusts what we owe him in return ) I think he will get another cut for himself in late September .
Unfortunately the lammi risk has to have haylege as he has COPD and even soaked hay makes him cough dreadfully but it's low sugar haylege do we manage.
The rain has stopped here now and it's gone muggy so the midges are out in force and the house martins are dive bombing our 2 dogs as we walk across the fields.
Looking forward to Burghley hope we get decent weather just dreading dark evenings and soggy horses and dogs last winter was interminable please can we have a crisp winter this time.

 

[Miss_Millie]

It's been horrible for a couple of weeks here, and after 24 hours of consistent rain, my low spots in the fields have puddled over the top of the grass and we have mud on the most travelled areas It has been difficult since last Summer undoubtedly, and I already feel stressed about this Winter after the terrible weather we had last year and most of this Spring. I've been trying to make improvements to make this Winter easier, but there's never enough time to get everything you want done. You aren't alone.

 

[Birker2020]

I am hoping that we have a drier winter, don't care if it's colder as long as its drier.

I don't know if I can put Lari through all that s**t again this winter. He's had a wonderful Summer so I will have to play it by ear.

The forecast looks to be cold and wet in equal measure but not sure the reliability of these long range forecasts so don't been too down folks, they are always getting it wrong!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

We have had some beautiful weather, sometimes too hot!! One of my horses hates going out when it's wet and windy which is most days during winter now. It's an absolute pain. He doesn't just stand at the gate sulking, he does the death run round the field screaming. Really hoping it's cold and dry as had problems with mud fever and soggy soles last winter.

 

[katie_southwest]

Not looking forward to it at all here. My mare is 25 and has cushings and can't manage hay any more.
It's a long old winter of 6 months realistically , making up trugs and trugs of hay replacer and worrying constantly about bad weather and how I would cope in snow/ice.
In snow/bad weather where we couldn't get to the yard the farmer would at least put hay out for them but now she can't manage that it worries me so much.
The last few winters I have found myself moaning more and more I don't remember winters ever being so long and hard work, but then I guess I was younger and had more energy myself aswell
Im just grateful for whatever time she is with me still, and if at any point I feel that she is not coping I will call it a day. Hopefully she will sail through another winter and make it to 26

 

[Barton Bounty]

Im not bothered to be honest. When you live in the west coast of scotland you can easily get four seasons in one day so I just suck it up.. however! We are supposed to now get 14 days of sunshine in what is nearly autumn sooooo we take what we get

 

[southerncomfort]

Worth remembering that last winter was particularly bad because it was an El Nino year. El Nino = lots of storms/wet & windy weather.

So hopefully their will at least be fewer named storms this year.

 

[SEL]

Worth remembering that last winter was particularly bad because it was an El Nino year. El Nino = lots of storms/wet & windy weather.

So hopefully their will at least be fewer named storms this year.

I hope so!

But we spent bank holiday digging drainage ditches out with a hired mini digger so if it's the driest winter on record you can all buy me wine as a thank you

 

[Fjord]

I'm not looking forward to the dark, mud and inevitable rain. It can be cold, I don't mind that, but please, not constant rain again.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

I really home that it’s not like last winter as not sure I can do another one that wet!! the summer had gone far, far too quickly… I’m hoping for a warm September/October.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It's not been a bad summer really it started off cold but the last few months have been mainly dry, it was 28 degrees here today my field is looking a bit parched and ground hard but it will soon change

 

[ecb89]

It’s my first winter as a DIY’er so I’m hoping winter is kind

 

[lynz88]

It's been really dry this way....we had rain for most of Saturday but before that not sure when the last time it rained. I do feel ripped off with summer given it didn't arrive until the end of July but so far Sept is looking nice.....

 

[lynz88]

Worth remembering that last winter was particularly bad because it was an El Nino year. El Nino = lots of storms/wet & windy weather.

So hopefully their will at least be fewer named storms this year.

I didn't think La Nina and El Nino affected the UK much? I know it has very big impacts on Canada and the US but from what I could find on it regarding the UK, didn't seem to be a 'thing'

 

[poiuytrewq]

Other than mud I really don’t mind winter too much. This is the time of year August to October I wish away because of my ponies allergies. It’s miserable. In late Autumn he will look beautiful and be happy again.

 

[Caol Ila]

Fed up with rain, and it's dark before 9 now. Someone asked me if I wanted to do a 22k ride this weekend, and I was like, no, neither me nor my horses are fit enough (arguably, neither is hers, but that's not my problem). We haven't been able to do any 12-15k hacks since the start of July due to cleg flies, then me being away, then incessant rain and wind.

If the Doctor asked me where in the universe I wanted to go in the TARDIS, I'd say, "Just skip Scottish winter." 'Cause f*ck everything from October until April.