Anyone elses' fields closed due to the wet? :(

I dont get it and I have tried to look at it from an owners point of view...BUT...no matter how muddy fields get the grass DOES grow back come spring.
When I first got my lad he caused un told damage to his field in his first winter because I had not got his routine right for him. He ploughed up the paddock he was in to the point where you could not go in it because it was deep clay mud. I fenced the area off, put him in the bigger field and come the spring, got it harrowed flatish, threw some grass seed on it which took some doing on my own and by the summer it was all back to grass again.
Horses should not be standing around in completely muddy fields if there is enough land for the number of horses. Surely there should be enough for all horses to have a wander about outside for 6 hours a day and then in at night if needs be???
 
Pottamus - it's not the field state that is the issue, it is the horses health.
They are not happy to be out, they career round, slip over, stand at the gate in gloopy mud.

We are at the bottom of the fell. There is only one way for the water to go and it is down. We had streams in our fields in summer :eek:.
We have plenty of land and not over stocked.
We have land owners livery over winter here due to their fields.
 
In a ideal world Pottamus- I am unfortunatlry limited turnout wise, and there is nothing I can do about this. We have two fields, a summer one and a winter one. The winter was is normally 'sacrificed' as it has the whole summer to recover, but it is worse now than it is in March. I turned them out of the summer field yesterday, however this is struggling to recover from summer use due to the wet summer and is actually muddy in places. This isn't helped by the fact they galloped around in it yesterday causing it to be even muddier. I like to keep this 'field' good as they are turned out 24/7 in summer on it, so I don't want to wreck it now.
 
Ours are still out, but I have never seen it so wet. It's on a hill, & well draining, so the top area is ok. However its so wet elsewhere that the top bit is hoof deep in places. Mine are out 24/7 still, but my mare hates getting her legs wet, so she's staying in a 1/2 acre patch at the top munching hay, despite the fact there's still grass elsewhere in the mud. The other loves it, & being 11.1 regularly plays in a puddle at the very bottom that is now elbow deep on her. Luckily she's so light she doesn't do much damage, & being tiny can have a mad gallop round in the smaller dry bit, or I'd be concerned. And they've not been able to go in the other field to give current one a few months rest. This time of year they normally get through 2/3 small bale tops per week, this year its 3 at the mo. Our other field has been about 1/3 under water since hay cut. It's at the bottom of a hill, but usually drains well enough for what its used for. This year they've not even been in it.
 
Mines still out. Very lucky where we are as lots of land. She goes out every day from 8-6. She has her own paddock which isn't muddy yet and still full of grass, won't need to hay for another month or so yet. In fact one of her neighbours has to have a muzzle on as the grass is knee high!

The walkway near the main gate is a bit boggy though.
 
pottamus said:
I dont get it and I have tried to look at it from an owners point of view...BUT...no matter how muddy fields get the grass DOES grow back come spring.
When I first got my lad he caused un told damage to his field in his first winter because I had not got his routine right for him. He ploughed up the paddock he was in to the point where you could not go in it because it was deep clay mud. I fenced the area off, put him in the bigger field and come the spring, got it harrowed flatish, threw some grass seed on it which took some doing on my own and by the summer it was all back to grass again.
Horses should not be standing around in completely muddy fields if there is enough land for the number of horses. Surely there should be enough for all horses to have a wander about outside for 6 hours a day and then in at night if needs be???
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There probably is - until you get the wettest summer in 100 years - I dont think it is possible for livery yards to be set up on the basis of those rainfall levels, and in the south east of England if they had to do it there would be no livery yards since land is so expensive there would be no way to make the livery charges cover the cost of the land.
 
We are on clay too and it's been a quagmire all summer... And it's only going to get worse :(

Mine have had a section of their paddock 'sacrificed' and separated by electric tape but even so, I don't turn out every day as don't see the pony of them standing looking glum!

We are lucky as our YO doesn't restrict turnout, but as we have out own paddocks, its up to us how we manage them and once they are trashed, well you have to live with that until its dry enough to roll them!!

I am just turning out now if its been dry for a few days or frosty. I am hoping for a dry, cold winter so I can turn out more and make up for the lack of summer turnout!!!

I envy those if you who live in dry areas soooooooo much :( please can I come and live with you?
 
We have sandy soil so no mud for us :) Not been that wet here either but even if it was, the fields are never closed in fact YO prefers everything to go out every day to keep them sane unless on box rest/vets instructions of course.
 
Our YO lets us do what we want, we have individual paddocks and we manage our own little bit. We are very lucky in that we have 10 acres between 2 owners and 7 horses so plenty of room for them to wander about, although we are on clay so the gateways do get really churned up. I have also never known standing water in this particular field in nearly 20 years but this summer it has been unbelievable. As a consequence it is still sodden now and there are patches which are like small ponds. I had planned on letting my 2 natives live out 24/7 but this week have started to bring them in at night just to try and save the field a little bit.
 
pottamus said:
I dont get it and I have tried to look at it from an owners point of view...BUT...no matter how muddy fields get the grass DOES grow back come spring.
When I first got my lad he caused un told damage to his field in his first winter because I had not got his routine right for him. He ploughed up the paddock he was in to the point where you could not go in it because it was deep clay mud. I fenced the area off, put him in the bigger field and come the spring, got it harrowed flatish, threw some grass seed on it which took some doing on my own and by the summer it was all back to grass again.
Horses should not be standing around in completely muddy fields if there is enough land for the number of horses. Surely there should be enough for all horses to have a wander about outside for 6 hours a day and then in at night if needs be???
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The thing is from the landowners side is the if the subsoil is clay there is usually very little depth of top soil on some mine its as little as three inches once you churn the up the clay into the top the soil structure is compromised and you get that whole rock hard cracked thing going on in summer that's why poaching is such an issue ,now I get round that with a sacrifice pasture but I can see that's hard to do with lots of liverys, and perhaps restricted grazing.
 
And this year too pottamus has been abnormally wet. Fields started spring wetter than usual, & there's just not been the sun to dry them out fully, then we've had more rain. Our permanently wet patch is usually fine to walk over in jod boots in summer, boggy in spring & autumn & in Feb when its thawing the highest it gets is knee high. This year its not once been shallow enough to walk through in wellies. Where mine are, there's enough land that previous years we had two big horses, 2 14.2's, two small ponies & two youngsters, half of which were out 24/7 & the others in overnight for a few months. And hay only needed for a few months too. And two cuts of hay, one early, one late. This year, there's been 2 & a pony out all summer, & 2 others on restricted turnout. For weeks, there's been only my 14.2 & 11.1 out 24/7, & 3 others on a few hours turnout a day. And half the hay. Yet the fields are by far the worst the farmer has ever seen them. So I can sympathise that for some land owners, they may have to restrict turnout when its never been an issue before.
 
Mines not too bad as it slopes nicely.....but I shall be moving them into the winter trash paddock with hay out over the next week or so.

This gets really muddy by the gateway but is fine the rest of it....guess where they choose to stand?....yup.....in the mud:confused:
 
Holly Hocks said:
Please go away......there's no need to gloat.... :(
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Holly Hocks

I really wasnt gloating, and I see many other members saying similar to my post about how lucky they are, I was serious about there being other problems to consider no matter what position you are in.

We really doo need a 4th mouth to feed, we really dooo have too much grass, I have to muzzle my horse and I have to ride ride ride the hell out of him to keep his weight down as we are not allowed to strip graze

so

The grass isnt always greener the other side and I wont go away ;)

Hope that makes you feel a bit better about your situation.
 
pottamus said:
I dont get it and I have tried to look at it from an owners point of view...BUT...no matter how muddy fields get the grass DOES grow back come spring.
When I first got my lad he caused un told damage to his field in his first winter because I had not got his routine right for him. He ploughed up the paddock he was in to the point where you could not go in it because it was deep clay mud. I fenced the area off, put him in the bigger field and come the spring, got it harrowed flatish, threw some grass seed on it which took some doing on my own and by the summer it was all back to grass again.
Horses should not be standing around in completely muddy fields if there is enough land for the number of horses. Surely there should be enough for all horses to have a wander about outside for 6 hours a day and then in at night if needs be???
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Agreed ^

I can't understand why anyone would keep a horse where it couldn't be turned out. We have clay based ground and currently have 2 horses on 4 acres. It is pretty grim up by the gate, but otherwise ok. Our 2 wade through the gateway mud and spend the day grazing quite happily even though it is fairly wet under foot. My TB would wilt away if he was penned in 24/7. I just don't agree with it unless an injury or really extreme weather dictates it.
I just think that the majority of livery yards have too many stables/horses and not enough grazing to cope.
Even when the fields get wrecked over winter - they are harrowed/rolled/fertilised and re seeded (if necessary) and have 6 months rest. They soon recover.
 
Ours are still out daily but in at night. Although I don't think it will be long before the fields are out of bounds due to the wet!!
 
Always Henesy said:
Agreed ^

I can't understand why anyone would keep a horse where it couldn't be turned out. We have clay based ground and currently have 2 horses on 4 acres. It is pretty grim up by the gate, but otherwise ok. Our 2 wade through the gateway mud and spend the day grazing quite happily even though it is fairly wet under foot. My TB would wilt away if he was penned in 24/7. I just don't agree with it unless an injury or really extreme weather dictates it.
I just think that the majority of livery yards have too many stables/horses and not enough grazing to cope.
Even when the fields get wrecked over winter - they are harrowed/rolled/fertilised and re seeded (if necessary) and have 6 months rest. They soon recover.
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Land that is continually poached does not recover there is a huge difference in the quality of the sward and hardness of the ground between our sacrifice partures and our others and a huge difference again to the prepared working area where the grass is never grazed but mown and kept for summer riding and jumping.
Of course livery yards in many cases have more horses than the grazing can carry the price the market will stand dictates this I have four acres + per horse at my disposal you simply could not get liverys to pay what that would cost if you needed to make a profit.
 
I think we need to remember it has been an exceptionally wet year and a lot of fields have been compromised because of this.

I run a small yard and am very fortunate to have sloping grazing and hill fields, so we do still have grass atm, and the only mud is in the gateways. I try not to restrict turnout, but am lucky to have liveries that use their common sense and don't try to enforce their horses stay out if the conditions are dire. I also offer turn out in the school so there is always an alternative available.

However I do understand why some yo's close fields, as are trying to prevent the land being trashed to an extent that it is too costly to recover. If I had a horse on livery I would be happier to have restricted turnout in winter if that meant I could have 24/7 turnout on good grazing for the summer mnths.

Of course in an 'ideal' world every livery client would have access to 2/3 acres of perfect grazing for each horse, but in the 'real' world that may cost more money than the average livery is prepared to pay.

Anyone that has, or manages, their own land will appreciate the time,effort and money it takes to maintain good grazing. After all, livery yards are businesses, not charities, and should be entitled to make some profit
 
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Goldenstar said:
Land that is continually poached does not recover there is a huge difference in the quality of the sward and hardness of the ground between our sacrifice partures and our others and a huge difference again to the prepared working area where the grass is never grazed but mown and kept for summer riding and jumping.
Of course livery yards in many cases have more horses than the grazing can carry the price the market will stand dictates this I have four acres + per horse at my disposal you simply could not get liverys to pay what that would cost if you needed to make a profit.
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I totally agree with what you are saying. However, my fields do not get poached as there is enough acreage to cope with the number of horses we have on the land. The only area that suffers is the gateway.
Hence too many horses on not enough land is the problem - always.

Having land and managing it - I am well aware of what it takes to maintain it. Our fields always recover as they are not over grazed postage stamps.
 
'too many horses on not enough land is the problem' - yes absolutely agree!

However the sad reality is that this is often the only way for a yard to make money.............
 
Normally I would say I have enough grass for the number of horses we have. This year has been excepionally bad though. Fields are poached and there is not a lot of grass left.
I will still allow turnout all day. the fields will recover and we will yet again spend most of next year worrying about how to restrict grazing and stop them getting too fat.
 
Always Henesy said:
I totally agree with what you are saying. However, my fields do not get poached as there is enough acreage to cope with the number of horses we have on the land. The only area that suffers is the gateway.
Hence too many horses on not enough land is the problem - always.

Having land and managing it - I am well aware of what it takes to maintain it. Our fields always recover as they are not over grazed postage stamps.
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Which i think is exactly my point.
Soil type and top soil depth are key things which it's very difficult to influence .
But many yards I can think of are running on far less acreage per horse than I am so while my clay land copes ( although I would not work a horse on my sacfrice paddock even after lots of care in summer)they struggle .
Once the clay and top soil mix it's a running battle.
Interestly ( perhaps) my working on field was part of the sacrifrice paddock it only took 2 years to turn it into an amazing work surface ,the best thing I have ever done.
 
Goldenstar said:
Which i think is exactly my point.
Soil type and top soil depth are key things which it's very difficult to influence .
But many yards I can think of are running on far less acreage per horse than I am so while my clay land copes ( although I would not work a horse on my sacfrice paddock even after lots of care in summer)they struggle .
Once the clay and top soil mix it's a running battle.
Interestly ( perhaps) my working on field was part of the sacrifrice paddock it only took 2 years to turn it into an amazing work surface ,the best thing I have ever done.
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Agree again....we have clay but a reasonable amount of top soil thankfully. I don't work the horses on our fields although I would love to. It ruins the surface if the field is too wet and during the summer (when we get one) it is usually to hard. :(
We do have an 8 acre field for the sheep that we sometimes use as for some reason the ground is a pretty good. Little dainty sheep feet are far less damaging :D
 
Sidney said:
I think we need to remember it has been an exceptionally wet year and a lot of fields have been compromised because of this.

I run a small yard and am very fortunate to have sloping grazing and hill fields, so we do still have grass atm, and the only mud is in the gateways. I try not to restrict turnout, but am lucky to have liveries that use their common sense and don't try to enforce their horses stay out if the conditions are dire. I also offer turn out in the school so there is always an alternative available.

However I do understand why some yo's close fields, as are trying to prevent the land being trashed to an extent that it is too costly to recover. If I had a horse on livery I would be happier to have restricted turnout in winter if that meant I could have 24/7 turnout on good grazing for the summer mnths.

Of course in an 'ideal' world every livery client would have access to 2/3 acres of perfect grazing for each horse, but in the 'real' world that may cost more money than the average livery is prepared to pay.

Anyone that has, or manages, their own land will appreciate the time,effort and money it takes to maintain good grazing. After all, livery yards are businesses, not charities, and should be entitled to make some profit
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This. I dont know any millionaire YOs and we can discuss all we like about how there 'should' be x amount of grazing for each horse but in reality in many areas there is what there is and we can either manage it as best we can or not have any livery yards (they are ripe for development being brownfield sites in many places).
 
Holly Hocks said:
Well I'm just north of you, in South Cumbria - it's awful - not helped by not even having a dry summer. The geldings field is worse than the mares - it's hock deep in mud, while the mares is just fetlock deep :( . The farmer doesn't actually close our fields, but he does expect common sense, and people are generally good and keep in when it's awful. I got mine in at dinner time today, so at least they had the morning out. Tomorrow they will have to just go out for an hour in the morning while I do my bits on the yard and then be lunged tomorrow night. I hate winter - I want to move down south. :(
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i wouldnt be quick to move down south! our field in weston super mare is flooded and now a mud pit, stables out of action (plus shetland wont come in so cob has to stay out) and ive had to do my best by just sectioning off half of the field but the half they are in is just mud. not sure if it will recover.. hopefully summer is better this year!
 
No our fields are open fully and coping really well, we manage it well so at the moment they are eating the field i saved where the grass is 2 ft long though.


We never have to close our fields luckily, what we do though when really bad is maybe keep them in one day mid week to give fields a break and rugs to dry. This is only during week in week out rain. ( 3 times a year max)

We have 10 animals on 8 acres each pair of fields are maintained and rested(time out), we don't have grass liveries ( lies the problem) so land is never grazed 24 .7 we used to get hay off one pair of paddocks
 
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our fields have been shut for about a month now.. we have an area where we can turn the horses loose but theres no grazing. its starting to really annoy me as im having to use 3 bags of shavings a week now, and i also dont understand why YO is so fussy about the field as we have a separate field for summer grazing anyway!

that said it has been pretty wet here the past wee while, but there was still days the horses could have been out.
 
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