Does anyone else find horses easier in the winter?

MrsElle

MrsElle

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My horses live out 24/7/365.

Winter is easy. No poo picking as they are out on 7.5 acres which I roll and harrow in spring. The one who is rugged is in a MW most of the time, bar having it whipped off to check condition etc. No hard feed, just a big round bale of hay delivered every couple of weeks. They don't drink much with it not being hot, so not much in the way of filling water buckets.

Spring, summer and autumn are the opposite. The horses are in smaller paddocks, so have to poo pick and maintain muck heap. The rugged one is sometimes in three different rugs a day depending on weather (fly sheet, rain sheet, lightweight). Lots of lugging water as they obviously drink more when the weather is warm. Ragwort and weed pulling. Hedge trimming. Aaaarrrggghh!

Sometimes miss winter.......!
 
Swings & roundabouts for me :)
I poo-pick all year round, morning & evening in spring/summer/autumn and evenings in winter.
I HAVE to muck or skip out stables and HAVE to make up haynets in winter............I HAVE to put on muzzles and fly spray in summer...

Weighing up all the other things too, I prefer winter or summer for dealing with them as a routine.

Early spring & late autumn are my 'pain in the ass' times on occasions: Thoughts like: do I rug or not - is Fuzzy going to be too hot/cold out in field whist am at work. Do I clip/re-clip or not, Should they come back in at night as ground too soggy etc all go whizzing round my head.

:) Lol, let me enjoy the rest of Spring please Mrs E! :D
 
I think I prefer winter, fat girl slim being what she is , in winter I stess less about her waistline and she does drop off. I'm now in full 'in days or out/ must excercise/ comments about weight annoying me etc etc..
 
Hmm, winter maybe better. He comes to call or is already at the gate, I can just shove a rainsheet on if he's being ridden and leave him hairy. The only issue is mudfever and mud!
 
sort of-I turf mine out beginning December to end of March, no need to poo pick-just check, throw food/token hay (they are on 35 acres) and encouraging words when the weather is ***** (only one rugged). So yes, right now-much harder work :D but I miss them when they aren't at home.
 
no! as at least I can see them in the daylight now! in the winter mine often end up grounded due to bottomless fields, so it is endless mucking out. luckily have electric in the barn. Now they are out at night, so lovely that if I ever have a lie in (very rare, sometimes 8 am on a sunday!) I know they are happily out eating, not waiting in tonnes of poo.

Although yes I do see your point about it being more straight forward and they don't get fat! I still prefer the extra daylight the most (I don't mind cold, but hate the dark at 4 pm)
 
I used to when I had two oldies with cushings! Winter meant big fields, use of the stream, just rug checks really. Summer meant maintaining fencing for a track, dragging the hose about to fill buckets, extra fly spraying, poo picking, potential stabling, and a constant worry about laminitis symptoms that never went away!
 
well they come to the gate in the winter! so yes! haha

tonight I went to check the nags, and my mare just popped her head up when I called her, she probably thought "yep mums still alive" and carried on eating!

the Shetland just stood in his patch looking at me but not wanting any cuddles!

luckily the boys came over but that's because they were waiting for their dinner, as they have less grass in their field!
 
Don't forget flies and fluctuating grass sugars upsetting lami prone ponies. In winter if I don't feel like riding it doesn't matter, last week I didn't ride for a couple of days and pony ballooned, cresty neck, pulses... midges are annoying already (thank goodness I don't have a sweet itch pony but used to and friend does) and in summer if I'm not out at crack of dawn the flies are a nightmare.
 
Have to say mine is always stabled at night with well soaked hay (10hrs+), always watching his weight & is clipped most of the year. The only difference is the extra daylight which always helps ones mood & that I can hack out for longer if I'm working an early shift. Doing late shifts means I have time for long hacks in the morning. I have no set shift pattern & I love that.
 
Swings and roundabouts. Each season has its' challenges. I don't think they are much different workwise.

Mine live out year round.

They have adlib hay year round. Round bales.

They are outside the door and I don't work.

Winter -30C and I sometimes have to defrost the tap (hairdryer) but I have heated water troughs so no ice to break and I have to shovel snow. Snow for 4 months, no rain, no mud. the hardest thing I find about winter is getting dressed and undressed for the temperature and finding my damn gloves. No bugs :)

Summer 30C we have a creek and a pond, so no watering required. Bugs. Sandy soil. Not much rain, no mud. Bugs, big bitey hungry ones :(

I do not poo pick - ever.
 
May is definitely the best month where I am. My work load doesn't really change in the summer but I hate pollen and flies. However I hate riding in the rain more! Midges not a problem here.
 
I don't miss winter as our arena is always flooded and short days so can't ride out! However, I do hate the flies in the warm weather, plus this mad weather, can't decide what blooming rug to put on...and he is an itchy boy, so I am constantly having to put creams, lotions and whatever else on every night to try and stop him scratching everything over night which is a right pain in the bum!
 
To be honest I just enjoy each season as it comes along. I enjoy looking after my horses so its no real problem. If I have a hate its deep mud, I always end up falling over at some point.
 
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