Feeling seriously fed up with this weathernow!

I had standing water for the first time ever in my field at the weekend. The ground just can't cope with the amount of water its getting. My usually good sandy ground is looking terrible in places. We have so many flood warnings locally, our land is less than half a mile from the back of the harbour and the sacrifice land already has standing water. It feels like its just a waiting game at the moment.

My OH came to the field with me on Saturday as we were going our for lunch with friends afterwards. So he was wearing reasonably nice/clean clothes. Which never normally happens - he's normally in work clothes as I have jobs for him to do. Anyway, to be helpful he feed the chickens while I feed the ponies and put haynets out. The air turned blue, so I popped my head out of the feed room to see what was happening expecting to see a few chickens escaping, but no, what I was a grown man on his hands and knees with corn and meal worms spread liberally across the ground in front of him. I'm not sure if he was more upset by his muddy knees or the fact the feed didnt land in the chicken run!! :D
 
Try living with a climate change refuser! Every time I moan about the rain and how wet it is, I get graphs shoved in my face that demonstrate this is nothing out of the ordinary. I could scream, he's driving me nuts. The flood gates down the road have been closed on and off for months, the river has nearly breached the flood barriers in the town, our back lane is a river, my fields are sopping wet and the horses are vile to bring in and I get bloody graphs waved at me!
 
I think my fields have reached saturation point but the horses don't seem too bothered if it's not too windy. They are still out every day for at least 8 hours and aren't waiting to come in, the grass must be growing a bit as they are getting haylage in the field but normally don't finish it.
Yesterday I brought them all in and had to spend about 5 minutes per horse hosing their rugs off as well as their legs because they'd all rolled in the very wet mud and were covered in it.
Looking on the bright side, the nights are so much lighter, I was riding at 6pm without lights on Monday plus it's nearly March and April is the driest month, statistically :)
 
oldie48 said:
Try living with a climate change refuser! Every time I moan about the rain and how wet it is, I get graphs shoved in my face that demonstrate this is nothing out of the ordinary. I could scream, he's driving me nuts. The flood gates down the road have been closed on and off for months, the river has nearly breached the flood barriers in the town, our back lane is a river, my fields are sopping wet and the horses are vile to bring in and I get bloody graphs waved at me!
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I think you win there - not only is the weather miserable your DR (Darling Refuser) is infuriating too. I think I'd have resorted to violence!
 
It’s battering down again today. Fields look like lakes because the ground just can’t cope with how much is coming down. I’ve kept the girls in again. That’s 3 days in the last few weeks, which is unheard of for me, but they will just trash the ground even more if they are out in this.
 
Feel so sorry for those of you who are under water with little or no turn out. We're lucky in that we rent stables and grazing from a farmer who just leaves us to it. We can fence off summer grazing and then strip graze the winter grazing until the whole lot is opened up, which it is now. Needless to say it's getting trashed and I've lost count of the number of times I've been splashed from head to foot bringing the 3 of them in to nice dry stables for the night. Not sure, but I think the grass is still growing where it's not completely under water and the ponies seem to be ok with it. Given up trying to ride - the arena is flooded and the drivers around here just love splashing through the puddles:mad: Roll on spring and summer.
 
and still it rains!! Like Cortez when the present 3 pass on that is it for me 3 are aged 21 20 and 15 so wouldn't consider selling when I am down to 1 will consider a retirement livery or get a small companion from a rescue depends on how I feel at the time.
As we are a smalholding will probably rent out land (15 acres) stables American barn stabling 7 separate yard of 4 stables feed and hay store and barns and school as they have separate access to the house or downsize to small place with pony paddock we will see
 
I do feel bad saying it but i have absolutely had enough, its just such hard work and no enjoyment at all. It makes me feel terrible as i have 2 brilliant horses that are no fuss at all and i am lucky to have them, especially reading all the woes of people on here that cant find suitable horses or have endless lameness or behavioural issues, mine don't give me a days agg (touch wood!).
But i have had enough of it, in some ways if the horses i have weren't so bloody brilliant it would be an easier decision to sell them!
 
oldie48 said:
Try living with a climate change refuser! Every time I moan about the rain and how wet it is, I get graphs shoved in my face that demonstrate this is nothing out of the ordinary. I could scream, he's driving me nuts. The flood gates down the road have been closed on and off for months, the river has nearly breached the flood barriers in the town, our back lane is a river, my fields are sopping wet and the horses are vile to bring in and I get bloody graphs waved at me!
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It doesn't really matter what has caused this does it? We are still having to cope with it!
Our horses managed to stay out from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm yesterday, not that they looked enthusiastic about it, it was drizzling on them for almost all that time but they are in again today and the land is waterlogged again this morning. They have been out for an hour or so almost every day for the last couple of weeks but there is so little grass that they haven't really got anything to do while they are out. We put hay out but it either blows away or gets muddy. An hour a day out seems to be keeping them sane, thank goodness.

We are still basking in the reduction that was inevitable because of older horses, 2 is much easier than 4! Even in this weather:)
 
Roxylola said:
I think you win there - not only is the weather miserable your DR (Darling Refuser) is infuriating too. I think I'd have resorted to violence!
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Fortunately although he's very stubborn he has loads of redeeming features which include kindness, generosity and being extremely long suffering, so I forgive him. Not many people would put up with me!
 
This was May 2012 - this ditch would usually be completely dry from the end of March, and I never saw it this flooded in many winters... I remember it being hot around the Olympics that year too, but I also remember that Badminton was cancelled that year and I think there was some brief (and possibly not well founded!) concern for the Olympic xc too.

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I don't mind writing off a February, provided we're not still in this state come May. Of course, that's easy to say when you're not caught up in the actual, serious flooding in the west country etc - damage to property, loss of life is no more palatable at any time of year.
 
oldie48 said:
Try living with a climate change refuser! Every time I moan about the rain and how wet it is, I get graphs shoved in my face that demonstrate this is nothing out of the ordinary. I could scream, he's driving me nuts. The flood gates down the road have been closed on and off for months, the river has nearly breached the flood barriers in the town, our back lane is a river, my fields are sopping wet and the horses are vile to bring in and I get bloody graphs waved at me!
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At least you're not married to (or governed by) Scott Morrison!
 
I've completely had enough, very wet summer followed by this ridiculously wet winter has done it for me, my fields are nothing mud even over the hard standing, stable roof leaking and fencing all needs replacing thanks to the relentless high winds. My arab is going in a couple of weeks and as soon as my cob is back in work she will be going too, I'll keep my daughters semi retired pony because she lives out and is probably too quirky to rehome and I'll keep my hardy little hebs (sheep) too. I am so looking forward to only having one to deal with!
 
I honestly don't think I'd have horses if I had to cope on muddy livery with no turnout. Mine are out on clay but they are big natives on 9 acres. I've opened 16 acres of hay field again today so they have more choice of shelter as it's just so foul but that's not a long term option as they will eventually leave too many divots.
I can't see any end in sight looking at the current jet stream situation. I can't remember such a prolonged wet winter. Give me a beast from the east and a long dry summer any day.
 
We've been having to hack around the roads a lot more because of the weather and I am fed up with spending ages putting on all the gear.
Boots for horse (taken her shoes off), hat for horse (acoustic ears for traffic), saddle/bridle, hi-vis exercise sheet (dress for horse), hi-vis jacket for me, waterproof chaps, hi-vis gloves and stick and we're just about ready to head out. Feels like much too much effort but good to get out.
Yesterday met every type of vehicle: HGV on single track road, loads of vans and cars, bikes, massive tractor and trailer, all very considerate and little mare was fine, so came back smiling.
 
Left mine in this morning, they seemed quite happy about it! Torrential rain here all night and this morning but supposed to dry up after lunch. I’m about all day so will get them out on the woodchip for a few hours later - field under water. To keep them happy they’re all getting more hay than I would like them to be having! I would normally be trying to get weight off before grass gets going but they’re being super grumpy with each other - calculated the risk of injury greater than a possible bit of weight gain ? I too have written Feb off in my head so been on a mission to get all my diy/decorating in the house done in the hope the weather improves soon. Can’t wait to get back to actually enjoying walking dogs and riding ??
 
I have also had enough....

Field is under water and ponies are looking sad and miserable out there so I'm spending a fortune giving them forage so they have something to eat.

My connie's COPD is still very bad but 24/7 turnout is just not an option so I feel guilty when he is in, and guilty when he is out as he is miserable in the swamp!

My welsh is a nightmare in high winds, and very puddle phobic, so you can just imagine the fun I'm having with him at the moment.

We have amazing off road hacking, but all of it is either flooded, or really boggy. My connie's arthritis means he really doesn't like deep ground so I don't actually think he's enjoying his hacking much at all. Roads aren't an option as the cars go so fast and the spray is so noisy! He was a real handful yesterday, but I can't get it out his system, because the ground is so deep!!

The only good thing in all of this is the 20x60 school, which means I can at least do some trotting and cantering when his breathing allows for it. Oh and the hot water wash, which is a real life saver.

I am just trying to get by at the moment, he's had so much time off that missing days here and there isn't the end of the world. It just makes life so difficult when everything is wet constantly.

Despite my complaining, my heart still swells whenever I look at my boys... I've had my welsh 13 years, and my connie 8 and a half, and they do bring me so much joy so I'm trying to do my best to keep them happy. They are nearly 19 and 20 this year so there is no pressure to 'do' anything except the basics whilst it's like this.

Bring on spring... please!!!
 
I'm on top of a hill and normally drain really well, my fields are mud with laying water which has nowhere to go, this time last year I could count on one hand how many times the horses stayed in but this year they have been in more than out, all the stubble fields on the farm are nearly fetlock deep so can't work them properly they are getting leg stretches and that is about all as I don't want to risk injuries. I feel bad moaning and definitely feel lucky compared to the poor people who have flooded homes though. Spring is just round the corner hopefully!
 
I made the decision to move to a yard with an indoor in August last year, maybe a premonition ? but I’m glad I did.
I’m getting to ride 5 times a week and as they are only turned out half the day this is helping keep him moving. He’s put a bit of weight on from standing about for a week whilst I was on holiday so I’m back to working him now but wish I could get out and do more hacking but it’s saturated everywhere and still too dark after work to do road work ?
I’m just plodding on til lighter nights.
I don’t mind no grass as he’s a fatty but would like it to dry up so he’s not just stood in slop all day!
 
Rained all night here again, didnt sleep until 5.30am, have to go out but not sure ill be able as river has more than likely flooded exit road, and ive already lost one engine trying to drive through 3’ flooding in a defender, so not gonna risk it!
 
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Yeah, I'm done with it too. We are better off than some, at least my lads are out full time on a surfaced area and bit of track, and about once a week I treat them to a day out on the paddy field that is their erstwhile winter paddock. But I detest the mud everywhere. All the tracks are ankle deep, most bridleways are impassible (we are on clay). The dogs are constantly filthy, tack is filthy, as is my kitchen. It's just such a bloody slog. No arena, so riding is mostly roads or muddy tracks.
I remember the "summer" of 2012 - I remember standing in horizontal driving rain and roaring wind, with my then YO, and us actually laughing at the unbelievable awfulness of it. Since getting our own place 5 years ago, 2012 has been my secret fear because of our clay. If we get a repeat this year I can't think how I'll get through it.
 
I’m going to feel a bit guilty writing this as I feel insanely sorry for everyone trying to manage horses in seas of mud and water this winter. And more so if you had a wet summer too. We had a crazy hot dry summer and we’re in drought so no grass growth. We moved to a new place in 2019 and invested what felt like an insane amount of money putting in an arena and attached hardstanding area. It’s the best thing we could ever have done as our. The horses have been living out on hard standing and arena spaces as a herd since November and only go on fields for a few hours when they are dry enough. We have a field shelter and lots of hay stations on the hardstanding to keep them moving and have the water at the far end of the arena. It’s not a huge field but they have a regular playtime in the afternoons when they play stallion games and running in the arena, and then do group nap time. They seem really contented as they have all their normal social interactions, plenty of hay and aren’t restricted in stables. If one gets a bit annoyed at the others they come in to the yard and stables for a break. Even BBP has kept his cool this year, he is notorious for being explosive with just a few days in a stable but he is the happiest (and slimmest!) he has ever been (except he is a grass monster and misses it!). I don’t know how we would have managed without this set up. Mine fractured a splint running in heavy mud at our last yard. I’m using the weekdays to do in hand Pilates/pole work/stretching and liberty sessions with him to strengthen him up then at weekends we hack on the roads.

But I know full well how incredibly lucky I am to have been able to do this. And we are going through a LOT of hay.

Having a dog is proving tough though, mud everywhere for walking. And the stream at the bottom of my garden keep creeping towards my house and retreating again, it’s very flashy so doesn’t take much to make it burst it’s banks.
 
Battling with mending mare's foot due to Ciara. The mud is driving me mad. It's wet and windy far too much for my liking. Am spending more time wading through mud getting hay blown into my eyes than riding. Looking to take up rabbits instead I think!
 
BBP said:
I We moved to a new place in 2019 and invested what felt like an insane amount of money putting in an arena and attached hardstanding area. It’s the best thing we could ever have done as our. The horses have been living out on hard standing and arena spaces as a herd since November and only go on fields for a few hours when they are dry enough. We have a field shelter and lots of hay stations on the hardstanding to keep them moving and have the water at the far end of the arena.
.
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This is literally my dream. I'm trying to work out where I need to move to, to make it happen... Possibly Norfolk, Northern Ireland, Scotland, France... I'm not fussy!

How big is your hardstanding area? What did you use to surface it, and are there any pitfalls you didn't expect?
 
Now I am fed up with all the rain. Horses are going out every day but only for a few hours now. I have an indoor school so riding is not really a problem but motivation certainly is. I've had horses for over 45 years and have also decided that I won't be getting any more once my current lot are gone.
 
I wish our yard had an indoor arena :confused:
To be fair, although the fields are a bit muddy at the gates, our soil is very sandy so they drain and dry out quickly. Am still fed up with the relentless rain though and the howling wind. The horses get to go out everyday but they're always keen to come in for the night.

It was only the year before last that we had the heatwave summer though, wasn't it? Would love a heatwave right now - would rather be whinging about the hard ground and pesky flies :p
 
JFTDWS said:
This is literally my dream. I'm trying to work out where I need to move to, to make it happen... Possibly Norfolk, Northern Ireland, Scotland, France... I'm not fussy!

How big is your hardstanding area? What did you use to surface it, and are there any pitfalls you didn't expect?
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It is definitely the dream. It’s not huge, maybe 25x15m with a 25x40m arena connected. But with only 3-4 horses all under 15.2 it’s enough (the extra 5m on the arena width really helps to give them space from cornering each other when playing). Hard standing was dug out, proper membrane laid and then limestone laid and compacted. I can’t remember the depth off the top of my head). It’s on a slope so the water runs across it rather than sitting on it. Arena also cut into hill but professionally done so drainage has been great so far, no puddles. The hay leads to a bit of a sludge layer building so I try to not put out excess and clear up any excess. We have a bit more to do to fence it properly (they like to escape onto the grass) and extend it a bit more, but it’s definitely doing the job so far.
 
BBP said:
It is definitely the dream. It’s not huge, maybe 25x15m with a 25x40m arena connected. But with only 3-4 horses all under 15.2 it’s enough (the extra 5m on the arena width really helps to give them space from cornering each other when playing). Hard standing was dug out, proper membrane laid and then limestone laid and compacted. I can’t remember the depth off the top of my head). It’s on a slope so the water runs across it rather than sitting on it. Arena also cut into hill but professionally done so drainage has been great so far, no puddles. The hay leads to a bit of a sludge layer building so I try to not put out excess and clear up any excess. We have a bit more to do to fence it properly (they like to escape onto the grass) and extend it a bit more, but it’s definitely doing the job so far.
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Thanks, that's encouraging - glad it's working well for you!
 
It’s brilliant sunshine here but we’ve also had snow showers today, biting wind too. The EMS horse has an abscess brewing, farrier has said poultice, today will be the second day. Horse lives out on clay, you can imagine the mess...
 
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