For those of you with field kept horses

[Colline]

How do you manage? I was lucky enough to have my horses at home when I was married but when I got divorced it all had to change. I was lucky to be able to keep them at my old house before the new owner got permission to redevelop but last summer I had to move. I managed to find some run down stables and a small bit of land but the owner turned into a complete nightmare - unrugging a clipped horse and putting him in a stable with no water, letting my mini Shetland out to wander the property, feeding my horses (the list goes on but I won't bore you!). So I've managed to find a field to rent until the end of march and I'm moving again. How do you manage with no lighting? Field isnt very sheltered so am hoping they will be ok in heavyweights etc with hay if needed. Also I need to bring my daughters horse back into work (daughter had spinal fusion surgery in December and can't ride yet) with a view to daughter being able to ride around Xmas! I just want an idea of what it will be like really!

 

[Magicmillbrook]

The horses will manage fine with rugs and plenty of hay, and being turned out 24/7 they shouldt get too 'unfit'. Its just difficult if the weather gets bad and you have no where to dry them off or if you are on heavy ground and it turns to bog. Invest in a good head torch and before you know it spring will be here

 

[ReggiePerrin]

Headtorch is key!! We don't have electricity either but I don't notice as my headtorch is awesome. Google Ledlenser H7R. It's about £40 but worth every penny. I can see across one field with it and just plug it into the mains to recharge every couple of days.

 

[hollyround]

I have mine at home but no electric up in the fields, I use solar lights, I have two flood lights and one indoor light for in the field shelter! They are fab!

 

[Tormenta]

As already said, headtorches are a godsend and keep you handsfree. Have a look on on some outdoor/camping sites they often have huge varieties of lamps/torches etc or you could buy a small generator but I found it more hassle personally but good for cups of tea Horses will be fine as long as they are well rugged and have full bellies. You will surprise yourself at your own ingenuity I promise you! Good luck.

 

[The_snoopster]

Head lamps are a must, I now have had a stable and adjoining shed built I have rigged up lights which run off my lorry battery. They are very bright as well and the one facing out onto the field lights up the paddock quite well.

 

[TJ&Ozzie]

Another vote for the head torch! Mine is amazing, although I do forget I have it on sometimes and blind OH when I come back in the house!

My horses are living out this winter for the first time ever and I was really worried about them to begin with but they are fine. As you say heavyweight rugs and a pile of hay at night to keep their tummies full. I have just brought my TB back into work from the field and other than looking incredibly scruffy, hairy and not immaculatly brushed he has been fine.

I can't say that I am enjoying it on the dark and wet evenings. I have a lot of mud and I have been known to go outside in my dressing gown and wellies and check on them in the middle of the night as I've felt so guilty (they have been fine, every time!) I will welcome the spring and summer and embrace next winter again once my stables are built and normal winter service can resume!

You will be fine though and so will your horses.

 

[scrunchie]

I skulk about in the dark.

I know my field like the back of my hand and the street lights provide enough light to tell what the ground is like.

I can never see Dooney though. He has a tendency to sneak up on me and make me jump! That's the problem with having a dark horse in a dark field!!

Mine are unrugged (except Dooney who is currently a bit poorly ) so there is no faffing about.

I love the dark. I like making hubby jump too. He sometimes comes out to find me but can't see as well as me!

 

[Colline]

Thanks for all your replies - I guess I just needed you lot to tell me that my lot will be fine and not
Worried about living out. Scrunchie that made me laugh - my dads nickname is doonie - he too is poorly and had just had a heart ablation! I told him about your horse being called dooney and he was made up that ur horse has the same name!

 

[hollyround]

The Solar Centre which is where I got my fantastic flood lights from have 15% off at the moment... Those and a head torch and i can see my TB eventer in his field 365 days of the year!!

 

[sandi_84]

How do you manage? How do you manage with no lighting? Field isnt very sheltered so am hoping they will be ok in heavyweights etc with hay if needed. I just want an idea of what it will be like really!

Sorry to hear you've had so much unhappiness in the last while It can only get better now though!
Untill he gets his stable sorted I check mine every day (usually twice a day - or more depending on how often i'm down at the field), catch in and take rug off if I have time and give him a haynet to eat while he "airs out" and has a well deserved scratch. Usually when he's brought in it means he's getting at least a groom, possibly a workout (again time dependent due to not having my own transport).
I would start off with the lowest weight rug I could get away with just because it's getting warmer and it's easier for them to heat up than cool down (mine is in his medium weight now, no field shelter except a few bushes down one side of the field) and he seems fine but then he's a cob and they are built for the cr*p weather we've been having.
High powered headtorches are worth their weight in gold as they keep your hands free (rather than a high powered hand torch) for the various things you need them for and mean you can see well enough in the dark not to trip over your own feet and to check all is well with ponios.
We give ad lib haylage and some hard feed depending on what kind of work they do.
Also we've been hit by a spate of mud fever recently so I've stocked up on anti-bacterial barrier cream (my lad doesn't have it touch wood) and I send him back to the field looking like he's waded through a paddling pool of vaseline
Hope that was helpful, trying to think of anything else but I'm tired and brain thingy no workey! It can be done though so don't dispare! xXx