How’s everyone coping in this weather ?

[exracehorse]

I’m really totally fed up! Horses have been in for a week now, and I on Thursday I slipped on the ice and broke my shoulder ? So looks like I’ll be off until beginning of February whatever the weather decides to do now x

Oh no !

 

[Kunoichi73]

I’m really totally fed up! Horses have been in for a week now, and I on Thursday I slipped on the ice and broke my shoulder ? So looks like I’ll be off until beginning of February whatever the weather decides to do now x

You poor thing! Wishing you a speedy recovery.

I can honestly say that I am very glad I don't have a horse commitment with this weather. The only horse related inconveniences I've had have been cancelled riding lessons.

You all deserve medals (or at least mince pies and mulled wine) for what you've had to put up with the last week or so!

 

[Abi90]

Have kept the horses out throughout, despite a bad cough that hasn’t liked the cold.

Warm, sloppy mash each morning, lots of hay. Mine has actually put weight on and they’ve almost doubled the amounts of poos they have been doing so I was happy they were hydrated, not hungry and warm enough.

But this morning my field mate and I were told our horses had been freezing throughout, were underugged as they were warm but not “super toasty” and had been without hay for a short period of time (as had all the horses in the barn whose owners had not made it down yet).

Ahhhhhhhh

 

[Caol Ila]

Mine went out today, for the first time since Thursday. I'm happy. The yard was not turning anyone out but said we could do so at our own risk. So the crazy foreigners did. Only five horses went out, and four were not owned by Scots/Brits (two were mine, but still...). You had to pick a route through the worst ice to get to the field, but there was always a way. I can see why the yard didn't want staff leading bunches of horses, though.

That said, shoveling the snow when it first falls is always a good idea. At least shovel enough to make paths to arena, stables, etc. If it lies and you get a few freeze-thaw cycles, it turns into sheet ice.

Because Hermosa got out today, I got on her. Squeezed into the indoor between the hoards of other liveries going into the indoor. Our backing process had a wee break this week because I could not find willing volunteers to be a ground person in the subzero temperatures (people wanted to do their own horses then leave as fast as possible), and then I wasn't keen to sit on a four year old who's only been sat on three times when she hasn't been turned out.

Finally tested out my Lamfelle pad. Very comfy.

 

[maya2008]

Soaking wet slippery mud on top of still frozen ground. Not sure this is an improvement so far! Hoping it will continue to defrost overnight as currently cannot ride at all.

 

[GreyDot]

Soaking wet slippery mud on top of still frozen ground. Not sure this is an improvement so far! Hoping it will continue to defrost overnight as currently cannot ride at all.

Yep - next couple of days will be just as difficult. All very well having an air temperature of above 10c but it will take a couple of days for the fields/arenes to thaw.

 

[PurBee]

Finally, after 2 weeks constant minus temps and deep freeze - today we have water in the house flowing out of taps! Our whole system has been frozen and we had to source water elsewhere.
We prioritised the horses water in favour of many other water needs….we didnt need colic at the top of an inaccesible icy hill-top!

It was minus 10 now its plus 10, i was too hot mucking out earlier!
Thank god the wind direction changed to south, finally.

Those who have frozen yard water issues, i can hugely recommend ‘aquarolls’ - that campers use to transport water. Theyre about 40litres capacity, roll along the ground. Have been a lifesaver for us to roll water about this place. They sell them on amazon.

 

[southerncomfort]

I’m really totally fed up! Horses have been in for a week now, and I on Thursday I slipped on the ice and broke my shoulder ? So looks like I’ll be off until beginning of February whatever the weather decides to do now x

Oh no! You poor thing!!

 

[Indieanna6]

I second the aqua roll @PurBee, I use one to take water to the field and it is so much easier.

I managed to turn out every day but did bring in earlier today and yesterday with the freezing rain. 70% of other liveries have kept in since the freeze began.

I have taken the 23yo’s stable rug off tonight as she will get too warm - she only needs a 100g on if it drops below 4ish. I did pop a 200g on when it got to -8 at night and the next morning she had dug a big hole in her bed, I think she was too warm so back to the 100g it was.
I gave her a good groom tonight and she has put weight on thanks to the additional hay ? I swear she only has to look at an extra kg to pile it on.
Back to her diet now temperatures look to become more ‘normal’

 

[racebuddy]

Been tough week to say the least 4. Am starts to begin the week no electric some
Mornings and frozen pipes ?‍?‍?? managed to get horses out every day , for couple of hours to keep moving , today we had bitter wind all day which has now turned everything to ice ? supposed to be ten degrees after midnight ???

 

[PurBee]

I second the aqua roll @PurBee, I use one to take water to the field and it is so much easier.

I managed to turn out every day but did bring in earlier today and yesterday with the freezing rain. 70% of other liveries have kept in since the freeze began.

I have taken the 23yo’s stable rug off tonight as she will get too warm - she only needs a 100g on if it drops below 4ish. I did pop a 200g on when it got to -8 at night and the next morning she had dug a big hole in her bed, I think she was too warm so back to the 100g it was.
I gave her a good groom tonight and she has put weight on thanks to the additional hay ? I swear she only has to look at an extra kg to pile it on.
Back to her diet now temperatures look to become more ‘normal’

The sudden dramatic warm temps had mine tonight canter-in with high tails! Its windy too, to add to the fizz - they could have a good run now its softer ground - i think theyre also glad the frost has gone aswell as me ?

I was lucky to turn out to less-hard fields via a stony path - so glad i have hardcore gritty ground rather than concrete for their areas. Was going to concrete sections for ease of sweeping, but this freeze has me deciding to stick with gravel and stony hardcore - it held-up better grip-wise with the iciness than the smoother human paths we have.

 

[Fieldlife]

Mine went out today, for the first time since Thursday. I'm happy. The yard was not turning anyone out but said we could do so at our own risk. So the crazy foreigners did. Only five horses went out, and four were not owned by Scots/Brits (two were mine, but still...). You had to pick a route through the worst ice to get to the field, but there was always a way. I can see why the yard didn't want staff leading bunches of horses, though.

That said, shoveling the snow when it first falls is always a good idea. At least shovel enough to make paths to arena, stables, etc. If it lies and you get a few freeze-thaw cycles, it turns into sheet ice.

Because Hermosa got out today, I got on her. Squeezed into the indoor between the hoards of other liveries going into the indoor. Our backing process had a wee break this week because I could not find willing volunteers to be a ground person in the subzero temperatures (people wanted to do their own horses then leave as fast as possible), and then I wasn't keen to sit on a four year old who's only been sat on three times when she hasn't been turned out.

Finally tested out my Lamfelle pad. Very comfy.

Congratulations! First sit?

 

[Caol Ila]

Congratulations! First sit?

Fourth. OH is still giving me pony rides.