Widgeon
Well-Known Member
If it's any consolation I feel exactly the same and I am a sniff less than half your age! The mud and seemingly constant rain is getting me down.
How are your fields looking?
- Thread starter Bellaboo18
- Start date
sollimum
Well-Known Member
I have just spent the cost of a holiday on mats from WF racing for the huge gateway area that they had trashed. Which were laid on top of fleece as so muddy. They stood on their platform triumphantly waiting to come in last night.
Edited to add: 2 year old and 4 year old are the main culprits for wacky races around the fields most days - although oldies join in when they feel like it.
Edited to add: 2 year old and 4 year old are the main culprits for wacky races around the fields most days - although oldies join in when they feel like it.
southerncomfort
Well-Known Member
Very, very wet. Anywhere I put them instantly turns in to a churned up muddy mess.
Bit of light on the horizon....weather looks to be turning drier and colder over the next week.
Bit of light on the horizon....weather looks to be turning drier and colder over the next week.
Burnttoast
Well-Known Member
We're in south Norfolk on gravelly glacial drift (so a bit loamy, a bit sandy, a bit clayey) - 4 acres with 2 ponies. They have a yard 8x20m that's open 24/7 and at the moment the first winter field is holding up well because we had such good grass growth this summer. There's a bit of mud in the gateway but I'll shut that one up next week and open up the sacrifice field, which gives them a hard gateway into the yard. Probably around Christmas they'll move onto the other winter field and at the end of Feb they'll be on the sacrifice field full time with hay. I try never to let the winter fields get trashed - the sacrifice field is on a gravel lens so it never gets deep and there's always the yard if all else fails.
Love
Well-Known Member
Mine seemed to be holding up ok for a while and I thought we had got off lightly. Then in the past 2 weeks it has just turned to absolute mush 
webble
Well-Known Member
Ours were very wet a couple of weeks ago but have dried up in the last couple of days and the grass is actually growing in places!!
Errin Paddywack
Well-Known Member
We are very lucky so far despite being on heavy clay. Now that all my lambs go in one bunch our stocking rate is a lot less. Currently have 8 sheep on 3 acres with loads of grass, the other 25 on 14 acres, again loads of grass and the horses are grazing down our middle field so that we will have nice short grass at lambing time. Pictures show the worst bit of mud, only a small area and some of the grass we have. My mare is on 2 acres and my sister's two are strip grazing into the foggage on 4 acres. Considering how much rain we have had the fields are holding up very well so far. We feel very lucky.
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
Gosh, I'm v glad you posted, as I was feeling v guilty about my fields..... photo of my muddiest gateway, taken this morning
2 weeks ago it was a little worse but dries out quickly....
Errin Paddywack
Well-Known Member
Glad I have made someone happy. I was feeling very guilty about posting.
Bellaboo18
Well-Known Member
What's your postcode? We're on our way!
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
Happy for temporary visitors any time
Ps, I have had mud in the past, mostly about 25+ yrs ago, but we did have a bad month in early 2020 when even that gateway had a metre into field of ankle deep stuff!
Jenko109
Well-Known Member
Fine. Is always fine. Gets a bit soft underfoot in sections but never really gets muddy.
It's surrounded by houses and you would have to ride alongside a very fast road to head towards decent hacking so it's not all rosey.
For retired ones though, it is just lovely.
It's surrounded by houses and you would have to ride alongside a very fast road to head towards decent hacking so it's not all rosey.
For retired ones though, it is just lovely.
Landcruiser
Well-Known Member
I have 4 out during the day on (very) clay soil, an acre that has been rested for 18 months. So far so good (only been on it a couple of weeks). I planned to strip graze but the wettest end is the near end and it was churning up so I opened the whole thing. I have another rested acre they can go on once this one is trashed, they've been on a track all summer so my grass has all got a good rest - it really helps on clay.
At night they are on a 20x 20 turnout with open access to the large yard and open stables, so they do pretty well for space/movement/autonomy (they can access the whole thing during the day, I just shut off the fields at night).
At night they are on a 20x 20 turnout with open access to the large yard and open stables, so they do pretty well for space/movement/autonomy (they can access the whole thing during the day, I just shut off the fields at night).
expanding_horizon
Well-Known Member
Excellent, you are surrey? Me and horse are on our way, looks like a great setting for a months holiday!Happy for temporary visitors any time
Ps, I have had mud in the past, mostly about 25+ yrs ago, but we did have a bad month in early 2020 when even that gateway had a metre into field of ankle deep stuff!
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
Lol, I must warn you about the pretty cranky YO tho
Surbie
Well-Known Member
Would you like a 750kg coblet to help make clearer marks in the gateway?
Nearly lost my welly getting in the tiny pony last night as he won't come on the mats if the big horses are there.
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
Um.... I have discussed that request with myself, and unfortunately the answer is noWould you like a 750kg coblet to help make clearer marks in the gateway?
Nearly lost my welly getting in the tiny pony last night as he won't come on the mats if the big horses are there.
Hallo2012
Well-Known Member
ok so far.......its clay and it WILL get bottomless around jan time, but for now the sheer grass cover is holding up ok.
i have turnout pens for when it gets deep/slippy and normally use those Jan-mid feb. Then they move to summer fields start of March anyway.
i have turnout pens for when it gets deep/slippy and normally use those Jan-mid feb. Then they move to summer fields start of March anyway.
Errin Paddywack
Well-Known Member
That is like ours. Very grateful for all the long grass this year.
Bellaboo18
Well-Known Member
I am kicking myself for not saving more grass when I easily could have. I'm going to be all over winter 2024!
poiuytrewq
Well-Known Member
Mine are only on a tiny area, probably an acre.
It’s the wettest bit I have. Last week it was seriously wet. The dogs were filthy just running round it. Now they barely get muddy paws.
I’m hesitant to move them as it’s so nice for the ponies being without muzzles
It’s the wettest bit I have. Last week it was seriously wet. The dogs were filthy just running round it. Now they barely get muddy paws.
I’m hesitant to move them as it’s so nice for the ponies being without muzzles
The Fuzzy Furry
Living in 🦄 🦄 land
In fairness, it takes 3 or 4 yrs to really get to know your land, even then the vagaries of the weather can chuck in tricky situations, or herd changing can make or break it.
I'm cussing at mine being 'up the top' but they at least come when called and I have 2 gates pinned open, tho pottering up there in the bitter wind today wasnt pleasant - rather than the usual winter paddock which is close beside the yard.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
Mine were really wet but we have had a dry windy week so they have dried out quite a bit now hope the rain stays away.
Ratface
Well-Known Member
Ours are still holding up quite well. Each horse is in its' own individual paddock which are separated with electric tape. The entrances to each are a bit muddy, but nothing that is more than hoof deep.
However, Old Horse decided to have a serious fit of the "Don't You Know Who I Am?" tantrums earlier this week. He's always been the last one to come in, after his wimpy nephew. Head Groom went to get him: no - not being caught. Did several circuits of his paddock demonstrating "airs above the ground". HG waits patiently. Old Horse ups the ante. Tears through the tape fence into wimpy nephew's field. Tears round some more, adding sliding stops. HG and YO admire the flagged tail and extravagant movement. YO goes to get video camera. OH crashes through more tape fencing into pristine winter fields, adding bucking and rearing to the sliding stops. HG getting seriously fed up and directs YO to stop grinning and filming and get a scoop of horse nuts. Success. OH immediately reverts to starved dobbin mode, sticks his mud-covered nose into the scoop via the headcollar and plods in like the geriatric he actually is.
Order is restored. Owner has purchased a large tin of Head Groom's favourite shortbread from a very posh store. Apologies and grovelling to Head Groom will attend with the gift of the above.
However, Old Horse decided to have a serious fit of the "Don't You Know Who I Am?" tantrums earlier this week. He's always been the last one to come in, after his wimpy nephew. Head Groom went to get him: no - not being caught. Did several circuits of his paddock demonstrating "airs above the ground". HG waits patiently. Old Horse ups the ante. Tears through the tape fence into wimpy nephew's field. Tears round some more, adding sliding stops. HG and YO admire the flagged tail and extravagant movement. YO goes to get video camera. OH crashes through more tape fencing into pristine winter fields, adding bucking and rearing to the sliding stops. HG getting seriously fed up and directs YO to stop grinning and filming and get a scoop of horse nuts. Success. OH immediately reverts to starved dobbin mode, sticks his mud-covered nose into the scoop via the headcollar and plods in like the geriatric he actually is.
Order is restored. Owner has purchased a large tin of Head Groom's favourite shortbread from a very posh store. Apologies and grovelling to Head Groom will attend with the gift of the above.
saddlesore
Well-Known Member
Oddly enough we are rolling in grass. Horse still out in grazing muzzle and not dropping an ounce.
seriously festive equine
Well-Known Member
I have gorgeous rolling fields lovely soil and incredible drainage! I used to be on clay and WHAT A PAIN CLAY IS!!! We dug out our muddy gates and replaced with hardcore but it didn't do any good!