I'm REALLY worried about the frozen ground and the horses being out!

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Dexter

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I've got a mare and foal, not related, living out. Its a temporary measure for the mare, she is my riding horse, and the field is supposed to be for the youngsters but we had a run of bad luck and unbelievable circumstances. We moved the 3 16 month old colts to a livery yard in order to do some handling and to have them gelded, then the weather kicked in and we put the gelding on hold. The livery yard isnt suitable for youngsters as due to the weather turnout is limited and they are being little *****s because of this. It would be fine for me, but my sister is looking after them in the week and they are running rings round her!

The field is generally fab, 13 acres, flat and sloping bits, tons of shelter, fab fencing etc. Its young horse heaven. The plan alwasys was to move the yearlings back to the field with the foal and put the mare on the livery yard, but the weather got in the way and tomorrow will be the first safe chance we get. However the field was covered in a foot of snow which has now half melted and is now frozen solid :( The trough which was fine yesterday was 4 inches thick with ice today :(

Everything was fine in the snow, we fed hay and huge tub trugs of hay replacer and sugarbeet, and the mare and foal both did really well on it. I am just really worried about turning the yearlings out. It is that bad that I wouldn't want to walk on it. The mare and foal are sensible souls and are just about coping but soo not enjoying it! the boys are rising 2 year old colts and therefore are idiots in the nicest possible sense! They will gallop and play and generally be muppets! They were turned out in the frozen school today and terrified me with their behavour!

What would you do in my shoes? The boys need turnout, I want to ride my mare! I could put them all at the livery yard for the next few weeks, but its 15 miles away and the time and money involved will break me! I could put the mare at livery and turn the boys out but they look like they are going to maim themselves in the conditions! I could leave things as they are, but the boys are being a PITA for my sister to handle alone. Arrrgggghhhhh!!! HELP!!
 
Mine are out. Yearling colt jumped a 5 foot fence (4 foot taking into account impacted snow) to get in with my mares :rolleyes: Jag for them when the snow's gone. No damage done though... They hoon about but never enough to injure themselves - the do have some idea about what ice is lol
 
I would chuck the colts out, they'll soon settle. They are more likely to injure themselves and be silly if they're on limited turnout. Mine are out in a frozen field and they stick to the area where we put the hay out. It's well worn down, so not slippery and when it's like this all they want to do is eat!
 
I went to bed having decided to put them in the field, arranged a lorry etc and then woke up to deep snow so now nothing is going to be able to move anywhere! arggh!
 
If you can then get them turned out and as someone else said, stick a load of hay out so they go to that first. it is tricky as we want to be sure they don't hurt themselves but we can't wrap them in cotton wool. We rode out today (finally) and two horses in a field we passed set off in full flight, just full of the joys. Others in livery fields near us have been doing a fair bit of hooning about as well and our ground is hard and frozen. Normally they soon realise it's not pleasant underfoot. My 19mth old is out with the two oldies and they are all hobbling about a bit on the rutted ground near the stables. Even the young one is being very careful with his feet. The rest of the field isn't too bad, just the bits round the stable area.

As soon as you can get them out I would shove them out!
 
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