is anyone else really struggling this year?

[JFTDWS]

Oh lordy where's that gin? I'm in. It's just been endless and awful and beyond rubbish. I've just about managed to keep myself motivated to keep the pony in some degree of work (not easy between work, ice, snow, darkness and no school) by hacking off road in snowfall etc, but I'm reaching the point of despair. I can't take any more. My forage bills are through the roof, the work is endless, the competing cancelled, the fun (jumping, warm happy hacks) so limited.

Give us a break now, please!

 

[L&M]

Yes - I love our horses but am starting to question the sanity of keeping them, especially if the weather becomes more and more extreme as predicted.

It just seems to be constant stress, hardwork and a drain on finances, with little pleasure or gain.

 

[Autumn sonnet]

Oh me too . I live in the fens , which is dead flat and constant constant wind , so even if the sun ever does come out ( I think I remember a day back in August 2011 sometime) the wind chill just saps any warmth straight out. The fields are trashed ( and mine are the looking the best in the village !) , all my neighbours are equally pulling their hair out , virtually none of us have ridden out since Christmas , and my hay farmer has just run out of hay even though he'd restricted it to a very favoured few since January. The woodburner has been through 4 tonnes of wood this year , plus two loads of oil and two tonnes of coal . I am SO SO over this .

And the hay monsters are moulting so the washing machine has just packed up because the filter is blocked . Enough . Enough already .

 

[toffeeyummy]

It is hard and like op, I'm on my own so makes it really lonely some days. But, I have decided to just adjust to the weather. I forget about it should be spring and oh how cold is it and just really really wrap up and get out and get on with it. Mine went out 24/7 when we had that (very) brief mild spell few weeks ago. I haven't bought them back in and they are all doing well out so less work for me. They are rugged have shelter and ad lib hay. They seem very happy and the bonus is they're not gorging on spring grass. With regards to riding I have joined a local riding club which meets once a month so I have something to look forward to and aim for. My mare only gets ridden 2-3 times a week and this keeps her ticking over for the riding club meets.
The weather looks set to be cold til mid April then warm up but then gets cold again in may (farming husband - obsessive weather reports). Sorry peeps but I say stop trying to fight it and try to go with it

 

[Crazy Friesian]

Its been a crap year weather wise. Have got a serious dose of CBA... Fed up of mud, mucking out, putting muck heaps up, cold, tired. Just one big slog atm.

Would really appreciate someone else taking my role of "responsible adult" for a while (and guarantee me that nothing would go wrong in the mean time).

My precious cat has been unwell since June last year and everyday has been stressville... So the rubbish weather has NOT been welcome!!!

 

[pottamus]

Yep, the difficulties and harshness of winter has been made even worse by the constant terrible weather and coldness. I wear loads of light layers and thermals to keep warm, never expose my hands to the cold and seem to be wearing my woolie hat that ties under my chin permanently.
I take berrocca for vit c and b and this really helps boost energy levels - cannot recommend it enough. I also try to stay fit through running or cycling as this also ensures life is less stressful and gives me a bit more energy.
But like everyone else, I long for an end to it and some warmth back on my skin and dry fields that my horse can eat from.

 

[Izzwizz]

All feels like one big effort, its hard work and expensive!!

Hubbie spoke to his brother in New Zealand, they are having the worst drought for years, cattle are having to be slaughtered for meat because they are not surviving...don't know whats worse but it does make you question global warming................

 

[Spendtoomuch]

Glad its not just me! Seriously fed up, horses in every night and then all day every other day (i do understand yo reasons, but doesn't make it any easier) horse is fed up and lame. I am constantly exhausted and getting financially screwed, can not afford financially or mentally much more of this. Also bad news today so feeling seriously stressed, take morphine daily which is making me more irritable and forgetful, the forgetfulness is adding to my irritation as it is so annoying! Honestly can not cope with much more!! (sorry turned into a real whinging self pity post)

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Yep, can't get warm, fed up of changing rugs, fed up of being cold, fed of of high hay bills because they are in more, fed up of mud, of putting so many layers on to get out the house..........thanks for this thread I feel a little better typing that out

 

[Lollii]

This is like therapy!! thanks op

 

[weesophz]

yeah i know the feeling i feel like fox has only been out for a collective week over the winter, its been awful! i secretly dont mind him being in as it means hes less likely to injure himself haha but i do feel bad for him as he hates it and gets so grumpy. think ive sat on him maybe 8 times.. the summer better be good!

 

[Copperpot]

This is the first winter in 4 years I've not been on full livery and I've found it hard. By the time I've done all the jobs I'm so cold I just wanna go home, not ride. Plus I bought another horse in October so double the work Although I am enjoying taking care of the horses myself secretly

 

[Billabongchick]

Well this is my first winter of horse ownership again in ten years. So far in the 5 months we've had her the school has been like a lake and unrideable, she got mudfever and then diagnosed with UV Photosensitivity meaning she is in most of the time due to the lesions and I am constantly washing bandages and boots in freezing water to keep her legs covered and clean.

To top it off my tenants have given notice, my part time job (which gives me my 'horse money') is likely to end any time as boss thinks he's going bust and my horsebox which I haven't even used yet failed its mot due to spreading rust which needs welding (no advisories last year so the wet weather has obviously got to it).

Oh and it's now gone 3am because my printer has a fault so the job I've been doing has taken forever and i'll have to bin and reprint half of it. Fed up muchly... Oh and did I mention the fact my bank card got cloned and used and I shattered my OHs hob top this week too? This week/winter can do one as far as I'm concerned although our girl makes the effort worthwhile so not all bad

 

[maxapple]

Yep I'm finding it tough. We moved from out own yard to livery which has been a life saver time and work wise, but my hay bills are ridiculous.

I'm also preparing to sell my youngster I bought last year as I just can't afford her as well as my other 2 anymore.

 

[Sare]

I can't decide if this thread is comforting or just scary that it's so bad everywhere with no sign of let up. I reached the bawling stage about a fortnight ago and now I'm just trudging through on autopilot. This is day 12 of 4" of snow everywhere, not including the drifts. We have no grass, huge amounts of mud, the hay field still has the horses on and varies between looking like plough and looking like a marsh. The horses all have ribs showing, I'm spending more than I ever have on feed to stuff into my good doers! I pity anyone with a poor doer! We're rapidly running of of haylage- lots of which has been wasted due to getting waterlogged where it sat. Even the good stuff was late cut and got wet so probably leeched half of its goodness.

I've forgotten what riding is, I've put on weight- despite the hard slog of carrying water, mucking out etc, due to no riding and extra sitting by the fire.

Fair to say I am SICK of it. As somebody else said it is devoid of any fun whatsoever and just hard, hard slog for no return. A year of perpetual winter and no let up in sight (

 

[FfionWinnie]

Another couple of weeks and we will see a difference. Hang on in there.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

Yes I am fed up but not because of the snow. After today I will have lost two amazing horses within one week

 

[Polos Mum]

Another couple of weeks and we will see a difference. Hang on in there.

I so hope you are right, the daily fail telling me this is going to go on til the end of April nearly made me hit the wine last night and I'm six months pregnant !!

 

[Merrymoles]

Nightmarebeforechristmas that puts the long winter into perspective and am sending hugs.
We joke in our house that when I bought my new boy, he didn't realise I was moving him to Iceland. Seriously, giving your horses a big cuddle is a great way to warm up and makes you appreciate what you've got, despite all the work and weather.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

Nightmarebeforechristmas that puts the long winter into perspective and am sending hugs.
We joke in our house that when I bought my new boy, he didn't realise I was moving him to Iceland. Seriously, giving your horses a big cuddle is a great way to warm up and makes you appreciate what you've got, despite all the work and weather.

To make it worse I am having issues with the insurance! They would rather put him through major surgery which only has a 30% chance of him coming right! Right nightmare this morning for everyone involved and my heart strings

 

[RunToEarth]

I'm struggling, but not with the horses. We have them because it is meant to be fun. We have had a good hunting season, absolute shocker weather wise but came out of it with as many sound, fit healthy horses as we went into it with. I refuse to get down about the weather when it comes to horses, I enjoy my time with them regardless of the weather - it is meant to be fun.

We are still reeling from last year's harvest though, as a result of this never ending everything is slowly going tits up, we are getting more and more behind with spring drilling and sraying every single minute of every single day. We struggle with the weather a lot more when seemingly everything in our life hinges on it. Horses are our hobby, farming is life unfortunately.

 

[TrasaM]

Another couple of weeks and we will see a difference. Hang on in there.

Oh I hope you are right FW YO no longer wants my share horse on her yard and we are desperately looking for somewhere to keep him but so far its been no room in the Inn situation because yards are unwilling to take in an extra horse until the grass grows again.

 

[Polos Mum]

To make it worse I am having issues with the insurance! They would rather put him through major surgery which only has a 30% chance of him coming right! Right nightmare this morning for everyone involved and my heart strings

NMBC - how sad for you when you're trying to do the right thing! Have an extra hug so you can stand up to them and do what's best for your horse! If possible tell the insurance co to poke it and do the right thing anyway even if you lose ££££'s - you'll feel better in the long run.

 

[Puppy]

Yes I am fed up but not because of the snow. After today I will have lost two amazing horses within one week

What's happened?



I am finding this ongoing winter very hard It's getting me really down, especially in the last week.

 

[Delicious_D]

Im struggling from the lack of sunlight. I feel run down and lethargic Keep getting mouth ulcers and headaches also.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

What's happened?



I am finding this ongoing winter very hard It's getting me really down, especially in the last week.

One was lost after it panicked in a trailer on the way to its new home

The other has an injury/weakness that is not fixable, there is a surgery option but its not worth it due to poor prognosis but insurance are being complicated on what they will pay out for so now trying to sort that out!

 

[Delicious_D]

Yes I am fed up but not because of the snow. After today I will have lost two amazing horses within one week

Oh no what happened? Really sorry to read this.

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

NMBC - how sad for you when you're trying to do the right thing! Have an extra hug so you can stand up to them and do what's best for your horse! If possible tell the insurance co to poke it and do the right thing anyway even if you lose ££££'s - you'll feel better in the long run.

Yes the vets are calling them now to explain the situation and see if we can work something out. Looks like we are going to lose thousands either way! Insurance companies are smart at getting out of things its really sad

 

[HashRouge]

I'm fed up of having to take the long route up to the farm, because our usual road has been blocked with snow since last weekend! It doesn't look like the council are going to clear it any time soon, and the drifts are so deep I don't want to think how long it will take to thaw out
But last night I finally decided that the winds had dropped enough for the ponies to stay out overnight again, so I rugged them up and put them out with a load of hay, and am now really looking forward to going up and NOT having to muck out

 

[Adopter]

One was lost after it panicked in a trailer on the way to its new home

The other has an injury/weakness that is not fixable, there is a surgery option but its not worth it due to poor prognosis but insurance are being complicated on what they will pay out for so now trying to sort that out!

So sorry to read this, what a terrible time for you, it puts everything else into perspective. Sending hugs and hope that you can sort out everything, it is so dreadful when you have such a hard decision to make and are doing the right thing that insurance will not co-operate.