Just marking myself safe from Winter 2023/2024

[dorsetladette]

I'm done!

I'm on sandy soil, but it's a mess. Idiot ponies running round churning it up and slipping and hurting themselves. I've opened up the whole place in the hope the space/any new shoots of grass will keep them more occupied - it's not working. Bringing them in to do anything with them is a chore and would mean chiselling off inches of mud, so plans for the babies (one now 4) have been put on hold for the foreseeable.

Robin's rug wasn't holding up to the weather, so I went out to swap it and while naked he did a runner and I haven't been able to get near him since. So he is naked in all this wet weather - which is even more depressing as he is the only semi-ridable horse I own so no chance of grabbing a quick session with him in a dry spell. I've never not been able to catch him - he's usually in the way! Guess him loosing a few pounds wont hurt.

Ben decided to grow an abscess overnight and proceed to show colic like symptoms. honestly that boy deserves an oscar! Sweating, panting, looking at stomach, up and down, laying out flat with legs out ridged. Then he'd get up and hop over to show you which foot hurt! I've got more grey hairs!

I've slipped up in the chicken run more times than I can remember and now carry spare clothes in the truck in case I do it before work.

It's not fun any more!

 

[Catbird]

Our slopey fields have been holiding water since November and urrghhhhhh mud.
I like the sound of going on holiday although feels like it'll need to be a permanent move if the idea is to avoid the rain as doesn't seem like it's ever going to stop!

 

[sbloom]

Mine still very busy and hard to get appointments. I hack the 25 minutes to an indoor for her visits, so weather doesnt cause an issue.

Not all of us can structure that way, I travel distance so my business is different. Diuffetent segments of the market will vary a little.

However...a fitter I know who is usually booked up at least 3 months ahead (checks all brands unlike me, sells several brands, and services too end to absolute local leisure riders) is now getting jittery and Walsall is working a short week. There are always exceptions and most fitters won't be making this public.

 

[sbloom]

Just out of curiosity, what's your preference for when the weather is grim, assuming there's no indoor area for people to try saddles in? I try never to cancel bookings for lessons or saddlers etc because I'm aware that this is your livelihood. My instructor firmly believes in carrying on to train in adverse conditions so we have had some fun lessons this winter! I can understand it might be difficult where saddles are involved though as surely it's not great if your stock gets a good soaking?

It's a nightmare, if there is an arena and an under cover area for the static bit then it's all doable unless it's hoping, but when people have muddy yards and fields to ride in...

I've had cancellations "till spring" after a couple of cancellations which is a nightmare!

Travelling to an indoor is the only almost foolproof way but high winds will stop travel of course....and really is the only way for a new saddle fit, especially for high quality English leather than needs conditioning and ideally to develop a slight pantina before being rider in the rain, and tipping rain is never good for leather.

Oh and to add getting in and out of a van all day in mud isn't fun, keeping stock not muddy isn't fun (you can guarantee things will fell out of my van when parked in mud too!) and do have a slimmer fitting shorter coat to ride in than your darned Equidry when you have a fitting/check

 

[HopOnTrot]

I just lost Velcro terrier, went looking for her and found her sheltering at the stables refusing to walk back to the house in the rain. This has never happened before!!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I started out the morning by getting wet feet just by stepping outside the back door to put the cat’s food down onto our fully paved patio. It was flooded.

The day got even soggier after that.

It’s getting harder to feel, despite my best efforts, that I am giving my horses a good quality of life. My facilities are good, I do my best, but my fields are overwhelmed. A nearby farmer in his late 80s has never known it to be so bad.

From dog walk this morning, this is just up the road. The fields are too muddy to walk in, so it’s the roads…

 

[Surbie]

It’s getting harder to feel, despite my best efforts, that I am giving my horses a good quality of life. My facilities are good, I do my best, but my fields are overwhelmed. A nearby farmer in his late 80s has never known it to be so bad.

I've kept an allotment diary since getting it in 2012. A month-6weeks of heavy rain wasn't unusual back then*, but this level of monsoony weather has only really been developing for the last 4 years where I am.

I have an older horse already on support for his joints and heavy mud or slippy mud (or both) is not going to do him any favours. Hopefully this will be the last of it and March/April will be dry and warm. Which I will also complain about, obviously!

*my first spuds drowned in April 2012

 

[expanding_horizon]

Just out of curiosity, what's your preference for when the weather is grim, assuming there's no indoor area for people to try saddles in? I try never to cancel bookings for lessons or saddlers etc because I'm aware that this is your livelihood. My instructor firmly believes in carrying on to train in adverse conditions so we have had some fun lessons this winter! I can understand it might be difficult where saddles are involved though as surely it's not great if your stock gets a good soaking?

I always give the professionals the choice, I will operate in any weather (barring flooded to unusable or frozen to unusable surface of school), but if THEY dont fancy inclement weather and arent going to charge a cancellation fee that is fine too. But I wont be the one cancelling.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

The spring in the field is now bubbling in different places. The boys are up to fetlocks by the gateways. They have trashed the field by tearing about. Our fields are on a slope that has all the run off up from the farm above us. We had some hardcore put down a few weeks ago as it was treacherous getting to the feed room. Poo picking is not a joke any more and I am seriously thinking of selling one!

 

[expanding_horizon]

It's a nightmare, if there is an arena and an under cover area for the static bit then it's all doable unless it's hoping, but when people have muddy yards and fields to ride in...

I've had cancellations "till spring" after a couple of cancellations which is a nightmare!

Travelling to an indoor is the only almost foolproof way but high winds will stop travel of course....and really is the only way for a new saddle fit, especially for high quality English leather than needs conditioning and ideally to develop a slight pantina before being rider in the rain, and tipping rain is never good for leather.

Oh and to add getting in and out of a van all day in mud isn't fun, keeping stock not muddy isn't fun (you can guarantee things will fell out of my van when parked in mud too!) and do have a slimmer fitting shorter coat to ride in than your darned Equidry when you have a fitting/check

My saddler (I think) said she wont fit if there is not an all weather surface / access to one. I can typically travel in most winds in my lorry. But I guess Surrey is fairly sheltered.

The other problem is the weather forecasts are so unpredictable. It might be forecast to rain all day, but only actually rain for short periods of the day, but rubbish if those are the periods you need to do the ridden part of the saddle fit.

I guess I am very lucky having access to a small indoor school and hard standing parking around it. Though it remains a 50 minute round trip walk (that includes some deep mud at the moment) to get to said indoor school. I tend to box over for saddle fittings, so I have both saddles, all shims and saddle cloths etc with me.

 

[94lunagem]

I’m glad it’s not just me who knows she’s in the lucky boat but has still had enough.

I have two on six acres and they rotate round five of them between October and March/April, with the last acre my summer field. They’ve been on a new field two weeks so a decent grass covering means I’m not too churned up. But I have mud. And I never have mud. I’m not used to mud. I don’t like mud. They live out and I could fetch in but they seem happy enough and have plenty to eat, but poo picking and pushing a heavy barrow through sodden ground in the dark every morning it waring me down.

I have standing water in some fields and rivers running down those on a slope. My brook is up over the banks and I’m not sure my morning stood in it at the weekend clearing debris has made any difference to keeping it moving through, there’s just too much water. I’m grateful the house is far enough away from a flooding point of view.

 

[Backtoblack]

I'm in the process of building yarded areas for mine,a stable and large area of hard standing for each of them then at least they can be off the paddocks when it's very wet but can at least stretch their legs. I think we are going to have to Rethink how we keep horses during the winter if the last two years are anything to go by. Leaving them standing in mud 24/7 cannot be any good for them neither can being thoroughly drenched on a regular basis.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

Planning a funeral for my fields. In lieu of flowers, please send hay.

 

[Bobthecob15]

Ours haven’t gone in the fields since Tuesday…too wet. We are at livery and thankfully they’ve all been on either the horse walker twice a day or turned out loose in the school or turnout pen twice a day to stretch legs…it’s pretty frustrating but considering the ground I’m not sure what other choice we have. On the plus side less mud to deal with and horses happily munching on unlimited hay

 

[Bobthecob15]

I'm in the process of building yarded areas for mine,a stable and large area of hard standing for each of them then at least they can be off the paddocks when it's very wet but can at least stretch their legs. I think we are going to have to Rethink how we keep horses during the winter if the last two years are anything to go by. Leaving them standing in mud 24/7 cannot be any good for them neither can being thoroughly drenched on a regular basis.

100% agree, very few yards near me have been able to have horses out in this weather consistently…we are always flooding locally so frustrating

 

[Surbie]

I got stopped by my YO this evening, who started off with 'your horse is such an idiot...' My heart obviously sank at that point. She then showed me a picture of our field's little herd standing and snoozing. In the middle of the new lake in one of the corners. Half-way to their knees.

They are in an 8 or 9 acre field that mostly isn't flooded. I give up...

 

[hock]

I got stopped by my YO this evening, who started off with 'your horse is such an idiot...' My heart obviously sank at that point. She then showed me a picture of our field's little herd standing and snoozing. In the middle of the new lake in one of the corners. Half-way to their knees.

They are in an 8 or 9 acre field that mostly isn't flooded. I give up...

Actually Surbie the correct term is legend

 

[hock]

I’m lucky we have backs first week of March and then Saddles the next day and have a covered yard and a menage. Just saddle checks though. I’ve also stepped up my saddle check to every 6 weeks atm and we’re fittening. I’m trying my very best to support my fitter as I’d rather my husband left me than her .

 

[dorsetladette]

I'm in the process of building yarded areas for mine,a stable and large area of hard standing for each of them then at least they can be off the paddocks when it's very wet but can at least stretch their legs. I think we are going to have to Rethink how we keep horses during the winter if the last two years are anything to go by. Leaving them standing in mud 24/7 cannot be any good for them neither can being thoroughly drenched on a regular basis.

We had these for our stallions when the stud was running. Brilliant things.

I think we will all have to look at hardstanding of one form or another or permanent 'turnout' pens/paddocks for winter.

 

[SEL]

Planning a funeral for my fields. In lieu of flowers, please send hay.

There's ducks on mine this morning. They look happy. I think maybe waterlilies for funeral flowers.

I was hopeful (naive I know) of a few dry days but apparently another heavy band of rain Sunday evening.

Wondering whether to enter the Any Tack class of e-riders in flippers and a snorkel

 

[Highmileagecob]

It was snowing when I went to feed Old Dobbin this morning. Turn out paddock is now completely trashed due to a youngster being turned out after standing in for a week. Mine is happy to go out with the herd after breakfast for a chat and a snooze, but is asking to come in by lunchtime. Unusual, as he is usually the last one standing under the hedge refusing to come in.

 

[Ratface]

When I went to visit Old Horse on Tuesday, armed with fresh M&S carrots for him and the other four residents, YO immediately lit into me because Old Horse had been up to his usual tricks of making bringing in a circus. He had refused to be caught by anyone (Head Groom, YO or assistant groom, all offering scoops of horse nuts) had rampaged about, busting through the live electric fencing onto the Summer paddocks and leaving skid marks everywhere. YO said that she would be cutting down his bucket feed - which is very basic anyway - and see if that made him any more sensible. I made "Yes, good idea. Oh dear. Dreadfully sorry. How annoying" comments. He's very well covered, condition-wise, and very shiny. Teeth just done, farrier done, turned out every day if weather permits.
I changed the subject to her health status, which seems to be improving. A brief interlude of pleasantries and I slithered off. Let's hope she'll be in a better mood on Sunday.

 

[suestowford]

However...a fitter I know who is usually booked up at least 3 months ahead (checks all brands unlike me, sells several brands, and services too end to absolute local leisure riders) is now getting jittery and Walsall is working a short week. There are always exceptions and most fitters won't be making this public.

On the other thread about vet bills there are several posters who say they won't be buying another horse, once their oldies have gone. I think the whole equine industry is about to take a huge hit as incomes fall in real terms, yet prices keep rising.

 

[Sealine]

I think the horses are pretty fed up of this weather. I'm at livery and mine is in a herd of eight that moved into a field a week before xmas. There is no grass left, the gateway is poached and when it rains heavily we have a lake at the bottom of it. I turn two out together, I usually just open the gate and let my horse go in and then lead the second in but today mine decided he would go and find himself some grass and wandered off to eat the grass at the edge of the track instead. The second horse just refused to go in the field. I can't say I blame either of them.

 

[holeymoley]

We're in Scotland so pretty used to being rained on almost throughout the year but jings, this is fairly relentless this year. I suppose we feel like we've not had a break as last Summer was a bit grim. It's actually at the stage where if we have a bright day my eyes squint and feel like they're being burnt by some unusual phenomenon . The fields ae sodden. It doesn't help that I'm in a ' Summer' field at the moment- see previous posts about herd dynamics and mine getting attacked, this was a last resort, but the youngster is now coming in with mud up to his belly and oldie with mud above the knee. It's insane. It's the only gateway not to have hardcore either so it's pretty muddy.

 

[Asha]

I started out the morning by getting wet feet just by stepping outside the back door to put the cat’s food down onto our fully paved patio. It was flooded.

The day got even soggier after that.

It’s getting harder to feel, despite my best efforts, that I am giving my horses a good quality of life. My facilities are good, I do my best, but my fields are overwhelmed. A nearby farmer in his late 80s has never known it to be so bad.

From dog walk this morning, this is just up the road. The fields are too muddy to walk in, so it’s the roads…

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your line about not giving them a quality of life , i think thats whats made me feel so stressed this year. The constant worry about them. But ive had a quick ride around the biggest field and was relieved to see that although there is some surface water, its not muddy and the grass is coming through. So the youngsters really are fine out. But just conscious im coming up to the time of the year where they need to be off the fields to grow my haylage. Theres always something . Was chatting to our vets this other day, and they where telling me a local stud had invested in a woodchip area for when the weather was bad, even thats no good now. So not sure what the solution is

Our lanes are just the same, its like a constant river running down

 

[Titchy Pony]

Weather's crappy over here in my area of France as well. After two winters of very little rain, it feels like it's all come at once. On the bright side, the water tables are back "above average", on the not so bright side: all the mud!
I have fields at different heights in the village with the theory being that the top one would be driest, but it hasn't turned out that way. I'm on clay, so the water just seems to sit in every little dent and hollow of the land. The horses have been in a lot more than last year (I didn't have stables last year!), but it makes life complicated because most of the land I use is not attached to the stables, so I have to trek through the village if I want to bring in or turn out, which I'd really rather not do in the dark, rain and wind. So they often come in for 18-24 hours at a time once or twice a week when the weather's at it's worst. Little Madam practically dragged me through the village to get in yesterday (not really, she does have some manners - but you could tell she really wanted to).
It doesn't help that each time I think it's drying up, down comes the rain again.
Hang on in there everyone. If needs be, I can always float to the rescue in my inflatable canoe.

 

[TwyfordM]

Thinking about it, next winter, I'm buying an Equidry. That will surely guarantee a dry winter?

I tried that. Clearly not worked

 

[expanding_horizon]

I’m lucky we have backs first week of March and then Saddles the next day and have a covered yard and a menage. Just saddle checks though. I’ve also stepped up my saddle check to every 6 weeks atm and we’re fittening. I’m trying my very best to support my fitter as I’d rather my husband left me than her .

Yes I seem to average about every 6-8 weeks for saddle fitter too! And pay same day I get invoice.

 

[Time for Tea]

Our water table is so high our well is pretty much right at the top, level with the ground. I am on gravel soil on a hill, still super wet and muddy though. New Forest like sh1t soup