Just marking myself safe from Winter 2023/2024

[Asha]

I have help with my lot although usually guilt drives me to crack on along side/chat .

This morning as I heard the typhoon outside and felt the warmth of my 3 cats and 3 dogs clutched to my side under under the covers, I decided not today Satan, today I am stoping here to fulfill my duty to the animals.

Obviously she couldn’t get here as everywhere’s so flooded!

The dogs had to stay in bed as I have poodles and they take on water like a super sized tampon!

Thanks for the laugh hock that was much needed.

its been the hardest winter ive ever known, which is forcing my hand to give up the dream of running a small scale irish draught stud. My fields have never been so bad, its depressing looking at them. I thought i was well prepared, new hay ring feeders, field shelters, pallet of mud control mats and stocked up shavings plus ample haylage. Then the storm ruined my field shelter, the insurance company trying to wriggle out of a payout to replace. Have had to leave the broken one in situ while they eventually get a surveyor round. 2 weeks of metal detecting to find all the spare nails. Then contractor leaves part of the roof in the yard stacked up neatly, someone moved it without mentioning it and dropped some nails in front of gate. Cue one of the youngsters walking out of the field fine, then steps onto a nail and blood everywhere. Box rest for a month, so then have to rotate everyone so she has company. Just as she is sound and allowed turnout one of the ridden ones comes in with a fat leg. Turns out its md fever, so after injections etc can only be turned out in the arena until it dries up. im knackered.

 

[Identityincrisis]

Am i the only one to think this winter has been easier than last?!

I hate snow and ice which we had more of for a lot longer last year. Yes i’m sick of rain and we’re on clay but the winter field has hardcore in the gateway this year which has made it so much safer!

I’ve been riding all winter too ….. don’t want to come across as smug as this time last year i was close to packing it all in (nit really)

 

[hairycob]

I bought an extra water but last spring which guaranteed the wet summer. So I got another one in the autumn to try and guarantee a dry winter but all 3 were full before the end of October

 

[Annagain]

Am i the only one to think this winter has been easier than last?!

I hate snow and ice which we had more of for a lot longer last year. Yes i’m sick of rain and we’re on clay but the winter field has hardcore in the gateway this year which has made it so much safer!

I’ve been riding all winter too ….. don’t want to come across as smug as this time last year i was close to packing it all in (nit really)

I think you might be! We didn't have a particularly icy winter here last year but it was cold and dry for large stretches and I'd take a bit of ice of this ran any day! We haven't had more than 2, possibly 3 days in a row without rain all winter. Even during the one cold spell we had in January we had a couple of showers. I hung a rug up to dry in Archie's stable at the end of January, it's still damp! I'm not normally the sort of person to get depressed but all this rain is starting to get me down. A bright, cold sunny day in winter lifts the soul.

 

[wiglet]

The rain has stopped here so I've just been down the lane to check my horse and the field.
Field now resembles a lake but it is still dry(ish) at the top.
Horse is stood in the lake and her ears were full of midges so I had to fly repell her. And it's only February

 

[maya2008]

I’ve turned mine out naked in warm dry temperatures a few hours ago with forecasts of light rainshowers. The sky is now black and it’s been pelting down for a good 30 mins … two very angry very itchy boys will be expecting me at the gate this evening I expect.

I went out this morning also expecting light showers. What I got, was heavy rain. One soaking wet coat later... I don't trust the weather forecasters!!!

 

[vhf]

Thoroughly done with it now. We're on light. quick-draining soil. Ten years ago I was jumping in the field on Christmas day. I'm not sure we've had 48 dry hours since September this time around. This morning I was paddling from the back door to the feedroom, the horses are stood in coronet-deep standing water in the field, I'm meant to be doing an extra-exciting run in the trailer on Saturday and I literally can't get it out of the field.

 

[setterlover]

We have a large acerage (15 acres) and only 3 horses large pole barn available from all fields so not terrible but our free draining soil is sodden so although it looks goods when you stand on it water cones up your boot about ankle high.
The forecast doesn't look much better up to the end of February just would like 2 or 3 days together when it doesn't rain or drizzle or blow a hoolie in your face!!!
An odd dry day and it starts to dry out then back comes the wet again,!
All work on the land is on hold we need to chain harrow and roll and the summer fields needs work done on the fencing but getting any sort of machinery on the field would wreck the grass for the spring.
I just seem to be living my life on hold!!!
Praying for a dry spring

 

[Love]

I tried to poo pick yesterday and thought I was going to have to call out search and rescue to get me and my completely sunk wheelbarrow back up the hill...

 

[Ricedance]

I have a river running down my track to my fields but luckily It runs onto the road rather than into my fields but my fields are just soaked, completely saturated. I have a dry field but that’s my summer grazing so it’s left. I’ve made a strip in my oldies field that he’s on, if he trashes it then he trashed it, it will recover for next winter.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

The farm higher up than our yard block paved their yard and driveway last summer, so we now have an absolute torrent of water running down the lane. The land drains are running full bore and we have fountains in two places when the rain is belting down. If Old Dobbin wasn't so old, I would seriously consider a move across to the east of the Pennines.

Not much better east of the Pennines one of my fields is half under water and places that haven’t flooded in living memory are sodden.

 

[Melody Grey]

Plan A: out overnight
Plan B: in overnight
Plan C: out every other day
Plan D: out for a few hours every other day
Plan E: who knows, I give up!
Plan F: book a holiday

We’re at plan E now, fast approaching plan F for anyone wondering!

 

[Landcruiser]

How is everyone? I have a 18” wide river running down my drive. The only good thing it’ll puddle at the cross roads and I can take the babies for some splashy fun!

How is everyone baring up?

Also splashing around with youngster. They are all out 24/7 on large turnout with shelter, muddy in places but not deep. I’d love to get them on the fields but we’re on deep clay

 

[suestowford]

The only good thing about the flood across our lane (our only way out of here...) is that it's handy for washing mud off the ponies' legs. Just a little stroll through the water and they are clean as a whistle.
But they are both finding this winter difficult as damp is hard on the arthritic. Just getting about in all the mud is not easy for any of us.

 

[Hallo2012]

for the first time all winter......i left mine in.

they want to go on the fields, but then when they get to the gates they realize its still a knee deep bog and wont walk on, and in the sand pens they are bored after an hour even with ad lib hay and just stand and look cold and fed up and dont eat and get hangry

they were eating happily in the stables so i left them in, hand grazed round the edge of the hardcore path and will do same later.

its just vile.

 

[Polos Mum]

I usually hate February but this year I have been googling "how to show Guinea Pigs" more than usual. I think I could have a few little furries live happily in a stable and I could probably muck out into 1 wheelbarrow all winter ?

We are now forecast sleet / snow tonight - just to add insult to injury.

Horses look like they have been iced (with mud), they are bored in and more bored out so being feral and silly.

And most of the sand from my school has been washed into my neighbours field so £££ to fix that in the summer

 

[Surbie]

I am soooooooooooo glad I moved to a yard with an indoor. Even if the surface does need sorting (same as most DIY yards in my area though!). While I can't ride for long, at least that can happen in the dry.

*ducks and runs for cover*

 

[sbloom]

Cancellations for saddle fits, and general lack of bookings, off the scale. The saddle industry, makers and fitter, is going to be decimated and noones talking about it. I'm sure other equine industries are similar. Look after your freelancers especially if you can!

 

[Peglo]

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

I know where you could find a brand new one with tags in an XS, discounted price

 

[HelenBack]

Cancellations for saddle fits, and general lack of bookings, off the scale. The saddle industry, makers and fitter, is going to be decimated and noones talking about it. I'm sure other equine industries are similar. Look after your freelancers especially if you can!

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?

 

[SEL]

Cancellations for saddle fits, and general lack of bookings, off the scale. The saddle industry, makers and fitter, is going to be decimated and noones talking about it. I'm sure other equine industries are similar. Look after your freelancers especially if you can!

My physio and I hid in a stable this morning and decided a trot up in torrential rain wasn't going to happen - but I'm not sure a saddle fit would have been very constructive. Leaving aside the lake pouring from the sky I don't have an indoor arena so would have been riding in a field lake.

I do feel very sorry for everyone self employed who is being hit by this weather. It seems never ending.

 

[Bobthecob15]

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?

We had a fitter out last week for a fellow livery, it was chucking it down!! Yes the saddles got wet...she didn't mind though, its so hard to get a fitter out and she was happy to carry on.

I once had one out and it started snowing...we tried to go into the arena but pony said a big fat nope! In the end she had to 'fit' the saddle walking up and down in the American barn we had. Really not ideal!! I would have just cancelled but she refused to!

 

[SEL]

Plan A: out overnight
Plan B: in overnight
Plan C: out every other day
Plan D: out for a few hours every other day
Plan E: who knows, I give up!
Plan F: book a holiday

We’re at plan E now, fast approaching plan F for anyone wondering!

I'm at E.

 

[Gloi]

Not quite drowned yet. Glad of the sand turnout paddocks. Thinking of trading car in for a hovercraft.

 

[expanding_horizon]

So grim and depressing. Mud mud mud. I hacked in driving rain before work yesterday and got everything wet. Got it all dried out, today I hacked 25 minutes to a lesson before work in an indoor school. |And hacked the 25 minutes back. Got most things wet (saddle was well covered and I have waterproofs). Horse living out, but has a mud mat station and pathway and lots of natural shelter. But mud everywhere is still grim!!

 

[expanding_horizon]

I bought an extra water but last spring which guaranteed the wet summer. So I got another one in the autumn to try and guarantee a dry winter but all 3 were full before the end of October

What is buying an extra water?

 

[expanding_horizon]

Cancellations for saddle fits, and general lack of bookings, off the scale. The saddle industry, makers and fitter, is going to be decimated and noones talking about it. I'm sure other equine industries are similar. Look after your freelancers especially if you can!

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.

 

[9tails]

I think I've developed trench foot.

 

[9tails]

What is buying an extra water?

butt, she missed off a t.

 

[poiuytrewq]

We are also on top of a hill. My gateway is actually fine but half way down the hill there is a really wet patch. I’m lucky in that it will dry out very quickly.
Weirdly being higher up we have currently got two pumps going 24/7. One to stop the under ground bit of the grain store flooding and one in a well! Everything drains into the well which was over flowing, you normally have a job to see the water if you look down it. So there is a pump diverting that into the lower fields or it backs up and floods the yard.
Amazingly today I’ve avoided some real torrential down pours! I’ve done loads outside including standing for the farrier, poo picking, dog and horse walking and only got damp once

It just has to stop soon surely