Long range weather forecast from 22 Dec onwards - serious blizzards

[Judgemental]

Having started this thread, I feel it incumbent to comment on the future.

The next question, what to do with the horses? I am going to be extremely careful in what I say, bearing in mind all the expensive liveries and livery yard owners who read this forum. Along with hunt treasurers, although when it comes to money in my humble opinion the cash should not stop flowing to the hunt, sport or no sport, coupled to all the disappointment.

Hacking around the roads that are clear and where they are safe, is often the only option to keep the horses reasonably fit. Of course there are all weather schools and indoor schools.

Does one keep the horses up, or simply temporarily rough them off and bring them back up for spring hunting. That I stress is not a suggestion - it is a question and no doubt, all sorts of folk will come down upon my head for even mentioning the subject. However one has to think of the horses and what is best.

So may I suggest all those who are far more knowledgeable than I, provide some illumination for the younger members, who have never been through this scenario?

1stclassalan, I agree but let us take a hypothetical situation, similar to 1947 purely for example, what do you suggest be done with the horses?

Should they be kept up or roughed off?

 

[AML]

I’m not sure finance is the over-riding consideration, but practicality. The person that keeps their horse at home and has the facilities, can turn away their horse if it suits them. Those that keep them at livery, do so for a number of reasons and the yard may not have the facilities to suddenly turn away a number of fit, clipped horses.

I have a yard full of hunters, which have had one days hunting since 23rd Nov. I have been luckier than many in my area, in that I have managed to get them out hacking on all bar two days. This has involved some road work, but also going on the downs and best of all has been hacking through the woods, where the going has been good.

It's not the fitness that I'm worried about so much, but keeping them safe and sane. If the horse has been got fit "properly" then so long as you can keep it on tick over, it should be okay to hunt when the time comes, albeit sensibly.

Having said that, I have stopped working two six year olds, that aren’t coping. The more experienced horses are coping fine. They hack, they play in the field and they have been up the gallop last week.

Drop the hard food right down and keep them going out, even if only in the field, but do it every day that is safe, as then they don’t hoon around so much as when they go out sporadically.

I’m paid to have the horses fit and ready to go when hunting resumes and the two I have “turned away” won’t be going out when the others re-start, but the owners understand this.

So … keep them working and be ready to go when the weather behaves (soon I hope!)
Or … turn them away and not be ready.

Individual choice.

 

[Judgemental]

I’m not sure finance is the over-riding consideration, but practicality. The person that keeps their horse at home and has the facilities, can turn away their horse if it suits them. Those that keep them at livery, do so for a number of reasons and the yard may not have the facilities to suddenly turn away a number of fit, clipped horses.

I have a yard full of hunters, which have had one days hunting since 23rd Nov. I have been luckier than many in my area, in that I have managed to get them out hacking on all bar two days. This has involved some road work, but also going on the downs and best of all has been hacking through the woods, where the going has been good.

It's not the fitness that I'm worried about so much, but keeping them safe and sane. If the horse has been got fit "properly" then so long as you can keep it on tick over, it should be okay to hunt when the time comes, albeit sensibly.

Having said that, I have stopped working two six year olds, that aren’t coping. The more experienced horses are coping fine. They hack, they play in the field and they have been up the gallop last week.

Drop the hard food right down and keep them going out, even if only in the field, but do it every day that is safe, as then they don’t hoon around so much as when they go out sporadically.

I’m paid to have the horses fit and ready to go when hunting resumes and the two I have “turned away” won’t be going out when the others re-start, but the owners understand this.

So … keep them working and be ready to go when the weather behaves (soon I hope!)
Or … turn them away and not be ready.

Individual choice.

AML that is a most excellent post - there are a huge number of people who simply have never had any experience of keeping fit horses, clipped out in these weather conditions, for a long period.

I think the more comments of what folk are doing, or for the 'old-timers' to give the benefit of their experience is very valuable.

Ours (we are private owners on our own gound) come in at night and then go out during the day. We try and use tractor grease in the hoofs but it only makes for picking the snowballs out much easier, rather than actually stopping balling.

 

[rosie fronfelen]

Ours are turned out daily and haven't been ridden since the opening meet, thanks to the weather, and now look rough as guts, cosmetically!!They are full of themselves mind you- we are up to our eyes in snow and its now drifting, so horse meets are far in the distance!!

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

I don't know what the hell is going on with the weather, but today there was a forecast of:
'possible snow in the Southern Highlands'.

That probably sounds quite rational but LOOK at where I live!!!! :O

I have no idea if it did eventuate, but can say that we had an unseasonably cold day (18C - we're normally looking at mid 30's coming up to Xmas!) and some really odd weather this last week.

ETS - I am really jealous of your snow as I haven't seen decent snow in over 8 yrs and really miss it! However I appreciate that it must be making life incredibly hard, and I sincerely hope everyone finds a way to look after their horses.

 

[Doormouse]

I would agree entirely with AML on the 'older horse' theme. I was most put out in October when I realised my 4 year old (who I bought in May) was in foal and due in February. There goes my hunting I thought. 2 weeks later I was offered a 13 year old ex racehorse to hunt and having had him a week I hunted him and he was great. He has now had one day since then which was Thursday and he was a star again but he has spent most of this time during the freeze on the walker and I managed to ride him for a few canters just before he went out on Thursday.
All I can think is thank god my 4 year old isn't in work, she would never have coped with the situation the way the 13 year old has, he has just accepted it and been a star but the poor baby would have gone mad. If she had been in work I would have roughed her off rather than drive her round the bend.
Established older horses accept a certain amount of 'institutionalisation' and cope but you cannot expect the younger horses to deal with this on off situation.

 

[FairyLights]

Tomorrow, the winter solstice, there is to be a full lunar eclipse.

 

[tootsietoo]

Mine is well rugged up and turned out with the ponies for now, until the weather is better. I feel terribly guilty, as if I should be making the effort to take him to the indoor school or gallops, although I know that this is not practical either from a road safety point of view (I might make it with the trailer on the back, I might not!) or from a financial pov (at £15 a pop).

I feel a bit better about it if that is what other people are doing. Although I doubt I will manage a proper day's hunting until early Feb after such a long period with little/no work.

Disappointed is not the word .

 

[Judgemental]

If MetOffice, Metcheck and the BBC are correct, we are going to have another heavy snowfall in the next 48/72 hours.

 

[irish_only]

Ours says light sleet then rain. Here's hoping it's right.