Mild winter?

My_breadbagel

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Has this winter been mild or is it just me? I’ve hardly had the horses in, only twice a week tops. What is going on? Is it just me? I miss having the ponies in but I can’t justify it!
 
We strip graze our fields and for the first time that I can remember we still have grass. Plus the fields aren’t a boggy mess.
 
Yep mild here, we had mi us 22 some nights last wi term, it snowed christmas eve and that same snow was on the ground when I drove to Essex on the 13th February and there was snow next to the roads on the whole 500 mile route.
This year no snow to speak of and very few frosts, I prefer the old at least it brings the sun and we get to see the otter everyday.
That said I don't want snow at lambing this year, it's a real headache.
Its too warm and the bugs thrive
 
I’m loving how dry it is, given how wet November and December were.
My field is bang on for being harrowed but I know there’s no point with Feb and March to come.
There’s definitley been some cold spells and hard frosts but also some bonkers warm days too.
So long as it’s dry I’m happy.
I’d be happier if it would get a little colder so I could get more weight off the fat one because it’s been too mild and he’s too fat still, but it often snows in Feb/March so I’m holding out for that!
 
Very dry here hasn't rained significantly since well before Christmas but keep expecting a deluge and floods just hope we don't get snow as I hate it. Due light rain overnight tonight ponies haven't been wet for days so the youngsters have no rugs this year
 
It’s been a kind winter here this year. Hardly any mud and only a few bitterly cold days. Another who’s not had them in much, probably about 3 nights in total. I’m banking on a warm summer too, after the rubbish summer last year.
 
It's the wet that makes all the difference to me. I have water meadow, and one higher paddock on clay. This year has been terrific. I don't think my fields have ever looked better at this time of year.

We've had some very warm spells, but what has made it feel 'kind' (word taken from poster above who is quite near me) is that the cold days, (and there have been plenty) have been calm and dry, rather than bitter and windy.
 
very dry and mild..................normally i am having mud related nervous breakdown by Jan but so far i haven't had to wash legs off a single day!

01/03 mine normally move to summer paddocks so fingers crossed for a kind feb too!
 
It's been unusually dry and mild here (south east)- clipped cobbus is out in a 50g most days, and we're on heavy clay so I am grateful for the lack of mud so far.

On the flip side, my horse isn't losing the weight he normally would so I am kinda crossing fingers for some prolonged cold.
 
It’s been a very very mild winter here .
If I can get the fencer to finish next week in the new paddock and it stays like this mine will go out at night and I will stop feeding forage apart from when they come in for work .
However it might do anything and the fencer might not be seen until Easter .
 
There's still a good 6/7 weeks of winter left so plenty of time! I often find Feb / early March the worst for frost and snow. The first half of winter has been very dry though and that's usually the wet half of winter. Ours were out a good three weeks longer than usual. It was those two storms that did for them being out as YO decided after the first one but before the second that they had to come in (overnight) . Since that storm though, I could count the number of days where the weather's been bad enough for them to be in on the fingers of one hand. Sadly once they're in, they're in until the spring. There's no leaving them out if the weather's good. It's more than a lot of yards get in our area though so I'll take it. Charlie's only been in a 100g turnout all winter (with an Irish clip). He has a tiny handful of food to prevent him trashing his stable in protest (he did the first week when he had no hard food) and hasn't dropped an ounce of weight.
 
It's awesome. Getting by on just three sections of hay between two horses each day as it's so mild and still have grass.

No mud, no rugs.

12 degrees here today.
 
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