New owner! First winter! Some advice pleaase :) xxx

[Rosie1998]

Hey guys,

As some of you may know from previous posts... I've been around horses for years working on yards etc went to college got the quals.

However this is my first year of owning my own 2 horses who I rescued about a year back. We are currently on a big learning curve through winter and I am feeding them plently of hay etc but will all the rain our field is very muddy in places however it still had areas where its green and so far... their is always somewhere dry for them to stand!

They live at my uncles house we dont have a lot of land however have plan to extend by another acre for this winter coming. My family are not horsey people *but like to think they are and their always getting funny with me for the mud saying how boggy it is etc.

Its good ground and recovers quickly. they like the idea of horses but dont like the work that comes with it

What I'm basically asking is :

Is teh field being muddy a problem if they always got bits they can get on that are dry and about 80% of it is still green over?

Im constantly checking legs for mud fever etc and protecting them the best I can..

They are two very good doer cobs... that still carry a bit of exess blubber


I thought I was doing okay and winter = mud but when there constantly on my case it really makes me doubt myself

No hate please I try my best!

 

[Morgan123]

I know how you feel and I've had horses all my life ;-). Basically, as long as they are happy and healthy, not much you can do. Gateways will always be muddy. As long as there's bits they can lie down on and enough to eat, if I had some healthy cobs I wouldn't be too concerned. Obviously if your family are worried about them trashing it so you ahve nothing left for summer that's a bit different, but given that cobs live on fresh air and the ground recovers amazingly well, it's probably not too big a deal. And anyway it's nearly spring! hang on in there....

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

If you had a field with no mud it would almost certainly be covered in grass, which would be no good for your cobs at all. If they're still a bit fat now you want to be trying to get that off before the spring grass comes through, because they'll probably put on weight then anyway. Consider reducing the weight of the rugs if they're wearing one or leaving unrugged if not clipped, partially clipping them if they're not clipped already or fully clipping them if they are already part clipped (full clipped will need a rug), increasing the work load or changing part of the hay ration to straw. I assume they're not getting any hard feed, if they are I'd cut that out, or reduce it to a token handful of something low energy and high fibre. Your family have unrealistic expectations with regards to what a suitable field for cobs should look like.

 

[Rosie1998]

Yeah I wasn't to worried until they started banging on. They don't care about the horses its all about looks there happy enough one enjoys a good roll in it now and then Yeah well my plan is before long split in half so some can recover it does come back quick and to be honest their a right pair of fatties... Thanks so much for your help! puts my my mind aat rest Im just giving them plently of forage thorughout the day x

 

[Rosie1998]

Yeah thing is their both companions one sadly has been put out of work for numerous reasons The other Ive just had from world horse welfare and she hasnt long been weened from a foal they said its a foal belly... Im exercising best I can and ones only in a lightweight others naked and Thank you I wasnt worried till they started banging on.

 

[LD&S]

If they are fatties already I'd consider reducing some of the forage a bit too, I don't know where you are but I've already noticed mine are grazing more recently so there's obviously a bit of new grass coming through.

 

[Rosie1998]

If they are fatties already I'd consider reducing some of the forage a bit too, I don't know where you are but I've already noticed mine are grazing more recently so there's obviously a bit of new grass coming through.

Yeah I have cut it down one came to me obease shes lost a load of weight which is what she needed to do x

 

[poiuytrewq]

Every single horse field has bad mud right now, except the livery yard I ride past and look longingly at!!! However the fact is they have grass because the horses are cooped up all winter with no turnout.
I moved my retired gelding in December because I was made to feel guilty about him being stood in mud! Like yours he had places to get out of it and plenty of grass but sometimes liked to chill in the gateway and watch people go by. I got complaint after complaint about the poor horses stood in mud when they should be in. Tried to explain he hates being in and would be miserable but in the end moved him to a field with a shelter (always the plan I just leave it as long as possible!) and guess what... he still stands in the mud at the gate!
Try not to take it to heart. They are fine and well dine on rescuing them xx