OMG. The weather. The mud. Will it ever stop raining?

[now_loves_mares]

Warning - rant alert!

I am having one of those self-indulgent moments where everything seems a bit much. I went down to feed my horses tonight, who made a big song and dance of coming out of the shelter. The TB had her head tucked right down and was looking miserable. I fed them in the shelter and put some haylage in, but it's just so depressing. The field is just awash. I'm not exaggerating, it's deep deep mud, and every bit is full of water. Even the bits that have been rested and aren't chewed up are covered in lying water, the water table is just saturated. Even the inside of the shelter is getting chewed up, and that has hardcore down!!!

I'm resisting taking them in as they DO have a shelter, and it's actually not that cold. But they are constantly caked in wet mud around their legs, their tails are a disgrace, the rugs need cleaned, and winter hasn't even started yet.

Anyway out of this rant I do have some real questions:

Do the rubber mats with holes work as a base in a shelter and around gateways?

Do you think restricting turn out actually makes a difference to the state of your field? I know this sounds like a no-brainer but I'll explain more. By restricting turn out, I mean in at night but out all day, I'm not about to start standing them in to protect the field. But all summer they have been out 24/7 even though it's been so wet, would my field be any less trashed if I'd taken them in overnight all summer? I'm talking particularly about the area nearest the gate, and given the shape of the field, there is no way to keep them off this bit in particular.

Finally - do you think horses actually care that their lower legs are permanently soaking and their tails have the look of a drowned rat, or is this just my own pride that's an issue?

God I hate winter. Why oh why oh why can't it just stop raining for a few sodding days.......

Big glass of wine and a bit of chocolate if you got this far - I did warn you!

 

[Ziggy_]

Simple solution - move down south. Its been 18 degrees and sunny all week here - the ground is rock hard, the grass is still growing and the horses are out naked!

Edited to gloat a little more!

 

[Horseyscot]

Sod off you - Scotland does have some plus points ***runs off to try to think of some....*****

 

[Chestnuttymare]

you MUST be due me a glass of wine and a chocolate by now

well when i passed today HB was out munching and M must have been hiding from the rain in the field shelter. when i passed a few days ago, they were sheltering behind it.

In answer to the limited turnout thing. that is what we have done, in at night and out daytime, sometimes just for 5 or 6 hours depending on the weather at the moment. they have had 24 hour turnout but because of the wetness this year, a lot of the time they have been in at night and our fields are looking not too bad. Still wet of course but not churned. we have the hard standings too for when we are restricting them. My big one can't stand getting wet and ploughing thro' boggy stuff. She would also get mud fever so the hard stand suits her really well and not being in a muddy field.
You are welcome to come up and have a nosy at ours.

 

[now_loves_mares]

Scotland's plus points - hmmm let's see:

We have never had a hosepipe ban in our lives

And - um - that's all I can think of right now

Chestnut mare - the bottle's open!
I guess I just see a long winter ahead of me, and would have them in in a flash if it wasn't for the traipsing back and forth to the field with them. The minute the weather is even a little wet and windy they become monsters, rearing, bucking, biting each other or me. That for half a mile is not fun, so I'm putting it off as long as possible. Just really really need to persuade the farmer to rent me the field next to the house

Once winter hits properly (OMG. It gets worse??!!) I am considering using the hardstanding bit where my muckheap is as a twice a week turnout area. But think the field might be beyond repair for this year anyway. Stupid horses, going to take up showing my cats instead

Ok rant over. Will give them a wash tomorrow and that will tidy them up for about 8 seconds.

 

[Chestnuttymare]

I know, it is a pain having that bit to go to the field from the house. can you still cross the field to the house, coz if you meet anything on that road when you are leading the 2 is a nightmare, it is so narrow. especially if they are pratting around. Have you spoken to the farmer about the field behind you. it is ideal, you could even have a wee school, a wee paddock for winter that you could trash and lots of nice grazing in summer. I think the girl that was there before you tried but never got it.
eta the previous people used that area as a hard stand quite a lot in the winter.

 

[Boodle]

I just want to sympathise.
It took my 1 hour 20 mins to get home today as I had to keep finding detours around closed/flooded roads.

My ponies are miserable but I don't have stables they can go into.

Everywhere is underwater.

It *sucks*

 

[scotsmare]

My horses have been IN since yesterday morning when it began to rain and it hasn't bloody stopped. My field resembles a swimming pool and my stables resemble several muck heaps. Horses are however fine and downing olympic sized portions of haylage

On the upside only another *gulp* 5 1/2 months of winter left......

I think I'm going to take up hamster breeding......

 

[now_loves_mares]

IT's just crap, isn't it.

Today I spent 4 sodding/sodden hours trying to poo-pick my field. What a joke. The bit at the gate/in the shelter was fine, but the field is so chewed up that pushing the barrow was murder. I was, quite literally, crying with tiredness and frustration. I have now let them out into the full 10 acres, and am going to have to work on the assumption that the size of the field will minimise worm damage.There is no way I can ever ever do that again. <searches for a sobbing smiley>

Chestnut mare - we asked a couple of weeks ago, and the guy we spoke to was apparently going to talk to his brother, but haven't heard back. We offered to buy, rent, rent part, rent a tiny part, long-term let, short term let, buy a corner for an arena - everything basically. I think that's making it feel even harder at the moment - there is a much better solution staring me in the face <searches for a howling smiley this time> I actually saw them both today as had to call them to tell them two of their cows were on the road. I'm hoping the good samaritan act will work in my favour

At least the weather was better today, albeit rain clouds were once again gathering as I came inside tonight.

I hate horses, I hate Scotland, I hate winter, and I'm saving extra special hate for my OH who is currently on his way home from a week in Mauritius.....

Still - he's back tomorrow and has LOTS of chores to do

 

[Nookster]

Not sure most fields would stand up to the massive amount of rain we have had of late. I sometimes feel by restricting them you can create more mess and they are more hyped when they do get out. We have quite a good bit of land to play with so although our current section is rather a mess at the gate its not phased us - not so sure if i had less i would be as please with the way it was.

If your worried about mud caking their legs, the wet etc. Try Pig oil and sulphur. Protects the legs - fantastic for preventing and healing mud fever. Mud rolls off also, can also be applied to their tails- my lads legs are happy and healthy no matter what conditions hes stood in. One less thing to worry about!