Rain Ranting Thread

[southerncomfort]

I'm definitely over winter.

We're lucky that although fields are very wet we've still been able to turn out. Hacking is still do-able so it could be a lot worse

For me, the biggest thing I'm struggling with (as someone with SAD) is that we've usually had some break from the wet and grey by now - I think we've literally had a handful of days I've seen the sun!

Same. I've felt quite tearful this week at stupid things that wouldn't normally bother me.

 

[dorsetladette]

Yep feeling quite low about it all.

I have trashed fields and bored youngsters (which equals trashed rugs).

 

[Annagain]

I don't know what you're all complaining about, it's only rained twice here.
.
.
.
The first time for 58 days and the second for 72 days.

 

[Esmae]

My winter fields have never been this bad and we are much better off than some people. It is way beyond a joke now. Hoping for a reasonable summer.

 

[Time for Tea]

It is all quite depressing, and I miss the sun terribly as well. When it’s wet like this with sweeping westerlies, you normally get a lovely windy sunny day or half day in between , but we don’t seem to have had any sun, hardly, and I think the ponies are struggling as well. And the insects are coming! Picked a few ticks off the ponies today.

 

[dorsetladette]

It is all quite depressing, and I miss the sun terribly as well. When it’s wet like this with sweeping westerlies, you normally get a lovely windy sunny day or half day in between , but we don’t seem to have had any sun, hardly, and I think the ponies are struggling as well. And the insects are coming! Picked a few ticks off the ponies today.

Yes I've got visions of rain sheets and fly masks - my lot have those irritating little flying bugs in their ears already. I'm sure we used to get a few weeks 'naked' after rugs came off and before masks go on.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

We have just had at least 36 hours with no rain.

 

[Trouper]

I feel for everyone having to look after horses this winter (and "grateful" that I am too old to do that now) - but also guilty at the large garden full of lush green grass that some of you would kill for.

What is getting to me is the constant solid grey clag of the skies - with or without rain. My body, soul and my arthritis are craving some warmth and sun. This winter has felt like living in a cold shower.

 

[setterlover]

We have just had at least 36 hours with no rain.

Sadly we have had 36 hours solid of rain and still it comes forecast heavy rain all day today.
I feel really sorry for anyone in a flood risk area it must be heartbreaking at least half way up a mountain we don't flood!

 

[Floofball]

Joining in the rant
Mine are still getting out most days - to stand in mud and eat hay - they’re putting on weight now and it’s the wrong time of year for that!! so trying my best to keep them exercised. I’m finding it a slog though, no motivation really for it and they’re fresh so it’s hardly a relaxing/enjoyable task. My car smells of wet dog too

 

[AutumnDays]

Sadly we have had 36 hours solid of rain and still it comes forecast heavy rain all day today.
I feel really sorry for anyone in a flood risk area it must be heartbreaking at least half way up a mountain we don't flood!

We get the run off the mountains behind us, just when I thought there couldn't be anymore water on the fields, it's now mid shin deep! My two are now back in their shed with little concrete yard space I've managed to clear, which isn't ideal, but the alternative is they sink and saturate. I'm trying not to cry in frustration because I don't want any more water on the land!

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

Our fields were finally drying out then on Sunday it started raining again and hasn't stopped since. The 4 year old has tweaked his check ligament, he gets rather expolsive and stupid at more than a day stood in so vet said he could go out in a small bit of the field. As soon as he went out he immediately started doing handstands and basically doing everything the vet said he shouldn't do at this point he'd only been kept in for a morning and he'd normally just wander off. This morning the field is like a swamp and for the first time ever I've kept them all in because even just walking over the driest bits is making it into a mud soup. So now I have 4 annoyed ponies and it's still raining!

 

[I'm Dun]

I sold up last year. It hurt like hell to let my big ginger boy go. This winter has confirmed I did the right thing. Climate change is happening and it appears to be speeding up. Horse keeping is going to have to change dramatically and is going to be more expensive. It will be a worse way of life for the horses and I'm glad I don't have to deal with the moral dilemma of if that's right or wrong or not.

 

[dorsetladette]

Bored babies resulted in another destroyed rug this morning and a fence that really needs some attention.

I need a new water trough as the plastic ones are not standing up to a 14hh welsh yob climbing in them every day.

 

[GrassChop]

I don't want to alarm anyone but there is a big ball of fire in the sky today and it wasn't forecast!

 

[Fransurrey]

Horse definitely footsore, today. Striding out fine on tarmac, but those little stones from driveways were producing a reaction. We were also airborne at the site of a pigeon, so grass is definitely flushing. I'm trying one last type of hoof boot before having shoes put back on for the summer. I walked into my first garden spider web of the year, just now, so spring definitely coming!

 

[Fransurrey]

I don't want to alarm anyone but there is a big ball of fire in the sky today and it wasn't forecast!

We have that, too! Celebrated by letting the chickens onto the allotment for some last minute fertilising!

 

[Pinkvboots]

We have sun ☀ and warmth today

 

[setterlover]

Still endless rain here! The dogs look like drowned rats and another two dog towels go into the washing machine!

 

[Ladybird L]

The fields JUST started to dry out, I finally got out the animals, started RAINING on Tuesday and hasn’t stopped since, fields are one big puddle again even the shelters are sopping, nowhere is dry. I’m wading through that terrible boot sucking mud, and even grass turns into after just getting stepped on once… slipping is too easy to do and the result is terrible

 

[rowan666]

If we get another wet summer like last year I'm honestly done with horses, I've never known things to be this bad and I'm usually one to see the the silver lining and make the most of the field lake but the constant dull grey sky and cost of keeping the horses semi happy at the minute is just soul destroying. My colt has trashed so many rugs and fences out of boredom and my poor old boys feet are really struggling with the constant wet but there's literally nowhere to get out of it. Stables and field shelter are flooding now on the worst days which has never happened in 25 years we've been on the land, doesn't help that the roof needs fixing too which also can't be done until the everything dries out

 

[setterlover]

I think everyone is suffering all over the country.
Like a lot of people I really now want to walk away from horse ownership, this winter has been brutal and shows no signs of ending yet.
The 3 horses I've got will stay with me until they go given their ages I would never move them on.
One who is 25 will probably see out the summer but health issues means he won't do next winter.
Of the other 2 one is 25 /26 with COPD so he is on borrowed time depending on how he does .
The last one is 18 in April when the others pass we will sell up our smallholding and downsize to a country cottage and there will be no more horses .The remaining one will go into retirement livery.
This last year of a miserable summer and a winter that began in July has sealed the decision.

 

[Chippers1]

This is the first year since I've had Buzz that I am stabled/DIY livery and I am struggling with the lack of turn out and feeling really guilty about my lack of motivation to ride. Buzz hates the rain (as do I!) and I think he is actually enjoying being in but it's just relentless. Our fields are hilly so the bottom is just a bog. They're turned out every other day which is good but I'm just finding it all a bit difficult. Plus the cost of hay and straw with being in so much.
It's mainly the guilt about not riding so much though, I do get him out into a round pen for some in-hand work and I take him in-hand grazing plus we also have inside turnout pens they can go into (Buzz hates these and stands shouting at me to get him in however!) but it does feel like it's not enough and I'm just feeling like a terrible owner

 

[GrassChop]

I don't want to alarm anyone but there is a big ball of fire in the sky today and it wasn't forecast!

Never mind, it's gone now and it's raining again.

 

[meleeka]

Never mind, it's gone now and it's raining again.

Just what I came here to say. I was mooching around doing the horses without my coat, enjoying the lovely weather when it started raining again

I just want it to dry enough to harrow the field. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable request.

 

[GrassChop]

Just what I came here to say. I was mooching around doing the horses without my coat, enjoying the lovely weather when it started raining again

I just want it to dry enough to harrow the field. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable request.

Me too. I did the horses without a coat or jumper, it was lovely.

I'm desperate to harrow my fields too.

 

[94lunagem]

We've had two dry days in a row!

 

[setterlover]

We've had two dry days in a row!

We haven't had 2 dry hours !!

 

[94lunagem]

We haven't had 2 dry hours !!

I spoke too soon, it is now raining!

 

[exracehorse]

Lovely lovely weather today. Shame horses are only out for short time as they are literally standing in thick mud. They are bored of the hay. And the youngster is fed up. I’ve got a bad back and lost motivation to ride.