Roll on autumn!

springgrass

springgrass

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 May 2013
Messages
88
Location
north somerset
Visit site
I hate to moan but I'm going to!

This heat is driving me bonkers. The horses are suffering and it's got to the point I don't know what to do with the poor things. They are hot and plagued by flies when out (fly kitted up) and don't have an awful lot of shade (although choose not to stand in it anyway). We have been bringing them in during the day but the stables are so hot....too hot! So out they are staying, with perhaps an hour or so in to escape the flies and to have a cold sponge down.

The ponies are going bonkers in their paddock due to the flies :(

Hacking is NOT enjoyable...left it until late tonight and was still too hot. Schooling out of the question in this heat for me.

The smallest of yard chore sees me covered in a layer of sweat and this makes me grumpy!

I have to admit, I actually prefer the mud and rain of winter and all that comes with it!

Anyone else feeling the same or am I just a grumpy grump?!
 
No, you're not the only one!! I am six and a half months pregnant, and trying to manage my mare alone still and keep her fit by lunging daily. This week has just been unbearable, and I have barely been able to do a thing. Even standing watching my instructor school her the other day was painfully hot - I thought I was going to pass out any second! She's barely been exercised too, which is annoying as I have really been pushing myself on days where I feel exhausted after work to lunge her and keep her fitness up to scratch, but it's just not happened.
 
I agree. I'm only managing to exercise by getting up at 5.15, far too early for me, so I'm knackered! The grass just keeps coming too, and the ponies are getting too fat!
 
My favorite place at the moment is the shower after picking up 2 barrow full of droppings, my horses don't seem to bothered by the heat just the flies, until you try and put stuff on them and then I'm trying to kill them and the dogs are hating the heat as well. Just a little rain to cool things down a little is all I ask.
 
I can't imagine being pregnant in this heat AND doing horses! It's unbearable enough as it is.
My friend and I convinced ourselves not to ride again until it cooled down after this evening, (although we were just being dramatic as so hot).
You have the perfect excuse to kick back a bit, but I understand your frustrations as you want to keep your mare fit
 
I haven't ridden for days. My horses, particularly my mare, hate the heat. They go out at night and come in by day, going back out at 9.30. Our stables get hot too, we have chains across the doors, so they are left open, and have rigged fans up on the bulkhead of the stables so at least there is some cool air wafting on them.
 
I had a lesson this evening and it was still 25 degrees, luckily the school was in the shade but still horrible and I was sooo envious of my boy whilst I was hosing him down afterwards - really wanted to just turn it on myself!
 
I agree, it is so hot, I am sweating just resting! Went teaching yesterday, and it was uncomfortable picking poles and moving jumps at 4pm in the direct sun.

Le Trec this weekend, and I was so looking forward to it, but in the heat I am a bit glum at the prospect of 2 days away with only my lorry as my base, and riding in the mid day sun.

My horse seems less bothered than me, although he is sweating under his fly rug. I am bringing him in after just 4 hours, at 1pm, and he is ken to be back in the cool stable.
 
I'm totally in agreement - perfection is a crisp Autumn day, but riding in the rain still beats this unbearable heat any day. Mine don't seem too bothered either but it might be a different story if they had to work hard. The seem to enjoy their field shelter or standing in a corner of the field under the trees where there's a little breeze (occasionally)
 
You're not the only one! About 3 times this week I've arrived at the yard to find my horse soaking in sweat even though she has more than enough shade and can even walk in and out of her stable when she wants. I'm sunburnt and only get a few hours sleep a night due to the heat, and its too hot in the day to do anything except sit on the sofa. Roll on winter I say!
 
Gareth did half hour Polocrosse training last night till sasha was dripping sweat... But she loved the cold hosepipe on her afterwards, trouble is I then need to wash sweaty tack and numnahs !!! Poor gareth was dripping too.. And he never even got out of a trot!!!!
 
My field is on a hill so often has a breeze but my worry is the hard ground as both of mine have had injuries just messing in the field. i too have masses of grass and can only bear to ride early morning before work.
 
I've had enough too. Horses hate it and just spend all day standing in their shelter. Grass keeping growing and I'm spending a small fortune on fly repellent.

Roll on autumn and no bug rugs and gazing muzzles!!

Plus work is unbearable. All week I've got older style trains with no air con, that have been sat in the sidings with all the window in the blazing sun. Like getting into an oven and sitting there for 4 hours.
 
Last edited:
My boy (a traditional cob) is donning long plaits in his mane to help with airflow to his neck and so far he's had a feather wash one evening and a mane wash another evening, as well as an all over hose down too. He's loved it ....and so have I !! :). I've got a tail wash lined up for next week too if this weather carries on! I must admit, he's really enjoyed all his hose downs and washes and these big sighs of delight and contentment from him have been lovely to hear as I've been cooling him down these past few days.

Fortunately his stable is pretty cool during the day, so that's a bonus I guess.

Neither him or me bode well for exercising in this heat...it was 30 degrees at 7.30pm one evening this week, so there's no chance of us riding in these temps as he doesn't enjoy it and quite frankly neither do I.

He's been on the walker first thing in the morning a couple of times this week (which is a regular occurrence) as he's been brought in from his paddock for the day, before the heat really builds up, so at least he's getting a good workout there I guess.

It is supposed to be cooling off a little over the weekend, so I will welcome that...and the chance to get back in the saddle!
 
My husband has been coming home from work and doing a 'yes they still have four legs' check at 3pm then when I get home we have tea, relax and watch a bit of TV then we go to the field at around 8pm, this has made things so much easier, we were still there at 11pm last night mending a fence

We are sleeping a lot better for it too!
 
Autumn is my fave time of year - it just doesn't last long enough before it turns into horrible winter :(

Also, can't wait for the kids to be back at school - they've only been off for 2 days in my area but already sick of them. Sorry, just not a fan of kids but I'm sure yours are all lovely :)
 
Well, considering that this time two years ago (anyone remember summer 2012) my horses were in with mud fever, lost shoes in the mud, paddocks were sat under four inches of water, hay was rotten in the field and OH's combine was stuck fast in the mud - no, I'm not hating the sun. ]

Yes, I have to get up earlier to ride, and the horses take more time to manage in the heat, but mine certainly prefer sunbathing to rain dodging.
 
I went jumping yesterday and stopped halfway round the course. He just wasn't taking me into the fences and I felt dizzy in the heat.
 
[deleted user] said:
I went jumping yesterday and stopped halfway round the course. He just wasn't taking me into the fences and I felt dizzy in the heat.
Click to expand...

Very wise thing to do in my humble opinion [deleted user].. They'll be plenty more jumping comps in the future in more appropriate conditions and I'm sure he thanked you for pulling him up ;)
 
Yep. I am struggling too! Luckily ours have access to their stables all the time, basically shelters that you can put a bar accross the front & every time I arrive at the field they have "put themselves to bed". We have a stream running through the field, which means they always have fresh cool water, but the flies are a nightmare. Haven't ridden in a week & even looking at the yard brush makes me break out in a sweat!
 
Yes it's hot, it's summer, make the most of it. Horses will get hot, it happens in the wild & it will happen in the paddocks. If it's too hot to ride then either don't ride or ride early in the morning or late in the evening.

Heat, horses & flies go together. Flies aren't nice but there are fly masks/veils & rugs.

If your horses are getting fat due to the 'grass keeping coming' then limit their grazing. We have massive paddocks, loads of grass, but our horses aren't fat. Manage your grazing, ity's all part of horse husbandry.

Moaning & wanting the autumn weather with its wind rain is ridiculous. The same people moaning about this summer weather will be back on the forum in the autums moaning about muddy paddocks, flooded arenas & being unable to ride due to bad weather etc. Some of you are never happy!! :(
 
Toby_Zaphod said:
Yes it's hot, it's summer, make the most of it. Horses will get hot, it happens in the wild & it will happen in the paddocks. If it's too hot to ride then either don't ride or ride early in the morning or late in the evening.

Heat, horses & flies go together. Flies aren't nice but there are fly masks/veils & rugs.

If your horses are getting fat due to the 'grass keeping coming' then limit their grazing. We have massive paddocks, loads of grass, but our horses aren't fat. Manage your grazing, ity's all part of horse husbandry.

Moaning & wanting the autumn weather with its wind rain is ridiculous. The same people moaning about this summer weather will be back on the forum in the autums moaning about muddy paddocks, flooded arenas & being unable to ride due to bad weather etc. Some of you are never happy!! :(
Click to expand...

totally agree ! trouble is we are never happy ! It was bliss at 5.15 this morning - horses ridden and all jobs done by 9 am - happy humans and horses !
The flies are rubbish I agree but unremitting mud is worse...
 
You need to try & alter the routine to fit in with the heat. This morning after putting the horses out I stacked 250 hay bales into piles in the field for collection this evening. I'd done all this by 9.00am. It was warm work but no where near as warm as it will be later in the day.
 
Ah, I am just having a moan. Heat kills me. My ideal riding conditions are fresh, crisp, sunny winter mornings, rare I know! I'm a woman of a certain age currently sitting in my pants. LOL
 
Camilla's Aunty Em said:
Ah, I am just having a moan. Heat kills me. My ideal riding conditions are fresh, crisp, sunny winter mornings, rare I know! I'm a woman of a certain age currently sitting in my pants. LOL
Click to expand...

I've just done the horses and moved a 4ft bale so sat in my altogether ;)
 
Actually sounds rather uncomfortable! True - we moan - we're British and it's the national pastime. I absolutely love to get up early and get things done then, just not so easy with so little sleep because of the heat. And, yes, we're pretty short-sighted if we don't appreciate how vital this hot weather is to the farmers rushing to get crops in, which are for out benefit.
 
Toby_Zaphod said:
You need to try & alter the routine to fit in with the heat. This morning after putting the horses out I stacked 250 hay bales into piles in the field for collection this evening. I'd done all this by 9.00am. It was warm work but no where near as warm as it will be later in the day.
Click to expand...


You must be superhuman.............the rest of us are normal :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top