Storm Darragh

All in and prepared. It’s madness - it’s 6 degrees now, then 13 degrees in the middle of the night and about 3 degrees by morning!! Rugging up was confusing! I’ve just left them in lightweights with loads of hay so if it drops they can eat to produce more heat anyway. would rather that than them getting too hot.
 
santas_spotty_pony said:
All in and prepared. It’s madness - it’s 6 degrees now, then 13 degrees in the middle of the night and about 3 degrees by morning!! Rugging up was confusing! I’ve just left them in lightweights with loads of hay so if it drops they can eat to produce more heat anyway. would rather that than them getting too hot.
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Mine are in lightweights too - it's mild by the rain is going to be heavy. Very nerve-wracking all around.
 
We have no choice but to tow in whatever winds there are, because we need hay. Not putting any animals in there though! We’re in the yellow zone so should be ok hopefully.

Like others mine will be mostly in (everyone except the two small ones) and will exercise with a few hours of turnout while we muck out etc. Based on the last storm they will hunt in this one too, so there’s the risk of that coming past the yard to make Saturday even more fun!
 
I feel for the other road users/emergency services/rescue teams who are potentially impacted by people selfishly transporting horses in these potential conditions, unless it's a life or death emergency e.g. colic that needs to get to a vet

What could possibly be that important it's worth risking other people's lives? (Vet emergency excluded)
 
we're in the middle of Dartmoor and it has just kicked off wind and rain. Eeryone in, even the feral cat is shut in and due to lack of space one pony is going to have to spend the night in the hay shed. Poor little pony 🤣 🤣

We are only in a yellow so hopefully OK. Everything crossed for those of you in West Wales. I hope you are all OK and your animals.

OH doesn't get it. I asked him to fuel the chain saw and bring it into the house overnight. He asked why? seems to have missed the weather forecast :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

ETA just realised we are in orange.
 
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Another who got the phone alert and thought what the heck is that! 🤭. Have to leave Bradley out as he will not come in - last time I tried (in Oct/Nov) he tried wrecking the shelter so he’s out with sheep friends, in a 100g rug and plenty to eat. Know I won’t sleep well worrying about him but his choice I’m afraid. It’s pretty bad out there already so 70-90 mph is going to be horrendous.

No doubt we will get power cut(s) as well 😏
 
Hope everyone stays safe and no one take unnecessary risks.

Torrential rain up here and dropped to 3 degrees. I'm central east of Scotland so I think we're set to get off lightly, excluding lots of rain. Horses were in and tucked up by 5.30 to get out of the wind and rain.

Hope everyone and everything stays safe (& cosy).
 
Landcruiser said:
Anyone towing (particularly horses) in potentially 70-90mph gusts needs their bonce looking at. Begging for trouble.
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Does depend where you are as to what winds you will get. We planned for hay collection before the winds hit - and then the forecast updated for them to start earlier. Last storm people towed around here no issues - high hedges, slow and steady, 40-50 mph winds. We can’t store more than a week’s worth of hay, and cannot collect Mon-Fri. Right now the weather forecast changes hourly. If we can get out in <50mph winds then we will. If too windy for trailer but ok for box will try to borrow a friend’s to do that instead. I have 7 ponies who need hay and no ability to collect until next weekend if we miss this one. It’s going to be playing it by ear and seeing what winds we actually get. If we can’t get out at all then will have to source pallets and try and get big bales delivered to our home yard early next week - they tend to come with hideaway weeds though and the horses like them less, but at least can deliver. Whole thing is a bit of a nightmare!
 
Here in Flintshire North Wales it’s started. Few roads shut. Trees down, local main river bridge, a suspended one , is shut. I got my lads camper van battery generator charged up ready. 6 torches charged and ready and head torches to do checks. My friend’s horses who I help with, all in a big indoor barn for few days. Not bothered by the roof rattling now and then . Won’t be much sleeping for few nights here. Local police warned not to go out on un necessary journeys , and definitely not tree lined country roads.
 
Phone alert gave me a jump start and rudely woke the dog up from her log burner snooze... Can see on the camera mine are grazing with their rugs making them look like Marilyn Monroe impersonators... Hope the sheep are snuggled down by the hedge and not blown away already, I can't see them! I'm guessing it was a storm like this that destroyed a church on the beach a mile down the road, I hope it's not going to destroy things that much tonight 🫣
 
Steerpike said:
We had a phone alert and a lot of shops are closing local to us, but I can't believe that a cattle mart in Whitland are still planning on going ahead with their sale tomorrow.....
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That's bonkers... But then, farmers round here are a special breed... Coming from a family of them I do doubt if I'm right in the head sometimes
 
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