LOZHUG
Well-Known Member
Advice needed please, this is our situation:
In April this year we moved from our livery yard to private fields as it had become very bitchy (it was myself and another livery that left). New place has 8 acres over 3 fields and an orchard and there are 3 stables one 12x12 and two 12x10.
We decided to split the nearest field to the stables/hay/water into two for the winter (we split as mine gets picked on and wouldn't get his fare share of haylage and the other one would eat it all).
Now like most people we have a mud bath and there is hardly a dry patch in both halves and they are out 24/7. I would stable my horse but the lady where we keep our horses has her 30 year old mare in a separate paddock and she has her stable door open and has the biggest stable for when she wants it. I wouldn't trust putting my horse who is 15.2 in a 10x10 stable as he is prone to getting cast even with big banks and ended up with a chip fracture in his hock after getting cast we think in a 12x14 stable, so now I am very weary.
My options are:
Ask the land owner if we can use the back field for a bit but this has it's drawbacks getting water and hay to the horses and they will end up making this field a mess which then leaves us with little ready for the summer.
Ask if we can use her friends field which is round the corner which would be easier to get water and hay to as we can use a barrow down the road which isn't far.
Stay as we are and try and sort out a drier area for them (not sure how we would do this)
What would you do? He is a grey and has never had mud fever with me in the 5 years I have owned him but I don't want him to get it either or anything worse either.
The other horse is 16.2 and is prone to mud fever but his owner isn't that bothered about the situation we are in and doesn't really want to move the horses and just says I will walk him out on the road (he isn't ridden) but then to be out back into the mud??
His legs are looking a bit puffy and there is a long way to go until spring!
Mince pies and mulled wine for all who make it to the end
In April this year we moved from our livery yard to private fields as it had become very bitchy (it was myself and another livery that left). New place has 8 acres over 3 fields and an orchard and there are 3 stables one 12x12 and two 12x10.
We decided to split the nearest field to the stables/hay/water into two for the winter (we split as mine gets picked on and wouldn't get his fare share of haylage and the other one would eat it all).
Now like most people we have a mud bath and there is hardly a dry patch in both halves and they are out 24/7. I would stable my horse but the lady where we keep our horses has her 30 year old mare in a separate paddock and she has her stable door open and has the biggest stable for when she wants it. I wouldn't trust putting my horse who is 15.2 in a 10x10 stable as he is prone to getting cast even with big banks and ended up with a chip fracture in his hock after getting cast we think in a 12x14 stable, so now I am very weary.
My options are:
Ask the land owner if we can use the back field for a bit but this has it's drawbacks getting water and hay to the horses and they will end up making this field a mess which then leaves us with little ready for the summer.
Ask if we can use her friends field which is round the corner which would be easier to get water and hay to as we can use a barrow down the road which isn't far.
Stay as we are and try and sort out a drier area for them (not sure how we would do this)
What would you do? He is a grey and has never had mud fever with me in the 5 years I have owned him but I don't want him to get it either or anything worse either.
The other horse is 16.2 and is prone to mud fever but his owner isn't that bothered about the situation we are in and doesn't really want to move the horses and just says I will walk him out on the road (he isn't ridden) but then to be out back into the mud??
His legs are looking a bit puffy and there is a long way to go until spring! Mince pies and mulled wine for all who make it to the end