when will this end

I know the feeling. I'm just trying to close my eyes and imagine how it'll look in spring once they're off it and I can have it harrowed and rolled. The ponies are happy as pigs in well... mud! Shelter, plenty of hay, still some grass down the far end, it's just me that's having palpitations looking at the state of the ground so early into the season.
 
Not living out but out every day and yes, it's very, very wet.

It did cross my mind as to whether there would be more suspensory issues like PSD after this winter as when I was walking over the fields at the weekend it was such hard work.

The law of averages would suggest that we have to have a dry period at some point - and we did get some very spring like weather in February last year - so we can live it hope! March (which I always class as the start of spring), is 'only' 10 weeks away! ;-)
 
Fanatical said:
Not living out but out every day and yes, it's very, very wet.

It did cross my mind as to whether there would be more suspensory issues like PSD after this winter as when I was walking over the fields at the weekend it was such hard work.

The law of averages would suggest that we have to have a dry period at some point - and we did get some very spring like weather in February last year - so we can live it hope! March (which I always class as the start of spring), is 'only' 10 weeks away! ;-)
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Yes this is my worry one of mine is an ex racer horse with very fine little legs and the mud is like quick sand! every time it seems to slightly dry up we get another 3/ 4 days of solid rain
 
My mare with a variety of muscle, arthritic and an old suspensory issue has been getting very tetchy about walking through the mud. She loves going out so I think it is uncomfortable. Might get her a pair of flippers for Xmas at this rate.
 
Suffering here too. Our land is heavy clay that was ploughed for many years before being put down to grass about 30 yrs ago. Our biggest field (14 acres) has the sheep and the mare and foal on it. Thankfully there is plenty of foggage to hold it together but walking across it is hard work. My sister's two ponies are on a much smaller field and that is getting very deep, still plenty of grass thankfully. I worry about the strain on the horses legs but we can't do anything about it. Such a long time till spring. Praying it all dries up before we start lambing in March.
 
Bad here too. Turnout is restricted to every other day, but the YO is then taking them out on a short hack on the other days that I can't ride (am on full livery) so I don't feel quite so bad for her.
 
We've just bedded down the shelter with a full bale of straw. They use the shelter a lot so I'm hoping that now they can do so without standing fetlock deep in mud! We enlarged the paddock so they have good and comparatively solid ground to stand on and munch on the foggage. Will be opening up to give them half the main field (they'll then have about six acres) so am hoping that with only three of them they'll be able to stick to the good land. The access to the shelter will still be bleugh though. Need to order the mud mat things but they're out of stock 'till February. I meant to do it last month. Teach me to crack on with ideas!

As for when the rain will stop. Hm. I'm guessing no time soon :(
 
Errin Paddywack said:
Suffering here too. Our land is heavy clay that was ploughed for many years before being put down to grass about 30 yrs ago. Our biggest field (14 acres) has the sheep and the mare and foal on it. Thankfully there is plenty of foggage to hold it together but walking across it is hard work. My sister's two ponies are on a much smaller field and that is getting very deep, still plenty of grass thankfully. I worry about the strain on the horses legs but we can't do anything about it. Such a long time till spring. Praying it all dries up before we start lambing in March.
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lots of people seem to still have grass my field is complety brown now, not a blade of green in sight i to worry about her legs but as you say what can we do apart fro pay it stops soon!!
 
My ponies field is just brown soup around their hay but I don't want to move the feeder and move the soup :-( I've started fencing them off it for part of the day and giving them hay in different areas to at least get them out of the deepest mud but the whole field is brown at the moment and I'm despairing at it ever being green again!
The horses field is a bit better and they still have some grass and not so much soup but they are sensible enough to move away from the hay for periods of time unlike the gluttonous ponies!
 
It is terribly wet, isn't it? Mine are out but I'll admit I did cave and bring them in last night, and will probably do the same Wednesday and Thursday too as it looks like they are also going to be very wet. I don't have a field shelter or I wouldn't bother, as my field is actually holding up well so far *touch wood*.
 
My paddock is a mess, it is the one I use for schooling in the summer. but since pony was diagnosed with EMS in August, I am not too bothered whether the grass comes back as I don't want any in the spring
 
Ours have been in two days so far. This is a yard that normally has 24/7 unrestricted turnout as well. Theres still some grass and while we have clay its only clay topsoil and then we have about 8 feet of sand stone underneath so it does normally drain well. This year its just saturated and we have puddles of standing water.

I'm genuinely really enjoying having horses at the minute, but this constant rain is just awful!
 
Our field is a bog......mud up to the poor horses knees in places. They are cobs, but have no feathers left on their legs. They have a stable open 24/7 which has some hard standing. They do spend a good number of hours at the stable munching hay and using the stable as a toilet !! I have just got another field so will be moving them in the next couple of days. I don't know how long it will take the present field to recover but hoping spring comes early.....pleasssssssse
 
Mines considerably worse this week but i need to keep mine out as long as i can really because of her arthritis. She has a bit of hay to eat and is warm enough. Its the longest she's ever been out in the winter from 9-4, normally she's in by noon. I think I'm going to move my fencing so she has more of the dry up hill.

It will stop raining soon!
 
My horse's physio came out on Monday for a routine visit and said that she's seeing a lot of horses who have sustained injuries slipping and sliding in the mud. Didn't fill me with joy as mine acts the prat jumping on his brother, who is usually trying to eat and be sensible!!
 
ive got a good grass covering, from a distance it looks green but when you walk across it the water is over your feet.

mine are still out 7-1/2pm currently as mine is super chilled and just potters around....kids pony fence walks but will fence walk regardless of weather or mud and at least does it slowly. I keep moving his fence back several foot up the walkway each month so he has a fresh bit to eat and that's working better this year than last (gave him it all and he destroyed it in a week then wouldnt walk over it)

its vile and im sick of it.
 
Welp, it's decided to resolutely p*ss down for the last 2 days here. Field continues in expanding it's repertoire from grazing land to rice paddy. Horses might be developing gills. Owner has been spotted wearing flippers and a snorkel. Owner has also been reported to be fond of hyperbole.
 
Today is torrential rain it just seems to be going on and on looking at the forecast it's staying this way though not quite so torrential.Plenty of grass as a lot of foggage and fortunately super well drained land but my lot are stuffing hay in the pole barn looking out at the rain and staying nice and dry.
this must be one of the wettest winters.
Arrable farming friends in Hampshire haven't managed to drill any crops Looks like harvesting winter wheat will be a late next year
 
I am really fed up of the rain, could cheefully give up horses altogether when it's like this. I have a 27 year old TB x Welsh D who hates being in and hates wearing a rug but she has lost so much weight and as she is eating plenty and refusing hay I can only put it dowm to her using up energy to stay warm. All six live out 24/7 with plenty of grass still and lots of natural shelter, if I put hay out they are leaving it and grazing so don't need it yet and they all seem contented except the old mare.
 
My sister's ponies are on a 2 acre paddock that is turning to soup. Feel very sorry for them but our other fields are just as bad and the big field has too much grass for them.

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Mine are off the fields until further notice. They are in at night, in the turnout arena by day, and getting ridden/lunged twice a day. There's no way I would subject them to slopping around in muck, terrible for the horse and terrible for the land. They'll go out to pasture again when it dries up enough (usually a couple of dry days will do the trick).
 
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