KikiDee
Well-Known Member
Lots of mud, lots of rain, but I’ve noticed the grass is growing a little and the birds are very noisy….horses also started shedding like crazy. Is spring on the horizon?
Winter is a cruel mistress
- Thread starter Little bit old-fashioned
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Little bit old-fashioned
Well-Known Member
Funny you should say that. When i put out the hay this morning mine didn't come straight down like they usually do but carried on grazing for a few minutes first and came down slowly picking as they went.
you are right!KikiDee
Well-Known Member
Both mine have also been very hot this week despite the temperature being 3-7’c, the young one has been too hot in a 50g liner and oldie feeling quite warm in his 200g…. I take this as a sign although it still feels cold, wet and miserable that the air temperature is warming up a bit!
PurBee
Well-Known Member
The mud was so liquidy it was possible to stand on the board and surf
Unbeknownst to me at the time that particular path I made had rainwater seep under the bank beside it , which had a stream the other side, and seep through the subsoil of my path. It had a very firm topping, but when it got poached the subsoil breached and water flooded up!
I don’t mind day storms, easier to see what’s occurring. But night storms we stay up periodically checking the horses outside, as it’s impossible to sleep anyway. We’re surrounded by trees for thousands of acres in a valley, so the violent whooshing sound of the wind through the trees is very disturbing!
I wondered too this past week whether their shedding was imminent as we’ve had it mild here. The birds are more excited to sing throughout the day so that’s a promising sign!
AutumnDays
Well-Known Member
Well it is Imbolc tomorrow, which celebrates the first stirrings of spring, so things are looking up slightly!
Nearly finished fencing a new paddock for the rams, so they can hopefully be put back out in the next few days. They are in prison (shed) because they were naughty and kept escaping from the beehive paddock where they were meant to be mowing, think they were fed up of the rain, because they think being in prison is fantastic
ewes will be put in the shed for a bit then to give them a break from the rain and the grass a chance to recover. I may leave them in to lamb, just because it's so wet here and I'm out of grass.Horses are still roughing it, but there are now plans to make improvements after I took OH down with me and made him do an evening of getting the kids tea and ready for bed
fingers crossed it dries up enough to make a start soon
Squeak
Well-Known Member
Well, we've all officially made it to February now 
For at least the last three weeks I've thought it should be the end of January. It's definitely getting lighter earlier and for longer now. Another 6 weeks and we'll be halfway through March - Keep going everyone!
For at least the last three weeks I've thought it should be the end of January. It's definitely getting lighter earlier and for longer now. Another 6 weeks and we'll be halfway through March - Keep going everyone!Little bit old-fashioned
Well-Known Member
Sunset is now officially 17.02 according to my phone. So long as it's clear skies I can just about catch the last light now when I get to the field after work.Well, we've all officially made it to February now
Still endless rain but it does feel like there is a shift in how deep midwinter it feels and a clear uptick in their desire to graze and pick.
Was able to get rugs off for an inspection in a half hour rain gap this morning for the first time in about 2 weeks and to my absolute delight both the horses looked really well (almost too well in fact!) which has gone a long way to reassuring me that they are coping well despite the endless downpours. Will need that to sustain me as we have another week of amber rain warnings coming....
We are now down to 2 rather than 3 for a few weeks as the one I was looking after for someone has been able to go to livery until we can get out of this quagmire and reset. The hard standing has also been revealed - another game changer, seeing their hooves on hard ground and out of wet land makes my heart sing - and I think I've finally worked out what mobile stable set up to go for that we can just about afford and will meet our needs, and nearly ready to hit the go button on it so I never have to go through a winter like this again.
Does feel like the tides are turning.
Little bit old-fashioned
Well-Known Member
Ooooo - what new additions are you getting?
PurBee
Well-Known Member
Well done for persevering! It’s lovely to have hardcore and know there’s somewhere for them to dry off the hooves.
It’s easy for us to worry so much about them during winter months, but it does amaze me how hardy to the elements most horses are. And as you’ve seen, under their rugs they’ve holding a nice warmth layer and not losing condition despite the appalling last few weeks.
A rug or dry shelter are life savers during such months.
It’s a nice sunny day here for feb 1st - long may the sun continue!!
It’s easy for us to worry so much about them during winter months, but it does amaze me how hardy to the elements most horses are. And as you’ve seen, under their rugs they’ve holding a nice warmth layer and not losing condition despite the appalling last few weeks.
A rug or dry shelter are life savers during such months.
It’s a nice sunny day here for feb 1st - long may the sun continue!!
little_critter
Well-Known Member
We are also noticing some light shedding at the yard.
dorsetladette
Well-Known Member
52 reactions · 5 comments | I need a holiday 😩 covered in shit, hay in place it should never be, skint , cold, wet , grumpy … considering my life choices an all that… BUT I wouldn’t have it any other way .. actually I’m lying , a cockytail on a beach
I need a holiday 😩 covered in shit, hay in place it should never be, skint , cold, wet , grumpy … considering my life choices an all that… BUT I wouldn’t have it any other way .. actually I’m lying ,...
www.facebook.com
This lady is hilarious I can really relate sometimes.
tda
Well-Known Member
Its been 7° here today, sun out and felt lovely in the sunshine, BUT hold fire folks, let's not get too spring happy yet! Let's get thru February...
little_critter
Well-Known Member
I saw a rainbow today. No idea how, I couldn’t see any sunshine.
It’s been steady rain here today, not heavy or dramatic, just relentless.
It’s been steady rain here today, not heavy or dramatic, just relentless.
dorsetladette
Well-Known Member
Saw snow drops out, Daffodils starting to bloom and a few crocus flowering at the weekend and it made me feel like spring wasn't far away. The weather was mostly dry but cold yesterday and it really lulled me into a falls sense of security. It's rained all night and still raining this morning. It's rubbish!!!
The lady that stores her lorry with me wants to take it out at the weekend. I can't get mine back in it's parking spot without getting stuck so its currently parked where she would normally turn to reverse back in. There's nothing I can do until we get some dry weather, but I have a feeling were going to have issues. I think I'm going to have to tell her not to bring the lorry back until the weather improves, if she does want to take it out. She'll only be going to hack from a different place so it's not like it's a clinic, comp or arena hire. We have some amazing hacking on our doorstep so it's not a necessity.
On a positive note I think the demon pony may have lost a little round the middle so risking life and limb as been worth it. I was starting to think he'd need clipping to help shift the weight - which would have ended in my demise I'm sure!
The lady that stores her lorry with me wants to take it out at the weekend. I can't get mine back in it's parking spot without getting stuck so its currently parked where she would normally turn to reverse back in. There's nothing I can do until we get some dry weather, but I have a feeling were going to have issues. I think I'm going to have to tell her not to bring the lorry back until the weather improves, if she does want to take it out. She'll only be going to hack from a different place so it's not like it's a clinic, comp or arena hire. We have some amazing hacking on our doorstep so it's not a necessity.
On a positive note I think the demon pony may have lost a little round the middle so risking life and limb as been worth it. I was starting to think he'd need clipping to help shift the weight - which would have ended in my demise I'm sure!
Little bit old-fashioned
Well-Known Member
If the lady with the lorry can't make concessions in this unprecedented weather then I think that would be a bit unfair of her!
My mum said she has also seen the snowdrops come out in her garden so fingers crossed but yes rain rain and more rain here still.
Re losing weight - at least this weather has been good for something!
Sadly the silt and top soil pile to the left of the hard standing has already started to slide back across because of heavy wind and rain so 4 days in and I'm already shovelling heavy soil out of the way to try and stem the tide. Think I've lost a third of the space already to a couple of inches of mudslide. Trying to keep spirits up but its difficult.
Stables ordered and arriving at the end of the month and will be in the space furthest away from the approaching mud slide so just telling myself all I have to do is contain that so they can be installed and the rest can be shovelled back when its dryer and the soil weighs half as much because its not totally saturated.
Once I have the stables I can also hang up haynets outside instead of the annoying and wasteful buckets they knock over so hopefully that will continue to reduce both wastage and heavy mess than needs clearing up twice a day.
Surely, surely it has to stop raining soon!!??
Fransurrey
Well-Known Member
Rain aside, it definitely hasn't been the worst winter (although I was very grumpy this morning). I remember absolute monsoons in the winter of 2018-19 and again a couple of years ago. It was influential in me moving fields, as my shelter was always flooding and the entire thing was on the move, pulling apart the guttering time and time again. I'm spending a lot of time uttering, 'This too shall pass', but I too noticed the great tits being very noisy. Nobhead cat brought in a magpie fledgling, too, so spring is definitely on its way.
KikiDee
Well-Known Member
i heard on the news this morning that this January has been one of the wettest on record - actually took some comfort in this as it makes me feel better to know we are struggling for a reason!
bubsqueaks
Well-Known Member
my ponies are even trying to break out now - not sure where they want to go but they are as fed up as me but getting 2 hot feeds, virtually ad lib hay, apples, carrots, just no grass 
FionaDenmark
Well-Known Member
It's been minus degrees every day and night here in Denmark for weeks now. Very high winds for a few days also (-12 with windchill) and I'm keeping the horses in as it's just dreadful and they just stand forlornly in the field shelter and don't move around. All taps in the stables frozen so having to lug water in from the house.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
It's just not stopped raining here and the whole week doesn't look great either, it just rains at the wrong time of year dry spring wet winter = no hay 
KikiDee
Well-Known Member
God that sounds awful. We had about a week of that here and it was hideous, I can't imagine how you're coping with weeks on end of dealing with that.
KikiDee
Well-Known Member
Mine all go a bit feral and grumpy at this time of year, I honestly think they get as fed up with it all as we do.
little_critter
Well-Known Member
Sorry, that’s my fault. I remember in Nov/Dec thinking we've had a dry autumn and if we carry on this way we won’t replenish the reservoirs after the dry summer.It's just not stopped raining here and the whole week doesn't look great either, it just rains at the wrong time of year dry spring wet winter = no hay
It seems Mother Nature was saving all her rain for Jan/Feb
Little bit old-fashioned
Well-Known Member
I think we have a relatively dry daytime today then set to belt down all night again. Same forecast just rain constant all week.It's just not stopped raining here and the whole week doesn't look great either, it just rains at the wrong time of year dry spring wet winter = no hay
You keep thinking surely it can't continue.
PurpleSpots
Well-Known Member
You're absolutely right, it absolutely can't. It cannot rain forever. There isn't enough water for that.
Every day it rains is a day closer to the ground drying up.
(I keep telling myself that at the moment...)
PurBee
Well-Known Member
Hey pinkvboots! Wondered if you’d galloped off into the sunset on your arabsIt's just not stopped raining here and the whole week doesn't look great either, it just rains at the wrong time of year dry spring wet winter = no hay
….good to hear from you…..how are the boys?
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
Hi yes they are fine I only really ride Arabi now Louis is stiff from his arthritis and he doesn't do needles in the joints very well, he has cushings and I felt he just wasn't comfortable being ridden, he currently resembles a un rugged yak you would never know there is an Arab under there, I will get some pictures of him and post them.Hey pinkvboots! Wondered if you’d galloped off into the sunset on your arabs
How have you been?
PurBee
Well-Known Member
Good to hear you’re enjoying them, I remember them both as a stunning pair, and your adoration of them. I imagine Louis is enjoying a pampered retirement. Would love to see them when you get a chance. It’s lovely to see you on the forum, I kept wondering how you were getting on when arab threads popped up
We're good, still in wild west Ireland, it’s gale force today sideways rain for 48hrs and our yaks here are hiding in their shelter - roll on spring!
Little bit old-fashioned
Well-Known Member
At this point I'm not sure......maybe it can rain forever
Still a never ending deluge here. Forecast is nothing but never ending deluge.
Its very trying on the spirits.
Bought a slurry scraper as decided this has to be the easiest method of muck clearing as everything is so wet and heavy!
dorsetladette
Well-Known Member
Managed to get hay delivery unloaded and covered before the rain came thus morning! I take that as a win!!!