Winter mode?

[chaps89]

I checked the weather forecast as I left the yard last night as I wasn’t sure whether to put extra hay or straw out for the fatties on the bald patch. It said light showers only for an hour or two in the middle of the night. So I held off.
Regretted it this morning when I came down and they’d broken into the long grass.
And slightly scarily, as the fence unit had been pulled when they broke the fence, it had obviously taken a flying lesson and landed in the wheelbarrow, which was full of water this morning, still connected to the battery clicking away ?


im also currently waiting for my winter hay delivery, having fully cleaned out the hay store this morning.

 

[southerncomfort]

Mine switched to coming in overnight last week although that's more due to having one on box rest.

Beds have all been lifted, stables cleaned and nice thick beds put down. Filled hay shed with hay and straw.

I've been bringing in around 6pm but the weather was so awful yesterday that they came in at 4.30pm.

Haven't ridden since Sunday as its been absolutely blowing a gale here and no end in sight. ?

I've started getting the winter paddock ready. I'd normally move them in November but I need them off the summer grazing so I can get some grass growth in there before the temperature drops too low. We had such an awful winter and spring that the grass didn't start growing until June and I ended up feeding hay all summer.

Generally in winter I try and keep them out 24/7 as much as I can so that they go in to spring nice and slim.

 

[TPO]

 

[NinjaPony]

Pony came screeching up to come in yesterday with his turnout sheet soaked and I thought yup, it’s winter…
Holding off on clipping until October but rugs have been washed, clippers serviced and I’ve dug out the pig oil spray for mucky feathers. So depressing!

 

[MuddyMonster]

It was 8° when I got in the car this morning & needed my head torch when I got to the yard. I actually had to put my gloves and fleece buff on to ride out this morning.

At least it's bright and sunny, would much rather this than grey and rain

 

[jnb]

Ha I have windows open still but did concede and turn off the ceiling fan last night!
My cob is on box rest (rugless) but is allowed turnout in a 15 x 15 pen, however this morning it was like a skating rink due to torrential rain yesterday so he's in.
When he comes come (everything crossed) he will be out with a shelter and rugged if needed depending on whether I turn him away or continue riding rehab.

 

[Fransurrey]

I lit the fire yesterday to dry the washing. It was that or put the heating on! Pony still has SI rug on, but only because I knew it was going to be better weather today and it's still too warm for a T/O.

 

[Auslander]

Think it might have been my winter beds on Facebook!
Mine all had rugs on yesterday, and I had my first spectacular wipeout of the season - currently sporting two bruised elbows, a bruised knee, and a very sore chin!

 

[magicmoments]

Mine has been in during the day (10 hours) and that will continue until the other livery horses come in at night around mid November, but has been getting through nearly winter quantities of hay whilst in, for the last couple of weeks as their field has been eaten down so much, as it's not rained much in the last 6-8 weeks.
She was shivering Monday morning with the rain. Rugless monday night as dry, but in medium weight last night due to heavy rain and 8°, which will be a shock as it's been so warm for weeks.
It just goes to show how their winter coats coming through is dependent on decreasing daylight rather than temperatures, as I noticed it a few weeks ago when it was still so warm day and night.

 

[eggs]

I cracked yesterday and decided to swap over from summer routine to winter as the rain was lashing down and it was rather chilly. A couple of the horses were clipped last weekend and the others will be done this weekend. I had hoped to keep them out at night until the middle of October but as our forecast is for rain and then more rain with a significant drop in temperature it seemed like a good time to make the swap over.

 

[wiglet]

My girl comes in at night all year round but, she's had a fleece rug on in the stable this week because she's been cold. During the day she's had a 50g turnout rug on, she hates getting wet. Winter is definitely here, rain forecast virtually everyday and it's windy and feels decidedly cool.
I took my fly rug home yesterday for washing and storing away. #sadtimes

 

[SEL]

I've bought mud control mats but the ground has been too hard to lay them - guess what my job is this weekend thanks to last night's rain?!

 

[TPO]

I've bought mud control mats but the ground has been too hard to lay them - guess what my job is this weekend thanks to last night's rain?!

I need to re-lay mine. My dad has been digging new drainage which is great but when he's had all year why now when the ground has started to turn to mud.

Hopefully this weekend get the areas rolled and a few hundred slabs down with sand. Ugg!!!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Mine are still out, although they will come home for a couple of weeks when they will be in overnight as I am on leave-then they will be back out 24/7. I have reproofed my big coat today, dug out my beanies and recharged the headtorches. The weekend will be spent clearing out the hayshed ready for picking up some hay and oat straw next week. I keep them between 2-3 different places in the winter depending on ground but thats holding up well (so far!).

 

[ImmyS]

I've bought mud control mats but the ground has been too hard to lay them - guess what my job is this weekend thanks to last night's rain?!

would be interested to know how you get on with them? I’m planning to buy some next month to put down outside the shelter

 

[TPO]

would be interested to know how you get on with them? I’m planning to buy some next month to put down outside the shelter

They are brilliant, totally game changers

I had to lay mine in a swamp last year and they didn't budge

 

[poiuytrewq]

Mine are still out, although they will come home for a couple of weeks when they will be in overnight as I am on leave-then they will be back out 24/7. I have reproofed my big coat today, dug out my beanies and recharged the headtorches. The weekend will be spent clearing out the hayshed ready for picking up some hay and oat straw next week. I keep them between 2-3 different places in the winter depending on ground but thats holding up well (so far!).

You’ve reproofed your coat?! Why on earth have I never thought of this. I have several non waterproof coats and keep looking at buying new.
What do you use and does it actually work?

 

[ImmyS]

They are brilliant, totally game changers

I had to lay mine in a swamp last year and they didn't budge

Thanks for this! Don’t have much to spend but planning to do 10ft by 20ft area outside the shelter as a dry area to feed hay and tie up etc. It will be our first winter on the land so will see how it goes!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

You’ve reproofed your coat?! Why on earth have I never thought of this. I have several non waterproof coats and keep looking at buying new.
What do you use and does it actually work?

It depends on your coat- I use nikwax with my Horseware coats but other makes recommend other types of reprovers. Some material never reproofs. Some coats lose their waterproofness because of dirt and just need washing in something to clean them without stripping them such as nikwax tech wash-ie never washing detergent.
If your coats never were waterproof, I doubt you can make them so to any great effect and washing and reproofing generally works less the more you do it. This is a really good coat that Horseware stopped making (idiots) that is the warmest, lightest thing ever that withstands a certain amount of heavy rain -I dont ride in it, its a dog walking/yard coat. I washed it because I am sending it in to get the zip replaced, my superpower is breaking every zip I own.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Not a lot of change here. Little A been in at night for ages and out in day in grazing muzzle.

B Fuzzy out 24/7, has bib and belly clip (re done last Saturday) no rugs, but has access to 3 field shelters. Bounced in for breakfast this morning completely dry, but it had stopped raining here by 1am. Hoping to keep rug free as am away next week for a few nights.

 

[honetpot]

would be interested to know how you get on with them? I’m planning to buy some next month to put down outside the shelter

I am just laying mine, I bought a full pallet. On a reasonably flat floor, they are gobbling sand, and I will need a second tonne bag.
I think they are actually very poorly described, the German website gives all the technical infro, which the right hardcore you can put a HGV on them. I have just about every sort of ground reinforcement and they are far more solid.
http://www.inbsystem.com/index.php/en/inb-system-en/inb-for-animals

 

[poiuytrewq]

It depends on your coat- I use nikwax with my Horseware coats but other makes recommend other types of reprovers. Some material never reproofs. Some coats lose their waterproofness because of dirt and just need washing in something to clean them without stripping them such as nikwax tech wash-ie never washing detergent.
If your coats never were waterproof, I doubt you can make them so to any great effect and washing and reproofing generally works less the more you do it. This is a really good coat that Horseware stopped making (idiots) that is the warmest, lightest thing ever that withstands a certain amount of heavy rain -I dont ride in it, its a dog walking/yard coat. I washed it because I am sending it in to get the zip replaced, my superpower is breaking every zip I own.

My favourite was brilliantly waterproof but is a few years old, in fact the several old non waterproofs I have are all the same. Great but a few years on have started letting in water.
Ill give Nikwax a try.
Thank you for the probably obvious idea there!

 

[TPO]

I am just laying mine, I bought a full pallet. On a reasonably flat floor, they are gobbling sand, and I will need a second tonne bag.
I think they are actually very poorly described, the German website gives all the technical infro, which the right hardcore you can put a HGV on them. I have just about every sort of ground reinforcement and they are far more solid.
http://www.inbsystem.com/index.php/en/inb-system-en/inb-for-animals

I would say as well that they can be slippy, especially for shod horses, if sand or similar isn't laid too in accordance with the advice on the website.

I just wish they weren't so flipping expensive ?

 

[MereChristmas]

I would say as well that they can be slippy, especially for shod horses, if sand or similar isn't laid too in accordance with the advice on the website.

I just wish they weren't so flipping expensive ?

I wouldn’t mind the expense if I could be sure my pony wouldn’t slip.
I don’t think I have a flat expanse on my land apart from the house, garage and stables.
The track I would want to cover slopes about 12’ in height end to end and is a series of gentle switchbacks. It is probably 100 yards long. The field also slopes sideways so any topping would be washed off in the first reasonable rain. I would only want a walk track for the pony but for me there are too many cons to risk buying slabs.

As an aside I wonder at the company making these did not realise that although they are brilliant as a ground stabiliser that horses and possibly other animals would slip. Surely there would be enough purchases from horse owners for the manufacturers to produce slabs with a grippy surface?

 

[TPO]

I wouldn’t mind the expense if I could be sure my pony wouldn’t slip.
I don’t think I have a flat expanse on my land apart from the house, garage and stables.
The track I would want to cover slopes about 12’ in height end to end and is a series of gentle switchbacks. It is probably 100 yards long. The field also slopes sideways so any topping would be washed off in the first reasonable rain. I would only want a walk track for the pony but for me there are too many cons to risk buying slabs.

As an aside I wonder at the company making these did not realise that although they are brilliant as a ground stabiliser that horses and possibly other animals would slip. Surely there would be enough purchases from horse owners for the manufacturers to produce slabs with a grippy surface?

There is someone on here who has them on a big slope, might be worth searching the old mud slab threads.

Mine are all barefoot and the neurotic TB, who had the coordination skills of a demented daddy long legs, did slip initially. That was before I put the sand down.

On the mud slab fb page there are lots of photos of slabs laid in all sorts of landscapes.

Also once the horses got used to the slabs they walked over them like normal animals so there were no slips.

Don't get be wrong the slabs aren't perfect but laying them as instructed and using sand (I think some people have used wood pellets) definitely helps. Ideally yes a 100% non slip surface would be brilliant and they are eye wateringly expensive but I've not found anything that comes remotely close to matching them performance wise.

 

[MereChristmas]

There is someone on here who has them on a big slope, might be worth searching the old mud slab threads.

Mine are all barefoot and the neurotic TB, who had the coordination skills of a demented daddy long legs, did slip initially. That was before I put the sand down.

On the mud slab fb page there are lots of photos of slabs laid in all sorts of landscapes.

Also once the horses got used to the slabs they walked over them like normal animals so there were no slips.

Don't get be wrong the slabs aren't perfect but laying them as instructed and using sand (I think some people have used wood pellets) definitely helps. Ideally yes a 100% non slip surface would be brilliant and they are eye wateringly expensive but I've not found anything that comes remotely close to matching them performance wise.

Thanks My pony is shod.
I did look at their Facebook page but found nothing similar to my field. Having often seen in the last 35+ years water cascading down the whole width of my field I am reluctant tp spend and watch sand wash onto next door’s land.

 

[The Irish Draft 2022]

Yeah it’s freezing in the morning and nights . It also getting so dark earlier.

 

[Spot_On03]

Haven't quite brought in yet, but caved and stuck rug on my mare yesterday. She'll come in from Friday evening and winter routine shall begin....

 

[BBP]

I wouldn’t mind the expense if I could be sure my pony wouldn’t slip.
I don’t think I have a flat expanse on my land apart from the house, garage and stables.
The track I would want to cover slopes about 12’ in height end to end and is a series of gentle switchbacks. It is probably 100 yards long. The field also slopes sideways so any topping would be washed off in the first reasonable rain. I would only want a walk track for the pony but for me there are too many cons to risk buying slabs.

As an aside I wonder at the company making these did not realise that although they are brilliant as a ground stabiliser that horses and possibly other animals would slip. Surely there would be enough purchases from horse owners for the manufacturers to produce slabs with a grippy surface?

We laid ours in the summer. BBP slips just walking on them, I think it’s his action as he slides each hind foot on placement and slips on lots of surfaces, but he did the splits and went down on these. I can’t let him on them now. Maybe not enough sand or they need to bed in more but pretty sure we followed the instructions. Connie cross decided to go for a sudden acceleration, went through the top dressing, hit the mat surface and slid and fell over. Both are barefoot. It’s a real shame the actual mat surface isn’t grippy but I assume there must be a reason they can’t do this.

 

[Sealine]

As I get older I find the winter’s harder. I need a horse x hedgehog that hibernates for the winter.