Winter starts here!

spotty_pony2 said:
It’s forecast heavy snow all night here - I’m in the midlands and it’s saying we are meant to get the worst of it but we will see… horses are all tucked up in bed with super huge haynets so I don’t have to go back out later once it’s started. I was going to reclip my mare yesterday but couldn’t bare to do it just before this cold snap even though I’ve got plenty of rugs so left her hairy like the others 🤣 🤣 doubt I will be riding much this week looking at the forecast anyway…
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I wanted to clip Arabi this week but will wait now I feel mean doing it when it's freezing its meant to be up to 13 degrees again Saturday.
 
We have wind and bloody rain! It looks like it did last winter 🫤 it's a bitey wind, not as cold as some of you guys have it, but the wind goes right through you and the rain drenches! I've put rain sheets on to keep the wet off them, they were both shivering!
 
I felt like crying this morning, still getting into the swing of things and it felt like a lot to do, I was exhausted then had to go to work.

I'm also not yet organised. Everything is in the wrong place, I can't find my spare haynets, my fave brush has gone missing and my head torch has stopped working.

And the horses are hangry. Literally in the stable with huge nets but being grumpy because they can't eat fast enough.

There is no upside!
 
We have some snow but nowhere near as much as we were primed to expect, no more than an inch/ couple of centimetres. We are very close to the Cross Pennine routes and were forecast up to 12 cm. The best bit is that because the winds are very light there are no drifts. I think we can probably get the car out. We rugged the horses last night and left them out. They are absolutely fine. I think it stopped snowing earlier than forecast too. I looked out about 3.30 and couldn't see anything falling.
 
Horses made full use last night of the sheltered corner spot by the holly hedge and the muck heap that we’d allowed them back on after hedge cutting.

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And an old fashioned solution to a draughty north facing front door. OH’s suggestion as part of our whole house refurb/new curtains - a heavy blackout lined single curtain for the front door. The hall is much warmer overnight with that pulled across.

IMG_5371.jpegIt’s not overly intrusive during the day when pulled back, either.

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Tiddlypom said:
Horses made full use last night of the sheltered corner spot by the holly hedge and the muck heap that we’d allowed them back on after hedge cutting.

View attachment 150492

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And an old fashioned solution to a draughty north facing front door. OH’s suggestion as part of our whole house refurb/new curtains - a heavy blackout lined single curtain for the front door. The hall is much warmer overnight with that pulled across.

View attachment 150495It’s not overly intrusive during the day when pulled back, either.

View attachment 150497
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Snow pictures!

Door curtains are brilliant. In my previous house I had an interlined one and it made all the difference.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
We have some snow but nowhere near as much as we were primed to expect, no more than an inch/ couple of centimetres. We are very close to the Cross Pennine routes and were forecast up to 12 cm. The best bit is that because the winds are very light there are no drifts. I think we can probably get the car out. We rugged the horses last night and left them out. They are absolutely fine. I think it stopped snowing earlier than forecast too. I looked out about 3.30 and couldn't see anything falling.
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All ours at the yard (Leeds, close to Bradford) were out last night with rugs — absolutely fine. They weren’t even waiting at the gate this morning. All in for a feed and a break and we’ll chuck them out again later.
 
Mine are doing their 1st winter out in many years! The 3 year old is warm in his full neck rug, the 17 year old has a funky version of a blanket clip and is warm enough in a 400g MudRug but he will have another layer on tonight as I'm keen for him not to lose condition and he does feel the cold more.

Lots of hay last night then morning, lunch and eve today with warm mash this eve. We had quite a lot but it's now becoming very mushy underneath.
 
Stables for all last night. The home ones said, ‘Finally you’ve ordered the straw we prefer, shavings are rubbish cos you cannot eat them!’ and were super happy and chilled this morning. Ones at friend’s yard were keen to get out (home ones aren’t shut in) and had eaten more haylage than any pony needs in their excitement at having haynets at last! Yard was a bit slippery this morning. Cobs super sensible, jumping pony not so much.

Super glad I got hold of some pellets for bedding though - so easy and quick to muck out!
 
JFTDWS said:
No snow in Suffolk, just endless, heavy rain last night. Horses don't seem to care, and the field is still dry enough in places, but my wellies leak so I'm not amused.
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I hope you get new welly boots this year what brand do you have currently that are leaky
 
Where there’s a will…

Tummies filled with breakfast and a big net of hay each, then turned back out. She might have worn down stumps for upper front incisors, but she is not going to let a bit of snow get in the way of fresh grass.

Playing it day by day with her, but she still has a glint in her eye and is currently chipper and good to go at 23yo.



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