Winters coming....

[poiuytrewq]

Once ive got the next week or so over and done with I have this weird feeling...a bit like I'm looking forward to it?!
On the plus side there is absolutely no way it can be worse or even as bad as last winter....is there!
Snuggly rugs and stables, cold fresh frosty mornings (the thing I miss now I work mornings is frosty rides!)
Smart clipped horses tucking into big hay nets and dinners.
That lovely sight of horses tucking into hay in snowy fields where all the colours look so much more vivid. (and they come in clean!)
In the past I always looked forward to bringing in for winter and loved getting all wrapped up to go and muck out my pony.
Anyone else feel the same or am I totally alone on this one?

 

[Cortez]

Oh no, not alone! I really like winter, or at least I used to until we got this new and improved version the last couple of years..........

 

[StormyMoments]

i love winter! im looking forward to trying out my new wellies . i say i like winter - i like the sunny frosty mornings... i hate wind and rain which is basically what our winter consists of also not looking forward to the horses being extra grumpy as they dont like the rain, mud or cold but i do love seeing them all tucked up in their stables with a nice feed and a rug on

 

[holeymoley]

I reckon it will be a cold one this year. My boy started changing his coat about a month ago! I've already started putting away the fly sheets and sun cream and thinking more about buying in the winter feed!

 

[Wheels]

Yes it's a strange feeling.... I am looking forward to some things about winter yes, hoping for a dry and cold one rather than warmer and wet as I find it easier if I can turnout as much as possible.

Ask me again though in a few months, sure ill be fed up of it by then lol

 

[ChestnutTinker]

I like when it's dark at 4pm but not pitch black just a low-light, cosy type of dark.

 

[JLD]

there was even something quite nice about putting on a vest this morning !! I was looking forward to seeing my new native pony out 24/7 au natrel, unclipped no rugs as nature intended, after years of part bred TB wimps. Turns out this one is an even bigger wimp, who quite fancied a rug on in august when he got a bit wet and gets cross when I open his field shelter door to let him out after having to keep him in part of the day all summer due to lamininitic tendancies as he would quite like to stay in and sleep thank you !

 

[Adopter]

Looking forward to forgetting about sun block on pink noses, fly spray, ponies getting too fat ......

They will be out all winter without rugs as they were last winter and become lovely cuddly hairy ponies, who hopefully will use up some of the covering on them keeping warm. Just hope the winter does not last as long as last one!

But before then there is a large crop of acorns on the trees surrounding our land, so need to find a good way to speedily pick up acorns.

 

[blood_magik]

I actually quite like winter - can't wait now that we've got two lovely indoor schools to ride in when the weather is bad. :smile3:

I clipped my old boy yesterday - he's never been this hairy so early on. Hopefully it's not a sign of things to come.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

*Puts fingers in ears and sings I'm not listening*!

The horses have been moved to a lower field to rest their summer paddock and the wind was a chilly accompaniment to my stroll down the lane this evening. I loathe waking up in the dark, too, so demotivating!

 

[Slightly Foxed]

Cold, bright and frosty I can deal with; damp and grey is the pits. And dark so early ain't fun!

 

[Shantara]

Horse-wise, I'm not looking forward to it! It's my first year alone and I now have 2 to worry about!!

Otherwise, I love winter snow, hot chocolate!!

 

[NativePonyLover]

No, no, no ... !

I despise winter (bar Christmas).& really dreading the cold, grey, dark days - frozen fingers & toes, frozen taps, muddy horses, 'all weather' outdoor school that invariably is either swampy or frozen. Urgh.

Roll on next Spring!

 

[kerrieberry2]

I love the thought of winter, and then it arrives! and I hate it! would be fine if it wasn't so blimmin wet

 

[AdorableAlice]

There is nothing more depressing than waking up in the dark, doing the yard in the dark and then being at work when it is light. Driving home in the dark and doing the yard in the dark again.

I only open the curtains at the weekend !

 

[Jill Crewe]

Also kinda excited for the sake of a change. This will be my second winter with new horse..bought lsst October so everything was all new last winter. Looking forward to being able to cope more this winter now that we know each other and have our routines. Please let it not be so bad as last year though...still haven't gotten around to buying a 4x4. Agree about dark mornings being the pits though!

 

[Enfys]

I love winter, I like that I can guarantee that for months it is going to below freezing, and that we WILL have snow, but, as I don't live in Iqaluit (where it currently feels like -5C) it isn't here quite yet.

I took this photo about an hour ago.

 

[Enfys]

Not today it isn't

 

[Spot_On]

I love frosty mornings.... everything a covered in a thin film of frost. Horses at the yards with heads over doors watching their breath meet the outside world!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Haha! Yes I bet if we refer back to this thread in two or three months we will totally deny having commented! I'm lucky in that I can do my horses in day light, on the rare occasion I have to bring in in the dark I make sure everything's ready.
It's NOT going to be a wet awful one this year

 

[ann-jen]

I had a strange feeling this post was going to be about game of thrones lol

 

[Mince Pie]

Will be better this winter as no steep hills to get up/down in the snow (in the car at least!), and for a change winter will be cheaper than the summer horse-wise as I will be working for my livery so pony will only cost me about £150 all winter! I've also washed my salopettes and ski-jackets in preparation

 

[daughter's groom]

Late autumn and early spring are fine but the depths of winter no thanks. Last winter I got chilblains on my thighs which aren't pretty normaa=lly!

 

[spotty_pony]

Me too!

I love the winter routine - and of course there's the added bonus of hunting!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Late autumn and early spring are fine but the depths of winter no thanks. Last winter I got chilblains on my thighs which aren't pretty normaa=lly!

Oh I wish I could remember, I saw a company in a feature on winter clothing last year in a magazine who made thermals with extra layers on the thigh to protect from chilblains. I have two friends who suffer really badly and its really not nice.

Ann-jen, Game of Thrones? Im lost! I hate that programme but my o/h loves it and im sure it will be on a lot over the darker evenings

 

[Izzwall]

Counting down the days till winter!! It's my favourite season, though it does help I'm a weather fanatic! Love the shorter days, when it doesn't get above freezing for days, snow, storms, plus the moor is lovely and quiet. I really enjoy mucking out so owning 3 horses isn't a problem (I'm even a self employed poo picker, not very glamorous but it pays well), and I only ride in the winter and my mare gets a break in the summer.
Ha, as I read back I sound absolutely mad!!
On another note, some of the long range weather models, in particular the CFS, are forecasting a potential blocked winter with positive heights to the NE and E, in other words below average temperatures and perhaps drier than average (here's hoping no mud!), the met office long range super computer are also pointing to the same scenario. It is, however, far too early to accurately predict exactly what the weather will be like this winter but with the CFS weather model almost constantly throwing very cold charts for this winter (in particular January and February) since May its hard to ignore, plus it forecasted the very cold March and the hot July months in advance.
Will be keeping my eye on the polar stratosphere too as we proceed through the autumn as it has a great impact on the jet stream.
Winter is a fascinating season for meteorologists (well for me!), watching that incredible sudden stratosphere warming happen in December and then what it caused in March was absolutely fascinating!! I can't wait till the first 'beast from the east' gets shown on the ECM
As you can tell I don't get out much!!