To feel sorry for people with horses?

[ahstop]

Including me!!!

there should be a specific form of seasonal affected disorder for equestrians in the winter! Or some kind of therapy for helping us deal with the trauma of the winter months!

I posted something about winter 2 months ago but I can’t find it now and I’ve namechanged since then 🤣 just a follow up to that thread!

Why does the winter have to be so cold, wet and awful?! It was quite mild here (Scotland) and all of a sudden about 2 weeks ago it’s suddenly freezing. Everything is wet and muddy, my entire wage is being spent on feeds, shavings and rugs and it’s just generally crap. My hands are like ice cubes, my toes are frozen solid, my arse is freezing in the saddle EVERYTHING is wet and muddy. The other day I slipped on my arse in the field and landed in a big pile of cold, wet, squishy mud. I actually burst into tears- winter has ruined me!

but apart from that it’s great! 🤣 I have a thoroughbred so I’ll take any extra thoughts of prayers please! Luckily he’s cute and a nice jumper so he makes up for it 😉

not long until spring- we can do this!!!

I’ve never understood the appeal of horses and even less the appeal of this lifestyle - but I do admire your grit and determination!

Did your OP really say, I feel sorry for myself because my expensive hobby, that I chose, is a bit cold and uncomfortable in winter? Did you mean to post in AIBU?

I had horses from 4 till 34 and nope I don't miss them, sat in my cozy living room looking out at the torrential rain at the moment

I have horrible childhood memories of having to go to sort them in the winter , awful.

76 other commenters could tell it was tongue in cheek and a bit of fun🙄 have a day off love

I don't own my own but I help care for a horse who lives out while his owners are away.

I think her set up is ideal really. Horse is retired and lives on her own private land that has no public access. Massive field with 24/7 turnout and and free access to his barn if he wants it. She pays someone else (not me) to poo pick his fields, when I sort him, all I need to do is feed him in the barn and poo pick the yard. I don't even have to go into the mud as he comes in to be fed as soon as he hears my car

It is not the cold I hate. Nor the wet. Nor the pungent smell on my clothes. Nor the mud in my cleats that breaks off and scatters as I walk in the kitchen. Nor the very early turn out.

Its when they fight and mill about in muddy gateways, trotting past me squishing their hooves into deep muddy water and flicking it up into my face and covering my glasses with a muddy greasy grit. Like a politician being pelted with eggs I feel disrespected.

More mounain & moorland pony porn pics please.

Apparently farmers forums are the best places for intense discussions on the waterproof merits of various brands of wellies.

Some days I miss riding and horse ownership so much it physically hurts. And I contemplate a pony for DS on a regular basis. And then threads like this remind me that no, I really don’t want to do all that again 🤣

I think I’m suffering from selective memory as my memories of having ponies in winter are all of me drinking a hot chocolate while my pony is all snug and rugged up in his stable, tinsel over the door, Slade on the radio. I seem to have blanked out all the rest.

Same tbf. Sympathy requires a picture tax.

No, I dont because threads like these remind me, that it is not wise not to give into my hairbrain scheme of getting a horse

I absolutely couldn’t be arsed but my god they’re so gorgeous 😍

I was a Saturday girl at a livery yard for 4 years, I do not miss those winters! Lugging soaked hay nets around, changing 14 wet rugs, dragging /being dragged by 17hand eventers through the field. Nope!

Oh I do not miss it at all!!!!! 20 years of working with hunters and eventers have cured me of madness.

But I will say thoroughbreds are actually bloody tough if they want to be - our eventers used to winter out fine and I worked on a racing stud and the brood mares all lived out, unrugged, no problems.

I feel more sorry for people struggling to pay their mortgage, energy and food bills TBH.

We lost my last horse a couple of winters ago, before that we'd had up to 7 at any one point, always on diy. When my lovely old mare passed my husband convinced me to wait out the winter before getting another. I enjoyed that winter so much I decided not to. I think it's some sort of Stockholm syndrome, you don't realise what you're putting yourself through until you stop!

I've now decided no horse unless I can afford full riding livery. The memory of wading through mud literally up to mid calf several times every day and not being able to ride because of all the chores is keeping me strong 🤣

@Poopoolittlerabbit that's not what this post it about and you know that. Completely different subjects- so now no one can moan or joke about anything because there's people worse off?🤣

Christ.

Oh and I agree with @OrlandointheWilderness we've had tbs winter out in up to -18. Rugs, hay, hard feed and they were fine. They just need to be made to understand they are not going to be pampered - which is the hard part

For mud boots, I can't recommend these enough. Never split. I end up walking through the soles and that takes years of daily wear. Far from fashionable, but excellent for horses.

www.blundstone.com.au/men-s-or-women-s-style-001

Pic from 2019 when I got my current pair.

I think you should feel sorrier for the parents of kids with a horse!!

My 16yo DD has a 16.2 TB and I have to take her to the yard every morning before driving her the 18 miles to her Agricultural Engineer apprenticeship and then do the reverse at night. Both myself and her dad are in no way horsey whatsoever but find ourselves more and more just having to "skip him out, chuck him some hay and water him" as she has her first serious boyfriend and will often stay over at his nearly 30 miles away.

I must admit her horse has a very pretty face and I love seeing him frolicking in the sunshine but not wading through cold wet mud in the Winter months. I must conclude all you equestrians are bloody mental 😂

Same here!

Still have one out on loan with a friend but I do not yearn to return after owning for 40 years. Anyway life has moved on for me, change of career led to less income, then divorce changed my financial position again.

Ah I forgot that AIBU and the whole of mumsnet can only be about the cost of living crisis and pure misery. God forbid someone start a lighthearted, tongue in cheek post. I grew up poor in a major city and know nothing about horses but still appreciate the joy of this post that is singing right the way through every moan!
@ahstop your only mistake was to not insist that every post be accompanied by a photo illustrating beautiful horse, mud, rain and misery!

YABU "Sympathy requires a picture tax"

But I could be swayed by more photos. Would especially like to see the Shitland.

Sympathy tax...