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!!!

Get a horse and your heating bills are sorted. Remember that scene in The Revenant when Leonardo di Caprio opened his horse up to sleep inside it? That’s us in January @Rippled . We’ve got it covered either way.

I'm loving this thread.
I would have loved a horse. When I was a child I wanted to BE a horse, (I used to make up horse jumps from deck chairs and dustbins and jump over them!😂)

Lived semi-rurally so saw them often and went to "Horse Shows" at the farm. Rode a bit as my friend had a pony but could never afford lessons.

This thread is a delight! And so are the pics. And I wouldn't have looked at the Tack Room board - so thank you.

Want to have a million pounds? Start with five million, and buy a horse.

That said, I never regretted the amount of time and work it took to maintain them. We had seven, including an Arabian who stood at stud, but generally had about 15 in residence. LOTS of work. But, LORD, I loved it.

I always wanted a pony of my very own when i was a kid. Now I'm old enough to pay for one and have to look after it myself... Nah! Im a fair weather rider!

A reason to have a horse.

I have really enjoyed this thread OP and the lovely pictures.Thank you. I dreamed of having a pony as a child. I used to love reading pony stories. Anyone remember ‘Wish for a Pony’? I am old so maybe just me ha ha! I thought I knew about mucking out etc but poo picking in the field? Like picking up after dogs? That sounds an horrendous chore. Forgive my ignorance but why can’t it be left in the field?

My daughter’s pony is out on loan, so we now get our fix by going to see her - and whenever I think how much I miss it the weather changes and I remember that actually, I’m good 🤣🤣

Trudij123 she is gorgeous!

Loving seeing everyone's pictures.

MsFannySqueers couple of reasons that you can't leave the poo on the land, horses won't eat where they have defecated so eventually you'd have no grass. It produces prolific weeds if left and also causes the horses to have worms. If you're lucky enough to have lots if land you can leave the poo and harrow it in but it really shouldn't be grazed for 6 months after that.

Thanks @Mollyplop999 that’s something new I have learned today!

@Mollyplop999 don’t be fooled - she’s utterly rock solid with children, but despises
adults 80% of the time… 🤣🤣🤣

I feel your pain OP! Here's mine eating her breakfast in the half light whilst I played is it a poo or is it a weed?

I still love having her though ❤️

Oh to have the ‘problems’ of the middle-upper class.

@PinkSyCo on my small yard we have someone who works on an egg packing line, a care worker and a vet nurse. Only 1 person (not included in thar list) I'd from a wealthier background. I have a decent paying role but not mega bucks, my DH is a chimney sweep. By your reckoning most of the country would fall into upper middle class.

My mum used the promise of a horse of my own to bribe me into being happy about a move out of a city to the depths of the West Country when I was a teenager. I'm now 40, my mums dead and I still haven't got a horse 🤣

I've got a friend who breeds dressage horses though, and she lets me hang around, muck out, pitch in and take photos of the babies so it's all good - I get all the fun and cuteness without having to do the early mornings.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

It’s amazing how any thread to do with horses always brings out reverse snobbery like this.

Hilarious that you'd class me as middle-upper class 🤣

The joy of a cob who decided he no longer wanted to be a coloured last winter.

Just seen this meme and it made me think of this thread!

Or this one

Loving the memes and 😂 @Brigante9 that made me laugh out loud as we have two coloured ponies

Talented, I’d say! Not normally such a filth meister!

They do exercise outside in the Baltics/Finland etc in the winter too with -20c
,just when they come in covered in blankets

@CakesAndCookies thanks this is brill. Basically it explains why my horse keeps me sane. Can you post the link to the research?

Can I talk about my horse?! He is a DUDE! He’s only a baby. But from the first he decided I was his human. I wasNOT going to buy him. I only went to see him out of politeness. A friend found him and told me he was MY horse. He was TWO. I laughed at her, said no, she insisted, I went to end the argument. And yes he was (and unless I lose my job or otherwise cannot afford him) he always will be.

my favourite thing is being on my own with him. Listening to him munch. Grooming with music on. Chatting away to him. He loves a groom so after about 15 mins he ll decide he really does have to reciprocate. So he ll v gently groom me back. Then we ll both go to the stable door, look out at the other horses. And after a while he ll put his head on my shoulder and go to sleep. The feeling of having his big cob head on my shoulder and his closed eyes… my heart literally slows down. And to be honest - life’s been a bit shit sometimes for me. Those moments keep me going.

He is also fab to ride (though we are taking it verrrrry slowly -he’s rising 4 now) but to be honest if went lame tomorrow and was unrideable it wouldn’t make a difference.

@BeardyButton Awwww this is so sweet 🥹