Hows everyone going in the weather then?

[JRsandCoffee]

Just wondering how everyone else is coping in this awful weather, ground is rock hard, with skiddy bits, and patchy snow and the school which isn't great at the best of times is like a rock, with skiddy bits.

Still, I'm sparing a thought for my sister in law whose Connies are apparently just visible under layers of rugs in the -16 and lower temperatures and have to be dug out of their stables in the mornings just to get the feeds in.

But I'd still like to ride, just can't.....anyone else?

[mummydoc]

dd hasn't ridden pony for 2 1/2 weeks at least - we all fed up, all chrismtas pony club fun stuff cancelled etc etc, we cannot get to yard as my 4x4 blown up and it is up steep hill whichis iced over andmy polo wont make it so pony's presents still under tree. but looks like big thaw started so maybe riding on wed when i not at work

[Pixel]

We've had it thawed on the top (therefore slippery) but still solid and rutted underneath. Absolutely treacherous trying to walk about and push a barrow on it. The electric fences appear to have failed and we keep finding the neighbours' three horses on the grass we had saved for after Christmas. The new big bale we have opened is full of thistles and while the horses don't mind we keep getting our fingers stabbed. Must admit I'm getting a bit fed up with it all now! If it was still pretty snow I wouldn't mind so much but we have the bitter cold with grey mud and grey skies. And dhorse has managed to bust the surcingle on another rug. More sewing

[RectalNourishment]

We've been above freezing yesterday and today, water wasn't even frozen in the field this morning yet - are we really in the same county! Am only going to hay at night today because they were very happy grazing on actual grass for the first time in ages. Also my limbs are barely functional from the shock of all this work!

Hope you do get to ride soon, it gave me such a boost and I think they enjoyed it too. Could have taken at least one this morning but left my tack at home.

[Butkin]

Beginning to get a bit depressed - can't remember the last time it went above freezing. We lug barrells of warm water to the field in the morning and to top up their stable buckets when they come in at night. The water is even freezing in their stable buckets over night which I can't remember happening before.

We are feeding hay in the field in the mornings (taking it up in plastic Dengie bags) which means that we're eating into our store. Isn't the weather cruel - first giving us a bad hay harvest and now this awful cold.

We got a good delivery of hay in about 2 weeks ago but we know that most of the merchants round by us have now run out unless you can take huge bales - which we can't cope with.

To finish things off we've not ridden for ages. Still at least we're not trying to compete this Winter. DD probably won't go anywhere until BSPS Winter Champs and they are later this year, whilst I've retired my horse from hunting now.

Still the horses look well and their Horseware Ireland rugs are doing a great job.

[RectalNourishment]

I love fells, and yours sounds full of character! There is a young (3) one in the field I have to cross to get to mine and he is so good, obviously very interested in the feeds and hay and other goodies I'm wheeling about but just trots behind at a respectful yet hopeful distance. Wish mine were that well behaved!

Actually got to ride them both today, it was such a good feeling and they actually were impeccably well behaved (on the road anyway). But feeding a.m., poo picking, haying, watering, bringing down to yard, unrugging, grooming, tacking up, 45min hack, untacking, rugging up again brought me to evening feed time.

Surely two horses are NOT a full time job?

[Itsthawooluff]

Fell pony was brilliant - didn't turn a hair at 2 big Ikea bags tied onto her saddle, and stuffed with veg. She batted her eyelashes so much at the vegman that he hunted out all the bits of broken carrot for her - so she was happy.

Of course, what with him being a dyed in the wool organic lentil weaving veg man he was so impressed that we hadn't brought down a 4x4. Little does he know that if we had a 4x4 I would have done. I just kept quiet.

[RectalNourishment]

Have decided water is a two person job AND that they only need one big trug each twice a day. Somehow have managed to make haying and watering and fiddling with rugs my full time occupation this week, think this is partly an excuse to watch them together and reassure self they are happy.

Have been giving them hay about four times a day, fill the hay rack but also putting sections on the ground here and there - horse is slightly horrible to pony and very good at guarding entire hay rack from all angles. Which is greedy and unkind.

I love the clean feet that come with frozen field though!

[happyjules]

Dons tin hat and ducks
Things are really quite ok here (just in sunny cornwall)
Yard owner's husband has cleared the entrance to our access lane
We have water bowser in the american barn for if the automatics freeze
Only 1-2 inches of snow so have been able to turn out my fat tb everday
School frozen but at least we still have the turnout
Plenty of hay/haylage and straw (included in diy costs)
The real downer is that my daughters pony can't be turned out until the frostlifts as he's just recovering from a bout or lamminitis just before the cold spell
Oh they will bring in on xmas afternoon as a matter of course at no extra cost.
Other than the lack of riding it's all been perfectly managable.
Not run out of rugs at all yet
Oh and also have a landrover so getting there is not a problem.
And also my fat tb doesn't have any hard feed at all only haylage. Youve never seen so many fat tb's
Runs and hides emotion

[CMOTdibbler]

Am vv glad that pony has giant round bale of hay in the field - between him and his two field mates, it's going to last some time

[Itsthawooluff]

On the plus side we've decided to go and collect our Xmas veg supplies using the Fell pony as a pack horse - she's going to be thrilled!

[RectalNourishment]

Oh that aqua roll thing looks great too.

[RectalNourishment]

Haha, it's a great name isn't it? Not as good as those water things though, have ordered one - thanks :)

am absurdly looking forward to doing it all again tomorrow - minus bringing B down to the yard, he doesn't like the slippery bits any more than I do. He loves his new rug though, have never seen him look so happy. He is definitely not missing his stable.

[PlanetEarth]

I'm very lucky, I guess. Pony is at grass livery, the yard manager ensures they all have hay, and there is automatic watering in the fields. He has all his pals in the field.

But I'm finding it harder to get to the yard, and when I do go it's too slippy and the ground's too hard to do much except bring him in, give him a haynet and a brush and put him back again.

It's they way they all stand in the field looking forlorn and hoping it's their turn to come out of the field for a bit .

[Santassnowyoldclothcatpuss]

these are really great as well. Better in the bumpy field than a single wheeled barrow.

[Pixel]

Btw, I'm not even asking about your name.

[Pixel]

Actually it might be worth me getting one for the summer in case I want to put the horses in the top field where there is no trough. Could save me getting water all down my legs and in my boots like I usually do.

[Pixel]

You need these. They are no good for me as I have to be able to put containers in the car to take water from home, but aren't they fab?

[RectalNourishment]

I completely forgot that hosepipes freeze too, it's hard carrying full buckets of water across poached, bumpy and frozen fields isn't it? Am starting to think that whatever they want to charge for full livery it couldn't possibly too much.

Hilariously managed to waste all the daylight this pm visit by wheeling barrows of STRAW instead of hay all the way to the field. I fell over about 18 times, spilling it each time and carefully picking it all up again and still didn't notice until I got to the hay rack. At which point I also thought 'bags! Why didn't I carry it in BAGS instead of in a wheelbarrow?'.

This is as difficult as it gets, isn't it? On plus side they are both wrapped up well and look very happy, snug and a bit smug. Barney has 3 rugs on, hope this is not overkill but he is unlikely to get too warm while it's minus 50 overnight?

[Loshad]

Callisto i'm so with you there, i am just bored of carrying enough water from the house up to the stables for the horses, chickens and stable cats. Even hot water from the house doesn't take long to freeze solid - sigh. riding is a dim and distant memory.

[Callisto]

Frosy coat? I mean frosty.

[Callisto]

The water situation is such a pain. The buckets are icing over almost as soon as I put them out. I was a bit worried about DD's little yak last night as the temps got so low (around -10) but he was toasty warm this morning, despite have a very frosy coat. I'm feeding hay twice a day as there was hardly any grass in their paddock even before we got 6" of snow. More forecast for today and freezing conditions set to continue all week.

I was going to get him a molasses lick for Christmas, maybe I'll get him extra hay instead...

[Santassnowyoldclothcatpuss]

My poor Beasties are under eight inches of snow. Doing a fabulous job of digging for grass though! I have actually relented my usual 'fat natives not working and living out don't get extra food in winter' principles, and ive been taking them hay and grass nuts! The fabulous people who own the paddock and live next door have been going down every morning and defrosting their buckets. Apparently they quite enjoy a warm drink in the morning, the big hairy softies!

[Mermaid2]

Absolute nightmare - snow literally started falling and then it was blizzard. A normal 8 minute drive turned into a 2 hour trek. Luckily we in 4x4 but still so dangerous.

Justing putting horses in or out is a pain too. So worried about the ice. Who knows what tomorrow will bring...

[NightFury]

15 cms of snow in 4 hours has just scuppered any riding plans I had for this weekend. BUGGER!

[JRsandCoffee]

Blimey lisa that sounds horrendous!!!

I know where you're coming from Mitchy on all counts. I was in spain a few years ago and one of the stallions escaped from the yard and went up to where all the others were penned. The noise was unbelievable, sent shivers down my spine. There were probably 7 or 8 stallions each in individual electric fence pens out in the fields, two rows and a couple of mares. Normally pretty peaceful apart from the odd bit of snorting and manly half rearing but they were almost all up on their hind legs and screaming their heads off, one seemed to just stay up pawing the air forever. The escapee was the most dominant of the lot and he was in the middle of the two rows rearing and posturing, daring them all to just come out and get him. I was mesmerised, I'll never see or hear anything like it again I'm pretty sure! Was very glad that I wasn't going to have to go and catch him......

I blame The Silver Brumby for my obsession with Stallions!!!