Mud mud mud

[Bigsighall]

Anyone else fed up and struggling?!

[Pleasedontdothat]

Yes

[RandomMess]

Don't have a horse or ride but I can certainly imagine it's hellish looking at the state of the fields around here!

[Grumpbum123]

Beyond over it

[JayAlfredPrufrock]

No longer have a horse.

I cannot tell you how many times I have said recently “I’m so glad I don’t have a horse”.

[Bigsighall]

This feels like the worst winter for some years. They are miserable and I am miserable 😩
It’s gotta be spring soon right?!
Pp with no horses... very sensible!!! Want one of mine?!

[puppymouse]

We're lucky to have fields and a hard standing track with shelters so DHorse can choose but it's our first year of mud fever ever and the combination of gales and rain is really getting him down.

[RandomMess]

We've had a dog 5 years and it's definitely the wettest and muddiest for walking since we got her. The beck is continuing so flooded we can't use the stepping stones and Miss Princess that hates mud and puddles keeps needing a bath

[Bigsighall]

@puppymouse mud fever is the pits ☹️ I hope you get it resolved soon. We do have stables so they can dry off overnight at least.
Someone at work asked if I wanted to do tough mudder this year..... hahahahaha no thanks!!!!!!

[puppymouse]

Oh god no, Tough Mudder is my idea of torture.

Luckily I'm on top of it now but only through hosing his legs off e dry day which he hates and I hate and I swore blind I didn't want to do that as I know it ruins their natural defences but it's the only thing that's worked.

We have stables but they come in for their breakfast and that's it. It's wonderful for them but when the weather's like this I miss tucking him in

[Theresahairbrushinthefridge]

Infected mud fever. First time ever. I've even given in and bought our lab a drying off onesie. She's been getting so cold after our rides.

Sunshine. Please.

[Bigsighall]

I’m hosing legs coz the mud is soooo thick when they come in, It doesn’t even dry overnight. I’m a massive believer in not hosing legs normally. First year ever I’ve done it

[Moanranger]

Luckily we have an indoor school, horse walker & stables. Horses are not out if fields are too sodden. This doesn’t work for every horse, but we ensure he is exercised ( schooled or hacked) most days and on walker if not turned out. No mud fever, thank goodness, He is not heavily feathered, but we keep them untrimmed in winter which I think protects him

[Songofsixpence]

Yes! Completely fed up now

Our fields aren’t too bad. We’re on sandy soil so they drain pretty quickly. Round the gate it’s a mess and the field is a bit muddy but ours are still getting out for a little while most days

We’ve also had mud fever for the first time this year. Our oldie got it quite badly and ended up infected - she has severe arthritis and stiffens up massively if she doesn’t get out so we can’t win at the moment

I went to a friend’s yard the other day and lost my welly in the mud. She’s on clay and it was awful

[Bigsighall]

What is that thing in the sky today?! Anyone else see it?!
Maybe spring is on its way!

[Songofsixpence]

The only thing in the sky here today is dark grey clouds 😂

[Biddie191]

Just so depressing. I'm so fed up with it.
Ours are out 24/7 except when it's heavy rain overnight, then they come in. They do have a big shelter and area of hardstanding, but the field is knee deep in places.
I have no idea how I'm going to get the fields back in OK condition - we're mostly clay, so it goes from bottomless to hard but poached and lumpy with no in between that is suitable for rolling (clay sticks to the roller if it's at all wet, and tractor gets stuck.... oh joy).
We are lucky that we have a mountain a half hour hack away that is at least dry enough for a decent canter, so we try to get there at least once a week, but other than that it's renting arenas or roadwork in the rain.
The windy weather has proved that the ponies can do some stunning lateral work, if they want to ....

[fluffysocksgoodbookwine]

It's awful! Fields completely poached, the entire yard has had mud fever (many for the first time ever), everyone says this is the worst winter they can remember for wet/ mud/ wind.

Poor mare is getting really touchy around her feet what with all the washing/ drying/ applying sudocrem/ pig oil, but left alone her legs get worse, and she gets agitated if in for more than a few days. Riding no better, as tracks really muddy and lots of deep puddles.

It's going to take weeks for the fields to dry out, even if it stopped raining. It's been soggy since early October here! Desperate for some sustained dry weather.

[Bigsighall]

I can’t even imagine how long the fields will take to recover. Raining all day again here today and the fields are like mud soup. So depressing!!!

[Lalalalalalalalaland]

Ours were bought in in october.

We had to move ours in January as living in sent DDs pony nutty.

So now they are living out 24/7... nothing says fun like carrying a bale through knee deep mud.

This is our first winter of owning horses...

[Bigsighall]

@Lalalalalalalalaland that’s bad timing! It’s not usually this awful! Well winter is usually bad but this is something else!!

[Biddie191]

The moment you fall over backwards carrying haynets through mud, and just think 'I don't have the energy to get up'.
Then the ponies decide to 'help' by crowding round and squabbling over the hay, and you realise that staying down is too risky.
Getting to work to find mud splatters on your face, and hay in your bra. Despite the 300 layers you wore to go out there.
Thank goodness I love them. Horses are not a hobby, they are a passion - otherwise, no sane person (or even insane one) would do it!

[Megan2018]

I am so glad this is the winter I have had off riding!
Had a baby in Sept and not ridden yet, can’t face it. Horse unclipped and naked and completely feral.
I said I’d get on in March....be July at this rate!

[Megan2018]

Oh and yes, mud fever for the first time. It’s a bitch. Pig oil let me down for the first time ever

[Shannith]

Ah yes. Some lovely lateral work here too. Just not at a time/pace and direction of my choosing.

They are getting out but it's so muddy and miserable they just stand by the gate wanting to come in.

[QuestionableMouse]

Medicated talc is fab for mud fever. Get the legs as dry as you can and puff it on liberally.

We're on clay and the fields are trashed. The farmer planted winter barley in the field behind my house and I doubt he's going to get anything off the field because it had flooded so much.

The gates are like swamps too. Can't wait for spring to arrive!