Worried about my horses. Just having a bit of a moan about mud; anyone else?

[Nomoremudplease68]

I’ve chosen this year of all years to keep my two horses on our own land for the first time ever.

Up until April of this year they were at full time livery with a farmer in a herd of eight and were really content but the arrangement came to an end amicably because he was expanding his other livestock.

The summer was quite hot where we are (not uk) and the amount of really small agressive flies on our land was extraordinary. I spent the whole time worrying about my horses welfare as despite shelter, x3 daily fly spray and fly masks they seemed plagued by flies.

There wasn’t much of an autumn and we went straight in to winter almost overnight. Now it’s colder and it’s rained for a solid month, all I and the horses seem to do is trudge about in mud all day.

The horses have voluntarily accessed stables but seem to prefer staying out 24/7 with their hooves in mud and lots of puddles and standing water in their fields.

Both of them have feathers and have had injections for mites this year. I am worried about potential CPL. I am worried they don’t have enough stimulus and interaction with there being just two of them. I am worried that the damp weather is going to give them hoof issues. I just seem to worry all the time about their welfare. And frankly it’s pretty miserable looking after them on my own without the camaraderie and interaction at the farm.

It’s miserable and exhausting mucking out and trying to wheel heavy wheelbarrows in 5 inches of mud. And difficult delivering hay to muddy fields sliding about unsteady on my feet.

Sorry for this negative post it’s just I thought my horses would have better care living with me and I am far from sure that they are better off!

Is anyone else finding it hard going this year or is it just me?

Not a horse person but an anxious person and what I took from your post is that it sounds like the best solution for your worries would be finding another group livery situation. Is that a possibility?

I'm in the UK but it's been so wet this year and it's relentless. So many horses have had mud fever on our yard, I've never seen anything like it. The grass keeps growing though since it hasn't been especially cold (until today) so that's something at least.

I've always fantasised about having my horses on my own land but I've also suspected it must be bloody hard work! I'm sure they're fine as a pair but you can always get a third. 😉 And yes, I find most horses when given a choice will stay out no matter what the weather - they are hardy outdoor creatures (my TB possibly excepted) at the end of the day. Quite possibly it was just as muddy at the old place, you just weren't there to see it 24 hours a day!

If it's really getting you down, do you have any other options for livery?

Thank you so much for your replies! I feel better just being able to “voice” my worries here!

Haha Paperdoves there is always room for one more isn’t there? 😆😆. Thank you for your very sensible post. You are quite right, I didn’t see the worst of it last year and everyone is in the same boat atm (nearly literally a boat needed where I am! 😀). And, ironically, up to now, I have always been an advocate of horses living out as naturally as possible as long as they have access to shelter! Thank you for reminding me of that!

And yes SBHon it wouldn’t harm to look at other options although I am sure that the best places have gone by now! And the positives with having them at home is that it is forcing me to improve the infrastructure etc.

I think one of the best things about livery is that you all get to moan to each other about how shit it is every day. 😂 The solidarity and just knowing you're not alone really helps when you're pushing a wheelbarrow through the mud. I bet it's lonely being on your own - as wonderful as I'm sure it is having your horses at home in many ways, definitely consider looking for a place with other people. My friends and I swap chores so we don't always have to come up twice a day, too, as an added bonus!

Or you can just moan here or on H+H, we're always happy to join in 😂

I feel your pain. I have mine at our own place but it’s rented and not at home. I share it with a friend. We whine a lot about the bad weather. I would go it alone if she bailed on our set up but it would be very tough.

The mud is relentless and I definitely see how happy it makes my two when it isn’t raining and the sun comes out. They love to sunbathe. Do they seem bothered or distressed? I always notice my older TB shutting down a bit in wet weather - he hates it. But as long as he’s dry under his rug and eating I leave him to it. It’s so hard to feel helpless.

Do they have a loafing area with mats or hardcore where they can eat and stand around off the mud? If you can afford to, that could really help.

I have also just started giving mine a treat ball to play with on their hard standing and barn overnight, they like that.

I can’t advise on feathers as neither of mine have them but I try to only groom feet and legs when it’s dry and otherwise leave them to it. If I try to wash that’s when they get mud fever.

It will pass ❤️

We've always kept ours at home,and sometimes fantasize about a livery yard with hard standing,an easily accessible muck heap and proper lighting. But I know that the other people there would ruin it for me, and that I'm very lucky to be able to keep my horses as I see fit,without being told what to do.

This time of year is always awful,no matter where you keep your horses,short days, relentless mud, struggling in the dark and sliding all over the place with heavy wheelbarrows. I absolutely hate it,everything is a mess and all I can see are jobs that need doing but the field is too wet and the days are too short to get anything done.

One of ours came with feather mites,he'd had them on and off all of his life ( 20 years). I rubbed a mixture of neem oil and vaseline into the affected areas and they disappeared. 9 years later,they've never come back.

That’s so kind of you Paperdoves thank you. I am aware that this is a very first world problem and I do enjoy having my horses at home (looking at them from my bedroom window when I wake up and being around them every day is the best bit) but I very much appreciate your kind words and offer to group chat!

Yes it is definitely a new experience doing everything solo. I didn’t take in to account how much I would miss the camaraderie and the collective decision-making of my old livery. There was always someone more experienced there to offer advice. It’s much harder now that all the decision-making is down to me and every day I seem to be in a quandary about something or other! 😁

Thank you to you too Bighorselittlehorse for the solidarity! My boys seem absolutely fine actually! They are both thick-coated hairy native types. It’s more the potential rain scald or mud fever that keeps me awake at night rather than anything concrete ifyswim. It’s a continual worry! I think it’s because I have never been solely responsible for them before.

They do have hard standing and an open stable off a track from their fields and plenty of trees and hedges too. They have to cross a very muddy track to access it though. Maybe that is why they are reluctant to use it? The hay I put out in the stables at night has always been eaten in the morning though ; I just don’t see them in the stable during daylight hours which is contributing to my hoof worries!

Thank you for the tip about the treat ball! I will try that!

Thank you Feckedupbundle for saying you hate it atm too! That’s a huge relief in a way to hear someone tell it as it is! The gap between my idea of what it would be like and the reality has been huge! So glad to know that I am not alone 😀

I hear you re: the frustration over the short days too!

That’s a great tip about neem oil and Vaseline! Thank you!

Could you get some mud control mats for the muddy bit to create a pathway? I also highly recommend the Land management for Horses group on FB. Loads of tips and advice and lots of people coping with the same horsey issues and weather conditions.

I think the what ifs are so cruel to us with horses. One of mine was hopping lame this morning. I know if he was at a livery yard I’d probably have had to stable him and call the vet, when i’m 99% sure it’s an abscess and the best thing for him is movement. But what if it’s not?! It’s terrifying not having an ADULTIER ADULT around to help make decisions but it’s also liberating to care for them how you choose and not be judged 🫤

I remember when I first brought mine to live with us when we eventually bought a place to accommodate them. I had dreams of butterflies fluttering round my head and bluebirds singing while I merrily brought them in and turned them out in beautiful pastures as the fields would be well managed.

The reality was much different to my dreams…

I have TB’s who stand and cry by the gate from 2pm to get back into their warm stables ignoring the beautiful warm dry field shelters containing copious amounts of hay and winter grazing.

We put in hard standing last year but they choose to stand in the mud at the side of it looking heartbroken and abused. The mud is relentless at this time of year and I find washing their legs gives me more problems than letting it dry and brushing off in the morning. I brush in the morning to check for any cuts etc, it’s a thankless task and I often question myself at 8am why I chose to have the beasts in the first place!

The first couple of winters are hard until you get into the swing of being solely responsible and not having the support of yard buddies. You’ll get into your own way of doing things though and find what works best for you. Remind yourself of the positives, tucking them in last thing at night, seeing them first thing, no yard politics, no bitching…

The best thing I did was have cameras installed in the stables so I can keep an eye on them from the house. Everything just takes a little bit of getting used to!

Yes it's misery. I have my own land 5 minutes from home and the majority of the time I'm alone. So this morning it was bright and sunny BUT the water pipe had frozen which meant bucketing the water across the field to 3 stables. Although I haven't got deep mud it was incredibly greasy and I nearly slipped over 3 times. I was exhausted by the time I'd mucked out, filled haynetd etc. My "hardy" Highlands have free access to their stables and hard standing but chose to poop in the stables bless em . It's ruddy hard work this time of year, and like you I worry about them. Especially the gelding who gets abcesses , cracked hooves and anything else!

Can very much identify with all of that Mollyplop! 😁. I agree it’s very tough going atm.

One of mine tends to get abscesses on his near hind in winter and I am holding my breath each time I see him but he’s fine so far!

I’m just about to go out and scrub the water troughs. They haven’t drunk it down (must be drinking from puddles) and it’s awful having to drain them to release more water on to what is already a sea of mud!

And yes they always choose to poop where it takes most effort to clean up 😂😂. It’s Sod’s Law! 😆

😂😂 Farynuff I’m chuckling about the butterflies and bluebirds! 😂😂.

And “We put in hard standing last year but they choose to stand in the mud at the side of it looking heartbroken and abused” this had me howling! 😂 You have to be around horses to fully understand 😂😁. Quite right about yard politics and getting in to the swing! I will consider a camera too, that’s a good idea, thank you.

Thank you so much everyone! This thread is cheering me up no end! 😁😁

I am already on that Facebook site as it happens Bighorselittlehorse! It’s really good isn’t it, although I am a little afraid of asking questions for fear of asking the wrong thing! 😀 My land has hugely improved as a result of all of the excellent advice on there. But the amount of water we have had on it this year, despite good drainage, is proving v difficult indeed!

I have considered mud mats but I would need a lot and everyone keeps saying how slippy they are which kind of defeats the point doesn’t it?

That’s a very good point too about being able to do things in the way you think best without having to explain your decision to anyone and I hope your horse’s hoof comes good soon. 🤞

I am sure I will get used to it all soon. The first year of anything is bound to be daunting, right?

Empathising here too. Mine are at home which is lovely and also like everyone else says a relentless slog at this time of the year. Here is has rained nearly every day for 8 weeks and my winter field is trashed like a bog. For the first time in many years I am bringing mine in at night, and leaving them in. They seem much happier ( this year) with this arrangement due to the relentless mud and rain, both are TBs.
I have 1 pallet of mud mats down and my unshod old boy doesn’t slip on them at all, they are a bit slippy for shod horses but I never put any sand down on mine like you are supposed to. They do really appreciate them and I often go up in the evenings to find the pair of them on the mud mat raft. At least they last unlike the 25 tonne of stone ( on a very small area) i had put down which has literally just disappeared.

Yes my land is generally quite well drained, it is 6 acres all in one long thin block with a slight slope. In normal autumns no sooner has it rained then we get enough wind to dry it out. This year it has been sinking mud for weeks on end. I’ve never know weather like it, so you are really getting a baptism of fire.
Whether you are suited to keeping your horses on your own land is a very individual thing. I would hate having others around to bother me, maybe feeding at different times etc. Wait till you’ve had a full year to see how you feel.

Another not a horse person here! If you have some money would an option be to pay someone local for help, to reduce the cold and yucky bits?

Thank you very much LastChristmasIgaveyoumyTart. I’ve had two days with better weather, cold but sunny, and the dry weather has made such a difference in terms of getting things done and the horses and I are much happier! I agree that having flexibility to manage things according to your own schedule is a huge bonus.

Actually I think the horses were fine before - it was just me who was grumpy - because I took advantage of the good weather to refresh water troughs and set up a self regulating hay feeding system and the horses ignored the fresh water and only ate a bit of hay so they weren’t suffering in any way! There is obviously still enough grass left to keep them well fed.

That’s a good idea actually Loopytiles it would be nice to have one day off a week for example.

That’s useful to know about the mud mats not being slippy for your unshod horse JaffavsCookie thank you - and for the solidarity!

For most of my horse owning life I kept mine at home. Usually 2 sometimes 3. Not a large amount of grazing. They were in at night in the winter, I was quite happy looking after them, even when I worked full time.

We moved to Hampshire a few years ago. I am down to one horse and he is in a fantastic livery yard with lovely staff and a fantastic rider who has been schooling him to get to PSG. Being young he does not care about the cold!

Several of the liveries used to have theirs at home but prefer the flexibility of livery and we all get on well, no in fighting allowed!

There's something magical about full livery, @TodayInahurry. Especially when you phone them up and say, ah, I'm not really feeling like riding in the rain today, can you sort him please? And your horse is magically sorted. 😁

Today on the other hand I'm treating myself to two cups of coffee before I brave defrosting the car and heading off to do turn outs and muck outs, because it's Saturday. My how times have changed.

@Nomoremudplease68 and now it is -4, all the poached swamps have turned ankle breaking rock hard so they will be stuck in until Tuesday! Just had a £180 feed bill stocking up on speedibeet + hay replacer so he doesn't get impaction colic over the next week.
I truly hate winter.

@twistyizzy until the speedi beet freezes solid! Ours live out so just having to deal with the frozen swamp. It was mins 7 when I left the yard yesterday. All the troughs are frozen solid so having to trek containers of water down said frozen swamps. My field is 3 large fields away from where we can park cars too. Winter truly is the pits

@liveforsummer yep! Our water pipes all frozen because they aren't lagged properly (livery yard) so I'm lugging the water carriers too. Such a glamorous life 😆