We have been battered by heavy rain and wind for the last 3 days - hope it;s not as bad everywhere else. Many of the fields are flooded and the local rivers are higher than I can remember ever having seen them. Quite a number of the roads are impassable for ordinary vehicles.
Unfortunately an elderly local farmer lost his life today trying to rescue some stranded cows in the flood plain of the River Don.
We have no dry rugs for the horses, or jackets for us and the children! evrything is soaked! Hopefuly it will lighten up tomorrow and befin to fine down.
Much warmer but still very wet down south, and am in the "to rug not to rug" dilemma with my IDxTB. I KNOW he's a horse and won't melt, he's not clipped, and has plenty of shelter, is not being ridden so doesn't need to be clean, and I need to get his diet right, but after dramatic weight loss two winter's ago, and over-rugging last winter, this is now my next quandry!
This is combined with the "increase field size due to mud v. too much Dr.Evil" decision.
They've finished their first ever course of Verm-X powder, adding mint was the answer to persuading them to eat it. No colic or footiness, hurray! Just hope it works. I abandoned the pumpkin seeds as wasn't sure if the poo nuggets (love that description) were revealing tapeworm bits or seeds! My hairdresser says she's read that pumpkin seeds act as wormers for humans, not that I'm in ANY WAY obsessed about any of this.
Needless to say rock crunching NF is thriving, no rugs (or worry) needed there!
Bad luck Bruce - was hearing about the terrible weather you were having - hope its now eased a bit...
Foggy and mild down here, very humid and wet, and there is even fog in the barn
SB, FWIW my old horse is the only one not clipped but I rug him (also ID x TB) because he hates the wet and chills very easily once he is soggy, besides taking ages to dry out.
I used to have another IDxTB though who removed his own rugs, even when he was clipped, until about January - horses for courses!
Mmmh, interesting. He's always hated the wet, though has been OK so far this season although nothing like brucea's weather conditions, but I am watching and waiting. His NF friend removes his rugs for him, bless. Possibly if his diet is improving he won't be so sensitive, but it's reassuring I may not have been imagining it in the past!
Jake and Clay both TBs not rugged except for one bad night. Its not too bad here + track sheltered. Jake has always loved standing in the shelter out of draught, rain: he trots up to field shelter as soon as it starts to spit - hates getting wet. Clay just likes being with Jake. So, ex racer and confirmed claustraphobic Clay has learnt the positives of standing inside a shelter, from agraphobic rainaphobic Jake and is now very much a fan.
The downside is that if they spend lots of time in their, their not moving just pooing with ocassional foray outside to roll and play. But really, its only when its really bad weather and then all the horses just stand and weather it out. Jake doesnt like his head getting wet so even in a rug he'd prob always go inside. The big but is exercise : I am greeted each morning by two bundles of dried poo-mud and bedding on four legs I am considering rugging so I can actually exercise them without architechural digging operation to find a horse - takes forever and I need to be time effecient and ride before work to keep up frequency of exercise with dark nights coming. _________________ X
SueH with Jake and Clay
Both ponies went out for a mammoth hack today. We went cross country so to speak, no roads, just over fields and ditches etc. Feet performed really well and they both fell asleep when we got back !! _________________ www.petportraitsbybonnie.blogspot.com
Well - it has finally stopped raining this morning. All our rugs are sodden, all our waterproofs are sodden and we're just all fed up of being wet! The ponies have just had enough!
Bramble has always strugled with his feet after a prolonged wet period - but on the pea gravel he has stayed perfectly happy.
Think I have found a nice private yard we can get from the middle of November but not quite there yet. Strange, when the prospect of moving is thrust in front of you , you begin to see all the other things that you have been unhappy with in a much sharper light. _________________ http://www.4hooves.co.uk http://4hoovesblog.spaces.live.com/default.aspx
Clay up to about 40 mins a day unbooted mostly at walk, on tarmac lanes. Sunday he went furthest, over an hour on lanes and offered trot [sound] on long stretch. Starting to chill out, less of a brace when I pick up reins now.
Ponyed Clay off Jake at 7.30 this morning. Clay slightly less forward than he has been, possibly heels 'tired' from yesterday. If same tomoz, will give him day off - I also need a day off soon
Jake coming back to fitness gradually, out most days lots of trotting, lots of road work. Feet looking better again. What he has NOT lost is his flexibility. We've been working on this after Martha/Ken clinics. Definitely improving so much so its quite a shock when I ride Clay who is so straight !
One thing is that its been hard to find chums that hack at good pace consistently for fittening work. Its either walk with company or trot alone...So we have ended up on our lonesome most days but things might be looking up with company on the horizon. _________________ X
SueH with Jake and Clay
Well - that's a new yard sorted out. We have found a delightful small yard, with just us and a friend, with direct access into the woodland tracks. 4 fields, all old unfertilised sward (we got 30 years of history!)
There are 3 stables, tack room and hay store. All quite compact but functional. Every field has an old cast iron bath with spring fed water!
It's owned by an absolutely remarkable 79 year old lady who was an eventer and had a terrible accident many years ago - breaking her neck and having to relearn how to walk. She is absolutely delighted to have the children there, and I have the sneaking suspicion that they might just be spoiled rotten! She is extremely knowlegeable and quite pro barefoot which is even better. Unfortunately she has made up a list of jobs that she needs done when we move into the yard and top of the list is the yard drain!
So all in all it feels really good and I think our guys will be happy there. There are donkeys over in the next field - that should keep the cob occupied!
The main worry is whether Bramble can make the transition back to having access to grass. I think he probably can, if we are careful, and provide him the right support. He's in a hugely better place now than he was 18 months ago, and we can control access.
ps my fondest memory of your country, apart from living in Rhu (Gareloch) for 2 years from 9 to 11, is of staying in a B&B with a chain on the bath and the landlady telling us in her brooooooad Scots accent "baaaaths are ten peeeeee".
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I am considering rugging so I can actually exercise them without architechural digging operation to find a horse - takes forever and I need to be time effecient and ride before work to keep up frequency of exercise with dark nights coming.
