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The tack room

Hows everyone going in the weather then?

36 replies

JRsandCoffee · 07/12/2010 16:37

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?

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Mermaid2 · 07/12/2010 21:06

Totally understand everything you saying. It's just such a battle, I have one that lives out and my DD's pony who lives in. I chuck her out in the morning and my boy goes in for his hay.

So much harder in the snow and as you say with ground so hard riding proving v difficult. From a safety point of view too, just walking them about is tricky. Hope it improves soon for everyone.

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MitchyInge · 07/12/2010 23:14

is definitely not ideal time of year to embark on diy livery Hmm but still have a week or so to ease into it

had plans to commit suicide hatless on cross country course opportunity to ride yesterday but 1. was too icy, don't mind breaking own neck but anguish at thought of horse getting injured and 2. couldn't catch him anyway

still a bit traumatised by horse that slipped on ice and went under lorry last Christmas Eve, was parked lorry but she got cast and it was just awful

why do I think of these things just before attempting to sleep?

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marge2 · 08/12/2010 11:18

Yup - flipping nightmare. Horse is stuck in stable. Too slippery to get off the yard as we have a VERY steep slope at the yard entrance to navigate and it's iced up. She can't go in the field because of the metabolic problem she has. Water is OK on the yard, but the field trough have frozen solid. She is getting VERY fed up and bored.

Horse going under a lorry sounds horrific. Did you see it happen?

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MitchyInge · 08/12/2010 11:28

My daughter did, I saw the blood on the snow and the injuries (mare made full recovery amazingly) and heard a too detailed description of it all. Actually she hasn't been sound since and is retired but seems happy enough.

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MitchyInge · 08/12/2010 11:29

Hope conditions improve for you soon by the way.

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Callisto · 08/12/2010 14:31

It has been tough. Luckily we have a horse walker and a round pen so the horses have at least been out every day, but they are still going to go nuts when they are ridden again. I don't mind the cold, but the icy ground is just depressing. At least last year there was snow on the ground so we could get out and ride.

Everything takes longer and of course this weather just makes the hay and bedding shortage worse.

(horse under lorry incident sounds awful btw)

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JRsandCoffee · 08/12/2010 18:17

Horse under lorry does indeed sound horrendous....... poor girl, I'm glad her owners have retired her and she's happy, nice, nice people.

Ice is no fun, I've not been keen since incident some years ago when I was riding a stallion for somone (nuts like footballs, that level of testosterone.....). He was feisty and could be a devil to lead so in the absence of the owner being there to lead him for me he had to be got on in the yard and ridden to the school (I was made to promise I wouldn't lead him, he had a habit of trying to stand on your head apparently), you were let in and left to ride and then retrieved again at the end of it. No other horses were to cross his path, I didn't know this bit. Anway, to cut a long story short I worked him and then I was let out of the school by the yard manager and came face to face with his nemisis in the outdoor school adjacent. I'm not entirely sure how we made it back accross the 150 m or so of sheet ice and packed snow on two legs, plunging, rearing and screaming but it really does stick in my brain as being particularly unpleasant..I had full on flu virus as well at the time (don't ask) which may have been a blessing as I was too utterly knackered having worked him to do anything other than just go with it.....really not keen on ice any more!!! Although strangely I'd love to ride the stallion again, when he was good......

Apologies for long and rambling anecdotal post!

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MitchyInge · 08/12/2010 18:38

That was hilarious, don't apologise! Bet it wasn't at the time . . . there are too many stallions at our yard sometimes, it can be a nightmare.

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JRsandCoffee · 08/12/2010 19:10

I think I was just gaga with the flu!!! He was at least sure footed in the mountain goat styleee and he looked so damn pleased with himself when we arrived at his stable.....that showed em, etc..... You know the deal!

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MitchyInge · 08/12/2010 19:39

I LOVE them, sometimes in an almost pervy way Blush but they are tormented souls aren't they? Am just glad we don't have to squirt minge juice at men to announce our interest in them. Feel bit sick when the mares do that.

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LisaD1 · 08/12/2010 19:44

Snow/ice mainly gone here (Surrey) just a few patches on the way to the field. But ground is rock hard still and my mare had a nasty accident a couple of weeks ago (someone came to try her out to share, she bolted from field - something she has NEVER done before, skidded on concrete and slammed into cattle fence, took whole fence down and got stuck in the cattle wire and was repeatedly slammed into concrete - was horrific) have ridden her once since and really don't want to risk a silly mare in the ice, so waiting impatiently for it to melt.

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JRsandCoffee · 08/12/2010 20:07

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!!!

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NightFury · 08/12/2010 21:02

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

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Mermaid2 · 17/12/2010 18:59

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...

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Santassnowyoldclothcatpuss · 19/12/2010 17:29

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!

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Callisto · 20/12/2010 09:55

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...

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Callisto · 20/12/2010 09:56

Frosy coat? I mean frosty.

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Loshad · 20/12/2010 10:04

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.

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RectalNourishment · 20/12/2010 22:47

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?

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Pixel · 20/12/2010 23:12

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?

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Pixel · 20/12/2010 23:19

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. Xmas Grin

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Pixel · 20/12/2010 23:20

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

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Santassnowyoldclothcatpuss · 20/12/2010 23:37

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

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PlanetEarth · 20/12/2010 23:39

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 Sad.

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RectalNourishment · 20/12/2010 23:53

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.

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