It has just occurred to me (lying in bed freezing) that I have been writing this blog for over a year now. I remember quite vividly how rubbish I felt last year at this time and how I was struggling with the horses and considering a livery yard for all!
Now I'm not saying it's been easy at all and my back is struggling to cope with the sheer quantity of manure that I appear to shovel this time of year but I'm certainly no where near the depths of despair I was last year.
This year I had a big switch in winter procedure and it appears to have benefited the horses as much as me. Two major things have changed.
One, when winter reared its head in about October/November I made a decision to not bring them in overnight. But to enable them to have the option. They are brought in at about 4pm for dinner and a haynet. Then I open the doors at 8pm and they are free to wander around the yard and go to the haytubs I made or stay in the stable. I shut the fields off, to give them some kind of rest and they are turned out on the hard standing around the yard. It has only been the last month or so I believe they spend more time in the stables (mucking out has become harder). Each morning they line up down the yard and await breakfast. I then put more hay in the tubs and at least one day a week, open the field up (it looks hideous, but who cares). It is something I have been considering doing for a few years and it helps to wear their bare feet down and also keeps them healthier on a variety of harder and sometimes drier surfaces. Certainly healthier than wet mud and then soft bed 24/7. I muck out each morning and shut the stable doors. Sam then poo picks around the yard when she brings them in the afternoon.
The other major change is I haven't rugged. This was my biggest leap of faith. Zulu has always struggled to keep weight on over the winter. Bess mainly looks good, Conor always looks better than good as does Eager. So I worked on the basis that the only ones I need to keep and eye on are Bess, because she is 30 and Zulu, well because he is Zulu :-) The worst that could happen is they drop weight at which point I feed them more or rug them. The only time I rug is when I know it is going to rain all day or all night. For instance I left them out this morning rug free in the snow, as I knew it wasn't going to snow all day. They all without exception look amazing! Zulu far better than usual neither Bess or Conor much different. The only one I think has dropped some weight is Eager, but she needed to! So perfect. They have been rug free for 98% of the winter. Horses coats work by trapping air, so their coats stand up and it creates a layer of warmth around their body. A sign it works and no heat is escaping is when it snows and it sits on their back, unmelted. When I put a rug on now, I make sure its a thick one as by putting the rug on, I am stopping the hair from standing up. That's why I have rugged in heavy rain and I have religiously curry combed mud off. Both of which stop the coat from working effectively. I have only done it though as they are out 24/7, which also gives them to chance to create heat by moving. Not sure if it works so well on a stabled horse?
Its now the beginning of February and as I horse owner I know that winter is far from over. Only in April will I breath a sigh of relief. But, I think its worked and definitely makes you think and reassess what you do with your land. From a barefoot perspective an all weather surface saves you a lot of work riding on the roads etc. and the thought of all year turnout with adlib hay can only be good for them? Conor certainly used to hate wearing a rug and would show it quite visibly. I am lucky that I have the ability to evolve with my horses and with knowledge,what you believe is right and wrong.
One, when winter reared its head in about October/November I made a decision to not bring them in overnight. But to enable them to have the option. They are brought in at about 4pm for dinner and a haynet. Then I open the doors at 8pm and they are free to wander around the yard and go to the haytubs I made or stay in the stable. I shut the fields off, to give them some kind of rest and they are turned out on the hard standing around the yard. It has only been the last month or so I believe they spend more time in the stables (mucking out has become harder). Each morning they line up down the yard and await breakfast. I then put more hay in the tubs and at least one day a week, open the field up (it looks hideous, but who cares). It is something I have been considering doing for a few years and it helps to wear their bare feet down and also keeps them healthier on a variety of harder and sometimes drier surfaces. Certainly healthier than wet mud and then soft bed 24/7. I muck out each morning and shut the stable doors. Sam then poo picks around the yard when she brings them in the afternoon.
The other major change is I haven't rugged. This was my biggest leap of faith. Zulu has always struggled to keep weight on over the winter. Bess mainly looks good, Conor always looks better than good as does Eager. So I worked on the basis that the only ones I need to keep and eye on are Bess, because she is 30 and Zulu, well because he is Zulu :-) The worst that could happen is they drop weight at which point I feed them more or rug them. The only time I rug is when I know it is going to rain all day or all night. For instance I left them out this morning rug free in the snow, as I knew it wasn't going to snow all day. They all without exception look amazing! Zulu far better than usual neither Bess or Conor much different. The only one I think has dropped some weight is Eager, but she needed to! So perfect. They have been rug free for 98% of the winter. Horses coats work by trapping air, so their coats stand up and it creates a layer of warmth around their body. A sign it works and no heat is escaping is when it snows and it sits on their back, unmelted. When I put a rug on now, I make sure its a thick one as by putting the rug on, I am stopping the hair from standing up. That's why I have rugged in heavy rain and I have religiously curry combed mud off. Both of which stop the coat from working effectively. I have only done it though as they are out 24/7, which also gives them to chance to create heat by moving. Not sure if it works so well on a stabled horse?
Its now the beginning of February and as I horse owner I know that winter is far from over. Only in April will I breath a sigh of relief. But, I think its worked and definitely makes you think and reassess what you do with your land. From a barefoot perspective an all weather surface saves you a lot of work riding on the roads etc. and the thought of all year turnout with adlib hay can only be good for them? Conor certainly used to hate wearing a rug and would show it quite visibly. I am lucky that I have the ability to evolve with my horses and with knowledge,what you believe is right and wrong.
