Snowfall at WW

...AND TALES OF THE TOTALLY EXPECTED...

 

 

I am writing this post, because without exception, when it snows, someone always asks me 'how are your horses in the snow?', to which I reply to surprised faces 'they love it!'

 

...and so does Min!

 

 

 

 

It's snowing again, the boys spent the night indoors of course, because we're not going through mud-fever again...seriously.

 

This snow time last year was when the abrasive nature of snow rubbed Henry's pastern and he got mud fever, remember this, snow can be fun, but it can cause problems too.

 

 

They were living out too, that didn't help, this year, they're indoors at night, their feet and legs can dry, we are MF free.

Snuggled up in their clean beds with lots of haylage, their drinkers didn't freeze because john has cleverly wound greenhouse heating wires around the pipes.

 

 

 

The yard is clear and danger free, the yard buckets are filled and snow is building up in the surface.

Tom & Henry would always rather be rug-free, but since its their nature to play and roll, and more snow is due, i put their outfits on suitable for the nippy weather and let them out.

 

 

Tom & Henry are gorgeous trakehners, but this does not mean they tip-toe around the snow because they are too posh to dip a toe in...NO! they love to play in it, eat it, lick it, roll in it.

boys!!!

 

Here Tom & Henry are looking gorgeous.

preparation, preparation, preparation...

SNOW:

Preparation is key to surviving the weather in the yard.

 

Last night, knowing it would snow all night, I prepared my yard with a sprinkling of salt&grit. 
 

 

 Not terribly romantic but John bought me a palette last autumn and it's very handy indeed.
 

I emptied the outdoor haybars ready for a new bale the next morning.

 

This morning then, when everywhere was covered in 5cm of snow, my yard, where I'd treated it, was clear and slip-free for the boys, and there was no fiddling with hay covered in snow, i just topped it up.
 

 

 

I put their medium weight rugs on, since they do like to play and roll in the snow, and out they went for a munch leaving me with an easy to sweep yard.

 

Once I have swept I sprinkle more grit on.

 

RECOMMENDED: Salt&Grit.

 

 

Also, we stocked up on horse feed too so we don't have to make any mad dashes to the farm shop for emergency supplies.

 

it's the Brownie Motto but 'be prepared' is the key.




 

 

 

TCJp29 Snow part1

SNOW DAY
...a horse owner will take great pleasure in a snow-day, not being able to get to work is an opportunity to play with the horses, even better if they're at home and you don't have to travel far to your yard.

5th February am:

We were out with our neighbours for dinner last night , it was little black dress and tux night, 8 of us in Gt Totham.  It started to snow as we were eating as predicted, and it was so beautiful watching it flurrying past the window of the old building we were having dinner in, and of course we were warm and happy drinking a nice red Lee had selected to match our meals. John knew he would have to carry me to the minibus because I was wearing my Isabel Marant boots that cost me a months wages....but they're so worth it...and I wasn't about to get them snowy was I?!

Our minibus cab driver drove us very carefully home in the new thick covering, and dropped us all home one couple after another down our lane.  and when I woke this morning there was a thick blanket of white covering everything...including Tom & Henry.

I resisted the temptation to shut them in last night.  Opting instead for medium weight turnout rugs and lots of hay.

They were so happy when I got to the yard too, I was happy they didn't have to spend the night indoors.  I had given the yard an extra layer of salt&grit yesterday when it was clear, so my yard isn't slippery.  Which is just as well because when I went out to check on them at 12.30 last night, they were galloping about in and out of the yard!!!...I can't watch!

But I did put boots on them both...just in case.

Tom & Henry enjoying the weather, neck covers on.  They eat the snow, and roll in it too!  See that speck of snow by Tom's head?  that was where Henry's feet made contact whilst playing!  Henry has dug a hole in the snow where he knows is a large frozen puddle beneath, the field drinkers were frozen, so he's melting the puddle, I could hear him slurping the water...those trakehners...they are very clever in the snow.

Edie:  she has never seen snow before....

she'd have made an excellent showjumper if she'd been

a horse, I'm sure you's agree?

Our other 3 cats were tucked up asleep on the

spare room bed in the warm...cats aren't silly.

Lemmy, he's an old hat at snow,

but he hasn't grown out of jumping

about in it!!

Look how gorgeous we are, plus, with our rugs on you can't measure us to check if our diets are working...mine certainly isn't after last night.....I just can't resist a good cheese board can you? xxx

A sequence of events:

I loved being right up close to Tom & Henry whilst they were playing, but you have to be careful, they move very fast!  ..and I was right underneath Tom when he reared to a stop, but was so busy saving my own arse I didn't get a picture...you'll just have to imagine it.

Look at me, mane blowing in the wind!

I had to be quick to get out of their way!  They move very fast in the snow, as if it weren't there at all.

Their rugs are lightweight and don't hinder the play at all.

I put boots on them this morning to protect their legs, because I knew they'd be leaping about.

Butter wouldn't melt.....

...but hopefully the snow will (but not yet) xx
Tom & Henry look like they're about to sing a duet in this one!

The scene as I came back in after feeding the boys: biscuit tin serenity (with the 'squeekies' galloping about - they've never seen snow before so the youngsters are going mental in it (we call them 'squeakies' because they are too young to have a proper miaow yet, instead - they squeak)).

I wonder if the trains will be running tomorrow....hhmmmmm, hope not!! xx