| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| shah |
Posted - 06 Jan 2010 : 5:19:50 PM
Arrived at the yard today and found that the roof is caving in on the large barn where our stables are, as well as over the tack room. The big steel beams are bowing under the pressure and bolts were flying off on their own 
Luckily no horses were in this morning so no harm done. And as we were nearly all there at the same time today we were asked to move everything out of our tack rooms as the barn and stables are now closed and we're not allowed in there as it's too dangerous! So, major move operations to get everything out and we're now living out of cars/trailers/lorries/safe corners/wherever we can find space. We may not be allowed back in for 3 months!!!!!
Not too much of a problem as our horses are all out 24/7 anyway BUT on top of this Mush didn't look too well again today, showing signs of colic. So I've had to bute him, his tummy was gurgling and he was eating well when I left, including having slurped up all his dinner. Luckily I have the vet out tomorrow anyway for routine jab so I can ask him to have a quick look over at the same time. With the snowy weather and no stable situation though I couldn't remove his rug and check him over so am slightly worried now. Plus if he does colic I don't have a stable to rest him in now.........
Suspect they may be eating the snow......... The water wasn't frozen over and I've removed every single piece of ice in there. They have ad lib hay, so another possibility is that he's gorged a bit too much hay (has happened before) and is just feeling a bit sorry for himself.
Although the snow looks magical it creates all sorts of problems!!! |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| shah |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 08:10:46 AM
Luckily owners realised and they were lagging water like the rest of us yesterday. Stable roof still bowing more, and people were up there trying to get rid of the snow yesterday but it's snowing more here now so we'll see what it's like when we get there later...
Mush is still not 100%. Had vet out yesterday anyway for routine flu jab so we agreed to take a blood sample just to be on the safe side as as he was there anyway. Vet also recommended continuing the bute for a few days. I now think it's the sharp decrease in exercise that's not keeping things moving in the gut as it should. Have bought some probiotics but fussy Mush won't eat them... Any ideas for how to get them inside him? Or should I try yoghurt instead? |
| Roseanne |
Posted - 08 Jan 2010 : 11:38:26 AM
I'm having to check the water troughs several times a day. It's been -3 or so and much colder in the night time - the ice has been 3 - 4" thick and the ballcocks of the troughs are frozen so we need to take up hot water to sort those before many days are out.
Does anyone have a contact for the neighbours Tabita? Perhaps they don't realise how quickly things are freezing over again?
Glad to hear Mush is better! |
| marionpack |
Posted - 08 Jan 2010 : 10:05:10 AM
Unfortunately some people forget that horses need to drink as well as eat, yesterday I had to use a hammer to break the ice it was so thick, even though I take the all the ice out daily it had still got that thick |
| shah |
Posted - 08 Jan 2010 : 07:40:31 AM
Thankfully Mush is better. I suspect he ate quite a bit of hay as it was cold and he then didn't drink enough so got a bit dehydrated (I saw him pee and the colour wasn't great).
Got the last of my hay out of the barn yesterday so am now at the mercy of the YOs to when we can get the next lot - running out today though in the field so they must do something soon. They were just putting up loads more supports yesterday, but even one of the steel supports had bowed overnight so it's not looking good.
Our automatic water feeder has now also frozen (I was just waiting for it to happen) so we have to start lag water today. Luckily there's one tap on the outside of the barn that was working yesterday, but for how long??
Went over to one of the other fields as one of their horses was behaving a bit funny and noticed that all their water had frozen solid and the owners had just been there and not filled up  The horse that was acting funny was trying to find a puddle that wasn't frozen over, it looked like he was thirsty. How can people leave their horses with no water??????? All horses in my field drank when I took them some lukewarm water in a bucket so at least I know they have drank something and I put a thermos of warm water in their trough to keep it from freezing for a little while. But to leave horses with no water access at all!!! |
| Roseanne |
Posted - 07 Jan 2010 : 12:24:16 PM
Sounds like a lucky escape! I hope Mush is OK and it's just a twinge. It doesn't help that the forecast doesn't show a thaw for a while! |
| honey |
Posted - 07 Jan 2010 : 11:48:47 AM
what a nightmare glad the horses were all out. hope mush is feeling better soon. |
| moatside |
Posted - 07 Jan 2010 : 09:35:20 AM
Nightmare! Hope you get sorted. |
| Pasha |
Posted - 07 Jan 2010 : 09:30:03 AM
OMG!!! Poor you! Hope they get it sorted and Mush starts to feel better again x |
| Arachnid |
Posted - 07 Jan 2010 : 08:45:47 AM
Lindsey has a spare stable T (not sure how you'd get him there though, you might have to walk !) Will email you. That yard is a bit of a disaster. |
| shah |
Posted - 07 Jan 2010 : 08:05:56 AM
Good idea pintoarabian.
They had started to put some supports up when I left last night so we'll see what it's like today. I wasn't allowed in to get my rugs, haynets and hay so I'm also hoping they can get some bales out to all the fields today otherwise we'll have starving horses and I'm not sure what to do then! |
| pintoarabian |
Posted - 06 Jan 2010 : 7:20:41 PM
I have to confess about being worried about the weight of snow on our stallion barn so, a few days ago, up the ladder I went and cleared tons of the stuff (not really to be recommended) but it would have been a catastrophe if it had collapsed. It was well over a foot deep and took me over two hours. However, I did sleep much easier as a result but was I aching the next day!!! |
| susan p |
Posted - 06 Jan 2010 : 5:39:55 PM
Good thing that no horses were in,scarey though.
One of our neighbours shed roof collapsed with the weight of the snow,he had 3000 chicken in it at the time,all the liveries on their yard were helping to catch the surviving chicks,but only 2200 so far!
None of them are keeping their horses in the shed next to it now,quite wise! |
