| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| LYNDILOU |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 2:53:21 PM
in all my 65 years I have never experienced weather like this! we have a white out here !, cant see more that 15ft in front of you !all our pipes have frozen over , having to carry buckets of water to the stables , no cars can get in or out of the property, of deliveries of milk or news papers , and if we are having it bad , spare a thought for all the people who rely on help, the sick and elderly what ever our circumstances , please see what we can do for others? also please think of the animals out in this weather , if you can feed the birds , keep warm with layers and be careful not to fall |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Margaret |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 11:38:32 AM
It hasn't been as bad here (Aberdeenshire) as usual - we usually have pretty deep snow quite quickly and although we've probably had as much, it's been in dribs and drabs. The horses love it - they've been out every day and even the 23 year old plays like a youngster. Water's the worst problem; it takes ages for the stopcock to unfreeze but we have an urn which has been on all the time so we have plenty of hot water to pour over the tap/stopcock, and when it thaws we fill up every container we can lay hands on!
However, today it's started thawing and it's foul - just thick sheet ice everywhere and the first time the horses have had to stay in (they're not happy!) but it was too dangerous to try and lead them out of the yard. The snow's not so bad but I always dread the mess when it starts melting - and the MUD that then stays for weeks  |
| LYNDILOU |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 11:20:52 AM
just remeber Cate when they do finally go out they will charge around ,snow here is so deep if they were to fall it would be a soft landing but all mine want to do is stand and eat haylage I am lucky as my gate to the fields is close by the stables and I have cleared the snow and salted the pathway, hard work but hey I need to loose the calories  |
| Cate |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 09:08:34 AM
I put my stallion out yesterday, but in the process of a sort of thaw so although lots of snow which is soft there is ice underneath from the freeze, so a lot of slipping and sliding. Colt and mare will probably be kept in as just cant risk them falling and breaking a leg getting to the paddock. Fields too deep for me let alone the horses!
Gerri..hope your arm is ok. |
| Gerri |
Posted - 12 Jan 2010 : 09:02:30 AM
My heating went off yesterday, thank G.d we have the logg burners and the washing machine would not work it turned out to be the water pressure we had lost it, my O/H fixed it when he got home and now we have heat again but still got the log fires going I could not get the stable door open this morning as had frozen shut and going to have a lovely black and blue arm when I used brute force to get it open but the horses not going out till the ground softens a bit, its just too icy |
| nicolanapper |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 5:30:31 PM
For some strange reason our water is not freezing, though we do have over a foot of snow!!! But I do fill buckets up during day and leave in feed room, just in case.
Now feeding double the usual amount, luckily down to only 2 horses, so don't feel the pinch, it is the extra work and the labour intensity that gets me down. Mine have to go out they are full of beans and just love the snow. They are desperate to go out in the 30 acre field, but the snow is so deep there and it worries me that they would just gallop about too much and slip.
Nicky |
| Kelly |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 11:10:34 AM
Gerri, I started putting food out for the birds probably about a week ago - yesterday was the first time I saw one on it, so it does take a while for them to realise it's there - keep trying! |
| Kelly |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 11:09:33 AM
We've had snow since before Christmas, and with the exception of 2 or 3 days, the horses have been in since then.
We're carrying water across the farmyard from one of the house taps, and going through nearly twice as much haylage. I'm down to my last small bale, and not sure where I'm going to get some more, can't get to normal place due to roads.
Our muck-trailer-remover man can't make it down, so that's full. I can't push the barrow 1/2 mile down the field to the field muck heap in this, so I'm putting it in bags.
Am seriously considering cutting right back on beddding to make it easier, as we do at least have rubber mats.
Horses are let out one at a time for a few hours to avoid them hooning round/arguing and risking slipping.
They were quite happy and resigned to it, but I think Jack thought the light was at the end of the tunnel, until this morning, and he is seriously p'ed off today. Apparently, it is all MY fault.  |
| jaj |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 11:03:48 AM
It's an utter nightmare for most, especially as it seems on here that many people are struggling on their own  . I don't how you owners manage who have multiples of horses I really don't, I take my hat off to you all, I'm finding it depressing enough with just the two.
Take care everyone and let's please have a thaw soon for all our sanity! At least the children went back to school today so that's one less thing to have to worry about.
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| Cate |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 10:13:26 AM
Well, mine have been in since Friday as ice and compacted snow to the field make it too dangerous to attempt. No salt left. We had kept on top of the clearing bit, but the heavy snowfall Thursday/Friday left me with a gate off as I couldn't get the frozen snow/ice away so took a chance opening the gate and bang it's off. So all have to share the paddock. Hoping to see if I can get them out once I've dug out the paddock gate. This year we have had heaps and heaps of snow. I haven't even ventured down to the fields as once it started coming over my knees I gave up. Fortunately, no horses living out.
Judith ...You have the amount of snow we had a Christmas. Hopefully, you won't get the amount we now have up here in the sticks of North Aberdeenshire. |
| SueB |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 09:58:50 AM
Hi Suyen,
We put wet cat food out and it froze in what seemed minutes!! also Mr Fox said thanks, he likes a cat food lolly!!!
I have put cheese, bacon fat and some lard in an old netting bag, hung this high in our barn where I have seen the wrens and bless them they are tucking in. Guess we will have casualties in such cold weather. We also have Firecrests, they are insect feeders, what to feed them? They peck at our windows for dead insects, we just have to leave our windows dirty for them!!
I love the manure heap bird feeder idea. We have a new heap in our carpark now, I can't get to the original one. Lots of happy pheasants and so many birds I can sit for hours watching them pick through it.
Jude, your mares look so happy!! mine go out today first time for a week!! We are in melt down here.
ps. For all the twitchers on here! one of the Firecrests that pick at our windows. Photo taken last spring. I don't need an excuse for dirty windows now!! to be correct this is a Goldcrest, same family!!
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| georgiauk |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 08:56:40 AM
Reading through all of your replies I don't think I've had it too bad. We've had mountains of snow and because I'm on a slight hill more so than most in the area. My horses have been out all day every day rugged with haylage in the field. I've done just the basics in their stables, poo out and fresh straw on top, pushing the barrow through 3 feet of snow is bloody hard work as is barrowing the hay to the field but less work than having them stood in 24/7. The tap did freeze and for a week and I was bringing water from home then having to barrow from road to stables until some bright spark suggested I bring flasks of hot water for frozen tap d'oh !!! Of course I have thoroughly enjoyed freezing my finger tips of sieving the ice cubes out of their 'martini" lol Millie won't drink if there is ice in her beverage.... and pushes ice around until moi clears it all !! Theeda and Boudie have taken to sucking the ice from the electric fence (not turned on)like a lolly pop and Bakeeta and Sibs are probably the cleanest horses around having taken snow baths religiously..
My gang have thoroughly enjoyed playing in the snow and have never looked sad or sorry for themselves. I did have a tough day yesterday when all of the snow came down from the roof of the stables so I had half an hours digging to get the field gate open....phew, now that was hard work !
The plus side is my little roller skate of a car has managed brilliantly with all I Have asked of her.... The downside, a months worth of haylage gone in 2 weeks...yikes !
Yesterday the tap wasn't frozen and it's starting to melt, I am not looking forward to what is going to happen once it's all gone.....MUD SOUP me thinks yak ! |
| suyents |
Posted - 11 Jan 2010 : 12:01:04 AM
wet cat food for the birds as it is the meat eaters that will struggle as most people think of the seed and nut eaters...hence dead wrens. |
| Anne C |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 5:31:15 PM
I have water today! Hooray!
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| Jingo |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 5:06:20 PM
Well I LOVE IT Sorry but we lived in Scotland for 13years so were quite used to being snowed in. We were really looking forward to snow - everyone else seemed to get it - well now we have it.
My horses are loving it - we have 11 mares living out along with the 2 broodmares and their three foals - all rugged, got big hay feeders and are fed each day.
Water - we have managed to run the hosepipe to two troughs near the house (we bring it in each night!!) and Chris and Kate have bucket fed the other trough each day. The final girls up the hill, have a big trough filled from the tap and Chris puts it on the front loader and takes it up to them each day.
We work as a team - Chris, Kate and myself and believe me are really having fun and enjoying this weather.
Only downside is - it looks as if its thawing a bit today
Tiva and her Two boys
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| LYNDILOU |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 2:25:39 PM
Yep! we have a burst pipe outside too, silly me poured hot water on it to try and defrost it, now its going to be ages before a plumber gets to us , so its relay buckets to and fro
my dogs (all small) went outside this morning and disappeared under the snow keep safe everyone , it cant last forever |
| LesleyA |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 2:08:52 PM
I live in the Socttish Borders and will be going into our 4th week of snow. My horses have been stabled almost 24/7, just out whilst I muck out so using lots more bedding and feeding....it's becoming increasingly more expensive and very labour intensive. |
| Kazzy |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 1:29:19 PM
I cant remember it being this cold for so long!!
And to top it all turned the hot water tap on at home and a little trickle came out then an almighty gishing sound coming from outside Burst pipes
My cat ran for his life upstairs and I stood there open mouthed panicking so I rushed in phoned Hubby up who is working int he next village and shouted *GET HOME NOW!!!!!*
Pipes have been blocked off thanks to my plumber neighbour and hubby has now gone back to work mumbling swear words under his breathe
Cant take anymore!!! My hands are chapped, my lips are chapped, my lypsil has frozen in my car arrggggg
Janet |
| Meggie-Lu |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 12:11:27 PM
I totally agree!!!! Im in suffolk and we have had lots of snow i love it but the path we have 2 walk the horses across to get them into there feilds is so icey even the cats are sliping on it the 3 boys have been stuck in the feild for 2days now! But it's not all bad they r rugged up and r galloping around in the snow!! Poor Merlin! :-( |
| Nedds71 |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 08:40:48 AM
We're a 1000ft up and it is seriously cold, been carrying water for my 17 (all in) for the last few weeks. Council gave up gritting our steep road before christmas!!! So getting in/out for anything is interesting! That said I still prefer it to the constant rain/mud we had through the summer!  |
| LYNDILOU |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 08:37:47 AM
Two extremes ! we are suffering Arctic conditions, and you are suffering extreme heat, could it
EL NINO? |
| debs |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 08:01:34 AM
53c..oh god, think I would rather have the snow...at least you can do more to try to keep warm. |
| TOOTHLESS |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 04:37:52 AM
Speaking of birds falling out of trees. On the south coast of my state (Western Australia)the other day, 100 Black Cockatoos, of a total population of 200 of that species in that area, fell dead out of the sky as the temperature reached 47.C ie 116.6.F. A temperature of 53.C was recorded nearby. Around the farming town of Toodyay, 47 houses were destroyed by fire (100kms east of Perth). Attilio |
| honey |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 12:36:06 AM
we don't have it as bad. But we have sourced grit bins and have been keeping our lane gritted well so people can get in and out, keeping our immediate next door neighbour mobile and gritting all his paths ect as hes elderly and on his own as his wife died recently. I have been putting bread ect out for the birds, we have an elderly robin thats with us all year round. were lucky with the water todays the first day our table tap has properly frozen but the stables are almost joined onto the house so we are able to run the hose pipe from the house and it can still reach every stable. Its times like this people have to give that extra thought to help each other out. |
| vjc |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 10:28:56 PM
Like lindilou says this cold snap is so very worrying for our wildlife, i am feeding the foxes and birds up at our stables, but i fear for the very beautiful kingfishers this winter who totally rely on running streams and canals for their fish supply. Also please keep an eye on any elderly folks if you have them living nearby, like lindilou says this is unprecidented weather!!!!!
Oh and i too am lugging water containers around!!! i will have arms like popeye soon |
| debs |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 7:50:18 PM
Butter the bread for the bird's... they need the fat! Poor little things! I have been turning over the muck heap to bring the worms to the top.... sorry to the worms!
I want it to go away.....NOW
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