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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
 United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 2:53:21 PM
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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
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www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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rosie
Platinum Member
England
3662 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 3:00:58 PM
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I love snow but getting fed up with it now. Its been with us since 18th December!
Worse year I ever remember up here in Yorkshire was as a kid in about 1977 & the snow was as high as the hedges & we walked across the top of them! |
     
Last picture courtesy of Sweet Photography |
Edited by - rosie on 09 Jan 2010 3:01:49 PM |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 3:32:51 PM
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We have been carrying buckets for over a week now. 10 horses drink quite a lot. At least the cows have access to a stream which has not frozen yet! but I suppose it could happen. Not complaing though, at least we dont have to go off the farm very often.
Lindylou is right, if you can get out see if someeone else needs some shopping bringing back. If you have not seen someone for a while (young or old) give them a call to check.
Don't forget the birds. They must be using all their energy keeping warm let alone foraging. You will have bread crumbs or even horse food that you can spare. When you go to the shops get a peanut feeder. Every little helps. No good complaining next year that there are no song birds. Sorry, didn't mean to lecture.
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SueB
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 3:40:54 PM
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It's global warming Lynda
I have been finding frozen dead birds in the snow. They are Wrens. Poor little mites are just falling from the trees at night. I suppose they die to being so very cold here. I have opened a window in the shed, one used to nest in there, I just hope they will go in our barn at night. We have put loads of bird food out and have kept our two lazy cats in.
Lynda I am so fed up with it all. Horses are barn bound, they seem happy though.
We have holiday makers in the holiday cottage next to us, honeymoon couple who only realised yesterday they couldn't get out to get food!!! They were all cuddled up for 4 days!!!we have taken them to the shops 18 miles away in our old 4wd.
I remember reading a few years ago a scientist said we would have another ice age soon,.......... it's started. |
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Anne C
Gold Member
United Kingdom
886 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 4:25:38 PM
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I've been carrying buckets for about a week too, not fun anymore. Couldn't get any bread or milk today either.
Horses been in for a while now, so glad I got my stables this summer! Seems we will be having a lot more tonight, what fun
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Anne |
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Gerri
Platinum Member
England
4211 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 4:35:40 PM
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We got deep snow today , it is terrible I was fed up after one day!!!!! and all of you poor souls have had this for ages!!!!!! I put bread out for the birds as saw a couple of finches and a robin and was worried and they haven't touched the bread and I don't know what else to give them poor things |
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 5:22:14 PM
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I can't imagine how you are all coping when you have lots of horses and animals to feed and get water to, must be so hard.
I'm having to lug containers of water down to my two but only them so not so bad. My delivery of hay and straw came today thank heavens and we sledged it down to the stables which was probably a lot quicker than without snow using a barrow so there is a silver lining somewhere  !
Thank heavens I've got the field and stables to myself and so my dear friend just gives them breakfast and then opens the door in the morning and they are in the field! It has obviously got quite a bit of good grass in there somewhere underneath the snow as they are always off out in the field and don't touch the hay put out for them.
I'm feeding the birds religiously and have ordered two great big sacks of birdfood from the RSPB which I hope comes quickly! Don't forget to put water out for the birds too and in a big enough container that they can bathe in as they need to do 'feather maintenance' periodically to keep themselves weather and waterproofed bless them  .
Is anyone else unfeasibly tired? I feel constantly exhausted and unmotivated about everything at the moment, when I get in from the cold I just want to collapse on the sofa and take a snooze  . I think I could quite happily hibernate, everytime I pop upstairs and spy my bed I think I could easily just climb under the duvet and stay there until all of this  has gone  .
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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Cate
Platinum Member
Scotland
1785 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 5:26:36 PM
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Been carrying buckets for over a week also. Horses not been out for a couple of days. Plenty of hay for them, but cant muck out now so having to do deep litter. Snow so deep cant pull the wheel barrow through it to the dung heap and what we have mucked out is piled up outside..just the last few days but soon mounts up. My car has been stuck in front of the house since before christmas as the ice under the snow prevents my car making the very small incline in front of the house. Cant see my car as its now buried in snow. I cleared it off on Wednesday and had it running and next day it was covered. A friend came up with his tractor and took me down to the village shop for some provisions, but quite honestly there was nothing the shelves were pretty bare. Snow round the house is knee deep.
Been snowing today and weather forecast says more on the way. Hate is a strong word but I hate this weather. Fortunately I have plenty of hay for the horses and a friend managed up in her 4x4 and we checked a friends horses and I got some horse feed. Our gas supply was on the red but they managed out with a small tank on the back of a 4x4 truck thing and filled me up to 52% to do me another couple of weeks. We had to cut down and my old mum of 80 years was finding it a little cold to say the least. Warm again but must be careful. I've run out of bird seed and the little wren who has been in my house and in the feed shed has been at my window looking in. Haven't seen the birds for a few days since I ran out of seed. |
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Montikka
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2653 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 5:29:47 PM
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I've been feeding the birds but am having trouble giving them water. Apparently they need to bathe in it as much as they need to drink it. The problem is what to put it in? Washing up bowls are too deep, shallower containers keep freezing, what do you guys do?
Also finding this weather very hard - getting hay and water to the field (whilst having something like Flu) has been a major task. The troughs are all frozen. The girls are happy though - with this fresh snow they can go out in the day again and in at night - it's when it all freezes over they'll be stable bound again and that makes them VERY grumpy.
They love horse feed Gerry (that's the birds!). |
   
Louise, Warwickshire |
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 5:45:53 PM
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Yes I agree, give them a bit of horse feed if you can spare it in an emergency. They can't cope with salt, so no salt bacon rinds.
Montikka, I go out with the kettle and just pour over the frozen water a few times a day so that they can still bathe in a shallower dish or plate. Poor little loves.
Just to add to our discomfort, apparently tomorrow is going to be like this  on top of everything else  !
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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k brown
Gold Member
United Kingdom
810 Posts |
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Karon
Gold Member
England
1411 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 5:55:43 PM
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| I've been putting horse feed out for the birds, and they have started following me round looking for food now - I can't feed them much at home at weekends as the cats have free run of outside but I've been able to put some down before I go to work in the week. It's a real pain taking water out to the horses, and making sure the yard cats have water all the time - I think that's the hardest part of this weather. That and driving to the yard twice a day! |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 6:12:41 PM
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my cats are hardly ever out in this weather , so birds are quiet safe, the south east corner of the country (we are here) is the worst hit today and the snow has been horizontal, snow drifts piled high, I have closed all the top stable doors tonight as the snow is getting in the stables !
nope I have Never known it this bad. maybe you are right Sue its the coming of a new ice age! Oooeerr |
www.dreamfield-arabians.com |
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avanti
Platinum Member
England
2222 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 6:20:13 PM
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Oh how I hate this weather, outside water has been frozen for about 5 days, I've got 12 in the barn (3 are babies) and 4 mares outside rugged to the eyeballs, really I am trying to sell 4 and 1 is my neighbours lol, the birds are all eating horse mix and fat balls and my kids make birdy cake for them, we have a blizzard going at the moment and I have to get to work in the morning, where is spring? pretty please,
Mandy |
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saddlebred
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1706 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 6:51:21 PM
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Although we havent had snow until this week in Worcestershire, the temperature has been so cold that I am not on my FIFTH WEEK of carrying buckets of water to the troughs and yard twice a day. If the troughs arent full right to the top the water is freezing solid. We are quite high up here but I cant remember another winter like it. My menage has also been frozen solid for 5 weeks so no riding. I am so glad they are at home so its not too far to go. My kitchen floor has never been cleaned so much with all the water sloshing out of my buckets!!
Why do we do it? and why have I just paid a deposit on yet another horse? 
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Based Bewdley Worcs |
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deebee
Silver Member
262 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 7:24:10 PM
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Oh dear, I'm sorry but I'm loving it! It's all so pretty and fluffy, not that awful sludgy mud you get when it all thaws; we've had so many snow ball fights and memories of the kids making angels in the snow... We're all taking water down for the horses but apart from that they seem to be fine; i've even been able to let them out onto the 'summer paddocks' 'coz i'm not worried about them churning up the grass! they've got a big round bale of hay to go at, but that's lasted almost a week 'coz they're eating less - can't be too cold!
Our road has never been gritted, but it's ok as long as you take it slow - I got some skidding training off my oh the other day, so now I feel much safer on the roads. I've only got a likkle skoda and she's just fine!
I know it's hard and we need to watch out for the vulnerable, but for many countries this is normal; they must get on ok with it? we'll get used to it, one day - you know what the python boys say! |
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 7:50:18 PM
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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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vjc
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4952 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jan 2010 : 10:28:56 PM
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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  |
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honey
Platinum Member
N. Ireland
2634 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 12:36:06 AM
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| 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. |
    
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TOOTHLESS
Silver Member
Australia
350 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 04:37:52 AM
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| 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 |
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 08:01:34 AM
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| 53c..oh god, think I would rather have the snow...at least you can do more to try to keep warm. |
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LYNDILOU
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
13976 Posts |
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Nedds71
Gold Member
Wales
679 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 08:40:48 AM
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| 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! |
BJ
www.bmjarabians.co.uk
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Meggie-Lu
Platinum Member
England
1519 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 12:11:27 PM
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| 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! :-( |
   Danger Mouse |
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Kazzy
Platinum Member
England
3335 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 1:29:19 PM
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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 |
     
Sunny Cheshire |
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LesleyA
Silver Member
Scotland
328 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2010 : 2:08:52 PM
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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. |
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