Anyone feel disconnected from horse by weather?

[wabuska]

I am fighting weather (I know the UK has it much worse), the end of flu, horrible ground, no schooling area etc., and riding is down to one to two mornings of hacking a week. Now, he's doing very well for a horse with three week breaks twice this winter, but I'm fed up looking out at another wet day with my nose running and chest heaving. Just off to pull his mane. Argh.

Anyone equally frustrated.

[anastasia55555]

Yup!! ride at weekend if lucky. Managed a nice ride sunday which was a welcome change, felt it on monday tho!!

[laurac]

I recently felt 'disconnected' with my horse after i was ill with flu and then bronchitis, someone else was mucking out and turning out for me all i was doing was literally bringing in not even chaning rugs (too poorly)
Once i was better i felt like me and my horse were strangers, it was weird, i usually spend 30-60 mins every eve once ive got him in doing physio stretches, walk over poles by lamp light etc, i'm pleased to say we are back to where we were before i was ill
The bad weather certainly puts our normal routines out of sink and some horses i think thrive on routine
Not long to spring

[shandypants]

Kanga I know exactly how you feel!! Due to weather and ill health I have not exercised my 3 Ponios for weeks!!- My poor hubby was getting up at 4am to turn them out and mucking out for 2 weeks - thankfully getting out and doing that now, but still unable to ride! I have resigned myself to giving them the winter off HURRY up the spring xxx

[tomrabbit]

Kanga, I so know what you mean
I'm off work with really horrid man-flu (I know, I'm not a man, but I'm totally as sorry for myself as one!), haven't ridden for 8 weeks now due to snow, no possibility of groundwork either, and today with another shed load of snow on top of lethal ice, fell over walking the 100 yds from my house to the yard. I've been carting water from the kitchen to the yard and the field for 2 months,(by sledge in the worst weather), and washing feed buckets in the bathroom. The extra time involved in doing the basics means that I don't have time or energy left for much else, and the nearest I get to bonding with my boy is when he generously permits me to scratch his itchy bits. When I try to give him a cuddle and apologise for the situation, he pulls away (nothing new there though - he's never been the cuddly type!).
My pony, who was lean and fit thanks to a whole lot of effort on my part over spring-autumn is now flabby and lethargic. My horses are bored to death. We can't make the half mile walk to the field which has green stuff under the snow because of the ice, so they are stuck in a small, bare, snowy paddock, and spend much of the day standing staring out towards the hills. And of course, I'm convinced they blame me for this!
Oh ... and his sheath needs cleaning again. With temperatures being so low, I haven't had the heart to do it, but now we're back to 0, I'm going to have to. Somehow I don't think that's going to enhance our relationship any more... but at least my nose is blocked, so that's a plus point

[jess]

I felt exactly the same for about a week after I was ill in bed with flu, following weeks of not riding due to snow.
It was horrible, I almost felt like giving up.
It's all better now though, don't worry, it passes!
I am back in love with my horse again!
xx

PS-BEST cure for this, watch National or International Velvet-do it!!

[wabuska]

What a comfort to know you lot feel the same. Tom I know you have dreadful conditions to deal with and Shandy I'm marrying your husband if you tire of him. Having whined, I went out vandalisd his mane afresh, and started teaching Flynn to long line in the rain... er, well, that would be both of us. Distracted, but we had some nice moments and he dealt with lines around his bottom very well for such a spooky creature. Even went forward at one point... that must have been a mistake??

I think the post viral things of feeling down is hitting us all too?

[rosi]

I think that there are a lot of people who give themselves a very hard time over the winter. Let's face it, the winter is hard enough (certainly seems to have been recently) and even the top riders have turned away their competition horses for a spell.

I don't feel disconnected - I do feel hacked off that due to freezing and horrible weather, illness and injury, I have only ridden maybe a dozen times in the last couple of months. In all honesty, it wasn't even worth clipping! All we have done is have a gentle bimble out round the village - but hey-ho, the evenings are beginning to draw out and spring will be on it's way soon.

Be kind to yourselves - I don't think that the horses are as worried about it as we are!

[clara81]

I can't do any sort of work with mine over the winter as I go in the dark at either end of the day and weekends are filled trying to keep up to the fencing plus it's just too muddy. I was getting really peed off at Christmas when we hadn't had any water for 5 weeks but really I just think it's winter, it's tough! It won't last forever.

[hammie]

I'm not seeing my horse for as long as I'd like each time, as it's only been fit to ride (in terms of ice) about once a week, and we've only managed leading or groundwork about once a week. So, he comes out of the field, gets a little feed and goes back in

On the plus side, he's pleased to come in and is coming to call instead of eating grass and ignoring me! I'm under no illusions as to what will happen when the grass starts coming through again though lol.

[rifruffian]

Absolutely no disconnect.......because given the conditions in our area the survival of humans and horse has taken huge effort. From early november until yesterday we have been sub zero,and for substantial periods minus ten to minus twenty. No running water, no grazing; so all these supplies have been lugged from home to field for about two months with twice daily feeding visits to a horse notorious for struggling to keep weight on.

I'm not writing that others have not also had similar difficulties, but that the idea of any horse- disconnect was impossible with tasks that have required total focus.

Right now we have had partial thaw and refreeze creating field conditions I have never seen before, the horses are in difficulty trying to move, but the forecast indicates some relief in a few days.

I hope!

[wabuska]

My heart goes out to you. Hope things improve.

[mmel001]

Yep. I'm finding it tough at the moment, trying to walk a mile through boggy fields to take Indie out without any mishaps each day is challenging. I miss out on a lot by not being able to bring him in as everyone else comes in before I get in from work so someone else brings him in. Only at the weekends do I get the pleasure of bringing him in! Half the time he doesn't want to come in!

I can't do much if any school work (ground work as he's still a baby) bar walking round the yard and doing the odd bit as we walk to the field. Then I get all the he doesn't do that with me malarky. IE planting when I try and bring him in, which makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong, but really it's just me not getting to bring him in often, and me not giving him a treat for him letting me put his head collar on! He did refuse to come in last week and tried to kick one of the girls who did try to bring him in, so they left him out. He was pretty good for me, despite two of the other horses escaping through the gate and tearing off up the field! I could have let Indie go with them, but I thought no, we are gonna do this, and we did, and he was good once he calmed down and understood he wasn't tearing after them with me face down in the mud dragging behind! lol

I guess the positive is that this miserable weather wont last forever. We are on the right side of Christmas now, so spring is round the corner! We've come this far through a very harsh winter, the days are getting longer and despite the rain, the temperature here is certainly up a bit on what it was!

[portiabuzz]

yes!! when i can start riding casper again it will only be at weekends...roll on summer!!!!

[anastasia55555]

Has been blood hard slog hasnt it, and feel bad for people who are still struggling alot. I almost didnt want to ride with it being so cold, and then when did get back on the nerves were a little wobbly, saturdays end of ride was hair raising ending in uncontrolled lunatic gallop, that didnt half get adrenaline pumping, was only supposed to be a trot. Sunday however along by the river was a return to a more controlled listening ride thankfully!