I hope everyone stays safe and well!!
I am very grateful that Jo and I rent our land privately, as many Livery Yards have banned owners from visiting their horses. I have been lucky over the years to either have my horses at work, or rent privately. The only Livery Yard I have ever been on was years ago and it was DIY with only 4 owners. I think I would probably lose the plot if I couldn't see Charlie and his mares every day!
Being at very high risk due to my dodgy lungs and dicky ticker, I am self isolating expect for doing the ponies. As I live in a 4 room shoe-box flat with Mark the Mechanic (and Part-time Horse Whisperer) I would go insane without our glorious isolated 24 acres to run about in. Ok I can't do running!!! But just the fresh air, exercise and being able to hug Charlie and breathe in his delicious horsey smell leaves me able to cope!! Even Mark chose to use his allotted hours exercise yesterday, coming up to The Farm, grooming Charlie (which he really enjoyed), and helping me Hay. It seems he has already thoroughly explored all four rooms in the flat!!
I am a firm believer of fresh air and sunshine as a healer!
So If you find yourself stuck inside and unable to see your horse for a while, you have my sympathy. If you have Netflix, you could binge watch Heartland(if you haven't already), or watch Unbranded, a film about some guys that took on Mustangs from kill-pen and rode them from The southern border of USA to the Northern border (its real, not a movie!). There is also a bunch of You Tube vids to gorge on. I thoroughly recommend Emma Massingale, Ride Like a Viking, Karl Greenwood and Carson James. Oh and my Channel!!! As for books? Carson James has a great book, or try Mark Rashid. For great novels check out Amanda Wills, Riverdale series. Not forgetting The Ridgeway Romp, now available in paperback as well as E-book (Ok enough self plugging!!!)
And so, The Top Barn 2020 Challenge is on its last week. And what a challenge it's been this year. I baled very early (Week 4) due to a serious Chest Infection that left me with a poorly heart and 2 cracked ribs. Many others were defeated by the strong wind and rain. And now this bloody virus has seen a few out because they can't even get to their horses.
But still Jo has ploughed on through it all. Lulu is as fit as a fiddle and enjoying the extra work. I am so proud of Jo for her determination to finish this challenge whatever! She has about an hour to complete!! Well done Jo and Lulu.
And now the serious bit!! It's a bit of a worry to see many yards that are now on lock-down and are short staffed, are now turning horses out onto 24/7 grazing.
While this relieves the amount of work for the limited staff, and may make the ponies happy (temporarily) there is a huge danger of laminitus occurring. Horses that have been stabled during the Winter (even just at night) have probably been fed grain and rugged. Most will still be chubby from being stationary for 8 plus hours. Suddenly turning them out onto fresh spring grass, maybe still rugged, and possibly with a sudden drop in hay rations WILL cause Laminitus!!
If this is the only option, I would recommend making a track system, so they have to walk a long way for water, still feeding hay, and stripping the rugs off pronto!! Horses are designed to survive huge variants in temperature!! They are also designed to travel miles each day, live on scrubby land and drop weight in Winter!!! Speaking of rugs.....Only clipped horses need them!!! An over-heated horse is going to be uncomfortable at the least!! Wild horses DO NOT have rugs! They can survive in extreme cold. A fat score of 4 or more, is the equivalent of a heavyweight rug!
To save all this stress and change, the simple way to keep horses happy is to leave them out 24/7 all year round in all their naked glory. Feed ample hay and that will keep them warm. Remember horses need the 3 Fs....
Friends, Freedom and Forage! Not Rugs, Stables, Grain! This not only saves time and money, it also keeps the horse happy, healthy and calm. It also means that they eat the new grass as it appears...slowly... and their systems slowly adapt to the change in diet!
In all my ten years looking after the horses at the RDA, they lived out 24/7 on mostly hay (they all had a small feed of chaff and carrots when they worked as a Thank-You). Despite most of them being elderly ( quite a lot were fit and working into their 30's), they thrived, lived in 2 herds, and i am proud to say I never had a case of Laminitus and only one of colic ( a new horse that had a huge worm burden). We had no EMS or Ulcers. None of the horses were grumpy, or hard to catch, and they were all very laid back.
And our own herd is also thriving!! Despite all the wind and rain, we have only used a rug for holding down the hay on the trailer. We have used ONE bag of Chaff all winter!! Our ponies are all looking fit and well. They are at ideal weights, with glossy coats, and are more than eager to work with us....even at liberty.
Anyway Lecture over... But Food For Thought?
Stay Safe.
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