In The Saddle with Anita Marsh: A summer of mixed fortunes
What a summer it has been.
It seems to have been another year of very dry weather, causing droughts to most of the UK this year and likely ending up locally with only cut of hay being taken.
It’s been great for riding, but terrible for paddocks.
Most of us have gone from muddy swamps to dry, dusty paddocks and having to feed hay super early.
I don’t know if this weather is indicative of what’s to come. I hope not.
The weather was challenging enough in winter.
This summer we have had reduced riding, some days it’s just been too hot.
I don’t believe in riding horses when it’s in a heat wave, and most of the summer it’s felt very hot.
On days like these it’s best to get up earlier and beat the sun.
Not always practical or possible when working.
With the ground being hard I’ve also had to watch for my mares arthritis, although it tends to be better in warmer months.
I have noticed April has lost two shoes from stamping her feet from flies.
It was around the time my farrier was due to that turned out to be lucky.
I’ve never found the shoes though, despite the grass being short.
Now it feels like we are returning to grass growth and it’s time to watch for sugars in the grass especially when it’s short.
My horses have been fed haylage over winter and have piled on the weight, but with no place to store hay it’s just had to be what it is.
They’ve managed to lose some weight over summer, which is good.
It’s usually the other way around. We tend to lose it in winter and regain in summer.
It’s such a funny old weather pattern at the moment.
For now, we are enjoying the last of the summery days before we head into autumn.
I can see the nights drawing in and I’m dreading the winter with the horses having to be stabled.
I love them enjoying 24/7 turnout.
It’s best for them I think, physically and mentally. I’ll try and last as long as I can.
In the meantime, I hope we have a dry winter and a short one, but this is Britain after all.
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