In the Saddle with Anita Marsh: It's the weather for wellies...

It's a horrible time of year for everyone with the constant rain and flooding across the country. '¨It seems to be relentless and I dread checking the weather these last few weeks.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Jan 2016, 14:22 BST
Updated 12th Jan 2016, 14:24 BST

Our paddocks just never seem to get dry and are water logged with the clay soil we have out here. 
I've taken to restricting the grazing of my horses to six hours a day on the really wet days to ensure we manage our pasture effectively and don't wreck the ground, but its a fine balance

When I see the news with all the flooding it reminds me of the horrific terror I felt a few years ago when the Trent was threatening to burst its banks. 
It's the first time in living in our village (close to the river bank) that we had a real threat.

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We hadn't received the automated flood warning suggesting we move our precious things upstairs and livestock out-luckily a neighbour banged on our window and told us to pack up and leave our home.

Horses will seek higher ground in floods, but that wasn't available to us. The village is as flat as a pancake, great for schooling in the fields but not so great come flood warnings.

Most of the villagers located nearest the river had already left their homes and at the time I only had one horse. We boxed our horse up and she went into livery at midnight. We decided not to leave our home but stay upstairs and play the waiting game. The Trent did burst its banks, but not in our village. We were very lucky, but our friends were not so fortunate, sadly.

Watching the news and seeing the chaos heavy rainfall can cause on livestock and the effects it has on the people in that area, it makes you wonder why we chose to live so close to the river.

Yet when I'm riding out on the river bank in the fresh spring weather, it brings me such peace and is so beautiful that in that moment I forget the dangers living near rivers can pose.