15 Things Horse Owners will Relate to this Winter

Suzanne Ashton
horse in winter setting stood in snow

As we ‘rev’ up to winter here are some ‘tongue in cheek’ situations most horse owners will be able to relate to, at some point:

  1. The wheelbarrow and most other yard equipment will, at some point, break.
  2. Yard brushes mysteriously vanish and unless you have your own tools, expect a wait as everyone arrives and tries to ‘muck out’ at the same time.
  3. You dread having to buy new boots so until then, you convince yourself you’ll be ‘just fine’ using plastic bags inside your boots/wellies.
  4. You’ll head to the yard only to realise when you get there, you’ve forgotten your gloves and flask of coffee.
  5. You’ll promise yourself (and others whilst still trying to convince yourself) you’re going to tidy your part of the hay barn and tack shed at ‘the’ weekend.
  6. It’s that cold the decision is made to keep horses in for the day. Proceeding to carefully empty your water buckets down the drain (something you were mighty proud of as you’re a responsible owner and don’t want to cause a slippery surface) on arriving at the water pipe you realise it’s frozen and your horse now has no water!
  7. If it’s wet, expect to get stuck in the mud surrounding the gate to the field despite best efforts to avoid the problem altogether.
  8. It’s raining and you’ll think ‘god I prefer it when it’s cold’; it gets cold and you’ll be praying for rain as it’s warmer then.
  9. You reach for the wheelbarrow and guarantee someone has left it full! Or best yet they’ve all been left full, leaving you promising yourself to buy your own and lock it up (again).
  10. You’ll fall out with someone on the yard over turnout/and or a horse being a general jackass.
  11. You’ll run out of something you need at the most inconvenient of time (normally around 7.15pm on a Wednesday eve).
  12. You’ll forget to order more hay, haylage and/or feed in time leaving you no other choice than to ask a friend.
  13. Misplace your keys as you’re about to leave the yard while on the way to work.
  14. Promise yourself enough time to muck out in the morning, when you can bet your bottom dollar you won’t.
  15. Start to count down the days to spring.

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