So much rain. So much mud. So much cold. Repeat often. This is my winter of discontent. We have rain forecast from Tuesday (tonight really) until Saturday night. Yes count them. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 DAYS OF RAIN! I have no idea where it will go. Our pond is overflowing over the bank into my neighbor’s land. The mud is up to Tate’s knees in places. The water is just standing in our yard and fields and paddock. It is a mess.
The only good thing is I have seen no pig. Otherwise life effing sucks. UGH. Sorry for whining but I seriously cannot deal with this. Not only that but no sun means I am really bitchy lately. My sunglasses have not been used in over 2 weeks. My dad totally joked (cause it rained when I went up there) that I have a rain cloud that is over me at all times. I am starting to think it is true.
Both Tate and Remus love to roll in this mud/water. SO every night I have to dry their sheets or blankets, and the wet, damp humidity means they don’t dry completely even hung up. I am going to run out of sheets this week. Especially since Tate only has a few. So over it.
We do have a new routine. They will walk out to the field thru the slop in the morning but at night Remus waits at the front gate, and I bring him through then Tate runs as fast as he can around to the barn to try to beat us there (this is kind of hilarious actually). Remus walks sedately to the barn on the driveway. He really hates walking in the mud. But this works and means that I can put him in his stall from the aisle and only have to get Tate in the stall door through the mud and water (Tate doesn’t like walking through the water either and he hates going into the stall thinking the Satan PIG might be in there so often flies back out before I can shut the door). So he gets to do it twice. Idiot!
I am sure I could lead them both up from the gate together and may have to this week if we get all the rain they are calling for. They love staying up in the far field during the day I think because it is drier up there. And I don’t blame them at all.
So how are you surviving if you have the cold, mud, and wet we have in Tennessee? Maybe a trip to somewhere warm is in order but Mark and I couldn’t go together so that defeats the purpose LOL!
Also I wanted to ask everyone (I already picked DIY Horse Ownership‘s brain about this) what type of side-by-side do you (or the barn you board at) have? If any? We just started looking at them (well we have been looking for a while). We have tried a Hisun (no name brand but 2 year warranty AND a mechanic nearby at the dealership to service them), a Honda and a Kawasaki (lots of add ons and not as good a warranty but better know and more expensive). Any recommendations??
We need something to haul stuff in (I am tired of using the wheelbarrow to haul hay, poles, branches etc and it would be good for hauling trash, etc.) and we are ready to buy if we can find what we want.
I hope those that have off today are enjoying it (I do have off but am dreading work tomorrow because it means we have to squeeze a full week of work in four days. Sigh…
Monday blues big time here! 🙂
Fat Buckskin in a Little Suit 
ugh that mud…. it really is endless, isn’t it. things have dried up pretty considerably up here for now, but there’s always more on the forecast. ugh. hopefully TN gives you an awesome spring and summer after this miserable winter!
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thanks it is endless plus my cable and internet got cut yesterday (contractor messed up) so I JUST GOT THAT BACK. i thought I was going to stroke out 🙂 HA HA HA now to play catch up. I have been without internet for 24 hours.
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I don’t have a side by side ATV, I use a Honda Rancher, I think? I’ve got a haul behind trailer that I use to haul stuff around the property and we also got a discus that I use in the arena and a drag as well. It also drags a homemade plow when it snows. It’s pretty useful.
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thanks so much!!
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we don’t have a side by side. We actually got a free trailer that hooks onto the back of the riding mower that holds everything we could need, so we just use that. It works super well and holds a ton of stuff. I’m not sure if you have a riding mower or not, but if you do you might want to look into that as an alternative. Sorry about all the mud. We got a deluge all day and night yesterday just as our ground was firming up. It is sunny today but then rain for the next 6 days!! I’m really going to need to find an indoor I can trailer to or all my early spring plans will be over before they begin.
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good to know. we have a kubota tractor. I just hate how big the tires are for yard work is most of it. Thanks though!
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I still vote for the Kawasaki, but that’s just cause that’s what I have. I forgot to mention that Kubota makes a side by side. I know you have a Kubota tractor so you probably have a dealer nearby. Hope the rain stops some time for you. It’s snowing here so…
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We went to a dealership for those and they didn’t impress us (NOT the Kawasaki but the actual dealer) LOL we may look elsewhere 🙂 Thanks!
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We have a Kubota and the place I worked at for a while had one and that thing is awesome! It does have automatic braking which can make it sorta weird to drive at first (no coasting!) but it’s a beast and does everything I need it to do 🙂 I would recommend making sure you can dump the back out (either automatic or with a switch) b/c it will make your life so much easier when you have to clean the back out. Growing up my mom had a Work Horse for the farm and that thing is still going strong(ish) 20 years later- though not sure if they make them the same as they did 20 years ago!
Also as a side note from someone who’s lived “down south” forever (aka the land of humidity and nothing ever dries) I have found that if you leave your wet sheet on your horse their body heat dries it 20x’s faster than hanging it up will ever do. If the horses are shivering and cold I’ll take it off and let it hang to dry but otherwise if you leave the sheet on I promise you’ll have a dry sheet in just a few hours!!! Otherwise days pass and the damn thing is still soaked!
I think of you every time I check the weather and see green over Memphis!! Hopefully spring will arrive soon and the grass/trees/plants will suck up all this water and we’ll be back to normal soon!!!!
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Good to know!! thanks on the blanket tip. We have the Kubota tractor and totally may look at thier side by side if for no other reason than we like the brand and they have great financing right now.
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Ugh, I can’t believe you’re getting more rain. What a nightmare. I’m so sorry your first winter of barn ownership has gone like this! I swear it’s not always that bad.
I have a John Deere Gator XUV. It’s a diesel. I’ve had it since I built the barn, and have had it serviced like twice (not the best owner, sorry Gator). Occasionally when it’s very cold it won’t start, but otherwise it’s been amazing.
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Is your gator loud?? that is what puts me off them. Thanks so much for the info though!!
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Yes, but I think more so because it’s diesel? The gas option tends to be quieter.
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Wow that is truly terrible! What I wouldn’t give to be able to swap weather with you for a while.
But currently I am trying to figure out your secret to such well looking horses when all they have is mud!
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So with you on the mud. My poor once beautiful pastures.
As far as side by sides go, we have a diesel kubota utility vehicle. It doesn’t go fast like the Polaris types but it can get through any questionable terrain and has a good amount of power to tow. Very much work-geared. We have had zero issues with it and I use it every day. We opted for it to not be closed cab… such a pain to get in and out of and I don’t need a cab. But I will say the hydraulic dump bed is an absolute must for me. Being able to hit a button and have it dump manure is worth it’s weight in gold.
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Good to have another vote for Kubota. UGH MUD HATERS UNITE!! Stay strong…
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I am definitely a Kubota fan. Our tractor and mower are both Kubota as well. The utility vehicle we have is the RTV X900 if that is at all helpful.
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yes thanks again!
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That mud is everywhere right now. This has been the most awful winter I can remember- so WET 😭😭 At least no Satan Pig?
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I had a dream last nite it was very odd but I killed Satan pig. LOL. I had a bad day yesterday with no internet etc. I was not in a good state of mind when I went to sleep LOL!
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I’m so sorry about the mud 😦 we’ve had some serious wet up here but south jersey is so sandy it actually drains away in less than a day, especially if it’s windy. I’m about to send you a thrush buster gift basket.
Stay strong!!
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i MISS THE NORTHEAST SO MUCH! SOB
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That sucks I’m so sorry. I do have an idea to help tho – at least with the raincloud over you lol. I get very bitchy/snappy/depressed/mad at the world (take your pick) when I don’t have sun, but going to a tanning salon helps a lot. Even ten minutes in the bed is so helpful. I dunno maybe that’ll help you lol On the other question – no idea lol.
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thanks i used to do that when i was a kid and it did help. UGH
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No side by side at my boarding barn, just three Honda ATVs from various years. One is automatic and two are manuals. Definitely recommend a manual as the automatic always seems to have issues!
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Yuck! No complaints here because the weather finally broke and its warmer out again! Although going from -20*C to the expected -4*C for a short time today will make my pony be warm in her blankets. Oh well.
At my home barn, they had a Yamaha, it worked well and they’ve had it for years.
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The pig is hibernating for future shenanigans lol
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I had to look up what a side by side was, lol. We just use the bucket on our tractor for hauling stuff around. We did all of our barn renovation with just that as well. Am I missing some easier horse management tool? What’s the advantage of a side by side?
I also make my horses wear their sheets until they dry since nothing ever dries hanging up in my barn. They are waterproof sheets anyways and the horses don’t seem to even notice. Then I can use a stiff brush to get the dried mud off.
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Yes they are used a lot down here (side by sides) i had no idea about them really before moving down but all the neighbors have them. I think mostly cause the land is so big here it helps to not have to walk or push a wheelbarrow to the different areas.
I had to take both guys sheets off yesterday (and Remus’s liner too) they were soaked to the skin. I think the rain was going sideways so it ended up getting thru the back end and the front end of the blankets. They werent shivering but the blankets were dripping wet and gross. Good thing Remus has a zillion of them. 🙂 Tate has another medium coming….he has one that his owner sent that doesnt even have a tail flap. SMH
We use the bucket on our tractor too!! it works but it might be better to have a utility vehicle so the tractor doesn’t have to turn off and on everytime I jump off and on. 🙂
See how educated you are now thanks to me? HA HA!
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I wish I had more land (especially right now as we are getting a new neighbor), and I just always walk around anyways to get steps (fitbit addict).
I have so many horse clothes even just having one of everything, lol. I don’t have enough storage in my house for more!
Our tractor is a diesel so we just slow the idle and let it run when we hop on and off. When I pick up pasture poop it’s a constant jumping on and off over several acres if I can’t convince my dad to come drive around while I walk and scoop, lol. My dad loves coming over and driving the tractor around thankfully, lol.
Currently snowing here but switching to ice then rain this afternoon. Blah.
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