The road leading to Blackgrounds Farm.

The lane leading to the grass field we normally canter around - the hedge is 4 feet high!

 

Oh my goodness - This weather!! It started on Monday evening and has been pretty horrendous. We have managed to get the horses out every day either ridden or turned out apart from yesterday when the wind was wicked. It wasn't a lot better today but it was good for the horses to get out and play in the snow for a while. The most important thing is to keep them warm and ensure that they have enough water, which is hard work as all the drinkers and troughs are frozen. They all have at least three rugs on and seem to be staying toasty warm despite the harsh conditions. No staff have made it in so it has been down to us and Paddy who has worked really hard.
Last night we went out for a bar snack at the Plough at Upper Boddington, after a lovely meal we couldn't believe how much the snow had drifted whilst we were in the pub and then we still decided to go the hilly way back, rather than the safe option... We love a challenge but it probably was a bit daft as we got completely stuck in a snow drift. Even though our car is 4 x 4 it was just too deep to go either backwards or forwards. Slightly embarrassing, but we phoned some local farmer friends who found it very funny as Doug rather prides himself on never getting stuck. They came along and gave us a lift back as we were too stuck to tow out. Later on that night they very kindly came back with a digger and dug the car out, which was just as well as it would have been completely buried if we had left it for the night.
It should be beginning to thaw out by Monday, which is just as well as we are beginning to get very low on food, hay and straw for the horses.