Midwinters Track Livery

14/02/2025

Happy Valentines my beautiful Prince 🐎❤️🌹

14/02/2025

❤️ Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️

14/02/2025

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄? On average, the coldest time of year falls between 13th and 20th February.

Each year February teases us with lighter evenings, casting coats and fresher feeling horses - sure signs that spring is on the way. Then suddenly, with a seemingly blatant disregard for equestrians the world over - winter is back. Only it's colder.

February is hard work for us humans and it's probably the most testing time of year for our horses too.

If the forecast cold snap hits, please ensure your horses have a sufficient intake of forage and water to minimise the risk of gastric issues, impaction colic and dehydration.

For tips and suggestions read our 'cold weather feeding' article ⤵
https://www.simplesystemhorsefeeds.co.uk/news/746/Feeding-horses-in-cold-weather

📸 Shanti, owned by Simple System Customer, Jane McDonagh

14/02/2025

Lots of rugs came off today which allowed for some really lovely mutual grooming
Individual Turnout is not what we do here…

It’s all about Friends, Forage and Freedom

We have taken on more land and are now able to increase the number of horses who live here

Suitable for retirement but do call for a chat to see if what we do might suit you

Full livery starts at £95 per week

Assisted £65

Ad lib hay provided all year round, as are salt and mineral licks

We are on the Hamptworth Estate between Salisbury and Southampton

09/02/2025

A few snaps from a beautiful winters day here

09/02/2025

Farriery is not a recognised or regulated industry in the countries where Brooke works and that’s why our Global Farriery Project was created.

The project trains local people interested in farriery to equip them with the skills, knowledge and tools they need to provide effective and quality hoof care to working horses, donkeys and mules.

During the last few months, Brooke Afrique de l'Ouest (Brooke West Africa) and their partners have held training workshops for farriers. A total of 78 farriers began training in West Africa over the last three months with 60% of these reaching a good or excellent level of competency so far.
Training in Burkina Faso has really increased, with the local team of farriery trainers regularly training and monitoring 19 community farriers. All farriers will continue to work with Brooke-trained staff across West Africa and continue with regular monitoring and enhancement of their skills.

This is a positive step not only for the farriery profession in West Africa, but also for the working horses, donkeys and mules who benefit from having happy and healthy feet.



📷 Mbar Diop

03/02/2025

If you ever come across a cluster of small eggs attached to a surface underwater, avoid touching or removing them. 🐙❌ These are octopus eggs, and their mother is nearby, dedicating her life to protecting them. ❤️

For most octopuses, reproduction happens only once in their lifetime. The females care for their offspring alone, staying in their shelter without searching for food. During this period, they consume their last energy reserves until they reach starvation. Their sole mission is to ensure the birth of their young, and once the baby octopuses emerge, the mother dies. 💔

However, some species defy this rule and can reproduce more than once throughout their lives. 🌀✨

Octopuses are extraordinary creatures, and each of their eggs represents a valuable legacy for the continuity of their species. 🌊🐙

Credits: Yo Veterinario

28/01/2025

24/01/2025

Some snaps from this past week…24 hour turnout, 365 days a year…with access to shelter If They Choose

15/01/2025

12/01/2025

COPING WITH FREEZING WEATHER

Brrrr some really cold winter weather has arrived here in the UK ☃️❄️🐴

Some tips to help your horses stay happy and healthy:
❄️Feed plenty of forage, which helps keep them warm from the inside due to the fermentation process of digestion in the gut
❄️Add hot water to your horse's drinking water since many horses don't drink enough if the water is icy cold
❄️ Be sure to break ie on water of pasture-kept horses twice daily in freezing weather
❄️Add a handful of epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) to a soaked feed if there are any signs of dehydration e.g. slow skin pinch return/drier droppings than usual (epsom salts draw water into the gut and help avoid impactions)
❄️Consider high fibre mashes or forage pellets soaked down to increase moisture content of feed - but always make all dietary changes gradually
❄️If they can't be turned out when used to having grass available - even winter grass - feed soaked grass pellets or dampened grass chaff to slow the change in forage intake
❄️Try to get your horse moving any way you can if they have to be stabled full time and riding is limited since stabling does increase the risk of colic - turnout to arena/pen/hand-walking even if in boring circles in the arena!
❄️Immediately reduce concentrate feed for working horses whose exercise is reduced
❄️Horses cope better with dry cold weather than wet cold weather, but shelter and rugging will help those who have high energy requirements or drop weight easily
❄️Do monitor the individual horse as concerns rugging to ensure you're not over-rugging due to how cold it feels to you - they should not feel hot under a rug

Feel free to share and add your snowy horse pictures and your ❄️❄️coping strategies below in the comments

🐴🍏❄️

08/01/2025

08/01/2025

Humans are here for extra treats and enrichment! I’m having a Happy Ever After in a gelding herd with all sorts of different friends & we have a small number of vacancies coming up in Spring if you’d like to share your needs we can see if we can give you a happy ever after too…We are on the Hamptworth Estate half way between Southampton & Salisbury

08/01/2025

And space to Move Always, with our friends and have new areas opened up regularly for us just about as Close to Natural Herd Life as is possible….