The heavens opened sometime during the night and has drowned the Riverina area! They haven't had rain like this for probably 10 or so years in this area so it is very welcomed. The dams are over flowing, paddocks are under water, roads are cut, creeks are running and rivers are starting too!!!! Sam is cold and depressed!
I didn't rug him last night because he is dirty and he has lived bare bum for the last 5 weeks. When I got out there this morning the poor bugger was hunched over, shivering in the corner. I put his hay in his shelter (it is a 3 sided shelter but very small) trying to get him out of the rain. He would stay in there as long as I stayed with him. SO i moved the hay so it was closer to the front so he was half in, half out. Rugged him up and left him to fend for himself.
This afternoon when I went back out to see how he had coped through the day, it was a miserable sight. He was standing up in his corner looking very depressed. I called out to him and all I got was a look and then he went back to a depressed stance. He had hardly touched his hay from this morning (I am worried he doesn't like it) but while I was sorting out what he had left he came and joined me. I gave him some lucerne hay tonight to help warm him up a bit. He also got a small amount of pellets - more to make me feel good. He was reasonably dry under his rug but I put a polar fleece on underneath to help keep him warm through the night. I moved his hay so it was in one of the front corners and got him to turn around so he was in the shelter but looking out. He seemed to stay in there when I left.
It has stopped raining at the moment so hopefully it is moving on. Sorry false alarm just started again!
I got a delivery of pasture hay (50 bales) while Sam was away. I had seen a bale at the end of last year and even fed it to Sam to make sure he would eat it, he did. He didn't eat it all last night or this morning. I am hoping it is because he is being a bit fussy - it isn't as nice as fresh pasture. The hay is clean, smells nice he ate it when I got the one to try. A few other people got some as well so I will have to see if their horses are eating it. I hope he does start to eat it otherwise I will have to sell it and find other hay.
I was meant to have tomorrow off work but Katie can't get off her farm because their creek has burst its banks and they are stuck! So there goes my day with Sam but that's ok. If it warms up tomorrow I should finish early enough to wash him before it gets dark.
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