Horse Gossip Thread

[adoptedbyachicken]

Quote:
I went out on the deck, straight from a nice warm bed to the snow covered deck in bare feet in only a t-shirt type nightie, then back in to put on a hoodie and sneakers and out the back door, no socks or anything on legs. It's what your used to I guess, and I'd rather be cold than too hot. I really dislike the temps in the 30s C. But I also hate the wet cold, the plus two to minus 2 range where it's slush and muck and damp. I can ride in cold, but too hot and I shut er down. Here is better since I have much tree cover and at elevation so always (or almost so) at least a breeze if not wind.

MCW my horses don't have a shed in their winter field, they have forest and a gully with trees in it too, which is way more windproof than any shelter man can build, and way bigger than I could ever afford to give them space for. If and when it gets below -35C (the scales even out at -40) in the past I have let a round bale loose at the top of that gully to roll down (I call the horses out first) and it spreads hay far and wide when it arrives at the bottom, it is bedding or feed and then they don't have to leave the gully except for salt and water.

I have used green feed for this so it's less expensive and better bedding, less nice to eat so they don't just gobble it up, last longer and they can always come back up for regular hay.

The shelters I have are great for getting out of the summer sun and vented sides for the breeze, so not suitable for the winter winds.

 

[michickenwrangler]

It's what horses in the wild do. If a horse was raised in and acclimated to that situation, I'm sure it's fine so long as they have food and don't get soaked.

Horses in the wild live in Mongolia and the winters there are harsh. Heck, they lived during the ICE AGE.

 

[dreamcatcherarabians]

My horses are soooo spoiled. They come in every night & morning to eat a bucket and stay on pasture during the day. Night too in the summer. Once it starts getting down to 50 at night I leave them in the barn, but leave the doors open. By the time we get really cold they all have nice 400 gram heavy blankets to wear and of course, we shut the barn up and put up the heat lamps. I TRY to keep it above freezing in the barn, but since we get ice storms here in OK, I can't always succeed in that.

 

[fancy]

It seems like every location has it's advantages and disadvantages. I grew up in the Great Lakes area (Western NY). I miss the changing of the seasons so much, but here in S FL you can train and ride pretty much year round. Although you have to be pretty disciplined to get out there in the summer. It's a little much for me!

You guys worry about winter temps, and how to keep your horses comfy. We worry about our summer temps, fans going all summer and horses stay inside during the day mostly.

Still I'm jealous, I truly believe the horses prefer the cooler climates.

 

[Celtic Hill]

I would rather be in the cold cold, because i think there is more things you can do for a horse in the winter to keep them warm, plus they get their winter coat (the natural one) plus blanks. Where for the heat, there is very little you can do for them, hose them, put fans on them, maybe AC if you can afford it. Im from CT so im right in the middle

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
Actually, the bay in my avatar was an Arabian mare I used to have. My current and longtime horse Izzie is a fleabitten gray. I just didn't want to put all the flea-bites in the frosting!