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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 445
 
| With all this cold weather it had me wandering, who all has horses out in it? We have several of ours out in it. We have a little shed put up, but they won't go inside. It's suppose to be 0° or below. The wind chills could get to -15°. It's so cold here the boys have their pants pulled up. Everyone, stay safe and warm!
Edited by myhorseluvrunning 2014-01-06 12:54 PM
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 Uh....never mind
Posts: 2696
 
Location: Midwest Farmer's Daughter: Central Illinois | I have five out in pasture & two up at the barn.
If I don't lock the barn horses in their stalls, they'll stand out in the dang wind & snow anyway.
The pasture horses will back up to the timber in the creekbed. Even if we had the barn opened to them they wouldn't come up except to eat & then they'd go back out. |
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 Underestimated Underdog
Posts: 3971
Location: Minnesota | Its -60 with the windchill here - the horses are in the barn! I'm not taking a chance and they seem happy with the unlimited hay they are getting and warm water. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 445
| Ctrygirl14 - 2014-01-05 2:12 PM Its -60 with the windchill here - the horses are in the barn! I'm not taking a chance and they seem happy with the unlimited hay they are getting and warm water.
I couldn't imagine -60°. Our horses eat holes through the hay bales and when the wind starts blowing they stick their heads in the hay. We have our stallion in the barn so we can't put any of our mares up. We'll be able to put them in the barn all together soon, because the vets coming to geld him as soon as it warms up. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | We only have two horses right now but they are both outside in a pen. They have a wind break from the garage/barn that on the side but other than that they don't seem to mind being outside much. It hasn't gotten very cold in southern CO this winter, which I'm very thankful for!! I'd love to have blankets on them when I see it snowing or we have a -15 wind chill but my husband insists that they are tough enough since they are used to this winter weather.
Edited by cecollins0811 2014-01-06 1:51 PM
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 World 4D Champ
Posts: 28264
Location: PA | I don't have a barn, so my horses have to be outside. We're supposed to be dropping down to -10 tonight with windchills around -40. We do NOT get weather like this here! We put a round bale out yesterday, and I went and bought a de-icer for the water tank. They do have a run in, but rarely use it in the winter. 2 have blankets, and I'm going out tonight to get a 3rd for my other horse. I will stress and worry about them, but I"ve done all I can think of to prepare them for this upcoming weather.  |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12703
| All but one of mine have run ins. Other than during feed time they have been huddling inside the sheds since the wind picked up and temps dropped this afternoon. Zan has a hooded heavy blanket. I'm out of ideas for him to get him shelter for the next couple days. I'll just keep throwing him hay, and if it looks like he's in trouble I'll load him on the trailer for a while. |
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My mind still works
Posts: 8912
| All mine are out in it. They would rather stay out anyway. I just put a wind and water proof blanket on each of them and they're fine. Was -16 windchill this morning and as long as they have hay, they'll stay warm. I've got tank heaters in because I need them drinking and besides that, busting tanks is over rater and so is cleaning stalls. lol |
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  Golden Heart
Posts: 5662
Location: SD | We have 4 horses and a 1 mini donkey. We do not have a fully enclosed barn, only a 3-sided loafing shed. One gelding is blanketed. They have free-choice hay. We were somewhere around -40 or colder last night. Everyone was fine this morning, playing and picking on each other as usual. Our waterer did freeze up, but I worked on it for about 2 hours (it's still -25) and it is working now. All equines had warm water to drink and a warm mash to eat. Our old dog insisted on being outside this morning while I was working on the waterer even though I thought it was too cold for her. She refused to go back inside until she was good and ready. I think our animals and ourselves are hardier than we think. |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | The thermometer in my car said -13 when I left for work at 8 a.m. today and Clifford, who has the shortest hair of all our horses, was standing in the middle of the lot just happy as a clam. Chance must have been in one of the sheds because I didn't see him as I drove out, but the three "naked" horses were all outside waiting on Dad to come feed them. (Chance and Cliff are blanketed because it got cold over New Years and they didn't have a great windbreak at Matt's place, then I have been sick and haven't felt like taking the blankets away). The 5 horses at my parents' place have a section of our hay barn, a section of the sheep/goat/llama shed, a partially enclosed "bull shed", and another small shed that's enclosed on two sides so they can sure get out of the wind no matter what direction its coming from. They also have a round bale, the remnants of their last round bale, and a heated automatic waterer. The three without blankets are super fuzzy and they don't WANT blankets on (they run from me if I come toward them with a blanket). Since they aren't running this winter, I'll let 'em look like buffaloes as long as they're happy. |
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 IMA No Hair Style Gal
Posts: 2594
| All mine are up, but two have a full set of shoes, and I am not putting one out by himself without having the choice of shelter. I also am monitoring their water intake and splitting their grain portions up throughout the day. So it is much easier on me for them to be up.
With my set up they are either in or out, and there is no shelter in the pasture. I am sure you could tell though if the horses were not comfortable. If they seem fine and are not shaking or anything-you are probably okay. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 612
| Our horses are outside during the day and in stalls at night. Yesterday, we did put blankets on the two that aren't usually blanketed. We are in that area with wind chills at around -40. We will take the blankets off of the two horses tomorrow when it warms up to 15. |
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Underestimated Underdog
Posts: 3971
Location: Minnesota | myhorseluvrunning - 2014-01-06 1:44 PM
Ctrygirl14 - 2014-01-05 2:12 PM Its -60 with the windchill here - the horses are in the barn! I'm not taking a chance and they seem happy with the unlimited hay they are getting and warm water.
I couldn't imagine -60°. Our horses eat holes through the hay bales and when the wind starts blowing they stick their heads in the hay. We have our stallion in the barn so we can't put any of our mares up. We'll be able to put them in the barn all together soon, because the vets coming to geld him as soon as it warms up.
I have never kept my horses in during the day, this is the first time, but I thought the -60 warranted staying in. They will go back out tomorrow weather permitting. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 836
Location: Southern Pennsylvania | Ours have a barn, but they never use it. They stand at their roundbale all day. However, all 3 are blanketed. |
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 Making the post season
Posts: 7288
Location: your guess is as good as mine | My 3 have a loafing shed & the only one with a blanket is my 28yo mare - she's a hard enough keeper that she doesn't need to be spending groceries trying to stay warm. They have a round bale & pieces of 2 others, plus I filled the hay racks under the shed yesterday & last night. Didn't today since the sun was shining, but will again tonight...the 28yo gets her Senior soaked with hot water & the other two get soaked beet pulp, plus both the pond & creek were ice-free last night & today (well, thin sheet of ice on pond). All seem to be doing fine & dandy... |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3310
Location: Jersey Girl | Mine are out 24/7 but have access to a nice run-in. I haven't blanketed them yet but did tonight. They have a round bale and a heated tub so they should be ok. |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Mine are outside 24/7 and do have a run in that they use quite often. They are either eating on the round bale, or in the run in today. I did blanket them because our windchill right now is -15. We haven't had that weather here in 20 years. I'll take blankets off Wednesday when I get home from work, but until they, they will be wearing them for three days. They do have a round bale and their water trough has a heater in it. I kept them spoiled and throw hay flakes in the run in shed so they didn't have to go out in the wind to get to the round bale :) |
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 Famous for Not Complaining
Posts: 8848
Location: Broxton, Ga | Mine are out.......no blankets.......that is what they are used to.......low in the teens.......wind chill.....single digits..........hay and heated water buckets...........I feel they drink more water out moving and can stay warmer moving also. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 346
Location: USA | Just wondering how cold it has to get before they get frostbite? I have a blanket on mine, but what about the tips of their ears? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 445
| Oakley - 2014-01-05 11:38 PM Just wondering how cold it has to get before they get frostbite? I have a blanket on mine, but what about the tips of their ears?
Horse's rarely ever get frostbite. I've never had a horse to get frostbite or have I seen any. It's mostly the younger and older horses that get it.However, healthy horses are less likely at risk. Make sure to keep your horses dry, well fed, and watered. If a horse's ear is frostbite, most won't know it till a week or so later when the tip of the horses ear falls off. The signs of frostbite are, pale at first , then swelling, turns dark, and very hard. Call your vet immediately if you see these signs. Horses can deal with -40 degrees, but I try to keep my horses warm as possible. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | ghost rider - 2014-01-06 5:19 PM
My 3 have a loafing shed & the only one with a blanket is my 28yo mare - she's a hard enough keeper that she doesn't need to be spending groceries trying to stay warm. They have a round bale & pieces of 2 others, plus I filled the hay racks under the shed yesterday & last night. Didn't today since the sun was shining, but will again tonight...the 28yo gets her Senior soaked with hot water & the other two get soaked beet pulp, plus both the pond & creek were ice-free last night & today (well, thin sheet of ice on pond). All seem to be doing fine & dandy...
I wasn't able to break the ice on the pond with my foot this morning, and the cats' waterer was frozen solid in the feed room. The horses' insulated waterer was in good shape tho, and horses and barn cats healthy and happy. Supposed to get to about 32 today! Woohoo! LOL |
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | The weather man told us last night the Polar Vortex is leaving. Yippeee! Its above 0 right now and feels downright balmy. My horses are all out sunbathing. Tonight we'll have one more night of -20, tomorrow 0 and then 20's and 30's are coming! I'm doing a happy dance. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2930
Location: North Dakota | My horses are outside 24/7. And I don't own a blanket.
Everytime I've checked on them in this danged cold, they've acted as if it is 30 degrees outside .... not -24*F with a -50*F windchilll.
But they are healthy, have full winter coats, have hay and water 24/7, and have excellent windbreak.
I give them some extra grain but it's more for my peace of mind. They really don't need it!
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Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Mine are pretty content.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 445
| CYA Ranch - 2014-01-06 12:22 PM The weather man told us last night the Polar Vortex is leaving. Yippeee! Its above 0 right now and feels downright balmy. My horses are all out sunbathing. Tonight we'll have one more night of -20, tomorrow 0 and then 20's and 30's are coming! I'm doing a happy dance.
It's moving out tomorrow. We're going to reach 60 degrees Friday  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | Oakley - 2014-01-06 11:38 PM Just wondering how cold it has to get before they get frostbite? I have a blanket on mine, but what about the tips of their ears?
Not that cold. Had a friend have a 2 year old get it on the tips of his ears. we only had a night or 2 that were down in single digits close to zero with very little wind. They were rock hard for awhile. I don't remember if they actually ever came off or not. He lost the horse later that same year and this was about 5 years ago. so..... But it now makes me more cautious on very cold nights. FYI he did have a shelter available but with 5 other horses out there maybe wasn't granted access when he needed it.
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | It's colder here than it's been in like 30 years I think. 4 of mine are staying out 24/7 with access to a run in shed and a hay bale. Their muzzle hairs had ice on them along with the tops of their tails and a few places on their backs. They seem ok though.
My others were up and it was zero when I turned them out this morning. One of them had frozen muzzle hairs being in the stall. Turned them all out except my old man who's in the barn with a blanket.
I've been keeping hay in front of them and watering down feed. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 372
Location: Missouri | We were in the negatives yesterday, in Missouri.. my 4 are outside with access to go inside the barn. I've blanketed the past year but this year I've decided against blankets. All of mine are in good weight and full coat, I feel better knowing there's nothing interfering with their natural insulation, and no wet blankets keeping them wet and cold. They have 24/7 round bales, lots of cedar trees to back up to. |
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 The Purple Princess
Posts: 2226
Location: Charlestown, IN | ajs2002 - 2014-01-07 1:07 PM Oakley - 2014-01-06 11:38 PM Just wondering how cold it has to get before they get frostbite? I have a blanket on mine, but what about the tips of their ears? Not that cold. Had a friend have a 2 year old get it on the tips of his ears. we only had a night or 2 that were down in single digits close to zero with very little wind. They were rock hard for awhile. I don't remember if they actually ever came off or not. He lost the horse later that same year and this was about 5 years ago. so..... But it now makes me more cautious on very cold nights. FYI he did have a shelter available but with 5 other horses out there maybe wasn't granted access when he needed it.
Maybe a little different circumstance, but I bought a weanling filly this summer who was born February 1. We had a mild winter here last year. Her ears are frost bitten. :( I was thinking to myself how since it was mild, but I guess maybe if she were wet and the ground cold, that's how... They thought the mare had a month to go so that's why she was out and not on baby watch. I think the weather men said we didn't get under like 17* or something last year and that's not very cold compared to what we've been experiencing the last few days. I locked my horses in. Our barn was 30* warmer inside than it was outside. No blankets. Usually they all have the choice of being in or out. I kicked them out to do stalls and every one of them was beating on the door trying to get back in. HA They are out today. It's supposed to be in the 30's and 50's this weekend!! YAY!!! |
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 Dancing in my Mind
Posts: 3062
Location: Eastern OH but my heart is in WV | I brought my horses in Sunday about 5:00 pm. We got freezing rain that night then the temps dropped into the negatives. Tuesday was the coldest day and when I went out that morning to feed and they had small icecicles on their chins and noses (We have a old, sturdy barn but can not close up the one end). So I booted them out into the sunshine and they appeared happier being out than in (they are usually out 24/7). |
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Pig-Bear Dog Lover
| Murphy - 2014-01-07 10:43 AM
Mine are pretty content.
Omg they look exactly like mine right now! |
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Horses out in the cold...