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Veteran
Posts: 170
 
| I've never tried to haul through the winter until this year. I am in northern MN, the air temp is currently -2* and there is a Bulls and Barrels this tuesday and wednesday. The high for tomorrow is 1*, and wednesday 16*. The arena is heated, however, I am more worried about the haul to the arena and my mare being kept in a non heated barn. Also, I do not believe the warm up is heated but it is connected to the main arena. Are there any exra precautions you take when hauling in fridgid temps? OR do you just say its not worth it? At this point I've drawn out for tomorrow, wondering if I should for wednesday as well....  |
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Veteran
Posts: 197
| I used to haul in all that fridged weather stuff . I felt my main issues were keeping the proper airflow in the trailer. I usually hauled 6-10 hrs. and I had to watch that with the horses breath that the moisture level did not get too high in the trailer. I usually had to keep at least one window where no direct flow was on the horses open or down and face windows at least cracked. Also then coming back out after running. Making sure they were cooled down enough and had good coolers that could breath so the left over sweat could dry. Dont put on your heavy blankets too soon. Also , plan the warm up so they did not get too warm in the heated buildings. Also several years had issues with unloading onto sheets of ice. |
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 Unknown Drip
Posts: 5624
 
Location: Back in MT BABY!!! | I might run if it was 16 but not if it was 1. A slow warm up and a even slower cool down is key in the winter. You need to make sure they are completely cooled down before taking them back out into the cold tempatures. The less sweat you get on them the better.
The last couple times I ran through the winter I ran them barefoot so I didn't have as much trouble with the ice as others did but the arenas I ran in all had good ground. I still packed kitty litter with me to make an area around the trailer that was safer for them to walk stand on.
In the trailer make sure you have some air flow so moisture doesn't build up. I always had food in front of them and they were blanketed. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | I'm a cold weather chicken.....the only reason you will see me outside, is to feed, and hunt. And when I hunt....I'm wearing like 30 layers to stay warm LMAO.
I guess keep a cooler handy to throw on your horses after they run |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | It's going to be 29 tomorrow with a windchill of 7 degrees. I had plans to run at a show, but that's too cold for this KY gal. However, our horses are not used to that type of weather. My logic is that there is always another barrel race. |
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 Ms. Elvis
Posts: 9606
Location: Running barrels or watching nascar | I chicken out and stay home. I've gotten so I don't even think about entering unless it's above 32 degrees or there is no wind. I physically don't handle this bitter cold well. I actually get sick. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | I ride in the cold weather, and I've also hauled in the cold. I would give them ample time to adjust to the change in temps (when going indoors) before running. I'd also give omneprazole and probiotics to help the gut.
Mine is stabled in a heated barn, but I ride in an unheated indoor. He's also outside most of the day. They adjust. Just take it slow and make sure they are warmed up and totally cooled out (dry and not hot).
Nowadays, I don't haul in the cold. I'm too big a chicken. I still keep him legged up though, with (too) short of daily riding. lol
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | I hate the cold. Not a fan of being out in it so I don't haul if it's really cold. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | I haven't hauled n -30..so I guess I do haul in cold weather..lol...not as much now as I used to as most stuff here is cancelled at -20ishM |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I'm entered in 4 days of a rodeo series starting tomorrow through Saturday nights. It's going to be in the teens most likely when I get there tomorrow evening, but luckily my horses are outside most of the time so they're fairly well-adjusted. I do plan on keeping Chance covered in Back on Track gear as much as possible, and may take Joker's BOT sheet to throw over Chance's neck when we go between barns. He is going to pretty much get cooled out wearing Soft Ride boots and walking on the concrete through the stall barn before I take him back across the driveway to the dirt warmup barn. I've got wool coolers and will cover him up as much as I can when we do go back outside. I think everyone entered is glad it's supposed to warm back up somewhat the rest of the week/weekend. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1162
Location: White Mountains of AZ | I'm ok with the cold as long as my horses are semi-adjusted. The wind though, whole other story!! I really really do not like the wind!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| I've hauled quite alot in cold weather (SD and WY).
Keep a window in the trailer cracked that isn't directly on the horses to encourage airflow. It can get really humid from their breath.
Get yourself a good cooler. I'm talking a wool cooler. It will keep the body heat in and wick the moisture away.
Walk your horse out real dang good. Make sure they are dry before blanketing or trailering to or from the arena.
Watch for ice. Be careful where you choose to park your trailer and unload your horses; falling from the ice sucks hard core and will cause injuries.
Make time for them to adjust to the indoor temps before making your run.
Good Luck and stay safe!! When in doubt, just don't go.  |
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | I haul in the winter (ND) to a heated arena . I do what was already mentioned about giving time to adjust, completely cooling etc. my horses live outside and in a cold barn .
Just watch your horse :) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 333
| as far as hauling...i would try to avoid that chilly air blowing on their face in the trailer...breathing it in is hard at those temps..IMO.
Good luck.
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 I Don't Brag
Posts: 6960
| A pair of wool or polar fleece coolers will be your best friend. If they get very hot/damp one cooler won't be enough. I have hauled a lot in the winter months. Be aware 'tho, that if you haul 3 or 4 horses together in one trailer, it can get quite warm in that trailer. In those cases, I will pull their heavy winter blanket off and put a fitted fleece cooler on to haul in.
In preparation for running in heated arenas, I will let my horses hair up a bit before starting to blanket them. Not so much that they will sweat heavily in the heated area but enough that they won't freeze while standing tied to the trailer in the sun at 30 degrees. |
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 No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
Location: Texas | I have lived in Texas my entire life. I don't even know how you people live in those temps and I would vote NO. |
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Veteran
Posts: 170
| My girls are adjusted to the temps. They are kept outside (blanketed) And only come in if we get ice or heavy snow storms... The warm up is very cold at this arena, so i'm not as worried about her overheating as I am us just plain freezing! If I go tomorrow, it will be 3* when I leave at 8 AM, and it's a high of 12. We are currently at 1 with a windchill of -24*... So I am sure it will feel much, much colder.... I like the when in doubt, sit it out advice. As I do have another barrel race to go to in two weeks.... |
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | Our horses are outside 24/7 and our barn is not heated. I think KEY to hauling in winter is a good fleece for cool down and an enclosed trailer. We don't leave the arena till all horses are dry and if we have to they all get blanketed up good with fleeces. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 356
| The hauling wouldn't concern me as much as having to warm up in the cold. I do a lot of long trotting and loping warming up when the weather's nice, and obviously if the weather's that cold it would take quite a bit longer to warm the muscles up. I'd be more worried about the cold air on their lungs than anything else. |
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Cold Weather Hauling... Safe?