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Veteran
Posts: 107
| Temperatures are going to be in the -30 degree range for tonight thru tomorrow night and I really want some advice on what to do with my horses please! Three of them - with one being 27 yrs old. They all are double blanketed with hoods, full feeder of great hay, large straw bale spread for bedding and heated water tank. I do not have a heated barn - it is just a metal building. So my biggest dilemma is to lock them in for the night in the individual stalls or let them be out so they can eat and drink all night long? I am in a totally protected area so wind is not a issue - just this bitter cold. Any advice/opinions would be appreciated so I can feel like I am doing the right thing in this brutal weather. |
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| we have my mare who just got spayed in the barn because she's on stall rest anyways.. with a blanket on her but my geldings are all out side with blankets on and with hay. one of my geldings absolutely HATES being in the barn he goes crazy so he just stays outside and has a small barn to get under that is opened up. my other ones are just out in there pen with the barn roof to cover them.. and they have timber to get in the valley.. but my gelding that goes crazy in the barn was shaking today when i fed him so i don't know what to do with him but everything else is happy! |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
   
Location: Riding Crackhead. | In all honesty it sounds like your well protected from the wind so they should be totally fine outside. I put all mine in at 3:00. We're having 30-35 mph winds with -30 actual air temp tonight. Yes they would probably be fine outside too but I baby them.. They all have blankets too. My barn isn't heated but its got great insulation. With all 9 horses in there the temperture was 10 above when we got done doing chores. I imagine in the morning it will stay there are be about 15. Considering our windchills are -50 plus that's a 60 degree increase in temp. They're happy. We have another building that some horses can get in on their own. Not insulated and the door is open so they can run in and out on their own. It was cold in there but felt pretty good considering. They were at least out of the wind too. |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | I agree with CYA. It sounds like you have done a super job and you have all the bases covered. I would prefer to let mine go in and out of shelter as they see fit. Eating and digestion generates heat, so as long as they have plenty to eat and access to fresh water, you are golden. |
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 Can You Hear Me Now?
Location: When you hit the middle of nowhere .. Keep driving | HotbearLVR - 2014-01-05 6:52 PM
I agree with CYA. It sounds like you have done a super job and you have all the bases covered. I would prefer to let mine go in and out of shelter as they see fit. Eating and digestion generates heat, so as long as they have plenty to eat and access to fresh water, you are golden.
I agree. Let them go in and out but the biggest thing is to let them eat as they will need the extra calories. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | My husband was making fun of me tonight. I kept taking more and more pitchforks full of hay in their stalls. He's like....are you kidding me they hardly have anywhere to lay down without laying on their hay! I said - I don't want them to be hungry! He went out a while ago to make sure everyone was snug as bugs and I made him take them all a piece of candy. LOL
What goes in must come out....I'll be pitching a lot of poop by the time the cold snap is over.. |
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BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Great minds think alike.....I'm going out to throw extra hay, with a bag of apples in hand. Everyone gets an apple tonight.....plus an extra bale of alfalfa hay. |
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 Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | Gosh darn. I'm doing all the same things with a temp in the teens tonight. I don't know how you face tomorrow knowing it's that cold. How do you animals survive? Do they have hair like polar bears? |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | CanCan - 2014-01-05 8:03 PM Gosh darn. I'm doing all the same things with a temp in the teens tonight. I don't know how you face tomorrow knowing it's that cold. How do you animals survive? Do they have hair like polar bears?
I bet our horses aren't any hairier than yours. The ones up here are used to the drastic weather changes though and are dang tough. In all honesty when we were out late this afternoon if you were out of the wind it didn't feel too bad. I had on coveralls, ski mask with ski goggles to keep my eyes from freezing and heavy boots and gloves. As long as we stayed out of the wind I could have stayed out for quite a while. I don't wear much under my coveralls either. Yoga pants and a lighter weight sweatshirt. |
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Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | CYA Ranch - 2014-01-05 8:06 PM CanCan - 2014-01-05 8:03 PM Gosh darn. I'm doing all the same things with a temp in the teens tonight. I don't know how you face tomorrow knowing it's that cold. How do you animals survive? Do they have hair like polar bears? I bet our horses aren't any hairier than yours. The ones up here are used to the drastic weather changes though and are dang tough. In all honesty when we were out late this afternoon if you were out of the wind it didn't feel too bad. I had on coveralls, ski mask with ski goggles to keep my eyes from freezing and heavy boots and gloves. As long as we stayed out of the wind I could have stayed out for quite a while. I don't wear much under my coveralls either. Yoga pants and a lighter weight sweatshirt.
Oh, I meant your animals. I wasn't calling you an animal. But with that thought in mind, I'm following the animal diet for the next few days - graze extensively and stay out of the wind. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | CanCan - 2014-01-05 8:07 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-01-05 8:06 PM CanCan - 2014-01-05 8:03 PM Gosh darn. I'm doing all the same things with a temp in the teens tonight. I don't know how you face tomorrow knowing it's that cold. How do you animals survive? Do they have hair like polar bears? I bet our horses aren't any hairier than yours. The ones up here are used to the drastic weather changes though and are dang tough. In all honesty when we were out late this afternoon if you were out of the wind it didn't feel too bad. I had on coveralls, ski mask with ski goggles to keep my eyes from freezing and heavy boots and gloves. As long as we stayed out of the wind I could have stayed out for quite a while. I don't wear much under my coveralls either. Yoga pants and a lighter weight sweatshirt.
LOL I knew what you meant. The animals and people are pretty hardy up here. The good Lord gives us a little more insulation this time of year. Or maybe its what I'm eating.  |
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 "Spaz-tacular"!!
Posts: 20309
Location: Bennett, CO | About the only thing I do during abrupt changes like we had..I add electrolytes to their feed to make sure they keep drinking....I do blanket mine in sub zero...but I really think it is for my sake more so than theirs...I sleep better! |
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Expert
Posts: 2122
Location: The Great Northwest | I like to add a tablespoon of salt with the supplement to help keep my horses drinking good with all the hay they consume. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 897
Location: Glendive Mt. | It sounds like you have it covered. The main thing is that they are out of the wind. Mine are in the barn as well but only because of the wind. I have blankets on everyone because it is way way below zero, otherwise they are pretty furry and do real well out her.. I do tend to give them a lot of hay to keep them eating and drinking. A heater in the water trough is a must or an automatic waterer that has heat. Good luck I am sure they will be fine :) |
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Veteran
Posts: 107
| Thank you everyone! I just needed some reassurance on what to do....still not completely set in what to do but I think the hay/water 24/7 access might win out over being locked in. Like my Dad says....it is much harder on you than it is for the horses! Hope he is right! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 685
Location: Arkansas | CanCan - 2014-01-05 8:03 PM Gosh darn. I'm doing all the same things with a temp in the teens tonight. I don't know how you face tomorrow knowing it's that cold. How do you animals survive? Do they have hair like polar bears?
Exactly what I was thinking!! Good Lord! I was worried about ours with wind chills at -5... and yall are talking about -50!!!!! No thanks.... |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Sounds like you have done what you can to make yourself and the horses feel better, I think you did good  |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Yep my guy has a shoulder gaurd and extra heavy weight on with a neck warmer and then a sheet on top. Hes got a roundbale and then we're putting haybales in his shelter so they are encouraged to stay out of the wind. Its real temp of -22 right now and dropping. Windchills between -60 and -70 expected for tomorrow. |
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Good Ole Boys just Fine with Me
Posts: 2869
Location: SE Missouri | We are getting some very cold temps for our area. If it was just cold and wind I wouldn't have been so concerned BUT we got several hours (6+) of very cold rain that turned to freezing rain the sleet then snow! It was 43 yesterday and now 9* with wind of -9 and will be wind chill of -25 tomorrow mid morning! I don't know that I have ever felt that.
We got every one in or at least tied in dry area this morning during rain to dry off before the temps dropped into teens.. Blanketed all but one and put the hay in lean-to MAYBE they'd camp out there versus standing out in this..
Ill take a dry cold day over this crap anytime! Except that actual temp below zero, I don't want that, lol. I specifically mean high single digits for a week at the most then it's gotta go, lol. I'm not tough enough for real winter weather!
Be safe and stay warm! |
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 Saint Stacey
| Horses regulate body temeprature through feed. As long as they have a good, unfrozen water source and free choice hay, they will be fine. |
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