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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
 
Location: Duvall, WA | I have always lived in the fairly mild NW but know how worried I get about the animals when it gets much below freezing. How in the world are people in the mid-west and east dealing with these horrible sub-zero temperatures? What do you do with your horses and dogs? Thinking of you all. . . |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
 
| NipntuckLR - 2018-01-02 8:33 PM
I have always lived in the fairly mild NW but know how worried I get about the animals when it gets much below freezing. How in the world are people in the mid-west and east dealing with these horrible sub-zero temperatures? What do you do with your horses and dogs? Thinking of you all. . .
 Horses actually survive out in the cold rather easily. I've heard cold weather is actually easier on horses then hot weather. The most important things is for them to have wind break. I don't baby my horses. They are not stall babies with blankets. My horses are allowed to get full winter coats.The average Temps by me have been - 6 below over the the last 11 days. My 24 and 25 year old horses have blankets on. I'll take a them off after it stays above zero. They do fine with out them in anything above zero. The younger ones are just fine with their fluffy winter coat. They also get a lot more hay then they do on warmer days since horses stay warm by digesting forage. So with extra food, a run in shed and access to heated water tanks they do fine. It's harder on me then them! Today it was 9 degrees and I actually went on a little trail ride. It was nice to get to ride! |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
 
Location: OH. IO | Im in Ohio and it has been brutal cold.its 6degrees with a wind chill in the negatives.my dogs are in the house..to cold out there for them.my Romeo and Juliet are bedded down deep and are inside the barn.my kitties are in attached garage with three big fuzzy blankets in there kitty house:)we have new laws in Ohio and people are getting nailed for not taking care of pets properly.as for me.its cold,im staying in.those brutal temps in the west are crazy! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| I just keep hay out 24x7. As long as they are healthy they should have no issue with the cold. Horses coming up north from the south might need the coats but I do not normally blanket a horse unless it is older and doesn't handle the cold. Just give lots of hay and they will generate enough heat to keep themselves warm. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | I always hear about how tough horses are and the temps they can tolerate. I avoided blanketing as long into the winter as I could. But, the first afternoon that it got below forty, my mare met me at the fence, ears pinned, full-body shivering, lol. The other two didn’t start to complain until it got to about 35 degrees. My horses are just spoiled, I guess. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| i am not doing so well. I am about to freeze my butt off |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Today will be the first time in a while that it will get to freezing here in Ks where I am. I give extra hay, use tank heaters and my horses are in stalls and run pens, so plenty of wind break. It's the wind that makes it seem really awful here, to me.
Blanketing depends on the horse. I am happy that none of mine now need blankets - WAY less hassle! My Streakin La Jolla that I did have, came from Louisiana and he was cold at 50 degrees!
When I chore in the evenings, I measure out all the morning's grain and hay and top off the water tanks if need be, so in the morning, when it's the coldest, it takes me longer to get dressed than to actually do my chores! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1367
Location: mi | The horses are fine. Mine are out all day. and by day I mean they are out at 5:30 am so hitting the coldest point of the day. and come in at night. I did blanket when the bitter cold hit, as I have one old, one that is from Alabama so this is his first northern winter and one that doesn't get much coat and also is in the pasture with no run in or wind block. We are just now headed into the worst with daytime highs in the single digits but so far they are happy as can be with a feeder full of hay and heater water tanks. Me on the other hand is ready to move south this is bull caca.
I have also heard the same thing as above. Horses handle cold way better then extreme heat. I have actually heard 35 degrees is about their ideal. Of course that might be different for a horse that has lived its entire life down south. But I know mine get babied more in the brutal heat of July and August then they do in the bitter cold of January and Feb. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Nita - 2018-01-02 9:59 PM I always hear about how tough horses are and the temps they can tolerate. I avoided blanketing as long into the winter as I could. But, the first afternoon that it got below forty, my mare met me at the fence, ears pinned, full-body shivering, lol. The other two didn’t start to complain until it got to about 35 degrees. My horses are just spoiled, I guess.
Same here, last winter I read so many articles about blanketing not necessary etc. so I thought I won’t blanket. That lasted about 5 minutes when I saw 2 shivering, blankets went back on quick. I live in the Houston area, my animals are not use to cold either. I spoil mine too. 21 this morning, I hauled hot water and fed everyone a warm soupy mash for breakfast. |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| ajs2002 - 2018-01-03 6:23 AM The horses are fine. Mine are out all day. and by day I mean they are out at 5:30 am so hitting the coldest point of the day. and come in at night. I did blanket when the bitter cold hit, as I have one old, one that is from Alabama so this is his first northern winter and one that doesn't get much coat and also is in the pasture with no run in or wind block. We are just now headed into the worst with daytime highs in the single digits but so far they are happy as can be with a feeder full of hay and heater water tanks. Me on the other hand is ready to move south this is bull caca.
I have also heard the same thing as above. Horses handle cold way better then extreme heat. I have actually heard 35 degrees is about their ideal. Of course that might be different for a horse that has lived its entire life down south. But I know mine get babied more in the brutal heat of July and August then they do in the bitter cold of January and Feb. My vet said 17 degrees is ideal for horses and if not for people bringing them here, there would be no horses down south. I think you are right about the heat being harder on them. I put mine up under fans during the heat of the day all summer, if for some rare reason they miss getting put up they just looked drained and zapped of energy. I certainly don’t see them running and playing like I do in the cold weather.
Edited by rodeomom3 2018-01-03 7:02 AM
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | With plenty of feed and water the horses do great. Kitties have very expensive heater in the tack room. They haven't been out for days....run out the door occasionally, then run right back in. Dogs are in the garage at night with a heat lamp. I am dreading my electric bill let alone the propane. Ski bibs are great for going outside as far as us poor old people.
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| We’ve been -10 to -20 here in Iowa. We have grass hay out in slow feed nets so they can eat all they want and they are wooly mammoths.
Dogs are in the house or in the heated shop, cats are in the garage or the heated shop if they want to be, they’ve also been hunkering down in the hayloft.
We don’t blanket, these temps are unusually cold for us but negatives aren’t unusual at all so they are use to it. Not surprised at all that the Deep South is struggling with it! It suuuuucks! |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | Here in northern Iowa we have been at -17 to -25f for the past 7 days and it looks like we have about 4 more days like this. Our highs have been about -4f. Mine are in the pasture plus have hay 24/7. No buildings, just wind breaks. They do get about 2# a day of a oat,corn, bean meal mix a day plus other stuff in it. Horses are temperature neutral at 38*. If you leave them outside year round they will grow their hair coat to servive just fine. When its cold they need all the forage they can eat as that is what generates their body heat. A lot of how well they stand the cold is a lot on body condition. That is why you see a lot of horses in the northern climats carry more finish on them normally. Mother nature knows what she is doing.
Edited by BS Hauler 2018-01-03 8:33 AM
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Dog stays inside, along with kitties. Horses have two round bales of brome set out for them to constantly munch on. I do start to add grain once it gets cold |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 595
Location: North Dakota | Our temps dropped to -28 actual temp and -45 windchill and yes it’s cold but we get this cold every year for many week of the year.. Our horses are accustomed to it. They get one heck of a coat and eat hay like crazy. We have several at my barn who are not blanketed and are not shivering even in this cold. It just depends on the horse.
My two French Bulldogs do not do well in this cold. They struggle to even go out and go potty without freezing but we make it through.
I won’t say that I like this cold but it happens every year. I can’t stand the heat so here in ND I will stay.  |
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Regular
Posts: 72
| I feel for EVERYONE in the south and humidity with this cold. I grew up in southwest Louisiana and the coldest I've ever been in winter is down there. I live in northeast Oklahoma now and we have gotten to -20 actual air temp and I was not as miserable as in the cold where I grew up. It was like having your bones wet and going out in it there. I would put a blanket on my horses sooner (temperature wise) and leave it on longer there. I'm not saying it doesn't get dangerous cold here, but the humidity in the air is a game changer there. Blessings and warmth to all!
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Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | The cold, humid air seems to cut through any clothing I put on. Plus, I think I sweat faster than when it’s less humid. So, that doesn’t help any. I just layer my clothes because I don’t even own a thick coat. (Well, I have one for work, but i’m not wearing that around.)
The cat and dog are inside and horses are blanketed with a fresh round bale in their shelter. I keep the solid wall of the shelter to the north and it does make a difference. I have a heating element hanging in the chicken coop. I think it was a reptile heating element. It doesn’t give off any light, just heat. I can’t imagine leaving any domestic animals unprotected in this cold. I’m sure many of them don’t have a clue how to protect themselves. |
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 Too Skinny
Posts: 8009
Location: LA Lower Alabama | The issue is that we were in Tshirts the week before Christmas and then freezing temps over night. One horse got a full winter coat and the other didn't. I blanket below 40 if it is windy or rainy and leave a light waterproof sheet on until it gets above 50 during the day. The dogs have heat lamps/ houses and come inside in kennels under 40. I don't mind cold but rain and wind with cold stinks! |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| I'm sorry to hear you guys are cold...we have been having the mildest winter I can remeber. It was almost 60 here yesterday. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Â This cold weather snap in the Midwest is pretty normal. It came about two weeks earlier this year but every year we get a week or two of -25 to -30 wind chill and -10 air temp. It's not really much of a struggle since it's common. Like I said before It's harder on us humans hands and toes then the animals.
Edited by WetSaddleBlankets 2018-01-03 12:02 PM
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