winter whiplash

[magical thyme]

It was minus 19 yesterday morning. My pony's eyelashes literally were white with tiny icicles that coated each lash. She wore 3 blankets.
Today it's going to reach 30. Her icicles are gone. I've pulled the top 2 layers of blankets off. Tonight it drops just to 23 and starts raining after midnight.
Tomorrow it's going up to 48. That's +48. And raining. Her 3rd blanket will be off and she'll be sweltering in a fur coat that keeps her warm down to the 20s.
And then tomorrow night it's back down to 12. And pony goes back into 2 blankets.

Welcome to my snowy, rainy, icy, freezing, hot, freezing world. I'm never sure how to dress anymore.

[femmocrat]

1. A lot of the people around here keep their horses (and cattle) out in any weather.

I feel so bad for them, all huddled together trying to stay warm or dry.

[magical thyme]

2. Around here it is illegal to leave them without access to a shelter

but I do remember a cyber friend down in NH writing once that his horses seemed to prefer huddling under a thicket to their brand spanking new runout shed.

Middle of a NH winter, blizzard conditions, and his shelter sat empty and his little herd was huddled in their thicket.

I leave my girl with free access to the barn during the day (the aisle doubles as a runout) unless it's really bad out and blowing into the barn, in which case I close her in. I close her in at night since she's alone, so she'll feel safe enough to sleep well. When they live out, they take turns keeping watch and sleeping with "one eye open."

Tomorrow she'll stay in during the rain so that if the snow slides off the roof, she doesn't panic and spend the day on the far side of the pasture getting soaked in rain. There's nothing quite like trying to dry a horse with towels and a blow dryer so they don't get hypothermia when the temperatures plunge. And yes, I've had to do that on occasion (although not since my horses have been at home).

[femmocrat]

6. I guess they have "shelters".... it's more like a 3-sided shed?

Wouldn't provide much protection from the cold. I wouldn't leave a pack of Malamutes out in this cold! Brr!

[magical thyme]

8. a roof and 3 sides provides protection from wind and snow/freezing rain/sleet

and a good hay supply keeps them warm. Studies back in the 80s proved that horses are warmed from the inside out via hay digestion. The process literally generates heat in their gut. So we "stoke the stoves" in the winter by throwing them extra hay, especially at night.

When they huddle together, they are sharing body heat and breathing into an inner space that creates a patch of warmer air in the center, so they aren't inhaling ice cold air. Wild herds will keep the foals in the center of the circle so they are warmed by the combined breath of the herd, as well as protected from predators.

[femmocrat]

9. Thanks for the information.

I love horses and always wanted one. I'm glad to learn that the neighborhood horses won't be freezing out there!

[magical thyme]

10. as long as they have hay in front of them and shelter to stay dry, they're fine

they actually don't do well in heated areas, and are prone to pneumonia. This is true of all livestock that I'm aware of. When my old goat was sick, I wanted to bring her inside and the vet said absolutely not, she'd get pneumonia. So instead I hung a heat lamp over her...

[Callmecrazy]

3. Bring 'em in the house...

And cuddle them in your bed. Isn't that what pets are for?

[magical thyme]

4. my dogs don't leave enough space in my bed for my pony

heck, they don't leave enough space in my bed for me.

[Callmecrazy]

5. Thank you for your 6000th post...nt

[lunatica]

7. May you and all your pets stay warm and cozy.