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Re: [RC] dealing with the cold weather - heidiWinter can be hard on them - my old hackney pony is looking a little rough, so I made him a stall in the corner with gates and have been giving him extra grain and beet pulp away from the others. One key to having multiple horses is to observe each one and make sure they are getting what they need. It is easy in a herd to have one who is lacking and not make special arrangements for them. I have never dealt with frostbite, I think the key is prevention - a place out of the wind and freezing rain is imperative. As a cruelty investigator, I know there is no requirement for shelter in NY state for any animals, dogs or farm animals. We tried to get a bill passed, but no dice - the farm lobby was too strong and objected on the grounds that the humaniacs would go after every farm in the state. I understood their stand, but as an investigator who understood farm animal practices, I felt that I could differentiate between healthy animals who were outside ok and those who's nutrition and health care was marginal and needed shelter - Laura, your last sentence here is the telling one. Shelter is necessary WHEN NUTRITION AND HEALTH CARE ARE MARGINAL!! Skip the shelter, and get the right kind of feed into them! Like several of the other folks on the list, our horses are out 24/7 with only terrain and a few trees for shelter. We get sub-zero Fahrenheit temps almost every winter, and DEFINITELY sub-freezing most of the time. The key to healthy horses is QUALITY hay available free choice, and a reliable water supply. Even in windy conditions, I don't see our horses shiver. Tuman is right when he says that the crucial sort of weather where shelter becomes an issue is 33F and raining--when the rain mats down their natural insulation. They are sufficiently well insulated that snow will accumulate on them without melting, while they remain happy, toasty warm, and not shivering. Our guys are fat, fiesty, happy, healthy, and have good hair coats. They delight in fresh snow, playing in it, rolling in it, and in general enjoying it. Horses are well-suited to freezing temps, and have the digestive apparatus to stay warm, provided the feed is available to fuel the furnace. The only time we see any need for shelter is if one gets injured--and then, of course, pain and shock can rob even the healthiest horse of his ability to stay warm. Our colt that fractured a leg in December spent his first injured night under heavy blankets in a splint and has been stalled ever since while he mends. But that's a whole different scenario than being a normal, healthy horse. Given healthy horses, shelter is no substitute for adding extra hay to the ration when the temperatures drop. Well-fed horses will be just fine with no shelter, but no matter how fancy the shelter, horses will still be cold without adequate feed. Heidi (dispatching hubby for more big bales...) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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