Re: [RC] re: camping in the rain - Mary Ann Spencer
Horses are tough and evolved putting up with bad
weather. My horse here the now wet S CAL eats twice as much hay if he is
not blanketed. I did not go to the ride today because the passes required
carrying chains and I had none for my 19inch tires. We just don't have
that much snow in TX so could not rationalize the expense for his first
endurance ride. Then there was a report about roads being washed
out. Guess I was just not meant to do that ride. I can't afford to
be stranded for a week, would looose my job and that is what pays for my horse
habit. mas
It can get down right nasty in the SE with cold
front rains that usually come in the middle of the night. When the horses are
camping a waterproof sheet helps and maybe a layer of fleece.
But don't forget the most important thing....hay.
Lots and lots of hay. A healthy horse really shouldn't have any problems in
the rain, as long as they have something to keep the internal fires burning. I
have seen my horses stop shivering in a matter of minutes once they started to
chomp away. I had two horses go through a whole bale one night during a really
cold rain in Tennessee. Every time I checked on them, they were wet, (didn't
have raincoats yet) but not a muscle was twitching.
Also, another valid reason to keep your horses in
good flesh. If they have enough body fat, they are pretty well insulated. But
when a horse comes to a ride to thin, and over worked, their health and well
being will be compromised no matter how many blankets you put on. If they
spend the night trying to stay warm, and then have to go out and run 50
miles, things might not go right in the end.
I have started to carry lots of hay when I go to
rides. That way, if we get caught in rain, I can leave a bale in the pen and
let them munch on that. If I have hay leftover, I just take it home.
If you do put your horses in the trailer, make
sure they are quiet. We camped next to someone who did that, and none of the
dozen or so trailers around got any sleep that night! Stomping and screaming
is all we heard, all night loooooong.
