Always in the weather!

[k.holloway1st.mins]

Ok i'm baffled. My minis have a nice barn( thats what i call it ). They have a manger for hay and i feed them their grain mix in it. But my babies would rather stand out in the snow, rain, storms! I am always checking to see if they are shivering. And ofcourse their not. But now with the cold weather they won't eat their hay in the barn. I don't want to put it on the soaking ground. Should i put a door up and keep them in it or what? Thanks for any ideas.

 

[shorthorsemom]

For mine it depends on the wind direction. I can always tell when we have a nor-easter because my guys would rather stand out in the elements up against a block wall of another building than get in their run in shed. My shed even has a wall in the middle for a wind block and they still stand outside. The rest of the time they use the shed.

For my hay, I have a modified goat rack with a catch bin for crumbs.. Low enough so they aren't reaching up to eat. Works to keep the hay off the ground. You can always put a few rubber mats down to toss the hay on. Horses eating head down position is good.

 

[Riverrose28]

One idea if you don't have an outside hay rack is to get a plastic much bucket or laundry basket and tie it to the fence or a wall ouside to put hay in. Make sure no little legs can get caught were you tie it.

 

[k.holloway1st.mins]

Thanks for the sugestions. It has been raining for the last few days, now its snowing! Where are my horses, standing outside soaking wet. NW Central MI is wetter than i remember. LOL. Should i put some kind of a cover above the hay so the hay doesn't get wet. I give them more hay than they need. Thank again!

 

[shorthorsemom]

mine will eat the hay wet. They prefer to eat out of the stable...unless it is torrential rain or ice storm, I put it outside. During the horrible weather events they seem to know to eat inside. I like the muck bucket idea. some folks use those busy hay feeder things that are woven fabric. I don't like using nets. I feed fine grass hay of good quality and my guys hoover it all up off the ground even if it is damp. I put small amounts out at a time all day, helps not waste hay.

 

[AngC]

I don't think I would worry too much about wet hay; when Baby had her laminitis, the vet told me to soak the hay to leech out the sugars (a messy, royal pain in the buttocks.)

...as long as you don't have wet hay that starts molding.

Our goobers get their hay where I decide to put it; if they don't eat, their fat butts must not be too hungry.

I understand your distress about them being outside. Nicky, our old blind guy, hangs out against the barn wall--right where everyone driving by on the road can see him standing there. In addition to being somewhat embarrassing (as if I don't take care of our horses) I worried about him and used to spend a lot of time steering him inside, again and again, only to see him "pop" back out. I don't know why Nicky does what he does, but I had noticed a couple horses down the way (who only have a lean-to) standing outside with their heads snuggled up to the shelter, in the same way NIcky does.

We have a metal-roof on our barn; when it rains, it's deafening. The vet said Nicky does have some vision (light response); I'm dubious. I think he primarily steers himself by sound; and when it rains on that metal roof, he has lost his way to navigate. That's why he stands outside. I do grab his neck and take him inside when I feed him. Sometimes he stays inside; sometimes not. And the husband built him a "horsey-porch" over his stall exit; Nicky seems to like hanging out there.

 

[k.holloway1st.mins]

Thank you for your input. I also have a tin roof, and never thought the sound of rain would be bothersome. Probly because i love the sound of rain. now with the snow on the ground i just put it on the snow. Thanks again. Winter project-build a haybox with a roof. For the rainy days.lol

 

[bevann]

In the torrential rain yesterday my 25 yr old mare stood out in it all day.She has a shelter that is 60 by 20(it does have a metal roof) and a very nice garage type area with a large hay rack in the back(filled with her favorite hay) and she stood out in the rain.She comes in to eat and goes back out.It's her choice.Can't figure it out.She is old and grumpy and stubborn.

 

[Helicopter]

Horses will be horses.

Mine get all their hay in slow feeder hay nets with 1 inch holes. Keeps hay off the ground and minimises waste. Been using them for years and (touch wood) have never had a problem.

 

[Danielleee]

Mine do the same thing... My big horse is a PANSY if its drizzling hes staring at you like "arent you gonna let me in..?" but my minis nope. Just this morning my stallion was soaked because he was out in the rain last night. My mares were locked in the barn so they didnt have a chance to get wet haha but the way I see it is even though WE think they would want to be inside doesnt necessarily mean they do. As long as they have access to shelter they will go in when they need to. They know themselves better than we do I really don't think it phases them haha

 

[k.holloway1st.mins]

Yep always out. Just wish my white lilly would roll in barn and not in the mud! Thinking of changing her name to mud monster. Lol

 

[AngC]

Thank you for your input. I also have a tin roof, and never thought the sound of rain would be bothersome. Probly because i love the sound of rain. now with the snow on the ground i just put it on the snow. Thanks again. Winter project-build a haybox with a roof. For the rainy days.lol

Rain on the tin roof is not the least bothersome to our two girls. It just appears to bother Nicky; and as I speculated, I think it's because he's blind and navigates by sound. With the rain drumming on the tin roof, he can't hear anything. To bring him inside, I stoop down a little, hook my arm around his neck, and steer him inside. Having body contact with me seems to calm him down a bit.