Early spring?

[mdegner]

Yesterday, several of our animals starting acting like spring was near. Our male peacocks were all out flirting and fanning for the girls and last year's baby stud colts were suddenly flooded with testosterone and "airing" out, if you know what I mean. As well, our unbred mares were over torturing the adult stallion. Never seen that kind of behavior this early in the year and it reminded me of last fall, when everyone started getting a very thick coat while it was still in the 70s. Knew then, it would be a early and rough winter, and it was. So, maybe spring will be earlier than normal here in the north country. Anyone else seeing "springy" behavior out of their critters??

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

One stallion has been shedding now for about 3 weeks and i am seeing flocks of 'snow birds' (small sparrows we see in large flocks here around the time when temps start to ease up a bit) Not sure it means an early spring for us tho, its going to take months to melt all the snow we have had this year so lets hope it means spring is going to get an early start Otherwise it may be August before we see green again lol

 

[weerunner]

My 6 month old colt is acting 'frisky' too. Have shedding happening also. I'm sure praying for an early spring. I've got a baby due in a few weeks and it would be nice if it didn't have to slog through 3 feet of snow.

 

[My2Minis]

One of my minis is shedding out big tufts of hair. But only one!

 

[Riverrose28]

Well, the mares are in season, and the stllions are going crazy when I put them out. I have two mares that are shedding like crazy, but no body else is. Some times here around the second week of Februay I can hear the crickets at night, but not yet. The thaw has started here and every thing is very muddy, but I do have some ice still left on the North side of the barn. I have a ground hog, (sort of a pet) that has a burrow under the chicken house, (we no longer have chickens) and he has yet to come out of hybernation. The starlings have left already for the city, yeah! I also have been seeing the geese flying North, thats a good sign. Come on Spring!

 

[ohmt]

Early winter? We definitely lucked out up here and had a late start to winter (mid-late November) which is why I'm certain we've had it so rough so far. I am definitely hoping you're right though and we get an early spring! I have an awful feeling we won't. I think there is some rule that we HAVE to have at least 7 months of cold weather. Who knows though, maybe we'll luck out again and spring will come early

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I think it's definitely coming- I've heard some early birds and even frogs from the back property and my light-colored colt started mild shedding a week or two ago. As of Saturday my other gelding has started letting go of his coat too. The colt finally started acting like a springtime stallion conveniently just in time for his gelding operation (scheduled a month in advance

) and the trees are budding too so they seem to know something I don't!

Leia

 

[wingnut]

I'm seeing no difference in behavior or shedding of coats, but I would so love, love, love it if spring came early

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

I also have stallions acting a fool and my open mares are showing VIGOROUS heat cycles.

I also am awaiting my foals and am already planning this years matings.

I too have horses shedding their winter fur!

 

[Suzie]

Our mares are teasing the stallion (or the other way around)...and I have seen two bluebirds in the last week.

Oh, I hope it is an early spring.

 

[picasso]

We had geese on the pond this weekend. However, it is really putting down the snow today. I sure wish Spring would hurry up. I have so had it with this winter!!!!!

 

[Minimor]

There are no signs of an early spring here! Our horses are not shedding at all, not a one of them, and that is very unusual. Most years they start shedding in early to mid January, and a couple years out of the past 5 they've started by Christmas time. This year they are more fuzzy than I've ever seen them before, and there isn't one loose hair on any of them.

We do have mares in heat, but that doesn't mean anything because some of them have been cycling all winter long--and they do that every winter.

We won't start looking/listening for the first birds of spring for another month yet--sometime in March the crows will surely arrive back here.

We did have a few mild days late last week & into Saturday but we're in the deep freeze again now. By Thursday it's supposed to warm up again but I wouldn't expect that to be the start of our true spring yet.

 

[chandab]

We did have a few mild days late last week & into Saturday but we're in the deep freeze again now. By Thursday it's supposed to warm up again but I wouldn't expect that to be the start of our true spring yet.

Sounds like our current weather pattern. And, no signs of spring here either.

 

[cretahillsgal]

Yup! My dry lot here looks "hairy" Lots of shedding.