How's the Weather ?

[thathorsecrazychick]

Muddy… there is mud everywhere here!

 

[Kelly]

We are in the middle of an ice storm right now, but the high tomorrow is 50! Everything is covered in a layer of ice, we have beautiful icicles forming! It is extremely difficult to walk outside. Ponies are in the barn from last night thru tomorrow. Freezing rain the rest of today.

 

[1roadtoad]

Here in CT, as in the rest of the country (the world actually) we are having a very strange winter so far. We have had a record breaking mild and rainy season to date, however tomorrow and Saturday we are going to experience record breaking cold weather. We will have temps of -5 on the thermometer with wind chill temps of -35. Not temps that we have not experienced before, but 2 days later it will be 48 degrees! Crazy. I may leave my horses and donkeys in the barn during the next 2 days and let them out just long enough to clean their stalls. They have outside stalls, but it seems like it will be bone chilling cold. I'm curious, how do others manage their animals in extreme weather? Minnesota ? Canada?

 

[Kelly]

Here in CT, as in the rest of the country (the world actually) we are having a very strange winter so far. We have had a record breaking mild and rainy season to date, however tomorrow and Saturday we are going to experience record breaking cold weather. We will have temps of -5 on the thermometer with wind chill temps of -35. Not temps that we have not experienced before, but 2 days later it will be 48 degrees! Crazy. I may leave my horses and donkeys in the barn during the next 2 days and let them out just long enough to clean their stalls. They have outside stalls, but it seems like it will be bone chilling cold. I'm curious, how do others manage their animals in extreme weather? Minnesota ? Canada?

I’m in Texas so I can’t say for those in Minnesota or Canada, but if it were just bone chilling cold weather, I’d leave mine out with access to the barn. That way they could come and go as they please, running and playing to keep warm, of course lots of hay. But the problem I am running into is the ice. It is a thick layer of ice out there. If I have a hard time walking then i know they would too, and mine are so playful, I don’t want anyone slipping and breaking something. My old dog slipped yesterday on the ice and hubby had to help her up. Poor pup!! Luckily she is fine, but that was a sign to me to keep my ponies inside the barn during this ice storm, especially at night. God forbid my 24yo biggie slip and fall on this ice, that would NOT be good.

 

[MaryFlora]

Glad to hear you are all inside Kelly. You are wise to keep your guys inside during this! Do you have a long walk from house to barn? Hoping tomorrow sees a wonderful warm melt for you all!

Your upcoming weather, roadtoad sounds especially difficult because of the extreme temperature bounce. Ugh. Our winter has had some fluctuations but has been in many ways a normal winter for our area. It is very cold now, and tomorrow will be minus 18 with a warm up reaching 2 above.

Beginning in November, we set out big (600#) of upland grass hay, and the minis graze at will. The bales also provide a cozy place to stand and nap in the sun. The barn is closed on three sides when the weather is tough with a door open for free choice coming and going. There is a large communal heated Ritchie waterer along with salt blocks in the barn.

No one wears a blanket as it seems to compress their thick winter coats leaving less protection. Also they are fed a cup of alfalfa pellets mixed with a senior feed twice a day. They do well in our winters and our oldest horse is 40 this year.

When it snows, or rains I do shut the minis in the barn until the system passes over to help them stay dry.

 

[Kelly]

Glad to hear you are all inside Kelly. You are wise to keep your guys inside during this! Do you have a long walk from house to barn? Hoping tomorrow sees a wonderful warm melt for you all!

In the summer time, my walk to the barn is really short, but in this ice storm it seems really long I’ve been using a shovel as my “cane” to help me get to the barn without falling

No one wears a blanket as it seems to compress their thick winter coats leaving less protection.

Ok, ok!! I’ll admit it my minis probably don’t need blankets… there I said it ….. but.. BUT… it makes ME feel better AND it cheers me up when I look out the window and see bright blue blankets on them to me it’s just another added benefit of horse ownership… I get to dress them up!

 

[Abby P]

Supposed to be -5 actual tomorrow night with -30 wind chills. I gave Rowan a whole extra bale in a net with larger holes so he can eat as much as he needs. Nothing compared to places further north but as MaryFlora mentioned, the big swings are always a little worrisome, it'll be in the 40s again on Sunday. He's a good drinker (with a nice heated bucket) and certainly a good eater! He's the only one not swaddled in blankets but I think as long as he stays out of the wind and stays dry, his winter coat is better than any blanket, along with the hay-fired internal furnace.

 

[MaryFlora]

I bet all of us have those weird variable distances to our barns, Kelly! I was going to suggest grabbing a shovel for traction! They work great!

Rowan sounds toasty warm! I bet you’re like me and take off your mittens to warm up under the mane once in awhile. Toasty warm!

I love seeing the photos posted of horses or donkeys in their blankets! They just look cute and cozy. Everyone deals with different circumstances and locations, it’s interesting to see how we all adapt and problem solve.

I’m just glad mine don’t read the forum and see what they’re missing! They tend to gravitate to the daily ag reports and outlooks.

 

[minihorse]

ln the high 30's and sunny today. But next week it gets up to 68*F for a couple of days.

 

[Kelly]

70 degrees today

 

[MaryFlora]

Up to 25 degrees and sunny.

We are up 43 degrees from Thursday when we were at minus 18.

 

[Cayuse]

We survived Friday and Saturday here in New Hampshire. It was -14 with a wind chill of "OMG" . Had the ponies bundled up and kept inside. I was worried about my old welsh pony but with his blankets he stayed warm. Same with Peanut, the cold bothers him terribly and he shivers when it gets down to the mid 20's, he was covered from ears to tail and happy. Cappy is not bothered by the cold but even he was bundled. I could only stay out for about 10-15 minutes at a time, so I did the barn chores in shifts. The hubby kept the buckets free of ice as best as possible, he was a huge help. Today it was 45. New England, lol.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Mine did fine in the recent cold spell. I checked them for shivers but they were not bothered. Water tank is heated and i gave them extra hay. They preferred hanging out on the lee side of the pond instead of being under shelter. We have rain in the forecast after this gorgeous couple of days. Cold rain is the worst.

 

[Kelly]

30 tonight but a heatwave next week! 80 on Tuesday!! Come on spring this is when I start to get antsy/anxious/excited about clipping ponies, can’t wait to clip! If I clip this weekend they would probably be grown out by the time the next freeze comes

 

[MaryFlora]

80 whole degrees! That sounds just wonderful! We will be somewhere around 30 degrees with snow showers.

 

[MaryFlora]

Oops…update….weather app just predicted a ”large, slow moving significant snow storm next week”. Nuts!

 

[Kelly]

Get your sled ready MaryFlora!!!!

 

[MaryFlora]

Looking at a “historic” storm of 12” to 15” of snow beginning later today through Thursday. Right now it is 4 degrees, feels like -12.

Ahhhh…winter in the northlands.

 

[Kelly]

Winter Storm Olive Holy crap! 12-15 feet! Will you even be able to get out of your house? Brings a whole new meaning to being “snowed in”.

Whoops, Hubby just corrected me, he said 12-15 INCHES! See? 12-15 inches doesn’t sound so bad now after all

Hate to rub it in MaryFlora but the high here today is 87! I went out to feed ponies this morning and got sweaty

Post pics of the winter wonder land Stay warm and stay safe out there!

 

[HersheyMint]

Looking at a “historic” storm of 12” to 15” of snow beginning later today through Thursday. Right now it is 4 degrees, feels like -12.

Ahhhh…winter in the northlands.

There is no fun feeding in that weather Be careful and stay safe