Who's horses have a choice on a snowy day?

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

I do keep all of mine locked in at night, and on the real cold windy days here. We've had some incredibly freezing windy days in NH this winter. Their hay just blows away if I leave their doors opened on those days as they kick all their hay outside. I do just get worried when they have so much snow on them. Why don't they shake it off? It would sure make me feel better!

 

[targetsmom]

Pros and cons - the day AFTER the storm:

We had several inches of snow yesterday and then it turned to a "wintry mix", then rain, and then it froze overnight. So today the world is a shiny sheet of crust about 1/4" thick over the snow. The turnout where the 6 minis were out all day (with access to shelter of course) has a number of paths already, and those guys can get around pretty well.

The stallion's run (he was in all day) is another matter. I had to shovel/chop my way to his door just to get it open, and then had to shovel him a path, which is not easy. It feels like shovelling concrete. When he came bounding out his door, he hit a spot that wasn't shovelled and immeditately realized that was not a good idea! He decided to use the path. Soon I will go out and cover all the paths/icy spots with used bedding or even manure. If it gets really icy, I will strip stalls and use that bedding to cover the ice. Works really well. And if the ice is widespread, I move my "hog" panels around to confine them to a safe area.

 

[miniwhinny61]

Hi,

I'm up in northern NH and my minis go out everyday. we have a run in(for piece of mind)and I find they will stay outside with their butts to the wind, rather than go in the shelter

the only time I leave them in is if we are having freezing rain , they are fine being outside. They all have a coat like a yak and they are very healthy, I don't blanket and have never had to, lots of hay when it's real cold...Val

 

[Magic]

My barn's stalls have half with doors leading to outside runs, and they are pretty much left open 24/7. There are eight-foot overhangs on either side of the barn so that keeps the snow and rain out of their stalls. If a cold rain is falling or a very wet snow, I will bring horses in to the enclosed stalls, otherwise those are generally empty except at foaling time.

Most of my horses prefer to be out rather than in, and from what I've read, horses can comfortably withstand VERY cold temperatures (when they have a good winter coat grown in). My big horses look like they have summer coats compared to the minis, but they do fine in the cold too, unless they get soaked. (Go into your shelter when it's raining, sheesh!) Then they get dried off and blanketed with waterproof blankets, but it only happens very rarely that they get that wet and cold.

 

[Taylor Jo]

Yesterday morning it had snowed 4-5" snow here in SW Mo. and I let my horses out of their stalls with their blankets on out into their dry lot for the day but they could go back and forth. Today it's much warmer and I took their blankets off and put the hay out side for them and they've been running an playing in it and are MUCH happeir. They HATE being in their stalls. Gee, they lead the live of luxury too they don't have small stalls either. BUT, still they'd rather be out. BUT, when it's raining or snowing out I don't let them out. EVERYTIME I do one gets sick, so I've learned my lesson. But, when it's cold out they get to go out. TJ

 

[Katiean]

My horses can go in or stay out. However, they have been making the choice to go in with the recent storms.

 

[Sully]

I live in Maine and have a run in for mine. They hate being inside! Unless its pouring rain, mine will stand out in the cold, snow, icy weather. I have a mare with heaves, so she can't be locked inside anyway.

Good for her, bad for me. I feel guilty when I go outisde in a storm or bitterly cold weather and see them out in the middle of the pasture.

 

[Riverdance]

My horses have run in shelters, so they can get in out of the wind, snow and rain when they want to. I have 8 at most to a paddock area. I love to watch the youngsters race around and play in the snow. They seem to do it every day in the winter time. Not as much in the summer.

The show horses are now inside a heated barn and they can not get out unless I let them out. So, I feel sorry for them, but it is time to get down to business and start getting ready for the show season.

 

[sams]

at my place we have the benifit of everyone going out together 2 big horeses one mini mare and one mini stallion. they have the run of the whole farm so we open the barn door open the stall doors and they all wait for the mini mare to walk out of her stall to the barn door and make the choice. if she goes out then they all file out of their stalls to brave the cold and snow, if she turns aroun and goes back into her stall the nobody else will leave their stall.

 

[River Wood]

Our horses have a choice to get in out of weather (sheds) if they choose too. They would rather just stand out in it. They seem happier here in the winter than in the heat and bugs during the summer.

I have a few friends who fear their horses are too cold and need to have blankets on....and should be locked in the barn if its colder than 30 degrees out etc....etc....and I have never understood why. As long as they can get out of the wind they are fine.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Thank you all for your input. I watch my horses and check on them constantly. I sure won't let them out on the ice if we happen to have that. But they can have 4 inches of snow on them and they don't mind it in the least. I brush it off them, they never shiver, and seem totally happy, as long as they aren't locked in their stalls. They have warm water and plenty of hay. Here I am in a 70 degree house looking out at them and I'm cold! Dang, I can't wait until spring!!!!!!