Frigid Temps coming, what to do with them

[Coobie]

Forecast for the week is temps dropping to 0 degrees and lower by the end of the week. That's just temps that's not factoring in wind chill.
Now they have been out 24/7 with access to their stalls that have sufficient bedding. I certainly have plenty of clothes to add more layers. This is their first winter staying out 24/7 one LOVES being out, gets grouchy and depressed if he has to go in. The other one usually stands in her stall with her head, neck sticking out but goes outside to go to the bathroom.
So what say yee? Leave the out?

Ever know what you want to do, but just want to hear someone say "yup do that"?

[Catersun]

leave them out with good wind break and LOTS of hay. We are expecting some extra cold weather too. My two 20+ horses get too stiff if they are in, so EVERYONE will be out with a roundbale.

[Mia412]

We leave our 24/7 crew out unless it's freezing rain/sleet - we just throw them some extra hay and let them hang out wherever it makes them happy! They are all very furry, chubby & unblanketed. Since they are all easy keepers who aren't working at all right now I don't mind them using a few calories to keep warm! :lol: The other group (body clipped & in work or elderly & getting special night feedings) is out all day, in at night. Their schedule will stay the same, with extra hay thrown to them too.

Seems like as long as they can escape the wind if they want to & have plenty of hay everyone is warm and happy.

[gabz]

If you're likely to get freezing rain / rain before the cold, then blanket with waterproof; otherwise let them be fluffy (aka - no blanket and not packed down hair), and feed more hay and more water. (Mine LOVE a few spoonfuls of molasses in a 4 gallons of warmed water - shared between 3 horses. )

Allowing a horse to move to generate heat, with a wind block is good. Mine all have a barn to go into, but they don't. They stand along the walls with no doors, or with a big stout tree behind them.

[jvanrens]

As long as there isn't a strong wind blowing into their stalls, they have good healthy coats, throw them some extra hay and I'm sure they'll be fine. Since they're used to staying out, the cold won't bother them as much as it'll bother you! :winkgrin:

My horses I had when I was younger used to hate going inside, and about the only way they would is if you put their hay inside, it didn't matter how cold out it was, and trust me, being in Canada, we know cold! :eek: :sadsmile: As long as they have a windbreak, they are fine. That being said, my current mare is a total candy#$$ (candy@$$) and has enough of the great outdoors after about an hour, but she also has a very fine thin coat and stresses from the cold if not adequately blanketed even inside. From your description though, your two will be happier with their doors open. :yes: Now if the wind is whipping in through the doors, you might need to close them in, but I'd play it by ear and only close them in if necessary.

Good luck surviving the cold, sounds like we've got the same weather system coming this way. I am not amused. :mad:

[not again]

more hay.

[ASB Stars]

more hay.

What she said! :lol:

[pintopiaffe]

Standing air was -7 on my ride home last night. Wind gusts up to 20mph. I don't do the math for windchill or I might never do chores.:no:

Mine have run-ins, and stay out with lots of hay. I used to lock them in, thinking body heat of several horses in wind-resistant barn = warmer. I was wrong. They stay warm by MOVING. They got much colder & shiver when in... are frisky and happy when out and eating and moving. Frosty wiskers to be sure--but happy and warm.

Standing air for us Friday supposed to be -10 to -20 (yes, that's F) that's stupid, even for us. They will get extra feedings and a careful eye kept on water intake.

[Coobie]

Yeah I figured I'd get the leave em out votes. I will keep blankets on them. This is the first year I've been brave enough to leave them out, I'm not ready to go nakey just yet. Right now they have 1 sheet, 1 blanket on. I most likely will go with a stable blanket under there turnout blankets.

Do you guys give more hay, more often or just more hay at the regular times?

[Coobie]

pintopiaffe I just saw that you said extra feeding. So if mine get hay 4X a day, up it to what 6X during the cold snap? Again, more amount wise, at each feeding too or just more feedings?

[dressagetraks]

Thursday will be the coldest day here, low of 5 degrees (not counting wind, and I've usually got wind), and Thursday is also the most likely ETA of the new girl, who is clipped. :eek: I'll get my introduction to blanketing in a hurry, I guess. What a day for her first day at my place, which would have been enough of a culture shock from Busy Lesson Barn in a totally different climate anyway.

Got hay, got a run-in, no stalls. She is coming this week with her entire wardrobe along with her, at least.

[msj]

I hate to make significant changes to my horses diet but I think I'll be increasing their heated beet pulp from 2 meals to 4 and quite possibly decreasing the pelleted complete feed amount. I have an indoor and both horses get turned out in there daily as it is for a little exercise on decent footing. The ottb usually gets a good canter and trot and the old geezer and I walk together otherwise he just stands at the door and bangs on it to come out. :(

Both horses get as much hay as they will eat (soaked because the old guy has heaves) so if they want to eat more, it will be there for them.

I don't like to shut them in as their stalls are open to sacrifice paddocks but if it really gets blowing and snowy, I have to or else shovel a couple of feet of snow out every few hrs. :( That's when I'm glad of the indoor. If I do have to keep them in, they get turned out in the indoor at least 3-5 times/day. While they are in the indoor, I spend some of the time soaking more hay.

Fortunately even though the hay will freeze rapidly, I have a room that is heated to the mid 50's and I store the hay nets in there so they can thaw out and drain more water from them so they don't re-freeze when I feed them. At least I hope they won't. If they do re-freeze then the horses will get dry hay and I'll hope the old guy can handle it for a few days. :sigh:

[Altamont Sport Horses]

pintopiaffe I just saw that you said extra feeding. So if mine get hay 4X a day, up it to what 6X during the cold snap? Again, more amount wise, at each feeding too or just more feedings?

I'd say it depends on how your horses eat. Do they gorge on their hay and suck it down too fast or do they have a habit of pooping on it? If so then feed more frequently. I would spread the hay out so they have to move around to eat. It helps to keep them warm and to keep the gut moving.

[2 tbs]

I'm in Pgh and our temps are going to be near that 0 degree. I have a 24 yr old chestnut TB who lives out 24/7. He and his 6 pasture pals will be in their stalls each night it's in the single digits. Reason: water and wind break.

We have a heated trough and a round bale for them in the field but no shelter-just a tree line but that only partially helps. Nothing solid for them to hide behind. We've found when it's that cold they don't really move around much. All 7 horses are double digits in age and really do better outside but being that they don't walk much therefore don't drink much we feel better keeping them in. They will go out in the AM's of course but in the PM's they will stay cozy in the well vented barn. We have big windows for 4 of the 7 stalls and they will be open unless the wind blows them shut. My horse must have his open - anxiety issues.

I can not say strongly enough: be very careful when blanketing! I am a blanket person myself and I can't bring myself to leave my horse nekkid when outside (my other horse stays in at night at a different barn so he's nekkid all year round) but a horses ability to self insultate is much more effective than blanketing. You can actually do damage with too many blankets. The horses body knows just what to do to keep warm. Adding too many layers fools their body into thinking it's warm therefore the hair doesn't fluff up as it is intended and the exposed areas could get frostbite...I've seen it--ugly; trust me :( If you must blanket then stick to one layer and make it supplemental to a good coat. My guy has enough coat for 2 horses and wears a meduim weight (no neck covering). He would do fine with a lightweight but I go for the medium as we get lots of rain/freezing rain.

I'd also leave your horses out the way they have been. Make sure they have enough hay to get through the night - no need to make extreme changes to their diet/routine. Trust me, they deal with the cold way better than they deal with the hot. Hay, water, shelter should they decide they need it is really all you have to provide. Again - be very careful with those blankets :)

[Tree]

I don't blanket and our temps are going down into the teens towards the end of this week. It was up to almost 70 last week. I'd go nuts if I worried about blanketing. I just feed more hay and keep their coats as mud-free as possible so they'll at least fluff up when it turns so cold.

[amdfarm]

I don't blanket either and we're getting a blizzard right now w/ very strong winds and cold temps. It's downright nasty out there, but they act like it's any other day regardless of the season and minus bugs. They have a tree line for windbreaks, but use their round bales or w/ butts to the wind and heads in the bales. They have great fluffy coats and the snow will stay on them for days after a storm. Pony mare still had ice on her back last night and we had more snow today. This is what they're used to and they do just fine.

[manyspots]

I am also doing 24/7 for the first time this winter...

Have been hemming and hawing over this one. We will be at 5 above by Thursday without the wind. My guys both have great coats and I only blanket in storms because they love to be out in the rain, wind, and snow :) I will be putting their mediumweights on and leaving it at that with extra hay. They have a heated bucket outside and I do not have heated indoor buckets, so my vote was finally for leave them out. They have access to their bedded stalls all the time and it does break 90% or more of the wind... so not too worried there. I will watch them closely and see what they tell me.

[millerra]

My rule of thumb - Minus 10 or lower, bring them in for the night, especially if there is a wind. If there is a howling wind and even a zero for the overnight low I would consider bringing them in. Zero and above, w/ calm winds - they can stay out.

It can be absolutely hellish at -10 or lower w/ a strong wind. I can't see leaving anything out in that.

Just a story:

Last winter, I had two living outside (pony who is nick named chewbakka in the winter - can't even find his feet for the hair) and a 2 yr old Tb. The conditions were -20 below w/ a gusting wind and blowing snow. It was hell. After digging out their gate to bring them to the barn, I put the halter on the 2 yr old and was going to let the pony just follow in (old, foundered pony who usually meanders in). I was standing knee deep in a snow drift, struggling w/ the gate, holding on to a large 2 yr old TB colt who's best buddy is the pony when the pony BOLTS by me and runs for the barn (ok, really fast jog). I was left holding the 2 yr old, knee deep in snow, and wearing Carharts and Sorrels (yes, I felt so agile!). ARGH! I thought - I am going to be dragged through the snow!! But the 2 yr old was very good and we waded slowly thru the drifts to the barn.

If the pony thinks its cold - it's COLD!

Did I mention I HATE winter?

[Diamondindykin]

Unless the winds are high I say let them choose whether they go in or out. We just went through this in Western Washington a few weeks ago and mine, who are out 24/7 but have access to their box stalls, would go outside everytime it would start to snow and turn their butts to the wind.......go figure!! I did make sure that they had hay at all times and I was feeding them small amounts five or six times a day. I even divided their grain into lots of feedings to just keep them eating. They were eating everything that I put in front of their.

Good luck and keep warm!!

[Foxtrot's]

You people who live in the very cold areas are pretty tough. Is there not a temperaure where no man nor beast shoud be out? I was given the opportunity to send my young horse to Sask. for the winter, but can't do it - but they say he will be fine. The thought of being out in icy snow, wind, etc. would keep me awake at night. I'm not so worried about the etmperature, but the wind and wet. Mine love to come in then.

[Coobie]

I've decided to let them stay out. They are very spoiled, very used to their blankets and very used to layering accordingly. I do know that a cold horse is a healthy horse so I am very careful to not over do it-and keep a close eye on them when they have blankets on. Maybe my next step will be to do the no blankets someday, not yet. Again, these are horses that used to go in if it sprinkled or got too hots. One used to go out with all the bells and whistles, polo's all around and bell boots. So they've gone from "porcelain ponies" to "figure it out you're a horse"!

[twofatponies]

Mine are staying out, with plenty extra hay. And as of tomorrow they will get extra blankets, which I rarely do. But geez it's supposed to be frigid through the weekend! No riding either, til it gets back to a reasonable temperature (by this time of year 20-25 seems reasonable!!)

[S1969]

We're getting those frigid sub-zero temps this week too. Even though I didn't blanket my TB mare at all last year, I have thrown her med. weight blanket on overnight on a few occasions this winter, and probably will do so again each night this week. She has a full winter coat and is comfortable down to about 5 degrees, but I've noticed her standing in her stall more often than a few weeks ago, even when the hay is outside so I think she's been a bit cold. She seemed much happier blanketed, especially with the wind, and more likely to move around v. standing inside.

I like to put hay inside and out for them when it's cold. Keeps them moving back and forth, but also make sure they do have a place to get out of the wind. If you keep track of your hay rations you'll see that they definitely eat more hay when it's cold.