Cold night in FL..not sure what to do

[Beethoven]

Okay, I feel crazy for even conisdering keeping my horses in tonight as the low is 29, but there is going to be a windchill. I only feel crazy because last year this time both of them were still living in CO and one lived outside 24/7 and the other one had a run and a stall which was always open. There I would just put on their blankets and necks and call it a night. Now, living in FL I am not sure what to do. The news and everyone is making such a big deal about it. I think my horses will be fine outside although they do not have a shelter to escape the wind though, but I have heavyweights that I can throw on them.

I am not sure what to do! Bundle them up in their heavyweights maybe even a cotton sheet on underneath and turn them out. Although I do not want to make them too hot. Or do I just keep them in??

AHH what to do what to do!

The other horses at my barn do not go out if its below 50 outside.:lol: So, I do not feel like I will get good advice from the people there.

Any advice??

[luvmywalkers]

It depends on so many things...

Are they body clipped? Are they old? Arthritic? Underweight? If out, do they have enough grass?

Having lived in FL for 20 years, observing my horses who all had their own field with open stall, none were body clipped, none were blanketed: All but one preferred to just roam around as usual. Had sufficient pasture, but I still put some hay in the stalls which got consumed. The one exception was my oldest who is arthritic, she stayed in her stall - since I did expect that, she had more than enough hay to keep her warm.

If you grain them, and they don't have a salt block, give them some salt in their feed. Make sure their water won't freeze.

If out, and they're mainly in a sand lot (not uncommon in Florida), make sure there is more than enough hay. Same thing if you keep them in.

Personally, I've only blanketed a horse when it was underweight and below 40 for several hours.

[bit-o-honey]

I have the same situation as you - no shelter in the paddocks - no trees, windbreaks or cover. Besides the temperature and wind chill, I usually consider whether the wind might stress them out. My horses tend to be spookier in the wind and will spook and run sometimes. I just prefer, especially when the footing is bad, to keep them inside on a cold windy night. I think they are safer and more comfortable. When they are nervous outside, they eat less hay and drink less water (or no water) and that makes ME nervous!! Other than the wind, it sounds like your guys would be fine in 29 degrees.

[Beethoven]

One is 9, the other is 18. Both in good weight. One was body clipped back in November but has plenty of coat now. The other was never body clipped.

The were both out last night in the wind and cold with sheets on. Last week they were out in mid-30s and wind with blankets on and seems fine the next day. I think I will turn them out and maybe go check on them in the later and if they seem happy leave them if they seem miserable I will bring them in. THey are in general happier outside. They will get lots of hay to eat and be warm.

[Zipsmom]

I am in Florida and ours will be in with their blankies tonight. Most of them don't have a real wooly winter coat and clipped a high trace on my boy. Usually they come in if it's mid '40's or lower. We have no shelter in the pastures.

[Beethoven]

I may just keep them in. Ahh I dunno what to do!!

[MistyBlue]

Since this is their first winter in FL and neither is clipped down nekked...I'd say blanket them and leave them out.
Of course the forecasters in FL are going to go bananas over 29 degree temps in FL. :lol: I just got off the phone with my MIL (she's in Naples FL) and she's already stockpiling water bottles in case her pipes freeze. :confused: Took me 20 minutes to calm her back down again...she's saying how the "people on TV" are predicting massive disasters from the cold, LOL! I told her to turn off the TV, turn up the heat and relax. :winkgrin:
Your horses should be fine...if they're used to being outside and were recently used to more northern winters they should be just fine. And excited about the nice brisk temps...horses do seem to prefer cold over hot anyways.
If they were more used to FL weather for a long time I'd probably leave them in. It's all about what each horse is used to.

[luvmywalkers]

One is 9, the other is 18. Both in good weight. One was body clipped back in November but has plenty of coat now. The other was never body clipped.

The were both out last night in the wind and cold with sheets on. Last week they were out in mid-30s and wind with blankets on and seems fine the next day. I think I will turn them out and maybe go check on them in the later and if they seem happy leave them if they seem miserable I will bring them in. THey are in general happier outside. They will get lots of hay to eat and be warm.

If you already blanketed them before with a higher temperature, you should blanket them.

I agree, in general they're happier outside. Heck, when one of them tells me they want to come in I wonder what's wrong :)

[luvmywalkers]

Since this is their first winter in FL and neither is clipped down nekked...I'd say blanket them and leave them out.
Of course the forecasters in FL are going to go bananas over 29 degree temps in FL. :lol: I just got off the phone with my MIL (she's in Naples FL) and she's already stockpiling water bottles in case her pipes freeze. :confused: Took me 20 minutes to calm her back down again...she's saying how the "people on TV" are predicting massive disasters from the cold, LOL! I told her to turn off the TV, turn up the heat and relax. :winkgrin:
Your horses should be fine...if they're used to being outside and were recently used to more northern winters they should be just fine. And excited about the nice brisk temps...horses do seem to prefer cold over hot anyways.
If they were more used to FL weather for a long time I'd probably leave them in. It's all about what each horse is used to.

Freezing pipes wouldn't be common when on city water, but many in Florida have their own well, and frozen pipes at the well is very common. Try getting a plumber the next morning...As for the "massive disasters": so many in Florida run everything on electricity and it is a fact that during very hot days as well as very cold days, it is common to spend hours without power. Florida being a retirement community, no power spells indeed disaster.

[sfstable]

I am blanketing mine. :) All except the wooly two 2 year old colts (they had blankets on last year but not this year, they like to run around and I don't want them to get too crazy and go through my fences because they have the blankets on -- I had this happen last year with a young one who was not yet used to the blanket). This is the first time the blankets have been on everyone this year.

But the usual turnout with all the horses. The clipped ones are in the barn as usual but the broodmares, etc. will be out in the pasture with blankets.

I also added a little oil, probiotic and electrolyte to the night feed. Extra Hay for the outside horses.

Crazy weather, supposed to be in the teens tonight and then back in the 70's on the weekend. Ugh !!

[3dazey]

Do whatever will allow you to relax and go to sleep. :cool:

They will be fine in or out. It's only one night and they don't care as long as they have munchies.

[FatDinah]

I'm in Tennessee and if I had the same temperatures and setting, I'd probably toss a sheet or a blanket on after dark and then pull it in the morning. It'd mostly be to just keep the wind off their body cores. That and hay and water and they'll be fine.

[billiebob]

Wow.....I think the high here today is supposed to be around 29. I can't imagine the chaos at your barn when it gets below 50 (which would be like beach weather to me right now ha ha ha!). Give them lots of hay, put blankies on, and I'm sure they'll be fine! :):):)

[bccalhoun]

Been here all my live. they will be fine esp if they come from a cold climate. Just give plenty of hay that helps keep them warm. My TB has a short coat but longer than normal. I just put a thicker blanket on when it gets this cold. A lot of times too they will lay down which helps to protect them from the wind.

[Rescue Pony]

Yeah I probably shouldn't post....it got down to -26 windchill up here the other night......and I finally put on heavy weights again!

hay is the key though.....and if they are acting out. A cold horse tends to be more anxious and pushy so just watch them....

[MistyBlue]

Freezing pipes wouldn't be common when on city water, but many in Florida have their own well, and frozen pipes at the well is very common. Try getting a plumber the next morning...As for the "massive disasters": so many in Florida run everything on electricity and it is a fact that during very hot days as well as very cold days, it is common to spend hours without power. Florida being a retirement community, no power spells indeed disaster.

She'll do okay...she lives in a pretty cool condo/complex so has city water and the complex has generator back ups for the attached condos. Each unit has it's own elevator so they can't risk folks getting stuck in their own elevators.

[luvmywalkers]

She'll do okay...she lives in a pretty cool condo/complex so has city water and the complex has generator back ups for the attached condos. Each unit has it's own elevator so they can't risk folks getting stuck in their own elevators.

You're right :lol: Time for her to chill out!

[Hampton Bay]

Most people in FL have their own well?? Have you ever BEEN to FL?? I've been here for 5 years, my fiance has been here his whole life, and certainly no where near half the people here are on a well. And I have not once spent hours during the summer with no power except for a hurricane. Its not like our power just randomly goes out for fun. And I live in the middle of freakin nowhere.

As for the horses, mine have access to windblocks, but they will all be out, blanketed, with plenty of hay. If they get too cold they lay down, or they go stand behind something that blocks the wind. Doesn't have to be a shelter, as a row of trees or the side of a shed will work. Its not supposed to rain.

[acottongim]

"they" always freak out when it gets cold in FL - and I will admit that it has been cold lately, but it isn't the end of the world disaster (unlike KY) that they are making it out to be. I think you are in the Tally area? I am in Marianna, near the AL border... it will be in the 20's with teens for windchill and it will be an all night thing (unlike the normal "freeze" for a couple of hours). My plan for the ponies tonight is: the show horses are coming in their stalls and getting blankets (duh LOL), the rest will stay outside. The older guys get their blankets - and they are in the paddocks that don't have run ins. The babies are going out in the paddock with lots of windbreaks and the run in. All of them (except the show horses) are wooly bears - for FL. THe frustrating part (and the reason that I think we need to blanket more than our northern friends) is that next week it will prob be back up in the 70's or so... with widely fluctuating temps it is easy for the horses to get too cold or too hot depending on what is going on with the crazy weather. So I have stuck to the plan this year of the above strategy when it gets to the 20's (or low 30's). THey all have a bit of a coat, the old guys need alittle extra.

Now if it rains (like night before last) I bring them in until the rain passes so they aren't wet and cold.

Agree with the salt, break up ice in the water troughs, and/or make a sloppy wet mash :). LOTS of hay (I double or triple my normal amount when it gets this cold.

As for the house etc... hoses drained, faucets off or dripping (my heat runs off a geo thermal system so my faucets actually stay off and the pump runs enough to keep the pipes from freezing), bring in some wood for the fire, make something warm to eat and curl up inside with a good book/movie! :D

[acottongim]

Most people in FL have their own well?? Have you ever BEEN to FL?? I've been here for 5 years, my fiance has been here his whole life, and certainly no where near half the people here are on a well. And I have not once spent hours during the summer with no power except for a hurricane. Its not like our power just randomly goes out for fun. And I live in the middle of freakin nowhere.



And depending on where you are in FL yes, most people do have wells - only inside cities are you on city water (and sometimes not even then) and before you ask, I am native Floridian and lived here the majority of my life (in Jacksonville, Gainesville area, and now in the Panhandle). The vast majority of farms/ag land is well water (which is JUST fine with me as if you dig deep enough you are in the aquafir which means that you get the cleanest water around - only if you don't go deep enough do you get the sulfur stuff.

[Beethoven]

They are out. All blanketed up with lots of hay. Like a bale of hay. :lol: I am sure they will eat it all!! I checked them before I left and at 44 they were warm in their blankets but not sweaty so I am good there. They seemed happy and content to go out. My mare tells me when she wants to stay in, but usually its out 24/7 for her except to eat because thats the way she likes it. She gave me the okay mom lets go out look and I said okay lets go.:yes:

[ponygrl25]

Going to be about 10 degrees tonight with wind chill here in the mountains in V.A.. My girls all stay out where they have best access to water in the heated tub. Our only T/O is out in the open with no trees or shelter (I put them in the barn during REALLY nasty weather) . They always seem happier out than in and I sleep well knowing I put an extra sheet/blanket on them, put warm water in their feed (If you worry about colic from the difference in temps), give extra hay or access to round bale, and plenty of water in the heated tub. Also, since they are normally out anyway I feel it is less stressful to their delicate little horsey systems. *think warm thoughts*

[ponygirl]

I'm right down the street from your barn Beethoven. The issue isn't necessarily the cold and the wind chill. The issue is the wild temp ranges we've been getting . 4 days ago it was 87 now we are to be 27. My horses don't have any winter coat to speak of at all. So mine get a medium blanket on and extra hay. If the weather was consistently cold they'd grow coats and it would be no big deal but one if mine is shedding what little coat they have. It has to be the strangest weather we've had here in eons.

[Hampton Bay]

And depending on where you are in FL yes, most people do have wells - only inside cities are you on city water (and sometimes not even then) and before you ask, I am native Floridian and lived here the majority of my life (in Jacksonville, Gainesville area, and now in the Panhandle). The vast majority of farms/ag land is well water (which is JUST fine with me as if you dig deep enough you are in the aquafir which means that you get the cleanest water around - only if you don't go deep enough do you get the sulfur stuff.

I was referring to whoever above said that most people have wells, and we lose power in the cold or hot, and because we are a "retirement community" it is a big disaster.

In any rural area, FL or not, most people will have wells. The city is not going to pay to run sewer and water pipes when there are 4 houses in one mile or road. But the majority of people in FL are on city water. Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville... all big cities that make up the majority of the population here.

I still have never lost power due to the heat or cold, and neither has my fiance's dad who has lived here for almost 50 years. We don't just "lose power for hours a day" because it got hot. We lose power because a storm blew a tree onto the power line.

[Jaegermonster]

Freezing pipes wouldn't be common when on city water, but many in Florida have their own well, and frozen pipes at the well is very common. Try getting a plumber the next morning...As for the "massive disasters": so many in Florida run everything on electricity and it is a fact that during very hot days as well as very cold days, it is common to spend hours without power. Florida being a retirement community, no power spells indeed disaster.

Wow! It is? I"ve lived in FL from one end to the other my whole life (40 years now). When I lived in "town", no, most people don't have their wells, except for maybe the folks who put in a shallow well for their sprinklers. In the rural areas, yes people have wells. Those same people also have generators.
Never seen the power go out just because it was hot or cold, that's a new one. Have seen it go out for days at a time because a hurricane blew through though. But not in February.

[TrueColours]

... sigh ... we are down to minus 10-15F tonight

NOT fun at all ...

Horses are all snuggled inside safe and warm and are happily munching their hay

My barn is fabulously well insulated and even with about 10-12 windows open, it stays in the 45-50F range in there so with their plush coats they are quite happy in those temps. My skinny minny new mare is the only with a blanket on as a) she doesnt have much coat and b) she needs to keep all of the weight on she has worked so hard to gain in the first place!

Stay warm everyone. I had no idea FL was experiencing such wild temperature fluctuations!

[luvmywalkers]

I was referring to whoever above said that most people have wells, and we lose power in the cold or hot, and because we are a "retirement community" it is a big disaster.

In any rural area, FL or not, most people will have wells. The city is not going to pay to run sewer and water pipes when there are 4 houses in one mile or road. But the majority of people in FL are on city water. Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville... all big cities that make up the majority of the population here.

I still have never lost power due to the heat or cold, and neither has my fiance's dad who has lived here for almost 50 years. We don't just "lose power for hours a day" because it got hot. We lose power because a storm blew a tree onto the power line.

I never said "most" people; I said "many" - big difference.

And yes, I've been to Florida; as said in an earlier post, I've lived there for 20 years - in the middle of what used to be "nowhere". So much nowhere, high-speed cable became available 3 years ago.

We lost power on extremely hot days, extremely cold days, every heavy thunderstorm, as well as the occasional tree falling over, or a drunk hitting a power pole.

And contrary to popular belief, not everyone in rural areas has a generator. The year Frances (and 3 others) came over we were on the road with ours to give as many people in our area as possible just enough juice to keep their freezers going. A neighbor was using his to help cut down trees. Neither one of us would have had to do this if everybody in rural areas had a generator.

[Zipsmom]

I think that the problem is in Florida in the winter is not the cold itself. What we freak about is the fluctuation in the temperature. It can be 70's and 80's in the day and then drop into the 30's and 40's at night. Obviously, horses are adapted to the chillier temps, but they are somewhat stressed at the higher temps. When you have those dramatic shifts- well, we tend to get a lot of colics (vets can confirm this) so we do baby the horse more than you all in the north do!

[luvmywalkers]

I think that the problem is in Florida in the winter is not the cold itself. What we freak about is the fluctuation in the temperature. It can be 70's and 80's in the day and then drop into the 30's and 40's at night. Obviously, horses are adapted to the chillier temps, but they are somewhat stressed at the higher temps. When you have those dramatic shifts- well, we tend to get a lot of colics (vets can confirm this) so we do baby the horse more than you all in the north do!

So true! There are days I start out wearing 4 layers in the morning, on to mowing the yard in the afternoon in a tank top!

[springer]

You people have got to be kidding, right? Talk to me when it's -20!!!!
(and by the way, I am from South Florida, had my horse move out here to MT, and he was just fine, NO BLANKET, in sub zero temps) Feed them lots of hay. Let their coats do their jobs. If the horses have a run-in that's good if it's wet or windy, but otherwise just make sure they have free choice hay. You'd be amazed at how they can tolerate cold.

[MunchkinsMom]

So much nowhere, high-speed cable became available 3 years ago.


Ha! I must be in the dead center of nowhere, because we still can't get high speed anything - 2 miles too far from both DSL boxes. . . don't get me started with the downsides of rural living. The cable company that services our road offers a whopping 24 channels, and no internet.

We do have a generator that we brought with us from CT - since we had a well at our home (not a farm and not rural) there also. Came in handy for the 5 days of no power after Frances and Jeanne.

I do blanket my horses if it goes below 32 overnight. I don't have barn doors, so the wind comes whipping right into the barn on the cold windy nights. I really didn't expect to have to blanket them here, but they don't grow the same level of coat that they did up north, probably because if temps were normal they would be sweating to death. Usually that comes down to about 10 nights per winter, but this year it is almost triple that amount of blanket nights. I sure do hope this is the last freeze spell for the season.

[092556]

I think the disaster the TV News people are referring to is the affect on the citrus crops. I'm in North Central Florida, tonight it is suppose to be 18 degrees for us it is cold so I offer my babies warm water every morning and night and add salt to their feed when the temperature drops below 30. I don't blanket them because they spend all night undressing each other. I blanket the ponies that are ridden and the old one, all of my 19 ponies have a shelter. When it gets below 26 I set faucets dripping around the farm, yes I have a well, actually 3 to keep from freezing . Most people in Fl have PVC water pipes that can break easily if the they freeze.

[anna's girl]

my barn keeps them in if it goes below freezing. they just turn them out some during the day. blankets for anything below 32 as well.