[katarine]

No, these are excellent adventures:

me

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9...D720/ry%3D480/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8...D720/ry%3D480/



Mr Kat on a steep trail

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8...D720/ry%3D480/


http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b7...D550/ry%3D400/

outfitter's boy riding his pony into the trailer at the end of a pack trip
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b6...D720/ry%3D480/


Yeah, those are real adventures in occasionally truly adverse conditions.

[cowboymom]

we have had some excellent adventures!

[katarine]

And more to come

[Alagirl]

we have had some excellent adventures!

And more to come

gawd....have you warned the natives yet?!

[Miss J]

Just a tip from an Albertan, I always pour a gallon or so of hot water on my spigot when watering. Might make it easier than actually having to haul water!

[summerhorse]

Well thanks to the OP the mares are now OK to weather the storm. As pointed out with hay and blankets they should be fine. It would have been really nice if they had the blankets on already since now they stand a chance of rainrot. And the place sounds like a dump but I'm sure it's always a dump! The dogs are what I'd be REALLY p*ssed over, bad enough to have to haul water and clean up crap but to be attacked by dogs too? I would leave them a primer on how to properly care for the horses and scratch them off my list of acquaintances. What jerks.

[Crockpot]

That picture was taken just before we went for that long drive on the high road, wasn't it?

still waiting for that .

[katarine]

That road featured some really smart cows

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b6...D720/ry%3D480/

[Rallycairn]

OP, I think it was so great of you and your husband to take such pains to get basic care to the horses. Cleaning out the trough, bringing water in, getting the blankets on, fighting off the dogs -- what a mess when what you were told was that you'd just have to drive by. I think it would be nice if you could figure out a way to calmly explain that the situation was not as presented, and without you the horses could have been in big trouble -- no water or shelter in a blizzzard. I'm not talking calling AC or even suggesting you would do so, but just letting them know what they did wasn't acceptable, so maybe, just maybe, they would think twice before dashing away in a blizzard without checking the water situation, etc. again. I suspect they were well aware of what they were doing, as far as "getting while the getting was good" and saying "hell with it, leave it to her, we need our vacation NOW" in re: the junky water trough, frozen faucet, loose dogs, etc.

Kudos to you and your husband for taking care of the horses.

[atr]

Just a tip from an Albertan, I always pour a gallon or so of hot water on my spigot when watering. Might make it easier than actually having to haul water!

Interesting. I've thought about that in the past but assumed that the hot water would then just freeze and make the situation much worse... I've done the hairdryer on a loooong extension cord thing in extremis. Fortunately (I shouldn't be typing this, I know) we seem to have found the problem and solved it without having to get the backhoe out.

[King's Ransom]

So here is the situation so far. DH has hauled 30 gallons of water to their house every day. I came down with the stomach flu from hell on Christmas morning, so have not been able to help him yesterday or today. Temps have been in the single digits, with wind chills in the double digits below zero. Fortunately, very little precipitation, but we did have some sleet.

My husband is a SAINT. In the first place, even without getting sick, I never could have taken care of those horses by myself. Hauling water up a steep bank (not Montana steep, but still a good 8 feet straight up, which counts as steep to me when lugging buckets of water, thank you), fighting off dogs, etc. -- I just could not have done it. Now, he is doing it alone, and he had no hand in this and is not horsey.

Today is the last day on our watch, though DH has become attached to the ladies and says he will probably go over in the morning to make sure they have enough water to last the day.

I do not know what their plan is going to be to deliver water to their horses in freezing temps, as I currently do not see any good way to solve this before spring. Fortunately, after today, it is no longer my problem!

[ReSomething]

So here is the situation so far. DH has hauled 30 gallons of water to their house every day. I came down with the stomach flu from hell on Christmas morning, so have not been able to help him yesterday or today. Temps have been in the single digits, with wind chills in the double digits below zero. Fortunately, very little precipitation, but we did have some sleet.

My husband is a SAINT. In the first place, even without getting sick, I never could have taken care of those horses by myself. Hauling water up a steep bank (not Montana steep, but still a good 8 feet straight up, which counts as steep to me when lugging buckets of water, thank you), fighting off dogs, etc. -- I just could not have done it. Now, he is doing it alone, and he had no hand in this and is not horsey.

Today is the last day on our watch, though DH has become attached to the ladies and says he will probably go over in the morning to make sure they have enough water to last the day.

I do not know what their plan is going to be to deliver water to their horses in freezing temps, as I currently do not see any good way to solve this before spring. Fortunately, after today, it is no longer my problem!

Well I'm glad this is over but sorry you are ill. Good for your DH to be so helpful.
My take on their plan is that they will unlock their back door and hook the hoses onto the spigot for the laundry tub or washer or they'll be bucketing water out of the laundry room and filling the tank the bare minimum. But who cares now?

Hope they never bother you again, and have a Happy New Year.

[RainyDayRide]

My take on their plan is that they will unlock their back door and hook the hoses onto the spigot for the laundry tub or washer or they'll be bucketing water out of the laundry room and filling the tank the bare minimum.

Sounds likely ... wonder what they've been doing other winters. It's not as if Kansas has never seen cold weather before. (I remember KR's tales during her first winter on her farm, discovering the "joy" of frozen water.)

KR, may you recover quickly, and may you and your truly saintly DH have a fun and relaxing New Year's celebration. (Love the bit about his becoming fond of the ladies.)

[Bacardi1]

My take on their plan is that they will unlock their back door and hook the hoses onto the spigot for the laundry tub or washer. . . .

Hey - that's what I do. When I want to fill the tubs & troughs with warm water during the winter to encourage drinking, I hook the hose up to our inside walkout basement faucet & send warm water through.

[uphill]

Is your husband's father available?...that is if the apple didn't fall far from the tree!! Sounds like you have rediscovered your wonderful husband!! something good came out of the whole ordeal.

[Roxyllsk]

Glad it will be over soon ...

My friend was keeping her horses at a self-care place while she was building her own barn. She was feeding the BO's horses to offset the cost of self-care board. She told the BO that she was moving out on X date ... and the BO decided to go on a last-minute vacation to Miami the day before my friend moved out. So my friend, feeling bad for the horses, fed them for another week before the BO returned. The BO's response to my friend reminding her that she was moving ? "Oh, they'll be okay ... I'll see if the neighbor can check the water and throw hay every few days." No shelter, not much grass in the pasture, no auto waterer ... you get the idea. BO knew my friend was a softie and could not in good conscience leave the horses unfed.

BO has since asked friend to farm sit and she's politely declined.

[goneriding24]

We did the laundry room spigot filling scenario about four days ago. We have one of the faucets where the water runs back down into the ground (can't think of the name of these types) and it's not supposed to freeze. Welp, it did. Never have I heard of one freezing!! Anywho, we already had the hose inside as justincase, so it wasn't that hard to screw it on and fill the tank.

What a hubby of yours!! Gotta brag, my hubby would do the same and he'd get attached too.

[King's Ransom]

Ha ha, uphill! DH is 66! We do have one unattached son, though.

[WalkInTheWoods]

We did the laundry room spigot filling scenario about four days ago. We have one of the faucets where the water runs back down into the ground (can't think of the name of these types) and it's not supposed to freeze. Welp, it did. Never have I heard of one freezing!! Anywho, we already had the hose inside as justincase, so it wasn't that hard to screw it on and fill the tank.

What a hubby of yours!! Gotta brag, my hubby would do the same and he'd get attached too.

I have one of those "never freeze" hydrants in the barn. It is at least 20 years old. It has a bit of a leak when the handle is up and im pouring water. Now that the winter is here, it is freezing up solid. I cant even lift the handle. I just keep a hair dryer hanging there and heat it up for maybe three minutes and it works again. Should have had it fixed or replaced before winter hit. I was thinking of putting a heat tape on it, but since there is a leak i dont think that is a good idea.

[Miss J]

Interesting. I've thought about that in the past but assumed that the hot water would then just freeze and make the situation much worse... I've done the hairdryer on a loooong extension cord thing in extremis. Fortunately (I shouldn't be typing this, I know) we seem to have found the problem and solved it without having to get the backhoe out.

Nope, works great! Just finished watering now(it's 10:41 pm and -25!!) but i had to pour almost two gallons of hot water as part of the pipe had frozen as well. I am ready for a hot toddy as soon as I peel off my layers!

You know, I don't mind if it's -30 just as long as there is no wind! I can work outside all day in the cold, but the wind will kill me within a couple of hours.