Use the navigation bar above to access articles and more discussions on this topic.
| Author |
Message |
    
Diane Edmonds
Member
Username: Scooter
Post Number: 505
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 12:51 pm: |   |
Hi Dr.O. The cattle will be going to their winter pasture next week, and I will have the whole 40 acres for the horses. I would like to start leaving them out there all day as they love it back there.
The pasture is pretty much gone or at least brown. There are spots where there still is some green. It is such good exercise for them and seems to keep them from being bored. Do you think it is safe to do this with the fattys?
Here is a pic of the pasture.
 |
Fran C
Member
Username: Canter
Post Number: 760
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 4:18 pm: | |
Boy, Diane, if I were your horses, I'd sure as heck want to be turned out on that property! Can't imagine how beautiful it must be spring thru fall. |
Diane Edmonds
Member
Username: Scooter
Post Number: 506
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 4:37 pm: | |
Thanks Fran, it is breathtaking in the spring and fall. It also has 5 springs that run into a limestone bottomed creek and an artesian well. The horses love it in there. The only downfall is the mortgage |
Melissa Boschwitz
Member
Username: Amara
Post Number: 195
Registered: 7-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 4:52 pm: | |
if i move to Illinois can I live in your pasture????
beautiful!!! |
Fran C
Member
Username: Canter
Post Number: 762
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 4:57 pm: | |
I just noticed that you're in Illinois, Diane - must be southern IL? because I sure haven't seen anything near this pretty in the northern portion of the state (granted, I drive in and around Chicago for business a lot, so the scenary is pretty limited to the cars behind me and in front of me ) |
Diane Edmonds
Member
Username: Scooter
Post Number: 507
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 5:06 pm: | |
This is a pic from our bedroom in May. This is why I am always in the fat horse posts
You are welcome to come ride here anytime. We have hundreds of acres attached to our property that we rent. Excuse the mess we were building something.
 |
Diane Edmonds
Member
Username: Scooter
Post Number: 508
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 5:32 pm: | |
I am from extreme northwest Il. Where the glacier missed (all hills) about 300mi. from Chicago. All the Chicago people come here on the weekends. We are a beautiful little historic town, with lots of antique shops. We just got a Super Walmart tho, it was big fight. |
Diane Edmonds
Member
Username: Scooter
Post Number: 509
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 5:34 pm: | |
oops I meant 3 hrs. from shy town, about 150 or so mi. |
Sara Wolff
Member
Username: Mrose
Post Number: 1883
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 7:23 pm: | |
Gorgeous land, Diane. What are your average temps there? |
Diane Edmonds
Member
Username: Scooter
Post Number: 510
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 7:41 pm: | |
Thanks Sara, It is very cold and windy in the winter, We are suppose to have widchills of -18 tonite! The summers are hot and humid. Spring and fall are wonderful. In Jan. the average high is 15 and the July average high is around 85. Apil,May, june,Sept. and October are wonderful mos. to ride. In between it is a crap shoot. |
Sara Wolff
Member
Username: Mrose
Post Number: 1885
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 10:41 pm: | |
Sounds like a cold version of East Texas! Guess I'll stay where I am. Sure like the trees, rolling hills, and green grass, though. Bet your horses do too! I can understand why you post under "fat horses!" |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 17215
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 6:32 am: | |
Diane as long as they are slowly adjusted to the change in type forage they are eating I see no problem with turning horses out on winter pasture. If you are concerned they may gain weight on it, you need to watch their condition and if it gets above what you want it to be, adjust their situation. For more on adjusting horses to new forage see the Forage topic in the Nutrition section.
DrO |
Fran C
Member
Username: Canter
Post Number: 763
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 7:55 am: | |
Yup, easy to see why your horses are on the chubby side. You are fortunate to have such beautiful acreage and I bet the horses are grateful, too! |
Aileen
Member
Username: Sunny66
Post Number: 1513
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 10:34 am: | |
Oh Diane, that's the kind of land I want, what beautiful rolling hills!!!! |
Erika L
Member
Username: Erika
Post Number: 587
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 12:36 pm: | |
Lucky, lucky! |
Diane Edmonds
Member
Username: Scooter
Post Number: 511
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 3:34 pm: | |
lol Well I opened the gate to the back forty today! All the farther the horses went was right thru the gate and put their heads down, they have no sense of adventure obviously. In the pic if you look real close you can see they are standing right at the gate opening pigging out. They never moved from there all day. |
Sara Wolff
Member
Username: Mrose
Post Number: 1901
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 4:49 pm: | |
Who can blame them? Look at all the great grass.
What breed did you say these guys were? They sure look a lot like my chubby Arabs! |
Diane Edmonds
Member
Username: Scooter
Post Number: 513
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 5:46 pm: | |
Sara you know your breeds,they are part arabs, and very chubby! The closest one in the pic is a mostly arab gelding. He is a tough ole coot. The one in the backround is an arab, t.b., welsh, quarter cross. (a VERY BAD mix) sweet but a little nutty. The old girl is behind the other 2 She is a 28 yr. old arab/welsh cross and a sweetheart, hard to believe she is my nutcases mother. |
Sara Wolff
Member
Username: Mrose
Post Number: 1908
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 8:33 pm: | |
Is the Arab, TB, Welsh, QH opinionated by any chance?  Just love them! I knew that anything that furry and plump had to be either a pony or an Arab/Arab-cross! |
Diane Edmonds
Member
Username: Scooter
Post Number: 622
Registered: 9-2000
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 4, 2007 - 11:44 am: | |
Today I decided to offer the horse the back forty again, and they took me up on the offer.
I didn't have to worry about them over eating, what a rodeo. Straight out of the gate Hank and Sam took off like race horses, the old girl (Flash) walking along...she hardly goes faster than a walk.
2 blurs passed me on the path tails and heads held high. Then out of no where another blur passed me FLASH! head and tail in the air. She passed the boys, hooves not hardly touching the ground!...floating as only an arab can. Images of her younger days went thru my memory. She looked like the young proud arabian she was in her younger day. I wish I had taken my camera.
Alas they got scared and ran back home, sweating and panting (did the boys good) but poor old Flashes 28 yr. old body told her that was a bad idea and she started her weight shifting again. A half dose of banamine made her comfortable , and I think she enjoyed being young again for that 1/2 an hour.
 |
