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Discussion on My First Winter!
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Member:
mysi
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 3, 2007 - 9:47 am:
Well, i just bought my first (an hopefully last)horse farm. I finally get to have Moose and Sweetheart in my backyard. But, I have a few winter questions...
I currently live in South Florida and my new farm is in Ruffin, NC - about 30 miles north of Greensboro. I am moving December 3. I have no experience with real winters, let alone caring for a horse in those conditions. I know to some a North Carolina Winter is not a real winter, but for me it is  . The winter article has helped alot. Moose came to Florida 3 years ago from upstate NY, so I'm sure he'll be fine. I always keep him clipped, and in the winter here I always clip every 3 weeks because his hair grows like a weed even though its not too cold. But I am letting him get furry as we speak and I think he'll look like a real Moose by the time we get there. Now Sweetheart has lived in S.FL her whole life and although she is getting furry, I am concerned it's not enough. She has a hard time with winters here (she's very fat too). I have plenty of blankets but I am concerned about how she will adapt. I'll have a barn at my new place, so they'll have shelter. But can a horse who has never endured cold weather handle it? What about arthritis, does it make it worse? Both of them are arthritic.
Any tips for the first time winter goer?
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Member:
jojo15
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 3, 2007 - 10:44 am:
You'll be surprised at the way sweetheart will adjust and quite possibly grow a huge wooly coat to make up for the cold... Personally, for them? i wouldn't do anything different than maybe pull shoes in the winter? if you have them? Northeast winters are wetter than the rest of the country. so ice is a problem. Geesh! i'm talking like i know and i haven't lived up North in 20 years.. LOL
You have to worry about pipes in the house freezing, that kind of thing. You staying warm. And probably adjusting to the fact that its not going to "pass" over like the weather does here in Florida.
I think the adjustment you to the cold is going to be more impacting on you. than the horses. LOL...I did notice my last visit up that way, i couldn't work without having gloves on, hands cracked all the time. and i had those tshirts and semi long john types of clothing that i had to wear underneath everything. silk/cotton mix. i'd be bundled up and the friends i was out with would still be in shorts... oh and my nose.. the humidity in florida is such that we go up north and OUCH!
Congratulations to you... And can you tell me a bit more about the area and what made you choose up that way? and How did you search long distance, etc... i have friends moving to greensvill SC.. for a job soon too! and i can't wait to go up and see the area.
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Member:
hpyhaulr
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 3, 2007 - 11:29 am:
Melissa,
Welcome to the Carolinas!!!
I am sure you will get lots of other ideas here, but this is how we do it. We live in northeast South Carolina and haul horses in all directions. What we have done in the past when we have horses going south to north at climate change times is to do it gradually. We will stop here with them for a few days and let them "hair up" then go on, we have had to do the direct opposite in taking horses from the Dakotas or New England in the early spring moving to Florida... we will bring them here to shed them out for a few days. If you are bringing them up yourself, give yourself and them the luxury of gradual travel. There are a few horse hotels you can stop at in Georgia or South Carolina and hold over for a bit. Try not to blanket them too early... it will retard their coat growth It doesn't take that much time for them to acclimate and early December is a great time to make the transition. Sweetheart may enjoy the colder temps if she is having that rough a time with the winters WAY down south. You're not leaving 'grits' territory you know.... just goin' up-the-road-a-piece. Enjoy the trip, bring LOTS of hay with you so they make that transition after they get to their new home.
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Member:
canter
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 3, 2007 - 11:37 am:
Congrats, Melissa on your new place! I'm sure the horses will adjust fairly easily as you're not making a huge change in climate from say, FL to MI...that would be fairly drastic! Most horses prefer cooler weather. One note I would add is that for an older horse, with arthritis, I would recommend warming the horse up before a ride a bit more slowly and gradually than you normally would in warmer weather. I know for me, my arthritis is a lot more painful in the winter and almost non-existant in the summer so I move a bit slower when it gets cold.
All the best.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, Nov 3, 2007 - 1:10 pm:
Enjoy your new place! I don't know the temps. in NC but in the late summer here we have temps get down into the 30's and the horses still don't have their winter coats and they certainly seem to enjoy the cool nights compared to the heat.
As long as they have shelter from the wind and rain I bet they will be fine. I read some where (probably here) that a horse can warm themselves much easier than cooling them selves due to their body mass.
My old mare likes the colder weather as long as it isn't extreme like 20 below. Her arthritis does seem a little worse in the winter so I have her on a joint sup. and she gets a shot of iv legend when the cold weather starts. Once in a great while I will give her a bute if she seems sore...but since I started the joint sup and legend and her weight loss I haven't needed to bute her.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 4, 2007 - 10:17 am:
Melissa,
It just is a plain fact that properly cared for horses are more comfortable at NC winter temps than they are at FL summer temps. However there are some challenges, like frozen water pipes/hoses/buckets and very slippery walking surfaces that will be new. We discuss proper care and these problems and others in the article associated with this forum.
DrO
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Member:
mysi
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Posted on Sunday, Nov 4, 2007 - 8:05 pm:
Jojo- What led me to my decision was that I have my pony who my step daughter no longer rides and Moose who is retired from jumping and semi retired for several more months due to an injury and I want another horse. I pay about $1800 a month to care for the two of them and just cannot afford another. Plus I just had to have my horses in my back yard and real estate is so outrageous in Florida along with the taxes and insurance here, so I decided to look north. I took weekend trips after searching online. First Aiken, SC which has been overtaken by us Floridians but I couldn't find anything ready to move into, just land. Then Nashville, which is beautiful but I was looking at the outskirts and wasn't crazy about the area. Then last, the Winston-Salem/Greensboro/ Raleigh/Durham areas and ended up buying the perfect place. I just wanted to be within 30 minutes of a larger city, low taxes and insurance.
Cyndy, Fran, Diane, thanks for all your advice and wishes, I am so excited to wake up to my horses everyday-even in the cold. I am having them shipped, I don't have the first clue how to drive a trailer yet, but I will learn.
Dr. O, I had no idea NC winters would be more comfortable, that makes me feel better. The information on winter care on the site has been great!!!
I'm sure once I get there I'll be asking a lot more questions!
Thanks all!
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Member:
cpacer
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Posted on Monday, Nov 5, 2007 - 8:25 am:
Congrats on your farm! I'm in the Charlotte area of NC, but have found myself riding way more during winter than I do in summer. Although coming from Florida the humidity here is probably nothing to you, the winters are so nice and crisp, and the horses get so lively!
You'll find yourself adjusting too--we've been having the first 30 degree mornings of the season and it seems really cold now. But earlier this year 40 degrees almost seemed like t-shirt weather once I acclimated.
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Member:
mysi
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 13, 2007 - 8:44 pm:
Yes CP, I think it will be harder on me adjusting to the cold. I don't mind cold (NC cold, not real northern cold), I think the ice will be my biggest challenge.
I have another question, I leave in 3 weeks and have been calling around up there to set up a hay dealer and such. Everyone keeps saying they have no hay because of the DrOught over the summer. Here in Florida we have all of our hay shipped in, I guess I assumed they did in NC as well, but apparently thats not the case? So, what do you do? I'm starting to get a little nervous. Sweetheart can live on air, so the kind of hay is not so important with her, but Moose will only eat Alfalfa and Timothy. I know he'd eat something else rather than starve, but I live to make him happy, so he gets whatever he wants. I plan to take enough with me to last a month or so, but then what??? I have pasture, 3 acres of fescue and 3 of an orchard grass mix, but I will need hay too.
Any advice??? I'm starting to panic a little especially since this is the first time I will be alone taking care of my horses. I want to do everything right!
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 - 5:59 am:
Contact the extension service in the county they have the numbers of hay brokers where hay can be purchased. It is true piedmont and coastal NC's summer was so dry in the latter half of the growing season that there is a local hay shortage and prices are high.
DrO
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Member:
cpacer
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 - 6:15 am:
My area of NC has been getting all their hay from
the NorthEast--mostly timothy. I've gotten some
from semi trucks that friends of friends have
coordinated delivery of, and luckily my local
feed store now has a pretty large supply. It's
out there, but is expensive!
this link might help for hay in your area--classifieds are up to date
https://www.agr.state.nc.us/paffairs/AgReview/class.htm
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Member:
mysi
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 - 7:32 am:
Thanks for the link CP, that should be very helpful! Hay is pretty expensive here in Florida, about $20 a 60lb bale for alfalfa and $15 for Timothy. Can't be much worse than that. I guess if you have a lot of horses it makes a huge difference though.
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Member:
hpyhaulr
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 - 7:38 am:
We have been bringing hay down from Pennsylvania, timothy which turned out to be a bit stemmy. I am hoping we can get Walt back in time to get another trailer load down from Ohio nest week before they run out. The semis are cleaning everyone out up north. A number of the hay farmers we contacted would not even talk to brokers as they felt they would then be participating in beating horse owners up when they are down. They don't mind making a living, but the ones we talked to were actually concerned about what is happening in the south and wanted to help within reason. Hay I can get to us here for $10 a bale is also going locally at the feed stores for $13-17 kicker bale. That same hay will be easily $20 by March, no doubt. Bring as much as you can, build a hay barn and talk to everyone you can. I don't know how far you are going to be from me. We will help if we can. North Caolina Ag will help with your costs.
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Member:
majoda92
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 - 11:36 am:
Boy, I thought it was bad here in NJ! You guys really have it far worse. I just cleaned out my hay supplier of all his $5/bale grass and $6/bale timothy. I got about 550 bales and still need another 500 to feed my 18 horses through the winter. Even if I count the $100 for the deep tissue massage I needed after moving all that hay, (57 yr. old body doesn't get it done like it used to!) I'm still way ahead of the game!
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Member:
mysi
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 - 12:25 pm:
LOL Diane!!!!
Here in South Florida we always pay alot for anything regarding horse care. Especially here in Wellington! The hay prices her are a norm, but I was moving to get away from all of that. I never thought I'd have to buy all of my hay here and take it with me! Thankfully I only have 2 horses, I think I'll wait until after winter to buy another horse!!!
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Member:
paul303
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 - 2:09 am:
Boy, Melissa, what a year you picked to move! Here in NJ, our NJ Farm Bureau newspaper ran a story last month about possible federal government help to defray shipping costs of hay to NC. With the hay shortage, and the cost of diesel....looks like "Murphy's Law" strikes again. Best wishes for a smooth move and a "hot" line on hay! Would love to know how you make out!
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Member:
canderso
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 - 7:23 am:
... and up here folks didn't bother baling their hay because of the oversupply. $3 for a 50lb bale delivered. Send those semis up to eastern Ontario!
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Member:
mysi
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 - 9:14 am:
Yes Lee, "Murphy's Law"! lol. Story of my life!
I know shipping it in makes it expensive, like I said we ship in all of our hay in Florida year round. Expensive I can live with for now, but they don't even seem to be shipping it in there. No one seems to know how to get any hay, the feed stores, vets, etc. It seems like they would have some sort of system by now. Just to say you better bring enough hay to get through the winter is pretty scary to me, what do you do if you run out??? How do we get it in Florida year round yet in NC you can't?
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