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  Discussion on Cold Temps & shelters
Author Message
Member:
mysi

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 5, 2010 - 6:52 pm:

I have 5 horses on my farm. 4 are mine and one my neighbors. My three retirees are free to roam the farm (the pastures are closed for winter but they have a large area surrounding the barn), they go in and out of their stalls, etc. The other 2, my young one and my neighbors horse are in a pasture (a dry lot now for winter). The only shelter I have is the barn and as I said the three can go in and out (although one of them, my pony, is stalled due to an injury. So the two outside have no shelter. During bad weather I bring them in their stalls.

We have had some really chilly weather here in NC (I'm in the 45 miles north of Greensboro) and I have kept them stalled at night and am feeling guilty. Are the two OK out at night in upper teen weather as long as there is no snow/rain/sleet??? Or are they better off in the stalls? They have good coats and are in great condition.
Member:
rtrotter

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 5, 2010 - 7:14 pm:

Melissa,

It's the wind, not necessarily the cold weather that seems to want to make the horses go into a shelter.

We have been having a time of it in NJ over the last several weeks. Snow storms, frigid weather bad wind chills. My 20 month old colt has been out in everything, and while he does have a run in shed, he prefers to stand next to my two horse trailer that is parked next to the fence. Unless, I put his hay in the shed, he does not go in there.

A number of years ago I had another yearling that preferred to be outside. He refused to come into the barn during a blizzard ( he'd never been in a barn before). He had about 6 inches of snow on his back and still refused to come in.

If they have something that will block the wind, turning out at night would be fine. That's what I do.
Rachelle
Member:
klowe

Posted on Tuesday, Jan 5, 2010 - 7:22 pm:

Melissa, here in my part of NM we are having what is for us pretty cold weather...5 to 15 degrees at night and 30s to 40s during the day. I have 2 horses, one 10 and one 30ish. Both are in good condition for their ages. The older guy is pretty furry, as he has equine cushings. They have a pile of old hay that they like to sleep on (once intended as a compost pile), otherwise they are out and about 24/7. Neither seems uncomfortable in the least.

At one point I had 2 older boys (the one I have now and another who has since been euthanized). I felt guilty that they had no shelter from the weather, so we turned one end of the garage into a run-in...the only time they used it at all, was at night, in the summertime!

Of course, it is rarely wet here, and that may make a difference. I know it does to me! But when it's windy, as it often is, they just keep their butts to the wind and that's that.

Kathy
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 6, 2010 - 3:45 pm:

When the horses are free outside they can move around and that helps them to warm up.

It is preferable if there is some place where they can get out of the wind such as some kind of a wind break.

My horses can come and go from the barn at will, but as another option, if it is really cold and windy, there is an area in my pasture where the surrounding hills provide a natural break from the north winds. I place piles of hay spread around that more sheltered area.

As mentioned by Kathy, wet conditions plus wind and cold may make some horses uncomfortable and at times I have blanketed an Arab of mine who often has not grown a sufficient coat, in a waterproof/windbreaking turnout blanket when the conditions were such that they made him shiver.

Another Arab that I have will, given the choice, nearly always be outside -- including in the rain, wind and cold.

My oldest guy doesn't seem to be bothered by colder weather at all. In fact he revels in it and becomes friskier.

It is unseasonably (record) cold at my farm now and since I have been worried about my Arab with the thinnest coat, I've made a point of checking on him during the coldest portion of the day, and so far he has been just fine. Of course, I should add that I live in Florida though not the warmer south region. It gets into the teens where I live.

I would worry the most about extremely old or infirm horses.

If you can manage to go out and check on them at the height of the cold and after it has been very cold for several hours, you may well observe that they are just fine and comfortable, and doing this is something that I would recommend for your peace of mind.
Member:
mjq1

Posted on Wednesday, Jan 6, 2010 - 6:26 pm:

I live in Kentucky, and my rule of weather is wet and cold is bad. The cold does not bother them, but if they get wet and it is below 40 degrees they come into the barn. Mine have medium weight waterproof and breathable blankets, but I still bring them in at night when it is cold and wet.
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