Ok so it's really windy and there's light snow?

Question

i've never lived where it snows before and we only moved to this property last year. so my question is, all our horses are rugged, but should we bring them in...they've never been in snow before. we have 5 stables that we can use right now....or should they be ok...they are mostly double or triple rugged in canvas and synthetic.....it's so windy and freezing

Answer 1

I live in Fairbanks, AK and have had horses out in the winter at -65 F for weeks at a time.  I have wintered drafts, arabs, ponies, and quarterhorses in this weather.  Some of them have been shipped in from warmer climates, such as Texas and done well here.  Here is what I have learned:

If the horse is shivering, he is already too cold.

Don't blanket unless the horse gets wet, or unless he is shivering, or unless there has been a significant and sudden drop in temperature.  Horses of all breeds are tougher than you think.  Some seem to prefer the colder weather.  I prefer to give my horses more hay before I blanket.  I have had accidents involving blankets being caught on trees and eachother, so I only use them when I have to.

Make sure the horse has access to warm water 24/7, a dehydrated horse gets cold fast.  He is also more likely to colic.

If you have a cold horse, one of the best ways to warm him up is to get him dry, blanket him, and walk him.  get those muscles moving!  When he stops shivering, get him some groceries!  

Horses get heat energy from digesting hay.  

If you feed the same amount of hay in smaller, more frequesnt meals, they are able to better digest it for warming purposes.  

In the winter, I feed min 2% of each horses weight in good hay daily.  Additional hay can be of lesser quality as long as it is not dusty or moldy.

Be careful not to feed grains.  They give the horse a "sugar high"  Grain can give the horse a short burst of energy or heat, but then leaves them cold, while the hay is slower burning and more consistent.

I like to give my horses a warm mash made of hay pellets and/or beet pulp with 1 c vegetable oil for some added calories once a day when the temp is -10F or colder.  When it is -30F I give them mash twice a day.

The wind can really suck away a horse's heat.  If they have a run-in shelter that can block the wind for them, I would let them be outside. check to make sure they aren't shivering.  I would only bring them inside if they are cold, or if there is a sudden and significant drop in temps.  

Barns can be dusty, and have poor ventalation, which can lead to respiratory illness.  the horse can also get bored and destructive. I hate barns/stalls they are really unnatural for horses to ne kept in.  They really do so much better outside.  My horses are only stalled when it is absolutely necessary (freezing rain, sudden drops in temp (more then 20 or 30 degrees in a day, sick horse, shivering horse)

I have never lost a horse to cold and never had one sick in the winter with my management.  Not to say it won't ever happen, but this has worked for me!

and by the way, I haven't blankted any of my three horses in years! They really are tough animals when you let them be!

Answer 2

It gets to 30 below 0 Fahrenheit here and my horses are never blanketed...they have a run in shelter but half the time they choose to stand out in the weather.  My horses are also older...21 and22...they are heartier than people give them credit for.

Answer 3

I don't know where you live, but if it's nighttime, bring them inside. If it's daytime and the snow isn't bothering them, leave them out. If your paddock doesn't have a shelter where they can get out of the wind, bring them in. A heavy winter blanket should be fine for them if you have a shelter. I live in Canada, and the winters get really cold, so sometimes we even put 2 winter blankets on them. What's the temperature outside?

edit:

-5 isn't bad. We've had our guys out at -25! At the same time, with the wind factor, it may FEEL like it's -30. Go outside and stand there for a few minutes. Do they have winter coats (fur coats, not store bought ones)? If not, then bring them inside,  they'll appreciate the warmth. :)

P.S - At first, I thought you were joking about the snow because I live in Canada and it's about +25 C here right now!

Answer 4

They Should Be Fine But id have some type of shelter to give them extra warmth!!!!

Answer 5

If they are outside put a heavy blanket on them during the night bring them in

Answer 6

Id bring them in. But im a sook lol. Ive never had to deal with real freezing weather. My horse is under shelter every night with 4 or so rugs, lol. It only gets about 5 degrees here (not even in the minuses) lol and i always bring him in at night. Just moniter how your horses are coaping. If they are getting colds or even sicker, this should be a good indercation as to weather they are to cold or not.

:-)

Answer 7

Hey, so its snowing there, wow...Im in MN and of course we get tons of snow in the winter and all our horses, the ones on turn -out are always blanketed and out during the day and in at night, then we have quite a few outside all the time and they grow nice coats to protect themselves but have sheds to go into to get  out of the wind. I guess if its real windy and they dont have a lean to to get out of the wind bring them in.

Answer 8

Depends if they're cold or not. I'd go check ( or get somebody else to check) if I was in any doubt.

It snows here and mine stay out but I do bring them in at nights over the coldest part of the year.

If they are used to being out for most of the time and seem warm enough I'd leave them.

Answer 9

it snows in australia??

sorry for the randomness, im from new zealand i didnt know it snows over there