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Re: [RC] horses and weather - drhopkins

My two horses are out 24/7 on 3 acres of pasture and have a 24' X 36' barn (3 
stalls in back and run in area at the front.  The 36' side is open and faces 
south).   These are separated by 3 acres of wooded hilly terrain.  They are 
never blanketed and I have not seen them shiver once this year due to some 
feed and management changes.  That wasn't the case the past two winters with 
my Texas bred TB/QH.  His coat is great this year, but nothing as thick as my 
Paint's coat.  I give them all the grass hay they can eat.  In the a.m. I take 
20 lbs of hay in a tarp and carry it out to the pasture.  I spread the flakes 
out into several piles throughout the pasture.  If it's very cold or windy, 
I'll put some of it in the sheltered parts of the woods. (Good weight bearing 
exercise for me).  I also put some hay in the haybunk near the barn.  Another 
20 to 30 lbs goes in the haybunk at night.  The colder the temps, the more hay 
they get.  Twice a day I also feed beet pulp shreds soaked in hot water.  The 
TB/QH gets 2/3 to l cup corn oil (more when cold) and 2.5 lbs pelleted feed 
added to his beet pulp.  When I got him 3 yrs ago, he was being fed 6 lbs of 
sweet feed 2 X a day and he was still underweight due to, IMO, lack of 
sufficient hay and shelter.  The water is by the barn and heated with a stock 
tank heater.

Even on the night it was 20 below, they were out walking around in the pasture 
eating the rest of the hay from the morning feeding.  Their stalls are bedded 
and dry.  They are in there during the heat of the day in the summer (okay I 
run fans in their stalls) and when 30 to 40 and raining.  The worse the 
weather is, the cleaner they keep their stalls.  They do lay down in the 
snow.  Can tell by "snow angels" and the drying matted hair.  They're moving 
around constantly and look great.

Anna
In 'harsh this year-Ohio'





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