# Share your best winter, or getting ready for winte, tip



## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

Please and thank you

Last winter was brutal but my horses were at a self care place this year they are home. 

I've been really fortunate to be able to extend good grass until we have deep freeze/snow here but unfortunate in that barn is late late and only maybe. Starting this week. 

Gimme your best help !

Thanks


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

My basics--drain pasture water line. Easy, open plason valve and let it drain down hill. I take up poly wire.and step-in posts. I put large round hay bales near where I need them before mud so i can fork ii...feed cows. I put out self feeders so cows can stuff themselves during winter storms and cold rains. Have a good winter.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Make sure you have a way to keep your water from freezing and don't depend on electric unless you provide your own. While I haven't made one yet, I've seen instructions on making a water tank deicer that burns wood.


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## msscamp (Sep 8, 2014)

brody said:


> Please and thank you
> 
> Last winter was brutal but my horses were at a self care place this year they are home.
> 
> ...


What will you be feeding, hay wise? If possible, feed grass/alfalfa mix. The alfalfa helps with weight maintenance, while the grass is harder to digest and keeps them warmer. You might also consider adding a little soaked beet pulp to their ration because it boosts their feed conversion, adds a little protein (about 10%), and is high in energy. 

I would also consider investing in water-proof blankets if the barn doesn't get done. The cold isn't the problem - it's being wet and cold that saps energy, stresses them out, and causes problems such as weight loss and illness.

If your horses are shod, consider removing their shoes so the ice and snow doesn't build up in their hooves as bad. 

Old, crappy bales of hay can be stacked to make a wind break to give them somewhere to get out of the wind. We did this and it worked well! 

All I can think of right now, and I hope it helps!


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

brody said:


> Please and thank you
> 
> Last winter was brutal but my horses were at a self care place this year they are home.
> 
> ...


Take a deep breath and relax.  Horses have been living outside for centuries and they do quite well.

What do you feel are your immediate concerns? Realistically, they do need a windbreak if wind is a problem for you, mine are feed free choice rather than controlled feeding because I've found that their appetites increase before cold weather, not as it hits. 

I'm sure you have water under control but you keep troughs from freezing by sticking a ball in your trough.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

wr said:


> Take a deep breath and relax. Horses have been living outside for centuries and they do quite well.
> 
> What do you feel are your immediate concerns? Realistically, they do need a windbreak if wind is a problem for you, mine are feed free choice rather than controlled feeding because I've found that their appetites increase before cold weather, not as it hits.
> 
> I'm sure you have water under control but you keep troughs from freezing by sticking a ball in your trough.


Thank you.

I learned something new at HT.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Bret said:


> Thank you.
> 
> I learned something new at HT.


It works pretty well because as the horses drink, the ball moves so if it's not ugly cold, the water will stay open but if it does happen to freeze a bit, all you need to do is smack the ball and the layer of ice breaks. 

If it gets cold enough that your trough will freeze solid, you likely need more than a ball but if I can get through part of winter without using my element heaters, it's a great help.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

Great tip on the ball idea! I have a heated tank, but it's a great suggestion for a power outage!

Best preparing for winter tips....
1. Wash all your blankets and have them clean and ready to go before the first cold night
2. Organize your first aid supplies and bring them in the house where they won't freeze and have a portable first aid kit ready to go in an emergency
3. Clean and organize your barn as well as possible (e.g. tack rooms, feed rooms, storage areas, etc) because trying to find stuff in the freezing cold is no fun. 

Best winter tips....
1. fill your hay shed as often as possible - nothing worse than needing hay and having two feet of snow to plow in order to get it there. So, always take advantage of good weather and stack hay.
2. use a sled to move hay in the snow
3. buy really good gloves
4. wish for spring?


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## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

Good sleds to move small bales on are found in the Hunting sections of stores for moving deer after shooting it. They are wide, TOUGH, easy to move on even small amounts of snow, still drag pretty easy on frozen dirt. Beats killing your arms, shoulders carrying hay to feed outside.

We do not remove horse shoes in winter. The horses are shod using snow-rim pads which are a flexible tube inside the shoe edge. Being flexible they move each step, keep ice and snow from accumulating to make ice balls in the hoof. The shoes have drive-in ice studs for grip on even sheet ice. This is called a "winter package" for your horse, keeps the shiny side up on bad footing. We use our horses year around, so them having good grip is very important, never know when we will need them to go out driving. Ice studs are Tungsten Carbide inside a smaller, soft metal collar. The collar part wears down, exposing more of the stud to wear, so the ice studs stay sharp enough to grip well, yet are not huge caulks use in the past. 

Barefoot horses can do all right in snow, but would be unsafe on sheet ice, wet snow that builds up in the hoof so horse is unstable on the balled-up snow. I have taken out a snowball hammer, knocked out snowballs in hooves, but it will build up quickly again. Snowball hammer is an actual tool from the old days, VERY useful in snow/ice removal from hooves. I know each year there are a few horses locally, that break a leg, hip, slipping or falling on winter ice, not having been shod. These little ice studs have been a big help to folks using their horses during our winter weather, even just walking down the lane to a different field, horse has good grip to stay upright. Local Hunt folks ride twice a week on horses with the above package, thru the woods, over fences, across the pastures, without slipping or falling issues of any kind.

Ice studs are limited in horse sizes, so if horse wears larger than a size 5 shoe, horse is likely to break off the studs by his weight when the hoof lands. Too big of mass above hoof, for size of the studs to hold in stopping.

I do NOT recommend using the bubble snow pads for winter shod horses, which cover the entire sole of hoof. Locally, the mud, stones, snow, will get under the bubble of pad, so bubble no longer compresses to break snow build-up in the hoof sole. Horse can get sore or lame walking on that hard lump of dirt or ice build-up between sole and pad. Using the snow-rim pads, horse has sole of hoof open, exposed, for keeping frogs, soles, cleaned out.

You need to keep an eye on how much water EACH horse is taking in. They NEED to have about 10 gallons daily, to stay hydrated to eat and digest their hay, which will prevent impaction/colic issues. You need to take steps, offer warmer water, flavor it to be appealing so horse will drink more. You can't wait to see if horse will change their mind, that is when the gut will dry and cause problems. Learn what is "normal" for your animals, herd, so you quickly notice when things change for intake of water.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

Many great thoughts. WR I am pretty relaxed. Been doing horses a long time. Have two tougher keepers here this year so very much hoping barn is done in time for them to get respite to eat mashes daily but have no issue with healthy horses with windbreaks living out. One pony here is shod in front - navicular. The rest are barefoot in winter. 

Hay is a combo of grass rounds and square alfalfa for the harder keepers. 

Water worries me terribly right now as well has run dry for first time ever ver the last two months Sigh. Love the ball idea and the crappy hay windbreak. 

You guys rock. Thanks.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

pack the van and drive to fla


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

You can pay a fortune for troughs and water systems and still find they'd rather eat snow.


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## Convoy (Dec 2, 2012)

wr said:


> You can pay a fortune for troughs and water systems and still find they'd rather eat snow.


Kinda like how they would rather make a bed out a bail instead of eating it when it's in the -30's.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

goodhors said:


> Good sleds to move small bales on are found in the Hunting sections of stores for moving deer after shooting it. They are wide, TOUGH, easy to move on even small amounts of snow, still drag pretty easy on frozen dirt. Beats killing your arms, shoulders carrying hay to feed outside.
> 
> We do not remove horse shoes in winter. The horses are shod using snow-rim pads which are a flexible tube inside the shoe edge. Being flexible they move each step, keep ice and snow from accumulating to make ice balls in the hoof. The shoes have drive-in ice studs for grip on even sheet ice. This is called a "winter package" for your horse, keeps the shiny side up on bad footing. We use our horses year around, so them having good grip is very important, never know when we will need them to go out driving. Ice studs are Tungsten Carbide inside a smaller, soft metal collar. The collar part wears down, exposing more of the stud to wear, so the ice studs stay sharp enough to grip well, yet are not huge caulks use in the past.
> 
> ...




This is so incredibly important. Impaction colic is ugly and can be quite easily prevented.

I agree with the good sled thing too. So much easier than carrying/dragging bales of hay.


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## harvestgirl (Apr 29, 2005)

this is our first winter on a farm. horses were boarded previously as well. SO edited, but wondering about the challenges lol ~ should be an interesting winter! all the best to you!


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

With regard to shoes/no shoes, definitely talk to your farrier about each of your horses. There is no right/wrong way, just right or wrong for each horse. My shod horse stays shod with "bubble" snowball pads and borium studs. This combo works great for her; she could be barefoot in fluffy snow, but not frozen mud, uneven icy ruts, and hard frozen ground...so she stays in shoes. I have never had trouble with the bubble pads.

My two barefoot mares stay barefoot and never have trouble. My mini and small pony have concave feet that build up ice balls, but neither would be a candidate for shoes...so we just have to do our best to pick out their feet very often to avoid ice buildup.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

harvestgirl said:


> this is our first winter on a farm. horses were boarded previously as well. SO edited, but wondering about the challenges lol ~ should be an interesting winter! all the best to you!


Do you still have the rescue?


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## harvestmoon1964 (Apr 24, 2014)

Best winter tip: head to Arizona or Florida for winter.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

The tips to head south crack me up. In the middle of last winter I swore I was going to hire a transport and do just that. Funnily enough I worked managing a barn last winter and was outside 5 hours or so daily. Now I am inside working 4 hours a day for actual cash not board and think I will actually be warmer this year than last as I can do things in shorter increments. I would have to say water is my biggest concern. Builder has assured me barn will be up quickly ( though he isn't starting next step for two weeks) so if barn well can get in in the meantime that will help a lot. I'm thinking about running 2 waterlines to fields with frost free hydrants for now. Any thoughts on that?


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

brody said:


> I'm thinking about running 2 waterlines to fields with frost free hydrants for now. Any thoughts on that?


If you can do it properly, I would definitely consider it. I can't imagine having to haul water in the winter. I complain about just unhooking my hose and having to pour a bucket into the tank 5 feet away.  This year I might use a cut piece of hose that will drain every time so I don't even have to use a bucket. 

I don't really mind winter with horses - my horses love the winter. No bugs, snow to roll in, bright sunlight reflecting off the snow to warm them up. I might hauling hay - sleds don't work as well as my utility cart to carry hay into my pasture.

Good gloves are a necessity. Did I say that already?


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

You won't regret having frost free hydrants in the fields. Make sure you make them inaccessible to the horses. My niece had a filly that somehow ran one through her chest even though it was located next to the barn. We built a wooden fence around ours, just a little over the height of the hydrant so you can reach over to turn it on and then the cross boards don't go down all the way so you have access to attach a hose. Tried to see if any pics I had available on the computer showed it but I don't, sorry.

I have 100 gallon tanks, use heaters and fill them up with a hose then drain the hoses. No way is this old woman hauling water for 12 horses.LOL


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

I think having access to a heated water tank is one of the more important things in really cold weather. The horses will drink a lot more water and eat more as well. If there is any way to have some type of wind protection, even big hay bales, that will make a big difference.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

brody said:


> The tips to head south crack me up. In the middle of last winter I swore I was going to hire a transport and do just that. Funnily enough I worked managing a barn last winter and was outside 5 hours or so daily. Now I am inside working 4 hours a day for actual cash not board and think I will actually be warmer this year than last as I can do things in shorter increments. I would have to say water is my biggest concern. Builder has assured me barn will be up quickly ( though he isn't starting next step for two weeks) so if barn well can get in in the meantime that will help a lot. I'm thinking about running 2 waterlines to fields with frost free hydrants for now. Any thoughts on that?



Roll and drain your hose after every use and have a solid Plan B in the event frost free isn't Canadian frost free.

Incidentally, a good old fashioned Canadian Tire toboggan hauls bales as good as any high tech sled and you get Canadian Tire money as a bonus.


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## Vahomesteaders (Jun 4, 2014)

For us winter prep is wood wood wood. Feeding and watering bring their pains but just gotta roll with it.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I gave in and just started heating my grain room in the winter. The hose stays ice free, and the outside buckets will thaw overnight. I use an oil filled radiator type electric heater. 

I do carry out four buckets a day of very hot water so the horses have warmed in front of them most of the time. I feed free choice hay too, it maintains weight and keeps them warm.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

I insulate every above ground pipe on my ranch that I can wrap. On most of my outside faucets I put hoods on them as well. I always have a tank heater in my water troughs, and use heated water buckets in my barn for hard winter nights and those horrid days. 

I do not pull shoes in the winter, I do check feet daily and pick them. Most of mine are barefoot, but 5 wear either half or full sets of shoes. I have never had an issue with either barefoot or shod in the winter.


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## stillhere (May 28, 2007)

Just came in from closing more windows in barn. 40's today yesterday 60's it is coming. I also add salt or electrolytes to feed with hot water . Hay and good shelter from wind and rain. 
Stay warm and safe.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I'm guessing that you're planning to blanket your hard keepers and it is a good idea to fully inspect hard keepers for weight loss. 

I'm sure you're already aware but for those that might be new to keeping horses, winter coats can be deceiving and it's a good idea to run your hand aver the topline and ribs daily so you can assess condition before something goes bad.


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## mulemom (Feb 17, 2013)

Be sure your frost free hydrant back drains. Shut it off and hold your hand over the outlet-you should feel some suction. Don't leave even a short hose hooked up when it's REALLY cold-the water won't drain fast enough to not freeze. If you can find the plastic 40gallon water barrels cheap cut the top off and set it over your outside hydrant, helps to keep them thawed out.


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## msscamp (Sep 8, 2014)

wr said:


> Roll and drain your hose after every use...


Actually, I have to double drain my hoses after each use if I want to be able to refill tanks the next day, and I don't live anywhere near Canada. I drain once after refilling by running the hose over my shoulder, then again when I'm rolling it up.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

we use electric, heated hoses and they are fabulous. BUT you still have to disconnect them from the frost-free hydrant when you're done.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

basketti said:


> we use electric, heated hoses and they are fabulous. BUT you still have to disconnect them from the frost-free hydrant when you're done.


I would love to find some of those, where did you purchase them, if you don't mind me asking?


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

aoconnor1 said:


> I would love to find some of those, where did you purchase them, if you don't mind me asking?


http://www.pirithose.com/


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

basketti said:


> http://www.pirithose.com/


Thanks!! Am ordering hose and reel today!


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

If your hose does get frozen in spite of your best efforts to keep it drained, put it someplace where the sun will heat up not only the hose, but whatever it's on, like the hood of your truck. (Been there, done that)


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## barnbrat76 (Mar 16, 2011)

Best tip I have..... Remember that wet hands on frozen metal gate latches or clips will cause your hand to get stuck.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

first time I ever heard of the heated hose, neat. But my outside hose bibs freeze, last year I hooked up a flex hose to the kitchen sink dragged it in and out of the house.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

Forcast said:


> first time I ever heard of the heated hose, neat. But my outside hose bibs freeze, last year I hooked up a flex hose to the kitchen sink dragged it in and out of the house.


I just got all of my insulated tubing and wrap yesterday, plus bib covers for my outdoor spigots. Every year my hoses freeze because my above ground spigots freeze, so this year I am going whole hog to prevent that from happening!


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

barnbrat76 said:


> Best tip I have..... Remember that wet hands on frozen metal gate latches or clips will cause your hand to get stuck.



Every Canadian kid has tested this theory using their tongue. Even though they have been warned, they will attempt to lick frost off goalposts, swing supports or screen doors.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

wr said:


> Every Canadian kid has tested this theory using their tongue. Even though they have been warned, they will attempt to lick frost off goalposts, swing supports or screen doors.


Not just Canadian kids. I can remember having to pour warm water over the stuck tongues of both of my children. 

I was not as fortunate to have such a kind caring mother- I lost half the skin off my tongue to a metal gate as a kid. :facepalm: I only did it once though.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Irish Pixie said:


> Not just Canadian kids. I can remember having to pour warm water over the stuck tongues of both of my children.
> 
> 
> 
> I was not as fortunate to have such a kind caring mother- I lost half the skin off my tongue to a metal gate as a kid. :facepalm: I only did it once though.



I got stuck to a door handle and everything tasted like rice cakes for about a month.


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## msscamp (Sep 8, 2014)

basketti said:


> we use electric, heated hoses and they are fabulous. BUT you still have to disconnect them from the frost-free hydrant when you're done.


I didn't know there was such a thing as electric hoses - what a nifty deal that must be! Fortunately, my days of hooking 2 to 4 hoses together to reach the south alley pen and/or the east alley pen are over! Thanks to a break in a water line, I now have a hydrant next to the tank in the south alley and we are tearing out the rest of the wooden fences and installing continuous fencing so the east alley pen now has access to the automatic waterer. Woo Hoo!!!!! :happy: :happy: :happy:


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

aoconnor1 said:


> I insulate every above ground pipe on my ranch that I can wrap. On most of my outside faucets I put hoods on them as well. I always have a tank heater in my water troughs, and use heated water buckets in my barn for hard winter nights and those horrid days.
> 
> I do not pull shoes in the winter, I do check feet daily and pick them. Most of mine are barefoot, but 5 wear either half or full sets of shoes. I have never had an issue with either barefoot or shod in the winter.


Your winter is not my winter  thanks for your plan though.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I don't think heated hoses were available when I was watering with hoses but Canadian Tire and Home Hardware sell an awesome black hose that doesn't crack and shatter like the cheap green garden hoses.


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

Find the trough heaters, find the heavy duty electrical cords for the trough heaters. Start feeding lots of hay, deworm and hope winter passes quickly.


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## msscamp (Sep 8, 2014)

secuono said:


> Find the trough heaters, find the heavy duty electrical cords for the trough heaters. Start feeding lots of hay, deworm and hope winter passes quickly.


Even better than heavy duty electrical cords, if possible - is to run a power line down a steel pipe on a post, come up under the waterer base, install an outlet, and plug the tank heater into that. It removes the possibility of animals chewing on the electrical cord and getting electrocuted.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

msscamp said:


> Even better than heavy duty electrical cords, if possible - is to run a power line down a steel pipe on a post, come up under the waterer base, install an outlet, and plug the tank heater into that. It removes the possibility of animals chewing on the electrical cord and getting electrocuted.



That's an excellent idea. I don't find livestock chew on the cords but the ice that builds up around the area tends to cut cords.


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## msscamp (Sep 8, 2014)

I know my goats will, and I've been told by a few people that their horses chewed through the wires to a tank heater but, other than that, I don't have a clue how likely it is for animals to chew on electrical cords.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

One thing I do in "colic weather" (cold, wet weather when horses don't feel so inclined to drink enough) is keep a spray bottle of salt water on hand and spritz the hay with it before feeding. Don't want any impaction colics!


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

We run any electrical cords in plastic pipes to protect them from chewing. We had a very curious two year old electrocute himself by chewing a cord while standing in a puddle. We no longer take any chances.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

Molly how truly dreadful I'm so sorry


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

If you have an in ground pool, make sure that your horse cannot access it if they get loose! I heard of a case around here a few years back where someone's horse got loose, stepped on the pool cover which broke. The horse ended up drowning because no one was home.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

Molly, that must have been horrific. So sorry:-(

But good advice about a PVC pipe to run cords through, and I am going to get a bit for my own barn today. Usually I wind the cord around a corral bar and to the water, not going to this year.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I don't have a horse, but my husband did run electricity underground in conduit and put an outlet next to every pen for the ducks to run water heaters in the winter. It's great, I love it! We also had to dig out our frost free spigot because the drain field around it quit draining properly and it was freezing up. This is one of the tall free standing ones and it is my main source of water for my ducks. Milder weather I can use a short hose to water them, when it gets cold, I have to carry warm water from the garage. Fortunately it's not a long haul and they don't drink like the horse did!

When we had our horse, she was kept at a friend's house a few blocks away. Most of the time we could use a hose from their frost free spigot, which had to be strung across a drainage ditch. By having it high, we were able to drain it pretty well and get water for most of the winter. When it got cold, we had to haul water in 5 gallon buckets in the back of the pickup truck. Fortunately her tank was heated and she would drink fine. 

I doubt our plan would work in a much colder climate, though it does get below 0 here at times. Perhaps some of the ideas will be useful as a starting point and do really plan out a good drain field for your frost free spigots - when you turn off the water, the stuff in the pipe above the underground shut off has to drain somewhere, or it will pool around the pipe and freeze causing it to quit working.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

I replaced a heat cable on my Ritchie Waterer this past weekend. I damaged it during servicing the valve and I was afraid that it would stop when it would be too cold to want to work on it. I also moved the tank thermostat a little farther from the heater. Had a couple of freeze up during the coldest nights last winter. Yes, I drag my feet.

I turned the heater breaker on for the season.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

brody said:


> Your winter is not my winter  thanks for your plan though.


Nope, not at all the same. When I lived on Colorado I didn't pull shoes either, and we did get a lot of snow up there, but it pretty much melted off until the next big snow. It wasn't a long term whole winter kind of snow. 

I can't imagine having as many horses as I have and living in a location that gets heavy winters. Yikes! I don't envy you at all in that, but then I see pictures of lovely summers in Canada or the northern US, and it is green and lovely, and I wish I was in the middle of those beautiful pastures and fields


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

aoconnor1 said:


> Nope, not at all the same. When I lived on Colorado I didn't pull shoes either, and we did get a lot of snow up there, but it pretty much melted off until the next big snow. It wasn't a long term whole winter kind of snow.
> 
> I can't imagine having as many horses as I have and living in a location that gets heavy winters. Yikes! I don't envy you at all in that, but then I see pictures of lovely summers in Canada or the northern US, and it is green and lovely, and I wish I was in the middle of those beautiful pastures and fields


It looks awesome on Christmas cards and calendars but the reality of keeping livestock alive and healthy at -40 is hard work. 

Two days ago, our temps would have been about 50F and this morning and it's now sitting at about -20F with an ugly wind that's making things pretty nasty. 

The area I'm in is known for Chinooks so next week, one could blow through and we could see our temperatures rise 30 degrees in a matter of hours and ultimately drop just as radically.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

wr said:


> It looks awesome on Christmas cards and calendars but the reality of keeping livestock alive and healthy at -40 is hard work.
> 
> Two days ago, our temps would have been about 50F and this morning and it's now sitting at about -20F with an ugly wind that's making things pretty nasty.
> 
> The area I'm in is known for Chinooks so next week, one could blow through and we could see our temperatures rise 30 degrees in a matter of hours and ultimately drop just as radically.


Yes, those are the winters I would have a tough time with. I lived in heavy winter areas (western New York for a long time, as well as living up in a small town in Idaho as a teenager and young adult) and I am just not under the impression I would want to do that again! I know the back breaking work it takes to keep even one horse going on some days, I can't imagine a herd of cattle, sheep, goats, etc, up where you guys are. My oh my, just can't.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

Wr thought of you when I saw national weather last night. My boys have nearly finished their grass. Sigh. I have one more little 2 acre field they can go out on to eat what would usually be second cut hay but I want to keep that as long as possible. 4 months of slog coming up I think. The wind is screaming around the farm house this morning. Sigh. Still not ready. Guess I likely never will be


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

brody said:


> Wr thought of you when I saw national weather last night. My boys have nearly finished their grass. Sigh. I have one more little 2 acre field they can go out on to eat what would usually be second cut hay but I want to keep that as long as possible. 4 months of slog coming up I think. The wind is screaming around the farm house this morning. Sigh. Still not ready. Guess I likely never will be


Normally, I'd be whining and complaining about needing a Chinook but right now I'm torn between wanting warmer weather and my new fear of crutches on ice. 

My daughter called last night and asked if I was making sure to ice my foot and apparently she's been in Vancouver for too long because she totally missed my point when I said I iced it every time I plunged into another snowbank :rotfl:


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## mulemom (Feb 17, 2013)

If you use the poly tanks keep an eye on water consumption once the heater is on. We've had two of the screw in heaters that though we couldn't feel the current the horses could and refused to drink out of them until we changed the heaters.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

Great tip thanks. Taking warm water out daily now as they are drinking much less of the cold water. Hadn't even thought about current.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I've been told that you can use a volt meter or electric fence tester to check for electrical current in troughs.


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