Im looking out the window and my rope horse TJ is standing in 6 inches of snow with 3 inches on his back, digging around for a bite of dead grass, He would have won a haulter class last summer and today he looks like a damn Mongolian pony with all that winter hair. His favorite way to pass the time of day is standing in his corral or stall ( he comes and goes at his will)so he waits for his feed, If he hears the back door of the house open, his head comes over the gate and he grumbles and licks his lips (really does that)..He talks as I give him a little grain and lots of hay and he dines with his girl friend, our 18 year old pony that's as wide as she is tall, and looks more like a black bear than a horse..He allows her to share his hay and I give her a handful of Purina senior..that starts and ends every day of my life, and I would not trade it for kingdom in the Bahamas, but today Im going to put on another coat, that's what we do in a Idaho winter, beats complaining about the cold..

You're making me cringe just remembering how cold winters are there.

For those that think that cold and snow is bad, they could be getting the same cold and snow in chicargo, or nyc.
Or warm in san francisco.

Sorry to hurt the feelings of those living in those places, but rural I da ho beats urban anywhere in my opinion

Remember opinions are what they are.

Ray,
Couple of questions.
1) I assume he has shelter. Does he use it, does it work to keep them somewhat warm, in the idaho winter?
2) In the muck, what do you do with the feet (hooves). How do you keep them dry? Does it matter if they are walking around all day in the muck?

Just wondering in that my daughter rides a horse a couple times a week in Midway utah and its been a bit cold and wet the last week or so.

Thanks,

Jon,
I do have a barn and its open and the horses come and go at will..I never blanket a horse as it tends to not allow them natures winter coat and if you blanket one they have to be blanketed all winter, or get sick..Nature takes care, all they need is a little wind break even in blizzard weather..Muck is a problem but there isn't much you can do but stall them, if you must, I pull the shoes off them at the first snow, and keep and eye on the feet for thrush or whatever, clean them out now and then.They do just fine, and they stay out in the pasture 85% or the time, come in at night sometimes but out again before daylight..My rope horse is a high dollar rascal, he is 18 years old, tough as nails, gets petted a lot but also get used a lot except in the coldest of weather..He is healthy as can be and after this coming summer I just might give him to my 4 year old great grand daughter to keep legged up for me and I'll just borrow him to rope on once in awhile..

As to the muck, mostly its in the pens, and I have small ditches that run the water out of the pens, and that helps, and you can use shavings in the barn floor sometimes, whatever helps, I prefer snow to muck, but the muck dries up soon enough I guess and the horses get by regardless of us..

Midway isn't much different weather wise than up here.
I spent waay too much time in Heber at the Eagles club to not make that connection.
maybe a little less snow and 4-5 degrees warmer there but really not much different.

Mine have a shelter and lots of forage under about a foot of snow, Haven't lost much weight, but I'm supplementing them with a little hay. Looking good.

Grizz

HMMMM the horse has kept me healthy and moving for 86 years so far and I intend to rope more this comming summer than last year, my doctor sez do it, keep moving, its keeping you going, maybe it will keep you around another 86 years!

This old thread 2000 needs an update.

2-22-22
this winter we got hammered with snow and single and double diget degrees, what is worse it began just after Christmas and stayed that way with no break in the weather...My feeding program changed in that my horse has been blanketed in the barn and out, getting free choice Alfalfa and grain twice a day...I also wormed him at the start..

Today it was 7 degrees when I fed and wind chill was -9 felt according to my cell..Jeez I will be glad when spring gets here but she is damn slow comming and not a good forecast..

I yes I wouldn't have it anyother way, keeps me busy and healthy, and if it gets colder I just put on another down vest un a big down coat andlook like the Pilsbery dough boy, and reserve the fight to piss and moan!

All of that work for your horse is keeping you young, Ray! Don't ever move to Florida-you'll croak!

Our horses were out in the pasture all winter.

Had a 3 sided shelter they could hang around in if they wanted.

They were allowed to develop heavy winter coats.

Fed them hay they all lived to ripe old ages.

Treated them like horses not pampered pets.

Story form my deputy sheriff days.

Received a animal abuse complaint about a neighbors horses. Complaining about the animals out in the winter weather.

So I drove buy saw the horses out in the pasture.

They had feed and water and shelter if they wanted it.

Called the complainant back and told her that the horses had all they needed.

She is one of those who thought critters should live like humans.

Heated stalls blankets ect.

She didn't like my answer but then I learned she was from Chicago.

Treat animals like animals they well be happier and live longer.

Good to hear from someone with some (horse) sense.

You should have told her that humans lived the same way until they discover fire and decided to move into caves.

Look at the early pictures of man---they were all hairyed up too!

Hip

quote:

She didn't like my answer but then I learned she was from Chicago.

Deliver us from clueless idiots from the big city!

A lot depends on the value of the horse, my rope horses cost as much as a new PU truck or more, when the temp drops below 0 at night, I will blanket them at night...I feed free choice alfalfa and grain twice a day..thats all the pay they get for all the hard work they do for me..When they are off duty they get pasture and hay in the summer, when Im using them they get additional grain..A horse thats used in hard mountian country will/might quit you without grain, and that means a long walk home..It does not take long to wear him down and lose weight fast when bucking hard use..

Shelter? they get by with just a wind break wall, trees, and gullys, but a simi open barn is better. and their a damn sight easier to catch!!