snow question- from a texan/minis and snow

[running in the red]

we have lived in texas for 10 years and I would love to move home- way upstate NY-but, hubby wants to stay here, What do you do with the minis in the snow? Doesn't it accumalate [sp] around the fencing? and how do you deal with the cold?thanks-joy

 

[Riverdance]

Lots and Lots of plowing, jut to be able to get out there to feed.

There are high drifts in the paddock areas that acumulate around the run in shelters. The horses make trails and the snow is crunched down where they go. The young ones like to play king of the hill on the highest drifts and are always running to the top of a drift.

Most just stand around and pray for spring.

I will let some of the mares out in the barn driveway so that they can run aroud if they would like, but mostly they just stand around.

As for the cold, DRESS WARM!! ( my barn is heavly insulated and I turn the heat on when it is too cold. I have not done much of that this year as I am trying to save money, but when the first foal is born, the heat will go on.)

I really hate it here(at least for most of the winter) and wish I were someplace warm,

but then I guess you have your own problems with a shortage of hay and the heat.

 

[Al B]

I have lived in Texas all my life and I have never had that problem.

Oh, wait. It did snow 1 day back in 1993 but the horses thought it was neat. Of course it was gone by noon.

I did see the snow on TV up in Dallas.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Truthfully the horses stand it much better than the people. We plow to the paddocks and for the most part are stymied in terms of cleaning run ins and paddocks until spring. Then we rearrange and since we have fenicing that is all portable we take it apart and use the tractor to drag all the paddocks. If it is sub zero for several days or very icy they stay in the barn. I wrote more but deleted it because I dont want to discourage you. Good Luck!!!!!

 

[Miniv]

Our horses LOVE the snow! (As long as the wind isn't blowing.) We don't get huge accumulations very often, but when we did and it drifted up on the fence we shoveled it. But that was before we had a 4-Wheeler with a drag.

Your bigger concern will probably be to make sure you have de-icers or heaters in your trough(s), IMO.

 

[Genie]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1592/9647...9/276819659.jpg

We live about one hour from Port HUron, in Southwestern Ontario.

I really hate the winter and was "toying" with the idea of moving for 6 months of the year to Tennesee area.

Water freezes in the winter, horses often can not go out because the snow is too deep and the barn is freezing a lot of the time, even with 28 minis inside.

You need a generator when the power goes because electricity powers the pump on the well, and streams and ponds are frozen solid.

So that's my story about winter

Spring, summer and fall almost makes up for it

 

[Sterling]

Have yourself a snowblower. Hubby has a big heavy duty one and he makes paths along the property when it snows that the horses use. Actually I think the horses tolerate the cold better than they do the heat. They seem more energetic and robust. During the heat I worry because they can get overheated and it's hard to keep them cool most times. During the winter mother nature pretty much takes care of it with their winter coat.

Troth heaters are the norm around here. We have one in our troth and the horses always have plenty of nice moderate drinking water. Plenty of hay in the winter time and especially at night helps to keep them happy. One thing.....if you move back up north....make sure your stalls are oversized. That way if you have to keep them in for longer periods they are'nt shut in a small little box stall....but have ample room to hop about in.

 

[Sue_C.]

Personally...I would stay living in Texas...and visit "home" in the winter...just so you can realize that what you THINK you're missing...you AREN'T.

I am so very, VERY sick of winter. We usually have to have the paddocks plowed out at least two-three times, as the snow blows-in and the drifts go over the fences...and the horses, (the little brats) have simply walked rignt over them, and into the driveways. :arg! :arg!

Did I SAY that I am so very sick of winter?? :Cold-Scared :Cold-Scared

 

[ruffian]

Let's see the negatives:

Ice - Frozen water pails, icicles, frozen paddocks, frozen water faucets.

Ice - Slip and fall, Land on a ridge and break open your knee or head

Cold - Bundle up with gloves, boots, scarfs, hat, winter coat

Hands freeze because I have to take the gloves off to open latches

Have to squeeze through gates because snow and ice blocks them

Can't close barn doors because of ice.

Trip over frozen manure

Positives

It's pretty on December 25th.

That's it.

 

[running in the red]

Our Texas heat is sounding all the better...............think I'll have mom and dad send me pictures!!!!!!joy

 

[~Dan]

from my experience of loving in new york, the snow does begin to accumilate and the water does freeze and the barn is really cold but hooking you mini up to a mini sleigh is really nice!

 

[Genie]

Let's see the negatives:

Ice - Frozen water pails, icicles, frozen paddocks, frozen water faucets.

Ice - Slip and fall, Land on a ridge and break open your knee or head

Cold - Bundle up with gloves, boots, scarfs, hat, winter coat

Hands freeze because I have to take the gloves off to open latches

Have to squeeze through gates because snow and ice blocks them

Can't close barn doors because of ice.

Trip over frozen manure

Positives

It's pretty on December 25th.

That's it.

I loved this reply. Exactly right!

 

[WLS]

Our Texas heat is sounding all the better...............think I'll have mom and dad send me pictures!!!!!!joy

Hello In Texas from just down the lakeshore from BUFFALO, NY. And we are going to get blasted tonight.

Our horses do get bored, but I do feed them extra hay during the bad spells of weather just to keep them busy. When the temperature gets really cold I spoil them with warm drinking water. (they just love it) They get out most days for a play in the snow, but then go back into their snug stalls for the night. I am sure they are looking forward to spring and green grass as much as we humans are.

I would love to trade places with you for the couple of weeks.

Wendy (who is getting very tired of this white stuff and ice. )

 

[Sterling]

Oh here we go...I just thought of another reason why I enjoy the winter coolneess....no flies!!!

 

[Miniv]

Let's see the negatives:

Ice - Frozen water pails, icicles, frozen paddocks, frozen water faucets.

Ice - Slip and fall, Land on a ridge and break open your knee or head

Cold - Bundle up with gloves, boots, scarfs, hat, winter coat

Hands freeze because I have to take the gloves off to open latches

Have to squeeze through gates because snow and ice blocks them

Can't close barn doors because of ice.

Trip over frozen manure

Positives

It's pretty on December 25th.

That's it.

LOL!!!!

You forgot the "no flies" post someone else did!

And then there's the appreciation of summer when it DOES hit!

 

[midnight star stables]

I'll trade you weather

I love your Texas winters, much nicer then our snowy Northern ones

 

[Darkstar]

The horses will do fine. I'm not so sure how the texans will do though! lol

 

[Southern_Heart]

I was born and raised in Mass and and I still have family up there. I left in 1982 and headed to Central Texas. Oh la la no snow and no dodging snow plows...Hahaha They don't have them here!!

Oh sure we have a few weeks of really cold weather but noting like you folks up north.

I like being able to see the ground 365 days a year and would rather shovel poop than snow! The mornings do get cold but then it warms back up in the afternoon. I can handle that.

Also you can play with your horses anytime of year and watch them run threw no snow pastures. Thats a plus!

Have I ever thought about going back to Mass...? Are you kidding!!

Heck no!! I'm a candy butt when it come to really cold, snowy weather.

 

[Magic]

The horses will do fine. I'm not so sure how the texans will do though! lol

That's what I was thinking too, lol!

The horses don't seem to mind the snow and cold at all, they are regularly running around playing and having a ball. Just this morning the yearlings were running full-speed around the (snowy) pastures. When the snow is really deep, they just walk and trot single-file and make their own trails. They are so cute walking along single file, then you'll see the lead horse turn around and everyone has to turn around and go back, lol!!

I don't really mind the snow and cold, and sometimes I very much enjoy it, but I've lived in extreme winter climates all my life. If you aren't used it, you may not.

 

[horsehug]

If I were you I'd opt to stay in Texas

I have lived on the high plains of Southwest Wyoming for 22 years but the bad winters about do me in.

This year was one of them!

It is a constant battle to keep the snow from crossing my fence lines and I have to dig trenches along the inside to keep the horses from crossing over.

Some gates are simply snowed in for the duration of the winter because I could never keep up with the wind and the snow if I tried. and so I just walk over them to feed.

We have terribly high drifts because we have a LOT of wind here where it is so wide open and flat. And this year we about ran out of room to put our snow when we plowed it so we could get in and out.

One day I was out on the tractor for 7 hours just carving out a path from the house to the road.

I do use heated buckets but sometimes the ones outside in the pens get drifted over and I can't find them!!

Can you tell I grew up in the souhwest and love summer? hahahaha

One thing that is good is we never have a fly or mosquito problem, not even in the summer.

It is almost always either too cold or too windy for bugs! Even in the summer our nights usually go into the 40's.

My horses and my hubby love cold weather and are very used to it though.

Susan O.