Standing in the rain

[SpringFlowers]

How many have mini's, that would rather stand in the rain, instead of standing in their shelter? My mini gets totally soaked, and it isn't because she doesn't have a dry place to stand. She looks miserable. I know it won't hurt her, but I would rather see her dry. I mainly watch for shivering, and she seems perfectly fine.

 

[lkblazin]

Same. In lightning storms my oldest mare would stand in the middle of the yard. I feel like she was taunting the lightning.

I put the food inside if its raining. Then they have to go in.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I've had some that at the first drop of rain they run for shelter. And others that didn't seem to mind at all. Sometimes I get annoyed with them for making ME feel bad and pen them under the shelter when rain/snow is forecast.

Very observant of you to watch for shivering.

 

[bevann]

My oldest mare is now 26(had her since she was 1 day old) will stand out in the rain or snow.She has a 60 by 20 shed to get under(it does have a metal roof) and a garage type 20 by 12 area with a full hay rack in the back(this has a story over it) and she will still stay out in the bad weather.She is brought in the barn twice daily for feeding and I check for shivering.She is always fine- just very stubborn.Can't figure out her choices.

 

[amysue]

Some prefer to be out, even in inclement weather. Good idea to watch out for shivering, I'd keep watch out for coat/skin problems too (rain rot, scratches etc) as a precaution. As long as the horse is choosing to stay out and not being bullied out by a pasture buddy then I would just let them be. I do like having the option to lock them in in the event of ice storms and blizzards and yes, lightening too. The rain won't hurt them, contrary to popular belief, horses won't melt in the rain.

 

[SpringFlowers]

I put her hay in her shelter, so she is in there, when she is eating. But she chooses to rest outside, and get drenched! LOL I also, run my hand through her coat, on dry days and check for rain rot and keep an eye out for scratches and such. Glad to hear my girl isn't the only one that does this.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Mine all prefer to stand out in the rain, wind and storms. Funny enough its my mini stallion that is first to go for cover

 

[SpringFlowers]

That is funny, Ryan.

 

[AngC]

Our old guy prefers to stand outside with his nose against the side of the barn. It's embarrassing... as though we don't take care of our horses. Our barn and his "horsey porch" have metal roofing. I speculate that since he's vision-impaired, he doesn't like to go in there because he steers himself by sound. (rain on metal roofing is deafening.)

The two girls (their eyeballs are functional) also sometimes stand outside when it's raining and get absolutely soaked. But I've checked them all by running my fingers up into their hair; their coats do a rather nice job of repelling water. (They absolutely hate me touching them like that.) If you shave your animals, I reckon it would be a different story? ??

 

[SpringFlowers]

I've done that also..ran my fingers all over and down at the skin, to make sure she was dry and she seems to be. I don't blanket or clip, in winter. It is her head and forelock that makes her look so miserable.

 

[susanne]

Two of ours, Scarlett and Flash, are quintessential Oregon horses who stand outside no matter the weather. Mingus, on the other hand, winces at every rain drop. He doesn't mind snow -- but ooh that rain!

 

[SpringFlowers]

What gets me, is she stands out in the rain, and then after a couple days of being wet, her choice, she acts like she is mad at me, like I am the one controlling it and making it rain. lol

 

[AngC]

I've done that also..ran my fingers all over and down at the skin, to make sure she was dry and she seems to be. I don't blanket or clip, in winter. It is her head and forelock that makes her look so miserable.

They do look so sad when they're sopping wet, don't they?

I do try to do things like tempt them inside with hay, when they get more wet than not. I often think that I worry needlessly. If you leave the hair on the horse, I think they can cope with much more weather than I could without a coat.

Horses act in bewildering ways, but I have noticed that when it gets really nasty here, they go inside. So I've just let that one go.

 

[SpringFlowers]

I'm not worried about it. I can't stop it, so I just look at her like she is crazy. LOL She will stand out in it, when we are getting an absolute downpour when she has a perfectly good shelter to go into. Like I said also, before...I put her hay in there, and she is in there when she is eating. When she rests from that, she stands out in the rain. I think I should of named her Rain instead of Meadow. She is nice and fluffy too, with her winter woolies. So I know she is staying warm, just looks miserable is all. Wonder what their thought process is, sometimes.