Freezing conditions. In or out?

[wabuska]

Well I was confronted with an equine delegation tonight when it reached -4, demanding IN having been out, double rugged, plenty of hay and roam. I was thinking like a horse, and reasoned... well I would prefer to be able to move, but there was no mistaking the request to come in, having already been fed outdoors..... My old mare made her way from the top of the hill, head tucked into her chest, fully determined. Are their feet cold perhaps? They made a standing spot on their hay some days ago.

What are your lot up to?

[big e]

Mine are all out in the snow. Some doubled rugged, some single and some naked

only 1 of mine has ever lived in and she's currently in love with a new cob and stands next to the fence coooing at him all day and night so not missing a stable too much at the moment

[KoLaTo]

Out, over 1ft of snow in the field, 2ft in places, funny watching them try to walk thru it, they are bored within an hour of being in and asking out again so out they go to eat snow..........

[sophielouise]

In at night as usual, he has three rugs on tonight.

He's happy to go out, eat hay and terrorise his field companions - but he canters over to the gate in the afternoon too!

[sara]

Mine is out every day bu 7.30am. He is normally brought in sometime between 4 and 6 depending on what shift I am working. However, at the moment he is stood at the gate waiting to come in at 1. Have to admit to bringing him in earlier and earlier in this freezing weather. Forecast says that it will be warmer this weekend though!

[feemac]

Some are in and haven't been able to get out to the field (can't get up the icy track). Some are out double rugged and hay in the field. Water is the problem every thing was frozen yesterday having to keep the tap running in the caravan to keep the water going!

[milo]

mine are all out,unrugged, hairy and loving it,they have adlib hay and can come into the barn if they want to,sometimes they do and some times they don't,theres also a field shelter with lots of straw and 3 stables to get into.

[ladynowak]

Whatever the horses are happiest with. My big boys only come in if the weather is truly awful and it isn't looking like it will let up, otherwise they are out naked 24/7 looked like overgrown hill ponies.

My arab is now in most of the time because of a nasty skin condition and he makes it perfectly clear when he has had enough and would like to come back in again. He is naked though and until it drops below -5 and stays there, he can stay that way too. He is perfectly warm and toasty and has enough hay to keep him going.

I think their feet do get cold, I only say that because when the ground was frozen solid the big boys had put themselves on the straw I had put round the gateway and didn't move. It was the only ice free place in the field. Maybe because they are barefoot they are more sensitive to it?

[basilhorse]

Mine live out with field shelter access and there is hay both in the field and in the shelter. They are preferring their shelter right now

[Karon]

Mine are out and lumping it They're fine, they all hang round waiting for their feeds, then demand second breakfast but when they realise they're not hobbits and don't get fed all day (!) they wander off and eat hay. I haven't seen any signs they've used their shelter yet, although Shambar is refusing to leave his except for feed

[mandal]

Mine are yarded with a barn cos of the grass!

[highlanderpony2002]

mine live out 24/7 unrugged apart from the one that has a small clip. They are fed daily and have access to hay I did get caught out by the weather a bit as I usually feed haylage and the order has not arrived so they are having hay from a local supplier until the haylage arrives

[mollymoo]

Mine is in at night every winter but YO wont let us TO for more than a few hours in the snow to try and save the fields apparently

Saying that though my boy and his friends go out (Hes a TB, ones a hairy Clydie x and ones a Welsh A) they have a roll and a hooly round and then stand at the gate after 20 mins waiting to come in again they are all neds who like their creature comforts!

[anastasia55555]

Toffee is in at night, and when the ground has been very hard and frozen she has stayed in almost all day after stretching her legs on the YO lawn (she doesnt mind by the way as long as she isnt hooning around which she doesnt do).
Today she has gone out as i dont want to drive in this ice but a friend at yard is going over so is able 2 put her out. will go over bit later when the ice has hopefully started to thaw.she is in with lots of hay, heavy weight rug and fleece and a nice think bed. she is also having 2 -3 feeds a day as she is a rather old nag and has lost a bit of weight so trying to keep her as warm as possible. she doesnt move around as much in cold coz of arthritis, that in its self makes the decision of in or out hard, but we have a good compromise her stable is big so she can walk around so spread water, hay, feed and lick well apart and she seems ok when in.
The others are out, Apollo partly clipped with light weight and a hugely fluffy soft coat, Saxon 2 light weight rugs and neck on, he feels the cold and doesnt grow such a thick coat, and Bobby is out naked, but seems fine with it, and has all the others to huddle and play with :-).

Toffee likes to come in, where as the others prefer out, Bobby would stay in glued to a yellow lick all day and not complain, and often doesnt want to go back out, but he does enjoy his friends :-)

[l17]

Fizz is out naked with 3 friends. They are having hay and haylage 2 x a day and an extra feed as well. They stand near the shelter but have not gone in it. Lx