In or out in the snow?

[ester]

the oldies were out overnight and they stay out. I've just been to chuck some more hay and they are warm as toast happily pottering about. all good.

the ridden ones were in overnight and I have left it up to YO to decide whether they go out or not, I said if there was a light dusting then fine but not if it was slippery and haven't heard back what the decision was! Kira loves rolling in the snow but I am a party pooper and don't like them playing in it

I asked if ours had had a play but no, it just meant frank needed 2 rolls

 

[Meowy Catkin]

How is Rose getting on with her new mare companion? Are they buddies yet?

 

[teddypops]

Out as normal at 7 with some hay, will bring in as normal around 4.30. They all love the snow and had a good charge around this morning!

 

[alexomahony]

Mine will be out tomorrow for a good while. For us it's quite a hike down a track which can get very slippy in compact snow/ice and our fields freeze and are very hard for the horses to walk on without tripping or me cockling - it's an accident waiting to happen! This week I've managed one morning in the field (Tuesday), one hack in the dark (Wed night) and a 30 minute walk around the yard. I feel bad for them but it's only for a short while and they're coping very well. they'll be going for another walk out in hand tonight. They'll be hacked out in the morning and turned out for the rest of the day.

 

[alexomahony]

What do you guys do to stop the snow balling up in their feet?

 

[oldie48]

How is Rose getting on with her new mare companion? Are they buddies yet?

Nope! She isn't quite as vile to her though as she was to LF but I think that's because Millie has a greater sense of self preservation. However, they happily graze within a few feet of each, Millie isn't being bullied and Rose doesn't guard the water or hay, so it's fine. She doesn't like Millie near her when she's got a head collar on and she's being led but a sharp reprimand and she toes the line. Interestingly she's fine riding out with other horses and in a warm up too, it's just in the field that she has to be top dog. Thanks for asking.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

What do you guys do to stop the snow balling up in their feet?

Nothing.
I just pick out feet when they come in (I bring all in at tea time for check and feed or carrot). If balled up, after half hour standing in, the ice melts enough to lever it out

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Two out overnight with hay and three out in the day with hay which they don't normally get. All either naked or in 50 grm rugs as fatties.

The only time they will be in is if slushy snow starts melting as will trash the field. They will go out in little leg stretch pens instead which ironically haven't been used yet this year and have more grass in them that the actual field!

 

[ester]

I usually pick their feet out before we get to the concrete

 

[Goldenstar]

The weather was nasty this morning the two living out came in just before eight they really wanted in . My stabled horses went out at ten included the one who has been on box rest who is out on his own atm .
I have just brought the one whose been on box rest and a friend for him .
The rest will come in later Fatty is sore ,his feet and his stifle which I think get worse when he adjusts his gait in hard frozen conditions I am going to give him some medication.
Tbh once I carry out the extra food and the water it’s not much extra work to have them in and it’s not fair on Fatty however it’s not good for his diet But the two outsiders will get a good nights rest I think it’s the third time this winter they have had a night in .

 

[Asha]

We seem to be quite lucky, not masses of snow . I’ve opened the big field for them and they where all quite happy to be out last night . Brought them in for a feed and back out again now . 3 rugged are those in work , the 2yo and Asha are unrugged and happy

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

My two are cobs, 6 & 7 respectively. They're good doers, young, fit & healthy, both have thick coats like a mammoth. Up till now they've been "out without" on decent pasture; no hay needed, but last night (snow-blizzard) when I went out to do a last yard check at 9.30 pm (I keep them at home), they were up at the gate "asking" to come in for the night.

I know my horses, and they know that if they come up to the gate, I will "listen" to them. It was obvious they wanted to come in for the night, they were cold & miserable and wet and just wanted some TLC. So in they went, nice warm stables, feed to stuff their faces with, and a lovely fresh haynet each to chomp away on.

I will bring them in again tonight as it's bitterly cold outside already and I very much expect they'll be "asking" to come in for their suppers again. Trouble is that now I've gone soft and started the bringing-in-for-suppers routine, as soon as the weather clears and thaws out again, I'll want them out, but I just know the bleddi things'll be hanging around the gate like a bad smell!

 

[windand rain]

Mine live out 24/7 and are happy even in the though they dont use the shelter they stood out in the wind and snow during the Beast from the East last year

 

[Auslander]

My mare is out though and I am confident she’s fine as she’s in aus’ capable hands.

She's absolutely fine - had one gallop round the field when I turned another mare out - and has been standing with her face buried in a pile of hay ever since! Bit of traumatised squawking when she realised she'd run out at about 3.30 - but that was soon resolved!

I booted all my stabled ones out this morning - lobbed them all some hay/haylage, and left them to it. No-one died!

 

[Ambers Echo]

The 3 with me are out in the day and loving it. Max is out 24/7 with 3 girlfriends and appeats to be loving that too.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Mine came in last night at about 9pm and I chucked them out this morning and they have had hay all day, they will come in again tonight just in case it really freezes and the ground is solid, I do have hard standing but that can get icy but I do salt that if it's bad in the morning.

I tend to put mine out as long as it's safe under foot they prefer being out they were grazing a bit today once some of the snow melted.

 

[JFTDWS]

My lot are out, they're always out on snow, but this year they're 24/7 out regardless. I've always turned out as much as possible on snow - I prefer snow to mud for that. We haven't had much this year.

They are all unclipped, rugged and various levels of hairy / native / tough cookie, they're not shod and they have hay in the field, though they also go digging for grass.

Obviously that's not all the hay they get - that was just a snack while I was filling hay nets

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I love the snow, ponies are clean, feet are clean-they're eating the rushes down. mine aren't shod so snow tends to only ball up a bit before coming out (worse in the Fell thanks to his awesome concavity lol). I enjoy this time of year, don't have to worry about too much grass, horseflies and midges and have some great hacking.

 

[scats]

Polly has been thoroughly enjoying herself this week.

 

[ahml100]

My lot are out, well my two and the plus 1! One is fully clipped and hunting fit. I have just rugged accordingly, one is a TB Not clipped who is also rugged accordingly and the other is my 2 year old who is very much naked. I just make sure they have access to forage and water. I am flexible with horses in and out but for mine they seem happier out so out they go.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

What do you guys do to stop the snow balling up in their feet?

I wondered that. I wanted to ride first thing, it isn’t icy but just a couple of foot of snow in fields. Mine are both shod and my gelding can barley walk his shoes get full of hard snow. Mmm.. someone said butter previously?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I wondered that. I wanted to ride first thing, it isn’t icy but just a couple of foot of snow in fields. Mine are both shod and my gelding can barley walk his shoes get full of hard snow. Mmm.. someone said butter previously?

when I was a teenager I tried all sorts with my pony-spray cooking oil, vaseline etc. tbh I didn't find they worked very well-used to have to get off frequently and use a hoof pick.

 

[ester]

There's a reason other countries have snow pads.
If you go fast enough the lumps fly out fairly regularly .

 

[MotherOfChickens]

There's a reason other countries have snow pads.
If you go fast enough the lumps fly out fairly regularly .

but then there's the ickiness of pads lol. a lot depends on type of snow-that wet stuff you get down south is worse.

 

[ester]

ickiness or thickness .

south west, it's always wet, I never really rode it in even unshod.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

ickiness or thickness .

south west, it's always wet, I never really rode it in even unshod.

we usually get the stuff that is spiky shards of ice or powder-its lovely stuff course its not get above -3 for a few days now and -8 to -12 overnight. love it, it never lasts for long and NO mud, win win.

 

[catkin]

If you go fast enough the lumps fly out fairly regularly .

Fellboy works on this premise - there's been little icy biscuits all along their favourite tracks in the field today.

Both ponies seem to be enjoying the snow, it's lovely to see them using all that instinctive native cleverness. Had to laugh at She-who-is-in-charge - guess who gets first dibs at any green stuff in the hedges, and who has to wait until she has quite finished ............

 

[ester]

haha, it might have kept dad quiet for the day, ever since he retired he has a thing about divots/mud. Last night he declared he could cope with the divots he can tread in it's the bloody long skid marks frank creates - he's never learnt that without shoes his braking is a bit compromised but at least we are on the flat unlike in wilts where he used to top it off with landing on his arse!

Are two are the other way round, she is very much not in charge, which is why she was definitely a bit peeved when I moved him back there!

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

My yearling lives out away from home with a shelter so he's obviously out regardless. My welshie is in, whole yard is but I find his feet ball up so bad & so quick in his shoes he can barely walk so he's better of having a pj day than trying to have a hoon around on stilts.

 

[windand rain]

Lard makes a good substitute for goose grease which was the method used over 100 years ago