What Would You Do If...

[MosMum]

There was a blizzard and neither you nor anyone else would be able to get to your horse for at least 3 days...

short of those die-hards who have no children and took Survival 101 in High School and would bed down in the stable with their horse, of course?

Leave out, heavily rugged and with a big bale of haylage?

Keep in, rugged with a big bale of haylage?

Take home and keep in your back garden?

Discuss

 

[Cedars]

Leave out, heavily rugged with a big bale of hay in the flattest part of our field, with as much water as I could manage to get into numerous buckets.

You alright?!

 

[StarFell]

Leave out, rugged up with plenty of haylage

 

[MosMum]

Oh yes don't worry, thanks for the reply...

I was thinking how far out my horses are, on the side of a mountain about 20 miles away up a steep drive, all good so far but just trying to keep realistic in case of a real cold snap this winter.

Just want to point out for those who haven't experienced it that in a real blizzard haylage might be burried under snow, so might water or at least frozen and depth could make moving around the field difficult or impossible depend on type/size of horse... not sure what I would do.

 

[bryngelenponies]

Leave out, heavily rugged up with plenty of haylage.

 

[FairyLights]

providing the rugs are absolutely water tight,nothing worse than a leaky rug.

 

[Tankey]

Hope for the best...there is nothing you can do really....what will be will be..

 

[Maesfen]

Well five of mine are stuck out tonight as the yard is too dangerous for them to come across; it's not worth a broken leg IMO and if I got them in, I'd not get them out tomorrow. They're happy, they've got grass and haylage and water so they're stopping there and I will feel guilty but I'd feel worse if my mare slipped and lost her foal.
Safety for all is my mantra.

 

[Cuppatea]

definately out rather than in if there is a chance you cant get to them.

 

[narkymare]

leave out well rugged with lots of haylage - no question x

 

[3Beasties]

Out, well rugged with plenty of haylage.

I wouldn't be worried about the water freezing as they will get plenty of moisture from the snow, I gave up defrosting my horses field water last week and he has not gone thirsty, he drinks no more then normal when he comes in at night!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I would keep out well rugged with plenty of hay and water to last the course

 

[Dubsie]

They drink far less when there's snow - had to put out 4 buckets full tonight (even though it rained) whereas been only using 2-3 buckets when there was snow on the ground, despite the 'thaw' our tap is still frozen.

 

[JanetGeorge]

They drink far less when there's snow - had to put out 4 buckets full tonight (even though it rained) whereas been only using 2-3 buckets when there was snow on the ground, despite the 'thaw' our tap is still frozen.

Wish you'd tell my horses that!! I have about 35 living out and I've done bu**er all for the past week other than cart haylage and water. They are drinking JUST as much as without snow - in most cases, more!

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

ah ... drinking more .. that would be the cream cracker diet! to the op i would leave out well rugged and a big bale of haylage or hay and liquid water if you can!!! but unless they are elderly or infirm they will be fine and at least they can move around.

 

[silver zaanif]

if it was safe to do so , in the garden they would go!!

 

[Tinypony]

As it would take about a day to walk them to my back garden, I would leave them out rugged and with a nice big round bale of hay. Which is exactly what I did last year. Mine live out anyway, so not a particular shock to their system.