Posted 2008-02-08 9:24 AM (#76392) Subject: Are Your Horses Bored?
Veteran
Posts: 270 Location: Roanoke IL
This Illinois winter is extra bad. We've had so much snow, then ice, then fog, then 60 degrees, then below zero. I've found that my horses seem depressed. I'm not able to do winter riding, and everything outside is all muddy. They've been destroying buckets, smashing at gates, and just standing inside pooping up the run-in. Do you guys have any good suggestions to help my horses with the winter blues? I'm not sure about spending a fortune on expensive toys...with my luck they wouldn't touch them. I have 3 full size horses and a mini. The worst horse is the Haflinger/Belgian. She holds the world's record for smashed gates. She always needs to be busy.
Posted 2008-02-08 9:42 AM (#76395 - in reply to #76392) Subject: RE: Are Your Horses Bored?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
>> my horses seem depressedMine too! Can you do ground work with them? Maybe some PP games? Or take them for hand walks? Huginn is so bored...he is not really eating hay, just sorta pushing it back and forth.
Posted 2008-02-08 11:28 AM (#76403 - in reply to #76392) Subject: RE: Are Your Horses Bored?
Veteran
Posts: 219 Location: Mt. Clemens, MI 48043
I know what you mean. One wants keeps trying to get out of the stall and rush outside and the other is ansy - not mean but pushy and becoming stubbon. We are lucky we have a indoor area but that does not always seem to help. You get one of the doors open and every horse has their nose out. Acting like it is their first time taking in the breeze that is coming in. It seems all of them miss the outside not just my horses. We are getting the snow too now. Not lots of it but enough to make you tired nevertheless. The good thing is that there is more daylight. It was hard to wake up in the dark and drive to work in the dark and come home in the dark. I'll be glad for the changing of the seasons.
Posted 2008-02-08 11:43 AM (#76407 - in reply to #76392) Subject: RE: Are Your Horses Bored?
Expert
Posts: 2614
I've noticed my horses laying around an unusually extra amount.Maybe they are resting up for summertime when the bugs are SO bad here they get no rest at all.
Posted 2008-02-08 1:12 PM (#76417 - in reply to #76392) Subject: RE: Are Your Horses Bored?
Veteran
Posts: 209 Location: pensacola, fl
Sorry guys I can't relate!! In FLorida February is prime riding weather, no heat, no bugs,no snow just open trail. But come August you guys can throw this back in my face because it will be so hot around here all you can do is sit inside and look out the window and watch the horses sweat.
Posted 2008-02-09 9:00 AM (#76468 - in reply to #76392) Subject: RE: Are Your Horses Bored?
Veteran
Posts: 270 Location: Roanoke IL
Bugs? Bugs? Gosh it's so miserable here I even miss the bugs! I'm looking through tack catalogs and eyeballing all the new tack....as if that will make my horses happy, ha! It seems that every winter I buy a new tack set to cure the blues. I bought a new horse trailer this winter, so I don't think that that new biothane halter/bridle from hought tack is going to happen. : (
Do you guys use like nuclear fly spray down there? I'd imagine everyone's horses are quite well sprayed. The best things I ever bought were those shoo fly leggins. They really keep the flies away. I had a foundered horse that it was so sad to see him stomp flies when his feet hurt so bad. The boots solved the problem instantly and he needed much less fly spray. I bought a set for all my horses However, they didn't make sizes at the time, so the standard size didn't work on my half draft. Anyhow, a highly recommended product, esp if your horse is sensitive to fly sprays or fly bites.
Posted 2008-02-09 11:02 AM (#76478 - in reply to #76468) Subject: RE: Are Your Horses Bored?
Expert
Posts: 2614
Well we currently have 5,so,it would be pretty pricey.I guess you have some upkeep to those,too,having to remove them and wash them or keep the pasture "stuff" out of them on a regular basis.
But,the flies were so bad last summer,and their feet have to be shod so often because of the stress problems with stomping flies that I'm going to have to look into something like that this year.I"ve used the Fly Predators with good results but they don't work on all types of flies.
Posted 2008-02-10 12:20 AM (#76508 - in reply to #76392) Subject: RE: Are Your Horses Bored?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 781 Location: La Cygne, KS
Friend and I took a short ride today... 45 minutes. We thought it was a heat wave - 40 degress with 15-20 mph west wind. Felt good to be in the saddle after 5 weeks of awful winter weather. But, unfortunately our warm day was whisked away by another artic blast this evening.
And yes, my horses seem edgy too. Been stalled about 3 days a week since Nov. 27 due to some type of precip and wind. A milk jug with some rocks in it and hung from the barn rafter makes a fun toy. My gelding likes the jolly ball too.
There is hope though that Spring is near. A robin has been singing his heart out the past two mornings. Been dreaming about trail riding that I have looked at just about every trail riding place within 14 hours from me and even Equitours which I hope to do if I can get hubby to go. Still working on that one.
Are Your Horses Bored?
