We in south Texas also had a record-tying cold yesterday... It was 31 degrees... Today it is in the 40's so far..

We have heavy coats left over from our Colorado days, and my husb has his heavy hunting stuff, but all we ever wear here are zip up hoodie sweatshirt jackets.  Every body here goes crazy and blankets their horses when it gets to the 40's.

Marla,

Here in the sierra nevada foothills of Ca. we are sitting waiting for our "big storm" that should of been here back in oct./nov. It's cold outside and the girls yesterday were funny they all became arabians, all are quarters except for our half arab/quarter mare. Tails in the air, smoke and fire coming from their eyes and nose, it was quite a picture! Doing the buck in the air in one place while kicking out three to four times, it's quite a show when they finally feel winter. All have their winter coats and have been awaiting to use it, as it's been sooo warm and they just stand and sweat in the pasture here lately.

I sure felt sorry for the horses that came into the vets on Fri. I take my girls down there as that's where my farrier works out of, and they had these huge quilted blankets on shaking with no fur! Yes, they were stalled up barned up show horses, and here are my woolie boogers standing patiently in the cool air all nice and warm looking at theses over pampered, cold show horses. Nothing against show horses, but that's how I saw them.....

All of mine are fuzzy but my old girl just can't take the cold very well.  She starts dropping weight so she gets a blanket.  Everyone has a blanket, but no one else gets one unless it's rainy and then the temps drop.  Then they only wear them until they are dry. 

I've shown horses twice and it's to much work and not enough fun for me. 

I'm afraid my endurance riding has come to a screetching halt.  My mother suffered a stroke which left her requiring constant care.  Until my responsibilities in Tucumcari are at an end, I am pretty well confined to home.  Someday I will resume my endurance rides, but for now I'm stuck.  Mom didn't think twice about caring for me.  Now it is my turn to care for her.

Marla

Marla

I'm so sorry.  That is very sweet of you.  I know way to many people that would have just stuck her in a home and gone on with what they wanted to do. 

You mentioned the natural glo rice bran pellets?  What brand is it?  Is it expensive and how much do you feed per horse.  I use a lot pelletized beet pulp in the winter with a little vegatable oil mixed in with some sweet feed, usually 12%.  I'm always looking for help with my young mare that is a pain to keep weight on in the winter time.  I'm in MD and it gets cold and wet here in the winter.  She has access to full shelter day and night since part of my barn is the run-in shed and opens to the mud corral.

Thanks,

deranger

Deranger,

 The "Natural Glo" that I am using is by Nutracea. It is a stabilized rice bran pellet. They also offer it in a granular form too. It is expensive though. I pay $29- dollars for the 50-lb. bag here where I live, So now i go out of town to get it by bulk because the local feed store here is ridiculously expensive.I think I pay $ 18.50 per 50-lb bag ---out of town that is.(maybe it's a 40 lb. bag?) Anyways, you feed according to your horses weight- 1 lb. per day per horse is what I am feeding.

NM Rider and jackbrat, I really appreciate the input on rice bran.  Lots of good info and it goes a long way helping me solve problems with my young mare and keeping weight on her in the winter time.  She's so active that I resist putting a blanket on her.  That would probably be more trouble than it's worth and expenive keeping the blankets in good repair.  I've seen rice bran oil and thought is was very pricey.  My horses don't mind the taste of a little veggie oil mixed in with soaked beet pulp and some sweet feed.  I'm feeding twice a day and managing to maintain a good weight on all them (4) this year.  I got a head start on winter this year and fattened them up a little in the fall.  When I look at my young mare, she is just not carrying the weight that the other 3 are carrying.  I know she's very active and can't walk any where.  She has to trot, lope or gallop to get where she is going.  Busy mare, but a good horse.  Love her a lot.  Eventually she will become my daughter's horse, but she's not ready for her yet.  Couple  more years and I'll put them together.

deranger

Speaking of cold...

It is 6 degrees this morning with a wind chill of -12!!!!!

In KY for crying out loud!