We are in the midst of a deep freeze here. I think the high for tomorrow is something like 0 with wind chills of -35. I drove to the barn today to check on George. All of the horses were inside, including a mare that is due to give birth at any time. The barn owner has not ever had a baby born this early in the year...nor has he had one due in this kind of cold! He bought the mare already bred and he didn't know she was due so early in the year. He is going nuts trying to figure out a way to keep the baby warm. Mama is doing fine so far...we are all hoping she has a healthy, hearty little one!
I have a light blanket on George. He has somewhat of a coat, but not as thick as is probably needed for being outside. I only have a lightweight turnout blanket so he is going to have to muttle through. There are so many theories on blanketing I am not sure what to do...and I hate to go out and spend $150 on one of those poly-filled ones if he doesn't really need it. Poor George. He has a mom that is so cheap. He is never going to be Homecoming King with a mom like that. Since the weather is not supposed to break until late next week, I am hoping he will get to go out at least for a couple of hours a day...I think everyone else is hoping the same for their horses. George will be a fruitloop if he is in for more than a couple of days...as I found out earlier in the week when he did his rodeo thing while I was leading him to the arena. I am not sure I would feel too confident going thru that again so if he doesn't get out tomorrow I am going to have to ask someone to help me turn him out in the arena.
Meanwhile, I cleaned his stall, told him to please be patient, and prayed that his water doesn't freeze. Brrrrrr.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
The poop being easier to scoop is about the only plus I see in temps this cold.
As for keeping a newborn foal warm in these kinds of temps, foal blankets are a big help - for those temps probably two. Since they probably don't know how the mare is with her foals, I'd be sure that the placenta touched the outside of the blanket so it smells right to the mare.
Also, the heat lamps that they use for chicks work well. They are fairly inexpensive and you can get the clamp on type that be easily placed on beams overhead and removed later without having wiring to do.
I wish them good luck. I hate foal watch when it's freezing. But I sure love the babies.
Post a Comment