…like this. The calm before the storm!
Less than an hour later it looked like this.
Two hours later.
This is the third snow of the season, but the first reasonably serious one. As I write this there must be 4-5 inches of accumulation so far and more to come. For a while this was all predicted to be freezing rain and sleet. As I write this, the snow has turned to light rain/sleet mix and it’s exactly 32 degrees here. I’ve been watching the weather.com radar and we seem to be right on cusp between snow and the icy mix. I hope for the sake of the horses and power lines that the snow wins out. Josie, our Australian Shepherd has had a blast so far… but…
…Shaggy, Benji’s co-star in the last movie, chose to spend
most of his time on the porch.
Cash takes his third snowfall in stride.
As do they all. Noelle probably thinks she’s back in Reno
but Skeeter is a southern California boy.
What a good boy!
Tonight when I went down to feed, everybody but Skeeter was in the barn breezeway so the plan Kathleen and I discussed during our nightly Skype last evening was put into place. I had a feeling that Mouse, being the pesky little kid that she is, would work her way into the barn if she wanted to be there. But Skeeter is not dominant over anybody except Mouse and he won’t argue with anyone except her. So I felt Mouse would be okay with the herd. But to ensure Skeeter a dry night if this rainy/icy mix continues he was locked in the barn side-shed with enough hay to last him till morning. I plan to go back down around 10:30 tonight to check on them and put out more hay if necessary. I don’t like the idea of putting hay in the barn itself because I don’t want to induce any fisticuffs over food… but tonight I broke the rule and lined one side of the breezeway plus a bunch just outside the front and back entrances. I pray the precipitation turns back to snow, but either way I think they’ll be fine.
Joe
Joe, sure enjoyed the beautiful pictures! I look forward to the day I can keep my horse with me & be able to look at him anytime I want on a snowy day or any other, for that matter.
Thank-You so much for all the sharing of information on natural horsekeeping & natural feet. You explain it so thoroughly & simply! I watched your 3 minute interviews on why your horses eat from the ground & why they go barefoot. I sent those videos on to family & friends who keep horses, including other boarders where I keep my horse, in the hopes that life for horses will continue to improve to their best interests. It means the world to me to know that you & others care enough to research & share with the rest of us. God’s creatures depend on us to care for them – particularly if we are going to domesticate them & cause them to be dependant on us! They are not tools as a lot of people still treat them, they are living, breathing, feeling,sensitive creatures who deserve the very best we can do for them. It is so refreshing to read your words & the care that you & Kathleen put into your horses, & any other living creatures in your lives!
God Bless you both, indeed for all you do!
Sincerely,
Brenda Adams
Rhonda! I have done the very same thing..had my horse fall asleep on my head! Sparrow and I were sitting on Christmas Day, 2008 (two months after I had gotten her), in the run-in, just soaking up the sun and being together. Her nose came to rest on the top of my head…slow steady breathing and the increasing pressure let me know she was asleep. So dang cool. I had never had that kind of experience before – but I was hooked then! I didn’t move for a long time, not wanting to take away her “shelf” When I finally did go inside, I felt something crawling on my head. I asked my daughter, Jolene, to take a look. We pulled 7 bugs from my head!! Fortunately, we are not easily grossed out. I saved ’em in a little zip lock bag (still have them) and began searching on the internet. What I discovered was she had come to my farm covered with biting louse! No wonder she was so itchy, I could never scratch her long or hard enough and had thought that was strange, but never thought beyond that. I got powder and sprinkled away and she is fine now – that will always be linked to my memory of her sleeping on my head. :o) We have since “rested together” many times, but no crawling bugs appear. Although I have to admit, occasionally, I swear there’s something in my hair – never is though.
I agree with Joe, one of the best time investments for you and your horse(s), is to just “be there” hanging out with no agenda – but just because you enjoy each other. People stare at me and wonder what I am talking about when I share this idea with them (horse people!), their look clearly says, “you just SIT there with them, just HANG OUT? Riiiight.” I just smile. They don’t get it yet. Their loss.
PS Louse are species specific, so they would never actually remain on me for very long – or spread to my goats or other animals. Important information to know!
Do you board horses? I am in middle TN and looking for a new facility for my two barefoot, pasture-boarded mares.
Joe I know its really cold, but it is so beautiful.
Hi Joe,
My name is Diana and I just finished reading your book “Soul of The Horse”. Our dear friend Rafael sent it to me as a Christmas gift. Thank you for signing my book, and for being such a good friend to Rafael. He is extremely important to me, and since you both recently moved to Tennessee I’m very glad you found each other. I know he values your friendship. I’m sure our dear friend has spoken to you about our journey with Pal the past six years. God had a plan and it included moving me all the way from Portland, OR to Northern Florida so that he could make all my life-long dreams come true. Rafael was a major part of that plan. When Rafael moved to Tennessee I told him that God has another plan to continue his amazing journey with our beautiful boy and I am convinced you are part of that plan. After reading your book I just had to write to let you know how much you, Rafael, and I are kindred spirits. I just turned 65, and I wasn’t able to fulfill my life-long horse dream until 2004 when Rafael came into my life. I feel we all have the same instincts and way of thinking about horses. Rafael and I always said we liked being with our dogs, and horses more than most people, and I think in a lot of ways that you feel the same way. I know that after studying about horses and what really makes them tick, I no longer have any patience with ignorant, uncaring people when it comes to the care of their animals. More than once I’ve had to call animal control because of the way our neighbors were treating, or not treating, their animals. Not a great way to keep friends, but I feel the animals need someone to care for them. While reading your book I constantly had the feeling that you had somehow peaked into my deepest thoughts, feelings, and fears when I started my journey with my horses. I adopted two senior Paso Fino mares, and I lost one of them two weeks after she arrived due to colic, so in a small way I can imagine the pain you felt at the loss of your beautiful colt. To replace the mare I lost I ended up adopting a mustang mare “Satin” as a companion for my beautiful little gray Paso Fino Altiva. Altiva is my princess and she looks just like the white winged horses you see in pictures and there’s not a mean bone in her body. I had the Mustang checked out by my vet, and when she gave me the go ahead, Rafael and I loaded her into his trailer without any problems, but we didn’t realize how deeply her fears ran until after she arrived at my home. I tried the join-up technique, but we soon discovered she could run round, and around the pen all day and never submit. After doing some research I learned that she was taken out of the wild when she was 17 years old, which is much too old, and she was passed around for four years before I got her, so God only knows what she went through at the hands of stupid people. I’ve read and studied about join-up and gentleness training all my life, so I was excited to finally have a chance to put all of my knowledge to work in working with Satin. I was using the methods of all the same trainers that you did regarding join-up, but her emotional wounds were so deep by that point my vet, and a professional wild horse trainer told me that she could not be tamed, and I should put her down before I got hurt. I just didn’t have the heart to do that to her after all she had been through, so I made up my mind I wasn’t going to rush her, and little by little she has learned to trust me, but it’s been a long journey with many set backs. When I began it was apparent that she had been beaten, so for two years she wouldn’t let us near her left side to halter her. Now after hundreds of hours working with her in a calm and gentle way, as long as she is in the round pen, we are able to groom her without a halter. We can now put a halter on so we can take care of her medical, and hoof trimming needs. We never intended to ride her, so all we wanted was for her to feel safe so she could live a peaceful life. If she chooses to come to me out in the pasture I really feel honored, but it is her choice. She has never tried to bite, kick or do anything mean, and she is a good companion to Altiva. It’s hard to believe that they are both 27 years old now and extremely healthy girls. Thank you so much for writing your book. I’ve read hundreds of books, and articles over the years, but as you said, “most trainers don’t even think about sharing this type of information”, and it is so very important to understand, and put into practice. I encourage everyone who loves horses to read your book, always do your own research, constantly be open to new ideas that will help your horse, and don’t let other people make you feel incompetent. Trust your heart, and never give up your dream to have a horse because it’s never too late. If you can find a way to make it happen, you will be rewarded ten fold. Look at you and I. Next summer I plan to visit Rafael in TN with my little 10 year old protégé Sadie, who probably knows more about horses than the three of us adults. She’s a minny me, and I’m trying to encourage her and help her make her dream come true sooner than mine did. She’s a natural. If your schedule permits maybe you could join us at Rafael’s farm. It would be fun for the four of us to share our horse tales. God Bless You.
Hi There, Well I have been watching the weather forcast in your area and thinking about you and your wonderful horses everyday. Living here in Arizona and being a native Califorian I can’t imagine what you are all going through but have been worrying about all of you. I sure hope the weather starts getting better for you and your big kids real soon!! I’ll be thinking of all of you.
Only 12″ where I live on the same storm that dumped on you, Joe. Kids did fine. Brought them up to an area where they had access to shelter during the worst of the storm. As soon as it stopped, turned them back out in the field and they were frisky, happy horses and donkey. Not that I didn’t worry about them more than I should have, of course. Here, more snow/rain tomorrow.
35 mounted police horses barefoot and bitless!! Have to look that one up! Woo Hoo!
Sharon, I live in Upstate NY, near Lake Ontario, and it has been a nasty winter here so far…lots of snow, wind, rain, more snow, more wind, and freezing temps. I have three horses, a 2 yr old, 3 yr old and a giant 24 yr old ex-police horse – draft cross. They are all outside with only a large run-in & no blankets (did you know that every single hair on a horse body has a little muscle attached to it! They can lift and move each hair to best help insulate themselves. That’s why on really cold days, they look so poofy – so cool. Can’t do that with a blanket on though) I have never seen my guys shiver – even when they are wet or their backs are covered with snow. Like Joe said, I make sure they have lots of hay – doubling it on those below freezing or cold windy days. It can be daunting to look out at them and see them nibbling away while the snow piles up or the rain beats down. I have even gone out and gently parted those wet coats to prove to myself that they are indeed warm and dry – they always are.(Falling through ice is a different situation and that would require what Joe did!). In fact last night it was below zero, windy with a full moon – beautiful but COLD. As Summit, the big guy, came out of the run-in, he was followed by this swirling cloud of vapor!! He was so warm he looked like he was steaming! My nose was frozen, my hands were cold, tears were streaming from my eyes as that cold wind blew, and there was my big ol’ guy…as warm as warm can be. It was a marvelous sight, and served to remind me that just because I was freezing, they were just fine. :o)
Tres cool Jane.
Hello Joe, we were hoping to see temps above 10 today in Vermont but don’t think we’re going to get there. With the wind it’s close to 0 out there… But the sun is shining so we’ll be thankful for that.
I’m really enjoying your book, will finish it tonight. It’s been great to read. I’ve been studing John Lyons, Parelli, Clint Anderson, Monty Roberts etc for years…I’ve been trying to find the right method for my horse. I try to keep Beau as natural as possible: barefoot, outside 24/7 with shelter if he decides to use it, a buddy to hand out with, no grain and no blanketing to allow his natural coat to keep him warm.
Yesterday I decided to take one of your ideas in your book and go to the barn and just hang out with Beau, no agenda (too cold and icy to do much anyway). I bundled up and took a bucket out to the paddock, turned it upside down and just sat in the sun. Beau left his buddy, a ton of hay and just stood over me and fell asleep. At one point his nose and my nose were almost touching. I almost dozed off myself a few times. It was an amazing moment just being with him. When it got too cold to sit any longer, I rubbed his forehead, gave him a few kisses and headed home.
Thank you for sharing your stories and allowing us in. You are making a wonderful difference in many lives, both horses and human.
Ronda
Yippee Rhonda. See Jane’s comment. You guys are in the real snow country.
Hi from your friend/fan in California! Following the weather
on computer about you and the kids. Holding my breath but no precip for today…”feels like 19!” My hat’s off for taking the bit in your teeth and COPING with all the challenges. We are socked in with quarter-mile (less) visibility and 30’s.Thanks for the pictures, including Shaggy (a shorter version of Corky).
Today (Sunday) it’s 36 at the moment (after a low of 20). Sun all morning, now partly cloudy, but things are loosening up and there is no precipitation predicted for the next several days. Yippee! I have to go to the airport Tuesday and Wednesday so I just want it to get/stay warm enough to clear up the roads. I hear that the main roads are all clear, but we have two very not main roads with hills to get to the main roads :) Horses are all great. BTW, we don’t “take the bit in our mouthes” and neither do our horses :) All of us are bitless. Oh, and I just heard that the Houston Mounted Police Patrol horses (all 35 of them) are not only all barefoot, they’re all bitless. Tres cool!
Hi,
I recently read your book, The Soul of A Horse and purchased a couple extra copies to share! Loved it! I had a question and please tell me if there is a better place I should go to ask this. When it snows and they get wet, and of course it’s 32 degrees or sometimes colder, is there any concern for a horses ability to stay warm? I know you’ve described that they have an excellent circulatory system and that only if it’s windy and cold and they get wet would they need extra protection, but why does being wet when it’s cold not cause a problem? Is the answer as simple as their systems just are made to handle it? :) Is this what you find with your herd?
I still have yet to read through all the history of your herd on your site. Looking forward to it though. Time, time, need more time! :)
Thanks!
Generally speaking snow doesn’t bother them at all. Regardless (within reason) of temperature. You’ll see horses standing out with snow stacked on their backs, not melting. Like some houses. You’ll see snow stacked on the roof, not melting. Others it’s melting and dripping and forming icicles, etc because that house does not have a good insulation system in the attic or roof and heat is escaping. Horses are like the first house. They have an excellent thermoregulatory system with good insulation in the attic :). I hear from folks all the time in northern Minnesota, Upstate NY, Canada who confirm this. Where there is a possibility of compromising that system is when they get soaked and the temps are cold and there’s wind. Like when Mariah fell through the ice on our pond (see that blog post) Or when there is drenching rain with freezing type temperatures. Like I was worrying about in this last storm that hit us here in middle Tennessee. If I know they all have access to shelter, both from the rain and the wind, then I let them decide. But with the freezing rain all night a few nights ago I worried about Skeeter, our oldest, who won’t challenge the others to get a space in the barn breezeway (which is their run-in). So I locked him up for the night in the side shed. The rest of them did fine. In fact all day yesterday there was a freezing mist falling with temperatures in the high 20s. I left it totally up to them and most of them were out much of the day. They got a little damp from the mist but not soaked, and I never saw a shiver. And they could get cover if they chose to. Free choice around-the-clock hay is one of the keys to their system working. The continuous munching of GRASS or GRASS hay virtually around the clock keeps the heat engine generating. Do not skimp here. Make sure it’s there if they want or need it. After I got Mariah out of the wind and got blankets and a comforter on her I immediately retrieved a bunch of her favorite hay. Even while shivering, she began munching, just a little, then more, then still more, and by the time the vet arrived she had stopped shivering altogether. “Her engine is working good,” Dr. Bobby said. “How do you know?” I asked. He lifted the blankets off her back near her butt and steam poured out. It was a wonderful sight. – Joe
Trust your own instincts with Noelle – I know we read this and that, always wanting to do the right and best thing…but sometimes (I have learned) you just have to listen to your own heart (or better – as the Lord leads you). Your horses are like your kids – and parents “just know” when something’s up or how best to approach them (well, usually). She has seen you handle all the other horses, she will be fine & come to trust and turn to you (but you know this already). Wish I could see it all happen! Woo Hoo. Spring will be good, yup…spring’s gonna be great.
Jane
Joe,
So sorry about the yucky weather – got a phone call from my daughter in VA – with much grousing about the snow (they moved to VA to get away from it!)
Up here in NY it finally got up to 8 above zero! We really
dont have much snow this year, but its been cold.
Having always boarded my horse – didnt have the same difficulties you do, but nevertheless, went “to the barn” every day after work – just to check & groom.
Seems strange not to be doing that anymore.
Noelle sure does look like she has become a member of your herd now. Shes lucky shes where she is rather than in Nevada
with all the roundups there.
Hope your weather remains snowy (rather than ice & rain)
Maggie
Misting rain all day today (Saturday) and freezing (27 degrees). It’s a mess but we’re all ok. Horses are good with plenty of hay and shelter if they want it. No power outages so far. Tonight down to 15, tomorrow up to 38 but back down to 18. One step at a time.
Living in southwestern Colorado we see plenty of snow, and especially this winter. Got 38 inches in four days last week. Cattle are walking over fences and the horses can’t even get to their heated water tank. So all feeding plans had to change. LIvestock teaches us to be flexible!
But the horses do quite well with no shelter at all, as long as they have a windbreak. Think of those mustangs in Nevada. My herd has a bunch of pinon trees that they seek shelter under during the heavy snows, otherwise they are out an about all winter long. They are tougher than you think and with a good hair coat can regulate their body heat just fine.
PS: Why do you still have a halter on Noelle in every photo? Does it ever come off or do you just have it on their for feeding?
Carry on! Spring is on the way!! LInda
Right. They do fine here in the snow as well. It’s the freezing rain that worries me (misting at 27 degrees all day today). They do use the barn shelter when it’s raining and cold. The halter has been on since Noelle was picked up in Reno and cannot come off until Spring when she will get her first lead rope. I’m sure it will have to be cut off, and either way will be a trauma to her. So I have chosen to not break up the trust she has given me (which does not include leading yet). Once the round pen is built in the spring we will join up and at hopefully the correct time I will hook on the lead rope. Once she is leading, I will get the hallter off. I know all the issues but this is the way I have chosen to deal with it.
What a change from earthquakes and fires. Much more beautiful in TN!
I guess Benji was cozied up inside? Stay warm.
I’m getting a rescued thoroughbred, male, about 4.
I can’t believe your pond is open again! I am glad it is, I just can’t believe it. We just went through another week of below zero temps and -20+ wind chill weather here.
How did things go last night Joe? You doing OK? Did the horses do OK? If you got a lot of ice watch yourself around the horses as footing for them is just as crazy as it is for humans.
Keep us updated, please!
Misting all day today at 27 degrees, but so far the horses are good and no power problems. Going down to 15 tonight, up to 38 tomorrow (yippee) but down to 18 tomorrow night. One step at a time.
Looks like you might be fighting that battle all night, sorry! When we get wind storms or snow (yes it does happen here in Washington)we put a patio umbrella over the satellite dish, fortunately it is within reach, so that the snow doesn’t accumulate on it..one Superbowl interruption in service taught us that. I wish you all well through this storm and hope that the you and the critters all make it through without incident.
Great suggestion Marie. Thanks.
Oh my, I was watching the weather forecast this morning for your neck of the woods and hoped that you wouldn’t get the icy storm that was predicted, good to see that is has only been snowing..so far. The horses will all be fine, would you stay out in the freezing weather when there’s a nice warm barn with food inside? probably not. I hope you do not get rain and ice, that would just be a whole barrel of issues for you to deal with. Hopefully you have a good generator, a wood stove or fireplace and will be nice and toasty in the house with the rest of the critters. Will be watching for more news tomorrow.
Looks like we’ll be getting the sleet and freezing rain mix all night. I had to go clean the snow and ice off the satellite dish to be able to get my internet back to send this. I’ll be checking the horses again before bedtime.