Random photo of the day - 2017 - post yours!

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I put my horses out in pastures during icy, snowy conditions and never had an issue. This was in SC and Al. I did keep blankets on them though. They would buck and carry on just to get out that pent up energy. Thoughts of a 1000lb Doberman comes to mind. Lol
 
I forget where you live mybuddy. They should be fine though. I assume they have winter coats or you have winter blankets for them? My horse stayed outside in all weather with a lean-to and trees for shelter and I never had issues. Our property was never big enough for a barn. In college the 2nd year horses had winter blankets including the hoods because they had very little coat due to being ridden indoors and being in the barn at night. The first year horses would still get blankets and sometimes hoods but they just had an open shelter and were out in all weather.
We're in Illinois and yes, they all have their winter coats (their fur, not a blanket) and are thick enough to be warm. They are outside all day long normally. Every day. We just bring them in for the night. And they have a run-in out there too.
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You can see the reflection inside the Corral. That's frozen water.

But I wasn't concerned about them actually being outside, I was concerned about them eating the frozen grass in the pasture. I know they will be nibbling at it the entire time just because there's something to nibble on . LOL I'm not sure if that's ok for them or not. We only have about an acre and a half of fenced in pasture so I am careful on how I managed it. I don't put them out there in the winter very often because there is nothing to eat and they will paw at the ground looking for something or run around when it is soft and muddy and just tear it up. Come spring, I've got a mess to deal with and start all over trying to grow grass.

Butt seeing that it is frozen and the corral is a mess, I'm thinking the pasture might be a better option than standing in their stall all day. I really don't like that. It's not good to stand idle for anyone, including horses. In my opinion anyway. They should be able to move freely. It's good for all of us LOL my plan would be to feed them in their stalls, then bring them out to the pasture for a while and maybe bring them back inside later this afternoon. If I see them digging at the ground looking for food I can't leave them out there. We work hard all summer trying to maintain that pasture and get good grass to grow. It's always one step forward and two steps back.
 
I put my horses out in pastures during icy, snowy conditions and never had an issue. This was in SC and Al. I did keep blankets on them though. They would buck and carry on just to get out that pent up energy. Thoughts of a 1000lb Doberman comes to mind. Lol
Alabama gets snow? It can't be as bad as IL. I put them out in snow, no problem. But when the corral looks like the picture above, its dicy. I watch them walk out there looking like I do walking down the icy walk! lol Slow and slippery! And just like our dogs paws getting cut up on the ice or crusted snow, their heels have gotten bruised. And that takes a long time to heal. I just try and avoid any problems.
 
Alabama gets snow? It can't be as bad as IL. I put them out in snow, no problem. But when the corral looks like the picture above, its dicy. I watch them walk out there looking like I do walking down the icy walk! lol Slow and slippery! And just like our dogs paws getting cut up on the ice or crusted snow, their heels have gotten bruised. And that takes a long time to heal. I just try and avoid any problems.
I wouldn't even consider walking them through patches of ice. Only takes a moment to become catastrophic if they slip. I just thought you were talking about the pasture with just a paper thin covering of ice that would crumble under their hooves.
Yes Alabama gets snow and ice storms. The night my father passed away we had an ice storm that knocked out our phone lines. Husband had to climb phone pole with butt set to call sheriff's office for ambulance. That was Jan 11, 1985.
Took the ambulance almost 45 min to get to our house because of ice on the road. We did CPR until they arrived but it was a massive heart attack and they assured us that nothing we did would have changed the outcome. Temps dipped to zero that year.
 
I'm so sorry to hear about that. Must have been awful. No phone lines, massive heart attack, and it's your dad. OMG so sorry. :(

Well I'm going over to the weather thread to post more pictures but since I've been outside, there is just no way I am taking my horses out! It is incredible out there.
 
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Could you just put some hay out for them to graze on?
I'm sorry, Bri, I just saw this post! Yes, I did think about doing that too. But yesterday, every time I walked out to see how everything looked, I would almost slip and fall on the GRASS! Its all so frozen! Even the grass. So after that, I just didn't want to take the chance. Being cooped up inside was better than any injury! Today we might get a chance. We'll see! It' 32F degrees at the moment. The grass might be the first to thaw out. Come on, thaw!! :bat:
 
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I'm sorry, Bri, I just saw this post! Yes, I did think about doing that too. But yesterday, every time I walked out to see how everything looked, I would almost slip and fall on the GRASS! Its all so frozen! Even the grass. So after that, I just didn't want to take the chance. Being cooped up inside was better than any injury! Today we might get a chance. We'll see! It' 32F degrees at the moment. The grass might be the first to thaw out. Come on, thaw!! :bat:
Look into getting some Yaktrax. They work like tire chains for your shoes/boots. I wear them all the time in the winter during our daily hike. They do eventually wear flat or break if you wear them enough. I get a new pair every winter.
 
Look into getting some Yaktrax. They work like tire chains for your shoes/boots. I wear them all the time in the winter during our daily hike. They do eventually wear flat or break if you wear them enough. I get a new pair every winter.
You know, the morning that we woke up to everything covered in ice, I worried about my neighbor friend and her ride to work. She leaves at 4:30am and that morning the thunderstorm started at 5 so she actually was on her way and didn't know everything was covered in ice until she got to work in downtown Chicago. I told her I was concerned about her parents walking down to the barn to feed her horses and asked if they would be okay. I would go over there and help if they needed. So I called her mom who said she was going to drive down to the barn, not walk.I said just getting out of your car on to the apron to the barn (which is concrete) will be a trip. Literally! I had visions of her falling! Later she called me and said she did fine by wearing something like you are talking about. Something her daughter bought her years ago for Christmas that had cleats or points on them. I said I've heard of these things but never bought them. I think I'm going to have to look into them. LOL she said, " they're the type of things you put away and forget about it until there's a day like today !" LOL
 
Got them out! It is still a little slick and of course the last horse going out gets frantic and that was the Palomino, Sandy. She slipped a little taking off but once she caught up her Buddies they all trotted around for a bit and then calmed down. So they are happy campers right now.

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The dogs had a little romp too.

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