Temperature changes

[theresak]

@Texarkana

While we are sharing TBs wiping out stories…

TB/Dutch cross wiped out in the snow a few years ago going fast and slid 15+ feet and cleaned one side of his blanket very well in the snow…

The worst “hold your breath” moment was when I brought him in to medicate and wrap for cellulitis one morning after we had gotten rain on top of several inches of old snow that froze. He was anxious to go back out and instead of using the “poop paths” made by the BO to get to the herd and hay, he took off across the ice-coated snow. I just heard “tink, tink, tink” of his shoes all the way to the herd at a gallop, where he stopped safely and was totally fine.

In WI a few weeks ago, we went from 60F to 22F within a few hours when that big wind storm blew through a few days after the tornados in KY. The barn was so humid that evening we left the doors open to the crazy wind.

[lenapesadie]

It actually got below freezing last night. Praying bugs died in massive numbers.

Supposed to be 70 again on Thursday.

[moonlitoaksranch]

We got down to 36 here. That’ll at least dampen their spirits.

[Renn_aissance]

@theresak

The worst “hold your breath” moment was when I brought him in to medicate and wrap for cellulitis one morning after we had gotten rain on top of several inches of old snow that froze. He was anxious to go back out and instead of using the “poop paths” made by the BO to get to the herd and hay, he took off across the ice-coated snow. I just heard “tink, tink, tink” of his shoes all the way to the herd at a gallop, where he stopped safely and was totally fine.

Isn’t it amazing how they somehow manage to survive things that ought to kill them, and meanwhile a wee little stomach upset is critical?

[lenapesadie]

Maybe? Depends on how warm it gets again I think. We had some nights at 34 and then a week plus in 70/80. It was like flies gone wild. And little biting ones too. Maybe we’ll be ok if we can avoid 80 degree weather for a bit. I haven’t put the fly sheets up (again) yet. I done packed them and unpacked them once already

I had hoped for multiple nights in a row of below freezing but it’s not happening here sadly.

[moonlitoaksranch]

I’m waiting with bated breath for that. One recent year, the flies never fully died off. I hope that isn’t the case this year.

[Texarkana]

If freezing temperatures killed off bugs, the state bird of Alaska wouldn’t be the mosquito.

[lenapesadie]

I think @moonlitoaksranch and I are just hoping for more than two weeks where the flies aren’t actively trying to carry us away lol

Pretty sure they get a longer break from bugs in Alaska than we do down in FL. But if they have active fly populations in Alaskan winters I need to read up on that to make myself feel better lol

[moonlitoaksranch]

The active season for mosquitos in Alaska is really short. Mosquitos start hatching within two weeks of a warm spell. Alaskan mosquitos are in deep freeze for most of the year, while ours can start up again with the warm spell we had this December. In northern states, mosquitos can only survive winter inside houses and other heated buildings.

Mosquitos in northern states can be vicious, but their peak is very short. Our mosquitos are present most of the year. Our farm has a healthy ecosystem with frogs and other predators eating them. The worst mosquitos here are in the suburbs where they use chemicals that kill off the natural predators.

[Texarkana]

My point, which was in jest, is everyone always hopes a freeze will kill bugs and there will be fewer. But that relief is only temporary. As soon as the temps get warm again, they will be back in full force. It’s what they do.

[moonlitoaksranch]

Oh yes, but the one month season in Alaska sometimes looks good next to our 10 to 11 month fly season…

[lenapesadie]

@moonlitoaksranch

The worst mosquitos here are in the suburbs where they use chemicals that kill off the natural predators.

I dunno. I boarded in a legit swamp once. The bugs were pretty scary!!! But I’ve not lived in any of the bigger burbs so I don’t have that experience! Like they spray in my neighborhood but it’s a two road county neighborhood with row crops, timber and cattle pastures all in and around it so it’s not as much “coverage” like there would be in a bigger development.

[lenapesadie]

I’ll take temporary!

Mr LS asked Santa for A Salt Rifle. Bless him.

A. Salt. Rifle. Not an assault rifle. A rifle that shoots salt. 5 stars btw.

[luvmyhackney]

Well, temperature changes and snow are back this Sunday for many.

Anything extra y’all are doing to prep?

[fourfillies]

Other than cussing a bit? Didn’t get below freezing here the last 2 nights now 15 by 9pm with gusty winds and 6-10+ inches of snow for Sunday night. Yuck. I put up a load of hay this morning that should get me in to March (don’t have huge amount of hay storage). That always makes me feel better when rotten weather is on the way. And I’ll spend the afternoon ridiculously obsessing about “the right” blanketing situation for my clipped one. Yaks are good.

[JB]

Yep, cussing. A lot! I wouldn’t mind (so much) the upcoming temp drop - it’s normal for January here. I wouldn’t mind so much the snow. I ALWAYS mind the freezing rain, and sleet is only slightly better, so I’m crossing fingers we get very little of that. But this time, since the winds are supposed to be stupid while the bulk of the precip is falling, the horses will just be in their stalls. The only question left at this point is will it be last thing Saturday night, or first thing Sunday morning, so I’ll just have to wait for Saturday afternoon to decide that.

Fortunately mine all adapt wall to sudden prolonged stalled time. For MY sake, I hope I can just bring them in first thing Sunday The only upside to them being stalled all day (and possibly all night) is that it’s so much easier to feed hay insert crazy laugh

They’ll get their salt in their feed, top off salt buckets, and each time I go down to the barn I’ll heat up water to offer.

[rubygirl1968]

I bought some sand for the paths to the pasture and paddocks and will probably pull a water trough we’re not using in the barn and fill it in case we lose power.

I haven’t decided about where they will stay. The stalls are so small I hate to keep them in. The oldest mare gets upset and won’t eat with changes so I’ll probably leave them out with blankets.

They are shelters out there too. The only one I worry about is the oldest but she’s always been fine with appropriate blankets.

[moonlitoaksranch]

We’re actually way up north visiting for a possible move this spring for a new job. This strange, white, fluffy stuff is falling from the sky….

[Pico_Banana]

I’ve already battened down the hatches for the crazy wind that we are getting tonight and has already picked up. I noticed in my hay loft that the hay loft door had already bowed out from the wind and was stretching the bungee cords I use to close it to their absolute maximum length. Closed the windows on the other end of the loft all the way down (normally I leave them open a couple of inches for ventilation).

Everything outside is under something relatively heavy.

Am waiting to see what the weather does before I decide what to do with them. Snow we can handle. It’s the rain/sleety stuff that is difficult to deal with. And of course the resulting ice.

Still on the fence as to what to do with blankets tonight. They are just in sheets right now and toasty, but it’s over 40 degrees in the barn right now. Temps are going to fall into the single digits but not until the wee hours. Change blankets tonight and have them be too warm for a few hours or wait and change in the morning and have them go through a couple of hours too chilly? I’ll probably go with the latter option, but will make the call at night check.

[Texarkana]

This has been an annoying winter already.

I’m over the temperature rollercoaster and the wind. Although I suppose the rollercoaster is better than an extended polar vortex.