Hairy cobs in their winter glory, grazing on common land. They do belong to someone who checks them regularly. There is plenty of graze, water and shelter. If the weather becomes bad they will be moved into a paddock.
She has achieved the Unmarried Amishman Beard!
& When my hands get cold doing chores, sinking them into the plush, down to the heat beneath, is the best way to get them warmed up
OK, I think these are the winning yaks. The yakkiest and the cutest. (No offense to all the other very cute specimens).
And the yaks with the hairiest legs!
My husband calls his horse the world’s most extravagant and expensive hand warmer
That middle one is really rocking the forelock.
He has completely lost his tail, somewhere in his life. It isn’t a problem as the herd always hangs out together so he borrows someone else’s for fly control in the summer.
Awww! Poor guy.
Maybe all the hair is growing out the front end as compensation?
I’m from Florida. We clip legs year round to keep the gunk away. Unclipped legs at the horse show just seems…uncouth to me. Dora never got a body clip in Florida because she never grew enough hair, but alas, we’re now in NorCal where it gets “cold” (yes I know you northeasterners are laughing at me).
Behold, the hock/gaskin/stifle warmer:
She gets a blanket clip, so was clipped above the stifle 🤦🏻
At least she wears boots and polos in the ring!
Hahaha! Cheater! He’s (she’s?) adora-bull.
Feronia is not really a yak at all, but more fuzzy than she has been in the past. She has feathers all the way up and down her legs!
She’s getting blanketed less this winter - basically nekkid if it’s above freezing and dry. So she’s more fuzzy.
You might be surprised how well their coats shed wet. Something about the growth pattern channels water down their sides.
I was late (Horror!) feeding dinner grain yesterday as I had my own dinner party to go to.
I fed extra hay before I left, but all 3 were waiting outside for me when I drove up - a whole hour later than usual.
It was raining & all 3 were wet on their backs, but not soaked through to skin & bellies were warm & dry.
Same for snow - if it’s piled on their backs, but they’re not wet to the skin, I don’t blanket.
If snow is melting, they’re losing heat & I’ll blanket (100g fill) until their backs are dry.
They have access to stalls in any weather & more often choose Out over In in all temps
Their choice.
My “herd” is:
23yo Hackney Pony
21yo TWH
9yo mini
I’m in the Midwest, so Polar Vortex Winters aren’t a rarity.
My blankets are used so little that though all are near 10yo, they look new.
This one is 25 and doesn’t grow a big coat, and is out 24/7 with a shed. She does get chilled if she gets really wet in cold rain… just would rather not go there with her. She’s typically blanketed one level “below” the other horses.
At my previous barn there were boarders who got very upset that she’d be turned out naked in 45 degree weather! Never mind when it was 30… These were the same people who were blanketing their trace-clipped horses when it was 65, of course.
You know her best.
I let mine tell me if they’re cold.
I check for warmth:
Brisket
Flanks
Ears
If any one of mine looked close to shivering, on goes the blanket!
I’m not at all anti-blanket, just roll my eyes at people who go by if I’m cold, my horse is cold
BTW:
My Walker asks if he can use Feronia’s headshot as a pinup
Full body would be good too