The challenge of cold weather with horses, I'm finding, is WATER. When the temperature doesn't get more than a degree or two above freezing, the ice that formed during the night on the horse troughs doesn't melt. That's okay--I'm crazy enough to think breaking the ice in the morning is fun. It's usually only a couple of inches deep. No problem.
Well...except that if the water level is low, more ice forms. Last week, I walked out to see that Suzette's entire water supply had turned to ice. And Suzette isn't a fan of slushies.
So, we needed to fill up the tank. Simple fix, except that the hose was frozen solid.
And to those of you who are saying, "Well, DUH," I can only reply that this doesn't happen down here very often. This is the longest stretch of temperatures below 40 degrees I can remember in the last 14 years. Since I've been living with the horses these last 4 years, it's never been so cold for so long. So I'm still learning.
Anyway, buckets filled up Suzette's trough. Now I have a trickle of water running through the hose, which keeps it from freezing.
But then I went into the wellhouse for the back pastures and discovered that the PVC pipes all around the well pump had broken. Fortunately, the water was off, so we were spared the formation of an ice skating rink. Instead, we got an emergency visit from the plumber to replace all the pipes with a big black hose. And then I spent another hour or so wrapping said hose with insulation and duct tape. I like my plumber very much, but I don't want to see him again any time soon.
I think we've handled the water issue for the time being. The temperatures are supposed to moderate this week, going all the way into the 50s during the day. Everything will thaw, including the mud at the back of my hay shed, which requires 4-wheel drive settings to get through in the truck. But that's a tale for another time.
My friend in Iowa--where I found Lucy and Joy--offered to send me some snow and NEGATIVE temperatures. They've been having really challenging weather. He was smart, though, and installed an automatic watering system for his Cream Drafts. The horses just walk up to this little water fountain and get as much as they'd like to drink. I think that must be the perfect answer during the long, cold winters up north. I told him I'd be glad to take the snow and cold, but the folks who came down here to escape just that sort of torture have me outnumbered.
For a funny look at the tribulations caused by cold weather in Oklahoma, check out The Pioneer Woman's archives, where she shows her husband chopping ice on a pond so the cattle and mustangs can drink:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/blog/2009/01/working_ranch_101_how_to_chop_ice_/
Believe me, I know I've got it easy!
Stay warm,
Cheryl
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