Winterizing for us includes the following:
1. Changing regular water buckets to heated buckets. Peggy and I had to figure out how to run the cords for each stall. Zip ties were are friends :)
2. Changing water troughs to heated muck buckets. Luckily Peggy had already run an extension to one area of the turn out, so that one was easy. The second bucket, we were able to use the extension cord used for the fan. The last bucket needed an extension cord too. Peggy found an old one strung up to power a winch they used for an old pony. A litter redirection and it worked for the muck bucket. Keeping them drinking is the number 1 factor we focus on.
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| 4 years ago when Rosemary first came |
3. Blankets, blankets and more blankets. My guys have a sheet, lite weight 100grm, mid weight 200grm and a heavy weight 300grm each. I am getting Peggy to blanket Sonny, her old guy, much more and to at least put a sheet on Comrade. Of course we have to fix blankets a lot too, thanks to Sonny.
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| Sonny vs blanket, obvious who won |
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| 45min of hard work |
4. Adding wheat bran and salt to the horses food. During the winter we use hot water to warm the horses food which they absolutely love. Our teapot comes out during this time of the year. The wheat bran puts more fluid into their food and the salt encourages them to drink. Sonny gets 3-4 meals so he can maintain his weight during the winter.
5. Trace clips for anyone who needs it. So far I have Rosemary done.
6. This is a new one, Making drop down sides for the new run in shed. We got a 20x40 carport with 8ft legs last week. They built it over the fence giving us 2 20x20 covers. Originally we were going to put kick boards on the inside and T1-11 on the outside. Then we found we liked the openness. So now we are putting mesh livestock fencing on the inside and will use tarp to make drop down sides for the outside to be used in the winter or bad weather.
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| Nice and airy |
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| side view |
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| Pony blockade after pictured pony went under the siding |
