Re: Fjords in the cold
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jean, I like your idea of scattering the hay around on the snow to make them work for it and it imitate grazing. On our windless days (not a whole lot!), I will do this. We, also, feed several times a day- usually 4- to space out their binges. To see a Fjord eat, oh, my gosh --- bingeing is the only word that comes to mind. My Arab who just turned 27 just pretends to eat hay. Most of it falls out of his mouth in wet globs on the ground. Well, you know who, doesn't mind that it's recycled! He cleans up every little wad. Yuck! (The Arab gets 3 meals a day of Senior Feed and hay cubes soaked in warm water). What we do for our horses!!! Susan in MN
Re: Fjords in the cold
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mark, We are in Minnesota so are getting the same cold snap as you are. I used to bring our Fjord in when it hit about 5-10 degrees above 0, then I started hearing from Jean in Alaska and started getting braver, first -5, then -10, --- now we almost always leave him out, even when it gets to be -25 wind chills, however, tonight it's supposed to be -20 and who knows what wind chills so we brought him in. No matter what the temperature, we have never seen him shiver (like our Qtr. Horses), and he seems happy to be out in it (unlike ourselves!). I always give him extra hay in his feeder before we go to bed to help him keep his furnace going and to give him something to do, since he's out there by himself at night. Susan in frigid MN (OK, Beth, stop rubbing our noses in your warm temps!! Ha Ha)
Re; Fjords in the cold
This message is from: Philis Anderson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hi list and Mark and Lisa, Here in northern Minnesota on Lake Superior, actually up over the hill about two miles from the Lake I have been letting my Fjords stay out at night, depending on the wind-chill factor. They do have access to getting in the barn and out of the wind. Often in the morning when the wind has been blowing, the horses are up on the hill with their rumps to the wind, when they could be in the barn out of the wind, and they know this. If it is really extreme with strong winds I put them in at night. The one that I worry about is my 29 yr old Arab mare, but she seems to be doing fine. Also, I like them to have access to water at night and our homemade water tank is outside. It is self filling with a toilet float in the tank. The funniest thing that I have observed this winter is my coming two yr old filly. This AM I looked out the window to see her sitting on her rump like a dog and sliding down a hill, she then flopped onto her side and slid head first down the rest of the way. I saw her do this one other time this winter. I think she's part otter. Also hope she doesn't twist her gut. She also knows how to open electric fence gate handles, but she did get shocked on her last attempt. It slowed her down a bit. One piece of information, for what it's worth. My father was a luthier (violin maker) in his retirement. He rehaired many bows and always wanted to get horse hair from horses that lived in Siberia. He said that the hair was better because the horses were healthier. If a horse is sick even one day, it changes the diameter of the hair, making it weaker and of lesser quality. Keeping warm from Minnesota, Philis Anderson
Re: Fjords in the cold
This message is from: Mike May, Registrar NFHR [EMAIL PROTECTED] At 11:20 AM 1/10/99 -0600, you wrote: This message is from: Mark and Lisa K. McGinley [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mike May, Registrar NFHR wrote: Oh yeah when you transfer a horse with an old certificate still use the old blue Transfer Report form. A new certificate will be printed for the new owner. They look great. Nice and readable. The laser or inkjet printing looks better than the old impact or pin printing. nice enough to frame. Yes they are Laser Printed now. I said farewell to the old dot matrix finally. The old ones had to be manually fed and aligned exactly to print on those lines!!! The new ones are completely printed from the laser printer. All but the red border. Glad you like them. === Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry Mike May, Registrar Voice 716-872-4114 FAX 716-787-0497 http://www.nfhr.com mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Fjords in the cold
This message is from: Mark and Lisa K. McGinley [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mike May, Registrar NFHR wrote: We also were pleased to receive the registration certificate for our foal born last April in the mail today... Yes you have one of the new certificates. So how do you like it? For those that don't know they are now on an 8.5 x 11 paper so they fit in normal file folders and plastic sleeves etc. Also you now get a nice new certificate when the horse is transferred. The Transfer Report Change of Status Report are now right on the back of the certificate so all you have to do is fill it in sign it and send it to me. The new owner gets a nice new one without the manure stains on it! ;-) Oh yeah when you transfer a horse with an old certificate still use the old blue Transfer Report form. A new certificate will be printed for the new owner. Mike They look great. Nice and readable. The laser or inkjet printing looks better than the old impact or pin printing. nice enough to frame. Mark McGinley Mariposa Farm Washburn, WI
Re: Fjords in the cold
This message is from: Mike May, Registrar NFHR [EMAIL PROTECTED] At 09:36 PM 1/9/99 -0600, you wrote: This message is from: Mark and Lisa K. McGinley [EMAIL PROTECTED] We also were pleased to receive the registration certificate for our foal born last April in the mail today, thanks Mike (Mariposa's Fair Asa. She is out of Fair Acres Alida, our mare, and Anvil's Jon). She is doing great, about 650 pounds and almost as tall as her dam. She's a nice looking red dun. This is her coming out notice Yes you have one of the new certificates. So how do you like it? For those that don't know they are now on an 8.5 x 11 paper so they fit in normal file folders and plastic sleeves etc. Also you now get a nice new certificate when the horse is transferred. The Transfer Report Change of Status Report are now right on the back of the certificate so all you have to do is fill it in sign it and send it to me. The new owner gets a nice new one without the manure stains on it! ;-) Oh yeah when you transfer a horse with an old certificate still use the old blue Transfer Report form. A new certificate will be printed for the new owner. Mike === Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry Mike May, Registrar Voice 716-872-4114 FAX 716-787-0497 http://www.nfhr.com mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Fjords in the cold
This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Mark McGinley: Enjoyed your post about spending time outdoors with your horses. As a newcomer to the Fjord, hobby farm life and everyday horse-care the list has been a wealth of information and support. We live in the Minneapolis area, so our weather is similar to yours. I have a similiar schedule to yours - out all day, in at night. My Fjord is l0 and had lived outside (with a shelter) all his life prior to coming here. I wondered how he would react to being in a night. So far so good. He does not appear frustrated - no chewing, pawing or irritated behavior. I do turn both him and my QH out all day - regardless of the temp..- although I blanket my QH if very cold /or very windy :) After reading the stories on the list about Fjords outside all the time in minus temps I realize bringing my Fjord inside is not a necessity but a niceity and more for my mental comfort - HA!! I chuckle whenever I see every hair on his big body standing on end - just have to go give him a big hug!!! Let's hope this cold snap is almost over - a January thaw should be here soon. Linda in -20 degrees, new fluffy snow, no wind, and beautiful Minnesota
Re: Fjords in the cold
This message is from: Jean Ernest [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mark and Lisa, I leave my four FJords out all the time here in our Fairbanks winter, with a run-in shelter, even at -40 and -50. I did put them in the little barn one year when we had a cold snap of -65 for a week. They were in 12 hours and out 12 hours and did just fine. of course we usually do not have any wind at the lower temperatures and their coats are really thick with plenty of under fur. When it is -25 and below I like to give them extra hay feedings throughout the day. Hay digesting in their belly's creates heat. They will run around and play several times during the day and seem to enjoy themselves. When it is REALLY cold for a time (say -50 for several days) I will bed their run-in shed with some of the older less desirable hay and then feed them all they want of the good grass hay, sometimes take buckets of lukewarm water for them to sip and flap their lips around int and get the ice of their nostrils. I think they are happier being able to move aout freely in and out of their run-in shelter, and the temperature is at least ten degrees warmer under the roof when they're all standing there. If we had the winds and cold that people get in North Dakota and Minnesota and eastern Montana I might want to stable them more. Also if it was rainy and windy, etc. but the snow doesn't even drift here, lays on the fence rails , no wind to disturb it usually (except we had a bit of wind the last couple days, but the shed sheltered them) I do believe the Fjords get acclimated to these winters up here, but one thing that is most important is to ALWAYS have water available in a heated tank. Being outside there is less chance of respiratory problems, etc. And they are getting exercise every day running around playing and chasing each other. I think there is less chance of Intestinal problems (impactions) with the exercise and warmed water available, also feeding hay several times through out the day (Why not just put it all out at once and let them eat free choice you ask? Well, you know Fjords...They would eat it all up at once! and just stand there and eat all day..in one end and out the other! and wind up looking like fat sausages!) In the middle of the day I'll scatter their hay all over the paddocks on the snow so they have to work a little at it like grazing, keeps them busy. Jean in Fairanks, Alaska, -15 all day today (Mild!) With the recent cold snap (normal for this time of year), I was wondering what all the northern Fjords do when the temperature gets below 0 F. I guess what I'm curious about is when you let them in their stalls for additional warmth. ** Jean Ernest Fairbanks, Alaska [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Fjords in the cold
This message is from: Mark and Lisa K. McGinley [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hello all, ...From Northern Wisconsin. Today (Saturday) was about 2 below 0 (F), sunny and strangely warm feeling compared to the recent past. We spent all day in the barn mixing new grain and cleaning stalls, and scrubbing buckets. (Which is nice to do in the daylight for a change). The horses love it when we work outside with them. A lot of running and jumping and chasing the sheep around. Sometimes I think we have herding horses and herding dogs. With the recent cold snap (normal for this time of year), I was wondering what all the northern Fjords do when the temperature gets below 0 F. I guess what I'm curious about is when you let them in their stalls for additional warmth. We usually turn ours out during they day (6 AM to 6 PM) if the temperature is above 5 below and it's not too windy. We bring them in at night to grain and hay them and then leave them in. They do fine at night but I feel they would rather be out during the day (even if it is 20 below). As it is now we leave them in and are gone at work all day. Weekends are better because we can let them out a little later when the sun is higher. ...Just wondering what the rest of the northern herd does. We also were pleased to receive the registration certificate for our foal born last April in the mail today, thanks Mike (Mariposa's Fair Asa. She is out of Fair Acres Alida, our mare, and Anvil's Jon). She is doing great, about 650 pounds and almost as tall as her dam. She's a nice looking red dun. This is her coming out notice Also, I would like to thank the list for the round pen / longeing / halter ideas. This information comes in handy as we are planning a round pen as well as additional pasture space this spring. Thanks, Mark McGinley Mariposa Farm Washburn, Wisconsin
