I am definitely just about OVER this crazy Tennessee winter… cold, ice, snow, and worst of all, MUD.
Repeat with me… “just a little while longer, just a little while…”
One thing that’s making the winter slightly more bearable is keeping up with proper horse hoof care.
Even 7 years after relocating to Franklin, TN from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I continue to have a hard time swallowing the “winter” weather here… basically a bunch of cold, yucky rain and muddiness from Nov-Feb. I have MISSED the falling snowflakes, the trees outlined in white!!
I have heard mounds of horror stories regarding taking care of horses in the winter… that even as far south as Tennessee, one would end up spending hours breaking up ice in the water troughs with a sledgehammer. That water lines freeze and horses get dehydrated.
All Tennessee horse people dread the winter for 1 main reason…
WINTER = MUDDY HORSES
We are seeing LOTS of this at the Green Barn and we haven’t even reached Turkey Day yet!
Sighhh…
So, in preparation, I am reviewing my protocol* for healthy horse winter grooming:
That is the question!
It’s getting to be about that time… blanket time.
I’ve been in barns where nobody wears a blanket… EVER…!! “they’re horses! ummm, hello? they’re used to the weather!!!”
…and i’ve been in barns where we have bunches of blankets… i.e.