We had an Arctic front sweep in late yesterday, delivering a blizzard overnight and then sub-zero temperatures today -- with snowdrifts everywhere. Sub-zero for us is fairly routine and our horses are used to it, but we continued to have wind throughout the day ... and that's a problem for the horses when it's this cold. Some of our horses are blanketed all winter long, but others aren't unless the weather turns like this. Alayne took the photo of me putting a blanket on blind Guadalupe today.
As I write this at 8 p.m., it's 5 below zero and the wind is blowing 10 miles an hour. Brrr.
Who we blanket and when depends on a lot of variables: Body condition, age, quality of winter coat, type of shelter (run-in vs. barn stall), individual tolerance for cold, and of course, the weather itself.
And we're in for a sustained cold spell. Here's the National Weather Service forecast this evening for our location for the next few days:
--
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of snow, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around -11. East northeast wind between 11 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
M.L.King Day: Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 6. East northeast wind between 10 and 13 mph becoming light. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Monday Night: Patchy freezing fog. Mostly clear, with a low around -19. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: Patchy freezing fog. Mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 1. Calm wind becoming west between 4 and 7 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around -16. West wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.
--
As you can imagine, getting the dogs to stay outside long enough in this kind of weather to do their business is always a challenge! At least we don't have that problem with the horses!
In the background of the photo above is Beauty's Barn on the left and our new hay barn on the right. If that building looks big, it's because it is a whopper -- 100 feet long and 32 feet wide with 20-foot high walls. Just what you need to store more than 100 tons of hay! Having that hay barn has saved us an immense amount of time and effort this winter. Before we built it, we stored our hay in a neighbor's barn almost a mile away, which meant we had to load at least 2 tons of hay on our flatbed trailer every week, drive it back to the ranch, unload and stack it at the various horse barns. Honestly, we didn't need the exercise!
-----
Update on Snowball and Popeye: Dr. Jennifer Rockwell at Montana Veterinary Specialists called this weekend to say that although she drained more fluid from Snowball's chest, he is perking up and has begun eating again ... and that is great news. Popeye continues to make progress with his eye, and Dr. Brenda Culver plans to do a follow-up procedure to close his eye socket again this week.
Reading this just made me cold, brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! I thought I was cold! I hope every creature, you & Alayne are staying warm. I'm so glad to read that Snowball is doing better as well as Popeye. Please be careful in that bitterly cold weather!
Sending warm hugs,
ginger, Tobias & Tlingit
Posted by: ginger & Tobias (the greythound) | January 21, 2008 at 02:21 PM
Sounds freezing! It's cold here near Boulder today too...only 12 degrees and snowing.
Stay warm and cozy if ya can!
Posted by: Linda O'Neill | January 21, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Snowball is close to my heart because one of the cats I adopted came from the same horrible animal hoarder -- and these cats so deserve a few good years filled with clean conditions, good food, and love. Thank you for all you're doing for Snowball -- and keep us posted. My heart goes out to him.
Posted by: Helen Rietz | January 21, 2008 at 08:59 AM
Cold, white and beeeautiful!
I was happy to hear that Snowball is feeling well enough to eat; the best sign!
I hope Popeye's eye procedure goes well and he can get back to the ranch soon; there's kitties he needs to start playing with.
Posted by: Boundforglory | January 21, 2008 at 07:25 AM
Horses are amazing heat-generating plants and can do very well in the cold despite their delicate appearance. Their digestive system creates a significant amount of heat through fermentation. Here's an interesting article on thermoregulation in the horse: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/info-coldweather-man.htm
Posted by: Janet | January 21, 2008 at 06:52 AM
BRR!!and double BRR!! Might as well be in Greenbay ,with temps like that!!! Where is the hot choclate with a bit of brandy ,--- forget the hot choclate!!!!!!! What good news about Popeye and Snowball!!!! Nice way to start a new week. Take good care of yourself and try to stay warm!!! Spring will be here SOON!!!!!
Posted by: Taylors on Olympic Peninsula in WA | January 21, 2008 at 06:32 AM
Getting dogs to go outside in winter can be a chore alright, I don't imagine they wander to far from the house in that sort of weather. I'm lucky if I can get mine to even make it to the grass in those conditions, you'd think he's being told off the way he sulks out and runs back in. I'd love to be there putting blankets on the horses in winter, it certainly has to be better than making the blankets (one of the worst jobs I ever had lol). It's great to hear Snowball is perking up, fingers crossed this means you'll be able to give him that one more summer. :)
Additional: I would like to ask regular blog readers if they would be interested in an email penpal from New Zealand. I was thinking there might be others (maybe even from NZ) that would like to exchange chit chat and thoughts about the Ranch and their own animals. If so please email me at...rdrpenpal@xtra.co.nz
Andrew
Ps: For the record my a/s/l is 40/M/Feilding, New Zealand.
pps: Asked with permission.
Posted by: Andrew | January 21, 2008 at 05:06 AM
I shivered when I saw the picture of you buttoning up Guadalupe. I lived in Idaho some years ago, and the winters were much as you described. Miss Idaho; don't miss the sub-zero winters. (Although its not exactly balmy here in Phila. tonight!) Glad Beauty's Barn is helping with the hay, and cutting down the outside chore time a bit. Also happy to hear the progress of Popeye & Snowball. Keep up the excellent work you are doing -- and we'll think WARM thoughts for you!
Posted by: Donna | January 20, 2008 at 11:04 PM
"Little January
Tapped at my door today.
And said, "Put on your winter wraps, And come outdoors to play."
Little January Is always full of fun; Until the set of sun.
Little January Will stay a month with me And we will have such jolly times - Just come along and see."
- Winifred C. Marshall, January
Hang in there..brrrr is right!!!
Posted by: Shirley & James, Portland, OR | January 20, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Oh my goodness! It makes me shiver just thinking about it! And here we are at 17 degrees and thinking it's cold! We're downright balmy compared to you all! Bundle up, snuggle in and keep warm!
Posted by: Karen | January 20, 2008 at 08:49 PM