I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude to all of my H&R blog friends for their comforting words and smart solutions to my previous post, expressing my immense concern for the horses at my barn, who are outdoors 24/7…even when it dipped into the low teens a few weeks ago. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! You guys really put my mind at rest. Here, I’ll share a few of the comments, concerns, suggestions, and great words of comfort you guys offered (like my shades of cold blue?):

Did they make it through the cold? ?I have a photo of our horses one morning when the temp was -29F. Yes, MINUS 29F. They are standing OUTSIDE the run-in lean/shelter they have access to, just hanging out/dozing. ?When I went out to feed, none were shivering or in distress at all. If they are used to being outside 24/7 and can stay dry, you shouldn’t feel bad about your horse being outside. That is when he belongs. It is better for him in soooo many ways!?

Your horse situation sounds much like ours, and as long as ours have hay and water they are fine, even in the minus 28 actual/minus 55 wind chill we had the other day.?

I would be concerned if it rains, other than that the extra hay will get them through. ?There is a reason they grow that winter “fluff.”?

They’re fine!! ?My horses are out in negative degree wind chill, they have a 3 sided barn to get under and they chose to stay out in the pasture. ?Horses are tough!?

I cannot thank you guys enough! You really eased my mind. For those of you who live north of the Red River, I’m sure the following will entertain you. (Please don’t laugh! Keep in mind, this IS, in fact, Texas. Even in North Texas, the teens, in terms of temps equate to eminent death/demise for all!)

Once the temps hit the late 30s, the ice succumbed to its fate.

Fortunately, our extremely kind and thoughtful caretaker, made sure our water troughs didn’t freeze over. (Can’t imagine how NOT fun a job that was.)

We put out lots of extra hay to help keep their body temps up.

And, here’s my boy, Memphis…seemingly not caring about the cold in the slightest.

Thanks again to all who contributed! And, if you’ll reread the first blogger’s comment, above, I completely agree that it truly is SO much better for our horses to live in such an environment. My horse will often be muddy, accumulate minor cuts/scratches, will always have a semi-wooly winter coat (he’s a TB), because he lives within an outdoor herd. But the horses at my barn have always seemed a happy bunch. When not being ridden (their day jobs; of course they earn their keep), they’re free to live as nature intended them to. And, that makes for happy horses!

~Alana