TexAltaRescue.com

Posts Tagged ‘winter’

Well looks like winter is here with a vengeance. After a week of -30C we finally have had a good dump of snow. Almost 60 cms in three days. That brings our winter total to about 90cm’s. Could use some more for spring moisture but not complaining as this is enough to slog though for now. The animals are all doing well but looking forward to the end of the deep freeze that is supposed to happen in a day or two. Hope so as it has been no fun feeding in this weather. pulling the sled with the feed on it through knee deep snow and trying to find the feed tubs has been interesting to say the least. Will be good when it is warm enough to get the tractor going to plow out some paths.
The horses are cranky in the cold and not to interested in attention though we still have a few that like a hug even when the weather is bad. When it warms up to a balmy -10C they will all be no doubt standing around basking in the heat. If we are lucky enough to happen to have sun with the warmer weather then they will be a very happy bunch and more than willing to have any attention that we can give them.
The dogs have weathered the cold by cuddling up at night in their houses packed with straw and coming out for two daily howling sessions, Can almost set your clock by them they are at nine in the morning and four in the afternoon. The howlings are not reserved for cold weather and times will change come spring with more light but I guess they figure they have to welcome the day and say farewell to it at night. They also have to bark at anything unusual that they figure may be a threat to their domain and when the weather is cold and clear there are many spooky sounds out there. However even the bravest barker eventually figures enough is enough and heads back to the warm straw.
The cats have decided that in this weather they no longer really need to make the trek to the house to remind us that it is feeding time and that they will get their food and warm water delivered without setting a paw out in the snow. There are a few that come to the gate to meet me but are more than happy to go back into their little house and enjoy their meal. They have several small straw filled cubicles to cuddle up in with their choice of room mates in what used to be a chicken house. Though the main door is closed in the cold they have two small cat sized doors on on each side of the building so they don’t feel trapped and the new cats that get dropped off quite regularly at our driveway can find their way to the food and comfort inside. When the weather warms up and the paths are clear again I will no doubt have many cats coming up to meet me and following me back the the cat house like they do in the summer.
All in all we are getting through the winter and with only three months to go should be well on our way to getting prepared for the next one soon. This winter has seemed longer than most already because with the drought last year we had to start feeding the horses hay in September. Hopefully the coming summer will give a little more rain to grow the pasture and hay needed and we won’t have to start feeding till well into November. For now we are looking forward to spring and the new Paint foals that will soon be running around with their mothers. Spring time and new foals what more could you ask for?

Gem last winter

                                                                             In April of 2010 we were offered a quarter horse mare said to be ten years old.  Upon seeing her we knew that she was much older than ten more like well into her twenties.  She had been bought before and returned to the seller as her new owner was going through a divorce and no longer had a place to keep her.  She was in need of a forever home so we took her as she was with out disputing her age.  Over the summer she filled out and some of her former beauty showed through.  She provided many a ride for the grandchildren and a few for me as well though feeling sorry for her I did not ride here for long periods of time.  She is a sweet old lady even though at times she is a little cranky in her old age.  As winter creeps upon us she has now been put in a pen with six other horses that need extra feed for the winter and daily enjoys alfalfa cubes, alfalfa pellets, beet pulp pellets and oats soaked in hot water till they swell up.  When the pails are brought in I am warmly, if a little impatiently, welcomed till the warm feed has been divided between the  tubs and then of course I am forgotten about completely as they stand happily munching on their treat of the day.  Gem also has a choice of brome and alfalfa, timothy and oat straw round bales to eat on night and day.  Hopefully she and her pasture mates, Sandy, Don, Dante, Misty, Tiny and Dakota will winter well and be ready to run on the grass again come spring time.  I’m sure the kids will be looking froward to more rides when the weather warms up. 

Enjoying the sunshine

Bill heading out for hay

The hay fields on our land were all cut and baled on shares by a neighbour in late July. There were a few more bales than we expected due to the drought this year, but a lot less than we need to get us through the winter. In early August Bill started up the tractor to bring our share in to the feedlot. Our son Stephen came home after about five had been brought in, and then disappeared only to return about ten minutes later in as close to a Mad Max Mobile as you can get.

Stephen and the Mad Max Mobile

Slow but sure getting the bales in

49 bales were lined up in the feedlot with spaces between to put the 100 – 125 we still have to buy. The horses will get a variety of feed with the Timothy and Brome off our place and what ever types of hay we can purchase. Hopefully we will be able to buy for a reasonable price but prices are high right now.

Looking a little fuller

With the price being between $50 and $80 dollars a bale delivered, it will likely cost between $5000 and $8000 to get the horses through the winter. Then we will also need to find some straw bales for bedding, as well as oats and alfalfa pellets for extra energy for them in the really cold weather. The thoroughbreds and Arabs will need to have a lot more feed than the rest, but hopefully we’ll find some good timothy straw as that works well for them to eat on all day between feeding the regular hay.

Stephen kicking up dust

We are hoping that next year we will have equipment of our own to put up our own hay. If put up earlier in a good year we could get two cuttings off the land and would very likely not have to buy much in. The neighbour that puts up our hay now, does not believe in a second cut, but a lot of others around us get quite a bit of hay on a second cut. Till then we will do what we can to keep the animals fed and comfortable. Here’s hoping for a better year next year and the end to the drought. We would have gladly taken some of the excess rain from the south and Manitoba and Saskatchewan. We will keep our fingers crossed for better conditions for all provinces for next year.