HCW’s Top 10 Ways to Ready Your Farm for Winter
Part 2 in a 2 part series
by Alayne Blickle, Horses for Clean Water
Okay. Have you started on last month’s checklist yet? If not, it’s time to get going before those north winds are a’ blowing! Early fall is a great time to get a jump on winter preparations so your farm can become chore efficient and nicer for both you and your horse. This month we finish with my top ten things to do to get ready for winter.
6) Consider your emergency and winter storm preparedness. Do you have a flashlight for the house and barn hanging in easy access locations? Are extra batteries on hand? How about fuel for generators, cook stoves or lanterns? Battery-powered headlamps that free up your hands are excellent equipment to have on hand if the electricity goes out. These can be purchased at camping stores or through catalogues. A battery-powered radio as well as a weather radio is very useful during storms and power outages. Finally, standard emergency preparedness starts with 911 information next to the phone. Include your name, address and contact information, as well as veterinarian contact information, back-up vet contacts and numbers to report power outages.
7) Review your lighting needs. Do you have adequate outdoor lighting? Are your stalls bright enough to care for your horses during our dark fall and winter evenings? When you’re feeding at night will you have enough light to see if the hay you’re feeding is green and not moldy? Would you be better able to do your manure pick-up chores in the paddocks if you had flood lighting? Have you been meaning to put in lighting along walkways or drives? Get an electrician in now and get that work done instead of waiting until temperatures are freezing and you’re trying to feed by flashlight. Adequate lighting is probably the most limiting factor for each of us in caring for our horses in the winter. A good light goes a long way towards getting chores done and making our horse lives more pleasant.
8) Buy your winter supply of hay. Eastern Washington hay growers have their hay crops in now and are busy trucking our fine Washington hay across the country (and across the ocean!). Buying your winter’s supply of hay now means a better price (and cost-savings!) for you plus you’ll have your hay supply when it gets scarce in mid-winter and others are hunting around for a good hay source. When shopping for hay choose green, leafy, fresh-smelling hay without mold, weeds, dust, foreign objects or discoloration. To determine the amount you’ll need consider this: an average 1000 lb. horse with moderate exercise will need at least 15 - 18 lbs. of hay per day. This is about 450 - 540 lbs. of hay per month. Since hay is usually sold in bulk by the ton (2,000 lbs), one ton of hay will last about 3 to 4 months per average-sized horse. For hay storage a clean, dry, convenient area is needed. Hay needs to be kept out of the sun and weather and away from dampness. Store it off ground or cement (both of which may wick moisture) on wood flooring or pallets. A spacing of 4"-6” between stacks will help with ventilation and with reducing rodent habitat reduction. If you don’t have the room for storing that volume of hay perhaps a horsey neighbor might. Two (or more) of you could go in on the purchase of the hay and reduce the cost for all.
9) Set up a water supply that won’t freeze or get icy cold. A horse drinks 8 to 12 gallons of water per day. Horses prefer water temperatures of about 45 - 65 degrees and tend to drink less when water is cold. It is very important to realize that a horse cannot get enough moisture by eating snow. A decrease in water consumption can lead to colic so make an effort to ensure your horses are drinking an adequate amount. On very cold days break and remove ice in the morning and again in the evening. You can also consider getting a stock tank heater or heated stall buckets. Another idea is to look into automatic watering systems that won’t freeze in the winter. One example of a useful automatic waterer for horses and livestock is the MiraFount. MiraFount waterers don’t require energy to run and since they hold five to ten gallons at a time, they are quick and easy to clean. They are also insulated to help keep water cooler during the summer and to prevent water from freezing in the winter. For more information on MiraFount automatic watering systems visit the website for Animal Management System at www.amsusa.net. Plan ahead and have this equipment on hand and in place before the snow flies. Another reminder: older horses or those with dental problems may not be able to drink very cold water and may require additional warming of their water. In these cases you can warm their stall buckets with some hot water from your kettle. Finally, consider insulating outside pipes and faucets with heat tape or insulation materials. Frost-free hydrants can also be installed – check your favorite hardware store for recommendations.
10) Consider your own clothing needs. Nothing is worse than taking care of your horse in the freezing cold when you are wet from head to toe and chilled to the bone. Do you need a good, waterproof jacket? Mud boots? Insulated riding boots? Insulated, waterproof gloves? A warm coat? You may want to invest in some of the high-tech cold or rainy weather gear featured at REI or other outdoor clothing stores. Think about layering – a vest with a barn coat and a waterproof shell along with proper gloves, a hat or something to keep head and ears warm and outdoor boots work very well.
It is a good feeling to be as prepared as possible even though there is undoubtedly some winter adventure just lurking around the corner. However, it is a good bet that getting these top ten “to-dos” accomplished will make you better prepared for the coming Northwest winter and in a good position for next summer, too!
Good horsekeeping to you
Around Puget Sound Washington
Upcoming Horses for Clean Water Events…
KING COUNTY:
Workshops for Livestock Owners Hands-on workshops on livestock management practices. View different options and work with technicians to discover ways you can have less mud, better pastures, & manage manure. Renton, WA. Thursday evenings 6:30-9pm, October 28th to November 18th. FREE! To register or for more information contact the King Conservation District at 206-764-3410, ext. 120.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY:
Planes, Trains, Ferries & Horses! Come visit 2 horses who have the best view property around! This cute, downtown Mukilteo horse property is literally blocks from the ferry terminal & is surrounded by development. This horse owner has learned that environmentally sensitive horsekeeping can work to his advantage by making his place an asset to the neighborhood, the waters of Puget Sound, as well as to the health of his horses. See manure management & composting, winter paddocks with footing, a large riding arena, horse pasture & more -- all on 1.5 acres in a beautiful, park-like setting. Mukilteo, WA. Saturday 10am to noon, October 23rd. FREE! To register and receive directions contact the Snohomish Conservation District at 425-335-5634, ext 4.
The HCW Horse Farm Management Series Join HCW in South Snohomish County for this 4 week series to learn techniques to reduce mud, manage manure, make pastures more productive, provide for wildlife plus have healthy horses & a chore efficient farm! Horseshoe Grange, Snohomish, WA. Tuesday evenings 6:30-9pm, October 26th to November 16th. To register or for more information contact the Snohomish Conservation District at 425-335-5634, ext 4.
SAN JUAN ISLANDS:
HCW Horse Farm Management Workshops Pasture, Manure & Mud Management Workshops. November 6th & 7th, details TBD. San Juan Islands, WA. To register or for more information 360-378-6621 or heatherh@rockisland.com.
WHIDBEY ISLAND:
The HCW Horse Farm Management Series Plan now to join Alayne Blickle & HCW on Whidbey Island in March 2005 for the full 5-week series. Learn great ways to care for your horse while reducing mud, managing manure, getting rid of weeds, making pastures productive, controlling insects – and more Bayview Cash Store Community Meeting Room, Langley, WA. Tuesday evenings 6:30 – 9pm, March 1st to 29th. To register or for more details contact the Whidbey Island Conservation District at 360-678-4708 or whidbeycd@coupeville.net.
