'Stray' Horse, severe weather expected, advice needed.

snow_bunny

I'm sorry to ask in here but I'm not sure where else to post it for advice?

It looks like this weather is really going to turn nasty next week. There's a 'stray' horse in an open field near where we live and it doesn't look like she has any available shelter. She's a lovely gentle girl, we've started feeding her, along with other people in the locality and it's clear to see that her owners are 'less than desirable', there's no way they'll give her a blanket or move her in next week..

Is there anything we can do to help her?

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jomalone14

If you're on FB, perhaps ask <snip> for advice?

NinetyTwoTeam

Was just thinking the same about a grey horse living in a small field at the end of my street, she has a blanket on her but no shelter. Even tonight was very cold.

TG1

snow_bunny wrote: »

I'm sorry to ask in here but I'm not sure where else to post it for advice?

It looks like this weather is really going to turn nasty next week. There's a 'stray' horse in an open field near where we live and it doesn't look like she has any available shelter. She's a lovely gentle girl, we've started feeding her, along with other people in the locality and it's clear to see that her owners are 'less than desirable', there's no way they'll give her a blanket or move her in next week..

Is there anything we can do to help her?

If she is actually neglected report her to the ispca, but horses are hardier than you might think, if she has always lived out and has a good winter coat, has any kind of natural shelter in her field and is being fed additional forage she might actually be ok. Not all horses need blankets, even in this sort of weather, they are built to manage their own body temp.
But if you are concerned absolouty ring the ispca, better to be safe than sorry!

Zapperzy

Fresh drinking water availability will be a problem with the temperatures forecast next week. She'll need buckets of water dropped down or she'll have no source of water.

Knine

She will need water and hay. Lots of hay.

eeeee

As said if she's been living out and not poor there's no need for rugs. She's a cob type? They're fine in weather. As long as she has water she'll be ok. If there's no grass at all hay would be good, but she'll be able to paw at it through the snow if there is. A bit of hay would do no harm.

Latatian

Quick note to say watch what you feed her, someone near me was feeding someone else's horse grass clippings and carrots, poor horse got very sick

If she's not skinny/ribby she will likely be fine, horses are pretty well suited to the cold.

Knine

She will not be fine if she has no access to forage. Grass has very little food value this time of year and with snow on the ground, she will be very hungry. She would definitely need some hay rather then being left starving in awful weather.

Chancer3001

Why can't you feed horses carrots ??

Peregrinus

Carrots are fine. It's the grass clippings that are the problem. Horses can graze on fresh grass, but you mustn't give them grass clippings. It leads to digestion problems, plus there's a risk of poisoning.

Teyla Emmagan

Given the amount of snow expected I would definitely be looking to move her inside. A local farmer might put her up for you for a few days if you can't get a rescue.

Poor horse, it's freezing.

Ave Sodalis

Teyla Emmagan wrote:

Given the amount of snow expected I would definitely be looking to move her inside. A local farmer might put her up for you for a few days if you can't get a rescue.

We wintered a few horses out over 2010 and they were fine. It really depends on the horse.

OP, if you get no response from the SPCA, maybe look around and see if there's any local horse people around. They would have a better eye to be able to tell whether or not the horse is cold, and may have spare hay for when it snows.

eeeee

Wintered horses outside and youngstock in 2010 no bother, including more blood types without rugs.
Sounds like this animal is a cob type, they're absolutely fine out in weather, and live out normally. They've a good coat put up at this stage. No need to be put in at all.
If there's grass in that field they'll be able to dig it out in the snow, but a bit of hay would do no harm. Do make sure the water isn't frozen though, you can put a ball in the bucket to help (although we still had drinkers freeze in 2010).

snow_bunny

Thanks for the advice everyone who replied.

We went down to check on her on Sunday and she had a new trough, she seemed happy enough, we gave her a few apples. They have put another horse in there with her so at least they can huddle together. I couldn't spot any water source apart from a very shallow mucky bit of a stream (the entire field is right next to a river that she can't access, it's very boggy and mucky) so I'm going to try and get a better look tomorrow.