Howling winds were the order for most of April and May. Wind makes the horses skittish and, sometimes, downright goofy. Here on my ranch in west central New Mexico, the horses run loose on large, remote range pastures that have coyotes, mountain lions and the occasional bear. During windy conditions, the horses will often not leave the headquarters corrals during the day. But, neither do they leave when the weather is inclement due to rain or snow. Bunch of bums.
The best reason I can come up with after over 40 years of working with these magnificent creatures is that they intuitively sense that nearly two thirds of their sensory early warning systems are not efficient and they are vulnerable to predators because they cannot hear when the wind is swirling among the trees or howling across the open meadows.
A week or so ago, the daytime temperatures were in the upper 70s and one day made it to 90 degrees. The horse's winter coats were just about gone and then the temperature fell through the floor for a couple of days with highs in the 40s during the day and dropping to freezing at night accompanied by high winds, over an inch of rain and sleet, and five inches of snow. The horses were miserable with the cold and wet. Shivering horses worry me not to mention I feel sorry for them. I have spent enough cold, wet nights as a Special Operations soldier and lawman in unpleasant places that I cannot stand to see my horses cold.
The latest research I have read claimed that there are at least 72 causes of colic in horses. Colic terrifies horsemen. I have battled colic for all of my years as a horseman and have had the heart breaking experience of watching good horses die while I helplessly looked on. Those I have managed to save always come with the apprehension that once a horse experiences colic, they are susceptible to recurrence for the rest of their lives. The percentage of horses that ultimately die from colic is extremely high and it is a hard way to go.
The recent erratic weather was cause for concern as it can be a trigger for colic. In the snow, rain, sleet and wind, and often in the dark, I was out sloshing around trying to get blankets on horses to get them warm. Horses can take cold or wet. They suffer when they are cold and wet, and they sure as hell cannot take being wet and cold in the wind. Feed rations have to be bumped up to get heat units into them and the adjustment in feed can also be a contributor to colic. It is a cause for sleepless nights with lots of trips out to the corrals with a lantern to check on them.
I have never been able to hire anyone to work on the ranch here that would get off their lazy butts and out of the warm house the ranch provides when the weather caused stress on the horses. Most folks just don't give a damn.
I run an occasional School of the Old West or Range Rider Seminar where I teach folks western horsemanship and shooting. Most of those that attend all claim they would like to have a horse or two and I tell them that they have no idea what they are getting into. Having horses is not like owning an inanimate toy like an ATV that you can park in the garage when you are not using it. Horses require care 365 days a year, 24/7 and it is a way of life. You live on horse time. It is not just a cool hobby unless you board your horse and give the responsibility to someone else who is doing it for the money. In such a case, you really do not know how your horse is being treated, fed or cared for. If there is a way to cut costs, such places will do so and the horse is the first one to suffer from the cutbacks which the owner may never know.
If you are thinking about having a horse, give plenty of thought to just how involved the responsibility will be.
Remember:
A man of kindness to his horse is kind,
but brutal actions show a brutal mind.
He who made thee made the brute;
Who gave thee speech and reason formed him mute.
He can't complain, but God's all-seeing
eyes behold thy cruelty; He hears his cries.
He was designed thy servant,
not thy drudge.
Remember, his Creator is thy judge.
(anonymous)
Far Rider
See to your weapons and stand to your horses
The best reason I can come up with after over 40 years of working with these magnificent creatures is that they intuitively sense that nearly two thirds of their sensory early warning systems are not efficient and they are vulnerable to predators because they cannot hear when the wind is swirling among the trees or howling across the open meadows.
A week or so ago, the daytime temperatures were in the upper 70s and one day made it to 90 degrees. The horse's winter coats were just about gone and then the temperature fell through the floor for a couple of days with highs in the 40s during the day and dropping to freezing at night accompanied by high winds, over an inch of rain and sleet, and five inches of snow. The horses were miserable with the cold and wet. Shivering horses worry me not to mention I feel sorry for them. I have spent enough cold, wet nights as a Special Operations soldier and lawman in unpleasant places that I cannot stand to see my horses cold.
The latest research I have read claimed that there are at least 72 causes of colic in horses. Colic terrifies horsemen. I have battled colic for all of my years as a horseman and have had the heart breaking experience of watching good horses die while I helplessly looked on. Those I have managed to save always come with the apprehension that once a horse experiences colic, they are susceptible to recurrence for the rest of their lives. The percentage of horses that ultimately die from colic is extremely high and it is a hard way to go.
The recent erratic weather was cause for concern as it can be a trigger for colic. In the snow, rain, sleet and wind, and often in the dark, I was out sloshing around trying to get blankets on horses to get them warm. Horses can take cold or wet. They suffer when they are cold and wet, and they sure as hell cannot take being wet and cold in the wind. Feed rations have to be bumped up to get heat units into them and the adjustment in feed can also be a contributor to colic. It is a cause for sleepless nights with lots of trips out to the corrals with a lantern to check on them.
I have never been able to hire anyone to work on the ranch here that would get off their lazy butts and out of the warm house the ranch provides when the weather caused stress on the horses. Most folks just don't give a damn.
I run an occasional School of the Old West or Range Rider Seminar where I teach folks western horsemanship and shooting. Most of those that attend all claim they would like to have a horse or two and I tell them that they have no idea what they are getting into. Having horses is not like owning an inanimate toy like an ATV that you can park in the garage when you are not using it. Horses require care 365 days a year, 24/7 and it is a way of life. You live on horse time. It is not just a cool hobby unless you board your horse and give the responsibility to someone else who is doing it for the money. In such a case, you really do not know how your horse is being treated, fed or cared for. If there is a way to cut costs, such places will do so and the horse is the first one to suffer from the cutbacks which the owner may never know.
If you are thinking about having a horse, give plenty of thought to just how involved the responsibility will be.
Remember:
A man of kindness to his horse is kind,
but brutal actions show a brutal mind.
He who made thee made the brute;
Who gave thee speech and reason formed him mute.
He can't complain, but God's all-seeing
eyes behold thy cruelty; He hears his cries.
He was designed thy servant,
not thy drudge.
Remember, his Creator is thy judge.
(anonymous)
Far Rider
See to your weapons and stand to your horses
1 comment:
that is a moving poem...thanks for that!
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