Ronda
Sounds like you had a vert rewarding day. Have you been able to get your barn repaired before the winter? While in Napa California it is not as cold as the Montreal area it has been dipping into the low 20F but no snow. In the winter I have always blanketed my horse, mainly to keep him dry during the rainy season, but also to make it easier to shed him out in the spring. Normally in the spring he has very little winter coat, but this year all the horses started to put on a winter coat at the end of September. We all said that it was going to be a cold winter this year, and so far we have been right. Have you observed how your horse puts on a winter coat and the severity of the winter. I am wondering if it is coaincidance or if animals have a built in sense of what the seasons are going to be like.

Cheers

Hi Ronda,
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I can belief you had a wonderfull walk with Star.
Hope you or your husband took pictures.
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One of my wishes is also to walk with Renkse or Luuk in the snow. November/December 2010 we had a lot of snow and that's not everytime. Now I have a litlle hope we will have snow again.
At this moment we have a lot of rain and it is mild, round about 10 C. That's very mild for the time of the year. Even the snowbells are in bloom, most of the time that's january/february.
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Hi Dennis,
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That's funny you are saying that about the winter coat and blankets.
Yesterday evening we were talking about blankets, when are you putting them on. I think sometimes people put the blankets to fast on horses. Horses have the possibility to protect themself agains cold and rain etc.
My brother in law told me that they put the blankets on because the don't want to let the horses have a wintercoat.
They put the horses two thin blankets on, that's better then one thick one.
Renske started to put her coat on end of september, I don't know if there is a sensor built in horses what will tell them that it will be a cold winter.
I will try to look this up and if I find something I will tell you.
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Have both a nice day,
May

Hi Dennis,
Actually we live on the east coast of Canada, about a thousand miles from Montreal.
It gets pretty cold here, not as cold as Ottawa or Calgary but it's a damp cold, goes right through you.
The thing about New Brunswick is; we get so much snow.
Yes Star has a beautiful winter coat. It started early this year. I really have to groom her every day or she looks like a donkey, because she is so black.
I read somewhere that all animals seem to know what time of year it is, they prepare themselves for the cold, heat and spring.
The farmers have an old saying, watch the animals and you will know what the weather will be.
I don't blanket STAR, she has access to her stall and can go in whenever she chooses.
Now saying that if the weather is wet I keep her stalled.
We were away the other day and it started to snow, she prefered to stay outside and was pretty wet. I put her in as soon as we came home. She hates the towel !!!
I really hate the extreme weather we seem to have here. It cuts into my time with training her.
We haven't been working on that barn, it would be too much work and expence.
It will be easier to rebuild in the spring, on a much smaller scale.
That barn is over a hundred years old, as the house is as well.
I really want a covered round pen, weather proff, more than a large barn.
I love the Napa Valley !!!!
Hi May,
Today it is snowing again and I will be taking STAR for another walk, I'll get Paul to take a video and post that.
You guys have a nice day,
Ronda

Ronda
Being real observant I just notice you changed your picture. Before it felt like I was talking to you directly, now it think I my be talking to the south end of a horse LOL I assume that the new picture is MySTAR. It is funny that you say STAR looks like a donkey if you cannot groom her. Most of our horses are a dark bay, and my horse remains a dark bay with black legs, but his brother starts growing very light hair on his legs , face and belly in the winter. He starts to look like a mule!. I think he gets that trait from the mothers side as he is the half brother to my horse. Same father different mother. . Since it is so mild here in the winter, we only put on a water proof sheet to keep them dry and the sheet keeps in the body heat so they don't grow a real thick winter coat, except on their neck and lower legs. Once you start using a sheet or blanket you have to continue since the horse will not have enough protection with out it. If you ever get to Napa Valley I would be happy to show you some wineries( there are about 180, as well as take a ride on my horse. I think you would really enjoy riding him.

cheers

Thank you Dennis,
Me being so observant I too just noticed the picture did not download properly, she does have a head, honest !!
I want to come to California in the near future. We have very close friends on the Baja Peninsula and I would like to see Monty as well, so you never know.
I would be so nervous to actually meet you and your wife but my husband is great with people and he would help me.
We also like wine so that would be fun.
Again thank you for your kindness,
Ronda

Ronda
The invitation is always there for you. I would love to meet you and your husband. I know you would love to ride my stallion. He is truly as kind gentle horse. He even likes our poodle!

Cheers

Ha Ronda,
That's muuuuuuuuch better... the picture, hihi...

Hi Dennis,
I have always owned poodles. Our first was a grand, huge and beautiful, he was grey, black and white, his name was Pepper.
Then we had a beautiful, miniture, chocolate colored, whose name was Coco.
And then came Zima(meaning snow, in Polish), a registered miniture, pure white.
And finally came my boy and girl. Danny and Sara, both apricott toys.
Sara was only one pound Dan was a bit bigger. They lived to be 18 years old and I loved them dearly.
They were the sweetest dogs I have ever owned. Always sitting on my lap and when it was time for bed, I would say, in your cage and they would go right in.
We've had other dogs as well but my favourite is poodles, I like their nature and their intelligence.
Enjoy your day,
Ronda

Hi May,
Thanks, at least you can see she has a head, as I promised!!
My husband is sick with a bad cold right now so I didn't get Stars' walk in the snow filmed.
As soon as he is better I'll have that done and post it.
Have a great day,
Ronda

Hi Ronda, Love the new picture! You two look very happy together :-)

Dennis, just a comment on your question about horses knowing the weather in advance.... My old TB used to grow hair overnight in summer if we had an unusally cold night. That happens where i live, one night balmy and hot, the next freezing! He would then shed it the next day if it was hot. Also i went on a Brumby tour a few years ago and the guide said that the Brumbies would always lay down in their herds for extended periods prior to a big rain as they will not lay down in the wet. He told me to observe my horses to see when they lay down for longer periods then watch for the rain...it is true!
Janelle

Janelle and Ronda

Great information and stories. The thing with my poodle is that he is smarter than I am! I know he listens to me and will do whatever I ask as long as it is reasonable. He really is my wife's dog. When we went to adopt him he had been out on the street for at least six months and looked awful. Did not and still doesn't trust people. When we first met him he would not come close to either one of us, so we were siting talking to the lady that rescued him and my wife was sitting on a bench in the corner of the room. With in five minutes of sitting down Simon (the dog) was in her lap sound asleep! He will do anything for her and mopes when she is not with him. Dogs, Horses and Cats. Treat them fairly and with love and they will do anything you ask, but only if it reasonable to them!

Cheers