VERSHIRE, Vt. (WCAX) – Horse and cattle owners are preparing to take care of their animals that spend much of their time out in the elements as frigid temperatures bear down on the region.
Sarah McRae Thrasher has loved horses for her whole life. For the past 20 years, she has raised Connemara ponies, a hearty Irish breed.
Lately, she has been watching the forecast closely.
“It is very concerning, especially when we went from 35 degrees the other night to now it is going to be 50 degrees colder,” McRae Thrasher said.
Below-zero temperatures at the Vershire property mean the hay needs to get hauled more frequently. Hay, fiber and water are the horses’ lifeline in extreme cold.
“If they have access to that, it’s like a wood stove. You keep feeding the wood. The fuel keeps them warm,” McRae Thrasher said.
The wind is also a concern. Animals prone to cold, or those with thinner coats, will wear blankets. Older animals, or those recovering from surgery, will stay in their stalls.
“You know, knowing your horses, being diligent about watching them. Earlier detection is best,” McRae Thrasher said.
Feed is the heat source for cows, as well. Their four stomach pouches produce internal energy.
“They are ruminants, so they are like little BTUs, like little furnaces almost,” said Will Gladstone, whose family owns the Newmont Farm in Bradford.
He said making sure equipment doesn’t gel up is the top priority.
“It’s as much making sure they have food and water available to them and shelter, obviously,” Gladstone said.
Heaters keep the water from freezing back in Vershire. Most of the horses will stay outside all night.
“When they can move around and generate their own heat, as long as they have food and water, they tend to do better,” McRae Thrasher said.
That is as long as the dinner continues to be served.
“We just keep feeding them,” she said.
McRae Thrasher said it’s very important to have an established relationship with a veterinarian you trust, so when problems arise, they will show up even on the coldest of days.
