We’ve all had those days. Or have we? Photo by Liz Schatz.
Yesterday winter came calling officially with a full day of ice, snow, sleet, and horrid cold. I did what I had to in the barn, tucked my ponies in safe and sound, and drove carefully at 25 mph back from my work barn. I can deal with cold, but when the precipitation comes, count me out. No thank you.
News From Around the Globe:
Olympic Committee Thomas Bach says he’s confident that the Tokyo Olympics will go in summer 2021. This will be the first global sports event since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent coronavirus transmissions, the Japanese Olympic Committee plans to ask the participants to basically stay inside the athletes’ villages, except when training or competing. Spectators will be asked not to speak loudly at the venues and to adhere to other restrictions. [Tokyo 2021 Prepared to Go]
Outfitting horses in winter can be an exercise in perseverance and patience, but blanketed horses stay warmer and conserve more energy than their naked peers. Thermoregulation is an energy-expensive proposition for horses. As temperatures plummet, how does blanketing affect hay consumption and body condition changes? A group of researchers set out to determine the daily hay intake, body weight change, and body condition score changes in blanketed and non-blanketed horses living in western Wisconsin. So you know it’s expert on cold weather. [Winter Care of Horses: Blankets & Body Condition]
You’ve heard all about how Thoroughbreds are the ultimate versatile athlete that can excel in multiple disciplines, you’ve done your research and made your budget, and you can’t wait to start working with your very own. But how do you go about acquiring a retiring racehorse? Here’s a helpful guide. You know you want to put a Thoroughbred ex-racehorse in your barn… but how? Between aftercare organizations, reselling agents, horses already in training for a second career and horses coming directly off the track, there’s an overwhelming array of options, and it’s difficult to know which way to acquire a Thoroughbred is the best way: as with many such questions in the horse industry, that answer depends on a lot of factors. [How to Acquire an Off-Track Thoroughbred]
Feeling that holiday spirit? Got your Mariah Carey Christmas playlist going full time? Check out these beautifully decorated barns and farms to inspire you to get out this weekend and make your barn instagram worthy. [10 Decorated Barns to Get You in the Holiday Spirit]
Holiday Horse Song: Christmas Tune: Missing Shoes
Important video of the day:
