Hi All,

   Well this is the 5th of December.  Houston had snow yesterday, so it appears that winter is here.  Ohio was in the lower 20's last night and won't get out of the 30's today.  There is still enough heat in the barn to keep the buckets from freezing, but the weather is fair warning to us all.

   Disconnect your hoses from the hose bib at night and let them drain.  There is almost nothing worse than having to fix a broken spigot in the winter.

   Check your outside tanks.  If they are the self filling type, make sure that they are weatherized to not freeze and burst.  If they are the standard tank, dump it and clean it one last time.  If you keep it full during the winter months, now is the time to check your heater or de-icer if you use one.  A simple method of clearing tanks through the winter, is just to leave a wooden pole setting in the water all winter.  The ice will form last around the pole, and if it does form it will not usually be thick enough to prevent you from grabbing the pole and using it break the ice.

   Horses need water in the winter.  They will not get adequate amounts from eating snow.  A dehydrated horse is tougher to keep warm and will drop weight quickly.  Make sure that your horses have plenty of hay in the winter.  Grain provides quick energy but will not keep the horse warm through the night.  The coarser the hay (within reason) the more body heat will be generated as the gut breaks the fibers in the hay down.  Stabled horses may chill if they cannot move around adequately to keep warm.  Horses kept outside in the winter generally do just fine as long as they have a shelter of some sort to use as a wind break.  Pay extra attention if you have ice storms predicted... the horse's coat will protect him from most moisture, but if it is raining decently you may want to help him not get soaked to the skin. 

   Well, Christmas is only 3 weeks away.  We wish you all Happy Holidays and a Very Merry Christmas!

Welcome to Liberty Equine Supply !

We're Liberty Equine Supply, your full-service center for horse care and services. While this website is still under construction it is never the less, fully functioning and ready to go. Please feel free to browse and shop.  Visit our calendar for local events.  Check our favorite links listing for breed associations and other services.  We will be continuing to add new pages and links on a daily basis, so check back often to see what is new.  If there is something that you cannot find, we may have it in the store, so  feel free to call on us at 1-937-839-4262 or email us at libertyequinesupply@juno.com