We have made it past the Big Freeze! Wind, snow and sub zero temperatures made caring for hundreds of wild horses an extreme challenge! We have come out the other side, and are looking forward to getting back to the usual routine of feeding, watering and mending fences! (It's not glamorous- but the horses need all 3!).
Since many people do not actually own a horse we thought we would share some statistics so you can have a better feel for what we mean when we say we need hay!
Horses need 2% of their body weight in hay every day - for a 1000 lb horse that = 20 lbs daily-in extreme cold, that can double or even triple per horse out on the open prairie. Those small square bales of hay are about 45-55 lbs each.
An 1000 lb horse can need anywhere from 4 - 10 gallons of water every single day! We have stock tanks all over the sanctuary. They need heaters to keep them from freezing solid- sometimes even with a heater if the wind is crazy wild- the water can still freeze. Staff must go out and remove the ice (sometimes chopping with axes) before adding fresh water to the tanks.
There are 1320' of wire needed to fence about 100 acres. Plus posts. Plus nails. Plus tools. And these fences need regular repairs. We have approximately 10,000 acres here!
The wild horses in our care receive the care they do because of donors like you! You make it possible to keep Dayton Hyde's dream of wild horses living free a reality! Every gift, no matter how large or small makes a difference!!
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