10/11/2026
Throwback to frosty juniper, bright blue sky, and the welcoming committee. ❄️
November 2022 in Central Oregon, and the herd came to say good morning like they always do. Cold days like this look effortless for them, but winter at a sanctuary starts long before the first frost.
Here are four ways Broken Arrow Ranch and Sanctuary gets ready for winter:
🐴🐴More hay, more warmth. Digesting forage creates body heat, so hay is the best “furnace” a horse or mule has. Rations go up as temperatures drop.
🧊💧Water that doesn’t freeze. Horses drink less when water is icy, which raises the risk of colic. Keeping water open and flowing all winter is a daily part of actively managing a ranch in the cold.
💨💨Shelter from the wind. Cold alone rarely bothers them. Wind and wet are the real threats, so windbreaks and shelter matter more than walls.
🤠🐴Hands-on checks. Thick coats can hide weight loss, so we check body condition by touch, plus watch hooves for sn*******ng and ice.
Winter is quiet out here, but the care never takes a day off. 🤍
