Lulu and Fanny and the sheep will spend this night dry and out of the wind in the Pole Barn, if there is one thing sheep and donkeys don’t like, its an ice storm, which is what is happening now. When I come out into the pasture, Lulu comes out to meet me, hoping for a treat. She got one, some alfalfa cookies.
I wouldn’t care to be an animal outside on this cold night, but these are hardy desert and mountain animals, they can endure much worse than this, and have for many thousands of years. I have to confess to loving storm photos, they bring an intensity to life and photographs.
My temperatures are not nearly as low, but because it is raining, their hair cannot insulate as well. For my ponies, I wish for snow. They have shelter but prefer at first, to stand in the rain. If they get too wet, its too late. I give them lots of sawdust bedding which they use as a bath towel by rolling. Then they are less wet, but still wet. Eventually, their body heat will help dry the skinmost layer. The goats have sense enough not to go out in the rain.