Heaven Sent Farm, LLC

12/06/2025

12/05/2025

You know it's cold when Jordan lets me put a blanket on him 😆

He is well known for being a fully unblanketed thoroughbred who just HATES the feeling of a blanket on. But when it's cold and wet enough he'll happily agree to wear one 🙏🏻

This morning I noticed he didn't have that classic "snow blanket" across his back like the others, instead he was wet from the escaping heat from his coat melting the snow as it fell. So in a sheet he went and he's now happily eating hay with his buddies, some in blankets and some without 🐴 ❄️

Cribbing Note:
Excuse his cribbing, he had just had some treats post-blanketing and he often cribs after eating treats & meals. He's been medically checked and his diet adjusted many times, and we believe at this point it's likely old stress or potentially jaw discomfort, although cribbing is also generally his go to coping skill for any body pain.
He has always cribbed after meals and at this point having ruled out any pressing meducal issues and taking into account the ones we know he has, he's allowed to use it to soothe around feeding time.
In fact I now use his cribbing as a guide to how he's doing- mild cribbing for less than 5 minutes after meals is normal for him, anything outside of that is cause for concern and health check for Mr Jordan 🐴

12/05/2025

12/05/2025

12/04/2025

Heaven Sent
"Emma"

Happy 14 years together (officially), with 20 years of you in my life ♥️

We wouldn't be Heaven Sent Farm without her

12/04/2025

An excellent example of why I request we don't use chains at our farm, becoming curious about why the horse is uncomfortable rather than trying to physically control them.
Such an eye opening video!

12/03/2025

12/03/2025

12/03/2025

12/02/2025

THE COLD WEATHER IS UPON US! ❄️

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice; good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal, and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

12/02/2025

11/29/2025

Two horses in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have tested positive for EHV-1, and a third horse was euthanized without testing due to severe clinical signs. There is no known link between these cases and the WPRA outbreak.