Current:Home > News'Hairbrained': Nebraska woman converts dining room into stable for horses during cold wave-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
'Hairbrained': Nebraska woman converts dining room into stable for horses during cold wave
View Date:2024-12-23 19:11:02
As blizzards and sub-freezing temperatures swept across most of the country last weekend, a Nebraska woman found an unconventional way to protect her horses from Mother Nature.
Kelly Rowley of Niobrara was "worried to pieces" about her two horses: Rip, a 3-year-old stallion, and Diamond, a 19-year-old mare. They were sheltering from the cold in their barn on Friday night, and they were worse off the next morning.
"I only got this hairbrained idea," Rowley told USA TODAY on Thursday. "Every time I had walked by the window and looked for them ... elbows parked on the windowsill, forehead in my palms, against the cold window, I would groan and beg for them some peace from this hell blizzard."
The next thing she knew, Rowley was converting her dining room into a horse stall. She moved the table, chairs and plants to the living room, and took pictures off the walls. She then raced out to get the horses, who willingly followed her right in.
"They were perfect angels in there, didn’t even move a bit after I got them where exactly I wanted them," Rowley said. "They just parked and drooped."
Extreme cold is dangerous for your pets.Here's what you need to do to keep them safe.
Freezing through the night
Rowley came up with the "hairbrained" plan after some initial unsuccessful brainstorming.
While the two horses were wearing blankets, they were constantly moving, "fighting the elements," and dancing around with their heads down through the night.
The next morning, despite a sinus infection, Rowley went out into the blizzard to check on Diamond and Rip and figure out how to keep them warm.
Rowley said that she initially thought of moving them to a shed but soon realized that it wouldn't have any food or light, so she dropped that idea. She then thought about taking them to her aunt's farm nearby but given the blizzard, it wasn't wise, either.
Panic set in when Rowley offered Rip and Diamond water and they took only a few sips compared to the 10 gallons they are supposed to drink each day. They also refused to eat their grains, and Rip hadn't stopped shivering.
From a dining room to a stable
Finally, Rowley thought about bringing them into her house and didn't hesitate. Once inside, she said they warmed up as she talked to them and brushed their coats, trying to "get the ice balls off or melted from their faces, necks and manes."
As for the manure?
"Unfortunately, there was a couple of accidents," she said, adding: "But I had boot trays under them, which worked like a charm."
About an hour and half later, Rip and Diamond started "coming alive" and Rowley breathed a sigh of relief.
"It wasn’t until they kind of started 'coming alive' after an hour and a half, that I decided, 'Ok they’re back. We’re good!'" Rowley said. "I took them back out, left their blankets in front of the fan to dry, watered them right away, they both drank 3 gallons each!"
'Coming alive'
Rowley, who works for the Niobrara State Park, said that she took a few pictures of the horses in the living room and sent them to a couple of her friends, which is how they started circulating on social media. Her aunt even told her to send a few shots to a local news outlet.
To her surprise, the internet was delighted by the story.
When she posted it, Rowley remembered thinking: "It is pretty funny. (It) might make someone's day."
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.
veryGood! (381)
Related
- A pregnant woman sues for the right to an abortion in challenge to Kentucky’s near-total ban
- Heather Rae El Moussa Diagnosed With Hashimoto’s Disease
- Iran’s deputy foreign minister met Hamas representatives in Moscow, Russian state media says
- FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried testifies at his fraud trial
- Queen Bey and Yale: The Ivy League university is set to offer a course on Beyoncé and her legacy
- Mass arrests target LGBTQ+ people in Nigeria while abuses against them are ignored, activists say
- Jail inmate fatally stabbed in courthouse while waiting to appear before judge
- 2024 GOP hopefuls will defend Israel, seek donors at big Republican Jewish Coalition gathering
- Residents urged to shelter in place after apparent explosion at Louisville business
- Video shows bear hitting security guard in Aspen resort's kitchen before capture
Ranking
- Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul press conference highlights: 'Problem Child' goads 'Iron Mike'
- US Virgin Islands warns that tap water in St. Croix is contaminated with lead and copper
- 3-toed dinosaur footprints found on U.K. beach during flooding checks
- In Seattle, phones ding. Killer whales could be close
- Ready-to-eat meat, poultry recalled over listeria risk: See list of affected products
- Many Americans say they're spending more than they earn, dimming their financial outlooks, poll shows
- Iranian teen injured on Tehran Metro while not wearing a headscarf has died, state media says
- Robert E. Lee statue that prompted deadly protest in Virginia melted down
Recommendation
-
The Latin Grammys are almost here for a 25th anniversary celebration
-
Genetic testing company 23andMe denies data hack, disables DNA Relatives feature
-
'Teen Mom 2' star Kailyn Lowry is pregnant with twins, she reveals
-
Halsey and Avan Jogia Make Their Relationship Instagram Official
-
Rare Alo Yoga Flash Sale: Don’t Miss 60% Off Deals With Styles as Low as $5
-
Patrick Mahomes Wants Him and Travis Kelce to One Up Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes' Handshake
-
U2's free Zoo Station exhibit in Las Vegas recalls Zoo TV tour, offers 'something different'
-
Biden will face a primary bid from Rep. Dean Phillips, who says Democrats need to focus on future