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| blanketing your horses | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 01:55 pm |
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1st Post |
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jn1022 G.O.G Community Member 
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How cold does it have to get before you start blanketing your horses? I'm in central Florida and a lot of people start throwing blankets on in the 50's. It's generally so hot down here I always figured it was a blessed relief for them to cool down some. I like to wait for the 40's myself, but if it's been in the 80's and drops to the 50's at night then that's quite a temperature change. A lot of people try to keep the winter coat off especially if they show or something. It's been in the 80's, but night before last it dropped down in the 40's and this morning I am showing 38. Brrrrrrrr. I bet that's a record for this time of year here. Jim
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 04:34 pm |
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2nd Post |
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gaitingal Ranch Hand 
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I do not believe in blanketing horses. nature provides them with an excellent blanket of their own. When it gets cold, their hairs erect to trap their body's own warm air. Blankets interfer w/ this. Also, many horses begin to sweat under their blankets. Moisture from the outside of their coat is much different than moisture against their skin. This creates a chill. I know many people blanket their horses and lock them up in stuffy barns. I do not. Well, I don't even have a stall, only a run-in shed. I guess if the horse were ill or very aged, I may re-think things a bit... But, I am a bit of a minimalist when it comes to stuff. I look to Mother Nature & use the wild horse as my model. Then I pray I use the good judgement The Lord sent with me... --Debbie in GA
____________________ "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." - Mark Twain |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 05:11 pm |
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3rd Post |
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bfs2718 G.O.G Community Member
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We blanket when one of ours shivers...seems like the right idea. That said, we do not show or have reason to keep them from growing long shaggy coats in the winter.
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 05:35 pm |
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4th Post |
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slipslider G.O.G Community Member 
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Horses IMO seldom need blankets. The only time you really have to worry is when you get a cold rain and wind. Their coats get wet and then they are unable to protect theirselves as well from the cold. As long as they have a place to get in out of the weather a normal healthy horse will be fine. I am for the first time now blanketing a horse, she is old was very thin and I was afraid her lack of fat and thin coat would not be enough to protect. Plus, being old she might not be able to rebound very well if she were to get sick. So I do blanket her a night since the temperatures have dropped. Otherwise if your horse is healthy and has place to get in to protect its self, leave it alone. Your horse will be better off in the long run and healthier for it.
____________________ LaVonne Summertime Stables, LLC |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 05:56 pm |
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5th Post |
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HopeMissouri G.O.G Community Member 
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We don't blanket any of our 4 horses. Even the 28 yo has plenty of coat. They have access to the back of the barn for warmth...they seldom come in unless it's raining. In addition to what Debbie mentions, I don't want to take any chances of their getting caught or hurt in their blankets. Our coldest night so far this season has been 25*. The temperature this morning was right at 32*. The old horse was sweatty from playing with the other guys. He would have been miserable in a blanket, plus the other horses playing with him could have gotten caught in his blanket. Hay/forage keeps my horses warm from within. They can self-regulate. Hope Kansas City, Missouri
____________________  My horses give me as much respect as THEY THINK I DESERVE. Their opinion matters. |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 05:58 pm |
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6th Post |
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jaclyn G.O.G Community Member
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I agree with not blanketing. Mother Nature has given them exactly what they need, and blanketing interferes with it. I would blanket a thin, old horse in poor conditon or for example a recently rescued horse in poor condition until they were in an improved condition.
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 06:23 pm |
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7th Post |
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ChampagneTobe G.O.G Community Member 
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I blanket when it's rainy and below freezing, or if the windchill is below freezing when it's raining and windy. That's it. CT
____________________ shameless self-promotion: http://www.tbuckalewphotography.com "God forbid I should go to a heaven where there are no horses" R.B. Cunningham Graham |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 06:30 pm |
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8th Post |
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sdlepal Ranch Hand 
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I only blanket my old horse who is turned out 24/7 when it gets really cold, rainy with the wind blowing because he shivers. Usually around January around here and I keep it on him till it warms up. He seems to appreciates it. I have done this for the past 3 years with no ill effects.
____________________ Pam and Cowboy Casey |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 09:02 pm |
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9th Post |
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gaitingal Ranch Hand
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I do not think I have ever seen a horse shiver from being cold, just from fear. I will have to keep that in mind... Yeah, Hope, that little pony mule out there would have a blast removing all that gear! I can't even keep halters on any of them for any length of time when he's around. I remember looking at my horses last Winter after it had been raining a lot. They were not wet down to their skin, only the upper layer of hair & only on the upper part of their bodies. I thought that the wet hair all stuck together probably insulated them like a layer of snow does. I dunno... They weren' shivering, but I sure was. --Debbie in GA
____________________ "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." - Mark Twain |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 10:57 pm |
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10th Post |
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SunnysMum G.O.G Community Member 
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I generally just do it when it rains, or gets down below 50. I was told if they're left wet for to long, they can get Rain Rot which is a fungus and is VERY difficult to cure. But now with my pony going in Equine Affaire, the Association said she has to be presented in short coat, and so now I'm going to have to shave her and then blanket her every night. Someone else told me when it comes to blankets, just think when you need a coat, and what type of coat you need and then go from there. Last edited on Wed Oct 29th, 2008 10:58 pm by SunnysMum ____________________ Chi ha tegoli di vetro, non tiri sassi al vicino |
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 11:36 pm |
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11th Post |
spirit
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SunnysMum wrote:
I've heard that about babies but never horses. Everything I've heard has told me that horses tolerate cold far better that heat. I'm thinking that they are just getting comfortable at 50 and 60 degrees. This does assume a healthy horse in it's natural state (not shaved) with available roughage to eat. I have seen a few TB that just will not grow a winter coat.
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29th, 2008 11:47 pm |
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12th Post |
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whattarack Pasture Boss 
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We don't blanket horses either.
____________________ Being Offended is Optional. |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30th, 2008 12:22 am |
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13th Post |
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ssecmft G.O.G Community Member 
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Guess I've never given it much thought.The only time I've ever blanceted one was an old gelding I had. That was in the trailer, taking him home from a ride. He was still damp and the air was chilly. We usually let them stand for a while, but we head for home. It can get down to -30 here with the wind sometimes. They find a place to stand out of the wind or turn their butts to it. Mother nature provides them with thick coats and we provide plenty or hay and fresh water. A good trim on their feet in November and probably not again until March. Their feet don't grow out as fast during the winter. Putting blankets on is sometimes worse than no blanket because their bodies have to adjust everytime you put them on and take them off. Shivering is natures way of helping them stay warm and letting you know they need more hay or ruffage because that's what keeps them going. Good vet and farrier care, good feed and reasonable shelter are the the basic things that horses seem to need.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30th, 2008 12:24 am |
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14th Post |
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shags G.O.G Community Member
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We never blanket and our horses are very rarely in the shed all winter. They stand around in the wind and snow and sleet with little icicles hanging off them. I'd have no problem throwing a blanket on anyone who was shivering, though. But it would be very temporary. Last edited on Thu Oct 30th, 2008 01:25 pm by shags |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30th, 2008 02:08 am |
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15th Post |
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TN Trailrider G.O.G Community Member 
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I don't blanket mine either. They are out 24/7 with access to their barn if they chose to come in out of the weather. I have read that a horse is most comfortable at 40 degrees. I wouldn't think in FL you would need to blanket at all unless you clip your horse and it gets chilly. I do own a blanket and sometimes when coming in off a trail ride and the horse is sweaty and the air is cold, I will throw it over him for awhile until the sweat is absorbed, but take it off again before loading into the trailer. They are fuzzy fat boys.
____________________ Lynne |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30th, 2008 02:14 am |
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16th Post |
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Karal G.O.G Community Member 
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At home we don't blanket. One pasture has a lean -to and the other pasture they can get in the barn. Just so they have a shelter from a cold rain. The only time we blanket is when we go on the Michigan Shore to Shore ride and the horse is picketed and limited movement and no shelter, then comes in a cold rain.
____________________ live - laugh - love |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30th, 2008 03:41 am |
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17th Post |
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jn1022 G.O.G Community Member
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In Florida, if the temp gets in the 50's you see horses in blankets all up and down the road. It can warm up 20 to 25 degrees during the day and people leave the blankets on all day. I don't blanket mine unless it's going to get down around 40 and then I take them off when I get up. It gets terribly hot and humid here in the summer and the sun is absolutely brutal. It will feel about 110+ in the sun. When we get into this time of year it can be upper 70's during the day and like this morning I was showing 38 on the thermometer when I got up. That's a huge change in termperature. I also thought that the horses were finally getting some relief from the heat and could be comfortable. When the sun got up higher in the sky about 10:00 am this morning all 4 horses were out laying at the end of their paddocks in the sun. They definitely sought out the warmest place they could. I would assume they get used to climates just like humans do. I was raised in Missouri and had to get used to the heat here and now I absolutely freeze below 60. There's usually a brisk wind blowing and the air is damp. I know a lot of them do it just to keep the winter hair off. Mine always grow a good winter coat. I did just get in from the barn and blanketing all 4 horses. It's suppose to be down around 40 again tonight and then warm back up to normal (70's) tomorrow. Horses always look like they are enjoying the snow in a lot of pics in magazines, etc. If it's getting down in 30's at all, the news on TV even tells everybody to bring all their pets in. I always thought that was crazy since my dogs in Missouri stayed out year round. Again, I would think that if they were used to such heat, your intermediate temps might feel a bit chilly to them. I don't really know. I had mine first horses for a few years before I bought a blanket and everybody here thought I was cruel. I think most of it comes from showing and they just don't want to have to clip them. Jim
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30th, 2008 04:02 am |
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18th Post |
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GypsySusan G.O.G Community Member 
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I think the growth of horse's hair coat is more a matter of the amount of sunlight than with temperature changes because mine will start shedding their summer coat and growing their winter coat in late August/early September even though the temps are still in the 90's. Even now our temps are in the high 60's, yet my herd's winter coats are already affecting their cinch lenghts and I have to be more careful when cinching up not to cause wrinkles. I've only blanketed an Arab gelding we had (he was 15-17 yo while we had him) who was low man on the totem and got pushed out of the loafing shed when it was raining/snowing/blowing. Consequently, he'd get very, very wet and would be shivering badly and it would sometimes take over an hour of being double blanketed and eating as fast as he could before the shivers would stop. So, he got blanketed regularly during bad weather. Otherwise, I'm with every one else, unless there's a medical/physical condition or show conditioning needed, I don't use blankets on my herd, not even my foals in their first year. Last edited on Thu Oct 30th, 2008 04:03 am by GypsySusan ____________________ Susan http://www.gypsytrotters.com Phil 4:11-13, 19 Missouri Fox Trotters: To Ride One... Is to Own One. |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30th, 2008 04:06 am |
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19th Post |
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ssecmft G.O.G Community Member
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I think part of it is that people begin looking at them as children and their own personal comfort. To me, it's kinda like the clothes thing for dogs.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30th, 2008 05:36 pm |
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20th Post |
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bfs2718 G.O.G Community Member
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I also blanket my greyhound when the temps are below freezing and believe me, I know that he is a dog.
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