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 Expert
Posts: 1261
  
| I have always blanketed all my horses but this year I am debating on one. She is a hard keeper that always looks great in summer and then slowly goes to looking not so amazing in winter no matter what feed program I try. Anyway I will have her out on pasture all day and probably brought in at night and I have always tried to keep her warm with blankets to help keep weight on but considering maybe I am doing her no favors by not just letting her coat do the work. Although she was unblanked when I got her and looked no better. I live in a moderately cold very very wet winter climate. She will be getting light to perhaps moderate work. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
  
Location: Phoenix | How cold does it get?
I'd say blanket, because it's wet, AND you'll be riding her. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | I don't blanket. It's better to just let nature do it's job. My horses all have shelters and/or get stalled at night so they get out of the wet/wind. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | wet cold is miserable.. id blanket at 35 and below. stalled horses are colder then ones that can move around all night.. |
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Where are you located? I agree with wet cold is hard on them especially the old ones. I blanket, I'm in South Dakota. Some people believe in it and some don't. |
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Expert
Posts: 1261
| I am in Oregon in the Willamette valley. It doesn't get super cold but there is plenty of rain and mud! There is shelter but they stand in the rain anyway. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I live in Alberta where we have very cold winters.
I blanket the ones I ride as the saddle pad flattens the hair then the horse looses heat through the back.
The horses I don't ride Are turned out they have trees for shelter and 80 acres to move around.
If any of my horses are loosing weight then they come in and generally get blanketed.
If any are shivering for long periods of time I generally blanket
If they are getting sick they get blanketed.
Generally once they start getting blanketed for the winter I am pulling blankets when the weather is above freezing and throwing the blankets back on when the sun goes down.
Last year our weather was menopausal we had above freezing for two weeks in jan, then within 12 hours back to 40 below, we lost a mini donkey due to the weather changes now I have blankets for my mini donkeys too. |
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 Big Gun
Posts: 2216
Location: Texas | Many animals survive cold winter without blankets. God put hair on them for that reason and forage to keep them burning calories to keep them warm. Let em be horses |
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 Underestimated Underdog
Posts: 3971
Location: Minnesota | I blanket. My old mare gets a light weight blanket at night when it gets below 40 and when it starts to get below 40 during the day she gets her winter blanket. Last year we had a horrible winter up here and this year they are predicting worse. All of my horses will get blanekts this year. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | I have both blanketed and not blanketed.
This year, I probably won't blanket... but the barn is kept above freezing, so the horses really don't have to deal with bad cold much. They will get turned during the day on days when it isn't raining. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | 3rdtimesacharm - 2014-09-14 12:00 AM Many animals survive cold winter without blankets. God put hair on them for that reason and forage to keep them burning calories to keep them warm. Let em be horses
Spoken by a person from the southern states. |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | Isn't it amazing that horses survived for 1,000 of years without humans to put blankets on them. Somebody better not tell all the mustangs that they are going to die this winter because nobody is going to put blankets on them. Let nature put their natural hair coat on them. You only need to blanket them if there is a special need for it. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | In my area, most do absolutely fine not being blanketed. (Indiana)
Some do need it. Any horse that is clipped will need one, as you have removed the natural hair coat.
Horses are pretty adept at warming themselves up, as long as they can remain dry and out of strong winds. There are always exceptions though.
I don't think there is any harm in blanketing, but mine always gets rubs and it's a general PITA, so I don't think I will bother this year. |
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 Northern Chocolate Queen
Posts: 16576
Location: ND | Where you live makes a big difference in if blankets are going to be helpful or not. I blanket some & not others. My senior citizens get blankets, young horses don't get blankets but are stalled when it's really cold, horses without much shelter get blankets. It gets to -30 here with 30+ mph winds sometimes for a week or more at a time. I'm going to do everything I can to keep them comfortable, in that type of weather sometimes hay & a good hair coat just isn't enough. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| BS Hauler - 2014-09-14 8:48 AM
Isn't it amazing that horses survived for 1,000 of years without humans to put blankets on them. Somebody better not tell all the mustangs that they are going to die this winter because nobody is going to put blankets on them. Let nature put their natural hair coat on them. You only need to blanket them if there is a special need for it.
Rule of thumb is weak, old, and sick die every year from the elements and prey.
The wild horses also are not locked up and can move around to warmer areas, to better sheltered areas, etc.
Movement creates warmth the mustangs moving to find food, pawing all creates warmth.
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 Queen Bee Cat Owner
Posts: 3629
Location: Way up North | Here's the deal, yes, they can survive without blankets. We can also survive without all the niceties in life too but that doesn't mean any of us want to do it.
I full time blanket the ones I want to ride right away once it finally get bareable out in spring. It keeps them from growing as much hair, still plenty but not as much as without a blanket.
The rest of them get blanketed if it is going to get really cold, which really cold up here is considered well below zero, if it is really windy which blows their body heat away, or if it is going to storm especially the heavy wet stuff.
Yes, they all have survived for thousands of years without it but we could all go back to wearing animal skins and having a good chunk of the population die from exposure too. When I come in from doing chorse and my muscles are tight and painful from bracing in the cold and wind I can only imagine how they feel living out there without reprieve. |
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 Winner winner chicken dinner
Posts: 2047
Location: California | Since you said she's kind of a hard keeper, I would continue blanketing her. Otherwise you'll just have to up your feed and your costs. |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | And as I said if there was a special need for them to be blanketed. But if you are just putting blankets on because we think its cold outside we are not doing these horse justis. Let mother nature put the hair coat on them that they are designed to have. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| CYA Ranch - 2014-09-14 8:25 AM 3rdtimesacharm - 2014-09-14 12:00 AM Many animals survive cold winter without blankets. God put hair on them for that reason and forage to keep them burning calories to keep them warm. Let em be horses Spoken by a person from the southern states.
asking horses to run and perform under those conditions with a thick winter coat is brutal.
Edited to add that my vet said the ideal temperature for a horse is 17 degrees and that no horses would be in the southern states if not for man kind bringing them here.
Edited by rodeomom3 2014-09-14 12:22 PM
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | I live in western WA. I blanket because I don't like dealing with soaking wet, mud-caked horses for 9 months straight. |
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 Ms. Poutability
Posts: 2362
Location: In my own world | cheryl makofka - 2014-09-14 11:00 AM
BS Hauler - 2014-09-14 8:48 AM
Isn't it amazing that horses survived for 1,000 of years without humans to put blankets on them. Somebody better not tell all the mustangs that they are going to die this winter because nobody is going to put blankets on them. Let nature put their natural hair coat on them. You only need to blanket them if there is a special need for it.
Rule of thumb is weak, old, and sick die every year from the elements and prey.
The wild horses also are not locked up and can move around to warmer areas, to better sheltered areas, etc.
Movement creates warmth the mustangs moving to find food, pawing all creates warmth.
Yup, they don't call it survival of the fittest for fun. There are wild animals that die due to the weather!! They don't all survive and live forever!! |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | rodeomom3 - 2014-09-14 12:14 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-09-14 8:25 AM 3rdtimesacharm - 2014-09-14 12:00 AM Many animals survive cold winter without blankets. God put hair on them for that reason and forage to keep them burning calories to keep them warm. Let em be horses Spoken by a person from the southern states.
asking horses to run and perform under those conditions with a thick winter coat is brutal.
Edited to add that my vet said the ideal temperature for a horse is 17 degrees and that no horses would be in the southern states if not for man kind bringing them here.
They are saying our winter up here is going to be especially harsh this coming winter. If its worse than last winter I can't imagine how bad this is going to be. I'm debating who I'm going to move in with if it does get that bad.....you're on the list my friend. A crazy blond with a load of horses and a dog might be pulling in your yard.  |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | CYA Ranch - 2014-09-15 9:55 AM rodeomom3 - 2014-09-14 12:14 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-09-14 8:25 AM 3rdtimesacharm - 2014-09-14 12:00 AM Many animals survive cold winter without blankets. God put hair on them for that reason and forage to keep them burning calories to keep them warm. Let em be horses Spoken by a person from the southern states.
asking horses to run and perform under those conditions with a thick winter coat is brutal.
Edited to add that my vet said the ideal temperature for a horse is 17 degrees and that no horses would be in the southern states if not for man kind bringing them here.
If you bring me Lefse.... I'll let you stay the winter! |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | TwistedK - 2014-09-15 10:00 AM CYA Ranch - 2014-09-15 9:55 AM rodeomom3 - 2014-09-14 12:14 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-09-14 8:25 AM 3rdtimesacharm - 2014-09-14 12:00 AM Many animals survive cold winter without blankets. God put hair on them for that reason and forage to keep them burning calories to keep them warm. Let em be horses Spoken by a person from the southern states.
asking horses to run and perform under those conditions with a thick winter coat is brutal.
Edited to add that my vet said the ideal temperature for a horse is 17 degrees and that no horses would be in the southern states if not for man kind bringing them here.
LOL...I've never made lefsa! |
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Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
Location: Oklahoma | CYA Ranch - 2014-09-15 11:23 AM TwistedK - 2014-09-15 10:00 AM CYA Ranch - 2014-09-15 9:55 AM rodeomom3 - 2014-09-14 12:14 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-09-14 8:25 AM 3rdtimesacharm - 2014-09-14 12:00 AM Many animals survive cold winter without blankets. God put hair on them for that reason and forage to keep them burning calories to keep them warm. Let em be horses Spoken by a person from the southern states.
asking horses to run and perform under those conditions with a thick winter coat is brutal.
Edited to add that my vet said the ideal temperature for a horse is 17 degrees and that no horses would be in the southern states if not for man kind bringing them here.
dang it! I have family in Aberdeen and Webster that send it every year and send some home with my dad and brother when they go to Mobridge to go phesant hunting |
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 Expert
Posts: 2457
| livexlovexrodeo - 2014-09-14 2:51 PM
I live in western WA. I blanket because I don't like dealing with soaking wet, mud-caked horses for 9 months straight.
This is what we did when living in SW WA as well. I also would switch my blankets out every week to let the used one dry and sweep it clean too. |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| CYA Ranch - 2014-09-15 9:55 AM rodeomom3 - 2014-09-14 12:14 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-09-14 8:25 AM 3rdtimesacharm - 2014-09-14 12:00 AM Many animals survive cold winter without blankets. God put hair on them for that reason and forage to keep them burning calories to keep them warm. Let em be horses Spoken by a person from the southern states.
asking horses to run and perform under those conditions with a thick winter coat is brutal.
Edited to add that my vet said the ideal temperature for a horse is 17 degrees and that no horses would be in the southern states if not for man kind bringing them here.
Come on down! I could not live though your winters, I don't know how ya'll do it. |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i keep the ones im hauling and riding with blankets..but everybody else is on their own.........lots of space and trees for them........
m |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I will be blanketing my barrel horses when it gets down below 20 or is exceptionally windy & wet. Southeast Kansas isn't the frozen tundra but we spend a couple months below freezing every winter. My sister in law will be blanketing her new gelding I'm sure. He's in his 20s and was a rescue/rehab project we stumbled onto last month so he will need all the help he can get staying warm & gaining weight. Our other two 20+ year olds don't really care for blankets, in fact the mare is scared of blankets LOL. My Joker will get blanketed if he's going to be stuck out in the wind overnight but otherwise he'd rather turn into a mammoth so I just let it happen and I keep a cooler handy for anytime I want to run him in the winter. |
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 Banjo and Baby
Posts: 7259
Location: South of Canada and North of Mexico | CYA Ranch - 2014-09-14 8:25 AM 3rdtimesacharm - 2014-09-14 12:00 AM Many animals survive cold winter without blankets. God put hair on them for that reason and forage to keep them burning calories to keep them warm. Let em be horses Spoken by a person from the southern states.
If we had mild winters I wouldnt blanket either... |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| We only have ever blanketed 1 horse and she was old, didn't have much of a winter coat, and didn't hold weight in the winter time.
My other ones grow good coats and if it's really nasty outside, they get put in the barn to dry out (feet and/or coats.)
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To blanket or not to blanket?