When do you blanket a horse?

Question

Mustang

Answer 1

I show my horse all through the winter, so i keep her blanketed so that her coat stays short. But if you dont show that much over the winter, and you dont live in a super cold environment, your horses might not need blankets. I just feel better knowing that my horses are nice and warm at night, so i even blanket my old horse, who i dont show anymore. As to when to blanket, usually late fall, all through winter, and early spring. Depending on your climate. I make sure theyre blanketed when the temperature gets below forty at night. I usually only blanket them at night, because horses can get too hot with a blanket on if the suns out, even on a chilly day. If you do blanket them, you have to use the right thickness. At night, i use a heavyweight blanket, layered over a thin sheet. The layering keeps her warm. Its important to not use a thin blanket with nothing else on top. The blanket holds down the horses hair, making it hard to hold in body heat, so a thin blanket by itself would actually make the horse colder. There has to be a thick blanket on top. If you have a mustang, your horse is more hardy than other breeds, so its really your decision to blanket or not, because your horse could probably go without it.

Answer 2

You don't necessarily need to blanket a horse. They can survive without be blanketed if they are outside most of the time or all of the time. They will grow a nice thick winter coat. If a horse is stalled there are stall blankets that are thin, but its not necessary. I have never needed to blanket my horses except to keep them clean for showing. If the horse is rather young in the winter than blanketing may be a good idea to help keep them warmer. You also need to make sure that you have the right type of blanket for whatever occasion it is.

Answer 3

You don't need to blanket them but here are somethings to consider. If your horse is in a stall and cannot move around to stay warm, then you might want to. If your horse is out in a field or can run around then you probably don't want to -the reason being if they get sweaty, the moisture will trap between them and the blanket and make them really really cold. In that case, it would be better to not put a blanket on.

Answer 4

The answer will totally depend on what you do with your horse. If it lives in a field it will grown a thick coat. If it is a show horse and you do not want it to grow hair you will need sheets and blankets depending on the weather where you are.

Answer 5

Really depends on a lot of factors. If he's kept outside in a cold climate (cold enough that you need a coat), blanketing him is a good idea. If he's clipped, then he definately needs a blanket. If he's being worked and is wet, then he needs to be blanketed.

Answer 6

Some people say never. They can adapt to the cold quite well and will develop nice thick, fuzzy coats to protect them.