Blanketing?

Question

I have started blanketing my ponies and horses. It is getting down to the early 40's and upper 30's at night. I have an arabian pony that has never grown a heavy coat and I have owned her for nine years. Another TB mare that we own has been through more than 5 surgeries and nearly a year later is just gaining most of her weight back. Yet another one of my ponies is clipped. I have been blanketing them and leaving sheets on during the day when its supposed to be below 65. My mother and I have gotten into a rather big argument about me to quick to blanket, is she right in her reasoning? I am doubting myself now. Is it ok that I am putting medium weight blankets on at night and leaving sheets on chillier days?

I always check to make sure that they are not sweating, like today it was a little under 60 and I had sheets on the TB and my arab pony and neither were sweating they were warm but not hot under their blankets.

Answer 1

Check their ears - if you go out in the barn at 8pm and they have cold ears, then you can be sure that the rest of their body is cold. My TB started wearing a fleece light sheet when it got below 50 and as it's now high 30's - low 40's, I've switched that to a heavy blanket. Once it consistently stays in the 30's and below at night, he'll wear both. I think you are doing the right thing especially for the TB that has only just regained weight. If you go back and check them a couple of hours after putting blankets on and they are not sweating, they obviously are in need of them although I would wait for the temp to drop into the 50's first.

Answer 2

Personally I hate blankets. Perhaps it's because I live in Minnesota where it really does get cold. I've blanketed about 3 horses in my 45+ years of horse ownership. Moonstone was blanketed when it was below zero and no sun or lots of wind. I stated blanketing him when he was 34 and having trouble maintaining his weight. Neka got blanketed in the same kind of weather because she just never grew any coat. She was ok as long as it wasn't really windy. Kip got blanketed after hard rides in the winter as she'd usually start to sweat and I'd keep her covered until I was sure she'd totally cooled off. Oh, and I had one pony with the same over heating problem. She grew such a coat that any excersise would have her sweating. I'd clip her in early Oct. but then let her coat grow.
Horses soak up a lot of heat when the sun's out and I feel that a blanket keeps them from doing so. I also think it flattens the hair coat and that the blanket doesn't add enough insulation to make up for the insulation lost by flattening the hair so that it doesn't hold heat next to the body any longer.
I feel that most people blanket when they are cold and it makes them feel better. Generally speaking I think your horse would feel better without the blanket.
But this is my opinion and there are people I respect with different ideas.

Answer 3

I live in Northern Ohio on the lake. We get alot of wind. My horses range from an 18 year old Clydesdale to a 18 year old little pony , two Walkers 25 and 26. I have had them all most of their lives. I turn them out everyday no matter what the weather. They have lots of hay at all times and have switched to my heated waterbuckets and the trough outside. Everyone of them is different , and treat each one differently. One of my Walkers never grows much of a coat at all and he is the one I notice goes to the run in sheds or barn to get out of the wind earlier than any of the others. The big guy and the little guy are warm and extremely wooly and I dont blanket them till it goes to zero or if its really windy. Its the wind that really makes them cold. It ruffles the warmth under their hair. I also have Rain Coats for them for those cold wet days and will be gone all day.
No one ever tells you when you buy a horse , you will need to get them a wardrobe too!. I know some dont believe in blankets at all, but our horses are living longer better lives because we have learned how to take better care of them.
THey say that a horses ideal temperature outside is between 55 and 20. I would have to say from observation, that is generally true if your horse isnt clipped and has a nice coat.
You know your horses. You be the judge.

Answer 4

I have to agree with Mom -- 65 degrees is FAR too warm to blanket a horse! Horses are comfortable in temps as low as 15 degrees, unless there is a wind. Even your horses, who sound like they really DO need blankets, don't need them unless the temp is below 45 or 50 -- at NIGHT. During the day, if it's not windy, they don't need a blanket at all.

Blanketing them too much during the fall will only prevent them from growing their own winter coat. Even if they don't grow much of a coat, you want them to grow as much as they can!

Answer 5

if it is a little under 60 degrees, you shouldn't put a blanket on them. i am perfectly fine in that temp. with a long-sleeve shirt and jeans on(kinda like their fur). i only blanket when the average temperature starts to get under 50 degrees, and when raining fairly hard. they have light/ medium blankets. 65 degrees is actually fairly warm. if it is sunny, but cold, i take off their blankets to "air them out" and to let the sun warm up their backs a little. my horses both have their blankets on for the winter, because it is now starting to frost over during the night. leave the blankets on when you feel that YOU need to wear a jacket.

Answer 6

what you are doing is fine... if my horse lived on my property i'd be doing the same thing (i live in michigan) but he's boarded and lives 40 minutes away so i can't go and change blankets at night and then again in the morning.. my horse gets a heavy coat that has been body clipped in the past and also left alone.. this year however he will get a blanket cilp to help with cooling out .

Answer 7

i live in British Columbia and sometimes its gets to -40 in the winter time and only people with show horses use blankets. its good if you have a sick horse or one with a short coat like yours but using blankets all of the time when they don't really need them can cause them to have trouble growing a winter coat because there bodies don't feel the need for the longer fur. If this happens you will have to keep them blanketed all winter

Answer 8

I answered a similar question a few days ago, or more.
Like I told her we get some bitter night up here (Alaska). Ours is a day to day thing. Our horses are out to pasture late spring through late fall. Late fall through late spring, they are stalled blanketed & hooded at night. If it is not raining or snowing during the day they are out in a small pasture by the barn during the day with a turnout rug. If it is a cold wet day, they are stalled with paddock access, hoods removed & depending on the temp blanket off, turnout rug on.
It just depends on the horse, their age their coats, etc. But we don't blanket if it is 65. We start when the temps. will be dipping below 40 at night.

Answer 9

I'd definatly put a blanketon the TB once it gets in the 40's. 65 is still very warm to horses though.
Many horses can go without, but if they start to get shivery and chilled, then it's time to blanket.
If you do blanket,
make sure your horseis comfortable.

Answer 10

absoloutely. some horses run hot or cold. you know your horses, and obviously they will not be helping themselves out this winter in the coat department. it is important for your TB to have blankets b/c of the weight issue. she simply cannot provide herself with enough heat. keep doing what you feel is best for your horses. you can't go wrong loving them!