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Member
Posts: 23
Location: Albuquerque, NM | For those of you who live in the southwest (primarily New Mexico and Arizona), do you blanket your horse during the winter? This is the first winter I am going through with this horse and am unsure if I should or what kind of blanket to use. My mare's stall is outside and although Albuquerque doesn't get super cold it has been known to drop into the teens here at night. Thanks. |
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Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Danielsville Georgia | They don't blanket horses in Montana! So its your choice. |
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Member
Posts: 34
Location: Amarillo, TX | Hi, I'm next door to you so to speak in the Panhandle of Texas. I do blanket. For us it is the wind that you need to protect them from. My horses have a lovely 3 sided shelter, but when you get a strong wind, a blanket adds extra protection. I don't know how windy it gets over in Albq, but you might want to have a windproof/waterproof blanket on hand. They do make them, Schneiders has a great selection. I have found that my horses know what a blanket means and they come running on cold windy days for their 'coat'. |
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Member
Posts: 23
Location: Albuquerque, NM | Thank you both. I appreciate it. |
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Member
Posts: 22
Location: Little Britain, Ontario, Canada | Howdy! I live in Ontario, Canada. It gets cold and very windy here in the winter. We only blanket our horses when they are on a high line in freezing rain. At home they have shelters and can get out of the wind and rain. |
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Veteran
Posts: 127
Location: PA | I live in NW Pennsylvania and do not blanket in the winter. My horses do have shelter from the wind, rain and snow and God gives them a thick, wooly winter coat. I read an article in "Equus" magazine several years ago about blanketing in the winter. They explained how a horse's natural winter coat protects them from the cold. In the cold months you will see the horse's coat look like it is sticking straight out.....the hair is not flat close to the skin. The horse uses this technique to trap a layer of warmer air around itself.....especially around its vital organs. If a horse's natural winter coat is flattened by a blanket it cannot do this. It made sense to me, especially since on really cold days all of my horses looked like giant pin cushions....and they were perfectly content....no shivering, anxiety or frost bite. In fact even though my horses have a great shelter they were all standing outside. The article also explained how a horse regulates the blood flow to its hooves in the winter to keep them warm also. I think Mother Nature has provided great protection for our horses....it is usually us humans that think we can do better. (Even though we are well intentioned). I have not blanketed a horse in the winter in the entire 40 years I have owned them, even when I lived 20 years in Minnesota. I do although provide either a stall or a covered shelter area large enough for all of them to stand under w/o getting kicked by the alpha mare. I worry most about freezing rain, not about snow or wind. I also make sure to feed plenty of good HAY in the winter....the digestion of fiber in the horse's gut creates heat.....just like stoking up the fireplace with wood. Grain provides nutrition but it is the hay that provides the heat. (don't forget the water too). Just my 2 cents worth....good luck to you |
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Member
Posts: 25
Location: CO | Blanketing has to with alot of factors. We live north of you by about 3.5 hours and it can down to -40 below for 6 weeks. The past few years it's only gotten down around -20-30 below. So anyways, we will blanket the older horses and have shelter, free feed and heated water. The horses we use are 13, 10, 8, so as for age they don't need blankets. When we use them, we will go to an indoor and get done around 9-10 at night. So when we come out it's cold, that's when we blanket them. For the ride home, (even though our trailer can be closed air tight), then through the night. Then next day we'll pull the blanket around 10 or noon, depending on amount of sun. Cowby |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: washington | I have a horse that does not grow a nice thick winter coat... in summer he looks like his coat was painted on it's so thin, and in winter is like most horses summer coats. As winter approaches, I leave his blanket off night after night, waiting for his coat to thicken up and it never does... he will shiver so hard he can barely stand up. He has shelter but not fully enclosed, so in the end, I blanket him at night and pull it during the day unless it's very windy and rainy at the same time. I'm about 10 miles east of Seattle and it doesn't get too terribly cold here, but damp and windy can chill to the bone, for horses too. Never had a horse like this that has such a sleek coat, even in winter. It is nice for winter riding though because it doesn't take so long to cool and dry them off before putting them away. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 671
Location: THE GREAT NORTHWET, OREGON(THE REAL GODS COUNTRY) | I live in the North wet and don't blanket.If I go to the hi mountains and it snows I will put a waterproof blanket on them to give them some cover from the elements.But thats only cause they have no cover. Otherwise they don't get one. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 301
Location: Catoctin Mtn, Maryland | I agree with all of the above posts. I would think that 99% of all horses don't need to be blanketed. (blanketed, is that a word?) Anyways, there is always an acception to the rule. Maybe some really hard keepers could use a blanket and like someone else mentioned, a horse that doesn't really get a good winter coat. The only time I see my herd "shiver" is when the first cold rain of the fall happens. I myself do not blanket my horses. My oldest horse is very arthritic. I'm thinking that maybe this winter I'll bring her in at nights. No blanket though. I do find that she'll lay down in a stall for a longer period of time. Maybe it helps ease the pain. Not sure. Just my 3 cents worth. |
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Member
Posts: 45
Location: Midwest | I blanket during the winter for the first time ever. Im only doing this year because i just joined an association where their first show is in January and i want her nice summer coat... the one i dont have to worry about shedding out at a show. I keep her on a tempurature regulated schedule to keep her comfortable. I also read that if u blanket them it helps them conserve the energy that they would put forth to keeping themselves warm and they can use that energy for keeping them fat. And with me thats a biggy because i have a hard keeper. Just my 4 cents worth |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: washington | Hey SLICKRNSNOT - where in Oregon do you live? I am going down to Molalla next weekend (20th-22nd) for an endurance race (my first one). I wondered what the area is like, terrain, weather, etc. Thanks . |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 301
Location: Catoctin Mtn, Maryland | Hey Ride or bust,,,,,,,,you just upped the anti! Wonder who's gonna put in their FIVE cents worth..................the stakes could get quite high here..... |
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Veteran
Posts: 225
Location: Urbana,MD | I live in western MD.I do believe in blanketing when needed.The past week the temps here have be really cold at night for this time of year.When I have brought the horses up in the very early morning.(4:45am)My 2 TB's have been shivering like crazy.They do not have thick enough coats yet to keep them warm.I use the rambo light weight turnout sheet and/or the riders from dover Cat. If I know it is going to be cold at night I put those on and they come in not shivering.It kinda takes the edge off untill they get there full coat in.They will then stay naked unless it is going to snow or rain (and be cold)I will then put thier sheets on to help protect then from the elements. I do make exeptions when I do a full body clip.They will then need to be fully blanketed 24/7 with a very heavy blanket.I like the rambo heavy wug.It is expensive...pushing the $300 mark,but I have found you spend less $ in the long run to purchase a blanket that will last for years.Also dovers riders supreme blankets are very nice as well ,and a little cheaper on the pocket. I also have a 3 year old warmblood TB/clyde cross she is NEVER cold.This cross is proving to be very hardy. |
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Member
Posts: 5
Location: victoria Tx | I live in south texas where it can get pretty windy & cold when those northern winds come through in the winter time. I do stall and blanket my horse so that he doesn't grow a winter coat. But I also show him so I have to keep him looking like he looks in the summer year round. If you don't have to have your horse looking like a show horse year round then you don't really need a blanket. If I turned my horse out all the time I wouldn't put a blank on him. Mother Nature gives them a great coat for the winter. I think it would be worse to blanket my stalled show horse and then turn him out with no hair. So the decision is you either blanket or not. Unless it gets below freezing in south texas there isn't any need for blankets, just a good shelter if you can provide it. |
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Veteran
Posts: 168
Location: Stem NC | I ride trails and blanket mine. I also leave the barn light on starting in late August. It keeps them from hairing in. I turn my horses out on the good days in their waterproof blankets.
I love the fact my horses don't get much winter coat. They don't stink from urine from being in. I would hate to go back to not blanketing them. |
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Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico | I have an older mare that I blanket. Up until the last couple of nights she only got a sheet, but the last couple of nights have been really cold and we had ice on the porch this morning. Depending on the temp/rain, she may wear both. It all depends on her. I use her weight as a gage. When she starts dropping weight she gets her sheet and when that isn't enough the blanket. I have blankets for all of them, but only use them on the others if I see them shivering or in the trailer. I keep all of them sprayed down with a water repellent. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 662
Location: Vanzant, Missouri | I'm in southern Md and I usually don't blanket. If the weather is nasty I stall them. I will blanket if the temps are in freezing temps and wet. But I'd rather keep them as natural as I can. I think it's better for them. I have never had a sick horse either. Might be just good luck. |
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Location: Del Mar, CA | I use a rainsheet only during our occasional rainy periods because I don't want my horse being wet in the wind. My 28 yr Appy loses weight easily in the winter, and my little Qtr trail horse gets no hair. They're my pets and I feel better if I know they're comfortable. My own feeling is that since we've spent years breeding horses to have sleek coats, to be sensitive and responsive, and more refined conformation, not all of them can fend for themselves. We've messed with Mother Nature and now have to provide extra protection for some of them. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 671
Location: THE GREAT NORTHWET, OREGON(THE REAL GODS COUNTRY) | Originally written by cowgirl98034 on 2006-10-13 8:33 PM
Hey SLICKRNSNOT - where in Oregon do you live? I am going down to Molalla next weekend (20th-22nd) for an endurance race (my first one). I wondered what the area is like, terrain, weather, etc. Thanks . Hey Cowgirl, sorry I didn't answer your question,I was out of town for a while.Went to eastern Oregon for a deer hunt.Had a anterless tag and an invite from a rancher friend and went over to fill it. Took longer to drive over than to bag a deer.15 min after I arrived my tag was filled,I took it to the barn and hung,dressed,and baged it.Next day cut it up. If you have any questions about any place in Oregon just send Me a private message on here and I will try and answer it.I sometimes don't get back to some of these post for a couple of days. Hope your ride was good and you had fun! I have been all around the state,there are still some places I havent made it too yet,but when I was shooting competition pistol matches,SAR symposiums, and trail rides, I got around. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: washington | The Molalla ride was great; we were about 30-40 minutes out of Molalla, in the foothills. I completed the 25 mile race with plenty of daylight left, so I got to watch the rest of the bunch and the 50 mile races come in one at a time. Enjoyed lots of blue sky that day. The wind blew like crazy that night, but with his blanket on my horse was cozy all night. My little temporary corral held up wonderfully, but a few others had horses wandering around all night... nobody strayed far though, after a 25-50 mile race earlier in the day! All in all, the weekend was perfect.
Edited by cowgirl98034 2006-10-26 10:45 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 671
Location: THE GREAT NORTHWET, OREGON(THE REAL GODS COUNTRY) | Glad to hear you had a good time. |
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