To Blanket, or Not To Blanket

[VAHorseGurl]

That is my question. If I choose to do so, it will increase my board for Pete, if the BO is even willing to spend time monitoring the weather and Pete. :confused: At a loss here.

But since I do not know how Pete was kept in past winters, I do know know if he will produce enough coat to ward off the sometimes severe Shenandoah Winters. :(

The reason my barn does not blanket is that most of the horses, both boarders and private are on 24/7 turn out and the weather can change without notice and almost instantly in the Valley of the George Washington/Shenandoah Mountain range. Snow one minute, freezing rain the next, etc.

Pete has already began showing signs of a thicker coat, but how do I know it's enough?

~Kerri & Pete

[JoyCat]

Horses are capable of handling weather types more than we give them credit for.

When does your winter start over there? As it gets colder, he will continue to grow a thicker coat.

Do you plan to ride him in winter and if so, what kind of work? That would be my only concern. With a thick coat, he would sweat a lot easier and would be prone to chills.

He will grow a winter coat with or without rugging (unless he is under lights at night) but with rugging, he won't have such a fluffy looking coat as the unrugged horses, who's coats typically stand up and become wooly as the raising of the coat is one of the bodies mechanisims of keeping them warm.

The other thing to consider is how he holds his weight. If unrugged, horses will use more energy to keep warm, therefore burning stored fat and energy sources to keep warm. If he is a very good keeper, its not really a problem, however if he is a poor keeper, it could raise issues.

Lots of pros and cons here. Good luck :)

[VAHorseGurl]

Joycat, THANK YOU for the input.

**sorry forgot to say** Our winter has begun early this year. It's dropping into the 30's where Pete is boarded currently. But during the day, it could easily be in the 80's.

While Pete and I are still pretty much at odds right now, we will continue with light ring work and round pen work. He is not kept under lights at night, he's on 24/7 pitch black turn out. And I don't know if he's an easier keeper in the winter, this is our first winter, so I guess I'll find out.

Right now, using the Henneke Body Condition Scoring System (http://www.habitatforhorses.org/rescues/bodyscoring.html), I would put Pete at a 5. I was out last night with him and I questioned the BO about his body appearance and he said he likes what he was seeing, and that muscle tone was beginning to show more and more.

So, I will not worry about Pete and his coat unless he gives me cause. THANKS!!!

[Sakura]

Personally, I'm going to be lazy this year... no blankets... leave the barn doors open and let them use it as a run in if the mood strikes them... I know mine would rather be left naked anyway...

Will your guy have access to a shelter? If so, and he can get out of wet weather particularly, then you probably don't have anything to worry about. Hang in there, the little bit of coat he is growing now won't even compare to the fur-ball he is bound to be in the middle of winter. I have a mare that has the most slick, tight summer coat you have ever seen, she looks like a polar bear by the end of November!

[pines4equines]

We never used to blanket, then I started a few years ago...well, that lasted only a few years. What a hassle. I leave them naked now. I do throw them extra hay which I've always been told keeps them warm.

[Nlevie]

Horses are generally MUCH happier & healthier left neked. Since you don't know how much coat he'll grow - I would leave him alone and see what happens ? You can always add a blanket, but you can NOT put hair back on that you have prevented from growing. . . Ask the BO to watch him to see if he is shivering, or shows other signs of being cold, then you can add a blanket, but if he has shelter and enough to eat, he should be fine !

[sublimequine]

How cold does it get there, like what's the coldest temp you can expect? I didn't think VA ever got THAT bad.

[2boys]

I just broke down this week and threw one on my tb at night. I went out to check them one night (early, at like 7:00 pm), and his ears were so cold! The other two's were toasty! I am so mad, because I really wanted him to be just a fuzzball this year. He just isn't nearly as fuzzy as the qh and the pony. I would LOVE to believe that ANY horse can be comfy neked, but it is hard to sleep at night, thinking about him being chilly! Maybe I should create a new thread about my situation. Sorry if I hijacked!! Good luck with Petey! I would say that with him being on thin ice (no pun there), the less you need to do for him, the better off he will be. (I noticed one of your other posts about you being frustrated him.) :winkgrin:

[yellowbritches]

"Severe" in VA, even in the Valley, are pretty reasonable for horses. The absolute COLDEST it can get is in the single digits, and that is EXTREMELY rare...like once a year, if that. VA winters are usually in the 20s or a little lower at the coldest part of the year. In the Valley you're likely to see more actual snow. Here in the NOVA area and where I grew up in Richmond, we get more ice, which is what I worry about...not snow.

I only blanket if I clip OR if I have a horse turned out and we get nasty ice. If he's not clipped, don't bother...he'll adapt, promise.

I think my only exception, and I think this is even a stretch, is if he's been in FL all his life...of course, I say that knowing that my old guy, who has never lived outside of a 200 mile radius of Richmond, grows a winter coat worthy of the Alaskan tundra...

[Stacie]

Our guys are in Upperville, and the biggest issues are rain and wind. My guys are out 24/7 and they all have raincoats that stay on all winter. No blanket changes. I also have some lightweight blankets for when it stops getting above about 35 all day for several days in a row. They do really well with that. Saddlery Liquidators sells RainTurtle sheets that are really great. Breathable, and the turtleneck snugs abound the neck to keep them dry.
And of the course, the best way to keep them warm is lots and lots of hay :-)

[sublimequine]

"Severe" in VA, even in the Valley, are pretty reasonable for horses. The absolute COLDEST it can get is in the single digits, and that is EXTREMELY rare...like once a year, if that. VA winters are usually in the 20s or a little lower at the coldest part of the year. In the Valley you're likely to see more actual snow. Here in the NOVA area and where I grew up in Richmond, we get more ice, which is what I worry about...not snow.

I only blanket if I clip OR if I have a horse turned out and we get nasty ice. If he's not clipped, don't bother...he'll adapt, promise.

I think my only exception, and I think this is even a stretch, is if he's been in FL all his life...of course, I say that knowing that my old guy, who has never lived outside of a 200 mile radius of Richmond, grows a winter coat worthy of the Alaskan tundra...

If the coldest it's going to get on average is in the 20s, I'd say don't bother blanketing unless it's sleeting outside. Then you might wanna toss on a TO sheet. But if it's 20s and dry, he should be fine with it.

[enjoytheride]

My older gelding started needing a blanket a couple winters ago, same amount of hair, just older. He'd leave his stall creakier and come in shivering so that is how I knew he needed a blanket. Before that I didn't even own any turnout blankets because he was fine! I use a sheet and a midweight. I use a sheet when it gets down into the 30s at night then leave it on if it stays in the 30s during the day. If it gets down into the 20s during the day I put on a midweight.

Keep an eye on him and see if he is shivering or looking stiff, if not he's probably fine. If he is keep it simple for the blanketing, maybe just a sheet or a lightweight blanket (100 fill) and he can wear that in all temps into the 40s.

[Kementari]

When I lived in (Roanoke) VA, my horse was out 24/7 with shelter, and was never blanketed. He's a TB and doesn't grow a Shetland-like winter coat, though he does OK for himself.

Now, though, he needs to be blanketed a bit more because he's older and drops weight without. Still, it's only when it's below freezing - which means it wouldn't be terribly often in VA (at least, not compared to NH! ;)).

[Wigwag]

I'm having the same issue. Central IN, no need to "really" blanket. He hurt a tendon this summer and is out of commission for work until next spring, so he won't be in winter work. I know he'll be fine without a blanket, but he's a 6 yr old TB and I've blanketed him since winter of his 2 yr old yr. I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep at night if he's not wearing a blanket.

I do at least admit it's primarily for my own comfort. ;)

[slp2]

Depends on your horse. There are plenty of horses at the place where I board that could go without a blanket. My gelding used to grow a pretty good coat. My mare grows very little coat (tb) and gets cold very easily, especially if she gets wet. She shivers a lot when she gets wet--even at 60 degrees! I love the waterproof sheets and blankets that they can wear 24/7. No blanket changing required. It's tricky during the time of year where it gets cold at night and warm during the day. But once it starts to be 50's and rainy around here--the waterproof sheet goes on. For the winter--I have a waterproof blanket. For in between (40's) I put on a liner under her sheet. She always puts her head through the blanket opening so I get the clear message that she appreciates her warm "outfit". I'm not against leaving horses "nekid", but not my mare--she is just too thin skinned.

[aiken4horses]

Biggest mistake I see a lot is when owners put a light sheet on their horse as the weather turns cool. All it does is flatten the hair coat and make the poor horse cold!

The horse stays warm by trapping air between the hair and warming it with body heat (laymans terms).

I've seen more cold horses with a light blanket on in a stall than naked horses out in 30 degrees!

If you clip, you must blanket. God designed them to live outside, they do just fine as long as they have lots of hay and a shelter.

Okay, rant over.

(Yes, there will be exceptions - old, thin, recently moved from Fl, etc.)

[VAHorseGurl]

Thanks guys.. and no worries about hijacking my thread! If it helps you and me, then we've both won. :)

And since Pete is on the preverbal thin ice, I'll watch out for him and let my BO make the call, since he sees him daily.

As for 24/7 turnout with shelter, yes, Pete has the use of the new indoor arena that is not completed yet. I am not sure what the BO's horses did previously, as there are no run-ins in any of his fields. Yet there are huge patches of heavily dense trees.

Again, THANK YOU folks!!

[chestnutmarebeware]

If it helps any, I keep three TB mares and one Paint mare in NE PA (not far from the NY state line). I don't blanket. They go out during the day and come in at night, and by December they all resemble yaks! :lol: (So much for the myth that TBs don't grow winter coats!)

The only exception this year will be my 24-y-o TB mare—she's retired, has arthritis and it's getting harder to keep weight on her. I bought her a Sleazy Sleeper shoulder protector and a new heavyweight turnout. It will go on as soon as the nighttime temps go below freezing. But it will also stay on till spring, except for grooming sessions.

I do have heavyweight turnouts for the others as well, but they never needed them at all last year.

[2DogsFarm]

Pete s/b okay as long as the BO keeps an eye out for any sign he's not coping - cold ears, shivering, weight loss

My 26yo TB goes nekkid and is already plushy though temps are only down to the 50s at night.
Length of daylight, not cold, is what determines coat thickness.
I do keep a closer eye on him than the 15yo and if he looks like he needs it, he'll get a blanket.

Both my boys go w/o blankets unless temps stay in the minus-numbers for days or we get a nasty wet snow.
Then they get waterproof turnouts that just stay on until it warms/drys up. I prefer to have them keep warm by fluffing up but choose dry & flattened over wet & chilled.

[asterix]

Key is to make sure he has enough hay -- that REALLY helps to keep them warm. I feed my field boarded horses a good meal every day in addition to the hay, but they are naked (young, healthy, good coats, access to shelter) except for very cold rain. That does seem to make them cold, so I put waterproof sheets on for that. Proper snow does not bother them at all.

[billiebob]

At our barn we blanket when it's going to be wet and cold. Sheets for the skinny and/or older ones when it gets below 50 and raining, and if it's going to be below freezing and wet everyone gets covered save 1 or 2. Let him get used to cooler temperatures and see how he does. This time of year sucks for blanketing where we are (SE PA) because it'll be 70 during the day and drop to 40ish overnight. It's so much easier when we start to leave the rugs on fulltime!