[Risk-Averse Rider]

Actually, it's The Naughty Pony who's getting hairy.

Mr. Blondie is shedding out in preparation for getting hairy.

And I think Prozac Pony is gearing up for it - he was rubbing his belly on the sand while rolling this morning.

It's. Still. August.


Why are they furring up NOW?!?!?!!?

[sublimequine]

Yup, my mare is shedding her coat a bit right now to "make room" for the winter hair. I'm glad to see it. I hate the hot temps of summer.

[Jo]

All of ours are - and it's been steadily over 100 for the past 21 days. Yesterday a cool front came thru - we're in shock.

[Trevelyan96]

The Inkster is also starting to shed out in preparation, but Rico is not. Frankly, for the first time that I can recall in my lifetime, I'm eagerly looking forward to winter. The heat this summer has been brutal. It was so nice last night to have temps drop into the 60's and sleep with the windows open.

[Seal Harbor]

The days are getting shorter - I remember showing in Kentucky in August and looking at my horses coat, the stage where it starts to stand up and let go and it was in the 90's. Temps have little to do with it. The photo period tells them it is time to get rid of their summer coat and put in the winter woolies.

[dalpal]

Yep, especially noticing it in my 22 year old TB.....he's getting that little bit of fur and his coat is MUCH darker than it was 2 weeks ago (I love a red bay )

[Lieslot]

I went to the Wolf Preserve the other day the owners said that they predict the coming winter by their wolves & foxes in the preserve. Lady said she dreads to think of the coming winter and expects it to be colder then last year, coz the wolves already had a way thicker coat then this time last year and the foxes were having their near full fury tail already. She said "brace yourself for some serious cold this winter, in previous years apparently their critters had been very spot on in preparing their coats for milder or colder winters.

Both my already have their thicker coats coming through too. I thought last year they only did in Sept.

I read that theoretically it's not temperature related but daylight hours related, but the lady at the Wolf Preserve seemed convinced it was going to be a cold one.

[quietann]

I can tell maresy is getting her winter fur, because she's been rolling in her paddock and getting all muddy. Normally, this horse HATES getting dirty (if her turn-out is muddy, she rolls in her stall; luckily she is small, and clever enough -- knock wood -- to not get cast.) But when she's getting a new coat, she gets itchy and rolls, no matter what.

Her winter fur also has a lot more white in it; when it's all in, she will almost look like a "palomino roan." In the summer, she is a full-blown "newly minted gold coin" palomino.

She's very cute when she's all fuzzy

[Zu Zu]

Mine started their winter fuzz about August 11th and it was Hot ~ but the days are shorter ~ QUICK ! Christmas card photo time or wait til next spring when they shed again ~

[Dad Said Not To]

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/sh...ht=winter+coat

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/sh...ht=winter+coat

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/sh...ht=winter+coat

It happens every year about this time. Yes, it's still August, but the days are already quite noticeably shorter than they were mid-June. They're furring up now because if they don't start when the days are getting shorter, then they won't have a decent coat when cold weather hits. It's basic physiology.

[2DogsFarm]

I thought I had noticed Sam shedding a bit more than normal.
But since he's only lived with me since December (and came showslick from FL) I have no idea what his "normal" really is yet.

Kouma-pony is still slick and he came to me a woolybear in early May.

If I smoosh the 2 of them together maybe I can hold off Winter a little longer?

[ryansgirl]

My two TB's started shedding quite awhile ago... their new coats are already coming in and they are much darker - just getting ready for winter like they do every summer!!

[it was 47 degrees the other morning and my 30-year old was shivering already - almost time to start blanketing him (usually have to come September )]

[Mimi La Rue]

I curried my guy last night and could have probably filled up a bucket with his hair. He has a nice summer coat too, I don't know where all that hair came from. I am going to miss the beautiful dapply coat he got this summer.

[AJHorsey]

I have one horse that is Black in the winter, and a mohogany- darker bay in the summer. (Mohogany in spring, lightens in the summer due to bleaching.) I'm starting to see black already.... and the coolest it's been is lower 80'2, with most days until these last few typically in 90's with 80+% humidity. I was hoping that super hot summer would bring an at least warmER winter than last year, but apparently something else triggers thier preparation, becaue they are always right....

[coloredhorse]

Absolutely! The yak-mare is already dropping her shiny, short summer outfit and will have to be clipped by the end of September, at the latest. Her fluffy winter coat is waaay too much waaay too early for the southern climate.

Fortunately, the other mare is naturally fine-coated and hardly grows a winter coat at all; very well-suited to the super-mild winters here.

[LisaW-B]

Yep, my three are all shedding to get ready for their winter coats, too. And it's been so hot and monsoony that they're also ITCHY as all get-out since they're shedding and it's hot/humid. The Arab boys both have the summer crud(TM) on their butts and tops of their hocks and on their cannons. I know it's due to the daylight/shorter days, but I always joke that 22-ish-year-old Whiskey likes to make sure he's wearing his coat before the temps dip down into the 90s. Wouldn't want to be unprepared for the cold snap!

[Laurierace]

This is the first year ever I have been somewhat looking forward to winter coats. My horses are so sunbleached I don't even recognize them. My black filly is now a dappled sooty buckskin. I don't think that color is even possible in TBs

[MistyBlue]

A lot of colors aren't possible with the JC.

[Laurierace]

I have to wait for her to shed out so I can get her tattooed. Right now she definitely does not match her papers!

[theinstigator]

I haven't noticed the hair yet....ours are still living outside and terribly sunbleached....

But the leaves are already changing. It's AUGUST!!!!!

I love fall, and wish it would be fall forever.....but I hate winter