Some horse owners blanket horses to try and keep them warm enough they do not try and regrow hair. Horses shed and grow hair due to the number of hours of light they receive, not the temperature. If you want a horse to have a slick, summer coat in the middle of winter, keep them warm with a blanket, but in a barn with 16 hours of light on them. For horses that are clipped, but live outside with a lean to shelter, a blanket is helpful only to keep them warm.
A clipped horse can handle a little cold. Just stalling in the barn or providing a windbreak does as much on a cool day as a sheet or light blanket. If a blanket is needed, it should fit properly. A blanket should cover from the base of the neck to a little past the tailhead. They should also come down below the underline. The neck opening should be large enough to fit around the base of the neck, but not expose the shoulder. The straps on the blanket need to be loose enough the horse can move easily, but tight enough they cannot get a hoof stuck if they decide to scratch. A horse blanket should be checked to see if it is causing any rubs on the skin and if it is, adjust the fit or try a different blanket.
There are several types of blankets. A sheet is the lightest type, and usually does not have any insulation. Cooler sheets are made to keep a horse warm in the winter after they have been ridden or exercised. Turnout blankets are insulated, waterproof and made to fit on a horse who is going to be moving out in a pasture. A stable blanket is insulated, but not waterproof, and made for horses stabled in a dry barn. You will need to decide which type or types you will need for your horse.
For a blanket to work properly, they should be put on clean, dry horses. The blanket being put on should be clean and dry. Blankets should be routinely cleaned and checked for damage such as cuts, rips, or damaged straps. If a blanket becomes wet from sweat or precipitation, it needs to be changed. A wet blanket can do two things. First a wet blanket is cold and can make you horse feel colder than they would without one. Second, a wet blanket can promote skin and hair problems. Damp skin and hair can be rubbed easier, and the dampness provides an environment for some bacteria and fungus to grow.
The biggest problem with blankets is trying to match the right thickness with the temperature. Temperatures can change quickly. It might be below freezing in the morning and in the 60s by afternoon. Or the reverse, warm before lunch and freezing before dark. This is when blanketing becomes a game. You have to pay attention to the weather forecast and make decisions and arrangements to keep the right amount of blankets on. There will be days your horses will have too much blanket and others not enough. It is okay. Most of the time they will be hot or cold for a while, but be fine once an adjustment is made.
Here are some other resources to help you with the Blanket Game.
To Blanket or not to Blanket? That’s a Good Cold-Weather Question by Dr. Luke Bass, DVM, MS
How to Fit a Horse Blanket the Horse.com
Good luck with the blanket game. I wish you success.
Scott Stinnett
Extension Associate
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension
Good luck with the blanket game. I wish you success.
Scott Stinnett
Extension Associate
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension
No comments:
Post a Comment