Every year, the age-old controversial topic of whether or not to blanket your horse during the winter circles around. While the vast majority of horses are well equipped to handle winter weather, we know that things are not always black and white when it comes to horse care. We will cover the importance of nutrition and health, the dangers of over-blanketing, as well as weather conditions that might warrant blanketing for some horses. Consider this your ultimate guide to understanding important information regarding blanketing your horse and whether or not your pony pal might need one!
Knowing when to blanket your horse is the most important question for horse owners. There are many factors involved from your individual climate, your horse’s diet, his living conditions (whether in pasture or stall), and your horse’s overall health and coat condition. Before throwing a blanket on your best friend, make sure you have covered the basics:
Do they have ample (ideally free-choice), high quality forage/hay?
Does their diet provide adequate calories and nutrients so the body is able to function optimally?
Do they have access to a decent shelter?
Do they have plenty of room to move freely and frequently?
Are you planning to body clip?
Are they recovering from an injury, illness or malnutrition?
Do they grow a healthy winter coat and in healthy overall body condition?
If you have a senior horse that is coming into winter with a wooly coat, but is underweight, you may still want to consider blanketing. If your horse is living in a stall, the likelihood of him needing a blanket is slim, unless he is fully body clipped. If your horse is overall healthy, and all the bases are covered, but doesn’t grow a great winter coat, a light blanket might be considered according to the weather conditions. These are only a few examples, and hopefully by the end of this blog, you’ll know exactly when and how to blanket your horse.
Let’s take a look at the general suggested temperature limits for blanketing. Below you will find a Blanket Temperature Guide for more details on blanket suggestions for decreasing temps. Feel free to download and print to keep in your feed or tack room. Ideally, for an unclipped horse with a healthy body condition and coat, a blanket is not suggested until temperature drops below 40 degrees F. Even then, most horses are still able to withstand colder temps without a blanket. For horses that are fully body clipped, the temperature range is a little higher. For very low temps, multiple blankets may be needed, as the horse’s natural coat insulation is absent. Regulating your horse’s temperature when body clipped will require more monitoring. They may need heavy or double blanketing at night, and only a single blanket or sheet during the day. It is important to monitor your horse regularly and develop a schedule according to the temperature variations, in order to maintain stable body heat throughout the day and night.
Providing adequate, quality nutrition is the #1 thing you can do for your horse. Whether they are in acceptable condition or poor health, consider our Inner Glow Omega Booster to help provide your horse with optimal nutrition and allow your horse’s body to function as nature intended. This high quality whole food nutrition will support your horse down to the cellular level, and help maintain healthy weight and muscle year-round. Some horses drink less in the winter, causing dehydration and even impactions. The Inner Glow Omega Booster helps increase electrolyte retention, as well as digestive function minimizing dehydration issues and keeping overall gut health on track. Additionally, it can help to reduce inflammation and support joint function, encouraging movement rather than becoming stiff due to cold. Older horses may have a harder time keeping warm in the winter, especially if their body condition is declining. Horses will burn more calories in the winter to regulate body heat, so proper forage and nutrition will be your horse’s best defense. Some seniors, or horses who are going through rehab or are in poor body condition may need blanketing to help them reserve calories through the winter season, especially if you live in an area where winters are considered harsh. (And don’t forget to have those teeth checked!)
Most horses that have access to shelter or may be partially stalled will generally tolerate winter weather, and blanketing when not necessary can lead to serious health concerns. The horse’s coat has incredible insulating abilities, and when the horse is cold, the hairs fluff up in a reaction called Piloerection. This rising of the hairs provides a layer of insulation against the cold air. Blanketing a horse who has a healthy winter coat, restricts the hairs ability to “fluff up”, and could potentially even cause the horse to be chilled, even with a blanket on.
It is extremely important to always check on your horse when blanketed to avoid overheating. If your horse is sweating under their blanket or acting irritable or lethargic, it is very likely they are over-blanketed. Over-blanketing can also lead to skin issues like rain rot, other funguses or even pressure sores with ill-fitted blankets or blankets left on for too long. It is also important to understand that once a blanketed routine is put in place, it is beneficial to keep the routine throughout winter. If your horse is used to being blanketed, and you decide to stop blanketing in the middle of winter, your horse’s body can become dependent on the blanket and possibly experience negative effects such as colic.
While we’ve established that most horses will do just fine without blanketing in the winter, severe weather conditions can call for blanketing. Both wind and rain/snow combined can make it difficult for some horses to maintain body temperature, especially when it is on-going and the horse is soaked to the skin for several hours. For example, if you know that temperatures are not going to rise above 45 degrees, and the forecast is calling for significant rain or snow over the course of several days, it might be a good idea to blanket if your horse lives in the pasture. Have your blanket ready, clean and dry so that you may use it if the need should arise.
To wrap up, horses are truly incredible animals, designed to handle almost any weather. Their natural coat adaptations, body fat and muscle, along with the ability to move often and freely allow them plenty of defense against the elements. However, we know that with horse care, there are exceptions to the rule. Depending on breed/genetics, health, routine, diet and each individual situation and horse, blanketing can indeed be beneficial. Hopefully with the topics we discussed, you are now confident about your blanketing decisions this winter.
Some extra info for new horse owners:
For the entry level horse owner, it’s important to quickly note the different types of blankets that are available. For horses that live outside in the winter, whether full time or part time, a waterproof turnout blanket is going to be the recommended choice. A stable blanket is simply for the stabled horse, and does not provide protection from rain or snow. For the fully body clipped horse who may need to be double blanketed, an added stable sheet can provide enough extra warmth under a stable blanket. Depending on the climate in your area, you may want to consider adding a neck cover for your horse. In addition to the different types of blankets, they also are available in different “fills” or “weights”, from zero fill/lightweight to heavyweight. Usually the fill is measured by grams, starting at 100g to 300g+. Should you decide to blanket, these variations in blanket weight and type should be considered based on the information we have discussed. Learn how to accurately measure your horse for proper blanket fit to avoid rubs or sores.
Ultimate Guide to Blanketing Your Horse in Winter
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