the Time of the Turnout Blankets has begun!!!

[Dakota Sunrise]

LOL!:p

I put the horses' blankies on them tonight- first time this season. I had Dakota's lite turnout sheet on him a couple days ago because it was so windy (but not that cold), I though it might act like a bit of a windbreaker for him. But that doesn't really count.

They have their winter blankets on tonight. It's the worst kind of weather- only in the 30's but wet and rainy/slushy and muddy. They're calling for a rain/snow mix for the next few days. It will be a great test for the Saxon blankets to see if they ever soak thru.:cool: I'm pretty sure they really are 100% waterproof. They never soaked through once last winter.:)

I really had to adjust the blanket straps a lot. Some one (actually two some ones- Kota too!:D) has gained some weight since last winter.:innocent: lol:p

(these pics are all from last winter)

Hehe, gotta love their matching blankets.:rolleyes: (which I did not do on purpose, they were out of the other color it came in!)
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/thekidshorses047-1.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/thekidshorses003.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/thekidshorses051-1.jpg

Ooh, it looks cold!:p

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/myherd007-1.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/myherd029-1.jpg

I love this pic::)
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/us007-6.jpg

And who doesn't love these kinds of rides?:cool: In the freezing temperatures and blowing snow.:p
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/thekidshorses038.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/ridingBeautyDakota005-1.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/381312-R1-11-14A_012-3.jpg

(My first time on Beauty after bringing her home- which is why she's still skinny. I gave her a month to settle in and gain back some weight and strength before even just walking her around bareback in the pasture.)
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/bareback002-3.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc148/dakota_92_2007/bareback003.jpg


I'll try to get new pics of the horses in their blankets.:) Winter will be here soon enough. In the mean time, lets see your winter horsey pics!:D

[vicklynn]

LOL, the first pic, I thought, cool, the Saxon twins...LOL

Great pics. Sure hope you have as much fun this winter as you did last!!

Oh, and they are water proof. They will be fine.

[WashingtonBay]

Egads snow! I"m glad you said the pics are from last year.

I started blanketing ours about a week ago when it started freezing at night. It snuck up on me and they were pretty cold that first frosty morning. ;)

[vicklynn]

Ive come close to blanketing mine, its been windy and brrrrrrr cold. No moisture, so I wanna see how they are handling it before I blanket them. So far so good.

[WashingtonBay]

Yeah - but mine are spoiled wusses. :D

[Equine_Woman]

I drug my blankies out tonight too!!! I jinxed myself in the bad weather thread. It's supposed to be in the 20s tonight. IN OCTOBER!!! Sheesh. So my two oldies that are hard keepers are both nice and toasty in their blankies!! I actually enjoy the beginning of blanket season! Your two are adorable in their blankets. Sonora (my youngest) has a Saxon and we love it. She's had it for 3 years and it's still going strong.

Oh and your goats look like they want blankies too!! lol. We have blankets for our when it gets REALLY cold and rainy cause they can't always get into the barn. My wether's blanket is HOT PINK! So embarrassing for him!! And my little girl Meg has a purple blankie. The Buck doesn't have one mostly because I think he'd die of a heart attack if I tried to put one on him. . and he's REALLY hairy and stinky and he pees on himself. . .

Here's a shot of Meg in her blankie last year after she had a c-section.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2196/2287788080_9aef507cda.jpg
She was lucky to still be a live. Hopefully this year's kidding season goes smoother than last years!

[Arrow]

Blankets? Horses need blankets? I agree, though, that 35 degrees and rain is the most miserable weather imaginable.

I love Kota and the goat, and pics of the two ponies together best!

[Dakota Sunrise]

It snuck up on me and they were pretty cold that first frosty morning. ;)

Same with my two. I came out one morning a few days ago and it was wet and rainy, but only in the 40's so not *too* cold. Dakota had his sheet on just for a wind-breaker, but I figured Beauty would be fine since she's fuzzier then Kota and is built like a tank so I didn't think she'd have any problem keeping warm.:rolleyes: Boy was I wrong. She was wet and shivering when I came out, I felt so bad.:(
So tonight I didn't take any chances. I'll sleep better knowing both my horses are toasty warm inside their blankets.:)

Equine_woman: Adorable picture! I only have one blanket for the goats and it's tiny- kid sized (it's actually a dog blanket). It won't fit anybody now, I'll have to get a new baby this year so I'll have some one to wear it! :D

[Dakota Sunrise]

Blankets? Horses need blankets?

Hehe, my two do.:D Or let me put it this way- if I expect to get any sleep at all this winter on the coldest, wettest nights, they need blankets. Otherwise I'll lay awake all night worrying that they're cold.


Dakota is a hard keeper, and getting older, and he gets cold easily. I think being blanketed will make him more comfy.:) Plus they only have their run in shelter, so no warm barn.
As for Beauty, I was only planning on blanketing her on the really cold days, but when I found her wet and shivering on a day with the temps in the 40's*, I changed my mind. I guess my big, strong, tank-of a horse gets chilly too!:cool::rolleyes::p

[Arrow]

I was kidding--sounds like you are in a situation where it's called for, and I do some things for Arrow just so I can sleep, too.:cheers:

[valleyrider]

Your horses look snuggled in their blankets. Love all your pictures. I did not know they make blankets for goats:huh: http://tinyurl.com/5tbhql/.gif (http://tinyurl.com/5f6mo5) http://tinyurl.com/5aclef/.gif (http://tinyurl.com/69723z)

[JetLagaside]

The princess has been wearing a windproof sheet for a few weeks now here but then we are talking about the horse with no hair :eek: She barley gets a winter coat not that I'm complaining or anything :D it's definally thicker but she will stand in her stall and not go out unless you give her a sheet/blanket - ah the Arab and Princess side showing thru. At least I don't have to clip to ride thru the winter.

[shynbvs]

(these pics are all from last winter)



ok...good i was like WHAT!:eek: there's SNOW!?

[Dakota Sunrise]

Actually it is spitting snow here.:rolleyes: It was raining then icing earlier, and if you look closely you can see little flakes of snow coming down here and there. And the wind is incredible! Brrrr!
I hate this kind of weather. I can deal with just plain snow, but this wet, chilly, muddy, windy stuff drives me up a wall! :crazy: how am I supposed to work and ride my horses in this kind of weather?!:cloud:

[carla]

Eew, yuck! And I thought it was cold here today! :shiver:

But, at least the ponies are stylin'! I love the pics.. can't wait to see updated ones. :)

[SedonaThunder]

I started blanketing ours about a week ago when it started freezing at night. It snuck up on me and they were pretty cold that first frosty morning. ;)
I can't blanket mine! The coldest time of day is just before and after dawn and I've already left for work by then. :( If I were to blanket over night I would either be ripping them off to the coldest temp. or leaving them on for them to endure a 65 degree day - which is much more risky then letting them be cold for a few hours overnight. Working from home every day would be helpful at times like these... even without blankets my babies are SOOO sweaty in the afternoons!

[fire1]

MIne has had his on for over a month now. I started him out with his sheet, but then worked him up to his blanket. I partially clip him too so we can ridea ll winter! He even has a hood on! He got a litle warmt oday, but not bad at all. He likes his blanket!

[Flair]

No blanketing here!

Of course, we haven't gotten lows below 50 at night yet, and 45 degree lows are predicted next week. No real need to blanket right now, it's chilly at night, but the mare motel is pretty warm with all those horse bodies, and we're still experiencing daytime temperatures in the upper 70s and 80s.

I used to blanket Flair though, because he was older in his late 20s, and was a hard keeper. He had a really nice Weatherbeeta Orican. Which wouldn't have fit Mitch anyway. But Mitch is an easy keeper, with a nice thick coat, and he's plenty young.

Got him a blanket anyway. I'd been looking around, trying to find the right one, and got the latest Stateline Tack catalog. Saw the Ultra Lightweight Blanket (http://www.statelinetack.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=SLT723193%2074%20NVY), for $39.99 and knew it was the one. They had it in his exact size. And it's light enough that he won't sweat up on those nights when it does get cold enough to need a blanket or if it rains. I know it's only 600D and isn't super, but it looks like it'll work for me.

And I might end up having to give him a minimal trace clip if this warm weather continues. He'll need a blanket then for sure.