How cold to blanket?

[Ariesgrl131]

I live in Las Vegas so our cold is like 30's-40's and night, Somestime wind. I normally blanket at night and rainy days. Am I blanketing for no reason? My buddy said he only blankets for snow..Also is it true if you blanket their winter coat doesnt grow as thick?

[WashingtonBay]

I've been known to blanket ours when it's in the 40s and wet or windy... and I usually blanket when it's below 40, even when it's dry. What that actually means is, with a few sunny warm exceptions, our horses pretty much wear them from Nov-Mar.

We got cold last night though, surprisingly so, and I am going to check the forecast here in a bit and might be putting the blankets on... not sure yet.

blanketing them doesn't change how much coat they grow, it only appears that way because the coat lays flatter when they've had the blanket on. Horse's actually are triggered to grow coat based on fading light and shortening of days, not how warm or cold they are...

Edited to add... this is just what I do. Plenty of people here and elsewhere don't blanket at all, and their horses are also fine. Lots of people have their own thoughts on what's necessary, what's good for them, and what just makes us feel better on cold nights. :)

[Harleys Owner]

I'd say your blanketing at night is a waste of time, the blanketing when rainy can be iffy...Do they have a shelter to get in? Cold an wet can be a problem.

I'd leave the blankets off, and just watch your horses for a while. If they have a shivering problem then blanket if not I'd say they are fine.

I live in OK, where we can get very cold for short periods and I don't blanket. My horses have free access to stalls, and unless they get really wet, they don't have any problems.

[cloedoll]

I don't blanket either of my horse's and they live in chilly Pennsylvania. We get temperatures up to -20°, both my horse's are fine. They have a shelter they can access 24/7, heated water, hay, etc. - they are fine and dandy. =P

[SedonaThunder]

Like WB said - this is a very personal preference kind of thing.

Usually, we like to blanket if it's going to drop into the 20's... however, I leave for work at 7:30am and it's often still dark out. I don't like my horses to have their blankets on all day if it's going to warm up above 50 degrees but since the coldest part of the day is just before sunrise - I don't want to go ripping off the warm blankies when it's coldest outside as that does more harm. So... if it's not going to get below 25 and it's going to warm up a bit the next day - I don't bother blanketing. Also, when we do blanket and I'm working from home the next day I take their blankets off before they're turned out because they run like maniacs and get all sweaty - and then they roll and get their blankets full of mud. I take their blankets off and wipe them down with a towel when they come back in and then put their blankets back on if needed.

Exception - if it's wet and windy and below 35 I will blanket as the wind gets under that wet fur and I have two that will actually shiver.

[Ariesgrl131]

our stalls are outdoor stalls. partial covered top.

[MileHighOlli]

I blanket when it looks like cold wind or sleet/snow or when it dips below 30-ish. My silly boy likes to stand outside in the worst weather, soak himself to the bone, and then shiver. At least with his blanket on, I don't have to worry about him so much.

[zoel_222]

I don't normally blanket my horses against the cold. I blanketed Auda when I got her because she was in Texas and I brought her up to northern Oregon in the middle of winter and she had a sorry excuse for a winter coat. My horses do wear light weight sheets to keep the rain and mud off because I like their coats to stay clean and I know I'm a lot more comfortable if I'm not sopping wet.

[Cat]

We don't blanket here in Kentucky, and we do get below freezing in the winter. Oh my - I could just imagine Toby with a bunch of blankets to be able to undo!

[valleyrider]

I am in NY where is gets real cold too. I do not blanket unless it is a cold bitter sleet or rain. And they seem to be shivering. They have an open barn (run in shed) they can go in and out of as they please. They seem to spend alot of time in there if the weather is bad.. I did blanket Bones the first winter I had him cause he was still gaining weight. So I worried about him getting sick. But he was fine this past winter. Did not have to blanket, but it really did not get that cold.

[42many]

I blanket only if I see someone shivering. Mine are pretty tough-skinned, so I rarely blanket. I think I did Keystone maybe a 4 times or less all last winter, and it is about 10 degrees warmer on average here. July did get blanketed most of the winter, but she was having acclimation problems from coming from a warmer place. Horse specific blanketing, rather than weather specific, I guess.

[WashingtonBay]

I blanket mine in winter partly so they WILL go outside and move around. If I don't, they'll stay in the barn till it stops raining, which may be March.

[John Boy]

If it's 15 degree's or colder , I monitor the night temps .. if it drops to around 5 degrees or colder. If during the day it is no warmer than 0 I will put it on my TB.

First post on this web forum ... thank you WB.

[WashingtonBay]

Welcome on board John Boy! :)

[42many]

I blanket mine in winter partly so they WILL go outside and move around. If I don't, they'll stay in the barn till it stops raining, which may be March.

It's REALLY COLD up there, though! If it were that cold here I'd have to just leave mine blanketed nonstop, cause I'd be hiding in my house most of the time anyway... :D

I think it snowed maybe 1/4 of 1 inch at my old house last winter (the ENTIRE winter), and it is supposed to be even warmer in general here at my new place!

[Hill]

I must have the wimpiest horses on the planet!!!! I blanket if its below 40! Otherwise they sit there and shiver and huddle together shivering... And I live in freakin TEXAS so most of the winter we keep our windows open! Oh well, I love my wimpy wonders!

[palomino]

I blanket Oct-sometimes april or may. I hate shedding horses. ICK. I body clipped Charlie last year, and LOVED it!
I never used to, but I think spring is much nicer with LESS hair.

[OwnedByOurHorses]

I must have the wimpiest horses on the planet!!!! I blanket if its below 40! Otherwise they sit there and shiver and huddle together shivering... And I live in freakin TEXAS so most of the winter we keep our windows open! Oh well, I love my wimpy wonders!

I had to laugh at that. I live in south texas and i have wimpy horses also....my guys huddle together and act like 45 is -45.. so everyone gets blankets on if it's going to be in the 40's..

[gaited07]

aries, I just want to ad that it is a personal choice.
I too live in Vegas and there are some days that I do blanket my horses, like when we had that week long of freezing temps, otherwise, no, they do not get a blanket.
When we first purchased our QH mare, she had such thin skin and would shiver in March. The old owner kept her in a blanket all winter long. She has now developed a thicker skin since I do not blanket her all winter long, again, this is choice.

[Remali]

I would only blanket if the horse was shivering, or if the horse was ill. As long as horses can stay dry, and out of the wind, they should be fine. Of course there are always exceptions, but horses do better without blanketing, usually.

[Hill]

I had to laugh at that. I live in south texas and i have wimpy horses also....my guys huddle together and act like 45 is -45.. so everyone gets blankets on if it's going to be in the 40's..

See you feel my pain! I'm glad I'm not the only one with wimps! :cowboy:

Where abouts in South Texas are you? I'm in Floresville, but I work in San Antonio.

[AppyLady]

I don't blanket my horses at all, not even during our Colorado blizzards. But they do have a windbreak and a run-in shelter available. They seem to prefer standing behind a windbreak to going inside.

My niece does blanket her 32-year-old horse when the temperature drops way below freezing. He doesn't have much meat on his bones.

[WashingtonBay]

Mine wish they'd have had theirs last night! We actually had our first frost! In October! It's shivery out this morning!

[jeezitsjacki]

I put bens on thursday night because it has been freezing here! in the low 40s at night.. which is pretty darn cold for early october

[Sparrk]

:eek:

I only blanket if my horses are shivering - and only the one I brought up from Colorado did that.

Here it gets to about -35 Celsius, which is -31 Fahrenheit, and I still don't blanket unless there is high blistering winds, or wet snow.