Comments on: Does my horse need a blanket?

By: Lexi

Lexi — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 18:44:48 +0000

My mare is around 20 and she had a fluffy winter coat but she’s older so I wonder if that is a factor. I’ve never noticed her shivering or huddled but she’s also in a pasture during the day that has no shelter. I have one blanket for her and its not very padded or thick. I know she wore it some last winter before I took ownership but I don’t know what weather she wore it in. Wisconsin winters can be pretty fickle and I’m new to horse ownership.

By: Vickey

Vickey — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 09:00:16 +0000

I thought sleazy used in winter months for warmth was counter productive because they crush the hair down and the coat loses its insulation capabilities, and should not be used under blankets. I just read this in another article…

By: Megan

Megan — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 13:17:31 +0000

My horse does not grow a winter coat whatsoever. So if it’s around 50 degrees with wind, I put her sleezy hood on. If it dips below 50, she gets her mid-lightweight blanket on also. Under 40, it’s heavy coat with sleezy. 32 or below, sleezy, heavy blanket and stalled up. But here in OK the weather is SO unpredictable that I literally watch it hour by hour and sometimes have to run back to the barn and remove/add a blanket/her sleezy. She is very lean also so she doesn’t have hardly any extra fat on her to help keep her warm. She’s a TB/QH mix.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 09:55:38 +0000

My very healthy, well cared for paint gelding has never grow a heavy enough coat for Michigan winters. He’s not being shown now, and we start off naked to see if this will be the year, but I always end up with a thin coated shivering guy. I’m not going to make him suffer, so on goes the blanket. He has free choice grass hay, free access to a stall with a heated automatic waterer where he can escape most of the wind, doesn’t get wet unless he wants to, and still no heavy winter coat. So, I blanket him.

By: Galadriel

Galadriel — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 23:29:28 +0000

Wow, I’ve never seen someone recommend blankets so freely! Most horses in my experience that grow their own blankets never need blanketing! And it gets below zero here.
On the other hand when I had thoroughbreds they needed blanketing when a cloud crossed in front of the sun.

By: Phoebe

Phoebe — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 08:45:03 +0000

Yes this article was enough information as barn helpers get confused with to much information. Thanks…!

By: kygal

kygal — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 07:40:30 +0000

allow my horse to be a horse there are three of them not clipped shelter and plenty of food and water plus they are all FAT

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Thu, 13 May 2010 08:12:40 +0000

@Megan – Shivering is how a horse’s muscles generates extra heat, so when he does this it means that his body isn’t generating quite enough. I would either feed him more or a higher quality hay, if possible, or get him a medium weight turnout blanket for when he starts shivering!

By: Randi

Randi — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:54:33 +0000

I have a 34 yo Arab. He lives outside coming into the barn for meals and water. There is always plenty of good orchard grass hay and clean water available to him. He grows a coat like a wooly mammoth. He does not wear a blanket except in extremely severe weather (we had 2 blizzards this year). In spring he sheds like a Cushings horse but by June he is splendid and healthy.

By: Megan

Megan — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:38:44 +0000

My horse has shelter, forage, isn’t clipped, and is overall healthy, but he shivers when it gets cold out, should I get him a blanket or would it be better not to?