Most healthy horses can handle the cold weather without a blanket as long as the owners follow some basic winter care rules.
My first horse Blue had a very extensive wardrobe. She had her show sheet, show blanket, her heavy-, mid- and light-weight blankets, and her waterproof outdoor blanket. At the first hint of cold weather we would begin the daily ritual of removing the blanket for grooming and riding and then putting the blanket back on once Blue was cool and dry. Well into her retirement, my mom would religiously blanket Blue. Mind you, we lived in Fulshear, TX, just a hop, skip and jump from Houston – not considered the winter capital of the free world. Now that I live in Michigan, I have to chuckle at what we considered “cold weather” and wonder what Blue thought of all the fuss.
Blanketing is a big time commitment that includes daily removal of the blanket and grooming. Photo from flikr By Derrick Coetzee
When my folks shipped my gelding and mare to Michigan, the hauler brought out six blankets that my mom had packed. Being a good kid, I blanketed both horses before leaving for work. By the time I got home, I was minus the gelding’s blanket and discovered the mare’s blanket hanging around her neck. Even without Sherlock Holmes, I figured out that the gelding was performing some sort of Houdini act to get rid of his blanket and then trying to do the same for the mare. That horse just wouldn’t tolerate blankets on anyone!
After that, my husband and I made a deal to store away the blankets and not breathe a word of the travesty to my mom. In fact, we recently sold the blankets that had become a haven for squirrels to store their walnuts. My horses do just fine in the cold as long as I follow some simple rules:
1) We provide our horses with protection from the wind and moisture. We converted two stalls of our old barn into a running shed, so our horses have a dry place to go. (Well at least the mare does – the gelding’s access depends on the mare’s mood.)
Most healthy horses handle cold weather just fine as long as they have a winter hair coat and shelter from the wind and moisture. Photo from flikr by withdraw
2) We let our horses grow a winter coat. That means that we don’t extend the daylight with our barn lights and we don’t body clip. The horses get pretty rough looking, especially the gelding. But that long shaggy coat provides great insulation when their hair follicles fluff up.
3) We make sure to provide plenty of hay for the horses to chomp on. Horses may need up to 25% more energy to regulate their body temperature in extreme cold weather. Since horses produce more body heat digesting forage as compared to grain, it makes sense to feed them more hay in the winter.
4) We make sure that they maintain a moderate body condition score. That means we feel their ribs underneath their shaggy hair coat. If we can easily feel their ribs, then they are getting too thin and need more energy feeds. If we can’t find a rib, then the horse needs to go on a weight watchers plan ASAP.
LEARN MORE from eXtension.org/horses How to Body Condition Score Horses
Most healthy horses do just fine without a blanket in the winter if they have a good winter hair coat. Photo from flikr by cwwycoff1
Some of you may be prepping horses this winter for early shows or sales, or like my mom, just want to blanket your horse for your own peace of mind. Below are rules you need to follow to keep your blanketed horse healthy and happy:
1) Make sure the blanket fits your horse and has adequate straps to keep it in place. An ill fitted blanket causes all sorts of rubs on the horse. In addition, a blanket that is half on and half off can be dangerous, especially if the horse is turned-out.
2) Don’t over blanket a horse. Be sure to monitor the outdoor temperature or your horse’s activity level when blanketed. Sweat that is trapped between the blanket and your horse’s body can cause a loss in body heat loss as well as providing a safe haven for fungus.
A blanketed horse is more prone to sweat when exercising. Photo from flikr by Ayesha Hagerman
3) Remove the blanket daily to groom and stimulate your horse’s coat. This is a good time to check for rubs, sweat marks and monitor your horse’s body condition score.
4) Use a waterproof blanket for outdoor turnout. Anyone who has had their winter jacket soaked can empathize!
Horse with outdoor blanket
5) Make sure the horse is completely cool and dry, and the hair coat has been groomed flat before blanketing. The cool down period after exercise is very important during the winter. If moisture gets trapped between the hair coat and blanket, then the horse will spend a lot of energy trying to warm-up. Ensuring that the horse’s coat is brushed smooth and free from sweat marks and dirt will help prevent rub marks.
LEARN MORE by reading Horse Blankets 101
Horses that may benefit from a blanket in the winter are:
- Horses that are under lights for breeding or showing or have been body clipped and need extra help staying warm in the winter.
- Horses that shiver often. While shivering is a natural way for animals to increase their body temperature, most behaviorists consider it uncomfortable for the horse. In addition, horses will spend a lot of energy reserves when shivering.
- Thin horses (below a moderate body condition score) will need extra help staying warm until they are at a healthy body condition score.
- Senior horses may also need more help staying warm.
- Horses that have recently been relocated from a warm to cold climate may benefit from a blanket while they adjust to their new location.
Some people just feel more comfortable knowing their horse is standing warm and cozy in their insulated blanket during the cold winter months. Just remember, once you blanket a horse, their natural blanket (hair coat) can’t help them stay warm. It’s up to you to keep up with a daily blanketing routine to ensure your horse stays healthy and comfortable. As for me, I say au naturel for my equine pals!
LEARN MORE Read the article Winter Care and Feeding
SHARE YOUR TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR HORSE COMFORTABLE THIS WINTER BY COMMENTING BELOW.
Dr. Christine Skelly is an extension specialist at Michigan State University where she founded and directs My Horse University, an online horse management education program. Dr. Skelly developed the free online course Purchasing and Owning a Horse 101, in partnership with Discover Horses.
Follow My Horse University on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and take the FREE online course Purchasing and Owning a Horse 101.
It would be good to talk about horses that are in heavy work in the winter. Most horses have the cold months off an a natural coat is in my experience unbeatable with any kind of blanketing routine. They can control their warmth with how much they loft their coat. But if they are in heavy work in the winter like ours, who foxhunt so may be out in 20o weather galloping for 3 hours plus are kept with 24/7 turnout when not working, that winter coat is a real negative for their health. It would be good to discuss this. We body clip and blanket seriously, including neck covers, but it is not simple.
Great point Ellen. There are some good resources for winter horse care including:
http://www.extension.org/pages/25673/winter-care-for-horses
http://www.esc.rutgers.edu/publications/general/FS1142.htm
Webcast by Dr. Carey Williams http://connect.msu.edu/p6s8bz4mqod/
However, I think that we do need an article that specifically focuses on the working horse during the winter (nutrition requirements, exercise regimes, hoof care, blanketing). Do you have any other thoughts, including hoof care, warming-up, cooling-down, specific for the winter that you might what to share? I will get to work on an article to address this (however, I am one of those that just maintains my horses in the winter or at the most rides once a week at a light level).
Re working with a winter hair coat…my Shire cross has the heavy coat & undercoat of his Shire relatives, but he’s in moderate work all year long, and does not tolerate a blanket, at all. He lives in a partially covered pen, which is essentially outdoors. Our So Cali winters seldom hit freezing temps but where he’s boarded it gets into the 30s most winter mornings. So clipping isn’t an option for him. I try to monitor his skin condition & coat, and cooling down is a challenge, but he seems ok.
Thanks for the comment Carmela – I think your Shire and my gelding would hit it off well! I read a research abstract on cooling out horses. It did show that clipped horses cooled down faster. It also showed that cooling blankets increased the time it took for horses to cool down. I think it really boils down to keeping horses as dry as possible while cooling down. I have used towels to rub my horses dry during the cool down process and that seems to help them dry off faster. Enjoy your winter!
Excellent info – our ranch horses are just being lazy in the wintertime and they do fine with their winter coats – unlike the international students who come here, who have no winter coats 8^)
Ron – I can empathize with your international students. When I first moved to Michigan from Texas, I had no idea what a winter coat was. Needless to say, I didn’t even own hat, scarf and boots. It took me a couple of years to figure out how to dress for the cold! Still haven’t quite figured out the driving part….