Re: Re: Blanketing Question

["superpat" <superpat@ccountry.net>]

I agree with this except in the instance in which a horse, because of the
small confines of a barn stall, cannot move around much. Can a horse
generate enough heat if forced to stand or move slowly within a small area?
I have five horses. Four of them seem to manage just fine without blankets
while one of them, a twelve year old mare, has difficulty staying warm
during the colder months (and we are only talking about temps of 15 degrees
at coldest with average nights in the 20's). My horses are out during the
days and in barn stalls with larger (40ft x 14 ft) paddocks attached. Still
the one mare shivers her weight off unless blanketed. The caveat I would
offer is to aim for a more natural adjustment to colder weather, allowing
the horse to grow  a winter coat, but be flexible (and humane) enough to
recognize when the horse is unable to cope comfortably. Once you blanket, of
course, be prepared to manage your schedule so that if you remove the
blanket during the warmer hours, you are there or have someone there to
blanket once the sun goes down as the horse is then incapable of keeping
itself warm.
Pat
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike and Kathy Kelly" <reallykk@infomagic.com>
To: <guest@endurance.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 8:34 AM
Subject: RC: Re: Blanketing Question


> Hi Ed,
>
> No blankets!  As my vet just recently told a group he was speaking to,
> horses are able to keep themselves quite warm if left to themselves. They
> have tons of tiny muscles to move hair follicles, direct air flow etc.
When
> they are blanketed much, they lose alot of this ability.  So if you do
> blanket, you are taking a big responsibility to continue blanketing, since
> you've messed with their natural ability to insulate.
>
> It isn't very cold where you are.  As long as the horse has shelter from
> wind/rain, it should be fine.
>
> BTW my vet also said that horses are supposed to be most comfortable at 18
> degrees. Who would of thought.  The best thing to keep a horse warm in
cold
> weather is extra hay to eat.
>
> Kathy Kelly
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <guest@endurance.net>
> To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
> Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 3:09 AM
> Subject: RC: Blanketing Question
>
>
> > Ed Roley
> > My daughter and I have not been "horse people" long.
> >  In the last 6 years of having a few horses we have
> > not blanketed during the winter. None of our horses
> > and been ill. Never really even seen a runny nose.
> > We live in the mountains of North Carolina and
> > occasionally it gets pretty cold. Usually coldest is
> > about 10 degrees but rarely stays cold like that for
> > any extended period of time.
> > My daughter is now keeping her horse at someones barn
> > who always blankets her horses when it is a little
> > cold. She did recently when it got down to the 30's.
> > She is asking us to blanket my daughters horse now.
> > I supppose it is no big deal to do so but I am not
> > anxious to do it. I have no real problem with it if
> > it is real cold(say less then 20 degrees for extended
> > periods) but not if it is just our normal "cold" weather.
> > My mindset is somewhat "Horses have lived outside for
> > thousands of years without blankets, why do they need
> > one now?". Give me some good reasons...Thank you.
> >
> > Ed Roley....
> >
> >
> >
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