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Re: [RC] Blanketing...was New to sport too - Diane - Heidi SmithI HAVE noticed that the first horses to get chilled are the two we compete on...quite an interesting point Carol has! What does everyone else think of that theory? We don't usually blanket but when it's damp, I will go ahead and blanket Malik nowadays so he doesn't get chilled to the point of shivering...I used to think what a wussy. But now I think Carol is right and perhaps we have conditioned their bodies to cool down so much and not retain heat that blanketing may be inevitable at some point...I am interested to see what others have to say... Most likely, you have "conditioned" the insulation off of them (even if they have decent body scores) rather than having "conditioned" them to be colder per se. Best thing in response to cold weather is LOTS of feed, and add some protein for the heat of digestion. I know lots of folks in Texas who don't have to blanket when that occasional ice storm and week of "real winter" hits--their horses handle it just fine with an increase in feed. But that said, there ARE occasional individuals that just can't hack it, for whatever reason. Am sure glad I don't own one! I did buy one of those unfortunates that was being kept as a hothouse plant one time. We picked him up in February or early March, and had to keep him blanketed at night until April or so. But that was 6 years ago, and he hasn't worn a blanket since, except when tied to a trailer at rides. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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