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[RC] blanketing, white hairs etc. - Jonni Jewell

First, yes, they can get white hairs from the blanket pressure. I have also
had horses get white hairs on the poll from wearing his driving bridle a
lot. Constant pressure in one place can cause the hairs to grow white.

Blanketing....well, I lived in Los Angeles most of my life. The winter is
mild in comparison to most of the country, but horses will still grow thick
winter coats. I used to ALWAYS blanket, to keep the coat short. Day and
night, usually they wore something, unless it got so warm they broke a
sweat. It did indeed keep the coat short. Some folks body clipped, then
blanketed. If we could keep the coats short, then when we rode in the late
afternoon, and they got sweaty, they could dry easily. When it got dark, the
temperature would often drop enough, a thick sweaty coat would never dry.
Funny thing was, I saw more blankets on horses in Los Angeles in a mild
winter day where it was maybe 65F, than I do here in Texas when it drops to
the 30's (or below).

Now that we have real "winter", I blanket LESS than I did in California. I
let them grow long coats. They are also in pasture 24/7, where they lived in
12x24 corral sin California. I do not wait for them to shiver to blanket
though. If they are shivering, I waited to long. I know who my wussy horse
is, and he gets a blanket when it gets to about freezing. But the others
seem to be fine well into the teens. It seems once they start shivering, it
takes forever to warm them back up. I am more worried they will cramp, from
tightening their muscles to try to stay warm as they shiver. So, I just
observe who can handle what weather, and then blanket for individual needs.

Jonni in No. Texas



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