[RC] RC] Winter Hair - Nat NelsonI put my horses under lights this time of year (at least the ones I want to keep slick hair coats). The length of daylight is nature's way of signalling hair growth. By providing artifical lights you trick mother nature that it isn't time yet to grow hair. You need to light up your stall bright enough to read a newspaper in the farthest corner. I have temporary (if you call 3 years temporary) lighting set up by using construction halagon lights on a tripod. I turn the lights on at dusk and off at 9/10 pm depeding the length of daylight. I blanket when it gets below 55 degrees. If you horse has all ready developed a hair coat you can leave the blanket one to induce shedding. I've used this system on both 3 sided stalls and pipe pens successfuly for years. Good luck. ~Nat~ Buckeye, AZ RC] Winter Hair - Jim & Drin Becker I am fighting to keep the winter hair off of my mare for an upcoming desert ride , this will be my mares first 100 miler and our weather here is in the low 30's in the mornings with highs into the 60's during the days . I have a heavy winter blanket on her with a hood 24/7 except for when I ride . I am debating on shaving parts of her as last year when I went to a ride in the same area and about the same time the weather was in the high 80's and 90's . Problem is that I could come home to snow and weather in the teens so I don't want to get into having to keep her blanketed most of the winter . Does anybody else live in cold regions and go through this same scenario ? If so what do you do beside pray for a cold front to come in the day of the ride :-) ? I have never shaved a horse before . I will be riding for completion only but this is a fast course . Drin Becker Mtn Region ===== Natalie "Nat" Nelson Cross 5 Ranch Buckeye, Arizona http://www.cross5ranch.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - Send 10MB messages! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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