ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Winter Coats

Re: Winter Coats

suzy kelley (suzyk@ix.netcom.com)
Thu, 02 Oct 1997 07:46:45 -0700

K S Swigart wrote:
>
> Horses in Southern California (unless we are talking about in the
> mountains where it snows), do not need to be blanketed (acutally, I am of
> the opinion that the only horse that might "need" to be blanketed is one
> that lives outside with absolutely no shelter from the wind or the
> rain/snow--otherwise, the one that they grow is perfectly adequate for
> keeping them warm...but that is beside the point).
>
> Additionally, I cannot recommend clipping a Southern Californian horse.
> Clipping will ruin your horse's natural coat, and it will take years for
> the coat to recover (just like shaving your legs makes the hair on your
> legs grow back faster and courser...the more often you shave, the more
> often you have to shave).
>
> I have found that there is no Arabian (or Thoroughbred...which is what I
> have got) grows a long enough coat in the Southern California wintertime
> that it needs to be clipped at all...even if you keep your horse in
> regular work.
>
> It just doesn't get that cold here.
>
> I have competed through the winter with my horse's "winter" coat. I takes
> a little longer to dry out, but I have found that if you keep the horse in
> regular training, they do just fine wearing their winter coat all winter
> and shedding it out naturally in the spring.
>
> kat
> Orange County, Calif.
>
> p.s. If your horse has already had its natural coat ruined by clipping,
> this may be something that you will have to do forever....or go through
> the years that it will take for the coat to recover.

A question to ask first of you Kat. Where do you finish in the pack and
what milealge are you doing.
I disagree with you kat. Where I complete blanket use and clipping are
the way I go. My clipping is minimal because of the blankets.

When I clip it is jugular over the poll, belly and up the sides for
better sweat fall, and the rump is in squares for when it is hot or cold.
Their legs where the sweat fall is clipped to pervent skirf (sp). A lot
of people forget the rinsse the back of the legs which ends up burning
them. I have been sucessful with this and would not change my way.

Also the blanket keeps the horses cleaner and I then do not spend a lot
of time cleaning. (I am working 4 horses and they are all going now so I
don't need to spend a lot of time grooming.) Also after their rinse off
(bath no soap), if to cool or cold I put a blanket on.

Suzy Kelley (Orange also)

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